Posts Tagged ‘family vacation’

Family Vacation Ideas And Family Travel Destinations

family vacation

Everyone looks forward to their yearly family vacation, but sometimes you may get stuck in a rut, just visiting the same old destination every year. I’ve put together a list of a few places to go on a family vacation that you might consider for your next family trip.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located in Tennessee and North Carolina. Mysterious and haunting, these mountains are home to many species of wildlife such as deer, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, quail, and black bear to name a few.

When to visit? Well there really is no wrong time of year to visit this park. However, in the peak season of July and August you will find that traffic may be a bit slow. Keep in mind that winter temperatures can vary from moderately cold to extremely cold. There are many hiking trails for exploring and camping areas, and you can also bike, fish, ski, or go horseback riding. A truly beautiful place to visit.

Historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, site of the most famous battle of the Civil War, and of course where President Lincoln delivered a 2-minute speech, the famous Gettysburg Address. Summer months and weekends are peak times for this popular family travel destination. If you want to visit in the off-peak times, crowds should thin out after Labor Day. Explore the Gettysburg National Military Park and combine your visit with a trip to the Pennsylvania Dutch country.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a ruggedly beautiful coast with towns and farms dating from Colonial times. Many visitors to the Cape prefer to enjoy one of the many delightful bed-and-breakfast hotels. You will want to visit Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod National Seashore, and perhaps the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. Dining is wonderful if you like seafood, as you will find a wide variety of fresh fish and shellfish.

San Francisco, California, is one of my favorite cities. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Strait, and San Francisco Bay, this city is actually only about 46 square miles but wow is it packed with sights.

If you are wondering when to visit, you can’t go wrong weather-wise, as the climate is quite lovely year round. What to see here? Oh so much! The cable cars cannot be missed,the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, Nob Hill, Sausalito, Union Square, and just too many amazing areas of this city to name. It’s a great city to explore by walking, and a an absolutely wonderful place to do some people watching. Photo opportunities abound.

Orlando, Florida, home to Disney World of course. There is also Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Sea World, and many water parks to enjoy. There is also a lot more to Orlando besides the theme parks including numerous lakes, springs, museums, and historical areas. Depending on when you visit, you may find an art or craft festival going on.

These places should give you ideas of destinations for your next family vacation and help you in planning your next great family trip.

Gateway to the West – Best Family Holidays on a Budget Style

If you want the best family holidays on a budget style, it is time to visit the Gateway to the West.

You may be asking yourself what does family travel on a budget style mean. Simply put, it is a long weekend or a 4 night/5 day family getaway for five hundred dollars.

For many of us, the thought of being able to experience a family vacation on $500 seems almost inconceivable but let me insure you that it can be done. The key to a family travel on a budget style vacation is planning, planning, and more planning.

St. Louis, Missouri is a perfect destination for a family travel on a budget vacation. It has a central location with easy interstate access. The modern urban metropolis is full of history, science, and art that are just waiting to be discovered.

St. Louis is now as the Gateway to the West. This distinction comes from the Gateway Arch. At 630 feet, the manmade marvel towers over the mighty Mississippi River making for some amazing riverfront views. The arch is set in a beautiful park like setting on the banks of a bustling city.

Are animals your thing? Then St. Louis is a great vacation choice. There are several chances in the area to get up close and person with many different species of animals. Not only do you have a zoo but also safari style adventures, petting zoos, just to name a few and the best part is they are all FREE.

With the free, quality family entertainment available in St. Louis, Missouri, it is easy to meet the “the best family holidays on a budget” of $500.

 

Cruise Packages – Affordable Best Family Holidays

Cruise Packages – Most Versatile of Vacations

It’s a great way to bring the whole family together and have the best family holidays and yet still have time alone with your spouse while the kids-only activity coordinators take charge of your children’s fun.

The first step to putting together great cruise packages is to find a reputable travel agency that specializes in cruises, or a similar cruise vacation internet site. Before making contact with either, you should make note of a few things before-hand.

