Thomson Discounts
Thomson Family Adventures encourages you to book early for 2012 by offering up to $500/person off their exciting tours. 
Just book and deposit by May 31. 2012 travel dates will be announced over the summer; so you will have until August 31 to fully commit to your adventure. If dates don’t match your needs, the deposit is fully refundable. Example of discounts include $500/person off a Tanzania Safari, $300/person off Galapagos and Ecuador and $200/person off Costa Rica. Also choose from trips to Alaska, Turkey, China, Thailand, Morocco, Mexico, Belize, Egypt, Panama, Portugal and Peru. Booking early will also allow us to grab the best airfare and flight times saving you even more.
Four Seasons in France
The Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche is unveiling a brand-new Kids for All Seasons center along with a first-ever partnership with LEGO. The complimentary kids program is designed for children ages 2-12 and is open daily from May to September and during school holidays. There are two state-of-the-art LEGO play rooms for ages 2-5 and another for ages 6-12. 
The new kids club activities are distinctively Provencal, including painting ceramic tiles, botanical tours to pick lavender and rosemary, petanque lessons and more. Teens also have their own lounge and special teen programs for tennis, canoeing, hiking and horseback riding. Families will also love the brand-new interactive pool, essentially a giant playground in the water. Spa, gym, golf school and tennis are also available. Within a few minutes of the resort, your family can explore three hilltop medieval villages, visit the famous Fragonard perfume factory in Grasse, take cooking classes, visit local vineyards and markets along with hiking, white water rafting and canyoning. The beautiful Cote d’Azur is only 30 minutes away. The resort offers an array of spacious accommodations for families including rooms, suites and 1-3 bedroom villas.
Take Off With Tauck
Tauck Bridges is offering a new Take Off With Tauck air program with a flat rate of $1,090/person in coach and $2,990/person in business class to Europe from select US gateways. The special airfare is valid for trip departures from April 1-August 31 and must be booked by March 31. Tauck offers amazing family trips to Italy, Switzerland, London/Paris and a riverboat trip on the Danube. Airfare is fully refundable until 60 days prior to departure and full payment is not due at the time of booking. Prices include all taxes and fuel surcharges. Take advantage of this terrific summer airfare to Europe.
Free Room in Fiji
From April 1, 2011-March 31, 2012, your family will receive a free interconnecting room when you book a one bedroom Ocean Breeze Suite at the Outrigger on the Lagoon in Fiji. The suite includes Talai Butler service which offers complimentary arrival drinks, champagne and canapés delivered to your room every afternoon, unpacking and pressing clothing and more. In additional two children 12 and under eat for free off the kids menu and buffet. A 4 night consecutive stay is required. The deluxe resort showcases complimentary non-motorized water sports, daily cultural activities, spa, gym, kids club (for ages 3-12), nanny services and the largest pool in the South Pacific.
New Tauck Bridges
Four new and exciting adventures in Switzerland, New York, Italy and Egypt have been added to the Tauck Bridges portfolio. The 8-day Alpine Adventure provides amazing vistas with a ride on The Glacier Express, mountain biking in the alps, whitewater rafting and more. With The Sweet Life: Rome & Sorrento, explore two unique Italian destinations in more depth for 7-days that includes the secrets of Rome’s catacombs, an after-hours visit to the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel without the crowds, cruising along the Amalfi Coast, pizza making and Pompeii. New York: Family Fun in the Big Apple offers a fun 6-day tour with Ellis Island, behind the scenes Broadway experience and show, the Hayden Planetarium, Chinatown, etc. Or perhaps your family would enjoy a 12-day Egypt: Jewels Along the Nile tour with the Pyramids, 4-night Nile river cruise, camel rides, Alexandria’s catacombs and more? All tours are perfect for families with children ages 8 and older, grandparents traveling with grandchildren or multi-generations traveling together. Space is filling quickly! For 85 years, Tauck has been offering top class tours where virtually everything is included such as accommodations, sightseeing, activities, admission fees, most meals, tips and the service of highly trained Tauck Directors.
