Wednesday, January 26, 2011

An Ideal US Family Getaway!

I am here today to talk about another Social Moms opportunity. They always have such great ones and I love them! It also makes me look at some things and have different things to write about, other than reviews and giveaways:)

Anyways, this time around I have to tell you about a great US family getaway. You know, the place we always wanted to go to as a family, what we want to do, etc. We have been blessed to be able to travel a lot and see a lot of the sights. Whether monuments, state parks, battlefields, etc, we have been to a lot! So I am going to more give you some tips on how to make it a great getaway and then tell you a couple spots we like to go for a great US getaway!

1.Plan Your Trip.
Sure you know where you want to go, but do you know how and where, how long it will take and where you are going to stop? Take the time to search online, read reviews and make your plans. It always helps in the long run!

2.Take Snacks.
We have a large family, so if we buy a snack for everyone at the gas station we stop at along the way, we will spend lots of money! So we always pack a cooler and take ziploc bags of snacks. Throw in some drinks, peanuts, crackers, fruit, etc and it really makes a difference. I don't know how much it has saved us but when you look at even a $1 bag of snacks for each person and a drink, that gets expensive:)

3.Bring Plenty of Pillows and Blankets.
Even if we are staying in a hotel, we bring pillows and blankets. For one, traveling in the vehicle gets pretty tiring at times, so it is nice to relax and snooze with a pillow. But we also have found that sometimes it is hard to use other pillows. We get used to our own and their strength or softness and we end up in a hotel room with something totally different than what we are used to. Not conducive to sleeping well.

4.Store up Those Toys and Books.
Bring plenty of coloring books, activities, toys, etc. On long trips kids get bored and then they get cranky. Make sure this doesn't happen by bringing things to entertain them. Sometimes it is a DVD while other times it is a book, but make sure to bring them!

So, there are some tips and below are some of our favorite places to go for a great getaway. They are family friendly and we love visiting these places.

5.The Grand Canyon
This was a beautiful place that we loved going to. The sings are very nice and there is a lot to see. I do have to say, if you have little children, it is a long time in the vehicle or to walk.

6.Chicago, IL
This is one of our favorite places to go. There is so much to do and lots of places to see:) Whether museums, parks or touring the city, there is a lot to do. The prices are a little higher and some of the places you have to make sure they are open. They have many museums including Field Museum, Navy Pier, etc.

One place I have always wanted to go is Colorado. Not during the winter time with all the snow but it would be a great place to visit. It seems like a wonderful place to go and with children there is definitely lots to see. I have had friends bring up skiing and I would love to try it. Sounds like fun but not sure about the snow and the dangers of having two feet going two different ways:) What are your thoughts? Have you ever went skiing?
I have also heard they have nice resorts out there. I have never been to a resort or lodge and this would make a great getaway for me! It is out in the mountains, beautiful scenery and sooo much to do! I think this would be my favorite place to go that I have not been to yet and is in the US.

So, there are some of my tips. I am sure you have plenty more and I probably missed some of the big ones, but these have really helped in our family and it makes for a great US getaway! Also leave a comment with your favorite spot to getaway with the family!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

2 comments:

Barb said...

I'd love them to if I could get them. I do subscribe to their email like everyone says & that is not where the information is posted to get these campaigns for gift cards. Please help me figure out how to get these campaigns.

LocalFunForKids said...

There are a ton of great blogs in the Chicago area for families. You should check them out on my site.
www.localfunforkids.com

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