Tauck Loves Families
Book by November 18 and get a $100 discount per person on any 2012 Tauck Bridges Family Adventure. For past Tauck clients, you also get two free nights at Tauck’s hotel before or after your trip when you take any 2012 Tauck Bridges journey! The trip and the hotel must be booked by December 30 and deposit must be paid upon booking. Tauck’s 86+ years of destination expertise brings Tauck Bridges guests exclusive access to memorable experiences and authentic cultural events. Children are actually welcome on all tours, but in 2012 Tauck is introducing Family Friendly Departures on three trips that come from their collection of Tauck land tours and cruises. While these trips are not Tauck Bridges trips, they include places and activities that will interest every member of the family. Check out their in-depth Civil War journey crafted with filmmaker Ken Burns – Most Hallowed Ground; a one-week Italy trip that includes the Tuscan and Umbrian countryside – A Week In… Rome, Umbria and Tuscany; and the popular France river cruise – French Waterways and Vineyards. Each trip has designated Family Friendly Departure dates. 
Family China Tour
Imperial Tours announced dates for their 2012 China Family Tour. This small group tour (5-16 people) with luxury hotel stays is available July 13-23 and covers Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai. 
The trip is terrific for families with kids between the ages of 6 to early teens. This trip is designed for parents who want their children to learn about the culture and China’s lightning speed development. There is no better way than to visit the country and have your children see, feel and taste it for themselves with an educational experience that is fun and engaging. There are countless opportunities for your children to mix and mingle with Chinese counterparts and compare & contrast backgrounds and points of view. The tour visits all the major highlights in each city and includes many unique experiences such as kite flying, a shadow puppet performance, opera face painting, dumpling making lessons, bamboo raft ride, acrobatics show and the Beijing Zoo.
New from Trafalgar
Trafalgar has introduced four new itineraries in its 2012 Family Experiences, activity-packed and designed specifically to meet your family travel needs. There are now 19 different itineraries available to amazing destinations around the world. 
The new itineraries are Sorrento & Sicily Surprise in Italy; Greek Island Hopper in Greece; Dude Ranchin’ Yellowstone & Glacier Roundup in the US; and Conquistadors, Sacred Valleys & Inca Mysteries in Peru. All of Trafalgar’s Family Experiences are designed with your family in mind, customized to captivate travelers of all ages, and feature special sightseeing selected to fit a family’s travel needs. For example, on their eight-day California Dreamin’ trip, families can enjoy a barbecue in Yosemite National Park, followed by eating s’mores around the campfire while listening to local folklore. Families on the 11-day Castles and Kilts trip can stay in a medieval-style castle for two nights and parents will revisit their Beatlemania youth on a day trip to Liverpool. Stays are in deluxe hotels, national park lodges and private game reserves while in Africa. For European Family Experiences, save up to $500 per person if you pay in full by December 1, for travel between April 1 and October 31, 2012. Passengers between the ages of 5 and 17 save 10 percent on any trip when traveling with an adult. Trafalgar also gives a reduction for triple- and quad-share rooms where available.
New Backroads Family Trips
Backroads is introducing four new biking and multi-sport adventures for families. We are always thrilled with new opportunities to explore the world with this quality tour operator. 
The trips offered are biking through Holland and Belgium with flat back roads and languid canals, cobblestone streets and windmills; hiking, biking and rafting in Banff and Yoho National Parks in the Canadian Rockies with certified Mountain Parks Heritage Interpreters and great wildlife; biking, snorkeling and hiking in the Galapagos and Andes Mountains in Ecuador while discovering ancient ruins, traditional villages, crafts, folkloric music and amazing wildlife and hiking, biking, rafting and horseback riding in Iceland with a variety of volcanoes, glaciers, icebergs and geyers.
London Olympics On Sale
Hotel and ticket packages as well as individual event tickets are now available for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The games will be held July 27 – August 12, 2012. Venues include the new Olympic Park, Wembley Stadium for soccer, the All-England Club in Wimbledon for tennis, the Lord’s Cricket Ground for archery and the Horse Guards Parade for beach volleyball . There will be competition in 26 different sports over 17 days at 34 different venues! We can create a variety of packages to meet your needs with tickets, accommodations, transportation, dining and sightseeing for a memorable Olympic experience.
