Family Vacation Central

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Traveling abroad can be an exciting undertaking and an invaluable experience packed with fond memories lasting a lifetime. Depending on the amount of time you will be in a foreign country, preparing for a trip overseas can take anywhere from a couple days to many months. Like many travelers, your primary thoughts probably consist of what clothing to pack, buying extra memory cards for your digital camera and figuring out if your cell phone will work in the country you’re going to be in.

Most importantly, you want to prepare as much as possible in advance to ensure a pleasant trip. After all, you’ll likely be in unfamiliar surroundings and amongst people that may not speak your language. Here are some valuable travel trips to help make sure your trip is everything you imagined and more!

– DO safeguard your valuables when traveling to a foreign country. Use a fanny pack or something with a zipper, instead of an open pocket or purse. Before departure, alert your bank and credit card companies of dates and locations of travel. Pack as few credit cards as possible and keep a separate quick reference sheet with International numbers to report a theft. There are also services that will do this for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Book now for 2009 travel with Funjet Vacations’ Book Early and Save Big Sale and travelers can save on select airand hotel vacations to Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, ski destinations and more. The sale offers savings of hundreds of dollars on vacations purchasedow through November 2, 2008 with travel valid through December 22, 2009*.

As recently reported by eTurboNews, “Airlines release their schedules up to 330 days in advance, so get a jump start on next year’s vacation planning this year for the best chance in finding an open seat.” By locking in travel now, travelers can gain peace of mind and save big by taking advantage of Funjet Vacations’ Book Early and Save Big Sale. Read the rest of this entry »

I found the following information from Stacie Haight Connerty who is a writer for the Examiner.com

Hawaii is a gorgeous place for any family to visit for vacation.  The fiftieth American state, Hawaii consists of the islands of Hawaii (the Big Island), Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau, plus many smaller islands and islets.  Of these islands, the Big Island, Maui, and Oahu are probably the most popular vacation destinations for family vacations to Hawaii.

Here are a few ideas to get you started when planning your Hawaiian vacation:

Surf Family Style

During your family vacation to Hawaii, you can get surfing lessons on Oahu’s north shore from Surf Hawaii 4 U.  Professional surf instructors can teach your whole family how to surf while on your vacation to Hawaii.  Group lessons with at least three people participating start at $300 for a three-hour surfing lesson.  So catch a wave, cause surf’s up, dude! Read the rest of this entry »

Cruises are becoming more and more popular for families.

It’s the best way to travel to lands beyond the ordinary, and passengers have choices that range from intimate, small-scale river cruises to luxurious vacations aboard some of the world’s finest ships.

From there, they can choose family, themed and adventure cruises. The seemingly endless choices are also the reason why cruising is one of the fastest-growing forms of travel.

Destinations such as South America used to see only a few ships sailing along the coasts of Argentina and Chile. Today, all the major cruise lines sail around Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America.

A 14-day cruise exposes passengers to unique natural wonders, including magnificent fiords and the penguins that inhabit them. Destinations such as the Baltics and the Mediterranean are growing at double-digit rates, as are Australia and New Zealand. Read the rest of this entry »

The resort islands of Charleston, SC are fast gaining a reputation as a mecca for family-oriented fun. Kiawah has been voted the No.2 island to visit in the United States by Conde Nast Traveler and a Top 10 Winter Island Getaway by LIFE Magazine. Seabrook Island features one of the few Equestrian Beach Rides on the east coast and boasts one of the top 25 ranked tennis clubs worldwide, according to Tennis Resorts Online.

Isle of Palms and Wild Dunes are continually cited as a top destination by Travel + Leisure, Tennis Magazine and Golf Digest. There are plenty of things to do, and a spectacularly preserved natural environment in which to enjoy them. Here are just a few: Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone who visits a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park on their birthday in 2009 can get in free, as Disney Parks embraces a newly identified family travel trend called “celebration vacations”.

In this new national trend, Canadian families are hitting the road to mark life’s special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions and more - with a “celebration vacation”. In 2009, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts will lead this growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences.

And to kick it all off - a first-ever opportunity for guests to receive a free ticket to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on their birthday in 2009.

“Birthdays are the one occasion that we all share every year,” said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at an announcement event today. “We thought a free birthday ticket would be the icing on the cake as we extend this new ‘celebration vacation’ trend to Disney Parks.” Read the rest of this entry »

Air Canada said on Thursday it will be the first major North American carrier to drop its extra fee for a second piece of checked baggage in response to the recent drop in fuel prices.

However, with Canada’s economy slowing and a round of staff and capacity cuts looming, Air Canada’s move is more a signal of its desire to boost competitiveness with rivals than a sign of the end of tough times in the sector, one analyst said.

It had joined numerous other airlines in implementing a C$25 ($23) charge for extra bags this spring as oil prices headed to highs above $147 a barrel. Crude has since dropped by a third to below $100.

Air Canada said it will scrap the fee on September 23.

“It is fair to say that we are always going to be competitive in our markets. Because we have seen some retreat in the fuel prices of late, we’ve made the decision to reinstate our previous baggage policy,” Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah said.

