travel planning - Pitstops for Kids

Hassle-free guide to getting your US passport for kids

January 13, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

Need a US passport for kids? Getting your child his or her first passport doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it sounds. Yes, you need to clear an afternoon or morning to the task, and yes, there’s a wait time involved, but the process is simpler than most people realize. Here’s what you need to know for getting a US passport for kids:

Where should I go to get the passport?

In most cases, you’ll need to go to your local post office. I know, I know, but at least it’s better than the DMV, right? To find an office or agency issuing passports in your area, simply plug in your zip code into this site, and get a list of locations. Many people hope it’s possible to apply for a first passport online or by mail: this is not the case. You’ll need to physically apply in person. And your kids will need to be there too! Call and ask if the office closest to you accepts appointments. If not, prepare to wait in line. Note: most passport offices run on government business hours and close early (ours takes its last passport appointment at 3:45 pm), and are closed on weekends. In order to get the whole family there to apply, you may need to take kids out of school for an hour or so. Annoying? Yes. Necessary? Often.

When should I apply?

Apply at least 12 weeks before international travel. When we applied for our kids’ first passports, they came in the mail well before this time period (more like four weeks), but trust me, you don’t want to sweat it right before your departure. Nor do you want to pay for an expedited process if you don’t have to. Plus, applying early gives you wiggle room should something go wrong: it’s fairly common that photos need to be retaken or addresses get entered incorrectly. This way, you have time to re-do the process.

What passport type does my child need, and how much will it cost?

If you’ll be traveling internationally by air, your child needs a Passport book (the standard passport you’re probably picturing in your mind). If you’ll be traveling by cruise ship, you’ll need to check with your cruise line, as various countries have different requirements, but may be able to travel only with a Passport Card. If you’re traveling by car to Canada, parents will need passport books, but kids can enter the country with valid original birth certificates (as of the time of this posting). However, it’s a much faster process at the border if kids have passport books that can be scanned like their parents’. Note: if only one parent is bringing kids into Canada from the US, any parent with joint custody must submit a signed letter of consent. Notarize it and bring it with you!

Passport books for kids (0-16 years) are $80 and must be renewed every five years. Passport cards are only $15. Start here to determine eligibility and passport type.

What documents will I need?

When you’re applying for passort, you must go to the passport agency or passport office with your child or children (the passport applicants) and bring his or her original birth certificate, plus a photo ID for you. You’ll need to give parental consent for the passport, fill out all forms (if you haven’t filled them out at home), and pay all fees. You can download the application right here to save time.

Where should I purchase passport photos?

To apply for a passport, passport photos can almost always be taken (and paid for) at the passport office where you apply, but can sometimes be cheaper elsewhere. For convenience, we took our children’s passport photos at the post office when we applied, but if you decide to go elsewhere, make sure the photo is 2″ by 2″, and has the proper background. I’d only trust this task to a photo or portrait business who specializes in passport photos.

Not so hard, right? You’ll be given a receipt onsite, then can expect your passports to arrive in the mail within 12 weeks. Now, you just need tips for going through customs with kids!

Italy with kids: Cinque Terre itinerary for families

January 9, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

On a trip to Italy with kids, you’re likely to devote a good deal of time to art and history in Florence and archeological ruins in Rome. Afterward, escape the intensity of the city with this three-day Cinque Terre itinerary for families.

Day One: Florence to Cinque Terre

We took a morning train from Florence to Lucca and spent several hours walking around this lovely walled city. It’s definitely worth the side trip. There is a baggage check place right across from the station where we left our bags. From there you can just walk into the town or rent a bike from the same place.

Then we took a train from Lucca to La Spezia (you can get one ticket that is Florence to La Spezia and just get off and on again) where you change trains for the towns of Cinque Terre. Be sure to get off at La Spezia Centrale station, not La Spezia Milgliarina.

In La Spezia, make sure you take a local train that stops in Riomaggiore (Genoa-La Spezia line). Check the train schedules because they don’t all stop at the little Cinque Terre towns.

We stayed 2 nights at Affittacamere Le Giare which I found through Trip Advisor and booked through Booking.com. Being off-season many places were closed. But this was a wonderful little apartment where our host was waiting for us and made dinner recommendations. We had time for a walk around the town using Rick Steves’ guide.

Note: you can also go from Milan to Cinque Terre.

Day Two: Village to village hiking

We awoke to rain but it cleared up by 9:00 and we found a café in town for breakfast. All the Cinque Terre villages cater to American tourists who come in droves in the summer so there are many cafes trying to serve American or English breakfasts.

You can go from village to village three different ways: by train, hike or by boat. Boats only run in season (and we visited in winter) and most of the train trip is through tunnels, obscuring views between village stops, so we opted to hike. The entire hike is approximately eight miles one-way, which is do-able with older kids and teens, when broken up into a leisurely day.

The first two sections of the hiking trail were closed: Riomaggiore to Manarola is only a 20-minute walk and has been closed for years; the second section, Manarola to Corniglia takes a little longer but is less scenic.

We took the train from Riomaggiore to Corniglia and started our hike from there. Finding the correct trail out of Corniglia toward Vernazza proved to be a bit of a challenge but after climbing a long set of switchback steps up to the town center, we found the red and white stripes on the stonewalls that serve as trail markers.

Tip: It’s a beautiful hike up out of Corniglia and you are able to look back at the village perched on the cliffs. Stunning!

