FREE Travel Guides, Brochures, Magazines and Road Maps!

Good morning! Okay, I know fall is on the way and the kids are back in school, but I also believe it's never too early to start planning the ultimate family getaway. I had this idea a few weeks ago about posting all the FREE planning guides one can find for each start and here is where I'm going to list them all. I want everyone to experience a grand adventure. I'm always looking for things to do and I plan on sharing some of my new-found knowledge with you guys. All of these planners will arrive to you by postal mail.

Alabama

Alabama Vacation & Events Guide

Alabama Gulf Coast Vacation Guide - With this guide they also have guides available as an "add-on". You can also request Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, Orange Beach Fishing Association Charter Directory, Alabama Civil War Trail Guide, Gulf Shores Golf Guide, Gulf Shores Nature Guide, and Alabama’s Coastal Connection Scenic Byway Brochure.

Various North Alabama Brochures

Alaska

Anchorage Visitor Guide
Official State of Alaska Vacation Planner
Alaska Travel Planner
Fairbanks Travel Guide
Juneau Visitor's Guide
Ketchikan Visitor's Guide

Arizona

Official State Visitor's Guide
Free Arizona Travel Planners - There are over 21 different brochures you can request here! Everything from Sedona to Tucson.
Mesa Visitor's Guide
Phoenix Visitor's Guide and Map - There are a few other guides you can also request.
Sedona Visitor's Guide
Lake Havasu City Visitor's Guide
Chandler Visitor's Guide - There are several items you will receive here.

Arkansas

Vacation Kit - This kit is awesome, it even comes with a road map. There are also several other brochures you can request including Living in Arkansas Magazine and a Motorcycling Guide.
Fayetteville Visitor's Guide
Rogers Visitors Guide - They also have a few maps and some other brochures to choose from.
Fort Smith Visitor's Guide

California

California Visitor’s Guide, California Road Trips Guide and Official State Map
Anaheim Visitor's Guide
Marina del Rey Destination Guide - You have to scroll down and click on Request a Hard Copy, it opens up an email address.
San Diego Visitor Planning Guide
Santa Barbara Visitor's Magazine
Huntington Beach Visitor's Guide
Irvine Visitor's Guide
Laguna Beach Visitor's Guide
San Francisco Visitor's Kit - You have to click on "Order a Visitor's Kit" to see the form. Includes map, guide & card.
Official Big Bear Travel Guide
Sonoma County Visitor's Guide
Oakland Visitor's Guide
San Luis Obispo County Visitor's Guide
San Mateo County Visitor's Guide
Santa Monica Visitor's Guide and Map
Catalina Island Visitor's Guide
Upstate California Visitor's Guide

Colorado

Free Official State Vacation Guide - You will receive a copy of the State Map and stickers as well! You can also request a copy of Colorado Roots Magazine.
Colorado Springs Visitor's Guide
Fort Collins Visitor's Guide
Official Estes Park Visitor Guide
Grand Junction Visitor's Guide
Ouray Visitor Guide
Vail Valley Visitor's Guide
Alamosa Visitor's Guide

Connecticut

Connecticut Visitors Guide - You can only view this one online. :(

Delaware

Official Delaware Travel Guide
Delaware Villages Travel Guide
Official Area Guide on the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Resort Area

Florida

Official Florida Vacation Guide, Florida Camping Directory and The Official Florida Transportation Map
Orlando Visitor's Guide
St. Augustine Visitor's Guide
Kissimmee Visitor's Guide
Daytona Beach Visitor's Guide
Sarasota Visitor's Guide
Tampa Bay Visitor's Guide and Map
Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades Official Visitor's Guide
Tallahassee Visitor's Guide
St. Petersburg Visitor's Guide
Panama City Beach Vacation Guide 
Wakulla Visitor's Guide
Sebastian River Area Visitor's Guide
Mexico Beach Visitor’s Guide
Flagler Beach Visitor's Guide
Bradington Gulf Islands Visitor's Guide
Clearwater Visitor's Guide

Guam (U.S. Island Territory)

Guam Travel Guide

Georgia

Georgia Travel Guide
Official Savannah Visitor Guide and Tybee Vacation Planner
Dahlonega Visitors Guide - There are a couple of different guides to choose from.
Sandy Springs Visitor's Guide
Golden Isles Visitor's Guide

Hawaii

Hawaii Official Travel Guide - You have to put in your email address before you can click "Order it here."

