Six Senses in Israel

The wellness resort chain, Six Senses, is coming to Israel hopefully this fall. This luxury resort will be located in the Negev Desert just 45-minutes north of Eilat or 3 ½ hours south of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Six Senses Shaharut will be constructed in an environmentally friendly way to blend into the surrounding landscape. The design takes its inspiration from the nomadic Nabataeans, who inhabited the area more than two millennia ago. The 60 suites and spacious villas with up to 3-bedrooms will also reflect this local style and afford amazing Arava Desert views. Of course the spa will be a highlight with locally inspired treatments and a myriad of wellness programs. Your family will also enjoy local community visits, hikes, camel treks, stargazing workshops, mountain climbing, mountain biking, dune walking, overnight camping and more. There will also be a supervised children’s program, indoor and outdoor pools, several dining options, an open-air amphitheater, camel stables and the unique Earth Lab where your family can learn about sustainability and the local environment.

Luxury and All-Inclusive in Greece and Spain

Ikos Resorts, located on several Greek islands and newly opened in the Costa del Sol in Spain, is rewarding early bookers with up to 20% off, your first child free (age 11 and under) and complimentary airport transfers when you book five nights or more. These five luxury all-inclusive resorts have a unique dining program with sit down restaurants for all three meals with menus curated by Michelin starred chefs, 24-hour room service and a Dine Out Service allowing you to eat at select, local restaurants outside the resort. The beachfront resorts also offer children and teen programs for ages 4 to 17, heated pools, watersports, tennis, bike rentals, gym, evening entertainment and the MINI Drive Adventure; a complimentary MINI car to drive around for a full day allowing your family to explore on your own.

The Edge of the Sahara

Star Wars film buffs can travel to the film locations of several Star Wars movies with a combined resort stay at the new Anantara Tozeur Resort. The luxury resort opened this past December in Tunisia and sits on the edge of the Sahara Desert.  Experience their Tatooine Journey package to the city of Tataouine — the two are spelled slightly differently, but the fictional planet of Tatooine took its name from the real city — located a few hours from the resort. On route, drive through the landscapes of Ong Jemel, which translates to “the neck of the camel” in Tunisian and which served as the setting for scenes from Episode One. Also visit the Mides Canyon, seen in the original trilogy, followed by refreshments in the village of Chebika and a stop into the Chott el Djerid, the largest salt lake in the Sahara Desert, a location from the original trilogy. Your children can don a cape and laser sword at the nearby film set for a fun photo shoot. At the resort, your family can enjoy several dining options including a Berber desert dining experience, spa, supervised children’s program, tennis, gym with yoga studio, cooking classes, pools, cultural activities and more!  The resort showcases 93 rooms and villas with up to 3 bedrooms.  Perfect for large family groups.

Take Off with Tauck

For select trips to Europe, Tauck (including the family tours from Tauck Bridges) is selling super low airfares from select US gateways when booking a new 2020 trip departing between March 1-August 31. Bookings must be made by February 29.  Fares are only $790/person in economy class, $1,690/person in premium economy (where available) and $2,990/person for business class! Tickets are also refundable up to 60 days prior to departure and do not have to be paid in advance. Choose from land and river cruise tours for families throughout Europe. Book now for the best availability!  Their popular tours sell out well in advance.

Family Retreats

&Breathe is a British based travel company meeting the needs of parents who overextend…you know who you are!  They focus on caring for the needs of new parents, families with toddlers, menopausal women and even multi-generational families.  Their retreats take place at luxury resorts in England, France, Portugal and Morocco and coming soon to the US!  They can also create custom trips with your family’s needs in mind.  The program is based around fitness, food and relaxation and includes stress reducing activities and stress management skills taught by experts in their field. 

More Family Bike Tours from Duvine

Duvine has added several new, private and unique family bike trips for the summer of 2020:

Provence Family Bike + Adventure Tour: This 4-day tour for all ages includes countryside biking along with a canoe ride down the Sorgue River, exploring the ochre caves and quarries of Gargas, ziplining and five star hotel stays.  Combine with a few days in Paris or the French Riviera for an awesome French experience.

Greece Family Yacht + Bike Tour: This 8-day tour include a week-long and private gulet sail that departs from Bodrum, Turkey and includes a mix of activities such as biking, kayaking, sponge diving, swimming and hiking along with cooking classes, historical sites and more!

Family Friendly Norway

The Frozen 2 movie has renewed interest in vacations to Norway.  Up Norway is offering two exciting itineraries (for 8 or 9 nights) to experience both Norwegian culture and cast of characters that inspired the films. These are not journeys for those looking for glitzy Disney entertainment, but an experience for families in search of the magic of everyday life.  Your family will travel from the heart of Norway filled with rich cultural experiences to the True North at the uppermost tip of the country, where snowy adventures with magical animals and people await. Experience Norwegian-style luxury, authentic Sami culture, and epic winter activities that will turn the Frozen dream into reality.  Some of the activities include snow shoeing, skiing, horse and sled ride, reindeer lasso throwing, cooking classes, cave hike, dog sledding, glacier boat rides and more as you explore both the Arctic Circle and fjords by train, plane and boat. 

