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Summertime is just a few weeks away, which means family vacations are likely on the brain.
The idea of planning a vacation with kids in tow can be intimidating. Sure, the actual vacation is supposed to be relaxing (or as relaxing as a vacation with kids can be!), but getting to that point can be a maze of hotel recommendations, travel blogs, flight seat selections and more.
So we have some vacation planning tips so you can get that trip booked with ease. From flight hacks to safety recommendations, here’s what they shared.
Plus we gather the best hotel deals in beach luxury resorts with amazing kids clubs
Google is a helpful resource when planning a vacation, but if you’re at the beginning of your planning process, try to resist the temptation to hop on with your searches.
If you start with Google, it’s the paradox of choice.There’s so much out there and you just don’t even know what you’re looking for.
Instead have a family meeting to learn how far everyone wants to go, what activities they’d like to do, their thoughts about hanging out on beaches vs. exploring local villages, and so on. Then, let Google help you arrange tours and plan other activities.
Also, knowing when you want to go can sometimes help you put together a list.
Certain places and activities will be more accessible at different times of the year, so once you know exactly when and how long you want the trip to be, the choices can be narrowed down a bit.
Of course, school vacation means peak travel times. Planning ahead can help you and your family avoid higher prices, sold-out tours and the headache that comes after learning there aren’t enough seats together on a flight.
If you have young children who are not in school and have flexibility with dates, it is best to travel at non-peak times. For example, the first week of January after the New Year offers lower pricing than staying over the holiday week,.
Having plenty of advance notice of a trip will also allow you to send important supplies (like diapers, baby products, sunscreen, etc.) to your vacation spot before you leave. Many hotels will happily arrange for this. Plus, sending these things leaves room in your luggage for other belongings.
If you give the hotel information and tell them about yourselves and about your family, everything can be set up for you.
As an example, ask for turndown service at a different time if you know your toddler will be sleeping, bring a notecard with you about the restrictions that are in the local language and give it to them so they can tailor to your needs.
If your kids have sensory difficulties call hotels ahead of time to ask whether the housekeeping team incorporates any strong smells as part of the room ambience.
Resist the temptation to plan several tours or activities a day, leave some time in the day to rest, you should always factor in travel time and wait times when scheduling excursions and other fun things.
Of course, the trip planning doesn’t end after the hotel and mode of transportation are booked, plan on bringing “a handful of small gifts in wrapping paper” to keep kids occupied.
Another idea that’s a bit out of the ordinary? Bring blue painter’s tape to distract the kids, blue painter’s tape works wonders on planes, it’s cheap, easy, and it doesn’t ruin any surfaces!”
If you’re looking for something that keeps kids occupied and requires no extra belongings, make the plane ride part of the adventure and talk to the kids about the trip while traveling. It’ll keep them busy and get them excited about the vacation.
And if you’re traveling internationally, don’t forget to check everyone’s passports, not just your own. Remember that children’s passports expire every five years (vs. 10 years for adults), so be sure those are up to date, the expiration date on passports must be valid at least six months beyond your date of travel [for some countries].
Planning trips can be stressful, but the research pays off.
It might be a little extra work on the ground before you go, but at the same time once you’re there it’ll allow you to fully enjoy and appreciate the vacation instead of having to be concerned about it when you’re there.
And if you are feeling overwhelmed or spotting too many restrictions on your family’s needs at a certain destination, simply go somewhere else.
Via: Huffpost
A vacation is an escape from the routine and a great opportunity to try new things. You’re visiting a whole other country with an ancient and rich culinary history. Traditional Mexican cuisine was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, so try something new at every meal, and as we say here, “Buen provecho!” (Enjoy your meal!)
1.Sopa de Lima
A very tasty kind of chicken soup with a twist! It is based on a light chicken broth and served with shredded chicken, deep-fried tortilla chips, and what in the Yucatan Peninsula is known as lima. Not to be confused with limes or lemons, the limes a less acidic citrus fruit similar to lime but sweeter like an orange. Intriguing? Wait till you try it!
2.Panuchos
Small, handmade corn tortillas, stuffed with beans and then fried in oil or lard. They are served with shredded lettuce, some meat such as chicken, turkey or pork, tomato, and onion, previously seasoned with sour orange and salt. You should also try them with avocado, carrot, and colorado (a paste of pipian, chile, and achiote, also known as annato seeds). The panucho is said to have originated in Merida by a street vendor out of his typical ingredients but wanting to serve his hungry customers. That, however, is a story for another post.
3.Salbutes
Corn flour tortillas, deep fried in oil until they inflate and get crispy. They can be served with ground beef, chicken, or shredded turkey and are seasoned with tomato and lettuce, avocado slices, and chopped red onion. Ask for some refried black beans as a side dish. In fact, ask for panuchos and salbutes so that you can savor the flavor of both of these staples of Yucatecan cuisine.
