How Do You Find Holiday Activities in a New Location?
10-24-2017
Author: in The Road Less Traveled
When you travel the country in your RV, you may find yourself in an area that you are unfamiliar with over the Holiday season. Without friends and family to ask, how do you find fun and/or meaningful activities in which to engage during the holidays? Fortunately, in this day, there are many ways to seek out appropriately festive functions to celebrate the season. Here are few suggestions to help you make the most of this time of the year.
Community Calendars
Perhaps the first thing to do would be consult the community calendar for local holiday celebrations and activities. Many cities and even small towns provide a community calendar with a list of the area’s events in one or two month increments. These might include holiday parades, sightings of Santa, free concerts, holiday open houses, and tree lighting ceremonies. They can often be found at the following locations:
Campground Bulletin Board
Many RV parks display local information on a bulletin board in their main office. These inform campers of events going on at the campground, as well as in the surrounding communities. The camp owner or manager can also be a valuable source of information.
Community Websites
In cities and larger towns, notices of upcoming events in the community can be found on (hopefully) frequently updated websites. If you are staying in an RV park, it would be a good idea to check the websites for all of the closest towns.
City Hall or Local Library
Contact the local City Hall or Library for a list of current affairs. Often they have an open bulletin board for groups within the community to post their events, such as a Boy Scout sponsored pancake breakfast or a holiday art sale.
Parks and Recreation Department
The city parks and rec department is usually in charge of a variety of facilities and activities. By inquiring here, you might discover a park lighting ceremony or outdoor ice skating opportunities.
Check Out the Local Newspaper
This is likely the easiest option, as most cities have a local newspaper. They are usually free and are often located at the counter of convenience stores and fueling stations. Many group sponsored events that aren’t included in the community calendar or posted on a bulletin board are advertised here.
Church Websites
If you are seeking a spiritual ceremony this season, you are in luck! In these modern days, many churches maintain their own websites. These often include the times of their weekly services, as well as any special events.
School Websites
Public schools, colleges, and universities often have musical programs open to the public around the holidays. Visit their websites to determine the events, dates, times, and possibly costs. If you are considering attending one of the local public school’s Christmas programs, it might be a good idea to contact the school and determine whether they are open to the public. Some reserve seats for family of the students only.
Fairs and Festivals.net
Check out fairsandfestivals.net to learn about any holiday activities in the area. These might include themed Christmas tree displays, holiday art shows and sales, holiday homes, and lighted tours. Many of these are yearly traditions in the area, so they may not receive much advertisement otherwise.
Apps for Finding Entertainment
Lastly, there are several popular apps for finding different forms of entertainment from special museum exhibits to holiday movie showings and more. These are actually very helpful to people who frequently travel throughout the year.
App for Finding Holiday Entertainment
If you are specifically looking for holiday entertainment, however, this may be the one you want. The “Holiday Cheer Map” shows you where the best holiday light display is in the area, where to find the Christmas tree farms, local fundraising opportunities, and other seasonal activities. If you are a member of the private social network, Nextdoor, you can also get real life testimonials from people who have attended, as well as add to the information yourself.
You don’t have to be alone for the holidays; there is plenty to do in almost any location if you know where to look. Comb the community, ask your park manager, check out the above mentioned online resources and have a happy holiday!
Community Calendars
Perhaps the first thing to do would be consult the community calendar for local holiday celebrations and activities. Many cities and even small towns provide a community calendar with a list of the area’s events in one or two month increments. These might include holiday parades, sightings of Santa, free concerts, holiday open houses, and tree lighting ceremonies. They can often be found at the following locations:
Campground Bulletin Board
Many RV parks display local information on a bulletin board in their main office. These inform campers of events going on at the campground, as well as in the surrounding communities. The camp owner or manager can also be a valuable source of information.
Community Websites
In cities and larger towns, notices of upcoming events in the community can be found on (hopefully) frequently updated websites. If you are staying in an RV park, it would be a good idea to check the websites for all of the closest towns.
City Hall or Local Library
Contact the local City Hall or Library for a list of current affairs. Often they have an open bulletin board for groups within the community to post their events, such as a Boy Scout sponsored pancake breakfast or a holiday art sale.
Parks and Recreation Department
The city parks and rec department is usually in charge of a variety of facilities and activities. By inquiring here, you might discover a park lighting ceremony or outdoor ice skating opportunities.
Check Out the Local Newspaper
This is likely the easiest option, as most cities have a local newspaper. They are usually free and are often located at the counter of convenience stores and fueling stations. Many group sponsored events that aren’t included in the community calendar or posted on a bulletin board are advertised here.
Church Websites
If you are seeking a spiritual ceremony this season, you are in luck! In these modern days, many churches maintain their own websites. These often include the times of their weekly services, as well as any special events.
Related Read: Finding a Worship Service when you are Away from Home
If you are unsure which denominations are available in the area, the owner or the manager of the campground will likely have the names and phone numbers of local choices. Another option is to check out Churchfinder.com to get a list of the local parishes. If your preferred place of worship doesn’t have a website, you can probably call the office to get the information you need.School Websites
Public schools, colleges, and universities often have musical programs open to the public around the holidays. Visit their websites to determine the events, dates, times, and possibly costs. If you are considering attending one of the local public school’s Christmas programs, it might be a good idea to contact the school and determine whether they are open to the public. Some reserve seats for family of the students only.
Fairs and Festivals.net
Check out fairsandfestivals.net to learn about any holiday activities in the area. These might include themed Christmas tree displays, holiday art shows and sales, holiday homes, and lighted tours. Many of these are yearly traditions in the area, so they may not receive much advertisement otherwise.
Apps for Finding Entertainment
Lastly, there are several popular apps for finding different forms of entertainment from special museum exhibits to holiday movie showings and more. These are actually very helpful to people who frequently travel throughout the year.
- Circle
- Eventbrite
- Localmind
- Gravy
- Eventful
App for Finding Holiday Entertainment
If you are specifically looking for holiday entertainment, however, this may be the one you want. The “Holiday Cheer Map” shows you where the best holiday light display is in the area, where to find the Christmas tree farms, local fundraising opportunities, and other seasonal activities. If you are a member of the private social network, Nextdoor, you can also get real life testimonials from people who have attended, as well as add to the information yourself.
Related Read: Decorating Your RV for the Holidays
In ConclusionYou don’t have to be alone for the holidays; there is plenty to do in almost any location if you know where to look. Comb the community, ask your park manager, check out the above mentioned online resources and have a happy holiday!
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Author: Carrie Todd