The hike from Corniglia to Vernazza takes about an hour and a half but it is rocky, with some stone steps and somewhat hilly. You hike through vineyards and ravines. No one was on the trail when we were there, which made it pretty magical. In summer the crowds must really take away from the remote beauty, which is why we enjoyed an off-season visit. In another hour we came to Vernazza where we stopped for a delicious pizza lunch at a busy café right by the harbor.

Finding the continuing trail from Vernazza to Monterosso was easy. But the hike to Monterosso was the most difficult of all. It took us about an hour and a half with lots of ups and downs and muddy areas. But most of it is along cliffs with amazing views.

Monterosso is more of a resort town than the others. It is built on flat land and divided into two parts—the old and new. There are long stretches of beach and umbrella rentals, etc. It is also the only Cinque Terre village that is on a main train route. It was our least favorite.

To return to Riomaggiore, we took the train (they come about every hour, more often in summer) and rode it straight through from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. We were back in time to shower and rest up before a nice dinner by the harbor.

Day Three: Manarola back to Rome

We were headed back to Rome today for our morning flight out the next day, but before we left Riomaggiore we took the train to the second village that we could not hike to due to trail closures, Manarola. What a perfect morning outing! We found a little café for some pastries, but not much else was open. It was very quiet. Rick Steves’ walking guide took us up through the town and into the vineyards and graveyards with stone terraces.

We took the train back to Riomaggiore, got our bags and then took another train to La Spezia where we changed trains to get back to the Rome Termini.

In summary:

Visit Lucca coming or going to Cinque Terre
Walk as much of the trail as you can and what you can’t, go back to by train and visit the villages that way.
Don’t think you’ll have views on the train because you don’t.
Pick one village as a base because they are all so close together.
Go off-season. We were told April was the best.

How we planned our European trip on a budget

January 6, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

This winter, the Pit Stops for Kids crew will be heading to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy. Our entire trip has been planned with budget in mind, by necessity! If your family, like ours, wants to plan a European trip on a budget, we have tips below!

We will travel in an off-season.

Yes, Paris in springtime is lovely, and Scandinavia in the summer is just about perfect. But airfare and lodging prices soar during peak time periods. Everyone knows that when on a budget, one of the easiest ways to save money is to travel in the off-season, but with kids in school and sports, we know this is easier said than done. Think outside the box: I was surprised to learn that if booked far enough in advance, the Christmas holiday season was very affordable, with cheaper airfare than in spring. We were able to book a trip that didn’t force the kids to miss any school days but still fell into a budget season period.

If you do book a winter holiday trip, go with the flow of the Christmas and New Years’ holidays, taking advantage of special events and offerings. Instead of lamenting that you won’t be able to have the exact same trip you’d have in June or July, look for festivals, religious ceremonies, and celebrations that are unique to this festive season. For instance, I was bummed we wouldn’t be hiking in the Dutch countryside during our December trip, until I realized we’d be able to experience Belgium’s famous Christmas markets.

We finalized our travel dates around the best airfare.

Instead of deciding on our exact travel dates, then finding airfare to work around them, we kept our departure dates loose and finalized them around the most affordable airfare. This allowed us to use calendar tools on airline websites to find the cheapest fare within a 3-4 day window, each way. For example, for the Alitalia flight we booked from San Francisco to Paris, the price was $200 less if we flew on a Thursday rather than a Friday. On our return, flying on New Year’s Day is significantly less than flying the day after. Read how to find the lowest airfare for any trip.

We booked apartments instead of hotel rooms.

Hotel rooms are hard to come by economically for a family of five in major European cities. Instead of trying to cram into a room or booking two rooms per night for our family, we are using HomeAway and AirBnB vacation rentals. We enjoy booking directly from locals, because they can often give us extra tips and hints for our city travels, recommend restaurants, and give us directions to grocery stores. We’ve never had any problems booking through the above sites. Here’s an example of our savings:

Paris mid-range hotel room that sleeps 3: $200/night ($2,000 total for two rooms for five nights)
Paris apartment rental that sleeps 5: $100/night ($550 total for five nights including taxes and fees)

We priced lodging, transportation, and tours a la carte.

It can be easier to book lodging and tours in one package from a number of tour operators, but we dislike large group tours and don’t want to stay in hotels that cater to large groups. Instead, we booked individual tours in both Rome and Paris. (We’ll be touring with Fat Tire Tours and Overome.) While this seems like an extravagance, it’s actually less costly because we’ve gotten our lodging for a good price, and we’ll have the benefit of touring in a much smaller group.

We opted for longer stays per location.

Instead of giving into the temptation of changing location every few days, which would bump our transportation and lodging costs considerably, we have opted to stay overnight in only three locations over 15 days. This gives us time to fully explore each area, and keeps our lodging costs as low as possible (five nights in an apartment rental is far cheaper than five separate nights in five different accommodations). We can also forgo Eurail type ticket packages in favor of one-time fares because we won’t be taking trains very often.

We price compared trains vs planes.

Once our transatlantic flight plans were set, we needed to figure out how we’d travel from city to city within Europe. Don’t assume train travel will be cheaper than airfare. For our travel from Paris to nearby Belgium, the train was our best option, but leaving Brussels, it was far cheaper to grab a flight on an economy airline to Rome than to take the train to nearby London, for instance. We are using EasyJet and RyanAir for our internal flights. These airlines are bare bones, but for short flights, we’re willing to make this sacrifice.

