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Hawks Cay Resort Celebrates its 15th Annual Heroes Salute Program

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Hawks Cay Resort, an iconic destination resort in the Florida Keys, is celebrating the 15th annual anniversary of its  Heroes Salute program, honoring active and retired members of the military, fire and rescue, police, first responders, and medical personnel with special programming, packages and discounts available August 1 through December 25. This year’s program will be bigger and better than ever before with military veteran Craig Morgan performing at a special Key to Country concert during the Labor Day Weekend tribute event.  

Annually, the Heroes Salute program offers qualified heroes the best rates of the year from August 1 through December 25. Guests who book with the Heroes Salute package will also receive discounts on resort amenities, including spa treatments at Calm Waters Spa, in-water Dolphin Connection experiences, group snorkeling at Solé Watersports, fishing charters from Hawks Cay Marina and many more. Heroes Salute rate starts at $169 and can be booked at  hawkscayheroes.com.   

“Heroes Salute has really grown into something special over the last 15 years. What started as just a small tribute event one weekend has turned into our most popular and rewarding program of the year,” said Bob Moore, acting general manager at Hawks Cay Resort. “Every fall, Hawks Cay becomes a sanctuary for our heroes to unwind and enjoy some rest and relaxation with their loved ones. Showing the heroes community our appreciation is the most important thing we do here. It means a lot to everyone in the Hawks Cay community.” 

To celebrate the launch of the seasonal program, Hawks Cay is hosting Heroes Salute Weekend September 1-3 with celebrations including fun-filled, patriotic festivities, including a hero tribute ceremony, 5K run, touch-a-truck event, live music, fireworks, games, contests and more. To commemorate the milestone anniversary, the resort will also host its popular Keys to Country concert series with a special performance by internationally acclaimed country music singer and military veteran Craig Morgan, who will take to the oceanside stage on Sunday, September 3. Weekend events can be found at floridakeysheroes.com, and guests interested in adding the concert to their reservation should use promo code HEROKC. 

Recognizing those who support our heroes, civilians interested in honoring our service members and first responders can book the Heroes Supporters package from August 1 through December 25 to receive a 15 percent discount on accommodations when a donation $5 or more is made to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. 

Learn more about Hawks Cay’s Heroes Salute program by visiting www.hawkscayheroes.com or hawkscay.com.  

About Hawks Cay Resort 

A recipient of the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award and a member of the Preferred Hotel Group Lifestyle Collection, Hawks Cay Resort is located on Duck Key in the Middle Florida Keys. Situated roughly halfway between Key Largo and Key West at mile marker 61, this 60-acre, tropical destination is easily accessible by car, boat or plane yet feels worlds away from everyday life. Alongside the aquamarine water of the Atlantic Ocean, guests enjoy offshore, flats and backcountry fishing; diving; kayaking and standup paddle-boarding programs; Cliff Drysdale tennis program, and the only resort-based Dolphin Connection program with complimentary daily viewings in the continental U.S. The resort boasts 177 guestrooms and 250 two- and three-bedroom villas, a full-service marina, six restaurants, saltwater lagoon, six swimming pools, kid and teen clubs and the award-winning Calm Waters Spa. For more information, please visit www.hawkscay.com.   

Use a Military Discount at These 3 Amusement Parks this Summer

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Knott's Berry Farm

It’s summer! Time for family vacations and keeping kids busy while they are out of school. What better way to do so than taking them to an amusement park? You should already know about the Disney military discount but we don’t all have the ability or the budget to plan a big Disney trip, even with their fantastic discount.

Well, you don’t have to travel to Disney to find a good military discount on an amusement park. Here are three other amusement parks within the United States that you can use a military discount at.

Dollywood Military Discount

Dollywood is Dolly Parton’s amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains. The theme park is a four-hour car ride from Fort Campbell, and close to other military installations in the south. Dollywood started in the 1960s as Rebel Railroad, becoming Goldrush Junction, then Silver Dollar City until 1986 when Dolly Parton bought into the park and Dollywood was born.

Dollywood offers special military tickets to US active duty military, retired military, veterans, reservists, their spouses, and dependents. They offer a military discount on 1-Day, 2-Day, and 3-Day tickets as well as on season passes. You can buy your tickets here.

Knott’s Berry Farm Discount

I grew up going to Knott’s Berry Farm so this amusement park will always have a special place in my heart. Located in Buena Park, California, a few miles from Disneyland, this park has fun for all ages.

