Travel Tip: Passports

Here are seven things you might not have known about your passport:

Fall is the best time to renew your passport. 
If you obtained your passport after age 16, it’s valid for 10 years.  If before, you get 5 years.  As some countries require at least six months beyond your travel dates to enter, it’s always wise to keep tabs on your family’s expiration dates. The best time to renew is in fall when applications are at a low before Thanksgiving and holiday rushes, the State Department says. You’ll likely get yours processed faster.

You can get an XL passport with extra pages — for free!
The traditional U.S. passport comes with 28 pages, but you can request a 52-page one for free when you apply for your first passport or renew an old one. You can also add pages to an existing passport, but for an $82 fee.

What is a passport card?

It’s wallet-sized and it costs less than a regular adult passport. But you can only use it to re-enter the U.S. from land border-crossings and sea ports of entry in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Your passport is one of the most powerful in the world.
If you’re from the U.S., your passport affords you free access to 172 other countries. Not many other global citizens can say the same.

If you got your passport after 2007, there’s an electronic chip in it. 
That chip on the back stores the same personal information printed on your passport’s photo page, plus a biometric identifier (aka a digital image of your face). If you have one of these “e-passports,” agents can use facial recognition technology to confirm the passport is indeed yours.

You don’t have to take your passport photo at the drugstore.
The picture must be square, unaltered and on a white background, but you’re allowed to take it at home.  Check http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/photos/photos.html for details.

You may get barred from boarding if your passport doesn’t have enough blank pages.
“Some countries require that your passport has two to four blank visa/stamp pages,” reads the State Department website. “Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement in not met.”  Always check the requirements for your specific destination before you go.

Trip Review-Harry Potter and Universal

The Harrison Family (2 adults and 2 teenage girls) from Collinsville, IL traveled to Orlando in July to experience the newly opened Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventures.  The family stayed at the Loew’s Royal Pacific which is an on-site hotel.  They really liked the convenience of walking from the parks to your room in under 10 minutes.  One night they were rather tired and took a pedicab to get back.  You just pay the driver what you feel is appropriate.  The family enjoyed the hotel and its tropical ambiance.  A nice respite from the parks.  They felt like they were on an island rather than in the middle of Orlando.  The breakfast buffet was very nice with excellent service albeit pricey.  So they also opted for the lobby bar which serves an a la carte breakfast every morning.  Jake’s American Bar got high marks for lunch and dinner.  Despite long lines for a ride or two at the parks, the family had fun exploring Diagon Alley’s shops and displays and sampling butter beer and pumpkin juice.  Daughter Rachel’s favorites were the Olivander’s Wand Experience and Nocturne Alley. They noted that Diagon Alley felt more spacious and less cramped than Hogsmeade.  The Forbidden Journey ride in Hogsmeade was great fun and the Hogswart Express train was really cool too.  The entrances and exits to the ride really made you feel like you were in an actual train station.  Following Orlando, the Harrison’s traveled to Vero Beach for a few days at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.  They said it was very relaxing (although 2 nights was not enough) with an OK restaurant.  They found plenty of other good dining options in the cute town of Vero Beach.  Overall a really fun trip!

