Tuesday, May 05, 2009

GPS Coordinates & Google Maps

I wanted to take a moment to let you know about the recent improvements to EatStayPlay.com:

Printable driving maps are available. I've put the link on all of our pages to a printable driving map. The maps are being offered through Google Maps. These use either the GPS coordinates or the attraction name.

The addition of GPS coordinates to Arizona attractions. My team of 4 high school students and I have put GPS coordinates onto the Arizona attraction pages. No, not EVERY page has coordinates, but we've filled in everything we can for campgrounds, lakes, state and local parks, museums, and more. If you have the GPS coordinates for an area, be sure to email them to me and I'll get it updated!

The GPS coordinates allow us to link to Google Maps and to local geocaches. What is a geocache? Visit http://www.EatStayPlay.com/Geocaching to find out more!

New and improved store. We've partnered with Amazon.com to bring you camping gear. Items are being added all the time and I'll be adding fishing and hiking equipment soon. When you purchase something from the Amazon.com after visiting our store, EatStayPlay.com gets a small percentage of the sale. We get this commission even if you don't actually buy camping gear. So, if you need to pick something up from Amazon.com, please be sure to visit our store first and help us out!

Help EatStayPlay.com


Now, all of these new changes and additions will take time and operating capital -- that's business speak for moolah, cash, money, the green stuff, etc. So, here's how you can help:

Buy something from us:

I have expanded the product section of EatStayPlay.com. You know that we already offer EatStayPlay.com tee-shirts through CafePress.com. One of our top sellers is the Fishing Princess tee shirt.



Donate your money:

The website operations are bare bones: I've cut expenses, I don't take a salary, and I write checks every month from my personal bank account straight to EatStayPlay.com.

Here's what your money will be used for:


  • Student researchers to put GPS coordinates onto our attractions, starting with campgrounds. More GPS coordinates means better printable maps and easier to find geocaches.
  • Added information about camping (both private and public campgrounds) in more states. This means that I need to have money to pay the researchers who find this information and get it up on the website.


So, if you like EatStayPlay.com and if you want to help me continue to make these updates, then I'm asking you to donate just $10.00. (More is good too, but I'm really just asking for $10!) Even a few bucks can really help offset the costs of keeping us up and running.


Link to us
Spread the word! You can find banners promoting EatStayPlay.com at EatStayPlay.com/Banners that you can put on your website, blog page, etc. I've also got text links that are perfect for emailing, putting on Facebook, Twitter, etc. The more people who know about us, the better off we are!

Donate your time & services:
Can you write up something about your city or your favorite place to go? Do you have great photos that you want to share? I can't pay you, but I'll give you credit and it'll help me a lot! To find out what I need, go here.

Thanks for your help!

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