Are you feeling jittery about taking a family vacation this summer? You're not alone. Whether it's your family's safety abroad, the high cost of gasoline or a thin bank account that has you unsettled, this might be a great time to consider a dramatic alternative: a stay-at-home vacation! You can become tourists in your own town by uncovering local gems and taking advantage of the burgeoning number of children's activities offered by state and county cultural and environmental organizations. Contrary to what your kids or travel agent may want you to think, the true definition of vacation is to abandon your normal routine. Do everything differently and you're on vacation. Here are suggestions to help you get a new look at your old environs without breaking the bank. Tourist brochures: Stop by the lobby of the nicest hotel in your city and pick up tourist brochures. Don't assume you already know about everything there is to do in your city. You may be pleasantly surprised. Travel guides: Get the American Automobile Association (AAA) Tour Book for your area. These books are free to AAA members and contain exhaustive tourist information about possible attractions in every city, town and burg in the nation. Local events: Start paying attention to the calendar of events in your local newspaper. Summer is the time for festivals, shows, county fairs and concerts in the park.
You can simply unplug the answering machine and take the phone off the hook. Take lots of pictures and put together a vacation photo album. The possibilities are endless.
Whether planning a vacation of a few hours or several weeks, at home or thousands of miles away, the most important thing is that you and each member of your family take an interlude from customary duties for a special time of recreation and rest.
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