Family Trip Deals

Synonomous with refined elegance and classic values, The Cloister at Sea Island has been in place since 1928. It has been rated in the top 500 resorts by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Guests are encouraged to do everything or just spend time with their family. The impeccable personal service is evident in an array of activities, children’s programs, and recreation.

If you are one who longs to do activities and desires programs for your children, this is the place for you. Nestled on the coast in Georgia, it is a gorgeous property. There are also a variety of golf courses for the golfer in your family!

Click here to see the year round children’s activities. They also offer seasonal children’s activities.

Want to spend more time with the family? They have a selection of family activities including a petting zoo, a pajama party and movie nights.

The Cloister offers a variety of packages, including a special Christmas package. You can see the current packages by clicking here.

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Beaches all-inclusive family resorts includes all the fun, adventure, and luxury that families want most, elevating the family vacation to world-class standards on the Caribbean’s best beaches. And now kids can share their vacation with Elmo and friends with Beaches’ exclusive Caribbean Adventures with Sesame Street.

Now, at the following resorts, save up to 45% off the usual rates (click on the resort name for more information):

Beaches Boscobel in Ocho Rios, Jamaica (from $558/person)
Beaches Negril in Negril, Jamaica (from $578/person)
Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril, Jamaica (from $522/person)
Beaches Turks & Caicos (from $615/person)

You can also visit their website at Beaches.com.

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Disney Cruise Line offers one of the most popular cruise vacations in the world. Cabins sell out months in advance on their magnificent ships.

Sail by March 8 and experience a 3-night cruise aboard the Disney Wonder for just $429 per person.

There is also flexibility in travel! There are 16 dates to choose from, including departures January through March. That’s prime cruising season, when prices are usually higher. The Disney Wonder sails from Port Canaveral (near Orlando) to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s own private island in the Bahamas.

Disney Cruise Line specializes in creating unique experiences for everyone in the family, no matter what their age . They have special children’s rates for guests 3-12. Call Disney Cruise Line at the number below for details.

For more details and to book online: Click here to visit DisneyCruise.com. Scroll down to see the “3 night Bahamian cruise” option. NOTE: Ground transportation and vacation insurance are initially included in the online pricing. If you prefer, you can decline these options later in the booking process.

To book by phone: Disney Cruise Line at 1-800-951-3532.

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Southwest Airlines has some great fares that are available by booking online only! Book by November 16 for travel November 14 through March 9 with a 14 day advance purchase.

These great deals, based on availability, include:

Travel Systemwide from $49 to $149 one way.
Travel within the state of California one way for $49
Travel to/from Texas for $49 and $79
Travel between select Midwest cities for $49
Travel between the Northwest and select cities from $49 to $99 one way
Travel long distance between Houston and select cities from $89 and $99 one way.
Travel to/from Long Island one way for $99 or less.

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Washington D.C., our nation’s capital, is a gorgeous area with a thousands of great restaurants and things to do. However, I have only been there as an adult traveling with another adult. I can name off tons of great “un”friendly places to take children, like long leisurely dining places. In fact, if you are going with older children or without children, I highly recommend the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. My husband and I went here a couple years ago, and it was the most moving and educational museum I have ever encountered.

However, since I do have very young children now and this is a site geared to families, I asked my new friend, Jon, over at The DC Traveler, to help. Jon sent me a list of suggestions and things to do, especially with families in mind.

1) Remember to keep museum visits short based on the kid’s ages, attention spans and interests.

2) The always kid-favorite Natural History museum can keep the attention of just about any kid (and adult too). Dinosaurs, insects, the Hope Diamond and lots of special activities for kids in the Discovery Room, Insect Zoo and Naturalist Center are sure to delight the little ones.

3) Ride the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument to get a bird’s eye view of the Mall area and city.

4) The Air & Space museum is still considered among the “really cool� Smithsonian museums by most kids. Space ships, planes and rockets and even a moon rock to touch memorize most children.

5) The National Archives holds the Declaration of Independence the kids have hopefully studied about in school and it usually takes less than an hour to tour.

6) I’d recommend avoiding the art museums with young kids. That way they don’t get bored and crabby looking at the 153rd presidential portrait.

7) Take advantage of all the parks and open areas around the National Mall. Let the kids run around once in a while as you relax and enjoy lunch under a tree near a monument.

Rent bikes and tour the Mall. Even kids as young as 4 can be put on a tandem trailer or carriage behind your bike. Check out Bike the Sites for rentals.

9) If kids are at least 16 years old, take a tour of the Mall on a Segway 2-wheeled transporter. Your kids will think you are the coolest…not to mention being able to brag to their friends back home about their experience. Plus, it’s a really fun way to tour the Mall and get your introductory bearings.

