Earlier I discussed the affordability of summer travel and recently I returned home from a road trip to Charlotte North Carolina and Apollo Beach Florida visiting our girls. Since we were visiting with family we didn’t have the expenses of lodging to consider.
During this trip I found that gas prices were a bit less than I had anticipated (yea) but sadly it seemed that less people were on the roads traveling. Not that I wasn’t happy that the traffic was less congested and that we didn’t encounter any traffic jams but people were not out exploring our great country.
While driving we used a GPS to find the most direct route to travel and to save on gasoline too.
Prior to our trip we did research online (as I always recommend) to hunt for bargains. We chose to drive the smaller of our vehicles (more fuel efficient); we packed a cooler with drinks and a bag of snacks (cut down on food bill) and searched the internet for local sights to visit at affordable prices.
We also used coupons. Coupons can be obtained online, at state welcome centers, at city Chamber of Commerce offices or at City Visitor Centers.
In North Carolina we used an internet coupon for a free breakfast at Mimi’s Café. We also visited Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville using a coupon.
Later through internet research we found an affordable zip-line company (about half price from others in the area) in Ashboro.
In the Charlotte area there are also numerous NASCAR race shops that can be visited for no charge.
In Florida we visited the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, a facility that charges no admission fee; but does appreciate donations.
We also went to the Moto Marine Lab and Aquarium in Sarasota with friends that had a membership so again we paid no admission fee.
We attended a Freedom Fest in Pinellas Park that included free concerts (headliner country music’s Daryl Worley) and fireworks. (Unfortunately a storm came in and we left before the fireworks.)
At the Hard Rock Casino we used a new member coupon that we picked up at the Welcome Center for $30 of free play.
And don’t forget when visiting in Florida there are always the beaches! Beaches you can drive cars on, beaches with sunset festivals, and a beach renown for an abundance of sharks teeth available for the collecting.
So to sum things up, you can travel affordably with a bit of research and planning. So get out there and travel this summer….we only just finished July, there is still time.
During this trip I found that gas prices were a bit less than I had anticipated (yea) but sadly it seemed that less people were on the roads traveling. Not that I wasn’t happy that the traffic was less congested and that we didn’t encounter any traffic jams but people were not out exploring our great country.
While driving we used a GPS to find the most direct route to travel and to save on gasoline too.
Prior to our trip we did research online (as I always recommend) to hunt for bargains. We chose to drive the smaller of our vehicles (more fuel efficient); we packed a cooler with drinks and a bag of snacks (cut down on food bill) and searched the internet for local sights to visit at affordable prices.
We also used coupons. Coupons can be obtained online, at state welcome centers, at city Chamber of Commerce offices or at City Visitor Centers.
In North Carolina we used an internet coupon for a free breakfast at Mimi’s Café. We also visited Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville using a coupon.
Later through internet research we found an affordable zip-line company (about half price from others in the area) in Ashboro.
In the Charlotte area there are also numerous NASCAR race shops that can be visited for no charge.
In Florida we visited the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores, a facility that charges no admission fee; but does appreciate donations.
We also went to the Moto Marine Lab and Aquarium in Sarasota with friends that had a membership so again we paid no admission fee.
We attended a Freedom Fest in Pinellas Park that included free concerts (headliner country music’s Daryl Worley) and fireworks. (Unfortunately a storm came in and we left before the fireworks.)
At the Hard Rock Casino we used a new member coupon that we picked up at the Welcome Center for $30 of free play.
And don’t forget when visiting in Florida there are always the beaches! Beaches you can drive cars on, beaches with sunset festivals, and a beach renown for an abundance of sharks teeth available for the collecting.
So to sum things up, you can travel affordably with a bit of research and planning. So get out there and travel this summer….we only just finished July, there is still time.
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