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Springtime Special
April - May (Think Spring Break!
* Three nights accommodations in a Cabin Fever Vacations cabin
* Plus any two of the following attractions:
o The Miracle Theater
o Scenic Helicopter Tours
o Dinner and Show at the Dixie Stampede
o Dinner and Show at the Black Bear Jamboree
o Smith Family Theater
* Welcome packet at the cabin company including detailed itinerary, local area map, coupons for dining, attractions and more
* Includes all applicable taxes and ticket delivery
Would you like to create your own vacation package?
Click on the link above or call 1-800-533-3993 and they will be happy to assist you in planning your customized trip to the Smokies.
This package starts at just $347
(per person double occupancy, based on off-peak period)
I thought you might like to see what I’m doing with my kids over President’s Day weekend! As a kid, we spent a lot of time at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Back then it wasn’t nearly as posh as it is now (and therefore probably not nearly as expensive), but I thought that a day trip with the babes might be a great way to have a happy memory of our long weekend away from school. The kids and I mainly go to swim and enjoy the mineral-hot springs, but there are many other things to do in the area (see below). I will post pictures so you can see what it looks like in “real life” after we get back, but in the meantime, here are some pictures and some information from their website, which is fairmontmontana.com.
Time to Play - Area Information
Day Trips or Activities Near Fairmont Hot Springs
* Peterson’s Fairmont Corral
* Our Lady of the Rockies
* Mineral Museum
* Copper King Mansion
* Washoe Theater
* Pintler Scenic Route
* Big Hole River
* Discovery Basin Ski Area
* Grant Kohrs Ranch
* Montana Auto Museum
* Lost Creek State Park
* Old Works Golf Course
* World Museum of Mining
* Berkeley Pit
* High Altitude Sports Center
* Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
* Georgetown Lake
* Lewis and Clark Caverns
* Mt. Haggin Wildlife Refuge
* Old Montana Prison
* Ghost Towns
* Yellowstone National Park
Peterson’s Fairmont Corral
Located a mile from the resort, Peterson’s Fairmont Corral offers horseback riding and a breakfast trail ride in the scenic mountains surrounding Fairmont Hot Springs Resort.
Old Works Golf Course
Arco and Jack Nicklaus have combined forces to create a signature 18 hole golf course on the site of the old Anaconda Smelter. The course blends rolling greens and lush fairways with remnants of Anaconda’s smelting history.
Our Lady of the Rockies
This 90 foot white steel statue stands atop the Continental Divide east of Butte. Built by volunteers, guided bus tours are offered during the summer and fall.
World Museum of Mining
This recreated 1800’s mining town has the barber, dentist, Chinese laundry, millinery, bank and general store, plus many more businesses shown as they were in the early days. The indoor exhibits will give you a great overview of past mining methods and history.
Mineral Museum
The Montana Tech Mineral Museum has a collection of minerals from the Butte area, Montana and the world. Open year round-free guided tours are available.
Berkeley Pit
The Pit was the largest truck operated open pit copper mine in the United States. Closed in 1983, the Pit is now filling with water. A viewing stand is open from March to November.
Copper King Mansion
Built by billionaire William Clark, this 34 room brick mansion shows how the wealthy lived in the mining heyday. Tours are available April through October.
United States High Altitude Sports Center
This training facility for Olympic Class athletes features international competitions and also provides public access hours for skating.
Washoe Theater
This theater is on the National Register of Historic Places. Constructed in the art deco style, the Washoe Theater is ranked 5th by the Smithsonian Institute for it’s architectural value.
Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
This wilderness includes 159,000 acres extending along 30 miles of the Continental Divide. Closed to motorized travel but open for backpacking, hiking and cross country skiing.
Pintler Scenic Route
A must see scenic drive on Montana Highway 1 that takes you through high mountain passes, mining and ghost towns and along the shores of Georgetown Lake.
Georgetown Lake
This lake is known for it’s great fishing and beauty, with spectacular views of the Pintler Mountain Range.
Big Hole River
One of the last undammed Blue Ribbon trout streams. A favorite with Montanans and out-of-staters alike.