Knott’s began in the 1920s when the Knott family sold their berries, pies, and preserves at a roadside stand. Ghost Town was created in 1940, and a summer-long county fair was opened in the 1950s. The first ride, the Log Ride, my personal favorite, was opened in 1969. By the time I was a small child in the 1980s, Knott’s was a full-functioning amusement park. Knott’s is now owned by Cedar Fair and offers a military discount on tickets. You can buy your tickets here.

Knott’s Berry Farm also has Military Tribute Days in November and December. This is when active duty military, retired military, and veterans can receive a more discounted rate for them and up to five guests. Last year the tickets were only $20, what a deal!

Holiday World Military Discount

Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari are an amusement park and water park in Santa Claus, Indiana. Holiday World is full of family fun with the park divided up into four holiday sections, Christmas of course, Halloween, 4th of July, and Thanksgiving. You can also stay at the Santa Lodge, which we did on a family trip a few years ago, with its giant Santa statute.

Santa Claus Land opened in 1946, soon after World War Two ended. At first, the park just had a Santa, a toy shop, toy displays, as well a place to eat, and children’s rides. In the 1970s, the park changed locations and focused more on families instead of just children. In 1984, the name was changed to Holiday World to include more holidays than just Christmas.

The Holiday World military discount is $34 off a one-day admission. They also offer a couple of military season passes. You can buy your tickets here.

While these are just three examples of amusement parks with military discounts, there are many others around the country. From Sea World to Six Flags. Before planning a family trip, make sure to do your research to see where you can save some money. Even $10 off a ticket can make for some great savings when buying tickets for your whole family. You can also find military discounts at zoos, museums, and other family-friendly locations.

Where is your favorite place to find a military discount?

11 Reasons to Plan a Trip Home This Summer

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11 Reasons to Plan a Trip Home This Summer

As a military spouse, you probably have moved around a lot. You could be miles and miles from your home and family. You could be overseas, or across the country. You could be a two-hour drive away or a two-day drive. However far away you might be, it could be time for a visit home this summer.

11 Reasons to Plan a Trip Home This Summer

Whether your spouse is deployed and you take the kids, or they are home and luckily have some block leave time, planning a trip home for the summer can be a good idea.

Here are a few reasons why:

1. It’s been a while

If you haven’t visited home in a while, maybe now is the time to do so. You probably have family and friends that would love to see you.

2. You have school-age kids and summer works best

When your kids start school, you have less time to go on vacation with them. While you can pull them out of school sometimes, generally it is better to go on long vacation when they are out of school. That is why summer is a good idea. No one is missing any school.

3. Summers are really too long anyway

Let’s face it; summer can feel a bit long. By about the six-week mark, you might be over summer break. That is the best time to plan a trip.

11 Reasons to Plan a Trip Home This Summer

4. Grandparent time

Grandparents love to spend time with their grandchildren, but sometimes it can be harder for them to travel and see you. If you can’t get away, you could always send your older children to spend time with their grandparents during the summer. I have such special memories with my own grandparents from when we went to visit them as a child.

5. Summer at home is better weather than summer at your duty station

This isn’t true for everyone, but the summer weather in my hometown is a lot better than where we currently live. It isn’t as humid, and the bugs are not as loud. Visiting home during the summer is a nice break from the hot and humidity of the south.

6. You really miss your favorite hamburger place

It might not be a hamburger place; maybe it is a favorite pizza place or Mexican restaurant. There is just something about having a taste of home when you visit. In-and-Out, here we come.

7. More likely to see friends who have also moved out of town

You might not be the only one who moved away from home; your friends might have too. And from experience, summer is usually when they visit their families. Maybe, just maybe you will be in town at the same time and can make plans to see each other.

11 Reasons to Plan a Trip Home This Summer

8. The winters are long at your duty station, and you need a pick me up

If it snows a lot in the winter where you are stationed, and you know that once school starts in the fall, the first snowflakes won’t be far behind, a summer trip home can be the pick me up you need before the weather changes. Go home, make memories, and take them back with you for the long winter.

9. Homecooked meals

Sometimes you want a nice homecooked meal, without having to make it yourself.

10. So you can see your best friend

It could be that your best friend still lives where you grew up. And you want to see them. You want your kids to play together, and you want to go out for dinner and to catch up.

11. You hate the snow and would rather not visit when it is on the ground

Maybe you are from a colder climate, and you don’t want to visit at all during the winter. Just the thought of 20 degrees sends you under the blankets. Summer is a good time to get your vacationing time at home in.

Whatever your reasons, if you are going home this summer, have a good time. We are looking forward to our own vacation this summer too.