In The News

So you've coordinated calendars, had your vacation time approved, selected your destination and lined up a sitter for your setter. You're going to save money, you decided, by loading up the car and taking your family on a special vacation where you will relax, reconnect and reinvigorate. Together, you'll experience the highways and byways of our great land, and together, you'll create memories to last a lifetime.

Right?

Even the best-laid plans for the perfect family getaway can be de-railed by the first backseat turf war, or the cacophony of "are we there yet?" cliches. While some families opt for the high-tech solution to family vacation tension, loading up their iPods and DVD players and Walkmans and PlayStations and Game Boys and whatever else they can think of to avoid human interaction, the folks at FUN CENTRAL™ Arlington, Texas think there's a better way to endure, if not enjoy, the Family Car Trip.

In honor of National Tourism Week, May 7 through May 14, 2005, the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau offers "10 Tips for Maintaining Your Sense of Humor on a Family Car Trip".

"When you think about it, the things you remember most fondly about family road trips are the things that are the most irritating when they're happening," says Linda DiMario, President & CEO for the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau. "If you tune out the aggravations now, you'll also be tuning out what might become really funny stories -- part of the family lore -- in years to come. Just because you're taking a break from real life doesn't mean you should leave your sense of humor at home!"

Instead, DiMario says, family travelers should follow FUN CENTRAL'S TOP TEN TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR ON A FAMILY ROAD TRIP:

   1.  Feng shui the car.
   2.  Hold fake auditions for "American Idol" at all truck stops.
   3.  Create a psychological profile of the driver next to you.  Resist the
       urge to share it with him via hand gestures.
   4.  Who has it better, Paris or Nicky?  Discuss.
   5.  Invest in foreign language tapes and learn to say, "Don't make me
       stop this car!" in 12 languages.
   6.  Hold conversations by only quoting movie lines, song titles and
       lyrics, banning "Oops, I did it again" (unless you wish to refer to
       #10).
   7.  Implement the rule, "only one in-law per vacation".  Take it one step
       further and ban in-laws altogether.
   8.  Play Chinese Fire Drill every time you hit standstill traffic.
   9.  Try going the entire car ride without using your children's middle
       names.  "Rebecca Sue Morganstern!" is not allowed.
   10. Beano, Gas X, Ziploc bags and duct tape are your best friends.
       Really.

If any of the above fails, log on to www.arlington.org and plan your family vacation the easy way-with the best prices on hotel rooms and attraction tickets such as Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, the Texas Rangers and more.

The Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau is spreading the news about FUN CENTRAL Arlington, Texas. A full service, non-profit, private corporation, the Bureau is responsible for marketing Arlington as a destination for meetings, conventions and family vacations to improve the city's tax base and grow Arlington's stock in the city's tourism industry. Should you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to Saunders-Ream Travel, Hospitality & Tourism at 214/661-2516.

SOURCE: Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau

CONTACT: Diane Brandon, Vice President, Communications & Research of
Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, +1-817-265-7721; or Suzanne Cottraux,
Vice President of Saunders-Ream Public Relations, +1-214-661-2516, for
Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau

Web site: http://www.arlington.org/