You can view the official rules and regs here, but basically if your picture is taken in front of Country Inns & Suites By Carlson property, you’ll be eligible to win a 2-night stay! 

Wherever your travels take you, there’s a whole lot to love about this Country.

~Emily

I love this Country!
~Emily

Here’s what I love about technology — not only have these brave families been guided COMPLETELY be Smart Phone, GPS, and Twitter, but I’m writing this update from the PLANE, en route to go meet them at the finish.  My destination remains top secret – but only for another day – and I can’t wait to give my new friends a great big hug.  Although sometimes it seems that technology makes it too easy for humans to NOT interact with each other, I think the little virtual community we’ve crafted is a great example of how technology makes the world smaller, and brings us closer together in ways we otherwise wouldn’t experience.

Day 5’s adventures started by experiencing Kansas City’s beautiful fountains.  Fun fact?  Only ROME, ITALY has more fountains than Kansas City.  Pretty cool, huh?   Then they headed off to Lawrence, Kansas for a sweet treat (Unfortunately Sylas & Maddies ice cream wasn’t open early enough for two of our famlies, but at least the Williams kiddos got to enjoy a cone!).  Next up?  The Kansas Aviation Museum, which just looks incredibly cool… that’s where our day wrapped up, and the gang was off to rest their weary heads at the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, OKlahoma City Airport! 

Sharlene, Kara, and Ross all had great wrap-ups after yesterday’s adventures, and I cannot wait to see what today has in store for them!

It has been so amazing to watch these adventures – and to watch the families get to know each other. If there is one thing I’ve learned over my many years of blogging, it is that friendships can be strong and powerful, even if you’ve never met face to face.  I know that our social media savvy participants had local visitors throughout this journey – people they’ve emailed, blogged, and tweeted with for years, who they finally got to meet face to face.  Having experienced that phenomenon myself over the years, I know the emotional feeling of giving a big warm hug to somebody for the first time that you’ve KNOWN for years. 

Case in point – en route to my (TOP SECRET!) destination tonight, I’ll be stopping off to have dinner with a woman I’ve been emailing with for about 5 years… who I’ve never laid eyes upon.  I “know” her, her husband, her children and her stories as well as if they lived next door, but this is the first time we’ll meet face to face.  I’ve had this experience several times now, and each and every time it feels as natural as spending time with old friends.  I’m confident that as time rolls on, The Earnshaws family, Williams famly, and Sveback family will remain close — both to each other, and to me!  

Something we strive to do at every single one of our hotels is to treat our like family – the familiarity, comfort and warmth that allows you to relax, unwind and be pampered for a while.  I can’t think of any better way to exemplify the feeling of family than by hanging out with these guys all weekend.  After all, there’s nothing that makes this girl happier than walking into a room filled with strangers – and leaving with 5 new best friends.  I said it the other day and I’ll say it again – from all of us at Country Inns & Suites By Carlson,  thank you for sharing your family with ours.

 I love this Country.
~Emily

 PS: Rumor has it that Sharlene’s blog posts have gotten some pickup on the USA Today’s website!  How cool is THAT!?

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri … All in THREE DAYS! 

I’m impressed (they’re exhausted). 

The shots below include a first Suite Stop at the famed St. Louis Arch – photo ops abound – where I’m told they were met by a camera crew from the local NBC affiliate, KSDK-TV.  The crew showed up to report on the adventure and wrote this article.  You can also view 1K Country KSDK Clip, showing the family enjoying the arch!  After journeying up all 630 feet of the arch and snapping a few pics, the families headed back down to earth… where they got their next Suite Stop: a trip down the very first strip of Interstate highway in the US.  Once the mini-roadtrip was over, they recieved something new: a Suite SIDE-TRIP, which allowed them to choose from two options: pedal, or putt. After the families enjoyed golf clubs & go-karts, they recieved their next Suite Stop, directing them to their home for the night: the Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Kansas City Village West, located near shopping malls and Speedways.   But we’re not quite done yet!  One last Suite Stop ORDERS that our weary travelers get a good night’s sleep (easy to do in our awesome beds!), before continuing on Day 4 of the 1K Country Adventure!