Outside the Smithsonian “Castle” on the National Mall is the Carousel on the Mall. Take the kids for a ride and enjoy some cotton candy.

9) Near the Jefferson Memorial in the Tidal Basin you can rent a paddle boat. Kids seem to love these boats. Just remember to tell them to start by heading INTO the wind, otherwise you might have to carry them the rest of the day.

10) Take them to the Baltimore Aquarium, about an hour away in downtown Baltimore. It’s one of the best aquariums in the country and offers dolphin shows, along with a hands-on ray petting pool. And what kid doesn’t like visiting Nemo and Dory?

11) Pandas anyone? The National Zoo has a couple playful pandas - Mei Xiang and Tai Shan, not to mention an extensive collection of animals, reptiles and birds.

12) Watch as money is printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Kids seem to get a kick over seeing millions and millions of dollars just a few feet a way.

13) Feed the ducks and birds at the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

14) Make a game out of quizzing the kids to see what they remember from each destination. Where do penguins live? Who first signed the Declaration of Independence? Who’s the toughest dinosaur on the block?

15) Get tickets to a DC sporting event. During most seasons, you might be able to find one the major pro sports team playing - baseball, football, hocke, basketball or soccer. Check out the box team’s office, a local ticket brokers or criagslist.org for tickets.

16) Finally, get each kid a disposable camera and let them capture their own memories of their trip to DC.

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Are you currently with someone who is a Lord of the Rings fanatic? Do you want a relaxing vacation? Did you ever think those two sentences could be used in the same paragraph? Yes, they can and with good reason.

Takaro Lodge is located in the southern portion of the New Zealand fiordlands in thousands of acres of untouched New Zealand national forest. It is an all inclusive resort to help you center yourself. This is also the area of New Zealand where much of The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. There is a spa and tons of outdoor activities you can enjoy like hiking and cycling. They even welcome children and have activities designed for them!

There are only ten “element” chalets (fire, water, metal, wood, earth) available on site developed in feng shui style. Each is decorated in the appropriate materials to coordinate to one of those five elements. Click here to preview the different units.

The nightly rate here is normally close to $1000 per couple. However, Luxury Link currently has a special auction where you can get ALL of the following for only around $1000. If going as a family, there is even babysitting offered for an additional fee.

The auction includes:

* 3 nights in the most suitable “Element Chalet�
* Neck and shoulder massage upon arrival
* Fruit basket and chef’s sweets in chalet upon arrival
* Full breakfast for two each morning, served in the dining room or in your chalet
* 3-course dinner for two each evening
* Rejuvenation Session, one per person, on each full day of your stay
* Unlimited access to the Energy Clinic
* 24-hour room service
* Taxes and service charges

This auction ends on November 1. Luxury Link auctions tend to repeat. If you are reading this and the auction has expired, make sure to do a search on the Luxury Link website for the most current auction!

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Anyone who has followed my blog, Stay At Home Motherdom, knows that I am an alcoholic in recovery. One of the hardest things to do in the beginning of recovery is travel. Everything in an alcoholic’s life involved alcohol but vacations, at least for me, were very difficult to envision without that “social lubricant”.

I stumbled across this article in the New York Times Travel section called Journeys of Recovery. The article speaks of the difficulty that I, and a great many others, faced. As such, there have been some travel agencies that have designed vacations around sobriety and recovery.

Sober Vacations International has an entire website devoted to recovery. For example, it takes an entire Club Med Village in Ixtapa, Mexico, and converts it into an alcohol free zone for a week. The next one is in early 2007. In March 2007, there will be a sober cruise on Holland America. The cruise will have all types of 12 step meetings and workshops.

All of these vacations are family friendly, so bring the kids along! (oh, and the spouse, too, if you want…)

Crave adventure? Sober Travel Adventures might be your answer. Check out this trip to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador in December.

More cruises are available on Sober Celebrations and Sober Sailors.

Remember: Anything you put before your sobriety, you will lose. So, if you really want to take a vacation but are still apprehensive, explore these options. Have fun alcohol free and don’t worry about temptation!

If you need a meeting, whereever you go, you can use the AA website. It will lead you where you need to go. I just got back from Hawaii a month ago and easily found meetings close by.

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Here is a link to 40 great vacation deals. Act soon, and you could save some money and go to some great places!

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I posted last week about the Nick Family Suites in the Orlando area that is currently having a great Halloween event.

However, if you book by November 3 and travel by December 25, you can get these great rooms for only $129.00 a night plus a third night free.

According to TravelZoo:

The world’s first Nickelodeon-themed hotel just announced that you can stay in a 1-bedroom suite for $129 per night, or a 2-bedroom “Kidsuite” for only $20 more. This deal is good through December 25, and we love that it includes weekends.

Blackout Dates: November 22-25. Book by November 3.

