Frequently Asked Questions |
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What is the best age to travel? Any time is really the best time to travel with your child. At every age there is always a unique experience. Children are very unpredictable at times and can have tantrums at any location and anytime, whether you are traveling or not. We have found that it takes patience to travel with our child and in the end the experience has always been enjoyable. Involve your child as much as possible in the planning and excitement of the destination and make sure to bring entertainment. For infants, it is probably best to wait until after the 6 weeks vaccinations, however, please consult with your doctor before traveling. What are some tricks to traveling on a budget? When traveling on a budget make sure you do a little research on your destination. Discounts can be found almost anywhere you go. First, if your destination has a season, then stay away from that time of year for travel. Typically a high season means rates for everything from airfares to hotels are usually inflated. For example, going to Florida in the winter is more expensive than going in the summer and going on a cruise is usually cheaper in the months of summer and fall. Second, if you belong to a large corporation or are a member of an organization such as AAA, you may be entitled to discounts. Check with your employer or AAA representative. Third, when booking airline reservations online, go directly to the smaller discount airlines’ websites as they are many times not listed on large travel websites such as Travelocity or Expedia. If possible, subscribe to their email listings. They normally will send out discount offers and sales to your email. Fourth, consider using travel points from a credit card or frequent flyer points. Many times you can use earned points for airlines, hotel, cruises, etc. Some companies share miles. For example, you can use Delta Frequent Flyer miles with other airline carriers if the airline has an agreement with them. Finally, sometimes when traveling on the fly. You may end up getting a better discount as a last minute booking, more particularly for hotels. I would not risk this unless you know the chances are high that there will be availability or you have a back up plan. When traveling with children, what are the best accommodations recommended for hotels? We have found it always best to find a hotel with a separate bedroom if possible. This helps with the sleeping arrangements of privacy and these types of rooms typically also can sleep more people with either a pullout couch or room for a rollaway or crib. The rooms are often times considered suites and can be expensive in bigger chain hotels. However, consider a more economical choice such as a Residence Inn or Homewood Suites, etc. What other choices do I have besides a hotel? When traveling with children you may need a bigger space than a hotel can offer. If you will be traveling for a week or more, consider renting a condo or home. There are numerous websites that offer owners of condos and homes the option to safely rent them out to visitors. Many are affordable and in good condition. The websites should show pictures of the units and what amenities are offered. If in doubt you can also contact the owner for further information. When traveling with children, are tours recommended? You know your child the best. Before booking a travel tour at your destination first consider a few items. What is the attention span of your child? How long is the tour? What time does the tour start? Can your child keep quite for the length of the tour? Is there a self-guided portion? The age of your child and understanding of the material covered on the tour? We have found in our experience that anything more than a half hour is a waste of time and money for us. Our child is active and talkative which always disrupts the tour. Some tours begin after lunch, which is typically during nap times. We found the best time was in the morning because that is when our child was most tolerant of tours and the slow pace. If your child is not of the age to understand the tour, boredom will strike. If a child is not interested they will not make it pleasant for you during the tour. If there is a self-guided portion, that might be the best because you can make it as short or as long as you would like. Many times if it is a museum or park there is usually brief information given or sold in the shops. Check it out before starting the tour.
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 22 February 2008 ) |