LGBT Family Travel
PLUG INTO THE POCONOS By: Manny Velasquez-Paredes
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ometimes the hardest thing to do is to simply unplug unplug from the everyday, from work, from technology, from - dare I mention it - Facebook! But as a working parent, it is extremely important to disconnect from the world and simply enjoy your family. For the past three years, my husband and I have taken our kids on mini-vacations to the Poconos at least twice per year. It is just under five hours drive for us, so we leave the house early so we can beat traffic and (hint) the kids are usually still sleepy, which means they’ll probably fall asleep after 45 minutes into the trip for at least another hour or so, which makes for a calmer ride. As a same-sex couple with kids, we have stayed at different hotels in the area, some more expensive than others, and have never encountered any issues because of our sexual identity. There are some budget hotels/motels where you can stay, just remember that the quality of place is directly proportional to the cost of the rooms. We stayed at this place once where we asked the front desk to change our room because the original room was simply unacceptable - stains, dirty walls, and a toilet seat that didn’t fit properly. Eventually, we settled on another room. Just remember if you are not satisfied with the room or any of the amenities at the hotel speak up and let them know right away, most places will try to help you. Mentioning things like “are you on Facebook, TripAdvisor or Yelp?” might help you with your request. The first thing I do after checking-in to our hotel, is to turn off my cell phone - which trust me it is probably the hardest thing for me to do - but it is a conscious decision I made so I could enjoy my time with the family. There are plenty of places to eat around the Poconos, anything from fast foods to local eateries. We are a bit on the adventurous side and will tend to try the local places. On one occasion, we even found a Brazilian restaurant and quickly stopped for some churrascos and paella. It was a little out of our budget, but definitely worth it.
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Connextions Magazine
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Travel Lite
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August 2015