4.Papadzules
These delicacies consist of corn tortillas soaked in a sauce made with pumpkin seeds, stuffed with eggs, and then bathed in a sauce of tomato with some habanero chili and onion. They are often garnished with chopped red onion and habanero chili, as well. Be careful with the habanero, it can be quite hot! Remember, if you’re not out for a spicy adventure, make sure to tell the vendor: sin picante, por favor! (Hold the spicy, please!)
5. Cochinita Pibil
A real feast for your senses, this dish is basically pork meat marinated in achiote, wrapped in a banana leaf, and cooked in an earth oven. According to some recipes from the early 1900’s, the entire pork (after some preparations, mind you) was baked in the earth oven. The cochinita pibil is accompanied with red onion in a sauce made with sour orange juice and habanero. It is usually eaten in tortas (a kind of sandwich) and tacos. This dish is also made with chicken; the famous Pollo Pibil. However you eat it and whatever meat you choose, Cochinita Pibil is definitely pulled pork paradise!
6. Kibis
Of course, we cannot forget the picturesque kibis. You can find people walking around the beaches with a glass box perched on their heads and shouting their singsong proclamation of “kibis… kibis!” Kibis are made with mashed wheat and ground beef or pork and seasoned with some spearmint, garlic, and onion. They are oval or round in shape and deeply fried. You should always eat them with some chopped red onions and, if you dare, habanero chili. These delicious darlings of Yucatan cuisine were actually brought to the region at the beginning of the 19th century by Lebanese immigrants. Today, they are a staple of the culinary heritage of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Don´t miss the chance to delve into Yucatan food and travel to the Riviera Maya check our Travel deals and BOOK NOW your beach getaway!
Source:
Yucatan Cuisine: Yet Another Reason to Visit the Mexican Caribbean
From the moment visitors arrive in Puerto Vallarta in Western Mexico, their travel radar picks up the signal that this destination is different from other big cities in the country. It’s a matter of the history, geography, culture, food and the very people who live in Puerto Vallarta that contribute to the differentiation.
The U.S. accounts for 75% of North American visitors to Puerto Vallarta. Overall American travel to Mexico increased by about 12% in 2016; for Canadians, Mexico ranks as the second most visited destination, after the United States, and before the UK and France.
While just about every visitor to Mexico has a favorite destination that resonates with their particular lifestyle, travel needs and safety concerns, here are some basic tips to tantalize your clients when it comes to getting the most out of a visit to Mexico and in particular, Puerto Vallarta.
1. Revealing the Magic
2. Iconic Experiences
With the emphasis on visitors wanting to connect with the destination, it’s important to know the bounties of not only what the towns or cities hold but also what each of the 31 states may offer visitors. In Jalisco, for example, Puerto Vallarta does not qualify as a Magical Town (due to the fact that it’s a city), but there are seven Magical Towns in the state and there’s a joint promotional program to enhance the Vallarta visitor experience with trips to nearby Guadalajara and Tequila. A new highway, scheduled to open in late 2018, will significantly reduce travel times to the towns. And the state itself promotes three icons: Tequila (the national drink, based in the area around the town of Tequila), Charro (the horsemen, and in fact there are Charro festivals/rodeos in Gauadelajara and Puerto Vallarta) and Mariachi (the music of Western Mexico) that can be found at festivals throughout the state (and the country).
3. Cruising into the Future
Construction has already begun on the Puerto Magico, a complex that will enhance Terminal One and turn it into a customer experience-based Hacienda Tequila with interactive opportunities related to the production of Tequila, Mining and Gastronomy, as well as shopping and the largest aquarium in Latin America. Unlike most Port facilities, the new terminal will be open to both the public and cruise passengers. All the major cruise lines stop in Puerto Vallarta as part of an itinerary that usually includes Mazatlán and Cabo san Lucas and according to Port Agent, Carlos Gerard, the number of cruise ships visiting Puerto Vallarta has increased steadily since 2013. In 2017 145-150 cruise ships will dock for the usual 12-hour visit.
4. Take a Walk in My Shoes
Puerto Vallarta is a very walkable destination. We stayed at the Villa Premiere, which was roughly 20 minutes from the Malecon, the downtown ocean-side boardwalk that’s a hive of activity both day and night. And once in the city, many of the streets are lined with shops, side-walk restaurants, bars and hotels. The Romantic Zone or Old Town, near the pier at Los Muertos has a beach, popular with ex-pats, tourists and pelicans. And “walking in my shoes” implies the friendly reception that visitors receive and the conversations that ensue, whether it’s an explanation of native Huichol beading techniques at Colectiva, an indigenous gallery, or the server at La Cerveceria Union explaining the ingredients of Aguachile, one of their star ceviche dishes, or the bartender at Los Muertos Brewing advising that the seven four-ounce glasses in the artisanal beer sampler may be a bit much to quaff without ordering food to absorb the alcohol.