Spring Break in Provence
From April 17-22 and April 25-29, the boutique Hotel Crillon le Brave in Provence, France is offering a five-night family package priced from 2,290 euros ($3,065) for a family of four in a two-bedroom junior suite. The hotel, part of the Relais & Chateau group, consists of seven restored stone houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, which are linked by bridges, cobblestone walkways and hidden courtyards. Your children will be well entertained with French lessons and games; making chocolate mousse, crêpes and rice pudding; seeing how baguettes and croissants are made at a local boulangerie; how olive oil is bottled at a nearby mill; and participate in a treasure hunt in the village of Crillon le Brave. Parents can also partake in vacation-friendly French lessons; drink wines from the Rhône Valley paired with regional cheeses; and enjoy the hotel’s open-air spa. Together, your family can experience an authentic Provencal BBQ and participate in a petanque competition (one of Europe’s most popular outdoor games); have a pizza and movie night with soda for the kids and wine for the adults; and play tennis on the nearby court or bicycle through the historic cobblestone streets. There’s also kayaking on the Sorgue River, horseback riding around Mont Ventoux and golf for tres bien French getaway!
New Austin Lehman Tour
Adventure tour operator Austin Lehman is adding a new and exciting family tour to Southern Africa for 2011. Travel to Botswana, Namibia and Zambia for a truly amazing safari experience. Your family will travel by foot, truck, mountain bike, macoro and houseboat on this 9-day tour where you will witness a variety of wildlife, wilderness and Victoria Falls, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the World. Unique experiences include meeting teachers and children at a local school, fishing for legendary tiger fish, houseboat rides on the Zambezi and Chobe rivers and game drives in Chobe National Park. Also saddle up for a ride on a mountain bike donated by Austin Lehman after a visit with friends at Bicycles for Humanity in Ngoma, a charity dedicated to the goal of providing development and mobility for African communities.
A Green Queen
Experience a Green Christmas Package at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel with rates starting at only $159 per night for a room and $209 for a junior suite. This earth-friendly offer is made in conjunction with the Biosphere’s Green Christmas Exhibition where you can learn 1001 tips to make your holiday more eco-friendly and purchase eco-friendly gifts. Access to the exhibit is included in your rate along with a public transportation pass. Children will also receive a special holiday gift from the hotel. The package is available Fridays and Saturdays from December 3-16 and daily from December 17, 2010-January 9, 2011. Also available is the All I Want for the Holidays package with room-only starting at $139 per night and $189 per night for a junior suite during week-ends from November 5-December 19 and daily from December 20-January 2. Black out dates apply. These rates are in Canadian dollars which is nearly identical to the US dollar! This historic hotel showcases an indoor pool, spa, gym and several dining options.
New For Backroads
Backroads let us know that resting, on their laurels or otherwise, isn’t something that comes easy to them. So their trip planners are passionate about finding new destinations for you to explore! Their 2011 lineup showcases a collection of their all-time best itineraries that many of you have greatly enjoyed plus new family trips in Italy, France, Greece, Ireland and here in the U.S. Some of the new and exciting European trips your family can experience include Ancient Civilizations & Mediterranean Sensations on Sicily, Italy; Off the Beaten Path & Back in Time in the Dordogne River Valley in France, The Mythical Magic of Crete in Greece and Ireland: Through Cork & Kerry. Trips include a variety of historical sites, gorgeous scenery, child-friendly activities, other active pursuits such a canoeing, spelunking and a ropes course with a variety of accommodation options.
Warwick Celebration
Warwick Hotels is celebrating its 30th anniversary with special rates on suites with their Warwick Irresistible Suites promotion through December 30. Currently there are Warwick Hotels in 38 different destinations around the world (26 are in Europe with the rest in the US, South Pacific, Asia and Africa). In the U.S., we have had very good success with their hotels in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. Decor is generally Old World European charm. Rates vary depending on the day of the week and minimum requirements may apply to certain hotels.
