The Staycation

In times such as these, it's hard to think about anything but how much money we don't have, much less, which vacation we want to go spend that nonexistent money on. That's why we're here! To help find those fab deals and great thrills for a penny or more (okay, probably a little more).

But in the mean time, let's not forget the grand "staycation." Yup. That's right. If you're looking for some time off, take it. Then stay put. I think we forget to look within the 50 mile radius of where we live for great things to do: national parks, lakes, city parks with water attractions, or just a day off in our backyard with the hose on for the kiddos and our feet up. Don't get me wrong, we love to get away, to explore, to experience, but sometimes, when the wallet or time demand that the get away is not possible, we get creative, at home.

First step to a great staycation?
Unplug. We rarely find ourselves with computers, Xbox, and phones when we chillin' away from home, so do it. Unplug, pull out the books and games and get outside.

Not sure what to do? Here are some ideas and some places to get ideas:

National Park website, search for parks by state
Children's Museum's, again, search by state
Your local newspaper in the 'entertainment' section
Your city's homepage
Local Harvest, check local farmer's markets and farms. This can be so much fun
Amusement Parks, this may pull a little money from the budget, so plan well
Your city's local visitor's center, it may surprise you

The great thing? You hardly have to spend a dime on most these attractions! A city park with a kid's fountain? Free! Take a lunch with you, swimsuits and towels, and you've got a wonderful, fun day without spending anything. Don't let money stop you from experiencing.

We've got tons of great things to share with you all: tips, deals, places to explore. Keep checking back!!

Katie:)

Here we go!

So, I'm Katie. I grew up as a military brat moving from place to place and loving every minute of the different cultures I got to experience. Then, apparently addicted to the lifestyle, I married into the military (admittedly, thinking of life without an ID card does freak me out. Just a tad). Along with my adventure-sporting husband and two young children, I like to travel. Scratch that. I LOVE to travel. But not just to see things. We love to really experience things. To take it all in. One of my favorite things is coming home, and avoiding the mountain of laundry by telling everyone what we saw and did and where to stay (or where not to stay) and the great food that we ate. And along the way, we've learned some of the differences between traveling as a couple and traveling with small children (because heaven knows, there is a big difference), how to find great deals, where to go to figure out what to do at our destination, and how to make getting there a little easier on everyone. So here I am. To share it all. I'll be a regular around here. Like it or not;)

Katie:)

Welcome Bloggers!

Welcome Bloggers to Guide to Military Travel's new blogsite. We are excited about giving you up-to-date stories, discount information and sharing with you our personal trip adventures. This blog gives us a better opportunity to let our hair down and explore our common quest as military members and spouses searching for great travel deals. We hope to recommend destinations, to inform you about the latest deals being offered and to reveal some insider secrets about an industry that is eager to invite us to explore the world and everything in it! Along the way we will share with you our own challenges in traveling, our fears about economic woes and the realism of affording a vacation in these times and the funny anecdotes of traveling with kids! Please leave us comments and share with us your experiences. If you would ever like to tell us about your adventures or share with us a special discount that you found, please contact us at guidetomilitarytravel@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject field. We can't wait to hear from you!