Tips for traveling with kids

Let’s get back to discussing tips for traveling with kids.

• First, you might want to consider boarding early. Yes, I know that will make your trip feel that much longer. But doing this will enable everyone to feel more settled in their places. It will be especially helpful if you do not have assigned seats.
• Everyone getting enough rest is essential for a nice, smooth trip. Consider getting a condo. If you are for sure staying in a hotel or resort, consider getting a suite or at least another room.
• Having free breakfast not only cuts down on costs, it also cuts down on stress. This is one meal you’ll know what you’ll be doing and won’t have to have any discussions about.
• I know a lot of people like to just go with the flow while they are on vacation, but some planning is a good idea when you’re traveling with children. You’ll want to try your best to work your children’s sleeping and eating schedules. Not messing with those will help keep everyone happy and on track.
• But you don’t want to overplan your trip, keeping everyone busier than usual.? Children love afternoons at the pool or movie nights.
• You will want to pack everything that you need, but you do not want to overpack. You don’t want to have more to carry than you have to. A lot of places are going to have washers and dryers that you can use.
• If you aren’t going to a resort that has a children’s program, consider bringing a babysitter. It isn’t going to cost that much extra. And vacations are the perfect times to get in some extra dates.

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MSC Cruises

I’ve decided that I like doing two things at once. Sure, writing about what I am learning about in this travel agent school seems to take me a little longer. But we are supposed to get the word out about the things we’re learning, and writing about the things I am learning does help. And since this school has many different courses, I should keep quite busy for a while.

Today we are going to look at the MSC Cruiseline. MSC stands for Mediterranean Shipping Company. MSC  strives for excellence in everything that they do, and has won a lot of awards for what they do.

• Where do these cruises go? Basically anywhere you would be interested in traveling to. They do Mexico and the Caribbean, they also do Europe and Asia. They also do an excellent South American cruise.
• Let’s take a closer look at some of what they have to offer. When it comes to food, their specialty is Italian. They have a lot of great pasta dishes. You will be able to get a great pizza any time that you’d like. But Italian isn’t the only cuisine that they have. They have a famous Asian chef that is over their Asian restaurants. And of course, they have a pas chef to make sure your sweet tooth is satisfied.
• MSC has partnered with LEGO to bring children and their families experiences they will never forget. They will have all the supplies that you will need for your baby and toddler that you will need.
• MSC also understands your need to keep up with your fitness program while on board. They will help you create the right exercise program while you are on board. They will also help you come up with healthy menus.

I would love to know your thoughts on any of this..

Okay, I know there are ways to book trips on the internet. So why would you need a travel agent? Let’s look at some times you might want to use a travel agent.

 

• Travel agents are great when you and your extended family are going on a trip together. You have a lot of people, some people may have special needs to figure out..People may need to come and go on different days. There are just a lot of details to figure out.
• You might want to book through a travel agent if you are going to a place you’ve never been. You may have a lot of time to do the necessary research. A travel agent can help you to set everything up. We can figure out your complete itinerary.
• And when you’re planning your honeymoon, you probably want to go through a travel agent. You have a thousand other things you need to plan. And this is a special trip you is really do not to mess up. Let a travel agent handle all the details .

Movie places

I am going to try to do this, and hopefully I’ll do a better job than I did yesterday.. I’m still doing a lot of experimenting and figuring things out as I go along… x

I think a lot of us like to watch movies when we want to relax. But have you ever wanted to go to the places where specific movies were made? Let’s look at a couple of these today.

• Do you have any Indiana Jones fans in your did you family? You might want to visit Petra, Jordan where these films were made. This has become a popular destination since the films were made.
• Slovenia might be small, but it is where Narnia was made. If I am remembering right, the place has some absolutely gorgeous spots.

Planning the perfect girls’ trip #2

Let’s get back to discussing how to plan a great girls’ trip. I have several things I’d like to look into more today, but feel like I need to do the normal things first and just see how the rest of the day goes. Let’s pick up where we left off.

