Travel Tip
Arranging constituent visits to the White House and to the sessions of Congress is one of the duties of your representative and senators. Contact the offices of the House of Representatives (http://www.house.gov) or the Senate (http://www.senate.gov) in advance to arrange your visit when visiting Washington, DC.
Trip Review
The Hillman family of four (2 adults and 2 teenage girls) from Philadelphia recently returned from a great adventure to the Grand Canyon South and West along with some time in Las Vegas. The family flew into Phoenix and started their trip at the Grand Canyon with a stay at the historic El Tovar. Early morning hikes helped beat the heat and food at the hotel was plentiful and delicious. The family moved onto Grand Canyon West to Hualapai Lodge where they found excellent service and a comfortable and quiet room (a train runs nearby). 
The package included a full day rafting trip which the Hillman’s said they would do again in a heartbeat. It was really hot, but the trip started early in the morning and river temperatures are always cold. Their raft driver was great – very personable, funny, and listened to them as to what they liked which was to find the biggest white water. The food at the lodge was decent and so plentiful that the hotel wrapped up their first night’s dinner leftovers for them and reheated it for them for the following evening! Onto Hoover Dam which was awe inspiring and beautiful. The Hillmans suggest at least 4 hours at the dam as you will wait in some lines for elevators and such. Afterward, the family headed out to the BC Flightlines. The zip lining was awesome with great views of the desert and Lake Mead. The family then ventured onto Las Vegas where they were treated like royalty at the Las Vegas Hilton (thanks to The Family Traveler’s VIP letter). The hotel provided a fresh fruit basket/tray in each room (which was devoured after their day in the desert) and they also were given VIP lounge access where the private concierge assisted them with restaurant recommendations and shows. The rooms and beds were most comfortable and they loved the complimentary robes and slippers. The Hillman girls commented “let’s be VIPs on all our trips”!
Travel Tip
European banks have switched over to a more secure credit card authorization process with a chip and PIN system. US banks have not yet made this switch. So while our country catches up with the technology, it is wise to bring multiple credit card with you when traveling to Europe. The European credit card machines are still supposed to take both types of cards, but the people working at the places where you use your card may not understand that our cards still need to be run through the machine to read the magnetic strip. They may need to try more than once to get the charge to go through. We have not heard of major issues using ATM machines, but travelers checks can be a good back up.
Trip Review
Lauren and Mindy’s family group of 17 ascended on Skytop Lodge in the Poconos this month in celebration of our father’s 80th birthday. 
Skytop provides a beautiful mountain setting with historical charm along with a variety of accommodation options (hotel, cottages and an inn). We stayed in the inn with connecting rooms for families, a lounge area for gathering and its own dining room. Our parents stayed in the main hotel built in 1928 and a member of the National Historic Trust. Our family took advantage of a variety of activities including golf lessons, paint ball, clay pigeon shooting, archery, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, spa services, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, kayaking and more. Daily activities abound with group nature hikes, yoga, tennis and golf clinics, kids club and more in the warmer months while winter sports prevail in the colder months. There is definitely something for everyone which makes Skytop an ideal all seasons destination for multiple generations and groups of families. Dining is included in your rate and while food is plentiful, the quality was hit or miss. But the staff is kind enough to prepare any special requests and buffets for breakfast and lunch provide plenty of choices for all. A special Family Gathering Packages is offered with 10 or more rooms booked for at least 2 nights. It includes 10% off your rooms, sheet cake and private hospitality room, a framed family portrait and personalized t-shirt (see ours below).
Trip Review
Mindy’s family of 4 (with children ages 13 and 12) spent their spring break in Southern California taking in the sights of Los Angeles and the San Diego area. 
The family really enjoyed both of their hotel stays at the Inter-Continental in Century City, not far from Beverly Hills and at the Park Hyatt in Carlsbad, just north of San Diego. A highlight of the Los Angeles part of the trip was the Warner Brothers Back Lot tour and seeing the TV sets from their favorite shows and learning about how movies and TV shows are produced. They also window shopped on Rodeo Drive, checked out the DASH store in Calabasas, hung out in Venice Beach, Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier, saw the houses of their favorite stars and visited the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. The focus of this free museum is on education and is dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of Ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria. A variety of special events can enhance your visit. In the San Diego region, the Valenci’s hiked at Torrey Pines State Park, explored La Jolla, Carlsbad and San Diego, went to the San Diego Zoo and watched the Phillies beat the Padres at Petco Park in celebration of Jordan’s 14th birthday! Overall a great trip filled with a variety of activities and adventures. 
