Photo Of The Day: Cancun Dreamin’

I know, I know, the song by The Mamas & The Papas is about California, not Cancun. But with the weather turning so-slightly colder in Virginia, seeing photos plastered across Reddit of warmer, tropical climes found my fingers searching YouTube for the 1965 hit.

We’d love to feature your photos and videos on Gadling, so please add them to our Flickr Pool (with Creative Commons licensing!), tag @GadlingTravel on Instagram or email us at OfTheDay@gadling.com.

Delaware Town Gives Beach Vacations To Wounded Vets

If you want to see the transformative power of travel, read this Washington Post story about the military families who’ve enjoyed this Labor Day week on the beach. The town of Bethany Beach, Delaware, not far from Washington D.C., coordinated with local homeowners to open their beach houses and small businesses to donate goods and services for 25 wounded military families. Each “VIF” (Very Important Family) has been treated to free meals and groceries, golf games, spa treatments and even family portraits.

For soldiers suffering from war injuries both visible and unseen like Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, a stress- and cost-free vacation can provide a great deal of comfort. This is the first year of Operation Seas the Day, and 70 families applied for the program, with more than 50 homeowners offering their homes to the veterans, but the town agreed to keep it small for the inaugural year of the program.

The military families will head home on Sunday, so if you are in the area this weekend, be sure to offer your thanks for their service. If you’d like to donate or volunteer for next year, sign up for news at OperationSeasTheDay.org

Photo Of The Day: Morning Beach Run

As summer wraps up, many people are trying to squeeze one last beach vacation in before the water gets too cold and the kids go back to school. And with that “one last vacation” tends to come an air of extreme relaxation. Yet some get a sense of freedom from waking up early and getting their blood flowing with a quick jog down the shore.

Which do you prefer at the beach — strict kicking-back, or a mix of fitness and toes-in-the-sand?

We’d love to feature your photos and videos on Gadling, so please add them to our Flickr Pool (with Creative Commons licensing!), tag @GadlingTravel on Instagram or email us at OfTheDay@gadling.com.

Photo Of The Day: Toes In The Sand

According to someone, somewhere, today is National Relaxation Day. And we think that’s just as good an excuse as any to kick the shoes off, grab a cold drink of choice and take it easy this evening. Whether you’re plunked down in the sand, a field, a couch or even a plastic chair in your front lawn, have one on us.

We’d love to feature your photos and videos on Gadling, so please add them to our Flickr Pool (with Creative Commons licensing!), tag @GadlingTravel on Instagram or email us at OfTheDay@gadling.com.