• Some friends don’t need much except to have a place to gather and some nice food to enjoy themselves. Other groups will want to go to some of the more exotic locations. If your group is trying to start their annual trips together, it might be wise to have a gathering and discuss what everyone is thinking as far as overall budget. Is it going to be easier to gather in each other homes, or do people want to mark places off of their bucket lists? One of you might want  to play hostess more often than the others to cut down on her costs. You can find solutions that work best for your group.
• If one person is planning the whole thing, this lady will want to give some clues. You might want to get creative with the e-mails you send your group. Some people will go a step farther and send cute little packages to give hints. Groups who are going go somewhere exotic will usually meet at one member’s house, and then they do the reveal at the airport.
• This is a girls’ trip, so you are going want to have comfortable places where ere you can sit and gab. You might want to have one more than one place like this in case your group wants to split up for whatever reason.
• But as much as girls like to just sit and talk, you will want to have a few activities planned. Especially if you are going somewhere you’ve never been, you’ll want to get out and enjoy some of the sights. The planner should have a pretty good idea of the things your group likes to do.

Have you done anything like this? I would love to hear about it.

Go play in your favorite video game

[Disclaimer : I have never been into video games. I have never enjoyed playing those type games. I hardly know anything about any of those games. I’m just going to tell you what this article says.]

I may not know much about these games, but I know they are pretty popular. I know some children, and adults, absolutely love these games. If they aren’t playing them, they’re thinking about playing these things. So let’s look at some places you can play these games in RL [for those that don’t know, RL is real life].

• The first one is, of course, Mario Brothers. I do remember sitting and watching people playing these games. Who doesn’t dream of getting into these games? The closest thing you can get to this is in Tokyo.
• There is always Pokemon Go. And I know that you can play that anywhere. The cool thing about this game is that you have to play it outside.
• In l Las Vegas you can play Any Resident Evil. There you can play zombies to your heart’s content
• .And now I have good news and bad news good news is that  Nintendo is building its own amusement park. The bad news is that it will not be ready until 2020.

Flying standby

There is so much to learn and figure out when you are in the travel business. One person can not learn everything.. Today let’s look into what what it means to fly standby.

Flying standby is a good way to fly if you don’t especially care when you leave or come back. It’s usually the least expensive way to fly, you’ll usually pay around twenty-five dollars, but you are not guaranteed a seat. So if you think that flying standby would be a good fit for you, here’s what you should do.

• Firs, you will want to see which airlines have this option available . You will want to read up your chosen airline’s policies to make sure that you, and they, play by the rules.
• A lot of times they’ll want you to purchase a normal ticket. Sometimes you can get away with a friend flying. Again, you will want to know the specific policies.
• Another thing that would be good to remember is that you do not want to have checked luggage. They’ll more likely to take you if you don’t. You’re allowed one carry on and purse in most situations. The day before or the flight, you will want to look at the airline’s website to get the latest info on the flight. You will not want to check Expedia or Priceline, they are not going to have the latest information.
• You are going to want to get there at least two hours in advance. You will want to go to the ticketing agent, and let them know that you’re interested in flying standby.
• Next you will want to proceed through security and all that. Be sure to let the people at the gate know that you want to fly standby.
• At the time of the flight, the gate people will be able to let you know whether you’ve made it on.

I would love to know your thoughts  about any of this.

Spring destinations

here do you want to go for spring break? And it is not too early to start looking at what you might want to do for your summer vacation. Let’s look at some destinations.

• We are going to start with Martha’s vineyard in Massachusetts. This is a very popular destination spot during the summer months, but in spring it is fairly quiet. You will want to look at their lighthouse, and they also have a great carousel. You will also find some great chowder.
• Okay, so what is there to do in Michigan? Everyone is thawing out up there after the the long winter, and Traverse City is the place that everyone wants to be. They have a lot of trails where people can hike. They also have some nice wineries.
• In Minnesota, it is possible to get snow in the early days of spring. That may appeal to some of us who live in the South. The city of Duluth has the Aerial Lift Bridge, which is our country’s first transporter bridge. You will also find some nice parks to enjoy great outdoors.

Spring break destinations

We are not even halfway through the States. And I haven’t decided whether we are going to go through all fifty. We’ll see what happens.

• Today we are going to start with Kentucky. And here we’ll be looking at Lexington. Do you have any children that absolutely love horses? This is horse country for sure. You’ll want to go to Kentucky Horse Farm. You can take horse-drawn carriage rides. You might want to stay at the 21c Museum Hotel Lexington which is a hotel inside an art museum.
• Lake Charles, Louisiana is another underrated destination. They have several casinos for those that like to play.. They also have some great places to eat.
• Portland, Maine is an up and coming destination. They have some great festivals here, such as the Maine Restaurant Week which is the first part of March. It looks like it will be going on almost two weeks. You will find some great bed and breakfasts as well as some nice restaurants.
• Are your kids begging for a beach vacation, but you parents don’t want to be in all of the crowds? You might want to try Ocean City which is in Maryland. Springtime sees few crowds which also means that you’ll find some incredible prices on your accommodations.

