Family Vacation

Price of a family vacation………$2,500 make that $3,000
Price of fuel surcharge……outrageous.
Swimming lessons for the kids…….$500
Buying a flattering bathing suit……..Impossible.
Joining Weight watchers before your trip……$200
Watching your children play in the ocean………PRICELESS.

I know prices are high this year. I also know that the economy is lousy. I also understand your hesitation regarding traveling this summer. I get it, but I’m not 4 years old. Do you think little Mikey understands that gas is $4.00 a gallon this year instead of $2.00?
Starting kindergarten is traumatic enough without having poor Emmy arrive at show-and-tell without any sea-shells or pictures from her family vacation!

My favorite childhood memories are my summer vacations (before my parents started shipping me off to sleep-away camp) with the entire family. I don’t think we were rich when I was little, but I sure felt loved, pampered and spoiled when we took these trips.

Vacation Travel Mart can find you a family vacation, tailored to your specific needs and desires….unless of course you are clients like these:
“I want to go on a family vacation where there is a kid’s camp from 8am until midnight”.
I thought it was possible until I asked how old the children were. “18 months, 3, and 5”.
Most resorts we work with in the Caribbean only allow children to participate if they are 4 years old or “potty trained”. There are exceptions, but that is the general rule. The resorts can however, provide baby sitting at an additional fee.

“Please book me any resort where the children are free. My kids are 8 and 10, so I would prefer adjoining rooms but as long as they are close by, it should be alright”. First, children are ONLY FREE if they are sharing a room with adults. Second, are you kidding me?

“Can you please request a King bed? I know we are traveling with our 6 year old and 10 year old, but they get scared when they are in a strange place”.
I didn’t want to put them in a “strange place”, just the other bed 2 feet away.

“I don’t want to have to pay for 2 rooms. I know there are 5 of us, but isn’t there a way you can get the cost down?”
In tongue and cheek I told her that the only way to cut costs was leaving one of the kids at home, and without missing a beat she asked me, very seriously, “well, which one?” Are you kidding me? She wasn’t kidding.

There are so many family friendly resorts, and depending on your budget, we will find one that fits your needs. Things to look for:
*Children’s pool and activity center (most resorts).
*Calm ocean (Negril, Punta Cana, Turks and Caicos, Aruba, parts of Mayan Riviera)
*Free or reduced price for children under 12 (some Riu resorts, some Iberostar, all Oasis resorts, Holiday Inn Sunspree, Beaches, Princess resorts)
*All-inclusive or kitchen facilities
*Easy connections or nonstop flights, ideally not more than 5 hours away.
*Water park and/or structured activities catering to children by specific ages (Dreams, Beaches, Iberostar, Barcelo, Occidental.

Next week I will recommend great resorts for families with teenagers. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me anytime at beth@vacmart.com and I will be happy to give you my recommendation. You just have to remember, it is free advice, so you get no money back, if you don’t agree with my answers.

Listen, if there is no way for you to take a family vacation this year, start saving for next year, but spend some quality time with your family. One of my clients told me today that even though this year’s trip cost more than she wanted to spend, she would find a way to go as long “as my children still want to go”.

I am 45, and my parents have been taking us away every year since I was a little girl. It is what my Dad calls a “command performance”. Little does he know, it is my favorite week of the year, and I wouldn’t trade these vacations for anything in the world!!!!