We’re not renting a car.

Car rental in Europe can get expensive, as it can anywhere. We will be buying prepaid metro tickets for each major city we’re visiting, and will be relying on bus and train schedules everywhere we go. Would driving a car be more efficient? Sure, but we’re happy to see the sights in a more leisurely manner via public transit for the tradeoff of not having to navigate roads. Be sure to budget for public transit, and note that if you have anything larger than a family of four, taxi cabs will not likely be economical. Note: the only exception to our public transit rule will upon our arrival in Paris. After a long transatlantic journey, we know we’ll be tired. I opted for a private town car to pick us up at the airport and deliver us to our apartment. This ‘luxury’ costs less than getting two taxi cabs. (We’re using Blacklane.)

We’re eating street food and shopping in grocery stores.

For us, having our own kitchen in each of our apartment rentals just makes more sense than eating every meal out. While we will certainly eat some meals in restaurants, we plan to enjoy the multicultural experience of shopping in local grocery stores and making our own meals. When we booked our apartments, we looked for rentals with grocery stores within walking distance. For lunches, when we’ll be out in cities exploring, we plan to buy foods at delis and stores for picnics and try street foods in cities.

Gift-free holiday: Why we opted for no presents at Christmas

November 11, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

When we decided the best time for our family’s bucket list trip to Europe was Christmas break, we, as parents, realized how unrealistic it would be to buy Christmas presents on top of the cost of the trip. While we would be budget traveling through Europe, we would still spend far more than the average amount we set aside for holiday spending. In addition, it simply wouldn’t be practical to try to haul Christmas gifts across the Atlantic to open Christmas Day, only to haul them back.

The idea of a gift-free holiday focusing on the wonderful gift of travel and experiences appealed to us greatly.

We went to the kids (ages 16, 14, and 11), and asked them what they thought of having our European trip be their Christmas gift. And their only Christmas gift. Their answer (in September), was a resounding YES. Whatever it took to get us all to Europe, they were onboard.

I was proud of them; I’ve never considered us to be a particularly materialistic or consumer-driven family, but let’s be real: my kids like presents. And like most families in middle class America, a big part of the Christmas holiday is centered around gifts, for better or for worse. None of my children still believed in Santa Claus, but they definitely still believed in making a list.

With the kids on board, we continued with our plans for Europe, spending all our Christmas gift fund on our travels. I knew we’d be celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Florence, Italy, and started making plans for that time period in particular. I knew I wanted to make it special, despite the lack of gifts.

Because many parts of Italy celebrates the Epiphany more intensely than Christmas Day, I found that many local celebrations would have ended before our arrival in Florence. This disheartened me a little, but I forged ahead, asking our AirBnB host for restaurant recommendations that would be open and checking museum hours. By the time I was done planning, we had a lovely Christmas Eve meal reserved at a cafe recommended by a local, a Christmas morning self-guided walking tour, and plans to shop for and cook a Christmas Day dinner in our rented apartment.

I also enlisted the family’s help making a single family gift, which we would open together on Christmas morning. I ordered an AwesomeBox. This innovative gift allows families to add custom photos, stories, and messages to special cards for a lucky recipient. In our case, the recipient was us! Everyone filled out simple information online, such as ‘favorite family memory’ or ‘what I like most about this person is…’. AwesomeBox prints the cards, and ships them in a memory box. I had the box shipped to our house before we left, then brought the cards, unread, with us. They took up no more room than a deck of playing cards, and when we opened them on Christmas morning, it would be both a gift and a family event.

Lastly, we decided to do a family Secret Santa during our trip. We always budget a small amount of money for souvenirs, and for this holiday trip, we opted to purchase souvenirs for each other instead of for ourselves. Each family member drew a name, with the plan to buy three souvenirs for that person before Christmas Day. Souvenirs were to be $5 or less each. This way, we’d still be ‘buying things’ and everyone would still have something to ‘open’.

Here’s how it turned out (the good and the bad):

The first problem we had with our excellent gift-free holiday plan was with me. A few days before our departure, I started to panic. Maybe it was classic mom-guilt, but it just suddenly seemed terrible that I didn’t have gifts purchased for my kids. I even tried to talk my husband back out of our plan, and wanted to spend any amount, to purchase anything, for the boys. Needless to say, this was ridiculous, and I was talked down from the ledge.

The second problem we had was with our youngest. Despite agreeing to our plan, he apparently thought we didn’t really mean it, because in the days leading up to our trip, and even once on the trip, he referenced Christmas presents several times. Each time he said something about his anticipation of gifts, we reminded him gently that we’d decided our trip was our gift. And each time, he agreed, but seemed to continually ‘forget’. Needless to say, this did not help my guilt. What saved us was our Secret Santa plan. Our youngest loves buying things for others, and doing so brought him so much joy (and distraction) that he stopped wondering about ‘big’ gifts. It also helped that he knew someone was buying small items for him, too.

As it turns out, kids simply love the process of buying things for others and opening gifts, no matter how small.

At times, the souvenir shopping got to be a chore or a point of stress (as in, “I still need one more thing for so-and-so, and I can’t find anything!”), but for the most part, it was very satisfying. And our AwesomeBox was, well, awesome.