More destinations

Let’s get back to our discussion of some great destinations for spring break. If you would like me to help you plan a trip, I would be more than happy to help you. Please let me know at familytripsinc1@gmail.com.

 

• Our first state we are going to look at today is Illinois. Okay, in Illinois you would think that I would be talking about Chicago with all there is to do and see there, all the museums, their zoo, as well as all the amazing food to be had there. But instead we are going to talk about Peroia. You will love Peroia if you have a keen interest in trains. They have a train station there. They also have some amazing restaurants.
• If you think you might like to do more than one city in one trip, you might want to try to visit Peroia and then this fair city of Fort Wayne, which is in Indiana. These cities are about five hours apart. This is the burial place of the famous Johnny Appleseed, they have turned this place into a nice park. They also have a great children’s zoo. This city happens to be close to Chicago.
• Do you and your family just love reading and watching movies about the Wild West? You will love visiting Dodge City, Kansas. They have a lot of interesting old buildings. Your family will also love all the cowboy statues they have around the city. Something parents might love even more is that this city is pretty budget friendly.

 

More spring break destinations

 

Have you deciding where you want to go on spring break this year? We are going to take a look at some more options for you.

• And speaking of options, when it comes to spring break, Florida has a lot of options for you. There is Tampa, orlando, and do not forget Panama City Beach. But today we are going to look at the Destin/Emerald Coast area. This is your typical beach area. Emerald Coast is farther from the beach. You are going to find a lot of cute little shops and some nice restaurants. Destin has more of the glitz and glamour. They have the amusement park rides and the big shopping centers.
• While we usually think of beaches as for the young, or the young at heart, Savannah, Georgia seems to be for the more mature. You are going to find beautiful weather here in late March and April. You will also love their huge selection of restaurants where you can find everything from comfort food to barbecue or seafood.
• And now we come to Hawaii, and the city we are going to look at here is Kailua. This is Hawaii, you are going to find some amazing beaches. This city is near honolulu, so you can go enjoy all the action you want and return to the peaceful town at night.
• Idaho has this great town called Sun valley. This is a ski reesort town, but in the spring time it is pretty quiet. This is a great place to camp. Or you might want to stay in a tree house or yacht.

More destinations for spring break

It’s that time of year again. You’re trying to figure out what to do with you’re children when they have their spring. Should you get them a babysitter? Should you ask your parents to come watch them? Why not take sometime off of work and take a family vacation? Don’t know where to go? Keep reading.

• Laguna Beach, California is not just for the rich and famous. Not only are you going to find some beautiful beaches, you will also find some fantastic art galleries. Those who enjoy snorkeling will want to get to Shaw’s Cove. And this place will be able to accommodate you no matter your budget.
• Are you looking for a great place to hike and bike? Sounds like you might want to check out Crested Butte, Colorado. The mountains are absolutely beautiful. And there is a great restaurant named Crested Butte Burger Company which will serve 100% Angus beef hamburgers and french fries made from Colorado potatoes.
• Does your family love art, history and culture? Are you big fans of Mark Twain? Visit Hartford, Connecticut. They have twain’s house and a museum about him. You are going to be able to enjoy getting up close and personal with farm animals. And just bask in the glory of spring.
• Do you live in Delaware and want to go somewhere nearby. Vacation in Rehoboth Beach. This sounds like a charming town, full of shops and restaurants. They have a state park which offers a lot of outdoors fun.

Suggestions for spring break

I know that it is still pretty early in February, but it is not too early to think about and start planning your spring break vacation. This coming week we are going to take a look at places you might want to go right here within our great United States.

• Today we are going to start with Gulf Shores which is in Alabama. I’m not sure how this might coincide with your school’s spring break, but this city has a great music festival on their beautiful beaches in the middle of May.
• Have you ever been to Alaska? You might like to visit Anchorage which is their largest city. While there is plenty to see and do in this city, especially in the way of cultural events, you will also be close to the Alaskan wilderness. And not only is their wilderness breathtaking, you will be able to see a lot of animals as well.
• Is your dream trip taking part in water sports during the day and relaxing on the boat in the evening? If this is your ideal, try Lake Havasu City in Arizona. This is also a beautiful city to visit in general.
• I don’t know about you, but I love hot baths. Going somewhere with natural hot springs? I think I would love that too. If this is something you think you might enjoy as well, go to Hot Springs, Arkansas. This makes the perfect spa vacation.

