Trip Review: Montana Dude Ranch Experience

Lauren was in Montana at the end of May to experience Averill’s Flathead Lodge in Big Fork. The trip was part of a gathering of travel agents who are members of the Family Travel Association.  It was a wonderful opportunity to network with agents from around the country who are working in agencies large and small to discuss the future of family travel and how to best promote all the wonderful aspects that go along with it.

Flathead Lake Lodge is a third-generation family run and operated dude ranch.  During the summer, week-long stays attract families from around the country year after year. A variety of accommodation options are available for families including cabin style and connecting rooms.  We stayed in a spacious and new one bedroom loft with two full bathrooms.  A spacious bedroom overlooked a living and dining room with sofabed and showcased typical Western cowboy themed decor.  A wooden porch swing outside the front was the ideal spot for enjoying beautiful lake views.

The feeling of summer camp pervades this unique ranch as it was originally built in 1932 as a boy’s camp.  The daily activities, lake activities and group dining promote that camp-like feeling as well.   Recreation includes a complete horse program highlighted by individual lessons, rodeo events, breakfast and lunch rides, a private elk preserve and more than 2,000 pristine acres for daily trail rides.  The ranch has 120 horses!  In addition to the riding programs, the lodge offers unmatched water activities on Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake West of the Mississippi and one of the cleanest lakes in the world.  Kayaks, sail boats, stand-up paddle boards, water skiing, wake boarding, canoes and more are at your disposal.  We enjoyed a very relaxing kayak trip around the lake as well as an evening motorboat tour.  There is also a lakefront heated pool; massages; hiking; mountain cookouts; barn dances; camp fires; mountain bikes and more.

The resort also showcases a children’s program where family interaction is key and children have the freedom to safely roam the property and indulge in the various activities as they like. Children focused activities include children’s horseback rides, arts & crafts, water activities, tepee overnight, children’s rodeo, organized games and a junior wrangler program to name a few.

The food was also plentiful, fresh and met most special dietary needs.  The hot breakfast buffet changed daily.  A bountiful outdoor buffet lunch also rotated themes each day.  Three course evening plated meals (with child-friendly options) were served in the main dining room with open seating.  And throughout the day freshly baked goods and drinks were available.  After a first night cocktail hour, parents can get a ride into the town of Big Fork to stock up on any alcohol needs.  There is a good size refrigerator in your room.

Our other dude ranch highlights included riding the mountain bikes into town for the Bigfork Whitewater Festival, an evening steak-out in the Elk Reserve (we got there by firetruck), a visit to Glacier National Park just 35 miles north and the super friendly staff.

Trip Review: Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall

Our new addition, Jen and her family (2 adults and 2 children ages 11) and the Murland Family (with 2 adults and 2 children ages 8 and 10), traveled from Philadelphia to the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica for spring break.  Jen really enjoyed her one bedroom butler suite with two separate balconies with views of the pool and ocean.  A great place to relax and enjoy the lovely views.  She noted that her butlers were awesome and took great care of the family assisting them with dining reservations, birthday celebrations, cabana rentals, coolers for the pool, snacks, etc.

Both families noted that the food is overall quite good.  They really enjoyed the breakfast buffet, steakhouse and the Italian restaurant commenting that it easily could be a great restaurant at home.  Most enjoyed the sea food restaurant as well.  One night the adults ventured over to the Hyatt Zilara, the adult only property next door, to enjoy the Jamaican restaurant.  It was a new culinary experience for them.  Their butler kindly took the children to the evening programming at the kids’ club and stayed on as a babysitter afterward.  And everyone loved the jerk chicken available by the pool!  Ya mon.

There was plenty of recreation to keep everyone on the move as they indulged in water aerobics, yoga classes, beach volleyball, basketball, golf, snorkeling and boogie boards. Bring your own golf clubs if you are an avid player.  The two pools kept all the children quite happy especially the pool with the swim-up bar. The main pool by the beach offers lots of activities and music throughout the day.  There is also a nice jogging path through the property as well.  The kids club has day and evening programming, but they thought it was better suited for younger children in regards to the activities.

