This holiday season, over 100 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more to spend time with family and friends. But only a small percentage of these travelers will be U.S. service members and their families. So why are the numbers so few? It’s not the opportunity to take leave that keeps many military families apart during the holidays – it’s the cost. Seasonal price inflation can make travel downright unaffordable.
IHG® Army Hotels is hoping to help change that. This holiday season, IHG® Army Hotels is offering discounted leisure rates at participating properties, in hopes of bringing more military families together. It’s quality time spent with loved ones that will really make memories that last. And with that in mind, below are a few IHG® Army Hotels within close proximity of a number of holiday attractions that will help do just that.
For families visiting the Washington, D.C. area, IHG® Army Hotels on Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall is close to Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, which magically transforms into a holiday wonderland during WinterFest. Guests can marvel at a 300-foot tree, while enjoying hands-on holiday activities, seasonal meals, and a thrilling turn on a selection of the park’s most popular rides.
Guests of IHG® Army Hotels on Fort Belvoir, VA can visit the nearby holiday exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden, titled Season’s Greenings: National Parks and Historic Places. Running from November 24 through January 2, the special display features plant-based sculptures that replicate national parks, monuments, and historic sites, while live music and the chug of model trains give off the sounds of the season.
And speaking of sounds, the guests at IHG® Army Hotels on Fort Meade, MD can ring in the new year at Inner Harbor Amphitheater during Baltimore’s New Year’s Eve Spectacular, featuring live music performances that end with a thrilling show: the region’s largest fireworks display.
For families headed west for the winter, IHG® Army Hotels on Fort Wainwright puts guests in the midst of all the wonders of Alaska. Visitors can go for a ride across ‘The Last Frontier’ in a dog sled or learn to drive their own team at a nearby mushing school. Fairbanks, Alaska also offers travelers a front row seat for the aurora borealis – book a tour with Alaska Northern Lights to see the dazzling polar phenomena that paints the Alaskan sky with colorful bars of light.
Holiday Inn Express® on Fort Campbell, KY is a prime location for families making their way south for the holidays, with easy access to attractions in nearby Tennessee. Guests can visit the beautiful grounds of Beachaven Vineyards and Winery or enjoy a performance at Roxy Regional Theater in the neighboring city of Clarksville. With a short drive to Nashville, families can take in the Holiday Lights at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, a one-mile-long path featuring over a million twinkling lights, real reindeer, s’mores, carolers, gingerbread workshops, and a visit from Santa himself.
Proudly supporting the service members of the U.S. military, whether they’re on base or on holiday leave, IHG® Army Hotels is helping make it possible for more military families to be together and also giving those families more opportunities to make beautiful memories that will last until the next visit.