travel tips - Pitstops for Kids

Tips for keeping kids healthy on family trips

September 24, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

A great family road trip can teach valuable lessons and help your child expand their world view. It can also, though, put them at risk of getting sick. Motion sickness, changes in climate, and lots of germ-ridden tourist stops can spell trouble for children with susceptible immune systems.

Tips for keeping kids healthy:

To keep everyone right on track and healthy, follow these health tips. This expert advice can help your kids make the most out of this family trip, without having to miss out and stay homesick.

Equip Yourself For Weather Conditions

If you are a native to warmer weather, traveling somewhere in a higher altitude could spell trouble for your child’s lungs. Harsh, dry air can lead to chapped and bleeding lips, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. For young children, this can make enjoying the vacation almost impossible.

There are lots of ways to protect your kids from harsh weather and dry air. Here are what the experts recommend.

Moisturize

To keep your child’s lips and skin safe from chafing, drying out, and bleeding, bring along simple moisturizers. Lip balm and body lotion are both great for the skin. Reapply these lotions on your child throughout the day to keep their skin protected.

Other than transdermal moisturizing, it is vital to keep the entire system hydrated and moisturized. Difficulty breathing or a sore throat could be a result of the dry air. Use a state of the art humidifier during the night while your child sleeps. This will rehydrate their damaged system and keep them healthy despite changing climates.

Of course, the simplest solution to stay healthy is to drink plenty of fluids. Bring a portable water bottle with you wherever you go so that you can continue to refill and hydrate all day.

Sooth and Medicate

For a sore throat, coughing is natural, but it tends to exacerbate conditions. Bring cough drops with you everywhere to prevent intense bouts of coughing. You can also soothe your throat with specific teas with lots of honey.

There are tons of over the counter medicines to help clear up mucus and prevent infection. These are essential to staying healthy and preventing one sickness from spiraling into a worse one. Weather can bring on cold symptoms. If untreated, these can lead to worse bacterial infections that can last for weeks or even months and may require antibiotics.

Keep a Schedule

One of the most significant risks to your child’s health is their sleep schedule. Not getting enough sleep means putting your child at a disadvantage when it comes to fighting off illnesses. If you have lots of busy days planned with a full itinerary, be sure to leave lots of wind-down time. This way, your kids can get a nice nine or ten hours of rest before tackling the new day.

Scheduling time for rest is essential, and so is scheduling healthy meals. If you don’t make time to invest in preparing healthy snacks, your child could get so caught up in the excitement that they forget to eat, equally as unhealthy is choosing a junk food alternative at the last minute just because it is easy. Keeping a schedule means always leaving enough time to eat and sleep. Your children deserve to spend time taking care of their bodies, even on vacation.

The Bottom Line

However you choose to travel, your kids can always stay healthy if they follow these expert tips. While you are bound to encounter illness or symptoms at some point, this advice can keep setbacks like the common cold or a dry throat from becoming something worse.

Road Trip Travel Hack: Stay nights at KOA Kampgrounds!

July 24, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

We love to review destination hotels and resorts, but let’s face it: roadside motels booked solely for the purpose of an overnight pit stop en route on a road trip are usually nothing to write home about. Plus, an average motel stay is now over $100 per night. In the last year or so, we’ve been thinking outside the box (or motel room) and booking cabin, yurt, or campground stays instead.

I know what you’re thinking: you don’t want to pack everything needed for a camping overnight during your road trip, right? And you’re not keen on the dirt and work involved, just for one night. But wait, we have a solution: campgrounds with cabins.

Many state parks and wildlife reserves have wonderful cabin or yurt options (check out this one right outside Yellowstone National Park), and most well-traveled interstates and highways now have KOA Kampgrounds en route. A number of years ago, I would not have considered staying at a KOA. But times truly have changed. We stayed at our first KOA in a decade two years ago, while traveling through Oregon to Mt. Hood in winter. We needed a low-cost, fun, and friendly place to stay the night, and a KOA cabin in Redmond fit the bill. Last week, we repeated the process, staying at a KOA cabin in Mountain Home, Idaho en route to Wyoming. Both of these cabins were listed as one of their standard options, which include electricity, heat, and beds for 4-6 people. They are not deluxe, and meals need to be cooked outside the cabin. Bathrooms are located in a different building close by.

