Archive for the Category »Family Travel «

May
16th		   Whimsy and Wonder in the California Desert
Leave a Comment Category: CA, California, San Diego, southern california, Travel Tags: , ,

I absolutely love receiving travel tips and feedback from you all.

My latest example is from a friend who recently visited Borrego Springs in Southern California….

I am a California girl through and through… raised here, been there done that in the Golden State. But I had never heard of this off -the-beaten-path desert town just northeast of San Diego and south of Palm Springs.

Sure, Borrego offers the typical desert activities – golf, biking, hiking…

Courtesy of Diane Salerno

But what really captivated me is Galleta Meadows – a privately owned piece of land open to the public. On this stark desert landscape are 130 exotic-looking steel sculptures by artist and welder Ricardo Breceda.

From artistsandthieves.com

A round trip of about 20 miles around the area and you can see them all.

From desertusa.com

Many of the earlier works were inspired by the animals that lived millions of years ago in the area…

From sierralara.com

and some are just pure fantasy!

Borrego might be a fun 1-2 day stop on a road trip – you can camp or stay at a local hotel. It is surrounded by the largest state park – Anza-Borrego. If you do stay the night, look into the many public astronomy events that take place there – Borrego Springs was the first “Dark Sky Community” – being 55 miles from the super lit up coast, the dark night sky is a perfect place to star gaze.

From theabf.com

It is so inspiring to learn about new, whimsical places….I hope you think so too.

http://www.borregosprings.org/

 

 
May
10th		   Happy Travels With My Mom… An Affordable Way To See The World With Grandparents #homeswap
Leave a Comment Category: Family Travel, frugal traveling, Home Exchange, Senior Travel, Travel Tags: , ,

Travel With Family

When I was a young girl, my mom made family trips a priority. Many years later…  and with  three young children of my own, she and her husband were able to come with us to France for the price of airfare only.

Provence, France

See… we did a home exchange in France for one glorious month. The beautiful thing about a home exchanges is that unlike getting separate hotel rooms, you can swap your home for a villa with multiple bedrooms so your family and your parents can all stay together for …. FREE. Yes, no money is exchanged. It is a wonderful way to travel with extended family.

There are many pluses to this….

Our Home Exchange in the French Riviera

First off, some on fixed incomes have an affordable and comfortable  place to stay. Ours in the French Riviera had a guest house – perfect set up for grandparents coming along.

And…not only are the accommodations free, but you have the option of eating meals at home, saving money there too. And you don’t have to sacrifice culture – if you’ve ever shopped in the Parisian markets or grocery stores for a home cooked meal, you know the experience of which I am talking.

Secondly – bringing along Grandma and Grandpa can work out fabulously for some adult time! You have willing and happy built in babysitters for a night out with your partner.

Winetasting in Chateauneuf du Pape

Or, they can be company in fun activities! Since my mom and her husband like wine tasting, they were my company in the world class Chateauneuf du Pape region!

Then there are the benefits for the kids…. they get to share a rare experience with their grandparents… and if you travel to a region of your heritage, grandparents can also provide illuminating facts about your family history.

Home swapping isn’t for everyone, I admit. The most common question I got was – “What did you do with all the stuff in your house” “Did it bother you to have other people stay in your house?” You have to be comfortable with people you don’t know living in your home. I talked to our exchange  family on the phone before hand, and one member even was in LA for business and we had him over for dinner, so I felt comfortable. I looked at it as company was staying at our house.

Truth be told, I talked to so many different potential Europeans about staying in our house, and discovered that most of them just want to use your home as a base to travel around, and quite possibly wouldn’t be there most of the time anyway.

There are many different companies that offer home exchange opportunities – usually you have to pay a nominal  yearly membership to have access to the listings. A couple that I have tried,or know someone who has tried are: www.homeexchange.com and www.intervac-homeexchnage.com

Two bits of advice: Plan ahead – many of the better houses started making plans 10-12  months before the trip. Also – get traveler’s insurance. I did have one house cancel on me… luckily, I had enough time to find a replacement, but had it been closer to the travel time, it would have been much more difficult.