Trip Review-An Iceland Adventure

The Fisher Family from Philadelphia (2 adults and 2 young adults age 22 and 18) ventured to Iceland in late May for a belated high school graduation trip. The trip began in Reykjavik and a stay at the Hotel Holt. From the capital city they experienced the gorgeous Blue Lagoon (a geothermal spa) and took an ATV ride that explored multiple Icelandic volcanic features and black sand lava beaches.  The Fisher’s liked their hotel’s central location in town and it’s European boutique feel.  To experience more of the country, the family rented a car and moved onto the dramatic Hotel Ion.  This upscale hotel sits in the middle of nowhere and hangs over a cliff!  From here they launched their Golden Circle tour by Super Jeep which also included a memorable snowmobile adventure on top of a glacier.  They also visited Thingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location of the only two tectonic rift valleys in the world), various waterfalls and hot springs.   The family then moved onto South Iceland with a Hot Springs Hike on the way.  They stayed at the more rustic Ranga Hotel with its log cabin style lodging.  The family was impressed by the hands-on general manager and access to telescopes to probe the night skies.  From this region they took a river rafting trip on the Hvita River for a different vantage point of Iceland’s amazing landscapes and ended their adventures with a South Shore Safari with Glacier Hike on the Solheimajokull Glacier. Definitely a highlight.  Hiking is done with crampons (spikes that you put on the soles of your shoes) and other specialized gear.  This glacier is a magnificent place; the ancient ice flow is crevassed riddled with huge ice ridges and spiraling sinkholes everywhere. In the ice, ashes from past volcanic eruptions are hidden. Overall the trip was a success with so many amazing experiences on this unique island nation.

Travel Tips-Avoid Overpacking

Overpacking is one of the dreaded aspects of traveling.  Here are some helpful tips to help lighten your load:

Shrink your shoe collection.
First and foremost, limit your shoe obsession to two pairs. All you need is one casual pair and one that’s slightly dressier. This will lighten your luggage immensely. Next, pack your shoes on the bottom of the bag, but don’t leave them empty. You should stuff sneakers with socks, belts, and other small items to save space.

Pack early.
Don’t wait until that last minute to pack your bags, since rushed packing usually leads to overpacking. Packing efficiently is like a science, so take time to really assess what you’ll need and what you can leave at home. Lay out everything you want to bring—then cut it in half.

Leave it behind.
Leave toiletries at home. Hotels usually provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and anything else you need you can easily pick up in a convenience store at your destination. Also, forget your hair dryer. Most like they will have one for you. Insider tip: Toiletries and hair dryers might be hard to come by in places like Cuba and Cambodia, so double check before visiting an “exotic” destination.

Pack clothes that match.
By choosing a color scheme for your clothes, you’ll be able to mix and match everything with ease. For example, try packing black and white clothes with one accent color. This will make picking outfits easy and ensure all shoes, shirts, pants, and jewelry coordinate.

Abide by the roll.
Rolling clothes is the best way to save space when packing. Use rubber bands or Velcro straps to hold everything tight and keep items from unraveling. Pack a small bottle of wrinkle release to help smooth out clothing creases that might form during travel. For clothes that you can’t fold, like suits or dresses, try placing them in a plastic bag from the dry cleaner. The plastic creates a layer of separation and decreases wrinkling.

Layer on the plane.
The best way to transport bulky clothing items is by wearing them on the plane. Wear heavier items, such as sneakers, boots, jeans, and sweaters, on the flight to save yourself baggage space. The overhead bin always has room for a jacket or sweater if you get too hot on the flight.

Trip Review

Mindy’s family of four (2 adults and 2 teens age 15 and 17) ventured to Italy this summer. Their trip began in Venice for two nights where they stayed in connecting rooms at a charming B&B in the Cannaregio (Jewish Ghetto).  They are so glad they used a private boat from the airport to get there after their long flight.  They easily explored the city via public boats and on foot.  Highlights included a private gondola ride their first evening, Doge Palace where they pre-purchased tickets for a Secret Itinerary tour (a small group tour that included the underground of the palace), an interesting private walking tour with an historian/musician and a private boat tour to Murano with a private glass blowing class. The later was a particular favorite as they met a family of three generations of glass makers. They drove from Venice to Tuscany where they rented a two bedroom apartment outside the town of Certaldo in Chianti for 4 nights. The views were breathtaking. During their stay, they enjoyed a small group pasta making lesson and dinner and a day trip into Florence by train (don’t forget to validate your tickets at the station!) with a prearranged small group tour of the Accademia. A full day privately guided tour of Tuscany was a special highlight that included various hill towns, wine and local food tastings and lots of great details about local Italian life. The trip ended in Rome where they stayed for 4 nights at the Albergo del Senato, centrally located across the Piazza della Rotonda in front of the Pantheon. Their room was a two level mini apartment with two bedrooms with a delicious breakfast included. The hotel staff was exceptionally helpful with directions, assistance and excellent dining recommendations.  The family started their Rome experience with a prearranged, small group twilight tour of the city with all the main highlights and the standard gelato stop. A great way to get oriented. They also experienced a truly divine and inspirational private tour of the Vatican including the Vatican Museums, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. Mindy highly recommends a private tour; so that you have time to linger and ask as many questions as needed. A golf cart tour was used to experience Ancient Rome as well as the Borghese Gardens, various piazzas, the Travastere (Jewish Ghetto), several markets and more. The carts make it easy to access areas not allowed by cars. They also got to see an Andy Warhol exhibit that happened to be in town. Overall the trip was a great success, full of hands-on experiences, cultural interactions, lots of history and meeting other interesting travelers from around the world. When they threw coins into the Trevi Fountain they made a wish that they will return one day!

