Travel Tip: How to Get Better Sleep on a Plane

1. Avoid staring at a screen.  The bluish hue can mess with your body’s nature sleep hormones.  Reading a book is one of the best possible rituals you can do to fall asleep.

Trip Review: The Valenci’s California Adventure

Mindy’s family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens ages 18 and 16) traveled to Carmel Valley and San Francisco this month for a fun and relaxing family getaway.  Their first stop was the Carmel Valley Ranch, an upscale resort that sits at the base on the Santa Lucia Mountains.  Activities at the ranch include golf, tennis, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, organic garden, learning about honey bees, equestrian center, spa, mountain-top yoga, pools and daily activities such as geocaching and s’more making.  Their huge suite had a separate living area with sofa bed.  They enjoyed exploring the seaside towns of Carmel-by-the Sea, Monterey and Pacific Grove which offered plenty of great dining options, shops and place to watch beautiful sunsets.  One day was spent visiting Big Sur, the second most visited tourist attraction in the US (after Times Square) and where the mountains meet the sea. There are plenty of spots to pull over for undeniably beautiful photos.  A stop at Julia Pfeiffer State Park included a hike.  After two nights, they moved onto San Francisco with a stay in a one bedroom suite at the Hotel Monaco (with separate living room with sofabed and rollaway). This small, boutique hotel offers attentive service, nightly wine receptions and complimentary coffee and tea each morning.  The staff was friendly and helpful– quickly learning their names and lending to the “homey” feel of the hotel.   As a Kimpton Karma member (free membership) they got coupons for their minibar, a free movie and free internet.  Day one in the city included a small group highlight tour which featured the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Chinatown, the Haight, Twin Peaks, the Presidio, Embarcadero, Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghiardelli Square.  They learned about the history of the city and about local politics, sports, culture, architecture and life style unique to San Francisco. The tour proved to be a great orientation of the city and to figure out which neighborhoods to further explore.  Day two included a walking tour of Chinatown, home to the 2^nd largest Asian population in the country.  They learned how and when the Chinese arrived in San Francisco and how they live today.  The tour was led by Linda Lee, a second generation Chinese American who was born and raised in the neighborhood.  Linda was a pleasure and delight to walk with and her sense of humor added to the experience.  They learned about Chinese medicine (herbs and other natural healing elements), religion, language (an incredible variety of dialects are spoken) culture, art, and food.  They even toured a small factory where fortune cookies are still made. A dim sum lunch was the perfect ending to this tour.  The Valenci’s also biked over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, explored various neighborhoods, visited family and friends and enjoyed a comedy show.  Overall a great trip!

Travel Tip: On the Road

Travel Age West magazine reminds us that the great American road trip is a time-honored tradition that many families will embark on this summer. Here are some tips to make the most of the experience:

Only Pack the Essentials
You might assume that you need to bring a myriad gadgets and supplies with you on a road trip, but you don’t need to bring as much as they think.  For example, contact hotels in advance along your route. Many have cribs available — and that means more space in the trunk for other goodies.

If your destination is a theme park, think about ditching your stroller since many parks offer rentals. Also, be sure to check the weather so that heavy jackets and clunky boots aren’t carried along unnecessarily.

Be Strategic About Toys and Snacks
Car activities and snacks can make or break a family journey. Consider checking out audio books from the library for the kids — or, if they have their own headphones and MP3 players, the parents can take this opportunity to listen to a book or podcast of their choosing in the front seat.

Activity books that include word jumbles, mazes, crossword puzzles and Sudoku can also be effective entertainment options. Of course, digital tablets loaded with movies and games work as well. Don’t forget to bring along requisite power cords and a car USB adapter — you could have a mutiny on your hands once the devices run out of juice.

Pack snacks that have protein, as they will keep the group feeling full for longer such as cheese sticks, protein bars and different types of nuts.

On certain stretches of highway, fast-food eateries are often your only option, so grab fresh fruit and pre-cut vegetables from home so you can get a few vitamins into the kids. Cucumber slices and apples can stay fresh in a small cooler at the kids’ feet.

Rest Stops Are More Than a Necessity
Every seasoned traveler knows that rest stops are stress-free spots to change diapers and have a quick picnic lunch, but they can also be a soccer field or a playground for kids who have been cooped up for far too long in the car. Always pack a ball or other playground toys on longer road trips so that the kids can run off some energy. If you have toddlers, playing tag is another way to wear out little legs.

If you don’t want to spend much time at highway rest stops, create one of your own in the towns you pass. Do a little research in advance and scope out places for lunch or local parks.

Have a Plan (But Be Open to Change)
Almost every adventure needs some sort of structure to begin with, but you always need to leave a little wriggle room for spontaneity. After all, kids can be unpredictable.

