When I decided that a stop in Dodge City, Kan., was going to be part of my summer vacation plans, I began doing a little online research that led to a neat little freebie.

My research took me to the website for the Dodge City Convention & Visitors Bureau, which had a place for me to request a visitor information packet to arrive by mail.

The brochure I got was great. It had a map of the city, its history, information about the weather, a list of attractions to see, stores to visit, restaurants to try, places to stay and much much more.

There also was a business-type card that said that I’d get a “free gift” if I took the card to the visitors center. So I did. And the bag above is what I got and I love it.

I have a similar bag that was a freebie at a convention I attended numerous years ago. I’ve taken that bag to New York, L.A., London, Paris, New Zealand and Australia, so it’s getting a little worn and I’m thrilled to have a replacement. The bag folds up and fits perfectly in my back pocket until I need it.

So checking out the visitors bureau website in advance brought me not only a wealth of information for my trip, but also a souvenir that will also serve a practical purpose.