Keep an eye out for a longer and more detailed trip review with lots of photos. We look forward to sharing our travels alongside extended stories of the trips we plan for you and your family.

Travel Tip

With the recent opening of the new Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, here’s an inside guide to making the most of your next visit to experience Harry Potter.

First you need a park-to-park pass to ride the Hogwarts Express. A Universal Express Pass for $39.99/ticket for two parks will help you avoid the lines one time for many of the most popular rides (except unfortunately the two Harry Potter rides). Or choose the Unlimited Express Pass (starting at $189 with park admission).

We recommend you stay at an on-site hotel (Loews Royal Pacific, Loews Portofino Bay or the Hard Rock Hotel) as the Unlimited Express Pass AND one hour early admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is included. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort doesn’t grant you an Unlimited Express Pass, but it does get you into the park an hour early and this is crucial.

Islands of Adventure opens at 8:00 am which means if you stay on property you can get in at 7:00am.  Nothing beats Butterbeer for breakfast (frozen is better)!  Be the first in line for the Forbidden Journey ride.  Note that there are four seats to a car on this ride. The second seat from the left as you face the seats is the best seat in the house.

After Forbidden Journey, you can use your Express Pass to skip the line at the Flight of the Hippogriff, Dragon Challenge (the Chinese Fireball option is more intense) or enjoy the choir from Hogwarts.  Note that some rides have height requirements.

Then at 8:00am you can board the Hogwarts Express for Diagon Alley. Disembark at King’s Cross Station and head to the Escape From Gringotts.  Most likely you will need to wait in line for this ride, but at least the queue is entertaining including the elevator ride.

Then head for the show at Ollivander’s. One child in the crowd gets picked by Ollivander himself to have their wand “chosen” for them. With wands in hand, you can enjoy Diagon Alley, take in a show and have another Butterbeer. Your wand comes with a map, but look for the plaques on the ground marking where you can activate a variety of spells. There are at least two unmarked “secret” spells. One at Slug and Jiggers across from the Wand Shop and one at Scribbulus Writing Instruments to the right of Gringott’s by the potion stand.

Be sure to visit Knockturn Alley as well. Don’t leave without having a friendly chat with a dark witch or wizard, trying out a few spells, listening for the bird in the vanishing cabinet at Borgin & Burkes, and trying out your best dance moves with the troll skeleton that mirrors your movements.

Once you’ve had your fill of Diagon Alley, you can now exit back to Universal Florida. Where you go from here is up to you. The trip back to Hogsmeade on the Hogwarts Express is a completely different show then you caught on the way there, so it could be worth heading back and tackling Islands of Adventure. Or you can stay at Universal Florida and hop right onto the Simpsons Ride just a short stroll to your left.

Whichever option you take, the majority of the crowds will probably have made their way straight to the two Harry Potter areas. Meaning you, clever theme park warrior, can use your Express Pass to get right onto every ride and not have to fight as large a crowd to get there.

Let The Family Traveler price out the best values for you overall in regards to air, hotels, park tickets and more for your next Universal Studios vacation.

