Posts Tagged ‘friendly.’

Five Family Friendly Vacations Ideas and How To Make Them Inexpensive

Does the cost of travel have you wondering whether or not you can afford to take your family on a vacation this year? Your much needed and well deserved vacation should be a priority in your life and we are providing ways to make your family vacation time more affordable and more enjoyable.

1. Kids and Cruises -Traveling by ship is a way for families to visit several places on one trip without constantly having to pack and unpack which is a big benefit for parents with young children. Additionally most cruise lines offer children’s programs and kids will love the freedom of life on board a cruise ship.

Way to save on cruising: Travel agents specializing in cruises and businesses that book blocks of cabins can offer quite a savings on rooms. Cruising prices are also dependent upon the season you choose to cruise. Look for off season specials or cruises that include airfare as part of the deal. Many of the cruise lines offer a kid sail free program.

2. All Inclusive Packages – Look for family friendly locations. Family package destinations will offer activities for both parents and children. Entertainment for everyone plus food, drink and activities are all in one place.

Ways to save on packages:  Mid week departure and arrivals will save you money on airfare. Also schedule your travels for off season.

3. Renting a House – Renting a house for your family vacation in the location you want to visit will provide the benefits of learning the local culture plus you get more for your vacation dollar. You can experience life with all its local flavors. If find out all the info about a location before the trip you will experience all the fun and excitement and not miss anything once you get there

Ways to save on rentals: The internet offers huge resources for finding a rental in the location you prefer. Local newspapers for the areas which are often published on line can help you find a great deal also. Look for coupons to save money on food and activities. It’s a great money-saving idea to split the cost of the house rental with another family whether it be family or friends.

4. Adventure Packages – Adventure vacations are designed to teach basic skills and how to respect the environment. Whether you choose white water rafting or hiking in the wilderness, your family’s safety will be a top priority with your nature guide. Most of the time all equipment is provided and often will include all meals for the day.

Ways to save on adventure trips: Book your trip with an adventure travel specialist. You will be sure to get the best price with the most features.

5. Camping Vacations – Outdoor vacations such as camping provide families ways to work together and play together. Campgrounds normally offer plenty of activities to keep children entertained. Camping can be either in a tent or many places even offer cabins. Additionally you can rent an RV to experience RV camping.

Ways to save on camping: Many national campground locations offer membership cards that offer benefits to its regular campers. Cooking your food at camp rather than eating out will help you save money.

Wherever you decide on the family vacation, whether it’s an airline ticket or a hotel room, never take the first price your quoted. Always attempt to negotiate for a better price. Ask about any available discounts.  Be a flexible traveler. If you’re willing to give up your seats on a flight for someone flying standby, you’ll be rewarded with free tickets. Set aside the dates you want to travel and then watch for last minute deals.  When on vacation skip the souvenirs and start a postcard or refrigerator magnet collection. If you plan properly you can be assured of your family having a fun and affordable family vacation.

Family Friendly Activities In Tybee Island

Tybee Island is a laid back resort town that offers a wide variety of activities for every member of the family. This Georgia community located outside of Savannah offers a relaxed environment of southern hospitality, sand, sun and fun.

The Tybee Island lighthouse and museum, commissioned by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th colony back in the early1700′s, is one of the oldest active lighthouses in Georgia and one of the most complete in the United States with all of its support buildings still intact. Visitors can climb the 178-step spiral staircase of the 154 foot light tower to see the 9-foot tall lens, 1000 watt bulb and incredible views. Take the kids and visit the gift shop, the museum and even become a volunteer for a day.

Fort Pulaski, now a national monument, was established during the Civil War. The fort was considered state of the art in defense at the time and was the test site for the new James Rifled Canon, which rendered brick fortification obsolete. Visitors to the fort can watch a historical video presentation before roaming the 5,600 acre property on self guided tours.

There’s also much to see and do at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, located right on the beach. Here you can view aquariums full of marine species native to the area, touch underwater creatures in the open tank and learn of the environmental impact on fragile marine life in the pollution exhibit. The center offers guided beach walks, guest lectures and there is even a summer sea camp for children. A great way to start off your Tybee Island vacation would be to take a beach walk with one of the center’s educators to gain a better understanding of what goes on with the indigenous life of the area.

At the south end of the island, the Tybee Island Pier & Pavilion is one of the area’s most popular attractions. The pier is free and open to the public for family picnics, a morning cup of coffee or just gazing out at the beautiful ocean views. The pier extends out 700 feet into the ocean, making it an ideal place to drop a line and fish for an afternoon. Below the pier you will discover an entire ecosystem of clams, mussels and other marine life.

Tybee is very big on outdoor activities. Forget the car for a day and rent some bicycles for the family and explore the island; it’s a fun way to see the sights and a safe way to get around due to the low number of cars. Tybee Island also has a full service campground on the north end of the island, only three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean. For a very relaxed atmosphere that fosters fun for all age groups with the entire family in mind, a Tybee Island Vacation is hard to beat.

We need some dog friendly vacation ideas?

We have a white shep/husky mix and a min pin – and haven’t taken them on vacation yet. We take them to the dog parks and such, but we’d like to do a weekend getaway with them at the end of summer/begin of fall when the weather is cooler.

We live in the Chicago area – road trips (not too long) would be ok so if you know something specific in the surrounding states or in Illinois that would be perfect.

We’d love all the ideas we can get – camping is all we could think of.

Mexico: Friendly People, Great Resorts, Real Bargain

Among the thousands of things to do in Mexico, here are the top ten travel destinations selected for their activities, natural attractions and budget-friendly welcome.

Cozumel Mexico: This island is located in the Caribbean waters just off the coast of Mexico. A luxurious paradise that offers exciting underwater adventures and romantic beaches, many couples have fallen in love with this perfect honeymoon getaway.

