FamilyTravelgram

Island Time, Tahitian Style

2017-12-28T00:00:00-07:00

Island Lovers, take note!

Let the trade winds sweep your cares away when you explore the islands of French Polynesia aboard a four-masted sailing yacht. A great getaway to experience with your teens, adult children or extended family, Windstar sailing ships deliver explorers to an island paradise where blue lagoons and pristine coral reefs provide epic snorkeling, scuba diving and Jet Ski options.

Kayak and paddleboard off the back of the ship’s sports deck. Learn about local cultures during hiking, kayaking and museum-centric shore excursions. Later, relax on a small island (motu) where you can sip coconut drinks, listen to the nimble sounds of a ukulele drifting in the distance and cool off in the sapphire-colored sea.

Contact: www.WindstarCruises.com.

Family Travel: Expand Your World

2017-12-18T00:00:00-07:00

“Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel's immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way."

- Ralph Crawshaw

(US sociologist, 1864 - 1929)

How will your family stretch in the year ahead?

Celebrate With Santa on the River

2017-12-18T00:00:00-07:00

A festive new tradition has charted its course on the Colorado River: Black Canyon River Adventures’ annual Rafting with Santa experience returns Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24. The 12-mile journey along the mighty Colorado River makes an extraordinary way for families to enjoy the excitement of the holiday season in a raft piloted by jolly old St. Nick or his helpers.

This special trip is being offered for one day only this year and will include:

Santa Claus and his helpers will pilot the rafts on this smooth-water river adventure.

Ground transportation provided by one of Santa’s elves.

Gifts for each passenger.

Boxed lunch and bottled water for a picnic stop on a sandy beach along the way.

Complimentary cookies, hot chocolate and Christmas music at Willow Beach Marina, where the river trip ends.

This unique excursion takes approximately 4.5 hours (6.5 hours including transportation to and from Las Vegas) and departs from the base of Hoover Dam aboard a motor-assisted raft. Guests will enjoy and learn about the history, desert wildlife and beauty in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. The tour meets at the Lake Mead RV Village in Boulder City; out-of-town guests may arrange for round-trip transportation from their hotel.

DETAILS:

The “Rafting with Santa” tour departs at 10 a.m. Guests are asked to check in by 9:30 a.m. at the Lake Mead RV Village, located at 268 Lakeshore Road, Boulder City, NV 89005. The cost for adults (16 years and older) is $97; for children 13 to 15 years, $87, and for children 5 to 12 years, $58. Children under 5 are free.

Round-trip transportation to and from a Las Vegas-area hotel is $49 per person.

To make reservations for this tour, go to www.BlackCanyonAdventures.com or call (800) 455-3490.

Gift Idea For The History Lover

2017-12-03T00:00:00-07:00

Looking for a great holiday gift for the history lover in your family?

Consider Sally Mott Freeman's best-selling Jersey Brothers: A Missing Naval Officer in the Pacific and his Family's Quest to Bring Him Home.

Sally Mott Freeman's Jersey Brothers is the extraordinary, real-life adventure of three brothers at the center of the most dramatic turning points of World War II and their mad race to change history—and save one of their own.

Compelling and brilliantly written, you'll want to snag one for yourself while ordering for friends and family!

Order here:

Single Parent Travel Ideas

2017-07-14T00:00:00-07:00

Are you a single parent looking for travel ideas?

Consider a rafting getaway.

Cast a line in the water in between rapids in on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Warm up in hot springs along the way and check out Indian pictographs.

Join other parents and kids in camp for a short hike, organic seasonal fare and conversation around the campfire. For a luxury-in-the-wilderness experience , parents can treat themselves to a riverside massage.

Contact: 832-755-7661; www.far-away.com.

You'll find more single parent travel ideas here!

Beach butler? Yes, please!

2017-07-11T00:00:00-07:00

Who doesn’t love sunny beach days in SoCal?

And if you check in to the oceanfront Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel, halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles, you can expect the ultimate family beach vacation. It’s one where the kids are having fun, mom and dad are relaxed and you all connect while experiencing #bucketlist adventures.