For us, standard cabins work just fine. We usually have our own sleeping bags with us, and when we’re road tripping, we like to grab dinner out and eat a simple breakfast in our cabin that doesn’t require a kitchen. The Mountain Home and Redmond KOAs offered room to run around for the kids, a friendly community atmosphere, and the basic supplies we needed, like groceries, sunscreen, and bug spray in their stores. Some KOA locations aren’t anything special, but I’ve never experienced one that did not include a friendly, welcoming staff and clean amenities. The rate is about half that of a motel room.

But what if you don’t want to rough it?

Try a KOA Deluxe Kabin! On our same Wyoming road trip, we stayed at the Jackson Hole/Snake River KOA in Jackson, and upgraded to a cabin with two rooms, a bathroom, and a full kitchen. Our cabin was located right on the Snake River, and when we arrived, the kids could immediately go play while we unloaded. We could cook our own dinner (the kitchen includes everything but an oven, and there’s a great BBQ, too) and sit outside at night, watching the stars come out instead of being stuck in a small motel room.

At KOA Jackson Hole/Snake River, there’s guided river rafting on-site, and in late summer, when the Snake River is running less rapidly, families can rent inner tubes to float down the river right next to the campground. The tent sites are located right on the banks (try to get site #1 for the best creekside playing) and the deluxe cabins overlook the river on higher ground. You can also opt for a standard cabin at this location, of course. We loved the friendly staff, and the fun activities on-site for kids. For instance: if kids find one of the painted rocks on property, they can turn it in for free ice cream!

Deluxe cabins are as nice as you’d expect from an upscale rental home booking. Who knew? But be aware: these cabins can cost as much as, or more than, a motel room. It’s important to decide what your vacation goals are. If you’re booking primarily for budget reasons, opt for a standard cabin, and if you’re booking primarily for the outdoor experience instead of a motel experience, upgrade to a deluxe. Not all KOAs offer both, but you can get a good indication of the range of options by checking out the Jackson Hole camping cabin page.

What KOAs have you stayed in? Have your tried a cabin? We’d love your recommendations!

Mega cruise guide to family cruise vacations

March 3, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

Wondering how to pick the right cruise? Our cruise guide will steer the way! A cruise is a great way to enjoy multiple destinations while only unpacking once. Cruisers combine the convenience of an all-inclusive resort with the adventure of ports of call and international experiences. However, planning a cruise involves a special set of considerations that planning your average trip does not. How will you get to your departure port? Should you book excursions ahead of time? What does your ship include in the fare? Here’s what you need to know to plan the perfect cruise, using our cruise line comparison chart and more!

Cruise Guide: What Type of Cruiser do You Want to be?

The first decision to make in the cruise planning process is to pick the type of cruise that’s best for you. If budget is a primary factor, a large, budget cruise ship will work nicely. Most sail for 5–7 days to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Central America, and Alaska. Large cruise ships mean bigger crowds but they offer more onboard amenities, like multiple restaurants, pools, rock-climbing walls, and bigger gyms and spas. If budget is not a concern but onboard amenities are still important, opt for a mid-sized luxury ship, which will be more personalized with great service and (usually) true all-inclusiveness, with drinks and exercise classes included in your fare.

If unique ports of call and an active itinerary are more important to you than onboard amenities, consider a small cruise ship. These ships, which hold fewer than 200 passengers in most cases, are highly personalized, and they can stop at smaller ports off the beaten path. Many small cruise ships include daily opportunities to snorkel, kayak, hike, and photograph wildlife, but they will cost more than traditional cruises.

