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Holiday Inspiration for Every Type of Family

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For some families, the summer holiday is the main highlight of the year. It is an excellent opportunity to bond with your children, whilst also exposing them to a different culture, and encouraging them to learn a foreign language. If you are unsure of where to head, below are some of the destinations that hold a lot of promise.

Dubai

This is an excellent place for families who are looking for adventure and luxury. Dubai is full of exciting experiences, there really is something for everyone! It is home to the only seven-star hotel in the world, the largest collection of man-made islands, and the biggest fountain. It offers world-class shopping and food experiences. It has a marina that offers a spectacular view. Some of the places that you should not miss include Jumeirah Beach, Palm Jumeriah, Burj al Arab, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and Dubai Fountain. For something that is thrilling, this is also a good place to try a desert safari or sky diving.

Portugal

If your family loves the outdoors, Portugal is one country that should be part of your travel wish list. It has an extensive collection of spectacular beaches. For adults, on the other hand, there are many golf courses. For beach lovers, the Algarve is perhaps one of the most popular. The coastline of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is also mind-blowing. Lisbon Aquarium is one attraction that will be worth your time. Another place that you should not miss is Parque das Nacoes, which is known for its cable car.

Scotland

For families that are interested in experiencing something that is mythical and mystical, Scotland should be on the top of your list. Some of the experiences that should not be missed include sailing in Loch Ness and canoeing in Loch Tay. If you are a fan of Harry Potter, experience riding a steam train form Fort William to Mallaig. There are also excellent parks that you can visit, which will provide you with the opportunity to have up close and personal encounter with animals in the wild. There are many medieval castles that will leave you in awe. The best place for families to stay in Scotland is in a self-catering cottage, as the whole family can cook together then sit around playing board games, or snuggling up and watching a movie.

Maldives

This is the perfect choice if your family loves relaxing and if you are looking for a tranquil getaway in a tropical paradise. The Maldives high-end islands are perhaps its best assets. Each resort has its own island. To add, you will be staying in an overwater bungalow, detached from everyone else. Many accommodations are even fitted with their own swimming pool and you can jump straight into the ocean. Privacy is one thing that you will enjoy the most. Plus, there are other activities that you can enjoy, such as diving and whale watching.

New Zealand

If you love road trips, New Zealand is one country that you should experience. It is known for having scenic roads, which are best explored with the family. Whether you only have a few days or a couple of weeks, there are several routes that you can choose, each offering the opportunity to experience the charming and beautiful landscapes. When it comes to attractions, one of the best is the Milford Sound, which offers a stunning coastal scenery. Bay of Islands, a collection of 144 islands, is also great.

City Breaks That Won’t Break The Bank

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A lot of people have hesitations in taking a holiday, because they believe that it is expensive. Yes, it might be costly, but at the end of the day, there are things that you can do to make it budget-friendly. If you pack so that everything fits in to a small case, you can take it as hand luggage, which will save you money and time waiting at the baggage carousel. Below are some of the destinations that you can visit without the need to spend a fortune.

Budapest

Known as Little Paris of Central Europe, this is an affordable city that can offer a memorable holiday. Some of its most popular attractions that are perfect for budget travelers include Parliament Building, Fisherman’s Bastion, Margaret Island, and Hungarian State Opera, among others. Your visit will also not be complete without experiencing its infamous thermal baths. To explore the city, on the other hand, there are free walking tours where you can take part.

Thessaloniki

Certain areas of Greece are much more expensive than others, so if you do your research you can make sure that you choose a destination with a lower cost of living. If you are traveling with a group you can save money by renting a villa in Greece and splitting the costs. You might be interested in visiting Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. To get around, it is best to rent a bike or take the bus to explore its many attractions, such as the Nea Paralia, which offers an excellent view of the waterfront. Another good way to save is to purchase attraction tickets that already cover multiple attractions, such as Museum of Byzantine Culture and the Archaeological Museum. There are also cheap street foods, which will offer filling meals at a low price.

Bangkok

This is perhaps the most popular city in Southeast Asia, especially for young backpackers. It offers cheap thrills and memorable experiences. It is a combination of the old and the new, which makes it more exciting. While there are towering skyscrapers and high-end rooftop bars, there are also ancient palaces and lively street markets. It is known as one of the best places for food, which is not only delicious, but also easy on the wallet. Here are the 5 best places to get street food in Bangkok. The airport is an international hub, so you can expect cheap tickets regardless of where you are from in the world.

