Using Rest Areas To Prepare For Family Road Vacations
If you are planning a family road vacation, you may have the destination in mind. What you may not have in mind are the different ways that state travel and tourism can help you or play into your road trip plans. One way to start adding to your road trip plans and planning them easily is to visit your local state rest area or tourist welcome center. Here are a few things to consider when you are planning your road trip and how local rest areas can play a large role in your planning.
Locally Owned Accommodations
One of the leading ways that a rest area can help you prepare for your family road vacation is by offering brochures for locally owned accommodations. You will likely already know about major chain hotels and sleeping accommodations. You may not know about smaller options that feature historical buildings and local themes. For example, you may find antebellum homes that have been converted into hotels and bed and breakfasts in Georgia and other states in the southern United States. You may also find small locally owned hotels near historical sites like the Alamo and Seattle Space Needle. These aren't always advertised and can be hidden gems that help build memories.
Tourist Spots
There are many tourist spots that are advertised, but there are also some that are only advertised locally and miss major media coverage. If you don't know about them, you could overlook something that your entire family would normally love. For example, in Alabama, there is a drive-through safari park that allows animals ranging from giraffes to monkeys to come right to your car. In Florida, there are live-action pirate adventure shows in St. Augustine. These are just two of the tourist spot examples that are advertised at state rest areas and welcome centers by way of brochures.
Rest Area Map
You may consider where you will stop for gas, but you may not have considered rest area stops and what they have to offer. You can stop at most rest areas in the state and find a map of all the rest areas in that state. These maps include a legend that shows what amenities are at each rest stop. This can be an ideal planning resource, especially if you need a stop that has a fenced-in pet walk or that has hot food vending machines, RV parking, and 24-hour security.
If you are in the early stages of planning your family road vacation, consider making a stop at your local rest area or state tourist welcome center. You will find all the brochures your need to help plan your trip. You can also get maps and find locations for hotels and bed and breakfast options you may not have considered before.
For additional tips on taking family road vacations, check out local travel blogs.