Arizona Series: A Cool 4th of July Celebration
A 4th of July celebration in the Phoenix area will be a hot one, right? Not necessarily! We attended a public “cool” 4th of July party in Scottsdale this year.
family travel
Jane’s Aulani Experience
Thanks to our client Jane from Delaware in sharing her family’s experience of Disney’s Aulani resort.
We chose to fly first to San Francisco, stay overnight near the airport at the Hampton Inn, and then fly out on Saturday for Honolulu. It worked well for us coming from the East Coast. We were still tired early as we adjusted to the time change, but breaking up the long flight was good for us.
Tim’s Desert Getaway at the Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch
Tim’s Desert Getaway at the Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch
by Tim Larison, CLIA Certified Master Cruise Counselor (MCC)
There’s an amazing planet out there – where’s your next adventure? (interview with G Adventures Lucas Bialecki)
During my recent visit to Tucson for the GTM West conference one of the companies I was very impressed with was G Adventures – offering adventures all over the World. “We believe that travel transforms. That it builds peace and understanding. We believe that the power of travel can change lives and make the world a better place” is G Adventures motto. We believe that too! I sat down with Lucas Bialecki of G Adventures to learn more about this wonderful company and their travel offerings. – Tim Larison
What makes G Adventures different from other tour companies?
Lucas: I think the fact that G Adventures is a social enterprise rather than just a profit driven company is what really sets us apart. Dozens of travel companies can and do run great trips to explore the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. But if you have your travelers stay in small locally owned hotels rather than large chain hotels, you hire local employees to operate your trips, you sometimes use local transportation as a way to get from point A to point B, you support local business as much as possible and when you’re even involved with small business development projects, that’s where a travel company can really make a difference and keep more of their travelers’ dollars within the developing nations’ economies that they visit. That’s how G Adventures operates our adventures all over the world, and that’s what makes us a social enterprise, and makes us different from other tour companies.
Tim: We at familytravelgurus.com, as the name implies, specialize in family travel. I understand that you can book adventures for a group as small as four people. Pick an adventure you’d suggest for these types of active families (pictures welcome too!):
Two adults, a girl age 8 and a boy age 6.
Lucas: Costa Rica Family Experience: I think Costa Rica is a great first place to visit outside of the United States with younger children that are old enough to enjoy unique activities in the National Parks, be wowed by the easily viewed wildlife and explore a different culture from their own. Costa Rica has everything, it’s a small enough country (the size of West Virginia) to not have long drives and it’s a short flight away.
Two adults and two twin boys age 16
Lucas: Amazon to the Andes – Teenage Adventure: Peru is such a magical place, the history is fascinating and trekking through the Andes is an activity that can be an enjoyable challenge for everyone in the family. This is a true Indiana Jones experience.
A generational trip, with grandparents in their early 70’s, adult children and their families with kids ranging from age 8 to 18.
Lucas:
Family Land Galapagos – Multi-Activities
Greg’s Germany Trip Report (Summer 2013)
Thanks to our client Greg from Colorado for sharing his experiences on his family’s Germany trip. Greg tells a wonderful story of the vacation in photos and commentary. “Thanks for a great trip!” said Greg of our planning services.
Click here to see Greg’s pictures with comments
One problem he encountered (described on page 99 of his slides) – his Chase credit card was denied and it was the only credit card he brought on the trip. Greg called Chase and they agreed to only approve charges from Germany. Greg’s card was denied again later in the day. He called and the response he received from Chase: “We agreed to process any charges originating from Germany, but this one came from Deutchland!”
Four Reasons People Gain Weight On Vacation
Today’s guest blog post is courtesy of Dianne Bailey and Grant Pettegrew from the Conditioning Classroom. Some good tips on watching your weight on vacation!
Virtually every hotel these days has some type of workout room equipped with cardio machines, dumbbells and a universal machine, so make good use out of it.
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Vacations are a time to get away from the grind of everyday life – to indulge mind and body in relaxation and enjoyment.
Unfortunately all that indulgence typically leads to a pound gained for each day that you’re away.
To help you combat these unwanted pounds, I’ve identified the 4 main reasons that people gain weight on vacation, as well as your strategic plan of avoidance.
Reason #1: Not Having A Plan
Let’s face it, the vacation mindset is a set-up for gaining pounds. Your priority is to relax, and for most that means eating, resting and forgetting the gym.
Your best line of defense is to keep your fitness goals at the forefront of your mind.
Your Plan: Before you leave for your trip sit down and set a goal.
A realistic goal is to maintain your current weight.
The simple act of bringing your fitness goal to mind before leaving on your trip will greatly reduce your chances of coming home heavier.
Reason #2: Indulgent Snacking
There’s nothing like a vacation to cause you to throw all caution to the wind with indulgent snacking.
Ice cream in the middle of the day, frozen coffee drinks topped with whipped cream, salty bags of chips and even a visit through a fast food drive thru.
While these snacks may be fun, the damage will quickly catch up to you.
Your Plan: Approach your trip with the strategy of indulging with control.
If you really must have a sweet treat, then make it small and follow it up with a balanced, protein-filled meal.
Another way to reduce indulgent snacking is to bring along your own healthy options.
Dried or fresh fruit, unsalted nuts, health bars, cut veggies and low fat jerky are a good start.
By filling up on these healthy snacks you will end up eating less when presented with a sweet or salty treat.
Reason #3: Forgetting Portion Control
You have no choice but to dine out while on vacation and whether you’re visiting 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you’re going to face the same problem: large portions.
While the easiest thing to do with a big plate of food is to simply eat it all—you are on vacation after all…right?—that isn’t the best for your waist.
Your Plan: Decide here and now that you will not indulge in large portions.
When you order your meal ask the waiter or waitress to bring you a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it safely into the box before you even begin to eat.
This gives you no choice but to eat a healthy portion.
If you would rather not carry around a to-go box then ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime ask for the lunch-sized entrée.
Reason #4: Not Exercising Enough (Or At All)
Oh, groan, do I really have to exercise while on vacation?
Yes, you do! That is if you want to look and feel younger and more alive.
Too often exercise is looked at as work, but vacations are the perfect time to really enjoy a good workout.
You won’t be rushing home, trying to squeeze in a few minutes at the gym, but rather the vacation workout can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Your Plan: Look at vacation workouts as a treat, and make it a priority.
Here are some ideas:
Welcome To Family Travel Gurus 2.0
Today we rolled out a new version of our Family Travel Gurus website. Here are some new features on the site: