The Travel Bug

Today, over on The Lipstick Chronicles (where I will be guest blogging this coming Sunday, by the way), Michele is talking today about the travel bug and where it has taken her in the past.

Let me just say that the travel bug has been gnawing on me for years. But the moths in my wallet have prevented me from actually going anywhere. Plus the fact that I’ve spent the last several years caring for my parents has kept me close to home. Now that dad has passed on and Mom is finally on the verge of independence again, I have the time and freedom to indulge.

I also still have moths in my wallet. We pretty much blew the vacation budget for the year on the trip to Williamsburg. Gas has just topped four bucks a gallon around here and with our pickup holding a nearly forty gallon gas tank…well, you do the math. Also, it’s a three-quarter ton four-wheel-drive circa 1990 version. The sucking sound you hear as we go down the road is that precious petroleum being burned, never to be seen again. We have a lovely little camper and now it’s cheaper to drive the Saturn and stay in a cheap hotel. Maybe even a not-so-cheap hotel.

Knowing fully well that we can’t afford much in the way of travel expenses, we have a week off early next month. Me? I can always manage to keep busy at home, but hubby gets antsy after about ten minutes and has to go somewhere or do something. He’s a hyperactive child. So we’re currently dealing with the question of what are we going to do with that week in July?

(I’ve asked Skye if she wants to be a camping kitty, but so far she’s been very non-committal about it.)


The options are:

Camping trip to trusty old Presque Isle. I’m seriously considering parking the camper there on a permanent lot and just driving back and forth in the Saturn.

Camping trip to Allegheny National Forest. Another favorite spot. And the trees and Clarion River make for cooler temperatures when the thermometer hits the nineties as they are wont to do in early July.

Day trips to closer locations like the Amish country in Ohio. But I’m thinking that multiple trips, even when they’re shorter, are going to be rather cost prohibitive. Gas will probably be five bucks per gallon by then.

Someplace we’ve never been to before. Within a reasonable driving distance, that is.

Anyhow, I’m opening this up to suggestions. Considering that our home base is southwestern Pennsylvania, where do you think we should go on our vacation in early July?

And don’t say Paris. The only Paris I can afford to visit is Paris, PA and trust me…I’ve been there. Tourist trap, it is not.

So leave me some comments with ideas for cost-effective (or not so cost-effective if you want to make me weep) vacation destinations.

Comments

Joyce Tremel said…
Amish country! Jerry and I went there for our anniversary last August (we stayed at the Carlisle Inn in Walnut Creek). My three sisters and I went for a weekend in April and stayed at the Comfort Suites in Berlin. Warning: take your own alcoholic beverages--they don't have any in the area.

Gettysburg is another good place to go, just avoid the first week in July--it's impossible to get a hotel room.

Prince William Forest Park, right next to Quantico in VA. if you want to go farther. You can visit Ranger Andy!

Btw, I'm doing a guest blog on TLC on Saturday! I just hope Margie doesn't show up...
Anonymous said…
Try Hocking Hills near Logan, Ohio. There are waterfalls, caves, rocks, and woods to keep the temperature down. We were there years ago and liked it. I don't think it's an expensive area.
If you're more into history, try Roscoe Village, also in Ohio.
Doris D.
Kathleen said…
Hi Annie,

SURPRISE!

I agree with Doris D. I've been hearing amazing things about the Hocking Hills and it is on my "to visit" list. There is a new zipline I want to try!
Annette said…
Hey, thanks for the recommendations. We stopped by Hocking Hills once long ago to check out the horse trails, but never made it back. That might be a good choice. We could make a day trip out of the Amish country while we were there. And Roscoe Village sounds good, too.

Yeah, Joyce, bad time to hit Gettysburg. I do want to go back there again, though.

Oh, gosh, I wasn't thinking about Margie crashing the party this weekend. Could get interesting...

Kathleen! A zip line??? Are you completely nuts???? With my fear of heights??? I don't think so. When we do THE AMAZING RACE, you get to do the zip line. Gak.

Any more suggestions, folks? Any ideas I don't use this time might get recycled for our NEXT vacation.
Annette said…
P.S. I've been thinking, Joyce. You're probably more in danger of a visit from Margie on Saturday than I will be. By Sunday, she'll likely be hung over.

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