A few weeks ago, I came across an Instagram reel with the following caption overlay: “POV: I’m not wasting any time this summer. I want it all. Hikes, walks, drives, lake days, camping, I’m outsideeeeee.” And, let me tell you. I can relate. With this in mind, I want to share our upcoming four-day spring break travel itinerary and a few travel tips that we will be incorporating so that we stick to our vacation budget while still having a fun and memorable time.
Day 1 – St. Louis, Missouri
The first day of our spring break vacation will be spent in St. Louis, Missouri. A few attractions that we plan to experience include the National Blues Museum, Gateway Arch National Park, and St. Louis Union Station. These three activities allow for not only some fun entertainment but the opportunity to learn a bit of history, as well. Finally, it allows us to stay active which is important.
As I’m getting older, I’ve put a grander emphasis on living a healthy lifestyle. Some of the habits that I am incorporating into my daily lifestyle are drinking more water, cutting out sugary treats, and simply walking more. I’m also learning to keep myself more accountable by using a variety of online tools that make sense for me such as this workout calculator which allows me to enter the activity that I do and then lets me know how many calories that were burned.
Day 2 – Memphis, Tennessee
After a good night’s sleep, we will spend the following day in Memphis, Tennessee. A few attractions that we plan to experience include Mud Island River Park, Sun Studios or The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and wandering Beale Street for some live music and delicious BBQ.
When budgeting for a mini-vacation, I always make sure to include tips in our budget. Tips aren’t just for dining either, think about any tours that you plan to participate in. We often do guided tours on vacation and tips are very appreciated by the tour guides.
I’ve mentioned tipping your tour guide in multiple travel posts here on the blog, but you can also check out the history of tipping in the United States if you would like to learn more.
Day 3 – Metropolis, Illinois and Paducah, Kentucky
After a full day in Memphis, Tennessee, we plan to head to Metropolis, Illinois, and visit the Superman Museum and Statue. Each time I look up cool things to do in Illinois, I’m surprised by how many times I see this museum and statue come up. So, I decided it was finally time to add it to one of our travel excursions and check it out.
I’m pretty sure we won’t spend a full day exploring the museum and taking photos, so we will likely take the half hour’s drive to Paducah, Kentucky, and explore some of its famous sites such as Whitehaven Welcome Center and the Riverwalk.
While doing a bit of research on the two attractions, I stumbled upon a 2015 Facebook post that explained why people say that the Whitehaven Welcome Center is haunted. Yes, haunted. The post goes into further detail on what other people have encountered while visiting. It’s very interesting, I must say.
Day 4 – Roadside Attractions and Oddities
After a pretty chill time exploring both Metropolis and Paducah, we intend to return home while casually stopping to eat and check out random roadside attractions and oddities. I love using the Roadside Attractions and Atlas Obscura websites to find interesting places to stop along the way.
If you decide to take the trip or any trip, note that if any of your passengers get bored during the drive, you can always encourage them to play games on their phones. CulinarySchools.org offers a collection of hundreds of different online games, especially for kids.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am so pleased with the four-day itinerary that we have created. It allows for fun and entertainment, a splash of learning, and some physical activity for our overall well-being. It’s also a mix of free and paid attractions which allows for us to keep our budget in check.
What is an attraction that you would recommend in these cities and states?
Photos courtesy of Pixababy.
