USA

Epcot, Disney World, Orlando, USA, Spaceship Earth
Spaceship Earth at Epcot, Disney World, Orlando, USA

How much planning does it take to visit Disney World?

It's the quintessential trip for a young family, almost a writ of passage. For us, it was one of those things before we had kids that we'd sworn we'd never do. Kind of like our plans to feed our child an organic unprocessed diet, provide her with only educational toys, and of course, no screen time. But here we were, driving down to Florida, our child staring at her tablet and munching on a fruit bar as we headed down I-95 to the happiest place on earth.

Continue ReadingHow much planning does it take to visit Disney World?
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park

Life on the Road: Wyoming & Yellowstone

From Devils Tower we drove west across much of Wyoming, seeing nothing but fields. Fields, fields, fields, some hay bales, an endless stretch of road, and more fields. What I did not realize was that we were also rising, approaching small mountains on the horizon. It wasn’t until we were up on the mountain’s side that I realized how high we had risen. So high that we could see the line of haze where the atmosphere of the great big sky touched the vast green fields of earth below. This was a god’s point of view, and we could not help but stop for a few moments to take in the view.

Continue ReadingLife on the Road: Wyoming & Yellowstone
Lighthouse, Prince Edward Island
The Covehead Bay Lighthouse

Road Trip: Maine to Nova Scotia

Summer vacation, at least for our family, is synonymous with road trips. We, Bryan and Laurie, the founders of Budget Your Trip, decided it was time to step away for a couple of weeks and take the newest member of the family (our four month old daughter) on a driving adventure from Boston to Nova Scotia. Yes, it's quite a long drive. And yes, everyone says it's a challenge to travel with a baby. But we went anyway, because traveling is in our blood, and also because we're a little crazy. To add to the reasons, believe it or not, this was our first time in Canada. We've trekked through the Sahara and the Gobi, swam in the Mekong and the Nile, but we have never visited our friendly neighbors to the North. Well, it was time to fix that!

Continue ReadingRoad Trip: Maine to Nova Scotia
Woman with Horse

Making Memories at a Dude Ranch

Sometimes you want to get off the beaten track, and sometimes you want comfort. Sometimes you want an adventure to escape “real life”, and sometimes you want a little peace and quiet to relax. Well, on a dude ranch, you can have everything. The noises of construction and sirens (and your boss) are left at home and replaced with the sounds of a gurgling stream, birds chirping, children laughing, and even silence. If you have ever fantasized about leaving your daily commute behind and replacing it with horses on the trail, or natural experiences all around, then a trip to an authentic working dude ranch may be just what you’ve been looking for.

Continue ReadingMaking Memories at a Dude Ranch
Moose Head Ranch, Grand Teton National Park
Moose Head Ranch, Grand Teton National Park

Authentic Dude Ranches in the USA

What sounds better than turning off your phone and rediscovering the beauty in nature around you? Nothing? Then start researching your trip to a mid-west dude ranch immediately. Ecotourism is a growing industry in the midst of the digital revolution because it gives travelers a slice of serenity to ease them of their busy, hectic lives. So, the Dude Rancher’s Association has brought together some of the country’s best dude ranches that offer a variety of activities, so there is something for everyone.

Continue ReadingAuthentic Dude Ranches in the USA