When I was growing up, my family always took a summer road trip. We never went to the same place twice, and as a result, my siblings and I got to see much of the USA. We always traveled in a station wagon, ate lunch at roadside parks, and took my grandparents with us.
My grandmother was an avid historian, especially when it came to our family history. I can vividly remember her saying to my dad, “Pull over Gene. I want to get a picture of this historical marker.” My sister and I would roll our eyes and think, Not another one!” It also seemed like no matter where we were, Grandma would point to places and say, “Your great- great- great uncle lived here” or something like that. Again, Cathy and I rolled our eyes. That was not the least bit interesting to us.
Now, of course, I wish I would have paid more attention! My grandmother and her sister actually traveled all over the country to research their lineage so they could join the Daughters of the American Revolution. They certainly did not have the internet to help them. They were diligent and determined, and thanks to them, I was also able to join the DAR.
Of course, today it is much easier to trace your roots thanks to the latest technology. Still, wouldn’t it be interesting to actually travel to some of those places that show up in your family history? Why not take a “Genealogy Vacation”?
When I entered ancestry travel in my search engine, many of the sites that came up were travel agencies that wanted to “help” you plan your trip. I am sure that would be great, but it’s not the only way to take a genealogy vacation.
I found a very helpful site on the TripSavy website that has great information with lots of options to help you trace your roots. It says family history travel is more personal than going to a national park or the beach. Genealogy vacations present unusual challenges and opportunities, so planning ahead is the best way to make sure your vacation is successful.
There are several ways to explore your family history. You can spend your time doing research in a family history library, archive or church. You can visit places your ancestors lived and immerse yourself into the culture and history of the areas. Finally, you can travel to your ancestors’ homeland even if you don’t know exactly where they were born.
However you decide to do your ancestry travel, I know you will have an amazing time. I do urge you to visit the TripSavy site because it has such valuable information and tips. Click here to get there!