What our Christmas Day ended up looking like:

We arrived in Florence via train on Christmas Eve, and walking through the historic city center to our apartment was nothing short of magical. If the kids had ‘forgotten’ it was Christmas, they quickly remembered. On every corner, violinists played, and every street was adorned with holiday lights and decorations. Every church had an intricate cache out front. The bells chimed the hour, and we were entranced.

After settling into our apartment, we ventured out to the grocery store, where we purchased the makings of our Christmas morning meal. We bought a traditional Italian panettone (like a coffee cake), my kids’ favorite peach juice that’s abundant in Italy, and coffee. Then we walked to the small restaurant where we had a reservation, and had our first Tuscan meal. We ordered sparkling water and a bottle of wine, and toasted to our European Christmas.

That night, I reminded the kids yet again that ‘Santa’ had already gifted them with this trip (“Yeah, we know Mom!”…by this time, they’d heard it many times) but that we’d exchange our Secret Santa souvenirs and open our AwesomeBox with breakfast. For the first time ever, everyone slept in Christmas morning. We awoke to more church bells and a fun, special breakfast complete with a lace tablecloth I found in the apartment kitchen. We ate the panettone and exchanged our $5 gifts. Some were silly and some were thoughtful, and all made us feel loved.

We opened the AwesomeBox and took turns reading cards that expressed our gratitude for each other and our funniest/silliest/most important family memories. We took our time with this, and I think it was very special. The kids still keep their cards tucked away in their rooms.

We went out around noon, taking our historic walk of the city to learn more about Florence. The kids tolerated this with only some enthusiasm. I even heard things like, “It doesn’t feel like Christmas anymore.” Then, we turned a corner to find a tiny Christmas carnival in a small square. There was an ice skating rink, kiddie carnival rides, and a hot chocolate (cioccolata calda) stand. We stayed for the better part of an hour. Then we hiked to the best city views at Piazzale Michelangelo, where a large Christmas tree stood sentinel. It felt like Christmas again!

We ended up at a sidewalk cafe serving pizza for a late lunch, and never ended up making dinner! We ended our day with a nighttime stroll amid the city lights and an early bedtime in anticipation of museum hopping in the morning.

Today, the kids say they have no regrets about missing out on presents. After all, they’d be hard-pressed to remember what they’d gotten for Christmas, but still remember this trip like it was yesterday.

Tips for planning your own gift-free holiday:

Prepare kids well ahead of time. This goes without saying, but remember that kids may need frequent reminders as well. Weave your gift-free holiday plans into the fabric of your itinerary, if you will. We said things like, “Because we’re not doing gifts, we’ll be able to rent Segways in Rome,” or, “With the money we’re saving on presents, we’ll be able to go out to that expensive restaurant as a family.”
Have a Christmas Day plan. (Or whatever day is most important for your family, whether that’s Christmas, Christmas Eve, Three Kings Day, Boxing Day, or a day of Hanukkah.) Book a special restaurant reservation, plan a tour, or schedule a special family event. In other words, still mark the day. Don’t pretend it’s just like any other. Remember that many things may be closed on Christmas; ask ahead.
Encourage kids to think of the entire trip as ‘Christmas day’. Maybe that one special day won’t be chock full of events and celebrations, but remind kids that every day of your trip, you’re doing special things, eating fun foods, and seeing amazing sights. Organize a family ‘white elephant’ gift giving, or have ‘secret Santas’ to facilitate smaller-scale gift giving and thoughtfulness.
Bear in mind the ages of your kids. Honestly, I would not consider a gift-free holiday with kids who still believed in Santa. During family trips with kids this age, we’ve certainly scaled back presents for the sake of travel-ease, but we’ve always ‘delivered’ on the Santa promise.
Start small. If you’re not ready to commit to a completely gift-free holiday, consider buying your kids experiences instead of physical gifts for some birthdays or holidays. Buy them memberships, tickets to that special show, or lessons. Make the gift of experiences a regular thing in your family.

Travel planning: When and why to partner with a family vacation planner

November 4, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

Here at Pit Stops for Kids, we’re of a DIY mentality. If you’re a regular reader here, you probably are, too. We encourage you to travel by offering as much useful, free information as we can, so you can make informed decisions before booking your family vacations.

But…and this is a big but! We have used a family vacation planner for some very specific trips, and think you should, too. Bringing in a very specific expert can, sometimes, mean the difference between a good and a great family trip. Wondering when and why to partner with a family vacation planner? Read on!

When and why a family vacation planner may be a smart idea:

When you’re planning that bucket list-worthy vacation and you want it to be epic. You know the type of trip I’m talking about: that dream African safari or that once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Patagonia. Maybe you want to check out the Galapagos Islands or perhaps you want to spend a full month in Europe. You’ve heard me suggest travel insurance for this type of expensive, dream trip. I also suggest a family vacation planner for essentially the same reason: it’s just too important a trip to mess around!
When you need a destination vetted: A good family vacation planning service has been on the ground at destinations that can be tricky to figure out on your own. An example that comes to mind: Iceland is a country that’s easy to travel in but hard to picture before you get there. While it’s easy enough to explore Iceland by camper van, it’s more complicated to find the right-for-you hotel rooms should you want to travel in more comfort. I recently referred a traveler to a trusted family vacation planner to book Iceland hotel rooms, since I know this planner has stayed in nearly all of the best ones!
When you simply don’t have time to plan: We’re all busy people. Maybe you simply don’t have time to plan that family vacation that deserves careful preparation. Maybe you simply don’t enjoy the planning phase of a trip. It’s a common misconception that only novice travelers use family travel planners. I know (and have referred) very savvy travelers to planning services. It’s okay to come to the planner with lots of ideas and recommendations…they can work with you whether you need a lot of help, just a little help, or something in-between. Planners are well-used to helping people who are used to doing it all themselves.
If you’re looking for value (but not a quick deal): Value seekers will do well with family vacation planners. Deal seekers, not so much. If you’re truly looking for the cheapest Caribbean spring break package or the lowest cost flight to London, DIY is best. But if you are willing to pay for value, which, to me, means trusted advice and the peace of mind of knowing that what you’ve paid for will provide your family with the best experience, a planner is the right move.

