The Mississippi River Bridge Looking Into Louisiana from Vicksburg, MS

Today’s travel tip is brought to you by that oft overlooked arm of the travel industry, The Office of Tourism.  What office, you may be asking?  Pick your state I answer, for every state has one.  The purpose of the tourism office in a particular state is to encourage vacationing, visiting by both residents and non-residents.   They help to promote the economy by promoting the tourism industry within their respective states.  Some offices even manage the state’s park systems.

They have information.  Lots and lots of information.  And that’s what we really need when planning a trip.   Where to go, what to do, what to eat, schedules of events and festivals.

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Welcome to Florida. Kind of.

I have visited many vacation destinations over my lifetime.

I’ve been to Europe, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, and all across the United States.  And almost everywhere I go, the locals welcome tourists with open arms and open palms, taking your money and ignorance about their culture with a smile.

Italians don’t mind that you don’t speak the language.  Mexicans are thrilled that you didn’t bother to exchange your foreign currency.  Even New Yorkers, while annoyed that you’re standing in the middle of the sidewalk staring up at the skyline, are happy to give you directions to the best bagel shop in the area – while also telling you the best place to get a pizza later on in the day.

Travel guides talk incessantly about “local favorites” and “tips from locals”.  The locals, it seems, hold the secret keys to any tourist’s perfect vacation.

Except in Florida.

Native Floridians hate tourists.

No, they do not know how to get you into Disney for free.  No, they do not think that it is awesome that it is still 100 degrees out in October.  And by the way, can you please stay the hell of the Interstate during our commute?  Thanks.

The worst person to ask for advice on your Florida vacation is a true Florida local.

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Friends, there are only 90 shopping days until Christmas!

Yes, I know, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. But in the interest of being a good Girl Scout and being prepared (that applies to Girl Scouts as well as Boy Scouts, right?) I thought I would offer some gift ideas for the traveler in your life. Or, some ideas to add to your own Christmas wish list!

This Passport Travel Tote is pretty awesome – durable, with pockets for just about everything, yet small and light and easy to carry – plus a detachable “boarding organizer” that holds plane tickets, ID, and passport. $44.95 from Memorable Gifts.

Sassy luggage tags with attitude put the fun back into wrestling for your suitcase at the baggage carousel. Tags are bright neon colors with messages such as, “Nothing worth stealing here,” and “I’m pretty sure this isn’t your bag.” $9.99 for a pack of six from Wishing Fish.

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I’m getting ready for a beach vacation and went over my packing list for the beach.  Upon doing so, I realized I almost forgot my toothbrush.

Again.

While every vacation, business trip, or overnight stay will have unique packing needs, there are a few basic things that you can expect to have to pack every single time you go on vacation.

Because I love you – and figured I might as well make a post of this since I’m having to make a packing list right now – I’ve compiled a list of things I’ll you’ll want to put on your vacation packing list.

Vacation Packing List

(according to Britt)

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This isn't my friend's kid - but it could be.

A friend of mine is visiting Orlando with her son right now.  She and her husband saved for this family vacation for over a year.  She had done her research, made her schedules, and planned the perfect Florida vacation for her family.

At least, that’s what she thought.

I received a frantic text message from her early this morning:

Help!  Travis hates Universal!  What do I do for the rest of our days here?

As it turns out, her son isn’t really into amusement parks.  Which would be fine, except they had carefully planned their Orlando vacation around visiting the amusement parks.  They booked a centrally located hotel that provided shuttle services to and from the parks – negating the need for a rental car.

He better start having fun soon or I’m going to go ballistic!

Ah, yes.  The familiar cries of a mother who’s watching her savings and planning and dreams of magical memories go up in a cloud of tears.

It happens.  In fact, it happens a lot.  Sure, there are steps you can take to plan for a happy vacation with kids – but all the planning in the world can still blow up in your face and leave you wondering why in the heck you spent all this money for everyone to have a good time!

Then what?

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I firmly believe that kids should be exposed to travel as much as possible when they are young.  It’s important to show our children that there is a big world out there beyond their own backyard.  An appreciation for culture and diversity is best learned by seeing and experiencing firsthand the variety that this world has to offer.

I also will freely admit that traveling with kids can be a nightmare.  As someone who has cried at Disney World, I know the perils of a poorly planned family vacation intimately.

As with any travel experience, the difference between a great trip and a stressful disaster lies in proper planning and healthy dose of common sense.

14 Tips For Happy Traveling With Kids

photo by kretyen

1.  Don’t eat all your meals in restaurants.

Of course you will be buying most – if not all – of your meals if you’re not visiting family or friends.  But even the most kid friendly restaurant can be a stressful experience for the entire family.  Every meal you have in a restaurant requires at least an hour – depending on the speed of the service – of sitting still and keeping relatively quiet.  While it’s important for children to learn how to behave well in public, asking them to practice such restraint three or more times a day for several days in a row is just asking for a meltdown.

