(Giveaway Closed) Summer Travel Series: Travel Essentials + Gulf Island Waterpark Family 4 Pack Day Ticket Giveaway Ends May 7th 11:59pm

Packing for a family trip can be stressful. Whether the trip is for a weekend or a full week, every family must have basic essentials within reach. I am currently planing a short weekend trip to Florida. Although I’m not leaving the Gulf Coast area, I need to make sure I have certain items handy.

One thing on my mind is safety & emergency planning. I will be making this trip without my husband & children. While some might think this sort of trip would be liberating, for me it’s mostly about planning for the unknown.

I’ve created a short list of Travel Essentials every family must plan for.

Travel Essentials:

1. Emergency Tool Kit
All vehicle travelers must plan for an emergency, whether it be a break down or a flat tire. I like to carry a 12 pack of water for other emergency purposes, but having water handy can also assist with vehicle overheating.

2. Copies of Any Legal or Vehicle Documentation
If traveling Internationally, having additional copies of legal documents can help if any pertinent information becomes lost or stolen while traveling. I once had to have my insurance company fax me updated copies of my ID cards due to policy renewal being updated while I was on vacation. I went on vacation in between one 6 month period into another 6 month period and I had old documentation in my car at the time.

3. Pack for Weather Change
Nothing is worse than traveling in the Summer, only to find out your travel destination is currently experiencing a Cold Front! If your traveling to Louisiana, that is exactly what you will get. Cold one day-hot the next!! Make sure you bring light windbreakers & a few pant selection just in case.

Also, make sure you bring comfortable shoes during any trip. It may take up suitcase space, but you will regret walking all over a major city in cute spring sandals!

4. Restock the First Aid Kit
You may already have an amazing First Aid kit, but when was the last time you updated its contents? When I travel with my family, I always carry a backpack filled with essentials. The very day I think I will not be needing it, is the day a chaotic medical situation occurs. Don’t forget about your seasonal allergy medicines, insect repellant & sun supplies!

5. Travel with Emergency Hydration & Nutrition
Packing extra hydration or snacks is not just for the kids. There are times it can become a medical emergency. Blood sugar can drop or someone have have a coughing/choking episode. Having those essentials items can make a huge difference.

Logo courtesy of Gulf Island Waterpark

Giveaway:
May is here! The sun is shining and our families are itching for family fun & relaxation! One of my families favorite spots to do both is by visiting Gulf Islands Waterpark in Gulfport, Mississippi. Gulf Islands Waterpark is a short drive from the New Orleans Area or the Mobile Area. If your planning a trip to the Gulf Coast soon, Gulf Island Waterpark needs to be on the top of your attraction list.

Opening Day is May 12th but if your a Gulf Island Waterpark Season Pass Member, you can visit May 5th for their preview day. Gulf Island Waterpark has plenty of ride for the children and a full calendar of special events. This summer your child can meet ROCKY (ZENDAYA COLEMAN) FROM DISNEY CHANNEL’S SHAKE-IT-UP, MEET GIBBY (NOAH MUNCK) FROM NICKELODEON’S iCARLEY, attend KIDZ PALOOZA WITH SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, and other fun-filled events for the whole family.

My family has been season pass members for the last 2 years. I can say that being a Season ticket Holder is the way to reach maximum savings. One of my favorite things about spending the summer at Gulf Island Waterparks, although it is a large park safety is always key. The park is well-maintained, rides lines are never outrageously long & the park staff is 100% focused on safety.

If your interested in visiting Gulf Island Waterpark you can visit their website: http://www.soaknfun.com/, on Facebook & on Twitter. If you want to have an inside look, make sure to check their fun YouTube page as well.

Who wants to WIN a Family 4 pack of Day Tickets for their loved ones?? Prized valued at up to $100!To enter the contest you must answer the mandatory entry listed below.

Go to Gulf Islands Waterpark website: http://www.soaknfun.com/. Comment below and let me know what is the one thing you learned about Gulf Island Water Park.

Additional Entries:
1. Follow Gulf Island Waterpark on Twitter .Comment below letting me know you are a twitter follower of @GIWP
2. Subscriber to their Youtube Channel Comment below and let me know you are not a youtube subscriber.
3. Share this giveaway using any of the sharing links listed below. Come back and let me know where you shared the giveaway. You can do this once a day, for an entry EVERYDAY until the giveaway is over!!! Everyday you share please comment below to let me know you get an extra entry.
4. Follow me on Twitter. Comment below letting me know your a follow of @jeffmarias2001

Remember, you can share everyday to receive an extra entry, BUT you must comment back letting me know you shared so I can keep track of the entries. All entries will be validated. Contest will end May 7th at 11:50 Central time. I have the Giveaway Prize on hand and will email winner within 24 hours of winner selection.