Idaho

Complete Idaho Travel Guide, Children’s Brochure, Idaho State Highway Map, and Idaho Roadsider Guide

Illinois

Illinois Travel Kit - Travel Illinois Magazine, Illinois State Park Guide and an Official Highway Map or you can order a copy of Travel Illinois Magazine
Alton Visitor's Guide
Visitors Guide for the Rockford region
Chicago Visitor's Guide
Chicago North Shore Visitor's Guide

Indiana 

2018 Official Indiana Travel Guide plus 19 other brochures and guides you can order! The Travel Guide also includes an Official Indiana Roadway Map.

Iowa

Iowa Travel Guide and Transportation Map - There are also 6 other guides you can also add to your order including a Fishing Guide.
Des Moines Visitor's Guide
Cedar Rapids Visitor's Guide
Dubuque Visitor's Guide

Kansas

Official Travel Guide and State Map
Official Wichita Area Visitors Guide
Topeka Visitor's Guide
Finney County Visitor's Guide
Kansas City Visitor's Guide
Overland Park Visitor's Guide

Kentucky

Kentucky Visitor's Guide
50 other Brochures and pamphlets you can order from Kentucky!
Lexington Visitor's Guide
Bowling Green Visitor's Guide
Paducah Visitors Guide

Louisiana

Official Louisiana Inspiration Guide
New Orleans Guide Book
Greater Baton Rouge Welcome Guide
Official Shreveport Visitor Guide
Lake Charles Visitor's Guide
St. Tammany Parish Visitor's Guide

Maine

Maine Visitor's Guide
Bangor Visitor's Guide
Maine’s Lakes and Mountains Map and Visitor's Guide
2018 Bar Harbor Visitor Guide

Maryland

Official Guide to Maryland State and Free Brochures and Travel Guides
The Visit Baltimore Official Guide
Hagerstown Visitor's Guide
Baltimore LBGTQ Visitor's Guide
Annapolis Visitor's Guide

Massachusetts

The Official Guide to The Berkshires

Michigan

2018 Pure Michigan Fall Travel Guide
Detroit Visitor's Pack
Saugatuck Visitor's Guide
Holland Visitor's Guide

Minnesota

2018 Minnesota Travel Guide plus dozens of other travel brochures including a road map!
Duluth Visitor's Guide

Mississippi

Mississippi Tour Guide plus 6 other guides you can add to your checkout!
Delta Visitor's Guide
Vicksburg Visitor's Guide

Missouri

2018 Official Missouri Travel Guide
Springfield Visitor's Guide
Saint Charles Visitor's Guide

Montana

Montana Travel Guide - There are a few different kits you can choose from that include maps!
Missoula Visitor's Guide
Montana and Glacier National Park Travel Guide

Nebraska

Nebraska Travel Guide

Nevada

Nevada Travel Guide and Road Map
Las Vegas Visitor's Guide
Reno Tahoe Visitor's Guide

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Visitor's Guide

New Jersey

NJ Travel Guide and Official New Jersey State Map Department of Transportation
Atlantic City Visitor's Guide
Princeton-Mercer Regional Visitor's Guide, a Princeton-Mercer Regional Map and more

New Mexico

New Mexico Travel Guide - During the process you will be asked if you want additional brochures!
Albuquerque Travel Guide
Santa Fe Visitor's Guide

New York

New York State Travel Guide - They have a few brochures to add on including a Pride brochure!
New York City Visitor's Guides and Maps
Discover Albany Visitors Guide
Ithica Visitor's Guide
Niagara Falls Visitor's Guide
Chautauqua County Visitors Guide
Long Island Visitor's Guide
Cayuga Visitor's Guide

North Carolina

North Carolina Travel Guide - You can also request a Highway map, Winery Guide as well as a Civil War Trail guide.
Outer Banks Travel Guide
Currituck Outer Banks Visitors Guide
Asheville Travel Guide
Official Visitors Guide to Raleigh, Cary and Wake County
Wilmington Visitor's Guide
Bryson City Visitor's Guide
Hendersonville Visitor's Guide
Rowan County Visitor's Guide

North Dakota

North Dakota Official Travel Guide and Road Map - You can also add 9 other brochures to you order!
Fargo Visitor's Guide

Ohio

Ohio Travel Guide and Calendar of Events
Ohio Lake Erie Shores & Islands Travel Guide
Cincinnati Visitor's Guide
Cleveland Visitor's Guide
Columbus Visitor's Guide
Mansfield Visitor's Guide and other Brochures

 Oklahoma

Oklahoma Travel Guide and Map Kit - This site has a TON of brochures you can request in addition to your Travel Guide, definitely check them all out to find the ones that will correlate with your trip.
Official Oklahoma City Visitors Guide