Lewis and Clark Caverns
These caverns feature stalactite and stalagmite formations that are both curious and awesome. The caverns are open from May 1 through September 30, and offer two-hour guided tours.
Discovery Basin Ski Area
This ski area is fun for all ages and skill levels. 36 slopes and trails fan out from 3 double and 1 triple chair lifts, ranging from Double Black Diamond to easy beginner slopes.
Mt. Haggin Wildlife Refuge
Montana’s largest Wildlife Management area with over 54,000 acres of hiking, Nordic skiing, mountain biking and nature watching.
Grant Kohrs Ranch
This 1500 acre National Historic Site is a preserved ranch showing how life was lived on the great cattle ranches at the turn of the century. The ranch house, bunkhouse, dairy, cook house, ice-house and various barns capture a moment in time.
Old Montana Prison
This is the site of the first territorial prison in the Western United States. Opened to the public in 1979, after all the prisoners were gone.
Montana Auto Museum
A collection of Fords and Lincolns from 1903 to the 1970’s.
Ghost Towns
Southern Cross, Garnet and Granite Ghost towns are just a few of the more than 20 ghost towns within an easy day’s drive of Fairmont Hot Springs Resort.
Lost Creek State Park
A spectacular little park that is a favorite of mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose and mule deer. Just minutes away from Fairmont Hot Springs Resort.
Yellowstone National Park
A little over two hours away, all the majestic scenery offered by Yellowstone National Park awaits you. The shortest drive down will take you through a beautiful valley with the Tobacco Root Mountains to the west and the Madison Range to the east.
Call Fairmont Hot Springs Resort at 800-332-3272 for more information and locations of these area attractions.
Fairmont Hot Springs, Montana, Yellowstone, Golf, Georgetown Lake, Our Lady of the Rockies, Lost Creek State Park, Ghost Towns, Montana Auto Museum, Old Montana Prison, Grants Kohrs Ranch
This cold and dreary winter, does anything sound more appealing than taking the family on an inclusive ski vacation in Vermont? While researching such a heavenly plan, I came across the website for the Woodstock Inn and Resort. Here are some exerpts from their site on ski packages:
Ski Vermont Free Package
Stay any night Sunday through Thursday (excluding holidays) during ski season and enjoy free downhill skiing at our Suicide Six ski area. Described as one of the finest family ski areas in New England, Suicide Six offers 18 trails of beginner, intermediate, and advanced runs. Never wait in any lift lines, enjoy complimentary lift tickets and ski rentals, and hourly shuttles from The Woodstock Inn making our ski vacation package easily the best value in Vermont. Offer also applies to our Cross-Country Ski Touring Center. We have over 69 kilometers of majestic groomed trails, two warming huts, and all the equipment you need for an invigorating day at no charge when you stay at The Inn Sunday through Thursday. ***Free skiing is subject to a maximum of four persons per room. Ski Free is not available on December 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 2006 January 1, 13, 14, 15, 14, 15, 2007 February 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 2007
Woodstock Ski Weekend
Discover Vermont this winter and enjoy a relaxing ski weekend at The Woodstock Inn & Resort. Our ski vacation packages are available from the begining of ski season through the end of ski season 2007, and combine comfortable innstyle accommodations with two days of skiing in the Suicide Six ski area. Excludes December 22, 2006-January 1, 2007; January 12-17, 2007; February 16-25, 2007
Woodstock Family Ski Vacation Package
Enjoy 4 days and 3 fun filled nights of exciting downhill and cross country skiing at the Suicide Ski ski area complemented by our comfortable style rooms. Our family packages include one group ski lessson per person (excluding children 5 and under), complimentary lift tickets, a horse-drawn sleigh ride and a connecting room for up to four children. It is perfect for an unforgettable family winter vacation in charming Woodstock, Vermont. The Woodstock Family Ski Vacation Package is available January 7-10, 2007; January 21-23, 2007; January 28-30, 2007; February 4-6, 2007; February 11-13, 2007: 4 days, 3 nights.
If any of these packages sound as wonderful to you as they do to me, click HERE to start booking!
Happy Travels!