Take advantage of your hotel’s continental breakfast.  Order pizza to be delivered to your hotel room.  Grab lunch from a vendor stand and eat lunch on a park bench.  Pick up snacks or breakfast items at a local grocery store and keep them in the mini fridge.  You can’t – and shouldn’t – spend your entire vacation eating on the run, but mixing it up at mealtime can make the restaurant experiences much more enjoyable for everyone involved.

2.  Remember sunscreen and bug spray.

You remember to lather your kids up at home before they play outside.  It’s important to be just as diligent when you’re on vacation.  In fact, it’s especially important to take care to reapply sunscreen (and bug spray, if necessary) if you’re spending an inordinate amount of time outdoors enjoying vacation activities.

A sunburned kid is a miserable kid, and a miserable kid is no fun for anyone to travel with.  Neither, by the way, is a sunburned adult.  Make sure everyone in the family is well protected.

photo by B@ni

3.  Get plenty of sleep.

There’s nothing wrong with sleeping in or going to bed early on vacation.  If you have kids, I would encourage it.  Kids need plenty of rest whether they’re getting it in their own beds or in a sleeping bag.  Try to stick to their regular sleeping schedules as much as possible.  If a special event calls for a late night, allow time in the itinerary for everyone to catch up on sleep the next morning.  If you’re traveling with kids who still require nap times, make every effort to allow for midday rest.

4.  Don’t over schedule your vacation.

Children are walking X factors.  You never know what will come up when you have little kids around.  Having an itinerary with every minute planned leaves no room for adjusting to the unexpected things that will come up.  Give yourself plenty of wiggle room in your schedule to allow for the unplanned detours you can’t avoid.

photo by Adam

5.  Plan for free time.

While I don’t believe in scheduling every minute of your trips, I do think it’s important to make sure you give yourselves downtime.  Give the kids a break and time to run free.  Making sure you’ve left room for unstructured play will keep everyone’s stress levels at a minimum.

6.  Look for kid friendly lodging and restaurants.

When you’re planning your family vacation, look for hotels and restaurants in the area that cater to kids and family.  A relaxed environment will set the tone for your entire vacation.  The less often you have to force your kids to sit still and be quiet, the better time they – and you – will have.

7.  Give everyone enough room to sleep comfortably.

I have forgotten this tip more times than I care to admit.  In my efforts to save a buck, I have repeatedly booked rooms that were too small without enough space for everyone to sleep.  I’ve told myself “they’re kids!  They’ll be fine!  The little one can sleep with us!”  And every time I regret not booking a larger room with a pullout couch.

As I’ve already mentioned, it’s crucial that everyone gets enough rest.  That means making sure no one is sleeping with a foot in their ribs all night or complaining about being shoved out of bed by an older sibling.  Some kids are used to sharing a bed and do just fine, but be realistic about what you’re asking everyone to endure each night of your vacation.

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Dad....we're lost. Aren't we?

Before Garmin, and Tom Tom, before GPS apps for the iPhone and Mapquest there were, well….maps.  Large pieces of folded paper with markings to indicate roads, rivers, towns, cities and states.  Yet even with all of these modern and archaic conveniences, sometimes it’s necessary to ask for further assistance when traveling.

As a general rule, asking a curmudgeon at the local dairy bar for travel directions is a fairly safe bet.  Chances are, he’s lived in the area his entire life and knows the area intimately.  And they are more than happy to oblige a request as it simply gives them an opportunity to belittle someone, something for which he lives.  Note I said general rule.  There’s a whole other set of standards applied to directions and mapping means and measurements when you ask a curmudgeon for directions in the south.

“Excuse me.  But can you tell me how to get to Tuscumbia?”

“No problem, boy.  Just head on down that road a bit and when you get to where the old oak used to stand, take a right.  It’s just past Old Man Johnson’s place.  Go on over the Cobb Creek Bridge and that road’ll  (road + will = road’ll perfectly acceptable in the south) take you right there.  You can’t miss it, unless you’re blind or an idiot!”

“The old oak?”

“Ay-yupp.  If you get to where the school house used to be you’ve gone too far.  You can’t miss it.  It’s just up the road a bit.”

“This road here? Then the Cobb Creek Bridge?”

“Cox Creek.”

“Cox Creek?” I could have sworn that was what he was saying.

“CONCRETE! CON–CRETE, SON!!!”

“Oh, like cement?”

“Boy, y’ain’t from around here.  Are ya?”

“Nah,” I said smiling in an aw shucks you got me sort of way.  “What gave it away?  My accent?  The out of state license plates?  Full set of teeth?”  (I didn’t really say that last part–but I certainly thought it.)

Not wanting to appear any more the idiot I got back into the van.  Granted, I had no idea where the old oak used to stand and had never heard of Old Man Johnson’s place.  Those two items were not listed on my must sees in rural Collinwood, TN.

Fact of the matter, rural Collinwood, TN was not on my map either.   I started out in search of where the old oak used to be and looked up into my rear view mirror to see the old man waving his arms wildly and yelling at me.