Jen noted that in general this property treats and trains its staff very well which is showcased in the way they treat their guests (and also the assistance we get with reservations and pre-trip planning).  That was proven with two very thoughtful birthday celebrations for Jen and her husband on different days with room and cabana decorations, cake, champagne and other goodies.

The families also ventured off the property for a fun excursion with a mini boat tour with Sun Wave Adventures that included time for snorkeling.

Overall a great trip for all and Jen’s first as an official travel agent!

Trip Review: Over the Moon in Cancun

The multi-generational Thomas family from Philadelphia (with 2 adults and 4 children ages 5-12 + grandparents) vacationed at Moon Palace in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.  Overall the family
gave high marks to the resort, staff, facilities, food and overall beauty and condition of the property.  They particularly enjoyed all the pools and the daily activities at the pool to keep the children entertained throughout the day.  Several family members took to the golf course which they gave high rating for skill and beauty while others tackled the mini-golf course nearly every day!  They also had fun at the children’s indoor arcade.

With over a dozen restaurant options, their favorite was the Asian themed, Momo.  Getting dinner reservations nightly did prove to be a challenge during a busy holiday period.  The parents also took advantage of the Romantic Dinner which is served beach side and used their resort credits as payment. Due to their dietary needs, fish was substituted for the normal Surf and Turf meal of steak and lobster.  Unfortunately they were dismayed that the fish dinner came at the same cost, but were pleased with the experience.

Their rooms at the resort provided a comfortable setting for the family.  They did take advantage of the resort shuttle as this property is quite large and spread out.

Their other resort credits were used to pay for two excursions.  The trip to Isla Mujeres was a highlight of their trip that included a sailboat ride to the resort’s exclusive beach club where you can snorkel and swim in calm waters and then a guided tour of the downtown area of the island.  They did have an issue with returning to the boat since some hotel guests added on a dolphin swim and there was some confusion about the meeting location.  But alas a short taxi ride later they were back on board.  They also used their resort credits on a Jungle Tower and Aqua Twister excursion to Aquaworld in Cancun which includes a snorkel tour and exciting speed boat ride across the lagoon and near the mangroves.  It was a lot of fun.

Overall Moon Palace provided three generations with plenty of recreation, relaxation, activities and bonding time.

Trip Review: Disney Cruise Line

The Fratello Family of Jacksonville (2 adults and 1 child, age 6) celebrated the New Year with a week-long Eastern Caribbean sailing on the Disney Fantasy.  Their adventure began with a call from Mickey Mouse on Christmas Day to get them all excited about the trip.  Once on board the ship, the family found the service to be excellent and they really enjoyed their large cabin with verandah.  Mom was especially happy to find everything to be really clean throughout the ship.  Their excursions too were great fun.  They started their day in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands with a guided tour and concluded the afternoon with a catamaran sail/snorkel/beach excursion.  The sailing and beach trip were amazing.  The catamaran was a fun vessel to sail and the beach was very picturesque.  In St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, they started the day with the kayak ecotour.  The tour guide was awesome.  He made every portion of the trip (kayak, hike, and snorkeling) very engaging.  Son Jackson rode in the guide’s kayak and hung with him while the parents snorkeled.  They were fast pals.  After the excursion, they made their way to Frenchtown and had an incredible lunch on the bay at Hook, Line & Sinker.  The seafood was fresh and perfectly prepared.  They are still talking about that lunch!  Speaking of food, the Remy specialty restaurant on the ship completely blew them away for their adult-only dinner.  Without a doubt, they both agree that it was one of the best meals they have ever had together. The menu was innovative and the courses were perfectly executed.  It was amazing.  Overall the food on the cruise could have been a better, but these gluten free issues know they can be picky.  They crushed the unlimited soft serve by the pool.  It was hysterical.  Also, the spa was great (The Family Traveler got them passes to indulge in the Rainforest Room which is a heat, steam and hydrotherapy circuit that is guaranteed to relax).  They had an awesome time together.  They were a bit disappointed with the couples massage, but not upset by any means.  One thing that we have learned from this trip is that they really love spas!   Son Jackson enjoyed the children’s programming in small doses.  Overall, this vacation was one of the best experiences we have had as a family.  We relaxed, bonded and experienced an adventure together.  Mom literally cried when they walked off the ship.

