I cannot begin to grasp the idea that summer is almost here. SUMMER! When did that happen? It seems like we were shoveling snow just yesterday. Now we’re planning on what to do Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer.
What are your summer plans? Are you planning on a vacation with your family or friends?
My family and I can’t afford to go on a real vacation. Instead we rely on “day trips.” They don’t usually cost that much and we are able to be home in time to walk our dog and feed our “mini-zoo.”
One of our favorite places to go during the warm weather months are area parks (local or state). We love being outdoors and exploring nature.
When I was younger my family and I took a road trip through Yosemite National Park. That was one of my most favorite vacations. I still remember when we came across an area that had a lot of snow. You don’t always associate California with snow. I know my parents took a picture of me and my sister playing in the snow. I wish I knew where that photo was.
If you are planning a vacation this year across your state, or across the country, be sure to check out Fodor’s Travel.
Did you know that Fodor’s has been around for 80 years? Wow!
Fodor’s is a trusted resource offering expert travel advice.
In celebration of the National Park Service Centennial in 2016, Fodor’s has unveiled a new suite of online tools and updated guidebooks to help travelers plan an unforgettable family trip to America’s incredible natural wonders.
Throughout this year (2016), all parks, including the venerable Yellowstone and Yosemite, will celebrate the centennial with activities and initiatives that allow visitors to revel in their natural, historical, and cultural splendor.
I would love to return to Yosemite with my family (husband and children). They have never been there before. Visiting Yellowstone is on my “Bucket List.”
If your summer vacation plans include a road trip you should check out Fodor’s National Park Road Trip Itineraries, found on Fodors.com. It will help you and your family have the most road-trip worthy adventures to parks across various states.
You should also check out National Parks 101 if you are planning a trip to a national parks, including booking, budgeting and packing tips; and National Parks Finder helps you find and compare national parks based on activity, region or season.
Be sure to check out Fodor’s National Parks of the West, on sale May 10. The book ha been completely updated and provides readers with the best sites, dining, and lodging in and around each park.
When you are planning a road trip, even if it’s just to the grandparent’s house, you should always have entertainment on hand.
One great way to keep everyone entertained while traveling is with audiobooks. When you listen to a book being read to you via an audiobook, you can completely lose yourself in the journey, enjoying the scenery while listening to a great narrator tell you a story.
Audiobook are idea for children because they help to expand vocabulary, teach pronunciation and improve reading comprehension.
Here are some examples of audiobooks.
Did you know that 85% of what we learn, we learn by listening?
Whether it’s a charmingly, quirky tale for your middle grader like Jennifer L. Holm’s The Fourteenth Goldfish, a brain-teasing mystery like Chris Grabenstein’s Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, or Jack London’s classic The Call of the Wild read by Emmy Award winner Jeff Daniels, you’ll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!
These audiobooks are available through Penguin Random House Listening Library of audiobooks.
For more information about Fodors visit Fodors.com. You an also follow Fodor’s Travel on Twitter and Facebook.
Don’t forget to check out Penguin Random House Listening Library (linked above) You can also check out Listening Library on Twitter and Facebook.
To learn more check out the hashtag #FodorsOnTheGo on social media.
I have a wonderful giveaway for a lucky reader.
One (1) winner receives:
- Fodor’s The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West;
- 3 audiobooks to listen to on the drive: The Fourteenth Goldfish, Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library, and Call of the Wild;
- PLUS a $50 Visa gift card to put towards filling up the tank!
Giveaway open to US addresses only.
Prizing and samples provided by Penguin Random House.
This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end on May 15, 2016. The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via email and will need to reply within three days or a new winner will be chosen in their place.
To enter please comment on this post and tell me why you would like to win this prize package?
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirement or the additional entries won’t qualify.
Kimberly
*I received the same prize package in exchange for my participation. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Lisa Brown says
I would like to win because it all looks educational and fun.
