Springtime or the Fall of Democracy? You pick. I'm talking about both.

I'm always torn between focusing on the things I can control and that bring us joy and struggling with watching the government turn into pure evil. And that's where I'm at today.

I’ve been MIA for a few weeks since I had a long work trip to the Florida Keys and then life was still happening here at home. Oh yeah, and the US government is now deporting people who have every legal right to be here, living in peace as a part of society. I keep waiting to see something good start to happen but each news story I read or CSPAN clip I see is just fascist, pre-WWII craziness that leaves me speechless. How are other people making it through?

Being a parent right now is strange because I want to talk in depth about what’s happening in our country and how it mimics the years leading up to 1930s and 40s Germany… but then I don’t want to scare our kids. I remember when I was a kid and my parents openly talked about Hillary Clinton being the antichrist and then I couldn’t sleep for days, terrified that Armageddon was going to break out in the night… That was dumbness on my parents’ part, but now we’re seeing the start of terror in real time. How do you talk to your kids about this? I’m all ears.

Also, below I am sharing an AWESOME ORGANIZATION that’s doing incredible work here in our hometown of St Augustine, FL. Please check it out below!

In the meantime, here’s what’s new and coming soon to our travel websites.

• On 2TravelDads.com I’m still working on Alaska stuff from our epic trip to Fairbanks last month. We just published a great Winter in Fairbanks Itinerary that’s really good for anyone who’s a big planner like me and wants to put it on their calendar now. And hopefully I’ll have a big Alaska Railroad article up soon. And we’re actually in New York City at this moment, so watch for a fresh NYC with Kids itinerary coming in the next week or so…

• On MyAlaskaTrip.com I’m working through all of the really detailed articles about the many things to do in AK in the winter, so coming soon you’ll find the scoop on snowmobiling, snowshoeing, Northern Lights tips and North Pole, AK. In the meantime I just published an article all about the Chena Hot Springs Resort, which is a fun, RUSTIC stay about 60 miles from Fairbanks. It’s awesome in summer or winter, so check it out!

  

• On MyAlohaTrip.com I’ve got so much that I’m still working through from our February trip. Kelly and I did so much and really got to dig into agritourism and beaches, so there’s going to be a whole lot coming soon including our Big Island Beach Guide, Kona Coffee Experiences, the non-touristy side of Maui and more. Freshly published we’ve got Guided Hiking with Hawaii Forest & Trail, details on staying at the Waimea Country Lodge and Camping at Haleakala National Park.

• TheKeysExplored.com is going to be poppin’ by the end of the month! I just spent nine days exploring from Everglades National Park to Dry Tortugas National Park and we, of course, had a jam packed schedule. I’m most excited to write about a few of our hotel experiences actually, as both the Casa Morada (Islamorada) and Faro Blanco Resort (Marathon) were actually PERFECT stays and some of the best travel experiences I’ve had in the Florida Keys. And shout out to Lazy Dog Adventures in Key West (amazing woman-owned business) for helping us get deeper into the backwaters of the Keys than we’ve ever been!

You might be thinking “Don’t you have Maine, St Augustine, Savannah and paddling sites also?” and you’re correct. If you know me in real life you know that I tend to bite off more than I can chew at all times. I have things in the works with our other sites too, but I’m really trying to focus on Alaska, Hawaii and the Florida Keys for now. It’ll all get conquered eventually. :)

A GREAT Organization to Support: Port in the Storm and St Francis House

I am so thrilled to share a local organization here in St Augustine that is doing good work in our community, and one of my dearest friends is now working with them (she’s so excited to work with good people doing good for our community). St Francis House and Port in the Storm is an organization working with all kinds of people in need, from the unhoused residents of St Augustine to teens that don’t know where to go. From families in need to individuals that need some job training and support, this org is doing a lot for a lot of people.

If you’re like me and you sometimes don’t know how to help beyond your own circle of friends, donating money to organizations that aren’t out there to make a name for themselves is a great way to do it. If you don’t have time or the courage to be out in the community having an impact, sharing a few dollars here and there is a subtle, easy way to help make a difference. If you want to see what sort of work and programs St Francis House and Port in the Storm have going on here in St Augustine, check them out, and please feel empowered to make a donation if you can. They’re good people.

Planning Travel: Reasons to Still Visit Florida

When I meet new people they are so excited to tell me how they are actively boycotting Florida because our governor is so crazy and our state is banning books and not protecting our kids and ruining the environment and… Yes, all of that is true BUT it’s being done by people in power due to gerrymandering and corruption. Those of us here in Florida that understand how the world and being human works, we’re actively combatting that, and A LOT OF US WORK IN TRAVEL.

Travel and tourism is a huge paycheck maker for the progressive side of Florida, so when people don’t visit these people don’t have the funds to stick around and we cannot lose numbers when it comes to voters and people who are in our communities, being visible and talking to their neighbors and visitors. We cannot surrender Florida to the dark side.