Vermont, Woodstock Inn, ski vacations, family skiing, ski packages
17th Annual “Colonies of the Gulf Coast” Dauphin Island
3/3/2007
Explore life on Isle Dauphine in the 1700-1800’s. French, British, and Spanish soldiers will be on hand to demonstrate soldier life of this time period. They will do drilling, and fire the cannon. See authentic camping, candle-making, blacksmithing, and open-hearth cooking 51 Bienville Boulevard, Dauphin Island in Alabama.
While this is an early March activity, Dauphin Island offers much more for the remainder of the year:
Spend the night, or the weekend at the Dauphin Island Campground.
# 150 campsites
# Washer/Dryers, Clean Restrooms
# Walking distance to Fort Gaines
# Wooden path from rear of campground to private beach on the Gulf
# Campground bordered by 160-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary with nature walks and scenic lake
# Fishing pier within walking distance
# Boat launch near campground
There is also historical Fort Gaines and a beautiful pier from which you can enjoy great fishing! Don’t forget, however, that admission is charged.
Dauphin Island, Alabama, Fort Gaines, pier fishing, family vacation, camping
When I was a kid, we never would have considered staying at a KOA Kampground (forgive me, I find it had to spell campground with a K!). It was the woods or nothing for us! As I have grown older and wiser and lazier, I find campgrounds camping pretty appealing. I WANT a shower, I WANT a pool. I want to be comfy! I don’t want to have to plan every single last thing I would need to survive in the wild! Read on to see how KOA is working on making my dreams come true:
Created to make camping with the kids and having fun easy, the KOA Family Zone is a new online resource for families. Entertaining and useful, it contains almost everything to make fun happen without the planning time normally needed. From timely advice and useful checklists to campfire-tested recipes and family activities, just browse, decide, download and go for the fun of it.
The website includes categories that make sense to parents or grandparents who are in the vacation planning mode. Browse the categories: Camping 101, Camping Activities, Campfire Stories, Camping Recipes, Family Activities, Post Cards and a Trip Book.
Knowing that camping skill levels vary, the site begins with Camping 101, obviously not for seasoned campers. Camping 101 explains the benefits of KOA options including tent camping, Kamping Kabins, Kamping Kottages, and lodges providing a checklist for each camping option. There is even a series of articles about RV Camping. Sub categories include advice from experts on safety, packing camping with kids, and camping with a pet.
The Family Activities section is useful for anyone with kids or grandkids. It includes games for the trip, activities at the campground and clever ways to engage cooperation from all ages. Printable for the car trip activities include license plate bingo, name the state, trivia games and dot-to-dot pages. Campground activities include how to play scrabble by moonlight, create a campfire theater, and encourage group storytelling and instructions for making shadow puppets.
The obvious advantage of camping is the chance to enjoy natural beauty and introduce kids to nature without the aid of TV or a DVD. The KOA Family Zone has a section devoted to experiencing nature with children. At the Nature Discovery page download the instructions for making a star finder; get a list of sky clues for weather watching or setup an orienteering adventure.
The Campfire Stories section contains camping stories, some scary and some with unexpected endings. User friendly, this section has the option to print the stories or download the audio recordings to play on your MP3 player or burn onto a CD.
More than s’mores and baked beans from a can, the Camping Recipes section contains main dishes, side dishes, snacks, and really cool choices for breakfast. Forget breakfast cereal from a tiny box; instead get the ingredients for French toast casserole or Mediterranean torta. Make pizza sandwiches for dinner or grill quesadillas over a campfire. Learn how to make apple-pie-on-a-stick or create tempting dirt cups. Actually this section is a terrific source for interesting recipes with or without a campfire.
As an added bonus within the KOA Family Zone download and print postcards for the kids to color or download the components for a family trip book. They have thought of everything to make camping easy to do with kids.
