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John and Amy Gulick, both public school employees, use part of the summer as an opportunity to introduce their boys to the world beyond Williamsburg.
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The summer season seems made for traveling: the kids are out of school, parents have accrued vacation days and the cabin fever that has kept the family home all year is finally ready to break. For many people, booking that perfect adventure online is convenient and affordable.
But when it comes to vacationing, that sort of go-it-alone planning is often not the wisest choice, according to Allyson deHaven Harris, owner of The Travel Corner, a travel agency that’s been serving Williamsburg-area residents for three decades.
Too often, said Harris, those sweet deals available on the internet are little more than smoke and mirrors. “Do the math on everything that’s not included, and it isn’t such a great deal after all,” she said.
Booking distant travel oneself means missing the connections that 30 years in the business have cultivated. The best part? That expertise is free. Clients do not pay extra for the use of a travel agent. Harris said that an agency is able to secure exclusive deals with reputable firms known for quality. What’s more, agents can filter the hype of the travel industry’s marketing and suggest vacations that offer the best return within a given budget.
Many destinations are more reasonable than one might guess. Cruising to Alaska from Seattle, for instance, rewards travelers with high adventure and breathtaking scenery. Another favorite is Costa Rica, where Harris said there are “beaches, volcanoes and national parks all within a reasonable distance of each other.”
James City County residents John and Amy Gulick know the value of a travel agent. While they were dating after college, John worked at a travel agency in Charlottesville. The couple honeymooned in Belize and hiked into and out of the Grand Canyon. John and his father paddled the South Fork of the Snake River in Montana with a professional guide service.
With the addition of a couple boys, now 11 and 8, the Gulicks have decided to work up to intense family vacations. John and Amy, both public school employees, use part of the summer as an opportunity to introduce their boys to the world beyond Williamsburg.
Among their favorite overnighters is Washington, D.C., where many of the well-known attractions, such as the Smithsonian museums, are free-of-charge.
But it’s rugged adventure John and Amy find cathartic, and they hope to pass along this love of the outdoors to their boys. “Kids are inundated with the pressure to acquire material things,” said Amy. “We want to instill in our boys the importance of acquiring experiences.”
The Gulicks regularly hike Shenandoah National Park. Last year, they tackled an overnight hiking and primitive camping trip in Three Ridges Wilderness in Virginia’s George Washington National Forest.
John said a trip on the family’s bucket list while the boys are still young is the national parks of southern Utah. For now, though, there is plenty to see within a couple hours’ drive of home.
So whether the vacation this summer will immerse the family in a culture that’s entirely foreign, or take in more of the local flavors nearby, there are lots of options and few reasons to stay home.
“For us, travel is a way to pass on important values, such as conservation and worldly wisdom,” said John.
Learn more at thetravelcornerinc.com.