Mami2jcn says
I’d like to win because the audiobooks are great for a road trip!
Gina M says
I would love to win because this would be great prep for a family trip this summer!
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
Janet W. says
I’d love to win this prize package because I’d love to learn more about the National Parks of the West as potential future vacation spots for my family.
Maureen says
I am unable to fly due to a health issue but driving is fine. I would love to see the US and have ideas as to what to see and where to go.
Carly Williams says
I would love to win because I think I would really enjoy the listening library!
Sadie B. says
I would love to have the audio books for my kids during our vacation.
Linda Kish says
I may never get there but, I love travel guides. like the pictures and thinking about the places.
julie says
would love to read the book!
Heather Hayes Panjon says
I Would Love To Win This Prize Because It Would Be Perfect For Summer Road Trips, We Could Learn As We Travel.
Samantha says
I’d love to win, we have done many road trips with the kids and it’s so sad when they miss everything because they are so bored and either fall asleep or play games. I love the idea of good stories played to listen to, what a great way for them to just listen and look out the window.
Thomas Murphy says
I want to win because I would like to read about the National Parks of the West
shelly peterson says
I would love to win because the audiobooks would be great to listen to.
GlassesShop says
I’d love to win
Susan P. says
My sister and I have a road trip planned to cover Utah, Wyoming and Montana so this would be perfect for the trip.
Mary W says
We are planning a road trip to tour the Western Parks. This prize is perfect! Sure would help us plan our trip and decide where to stay.
Tabathia B says
I would love to see how many parks there are to visit and use the gift card towards vacation
Fiona N says
I would love to win this awesome prize package because it would help me learn more about the National Parks
Thank You
Joanne Vanderheite says
I would love to win this , we drive alot and having entertainment like this would really help. We also have an autistic child who would love this as her rides need constant entertainment. Thanks
Kim Henrichs says
I would love this because I have a few road trips planned for the summer and this would rock! I grew up near Yellowstone but I’ll be hitting up Utah parks. Can’t wait!
Virginia Rowell says
I love to listen to books while driving and of course the Visa would definitely help for gas.
Lauren says
I want to see if my family would enjoy the audio books for our long car trips.
LaTanya says
the book sounds interesting and the gas card would be helpful for traveling
Yona Williams says
I think my nephew would like the audiobooks, and we are looking to explore different travel options in the future.
Charlene S. says
I would love to win because this would be great for our family road trip this Summer. I enjoy listening to audiobooks too.
DEBIJOT says
I would like to win because audiobooks are great for a road trip.
manda overturf says
Love to visit the parks this summer.
Amanda S. says
I’d like to win because we have a road trip planned for the summer!
Candice says
We live in the West, and still haven’t explored many parks. I would love to visit some this summer, and use these resources.
Kelly D says
I would like to win so I can start planning a future vacation out west. I would love to take my kids.
ken ohl says
these look terrific for our summer road trip for sure and the gift card always helps. thankyou, ken
Karen R says
Our favorite vacation spot is Yellowstone National Park. It is beautiful. We could lean more about Yellowstone and parks that we might consider visiting.
Natalie says
I would love to win this cause my family and I do a lot of traveling and it is hard to keep my kids entertained.
Sonya Morris says
I would love to learn more about our National Parks.
KV says
This would be fun for a road trip this summer.
Tamra H says
I’d love to win because exploring our nation’s parks is on my bucket list!
D Schmidt says
I would like to win because it is interesting and something that would benefit my children.
Mary Cloud says
I’d like to win this prize because I’ve love to research more vacation opportunities for my family. The Visa is a bonus!
Betsy Barnes says
I would love to win because I listen to audio tapes during the day while working at my laptop and I am always searching for interesting tapes. This would be perfect and maybe we will end up on a road trip 🙂
HS kraftmaking says
I love audiobooks and can use the gift card for our incomng road trips
Elle says
The book sounds interesting and I can always use a Visa card.
