Forget Summer Vacation, Make It A ZOOcation with Travelodge and National Geographic! (review and giveaway)

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this interview opp and giveaway, free of charge, from DS Simon PR, National Geographic, and Travelodge, for posting on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about the program or giveaway.

Make sure you read the entire post, we've got a GREAT budget savvy Summer vacation giveaway

 for you and your family today!

How about a vacation where you, and your kids, get to explore your wild side on your summer travels, including a way to get free children’s tickets to over 135+ zoos across the country? It's called ZOOcation, and it is a new promotion launched by Travelodge hotels in partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and National Geographic this summer! 

This past week I was able to find out more about the program, by speaking with  Keith Bellows, Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic Traveler and author of 100 Places that Can Change Your Child’s Life, from  Zoo Miami.

So roll out the red carpet, for our first 'live' interview!

This interview is brought to you by Travelodge and National Geographic

That's a pretty great program isn't it?

You travel and stay at a Travelodge hotel for 2 nights, and get a free children's ticket with adult ticket purchase) to a zoo or aquarium! Among the many zoos you can visit include our own Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, the aforementioned Zoo Miami, The Columbus Zoo, The San Francisco Zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo and many more. You can check out the Zoocation website for the complete list of participating zoos and aquariums! AND when you stay at Travelodge you get all the perks listed above, making your 'budget friendly' Zoocation even more budget savvy! 

Ready to start planning your Zoocation? Click on the start page and enter where you would like to go on your Zoocation , to see if there is a local zoo or aquarium, and Travelodge there! Staying home for a staycation? National Geographic has some great animal guides, games and activities that can make for a fun day going to your local zoo or aquarium too! The program ends on August 31st, so get to planning!

Miss Grace had become a devotee of National Geo this Summer and I can't think of a better idea than what Travelodge and National Geographic have sponsored with the zoos and aquariums-a way to get kids excited about traveling, about the world around them and teh creatures that share our world! Kudos to all for an excellent program!

Now are you ready to win 2 FREE nights at a Wyndham Hotel and get your own ZOOcation going????

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About 100 Places that Can Change Your Child’s Life
Kids who learn to travel will travel to learn. Keith Bellows takes you, and your children, globetrotting for life-changing vacations that will expand their horizons and shape their perspectives. What you won’t find inside: predictable itineraries and lists of landmarks and events. Instead, you’ll get evocative, slice-of-life experiences and age-appropriate ideas that illuminate place and culture. 

Each chapter of 100 Places That Can Change Your Child’s Life plumbs the heart of a special place—from the Acropolis to the Grand Canyon—all from the perspective of insiders who see destinations through a child’s eyes. You’ll meet photographer Annie Griffiths, who shares the miraculous migration to Mexico of the monarch butterflies and Tom Ritchie, who has guided countless children and parents to Antarctica for more than 30 years; the waterman who knows where to see the ponies of Assateague in the true wild; and countless other storytellers/keepers of a sense of place. 

Packed with ideas to supplement the travel experience, including local foods, music, films about the locations, and carefully curated lists of kid-friendly activities and places stay, along with ideas of things to do BEFORE you go—this inspiring book is the perfect trip planner to excite children about culture and the unique magic the world has to offer. thing of it as an early bucket list for your kids! There are plenty of locations in the US and Canada, and when you're ready to cross boarders and oceans, many more to explore. We've already checked off 2 locations and hope to get 2-3 more during the coming year! 

About Keith Bellows

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Keith Bellows has launched 30 magazines, television and radio properties and has lectured around the world. He is editor in chief of National Geographic Traveler magazine and senior vice president/editor in chief of National Geographic Travel Media. A graduate of Gordonstoun School in Scotland and Dartmouth College, Bellows has appeared on NBC’s “Today” show and ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Thanks for reading this post and entering the giveaway!