How do we pick our destinations?

Normal people decide where they want to go and then search for the best way to get there.  They are traveling to see family; or maybe they are interested in the sights of a particular city.  Some travelers are strictly on business while others combine business with leisure.  But the one thing that almost all travelers have in common is knowing what places they are planning on visiting at the start of the trip planning.

In our family, we do it the other way.  Our trips start with me sitting in front of the computer on our airline's website.  I plug in the date of the next trip (usually the following weekend) and our home airport and then randomly search cities for available flights.

For day trips, I have been pretty much concentrating on destinations east of the Mississippi and prefer states which we have not yet seen.  I want to keep the flights in the two hour or less range if we are going to be coming right back because I don't think it is fair or fun for the kids to have them sit on a plane three hours each way and to only have a couple of hours not in a plane or airport.

Once I find a city with pretty open flights, I book it and then research things to do in that city.  I take into consideration the availability of public transportation, how long it will take to get around, and the cost of rental cars (if needed).

I learned from the Chicago trip to allow for plenty of time for the kids to just be kids and play.  For me, traveling is a chance to see lots of new places and do new things but for the kids, a playground is a place to play and a fountain is a chance to get wet.   The trick is finding the balance.

I have also learned to not think of the trip as a "once in a lifetime trip" where you have to do and see everything on your list.  If we miss something, we can always go back another day.  As long as the kids don't get tired of traveling and my husband doesn't get tired of working, we can always go back.

Another thing I have to take into consideration is money.  So far, our day trips seem to be running around about $150.  After taxes, I only make about $200 a week.  And, I do have other living expenses in addition to travel.  So, I look for detonations with cheap or free things to do.  No, I take that back, I still look for the destination first and then I look for something cheap or free to do while we are there.

I expect to have a little more money in my pocket after school gets back in session.  My childcare expenses will drop from an average of $90 a week to an average of $40.  Also, I have notified another courthouse that I am available for extra shifts and I know for a fact they they will be shorthanded for a while so I am expected extra work.  I plan on banking this extra cash for some longer trips in the near future.