Viva Espana

For many of our families, Italy is their first Mediterranean experience. Everyone loves and is already familiar with the food and wine, culture and history. When you want to experience more of the Med…we recommend Spain. This country’s highlights are very similar to Italy with its great weather, excellent food and wine, art, culture, Jewish history, diverse cities and sordid history. For a first trip, Barcelona and Madrid is ideal in a week to 10 days with time for nearby day trips to places like Girona, Toledo and Segovia. Just three hours by train divides these two very different cities with varied histories, culture and even language. Barcelona, the seaport capital of Catalan, mixes the classic with the modern with an emphasis on all things Gaudi architecture, the Olympics, beaches, etc. Madrid, the capital of Spain and located in-land, showcases monumental architecture, a royal palace and some of the world’s best art museums. Our families are also enamored by the Andalusia region in the south with 500 miles of coastline, white-washed villages, forests and the area’s Moorish influences. Not as easy to get around the mountainous terrain, but highlights include Sevilla, Granada for the Alhambra, Gibraltar and the beach towns in and around Marbella. For more details check out https://www.spain.info/en/.

The Kiwi Experience

New Zealand also makes our list as one of the most beautiful places on earth. Two separate islands (plus many smaller ones) with varied biodiversity and plenty of coastline make up this island nation. The country is best known for its adrenaline packed activities like bungy jumping, luging, Zorbing (rolling down a hill inside an orb), skydiving, paragliding, white-water rafting, and jet boating. But you don’t have to be an extreme athlete to enjoy New Zealand. There are just as many ways to be laid-back and indulgent: take in the wealth of Polynesian and Maori culture that forms the backbone of an increasingly multicultural society, explore the filming locations of The Hobbit and Game of Thrones, hike through glowworm caves, experience life of a working sheep farm (there are more sheep than people here!), soak in the geothermal hot springs, tour top wineries or check out the strong historic and architectural reminders of a colonial past. The North and South Islands are both easy to explore on your own by car or RV with a customized itinerary from The Family Traveler.  There is a ferry service between the islands or inexpensive flights to get around.  Families can also choose a group tour (many with active adventures included) or a cruise that sails around most of the country.  For more details check out https://www.newzealand.com/int/.

Carbon Offsets from Intrepid

In January, Intrepid Travel launched a partnership with Offset Earth, a subscription service that not only offsets carbon emissions by funding CO2 reduction projects, but also plants trees with nonprofit organization Eden Reforestation Projects. Intrepid will match subscribers tree for tree, thus doubling their offset contribution, and the trees will be planted in Kenya’s Kijabe Forest.  This initiative is another example of Intrepid’s “climate positive” business model. It not only offsets its carbon output, but also removes additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Australia-based company offers small group and responsible travel tours (including Family Adventures) to destinations around the world.

Six Senses in Israel

The wellness resort chain, Six Senses, is coming to Israel hopefully this fall. This luxury resort will be located in the Negev Desert just 45-minutes north of Eilat or 3 ½ hours south of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Six Senses Shaharut will be constructed in an environmentally friendly way to blend into the surrounding landscape. The design takes its inspiration from the nomadic Nabataeans, who inhabited the area more than two millennia ago. The 60 suites and spacious villas with up to 3-bedrooms will also reflect this local style and afford amazing Arava Desert views. Of course the spa will be a highlight with locally inspired treatments and a myriad of wellness programs. Your family will also enjoy local community visits, hikes, camel treks, stargazing workshops, mountain climbing, mountain biking, dune walking, overnight camping and more. There will also be a supervised children’s program, indoor and outdoor pools, several dining options, an open-air amphitheater, camel stables and the unique Earth Lab where your family can learn about sustainability and the local environment.