Your clan can learn how to catch a wave, fly a kite on the beach, build sand castles or toast s’mores over an outside fireplace on your guestroom patio. Later, glimpse a Blue whale in its natural habitat, witness a pod of stampeding dolphins, or report a Garibaldi sighting while snorkeling in the Pacific.

Pampered Parents

Beach Butlers?

Yep!

The resort’s Beach Butlers offer personalized services so parents can enjoy a stress-free day under the sun. Services include setting up beach chairs, umbrellas and towels, offering and assisting with food and beverage service and providing transportation to and from the beach on the complimentary beach shuttle.

Forgot the sunscreen? Not to worry. Beach butlers are also fully equipped with sunscreen and tanning lotion.

Seeking the next level of relaxation? The Ritz-Carlton Spa offers a full menu of services including massage, facials and body treatments. Choose from a selection of treatments designed to soothe, recharge and rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit. The Spa also offers wellness classes including yoga and Pilates.

Fun for the Family

The Eco-Adventure Center is dedicated to showcasing Southern California’s natural wonders. Fifteen excursions showcase the local surroundings and are led by expert naturalists. Families can learn about the blue whales on a whale watching adventure, discover the native fish and underwater creatures on a snorkel excursion, or experience riding the waves during a body boarding activity.

The resort features great dining, two outdoor swimming pools, two whirlpools, a playground area, basketball court, ping-pong table, and tennis courts. Throughout the summer, poolside movies are presented every Thursday evening and a selection of children’s movies is available for in room viewing.

Are you ready to work on that beachside #bucketlist?

Your Family's Bucket List

2017-05-03T00:00:00-07:00

Family travel can play a strong role in the education you offer to your children and grandchildren.

Here are six ideas to consider:

1. Reflect your values.

The travel choices you make can send a strong message to your loved ones about what matters most to you.

Consider the bucket list as a thoughtful and deliberate reflection of your own values, hopes and dreams. So before you begin listing desired destinations, ask yourself what aspects of the world - geographically, spiritually and culturally - you want to share with your children, grandchildren and perhaps other friends and family members.

2. Identify Priorities and Passions.

Are you a nature, history or art lover? Do you want your children or grandchildren to learn how to ski, photograph or scuba dive? Do you hope to share your love of baseball or botany with the next generation? Will volunteer vacations or heritage tours be an important part of your mix? Take time to consider these ideas that will expand your family’s horizons and weave them into your travel plan.

3. Identify places.

Americans get low marks for knowledge of geography. Begin with a good map or atlas and consider studying the globe an important part of your family travel education. While your list will most certainly change over the years, think about which destinations you hope to visit while your children are in the nest and beyond? And, when it comes time to involve the children in creating the bucket list, remember that kids don’t know what they don’t know. Certain theme parks and resorts will likely be on their radar screens. But they may not be aware of the glories of Yellowstone or Yosemite or the historical significance of Gettysburg or Montpelier.

4 About the money.

Choosing to make travel a priority is a decision that may require foregoing other luxuries or experiences. But the quality bonding time and lifelong memories are sure to be worth it. Consider creating a travel savings account. Opt for travel related gifts for birthdays, graduations and holidays. Encourage the children to establish their own travel fund. Saving for a specific trip can be an important part of the overall experience.

5. About the time.

Whether you begin by tossing up a tent in the backyard or strategizing to experience a safari in Africa, there is no time like the present to begin planning family travel. As children get older, their schedules become more complicated by their own commitments. Take advantage of school breaks. Consider off-season adventures when you will experience fewer crowds and lower prices, even if it means missing a few days of class. Is a month, summer or year abroad on your family wish list? If, so, begin the research now.

6. And now. Get out there!

Who Needs Inspiration? Delivered.

2015-11-19T00:00:00-07:00

Life is full of adventure!

If you are looking for a little inspiration, a few words to urge you into action, you've come to the right place.

Enjoy!

"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of shore." – Christopher Columbus

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.” ~ Edward Abbey

“If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” - Anonymous

Find 49 other inspirational quotes here!

The Power of Travel

2015-07-02T00:00:00-07:00

- Ralph Crawshaw

(US sociologist, 1864 - 1929)

How will your family stretch?