Trip Review-A Moroccan Adventure

The Gastwirth Family (one adult and one teen age 16) traveled to Morocco during spring break for an exciting adventure.  The Family Traveler created a custom trip based on their interests, time and budget requests.  The trip began in Marrakesh with a private tour of the city’s Old Town, markets, royal tombs, mosques and more along with a dinner show. The trip moved onto the nearby High Atlas Mountains for visits to local villages and extensive hiking.  Some time on the coast in the fishing town of Essaouria included a visit to a local argan oil co-op and camel ride on the beach. The trip ended in Casablanca with guided city tour and a stop along the way in the picturesque town of Oualidia known for its oysters.  Hotels were all independent and authentic accommodations. The family really enjoyed the experience and took amazing photos.  They made some great friends along the way and said that their drivers were friendly and timely.  The experience left them with a unique look at Moroccan culture and history and the hope to return some day to visit their new Moroccan friends.  Andrew Gastwirth is an amazing photographer and we thank him for sharing these photos with us!

Trip Review-An Anniversary Celebration

We love booking our families on trips around the world, but we also love sending parents away for relaxing getaways especially for special anniversaries and celebrations.  The Seigel’s from Reisterstown, MD vacationed last month in the Riviera Maya, Mexico at Excellence Riviera Cancun for their 30th wedding anniversary.  They were really happy with the resort facilities, amenities and service and deemed the trip as one of their best vacations…ever!  They explained that from the moment they stepped off of the plane, to a nice greeter holding a sign with their name on it, to the driver from Cancun Valet who took them to the resort and back in a private transfer, the entrance to the hotel, the resort concierge, their room, Anniversary “extras”, the well-kept grounds, staff, service, pools, food, etc…all five star.  This was their first experience at an adult-only resort and they were pleasantly surprised how much they enjoyed the  experience. The anniversary extras (a free package) included a basket of fresh fruit, sparkling wine, a specially prepared romantic dinner, rose petal turn down, champagne breakfast in bed and 15 percent off all spa treatments.  A nice way to celebrate.

Travel Tip-Packing Pro

Does last minute packing throw your family into a frenzy?  Now there is an app for that.  It’s called Packing Pro for iOS, and it’s full of handy features to make sure you pack everything your family needs for a perfect vacation—nothing more and nothing less. The app features sample lists for a variety of vacation types and lengths to get you started, plus categories, reminders, sorting by people in your group and tons of other elements that make it far more useful than the typical checklist. For Android users, an app called PackPoint offers similar functionality and some exclusive features of its own. Either way, it’s the perfect way to give your packing process a tech savvy update.

Trip Review-Jamaica Mon!

This past November and December Lauren and Evan and Mindy’s family of four (2 adults and 2 teens) both traveled to Jamaica. It had been some time since our last visit to this lush and friendly island.  Mindy’s family enjoyed the new and upscale Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall which is the former Ritz Carlton Montego Bay.  The rooms are quite spacious and the staff goes out their way to help.  Dining was a highlight with a nice variety of food choices including lobster and 24 hour rooms service. There were plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas by the pool and beach and the evenings were made cozy with fire pits.  The size of the resort is very manageable compared to other all-inclusives. Lauren stayed at two adult-only properties as we are sending many couples and families with young adult children on vacation (plus girls’ getaways, honeymoons, etc.).  The Riu Montego Bay was modern, new and convenient to the airport with full access to the Riu Montego Bay next door.  The amount of amenities and man-made beach made this a good choice for a short stay.  Couples Swept Away in Negril was old-school Jamaica (lots of dark wood and tropical flair) and sits on a beautiful beach. The highlight here are the sports facilities with a great tennis program, Olympic size lap pool, squash courts, fitness classes, watersports, basketball, soccer and more.  Lots of extras such a sunset cruise and shuttle to shops are included.  Lauren also toured two family properties in Negril.  The gorgeous Azul Sensatori (with a family and adult-only side) is an intimate and upscale property with swim out pools, fresh and modern décor, excellent dining and more.  Beaches Negril is a larger property with a wide array of accommodation options for families.  The property showcases extensive children and teen programs, a wide variety of recreation and plenty of great dining choices.

Travel Tip: European Eating

Rick Steve’s helps decipher the world of dining in Europe:

Very often, Europeans think “vegetarian” means “no red meat” or “not much meat.” If you are a strict vegetarian, you’ll have to make things very clear. Write the appropriate phrase, keep it handy, and show it to each waiter before ordering your meal.

For inexpensive Italian eateries, look for the term osteria, tavola calda, rosticceria, trattoria, pizzeria, or “self-service.” A meal-sized pizza (sold everywhere for less than $12) and a cold beer is my idea of a good, fast, cheap Italian dinner. For a stand-up super bargain meal, look for a pizza rustica shop, which sells pizza by weight. Just point to the best-looking pizza and tell them how much you want (200 grams is a filling meal). They weigh, you pay. They heat it, you eat it. Panini(sandwiches) — calda (toasted) if you ask — are cheap and widely available.