It is more work than simply booking a hotel – but worth it. I know my mom would say so :)

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

 

 
Apr
12th		   Hotel of the Week: Sister Hotels in #Hawaii Get Makeovers
Leave a Comment Category: Family Travel, Hawaii, hotels, Travel Tags:

From concierge.com

One small Hawaiian  island – two completely different resorts. That is Lanai. Although there are other smaller B and B type accommodations on the island, these are the main places to stay… The Lodge at Koele, and Four Seasons Manele Bay. (Both are Four Seasons properties by the way.)

Lodge at Koele, Lanai

The good news: Both have been renovated in time for summer! The Lodge feels like a hunting lodge with a slight Hawaiian twist, not a typical Hawaiian beach resort – it is not right on the beach, but you can access one.

Horseback riding at the Lodge, from Pleasantholidays.com

The Lodge at Koele is a unique property for Hawaii, offering activities like horseback riding, archery, and air rifle.

Renovated lobby, Four Seasons at Manele Bay, Lanai

Four Seasons at Manele Bay is now open and airy, right on a family friendly beach. I was there about three years ago, and it needed an update. It certainly didn’t feel like a typical Four Seasons to me. See old lobby below.

Old lobby at Manele Bay

 

Resort at Manele Bay pool

These aren’t your water slide hotels you’ll find on other Hawaiian islands if that’s your thing, but there is still plenty for families to do -stand up paddling lessons, body surfing, golf,  etc.

Certain public areas like the sports bar at Manele Bay has been upgraded as well… and Nobu restaurant has been added… and offers poolside sushi :)

The Lodge has around 100 rooms, and Manele Bay – around 200 rooms. Hopefully each room and suite will be updated soon – I heard a rumor and am trying to confirm.

It will also be easier to get there -  Hawaiian Airline’s new turboprop subsidiary, Ohana by Hawaiian Airlines, will begin daily service to Lanai starting July 2013. Island Air also announced plans to double its inter-island turboprop fleet by the end of 2013.

After a lot of traveling, I am in the mood to kick it on a peaceful beach this summer – you? If so – there are some summer specials – book two nights get a third free! www.fourseasons.com/lanai.

Wishing you a weekend full of aloha spirit…

 

 
Apr
05th		   Hotel of the Week: Upscale Family Friendly Farm with Oodles of Authentic Charm #Blackberry Farm
Leave a Comment Category: Cool Hotels, Family Travel, hotels, Travel Tags:

Hi, my name is Tracy, and I am a Voiceaholic. (Like much of America!) So happy the NBC show “The Voice” is back! Great music! My kids and I have a standing date to watch every week… and if you’ve seen the season premiere and following week, judges Cee Lo and Christina Aguilera who are on temporary break might be worried about keeping their jobs. Usher and Shakira are very likeable replacements.

One of the cutest moments yet was when Usher called Nashville a state. That lead to a barrage of grief from his fellow musical judges for his geography lapse, which was quite funny.

Why am I going on about this? Because it reminded me of a hotel I’ve ALWAYS wanted to visit in Tennessee (the state LOL).

Blackberry Farm, Tenn

It is called Blackberry Farm, and it is in Chattanooga (the city,) right in the Great Smoky Mountain foothills (national park.)

From Karakeaney.com

One of the words that comes to mind when I try to describe it is “soothing.” Imagine that feeling of going to your grandmother’s house in the country…

It is a very homey place, located on 4200 acres of gorgeous American countryside. It is family run, with a good ol red barn on the property and a working farm that feeds everyone, which gives it a cozy feel….

From Knoxvilledailysun.com

But this is not your grandma’s barn. Not for a sheep shearing second.

From Paloma81.blogspot.com

You won’t find frumpy quilts or painted red farm furniture here – the accommodations here are tres chic, without being too fancy.

From Andrewharper.com

Blackberry Farm offers plenty to do – and is great for families. You can engage in hand to mouth dining – kids can work in the farm and gather eggs from the chicken coop  -  then cook what they’ve harvested. Or play in the nearby creek chasing salamanders and crawdads.

There are fun family activities like horseback riding, paddling,  and fishing… as well as trekking in the Great Smoky Mountains… I’d say this is a top notch way to see one of our country’s premier national parks.

From dreamsinhd.com

From slowlivingtoday.com

All of these wildly wonderful outdoor activities, plus gourmet food – much of it produced on the premises. Blackberry Farm has it’s own butcher, cheese maker, and sommelier.