Oregon

Travel Oregon Visitor Guide and State Highway Map - In addition you can also request a Bike Map.
Bend Visitor's Guide
Salem Visitor's Guide
Seaside Visitor's Guide
Corvallis Visitor's Guide

Pennsylvania

Happy Traveler Guide
Erie Pennsylvania Adventure Guide
Gettysburg Travel Planner
Pittsburgh Visitor's Planning Guide
Central Pennsylvania Visitor's Guide
York County Travel Guide
Lancaster County Visitor's Guide - This also includes a PA Dutch Map.
Valley Forge Visitor's Guide
Northern Pocono Mountains Travel Guide, Attractions Guide, and Campgrounds Guide 

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Travel Guide
Providence Visitor's Guide

South Carolina

South Carolina Vacation Guide
Official Myrtle Beach Area Visitor Guide
North Myrtle Beach Visitor's Guide
Charleston Visitor's Guide
Columbia Visitor's Guide

South Dakota

South Dakota Vacation Guide and Highway Map - They have several other packets but you are only allowed to choose one additional packet per order.
Rapid City Visitor's Guide
Glacial Lakes and Prairies Visitor's Guide

Tennessee

Tennessee Vacation Guide
Smokey Mountain Vacation Guide
Nashville Visitor's Guide
Knoxville Travel Guide
Memphis Tour Guide, Map and Bicycle Map
Chattanooga Visitor's Guide
Pigeon Forge Visitor's Guide
Gatlinburg Visitor's Guide

Texas

Travel Texas Guide and Travel Map
Official Southeast Texas Visitors Guide
Houston Travel Guide
Fort Worth Travel Guide
San Antonio Travel Guide
Austin Visitor's Guide
Frisco Visitor's Guide
Grapevine Visitor's Guide

Utah

Utah Travel Guide - There are also other guides you can choose to have mailed to you as well such as a Highway Map and a National Parks Brochure.
Moab Visitor's Guide

Vermont

Vermont's Official Road Map & Guide Books

Virginia

2018 Virginia Travel Guide and State Map
Virginia Beach Vacation Guide
Richmond Region Visitor's Guide
Williamsburg Visitor's Guide
Chesapeake Visitor's Guide
Alexandria Visitor's Guide
Fairfax County Visitors Guide
Arlington Visitor's Guide

Washington

Official Washington State Visitors' Guide

Seattle Visitor's Guide
Seattle Southside Visitor's Guide

Olympia Visitor's Guide
Spokane Visitor's Packet

Washington DC

Official Travel Guide

West Virginia

West Virginia Travel Guide
Wheeling Visitor's Guide

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Travel Guide - They also have an Arts Guide, an Event Guide and others you can request as well. There is even a State Highway Map and a Rustic Map that looks amazing.
Milwaukee Visitor's Guide and Map - They have their guide available in several different languages and there is even a 2018 OFFICIAL BREW CITY BEER MAP available to request.
Madison Visitor's Guide
Minocqua-Area Visitor's Guide
Green Bay Visitor's Guide
Door County Visitor's Guide

Wyoming

Wyoming Traveler's Journal
Laramie Travel Guide
Cody Yellostone Visitor's Guide
Jackson Hole Visitor's Guide

Canada

Ottawa Traveler's Guide
Toronto Magazine & Visitor Guide
Vancouver Travel Guide - There is a $5 CA shipping fee for this one.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Nova Scotia Traveler's Guide

Shop for Free: How I'm Helping My Sister Pay for Her Honeymoon Cruise

Hello and good morning everyone! I wanted to throw a post together explaining how I'm helping my sister and her fiance pay for their Honeymoon cruise for FREE.


Here is a little backstory. My sister, Reagan and her fiance Tim have been together for almost 5 years now. They have tried to put a wedding together a few times but it has always fallen through. They have 4 children! Tristan and Cadence (4 and 2 this March) and Hayden and Holden (7-month-old twins!) They decided to elope to Las Vegas in October utilizing points they have from playing the MyVegas game on Facebook. I will have to do a whole blog post alone on MyVegas but it's a game you play where you gather these gold coins that you can redeem for things like hotel room stays, free buffets, show tickets...there is even a redemption for an actual wedding! So she's wanting to use all these points that have to try to pay as much as they can using just their points. I think this will be amazing. She wanted to go on a cruise as well, considering that Vegas is only a few hours from Los Angeles and the port in Long Beach. Carnival has 2 ships that leave out of the port one being the Imagination which is the cruise ship we sailed on many years ago.

So what happened was she booked it paying the deposit of $98 during a sale! Super exciting right? But this is going to the Wedding/Honeymoon of paying for stuff in an alternative way. I'm a planner. I'm huge into planning trips. I never get to go but I 've planned at least 10 cruises and watched as the day comes and goes. But this is different, this is for my sister.

