I've been planning the trip for several months ...
many visits to AOL travel message boards with questions ...
many visits to Tripadvisor.com to check on hotel prospects ...
more questions ...
many visits to MapQuest.com to find times & distances
many visits to AAA.com to order maps and tour books to read some more
... having decided on the itinerary, I set about finding hotels for each stop. We prefer to have a hotel which includes breakfast and a pool, but we are flexible on those if there is a great rate somewhere else!
My first priorities were for Washington DC and Ottawa, since I guessed those would book up quickly for the national holidays.
Who knew that the East Coast hotels would have 3-night(or more) minumum stays during 4th of July week?
... so ... more questions on tripadvisor, more checking hotel websites and looking at Google Earth to find out just what "oceanfront property" actually meant ...
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
The Itinerary
1st stop, Toledo, Ohio, to visit the zoo and meet a friend if we have enough time.
On to -- Ottowa, Ontario for Canada Day on July 1st
On to -- a stopover
On to -- Washington DC for the 4th of July
On to -- the Outer Banks to spend time at the Atlantic Ocean
On to -- a stopover by the ocean
On to -- Walt Disney World
On to -- Greenville, South Carolina to visit a couple of former bosses of mine
On to -- Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky
... and back home
On to -- Ottowa, Ontario for Canada Day on July 1st
On to -- a stopover
On to -- Washington DC for the 4th of July
On to -- the Outer Banks to spend time at the Atlantic Ocean
On to -- a stopover by the ocean
On to -- Walt Disney World
On to -- Greenville, South Carolina to visit a couple of former bosses of mine
On to -- Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky
... and back home
The Plan
Originally, the plan was to go West and North from where we live in Iowa, but due to the boys' events over the summer, we switched several times.
The boys are in 2 different schools, with 2 diferent schedules, so *available* time during the summer is limited.
We were severely overdue for a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida, so that was also included in the plans.
Finally, a 2-week trip was decided upon -- incorporating the 'North' with Disney World ...
The boys are in 2 different schools, with 2 diferent schedules, so *available* time during the summer is limited.
We were severely overdue for a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida, so that was also included in the plans.
Finally, a 2-week trip was decided upon -- incorporating the 'North' with Disney World ...
The Cast
-- Me, DH(40-something), G(12) and g(9) -- museum geeks -- travel veterans -- I like to get the best deal whenever possible -- I’m the obsessive planning member of the family. The boys get to have their input in the planning stages and we decide as a family what we will do.
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