I don’t know about you, but coming together with family or taking a trip in the summer around the Fourth of July is something I wait for all year. It could be the cool summer breeze off your favorite lake while boating with friends and family or the sights, sounds, and new memories you’re creating in this chapter of your nursing career. We asked you, adventurous souls, where your top Fourth of July spots to celebrate the week and/or weekend of the 4th are and here are our top choices:

Lake Tahoe, California

People come from all around to take in the experience that is Lake Tahoe. Rated nationally as one of the “top 5 Fourth of July” vacation spots. There is no lack of activities for you and yours to enjoy. Take your pick from a plethora of community activities. Relaxing on the beach, cruising around the lake, enjoying the local food and drink specials, and so much more. No matter what you choose to do during the day, the real magic is the choreographed fireworks and music at night. With upwards of 100,000 onlookers, it’s not to be missed.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston hits the top of the list for being the largest gathering for the Independence Day celebration. It brings in around 3 million people. The cities Revolutionary War history alone draws in guests. The war reenactments, speeches, live bands, and historic heritage keep the visitors coming for more. Most importantly, most events around are free. It’s a great way to indulge in the exciting atmosphere without breaking the bank. Find some great tips for what to do here.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Of course, we would not forget where the Declaration of Independence itself was signed. Philadelphia has an array of fun things to do, and again most of these are free. Between concerts, museums, kids’ activities, an obstacle course, and even a zip line, there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy at this celebration of our country. Even your beloved pets are allowed to join in on the fun.

Everything comes together after the concert (which is said to be one of the largest free concerts in America with guests Mary J. Blige and Boyz II Men) at around 9:30 pm to start the grande finale firework at Ben Franklin Parkway. I could honestly go on for days with the number of amazing activities this city has to offer. Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself!

New Orleans, Louisiana

It’s hard to talk about celebrating America without mentioning the culture-rich city of New Orleans. Aside from being one of the best places in the US to eat, it’s one of the best at throwing a good party. With unique performances like dueling river barges, synchronized to lights and music, and the amazing Essence Music Fest paying tribute to African-American music and culture. This is sure to celebration you don’t want to miss. Fireworks kick off at 9 pm after the sounds of celebrities like John Legend and Diana Ross.

Chicago, Illinois

It’s hard not to fall in love with a city like Chicago. Seeing the skyline lit up behind the river is truly a sight everyone should see at least once. The Windy City has wonderful spots for every kind of attraction. One of their most captivating would definitely have to be Navy Pier. Whether it be from atop the Centennial Wheel, or rooftop at a beautifully lit building, it’s a must for your Fourth of July bucket list.

Lisle Park District will be hosting the “Eyes to the Skies” event. Food, music, a carnival, and even hot air balloons. During this same time, there will also be a great way to fill your bellies. Head uptown to enjoy the Windy City Rib Fest June 30th-July 2nd. At Wrigley Field, all you need to cheer on the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs is a great hotdog.

Whatever you choose to do during this holiday, we hope you stay safe, and most of all enjoy yourself and your family!! Let us know where you like to celebrate and why you think we need to add it to our list!

Want to see more suggestions? Click here to see what our Travel Nurse Network members said are the best places to be for the 4th of July!

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Being a travel nurse can make very difficult decisions in many ways. Some travel nurses are brave enough to add their families to the mix. Travel nursing with the family has its unique challenges.

Tips for Travel Nursing with Family

Between figuring out a school schedule, finding a doctor, to simply making sure that everyone stays as comfortable as possible throughout your assignment, here are several ways to make your decision a positive impact on your near and dear.

Location, location, location.

One of the main reasons we become travel nurses is for the adventure. The best part is that you can choose your next adventure with every assignment. With that being said, your family can usually pick a location that will keep *most* everyone in the family happy (as if they are all ever happy at once.)

Maybe it’s an ocean view you crave, or you’d all be happy to live near a beautiful park that keeps everyone busy. Searching for housing with short-term leasing options can make heading out on to your next adventure a lot more manageable and stress-free. You can also make life a little easier by narrowing down your search to things as specific as the agency you’d like to stick with, per our new job search tool found here.

Be productive, not busy.

In between saving lives and kissing boo-boos, you can make the best of your free time by prepping for your future endeavors. Whether it’s meal prepping in advance for the family that helps melts your stress away after a long day or knowing that the tablets are charged and snacks are packed for a long car ride, it’s almost essential to have all your ducks in a row when travel nursing with family.

Some tips to stay ahead of the game:

searching for top-rated family physicians in the area
making sure your housing has laundry services on-site or a laundromat nearby
searching for reasonably priced furniture to sell at the end of your assignment

Think of the children.

So what if Mom and Dad both have to work in this whirlwind fairy tale journey? With the help of the internet, word of mouth, or maybe family in the area, you may be in luck. If you are doing this on your own or are entirely new to the area, There are childcare services like Care.com. You can specify what you’re looking for, whether they need to watch one or multiple children, if they need to be CPR/First Aid certified, non-smoking, have their own car, etc.

