Families take advantage of distance learning, take ‘schoolcations’ and ‘educations’
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If you’re disappointed about not being able to return to school in-person, there might be some perks to it.
The newest travel trend is being called a "schoolcation" or an "education."
Some families are heading to the beach, the wilderness or anywhere else their WiFi will take them.
"We’ve even talked about taking off for a month to go and live in California or somewhere," said Andy Honigman, from Minneapolis.
Honigman and his family are spending the week in Bayfield, Wisconsin. His two kids are Minneapolis Public Schools students and are doing their distance learning from the family’s pop-up camper.
[AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File]
"Imagine being in the most fun treehouse outside… and it’s school," said fifth-grader Tillie Honigman.
"The travel industry was really hit hard by the pandemic and companies are becoming creative to entice travelers to start traveling again," said Nora Blum, of Travel Leaders.
Hotels and resorts could be able to cash in.
For instance, Four Seasons Resort in Orlando has a package for families that’s billed as the ultimate after-school recess where parents can enroll kids in a supervised classroom session from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Closer to home, the YMCA has expanded its WiFi capabilities and is marketing a "family campus" at some of its properties in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.
"I think the really important things are having WiFi and having a space for the kids where there is technical support," said Blum.
As for the Honigman family, seventh-grader Leo definitely recommends distance learning and taking a schoolcation… for many reasons.
"For one reason, you can drink hot chocolate and be in your bathrobe and nobody cares," he said.