I’m not a huge scheduler. \u00a0When we go places, I usually have an idea of what I want to do and sometimes a general itinerary for our days but mostly, I like to have a sort of menu of options.<\/p>\n
I create a list that includes all the things that I would like the do, that hubby would like and that the kids would like. \u00a0I include information on each place like the admission price, hours and address\/location and also how to get there if we will be using public transport (and add this to my travel information folder<\/a>).<\/p>\n This part of the planning process was easy when we were traveling in Europe. \u00a0I would almost always turn to TripAdvisor<\/a> to see what there was to see in each city and create my initial list. \u00a0I would then go to each place’s website to get more specific information and make sure it was a place we would actually enjoy going.<\/p>\n But our recent trips around the US have proven harder for finding what there is to do. \u00a0For example, last weekend we went to Orlando to visit friends and had a day to ourselves and didn’t want to pay the outrageous theme park prices. \u00a0On TripAdvisor, 15 of the top 30 attractions were at theme parks and another 7 are not really appropriate for small children.<\/p>\n So I’ve had to revamp\u00a0how I look for things to do when we travel. \u00a0Here are 5 new places I’ve found for figuring what there is to see in a city:<\/p>\n 2. City\/County websites<\/strong>. \u00a0There are a thousand tourist websites for touristy cities like Orlando and it can get overwhelming to try to sift through which are good and which are bad. \u00a0I find the official city websites have information on the sites and attractions they are most proud of, not just advertising and mediocre reviews.<\/p>\n 3. Blogs<\/strong>. \u00a0I know, I know, just touting my own stuff here, but not really. \u00a0Specifically when traveling with kids, mommy bloggers usually have really good suggestions and information for specific cities, specifically with kids.<\/p>\n 4. Deal sites<\/strong>. \u00a0Websites like Groupon<\/a> and LivingSocial<\/a> can not only save you money on the things you want to do on your trip but may also lead you to some lesser known gems.<\/p>\n 5. Social media<\/strong>. \u00a0You can ask specific\u00a0friends who have been a place for suggestions but asking on social media is much more powerful. \u00a0A quick “Going to New York, suggestions for what to do with the kids?” can get you some great information from people who know a\u00a0city the best.<\/p>\n I will not flood you with emails as soon as you enter your e-mail address and I will never share your information (read our full\u00a0privacy policy<\/a>).\u00a0If you\u2019d like to get e-mail updates, you can sign up\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Note: Refunds are not available for digital products, however, I do stand behind the quality of my products. If you ever find yourself unsatisfied with your purchase, please\u00a0contact me<\/a>\u00a0so I can properly address your concerns.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"travel](\"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/travel-tips-3-1024x459.png\")
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<\/a>1. Hop on, Hop off bus websites<\/strong>. \u00a0We did a few hop on hop off bus tours around Europe (in Paris<\/a>, Liverpool<\/a>, and Dublin<\/a>) and really enjoyed them. But I also use the bus routes to determine what’s worth seeing. \u00a0If the bus stops near something, it’s probably worth looking in to!<\/p>\nGrab my Family Trip Planning Pack:<\/h3>\n