When traveling with the family it is important to find family friendly sites to hitch up overnight.  The kids can go a little stir crazy if they don’t have some social outlet.  There are many RV parks and campgrounds that are family friendly and offer amenities for entertaining the children, and therefore attract many families. RV travel is quite the social outlet for some families. When you settle into these campgrounds, it is not uncommon to meet other families whom you form lifelong friendships with.  This is a great way for the kids to have some time to play with other kids and for the parents to swap ideas about entertainment in the area and exchange other RV travel ideas.

RV travel is also very popular with retirees. After retirement, many couples choose to sell everything they own and live in their RV’s and travel the country full time.  There are Senior RV clubs that offer social gatherings all over the U.S. and Canada for those who are full time travelers, as well as the weekend warriors. It is believed by many that RV-ing is the best way to see the country and a great way for empty nesters and retirees to reconnect with their spouses, after the hustle and bustle of raising a family and working 9-5 is behind you.

While RV-ing you may chose to “camp out” in campgrounds or off the beaten path somewhere secluded.  This decision may be easy for some that don’t like to “rough it”.  RV travel incorporates a few more conveniences than traditional camping. So many people find it fun and interesting.

You can plan a theme for your trip, like antique collecting, or touring the historic sites in the northeast, or all about the Wild West and rodeos.  There are unlimited possibilities when planning an RV excursion.  Let the road and your imagination be your guide.

You must plan these things according to rates and availability, of course, but no matter how inexpensive it is, you probably won?t choose to vacation there in the cold winter months when the outdoor sights and activities are not very accessible. Now spring would be great as well as summer, I believe. The gray whales and the humpback whales are in the area at that time for your viewing pleasure. (The seals and orcas are there year-round I am told.)

I know there are many lodging alternatives to The Wickaninnish Inn, but since some friends stayed there last spring, I have not been able to get it out of my mind. It is a lovely small hotel sitting out atop huge rock formations that jut out into that wild Pacific coast. The beach stretches out for miles and miles. The ancient lush, green forest surrounds the beach. Most of the rooms have incredible views. The restaurant is one of the finest in the country and the spa on the premises pays attention to every detail designed to make it an extraordinary experience for you. Their website alone gives you a little peek into paradise.

The most difficult thing for me personally, will be getting there. I happen to live at just about the most extreme opposite corner of North America — in central Florida — and I must get drugged up to travel by air. So it will be a flight into either Seattle or Vancouver, then most likely a car rental for the remainder of the trip. Although, there are now flights available from Seattle or Vancouver directly to Tofino, the small town just a short distance from the Inn. Either way, the hours involved in the journey will be more than worth it.

Tofino itself is quite quaint (must remember those words for Scrabble next time) and offers sight seeing excursions by air and by sea. There you will also find restaurants and shops to investigate for that one special souvenir or piece of art and such friendly people. Also, always close to my heart is really good food and I understand you can dine on some of the finest, freshest fruits of the sea that the Great God of Gourmet could ever hope to have available.

So my trip is still in the planning stages, but I can hardly stand it. I know how to pack light and how to pack in layers. I know to plan ahead for all the details of leaving my dog and my house for a period of time. I?ve learned how to psyche myself up for air travel. I know to book my spa appointment way ahead of time and I?ve started my checklist already. If you can think of any little thing I might possibly overlook, keep me advised. Goodness knows, this will be a trip to remember, but I guess that?s what traveling for pleasure is all about — the memories.