Luxury and All-Inclusive in Greece and Spain

Ikos Resorts, located on several Greek islands and newly opened in the Costa del Sol in Spain, is rewarding early bookers with up to 20% off, your first child free (age 11 and under) and complimentary airport transfers when you book five nights or more. These five luxury all-inclusive resorts have a unique dining program with sit down restaurants for all three meals with menus curated by Michelin starred chefs, 24-hour room service and a Dine Out Service allowing you to eat at select, local restaurants outside the resort. The beachfront resorts also offer children and teen programs for ages 4 to 17, heated pools, watersports, tennis, bike rentals, gym, evening entertainment and the MINI Drive Adventure; a complimentary MINI car to drive around for a full day allowing your family to explore on your own.

The Edge of the Sahara

Star Wars film buffs can travel to the film locations of several Star Wars movies with a combined resort stay at the new Anantara Tozeur Resort. The luxury resort opened this past December in Tunisia and sits on the edge of the Sahara Desert.  Experience their Tatooine Journey package to the city of Tataouine — the two are spelled slightly differently, but the fictional planet of Tatooine took its name from the real city — located a few hours from the resort. On route, drive through the landscapes of Ong Jemel, which translates to “the neck of the camel” in Tunisian and which served as the setting for scenes from Episode One. Also visit the Mides Canyon, seen in the original trilogy, followed by refreshments in the village of Chebika and a stop into the Chott el Djerid, the largest salt lake in the Sahara Desert, a location from the original trilogy. Your children can don a cape and laser sword at the nearby film set for a fun photo shoot. At the resort, your family can enjoy several dining options including a Berber desert dining experience, spa, supervised children’s program, tennis, gym with yoga studio, cooking classes, pools, cultural activities and more!  The resort showcases 93 rooms and villas with up to 3 bedrooms.  Perfect for large family groups.

Take Off with Tauck

For select trips to Europe, Tauck (including the family tours from Tauck Bridges) is selling super low airfares from select US gateways when booking a new 2020 trip departing between March 1-August 31. Bookings must be made by February 29.  Fares are only $790/person in economy class, $1,690/person in premium economy (where available) and $2,990/person for business class! Tickets are also refundable up to 60 days prior to departure and do not have to be paid in advance. Choose from land and river cruise tours for families throughout Europe. Book now for the best availability!  Their popular tours sell out well in advance.

Family Retreats

&Breathe is a British based travel company meeting the needs of parents who overextend…you know who you are!  They focus on caring for the needs of new parents, families with toddlers, menopausal women and even multi-generational families.  Their retreats take place at luxury resorts in England, France, Portugal and Morocco and coming soon to the US!  They can also create custom trips with your family’s needs in mind.  The program is based around fitness, food and relaxation and includes stress reducing activities and stress management skills taught by experts in their field. 

More Family Bike Tours from Duvine

Duvine has added several new, private and unique family bike trips for the summer of 2020:

Provence Family Bike + Adventure Tour: This 4-day tour for all ages includes countryside biking along with a canoe ride down the Sorgue River, exploring the ochre caves and quarries of Gargas, ziplining and five star hotel stays.  Combine with a few days in Paris or the French Riviera for an awesome French experience.

Greece Family Yacht + Bike Tour: This 8-day tour include a week-long and private gulet sail that departs from Bodrum, Turkey and includes a mix of activities such as biking, kayaking, sponge diving, swimming and hiking along with cooking classes, historical sites and more!

Family Friendly Norway

The Frozen 2 movie has renewed interest in vacations to Norway.  Up Norway is offering two exciting itineraries (for 8 or 9 nights) to experience both Norwegian culture and cast of characters that inspired the films. These are not journeys for those looking for glitzy Disney entertainment, but an experience for families in search of the magic of everyday life.  Your family will travel from the heart of Norway filled with rich cultural experiences to the True North at the uppermost tip of the country, where snowy adventures with magical animals and people await. Experience Norwegian-style luxury, authentic Sami culture, and epic winter activities that will turn the Frozen dream into reality.  Some of the activities include snow shoeing, skiing, horse and sled ride, reindeer lasso throwing, cooking classes, cave hike, dog sledding, glacier boat rides and more as you explore both the Arctic Circle and fjords by train, plane and boat.