|
|
My husband and I have been accruing United miles for the past three years. Our plan was to use the miles to take our two kids to China this summer but then I got pregnant and we scrapped those plans. China with a one-month-old didn't seem like a wise idea.
What to do with all the miles? Two kids and a baby? A family that hasn't been on a tropical vacation in four years? Maui at Thanksgiving!
My husband and kids loved the idea and we found out that another family we know already had reservations.
I decided to call United, crossing my fingers that miles seats would be available, as I know Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times to travel.
We were in luck! This morning I scored four United miles tickets to Maui. I had to pay 80,000 miles each, but it would cost me $1300 to purchase those same tickets. And the flights aren't perfect. Our return flight is a Monday night red eye. But I'm happy because we have a relaxing family vacation to look forward to!
The lesson: You can still score those holiday flights with miles but you need to book now.
Photo via boston.com
Piecing together your family's summer travel plans? Consider Cape Cod! As temperatures rise and the Atlantic Ocean finally warms up (a teeny tiny bit, anyway), families flock to Massachusetts' most beloved beaches and beach towns. Below, three budget-friendly family fun activities on the Cape.
1. Who exactly lives in the Atlantic and along its shores? Kids and grown-ups alike will love exploring, and getting answers, at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The world's largest private oceanographic research center is located near the beginning of the Cape, and offers free behind-the-scenes walking tours twice a day during the summer. Check with them for times, and for special events as well.
2. Take a stroll along Provincetown's Commercial Street, lined with restaurants, shops, and galleries, to get a flavor of the local culture. Your destination? The saltwater taffy shop, of course! Let the kiddos pick out a few of the brightly colored candies, then head to Provincetown's Race Point, a prime whale-spotting lookout. (Be sure to check out the lighthouse as well!)
3. "Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd..." The Cape Cod Baseball League plays in towns all over the Cape, and there's no better way to spend a summer's night than with the family wrapped up in sweaters, munching on cracker jacks, cheering on tomorrow's baseball stars as they race around the diamond. (Since the Cape league is a non-profit, admission to games is free, although some will ask for donations.)
Want more budget-friendly Cape Cod tips? Check out boston.com's fantastic list of 25 free things to do on the Cape - all the ideas above come from their list!
My daughter pushing her boundaries - and mine - in Arizona.
I stumbled across a list of nine lessons travel teaches children on the wonderful travel blog Escape Artiste, and each and every one rang true with me. Sometimes, somewhere between booking tickets, worrying about jet lag, and packing enough activities to keep ten times the number of children entertained, I lose sight of why I travel with the kids. This list reminded me.
From Theodora of Escape Artiste:
To Have Confidence In Themselves
Travel gives children confidence. Whether it’s achieving a climb that adults fail at, diving 40 feet below the sea, making their way alone across a big, new city, or making new friends when you arrive in town, the confidence that comes with these gains lasts a lifetime.
To Be Wise
To understand the needs and sensitivities of different people, the history and beliefs of different cultures, and the elaborate workings of a big and complex world is, I think, wisdom. And travel brings kids that in spades.
To Try New Things
From eating insects, flowers or wild spices through to surfing or crafting silver, travel brings children new experiences to try — often, every single day. This reduces any fear of the new and builds a bank of life experiences some adults will never acquire.
Here's the full list. Thank you, Escape Artiste!
Planning ahead for summer road trips? Gather up a stack of travel-themed activity books to keep the kiddos entertained in the backseat. Kidventurous has a list of books that look especially good: they're packed full of riddles, puzzles, fill-in-the-blank stories, from-the-car scavenger hunts, and more fun (don't tell the kids, but a lot of it is pretty darn educational). View the full list here.
It's no secret that Portland is a great place to head on family vacation. It's got enough character for a city five times its size! Here are three tips for fun, family-friendly activities in Portland that won't take you over budget.
1. Welcome to the Kennedy School, boys and girls: please take your seats. This former elementary school has been converted into a hotel, and is one of the true gems of Portland. And better yet, non-guests are welcome to take advantage of the Kennedy School! Their ceramic, heated Soaking Pool is open to the public from 10 am to 8 pm for $5 a person. Afterwards, curls up on a sofa in the former school auditorium for a movie: check the schedule for family-appropriate films. Admission is $1 for the 11-and-under set, and $3 for 12-and-up.
2. There's just something about rollerskating. Head to Oaks Park to take advantage of their historic wooden roller rink; if you're lucky, you'll hear music from the mighty Murlitzer pipe organ! Admission to their open skate sessions (check the schedule here) is $6 per skater. (While the amusement park portion of Oaks Park is only open during the summer, the rink is open year round.)
