Fall Road Trip Season!

Husband Peter here.

On September 29, we are heading out on a 2 1/2 week roadtrip, Just me and my wife. So looking forward to it. We've been saving restaurant gift cards for months for the trip. We haven't had a trip just the 2 of us for 31 years.

Driving from Florida, up the East Coast to New York Adirondacks and back. Visiting family and camping out a few times, and then staying in motels.Taking our time.

We're new AARP members, so we're not sure ho the find and use thing yet.

Headed up to Hyde Park, NY to visit the FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt properties as well as the Presidential Library.  Will see the Vanderbilt Mansion as well.  Lunch at the Culinary Institute of America followed by a walk on the Walkway Over the Hudson (longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world).  First stop, a boat ride and tour of Bannerman Castle in Beacon, NY.

Will use the app to find restaurants that will offer us some savings.    

Hoping to make my annual trip to Lake George fir the jazz festival or the following weekend.  

Going to Marsh-Billings Rockefeller National Park in Vermont for the day. On the way home stopping in Winsor VT to visit Simon Pierce Glass blowing, Having lunch at Harpoon brewery beer garden, then to Silo Distillery for gin tasting.

Heading to Chicago, then on to Madison, Wisconsin. Staying at brother’s condo in Chicago  that is downtown area. When in Madison staying with family at their newly built house. Looking for restaurants and places to visit.

Heading up to New England in early October, chasing the leaves through Vermont and New Hampshire. Doing a mix of small inns and a couple of chain hotels along the way, so I do try to time bookings around point promotions when I can.

I'm more of a save-it-for-the-big-trip type. I'll use a little cash back here and there for gas, but I'd rather stockpile points for the hotel nights since those add up fast on a multi-day trip. Best tip I've picked up is checking for transfer bonuses before booking anything, sometimes moving points to a hotel or airline partner gets you way more value than booking straight through a portal.

Have a great time at Lake Ontario, that drive through the leaves sounds like the best part of the trip.

For real, heading to Lake Ontario late September, with friends, we’ve just decided.

Camping, hiking, swimming just before the chill begins, then return drive through Autumn leaves (which we have zero of in Vegas ;)…

Seasons, ahh, seasons, how I miss you so...

Using Rewards to plan a road trip up to Maine!