Trip Review: Multi-Gen Fun at Club Med
The Rabson/Wolf Family with 3 generations (ages 16-82) traveled from Boston to Cancun over the winter break to Club Med Cancun. They loved their stay last winter at Club Med Punta Cana and wanted to have another great experience…this trip exceeded that! Their superior rooms were not as updated and spacious as in Punta Cana (this club does have larger and more updated rooming and suite options), but comfortable and clean and ideally located in the middle of this long property as we requested through our Club Med representatives with a ground floor for the grandparents. They could easily go back to the room during the day as needed. The family let us know that young and old had a fabulous time keeping busy and active on this vacation! Many of them took tennis lessons and participated in the weekly tennis tournament. They all tried pickleball, which was fun. There was also beach volleyball, archery, watersports, ping pong, water aerobics, line dancing, yoga, power walks, and of course the midday events such as the color and foam parties on the beach which showcases Club Med at its finest. They all participated in the coffee games such as trivia where they crushed the competition. They were so active that at the end of the week, most of them were given special participation awards!! They let us know that the food was quite good overall and especially easier for the gluten-free family members compared to Punta Cana because so much of the Mexican food is corn-based. This family loves interacting with the GOs (resort staff) and they were outstanding and exemplified the Club Med spirit. The family also loved that the resort is a safe space for the teens to have a ton of freedom. The teen and young adults in the group really enjoyed the evening dance parties! Overall they had an awesome time and appreciate Club Med’s overall congeniality and abundance of activities, food, and entertainment.
Travel Tip: ETIAS
You’ll soon have to pay a visitor fee for visiting 27 different countries in the European Union. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will be introduced in November for better border control and a way to track tourists who are moving between Schengen countries since there is a limit of 90 days. The automated visa-waiver program will charge non-E.U. citizens between the ages of 18 and 70, an entry fee of €7 or about $7.25. If you’re planning on traveling to a participating nation, you’ll have to submit an ETIAS application and entry authorization ahead of your trip…along with millions of other tourists. We will keep you posted on when the application process will open. The authorization is valid for multiple visits to E.U. countries in a three-year period and will be available at https://www.etias.info/application/.
Travel Tip: Free Park Entry Days
Mark your calendars! Our National Parks are offering free entry for the following dates in 2023:
January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
April 22 – First day of National Park Week
August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day
September 23 – National Public Lands Day
November 11 – Veterans Day
Trip Review: Thanksgiving in Portugal
The Shumskas Family of Fountainville, PA (2 adults and 2 teens aged 19 and 13) traveled to Portugal for the week of Thanksgiving. Their trip began in Porto with a 3-night stay at the charming PortoBay Flores, a new 5-star hotel in the historic city center located on a pedestrian-only street. The hotel is housed in a 16th-century palace along with a newly built wing that blends the old and new with 66 rooms and suites, an 18th-century chapel, and a lovely patio. The Shumskas parents enjoyed being able to go down to the bar and hang out without the children and let us know that the breakfast (which was included in their rate) was super! On their first full day, the family got to know Porto with a privately guided four-hour walking tour. Highlights of the city included amazing views from the Serra Pilar Monastery terrace, the Dom Luis I Bridge, the tile work at the Sao Bento train station, the Lello bookstore (the inspiration for Harry Potter), the river bank, Cathedral Se XII, Clerigos Tower and more. In the afternoon the family experienced a hands-on tile workshop at Gazete Azulejos, a tile painting atelier that researches, promotes, and preserves the Portuguese tiles used to decorate buildings. The family said the experience was really fun and interesting. Their guide for the walking tour also drove them from Porto to Lisbon with stops on the way in Coimbra to see the famous Joanine Library at the university, Nazare, and Obidos where they visited Casa das Senhoras Rainhas and castle. They enjoyed talking with their guide about life in Portugal and recent politics. In Lisbon, the family stayed for 4-nights in a spacious 2-bedroom apartment with a kitchen at Flora Chiado. Located in the heart of the charming Chiado district, there are just 10 apartments in total. They appreciated the delivery of fresh bread in the morning and found the staff to be super helpful and friendly. On their first full day in Lisbon, a 3-hour walking tour gave them a great city orientation. It started at the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint – one of the most breathtaking views of the city. The tour included a stroll through the Bairro Alto and Alfama neighborhoods, a stop by the Igreja de Sao Roque church, Lisbon Cathedral, and the Bertrand bookshop (the world’s oldest!) along with the St. Justa elevator. The following day they spent exploring the exotic Quinta da Regaleira palace in Sintra with a stop at the Cabo de Rocha Lighthouse and the beach town of Cascais with a private guide. A new dietary restriction for one of the family members made it slightly more challenging to eat out, but they said everywhere they ate was lovely and tasty. Overall a slightly wet, but wonderful trip to Portugal!