Forget the French Riviera: The Mayan Riviera, along the Pacific coast of Mexico, has attractions and activities to suit every budget and lifestyle. Explore ancient ruins, get pampered in a luxury resort, or stroll along pristine beaches.

Tulum:  At the southern end of the Mayan Riviera in the Yucatan Peninsula is a natural and historical draw.  Ancient Mayan ruins tower over pristine beaches and other natural wonders surround this city on the edge of the jungle.

Spring Break: Cancun, located just north of the Mexican Riviera, is predicted to be the #1 spring break destination in 2010. A weak peso against a stronger dollar means college students in limited budgets can enjoy an exciting time without going broke. Another attraction is that the legal drinking age is 18.

La Paz Mexico:  On the southeast end of the Baja Peninsula, La Paz, welcomes visitors with some of the best things to do in Mexico. Those who love water and adventure find scuba diving among the hammerhead sharks and giant mantas the perfect compliment to their Mexican vacation.

Monterrey Mexico:  This city welcomes families with numerous amusement and water parks and activities such as horseback riding, tennis, golf and tennis. Numerous tours are available to take visitors on an exploration of the surrounding countryside.

Oaxaca Mexico: In the southwest curve of Mexico is the state of Oaxaca. It is only recently that this beautiful state been discovered and now welcomes visitors from all over the world. Acclaimed for its natural wonders, Oaxaca is becoming the number one vacation spot in southern Mexico.

Huatulco Mexico:  In Oaxaca, Huatulco is just one of the once-sleepy ocean-side villages in what is fast becoming a tourist area. Although the nightlife and other amenities may not be extensive, the quiet resorts situated on the nine bays are doing everything they can to become the choice Mexican travel destination.

Ensenada Mexico: Located on the Baja Peninsula, just 70 miles south of San Diego. This makes it the perfect snowbird location by offering modern RV parks and plenty of activities.

Mexico City:  The capital of Mexico is a thriving metropolis of over 20 million people. Full of a rich history and a proud culture, Mexico City holds it’s own against any other world city, with modern hotels, historical sites, first-class cuisine and great shopping opportunities.

I am looking for a weeks camping vacation in a cabin in Michigan for $500. Must be pet friendly. please help?

I know it sounds a little far fetched, but I haven’t had a vacation in at least 15 years, and I can finally (kinda) afford to do it. There will be 5 of us and a dog. Any suggestions?

Croatia, A Friendly Nudist Country!

If you are a nudist, it doesn’t mean you will be welcomed in every country you decide to spend your holidays. There is still a prejudice or sometimes intolerance against this style of sun bathing and swimming.

Some counties are more or less tolerant but if you’re looking for a completely different vacation idea this year, why not try a nudist holiday?

Every nudist knows that real nudists are very nice people. What makes nudist especially nice remains a vagueness. Perhaps nudism attracts the enjoyable individuals in the first place, or maybe the practice of nudism somehow improves people. Who knows? And really, who cares? Let’s just enjoy the situation.

If the nudism is your style, Croatia is a country considered the naturist friendly destination. History of organized naturist vacations in Croatia goes back in 1930′s.

The island of Rab is appropriately referred to as the pioneer of naturism on the Croatia Adriatic . The month of August 1936 is frequently mentioned as the official beginning of naturism in Rab, when the English king Edward VIII stayed there and the Rab authorities allowed him and his wife to take a nude swim in the bay of Kandarola. That’s why this bay is nowadays sometimes called “English Beach” or “Engleska plaza”.

Croatia was the first country in Europe to start with the concept of commercial naturist resorts, when in other European countries naturism was limited to member clubs only. Real naturist expansion started in 1960′s when first naturist camps were opened in Istra and Dalmatia. In those days more than 100.000 naturists spent their vacation in Croatia each year. The oldest naturist resort in Croatia is Koversada and in 2001 celebrated its 40th anniversary. Koversada is in fact a small islet and today it is connected by a small bridge with the mainland. The story says that famous adventurer Giacomo Casanova was the first one who took a nude swim in Koversada.

In 1961 Koversada became officially opened for naturist tourists. As Koversada was becoming more popular. In 1972 Koversada hosted Naturist World Congress. In the course of years Koversada grew to modern and one of the largest and the most popular naturist resorts in Europe.

Soon after Koversada, other resorts opened its doors to naturists as well: Valata naturist resort (opened in 1968), Monsena (in 1988 hosted Naturist World Congress), Solaris and many other.

Naturist beaches in Croatia are marked as “FKK”. This is abbreviation for German word “Freikörperkultur” (Free Body Culture). The FKK sign is ever-present all along the Croatian coast.

Besides of official naturist resorts and beaches, there are also many so called free beaches. Those are unofficial naturist beaches, sometimes controlled and maintained by local tourist authorities and sometimes not, that can be found everywhere on the coast. Croatia with more than thousands islands offers practically countless small bays and coves for naturist lovers.

Nudist cruising along the Adriatic coast, hoping from one to another island or hidden caves , has become very popular in last years.

Whether you are a romantic couple, a family, single, or a senior who enjoys the freedom of nudist bathing, the warmth of the sun and water, the naturist cruising with wooden old timers (gullets) will be a new experience.

With its quaint villages, old historic stucco houses with red tile roofs, and small stores to browse in, you will enjoy your time off the beach as well. The beauty of this coast and country alone is enough reason to make you decide to plan your next nudist cruising vacation in Croatia.

With this nudist background and natural beauties, Croatia is a right place to join the nudist sailing offer. Let’s just enjoy the situation. Be a nudist in Croatia, a Mediterranean as once used to be.