How to work with a family vacation planner:

Email us! If you have a family vacation question, we encourage you to reach out via email or Facebook page. Often, all you need is a little encouragement–you got this!–or a quick bit of advice. But we can also let you know when we think a family vacation planner will best serve your needs, and, with your permission, can refer you to our favorites. A family vacation planner starts by getting to know you and your travel needs in an informational phone call, and services can be set up from there. Give it a try!

Have you worked with a family vacation planner? What was your experience?

The Wizarding World at Universal Studios Hollywood: What to know before you go

October 28, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

If you have kids who live and breathe all things Harry Potter, and you can’t take them on a trip to the motherland, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios is the next best thing. With the Wizarding World is now open on both coasts, we opted to check out Hogwarts and Hogsmeade in Hollywood. Read on for our best planning tips:

Don’t forget to budget time for one of the best things to do in Hollywood, the Museum of Illusions, plus additional fun in the greater Los Angeles area!

Rides at Wizarding World of Harry Potter:

There are two rides at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, both of which are pretty tame by theme park standards. However, here’s what you should know about each:

The Flight of the Hippogriff is Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor roller coaster. It is family friendly and appropriate for younger muggles over 36 inches tall.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal Studios Hollywood takes place inside Hogwart’s Castle. This 3-D adventure is perfect for diehard Harry Potter fans who can brave the Quidditch pitch, Whomping Willows, dragons and dementors. We loved it, but there’s a lot of twisting and turning, and some of us felt a bit queasy afterward. If you get motion sickness, know this in advance!

Shopping inside Wizarding World:

Normally, souvenir shopping wouldn’t get more than a cursory mention in one of my posts…after all, no one comes for the shopping. Not so at Wizarding World! Shopping for Harry Potter souvenirs is truly part of the fun at Wizarding World, and you’ll want to take time to do some browsing. Be sure to go into the various shops, such as Honeydukes candy shop for some chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, chocolate cauldrons and more. Inside the castle and as you exit the Forbidden Journey are where you will find Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods. I could have spent hours in there! You can purchase clothing, house crest banners, toys, games and replicas of the movie props.

If your kid (or you!) want to buy a wand, do it early. Why? You can use interactive wands (the ones with the specially marked sticker on the box) throughout the Wizarding World. It’s really fun to perform spells at any location with an emblem on the ground. There’s always a Universal employee stationed nearby to give you tips.

To get a wand, you can either go through a wand ceremony (where you wait in line to watch the ceremony where one person is picked to be the recipient, then buy your own if you weren’t picked), or you can go directly to the wand shop. If you want to watch the ceremony, we suggest making this your first stop.

The wand shop is usually crazy crowded, but it’s also jaw-dropping to see the wand boxes literally stacked floor to ceiling. Wands will set you back $50 each (yes, really!) but it’s one of those things you should probably just budget for, because once in the Wizarding World, they’re hard to resist!

This video was created with ProEditors…learn more about creating your own!

Food & drink of wizards:

Like shopping, eating is a big deal at Wizarding World. There are all kinds of edible treats from the candy in Honeydukes to the restaurant and pub, as well as Butterbeer. In the Three Broomsticks restaurant, you’ll find the Hog’s Head (bar), but also English fare for the whole family. You can snuggle up with a drink in a cozy booth or spot in front of the fireplace. We found it expensive but fun to eat a meal in the Three Broomsticks.

Wizarding entertainment:

On the Hogsmeade stage you will find some entertainment throughout your visit. Some of the Hogwarts choir students (one from each house) perform with their large croaking frogs. You can also cheer on the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students as they get the crowd excited for the Triwizard Tournament. After each performance, you can take photos with the singers and dancers.

Dealing with crowds:

Universal’s Front of Line pass will be worth your while if you’re visiting during peak season (summer) or just about any time in the first months of the park’s opening, even though there are only two rides in the park. The pass is good for both rides, and lines are definitely long. It also includes front access to shows, saving you time (as you won’t have to hold seats). These passes start at $199. There is a single rider line available for The Forbidden Journey. There’s a VIP pass as well, which gets you all the perks of the Front of Line pass, plus a guided tour, breakfast, and lunch, but at over $300 a ticket, we don’t see the value.

Buying tickets:

As with most theme parks, Universal Studios gives you an array of options for ticket purchase (in addition to the aforementioned Front of the Line pass). Always buy tickets online ahead of time if buying directly through Universal to save some cash, but if you plan to do anything else in the greater Los Angeles area, do as we did and use a Go Los Angeles card attraction pass. A 3-day card gives you a day at Universal Studios, which you can upgrade to a Front of the Line pass should you desire. We loved that we didn’t have to wait in the ticket line at all: cards are fully integrated with the Universal Studios Hollywood ticket turnstiles.

