Planning your vacation is almost as fun as actually going on vacation. But I learned a few things this summer season about planning. No. 1: Have a backup plan ahead of time. No. 2: See No. 1.
Our plan was to go to Rhode Island and hit the beaches around Westerly. My friend Joanne and I had never been, but family recommended it, so we were sold. We arrived early Sunday afternoon. Check-in time wasn’t until 3 p.m., so the hotel gave us beach passes. After all, that’s what we went there for—sun, sand, surf, fun, and some quiet time reading and snacking on the beach. But the beach was very small because it was high tide, there were riptides that meant we couldn’t go all the way in, and later I found out they closed the beach due to great white shark sightings!
The next day was rainy and cool, so now what? Here’s where good planning and research pays off. Before we left, we looked online and found some quaint villages nearby plus an indoor flea market. We also discovered that we weren’t too far from two gambling casinos, so in the evenings we visited both casinos, joined their players clubs, and took advantage of some of their offers.
So, here are my tips:
1. Research the area nearby where you're staying.
2. Print out area maps.
3. Get the addresses and hours of operation for anywhere you might want to go.
4. Check local newspaper websites for things to do.
5. Call the chamber of commerce where you're going. They'll be happy to help you. They were great for us.
Hope this gives you some tips for your next vacation. Make your wish list for sunny days—but who knows what can be lurking at the beach to throw off those plans, rainy days—or just one of those days. Always try to have a backup plan (or two).
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