Get outta town!

What do you do to get ready to go out of town? This weekend we're going to Atlantic City. We don't gamble, but it's always fun to go to another place just to see what it's like. Growing up we always travelled places but I don't remember ever planning the trip in advance. When we used to go to New York for our back to school shopping trip we just drove up there, waited until we saw something we liked, then got out and walked around. It was fun to do that with my family, but TheCount and I can't function like that. He needs a plan, and my indecisiveness frustrates him. I, in turn, get very frustrated when I ask him what he wants to do or eat and he says it's up to me. When I ask for your opinion, give it! The trip turns into a not so fun misadventure with both of us silent and me normally crying at a restaurant because, "I just wanted us to have fun, and now we're frustrated, and it's not fun, so what's the point." Seriously, we've been together for 6 years, and we're just getting better at this. Earlier this week, chic.seven posted some things she always takes with her on trips, check it out, simple yet effective. I have every single one of those things in my pile to pack right now. Here are some of the things I've been doing so we can make the most of our very short trip:

 

1. Go to the hotel's website, look at the pictures, what amenities they have, and the hours of operation for their various facilities. TheCount wants to go bike riding. I'm glad I looked it up, because it's only allowed on the boardwalk between 6:30-10 am.  We would have missed that because I don't get up before 10 on vacation.

2. Go to the website for the city. Look at their events calendar to see what major things are occurring. This helps because you'll often find free events, things that will cause major traffic that out of towners wouldn't know about, and local attractions. I found out this weekend Whoopi, Sinbad, and Kelly Clarkson are all performing. I won't be attending any of that- but it was nice to know.

3. Go to FoodNetwork.com and check out where Guy Fieri went on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives to see if any of those places are nearby. He went on a New Jersey Diner Tour...I hope some of those are close by! I'll spend a few minutes on mapquest checking it out and printing the directions. I'll get my parent's to go to some because they're going to Atlantic City next week too.

4. Another website I use is Restaurant.com. On there you can print out discounted coupons for non-chain restaurants. I had a discount code and I got four $25 gift certificates and one $10 gift certificate for $5.40. You can't really beat that deal with a stick! We've gone to 2 already by our house since I've started using the website. We haven't had any issues, and both restaurants were really good, we'd go again in a heartbeat. Just be careful and DON'T enroll in the little program thingy they have at the end that offers additional discounts. It cost's $10.

 

This trip I'm going to do something I never, ever do- keep track of how much money we spent and how much money we saved over this trip. TheCount normally keeps receipts to keep track, but I always throw a few away just so he won't realize what I've managed to convince him to spend. It really is for his own good. Next week I'll have a whole breakdown post, I'll have a lot of extra time on my hands, TheCount's new position at work already has him travelling and I think he flies out on Monday.

 

What are some things you do to get ready for trips? Do you use any websites that are particularly helpful? Fill us in!