Once you’ve decided on the type of cruising that works for you, it’s time to pick a cruise line. Compare lines by looking at their destination ports (where do you want to leave from?), the itineraries they offer (this is where you’ll choose between tropical cruises, Alaskan cruises, and European cruises, for instance), and their levels of inclusiveness.

The best way to compare cruise lines, prices, itineraries is to check a reputable cruise agency with years of experience in organizing cruise trips. Your best bet for finding early birds and simply enjoying the trip goes for Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises.

Note that while virtually all cruise lines include room and board in their fares, some are truly all-inclusive, including alcohol, all excursions, and activities. Most charge extra for drinks, some onboard activities, and all excursions. Almost all lines prohibit bringing your own liquor or beer onboard, though most allow up to two bottles of wine. Ships store wine and liquor purchased at ports until disembarkation. Cruise lines that do not include alcohol in their cruise fares offer alcohol packages; do the math to determine whether such a package makes sense for you.

Planning Your Cruise Transportation and Getting Settled

Once you’ve settled on a cruise, it’s time to figure out how you’ll get to your embarkation port. One thing all cruises have in common is that they will leave without you. Therefore, plan to arrive the day before your departure if you’re flying to your port and plan to arrive several hours before boarding time if driving. You can even plan to drive the day before and stay the night at a port-side hotel (many will allow you to park your car there instead of at the port for less money).

If you’re flying to your port, look for a pre-cruise hotel that offers a shuttle service to your cruise or that is within an easy Uber fare. Check in online before you arrive to the port for ease of boarding; almost all cruise lines offer this service. Be sure to bring the paperwork that your cruise line requires, including your passport. Most cruise lines allow you to start the embarkation process by 11:30 am on the day of departure, which gives passengers time to eat a leisurely lunch while waiting for their staterooms to be ready.

Tip: Pack a day bag with swimsuits and essentials so you don’t have to wait for your bag to be delivered before enjoying the pool. Consider booking a massage or other spa service for your embarkation day to get you into “cruise mode.” These services are usually discounted on the first day.

Making the Most of Cruise Excursions

While onboard amenities are fun, you probably aren’t going on a cruise just to stay on the ship at every port. To avoid long lines at guest services during your cruise, book your excursions online before departure if you’re booking them through the cruise line. If you’re booking excursions independently, plan to book them for mid-morning on your days in port since many large cruise ships give priority disembarkation to passengers booked on cruise-specific excursions. Booking independently has its perks, however – you’ll usually save some money, you’ll help the local economy by paying tour operators directly, and you’ll avoid crowds of cruise passengers. To find safe, reputable excursions on your own, contact the local tourism board before your trip and make arrangements with verified businesses ahead of time. However, it’s important to remember the first rule of cruising: your cruise WILL leave without you if you’re not back on time. If your ship has limited time at a port (under 6–8 hours), it’s usually safest to book official cruise line excursions that guarantee your prompt return to the ship.

Planning to Disembark

At the end of your cruise, you’ll likely have an early-morning disembarkation. The process is known to go slowly since all passengers need to go through customs, but you can make it go faster by hanging onto your carry-on luggage (instead of putting it out the night before). Have your paperwork ready, and schedule a late-afternoon or evening flight home to be on the safe side.

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Source: Fix.com Blog

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!

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.

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

How much to tip: hotel and family vacation guidelines

September 12, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

Don’t you hate that feeling when you don’t know whether you should tip or not? I do! And the more I travel and write about travel, the more I realize how many families are confused how much to tip. Hotel rates aside, when should we tip? Who should we tip, and how much? There’s no ‘correct’ way to tip, and opinions vary. However, after years of tipping during travel and talking with travel industry professionals across the US and Canada, I’ve compiled the following vacation tipping guidelines for family trips.

