When I lived in the city, lots of articles touted the importance of having an “insider’s view” and finding the places the “locals” hung out at. You want to know a secret? This “local” found more interesting sites she never heard of by visiting the tourist kiosks and welcome centers. I found an outlet mall slightly out of town, had a good time at some plays that were put on in a period-correct manner in a historical playhouse and even found a few new restaurants.
If you are native to New York, check out the CitySightsNY.com Coupon on Price Pickle. It will give you 5% off your total ticket order. Take a double-decker bus tour through a section of town, with lunch included, or take a private tour. Private tours are a little more and for smaller groups, but you can go incognito like a celebrity in a limousine and folks will stare and wonder what important person you must be.
Right now, some parts of New York are recovering from hurricane Irene, so check for availability of your route when scheduling. Book a big bit in advance to show your support for the businesses.
You could always go under the guise of entertaining out of town guests, but you might just surprise yourself in discovering new eateries and sites that you just haven’t ventured out to see yet.
In my much earlier years, my parents had the ingenious idea of saving gas on the “trip to Grandma’s house” seven hours away. The Chevette Scooter was infinitely more fuel efficient than any sort of Malibu Classic station wagon. Great idea, except they forgot to consider that sitting on one side of a hard plastic infant car seat when you are ten years old only solves the problem of “Mom, he’s touching me/looking at me/breathing at me” with your brother on the other side of the car seat in theory. While we dare not volley any projectile action figures or sticker books over our baby sister, any little wiggle of the car seat was theorized to be the other sibling shoving it to cramp the other against the door. Add that we actually had luggage, parents and a dog in tow. Oh, and the dog loved it. She was the only one thoroughly satisfied with snuggling the whole way there.
Dad is easy and impossible to buy for at the same time when it comes to his birthday of Father’s Day. His socks are really popped off by a few golf balls or a small tub of chocolate coated popcorn, but sometimes it just doesn’t fee like enough. Maybe it is, but I just feel so outdone by my siblings all the time who sometimes go in on something big. Since F.D. is kind of a “Hallmark Holiday,” I usually don’t go too crazy. It got me thinking about how I lived far away from my dad for more or less ten years. Sure the cards were okay, and I thought that was fine, but I didn’t realize the thing he would have really liked and that was to have me around. It didn’t mean I had to move back in with mom and dad, or even see him on the exact day, but at least knowing I was in the area or could see him once in awhile would mean more than an expensive knick knack.
The Village People will perform May 15 in Branson, Missouri, along with Maxine Nightingale and Janice-Marie. The 
I just know on Thanksgiving weekend that the Sound of Music will be looped a few times on various cable stations, and on network television for good measure. I always remember how the Von Trapp family escaped through the mountains into Switzerland. Tonight I was reading an article disputing the dramatic scene. Maria Von Trapp herself reported that it was Italy the family fled to, as Georg Von Trapp’s birthplace was absorbed by Italy, making he and the children citizens. From there, they went to the United States. They already had a contract.
While families are still doing things that matter to them, money is tighter than usual for some families I know. However, instead of forgoing the long-planned family vacation, they are just doing it more frugally. They are selecting hotels that cater to pets rather than having them stay at the pet resort and they are not staying as close to the attractions. Of course, some pets are better off close to home, but the social butterflies love to come along. Disney is packed in some of the hottest months when kids are not in school. The hottest deals for peak times for rooms is actually in 
There are many hotels and motels that are pet friendly. However, just because they allow pets to hang out does not mean it is a home like situation. Some hotels allow you to leave pets in your room while you get a quick bite to eat, but others do not, and require you to be with the pet at all times. Of course, if you are just crashing for the night, it is easy, but if you are staying for a number of days, it becomes a challenge if there is now way to cook in the room and there aren’t any outdoor cafes where you can eat with your pet. Of course, in the winter time, that would be a little chilly.