MARENGO — Memorial Day weekend is upon us which brings us to the start of the summer travel season. With the mild winter we had around here most schools didn’t have much in terms of snow make-up days so many kids have already finished up their semesters and are ready to get on with their holiday. Not to worry parents it will only be a couple of weeks before the back-to-school sales kick in and in no time at all it will be time for those youngsters to go back.

As luck would have it I am on vacation myself this week and have decided to give some of my tips for traveling. I am by no means a world traveler. I have used my allotted vacation time over the years usually pretty close to home, mostly because I enjoy camping and have never had a lot of money to spend on fancy hotels.

The first tip that I am going to give is something I always say I am going to do and rarely do. When you decide your vacation destination start a list of all the things you will need while on vacation. You should keep it with you at all times so you can update the list while you are finalizing your plans. Also make sure if you already have the items from your list, you know where they are before you leave; waiting until the last minute and searching for something is a horrible way to start a vacation. One of the worst feelings is getting to your vacation site and wishing you had packed something you left at home.

On Saturday Night Live a few weeks ago New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was asked where he thought would be a great place to get authentic Italian food in New York City. He answered “the Olive Garden.”  While it is true you can get Italian food at the Olive Garden I don’t think that’s what the tourist had in mind. When you are on vacation you should try to eat at places you could not go to when you are at home. It adds to the trip by experiencing nice things.

 When you get to your destination ask a local where they like to eat. Most of the time they are happy to have visitors and they will want to pick out the best places. When you find a good place that you enjoy, ask your waiter if they have any suggestions on other places to go. This has worked well for us on this trip. We have eaten a couple of great meals at places we would have never stopped at if we hadn’t asked someone for advice.

Sometimes it is best if you ask someone that is close to your demographic so that they understand what you are asking. We asked a young girl that was working the desk at the resort we are staying at and she told us about this great place that makes hamburgers and hotdogs to order. We considered stopping by until we drove past and realized she was talking about an ice cream stand. We ended up actually getting some dessert there one evening, but it clearly wasn’t a place for dinner.

If you plan a trip to a new place and you get there and it is not what you expected, just work with it. Do the things you like to do and make the most of it. The important thing is you’re spending time away from home with the people that you love. Also remember your worst day on vacation is better than your best day at work.

Many people will be traveling this weekend and others will be staying at home and celebrating with family and friends. As you enjoy the company of those around you everyone should take some time and remember what the holiday is about. Memorial Day is the day set aside to remember those American men and women who have died in the service of our armed forces. They paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we are able to do all the things we love to do.

We should also take some time to remember that we are still at war.  Sometimes it seems that we forget that our service men and women are still in harms way around the globe. If you know of a family with loved ones who are currently deployed or on active military duty, take some time to thank them for all that they do for this country.



Matthew Nash is having a vacation to remember. He can be reached at dmatthewnash@gmail.com