Top Five Holiday Traveling Tips (from a Family of Five: three kids, 10 and under!)

Traveling for the holidays can be stressful and exhausting. Here's some tips to save you some time.

1. Know the weather. Are you heading North? South? Do you need sandals and flip flops or extra socks and boots? Call your family and friends, research online, and check frequently. Weather can change in an instant. Be prepared for roadside emergencies in any weather condition.

2. Save money on clothing and items that are not typically worn in your region by shopping at thrift stores. For example, this holiday season we'll be heading north to New York. We've been shopping at the Salvation Army (on Wednesday's in our area clothing is 50% off!) and have gotten a ton of name brand sweaters for $3 or less! Most were only $1.50!!

3. Pack Snacks. I love the little snack sized zip lock bags because they're perfect for packing snacks for the car or plane. How annoying is it dragging the ginormous bag of pretzels out of the cloth shopping bag, and passing it over the baby's head to the big kids in the back? Pass back a small baggie with your child's favorite goodies, and save the mess, and hassle!

4. I know it sounds obvious, but bring something OTHER than something with WiFi to keep your children occupied. While the tablet or computer is a great way to keep the kids busy, there may not be a network signal, or a WiFi access on the go. I cannot tell you how many airports don't have free WiFi! Grab the old MP3 player or iPod, an extra set of headphones from the dollar store, a handful of coloring and activity books, and plenty of crayons. Even the big kids enjoy coloring in the car or plane, and it keeps little Johnny's hands away from his sister.

5. Play with your children- yes, even on the go. We love "Down By the Bay", and it helps our middle child with rhyming. Make them read signs, count billboards, look for flags. My children LOVE looking for flags and seeing who can find the most. If you're going to be flying, make silly faces, play tic tac toe, color with them. The memories you're making will last a lifetime!

These are the top five tips that I can offer you tonight. While I'm packing, I will be sure to brainstorm and come up with some new ideas. Feel free to comment and leave your travel tips below! 

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Make Holiday Vacation Plans Now! Busch Gardens Christmas Town Opens November, 2012

From a press release:

CHRISTMAS TOWN, ONLY AT BUSCH GARDENS
Tampa’s Premiere Family Destination Will Create the Bay Area’s Biggest Christmas Celebration Ever Tampa, Fla. (March 1, 2012) – Busch Gardens Tampa is getting ready to launch the biggest Christmas celebration ever! Christmas Town will transform the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintery surprises and all things Christmas, filling guests’ senses with seasonal sights, sounds and flavors, and creating a beautiful new tradition for Tampa’s families.

For the first time in the park’s 53-year history, visitors to Christmas Town will experience all-new evening attractions, shows and shopping every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, Nov. 30 through Dec. 23. Guests can look forward to special entertainment, live music, festive treats, holiday shopping and thousands and thousands of twinkling Christmas lights around every turn. “When Christmas Town opens in November, it will be the beginning of a unique holiday tradition for Tampa Bay area,” says Jim Dean, Busch Gardens Tampa’s park president. “We are creating a season-long celebration for family and friends unlike any other event our guests have ever seen – the kind of Christmas fun only Busch Gardens can provide.”

Similar to the park’s popular Halloween event, Christmas Town will be a separate-ticketed night event, and regular daytime Busch Gardens admission is not required or included. Discounts will be available for annual pass members, and families with children ages 3 to 9 will enjoy special ticket prices for their youngest members. The new event will also offer some magnificent new opportunities for groups looking to book a unique holiday party. For park news, updates, photos, “Like” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Facebook.

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