inute Summer Travel Planning Tips(ARA) - Have you made your summer vacation plans yet? Well, if you're among the millions of Americans who are still scrambling to pull together the perfect summer vacation, here are some helpful ideas to get you on your way.But before you get wrapped up in the nitty gritty details - stop. Take a deep breath and take a few minutes to imagine what your ideal summer vacation could be. That's the advice of Steve Markuson, director of the Minnesota Office of Tourism. The key to planning a perfect summer vacation, he says, even if it's done at the last minute, is thinking about your vacation trip as a story.
"What's the first thing friends, family and co-workers say as soon as you return from a vacation?" says Markuson. "They always ask 'What did you do?' 'What did you see?' and 'Anything interesting happen on your trip?'"
"Vacation trips are stories in of themselves," he adds, "so, why not plan a vacation as if you were writing a story or screenplay? When you begin to think of it in that way, it becomes much easier to plan the vacation around the things you really want to do. So take a few minutes to carefully think about where you want to go, what activities you want to participate in, or experiences you're interested in. Soon, your perfect summer vacation will begin to unfold before you."
The Minnesota Office of Tourism (MOT) helps more than 1.5 million Minnesota residents and out-of-state visitors plan Minnesota vacations annually. The MOT has established a premier travel planning and information resource service that handles hundreds of travel inquiries daily. The secret to the MOT's success, says Markuson, is hiring knowledgeable people and incorporating state-of-the-art technology that helps vacationers people access information quickly and easily.
"When you've never traveled to a certain place, but you have an idea of what the perfect vacation will be, it can become very frustrating when you can't get the information you need to make that dream trip come alive," Marksuson adds.
To help you plan your perfect summer vacation, whether it's at one of Minnesota's beautiful 10,000 lakes or to Minnesota's vibrant Twin Cities, the Minnesota Office of Tourism offers the following tips:
Reserve your time. Whether you're traveling on your own, or especially with other people, nail down and secure vacation time as soon as possible. Be sure to take into consideration the weather, other tourists, and special events as you plan your vacation.
Get it on paper. To aid your travel planning efforts, write down a list of the ten to twenty items that are essential to a perfect vacation. List your "must haves," such as a place that will accept Fido, the pet dog, to ideal elements, such as sandy beaches or places to enjoy the performing arts. Don't forget to note the interests of others who are traveling with you, such as a playground for the kids, or a strange roadside attraction such as "the world's biggest ball of twine," for your friend who has that quirky sense of humor.
Ask friends, family and co-workers. Before you crack open a travel planning book ask friends, family members and co-workers for recommendations of places they've vacationed.
Surf the net. To aid your research, turn on the computer and use a powerful search engine such as Alta Vista or Yahoo!. For example, the Minnesota Office of Tourism has a new web site, www.exploreminnesota.com, that allows you to gather information about Minnesota vacation activities; hotels, motels and resorts; entertainment; and much more. The MOT's web site offers very specific information about many vacation destinations throughout the state, including links to specific resorts, hotels, motels, campgrounds, attractions and festivals/events.
Trip planners. There are an increasing number of services that can help you plan your perfect trip. The Minnesota Office of Tourism, for example, offers its own travel experts who can help you pinpoint various vacation options, either by telephone, or through the convenience of the MOT's web site. The information can be mailed, faxed, e-mailed, or presented verbally to you by a travel counselor.
Check it out. After you decide where and when you want to go, make sure to place a call into the hotel, motel, resort or campground where you plan to stay to get more details. If you're traveling to a location you haven't visited before, place a quick call into the chamber of commerce or convention and visitors bureau of the nearest town or city to verify the information you've already collected.
Create a day-by-day itinerary. Don't think of it as another to do list, but a helpful guide to make sure the story of your trip unfolds as you've dreamed about it. And, more importantly, an itinerary will ensure that you remember to bring everything you need. It can be awfully maddening if you plan to go fishing but you forget to pick up a fishing license or pack your favorite lures.
Reconfirm your reservations. Before you head out the door, place a quick call to reconfirm your first night's lodging. Also, let the owner or manager know when you plan to arrive, especially if it may be later in the evening, after 8:00 p.m.
Stop delivery. . . of your newspaper and mail if you plan to be away for more than a few days so it looks like you're home, when you're actually on vacation. Let your next door neighbors know that you'll be away and ask them to watch your home. And, make arrangements to have your lawn mowed by a neighborhood teenager or a lawn service.
Don't forget film. . . and all the other little things you'll need to capture your summer vacation memories and tell your story when you return home. Other items you may want consider: a journal to write notes about your trip; crayons and coloring pad to allow your kids to draw pictures of what they see and do; and a video camera or a new digital camera that allows pictures to be placed on the Internet.
For more information about the Minnesota Office of Tourism or how to plan a perfect summer vacation to Minnesota, go to www.exploreminnesota.com or call 1-800-657-3700.
Courtesy of Article Resource Association, www.aracopy.com, e-mail: info@aracopy.com
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Editors Note: For more information, contact Joan Hummel, Minnesota Office of Tourism at (651) 297-4714, jhummel@exploreminnesota.com or Stephen Dupont, Carmichael Lynch Spong at (612) 334-6235, sdupont@clynch.com.