3. Just a few minutes from downtown Portland, Washington Park is a family destination. No matter what you're looking for - peace and quiet, a spot for a picnic, a short hike, or lots of space for a game of Frisbee - you can find it in the park. Wander through the International Rose Test Garden (wow!), and stop off at the colorful Children's Park nearby. In addition, the Oregon Zoo and the Portland Children's Museum are located in the park - how convenient!
Accommodation Tip: How delightful does Best Western Inn at the Meadows sound?! And the proof: free parking, free wifi, and free breakfast, plus easy access to downtown Portland.
Imagine: you and the kids have been traveling for eight hours, but it feels like eighty. You're schlepping through the airport, killing time until you can board your final flight home. Cranky and tired don't even begin to describe it. And suddenly: presto! A silky-eared, tail-wagging, cheerful golden retriever appears in front of you, practically begging the kids to give her a big ol' hug. Sound too good to be true? If you're traveling through Miami International Airport, you might just luck out and spot Casey, an official airport ambassador and stress reliever, roaming the terminals with her human handler. Genius!
This is just one of many unexpected and delightful airport services popping up around the world - and why not? Anything to make airports more appealing! Read Cheap Flights' list of airport wonders here, including art museums, cooking classes, and game rooms. (Now if they could just include changing tables on planes...)
Summer's right around the corner and many families are starting to look at their budgets to determine whether they can afford that family vacation. If you're on the fence, my recommendation is to go because it's possible to keep your costs down and travel on the cheap. With some smart budgeting and cost-saving tips, you can make that family trip happen!
My family just returned from a week-long spring break road-trip and we spent only $250 on food, gas, lodging and entertainment.
Here's how we did it:
1) We left the SUV at home. We drove a Ford C-Max Hybrid that gets 52 miles to
the gallon. If we had taken a regular SUV, we would have
spent about $200 more on gas.
2) We lightened our load. We
packed light—bringing only a few changes of clothes and doing wash
along the way. Carrying 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car's
fuel efficiency by 1 to 2 percent. If you do have cargo to haul, use the
trunk instead of a roof rack or carrier, as using these can decrease
mileage by as much as 5 percent.
3) We drank only water at restaurants. No iced tea, no apple juice, no beers, no way! Those $3 to $7 drinks add up on restaurant bills.
4) We ate on the cheap. We're a family that likes to eat and we appreciate good food—we try to avoid fast-food restaurants at all costs. But when you're on a tight budget, eating well is tricky. We often got food to-go and picnicked at a park. At nicer restaurants, my husband and I often split an entree and salad.
5) We c arried refillable water bottles.
A family of four can easily spend $20 a day buying water in plastic
bottles. We purchased eco-friendly Klean Kanteens, which don't leach
chemicals, toxins, or funky flavors. We refilled them at hotels,
restaurants, and public restrooms.
6) We found free and cheap fun. We spent a lot of time hiking around state parks, visited museums at times when admission is free, went to fairs and festivals, looked for farmer's markets.
7) We took advantage of hotel freebies. Bed
down at places that offer great value: free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and
parking. For example, you’ll receive free Internet access at all Best
Western hotels ( bestwestern.com).
8) We dove into the hotel pool.
Take a break from the amusement parks and shopping malls, and hang out
at the pool, where you don't have to pay admission. Ninety percent of Best Western properties have swimming pools.
9) We loaded our iPhone with apps.
We used CheapGas to pinpoint the lowest priced gas stations and AAA
Discounts to alert us of money-saving opportunities. You can download
both applications for free on iTunes.
Are you convinced? Now's the time to start planning! Pick a week-long road trip route that leaves from your house so you avoid the high cost of summer air flights. Sign up for Best Western Rewards and start booking your hotels!
Recent events have put Boston in everyone's thoughts, and it's the perfect city for this week's Thrifty Travel Fun post. A rich history, a plethora of museums and activities, and easy access to the rest of New England makes Boston an ideal family travel destination. Below, three outdoor Boston activities on the cheap!
1. Boston is steeped in history, and The Freedom Trail is the perfect introduction to Colonial Revolutionary Boston, as well as an ideal way to explore the city on foot. The three mile-long trail takes you to 16 historical spots, including the Boston Common, Faneuil Hall, the Massachusetts State House, and Paul Revere's house. You can search around for a guided tour ( Boston By Little Feet offers Freedom Trail tours specifically tailored to kids), or just pick a stretch to walk on your own. TIP: the section around Faneuil Hall is a good one if you're not sure the family's up for a full morning of walking and history-intake, and it will land you right by Quincy Market for lunch; with hundreds of food stalls, everyone in the family can pick out a different treat!