It is also nice that you can use this site to find help with tutoring. For older children in the household, having someone to come by that has great reviews and is able to do lessons and/or tutoring for specific subjects can be a lifesaver and can make a significant impact on your child’s education.

Technology is ever-changing nowadays and is also very helpful in these situations too. Some travel parents find it worthwhile to travel with a nanny-cam. This makes checking-in effortless in a pinch. Stay-at-home parents can be a beneficial influence. Parents that actively participate in a child’s learning experience and home experience combined to offer a smooth transition.

Explore your mind; and your own backyard.

You can use your child’s homeschooling to your advantage quite a bit when you are traveling. Most cities have an array of amazing museums, art exhibits, nature trails, and even hands-on historic sites. Examples include:

the Aztec ruins in New Mexico
the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.
Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

These experiences can really help children explore and better understand what they are studying. No matter what your child is interested in, there is usually some way to travel and keep those interests close to “home.”

Another great idea if you have an animal lover at home? Make a list of the best zoos in the country and check out their favorite animals. You can research how they live, where they are from, and how they can help to make the future bright for them too. (There are quite a few free zoos across the US, too, if you’re in a pinch for funds!) To find the best housing in your ideal location, you can explore: http://bit.ly/2FQrYbe

A lesson lived is a lesson learned.

A lot of life’s hardest lessons are perhaps those that don’t necessarily get taught in school. Finding or making new friends, keeping in touch with others long-distance, adapting and appreciating new cultures, locations, and even religions are a big plus to travel nursing with family. There is never a bad time to learn a new language either. Being fluent in another language is very rewarding while traveling and meeting new people and very helpful for your child later in life when applying for jobs themselves.

Life on the road sometimes seems like a problematic choice for travel nurses to make. When you know you are making great choices educationally, and with true life experience at hand, it often leads to the best experiences. Here’s to your family’s best adventure.

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I don’t know if you’ve hopped on the podcast bandwagon yet, but I am definitely a fan. For me, my favorite time to listen to a podcast is when I am in the car for an extended amount of time, and as a travel nurse there may be a few times you find yourself in that situation. Whether you need a quick laugh from someone who understand the in’s and out’s of your profession, or you’re wanting to keep in the know with current technology and advancements in medicine, you can find this and just about anything in between. Here are my top 5 podcasts nurses should be listening to:

1.) Sawbones is as they describe a “Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine.” On Friday’s, they uncover “the odd, weird, wrong, dumb and just gross ways we’ve tried to fix people over the years” by researching the historical side of medicine. Definitely a fan favorite for anyone who needs a good laugh and can appreciate a fun attempt to show you how we got to our current approach to modern medicine.

2.) Amateur Traveler the first episode premiered July 2th of 2005. The reason I enjoy this podcast so much for a travel nurse is that it helps you dive into new locations and helps you decide where you may want to explore next. The Amateur Traveler media kit has quotes from folks who have been inspired by the “Amateur Traveler” to travel themselves.

3.) NRSNG’s website has a plethora of podcasts on their site but their flagship nursing podcast is what they describe as an “eclectic look at the profession.” On the NRSNG Show they talk about:

Confidence in nursing
Real life nursing stories
Life hacks for nurses
Anatomy and Physiology of diseases
Interviews with incredible nurses, authors, and successful people

4.) Nursing Continuing Education is great for the nurse who is not only busy, but wanting to be prepared when it comes to your CE credits. Nurse.com offers CE credit courses that you can listen to for free or pay a small fee for the certificate to get full credit. The series covers topics important to nurses such as antibiotic resistance, sleep disorders and necrotizing fasciitis. Most podcasts are worth at least one CE contact hour. The Nursing Continuing Education podcast is available on iTunes for download or visit Nurse.com for more information. You can also reach this site through thegypsynurse.com by going to the resources tab and then down to “continuing education.”

5.) The final recommendation I have is “The Nurse Keith Show.” This podcast is a wealth of knowledge for those who are looking for up-to-date career advice for 21st century nurses who are looking to excel when it comes to their nursing career management and development. The podcast itself is run by holistic career coach Keith Carlson as he “explores salient aspects of creating the most satisfying nursing career possible.” Definitely worth a listen!

There is something for just about anyone out there if you look! The Gypsy Nurse is all about helping fellow travel nurses like you find your passion and help you explore the world and inspire others along the way. Comment below on this post and let us know what your favorite podcasts are!

Travel nurse happenings

Top Fourth of July Spots

Lake Tahoe, California

Boston, Massachusetts

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

New Orleans, Louisiana

Chicago, Illinois

Check out our travel nurse jobs!

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5 Ways Travel Nurses can make Traveling with Family a more Beautiful, less Hectic Experience