From pancake breakfasts and pool parties to nature walks and trail rides, KOA helps families experience the outdoors in a safe, friendly environment. They know from experience that just the chance to break away from the ordinary routine makes all the difference to families. The bonus with KOA is the opportunity to learn new skills, experience the outdoors, and enjoy downtime while building memories. For busy families, KOA Family Zone makes the doing part easy. Get the full KOA Family Zone picture at www.koa.com
And did you know? Kampgrounds of America is installing Wi-Fi wireless Internet access at its campgrounds across North America. KOA will be the first system of family campgrounds to offer its customers wireless Internet from the comfort of their own campsites. Oh my hell, I have died and gone to heaven. I can camp AND have my laptop connected to the interet? YES!!!!!!
They are everywhere. KOA Konnect provides the widest possible coverage throughout the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe and Asia. Because their network is fully meshed, KOA Konnect members are able to access the Internet wherever there is a dial-up telephone number available. More about KOA Konnect at www.koakonnect.com
Check out the bargains. The KOA Value Kard is for families wishing to be rewarded for being loyal. The benefits increase as the return visits increase. At their website a continually changing list of bargains is posted weekly.
No tent? No problem. To enjoy a KOA camping vacation even if you do not own a tent order a directory and then look for Kamping Kabins. Clever, compact and fun, the log units have electric lights, lockable doors, and wood-frame beds with mattresses. All you need to bring your sleeping bags and a pillow. Even more posh, at some locations they have Kamping Cottages, units with kitchens, private bath and a little extra room. Still another possibility at several locations is to rent one of the RV s that is parked onsite. What could be simpler? It’s a way to go camping with someone else’s gear.
KOA Campground, KOA Kampground, camping, family camping, luxury camping, swimming, pool, Kamping Kabin, Camping Cabin
Capital city: Olympia
Famous resident: Chief Sequohah.
Moment in history: In 1980 Mt. St Helens erupted.
Trivia: 26 glaciers cover Mount Rainier.
Best family event: Northwest Banana Slug Festival in July.
Family Vacations Tip: Going to snow in Mount Rainier National Park.
Banana Slug Festival? I am intrigued at the thought so tried to research it some more. The best I could get was that there are races and such with the little slimey darlings. If anyone knows more about it, I’d sure like to know because my kids would simply go NUTS over attending such a charming activity this summer! Come one, someone out there has to have attended!
Washington State has been the site of many adventures for my children and I intend to revisit the places we’ve been (or that they have been with my parents) regularly. And, I hope to get a real-life testimonial of that Festival! So keep reading!
Happy Travels!
Washington State, Banana Slug Festival, Olympia, Chief Sequohah, Mt. St. Helens
Summer camp by definition is pure fun, so imagine a summer camp for the whole family. A place with no schedule conflicts, no dishes to do, no chores to complete – forget the laundry. A place where everyone has fun. Each summer Kingsley Pines provides just that – a family camp.
Located on picture-postcard Panther Lake in Southern Maine, Kingsley Pines has a splendid private sandy beach framing crystal clear water with an average water temperature of 75-80 degrees. More than 80 acres of old tall pine trees shade the grounds making summer days feel easy. The annual summer family camp program allows all family members to enjoy the great outdoors in a beautiful setting, with the amenities of an all-inclusive resort.
They offer a wide variety of relaxing, fun, and challenging activities for children and adults. Activities include, archery, art, basketball, canoeing, climbing tower, fishing, hiking, kayaking, low ropes course, mountain biking, water-skiing and wakeboarding, just to name a few. All activities are optional, and parents are free to attend an activity with their child. Supervised activities are provided for children four and older. Bonus points: In addition, organized activities are also available for adults. Of course there is always the option to just sit and relax on the beach or read a book on the lodge porch.
The facility includes private cabins that are located along the lake or nestled among their great pines. Many of the cabins have private bathrooms. Cabins without bathrooms share modern bathhouses. Not to worry, all cabins have electricity.
Not surprising, Family Camp is known for its great food. The chef has established a reputation for creating appealing and delicious meals. Guests enjoy Maine blueberry pancakes, homemade cinnamon rolls, steak and chicken barbecues, and of course a traditional Maine lobster bake. Bonus points: There are always specially prepared dishes for vegetarians and of course many kid-friendly options. Meals are served buffet style and eaten at lakeside picnic tables or inside the modern and spacious dining hall.