2. Hop on the "T" (it wouldn't be a real Boston visit without at least one ride) and head over to Cambridge's Harvard Square. Shops and cafes abound, and it's the perfect place to take in some prime street performances. Kids need to get a good romp in? The nearby Harvard Campus has plenty of space for an impromptu game of tag!
3. Before your Boston visit, be sure to read " Make Way for Ducklings," the darling children's classic that takes place in Boston. Then, head to the Boston Public Garden to see the bronze statues of Mrs. Mallard and all her ducklings! Climb on board, everyone: holiday card photo opp?
Accommodation tip: The Best Western Plus Roundhouse Suites is situated close to Boston's airport and many local attractions - and yes, they offer DIY waffle-making.
Photo via Huffington Post Travel
We all strive to instill generosity and perspective in our children, but with the busy, mismatched schedules of daily life, family volunteer outings are often an impossibility. But what about devoting a few hours of your family vacation to giving back? Your children will get to experience something new and important with you at their side - and who knows, it may be the highlight of the whole trip!
MiniTime, a wonderful Huffington Post Travel contributor, assembled six places across the country that take volunteers of all ages for anywhere from a couple hours to a day; from caring for animals to maintaining trails to scooping ice cream for children suffering from life-threatening services, there's something for every family. Click through to get inspired, and please share if you know of other places for families to volunteer on vacation.
Lima, Peru
My family has been known to screech to a halt and pile out of the car when we spot a playground while traveling: there's no better way to get the blood moving after hours on the road (and the backseat is always much quieter after the kids have had a good romp in the fresh air).
While we'll take pretty much any old playground, I wouldn't mind coming across one of the magical playgrounds rounded up over at InCultureParent in their post Top 10 Most Imaginative Playgrounds Around the World. Looks like we'll have to do some road-tripping on a different continent!
Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine
Melbourne, Australia
Here's a slide show featuring the best photographs from our spring break road trip through southern Arizona.
Last day of our spring break road trip...
Budget:
- Breakfast: free at hotel
- Arizona Sonora Desert Museum: $39
- Lunch at museum: $36.57
- Dinner at Original Chop Shop in Scottsdale: $37.69
- Ice cream at Petersen's in Scottsdale: $15.21
- Best Western Plus Sundial Resort: Free (We're member of the Best Western Rewards program and used our points to pay for our final night.)
Day's total: $128.47
Trip total: $1709.30 (We met our goal!)
Highlights from our day:
1) Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
This world-class museum is a zoo, botanical garden and natural history museum all presented in one outdoor campus that sits amidst a desert landscape dotted with saguaro.
We headed out along the one-mile trail, with desert plants labeled all along the way.
During an animal talk we made friends with a barn owl and learn that these birds have keen hearing that allows them to hear a mouse scurrying under eight inches of snow.
The kids favorite exhibit is a re-creation of Kartchner Caverns with winding tunnels that you can crawl through.
If my daughter were a bat, her ears would be this big.
A beautiful collection of rocks and minerals.
A hands-on exhibit allows the kids to excavate for dinosaur bones.
We break for lunch in the museum restaurant with healthy options such as fresh green salads and kids meals that include cheese pizza and animal cookies.
2) Best Western Plus Sundial Resort, Scottsdale
Location! Location! Location! This hotel sits in the middle of the Scottsdale action. Restaurants, shops and Old Town are all within walking distance but before adventuring out into town, we spend some time at the pool.
After a swim, it's time for a little R&R in the poolside cabana.
3) Old Town Scottsdale
After a swim, we walk from our hotel into Old Town Scottsdale. It's a balmy 75 degrees and people are dining outside and browsing the art galleries and souvenir shops selling dream catchers and kachina dolls.
We grab dinner at a restaurant called Original Chop Shop where the menu features kale salads and veggie hummus sandwiches. The kids have eaten a lot of burgers and pizza the past few days and we're determined to get them to eat something green. They decide on a chicken pita stuffed with lots of lettuce.
After our green dinner, we feel like we deserve a treat. After all, it's the end of our trip. We've met our budget. It's time to celebrate! We get cones at Petersen's, an old-school soda fountain where you can pull up a stool at a white marble counter top and order a malt.
We spend our seventh day in Tucson.
Budget:
Day's total: $180.32
Trip total: $1580.83 (Still on budget!)
