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Family Travels on a Budget

Travel with kids: theme park family deals, cruise ships for kids and best cruise lines for teens and other cool places to visit, including adult getaways

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Home » travel tips » Planning

20 fun things to do when stuck at a hotel

March 16, 2020 by Karen Dawkins 43 Comments

Post includes ways to do these things at home, too! For months, I looked forward to a December trip to Dallas, Texas and the warm, sunny temperatures sure to greet me. As luck (bad luck is luck too) would have it, the Dallas area got walloped by a fierce ice storm that shut down the […]

Filed Under: Interests, Kid Fun, Planning, travel tips

Cheap family vacations insider tip: Visit public parks!

April 15, 2019 by Karen Dawkins Leave a Comment

public parks add great value to budget travel

When planning a vacation to major cities like New York or San Francisco, famous public parks fall naturally into the vacation plan. Can you imagine visiting Manhattan without seeing Central Park? Or my favorite, Bryant Park! In San Francisco, The Presidio and the Yoda Statue rank up there with Golden Gate Park and its famous […]

Filed Under: Kid Fun, Planning Tagged With: budget travel

How to select a professional pet sitter

February 8, 2019 by Molly Maurer 8 Comments

House and pet sitters provide in home pet care when you travel

Traveling with pets is great, but it’s not always an option. Don’t worry! You don’t have to cancel your travel plans if you can’t take your pets with you. In fact, overnight pet sitting is a great alternative, sometimes better, for pets and their people. How to find professional pet sitters Professional pet sitters are […]

Filed Under: pets, Planning, travel tips

Dog friendly vacations: Complete guide to a pet friendly road trip

January 31, 2019 by Karen Dawkins 100 Comments

Best tips for safe travel with dogs

Family travel with dogs is becoming more popular, especially for road trips. Leash free dog parks are popping up along highways, like the new Benson Dog Park on I-95 in central NC! But, before you take off, it’s important to make sure you have the best dog travel equipment and accessories for a successful, pet […]

Filed Under: Planning

Hotel Perks…beyond the free breakfast!

December 15, 2018 by Karen Dawkins 8 Comments

Family vacation can be pretty pricey, and lodging takes up a big chunk of the cost! So, picking hotels with the best perks helps you make the most of every dollar you spend. One of my favorites is the Embassy Suites free happy hour, especially if traveling for work. I can mingle with other business […]

Filed Under: accommodations, hotels, Planning, Reviews, travel tips

DC Metro: A beginner’s guide

December 18, 2017 by Karen Dawkins 2 Comments

Growing up in a small town, and claiming small towns as home most of my life, I have always found metro systems and subways intimidating. But, on a trip to Washington back in 2004, I decided enough was enough. I was going to tackle the DC Metro. And not only that, I was going to […]

Filed Under: Planning, travel tips

Planning vacation to make it happen!

May 8, 2017 by Karen Dawkins Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine. I’ve been writing about travel for more than five years, and one issue that comes up again and again is that people just can’t get away for a “real family vacation” anymore. One of the biggest issues cited is the pile up once people get back to […]

Filed Under: Planning, travel tips

Budget travel: Save with CityPASS

February 9, 2017 by Karen Dawkins Leave a Comment

One of my favorite ways to save on travel is using savings booklets or multi-attraction tickets. If you shop BJs or Sam’s Club, you’re already familiar with this idea — buy in bulk and save! One of my favorites is the CityPASS program. For more than 19 years, savvy travelers who want to visit a destination’s […]

Filed Under: budget, Planning, travel tips

Best tips for travel in peak season

January 12, 2017 by Karen Dawkins 4 Comments

A popular vacation tip is to travel in the off season to avoid crowds and high prices. And, it’s a great tip most of the time. “Shoulder season,” that period just before and after prime season is a great way to save. But, travel in the off season isn’t always practical. Love to ski? You need […]

Filed Under: Planning, travel tips

How to travel with a baby

May 2, 2016 by Karen Dawkins 2 Comments

Who doesn’t enjoy a great trip? You’ve just clicked the final button to book the vacation you have pictured in your head for so long, or the city trip you desperately wanted to do ever since you saw its sights in your favorite movie … granted sometimes it is out of a family obligation but […]

Filed Under: Planning, travel tips

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Meet Karen Dawkins

An avid traveler, I enjoy discovering new places: history, culture, and adventure. I love it all! Well, not bugs. I don’t like bugs very much, so I probably won’t visit a bug museum.

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