We’re a married, age-gap couple with a passion for exploring the U.S., one road trip at a time! Our travels focus on national parks, scenic drives, and hidden gems, with detailed itineraries to help you plan your own adventures. While we cover destinations across the country, we have a special love for Southern California, Las Vegas, Florida, and our current home base—Dayton, Ohio.With a background in hospitality and tourism management (B.A. & M.S.) and experience in hotels, theme parks, guided vacation sales, and special events, we bring both industry expertise and firsthand travel experience to our content.Follow along as we uncover the best weekend getaways, off-the-beaten-path spots, and foodie finds across the U.S.!
Discount Travel Secret: Big Celebrations (and Big Travel Deals) Are Coming for America250!
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Discount Travel Secrets: America250 is here! Hi Reader, I was planning to wait until the new year to talk about this, but since some celebrations are already starting, I figured why not get a head start? You’ve probably started to hear bits and pieces about America250, but if not, here’s the quick version: next year marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and there’s going to be a huge nationwide celebration leading up to July 4th, 2026. Funny enough, when I mentioned this to my family, everyone was like, “Wait, what’s America250?” So if you hadn’t heard of it either, you’re not alone! Basically, the US has a federal commission organizing events, road trip itineraries, and celebrations all across the country. States are doing their own too. For example, Ohio (where I live) has their own commission planning local events, festivals, and exhibits. And of course, big brands are jumping on board too. The Walt Disney Company is kicking off their America250 celebrations early, starting Veterans Day and running through the Fourth of July. But here’s why I wanted to bring it up now: with so many places joining in, you’re going to start seeing special events, themed experiences, and travel deals tied to America250 all throughout next year. That means there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate without blowing your budget. So while Disney might be on the pricier end, there will be tons of smaller attractions, historic sites, and local festivals offering affordable or even free ways to join in. If you want to take a peek at what’s already happening, here are two links worth checking out: 👉 America250 Official Website I’ll be sharing more next year about America250 travel deals, itineraries, and budget-friendly experiences once more things are announced & finalized, but I wanted to plant the seed early so you can be on the look out too! It’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting years for US travel in a long time, and I’ll help you find the best ways to join the celebration for less! See you next week, Eva and JP 💎 P.S. Ready to plan your next trip? Find some of our favorite travel-related resources below. ✔ Find the cheapest rental car rate |
Discovering Hidden Gems
We’re a married, age-gap couple with a passion for exploring the U.S., one road trip at a time! Our travels focus on national parks, scenic drives, and hidden gems, with detailed itineraries to help you plan your own adventures. While we cover destinations across the country, we have a special love for Southern California, Las Vegas, Florida, and our current home base—Dayton, Ohio.With a background in hospitality and tourism management (B.A. & M.S.) and experience in hotels, theme parks, guided vacation sales, and special events, we bring both industry expertise and firsthand travel experience to our content.Follow along as we uncover the best weekend getaways, off-the-beaten-path spots, and foodie finds across the U.S.!
Discount Travel Secret: National Parks Free Entrance Days Hi Reader, When JP and I first started traveling together back in 2017 we didn't have much money (I was in grad school, working 2 full time jobs, and living in the notoriously expensive area of Southern California). I wasn't sure how long I'd be living out there and I wanted to see and do as much as I could while I had the opportunity. So we started taking some overnight and weekend trips to national parks because of how inexpensive...
Discount Travel Secret: Groupon Discounts Hi Reader, Something JP and I bought recently was a Groupon bundle for a local entertainment center that included an escape room for 2 + an appetizer for $36. When we lived in California, most escape rooms would make us buy out the room if it was just the 2 of us, so it would cost about $100-$110 for us to do an escape room. Being in Ohio now, most escape rooms are about $30-$35 per person and we don't have to buy out rooms, so it costs nearly half of...
Discount Travel Secret: Vision Boards & Bucket Lists Hi Reader, Have you made your travel vision board or bucket list for 2026 yet? We make one every year and cover how to do it in-depth inside the Discount Travel Secrets Insider Series. I personally recommend making a nice graphic on Canva (it's free), so you can make it your desktop or phone background, or making a Pinterest board. Our 2025 travel bucket list included: Frankenmuth, Michigan 3-5 new to us National Parks Ohio Amish Country...