Guest Post by Christina Johnson

Today we have a guest poster who is here to tell you about fun ways to vacation as a family. Take it away, Christina!

 ___________________________________________________________

Explore New Areas as a Family
Article submitted by Christina Johnson

The inexpensive camping trips are getting old with your family. You dread the sighs and complaints, when you suggest a week-long visit to Uncle Harry’s farm again this year. What you need are some really unique and fun family vacation ideas to make you a hero this year.

Old West
You would be hard pressed to find any family member that wouldn’t be excited about visiting the old west. Plan a road trip with stops to explore ghost towns and pan for gold. A visit to Tombstone, Arizona offers the site of the Ok Corral. Watch a reenactment of the most famous gunfight of the west. Walk along the same street that Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday walked. Visit a saloon where they may have sidled up to the bar for a beer or whiskey. Visit the museum of the oldest Arizona newspaper, reading the original reported article of the gunfight. While you are in the area, drive over to Total Wreck, Rosemont and Greaterville, three close-by ghost towns.

Houseboat
Your family loves the water trips you’ve planned in the past, but the saltwater taffy treat at the beach has been worn to a frazzle. Rent a houseboat. Your family will enjoy all the comforts of home, but will also enjoy the adventure of living right on the water. Take the family drifting down the Mississippi, just like Huck Fin. Stop at an island and explore. Enjoy the beautiful scenery, while vacationing on a houseboat on Shasta Lake in Northern California.

Volunteering
There couldn’t be a better vacation idea than teaching your children about giving to others or offering benefit to Mother Nature. The kids may squawk at first, when you present the idea, but by the end of the week they will realize how volunteering is a two way street. Helping others is as rewarding as it is to those receiving the help. Of course, you will have to plan your volunteer vacation according to the ages and abilities of all family members. The Sierra Club offers about 90 different service trips, such as cleaning up trails. Habitat for Humanity is an organization most have heard of. Help with building a family’s home. Hoops for Hope is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament that raises money for worthy causes. Stay close to home this year and involve your family in setting up a Hoops for Hope tournament right in your own home town.

Christina Johnson who works remotely for Elliman Prudential in the New York City Rentals market.  She is using her journalism major to combine what she loves most, writing and her career. Her specialties include home decor design and DIY home improvement projects.