The Many Perks of Traveling- Guest Post with Kendra Thornton

As all of you know, I love to travel. It doesn’t even have to be to an extravagant location. Although I love the sandy beaches and hot summer sun of the Dominican Republic, I am just as satisfied with a morning stroll with some coffee in Chattanooga, TN’s art district.

I was recently approached by the travel connoisseur herself, Kendra Thornton, (Google her, you’ll be glad) about working together to do a post about traveling. At first I was uncertain of what the topic should be, but then it hit me.  I love to travel… just open up the page and start writing whatever you want. This shouldn’t be hard.

So, here we are, me and Kendra, writing about one of our favorite topics: Traveling.

People always ask me how I have the time and money to travel. They make it out to be such a difficult task… as if you have to have bountiful resources and boo-coodles of time to be able to do so. The good news is that neither of those is true. I travel on a budget. How do you travel on a budget?

·         Try your best not to go during peak times. If you can go to Vegas on a Tuesday, you can practically stay for free.

·         Do your research. I have been to NYC several times. One would think this could be an extravagant and expensive trip, however, our accommodations and flights usually total between $450-$600. That’s a few meals out a week for a month or so.

·         It’s okay to be cheap on some times, but others things are worth your buck. For example, skip an elaborate lunch that can weigh you down and make you feel tired. Instead, grab a quick and cheap bite and then save those dollars and calories for a nicer dinner at a special restaurant.

·         Do the free stuff! There are so many things you can do in every city that are free. For example, Boston offers the Freedom Walk, which is totally free and can occupy an entire day while giving you a lot of information and cool sights to see.

You know that I am a Gretchen Rubin fan. I have read her books. I swoon over her blog. I receive her daily “happys”.  In her most recent book, “Happier at Home”, Gretchen suggest to “be a tourist in your own city.” This is the most genius travel tip ever.

I had a friend in college (We will call her Sandy). She had lived in the Nashville area for 5 years and had never heard of or seen some of the coolest things the city has to offer. You don’t have to travel far and wide to get your traveling fix. Go to local parks and explore for a day. You know that museum that you drive by all the time and you’re not even really sure what it is? Stop in and check it out. Walk around the town square window shopping and eating from the local restaurants. Go to the local theatre and see a play. Stop in a local pub and check out a local band. (Nashville is perfect for that, by the way.)

The moral of the story is that you don’t have to be rich to be a travel guru. Anyone can do it with a few tips and tricks.

Now Kendra will throw in her two cents about traveling.  :)

A family trip is a wonderful time for all. Not only is it a time for bonding, but also a time to make memories that will last a lifetime. There are many different places we all choose to visit with our families, and different activities we all participate in. However, regardless of where it is you choose to go with your family next, remember to enjoy your time together!

Although traveling with children can be a little difficult and stressful at times, the rewards that you receive will outweigh any complications. By planning ahead for your trip, you can alleviate a lot of the frustrations that sometimes come when traveling. Packing plenty of activities for your kids for the car ride like DVDs or your child’s favorite game can make the driving far easier. You can also plan to travel in the nighttime, which will let the kids snooze through the ride! Also, plan lots of kid friendly activities once you reach your destination. As we all know, a happy child means a happy family!

Deciding where to travel to, and then where to stay, are difficult decisions for any family. When traveling with a family, parents often tend to try to go to a low population area without a lot of hustle and bustle. This is a wonderful choice if you are looking for a tranquil, quiet vacation. However, do not be afraid to take your family to a big city! The kids will love to see all that the city has to offer, and as a parent, you can foster education by showing your children famous sites and teaching them about the city’s history. Chicago, for instance, has a remarkable skyline at night, water parks to visit and great places to stay. When traveling to a city like Chicago, make sure to do your research on where to stay. Check out a site like Gogobot to look through great lists of hotels, user reviews, and restaurants throughout the area.

One major concern when trying to plan a vacation is the large cost of traveling somewhere. However, there are lots of tricks you can employ to maintain a budget when traveling. By choosing to travel to a big city, the hotel prices are very fair as there is lots of competition between hotels to have the best rates. Also, look for hotels that offer free amenities like wireless internet, a continental breakfast, and a pool and sauna. Further, avoid the steep costs of airlines by road tripping to your destination with your family!

Plan for lots of fun as you get ready to travel with your family on your next vacation. Wherever your destination, make sure to pack activities for the travel as well as schedule kid-friendly things to do throughout your holiday.

We hope these tips and tricks will help you and your family plan a successful vacation!

Feel free to comment on this post with more of your tips and tricks..maybe even funny traveling stories!

Bon Voyage, Friends!