Its chief competitor, WestJet Airlines Ltd , did not impose extra baggage fees. Read the rest of this entry »

WestJet today honoured its commitment to monitor the fuel environment and remove the fuel surcharge if and when the price of fuel subsided. The airline announced the removal of the fuel surcharge, effective 1 p.m. MT today, in acknowledgement of the recent decline in fuel prices.

“The decision to eliminate the fuel surcharge is in line with who we are,” commented WestJet Executive Vice-President of Guest Experience and Marketing Bob Cummings. “The WestJet brand is all about caring, straight talk, trust and best value - our advertising is effective because we walk the talk.”

The elimination of the fuel surcharge supports WestJet’s commitment to providing the best value to its guests, which is the premise for the airline’s new advertising campaign. This latest addition to the successful and award-winning owners campaign extends WestJet’s caring reputation, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to offering guests the best value in air travel.

“We are proud of the transparent approach we have to our pricing and the superior value we provide to the travelling public,” continued Bob Cummings. “Our latest owners campaign highlights those key differences between us and the competition. The campaign is done in a light-hearted, fun way. Read the rest of this entry »

Update: At the time of writing, one Argentine peso was equal to exactly one US dollar. Recent political upheaval, however, has led to a major devaluation of the peso and rapidly fluctuating exchange rates. Please keep this in mind when referring to any mention of costs throughout this guide.

BUENOS AIRES is a city which lends itself perfectly to aimless wandering. Though vast, it’s mostly a very walkable place, and orientating yourself is made pretty straightforward thanks to the city’s regular and logical grid pattern. The city is approximately triangular in shape and its boundaries are marked by Avenida General Paz to the west, the River Plate to the northeast and by its tributary, the Riachuelo , to the south. Holding the whole thing together is Avenida Rivadavia , an immensely long street (Porteños claim it is the longest in the world) which runs east to west for nearly two hundred blocks from Plaza de Mayo to Morón, outside the city limits.

Parallel to Avenida Rivadavia run four major avenues, Avenida de Mayo, Corrientes, Córdoba and Santa Fe. The major north-south routes through the city centre are, to the east, Avenida L.N. Além - which changes its name to Avenida del Libertador as it swings out to the northern suburbs - and, to the west, Avenida Callao. Through the very heart of the centre runs the spectacularly wide Avenida 9 de Julio - an aggressively car-orientated conglomeration of four multi-lane roads.

The city centre is bounded approximately by Avenida de Mayo to the south, Avenida L.N. Além to the east, Avenida Córdoba to the north and Avenida Callao to the west. At its southeastern corner lies the city’s foundational square, the Plaza de Mayo , centrepiece of the Haussmann-style remodelling that took place here in the late nineteenth century, and home to the governmental palace, the Casa Rosada . Within the centre lie the financial district, La City , and major shopping, eating and accommodation districts.

It’s a hectic place, particularly during the week, but from the bustle of Florida , the area’s busy pedestrianized thoroughfare, to the fin-de-siècle elegance of Avenida de Mayo and the café culture of Corrientes , the area is surprisingly varied in both architecture and atmosphere. With the exception of the Plaza de Mayo and the Teatro Colón - Buenos Aires’ world-renowned opera house - it’s perhaps not so much the centre’s sights that are the main draw but rather the strongly defined character of its streets, which provide a perfect introduction to the rhythm of Porteño life.

Read more at the Buenos Aires Destination Guide

I have not been to Cabo in years but it remains as a very popular vacation spot mostly becasue of it’s quiet fishing village aura and the fact that it sits on the edge of the beautiful Pacific Ocean at the tip of the Baja Peninisula. Maybe not so much for families you can usually find cheaper accomadations here than on the Carribean side of Mexico and you will still have a fantastic vacation.

The bay of  Cabo San Lucas , at the southernmost tip of Baja, was once a base for pirate ships waiting to pounce on Spanish treasure ships. Even fifteen years ago, it was little more than a fishing and canning village occasionally visited by adventurous sports fishermen with the means to sail in or fly down, but it quickly earned a reputation for the marlin that could be caught here, and the once-quiet place found itself inundated with fishermen in search of El Marlin Azul, home to sleek, radar-equipped fishing yachts.

In recent years, it has rapidly become the focal point of Los Cabos: million-dollar condos have sprung up, palms have been transplanted, golf courses have been laid, water has been piped in from San José and everywhere is kept pristine. More like an enclave of the US than part of Mexico, preserving almost nothing that is not geared to tourism, it can be fun for a day or two, unless, of course, you want to fish or dive.

Though prices are higher than in neighbouring San José, there’s more of a party atmosphere, with a younger crowd. Currently there are some 3000 rooms for rent, and the local feeling is that 10,000 is the next feasible “goal” that would equate the town with the long-established resorts such as Mazatlán or Acapulco. Upcoming developments include an enormous mall that will comprise a convention centre, a theatre complex, a bowling alley, a huge parking outlet and condos, and there are even plans for an artificial island to sit in the bay, complete with restaurants and bars

The Town
With its great sands and fascinating marine life, Cabo San Lucas should be one of the most attractive spots in Baja. Above all there’s the huge rock arch at Finisterra - Land’s End, where the Sea of Cortés meets the Pacific - an extraordinary…

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