A&K Adds More Family Destinations

For 2020, Abercrombie & Kent has curated 13 luxury, family-friendly adventures on all seven continents, including a new family journey across China and expedition cruises from Iceland to Greenland and across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica.  Book early for the best availability!

Family China

Walk along a less-visited part of the Great Wall of China before coasting down on a toboggan. Join a morning tai chi class at the Temple of Heaven, then Ride Like a Local by pedicab through a maze-like hutong in Beijing. Try your hand at making authentic dumplings as part of a unique Family Foodie Experience. See giant pandas up close at a sprawling sanctuary, then marvel at a face-changing show at the Sichuan Opera. Float amongst the limestone karst formations in Guilin on a bamboo raft. Learn the ancient art of kung fu, then explore modern Shanghai.

Family Ultimate Iceland & Greenland Cruise (August 13-27, 2020) 

Discover Iceland’s abundant natural beauty and modern Reykjavik, as well as rarely-visited areas like the rugged Westfjords and the remote fishing village of Sudureyri. Greenland offers rarely seen wildlife, ice-cloaked landscapes and geological wonders, as well as coastal communities where locals share their traditional way of life, from how to catch and prepare fish the Inuk way, to the distinctive features of Greenland’s national costume.

Holiday Voyage: Antarctica, South Georgia & The Falkland Islands (December 17, 2020-January 5, 2021)

Cruise for 17 nights on an extended holiday voyage through the world’s most remarkable wilderness and celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve with spirited onboard festivities. Voyage to the Falkland Islands to explore this remote archipelago with its colorful history and abundant wildlife. Discover historic, wildlife-rich South Georgia, where you visit with spectacular king penguin colonies and the gravesite of one of Antarctica’s most intrepid explorers, Sir Ernest Shackleton.

Ski Europe

Ski Europe

Snow has arrived early this season in Europe.  Check out  5 awesome European ski resorts that you can reach within 1-2 hours from a major airport:

1. Morzine, France: Geneva Airport to Morzine (75 minutes)

Morzine combines a genuine mountain village vibe with a fantastic choice of activities for skiers and non-skiers alike. Located in the Portes du Soleil ski area in France, which stretches up the France-Switzerland border, it has over 50 hotels to choose from and plenty of restaurants. When it comes to the slopes, Morzine is a perfect resort for beginners and intermediate skiers, with plenty of gentle pistes. When you’re not skiing, try ice-diving in a lake, nature discovery tours, snowmobiling, tobogganing, snowshoeing and shopping.

2. Chamonix, France: Geneva Airport to Chamonix (65 minutes)

The backdrop of the Mont Blanc massif makes for a stunning setting for this popular ski resort. While beginners and intermediate skiers are well catered for, Chamonix is particularly popular for its more challenging skiing, with fantastic off-piste opportunities. Chamonix town – with its authentic feel – is bustling with life . With a traffic-free center, it offers pleasant walkways, with cafes looking over the river Arve’s torrent and no shortage of quirky shops, including galleries, bookshops and specialty food outlets, along with classic souvenirs and the latest ski and snowboarding gadgets.

3. Verbier, Switzerland: Geneva Airport to Verbier (120 minutes)

With its sunny, scenic location, brilliant terrain and lively bar scene, Verbier is the main resort in the Four Valleys. The fact that Verbier is so accessible from Geneva Airport has also helped with its popularity. Its altitude makes it a safe snow bet for early or late season.

4. Courmayeur, Italy: Turin Airport to Courmayeur (90 minutes)

With an upmarket reputation, Courmayeur is one of the great ski and climbing towns of the Alps. Located on the Italian side of Mont Blanc in Chamonix Valley, it has a totally different weather pattern to that of the French side, with more winter sunshine than its shadier French neighbor. The main ski area is reached by cable car from the center of the village. After a day on the slopes, peruse high-end boutiques, antique and homeware shops in the village center, or enjoy its great range of quality restaurants.

5. St. Anton, Austria: Innsbruck Airport to St. Anton (60 minutes)

Located in the western part of the Austrian Tyrol region, St. Anton is renowned for its natural beauty, reliable snowfall and the excellent condition of the slopes. The large networked lift system means you can access the neighboring resorts of St. Christoph and Stuben and a St. Anton ski pass also covers the resorts of Lech and Zurs.

Let us help you plan an exciting Europe ski getaway!

Teen Family Cycling Tours with Intrepid

Intrepid Travel has launched a new series bike tours created specifically for families with teens.  The trips, which will visit three of the company’s most popular destinations of Morocco, Thailand and Vietnam, will begin departing in March 2020 and were inspired in part by the recent youth-led climate strikes that took place globally this September.  Each Teenage Family Cycling tour is designed to allow you to disconnect from devices and reconnect with each other during 10-day journeys that incorporate the highlights of each destination by bike as well as traveling with a low carbon footprint.  The tours are designed for ages 10 and older.  Tours start at only $1,345/person with moderate lodging and include unique ways to learn about each country’s food, history, landscapes and culture.