Tipping in hotels:

Everyone knows to tip their waiter (though more on that in a minute) and their cab driver, but the majority of tipping confusion happens once parents reach their hotel. In three-to-five star hotels, tipping is expected, and how many hotel staff members earn their living. Here’s what we do:

Valet:

I love valet parking, mostly because I hate finding parking spaces in cities. When I chose to valet park, I know I need to add the cost of tipping into my budget. There’s wisdom in the advice to tip at the onset of any interaction for best service, but we tip a valet whenever we receive our car. Since we go in and out of valet several times during any hotel stay, we spread our tip among several valets this way.

How much to tip: we tip a valet $3-$5 whenever our car is brought to us.

Front desk:

Ok. While tipping hotel housekeeping is a given for me, I do not tip the front desk staff member when I check into hotels. However: this man or woman does hold the most power to assist you during your stay. He or she has the ability to upgrade you in numerous ways, and I do know travelers who routinely tip their front desk agent in hopes of getting a better room.

How much to tip: If you decide to tip your front desk agent, you need to start with at least a $20. If he or she takes the time to help you with an extra service, such as sending something up to your room, finding that item you left behind, or acting as a concierge, tip in this case as well.

Doormen and bellmen:

Tip these guys! These men (or women, despite the antiquated job titles) rely heavily on tips. When they ask if I’d like help with my bags, I say ‘yes’ unless I truly only have one to roll behind me. Once upon a time, I thought the polite answer was, ‘No, I got it, thanks,’ while dragging half a dozen bags behind me. Not so! This is their job, and they get paid when they do it.

How much to tip: we tip $1 per bag, every time they’re touched. On average, when our family of five checks into a hotel and the bellman brings up our five bags, I tip $5. If we have extra items, such as shopping bags, backpacks, etc, I up it to $10.

Room service and poolside service:

We absolutely always tip for room service, and tip pool-side or other resort-grounds service when applicable. Sometimes a charge will be placed on your hotel tab: in this case, it’s very easy to tip when you sign for the item. This works best at the pool, where you won’t want to fiddle with cash.

How much to tip: we tip $3-5 for a standard room service delivery.

Housekeeping:

Another hardworking group that’s often overlooked. I worked in housekeeping two full summers as a teen, and will never take their work for granted! Some families prefer to tip housekeeping one time at the end of their stay, but since staff often rotates, and to ensure goodwill exists during our stay, not just after we’re gone, we tip daily.

How much to tip: we tip $1 per day per person in the room. If you tip daily, be sure to leave the tip under the little card or note usually left by your housekeeper, so they don’t mistake it with cash you’ve simply left out.

Spa staff:

If you visit the spa during your hotel stay, it customary to add a tip to your total at checkout. This is perhaps the easiest tip to leave at a hotel: simply add the amount to your total when paying at the desk. If you put your spa service on your room charge, leave a cash tip at the counter for your spa staff member.

How much to tip: I tip 10% of the cost of my service.

Tipping for tours and experiences:

Tip your guide! But tipping tour guides can be tricky: it’s hard to know when it’s appropriate. In general, I’ve found that any tour guide working for a private company (such as a concessionaire within a national park or a city or nature tour business) accepts tips. Tip at the end of your interaction together, when you’re thanking him or her for your day. If you’re in doubt as to whether to tip, ask! I always say, “This was great! We had such a nice day. Are you able to accept tips?”

Note regarding all-inclusive, multi-day tour experiences: if you’re with a travel company for multiple days, such as a tour through Europe or a guided rafting trip, tip at the end of the vacation. Budget this tip into your vacation cost: we’ve tipped as much as the cost of one person’s airfare for very high-end multi-day tour experiences. Keep in mind that some local experts during your trip (such as a guide while on an African safari) do not work directly for your tour company and may expect a separate tip. Your tour company can advise you on this.

How much to tip: we tip 10% of the total cost of the tour (single day or multi-day). If our day snowshoe tour is $50 per person and we spent $250, we tip $25. If our (hypothetical) safari is $10,000, we’d tip $1000.

Tipping drivers:

I tip all drivers, from cab drivers to airport shuttle drivers to tour bus drivers. How much to tip: $1 per person for shorter drives or shuttle drivers helping with luggage. For drivers taking us around all day, we tip at least $20.