Click here to book this special online with the Nickelodeon Family Suites. NOTE: Your “3rd Night FREE” discount will not appear in the Estimated Total Price, however it will be reflected on your reservation upon arrival at the hotel.

Or, call the resort directly at 1-866-462-6425 and mention Fall Fun Special.

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Oui, Oui.

My husband used to live in Del Mar, California. Now, every time we visit the San Diego area, he always begins to pine away for his old stomping grounds. One morning, when we were in the San Diego area, we had breakfast across the street from the L’Auberge Del Mar Resort & Spa. It is a beautiful hotel in a great oceanside area that sets the mood for a romantic getaway with your spouse or significant other. However, I also remembered us talking about the rates and how we couldn’t afford to stay there!

Right now, though, they are having a 50% off deal. The nightly rate with the discount is $159. That price is available for select dates from October 29 through December 28. The weather is still beautiful in that area. Del Mar is about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego right next to La Jolla. Make your reservations soon!

To make reservations call L’Auberge Del Mar at (800) 553-1336 and mention Coastal Escape. You must book by November 3. So, what are you waiting for? Get off your butt and take your much deserved break NOW!

Happy Halloween! If you book a flight by midnight tonight and fly on Halloween (October 31st), you could get a fare as low as $31 one way on JetBlue.

This price is only valid when you fly on October 31. The other leg of the flight will be priced a bit higher starting at $49. To get the best price, be flexible with your return flight.

The $31 fares are on select flights from all these cities:

Boston, D.C., Buffalo, Burbank, Columbus, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Nashville, New York (JFK), Oakland, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond and Sacramento

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What’s going on at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando during the holiday season and winter? Here you go.

You’re welcome.

WALT DISNEY WORLD® SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE

Magic Kingdom® Park

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — September 15 - October 31, 2006
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party — November 13 - December 22, 2006
Disney’s Pirate & Princess Party — January 22 - March 08, 2007

Epcot®

International Food and Wine Festival — September 29 - November 12, 2006
Holidays Around The World — November 24 - December 30, 2006

Disney-MGM Studios

ABC Super Soap Weekend — November 11 & 12, 2006
The Osborne Family’s Spectacle of Dancing Lights — November 13, 2006 - January 7, 2007

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO® SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE

Halloween Horror Nights® — October 19 -22, 26 -29, 31, 2006
8th Annual Orlando Beer Festival — November 11 & 12, 2006
GrinchmasTM — December 2006 / January 2007
Macy’s Holiday ParadeTM — December 2006 / January 2007
Rock in the New Year at Universal CityWalk® — December 31, 2006

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Sign up to receive email updates from Family Trip Deals! I now have capability to send you regular email updates if you enter your email address in the About Me section in the right sidebar. If you sign up (AND YOU WILL, WON’T YOU?), make sure to click on the link in the email confirmation that you will receive to get activated in the system.

Hopefully, you will see many (good) changes over the next few weeks as this blog takes shape. Pass this blog link on to a friend!

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Just because I’m all excited about home exchanges at the moment, here is a whole blog about them called Travel the Home Exchange Way!

The picture above is one of the most recent houses featured on the blog in Auckland, New Zealand.

Parents, imagine being only a short hop away from The Wiggles’ motherland. Exciting stuff…

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Have you ever wanted to get away with the family but didn’t think you could afford hotels? Do you have an interest in seeing Europe but know the exchange rate for the Euro isn’t in your favor? Do you want to take the kids to Disney World or Hawaii but don’t want to be cramped in a hotel room?

There is an alternative that can save you thousands of dollars, especially if you live in or near a big city or tourist area. (in fact, I am getting excited writing this post because researching this has given me the travel bug) Try a home exchange!

In the majority of cases, you, and the family that you choose to exchange with, trade cars during the time period. This adds up to big savings in car rental fees, as well.

Even if you do live in a remote area, according to Home Exchange, don’t despair! See what they have to say on the subject:

Of course, if you have a beach front home in Hawaii or a penthouse with a view in New York, or San Francisco, you’re going to get a lot of exchange inquiries.

But we have found that by their very nature, people who are HomeExchange Members are well traveled and are often interested in seeing new places, and experiencing an area as a local.

A potential home exchange partner may wish to be near a loved one or family member, or perhaps need to come to your area for business reasons. So your “average” home may be just the ticket for someone wanting to exchange with you.

If you are a little off the beaten track, you may have to send out more inquiries, and put a little more effort into marketing your home, neighborhood and area. But if you do so, you might be surprised, although we won’t be.

Think you’ll end up in a shack? Think again:

Here is the gorgeous house in California at the top of the post:

Here is another great home in Italy:

How about West Palm Beach?:

Two of the largest home exchange websites to try out are Home Link and Home Exchange.

Happy Hunting!

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