Spring is a gorgeous time to visit… Blackberry Farm is only a 25 minute drive from the airport in Knoxville (another city.) I realize that it is not the most affordable choice for families, but it is worth writing about because it is such a special place.

www.blackberryfarm.com

Have a wonderful weekend….

 

 

 
Jan
25th		   Hotel of the Week: A New One to Watch in 2013 That the Kids Will Love
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, California, Cool Hotels, Legoland, San Diego, Travel Tags:

Legoland, California

Ever travel with your family to an amusement park and just want to crash in a hotel within walking distance after a long day at the park? Well Legoland in Carlsbad California is making that easier – scheduled to open this April, is the Legoland hotel, right near the entrance of the theme park.

 

Legoland Hotel, Windsor UK

The hotel follows the Lego theme – with mind-blowingly colorful displays made of course of Legos, like at the Legoland Hotel in Windsor, UK above.

There are 250 themed and spirited rooms – from Pirate, to Kingdom, to Adventure. The nice thing I like about this family hotel like this is they offer rooms with a separate sleeping area for kids.

Although you will most likely be spending a lot of time at the theme park, there are heated swimming pools, and in-room Lego gifts for the kids.

There are also some unique aspects to the hotel too that kids will find entertaining:   secret whoopee cushions and tight-rope walking marching guards … quirky themed elevators, and exploding toy boxes. For example, kids can dance on up to the bedrooms in the character themed ‘disco’ elevator, complete with a mirror ball and flashing lights.

In the atrium there’s a knight’s castle, protected by a giant burping ogre, towers into the clouds. Children can play in a 32-foot high pirate shipwreck that’s bursting through the castle walls and into the river of LEGO.

The nicest thing is that you are right near the park – so if you want to spend the night the evening before your park adventure, you will also have early access to certain rides before the park officially opens.

Legoland CA Waterpark

By the way – you should know that Legoland really is a theme park for younger kids – There is a water park attached that some of the tweens might find fun, but it is very crowded in the summer, with long waits for the slides.

Go to the website to see about special package deals before the hotel opens.  http://california.legoland.com/legoland-hotel/

 

 
Dec
18th		   Travel Tip Tuesday: Naughty or Nice: Should This Child’s Item Have Been Let Through Security?
Leave a Comment Category: Airport Security, Family Travel, Travel Tags: ,

Let’s face it – traveling with kids can be crazy sometimes.! More gear, more luggage, more things needed to entertain them.  But it can be crazy fun too. The above photo was taken on our Alaskan cruise for “pirate night.”

Disney Cruise Line lets you know in advance there is a pirate night in case you want to bring your finest swashbuckling attire….and travelers do go ALL OUT. Jack Sparrow never had it so good. (Never heard of pirates in Alaska, but I figure this night must have been a success on their Caribbean cruises  and they carried over the fun.)

Knowing this my kids wanted to bring all sorts of things – one son even asked to take a toy sword…. which reminded me of a story.

From “Quicksmartgo.com”

I saw a friend of mine at a party recently who said he and his son were going through airport security, and  the young boy got stopped because he had some significant blade in his backpack. I didn’t see the item, but apparently, it was for a school project – it was some sort of artifact, or something important, that he had been carrying around with him until the project was due.

The point is – the dad had NO IDEA it was there…. TRAVEL TIP: Since many of us will be travewling with kids this holiday, check their carry on bags too if they pack it themselves or are bringing their own backpacks. It might prevent unwanted delays at security, and possibly confiscation of something personal. I would have never assumed anything would have been in my child’s backpack either.

My friend was stopped at security for a while…. and I’m not sure I’m so happy with the outcome. TSA agents let the boy keep his weapon-like item. Happy for him, since it was for school, but yet, would they allow a true criminal past… and we aren’t allowed to pack more than 3 ounces of liquid or tweezers in our carry ons?

Here is a naughty and nice packing list from Seatguru.com   – I find it easier to navigate than the TSA’s…. and some of the items listed are quite entertaining. I don’t know about you but I’ve never tried to pack cranberry sauce in my carry on!

http://www.seatguru.com/articles/tsa_prohibited_items.php

Safe travels this holiday everyone!

