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Health & Fitness

Your Vacation Should Not Be Stressful

If you’re like many people around the country, the summer months represent a chance for you and your family to get out of town and take a few days to rest and recharge. That’s right, it’s vacation time! A week or two of relaxation in your favorite spot, or maybe someplace new, is just what the doctor ordered…or is it? Packing up the family and hitting the road or airport often leads to increased stress levels during what is supposed to be a happy event. Traffic jams, lost reservations, TSA, screwed up directions, flight delays, and fellow vacationers can have the effect of raising your blood pressure and make you long for the days of a nice, comfortable cubicle.

If you’re like most Jaycees, you have a sense of adventure and won’t let the threat of a few problems keep you locked in for the summer – we don’t avoid problems, we solve them! So what are the best ways to ensure that the limited time you have to repair your sanity each year is put to good use?

The experts at Smarter Travel have put together a list of Top Tips for Summer Travel – guaranteed to save you time, money, and goodwill on your next vacation. Try these suggestions as you plan your next destination:

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1.       Book airfare early – most airlines have their best sales 60 – 90 days from the date of travel, and there are no assurances that prices will go down the closer you get to departure date.

2.       Buy attraction tickets and passes in advance – you can save time and money by purchasing online before you travel. Plan early and avoid waiting in long lines to get into your favorite amusement park, campgrounds, or theater.

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3.       Download road-trip apps – instantly access information on real-time traffic, restaurant or gas station proximity, and side-trips you hadn’t considered.

4.       Stay healthy – know where you are headed and the unique risks associated with that area. Nothing ruins a great vacation faster than a bad sunburn, or mosquito attacks, or food poisoning, or…

5.       Have bad weather back-ups – remember that time you couldn’t go to hotel pool and you had to stay inside all day and just relax? Your kids do, and they didn’t like it. Always have an alternate experience that avoids frantic, last minute searching for anything that resembles fun.

For more great tips and ideas on ensuring a memorable vacation, you can check out the rest of the article here. When you get back, make us jealous. Tell us about your perfect vacation and share your personal suggestions for other Jaycees on our Facebook and Twitter pages. 

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