Planning a family vacation

Thinking about taking a vacation out West next summer with Emily, her boyfriend and Melissa. I have never attempted anything like this before and not sure how to go about it (I know sounds silly).

It's going to be tricky because I need to make sure I would have access to a dialysis center every other day.

I don't know if we should drive, take a train or (fly ). Does anyone know how long it would take by train, say to Arizona or Montana? No one has any information on schedules that far in advance. I was thinking maybe it would be easier to coordinate the trip through a travel agency.

If anyone could offer suggestions or advice, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

Alice, where do you live? I'm in Texas, and have thought I might try Arizona next summer. I've been getting online and ordering free travel guides, from everywhere...lol. I'm personally interested in seeing some Naive American reservations ect.
There is SO much involved in planning a vacation. Let me know how things go.

I'm in Virginia, so it would be quite a big trip for us. You're right about the amount of planning. I think we may try an agency, it just sounds like a nightmare trying to plan something like this myself.

I would love to see some Native American reservations, too and how they live, etc. I would be in heaven if I got to go to a rodeo on the trip.

LOL Alice, I wouldn't mind traveling to Virginia! That's one beautiful state you live in! I drove through there with my son's 8th grade field trip to Washington D.C.---let's just say I didn't want to drive out of it! But I know of course that you're ready to see some sites. We pretty much have traveled right here in Michigan all these years, so I can't really help you with any traveling advice. A traveling agency sounds like a good idea though....

Good luck!

Alice, the rodeo is huge here in Texas. Its in March every year during our spring break.
Look up Houston Rodeo info.....there's lots to do and they have great concerts too.

You and I just need to trade places.!!

Well, it looks like we won't be planning any vacations any time soon---tonight I went to my son's band meeting...his high school has been invited to march in Disneyworld's Thanksgiving light parade in 2010. Total cost of the 5 day trip to Florida= $1200.

Amy wrote:

LOL Alice, I wouldn't mind traveling to Virginia! That's one beautiful state you live in! I drove through there with my son's 8th grade field trip to Washington D.C.---let's just say I didn't want to drive out of it! But I know of course that you're ready to see some sites. We pretty much have traveled right here in Michigan all these years, so I can't really help you with any traveling advice. A traveling agency sounds like a good idea though....

Good luck!

Thanks, Amy. I have to agree that there are some beautiful places in Virginia! I live in a suburb of D.C. so it's pretty busy around here and can be noisy. Route 66 and the Metro subway trains are both behind our house in our neighborhood. The Beltway (Route 495) is not far on the other side of us. We get a lot of air traffic from Dulles and Reagan National airports. I do love living here, though!

We are living in the house that I grew up in since my husband, Frank passed. It's great to be back in it again.

I would love to visit Michigan and see those big lakes, which seem like oceans to me . I've seen pictures and the scenery is just beautiful.

Sorry to hear about the $1200 for a 5 day trip! When you're invited I thought that meant it was their treat

Gin wrote:

Alice, the rodeo is huge here in Texas. Its in March every year during our spring break.
Look up Houston Rodeo info.....there's lots to do and they have great concerts too.

You and I just need to trade places.!!

Do you go to the rodeo and concerts? I would love to trade places, for a while anyway , I don't think I could take the Texas heat! Is there any time of the year when it's not real hot?

The girls want to take a trip during spring break, but we won't have the money by then . If we could go everywhere we wanted, we would be zig zagging across the country for a year !

Alice wrote:

Amy wrote:

LOL Alice, I wouldn't mind traveling to Virginia! That's one beautiful state you live in! I drove through there with my son's 8th grade field trip to Washington D.C.---let's just say I didn't want to drive out of it! But I know of course that you're ready to see some sites. We pretty much have traveled right here in Michigan all these years, so I can't really help you with any traveling advice. A traveling agency sounds like a good idea though....

Good luck!

Thanks, Amy. I have to agree that there are some beautiful places in Virginia! I live in a suburb of D.C. so it's pretty busy around here and can be noisy. Route 66 and the Metro subway trains are both behind our house in our neighborhood. The Beltway (Route 495) is not far on the other side of us. We get a lot of air traffic from Dulles and Reagan National airports. I do love living here, though!

We are living in the house that I grew up in since my husband, Frank passed. It's great to be back in it again.

I would love to visit Michigan and see those big lakes, which seem like oceans to me . I've seen pictures and the scenery is just beautiful.

Sorry to hear about the $1200 for a 5 day trip! When you're invited I thought that meant it was their treat

That's great that you're happy with where you're living Alice....I'm sure your other house would have been tough to stay in.

And LOL, I WISH it was their treat to Florida! I suppose if a school declines, they just go on to the next school...whoever is willing to pay I guess. I don't have the heart to tell my son no when we sent our older son to Washington D.C. for his 8th grade field trip, which was about the same amount. Gotta be fair with each kid! I am buying the insurance though with this though....Nick is freaking out about flying, and we don't want to be out all this money if he pulls a 'Rain Man' and freaks out in the airport!

Amy wrote:

I am buying the insurance though with this though....Nick is freaking out about flying, and we don't want to be out all this money if he pulls a 'Rain Man' and freaks out in the airport!