Trip Review: Riviera Maya Return

Mindy’s family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens age 19 and 18) recently returned from Paradisus La Perla in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.   It is an adult-only resort that is part of a complex that also includes the family-friendly Paradisus La Esmeralda. Both resorts are wonderful!  The family stayed in a huge 2-bedroom Master Suite that offered a living room and dining room and connecting master bedrooms each with their own bathroom. There was a large balcony off each bedroom that featured a large jetted tub and lounge chairs.  The highlight of the resort was the service and food.

Meals were delicious… it was hard to believe that the caliber and variety of food was being served at all-inclusive resort!  Guests at both properties share a number of dining options.  In addition, there are some adult-only restaurants at La Perla.  Mindy was also impressed with the buffets that served lots of fresh seafood including sushi, langostino, shrimp, stone crab as well as other delicacies.  Best yet, Mindy was able to confirm dinner reservations prior to their arrival.

The resorts are both modern, intimate and easy to get around. The main pools are large with swim-up bars with lots of lounge chairs and Bali beds- which are first come; first serve at no charge. The resort also offers club level services with Royal Service for adults and Family Concierge Service for families.  Separate pools, beaches and dining options, along with butler services, are included with this level of service. The beach is nice here, but is not the main attraction.  It is narrow and rocky in certain areas.  You cross beautiful mangroves to reach it. The spa is very zen and Mindy enjoyed a hot stone massage.  It featured relaxing cabanas, quiet pool and various water therapies.  The gym was large and well equipped. Personal trainers, yoga and fitness classes are available.  Every day there was a different activity- salsa dancing, flower arranging, tequila tastings, etc. and the sushi making was a hit.

The family enjoyed visiting Playa del Carmen for shops and dining including a restaurant located in a cenote – a cave, which was a unique and special.  They also have fun on a variety of excursions.  The Coba ruins are great for those who already visited Tulum and where you can still climb the pyramid.  Their tour included bike rentals to explore the ruins, a visit to a local Mayan village, a traditional Mayan dinner with a show depicting ancient Mayan culture.  Another afternoon was spent riding ATVs and wave runners at Maroma Beach. This was the highlight of the trip for the teens.

This was the Valenci’s 5th trip to the Riviera Maya over the last 12 years. They keep going back because there are always new resorts to experience, new adventures to enjoy, and it is easy and convenient destination to reach from major cities in the US. The locals are friendly and welcoming. The Yucatan Peninsula is located just off the second largest barrier reef in the world making snorkeling, scuba and other water sports spectacular. The Riviera Maya and Cancun have a tremendous selection of resorts and there is plenty to do—ecoparks, zip lines, horseback riding, snorkeling or diving, fishing, swimming in cenotes and more along with lovely beaches and clear blue water. Many of our families are also returning time and again.

Trip Review: NYC

Lauren and her daughter, Anna (age 20) traveled to New York City right before Thanksgiving for a quick mother/daughter getaway.  We have made many trips to the city together over the years, but the magic of NYC is that there is always something new to explore and experience with each visit.  We stayed at the new Fairfield Inn a few blocks from Columbus Circle in Midtown West.  Friendly staff; small, but well appointed rooms and a large and communal breakfast room with a hearty breakfast buffet made for a comfortable stay.  We started off our stay with a visit to the new Whitney Museum.  We really enjoyed it inside and out with a wonderful array of modern art.  A short walk on the Highline next to the museum on a very windy day ended up with lunch at Chelsea
Market.  The following day we toured the UN; a first for Anna who is studying linguistics in college and therefore was interested in learning about the process of bringing the world together, the translators etc.  Before going to see The Great Comet of 1812, one of Broadway’s new hits that was taken from a part of Tolstoy’s War and Peace epic and takes place in Moscow, we had dinner at Samovar; a Russian eatery in the theater district.  We even had tea from a samovar!  It would be fun to make this an ongoing tradition by finding restaurants that match the topic of the show!  Anna was also thrilled to dine on Russian cuisine after spending the summer studying in Moscow.  The show was also fantastic.  We also saw the new acapella show, In Transit…another thumbs up for an entertaining show.  Overall a fun getaway.  And many thanks to the kind flight attendant on American Airlines for moving us up to first class!  We all share stories of the airlines when things go bad…but sometimes they can bring us joy as well.

