Articles for ‘Orbitz Parent Panel’ Category
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
by John George
The George family takes on Colorado's Arkansas River!
Some years ago, I was on a South American vacation that included a white water rafting trip on the Urubamba River in Peru. What an experience! And when my wife Jenny was twentysomething and single, she went white water rafting in Australia. She and her friends went seeking adventure, and they sure found it on a wild ride rafting the Queensland River.
Years later, as parents, white water rafting conjured up images of almost losing our then ten-year old son, Zeke, to the rapids of a mighty river. So, we steered clear of rafting-focused family vacations… until recently. (more…)
Tags: Colorado, Family vacation, white water rafting
Posted in Eco-Tourism, Family Travel, Orbitz Parent Panel, Sports Travel | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
From the Orbitz Parent Panel
As parents planning a family vacation, it’s our job to find something that will make everyone happy. We may not be able to keep everyone happy at every moment, but you can bet that we’ll always look for family vacations that offers a “little something for everyone.” Of course, this gets more complicated if you have kids that span a wide age range, travel with multiple generations, or have a group with diverse interests.
If you’re looking for inspiration, see these top 10 recommendations from the Orbitz Parent Panel for great vacations sure to please the whole gang.
Aruba
From Ian R. — My wife and I have been taking our 2 teens to Aruba for 5 years straight. We stay at the Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino, which has the cleanest, biggest beach. Our days are filled with snorkeling, shopping and lounging on the beach. Nighttime is for gambling (yes, as a family) and trying new restaurants (or revisiting our favorites). See more of my recommendations.
(more…)
Posted in Beach Vacation, California Vacation, Caribbean Vacation, Cruise, Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Hawaii Vacation, Orbitz Parent Panel, Top 10 Lists | No Comments »
Saturday, March 27th, 2010
By Patrick O’Neil
Over Bastille Day in July, my wife and I took our girls – then ages 6 and 8 — on a 10-day Europe vacation to Paris. We chose to stay in the 17th arrondissement because it was comfortable and near the food markets on Rue Cler. We found the kids had many more entertainment and play options than expected. We had great times at Champ du Mars, Tuileries, L’Orangerie, and Luxembourg gardens. Here are some photos of our Europe vacation with the kids.
Bastille Day fireworks near Champ du Mars
Tags: Europe Vacation, Family vacation, Paris
Posted in Europe Vacation, International Vacations, Orbitz Parent Panel, Photography | No Comments »
Friday, March 26th, 2010
By Frank Gruger
My wife and her best friend recently took our one-year-old daughter to Tokyo because they always wanted to see Tokyo, and because she loves Japanese toys and wants to instill that love in our daughter!
She was surprised to find that Tokyo was not nearly as expensive a family vacation spot as conventional wisdom would suggest. She avoided the central business districts and found a safe, clean Toyko hotel in the Shiodome district (she felt the more obvious Ginza and Shibuya districts were too crowded, noisy and dirty for a baby) at a rate that would be a steal in NYC and was on par with prices in any major U.S. city.
Taxis are expensive, so she did a lot of walking. With a one-year-old that meant bringing a stroller and a sling. Strollers will get you most places, but Sundays on the streets of Harajuku, or anywhere during rush hour, they’re not feasible. We think the sling is best for international travel with a baby. (more…)
Tags: Family vacation, Tokyo, travel
Posted in Family Travel, International Vacations, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Monday, March 1st, 2010
By Mike O’Shea
They had me at the tropical fish kiddie slides.
As an Orbitz employee, it is my solemn duty to travel somewhere warm and beach-infested with the family every holiday season. Last year it was Maui’s Ka’anapali Beach. But with the economy in tatters, we felt prudence was in order. So part of our search criteria was for a destination easier on the wallet. A Mexico vacation was still extremely reasonable due to the swine flu fallout, so we threw medical caution to the wind and decided 2009 would be a Cancun Christmas!
We are a family of 3: me, my wife, and our 2-year-old daughter. To help with our toddler, we talked her grandparents into coming along as super-sitters. Selecting a hotel involved the group poring over hundreds of guest reviews and hotel photos to find the most luxurious, kid-friendly, budget-friendly accommodations in the northern hemisphere. We settled on the Barcelo Maya Palace All Inclusive Complex, along Cancun’s Riviera Maya. (more…)
Posted in All Inclusive Resorts, Beach Vacation, Family Travel, Mexico Vacation, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino
By Ian Ross
When it comes to vacations, for my family (which includes two teenagers), everything begins with the beach. We’ve gone on many different types of family vacations over the years; however, it always comes back to the beach. We just love sitting, playing, walking and just being together on the beach.
Our Caribbean vacation destination of choice is Aruba. Our beach and home-away-from-home (for five years), is the Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino (which was renovated two years ago). We feel that it offers something for all of us, in addition to it being very comfortable and spacious. (more…)
Tags: Aruba vacation, Caribbean Vacation, Family vacation
Posted in Beach Vacation, Caribbean Vacation, Family Travel, International Vacations, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
By Alison Ulrich
(Photo: copyright Disney)
It is about that time of year to start planning a family vacation for spring break. I’ve been trying to decide between a family cruise and an all-inclusive resort. I have done a bit of research and wanted to share what I’ve learned.
Check the cost for children
When pricing out family cruises and all-inclusive resorts, consider the cost for the children. Some all-inclusive resorts and cruise lines allow kids to stay (or sail) free. Others charge a nominal fee or significantly reduced rate, depending on the age of child. In some cases, you may have to pay full price, which has a big impact on your family vacation budget. (more…)
Tags: All Inclusive Resorts, all inclusive vacations, Beach Vacation, cruises, family cruises, Family Travel, Family vacation, spring break vacations
Posted in All Inclusive Resorts, Beach Vacation, Cruise, Family Travel, Orbitz Parent Panel, Travel Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
By Mark McCullough
Manatee (Photo: Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park)
Our family vacation involves a trek to Grandma’s place in Florida each year, and we make a point to search out the “real Florida,” which means bypassing the theme parks. On our most recent Florida vacation, we visited the manatees at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park on the Gulf coast.
Florida is blessed with many unique natural areas, and the state park system is excellent. During the winter, manatees congregate around the many warm-water springs that dot the northern and central parts of Florida. These mammals rely on the springs to maintain their body temperatures during the cold snaps that chill the Gulf of Mexico. (more…)
Tags: Family Travel, Family vacation, Florida Vacation, travel
Posted in Beach Vacation, Eco-Tourism, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Friday, December 25th, 2009
By Chris Hill
It will happen at one point or another. You book a hotel for your family vacation. It is in a great location, and you got a really good deal . You check in and the hotel looks beautiful. You get to the room and surprise — parking is $20 a day. You get to the room, and it’s smaller than you thought. The kids start yelling about doing something. You turn on the TV, and it is all news; so you look for the pool, only to find it does not exist. You realize that you just booked a business hotel for a family trip. It’s not a great start to a long week.
Okay, so maybe this is a little dramatic, but parts of this scenario have happened to me when I simply looked for the “best deal” while planning a family vacation on a budget. My wife and I have learned to look deeper than just rate, looking at what exactly we get for the money. Here are some of my best tips: (more…)
Posted in Family Travel, Orbitz Parent Panel, Travel Tips | No Comments »
