Family Travel Centre

Archive for the ‘Travel Destinations’ Category

Another top family vacations destination are the natural pools in Tuscany, Austria, French Pyreness and other such locations.

Compared with a chlorinated hotel swimming pool, a dip in a natural pool feels like swimming in Evian and thankfully European hoteliers are recognizing the draw of these natural, eco-friendly alternatives.

Designs vary, but natural pools all work on the same premise: a wall separates a foil – or rubber-lined swimming area from an acquaticplant garden, whose marsh plants and sand act as a natural filter for oxygenizing and cleaning the water. Here are four of the favourites.

Casanuova, Tuscany

On the large lawn by the water’s edge at Casanuova, you can sunbathe to the sound of frogs croaking while butterflies dart among the reeds.

Then it’s just a 200m towel-covered stroll back to the organic farm on the hills above the Valdarno, the valley of the Arno River. Plants and wildlife dominate the estate: ivy, wild vines and roses cover the walls while oleander bushes, oranges and bergamot grow everywhere.

You can stay in one of the fifteen rooms in the beautiful farmhouse or in two apartments, 800m from the main house on the edge of the small hamlet of La Bifolca; both will give you access to this wildlife oasis.

Chaumarty, The French Pyrenees

Dragonflies hover overhead as the sun-warmed water laps against the pool’s plant-lined rim. Beyond the rolling green hills, mountain peaks shimmer in the heat of the day.

Here at Chaumarty, a three-room eco-gite south of Toulouse in the approach to the Pyrenees, the bassin de baignade (natural pool) is exquisite, irises and papyrus surround it, plus there’s a diving board and a smaller pool for children.

Adjacent to the pools is a large terrace where you can admire the mountain panorama. Organic vegetables come from the kitchen garden, solar panels heat the water, and all the waste is separated, reduced and recycled religiously. Au naturelle.

 Schwoich’s Banana Bake, Austria

Another top family vacations site is the Schwoich’s Banana Bake in Austria. Below Mount Poelven at the edge of a pine forest, Schwoich’s banana-shaped lake was Austrian Tyrol’s first public natural bathing pool.

From its wooden jetties and pebble beach you can enjoy a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear water with wonderful views of the surrounding mountain slopes.

The average water temperature is 22 degrees centigrade, which is usually warm enough for young children. One of the best places to stay nearby is Ferienwohnung Steinbacher, a self-catering farmhouse apartment in Schwoich, where you can buy organic eggs and milk from the farm.

 Le Camp, France

Well what else would you call it? It is a campsite, after all, though expect more than just sleeping bags and roll mats.

Hand-made beds, solar lightning and lazy chairs all come as part of the package at this luxury, five-yurt camp in oak woodland overlooking the green Aveyron Valley, about an hour northeast of Toulouse.

Pride of place, though, is the 20m-long natural swimming pool, with a gently sloping beach that’s a perfect distraction for kids – once they’ve grown tired of playing in the big sand pit, helping to feed the chickens and patting the resident pig. What a wonderful top family vacations plan.

Family travel guides and family travel tips are especially useful when travelling with children of any age.

When we as adults think back to our childhoods we usually don’t remember the things we owned or the clothes we were wearing. What we remember is the time we spent with our loved ones. So when you are travelling with your kids you are creating memories that will last them a lifetime.

The importance of planning your perfect family holiday in advance

Travelling with your family is a quality time like no other, even if there are some unavoidable “ups and downs” along the way. However the better you prepare in advance, the more you should enjoy your family holiday.

Planning a family holiday with children of any age is different from planning a holiday for adults only. Children have different needs and ability, depending on their age and development. When planning your perfect family holiday, the most important thing is to keep the needs and ability of all family members in mind.

What is the best age to travel with children?

There is no one best age to travel with children. Each age group offers different delights and challenges.

Many parents feel the best time to travel with young children is when they are babies. Healthy infants tend to be very adaptable, as long as properly fed and are clean and comfy.

Travelling with toddler is considered by many parents the most demanding time to travel with a child. It can still be enjoyable experience, you just need to prepare accordingly and don’t forget to pack your patience – and lot of it.

Many parents consider travelling with school age children not only easiest but also the most enjoyable. School age children show more interest in their surroundings and are old enough to remember the trip.

There is though no reason why travelling with teenagers isn’t as enjoyable as travelling with school age children. Teenagers can be excellent travel companions as they are mentally and physically as fit as their parents, if not fitter.

Well prepared family holiday should help you to enjoy travelling with your kids – no matter what age they are.

Travel tips that are valid for all children

Babies, toddlers, school age children and teenagers have very different travel needs. However there are some valuable family travel guides and tips that are valid no matter what age your child is.

Air travel with children or long car journeys are usually challenging as most children don’t like confined spaces for too long. Make sure you provide age appropriate entertainment for your child while travelling. There are many excellent travel games for children available now-a-days, but the good old imagination is also a valuable travel companion and can be the source of many fun travel games for children.

Make sure you bring more snack and drinks than you ever imagined you would need. Hungry and thirsty children tend to be irritated travelers.

Make sure you travel destination offers age appropriate activities for your child. No matter how old, or young, your child is… children are sociable creatures and love to make new friends.

It’s also important that you too enjoy spending time with you children on your holiday. Family travel guides recommend you to look for activities that you and your child can enjoy doing together. It can be taking an afternoon nap with your baby, building sand castle on the beach with your toddler, going on a rollercoaster ride with your school age child or go shopping with your teenager. Doing something together is a great bonding experience and good fun for all involved.