 
Dec
07th		   Hotel of the Week: This Year’s Best Ski Hotel
Leave a Comment Category: CO, ski trip, sports travel, Travel Tags: , ,

From Vail.com

Conde Nast Traveler has it’s list of the top 50 ski hotels out – and the hotel ranked number one is… drum roll…the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain in Avon, Colorado.

From Weddingmapper.com

The results are from a magazine poll of its readers, and each hotel was rated on criteria such as Terrain and Conditions, Apres Ski Activities, Overall Design, Location, Rooms, etc.

From ski.com

What I find particularly great is that the hotel offers direct access to Beaver Creek skiing – you can take a gondola to the slopes right out the hotel’s back door – or take a  shuttle that comes to the hotel. When you return, there is a ski valet to store your equipment and warm up your boots for the next day on the slopes!

Vail, CO from concierge.com

After shooshing it up on the mountain, you might want to visit the 27,000 square foot spa…. and then go into charming nearby Vail village (about 14 miles away) which has plenty of shopping and dining to wow you, in a stylish European way that is still not over the top. Beaver Creek is even closer and full of activities too – including an outdoor ice rink.

Westin Riverfront Suite, from Beavercreek.com

For families, there are all sorts of accommodations – from traditional rooms to one, two,a nd three bedroom suites.  Skiing is a lot of work when you bring kids, so if you can afford to be more comfortable in your room, that is a luxury.

The hotel is offering some specials right now – stay two nights get the third one free….www.westinriverfrontbeavercreek.com

But first, let’s pray for a good snow season. I remember when I lived in San Francisco, I would never get sad when it rained, because it meant snow in nearby Tahoe for a weekend trip. Let’s hope there is more snow than last year in all of our resorts!

 
Nov
27th		   Travel Tip Tuesday: This Is The Best Time To Visit An Amusement Park!
Leave a Comment Category: Amusement Parks, CA, Family Travel, florida, Holiday Travel, Travel, Walt DIsney World Tags: ,

Legoland, CA

Parents – If you’ve been wanting to take your kids to Disneyworld, Legoland, Universal Studios, or any of the other theme parks in our country, listen up: Now’s a fantastic time!

The end of November until Christmas, and then again in January are two of the best times to go.The crowds are much thinner than in the summer, which means shorter lines, and it’s not too hot.  Many of the theme parks opened new rides this summer, so even though you weren’t one of the first to experience them, you can ride them dozens of times now without the hour-long wait!

Added bonus: If you are one of those people who really get into the holiday spirit, many of the parks have special holiday activities.
All of the Florida parks – Universal Studios. Busch Gardens, Disneyworld, Sea World, etc have holiday festivities, as well as the major California parks.

http://themeparks.about.com/od/floridathemeparktrips/a/2011-Christmas-At-Orlando-Theme-Parks.htm

For some more tips, check out my video guide: (It may take 10 seconds to load)

Thrills and Chills – Sheknows.com from Tracy Gallagher on Vimeo.

 

 

 

 

 
Nov
06th		   Travel Tip Tuesday: Websites To Help Plan A Fabulous Family Vacation
Leave a Comment Category: Family Travel, Travel Tags:

When you travel with children, it’s a whole other ball game. You want to make it easy on you and … entertaining for them. One way to do this is to rent a house.

Sure, you won’t have some of convenient amenities that a hotel can provide… but you have more space, extra bathrooms, a kitchen so you don’ t have to spend more money on eating out and have access to something for them at all times. You can also find a house with maid service, since it IS your vacation too… and even a swimming pool and/or toys.

WIth the holidays quickly approaching, you may want to consider this option for your break. YOu can even find a big enough house to accommodate other family members.

Here are websites that provide some good options:

1) Tryportico.com: You need to become a member on this site for extra benefits. Rental properties are often tied to a hotel,and are in some of the most desirable locations… St Barts, Rome, Deer Valley, San Francisco to name a few. There are more than 50 locations – they say at below market prices.

The bummer is – you really have to use the service to make it worth it. There is a $2500 initiation fee to join – but one example of how much money you would save in the long run is: A four-bedroom Los Cabos home with housekeeping goes for $680 a night. These are mostly high-end properties and members have access to a vacation specialist.

From Flipkey.com

2) FlipKey.com – A division of TripAdvisor…MOre than 160,000 apartments, condos,and homes around the world. And in typical TripAdvisor style, you can read past guest reviews about each place.