Tipping on cruises:

Like tipping for multi-day tours or all-inclusive experiences, tipping on cruises should be considered part of your cruise cost. If necessary, budget accordingly. Many cruise lines make tipping easy by offering a standard tip percentage to be added to your onboard charge at the end of a cruise, but you can also tip independently. When servers, housekeeping, and bartenders remain constant on cruise ships, we tip once at the end of the cruise. No need to mess with cash every day. More details on tipping on a Disney cruise.

How much to tip: we use this cruise tipping chart. It’s designed for Disney cruises, but will work as a guideline for any cruise experience.

Tipping in restaurants:

I think we all know what to do here. I tip 20% if service is good, and more if I’m dining with a baby or toddler who spills half his or her food on the ground (I also try to pick up what I can). I don’t know if I’ve ever not tipped, but I definitely leave closer to 10% if service is bad. While in restaurants, don’t forget about the bartender: if you start your meal at the bar and migrate to a table, leave a tip on the bar. This advice may not be applicable often if traveling with kids, as you’re not likely to be in the bar area.

As noted above, these tipping guidelines are not meant to be absolutes. The tip amounts listed are what our family uses as a guideline; when we can, we tip more. We are almost always on a tight budget when we travel. Your family’s budget may vary. No matter what your budget, I believe it’s better to tip what you can rather than tip nothing at all.

I invite you to share your own tipping standards in the comments, whether you’re a traveler, work in the travel industry, or both! If I’ve missed a main category of travel industry personnel to tip, please let me know.

Photo credit: Roosevelt New Orleans, Flickr/LightCollector

Best hotel reward programs for your family: SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON

September 9, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

If you vacation often as a family, you know that hotel room rates add up. Parents can save money with their loyalty! In my experience as both a traveling mom and a travel writer, hotel loyalty programs consistently save me money. Having a handful of hotel loyalty cards in my wallet (in fact, I have all of the below), I enjoy perks that pay off during our trips.

hotel rewards programs

The best hotel reward programs offer money-saving perks that go beyond earning free stays. Below are our personal favorites of the best hotel loyalty programs for US travel:

Kimpton In-Touch Guest Rewards:

The Kimpton In-Touch Guest Rewards loyalty program gets first pick from me for one reason: free minibar items with every stay! Of course, it’s also no hardship staying at a Kimpton Hotel. This brand takes great care when choosing their hotels’ locations, often renovating old buildings in downtown districts instead of building new ones. But a Kimpton hotel stay can be costly, so what do you get for your loyalty?

Kimpton In-Touch is free to join, and includes a free night stays earned after seven, free in-room wifi (normally a charge), and a $10 ‘Raid the MiniBar’ credit, which I always find convenient. At some Kimptons, membership also earns you reduced valet parking, and member or not, most Kimpton hotels host evening wine receptions to sweeten a stay.

Starwood Preferred Guest:

As a Starwood Preferred Guest (or SPG), you save time by gaining access to their absolute best rates on the SPG website. And many travelers don’t realize that Starwood includes nine hotel brands, including Westin, Regis, Sheraton, and more. You’re never limited. You receive 2 Starwood points for every dollar spent, which can then be redeemed for a free room. There are no blackout dates. Because Starwood includes so many brands, I like that I’m always reminded of a hotel’s Starwood status upon check-in; I’ve never not been reminded to use my card to redeem my points.

Marriott Rewards Program:

I like the Marriott Rewards Program because there are multiple ways to earn points. You earn via stays, of course, but travelers can also earn extra points by booking travel services through their partners, who include Hertz, Travelling Connect, and CruisesOnly. You can earn additional points through booking airfare with many airlines. If you spend often on airfare and rental cars, a Marriott reward card may be the way to go.

Like Starwood, Marriott encompasses many hotel brands, ranging from economy brands such as Courtyard by Marriott, great team hotels like Residence Inn Marriott, and Ritz Carlton for luxury travel. You could earn points during the kids’ soccer games, then spend them on your summer vacation.

