Are you tired of the same old vacations? You rush to your destination, you rush to see the sights; rush to each night’s entertainment, rush to dinner and rush back to the hotel, go to bed only to do the same thing again the next day. WHY? This is your vacation time. Why rush? Today’s traveler wants it all, food, fun, entertainment, history, relaxation, but he wants it buffet style. Give it all to me in one place so he can hurry up and enjoy it. STOP. Vacation time is for relaxation. Taking a vacation from hectic schedules, a time to relax. Here’s a clue. You can have everything you want without all the hassles.
Theme trips, road trips, or vacation excursions are great ways to have a vacation within a vacation. Imagine it’s vacation time. Dad says, get in the car. “We have 12 hours to drive and I plan to be there in 10 hours. There will be no stops, just 1 bathroom break and 2 gas station breaks. I don’t want to hear a word from anyone. Get in the car.” It’s “National Lampoons Holiday.” (If you haven’t seen this movie, rent it before going on your next trip with dad).
WAIT, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS! Imagine a vacation excursion on your way to Seaside, FL. It is a picturesque city located between Destin and Panama City Beach on the Florida panhandle and is right on the gulf coast. From your house it’s a 10-hour non-stop trip. North, West, South and East are 8 surrounding states and South Florida. What can you do between your home and your destination?
From Houston, TX to Seaside offers several excursions. The backroad traveler can take a detour to Lake Charles, where there is an abundance of seafood and a festival or event every month of the year. Don’t forget to try your luck at the casinos. Stop in Houma. It is the heart of the Louisiana wetlands and the home of the Cajun culture. It serves Cajun seafood at its finest. Eat fritters and sip chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans. A stop in Biloxi, MS is a must to see the restoration process that has taken place since Hurricane Katrina. There are local restaurants that opened just a few days after the storm passed; his spirit has helped this community recover. They serve good food and could use a financial boost. The Gulf Coasts of Orange Beach, Panama City, and Destin have great shopping, dining, state parks, water parks, and more. Near Santa Rosa beach look for highway 30A. Get off Highway 98 ASAP and follow the scenic route to Seaside, a few miles past Santa Rosa Beach. You’ll find quaint shops, numerous restaurants, public beach access, kayak rentals, spa treatments, and much more. This will give you some more ideas about what you want to do on vacation; if not plan on just lying on the beach and soaking up the sun. Before you know it, you’ve made it to Seaside and had fun doing it.
It’s all about taking the time to slow down. Leave your schedule at home, the hustle and bustle behind. Take that vacation jaunt between home and your destination. So what if you didn’t do it in 10 hours? You have a lifetime of memories you just made with your family that will last forever. ENJOY YOUR TRIP!