Articles for ‘Orbitz Parent Panel’ Category
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009
Fort Lauderdale Beach off of Las Olas Boulevard
By John George
I’ve always had relatives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and my family lived there in the early aughts. We are returning for a week around Christmas, and will definitely utilize the following tips to help make our trip go smoothly.
Find Appropriate Accommodations
We’re lucky enough to be staying with relatives this trip, but have spent enough time visiting to know some of the better hotel options that suit our needs. Our current favorites in town are the Marriott Harbor Beach and the Riverside Hotel—we used to love staying at Ireland’s Inn Beach Resort, but it closed two years ago for renovations and no new information is currently available. We have also used the Embassy Suites on the 17th Street Causeway; although this hotel is about two miles from the beach, the suite layout is very family friendly.
Pack for the Weather
December weather in southern Florida is definitely unpredictable. We’ve enjoyed marvelous beach time and also some chilly days in late December—and even early January (we, of course, console ourselves by remembering the weather back home up north. If you are planning on visiting before about mid-January, be sure to monitor weather conditions before packing for your trip. One year, we had some of our cousin’s visit for New Year and during their stay, the weather turned cool—shorts and tank tops gave way to jackets and sweaters. Good thing we were there to lend some clothes! (more…)
Posted in Beach Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Holidays & Events, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Sunday, November 1st, 2009
By Mark McCullough
Colonial Williamsburg officially starts the holiday season with Grand Illumination, a wonderful evening of singing, storytelling and fireworks. The event offers a great opportunity for families to get into the holiday spirit by strolling the pedestrian-only areas of Williamsburg’s historic district and enjoying the candlelit windows, wreaths and entertainment. There are multiple stages in the historic area that features storytelling, period music and events for the children.
My family arrives around 3 p.m. so we can take in all the sights before sundown. We pack a thermos full of hot chocolate in addition to making stops for hot cider and the traditional Virginia ham biscuits that should not be missed. The fireworks display truly highlights the evening as it projects from three different locations: the Governors Palace, the Colonial Capital and the Magazine. All of these are within eyesight of each other, so getting a good viewing spot isn’t difficult. Never before have I experienced seeing fireworks in a 360-degree eruption where the lights are kept lower in the sky, creating a more intimate setting that doesn’t scare the kids-truly a grand illumination. (more…)
Posted in Family Travel, Holidays & Events, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Sunday, November 1st, 2009
By Alistar Wearmouth
My wife and I are preparing to pack up our two young kids for a family vacation to Scotland this Christmas, which is where my family lives. Getting on the road is never easy around the holidays, but even less so when you’re facing a long transatlantic flight. Here are some tips for coping with stressful international travel during busy holiday periods.
- Get Organized Early!: I swear my wife starts stressing about what to bring before the stores even have their Halloween decorations out. But she’s always the one smiling once the day of travel arrives. If you have presents or gifts to take, think about sending them ahead by mail to save some room in your suitcases. And don’t forget a daypack of kiddie essentials like changes of clothes, wipes, plastic bags, and that favorite stuffed animal.
- Be Direct: If you can, book direct flights to your final destination. Cutting down on layovers will lessen the chances of missing connections or sprinting through an unfamiliar airport with cranky kids in tow. It will also mitigate the chances of your luggage getting lost or delayed in transit. If direct flights look too expensive, consider flying through smaller regional airports to avoid some of the more major travel snarls that can occur at big, busier international airports (for example, we like to transit to Scotland via Ireland or Iceland instead of facing London Heathrow during the busy holiday seasons).
- Keep ‘Em Fed & Watered: A plentiful supply of snackfoods is the lifeblood of any family outing. But when you’re on a longer flight or train journey, for example, remember that Animal Crackers are no substitute for proper meals. Plan accordingly with sandwiches, fruits, and juice boxes, just in case there’s no meal service on board or the in-flight meal tray doesn’t do it for your kids. (more…)
Posted in Family Travel, Holidays & Events, International Vacations, Orbitz Parent Panel, Travel Tips | No Comments »
Friday, September 25th, 2009
By Mark McCullough
Lynchburg, Va., perched in foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is known for its tobacco history and connection to the late Jerry Falwell, the outspoken evangelical leader and founder of Liberty University. What it is not known for is its skiing, but that is is all about to change. Liberty University has put Lynchburg on the map as the single venue for synthetic skiing/riding park in North America.
A border getting some air on the slopes
My family and I stumbled upon this on an end-of-summer getaway as were traveling through Lynchburg and the sun was setting on a beautiful August day. Just above the Liberty U. Campus is Candler Mountain, where there is a collection of hiking and biking trails frequented by students, and great vistas open up of the Peaks of Otter Lodge and the Blue Ridge Parkway. We drove up the mountain to catch the sunset and discovered a ski lodge to the likes of Colorado’s Beaver Creek or Utah’s Alta ski areas, complete with stone fireplaces, bear rugs and many big game trophies mounted on the exposed log walls. (more…)
Tags: Family Travel
Posted in Family Travel, Orbitz Parent Panel, Ski Resorts, Sports Travel, Travel Tips | No Comments »
Monday, September 21st, 2009
The writer's boys on the slopes.
