When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to hit the road for family vacations. I let my brothers vie for the coveted window seats on our travels. I secretly wanted the middle seat of our royal blue Gran Torino station wagon. That way, I could lean over the seat for an unobstructed view of all the sights ahead.
Reflecting on our budget-friendly travel memories
Despite tight finances, our family planned grand summer trips that took us all over the United States. Hiking in the Rockies and Sangre de Cristo mountains and setting up our pop-up camper at sites near Taos and Santa Fe in New Mexico remain among my top vacation memories. A magical trip to our nation’s capital included touring the Washington and Lincoln memorials and spending hours combing through the Smithsonian museums before heading south to Colonial Williamsburg and Virginia Beach.
Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com
Family travel enthusiast and planner
Our lodgings were often humble — tents or pop-up campers, or a night or two with relatives or family friends. Despite the simplicity, these trips ignited my imagination and fostered a lifelong passion for travel, especially for national parks, museums and historical sites. As a child, I kept an atlas close at hand to track our mileage and make note of any interesting cities or landmarks. That may be why, even today, I’m the family travel planner, coordinating the logistics for our travels.
Exploring new horizons as empty nesters
As an adult, I’ve had many adventures in the United States — near our home base in Kansas City, Mo., as well as to 38 of our 50 states. We make an annual trek to Gulf Shores, Alabama, for a beach fix, and there’s rarely a year that goes by that I don’t make it to NYC for theater and foodie fun. But there’s more to come.
As an empty nester, I now have a second chance to get my passport filled with international stamps. When I graduated from college, I imagined I would become a world traveler as soon as I was on my own. Trips to Europe, Australia, South Africa… they would all be mine. Then, of course, life — including a full-time career and three daughters – intervened.
My husband and I are determined to catch up on our travel dreams. So come join me as we venture to new places and embrace new experiences. From overseas treks to trips to our favorite spots in Missouri wine country, each journey will bring a new adventure. I am constantly updating my travel bucket list, searching for bargains and tips to share on the best places to eat, drink and witness amazing sights. I’ll share mine, if you’ll share yours!