I get it that boycotting en masse is one of the most effective ways to get a point across (woot woot for cancelling Target and Amazon), but it’s hard when boycotting hurts the good people too. It’s such a double edged sword. A great example of this is people boycotting St Augustine because we’re in uber Red St Johns County and then LGBTQ inn owners and operators feel the sting while they’re employing others from our community. Or people not doing their annual Florida Keys trip because it’s in FL and then the awesome peppering the Keys who are supporting their families, who are doing conservation work, they’re getting the short end of the stick.

What YOU Can Do to Support Good Folks

Ugh, it’s tough. BUT HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!! When you’re planning travel to Florida (or other intensely Red areas) do your research and spend your money where you know it’s going to people who are either a part of a fringe community or who are doing good work to make a positive difference where they live. This means you can’t just book anything or just eat dinner out wherever, but you’ll need to do a little research. For small businesses and tour operators, you can see on their websites a lot about the people running them. It’s not always evident on the surface, but if you read an “About Us” page you’ll usually learn who it is that you’re supporting.

When it comes to big stores, online brands, shopping and large travel brands, it’s a bit easier. Enter: Good Unites Us

If you haven’t heard of it, Good Unites us is a website and app (for both Apple and Android) that tells you how businesses are spending their money regarding politics. You can see just how businesses put their money where their values are. Publix (grocery store in the SE), for example, has an 86% donation rate to the Republican party, both corporately and from individual employees. Or Bass Pro Shop has… wait for it… 98% Republican donation record. The system isn’t perfect, but on bigger brands it’s got great insight with quite a few interesting metrics.

The Impact of Policy Changes on EVERYONE

I know, today I have a lot to talk about with politics but it’s because our daily lives, and not just our family’s, are being impacted. Something that has a broad reaching impact, both for work things and general access, is the attack on the term “DEI” and everything that touches.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… when somebody moans about DEI ask them which part they’re opposed to: is it the diversity (they’re a racist/misogynist/bigot), equity (they’re anti-opportunity for people who aren’t themselves) or inclusion (they’re better than everyone else). When you ask somebody what they’re actually against, it is very disarming and sheds light on either their personal prejudices or ignorance. DEI ensures that people are welcome and able to participate in the world around them.

I was interviewed by the Daily Independent (Arizona publication) this week about how taking action to dismantle DEI considerations and programs negatively impacts a company or destination. Basically it comes down to this in terms of negatively impacting the business or tourism destination: when you actively decide to not be considerate and even make a public statement or visible action regarding such, you’re shooting yourself in the foot from the start. You’re alienating anyone who cares about their follow human and people know they can take their money elsewhere and feel good about it.

We’ve seen it with Target removing their DEI practices and getting hit in the wallet with it. We’ve seen the opposite with Costco and them loudly supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in their business, and they’re now at 13 weeks of substantially increase foot traffic and sales in their stores.

And when it comes to destinations ditching their DEI practices or acquiescing to politicians, that’s happening all around the country. I was interviewed regarding the impact Scottsdale, AZ might feel from their political choice to ditch DEI practices (hello, this is THE winter destination for people from the Pacific Northwest, a liberal region). And here in Florida we’re seeing destinations do that as well as remove any content they have targeted towards attracting LGBTQ tourism. Heck, even actions like referring to the “Gulf of America” in their marketing is already having a negative impact.

Anyways, the USA is a mess on every front.

Upcoming Travels for 2TravelDads

Having said all of that, we still have lots of exciting things happening for us this year in terms of travel. Right now we’re in NYC enjoying the city together (all four of us!) for the first time since 2017 and it’s been great. We’ve seen The Great Gatsby and SIX on Broadway, gotten to visit with friends, and it’s just so nice to be here when it’s not 20 degrees out. Here’s what else we have coming up:

• Houston, TX - short weekend trip to get some culture (and a Mariners’ game)

• Chicago, IL - this is a work trip for me, but I haven’t been back to the Windy City in years, so it’ll be fun

• Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula - visiting family, hiking and my high school reunion

• Oahu and Kauai - part fun, part friends, part work, all Aloha

• Alaska - this is a trip for just me and the kids cuz Chris can’t break away, but it’ll still be a blast

• Maine and Nova Scotia - this will be so wonderful and I’ll share more details as it approaches, but the epicness of it is going to rock.

Remember, travel can be a political choice. Choosing joy when a regime is trying to darken our spirits is big. Supporting good people doing good work in their communities is a choice. Getting perspectives from people away from your own neighborhood is always good. Travel serves a purpose bigger than fun.

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I hope everyone has a great week and that we all stay healthy. I encourage you to find a new way to make a positive impact somewhere, whether it’s in your local community, through tough conversations, or quiet donations when nobody’s looking. We’ll continue to triumph where we can and keep our chins up.

Stay safe and happy travels!