Travel Tip: Winter Gear Rentals
Winter gear is bulky to pack. Plus some of us live in warmer climates and don’t even have cold-weather clothing. If you are heading to Iceland, there is a new company in Reykjavik that enables you to rent winter outwear. The company is called IcelandCover and they have a location on the main shopping street in town. They offer parkas, pants, raincoats, crampons, hiking boots, and warm beanie hats for men and women. Unfortunately, they don’t have gear yet for children. But they do deliver around the city. From our own experience, it’s critical to have the right outerwear when traveling to Iceland during the colder months which is most of the year! Some of our tour operators also rent coats, waterproof pants, hiking boots, and walking sticks.
Trip Review: Thanksgiving in Cabo
Mindy and her family (parents and two young adults) traveled to Cabo to relax and celebrate Thanksgiving. They stayed at the all-inclusive Paradisus Los Cabos which is located along the corridor between the towns of Los Cabos and San Jose del Cabo. This Leading Hotels of the World property has 305 rooms and suites, a wide and swimmable beach (rare in this area), an expansive beachfront pool, spa, gym, children’s program, daily activities, evening shows, and lots of dining options (a festive Thanksgiving meal included!). Mindy’s family stayed in the club-level Reserve section with a dedicated concierge who tended to their every need. This section also has a quiet and adult-only pool and a dedicated section of the beach with added service levels. Mindy and her daughter also enjoyed some pampering at the spa and the family got the unique opportunity to see the annual sea turtle release. The weather was perfect with 80 degrees and sunny every day. Off the resort, they took a private pontoon boat and snorkel excursion with La Isla Tours from Cabo San Lucas. They enjoyed seeing the area highlights and wildlife (including whales and seals) while boating around the Sea of Cortez where it meets the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, the snorkeling wasn’t that great next to Pelican rock, but the sunset was! Another trip highlight was a cooking class at Metate Cabo, a Cabo San Lucas restaurant, where they had a tour of the restaurant’s herb and vegetable garden and then made salsa and pressed handmade tortillas for quesadillas for a special dinner with dessert and drinks included. They loved the festive atmosphere and being outside under the night sky. Overall the trip was super relaxing, great family time, and a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving!
Travel Tip: Breast Milk Storage
As a response to the challenges faced by new parents traveling with breast milk, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is launching the Kimpton On Demand Family Fridge Program to provide Mini Me Milk Fridges upon request. Unlike the traditional mini-fridge provided in rooms with limited temperature capabilities, these fridges allow parents to preserve milk at the CDC-mandated temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Each property will also have a dedicated fridge for employees who may need to pump and store the milk during their work hours.
Travel Review: A European Journey
Lauren and her husband Evan traveled to Berlin, Prague, and Amsterdam this month, a historical and culturally filled experience. We started the trip in Berlin. We enjoyed a fun bike tour with Fattire Tours to see the city’s highlights. Our history student guide from the UK was terrific and it was easy to maneuver bikes through this rather quiet city. Other Berlin experiences included wandering through the lovely Tiergarten Park which is laced with canals; visiting the Charlottenburg Palace with an audio tour and admiring the palace’s extensive gardens and meandering through the city’s various neighborhoods. We stayed in the quiet Charlottenburg neighborhood near the Berlin Zoo at the Hotel am Steinplatz. This Marriott hotel is located in a gorgeous art deco building. The staff was super helpful and our quiet room was nicely accommodated with views of the inner courtyard. The hotel offers a nice restaurant, a full-service spa, and a decent gym as well. We used My Day Trip to travel by car with a private driver from Berlin to Prague stopping in Meissen and Dresden on the way. Both cities are located in Saxony, have rich histories, castles, churches, and more, and both are situated along the Elbe River. Meissen is best known for its porcelain factory and we had the opportunity to see how its made by visiting different crafters for each step of the process. There is also an extensive museum of all of their handmade wares. Quite impressive! The city of Dresden is well known for its WWII destruction. Much of the city has been restored including the impressive Frauenkirche Church. We walked around the city and saw much of its impressive architecture including museums, churches, horse stables, tile art, and public squares. There was a busy fall festival in the main square that offered ample opportunity to try this region’s most popular foods and treats. Our extended stay in Prague (where Lauren’s daughter lives and works) was at the Mamaison Residence Downtown. It is an apartment hotel in the New Town close