Gulf Island Water Park Free Admission Labor Day Weekend w/ a Reg Admission ticket

Purchase a Regular Admission Ticket for $28.99 to Gulf Island Waterpark and get the rest of the weekend free. Basically, it is a weekend pass for the price of a 1 day ticket.

Plus, Dora the Explorer and Diego will have a Meet & Greet. Bring your own camera!

Check out their WEBSITE for more information on it!

Tips for Visiting a Waterpark

My family loves heading out to Gulf Island Waterpark. A short 1 hour drive means our family can enjoy the Summer and still be home for dinner. Every time we head out to the water park, I either forget something or am grateful I did not forget anything important.

A few tips for make any attraction tip:

1. Buy Season Passes. Most attractions ( i.e Zoos,Aquariums, Amusement Parks etc) have seasons passes that usually cost the price of a 2 day trip. More than likely any family will head out more than 2x’s a year/season. I find it’s well-worth the investment and a good value.

2.Check to see what a facility’s food policy is. If a waterpark has a NO outside food/beverage policy please adhear to it. Our New Orleans Zoo does not have a specific food policy so bringing a ice chest is not a problem for us and we take full advantage of it.

3. Look for coupon books or online coupons/deals. Places like Groupon offer online daily deals year around to different local attractions. Gulf Island Waterpark offers a free coupon book that is a huge savings every season! Discount for food in the waterpark is naturally my favorite park.

4 Be prepared! Make sue you have sunscreen, towels, extra change of clothing. Even at the zoo my kids love playing in the water. Buying sunscreen at a gift shop is no way to save money. It’s worth being prepared.

5. Make a Mini vacation out of it. Not going on vacation this summer? How about spending the weekend at an attraction site. You can find great deals online at websites like Priceline, Hot Wire etc. Use your Mypoints or Swagbucks on hotel points for another source of discounts. Or you can stay at a local campground and stay several days for a low cost vacation.

6 Swap with your friends or family. If a family member has passes for a local zoo and you have passes for a waterpark take advantage of your facility’s bring a friend day. We can bring a friend 3x’s a summer season for free. Since we have 4 passes that is 12 friend we can invite for free! Other attractions like a Aquarium may have discount days for their “friend” days.

No matter how you spend your summer, just have fun and take a break for being overloaded from work to enjoy your family!
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Maria

2011 Gulf Island WaterPark Mom

Picture Courtesy of GulfIslandWaterpark.com

My favorite part of summer is all the “field trips” our family gets to enjoy together. Our family loves to travel, but we are also blessed to live in tourism hot spot. Being about 45 miles away from New Orleans, we are able to enjoy a variety of museums, amazing food, eclectic music, and many sporting events. But we also live so close to Southern Mississippi and take full advantage of what they have to offer as well.

Last year we bought passes to Gulf Island WaterPark in Gulfport, Ms. With only an hour drive away, we were able to bring our kids 1-2 times a week. With the purchase of our passes, we also received a coupon booklet with discounts at the waterpark and nearby restaurants in Gulfport.

The park is large (without being overwhelmed) and in my opinion, well maintained. It has easy access to the interstate and has local gas stations that are convenient for someone like my family that travels to get to Gulf Island.

My kids always have a great time there and never come home disappointed because the lines were too long, or slides were closed. In addition to the large waterpark, Gulf Island also has many special events throughout the season, plus special appearances by Disney or Nick Series Actors.

I can’t wait until this season starts. We are kicking off the season by spending the weekend in Gulfport for Mother’s Day weekend and taking full advantage of the family time we will be able to spend together at Gulf Island Waterpark.

Disclosure: This year I was chosen to be a 2011 Gulf Island Water Park Mom. With that, I will be receiving 4 season passes to Gulf Island Water Park. My opinions are in no way influenced by the passes. It is something I was planning on purchasing anyway. I am looking forward to having a relationship with GWIP and love that local families are a voice for a season pass holder with giving praise or concerns we might have. Check back in a week or two for my newest post: The “Do’s and Don’t of visiting a Waterpark”

Maria