The annual Family Camp is held the last two weeks of August. If this sounds like fun, make plans early. Due to the camps popularity, it fills up fast. If the whole family can’t make it one parent with the kid or kids will do. The atmosphere is friendly and unassuming so single parents with children fit right in.
Kingsley Pines, 51 Coughlan Cove Road, Raymond, ME 04071. Toll free 1-800-480-1533, 1(207) 655-7181 or kingsleypines.com
summer camp, family camp, Maine, Panther Lake, Kingsley Pines, cabins, vegetarian meals, kid-friendly
Here are the top eight family trip get-aways for families, according to travelwithkids.com. See the link for more information on each one, as they all sound GREAT to me! You can’t beat some quality time with the honey AND keeping the kids entertained at the same time, but in very different ways!
1. Disney World luxury resorts
2. Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Orlando
3. Club Med Sandpiper, Florida
4. Hotel Hershey, PA
5. Lake Las Vegas
6. Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North
7. Hyatt Regency Huntingdon Beach, California
8. Ritz Carlton: Half Moon Bay, Amelia Island Florida…
family vacations, valentine’s day, disney world resort, portofino bay hotel, universal, florida, orlando, hotel hershey, lake las vegas, four seasons, arizona, california, ritz carlton, hyatt regency
This looks like a great weekend getaway for Valentine’s Day in Branson, Missouri. Follow the links to see if you likey like I likey!
Happy Travels! 
Branson MO luxury condo vacation rentals with spectacular views and easy access to all that the area has to offer await you at our lakefront condo rentals in Branson at the Cliffs at Indian Point. These brand new 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1200sq ft condominiums, combine exceptional design and outstanding value. Our condos for rent feature luxury lodging offering open living and dining areas, 10 foot ceilings, gourmet kitchens with wood floors, hickory cabinets, and an abundance of granite countertop space. The bathrooms have granite countertops, ceramic tile around the tub, shower surrounds, and floors. Master baths have jetted tubs, separate showers, and double sinks. The living area has a stereo TV with DVD/VCR, a queen size sofa sleeper, and an electric fireplace. Each Branson lakefront condo has wired and wireless internet access, free local phone service, cable TV, along with its own washer and dryer. An outdoor pool, hot tub, tennis court and hiking trails round out the amenities.
Only 1/4 mile away from the Branson Lakeside Condos rentals, you can visit Silver Dollar City and step back in time to an 1880’s craft village filled with 20th century thrills and 5 fabulous festivals. Then enjoy A Night To Remember at Celebration City with the Midwest’s largest nightly spectacular, power-packed with fireworks, lasers and 150-foot fire towers. Cool off at Branson’s premiere waterpark, White Water, or treat yourself to a one of a kind dinner and show on Table Rock Lake’s ultimate lake voyage, the Showboat Branson Belle.
Branson, Missouri is considered “The Live Music Show Capital of the World”. With over 30 theaters playing host to over 130 shows, you’ll have no problem finding a show in Branson that suits your taste!
Branson has 6 area golf courses. Ledgestone is only 3mi away and was called by Golf Digest “a masterpiece of mountain golf architecture.” Spectacular scenery accentuates the hilly terrain and dense forests that border virtually all of the narrow Zoysia fairways. Water is in play on 10 holes. Bunkers surround the speedy bentgrass greens. Ledgestone has become the favorite course of many of its visitors. Information on Ledgestone and other local courses can be found in golf branson.
For those who enjoy fun on the lake, 2 marinas on Table Rock Lake, Indian Point marina and Table Rock marina, are less than 10 mins away and offer pontoon boats, ski boats, fishing boats, or wave runners for rental. They also have concrete boat launches and guest slips for those who own their own watercraft. Fuel, fishing licenses, bait and tackle, and ice and soda are also available. Additional information or reservations for these marinas are available at Indian Point Marina and Table Rock Marina
Horseback riding fits right into the country theme of the Ozarks and Branson, MO. There are 3 stables within minutes from Branson Lakeside Condos. Uncle Ikes Trail Rides is less than 5 minutes away and offers standard trail rides as well as breakfast and dinner trail rides. Check out local information. to get more information on the stables and their trail ride offerings.