Hyatt Gold Passport:

I love Hyatt hotels, but travelers don’t even have to be staying at one to earn Hyatt Gold Passport points. Just dining in one of their restaurants or opting for a service in a Hyatt spa will allow you to earn points. You get five points for every dollar spent (more than most loyalty programs), can convert points to miles, and there are no blackout dates for standard rooms. After five Hyatt stays, you unlock free wifi and a 15% point bonus.

How to go wine tasting with kids: tips on visiting wineries as a family

September 5, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

With vineyards springing up all over the U.S., wine tasting has become more popular than ever. Visiting wineries is a great way to assist a local economy, taste local pairings, and learn about an area’s agriculture. In fact, vineyards are now a big part of agricultural tourism. But what if you have the kids along? Can you go wine tasting with kids? We believe the answer is yes. Follow the tips below to have a fun, successful, and positive experience at a winery with kids.

Pair vineyards with outdoor activities:

Instead of telling the kids that they’ll be touring tasting rooms all day (get ready for a negative reaction on that one), pick one winery you’d really enjoy visiting and pair it with a family outdoor activity. Many wineries and tasting rooms are ideally located in the countryside surrounding tourist destinations and cities: think of your wine tasting day as an opportunity to explore a rural area. Outside of Portland, Oregon, for instance, lies the Willamette Valley brimming with wineries…and family fun. Before heading the casual and cozy Alloro Winery, we opt for a bike ride or a side trip to nearby Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum for hands-on, kid-centric entertainment.

No matter what region you’re visiting, before your wine tasting, parents can take the kids on a hike in the area, rent bikes and go for a bike ride, or tour a local museum or amusement park. Consider your wine tasting to be a complement to this family day outside, not the sole reason for it.

Select no more than one winery per visit:

Multi-vineyard wine trails are a lot of fun…for adults. Most kids, however, are pretty much of the opinion that if you’ve seen one vineyard, you’ve seen them all. Most tourists spend an average of one to two hours at a winery: plan for one and done to avoid tired, bored kids. Which winery to pick? Ask your hotel concierge or another local for the scoop on the most family-friendly winery in the region, or pick one closest to other area attractions.

Opt for a family-friendly tasting experience:

Yes, they do exist! The emphasis of a successful family day at a winery is not on the wine itself, but rather on the ambiance and togetherness. That said, my kids will tell you it’s not much fun if everyone has something good to drink except for them. We pick wineries that serve sparkling cider or root beer to the kids while adults enjoy tasting flights, and those that will put together a kid-friendly snack, such as a cheese plate.

Many wineries now allow picnics and other food items to be brought in by guests. Check ahead of time to make sure the one you want to visit has this policy, and if so, bring a spread! Look for wineries with plenty of outdoor space, and a staff who will welcome your kids. During a recent visit to Cliff Creek Cellars on the Upper Rogue Wine Trail of Southern Oregon, our kids were greeted by the vineyard dog and offered their pick of bocce ball or other lawn games by the winery staff.

Get on winery mailing lists to learn about events and festivals:

Many wineries host summer concert series, holiday events, and other family-friendly happenings. One of our favorite Easter Sundays was spent at Troon Vineyard, where the kids enjoyed an elaborate Easter egg hunt while adults enjoyed tastings and brunch. Other wineries in our region host bluegrass bands (perfect for dancing to, if you ask any toddler), art festivals, and local charity events. During the summer months, kids can spot hang-gliders coming in for landing at many Applegate Valley Wine Trail vineyards.

Above all, be responsible:

Of course, you want to be safe and set a good example to your children whenever you consume alcoholic beverages. If you think you’ll need it, hire a wine tour service to drive you to the tasting room and back again, or set out on a short walk with the family post-tasting before you get behind the wheel of your car. Most wineries don’t mind a bit if you linger: bring extra outdoor toys for the kids or even a pack of cards and play a family game before heading home.