Highlights:
1) Best Western Plus InnSuites Tucson Foothills swimming pool
Sun was shining outside yet again? We decided to spend the morning at the pool. We love that most Best Western Hotels have pools because really all kids want to do on a road trip is swim!
Beyond Bread is a family-owned business with three locations in Tucson. We want to have a picnic at Sabino Canyon and we hear they have good sandwiches so we head for the N. Campbell location near our hotel. The kids order PB&Js and my husband and I get grilled salmon salads that come with one of the bakery's thick slices of freshly baked bread.
Sabino Canyon is a desert oasis located in Coronado's National Forest. The dry-sandy landscape dotted with saguaro cactus, some reaching 70 feet tall, is gorgeous and extends up into the craggy Santa Catalina Mountains.
A tram offers rides along a paved road up into the canyon but we decide to hit the trail and walk.
Here are a few photos from our hike...
Today, we started our drive north. Here's a rundown of our day...
Budget
Day's total: $264.14 (We're a little off budget today. The restaurants we chose were pricier than expected. We loved the meal at the Velvet Elvis but portions were small and we had to order some extra food to feed hungry children.)
Trip total: $1400.51 (We're about $100 under budget!)
1) Best Western Sonora Inn and Suites, Nogales
After swimming in the pool and enjoying a complimentary breakfast of fresh waffles, my daughter wanted to get cozy in the playfully decorated lobby of the Best Western in Nogales and watch a little TV.
2) Patagonia
It's hard to not use the most overused term in travel writing "hidden gem" when describing this blink-and-you-might-miss-it town in south Arizona's mountain empire, tucked between the Mexican border and the Santa Rita and Patagonia mountains. While most of southern part of the state is parched and dry, this area enjoys cooler temperatures and more rain, presenting a dessert landscape that's more lush, with bright green willows and mesquites lining the many rivers, streams and lakes.
The town originally served the many mines in the area but those have since shuttered and artists, writers, birders, wine makers, outdoor enthusiasts and retirees have taken over the two-block stretch lined with adobes on one side and a leafy park on the other. In town a traveler will find everything you might need: an Elvis-inspired restaurant dishing up fresh organic salads and pizza, a bakery pulling oatmeal cookies studded with white chocolate chunks and cranberries from its ovens, an elegant jewelery store specializing in pieces by local Native American tribes, a church that's been converted into a night club, a natural foods store with a colorful fruit stand out front and several art galleries.
We start with lunch at Velvet Elvis Pizza, which we learned isn't named actually after the King but "is a playful allegory to bad art, a commodity that Mexico continues to provide its U.S. comrades."
Inside the colorful restaurant with turquoise walls you'll find only one velvet Elvis painting.
The menu at Velvet Elvis features organic salads and pizzas made with wholewheat crust.
3) Patagonia Lake State Park
This 265-acre man made lake sitting among the rolling hills outside the town of Patagonia happens to be one of the best birding spots in the world. At least that's what we learn from a man carrying a camera equipped with a lens the size of a newborn baby. As we walk the trail circling the lake, we pass birder after birder, all of them carrying fancy camera equipment.
What are they looking for?
On that day rumor has it that someone spotted an Elegant Trogan that morning and everyone on the trail was hoping to catch a glimpse of this parrot-like bird with red-and-green Christmas plumage that flies into Patagonia over spring break from Mexico.
We pass one guy on the trail who has just seen the bird and he tells us to hurry ahead so we might see it too.
Down the trail we see a spot of bright red in a tree and my husband quietly gets close and snaps a shot.
But when we show our prized photo to the next birder we pass, he tells us that what we've seen is a Vermillion Flycatcher, a sweet little bird, but much smaller and much more common than the Trogon.
Hiking further down the trail, and after crossing a muddy stream, we see a larger flash of red. It's a gorgeous cardinal and we're all thrilled by his vibrant color. For a group of amateur birders, we feel pleased and accomplished and head back to the car.
4) Mission Tumacacori
From Patagonia, we take South River Road to Rio Rico, then head north on Interstate 19 for Tucson. Along the way, we pass this Spanish Colonial mission dating back to 1828. It's well past 5 p.m. when the mission closes but we get a good glimpse from the road.
 |
| NPS Photo by Vicki Wolfe |
5) Tubac
This village on Interstate 19 was founded as a Spanish presidio in 1752. Today it's like a mini Santa Fe with upscale galleries, pottery shops, cafes and restaurants housed in adobes. The fort remains are preserved in the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park where you can get a lesson in Spanish colonization.
But when we arrive at 6:30 p.m. everything is closed expect for a few restaurants. Based on its number-one rating on Trip Advisor, we choose Elvira's.
