 | J/A 10 - Sticking Close to Home by Patty Suchyposted by TeaHouseTimesAdmin , PRINT ADS and TEA BUREAUMonday, August 16th 2010 @ 10:07 PM |
From the July/August10 issue of The Tea House Times. To view the most recent issue, please register / log-in at http://www.theteahousetimes.com for free access.
Every time the deadline comes along for a new column, I feel like I’m grasping at straws --- What will I write about? It seems like I’ve covered so many areas over the years that I think I may have said it all. But something always seems to pop up. Well, a variety of things happened right before this article was due – the Icelandic volcano, rising gas prices, extra airline fees for luggage, and a still sluggish economy. And as I talk to people, I hear a theme – they plan on sticking closer to home. So if you fall into this arena, how do you still make ‘sticking close to home’ something memorable and fun? There are a variety of ideas and tools that can help you in your planning.
· Subscriptions to a publication for your area: there are many city and regional magazines that suggest itineraries or places to visit. When I moved to Illinois, I started taking Chicago, Midwest Living, and Historic Illinois magazines. All offer ideas for day trips and unique places to visit. They also are an aide in planning some fun things to do when I have company from out of state.
· State Tourist Authorities: Each State offers a number of resources for places within the state to visit. Not only do these materials give background on the place, but there are useful recommendations for hotels and restaurants to enjoy. And they offer things in all price ranges.
· Sunday Newspaper Inserts: If you don’t regularly subscribe to a Sunday newspaper, it might be helpful to pick one up now and then. Often there are inserts on traveling. For example, this past Sunday in the Chicago Tribune there were pullouts and articles on “Nebraska’s Scenic Byways”; “A Land Called Colorado”; “America’s Best Vacations – Destination Summer”; and “Illinois Getaway Guide”. And within the travel section of the main paper, there were a variety of free offers to get more information on places to visit.
· Contact your Park District or Community College: Most communities have a park district or education programs that offer day trips and other educational events. The booklet I recently got from the Joliet Park District, listed festivals, educational courses and camps for all ages, ‘Movies in the Park’, and day trips. Some of the things are free and most are at a very reasonable cost.
· Fairs, Flea Markets, and Antique Shows: Check local newspapers and search the internet for events where you can spend the day browsing without really spending a lot of money. Oftentimes, if you pre-register your attendance you can enter for free or at a reduced rate. And even though you might not have a lot to spend, it can be a lot of fun to look. Especially going to antique fairs -- you might find something that sells for a lot of money and you already have the same thing at home – which could lead you to selling your item to get money to help you with your next travels.
· Bed & Breakfasts and Spas: Just getting away for one or two nights can produce the rest and relaxation that you’re striving for in your travels. And aren’t these settings conducive to drinking some good tea, exploring the area and reading a good book? Like B&Bs, spas can bring you a soothing time when you need to get away from it all. There are so many sources on the internet to help you with finding a B&B and spa. About.com allows you to sign up for a variety of different e-mail newsletters. The recent spa one that I got gave me a number of ideas on selecting a spa and 10 reasons why I needed to go to one. And I recently picked up the twenty-first edition of Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns that even has a one free night certificate in it and lists places for each of the states and Canada.
· Entertainment: Plan a getaway around some special entertainment. For example go into a larger city to see a show. You don’t have to be in NY to take advantage of the many local, traveling, regional theater and musical events.
· Celebrate a Passion: Whether it is writing, gardening, sports, etc., there are festivals and events that can help you get away and immerse yourself in your passion. The internet is a great source for searching these out.
· Books: Go to your library or check out your favorite book website (e.g., Amazon.com; Barnes & Noble; etc) and see what kinds of books are offered for day trips. In my personal library I have City Walks: New York – 50 Adventures on Foot by Martha Fay (there are city walks books for most major cities); Road Trip USA –Cross-country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways by Jamie Jensen; The Most Scenic Drives in America and Off the Beaten Path – both by Reader’s Digest.
Of course in doing any of the above, consider incorporating tea into your ‘Sticking Close to Home’ travels. It will make the trip that much more special and offer you moments of needed relaxation when traveling. And remember, we always like to hear about unique travels you take.
~Patty Suchy is founder of Novel Explorations, Where Fiction and Travel Merge. Dedicated to providing unique travel learning experiences. For further details about creating a tea tour for your tearoom or a group of friends, you can contact her at novelexp@comcast.net or call her at 815-714-2981. Visit www.novelexplorations.com