We have provided a downloadable brochure for printing with summary details of our condo.
Branson, Missouri, Romantic Weekend, condo, luxury suite, wave runners, boating, Indian POint, Table Rock, Ozarks, Uncle Ike Trail Rides, Branson Belle Showboat
CheapFlights.com ran a survey on annoying habits of other passengers on the plane. Here are the results:
| Which of the following airplane etiquette violators do you find to be the most offensive? | ||||
| Rapid Recliner: Wheels up, in your lap | 132 | 20% |  |
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| Who Me?: Yes you, turn your ‘cell off | 77 | 11% | |
|
| The Boozer: unscheduled landing anyone? | 24 | 3% | |
|
| Seat Grabber: Grabs your seat to get up | 62 | 9% | |
|
| Carry-on Champ: Bashes bags left and right | 94 | 14% | |
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| Incessant Talker: Chatters non-stop | 159 | 24% | |
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| Flight DJ: iPod loud enough for all | 22 | 3% | |
|
| Mad Bladder: Quaff-n-go maniac | 8 | 1% | |
|
| Arm Rest Hog: Elbow wrestling - you lose | 74 | 11% | |
|
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| Total | 652 | |||
© 2003 - 2006 Cheapflights (USA) Inc All rights reserved
I used to travel by airplane a lot when my first two children were small. I think that CheapTickets probably forgot to add: How many crying children are you carrying on your lap? Do you have a toddler running around the cabin having WAY too much fun?
Are YOU an annoying traveler?
British Airways is offering some great deals on international travel. In addition to the sales deals (starting at $149, by the way), their website has some great travel tips. Be sure to check it out!
An exerpt:
Traveling with children
We’ve designed a service especially for families called Skyflyers, to make air travel easy and more enjoyable for everyone. We have lots of goodies and services designed to help you through your journey and delight children every time you fly with us.
What it means for you:
• child and infant discounts
• special kids meals which you can pre-order up to 24 hours before departure
• priority boarding for families
• you can take your small folding buggy right to the aircraft door
• Skyflyers activity packs to keep the kids amused during the flightFind out more about what Skyflyers has to offer:
• New – family check in on ba.com
• Fare discounts and booking
• Baggage allowance
• Infant seats and carrycots
• Meals
• Entertainment for children
• Skyflyer games on ba.comNew – family check in on ba.com
Take the stress out of traveling this summer and check in on ba.com. You can now check in children and infants, and print your boarding pass, from the comfort of your own home.
• Check in your entire family on ba.com from 24 hours before departure. Groups of 6 people can be checked in as one transaction.
• Choose your seats.
• Pre-order a complimentary ‘Kids Meal’ full of things kids love to eat.
• Print off your boarding passes ready to take to the airport.At the airport
• Take your baggage to the ‘Fast Bag Drop’ desk where an agent will tag it.
• Go straight through security to the boarding gate.
• You can take your small folding type buggy right to the aircraft door.
• We will board families before other passengers.Fare discounts and booking
We offer discounts for infants and children as follows:Infants
• Infants are those under two years old at the time of travel.
• The youngest age an infant can be to travel is 48 hours old. We also advise you to ensure that the treating doctor agrees to the infant traveling.
• An infant fare is charged at 10% of the adult fare when the infant does not have his/her own seat, but sits on an adult’s lap.
• If you want your infant to sit in his/her own seat (they must be between 6 and 23 months), you will be charged the child fare. You will need to ensure that you have a suitable car seat or have requested one from us for your child to travel in.
• There must be one adult accompanying each infant traveling.
- if the second infant is aged between 6 and 23 months, he/she must be seated in an approved car-type seat and we will charge the child fare- if the second infant is under 6 months you must travel with a second accompanying adult or a British Airways escort for which there is a charge
Children
• Children are those over two years old at the time of travel.
• For domestic/shorthaul routes no discounts are available (except for Club Europe for which we charge 67% of the adult fare).
• For longhaul we charge 75% of the adult fare.
How to book• You can book in the same way as for an adult but referring to the infant/child where appropriate.