Elvira's resembles a night club that you'd expect to find in Mexico City. The decor is over the top and resembles something out of a Fellini movie with dark black and electric walls and blown-glass tear drops in a shattering rainbow of colors hanging from the ceiling.
The cuisine is modern Mexican and prices are mid-range so we fill up on chips and salsa and my husband and I split an entree to stick to our budget. We decide on a chicken mole drowned in a fragrant, complex sauce of some 34 flavors, chiles, cinnamon, banana, almonds..
After dinner we continue 45 minutes north on Interstate 19 to Tucson where we check into the Best Western InnSuites Tucson Foothills.
Today we continued our adventure through southern Arizona, driving from Douglas to Bisbee to Tombstone and finally bedding down at the border town of Nogales.
Budget
Day's total: $204.58
Trip total: $1136.37
Highlights:
1) Bisbee
Tucked away in the Mule Mountains of southern Arizona, Bisbee got its start as a copper town in the 1880s and became one of the richest mineral sites of its time. By the early 1900s, it was the biggest town between San Francisco and St. Louis with a population over 20,000.
But in the 1970s the music died when the mines went dry—but as the miners left artists and hippies took over. They were drawn to Bisbee's weather, scenic location and Victorian buildings precariously perched on the hillside and filled with old west history and character. Saloons were turned into art galleries, performing arts spaces, cafes, book stores. The Smithsonian stepped in and built a first-class museum recounting the city's mining history.
I has heard about this artist's community and was looking forward to walking its streets but before we turned on main street we stopped to look at the enormous 5,000-feet Lavender Pit copper mine
We take some pictures and my husband gives the kids a lesson in mining through the interpretive signs. We've heard there's a great guided tour of the mines that take you underground but we know we'll be skipping it because both our time and budget are tight.
A stroll along Main Street lined with galleries, antique stores and cafes.
We drop by the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum, with exhibits curated by the Smithsonian Institute, but we skip it because our budget is tight and it's lunch time. But if we were staying in Bisbee an extra day, we'd definitely check this out.
2) Poco, Bisbee
Walk into Poco, a vegan restaurant that occupies a skinny alley along Main Street and you're greeted by a burst of color.
Outside tables are covered in Mexican oil cloth and metal chairs are cherry red.
A musician strums on his guitar playing everything from Santana to Depeche Mode covers, with a country twang, and a little of his own stuff.
Who says vegan food isn't tasty? My kids can't get enough of this flavorful Mexican-inspired cuisine. My husband and I keep saying, "This food is too good to be vegan!"
Chipotle butternut squash soup with pepitos and cashew cheese. This soup has a strong kick!
Poco nachos with tofu cheese, and you'd never know it.
Fresh green salad made with a creamy chipotle dressing.
A few more photos of this cheerful restaurant...
3) Tombstone
Located in the middle of the parched southern Arizona desert with dramatic craggy mountain ranges in the distance, Tombstone is a place of cowboys and stage coaches, dusty roads and old west buildings. It has lent its name to dozens of movies from Sheriff of Tombstone (1941) to Tombstone (1993). And it was the site of America's most famous gun fight between Wyatt Earp and his brothers and some cowboys.
The town got its start in 1879 when a miner named Ed Schieffelin found silver and built a booming business that turned Tombstone into a booming city not anywhere near any major city. The town's population quickly grew to over 14,000. By 1881, the town was home to a bowling alley, 110 saloons, four churches, a school, three newspapers and some 3,400 ladies in waiting.
When the mines went dry in the mid-1880s, the town quickly died but today its 1500 inhabitants and people who are passionate about the romance of the old west are keeping it alive as a tourist attraction where you can watch a gun fight, buy a duster jacket or ride in a stage coach.
Everywhere you turn there's a cowboy in Tombstone...
There are many historical cowboy shows that you can catch in Tombstone and we decide on a reenactment of the infamous shootout at the OK Corral. This show is pricier at $10 a person (including kids) but we hear that it will give us a greater historical perspective on the town than some of the less expensive comic shows.
The infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place on October 26, 1881. The inevitable showdown between the Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday and a group of cowboys occurred after months of threats, romantic rivalries, stage robberies and arrests. I like the depiction because it's not given the Hollywood treatment and nobody is made to look like a hero. We learn that many of the books and movies about the O.K. Corral are inaccurate.
4) Best Western Sonora Inn & Suites, Nogales
Yikes, zebra stripes! The kids love the bright, fun decor at the Best Western in Nogales. What's more, the rooms are spacious and the beds comfy and covered in fluffy comforters.
|
|
Posts