For example, when you would like to leave, where you would like to travel to and from what port would you like to embark and disembark from. Putting together cruise holidays can be made much easier providing this information when contacting a travel provider.

Unique Cruise Packages Vary Depending On the Time of Year.

If you’re limited in the time of year you can get away then you’re also somewhat limited in your destination. You can’t, for instance, take a cruise on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska any time during the year.

Europe has about the same seasonal restrictions as well. If you’re planning on heading out in the spring or fall you might want to consider an excursion up and down the Panama Canal.

Just about any time of year, including the winter, you can cruise to Asia or the Caribbean. You should determine exactly what members of your family are going when selecting cruise deals.

Knowing if children or seniors will be a part of your vacation group will help determine what cruise will offer the best choices that suit all members of your party. In fact, it’s best to gather everyone together and or conduct a phone or e-mail discussion of what everyone would like to do and where they would like to go.

For example;

• Is on board entertainment and activities a priority?
• How many in your party would like to lounge by the pool?
• Who wants to get off the ship and explore at the first land stop?
• Who prefers exotic locations and who would rather just play shuffleboard?

All things to consider beforehand when booking cruise packages. The size of the ship can be important as well. Larger ships have a vast variety of entertainment options, such as dancing, stage shows, activities and more. Smaller ships may provide a lower guest to staff ratio, and thus more personal attention to your needs.

There Are Endless Cruise Packages to Choose From – Any Time of Year.

Budget for your holiday and prepare for just how much you and the others can spend. If money is a critical factor look for discount cruise incentives for booking early, or starting out on a different day or different week from your original request. Staying flexible can save you a considerable amount of money.

Be sure to ask about additional port fees and taxes as well. Depending on who you are dealing with, these additional costs may not be included in the quoted cruise cost and may cost you dearly.

The majority of cruise packages do not include additional gratuities for staff. It is customary to tip room stewards and wait staff, normally automatically debited from your shipboard account.

 

If you’re not going as a large group and you might be interested in getting to know your fellow passengers, then be sure and inquire about the usual demographics of these travelers.

If you’re 20 something and it’s a baby boomer cruise that you are booking, then you may become bored. If you bring your grade school and most of the other kids are in their teens, they won’t have enough playmates and you’ll be their entertainment for the extent of the cruise.

Narrowing down your search for that perfect cruise for you and your family will save you a great deal of time. Formal cruise packages to informal, cruises are designed today to suit any individuals taste and or budget. So what are you waiting for, start searching for cruise specials today and have yourself the best family holidays!

 

The Benefits of Family Travel

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!


Travel Insurance – Family Travel

When preparing to travel with a family, there can be a multitude of different things to sort out – from tickets to taxis to the airport, as well as packing clothes, equipment and toys in between.


In amongst all the hassle of packing, arranging and ensuring your young ones will have enough to keep them occupied until you get to the hotel or resort at your destination, the thought of arranging insurance for your holiday might slip to the back of your mind.


Checking that you have adequate travel insurance before your trip is essential in order to ensure that you and your group are covered in the event of accidents and theft during your holiday.


Annual travel insurance policies can be purchased for longer periods of time, should you be making multiple trips during a short period of time.


Such deals can often work out cheaper than single-trip travel insurance and can help cover all members of your group during your holiday your family from a range of factors.


When searching for cover it is important to shop around, research different policies and the type of cover that they offer and, most importantly, to read the small print to check for any snags which could affect any claims.


Factors will depend on location and any planned activities during the holiday. Whilst activity holidays can be fun for all, but it is important to make sure you’re covered for sports such as jet-skiing and other activities that have an increased risk of injury.


It is also essential to ensure that your possessions are covered for the duration of your trip in order to protect against any financial loss as a result of theft, luggage and passport loss, travel delays and any other legal expenses.


There are also a wide range of companies that specialise in and offer family travel insurance. These policies can be catered to meet the needs of your holiday and help to cover costs should you or your children require any medical assistance during your trip.


Search
Advertisement
Categories