to the national museum but within easy reach of the Old Town. Our one-bedroom apartment in the new and modern section of the hotel had a spacious living area, balconies, and a fully stocked kitchen with a dishwasher and a washing machine. Rates at the hotel include an ample buffet breakfast and there is a large game room, spa, and a small gym. This was our second visit to Prague, but we still were able to find plenty of new experiences in this historic city. We explored the National Museum, the Communist Museum, and the Straha Monastery. We loved the amazing city views we got from climbing to the top of the Petrin Tower, experiencing a high-tech light show festival that took place around the city, seeing the opera Tosca at the gorgeous State Opera House, attending Yom Kipper services at the Jerusalem synagogue, and took a group tour of the city’s Jewish Quarter that we missed the first time due to holiday closures. We ventured outside the city with a group tour to see the horrors of the Terezin Concentration/Labor/Ghetto Camp and took the train for the day to the town of Pilsen best known for its beer. We toured the Pilsen Urquell beer factory and also took a tour of the extensive underground level of the city which was used for food, beer, security, and other storage needs. Our last stop was in Amsterdam with Lauren’s daughter and friend in tow. Unfortunately, the city was packed with tourists during an autumn break school week in Europe. We did our best to avoid the high tourist areas as much as possible venturing into the more residential areas for dining, shopping, and exploring. Highlights of our Amsterdam experience included the Anne Frank House, a canal boat ride, the Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt’s House, Waterlooplein flea market and not getting hit by a bike! We stayed at the boutique-style Ink Hotel, an MGallery hotel. A former newspaper building uses the writing theme nicely throughout the hotel. The rooms were very quiet and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Overall a wonderful trip!
Trip Review: Israel Bus Tour
The Travisano Family (2 adults and their daughter, age 22) traveled to Israel in late June through early July to visit their son who was taking part in an Onward program in Tel Aviv. Their trip began with an expedited VIP arrival service at the airport. Their first three independent nights in Tel Aviv were spent at the Metropolitan Hotel, just two blocks from the beach. The hotel upgraded them to a 1-Bedroom Suite….they were thrilled! While in Tel Aviv they went to the beach, relaxed at the hotel pool, did an amazing graffiti tour, went to the street market, and more. Then they began a 7-night group bus tour organized through Gray Line. This Israel highlight tour was geared toward all religions and the family thought that the tour was fantastic. There were people of all ages and they met lots of nice families. The tour started with 29 and ended with 13 people (as this tour can begin in different cities). They also said that their tour guides were excellent, stuck to the schedule, and were so knowledgeable. They had a great bus driver as well. The first tour stop took them south to the Negev Desert including Masada where they took the cable car to the top and then for a float in the Dead Sea. Onward to Jerusalem for a 3-night stay at the Grand Court Hotel. They enjoyed the location and expansive breakfast buffet. In The Holy City, they visited the Israel Museum, Ein Karem, Yad Vashem, and Bethelem one day and the Old City, Mount Zion, Mount of Olives, and the Mahane Yehuda Market the next. Upon leaving Jerusalem, they drove east to Jericho before heading north to Galilee to Beit Shean, Nazareth, and Safed. They spent the next two nights at a Hagroshim, a kibbutz guesthouse. They found the hotel to be very nice and modern with great food. The next day was spent exploring the Golan Heights, a winery, and the Sea of Galilee highlights including Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha, and Tiberias. On the way back to Tel Aviv they drove down the Mediterranean coast and saw Acre, Haifa, and Caesarea. The tour ended with a short city tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. Overnight in Tel Aviv completed this tour experience. They gave a special shoutout to the tour company for handling their food allergies but found that lunch was very similar day to day (which is fairly normal for a bus tour trying to feed large numbers efficiently and meet everyone’s dietary needs). Overall this was a cost-efficient and effective way to experience the best of the Holyland.
Travel Tip: TSA Update
The US Department of Homeland Security is urging those who mostly fly domestically to apply for TSA PreCheck instead of Global Entry, despite shared benefits. Applications for Global Entry have been experiencing processing times of up to 18 months as a result of a surge in demand for memberships while US Customs and Border Control continues to clear the backlog from the pandemic lockdowns of 2020. By contrast, most TSA PreCheck applicants can schedule an appointment in less than two weeks and can receive approval in three to five days. The Mobile Passport app can help expedite you through passport control when traveling internationally.