Travel Review: Hawaii Adventure

The Hassoun Family (2 adults and 3 young adults ages 21, 18 and 16) traveled from Pittsburgh to Hawaii this summer for eight nights in paradise.  This travel loving family usually spends their vacation time in Europe with trips focusing on culture and history; so they were pleasantly surprised by their experience in the tropics! Hawaii is also a destination with rich culture and interesting history along with amazing scenery, outdoor adventures to experience the nature and relaxing resort time.  The family began their trip in Maui with four nights at the beautiful Ritz Carlton in Kapalua which is beautifully situated on the hillside overlooking Kapalua Bay.   The resort offers a nice array of amenities and recreation including excellent golf, tennis, gym with fitness classes, water sports, spa, pools, restaurants and the wonderful Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program.  This program introduces families to the natural wonders and rich cultural traditions of the Hawaiian Islands.  The Kapalua Zip Line are located just across the way from the resort which made for a convenient adventure for the family.  They enjoyed the amazing views as they
zipped over the West Maui Mountains and over tropical forests, native pineapple fields, and waterfalls. The family also enjoyed a sunset sail from nearby Ka’anapali on the Trilogy catamaran offering great views of the nearby islands of Moloka‘i and Lana‘i.  The family then flew to the island of Kauai with a four-night stay at the lovely Grand Hyatt Kauai located in Poipu.  This upscale and oceanfront resort has a unique lagoon setting, golf, tennis, spa, water sports, gym with fitness classes, pools, restaurants and daily activities such as fitness walks, hydroponic garden tour and golf and tennis clinics.  The resort also showcases a variety of Hawaiian cultural activities including a luau which the family attended and appreciated.  The resort also offers a unique and local volunteer program called ENRICH providing guests another layer of learning about Hawaii.  Opportunities range from beach clean-up to forest restoration.  On Kauai, the Hassouns took a sail trip up to the Napili Coast with Captain Andy to see the amazing cliffs. It proved to be a bit of a rough sailing for some.  They also took the Blue Hawaiian helicopter to view this gorgeous island from the sky.  Overall the Hassoun children raved about their Hawaii experience and look forward to their next family trip!

Trip Review: Kosher Italy

The Erlbaum family of Philadelphia (2 adults and 4 children ages 14, 12, 9 and 6) traveled to Italy this summer in celebration of a Bat Mitzvah.  This religious family needed accommodations to keep their kosher dietary laws; so The Family Traveler arranged apartments and an apartment hotel that were also close to a synagogue, kosher markets and restaurants in each city they visited: Rome, Florence and Venice.  The trip was chock full of unique experiences and tours with the Sabbath open for relaxation, services and wandering.  The trip began in Rome with an apartment stay in the Jewish Ghetto.  Their first tour was a guided golf cart ride around the city for a nice city overview.  This is an ideal touring option especially after a long, overnight flight and zipping around in a golf cart allows you to get to many sights with ease.  Other Rome tours included private touring of the Jewish Ghetto, Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum as well as the Colosseum.  For a nice history lesson, they also visited the Time Elevator for a film about the city’s ancient past.  On the way from Rome to Florence, our favorite private driver and guide, Giancarlo, took the family for a day trip to Orvieto in Umbria which was enjoyed by all.  In Florence the family stayed at the Residence Hilda apartment hotel.  They took a private city tour to learn about its Renaissance past that also included the Accademia Museum, the Palazzo Davanzati (a reconstruction of an old Florentine home) and learned how to make Florentine marble paper with a local artisan.   A kosher cooking class in nearby Lucca was a highlight with bike riding along the rampart walls after a great meal.  A private drive and private boat ride brought them to their Venice apartment.  In Venice they took gondola rowing lessons, privately toured the Doge Palace along with a city orientation tour and took a private tour of the islands of Murano, Burano and the Jewish Ghetto.  Seeing the glass blowers and lace makers in action was a treat. Overall the family truly enjoyed Italy and its culture with so many special experiences to bring it all to life and to celebrate a special occasion!