Paris

Known as one of the most glamorous and touristy cities in the world, Paris has a reputation for being expensive. Fortunately, with the Paris Pass, you can enjoy visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and other attractions while on a budget. The Paris Museum Pass is also a great way to save as it is cheaper than purchasing single tickets. During the first weekend of the month, entrance to some museums is free. For accommodation, stay in hostels or hotels outside of the city proper. Mid-May is a good time to visit because accommodation rates are usually at their lowest.

Prague

Prague is another destination that should in in your bucket list if you are looking for cheap city breaks. It is known as one of the most affordable cities in Europe. It does not run short of attractions that will surely impress every traveler. One of the attractions worth checking out is the Prague Astronomical Clock, which is already 600 years old. St. Vitus Cathedral and Charles Bridge are also impressive. Of course, your vacation is not complete without tasting its beers.

Compact Packing Tips for Family Holidays

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For children, travel is a fantastic experience. They get to enjoy new places and meet people from other walks of life. Most of us want our children to travel as much as possible, but finding the money for regular vacations is not always easy.

Save money, ditch unnecessary luggage

Fortunately, there are ways to keep the costs down, so that you can travel more. One way to do this is to travel with less baggage. Luggage costs vary from airline to airline, but typically each case you put into the hold will cost you between £25 and £32.

That means that if you are a family of four travelling with three cases you will have to spend between £150 and £192 on luggage alone. If you pack wisely you can usually manage with just one case, and greatly reduce this travel cost.

Divide the case into sections

In all likelihood, you will need to invest in a bigger case and book the upper luggage allowance. In addition, everyone will need to maximise the amount of cabin luggage they carry.

Once you have the case, divide it up so that each member of the family has an equal amount of space available. Assigning each adult a third of the case and dividing the remaining third amongst two children works well for most families. Use packing cubes to make sure the space is divided fairly.

Mix and match

Now lay out what you want to take onto the bed and rearrange your clothes into outfits. The more clothes you pack that can be mixed and matched the better, because doing this greatly reduces the number of items you need to pack.

Washable clothes

Bear in mind that you can easily rinse out lightweight items in the hotel sink and let them dry over a couple of days when planning each person’s outfits. Try to make sure that any items you plan to do this with do not need ironing once they are dry.

Sensible footwear

It is very important to take sensible footwear with you when you travel. If you are going somewhere hot, a pair of sandals and comfortable pair of closed in shoes is an ideal combination. You can wear the sandals to keep your feet cool, and the other shoes for activities that involve a lot of walking. Ideally, you only want to pack lightweight sandals, like these. They are lightweight yet sturdy and will not take up a lot of space in the case. The closed in pair of shoes should be worn to the airport.

Travel size toiletries and medications

Only pack travel size toiletries. You only need enough for the couple of weeks you are away.

Do the same with medications. Although with vital medicines that have to be taken regularly it is always wise to pack an extra week’s supply.

Learn compact packing techniques

To get everything in you will need to roll lightweight items of clothing, rather than fold them. It is also important to fill any little gaps with items like socks and pants. The trick to compact packing is using the entire cube as effectively as possible.

Pre-Vacation Chores Your Kids Can Help With

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If you’re about to embark on a family vacation, you might feel like you have too much to do before you leave. Don’t worry, that’s normal. You simply need to make a checklist of must-do jobs and then get some help from the family. Here’s a guide on some pre-vacation chores even your kids can help with.

Prepare for Your Absence

Image via Flickr user JeepersMedia

You need to do a few routine tasks before leaving. Make sure your home looks like someone is there as a way to discourage theft. You’ll also want to prepare your HVAC system for your absence.

Set it at a neutral temperature, around 80 degrees in the summer or 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, so you’re not paying to cool or warm more than necessary while you’re away. It’s a good idea to have a professional inspect your HVAC unit to make sure it’s in good working order if you’ll be away for a week or more. This will limit the chance of a breakdown occurring while you’re gone and unexpectedly returning to a sauna in the middle of summer.

Make Laundry a Joint Effort

Clothes are a big part of any vacation. You’ll wear a lot of different items, and you’ll have to pack for various weather conditions. You may need jeans for when the weather gets cold, shorts for sunny days, and maybe even a dressy outfit or two for special events. Plus, a lot of vacationers enjoy swimming or water sports, so you’ll need clean bathing suits, too. Clearly, you need help with your packing!

You don’t want your child to take care of all the laundry, of course. That’s a bad sitcom episode waiting to happen. Still, you can get your kids to help. Ask them to collect all their dirty clothes and put them in the laundry hamper. If they don’t already know how, teach them how to separate colored clothes from white garments.