University cafeterias (generally closed during summer holidays) offer a surefire way to meet educated English-speaking young people with open and stimulating minds. They’re often eager to practice their politics and economics, as well as their English, on a foreign friend.

The “tourist menu” (menù turistico in Italy, menu touristique in France), popular in restaurants throughout Europe’s tourist zones, offers confused visitors a no-stress, three-course meal for a painless price that usually includes service, bread, and a drink. You normally get a choice of several options for each course. Locals rarely order this, but if the options intrigue you, the tourist menu can be a convenient way to sample some regional flavors for a reasonable, predictable price.

Eat hearty in Scandinavia, Europe’s most expensive corner. Fill up at the breakfast smorgasbord (usually included in your hotel cost). Keep your eyes peeled for daily lunch specials called dagens rett. You can normally have all the vegetables (usually potatoes) you want when you order a restaurant’s entrée. Just ask for seconds. Many Scandinavian pizzerias offer amazing all-you-can-eat deals and hearty salad bars. (Your bill will double if you order a beer.) The cheapest cafeterias often close at about 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. Fresh produce, colorful markets, and efficient supermarkets abound. Picnic!

At most European restaurants, the price of drinks can spoil your appetite. Ask for tap water in Britain, l’eau du robinet in France, Leitungswasser in Germany, acqua del rubinetto in Italy, and agua del grifo in Spain. In other countries, just do the international charade: hold an imaginary glass in one hand, turn on the tap with the other, and make the sound of a faucet. Stop it with a click of your tongue and drink it with a smile.

In European groceries and open-air markets, most food is priced by the kilo (about two pounds). Watch the scales while your food is being weighed. It’ll likely show grams and kilos. If dried apples are priced at €2 per kilo, that’s $2.80 for 2.2 pounds, or about $1.25 per pound. If the scale says 400 grams, that means 40 percent of €2 (or 80 euro cents), which is a little over $1.

Not everything is strictly priced by the kilogram. Read the little chalkboard price information board carefully: Particularly in the case of specialty items, you might see things priced by the 1/4 kg, 1/2 kg, 100 g, 500 g, and so on. Or it could be priced by the piece (Stück in German, la piéce in French,pezzo in Italian), the bunch, the container, and so on. If the pâté seems too cheap to be true, look at the sign closely. The posted price is probably followed by “100 gr.”

Whether you understand the numbers or not, act as though you do. In supermarkets, it’s a cinch to buy a tiny amount of fruit or vegetables. Many have an easy push-button pricing system: Put the banana on the scale, push the button that shows a picture of a banana (or the banana bin number), and a sticky price tag prints out. You could weigh and sticker a single grape.

If no prices are posted, be wary. Travelers are routinely ripped off by market merchants in tourist centers. Find places that print the prices. Assume any market with no printed prices has a double price standard: one for locals and a more expensive one for tourists.

Point, but don’t touch. At produce stands and outdoor markets, it’s considered rude for a customer to touch the goods. Tell the vendor (or point to) what you want.

Milk-drinkers in Europe can check the carton for the local words for whole or light, such as voll orlett. Get refrigerated, fresh milk. Or look on the (unrefrigerated) shelves for the common-in-Europe but rare-in-America “longlife” milk. This milk — which requires no refrigeration until it’s opened — will never go bad…or taste good.

Travel Tip: The Airport ATM

We are distressed to learn about a new trend at airports in Europe.  Nearly all the European airports are taking out bank sponsored ATM machines and replacing them with ATM machines operated by currency exchange company Travelex.  There is no charge to use the Travelex machines, but the exchange rate is less than ideal compared to a bank ATM.  Travelex regularly pays out 10% to 11% less than the going exchange rate.   In light of this trend, it is wise to prebook transportation from the airport that is either prepaid or takes credit cards and then wait until you get to the hotel to find a bank ATM.

Trip Review: St. Maarten Condo

The Schumacher/Epstein Family from Philadelphia (two adults and two teens) traveled to St. Marten for winter break.  They were looking for a clean and comfortable two bedroom condo that would be located close to a friend’s house.  Princess Heights fit the bill with a spacious, modern and comfortable unit with 1,400 sq. ft. and a fully stocked kitchen.  Housekeeping even did the dishes!  The property sits on a hillside overlooking Dawn Beach and has a small pool and gym.  The family enjoyed exploring beaches around the island with beautiful blue water everywhere they went.  Restaurants were available within walking distance at the nearby Westin, but they chose to dine at several restaurants within a 5-20 minute drive.  Both the towns of Phillipsburg on the Dutch side and Orient Beach on the French side are within 15 minutes of the property.  It didn’t take long for them to figure out the hilly and narrow roads on the island which made it easy to explore.  They also took a day trip to St. Bart’s which was really beautiful and reminded them of St. Tropez.  Overall they enjoyed the island, the non-stop flight, easy access to great beaches and nearby islands and a nice variety of locally owned restaurants.