What new experiences are on the horizon?

Adventure Inspiration

2015-06-21T00:00:00-07:00

Life is full of adventure!

If you are looking for a little inspiration, a few words to urge you into action, you've come to the right place.

Enjoy!

"You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of shore." – Christopher Columbus

“A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.” ~ Edward Abbey

“If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” - Anonymous

Find 49 other inspirational quotes here!

Get Comfortable Camping

2015-05-19T00:00:00-07:00

Who knew camping could be so comfortable?

Modern campers are eager to reconnect with nature, spend more time with family and friends and explore new territory.

If you are inclined to camp, here are five ideas to consider.

1. Get in to the back country. For the purest connection to nature, make your way off the beaten path. Hike, paddle or float into a pristine location where your family can learn or hone wilderness skills. Choose a destination suitable for the ages and abilities of your crew. Encourage each person to take responsibility for the adventure, whether that be early research, carrying a small pack, collecting kindling or serving as master storyteller around the fire.

Contact: backcountry.com; nps.gov

2. Connect at the campground. KOA, the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds, has evolved since its inception in 1962. Choose your camping style and destination from among 485 locations in North America and access tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, playgrounds and a range of recreational facilities. Then, let the fun begin.

Contact: koa.com

3. Go glamping. If staking a tent is not your idea of fun, glamping, or glamorous camping, might be for you. The walls may be canvas, but the experience is anything but ordinary. High-thread-count bedding, luxury furnishings, fine dining and uncommon outings often led by top-notch guides define the experience in locales around the world.

Contact: glamping.com

4. Sleep in a yurt. Snooze to the sound of the tumbling Trinity River as it winds its way past the resort near Big Flat, Calif. The 30-foot Pacific Yurt is set amid the Trinity Wilderness Area where bird-watching, fishing, hiking and canoeing await. Enjoy road and mountain biking or check out local music festivals. Learn about the organic coffee grown on-site and enjoy a fresh cup as the morning sun warms the day.

Contact: strawhouseresorts.com

5. There’s no place like home. Family camping can help stir a deep and lifelong interest in the natural world. Therefore, early, positive experiences matter. Discuss the details and set clear expectations. For the youngest set, consider an overnight in the backyard or nearby park. That way, if the weather or unforeseen forces create a kink in your plans, warm and dry shelter is nearby.

Your Next Family Vacation: Lake Las Vegas

2015-05-11T00:00:00-07:00

Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa, Henderson, Nev.

Have the bright lights and a retreat too when you stay at this sunny resort, just a free shuttle ride away from the glitzy Las Vegas Strip.

Enjoy an affordable family getaway that includes pedal boarding, paddle boarding and kayaking on the 320-acre lake, plus poolside fun with a giant slide, dive-in movies and a Kidcabana. Golfers will want to sample the newly renovated Reflection Bay course, a Jack Nicklaus signature track that offers red rock and lake vistas. Parents: It’s your vacation too, so make time for a couple’s massage at the Spa Moulay.

Find out more: westinlakelasvegas.com

Dive To Discover The World

2015-03-23T00:00:00-07:00

Diving is a great way to discover the world and what lies beneath the surface.

From Bonaire and Grand Cayman to Yap and Palau, Family Dive Adventures and Kids Sea Camp provide education about the underwater world and the tools needed to become safe, confident divers. In the last 15 years, the company has certified more than 5,400 kids. Children and their parents will learn about coral reefs, sharks, manta rays and the latest in global marine conservation during Kids Sea Camp weeks.

Join other families during organized group trips or customize your own getaway.

Find out more: familydivers.com

Your Next Family Vacation: Tubac Golf Resort

2015-03-10T00:00:00-07:00

Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, a luxurious and tranquil vacation destination in Arizona's Southwest desert, is a family-friendly gem.

Set on the historic 500-acre Otero Ranch in the Santa Cruz River Valley, the Spanish Colonial architecture and lush

grounds are enhanced by magnificent views of the Tumacacori and Santa Rita mountain peaks. Hike, play golf, sample wonderful food, explore the local art community and spend time at the spa.

Ready to go?