Category Archives: Family Travel

Ideal Spring Holiday Locations

Central Park Spring Ideal Spring Holiday Locations

Sheep Meadow, Central Park. CC Image by Heath Brandon (Flickr).

Spring is approaching and calls for the first longer holiday of the year. The British company Co-operative Travel offers a wide variety of different all-inclusive holidays. If you have any family members that are still in school, the company offers holiday packages that keep the school dates in mind as well as a great variety of Easter Holidays, too. No matter where you want to go or with how many people you will be travelling, you can find good deals on the site. To make the decision of where to travel a little easier for you, we have picked the ideal spring holiday locations.

A Trip for Two to New York

Do you want to go on a short holiday with your significant other? Then the city of skyscrapers and the Central Park is an amazing destination, especially if you’ve never been. Walking through the vibrant streets of New York City is a thrilling experience. Shop until you drop, visit the Guggenheim and the Statue of Liberty, soar to the summit of the Empire State Building and grab some seats at the Yankee Stadium.

A Family Trip to Disneyland Paris

Visiting Disneyland in Paris is probably one of the best holiday destinations if you’re travelling with kids – but it’s fun for adults too! Who doesn’t want to meet Mickey Mouse and live in a fairy tale for a couple of days? There are also Disneylands in California, Hong Kong and Tokyo (and Disneyworld In Florida) but Disneyland Paris is a great fit, as it’s close and allows you to visit the city of light for a day or two leading up to your stay in Disneyland. A trip for four persons will cost you about £599 including accommodation and food, which isn’t a lot at all.

Affordable Family Holidays to Marrakesh

If you want to spend some time in a warmer country, Morocco is both a good and affordable option. Travel through the Atlas Mountains, meet storytellers and snake-charmers at Jemma el Fna and visit one of the many mosques in the city. Taste some new food too – you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Trip to an Austrian Ski Resort

Are you itching to ski? Then visiting one of Europe’s most popular ski destinations, Austria, is your best bet. The Austrian resorts have hosted the Winter Olympics time and time again, but now it’s your opportunity to shine! If you’ve never been skiing before, Co-operative Travel offers lots of opportunities to learn how to ski. You’ll feel like a pro in no time! While St. Anton is terrific for off-piste and after-ski parties, picturesque Ellmau and Niederau suit better for families. If you’re with a big group, Soll is the destination for you.

The Proper Way to Plan a Family Trip to Boston

Boston Museum of Science The Proper Way to Plan a Family Trip to Boston

Margot the light. CC Image by shoothead (Flickr).

Known as the birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston is a unique and cultural city worth a visit at least once during a lifetime. For families, the proper way to see The Cradle of Liberty is through an expansive and enjoyable experience highlighting Boston’s place in American history as well as its ability to be a cultural hub of the United States. There are four popular attractions in Boston that highlight these unique city features and engage children’s minds to love history, science and marine life. So, if you are looking for somewhere fun to go on your next family vacation, visit Boston and these four places.

The New England Aquarium

Home to over 800 species of marine animals and interactive exhibits, the New England Aquarium is a wonderful place to engage the minds of children while having a good time. It is here that many children and families have found a new love for the ocean and its animals including eels, Caribbean turtles and blue penguins. Your child can sit in awe watching the majestic Myrtle, a 550 pound sea turtle who has called the Aquarium home for over 40 years and touch sea animals such as sharks and rays in the largest touch tank found on the east coast. Watch these animals as well as sea lions, seals and rays at play in the crystal clear and deep water of the New England Aquarium.

Museum of Science

If the New England Aquarium didn’t inspire your child, the interactive exhibits at the Museum of Science will. Here families from all over the globe participate in live science demonstrations and animal shows as well as play and learn at over 700 exhibits that allow hands-on learning. Home to a real butterfly garden, a theater of electricity, a planetarium and new exhibits yearly, this museum is a must-see on any family vacation to Boston.

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

The Boston Tea Party is a key time in America and Boston’s history and through the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, you can relive this crucial time in the freedom of the United States. Participate in town meetings and actually throw boxes of tea overboard a genuine ship into the same harbor where the Tea Party actually took place. Then learn about these majestic ships and the role they played in the American Revolution all while your children are enthralled by live actors playing the part of revolutionaries like Samuel Adams. No trip to Boston is complete without a visit to this informative and interactive museum.

The Freedom Trail

A short 2.5 mile walk through Boston, the Freedom Trail is home to 16 different and historically significant landmarks and buildings. Each site has been persevered to represent it’s actual design during the American Revolution and transports guests back in time with tours, live actors and telling of the ideals America was built on. Children and adults can each understand the importance and the significance of these 16 important places along the freedom trail and to properly visit Boston, do walk this unique and historically accurate trail.

Plan a Family Trip to Boston

If you are looking to plan a vacation in the birthplace of the American Revolution, you want to choose city attractions that highlight Boston’s place in American. To plan that vacation properly, see the best in Boston with the New England Aquarium, the Museum of Science, the Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum and the Freedom Trail.

