Vacation Planning

I’ve been struggling with the state topics each week, and the response hasn’t been overwhelming, so I’m changing up the format again for this blog and I’ll go back to providing vacation tips, hints, and more - randomly, so that I’ll provide more information for more people.

Hope that works for you.

Here’s a money-saving tip I learned last month, and it’s good again this month, so you may want to check it out to save $75!

Travelocity is having a “Holiday Bonus” sale. If you book three nights with a hotel listed on their site, and pay with a MasterCard, you can save $75 off your total stay. You must enter the code BONUS75 when you check out. They seem to have taken the “Holiday Bonus” logo off the site this week (it was there last week) but enter the code anyway - it’s good through December 31st. (Since the logo is gone, just make sure you check your total before you confirm - you don’t want to be surprised if they don’t honor the code.)

If you don’t have a MasterCard, you can still get the savings, by using PayPal. PayPal has a new plug-in (Look for PayPal Plug-in in the left column to access) that allows you to generate a single-use credit card - and it’s a Mastercard.

We did this last month, and plan to do it again for Christmas!

I am going to confess something right here for all the world to see -we travel CHEAP. We scrape every penny and look for the best bargains possible. With that confession, I’ll share the details of our last savings:

We stayed in a nice, pet-friendly, Red Roof Inn (with elevators). Rooms normally are over $40 a night, but with our savings, we paid about $28 a night! We were within one mile of about 50 restaurants and a major mall - it was a perfect location for our purpose. The staff was friendly, the room was clean and odor-free.

You’ll also note on the Travelocity site that MANY of the hotels (from budget motels to luxury hotels) are literally cutting prices - some at unbelievable prices. It sure makes travel much easier in this economy.

And don’t you love the falling gas prices?

There are some great restaurants in the towns I’ve mentioned this week, so be sure to check them out.

In Cartersville:

Ming Moon - this is truly the very best Chinese food you’ll find anywhere. The restaurant was founded by a very young man, and he has slowly built it into a local favorite with great food and great service. The ingredients are fresh, and the flavors perfection. But this recommendation does come with a warning - once you eat there, you’ll have to go back!

The Four-Way and Ross’s Diner - these two landmarks are located in downtown Cartersville, and the best advice I can give you is to go early for breakfast or lunch. If you wait until peak times, you’ll either wait in line or you won’t get a seat at all. They’re both tiny places with really good, really cheap food, and the locals kept them running for over 60 years.

Doug’s Place, just down Hwy. 293 in Emerson (about 5 minutes away), is a great place for any meal. It too is filled with locals, but it’s large enough to handle a crowd. If you want some good homecooking in a casual, comfortable atmosphere, this is the place to be. Doug Jr’s opened up in Cartersville a couple of years ago, and although I’ve not been there, I hear it’s as good as the original.

In Savannah:

Paula Deen fans will want to try The Lady & Sons restaurant, but be sure to get there early and expect to stand in line. Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House is another good option for fans.

On Tybee Island, you must try The Crab Shack. It’s nothing like the chain restaurants - it’s a unique experience all its own. The atmosphere is casual, relaxed, and beachy - perfect for dining on vacation.

The city of Savannah is one of my favorites. The romance, the sea, the history, the square, the massive trees - all of it combine to create a unique destination that makes a visitor want to return again and again.

Savannah is southeast of Atlanta just over 200 miles, but it seems a world away. When you plan your visit, explore the different options you have for accommodations before settling on an ordinary hotel. A bed-and-breakfast or one of the historic inns will make your stay extra special, yet the cost may not be much more (if at all.)

You’ll want to explore the regions of town before you make reservations, so you’ll know the best place to stay to meet your needs. Do you want to stay in the Historic District, or stick close to the airport, or do you want a beach vacation? You’ll have plenty of options, so you might want to look at a map as you make your plans.

The city has an active calendar, so plan your vacation around it to make the most of your experience. Depending on the time of year and the events, you may need to plan ahead.

Plan to spend a lot of time walking - it’s the best way to see the city, and to soak in the flavor and the atmosphere. Take your time - examine the historical markers, sit on a park bench, explore the boats. Unwind and enjoy.

Tybee Island is a short drive from Savannah, but makes a great destination - and one I always include in any visit to Savannah.

I’ll have some good eats in the area posted on Friday, so be sure to check back then.

Georgia is probably one of the most diverse states - in population and geography - of any state in this country. From mountains to coastal regions to rich farmland to big city - you can escape to almost any kind of vacation your heart - family - budget - desires.

Over the next few days, I’ll list a few destinations within the state, and give you links to explore more on your own.

Atlanta is a week’s worth of posts all on its own, so I won’t touch on it here. But here’s a link if you want to learn more before I get around to posting a few of my favorite haunts. One tip - if you’re going as a tourist to see all the attractions, be sure to investigate the CityPass they now have available. It will save you quite a bit of money!

Northwest of Atlanta - just outside of what is commonly referred to as the “metro area” is the city of Cartersville. This friendly town makes a great base for seeing the area, and has a good many attractions of their own:

Booth Western Museum

Red Top Mountain State Park

Etowah Indian Mounds

Barnsley Gardens Resort

The Grand Theatre

An old favorite, the Weinman Mineral Museum, closed down a couple of years ago, but will reopen early next year as the Tellus Northwest Georgia Science Museum. It will include hands-on science experiences, galleries of minerals and fossils, and feature a digital planetarium.

Cartersville is close enough for day trips to Blue Ridge, Dillard, Dahlonega, Rome, Marietta, and Atlanta, for shopping, exploring and sightseeing, and is rich with Civil War history. Once you visit, you may not want to leave! 

Be sure to check back Friday - I’ll have a huge list of great places to eat in the area!