Trip Review: Adventures in Africa

The Shapiro Family of Philadelphia (2 adults and 1 teen) experienced Africa this summer with travel to Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Mom started the trip at the Sanctuary Retreats Gorilla Forest Camp nestled deep inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in southwest Uganda; the perfect base for gorilla tracking.  Bwindi has the highest concentration of primates on Earth and is home to half the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. The park is inhabited by a population of about 340 individual Mountain Gorillas; almost half of all the mountain gorillas remaining in the world.  Groups of eight tourists are allowed to visit one of four gorilla families for no more than one hour per day – brief, so they would not be seen as “invading their space.” Each family has between 12-15 gorillas per group ranging in age from 6 weeks to 20 years. The mountainous trek to visit the gorillas took between 2-3 hours per direction. The task was monumental, but well worth it!

After this amazing experience, the family then met up for a two-week Tauck tour to Tanzania and Kenya.  The tour started in Arusha, Tanzania at the Lake Duluti Serena Hotel at the foot of Mount Meru, the second-highest mountain in Tanzania. The tour then went to Lake Manyara National Park for their first glimpse of giraffes, baboons, hippos and elephants along with hundreds of species of birds.  Later, they arrived in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, populated by an estimated 30,000 large mammals. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the largest calderas (a volcanic depression) in the world and contains a variety of ecosystems and an astounding concentration of birds and animals, including massive herds of zebras, wildebeests, and gazelles. They also had the opportunity to spot the Big Five – elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo, and rhinoceros – all in one day!

Next stop was the Oldupai Gorge, where, over 50 years ago, archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey discovered the fossilized remains of some of the earliest known human species, an estimated 1.8 million years old. They then enjoyed the Serengeti’s amazing wildlife while staying at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge in Serengeti. The family said that this area was amazingly beautiful. While they ate lunch 24 elephants visited their watering hole which abutted the human swimming pool. Such a glorious sight! They also saw lions, zebras, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, hippos, buffaloes, jackals, gazelles, and giraffes while on safari at the Serengeti National Park. 

The trip continued to Kenya and the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro which peaked over surrounding landscapes from more than 15,000 feet up. They stayed at the Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge in Amboseli National Park, where herds of free-ranging elephants and other wildlife like to roam. Later in the day they enjoyed a private lecture on the elephants of Amboseli.  An early morning visit to a Maasai village preceded a morning game drive in the park with plenty of more animal viewings.  Next up they visited the Mount Kenya Safari Club and animal orphanage which straddled the equator. This was the former retreat of actor William Holden. After settling in, they got a private visit to the nearby William Holden Wildlife Education Center and animal orphanage. This was a sanctuary for animals that have been orphaned or injured and need special care. It also teaches local children to cherish and appreciate the unique wildlife of their homeland.  They also visited the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the largest resident black rhino population in East Africa and other members of the Big Five. It is also home to the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, founded by Jane Goodall, which gives lifelong homes to orphaned and abused chimpanzees. One chimp in particular, Coco, stole their hearts. He had been kept in a small, standing cage for 6+ years. Now he is free to roam and be rehabilitated.

