Vacation at Home

Take a trip to a foreign land. Look up pictures and information about the lands beyond the horizon. Steep yourself in the culture, and then enjoy a dinner out at an ethnic restaurant.

No gas for a trip to New York? Rent DVD's of the plays and productions that you would want to see on Broadway. Pick up a good deli sandwich, and have a New York night at home. Can't take the time for Las Vegas? Break out the board games and have a family game night. Can't send the kids away for camp? Sign them up for Vacation Bible School at church. Instead of driving to Yosemite, set up camp in the back yard. No bears to be afraid of.

Check the Redlands Daily Facts for fun, inexpensive things to do here at home. The first Sunday each month admission is FREE at the county museum. Our parks and library are free. Enjoy music on Friday night downtown. Feed the ducks at Ford Park. Visit the lake at the VA Hospital.

Let the kids be performers on the Redlands Bowl Stage or the Sylvan Park Band Stand in the afternoon. They can take videos of each other and be actors, directors and producers. Then dress up like movie stars and have a Hollywood night at home watching the videos.

Did you plan to go on a specialty cruise? Did you want to learn culinary arts?

Watch food TV shows and whip up a specialty for your family. Was a dance cruise more to your taste? Check the Highland YMCA and the Loma Linda Senior Center for inexpensive ball room dances that are not for seniors only, and not for couples only. Dress to impress.

Poker? Send the kids and mama to a late night movie. Invite your cronies in. Light up the stogies and down some brews. Knitting, craft, crocheting, scrap booking cruises are all the rage. Check the craft stores, Michael's, Joanne's, and Creative Journey.

Not only do these ideas save you gas, they save you money. How about MAKING money this summer? If you don't take your vacation and can get PAID extra for working, try that. Put the extra money in an interest bearing financial instrument. Leave it compounding interest for your next vacation. Then the price of gas won't worry you, because you will have extra money.

And, in conclusion, I wouldn't be Mimi if I didn't remind you AGAIN to slather on the sun screen, no matter what you do this vacation.

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