I stopped and rolled down the window to hear him yelling, “the other way, you stupid fool!”

Two miles down the road I stopped and asked again for directions from what I have now found to be a fool-proof source.  The UPS guy.

Another invaluable source is the post office, the sheriff’s office or local fire/ambulance department.  There’s also a pretty fair chance that even the local insurance agent has invaluable knowledge of the area.  Much more so, believe it or not, than the pimple faced high school kid working behind the counter at the corner gas station and convenience store.

Getting lost is a real possibility on even the most well thought out trips.  Knowing who to ask for directions can make all the difference in the world.

Happy Traveler

I may have mentioned once or twice here that I am cheap.  I take road trips to save money.  I almost always name my own price for a hotel on Priceline.  I’ll stay on a couch whenever I can.

I love to travel and I’m not a Rockefeller.  I have had to master the art of cheap vacations.

It’s because of this budget consciousness that I avoid souvenir shops like the plague.  I abhor the idea of spending $20 on a T-Shirt that I’m never going to wear again simply because it bears the name of some city I was in on it.  I refuse to bring my children plastic trinkets from my travels, because I know will end up in pieces under someone’s bed.

But even I, frugal as I might be, understand the joy of having a memento of your vacations.  It’s nice to have something you can look at later that will transport you back to the happiness of a great trip.  It’s also nice, I’ve been told, to have a traveler bring you something back as a sign that they were thinking of you while they were away.

How can you reconcile traveling on a budget with the need for souvenirs?

4 Budget Travel Tips For Cheap Souvenirs

1. Buy something you’d buy (and use) anyway.

My husband says that I use this as an excuse to go shopping while I’m on vacation.  Clearly he does not appreciate my frugal nature.

$35 souvenir: Chinatown, New York City

I bought this purse for $35 in New York City.  I love it.  I use it constantly.  And every time I do I remember my trip to New York City in October of 2008.  I get a heck of a lot more use out of it than I would a mini replica of the Empire State building.

The other thing I love about buying things I’ll use when I’m on vacation is that it gives me opportunities to share that trip with other people in the future.  Every time I carry this purse and someone asks me where I got it, I end up telling them how crazy Canal Street is and about taking the subway in New York City.

The same thing goes for the gorgeous cocktail ring I bought on River Street in Savannah.  Or the cute scarf I picked up in Charleston, South Carolina.  Or the red stiletto slides I got in Las Vegas on my anniversary trip.  See how frugal I am?

2. Pictures make the best souvenirs – yours or someone else’s.

Remember that the point of souvenirs is to have something you can remember your vacation by later.

The "Rocky Steps" in Philadelphia. Which I climbed.

While I was looking through my own collection of vacation pictures on FlickR, I found myself reliving adventure after adventure as I flipped through the pictures.  Even the fuzzy shots had the power to transport me.

Of course, everyone takes pictures on vacation.  Turn them into souvenirs by printing out your favorites and framing them.  Hang them on a wall or set them on an end table – but put them out where you can enjoy them.  They’ll make much more interesting decor than the tacky plastic memorabilia you can pick up at a gift shop.

And if you don’t manage to capture the city skyline or ocean view just right – buy yourself a postcard.  For about $2.00 you can have frame worthy memories that really capture the feeling of the place you enjoyed so much.

3. Bring back pieces of the scenery.

For the love of God do not buy sand in a bottle.  Sand?  Is free.  Pick some up and put it in a baggy that you can put in a mason jar when you get home.  And while you’re at it, pick up some sea shells that you can stick in that jar along with the sand and Voila!, you’ve got yourself a pretty neat, homemade souvenir.

Sea shells by the sea shore

But what if you’re not taking a beach vacation?

Look for things in the environment around you that are unique and representative of that location.  Maybe you’ll pick up some branches from the Redwoods in the Pacific Northwest.  Or bring home some of that famous red clay of Georgia.  Pick up a few of the fall colored leaves that you can press and display as art.

4. Shop flea markets and local markets or fairs.

Whenever I have guests visit us in Florida, I make sure to take them to a flea market before they leave.  I give them strict instructions not to buy any souvenirs until they’ve hit the flea market.

Hand blown glass at City Market in Charleston

My most recent house guests walked away with t-shirts fo $1.88.  And a scarf for $3.00 (see tip number 1!).  And a Daytona Beach picture frame for $6 (to put tip number 3 to good use!).  While flea markets aren’t immune to overpriced junk, they also offer a lot of great finds at rock bottom prices.

Of course, not every city has open air flea markets available year round.  But the locals shop somewhere.  Find the markets and shopping districts that don’t cater to tourists and you’ll find your best bargains for souvenirs to bring home.  You’ll also find an opportunity to experience places off the beaten path and see new cities through the eyes of the people who actually live there.

Some experts will tell you that if you have to worry about money when you’re traveling, it’s just not worth it.  But I think that anyone who has a desire to see the world should find a way to do just that.  And it is possible to have a great vacation on a budget if you’re creative!

Just stay out of the gift shops.