This post was provided by Dan Patterson from CityPASS. With the Boston CityPASS you can see some of the attractions listed above as well as others for less. Attractions include the New England Aquarium, Museum of Science, Old State House, and more. Visit http://www.citypass.com/boston for more information.

Travel Experiences You and Your Children Will Love!

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Keeping the kids amused and entertained while you are away shouldn’t be hard work! The options for those with children young and old are limitless and there are plenty of unforgettable holiday experiences waiting that children and adults alike will savour.  Here are a few travel experiences that your children are sure to love.

Sentosa island, Singapore

Siloso Beach Travel Experiences You and Your Children Will Love!

Lookout Point at Sentosa. CC Image by William Cho (Flickr).

Singapore’s Sentosa island is the perfect playground for children of all ages. This picturesque entertainment zone features numerous roller coasters and other attractions for children to try, including the recently opened Universal Studios Singapore. You can make the experience truly special by choosing to stay in a luxurious resort at Sentosa such as the newly opened Planet Hollywood Resort and travelling to the island in style by cable car.

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Orangutan Travel Experiences You and Your Children Will Love!

What’s at Stake in Borneo. CC Image by Rainforest Action Network (Flickr).

The city of Kota Kinabalu is located on the edge of the Borneo Jungle, which are sure to delight nature loving children. There are plenty of luxurious resorts to be found here, and most offer trips to attractions such as the local orangutan sanctuary. Children will also have the chance to interact with animals such as civets, bearcats, slow loris and deer. Special programmes allow children to feed the animals and children can also choose to foster an animal if they wish.

Lampang, Northern Thailand

Lampang elephant conservation centre Travel Experiences You and Your Children Will Love!

Thai elephants conservation centre. CC Image by Loin des yeux (Flickr).

Children are sure to enjoy spending time at the Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang. Children can take a special three-day training course to learn all about how to take care of elephants through a project that is run the centre along with Thailand’s National Elephant Institute. Skills that children will learn during the course include elephant driving, feeding and river bathing and the kids are presented with a certificate at the end of the course.

Safari, South Africa

South Africa safari Travel Experiences You and Your Children Will Love!

French Kids. CC Image by Kyle Taylor (Flickr).

Going on safari in Africa is an excellent way to capture children’s imaginations. In addition to observing a wide range of wild animals in the natural environment, children are also offered a hands-on approach by several of Africa’s family safari camps. Special activities that are arranged by experienced children-friendly guides include identifying animal poo, tracking paw prints and cooking classes.

If any of these sound like good options for your next family holiday, visit The Ultimate Travel Company website for more information and to speak to the travel experts about where would best suit you and your family.

7 Tips For Traveling With Kids

children 7 Tips For Traveling With Kids

By ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

As any family with small children will know, a family getaway can sometimes be less idyllic than it sounds. Children are very active by nature, which can result in a trip that’s more work than relaxation. But fear not. We have seven great tips ready to help you make your family trip that much more relaxing for you, and for the kids.

Be Prepared

Unpredictability goes hand in hand with parenthood, so make sure you go prepared. Always travel insured with kids, as you never know what could happen. If you’re traveling via plane, get a family friend to drop you and the kids off or go for a meet and greet service. This will make getting to the airport less frustrating on both you and the children.  

Keep It simple

Avoid cramming too many activities into one day. Traveling with kids requires flexibility and having an itinerary filled to the brim might not work too well. Instead, try and split the activities over more days, or only schedule a few important ones so you can spend some quality relaxation time together as a family.

Plan Together

When planning your holiday make sure that you’ve taken each member of the family into consideration. Each of them have their individual likes, and trying to meet these will result in a better holiday for everyone. Don’t forget about yourself though. Make sure that you’ve seen to your own needs amidst the concern about the kids.

Think Ahead

Make sure that all the travel essentials are taken care of. These include vaccinations, travel insurance, and all the important documents. Check that there are doctors in the area in which you are staying, especially if someone in the family suffers from an illness. Also try and keep passports with you at all times, just in case of any emergencies.

Accommodation

If your children are at the age where running around is a main priority, avoid hotel living altogether. Kids are by nature very busy and need more space than adults. Hotel rooms are often not built for family living, and can work out very expensive for a small space. We suggest trying a guest-house or a lodge as they often offer more space for less.

Be Ahead of Schedule

Kids can be a handful sometimes, so make sure you account for this to avoid running late. In order to catch all flights and bookings on time, make sure you are at least fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. Once again, family travel comes with a certain measure of unpredictability, so be sure you’re prepared for it.

Bring Entertainment

Because of luggage restrictions, kids can’t take a variety of toys along. Trust your parental instincts when it comes to choosing which books and toys go with. If their favourite toy keeps them occupied for hours at home, then it’s likely to do the same thing on a plane, or anywhere else.

These travel tips were brought to you by Essential Travel, the award winning travel add-ons provider.