• If booking through a travel agent please ensure you provide details of the number of infants/children traveling and their ages.Children traveling alone
When children need to travel on their own, we provide a dedicated service, called Skyflyer Solo, to look after them throughout their journey, so that you know they are always in safe hands.
Please note that you will need to book the child’s flights and the Skyflyer Solo service together. This cannot be done on ba.com, so please contact us.
Making a forward booking if you are pregnant
• If your baby has not been born at the time you make your booking, please book for yourself but not your unborn baby.
• Once your baby has been born, contact your local British Airways office and we will be able to arrange to take payment and issue a ticket for your baby, it is currently not possible to do this on ba.com. You will then receive a ticket in your baby’s name.Baggage allowance
For hand and checked baggage a child is entitled to the same baggage allowance as an adult. There are different allowances for infants.
Infant seats and carrycotsWe can supply specially designed carrycots so your infant can sleep on board. These are particularly useful for longhaul flights.
• If your infant is between 6 and 23 months you can book an individual seat for him/her by paying the child fare.
• The infant will need to be in an approved infant seat (brought onboard by the accompanying adults) which fits on the aircraft seat.
• We also have a limited number of onboard Britax seats which are attached to the bassinet positions. These seats are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and can be requested from cabin crew onboard the aircraft.
If you prefer to use your own seat then it must meet the following standards:
• a seat designed to be secured by means of a normal aircraft single lap strap and face the same direction as the passenger seat on which it rests
• a purpose-designed children’s car seat with a 5-point restraining harness
• the seat must not exceed the dimensions of the aircraft seat
The CAA does not permit rearward facing car seats.
British Airways has a limited number of Britax infant seats which can be booked in advance.
• Ideal for ages from 6 months to 2 years, but can also be used from birth.
• Adjustable to a variety of positions from horizontal to vertical.
• Available for infants who weigh a maximum of 13kgs/29lbs.
• Available on all longhaul flights, except in First Class on Boeing 777/767 aircraft where only carrycots are available.For aircraft take-off and landing and in times of turbulence, infants have to be seated on their parent’s lap using the infant seat belts we provide.
How to book
Our Britax seats are allocated on a first come first served basis at the airport or on board. You can request a carrycot by contacting your local British Airways office. If you put your request in early we’ll do all we can to confirm it before you fly.
Meals
Infants• We offer on board bottle warming and baby-food warming facilities (only un-opened food in a sealed jar) on our longhaul flights.
• We do not carry infant meals or baby milk on board so we recommend that you carry your own baby food and equipment (liquids and sufficient supplies of sterilized bottles) in your cabin baggage.
• We are not able to sterilize bottles or provide sterilized water.Children
• When traveling on flights of over 1 hour you can pre-book children’s meals using Manage My Booking.
• Our ‘feed kids first’ policy allows you to ensure the little ones are satisfied so you can enjoy your own meal in peace once they are settled.Entertainment for children
Skyflyers activity books are available on all shorthaul flights over one hour.
Skyflyers activity packs are available on all flights over 170 minutes, here’s what’s in them:
3 - 5 years
• Blue nylon rucksack
• Going on a plane story book
• Trembling aircraft toy, wristband aircraft
• Activity book and crayons, stickers
• Top trumps safari animals
• Write and wipe magic board
• Coloring book and crayons
6 - 12 years 6 - 12 years• White plastic rucksack
• Electronic game
• Reading book
• Notebook and pen
• Folding binoculars
• Top trumps and Simpson’s themed games
• Magazine with activities and pen
In addition on all longhaul flights we have:• hours of on screen entertainment from Disney and Cartoon Network together with family blockbuster movies. There is even a parental lock to enable you to block viewing of any unsuitable material on other channels
• a dedicated pop audio channel. Headsets are available for the duration of the flight and are free of charge
• a selection of games on the majority of routes, which you can play using a handheld games console, such as ‘Tic-Tac-Toe’ and ‘Twins Cafe’ in our World Traveller Plus, Club World and FIRST cabins
Skyflyers games on ba.comOur Skyflyers site is filled with facts about SkyflyerAlpha and SkyflyerBravo. There’s loads of fun and games to keep all ages entertained.