So, do you get your money back if he decides not to fly?

Rhonda wrote:

Sounds like the school needs to start some fund raisers for this trip: car wash, cookie dough sales, yard sales, book sales, etc. When BJ was in high school, they got invited to DisneyWorld as well.....they went on coach buses. They did SO many fund raisers, and you wouldn't believe how well the community jumps in to support their kids......

That would make sense to me too, Rhonda. They shouldn't make the parents pay all that money themselves.

Rhonda wrote:

Sounds like the school needs to start some fund raisers for this trip: car wash, cookie dough sales, yard sales, book sales, etc. When BJ was in high school, they got invited to DisneyWorld as well.....they went on coach buses. They did SO many fund raisers, and you wouldn't believe how well the community jumps in to support their kids......

Actually, they used to do that, but now they're doing 'scrip'---have you ever used that before? It's where you pre-pay for 'scrip' cards for businesses, and then you get a percentage back to go into your child's band account. It takes discipline to pre-pay for everything---say, if I want $100 worth of groceries next week, I would need to prepay THIS week to get the "scrip card" next week to pay for it. Not sure how much we'll be able to make this work, but we'll give it a try, at least for food and gas, things we already need. Not sure why they aren't taking coach buses...I would feel a LOT better about that, and I know Nick would too!!

Alice wrote:

Amy wrote:

I am buying the insurance though with this though....Nick is freaking out about flying, and we don't want to be out all this money if he pulls a 'Rain Man' and freaks out in the airport!

So, do you get your money back if he decides not to fly?

Yep---it's like an extra $50 to secure the money...I can't even imagine how sick I'd feel if we lost all of that money because he won't go, you know? And you never know, a kid could take ill and not be able to go all...

That's $50.00 well spent then!

Good luck with the scrip, hope it works out well for you.

Thanks Alice.

Alice: The heat has left us for now. It won't be really cold until December, but it stays 50's and 60 from March-May.

We've seen Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and Lonestar at the Rodeo. It was excellent concerts. I personally like going to things like that in the fall instead of the spring, but it was good.

Amy: We will be faced with a band trip next year for Nathan. Its always around $1200. He decided not to go last year, but I do want him to have the chance to his senior year.
They let parents do consessions during games to earn "money" toward the trip.( It ALL goes into one pot though...grrrrrr) My problem is they want parents to get a liquor license to sale beer at the stadium. I just have a huge problem with that.
Guess we will have to come up with the full amount.

I'm kind of ready to have these boys raised!~

Good luck with the planning, Alice.

We're planning a 4 week vacation to US next year, taking in many destinations. My friend, who works in a travel agency reckons the cheapest way to do it is to try to book as much as you can yourself. Saves a lot of $$$$$$'s.

We're hoping to go from the east to west coasts with a few stops in between, starting with New York City, Washington DC and Arlington, then heading for New England, Grand Canyon and Las Vegas before reaching Los Angeles, Ventura, San Francisco and Seattle.

My sister-in-law, who lives in L.A. is booking a lot of the internal flights for us as they seem to be cheaper if booked within the US.

Sounds scary but it'll be an adventure if all our travel plans go to plan without too many hitches.


Let us know how you get on with the planning. And good luck again!

Thanks for the info on the travel agency, Maureen.

You are really going to have a BIG trip! It sounds wonderful. I live very near Arlington, and used to live there when I was about three years old.

I've lived in Massachusetts and visited the other New England states as well and it is just beautiful up there. I've always wanted to see the Grand Canyon and the other places out west you plan to visit. I look forward to hearing all about your trip when you get back.

Keep us posted on how your plans go as well

Gin wrote:

Amy: We will be faced with a band trip next year for Nathan. Its always around $1200. He decided not to go last year, but I do want him to have the chance to his senior year.
They let parents do consessions during games to earn "money" toward the trip.( It ALL goes into one pot though...grrrrrr) My problem is they want parents to get a liquor license to sale beer at the stadium. I just have a huge problem with that.
Guess we will have to come up with the full amount.

You mean, beer at a HIGH SCHOOL Stadium?!?! I couldn't possibly have read that right, could I????

I'll certainly keep you posted on my plans, Alice.

Spoke to my friend Chrissie who works in the travel agency. She says why not visit one on your side of the Big Pond, tell them where you'd like to go and get them to do all the hard work checking out prices, flights, etc. See what they quote you and then see how much you'll save by doing it yourself.

Thank your friend Chrissie for me, and thank you. It certainly can't hurt to ask.

The plans for the family vacation we wanted to take are not going to happen after all. I've had some expenses come up that were not expected and that put a big dent in the bank account.

Maybe another year

Sorry to hear that, Alice.

Thank you, Susie.

Alice wrote:

The plans for the family vacation we wanted to take are not going to happen after all. I've had some expenses come up that were not expected and that put a big dent in the bank account.

Maybe another year

I know that feeling all too well, Alice. We'd hoped to make our trip this year but the same thing happened to us!

Don't give up, though. Just think of it as something to look forward to if and when time and finances allow.

It will be worth waiting for, I know. The kids understand the situation so at least I don't need to stress about that.

I'm sorry that you have the same problem, Maureen. Hopefully you can make it next year.