The first thing I did when they even decided to do this Vegas escape wedding was set them both up with different survey companies. I get tons of free gift cards just from doing surveys and they were excited to be able to try and pay for things without actually paying them with real money. Make sense?

Now they are booked. The total of their booking before the deposit was $819.72 which includes the prepaid gratuities. They were booked in an interior cabin on the Main Deck (Deck 4, almost at the bottom of the boat.) But I know Carnival like the back of my hand and I waited. Wasn't even two weeks later they ran a different sale. With THIS sale you got an upgrade to the cabin as well as $50 in onboard credit to spend on anything you wanted.

Stay with me I know this is a long and boring post but you will want to see how they went from owing $819 on their cruise to owing $490 in just a month without spending much of their own money.

I immediately filled out the Carnival Price Protection form to request the $50 credit as well as the upgrade in the cabin. It wasn't even a few hours later that not only did I receive the $50 credit but also a bill that they owed another $52 towards their deposit. I was expecting that but I knew they had that money so it was fine, that was money that would have to be paid anyway right? So I had them pay the $52 making their total deposit towards the cruise just $150. That is the only "real" money they have spent. So we did get the $50 in onboard spending now to kick up the upgrade in the cabin. I called Carnival and talked to a lovely lady who understood exactly what I was trying to do. Without raising the price that they paid for the cabin I was able to move them from the Main deck (deck 5 remember) up to the Empress deck (Deck 7). I think this is an amazing place for them to be, deck 7 is the deck you walk onto when you Embark on your cruise. They are literally just a few hundred feet from their room when they walk on board the ship on day one. With Tim's bad back this would be great for him. Not tons of long walks to make it to the elevator and just steps from the Atrium and guest services.

So we've upgraded, had some onboard credit added to the room and still our total balance due now after the $150 deposit is $669 and some change. Keep in mind Tim and Reagan have been doing surveys for various companies, Tim mostly has Reagan works and sometimes she forgets to do them. lol. Tim alone had amassed almost $75 on Swagbucks by this time and he decided to redeem. He redeemed for Visa gift cards, not only that but he also had some money sitting in PayPal from other Survey companies. So all in all...Tim and Reagan have redeemed for over $176 in survey money and made payments to their cruise with that money! How awesome is that?

But that's not all folks! Tim and Reagan both wanted the Faster to the Fun package. This is the package that lets them board very quickly and have their room ready as soon as they step foot on the ship. It was priced at $49.95. Tim redeemed $50 from Swagbucks and bought that package. He didn't pay one red cent for that package and now they have an awesome package. I did take that other .05 from that gift card and made a .05 payment. Every penny counts right?

One more thing I wanted to discuss. We had some issues with some Pampers diapers. They were splitting and falling apart some even were broken as soon as we took them out of the package. I emailed Pampers and explained the situation. They were really awesome. They did want some photos which I did take and send over to them, after that they sent us a $25 gift card to purchase any diapers we wanted for the future. At that time we had enough diapers for all the kiddos so we bought $25 in onboard credit for their cruise.

So this is how they sit right now.

Their original cruise price was $819.78
Deposit paid: $150 leaving a balance due of $669.78
Total paid by Survey money: $179.78
Faster to the Fun Option: $49.95
Onboard Credit: $75 (Upgrade + $25 purchase)

Total in FREE money they have used on this cruise so far: $254.73

This leaves them with a balance right now of $490. Tim is still working hard on his surveys so I know that balance will go down. I'm super proud of them for doing this.

Now when it comes to packing for this whole trip (Vegas + Cruise) they will be utilizing some of the samples I get in the mail. Not only that but Tim has also received some Amazon gift cards from a few sites that only pay out in Amazon gift cards to buy things that they will need. He purchased some packing cubes (coupon brought them down to about $2.89), A carry-on bag (coupon brought it down to $2.95), a travel pillow set (coupon brought it down to $1.30), a black bowtie (coupon brought it down to $2),  and a black set of suspenders (Coupon brought it down to $1.29).





I also helped them set up a Carnival Honeymoon Registry which you can view here. Anyone can opt to make a purchase for them for their honeymoon you can pay for a photo from the photographs, pay on an excursion (I know they really want to do the Blowhole excursion in Ensenada!) or just pay on their cruise balance in general, so much to choose from and I can assure you they will be excited about any gifts they receive. They also have a small wishlist for their Vegas wedding on Amazon which you can see here.

If you have questions feel free to post them below or reach out to me on social media! If you know any other ways the couple can save just post below as well!