If you are willing to invest a few hours into planning your next travel adventure you will be pleased at what you might find.
Arriving in a new location w/o doing your homework may leave you stranded. Knowing ahead of time all that is available to do on your vacation is key to having a successful holiday whether you are going away for a weekend or 2 weeks, to a place you have been numerous times or brand new uncharted territory. Plan ahead, better yet, explore ahead.
On a recent trip to Montauk we knew we wanted to beach it most of the time, & we did. But what to do with unexpected rain? I already new of several boutiques & restaurants I wanted to visit & experience. Every year established businesses close, in our current economic climate we are seeing too many closing their doors after decades of service, sad but true, even more reason to check ahead of time to see what is & what is no longer before heading over to Smiths for their famous lobster roll to find a sign saying "Thanks for your dedicated business for the last 52 years, we have decided to close shop". I have found this to be true too many times this summer on day & weekend get-a-ways to Prince Frederick, Md & Middleburg, VA's ever so classic Coachstop.
When the rain fell over East End I knew where to go for the best fresh fish & lobster on the peninsula: The Clam Bar, it did not disappoint...then off to Tauk for some shopping inspiration & where I found an amazing deal (things are pretty pricey there) on a Turkish bath/beach towel/blanket/mat for $39, wish I had bought two. Here we go again, I had done my homework.
I had stopped by AAA since I am a member to pick up a New York travel book a week prior to our trip. If you want off the beaten path you will not find it in there. You will find: parks, historic sites & mainstays of the area, not funky boutiques & motels. If the area is remote & not overly populated the offerings from AAA will be most limited, so keep looking & do it ahead of time as not to waste time on your vacation.
Any village or hamlet has a chamber of commerce site online, check it out. This is how I found several hotel options. Most of the motels on the east end wanted a weeks worth of capital up-front for their lodging. I personally was not willing to send a thousand plus to a motel I had never stayed, for that matter never seen. If he motel/hotel does not show pics of their rooms, be cautious in reserving there. I decided to head to Montauk without accommodations, risky yes, but worthwhile at least for me. The first resort I had on my list was not on the beach as advertised but across the Old Montauk Hwy, not a good idea with a child in tow. I kept going to the second motel, The East Deck. I did not like the fact that the motel did not have the option of ac but it was right on the beach & had a lovely pool, both features I was not going to budge on. The hotel was family owned since the 50's & worked out a good deal for us. We lucked out. If that motel had not worked out I had a list to work from that I created right here at home from my computer.
Ask about discounts, ask if the establishment has any special offers while checking out their website thoroughly ahead of time. Many times the offers are posted but not mentioned when making your reservation. Know what you want ahead of time, how much you are willing to pay or upgrade to & know what they are offering or have recently. They want these rooms filled. Stay away from large companies who manage
multiple resorts, they will not work with you on pricing. Focus on the family owned or individual type business, they just might surprise you making your vacation/get-a-way more affordable.
Good luck planning your next bunbury , for every time you leave your front door is a potential adventure awaiting you & your family.
Arriving in a new location w/o doing your homework may leave you stranded. Knowing ahead of time all that is available to do on your vacation is key to having a successful holiday whether you are going away for a weekend or 2 weeks, to a place you have been numerous times or brand new uncharted territory. Plan ahead, better yet, explore ahead.
On a recent trip to Montauk we knew we wanted to beach it most of the time, & we did. But what to do with unexpected rain? I already new of several boutiques & restaurants I wanted to visit & experience. Every year established businesses close, in our current economic climate we are seeing too many closing their doors after decades of service, sad but true, even more reason to check ahead of time to see what is & what is no longer before heading over to Smiths for their famous lobster roll to find a sign saying "Thanks for your dedicated business for the last 52 years, we have decided to close shop". I have found this to be true too many times this summer on day & weekend get-a-ways to Prince Frederick, Md & Middleburg, VA's ever so classic Coachstop.
When the rain fell over East End I knew where to go for the best fresh fish & lobster on the peninsula: The Clam Bar, it did not disappoint...then off to Tauk for some shopping inspiration & where I found an amazing deal (things are pretty pricey there) on a Turkish bath/beach towel/blanket/mat for $39, wish I had bought two. Here we go again, I had done my homework.
I had stopped by AAA since I am a member to pick up a New York travel book a week prior to our trip. If you want off the beaten path you will not find it in there. You will find: parks, historic sites & mainstays of the area, not funky boutiques & motels. If the area is remote & not overly populated the offerings from AAA will be most limited, so keep looking & do it ahead of time as not to waste time on your vacation.
Any village or hamlet has a chamber of commerce site online, check it out. This is how I found several hotel options. Most of the motels on the east end wanted a weeks worth of capital up-front for their lodging. I personally was not willing to send a thousand plus to a motel I had never stayed, for that matter never seen. If he motel/hotel does not show pics of their rooms, be cautious in reserving there. I decided to head to Montauk without accommodations, risky yes, but worthwhile at least for me. The first resort I had on my list was not on the beach as advertised but across the Old Montauk Hwy, not a good idea with a child in tow. I kept going to the second motel, The East Deck. I did not like the fact that the motel did not have the option of ac but it was right on the beach & had a lovely pool, both features I was not going to budge on. The hotel was family owned since the 50's & worked out a good deal for us. We lucked out. If that motel had not worked out I had a list to work from that I created right here at home from my computer.
Ask about discounts, ask if the establishment has any special offers while checking out their website thoroughly ahead of time. Many times the offers are posted but not mentioned when making your reservation. Know what you want ahead of time, how much you are willing to pay or upgrade to & know what they are offering or have recently. They want these rooms filled. Stay away from large companies who manage
multiple resorts, they will not work with you on pricing. Focus on the family owned or individual type business, they just might surprise you making your vacation/get-a-way more affordable.
Good luck planning your next bunbury , for every time you leave your front door is a potential adventure awaiting you & your family.
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