Vicki Wurgler says
I’d like to know more about the National Parks of the West-I’ve been to yellowstone but would like to visit some more
steve weber says
I would love to win this because I need the $50 VISA gift card
Christina Foley says
I would LOVE to read the National Parks book! We love road trips and checking out all the National Parks, we want to visit the west soon!
Will G says
I would like to win because the travel guides sound interesting.
Erika W. says
I would love to win this because I am originally from CA and now live on the East Coast…We have been planning a cross country road trip for next year so this would be perfect!
Jessica To says
I would like to win to learn about the National Parks.
Elena says
I want to win because I want to learn more about national parks and visit them
Bo Simms says
i would loe to win this prize pack for my mom. Due to her aging and loss of eyesight, she would really enjoy these audio books to listen to. I would love to read the book and the $50 Visa GC I would also give to my mom!
Kristie says
I’d love the guide to the National Parks! One day we’d like to go visit some as a family 🙂
heather says
I would so love to win this one because the kids would learn so much from it thanks for the chance.
Michelle C says
I would love to win this to help with summer road trips! What a great way to learn more about National Parks!
Kristen says
I love road trips! Guides and gas money are all the encouragement I need to start planning the next one!
Dawn Monroe says
I’d like to win because I think my family would enjoy the audio books during our road trips.
Rachel says
I would like to win it because it would be nice to have a guide of the national parks.
Trisha Burgess says
I would love to this to get new vacation ideas for the future!
Stefanie Gladden says
I’d love to win because I’m going on a road trip this year and would love to know the National Parks of the West
Michele P says
I want to win because I love to take road trips, and haven’t really listened to audiobooks/tapes regarding travel before so I think that this would be a great way for me to learn about other areas I would like to visit.
Elizabeth J. says
We’re planning on going to Moab, Utah for a small family trip this summer and this prize pack would come in handy!
Ashley Shippy says
We are going on our first family road trip in 2 weeks to NC! Would be an awesome prize pack!
Terri Irvin says
I would like to win because we have read and bought the Fodor’s Travel Books for years and years. When my hubby retired, he promised me a trip around the East coast to see one of our adult children. We would like to stop at the National Parks on the way in our RV. Also we always listen to books in the car as a passenger or as the driver.
Michelle Richardson says
I’d love to win because we have two road trips planned this summer!
Cheryl B says
I would love to win the audiobooks because they would provide interesting information on some of the National Parks,I plan to visit this year.
Evie B. says
I love traveling and road trips.
HilLesha says
I’d love to win, because I’m planning on visiting more national parks this spring and summer.
Dandi D says
My family loves traveling and these audio books sound so interesting!
Anna Pry says
i want to win because we love taking family road trips and listening to audio books. my daughter likes learning about new places also
Terra Heck says
The gift card would be nice to have. But, other than that, I love visiting parks and the scenery they provide. Would like to know more about the different parks out there. Thanks.
partymix25(at)Hotmail(dot)com
Bridgett Wilbur says
I would love this to help me plan for the family vacation this summer.
Breanna Pollard says
This is perfect for summer traveling.
Jaclyn Reynolds says
Would love to win and enjoy with my kids!
Sarah Hayes says
id love to win bc this would be perfect for road trips! we have one coming up next month
Susan Christy says
I have always loved traveling and have been fortunate to visit a lot of great places but not enough road trips in the US.
Ellie Wright says
The audiobooks would be great this summer when we’re traveling around Texas for Little League tournaments.
Stephanie Phelps says
I would love to win because we are planning a long trip out to see my parents in Alaska and want to see things along the way and I could use the money!
kjasus says
we are acutally going out west this summer and this prize will help up plan the trip
sarah mayer says
I would love to read the book about all the fun facts on the national parks.
Karrie says
I would enjoy the listening party
Hollie Jahnke says
I’ve always wanted to visit the parks out west and we love road trips! <3