Family Travel

Oh boy, as of 1 June we get to start another hurricane season. As one who had a tree fall on her house in a Florida hurricane, I’d like to just take a pass, thanks.

Many visitors to the Sunshine State don’t seem to feel the same dread; they’re ready to take their chances and visit anyway.

As long as people are going to insist on coming, they might as well get some good info and links, right?

You can still catch the last two Star Wars Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios (and if you want to pretty much skip hurricane season, make reservations now for Halloween and Christmas at Disney.)

For more opinions and options, check out the Orlando Sentinel for a good rundown on the theme parks, area attractions and places to visit. The Miami Herald does a great job of laying out itineraries/hotels/eats for a variety of visitors such as “Princess Picky,” “Teen on the Scene” and “Abuela & the Twins.” Besides theme parks, there’s the “other Orlando” of International Drive activities and outlet malls.

Or, just escape Orlando altogether and head for Tampa/St. Pete; many say that the best all-around theme park (for little ones AND those who want to scream their heads off on rides) is Busch Gardens Tampa. I know that my family had a wonderful time there; plenty of rides at all levels for everyone (I lost count of how many times my daughter went on the SheiKra coaster, but I know I had to do it twice.) My young son loved the Rhino Rally and looking at the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Naturally, you can chuck it all and go to the beach — one of the best in the U.S. is near Tampa at Fort DeSoto Park. Aaahhh….

Want to see anything but theme parks and not really very beach-y? Head over to the northern part of the state, which is most “Southern,” the Florida Panhandle.

Whatever you do during hurricane season travel, keep that rental car gassed up, bring a backup evacuation plan/route (or two,) a flashlight and a small transistor radio to stay informed.

And when they say to “git,” you need to listen.

I’ve made the southern route drive back and forth across the U.S. a few times; some of it is kinda dullsville (Deming, New Mexico anyone?) and other sections are great (Tennessee.)

A recent article in Budget Travel highlights a couple moving from Boston to Los Angeles driving through the southern U.S.; it gives some good ideas for things to see and do along the way in Louisville, Memphis, New Orleans, Austin and points west.

As a follow-up to my previous post on road trip ideas and U.S.-flavored tunes/music & musicians evocative of the U.S. to go with it, here is the playlist for the rest of the CDs that I burned:

American Music CD Four
1. Punahoa Special Led Kaapana
2. La Bamba Los Lobos
3. Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? Paula Cole
4. Jet Airliner Steve Miller Band
5. Walkin’ After Midnight Patsy Cline
6. Graceland Paul Simon
7. Hammer Song Peter, Paul and Mary
8. Wichita Lineman Dwight Yoakam
9. Fanfare for the Common Man Aaron Copland
10. Don’t Be Cruel Elvis Presley
11. 1999 Prince
12. Inner City Blues Marvin Gaye
13. Bye Bye Blackbird Carmen McRae
14. Brick House Commodores
15. The Entertainer Scott Joplin
16. Old Time Rock & Roll Bob Seger/Silver Bullet Band
17. Too Young to Go Steady John Coltrane Quartet
18. Ventura Highway America
19. Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen
20. The Kiss (Last of the Mohicans) Trevor Jones
American Music CD Five
1. Jolie Blond The Balfa Brothers
2. La Pistola Y El Corazon Los Lobos
3. Born to Run Bruce Springsteen
4. The Thrill is Gone B.B. King & Tracy Chapman
5. Cash on the Barrelhead Dolly Parton
6. All Along the Watchtower Michael Hedges
7. Bandera Willie Nelson
8. Suspicious Minds Elvis Presley
9. Lily of the West Joan Baez
10. Appalachian Spring 4th mv. Aaron Copland
11. Ramblin’ On My Mind Robert Johnson
12. Take the “A” Train Duke Ellington
13. Boy From Tupelo Emmylou Harris
14. Control Janet Jackson
15. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues Dwight Yoakam
16. Rock & Roll Band Boston
17. A Change is Gonna Come Aretha Franklin
18. Stardust Artie Shaw
19. Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughan
20 A Pirate Looks at Forty Jimmy Buffett
21. Maple Leaf Rag Scott Joplin
American Music CD Six
1. Zydeco Boogaloo Buckwheat Zydeco
2. One Time, One Night Los Lobos
3. Thunder Road Bruce Springsteen
4. Chicago Frank Sinatra
5. Big Ball’s In Cowtown Asleep at the Wheel
6. Streamlined Man Michael Hedges
7. Guitars, Cadillacs, etc. Dwight Yoakam
8. Do Right Woman – Do Right Man Aretha Franklin
9. “Buckaroo Holiday” from Rodeo Aaron Copland
10. Burning Love Elvis Presley
11. The Dance George Winston
12. Pride and Joy Stevie Ray Vaughan
13. The “In” Crowd Ramsey Lewis
14. Saturday in the Park Chicago
15. You’re My Funny Valentine Miles Davis
16. An American Band Grand Funk Railroad
17. Talkin’ About a Revolution Tracy Chapman
18. Viva Las Vegas ZZ Top
19. Just As I Am Willie Nelson
American Music CD Seven
1. Les Flammes d’Enfer Jo-El Sonnier
2. Oye Como Va Santana
3. Waltz Across Texas Emmylou Harris
4. American Pie Don McLean
5. Ain’t Nobody Chaka Khan
6. After the Goldrush Bob Taylor
7. What a Cryin’ Shame The Mavericks
8. I Loves You, Porgy Miles Davis
9. La Grange ZZ Top
10. Moonlight in Vermont Frank Sinatra
11. Corine, Corina Asleep At the Wheel
12. Rhapsody in Blue George Gershwin
13. Jessica Allman Brothers
14. Angel of the Morning The Pretenders
15. Life By The Drop Stevie Ray Vaughan

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