By Donna Mulligan
Ask my husband and he will tell you. His favorite family vacation with the kids is spent on the ski slopes in Vermont.
Taking the kids on a ski vacation does involve some organization and planning. Staying warm and dressing in layers is essential. Chattering teeth and blue lips can cut an afternoon of skiing short, so it’s important to pack with staying warm in mind. Don’t forget multiple ski gloves, turtles, socks, thermals, snow suits and goggles. Always remember to stash a few tissues in the snow suit pockets for runny noses on the slopes. (more…)
Posted in Family Travel, Orbitz Parent Panel, Ski Resorts | No Comments »
Friday, September 18th, 2009
Pac Back
By Mark Verone
Family vacations can be exciting, relaxing — even educational — but they can also present some challenges. When it comes to getting through the airport with ease, entertaining kids on flights and packing enough (but not too much), it helps to have the right gear. My wife and I have taken a lot of family vacations with our kids, and we’ve learned a lot along the way. Here are some of the gadgets we’ve found make travel easier:
Pac Back: The FAA recommends securing your child in a car seat approved for air travel during your flight. But the FAA has no suggestions about how to carry that car seat on the long walk to the gate, while pushing your child in a stroller. The Pac Back car seat carrier enables an me to carry the car seat like a backpack, leaving my hands free for dispensing snacks and changing diapers. Without the Pac Back, my family of four might never have reached the gate, much less our destination. (more…)
Posted in Family Travel, Gadgets & Gizmos, Orbitz Parent Panel, Travel Tips | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. (Courtesy: Busch Gardens Williamsburg)
By Mark McCullough
Each fall, Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Tampa transform into a great seasonal family vacation destination known as Howl-O-Scream. Despite the name, the folks at Busch are very careful to include venues for all ages so as not to frighten away the little ones. Being locals to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, our family has a season pass, and the Howl-O-Scream event is our children’s favorite visit to the park.
For starters, the crowds thin after the summer vacation season and the weather is markedly cooler. The park is known for its outstanding attention to detail, and Howl-O-Scream has the park decorated in a spooky theme from head to toe.
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Posted in Family Travel, Holidays & Events, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
Rocky Horror Picture Show characters at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. (Copyright 2009 Universal Orlando Resort)
By Mary Flynn
I have taken my two oldest kids, ages 19 and 21, to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando for the past five years, and it has now become our family tradition to go each year. The first time we went in the middle of the week, which I preferred since there were less people, the tickets were cheaper, and the lines to the rides and haunted houses were not very long. Universal’s event is designed for adults and kids alike and is considered the largest of its kind in the United States.
We like attending the Rocky Horror Picture Show on stage, where we can laugh and get a bit frightened all at the same time. And the nighttime parade, with its costumes and crazy floats, is so much fun — a lot like a Mardi Gras parade, where they throw beads and little prizes.
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Posted in Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Florida Vacation, Holidays & Events, Orbitz Parent Panel, Orlando Vacation | No Comments »
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
By Mark Verone
“Back to school” is music to the ears of many parents dreaming of getting back into a normal schedule. For us, “back to school” means family vacations with fewer crowds, shorter lines, less people and great travel deals. As parents of a non-school-age toddler, we find that travel is more enjoyable during off-peak periods.
Over the past two years, we have planned several family vacations during off-peak periods, and we’ve had the luxury of having pools, beaches and resorts all to ourselves. We know that in a few years we will be fighting the crowds during school break periods with so many other families, which is why we are taking advantage of our situation now and traveling as much as we can before our son starts going to school.
Traveling off peak has many advantages.
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Posted in Beach Vacation, Caribbean Vacation, Disney Vacation, Family Travel, Orbitz Parent Panel, Travel Tips | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
By Alistair Wearmouth
A water slide at Chula Vista Resort. (Courtesy: Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau)
My creeping cynicism about what lay in store for us in Wisconsin Dells was quickly dispelled by my son’s voice chirping to his younger sister from the backseat: “Oh man, this is going to be so exciting!” His excitement arose from the fact that we were driving into a kid’s fantasyland of swooping roller coasters, colorful waterslides, and surreal re-creations of places like the Colosseum in Rome and the White House… upside down, after some sort of apocalyptic event. Classic Old World architecture and culture it’s not, but this popular summer resort very quickly lives up to its fun-filled promise. Here are a few of our Wisconsin Dells family vacation favorites.
Best Water Parks
With more than 20 indoor and outdoor water parks, Wisconsin Dells bills itself “The Water Park Capital of the World.” And while our weekend trip was too short to dive in to all the offerings, we did get the chance to check out a couple of the best water-soaked playgrounds. Chula Vista Resort in the upper portion of the Dells stands apart from some of the tackier strip-mall development clustered off I-90 and the Wisconsin Dells Parkway. The 620-room property boasts 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor water parks that include 27 looping water slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool.
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Posted in Family Travel, Food & Wine, Orbitz Parent Panel | No Comments »