New From Adventures by Disney
Adventures by Disney recently announced the addition of two new destinations to its portfolio of immersive family vacations—Greece and Northern France. 
The Greek Odyssey tour—which explores Athens, Santorini and Crete—brings Greek mythology to life with moonlight storytelling at the Parthenon and sporting games at the home of the modern-day Olympics, Panathinaiko Stadium. The adventure continues in Santorini where parents and little ones can participate in Greek grape stomping at a local winery. Then it’s off to Crete to enjoy a Tsatziki cheese-making lesson, along with plenty of Greek dancing. Departures are available May-August 2012. Families looking to experience the arts will enjoy Esprit de France tour, visiting Paris, Normandy and Loire Valley. On this journey, you can enjoy a drawing activity in Monet’s Gardens, a visit to Chateau du Clos—the last known residence of Leonardo Da Vinci—and a private dinner at the Louvre in Paris. Departures available in June, July and August 2012.
Bike Fairmont
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is rolling out a free bike loan program at more than 55 of its properties worldwide as part of a strong company-wide focus on health and wellness. 
It has teamed up with BMW Group to provide adult and child size bikes, helmets and locks at participating hotels. The hotel concierge can help you plan bike itineraries to take advantage of the hotel’s destination. Bike rentals are free to all guests, but people who belong to Fairmont’s free-to-join loyalty club get priority access. Other hotel chains that rent bikes include Element (a Starwood brand) and Park Hyatt at various locations.
Spanish Flair
Ritz Carlton’s Abama Resort on Tenerife in the Canary Islands has an ongoing Family Package starting at only 155 Euros/night (about $222). 
Your package includes a deluxe room, buffet breakfast, daily dinner, daily thermal water access in the spa, kids club, surprise gift for children and a second room for 30 percent off (with children up to age 12 and up to 3 children). The Abama offers rooms and villas, nine swimming pools, extensive tennis academy, 18 holes of golf with academy, a private beach and spa. It is located atop a cliff in Guía de Isora, on the western shore of the island and is an hour from the airport. Your family can explore this rugged and volcanic island by jeep, parasailing or bike; visit the medieval San Miguel Castle and enjoy a relaxing getaway.
Hogworts Halloween at Ashford
Ireland’s 700 year-old Ashford Castle is offering a Hogwarts Halloween Celebration based on Harry Potter’s magical world of witches and wizards. 
The castle’s secret rooms, hidden alcoves and mystical surroundings in secluded woodlands create an ideal setting for magicians in the making. Two of the Halloween packages that include many supervised activities for children are offered from October 28 through November 6. On certain dates, the program includes a Forbidden Forest treasure hunt for families; visit to the hiding place of Dingle, Ashford Castle’s resident owl; Chamber of Art painting class while on other night’s the program showcases a Hidden Garden treasure hunt for families; House Elves cooking class and Chamber of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A kids’ dinner with Harry Potter movie evening and George V Table d’Hote dinner for parents is included on all nights. The one-night package is priced at 495 euros (approximately $709) and the two-night package is priced at 950 euros (approximately $1,361). Both packages offer accommodation in a Deluxe Family Room and are based on two adults and two children under the age of 12. An additional charge of 85 euros (approximately $122) per night is applied for each additional child.
Gift from Brendan
Brendan Vacations is offering a $200 American Express gift card in tandem with a qualified booking of a Brendan Escorted Family Vacation when booking by August 31. 
Brendan’s family vacation programs have been carefully planned to include fun, multi-generational and kid-friendly activities that will entertain and educate children of all ages. Their trips are appropriate for parents traveling with children, grandparents traveling with grandchildren, or traveling with members of your extended family. Along with the exclusive gift card offer, Brendan Vacations offers ways for families to save: young travelers save 5 percent; families of five to eight save 5 percent each; share a room with three people and save; book two vacations and save 5 percent; or book three and save on two. Choose from 13 terrific trips throughout the US, Canada and Europe ranging for 8 to 14 days beginning at $1,550/adult land only.