Where to stay: If budget allows, consider staying in LA style with luxury villa rentals Los Angeles. Or, staying at a Preferred Hotel gets you early admission privileges, and may even get you shuttle service to the park (in some cases). What we like: there’s a large selection to choose from, making it possible for families on all budgets to book a Preferred Hotel. Be sure to use hotel loyalty programs when you book to ensure you come away with points as well as a great vacation!

Pin for later!

Photo credit: Prayitno

Traveling the Canadian Rockies on VIA Rail

October 24, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

Overnight passenger train travel can be more expensive and slower than air travel today. So why should you go? And where?

Train across Canada: after spending two nights traveling the Canadian Rockies on VIA Rail‘s Canadian, the ‘why’ is easy to answer: in an age when traveling to a destination has become only about getting from Point A to Point B in a rushed, often stressful manner, a few days (or more) aboard a passenger train is a vacation in itself. The pace is relaxed, the scenery can be fantastic, and the service is friendly. After my experience aboard The Canadian, I would venture to say passenger train travel is in fact the sole remaining mode of idyllic transportation from the golden age, outlasting air and cruise travel.

Incorporating a VIA Rail journey into a Canadian vacation itinerary will greatly enrich your trip. There are many routes to choose between, the longest being the four day journey from Vancouver to Toronto on the Canadian. We opted for a fraction of this trip, embarking in Vancouver and departing in Jasper, Alberta (then returning on the same route after days of sightseeing in the Canadian Rockies). The 20-hour one-way trip was spent taking in the scenery from one of several observation cars with 360 degree views, dining in the relaxed yet elegant dining cars, getting to know fellow passengers, and sleeping, reading, working, or napping. We found that the ‘rail level’ views and relaxed pace afforded a more intimate experience with the British Columbia and Alberta wilderness.

Who to take with you:

If you’re bringing kids, I wouldn’t recommend this trip for kids under age six (though as always, parents know their own children best). During the rail trip, passengers are definitely confined to a series of train cars, and young kids would certainly get restless. Is there enough for older kids to do? Here’s what we found: a variety of board games in the ‘activity cars’, on-going snacks and juices in the lounges, and interesting sights out the window, whether it be scenery whizzing by or temporary stops at stations or through towns. In other words: not a lot of on-board entertainment.

If you travel with kids, we recommend downloading a few movies onto a computer, iPod, or iPad, and bringing plenty of reading material, activity books (such as coloring books) and card games. Plan on several hours between each meal that you’ll need to fill. Expect a primarily-adults-only passenger list: during our October trip, we saw only two children aboard the Canadian. This is not to discourage families from bringing kids: rather, know you’ll need to bring diversions and entertainment as needed. WiFi was not available aboard our train, though 3G and 4G service could be found via roaming off and on.

Which fare to book:

Determining which fare is right for you can be tricky. On the Canadian, there are two basic options: sleeper or economy. In economy, you’ll get a seat that reclines, access to an observation car with upper deck, access to a lounge with tables and chairs, and the option to buy food at the Starlight Cafe, serving meals and snacks to go. Passengers sleep in their seats, and share bathroom facilities. Economy is obviously the more affordable option, but quite frankly, didn’t look too appealing (despite the fact that VIA Rail seats are considerably more comfortable than airline seats).

Sleeper fare offers three bed configurations (each a different price) in the Sleeper Plus category. Passengers can opt between a one-passenger or two-passenger private cabin, or a semi-private upper or lower berth (closed with curtains). We experienced Sleeper Plus in a two-passenger cabin. We had a tiny-yet-functional cabin space with two chairs and a large window, a private bathroom with toilet, and a sink. Also included: a small amount of storage space and two outlets (yay!). In the evenings, a train steward comes by to lower your beds, which in the two-passenger cabin is bunk-bed style: upper and lower single beds. Beds are fully made-up each evening, and very comfortable (provided you’re not quite tall).

The one-passenger private cabin features one bench-like seat that flattens to accommodate a bed, plus a sink and toilet (the latter of which features a cushioned cover to become an ottoman during the day, but is covered up by the bed at night…a definite downside). Both the two-passenger and one-passenger cabins share one shower per car.

The last sleeper option is to book an upper or lower berth. These compartments feature bench seats (two facing each other) during the day, which fold out to become a lower berth bed at night. The upper berth bed folds out from the wall by the ceiling. These berths are made up at night and feature thick curtains for privacy. They share a public toilet and shower (one per car).

All Sleeper Plus fares include meals in the dining car (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, depending on when you’re onboard), snacks in the lounge, access to several observation cars and lounges, and complimentary champagne and appetizers upon embarkation.

Here’s a photo depicting 1. a two-passenger cabin made up for bed, 2. a lower berth made up for day, 3. coach seats:

Which to book will depend on your comfort level (how much privacy do you need?) and your meal needs. We absolutely recommend the all-inclusive dining: if you opt out of this, you can buy meals a la carte in the cafe, but this option would get old (and expensive) if traveling more than one night. We enjoyed the privacy of a cabin, but could have been comfortable in an upper and lower berth as well. Keep in mind that only up to two passengers fit in a cabin: families of four or more will need to book two (or more) cabins or opt for two or more upper/lower berths in a row. (The latter option will allow for more freedom of movement between beds as needed, but you’ll only have access to a shared bathroom.