Why cruise?

Yesterday we were talking about why we Americans are traveling these days.. We talk about cruising a lot this blog. But today let’s start taking a look at why people cruise.

• Okay, yeah, in the olden days, cruises were all about over indulgence. Cruise ships had all of these buffets, and part of what “getting your money’s worth” meant was eating until you were sick. And while you can still do that, cruises are likely to always have buffets, cruises look at popular trends that are taking place. They know that staying fit is important to a lot of us. They are going to have healthy alternatives, and a lot of them are going to cater to special diets like gluten-free. Ships are also going to have fitness centers where you can work out. They will also have personal trainers that will be available for you.
• Do you and your kids love being other places, but hate the actual travel itself? That is another beautiful thing about cruises. You can be on your ship, enjoying yourselves in any number of ways, while the ship takes you to your destinations. This way you will not be stuck in cramped quarters while you go from here to there. Most ships travel by night which is an added bonus.
• On cruises you will usually go to several destinations on the same trip. But you will be staying in the same room your whole trip. Put your clothes away where you want them, and they’ll stay there your whole trip.

Why we Americans travel

Okay, we’re always talking about travel on this blog. And we’ve talked about how many of us Americans do not travel. Or maybe I should say that many Americans are not taking long trips, because they don’t want to leave their jobs only to come back and find that their boss has decided that they are no longer necessary. But today, let’s look at some reasons why Americans do travel.

• First of all, we want to have some great experiences to tell about. Maybe we want some new story to share around the Sunday dinner table. Or maybe we want some new material for water cooler discussions.
• We also want to impress people with the places we’ve been. We may even want to make them a friends a little jealous as they scroll through our Facebook or Instagram posts.
• We may even decides to go somewhere because someone we know has been to that place, and we really like what we see. We want to see our faces in those places.
• We also want our share of adventure. A lot of us are even willing to take some risks in order to achieve that.

Destinations

I would love to help you plan your next trip. So please let me know if somewhere I’m talking about catches your eye.

• The first place we are going to at today is Montego Bay which is in Jamaica. Not only does this place have some great resorts, you will also be close to both Ochos Rios and Negril. All three places have gorgeous beaches. You will also be near Dunn’s River’s Falls.
• I am a Christian and know Islam to be a false religion. But I do have friends who have studied Islam in order to witness to Muslims. I’ve said all that to say that Doha might be a fascinating place for someone interested in that culture. They have the Museum of Islamic Art which is built on its own island. You may also want to watch their train horses.
• I know that a lot of cruises make stops in Nassau. But what is there to do? First, there are some of the most beautiful beaches you’ve ever seen. They have a fascinating conservation program you might want to take a look at. And they also have some great nightclubs for your evening’s entertainment.
• Are you interested in the Apartheid? You should check out Johannesburg. Mandela’s house is a must, and so is the Apartheid’s museum. They also have some fantastic zooes, hello, this is Africa. And they have some great dining options as well.

 

More destinations

I have some ideas I want to work on for the business. I can’t say they’re really new ideas, but I think I have some time to work on them coming up. But first, to make sure that this gets done. Let’s get back to our discussion of different destinations you might want to consider.

• And today let’s start with Lima, Peru. This is an old city that is brimming with art and culture and you will want to explore that. You may also want to enjoy surfing and paragliding on their beautiful sea. Oh of course, they also have some excellent cuisine that you will want to try.
• There is no question that Mexico has some wonderful resorts, especially on some of their beautiful beaches. But have you tried Mexico City itself? I hear that one of the best parts of this city is the people. There is also plenty to see and do here.
• We may not think of Africa as a hip destination, but it is becoming more and more popular. People are loving doing these safari trips. And if you go to Nairobi, you can do safari trips during the day, and then maybe you’ll want to do some shopping or check out some of their nightlife. You might also want to check out their rugby and their theater.
• Have you ever heard of Zadar? This is a city on the coast of Croatia. This is one of the absolute most beautiful cities in the world. It is also a very old city. The country of Jordan is is one of the safest places in the Middle East.
• And the city of Ammon will make you want to extend your trip, especially if you are a foodie. They have fantastic food and coffee.
• Or you might want to go to Korea. If that’s your dream destination, you might want to consider Seoul. They have a great palace, I’m not even going to try to spell the name. You will also want to visit Namdaemun Market which has everything you can imagine and more.