Today, I was reminded of a time my husband and I went to Virginia Beach when our firstborn was a baby and I was pregnant for our second child. Since it was November, I assumed that it would be chilly or cold so I packed accordingly, long sleeves, sweatshirts and light sweaters. I couldn't believe it when we arrived and it was hot! The temperatures were near the 80's! Needless to say, I was really frustrated that I wasn't better prepared! Of course, nearly 14 years ago, it wasn't as convenient to look up the weather as it is now, all you have to do is go to the Weather Channel online or via your TV and you'll soon find out what the weather is like anywhere in the world. That should save you a bit of frustration when it comes to planning what to pack!
~Happy Traveling!
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Homeschooling…Live the Adventure
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
Over the course of the past four years, we have literally spent hundreds of nights in a hotel. With the exception of our anniversary, all of those nights have been spent at a moderate, or even budget class hotel chain. Even though we travel for my husband's job, the only reimbursement we get is a nice write-off on our taxes at the end of the year, so it's important that we can stay at a nice hotel for as low cost as possible. Of all the nights spent on the road, and all the hotels we've stayed at, there have only been a few that we've checked out of early OR refused to stay in, which is how I've now learned to ask to see the room before we check in and pay for it. All of the few rooms that we've refused to stay at, or checked out early have been at the Econolodge or Rodeway Inn. I really hate to be unfair to those particular types of hotels, but in my experience, I would not stay at one again without first looking over the room.
We once reserved a room at an Econolodge that looked great on the outside and was in a decent area only to find the inside of the room had not received the same attention as the outside. Although the room was clean, the furniture in the room was in such terrible condition that I didn't want to touch anything. The table was wobbly, the drawer on the nightstand was broken and the pieces stored on the shelf beneath it, the light fixtures were held to the wall with duct tape and the bathroom door had several holes that were patched with duct tape. I've always been upset with myself that I didn't have anymore space on my camera to snap a picture because the room was sooooo bad that I'm sure people feel I'm exaggerating; believe me, I'm not.
We stayed at an Econolodge in Virginia Beach that was absolutely terrifying. During the daylight hours, it appeared to be a decent part of town, but at night we barricaded ourselves in our room and prayed for daylight. One night as we were trying to go to sleep, there was a ruckus outside our room. I actually remember wondering if the arguing party had guns, and if they started shooting and bullets came through the walls and struck us, just how long would it take someone to find us? We checked out the next day....
And yet one more time, I received my money back when I entered my room at a Rodeway Inn only to find that it probably had not been cleaned for weeks, it was that bad! I was afraid to even place my luggage on the floor while I took in the scene around me! The white bathroom floor was covered with dirt streaks, the tub full of hair, the toilet seat was broken and hanging on the floor. The beds were made, but the floor was certainly not vacuumed and trash was still in the container. The room smelled of sweat and urine. I remember seeing a straw wrapper poking out from under the bed and at first glance, I suspected it was a hypodermic needle. When I arrived back at the front desk, I didn't even have to tell them what I wanted, he'd already counted out my refund and had it waiting for me!
I don't want to scare you off completely, like I said, in the past four years, we've spent the night in many, many hotels! Of all those, there have only been a handful that I would never stay at again. So, if you aren't sure about the hotel, or if you've had a bad experience in the past, don't hesitate to ask to see your room in advance! It may save you a hassle later! Happy Traveling!
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Homeschooling…Live the Adventure
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
I decided that if I designated a certain day of the week to posting travel tips than maybe I'd remember to actually post them! So, from now on, I will post my tips on Tuesday. Thus, the name, Travel Tip Tuesday, has been born!
Before you leave home, make sure you call ahead to your destination to confirm the hours and days of operation. These can vary, especially during the off-season. It isn't fun when the family is looking forward to an outing, only to arrive and find out the museum, zoo, park, etc. is closed once you get there!
Of course, I speak from experience...once while we were staying in Virginia, we planned to visit one of the wildlife refuges on the Eastern Shore. We drove for an hour, paid $20 to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel only to find out that the refuge was closed, even though the travel brochure said they should have been open. Don't take a brochure, website or Visitor Center employee's words as fact...call and confirm for yourself. It could save you from being disappointed!
***I've noticed that many attractions are closed the early part of the week, either on Monday or Tuesday.
• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
I love the fact that as homeschoolers, we are able to determine our own schedule and are not bound by our local school districts calendar. This freedom has been wonderful in the past, as we've sat down to schedule some fun getaways for our family. Personally, we don't like crowds and prefer to travel during "low peak travel times" or a.k.a. "the off-season". In addition to lower crowds, we've also reaped the benefits of finding lower prices on hotels, food specials and discounted attraction tickets. We've found that for many destinations, off-season travel has worked out really well with only a few setbacks. So, here are a couple pointers from our experiences to help you as you begin to plan your own off season trip:
1. Though you'll find lighter crowds, you may also find out that the attraction or exhibit you traveled to see isn't open or has reduced hours during these times. Make sure that you call directly before planning your trip and inquire about the hours. When you call, confirm that the entire exhibit will be open for viewing.
2. You may find that the local weather could really put a damper on your vacation. It could be too hot, too cold, too rainy, etc. We've traveled to the Smokey Mountains during the off-season and found that some of the hiking, etc. is inaccessible because some of the mountain roads are closed during those times.
3. Renovations also take place during the off-season. Call the destination directly and ask if any renovations are planned. A hotel we were staying at recently was undergoing major renovations. This wasn't a problem for us, but each day around 8:00 a.m. we were awakened to the sound of power tools as work began. We weren't on vacation here so we just accepted the power tools as a wake up call. But had we been there for some R & R, we might have felt differently.
Here's a few tips to help you get started. If you have any tips that you've gleaned from your own off -season trip, why not leave a tip for us in the comment section? Happy Traveling~ Tonya
© 2009 Tonya Prater/Homeschooling…Live the Adventure
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link
When planning a trip, we often search out free or very low cost attractions. I often search through National Park Sites, State Parks, reciprocal memberships and the wacky and fun attractions found at Roadside America. Our family has found that the more money we pay for admission, the higher our expectations are- sometimes leading us to be over critical which ultimately leads to disappointment. Who can argue with free?
• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link