Tourist vs. Traveler

The Spaceship Earth geosphere at Epcot was on Melissa Law's list for must-shoot family photos at Disney World. Clockwise from left: Melissa; Savannah, 1; Marshall; Colt, 3; and Maverick, 5.

Melissa Law would love to take on the “when in Rome” mentality when traveling, but having three small children has compelled her and husband Marshall to plan ahead and take the tourist track.

Amanda Rutt grew up with traveling parents who eschewed attractions and practiced learning from the locals. Now a mother of two, she teaches her sons to travel in the same way.

Maybe you’re a Melissa; maybe you’re an Amanda. More likely, you’ve got a bit of both in you. We’ve called on both Houston travelers to offer their stories and their advice.

First, Melissa. This summer, the family took its first trip to Disney World. A month out from the trip, Melissa felt confident in their plans. She had booked the hotel and planned the drive. She knew that she could buy park tickets from the hotel concierge. But then she talked to a friend who asked, “Which parks are you going to?” Confused, she asked, “Parks?  We are going to Disney World!”

Suddenly she learned that Disney World was actually made up of four different theme parks, each with its own ticket for admission and means of transport. Fast Pass lines? Character breakfasts? It was enough to send her into panic mode. She went online and bought the three best-selling books on Disney World and spent the next two weeks poring over them as if she were studying for the LSAT.

Here’s what she’s learned:

• Research, research, research! Read books, blogs, anything that will give you “insider” info so you can maximize your time at your destination. Know where to park, when to arrive, what to do first, and where to eat.
• If you think a trip will take X amount of hours, double that amount if you are traveling with kids. Figure in diaper changes, food stops, potty breaks, trips to the store to buy Nature’s Miracle when someone pees in his car seat, and time to let the kids run around.
• As you arrive into a new city or town, Google city parks and playgrounds where the kids can run around.
• If you have a DVD player in your vehicle, rent DVDs from a Redbox along the way and return them to a different one farther along.
• If you didn’t plan certain events like Disney character breakfasts over a year in advance and they are sold out, call 30 days out, 2 weeks out and 1 week out to see if there are any cancellations.

Amanda grew up with parents who went to New Orleans twice a year, staying in the French Quarter and renting a residence-type house among the locals. They never went to Emeril’s or signed up for a swamp tour; instead they got to know the locals and took them up on every invitation possible. As a young woman, she traveled to Brazil. Instead of heading to glamorous Rio, she went with a Brazilian friend to visit her mother in Salvador Bahía, a city on the northeast coast known for its Afro-Brazilian culture and laid-back authenticity.

As a mom, the destinations are less exotic, but the same principle prevails. When her eldest, Jackson, was studying Mount Rushmore in school, they jumped in the car and made a road trip – in the dead of winter. They found friendly, relaxed locals in nearby Rapid City ready to share their lovely artsy community with the travelers – very different from the frantic scene during tourist season.

Here’s what she’s learned:

• Skip the guidebooks. Use the locals and real-life experience to help you know the real essence of where you are going.
• Get to know someone who’s from the place where you’re going and ask what they like to do for fun.
• Make a personal connection if you can. Having a friend who can show you around makes all the difference.
• Not only is it more economical to travel off the beaten trail, but the people will be friendlier, too, because they’re not tired of the tourists.
• Follow the signs along the road. Last summer, she took the boys on a drive to Luling, where they found a watermelon ranch, a chicken farm and a watermelon festival.
• Avoid pre-packaged tours, which are just manufactured for tourists.
• Just get out of the car, walk around and talk to people. Ask them: If they had someone coming to town, where would they take them?

Whatever route you decide on, do it with all your heart. Whatever happens, remember: It’s all part of the adventure.