Don’t forget to check the blogs:
Kara!
Sharlene!
Ross!

Half way there, gang… can’t wait to greet you at the finish…. wherever that may be!

I love this Country.
~Emily

 What’s even better than taking a family road trip?  Taking a road trip with the destination: UNKNOWN. 

So that is exactly what we’ve enlisted some of our favorite families to do. 

The journey begins at the Mall of America on Saturday, June 5th and concludes on the 13th. 

Where?  Nobody knows! 

(Well, WE know, but we’re not tellin’!)

You can follow along on twitter by watching the list www.twitter.com/countryinns/CIS-1k-country!

Join The Williams Family (@KaraSW),
 
The Sveback Family (@Sveback),
 
and The Earnshaw Family (@doubleadventure), as they wind their way through 1K Adventure Country.  You can follow the action at www.countryinns.com/1kCountry, or via the twitter hashtag #CIS1K. 

Their journey will be guided by technology – using Where 2 Navigation systems and environmentally friendly vehicles (both courtesy of Avis), the families will complete various adventures on the road.  In true scavenger-hunt style, they won’t get their next task until the previous one is completed. 

How will they know what to do?  By watching the “Suite Stops” videos, sent to them on their Samsung Moment, a Droid-based smart phone donated by Sprint Wireless, from two-time Emmy-nominated video journalist, Dave Sniadak.  We’ll know they’ve completed the task when the families send us a picture or post it to twitter, confirming they’ve completed the adventure. 

The families will share their pictures, videos, thoughts and Suite Stops on their blogs — we’ll echo them here on Talk of the Country, but you should be sure to follow along with the hashtag #CIS1K.   

If you participated in our #WMCountry twitter party the other night, you might remember the “top secret super cool summer vacation” that I alluded to – yep, this is it!  I’ll be there at the finish line to meet and greet our participants, and hear all about what made the adventure special.

Remember – you can create your own adventure with our Sizzling Summer Savings offer.  Visit www.countryinns.com/1kcountry.  Book 3 or more nights* and save 15%, PLUS, you’ll get $25 in Dining Cash, and 3000 bonus goldpoints.  Once you’ve captured your adventure on film, be sure to enter it into our Working Mother “I love this Country” photo contest for the chance to win a 2-night stay at Country Inns & Suites By Carlson.

*terms and conditions apply.  See website for full offer.

I love this Country!
~Emily

With our pals over at @_WorkingMother_, we’ll be hosting a Twitter Party tomorrow night, centered around the theme of “Family Travel: Disconnect To Reconnect.”  Anybody who wants to jump into the conversation can do so using the hashtag #WMCountry, although if you are interested in being prize-eligible, you must register by emailing RSVP@WorkingMother.com by 2 PM, EST, tomorrow (Tuesday, May 25th). 

The Party Starts promptly at 9 PM EST and will last one hour — expect lots of laughs, learnings, and sore fingers from typing so fast!

Hope to see you there!
~Emily

PS: Your co-hostess with the mostest has donated a 2-night stay at Country Inns & Suites By Carlson as the grand prize… so I THINK you’re gonna want to register!

Stefanie did a great job of showcasing everything that her kiddos loved about Citrus Country – specifically the pool (“cuz it’s WARM!”), the cookies, and comfy beds — but let’s not forget those “Teeny tinsy soaps”!

Thanks Stefanie — and thanks again to Chelsea @JVC_USA for donating the wonderful JVC Everio HD Camcorders… they certainly helped to create memories that will last a lifetime!

Last year, “buy 1, get 1 free” promotion was so successful that we’ve decided to offer it again!  Visit our website to learn all about our fabulous spring getaway offer — and make sure to check back here often to follow some of our favorite bloggers as they share their adventures on the road… and tell us all why two nights isn’t as good as three!

Book now!  We’re taking reservations right now, and valid stays must be completed by May 15!

Wheeeeeeeee!

I love this Country!
~Emily

I love this Country!
~Emily