When you’re ready to begin laundry, check each item before putting it in the machine. That way, you work as the supervisor for when your kids accidentally put some white clothes in the wrong hamper. You’ll have all the clean clothes you need for the trip. Plus, your kids will have a better idea of how laundry works.

Teach Kids to Pack on Their Own

Packing is one of the most grueling parts of vacation preparation. You have to pick enough outfits for several days away from home. Then, you have to add extra clothes for the reasons above. You wind up with three or four extra days of clothing, and it takes a while to pack.

As a parent, you have to repeat these steps for your kid unless they help. Take this opportunity to teach your kids how to pack. Tell them to go to their closet and pick out several of their favorite pieces of clothing. Supervise as they choose various outfits, pointing out what they still need to add. Your kids will learn a life lesson while you’ll spend less time packing.

Vacation packing is rarely fun. Just remember that you have help. Kids are never too young to start learning valuable skills that will help them all the way into adulthood. And you’ll really appreciate the extra help!

Some Of The Nicest Places For A Road Trip

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Road trips are often celebrated in movies and books. They have a nostalgic glow to them. They are not only fun in the moment, because everything is new and exciting, but they are also wonderful to talk about years afterwards.

Road trips build bonds between friends, between couples, and between family members. They also close the generation gap. They are a simple way to escape the ordinary routines of life and embark on a fabulous adventure.

An American Experience

Let’s take a closer look at one of the most famous road trips in the United States—the Pacific Coast Highway.

In California, the Pacific Coast Highway connects San Diego to San Francisco (approximately 130 miles) and then on to the Canadian border, and includes passing through Los Angeles.

Start in San Diego. This city is the home of the Lawrence Welk timeshare, California a fabulous resort complex built by the famous singer. The Lawrence Welk show, featuring the American bandleader and television impresario, was so popular that it ran from 1951 to 1982. San Diego has been called “America’s Finest City ” because of its inexorable miles of white sandy beaches and balmy weather.

From San Diego drive to Los Angeles. This, of course, is the home of Hollywood, famous for its movie stars and studios like Paramount Pictures, Universal and Warner Brothers. L.A. is also well-known for Griffith Observatory and Griffith park; Disneyland; the Getty Center; Santa Monica; the Natural History Museum; and the California Science Center.

After you leave Los Angeles, you have an epic drive ahead of you. You’ll pass many mission towns and view vast stretches of beach that clasp the cliff-hugging highway. You’ll want to drive slowly to take in the sight of the crashing waves, the occasional elephant seals, and the magnificence of Big Sur.

Finally, you’ll arrive at San Francisco, the hilly city that sits on the tip of a peninsula that’s surrounded by the deep blue Pacific Ocean. Take in San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars, the impossibly winding roads, and all the brightly colored Victorian houses.

Beyond America

Many people in the United States are under the impression that a road trip is something of a unique American tradition. After all, America was the home of the Model T Ford and developed a vast network of roads to open up the country to its citizens. Moreover, Jack Kerouac’s adventures with Neal Cassady described in his book, On the Road, became a classic novel of freedom. It’s an inspiring story about the search for identity that defined an entire generation of people seeking the authentic life.

However, the road trip is actually popular all over the world. In the UK, a Cornwall road trip is a delightful experience. In Australia, the Sydney to Brisbane Drive is considered a worthy adventure. And in Germany, the Romantic Road is a 220-mile drive past forests and fields, medieval towns, and castles.

Affordability

One reason why fewer people are going on road trips is because of the cost. However, the adventure is more than worth the trouble of saving and planning for a road trip.

Although economic considerations like inflation and the rising cost of living have discouraged enthusiasm for road trips, it hasn’t stopped it altogether. While the price of gas, food, and lodging isn’t as cheap as it used to be in the past, road trips are still possible.

In fact, when you sit down and think about it, there are many ways to reduce the cost. Here, for example, are five suggestions:

  • Plan out your trip ahead of time, deciding exactly where you want to go, instead of just seeing where the road takes you.
  • Use smartphone apps to find the cheapest places to pump gas, eat, and sleep and plan your route accordingly.
  • Work within a budget and plan your trip according to your expense forecast.
  • Break up your adventure into mini-trips, going at different times of the year to your selected locations. In other words, shorter trips to improve cash flow.
  • Prefer the open road, long stretches of highway, instead of smaller, winding roads for better gas mileage.

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