I came across a new word that I just love: GLAMPING! I want to camp more with my kids, but they just aren’t made like they used to be these days. In other words, there is the whining about bugs, heat, cold, hard ground, crummy food, nothing to do, etc… But if I take them glamping instead, I think there will be far fewer things to bawl about!
Taken from doubletongued.org (great place to get meanings of words, by the way):
Catchword: glamping
Part of Speech: n.
Quotation:
In England, glamorous camping—or glamping, as it is called—is fast becoming a national pastime, prompted in part by celebrity-studded festivals like Glastonbury, where the likes of Kate Moss and Sienna Miller make trudging through mud look chic.
Article or Document Title:
“Gone Glamping: Forget about roughing it in the bush, glamorous camping is here to stay�
glamping, glamorous camping, england, roughing it, camping, camping with children
As I was looking at hotels in various spots, I got to wondering what the ratings really mean. My good friend Wikpedia came to my rescue with the answer, so I thought I’d share it with you.
The star classification system is a common one for rating hotels. Higher star ratings often indicate hotels with higher levels of luxury available.
Standards of hotel classification
In some countries, there is an official body with standard criteria for classifying hotels, but in many others there is none. There have been attempts at unifying the classification system so that it becomes an internationally recognized and reliable standard but large differences exist in the quality of the accommodation and the food within one category of hotel, sometimes even in the same country.A “five star hotel”
However, regardless of what public or private agency performs the classification, the term five star hotel is always associated with the ultimate luxury (and, by implication, expense). The lack of standardisation has allowed marketing-driven inflation, with some hotels claiming six stars; at one point the Burj al-Arab marketed itself as “the world’s first seven-star hotel”. Well-established prestige hotels are usually content to claim the traditional five.
Burj al-Arab
The Arabian TowerGeneral meaning of hotel rating by stars
The five categories can be described (loosely) as follows:* (one star) — low budget hotel; inexpensive; may not have maid service or room service.
** (two stars) — budget hotel; slightly more expensive; usually has maid service daily.
*** (three stars) — middle class hotel; moderately priced; has daily maid service, room service, and may have dry-cleaning, Internet access, and a swimming pool.
**** (four stars) — first class hotel; expensive (by middle-class standards); has all of the previously mentioned services; has many “luxury” services (for example: massages or a health spa).
***** (five stars) — luxury hotel; most expensive hotels/resorts in the world; numerous extras to enhance the quality of the client’s stay (for example: some have private golf courses and even a small private airport).
The AAA and their affiliated bodies use diamonds instead of stars to express hotel and restaurant ratings levels.
Traditional systems rest heavily on the facilities provided, which is often disadvantageous to smaller hotels whose quality of accommodation could fall into one class but the lack of an item such as an elevator would prevent it from reaching a higher categorization.
AAA, luxury hotel, expensive hotel, star ratings, hotel ratings, diamond ratings
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451 Press Comment Contest
451 Press has launched several new sites recently and decided the best way to get people to check out the new writers is to host a comment contest. This will benefit all of the writers in our network, as well as the people who participate. We are calling out to anyone and everyone to stop by one of the sites on our network and leave a quality comment. Not a spam comment that simple gets you entered in the contest, but a comment that contributes to the conversation or adds commentary to the article. Every comment made on one of our sites between now and January 31st will be entered in a random drawing for prizes. Every comment you leave will be considered an entry, so there is no limit as long as you leave quality along with quantity.
We offer a wide variety of categories for you to view. We hope that there are several sites here that interest you. We also hope to launch 40 more before the end of the month, so check back regularly to find writers.
Prizes:
We will award six prizes to the six randomly chosen comments from this month. There will be one (1) $500 cash prize and five (5) $100 cash prizes. We will contact the winning commenters using the email address they enter with the comment. Comments made through January 31st will be entered in the contest and the winners will be announced on February 1st.
451 Press writers are not eligible to win this contest.
Family Trip Deals offers advice on making traveling with your children easier and more economical. We research airline deals, vacation packages, kid-friendly vacations along with a healthy dose of personal experience to help you with your family adventures.
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