View our VIA Rail experience video:

Tips:

1. Carry-on sized bags only are allowed onboard. Full-sized bags will need to be checked, so plan accordingly. Cabins have space for up to two carry-on bags, but if you opt for a berth, you’d be better off with only a large tote or backpack.

2. Bring a water bottle to refill. While coffee, tea, and juice is on offer at all times, I found the need to also keep a water bottle filled to prevent dehydration. If you like to sip coffee or tea all day, bring a small thermos or insulated mug.

3. Bring a hair dryer if you’ll need one: in cabins, towels, shampoo, and soap are provided, but not hair dryers.

4. Be prepared for plenty of motion and some train noise at night. We slept surprisingly well onboard, but you’ll definitely feel the movement.

Date last visited:

October 2013

Fare cost:

Calculate Via Rail fares here. Definitely plan early and check for fare discounts, offered several times per year. What we found: VIA Rail is not more economical than flying, so you need to consider the fare cost a part of your vacation experience, not part of your transportation costs.

Directions:

If embarking in Vancouver on the Canadian, you’ll depart from Pacific Station. Located next to Science World, it’s easy to get here from SkyRail from either the airport or the Waterfront station in downtown Vancouver.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we experienced The Canadian as guests of the VIA Rail, for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own, and we hope our experience inspires and equips other traveling families to make great decisions about rail travel.

How to find the lowest airfare prices for any trip (STEP BY STEP)

October 10, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

Securing low airfare doesn’t have to be frustrating, stressful, or futile! Cheap flights are out there, if you know where to look and how to book! You can take control of your airfare purchasing by planning ahead…far ahead. Here’s how to find the lowest airfare prices for your family…consistently:

Step 1:

Be thinking about airfare even before knowing when and where you’re going.

To find the best airfare, I’ve found it helps to be set on only one of two criteria: when you’re going, or where you’re going. If you are flexible on one of these two factors, you’ll be able to snag competitive airfare.

Let’s use the example of a recent airfare purchase I made for a family trip to Cancun. In this case, I knew where we wanted to go, but I was flexible about when. I was able to start at an airfare comparison site to use their fare forecast predictor.

I like JustFly, an online travel agency that has an easy to use search field. On the site, I could see a calendar of fares from my point or origin (more on that later) and my destination. From that chart, I was able to see at a glance that the cheapest time of year for me to visit Cancun was August, and that the cheapest week in August was the third week.

If you are not flexible about when you can vacation (you know you have the last week of July, and that’s that, for instance), try to be flexible about where you go. Start at Airfarewatchdog and enter your home airport to see what destinations pop up on the low fare list. You can set email alerts for a few weeks or months to see what rises to the top.

Note: Let’s say you don’t have any freedom at all: you know you have the last week of July off, and you know you’ll be visiting Grandma in Florida. Is there still hope for you? Yes. By following the next steps below, you can still do as well as is possible for yourself.

Step 2:

Once you know when and where you’re vacationing, determine exact travel dates.

The key here is that you’re still flexible. You’ve identified the week you’re vacationing, but fares fluctuate even in that window. Start at a booking site that specializes in search tools, like Yapta or the aforementioned Kayak. Put in your information, and click on the ‘flexible about dates’ icon. This will present you with fares within a 2-3 day window of your dates. See what comes up.

Once you’ve identified some flight options, open a new window to view each viable fare directly from its airline website. As each home page opens, scan it for promo codes or other web-only discounts. Search on the airline sites the same way you searched on the booking sites, with date flexibility. There’s a decent possibility of finding the fare lower here, or of finding options not listed on the booking site.

Most airline sites have quite decent calendars to show higher or lower fares on each side of your travel date. Most will show one-way fares, which is fine as long as you remember that your return fare (even if the same day of the week) may be dramatically different than your arrival fare. Most offer steep discounts if you travel for less than a week or more than 8 days with low fares on Tuesdays and Sundays, for instance. Usually, traveling to your destination on a Tuesday is the cheapest day of the week, but they’ll ding you on the way back, so plan to fly home again on a different day of the week. For an example, let’s return to my trip to Cancun: I planned to travel Tuesday to Tuesday, but fares were almost double to return on that day, so we opted for Sunday to Sunday…with a slightly more expensive arrival fare, but significantly lower return fare. Remember, we shopped this while our dates were still flexible.

Continue to Step 3!

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Things to consider when planning a family reunion

September 30, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

Family reunions are great ways for families to come together and reconnect. It allows you to spend time with family members that you haven’t seen in a long time, and it allows you to meet, and get to know new members of the family. The important thing to remember about planning a family reunion is that, just because you may not see or speak to each other everyday, that doesn’t mean that the love isn’t there.

Planning a family reunion:

Typically when it comes to planning family reunions, the older generations do all the planning. They know more about the family’s history, where everyone lives, and how to get in touch with everyone. Once they hit a certain age, where they are no longer able to plan it, they pass the family reunion planning torch on down to the next generation.

In passing that torch, they will give you all the resources and information you need to follow in their footsteps, and will help guide you along the way. One thing they teach about planning a family reunion, is that you have to be mindful of everyone in attendance.

Those specific age groups are children and seniors. When traveling with seniors, you want to make sure they are comfortable, that they have entertainment they can enjoy, according to their age, and you also want to make sure they have services accommodating to their capabilities (ramps, handicap parking, wheelchair accessible seating, etc.).