Travel Tip
Save it for a rainy day! Before you head off on your next trip, it’s wise to make a list of places to visit in case of inclement weather. While we hope the weather will be perfect when we travel, it is not always the case. Check with The Family Traveler, through guidebooks and on-line for ideas that work well indoors for your family. This can include museums, historical homes, libraries, cooking classes, films, indoor game centers and more. Be creative and whatever comes your way will be a great adventure. Don’t forget the umbrellas…
Trip Review
The Dean family from Cupertino made a return trip to Costa Rica this month. The trip was in part to see some of the Rotary sponsored water projects and also to explore some new areas of the country after their first experience in Arenal, Monteverde and Manual Antonio in 2009. 
After their San Jose Rotary experience, the Dean family of 4 (2 adults and 2 young adults) flew to Punta Islita for a stay at the beautiful Hotel Punta Islita on the Nicoya Peninsula in southern Guanacaste. The regional airport is only 10 minutes from the resort. The Dean’s reported that this property was heavenly. The family stayed in a spacious 2 bedroom/2 bath villa with gorgeous water views, plunge pool and full kitchen. With the accommodations built into the hillside, they had use of a golf cart to get around. Other property amenities include an infinity pool, several dining options, spa, gym as well as the beach club with pool and playground. In addition, the resort offers a unique variety of cultural experiences such as cooking lessons and art projects along with an endless array of outdoor adventures such as kayaking, fishing, surfing and sea turtle watching in season. The Deans’ took advantage of ATV rides, canopy zip line and horseback riding on the beach. The family headed up to Rincon de la Vieja, an active volcano in northern Guanacaste, with a stay at Borinquen Mountain Resort and Spa. While the service and food was less stellar than at Punta Islita, the Deans still enjoyed the beautiful landscaping, spa services and hot spring thermal pools. An arduous hike to the volcano to see the boiling mudpots and fumaroles proved to be a worthwhile effort! A flight out of Liberia airport ended another memorable Costa Rican vacation for this active family.
Travel Tip
VAT refunds in Europe are slowly getting easier to process. With tax rates as high as 23 percent, major purchases can fetch a decent rebate. Premier Tax Free, a rebate service, now offers same day payments in many downtown locations in London, Paris, Milan, Florence, Rome, Venice, Berlin, Munich and more. Some rebates are offered in the form of gift cards. In addition, several major department stores are also offering rebate desks including Harrods in London and Printemps and Galleries Lafayette in Paris. Check out www.premiertaxfree.com and www.global-blue.com for more details. 
Some destinations still require you to go to the airport and show your goods to an agent (which means hand carrying your purchases) which can be time consuming. Note that each country requires a different amount of euros to be spent before the rebate is given. This ranges from only 20 euros per purchase in Germany to 175 euros in France. Look for the Tax Free Shopping sticker to know if a shop participates in the program. Each year Americans leave an estimated 60 million euros in unclaimed value-added tax refunds…
Trip Review
The Zimmerman family spent their February break in Puerto Rico at the Wyndham Rio Mar located 30 minutes south of San Juan. 
This lovely beachfront hotel is an excellent value for families seeking a variety of recreation such as tennis, golf, water sports and kids club with easy access to activities and adventures off the resort. The Zimmerman conveniently rented a car from a rental office right at the hotel and explored the area with a privately guided tour of the El Yunque Rainforest, kayaked in the bioluminescent bay in Fajardo where the water is aglow at night and drove miniboats to snorkel spots off the coast. Rough seas made the miniboats a bit of a challenge, but all the excursions were enjoyed by the entire family and gave them a great perspective of Puerto Rico’s unique biodiversity. They also explored the historical sights in Old San Juan visiting the forts and walking around this charming city. Overall the week long trip was a nice mix of relaxation and active adventures.
Travel Tip
We continue to encourage you to book your vacations as early as possible to get the best availability for flights, hotels, cruise cabin locations, etc. Waiting will not provide the best deals and overall value especially during the busy school vacation weeks and summer time. We know your family is very busy and you don’t always know your vacation time in advance. We are here to help make your travel planning as easy and smooth as possible and to always find you the best values available. No need to take the leftovers and pay higher airfares when you plan in advance. Thanks!