Travel Tips

Avoiding stomach ailments is critical to a successful vacation.  We often tell our clients to avoid fruits and vegetables without a peel and to drink bottled water and avoid ice in countries where we know there are water safety issues.  As a general rule, we also advise that you avoid any raw fish if you are traveling internationally (except for certain parts of Japan).   This includes sushi, ceviche or other forms of raw fish. The consumption of shellfish, specifically clams, oysters and mussels can also increase your chances of intestinal distress by up to 20 times according to the National Institute of Health.  Did you know that a surprising percentage of Europe’s shellfish come from bays and lakes that are seriously polluted? Also keep a look out for food that has been exposed to flies, food that may have been touched with unclean hands and cold foods not kept below 40 degrees or cooked foods not kept above 140 degrees especially at food stalls and markets. Better to be safe than sorry!

Trip Review

Lauren, Mindy and most of the Goldenberg clan ascended on Martha’s Vineyard last month for a family reunion and to visit family who live on this relaxing and laid back island.  We stayed at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort, the only full service resort.  It is located just south of Edgartown where you will find plenty of charming shops, large grocery store, gas stations and dining options.  We used a variety of methods to explore the 87 square mile wide island including the hotel’s free Edgartown shuttle, bikes and rental cars. Highlights included eating lots of lobster of course, visiting each of the small towns on the island, watching the sunset at Gay Head Cliffs, great bike paths, lovely beaches, relaxing spa treatments, kayaking and taking the ferry to Chappaquiddick (by car and by bike).  Our accommodations ranged from studio rooms with kitchenettes to more spacious one bedroom suites with full kitchens and two full bathrooms.  Perfect for our Father’s Day gathering.  Winnetu is a lovely, well-kept and family-owned property with a nice focus on young families with fire truck rides, children’s activities, heated pool, lawn games, etc.  There is also a small spa, gym, tennis, game area, several dining options, library and more. We appreciate how the resort staff went out of their way to make sure we had a great stay!

Travel Tip

Smarter Travel offers the Best Ways for Travelers to Prevent Identity Theft.  This month we address Internet Safety:

The days of the Internet cafe are waning, as Wi-Fi-enabled tablets and ultra-light laptops have become the norm for many tourists. But if you’re not packing a lot of technology on your travels, or your computer dies on the road, or you just need to print a boarding pass in the hotel lobby, remember that public computers are hotbeds for identity theft. Never autosave information on forms, especially if you’re typing in your passport or credit card number. Select “no” if you are asked to save any passwords. Delete your search history afterward. If possible, use the Google Chrome browser and open your windows in “incognito mode” (Ctrl + Shift + N, or click on the menu bar in the upper right-hand corner). Your search history, passwords, and cookies will automatically not be saved. Finally, avoid checking bank-account balances on public computers, if you can. Use your bank’s smartphone app (most major banks have one), or simply limit your balance check-ins to secure ATMs.

Trip Review

The Bierschwale family from Narberth, PA (with 2 adults and 2 girls ages 10 and 8) traveled over spring break to the all-inclusive Hilton Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  What they loved most about the property was the view from their upgraded room (that we requested), choosing between two beaches to relax and play (one is more secluded), the friendly resort staff, the daily activities (especially beach volleyball), nightly entertainment and having the beach, pool and waterpark within easy reach from their room.  Lunch was their favorite meal of the day and delivered poolside and beachside (the rest of their meals tasted better earlier in the week).  They were also happy that the resort offered plenty of local, fresh fruits and delicious fruit juices.  The mango juice was a big hit.  What they didn’t appreciate was having to go out early to save seats with umbrellas by the pool or beach and the challenge of securing a raft at the waterpark during a busy holiday travel week.  They also thought that the hotel photographer was not very good, but had a chuckle when they saw their proofs!  Overall the trip was a great success and they really liked the laid back vibe of the property.  The family really loved Jamaica and definitely want to return.