Okay, so this magazine doesn’t really count. AAA World comes free with a AAA membership. And in the past we would just recycle it unopened. Then one month, the cover article looked interesting and we enjoyed it. Since then, I always make sure to at least flip though it. And, yes the target audience for the magazine is older than me. But heck, it’s a useful place to find vacation info, if nothing else.
There’s also, of course, a lot of stuff about how much you save by being a AAA member. I’m not entirely sure what the writers for this magazine think they’re doing. Are they “real” writers? Are they just shills for AAA? It’s hard to say. And yet almost every article has a byline, so good for them.
The opening articles are usually just things that have changed in the magazine or with AAA itself. And then there’s lots and lots of ads. The ads are primarily for vacations, so I guess that’s nice.
Each issue also features destination trips. In this case: Baltimore, Williamsburg & Lancaster (the magazine is regional–we’re in the MidAtlantic region–so, aside from the article on a major destination, all of the ads and such are within reach).
Then there’s more and more car/AAA related stuff. Tips for keeping your car in good shape (none of which are original or inspired, but they are good to remember). Featured plans at AAA are displayed. They also have car reviews–which like every other magazine, never seem to be for anything I want to buy–which are thoughtful and well researched.
There’s usually some kind of premium vacation features: Disney, New Orleans, Hawaii.
And then it’s more ads.
So really, it’s not much. But there are two real reasons to read it.
One: my kids love looking at the pictures. And this magazine is nothing if not full of cool pictures. There’s usually some kind of fun animal/vacation picture that they point and ooh and ahh at (of course they’re also young enough to be entertained by catalogs, so I guess that’s not a huge plug).
Two: since we’re AAA members, it’s a good place to find deals on vacations. We don’t travel much, and I don’t know if we’ve ever even taken advantage of the deals here, yet it is nice to see where we COULD be going. And, indeed, many of the trips they suggest are for long weekends. So there are a number of places that we wouldn’t have thought about doing if we hadn’t seen it here first.
Certainly don’t join AAA just for this magazine, but if you do get it, flip through it before tossing it in the recycling pile.
I can’t find it on the web, and perhaps my memory is flawed, but I’m pretty sure that years ago AAA World had a destination article on Burning Man. When I actually write those words, I feel like I must be crazy, and confusing it with some other generic travel or financial institution mag/rag, but I distinctly recall my inordinate surprise at the odd venue in which this countercult gathering was being normalized (this may have been around the year 2K).
Using my vast librarian skills, I found this article from Via, AAA Traveler’s Companion from July 2001 (not AAA World. And it is indeed about Burning Man. Now that is surreal. I just imagine all the grandparents saying,
“Ma, I think we ought to go ta Burning Man this year.”
“Yes dear.”
Thank you for that, it certainly livened up my safe magazine!
Awesome! You made my day!