Your children’s health and safety should always be your top priority when travelling. Be careful though not to go overboard in this respect. Most people travel with children without experiencing any problems, being overly obsessed with health and safety could easily spoil your otherwise lovely family holiday. Use your common sense, take all necessary safety measures and be alert at all times.

Children are more prone to some minor accidents than adults so don’t forget to make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance for children in place. Having good travel insurance for children will give you valuable peace of mind.

The best family travel guides and tips are tough about how we behave on our holiday. Family holidays should be fun. When you see your child eyes glaze over you know it’s time to change the plans. Leave the schedule flexible enough for that. Always allow time for letting of some steam (e.g. playing sport or just running around), as well as time for relaxing (e.g. by the pool or reading a book). Loosen the rules a little bit, just make sure they know it’s a privilege and because you are on a holiday.

Many families decide each year to take a summer vacation. Though many do choose to vacation during the summer season, even more families choose to vacation during the off-season. What category does your family travel fall into?

There are several reasons why some families are not able to take a family vacation, one of the most common involving the cost. Unfortunately, many adhere to the disbelief that a vacation has to be an extravagant trip. This is not true, though. Whether you travel to a nearby amusement park, camp at a state park, or travel around the globe, each one can be a fabulous summer vacation.

Busy schedules are another reason many families are unable to take a family vacation. They forget that the purpose of a vacation is to getaway and take a break from those busy schedules. For this reason, summer vacations are a popular time because the kids are out of school and this may be the only time for the entire family to getaway together. Whether you set aside three days or two weeks, you are encouraged to take a summer vacation and enjoy the benefits of spending some quality time with your family.

Quite possibly the greatest benefit of a family vacation is the time you will be able to spend together. In today’s busy, fast-paced society, many families spend very little time together due to long work hours, busy extracurricular activity schedules and homework. For many, a summer vacation is the only way a family can spend some quality time together uninterrupted by the routine daily demands.

Another benefit of a summer vacation is the relaxation for both the adults and the children. Today, children must function differently than in the past. They are bombarded with a lot of daily homework, busy sports schedules, after-school extracurricular activities and pressure to be at the top. This can be sometimes be a lot of pressure and difficult to handle. A summer vacation may be the rest and rejuvenation they need to meet the demands of another busy academic year.

In addition to you children, you and your partner are likely in need of some relaxation and rest as much or even more than your children. A summer vacation will give you the time you need to forget about work and personal demands. Forget about cleaning the house or turning in a work report, but rather fall into the role of tourist, relax, do some sightseeing and enjoy the time with your family.

You are encouraged to involve the entire family in choosing a destination like Alicante in Spain, especially if your children are older. Be sure to choose a summer location that everyone will enjoy. Maybe schedule a guided tour that everyone agrees upon. Or, find a resort that has fun-filled activities you can do together as a family or the children can enjoy on their own.

Just remember: the purpose of the family vacation is to reconnect as a family, relax and rejuvenate. You busy schedule and work demands will be waiting for you return, don’t worry. Just enjoy the family time!

Travelling with a family can be a nightmare. Most family travel meets some sort of major emergency or crisis during the planning phase, and it usually occurs right before they are due to go to the airport for departure. No matter how well the parents have planned, something never ever fits in and this can cause extreme panic when there are several children to deal with as well as making sure that everyone arrives at their vacation destination in one piece.

It is no wonder that family travel can cause major stress when you consider all of the things that have to be considered and then remembered. With insurance, packing, documentation, hotel arrangements, flights and other similar elements of family travel to deal with, what you really need is a checklist to use to ensure that all elements are dealt with in the correct timescales to ensure that the dash to the airport is not an ordeal!

To help you cope with this, here is a checklist that you can use for any given trip, whether going abroad or remaining in a domestic setting. All of the information is relevant and can certainly help you to relax and enjoy your vacation!

Six Months To Go
1. Assess your financial situation and estimate spending money
2. Collect information on the places that you would like to go. The Internet is a great resource, but you can also use travel guides and brochures to get an idea of the type of hotel to stay in.

Five Months To Go
1. This is the absolute latest that you should book your vacation accommodation to make sure that you have plenty of time to plan the family travel from start to finish. Remember to compare prices and check out deals and discounts.
2. Book family air travel and confirm the departure times and dates.
3. If you do not already have one, apply for a passport and look into the family travel destination to see whether you need further documentation, such as a visa.
4. Apply for a visa or permit if necessary, making sure that you comply with all of the requirements.

Three Months To Go
1. Begin to plan out activities for the whole family. Research the activities in the local area that are suitable for family travel, as well as the prices and availability because it may be necessary to book some activities in advance.
2. Check and compare travel insurance policies and purchase the family travel policy that best suits your needs.
3. Make an appointment with the family doctor for the necessary vaccinations. This can be found on the embassy website, in the same place as the visa requirements that you researched previously.
4. Organise your finances so that you know how much you have to spend and how much of your credit limits you have left. This will enable you to decide which cards you will take.

Two Months To Go
1. Purchase all of the necessary clothes and equipment for family travel.
2. Make sure that all of the accommodation and flights are fully paid and ready for you when you get there!

One Month To Go
1. Gather all of your documents together and photocopy them all twice, leaving one copy with your family and take another copy with you just in case there are any problems.
2. Organise any medication that you and your family will need.
3. Copy the itinerary that you have booked and planned so that your family knows exactly where you are going and when you will be going there.

A Week To Go
1. Purchase all travellers checks and money required for family travel.
2. Cancel any regular deliveries that you may have and pay up any bills, making sure that there is enough money in your account to cover any remaining bills
3. Pack for family travel!

After this checklist is complete, you should be good to go so you can just relax and enjoy yourself!