The District was taken by storm over the weekend as thousands of people convened at the Washington Convention Center for the 11th Annual Washington, D.C. Travel and Adventure Show.  It’s the ONLY travel show in the D.C. area where travelers can visit with various tourism boards and speak with reputable companies to book their next vacations.

I was only able to attend the show Saturday morning but I’m glad I went. The show featured tourism boards of destinations far, far from DC (and its cold weather) like Turks and Caicos, Antigua & Barbuda, Martinique, and St. Martin.

However, there was no shortage of a local presence, with tourism boards from Atlantic City, Virginia Beach and West Virginia present, in addition to local attractions like Busch Gardens and River and Trail Outfitters.

I started my morning by visiting with the folks over at Busch Gardens, where I participated in a cooking demonstration.

The chef made some delicious lettuce tofu wraps (they tasted way better than they sound).  We learned about their culinary program at the park as well as their upcoming Food and Wine Festival that takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 22 – June 28.

Next, I headed over to an exhibit by Sea World to stand far away from play with some furry and not so furry creatures.  This exhibit was perfect for curious kids…adults too.

I wandered up and down the aisles, visiting various destination booths and ended up at the Travel Channel, where I was able to transport myself on a Bucket List trip in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

My last stop for the day was a session with Pauline Frommer of Frommer’s fame, which I actually enjoyed and thought was really insightful.  Here are some key takeaways from her talk:

• Tuesday is no longer the day to book travel to save money…it’s SUNDAY!  Travelers have saved up to 19% by booking on Sundays.
• New York City has the highest hotel rates in this HEMISPHERE. The average is $275 per night.  Insane.
• It’s best to book domestic travel 57 days before departure and 171 days before international travel.
• Book travel insurance through a 3rd party, never through the travel provider.
• Some top destinations for 2015 include Belize, Belgium, Tanzania (love!), Asheville, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and Malaga, Spain.
  

I wish I had time to walk around and attend more sessions, but the little time I did spend at the show was well worth it.  There was something for people of all ages.  If someone was looking for a relaxing vacation or adventurous trip to take this summer with their family, significant other or alone, I’m sure they were able to find it.  I’ll definitely be back next year!

For a full list of exhibitors, click here.

Photo Credit: Ashlee Tuck