They also visited the Masai Mara National Reserve with several game drives. They stayed at the Fairmont Mara Safari Club, an elegant tented camp hotel.  The most amazing day of the safari was a sunrise balloon ride over the plains of the Masai Mara. Afterward, a special champagne breakfast awaited them in the bush!  A farewell dinner in a traditional boma rounded out the trip.
On the last day they flew to Nairobi where The Family Traveler arranged for them to visit the amazing David Sheldrick Elephant Refuge. They visited with 20+ baby elephants who were orphaned throughout Kenya. They all pranced past them to their own “rooms” where they are bottle fed. The smaller babies had blankets on them because their skin was too fine for the chilly Kenyan evenings. Men also roomed with the babies who were prone to waking up in the middle of the night crying out for their bottles. What truly generous gentlemen they were!  The Family Traveler adopted an elephant in honor of the family.  Afterward, the family said “Kwaheri” (goodbye) to the amazing countries they visited.

Trip Review: Custom Ireland

The Gross Family from Philadelphia with 2 teenage boys (19 and 16) explored Ireland this month.  The Family Traveler created a custom itinerary for this well-traveled family based on their desire to explore the southern coast line of the Emerald Isle, have authentic experiences and stay in diverse accommodations within a specific budget request.  The trip started on the west coast with a flight into Shannon Airport and a 3-night stay at the Ballinalacken Castle Country House Hotel in Doolin.  The family enjoyed the hour ride to the hotel on winding roads especially since they are seasoned drivers of the left-hand side.  They thought the food and hospitality at Ballinalacken were great despite slightly worn rooms. A tour of the ancient castle located on the hotel grounds was a treat.  Another highlight was a sunset dinner at O’Donohue Pub overlooking Fanore Beach in the heart of the Burren with great seafood and views.  They recommend the Burren Perfumery for natural products using native herbs and also for afternoon tea.  The Cliffs of Moher was the best part of the Burren Way despite the challenging walk along the sea cliffs from Doolin to the Visitor Centre.  They used the bus for the return.  This active family also took an awesome Lord of the Rings Burren Tour mountain bike ride which they said required a fair amount of skill and effort.  They got to watch peat fuel being made and explored the Pol na Gollum (Hole of Gollum), the longest cave in Ireland. It is believed that the Burren landscape and this cave inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write the Lord of the Rings.  The Fleadh Festival in nearby Ennis which showcases traditional Irish music and dance was fine, but surprisingly missable.  The car ride to Killarney was long, but tolerable because of a stop in charming Adare for lunch. The family recommends checking out the ferry from Kilrush which crosses the Shannon Estuary to shorten the drive.  In Killarney, they stayed for 3 nights in a 2-bedroom apartment at the Muckross Park Hotel and Spa which is located right in the national park.  The location was great because Killarney town is a bit over run by tourists.   Their review of the apartment was mixed since their view wasn’t that great overlooking a parking lot (although an hour long rainbow was nice!), but they did like having a kitchen.  They loved the hotel spa and free bike rentals.  Hiking the Gap of Dunloe was a commitment (1/2 day at least), but totally worthwhile. Their trip to the Dingle Peninsula was also special and the restaurants in town were a nice way to cap off to the drive.  Their journey to Kilkenny was long, but they stopped in Cork to break up the trip.  Their said their lunch at the English Market was not worthwhile.  They said that Kilkenny was a surprising highlight.  They stayed at the nearby Lyrath Estate Hotel for 3 nights.  The town had great pubs, restaurants and music.  The family enjoyed the Kilkenny Castle and grounds as well as the Rothe House, a 16th century merchant’s townhouse which is now a museum and gardens.  Their experience at the hotel had some contrasts.  The family thought the property was beautiful with a unique combination of old and new architecture.  They had nicely appointed rooms with great views from the 4th floor.  But some of the recreational facilities are in need of a serious update including the gym and pool.  At least there were scenic places to run on the property and the spa was lovely (although not discovered until late in their stay).  The breakfast spread was excellent, despite being overly busy and loud with lots of young families.  The trip ended in Dublin with a 2-night stay at the Brooks Hotel.  The hotel location was incredible and staff was so friendly. The famous Guinness tour which was totally commercial and yet really fun. Overall, the family had a fantastic vacation and noted that our recommendations were highly appreciated!