From Homeaway.com

 

3) Homeaway.com – There are more than 325,000 properties around the world – from summer beach getaways, to cabins in the woods. WHen you book with Homeaway, you deal direclty with the property owners.

St Barts from Wimco.com

4) Wimco.com -This website offers top notch properties- luxury villa locations in Europe for example. There are more than 1500 locations available to you. The website will also organize something special you desire to make your trip that muchmore outstanding – a personal chef, yoga instruction, or babysitters.

Happy trip planning – :)

 

 
Oct
15th		   An Alaskan Adventure WIth Kids: Day 4
Leave a Comment Category: Adventure Travel, Alaska, Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Family Travel, Travel Tags: , , ,

My family’s trip to Alaska aboard the Disney Wonder was a blast for the kids.

Aboard the Disney Wonder

They felt a sense of independence being able to roam around the ship to kids’ clubs, or movie theaters, and loved it. By day 4, (all 3 prior days at sea with no excursions) they were pretty darn comfortable with that.

From Kingdommagictravel.com

There are actually four different kids’ clubs on the Disney Wonder- each catering to a specific age and need. From one end of the spectrum, there is one club for teens only – “Vibe” which is a cool hang out… to the other end of the spectrum  -  a club for younger children that offers babysitting.

Wave phones from mouseplanet.com

What made all of this easier- and is a great touch on the Disney cruise – are the “wave” phones that are in your stateroom.  We gave our kids one of the phones and could check in on them at any time.

Unfortunately, the phones don’t work off the ship – so on day 3 when we docked in Skagway, I was out of communicado with my kids. I had some work to do, and was taking a separate tour of Skagway..

So I saw my husband and children off while they took a scenic train ride on the historic White Pass Railway.

From Yukonadventures.com

Skagway was put on the map during the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. It was the entry point for prospectors trying to get to Canada for gold. Unfortunately, the White Pass railway was finished after the gold rush… but today tourist still enjoy it. Adults can take in the scenery from a vintage rail-car, while there are Disney Cruise Line Counselors helping keep the kids interested and entertained. Remember to bring your passports if you take this excursion because you enter Canada… not that you are checked, but if something should happen, you might need your passport to get home.

It is a great outing – I highly recommend trying an excursion if you want to see anything authentic about Alaska.

Skagway, Alaska

If you don’t take an excursion, but walk around the port towns, you will be visiting very touristy shops, and jewelry stores owned by many cruise lines. TIP: I know I’ve said this, but when budgeting for a cruise, before you book, see how much the excursions are. For example, the White Pass adventure is $169 for ages 10 and up. $99 for ages 5-9.

My outing was a bit different – I took the Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp and Salmon Bake, which was a charming recreation of a town during the gold rush. The town is named Liarsville for the stories told to journalists about the gold rush – the journalists never actually went to Klondike, so the truth was stretched as stories were told to reporters.

Liarsville Salmon Bake

On this excursion, visitors  pan for gold, then attend a salmon bake….wild Alaskan-caught salmon freshly grilled over a huge alder wood fire. Granted, this is staged for visitors,  but it was an attempt to educate visitors what it was like in the more than 100 years ago,  The scenery was pretty, and you did have an only in Alaska fresh meal! Definitely wear warm clothes: Even if it s a warm Alaska day (i.e. 60 degrees!) this area is the shade from a forest.

The good news about Skagway is that it is easy to find other things to do if you can’t book an excursion every day.

Within walking distance of the port, we took an incredible two hour hike up a mountain that led to a lake.

We enjoyed beautiful vistas and a well-marked trail. ** I highly recommend this for its easy access and non-touristy nature.

The thing I love most about travel is learning about how other people live…experiencing  a new culture. What’s interesting about Skagway is that the population is only about 900, but in the summer it swells to the thousands. Temporary residents spend summers here working during the tourist season. I met a couple who says it’s like “summer camp” for them. They never know if they’ll have a job when they go back to their “winter home.”  A lot of students also come to spend the summer working in a beautiful environment.

Coming up in a later blog post -Day 5: Hiking  a glorious glacier with the true Alaska spirit and grit.

disneycruise.disney.go.com/

 

 

 

 

 
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