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| Sandy, Sarah and Frank in Dubrovnik, Croatia. |
My family has always loved doing something special each summer: a road trip, cruise…some kind of fun vacation.
With school and work, it’s the only time you can really plan meaningful time together.
So why talk about this now? Because inevitably we come up with this really great idea—rafting through the Smoky Mountains or cruising the Caribbean—that hits us sometime around mid-June. At which time I frantically begin making phone calls and searching online for reservations.
Generally, the reply is, “You want to go when?” and then the invariable comment, “Sorry, that’s booked; you should have called weeks ago.” Okay, so tell me something I don’t know.
I find it quite shocking that there are other families that have the same brilliant idea that I have—a vacation in the summer—who would have thought! And so every year I vow to start the planning early. But then…it’s June again, and we still haven’t decided anything.
Even the simplest idea to “get a cabin on a lake and relax” creates untold stress and challenges. Of course, when booking two weeks before the busiest time of the year, things are bound to get dicey.
As a mom, one of my favorite vacations is cruising—there’s no cooking, laundry or dishes. You only unpack once, and each day there’s a whole new destination to explore. But it’s best to book early to ensure you get the cabin and cruise you want. I’ve learned that the hard way.
And so, it’s time get out the maps…check out the deals…and, gasp!, plan ahead. I’ll let you in on a little secret that I discovered years ago: Let someone else do the work—a AAA Travel agent. After all, that’s what they’re there for. And believe or not, it’s a bit of a miracle letting someone else figure it out.
By planning ahead, not only will you get the trip you desire—at the time you want—you might very well find an incredible deal to boot. So the mission I put forth to one and all (particularly myself) this year: Start planning that summer vacation now! Who knows, it may actually be fun.
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Editor-in-chief, AAA Going Places letters@aaagoingplaces.com |