Photo courtesy of Aloha Campers
By Maryann Hammers
Getting stir-crazy? Are the four walls closing in on you? These are signs it’s time to get out and see the great big beautiful world. Here are four ideas for getting back to nature, all with a nice discount.
See Alaska by Train
All aboard! View one of the world’s most magnificent landscapes aboard the Alaska Railroad . You’ll visit some famed destinations, from Denali National Park to Fairbanks, as you spy Alaska wildlife, blue-ice glaciers, and majestic mountains. If you’re age 65-plus (or if you’re disabled), you get tickets at half price through May 8, 2016. Not 65 yet? Servicemembers with a military ID get a 20-percent discount. View schedules and fare information here. Call (907) 265-2494 for information.
Go On a Wildlife Safari in Florida
Billie Swamp Safari in the Big Cypress Reservation in Clewiston (between West Palm Beach and Fort Myers) takes you on an airboat through thousands of acres of untamed Everglades to see alligators, turtles, birds, and other animals. Get an up-close view of wildlife on a buggy tour; you’ll spot ostrich, zebras, and white buffalo. Walk through an alligator-infested swamp on a mile-long boardwalk. Active duty servicemembers and their families get a 50-percent discount; retired/nonactive servicemembers and their families save 25 percent. Call (800) 467-2327 for information.
Explore the Big Island
KapohoKine Adventures , an activity outfitter on Hawaii Island (“the Big Island”) lead expeditions in Kona, Hilo, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Its educational and adventure tours range from hikes deep into still-steaming craters to ziplines and helicopter rides. Active duty servicemembers get a 15-percent discount for their entire party. Call (808) 964-1000.
Surf in Portugal
Like to travel? Love to surf? Enjoy good food? Love luxury? Well, here you go: Ride351 – Surf Trips Portugal takes travelers throughout Portugal on adventures that include surfing, cultural immersion, and great food. Servicemembers get a 20-percent discount off the luxury eight-day Surf Family Cascais for up to six people. Transfers from and to Lisboa, four-star accommodations in villas, and surf sessions and lessons are included. The offer is valid through Oct. 31, 2016. To get the discount, email Antonio de los Santos at surftripsportugal@ride351.com and mention code “MILITARYPROMO2016.”
Camp Out
Camping in Hawaii? How’s this for nostalgia? Aloha Campers , a small company based on Maui, rents Volkswagen Westfalia campervans. Vans are equipped with a pop-up tent and two comfortable full-size bunks, a kitchenette with two burners and a sink, a table, cooking utensils and silverware, bedding and towels, mosquito nets, a cooler, a French press coffeemaker, camping guide, and radio with auxiliary and/or USB port. Extra equipment includes folding chairs and a table, a boogie board, a USB solar
charger, and a beach umbrella. Regular rates are $115-$125 a day, but the price for any current or former servicemember is $99. Reserve online using coupon code “alohamilitary15.” Or call (800) 482-2070 and ask for your discount.
Camping elsewhere in the country? Many Kampgrounds of America (KOA) locations offer a military discount, usually ranging from 10 to 20 percent. For example, the San Diego KOA offers a 15-percent discount for military families, whether you opt for RV camping, cabins, tents, or safari tents. The KOA in Orlando offers active and non-active servicemembers a 20-percent discount on RV sites, cabins, and tent camping. Call individual campgrounds and inquire about their military offers, or check out the website’s “Hot Deals” link. To find a campground, click here.
More Nature
Find more get-back-to-nature deals in these previously posted offers here. Also find discounts in Olympic National Park, at lakeside cabins and lodges, in the Colorado Rockies, and in mountain retreats throughout the country.