5. Garden of Delight
Puerto Vallarta is chock-full of special (niche) travel interests. I spent a morning at the Botanical Gardens along with the Vallarta Birders who gather every Thursday morning to spot golden-cheeked woodpeckers, black-chinned hummingbirds, yellow-winged caciques and about 200 other species. The Gardens themselves include Orchids, Cypress, Bursara, Gondo Berries and more. It’s both a gardener’s and a photographer’s dream! Other special interests in the area include snorkeling, scuba, beach activities, zip line, horseback riding, motorcycling, Jeep safari, hiking, trekking, history, culture, architecture, art, and more.
6. Food Electricity
Award-winning chef Mikel Alonso explained that enjoyment of food stimulates an electrical charge in the brain that produces endorphins that are “the drugs of happiness.” Visitors to Puerto Vallarta tend to be pretty happy and star chefs such as Tintoque’s Joel Ornelas reinforce a searing passion for creative dishes made with the freshest ingredients. Even at Mike’s Beach Club on Playa Las Animas, we are told that we will “feel the flavor” of the dishes before we taste them. And they are right!
7. Smiling and Speaking English
Puerto Vallarta was not created to be a tourism hub. In fact some say that the customer service ethos of the city is in the blood of generations of Vallartenese who traditionally looked after the needs of the area’s industries: fishing, mining and agriculture. When the Mayor, Arturo Davalos Pena told me that ‘people smile in your face,” he was serious about the welcoming nature of the city. And North Americans can relax in a destination where most of the people they meet will be able to communicate with them in English.
Puerto Vallarta is a comfortable destination. There’s lots of connectivity with major centres in both the United States and Canada, there’s a great variety of accommodation in the city’s 22,000 rooms from luxury to budget, and it’s a destination where visitors can be as busy or as relaxed as they wish. It’s a place where clients can get the most out of their holiday, on their own terms.
There are plenty of things one can gain from exploring different places such as new friends, new experiences and new stories. When you start exploring new places, you get a better understanding of the people living there including their culture, history, and background.
Studies show that traveling can improve your overall health and enhance your creativity. Therefore, you need to take time out from your daily tasks, office responsibilities, hectic schedule and everyday pressures at least once a year. Plan a tour to a new city with an open schedule and let life present you with the numerous opportunities that are waiting for you.
If you need more convincing, here is a list of all the benefits of traveling.
1. Improves Social and Communication Skills
One of the main benefits of traveling, especially to areas where your native language is not widely used, is that you learn how to communicate with all manner of different people. It could be communicating to find the way to your next destination or asking for the nearest restaurant
2. Ensures peace of mind
We all have stress and tension in our lives. Traveling forces us to temporarily disconnect from our normal routine and it helps us appreciate the people and things you have around. As per a famous saying “we never know what we have until we lose it.”
3. Helps you get original and creative thaughts
It is believed that if someone gets out of their comfort zone, the mind gets more creative. To develop new neural connections that trigger original and creative thoughts, you must explore new places and break out of your daily lifestyles.
4. Broadens your horizons
Travelling helps you connect with different people from different cultures, and this is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Meeting people from different cultures and societies will help you see issues and daily life from many different angles.
5. Enhance your tolerance for uncertainty
While traveling, you will find yourself stuck in situations where things don’t always go as planned. Such situations will help you learn to cope with the uncertainties in life.
6. Boost up your confidence
Being in a place where you do not know anyone will assist you to gain confidence and presence of mind. You will develop the ability to cope with obstacles, which will make you a confident person and help you grow as a person.
7. Gets you real-life education
Meeting different people from vast cultures and societies provides an education that is impossible to get in a traditional school, college or a university. There is no substitute for the real thing.
8. Create memories for a life-time
If you travel with friends and family members, traveling helps you build stronger bonds and make memories. You can also save memories of a lifetime by creating photo albums or sharing photos in social media.
9. Helps you have fun
No matter how young or old you are, no matter your profession, there is always a time when the child in you wants to have some fun. When you travel, you do not care what you do at all and you can just break free from the norm.
10. Aids you get to know yourself
While traveling, you might find yourself stuck in situations you would not ordinarily experience in your daily life. Such a situation can help you understand yourself and how you react to such circumstances and prepare you for future similar situations.
Although traveling offers many benefits, it also has some disadvantages if not planned carefully. If you are a patient and taking medication for a disease, do not forget to carry your medication. Keeping jet lag pills handy saves you from unnecessary discomfort.
Those susceptible to allergies should carry allergy medication. Plan your tour in advance, prepare a checklist to keep yourself healthy while traveling and pack important items before you travel.
Travelling is good for the health so decide a place now and pack your bags. Remember, you only live once, so start traveling to different places and get some life-altering experiences.
Source: Benefits of traveling