With children, you definitely have to make sure they are accommodated, so you want to pick a family reunion location that will meet their needs. New York is a great place to plan a family reunion! There’s already so much to do there, for adults, but have you checked out the attractions for kids! It’s unbelievable!

If you happen to be the next person in line to plan the next family reunion, and you know that kids will definitely be in attendance, then here are the top two things to consider during your planning process, when kids are involved.

Kid-Friendly Attractions

When looking into taking a trip somewhere, one of the first things you look into is the attractions that location offers. With most family reunions having kids of wide age groups, you want to find attractions that accommodate all those age groups.

For added comfort, your entire family can ride together with amenities like bathrooms, to these New York attractions that will surely be enjoyed by all ages:

Bronx Zoo: The Bronx Zoo is great fun for the kids, and the kids at heart! The world’s largest urban zoo give visitors the opportunity to see over 600 species from all over the world. You and the kids can expect to see exoctic birds, reptiles, animals, and insects from the realms of Africa, Asia, and the United States!
Coney Island: This is an attraction great for ALL ages, not just the kids! Live music, roller coasters, shops, and the beach are all things you will experience at this island of fun. The great thing about Coney Island is that it’s open year round, so no matter when you plan your family reunion, you can definitely experience this historic landmark!

Kid-Friendly Hotels

When planning lodging for your family’s reunion, make sure the resort or hotel has fun activities for kids. Lots of times, these kid-friendly hotels will have family scavenger hunts, arts and crafts at certain times, and of course, the pools!

You of course can go to adults-only type of hotels for alone time with your spouse, or even just for a girls weekend, but when it comes to a family reunion, it’s not just about you, and the things you want to experience. A lot of the things you enjoy as an adult, kids won’t enjoy, or aren’t old enough to enjoy, so during your planning process, it’s important to keep that aspect in mind.

Multigenerational travel tips: vacationing with a large group

September 26, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

We have a lot of multigenerational travel tips! Large-group vacations are a fantastic opportunity to get away with your family, friends, and loved ones. Family members who live far apart can reconnect and friends can get away from the daily grind to enjoy one another’s company. Don’t let the generation gap get in the way, though – it is possible to plan a large group vacation that appeals to everyone, from the very young to retirees. Make sure no one feels left out, no one gets bored, and everyone stays engaged in the fun with these tips.

Amy and her kids at Arches National Park, UT

The first step is getting to your vacation destination! Planning for a large group can feel daunting, but you can actually use your large number to your advantage. When booking a hotel or family reunion venue or renting cars, always ask for group rates. Many destinations are happy to know they can count on the revenue from a large group, and they will reward you with a discount. Remember, booking a large group at a restaurant, tour, or all-inclusive resort can require a pre-set gratuity amount, often 15–20%.

Traveling with a large group does mean you need to book far in advance when possible. A good rule of thumb is to book at least a few months longer in advance than you would for a small family unit. At popular vacation destinations with limited lodging, book at least 9–12 months in advance. Ask to speak to the hotel’s large-group booking agent or marketing director for the best service and to get the most accurate, timely answers to your questions.

If you’re planning a trip with a lot of moving parts, such as a city vacation with multiple tours and dining reservations or an international trip with multiple flights, vehicle rentals, and hotel rooms, consider using a travel agent. A good agent’s expertise will come in handy when seeking group discounts and talking with travel professionals.

While it helps to book most aspects of your trip as a group, airfare can be more affordable in smaller groups since seats on a plane are grouped into tiered pricing. For example, if five seats are available in the price category you desire and you ask for eight, the reservation system will often show no seats available in your category (even though you could get five of the eight for your price). Instead, book airfare in smaller family configurations to ensure that family members sit together but you still get the lowest possible fare.

Once you arrive at your group family vacation destination, the generation gap can become evident. Baby boomers in the family may want to take in a show or visit a museum at a city destination, or they may not have the necessary mobility to hike a challenging trail at a mountain destination. Generation Xers and millennials, on the other hand, have the energy to explore the outdoors or a cityscape aggressively, but they may have younger children who need childcare or extra attention. Generation Yers may want a destination with lots of nightlife options, while their parents long for peace and quiet.

You can bridge the gap by finding a destination that offers multiple activity choices within the same general area so family members can still meet up each day for a meal or a group activity. If your destination or resort does not meet this need, plan your activities with everyone’s needs in mind. Visit museums that have mobility options for elderly family members and the interactive displays children crave. Patronize restaurants with outdoor seating areas where young kids can play or stretch their legs while the adults visit. Pick tours with shorter durations to keep younger family members’ attention and avoid tiring out elderly members.

So what destinations will fit the bill? If your group vacation will take place in a specific city, such as for a family reunion or group event (like a wedding or sporting event), look for a hotel with conference center facilities – these will be best equipped to accommodate your group. If you’re more flexible about your destination, consider a cruise if everyone wants to see as much as possible or an all-inclusive resort if everyone would rather stay put and relax.

Some of our favorite active locations and experiences for large family groups:

Whichever type of vacation destination families choose, flexibility is key to a successful large-group trip. Offer several choices of activity each day, opt for a take-out pizza instead of a lengthy sit-down dinner a few times, and be ready to travel at someone else’s pace. Have a great vacation!

Source: Fix.com Blog