Travel Tip: Free Park Entry Days

Mark your calendars!  Our National Parks are offering free entry for the following dates in 2023:

January 16 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

April 22 – First day of National Park Week

August 4 – Great American Outdoors Day 

September 23 – National Public Lands Day

November 11 – Veterans Day

Trip Review: Thanksgiving in Portugal

The Shumskas Family of Fountainville, PA (2 adults and 2 teens aged 19 and 13) traveled to Portugal for the week of Thanksgiving. Their trip began in Porto with a 3-night stay at the charming PortoBay Flores, a new 5-star hotel in the historic city center located on a pedestrian-only street. The hotel is housed in a 16th-century palace along with a newly built wing that blends the old and new with 66 rooms and suites, an 18th-century chapel, and a lovely patio. The Shumskas parents enjoyed being able to go down to the bar and hang out without the children and let us know that the breakfast (which was included in their rate) was super! On their first full day, the family got to know Porto with a privately guided four-hour walking tour. Highlights of the city included amazing views from the Serra Pilar Monastery terrace, the Dom Luis I Bridge, the tile work at the Sao Bento train station, the Lello bookstore (the inspiration for Harry Potter), the river bank, Cathedral Se XII, Clerigos Tower and more. In the afternoon the family experienced a hands-on tile workshop at Gazete Azulejos, a tile painting atelier that researches, promotes, and preserves the Portuguese tiles used to decorate buildings. The family said the experience was really fun and interesting. Their guide for the walking tour also drove them from Porto to Lisbon with stops on the way in Coimbra to see the famous Joanine Library at the university, Nazare, and Obidos where they visited Casa das Senhoras Rainhas and castle.  They enjoyed talking with their guide about life in Portugal and recent politics.  In Lisbon, the family stayed for 4-nights in a spacious 2-bedroom apartment with a kitchen at Flora Chiado. Located in the heart of the charming Chiado district, there are just 10 apartments in total. They appreciated the delivery of fresh bread in the morning and found the staff to be super helpful and friendly. On their first full day in Lisbon, a 3-hour walking tour gave them a great city orientation. It started at the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint – one of the most breathtaking views of the city. The tour included a stroll through the Bairro Alto and Alfama neighborhoods, a stop by the Igreja de Sao Roque church, Lisbon Cathedral, and the Bertrand bookshop (the world’s oldest!) along with the St. Justa elevator. The following day they spent exploring the exotic Quinta da Regaleira palace in Sintra with a stop at the Cabo de Rocha Lighthouse and the beach town of Cascais with a private guide. A new dietary restriction for one of the family members made it slightly more challenging to eat out, but they said everywhere they ate was lovely and tasty.  Overall a slightly wet, but wonderful trip to Portugal!

Travel Tip: Winter Gear Rentals

Winter gear is bulky to pack. Plus some of us live in warmer climates and don’t even have cold-weather clothing. If you are heading to Iceland, there is a new company in Reykjavik that enables you to rent winter outwear. The company is called IcelandCover and they have a location on the main shopping street in town. They offer parkas, pants, raincoats, crampons, hiking boots, and warm beanie hats for men and women. Unfortunately, they don’t have gear yet for children. But they do deliver around the city. From our own experience, it’s critical to have the right outerwear when traveling to Iceland during the colder months which is most of the year! Some of our tour operators also rent coats, waterproof pants, hiking boots, and walking sticks.

Trip Review: Thanksgiving in Cabo

Mindy and her family (parents and two young adults) traveled to Cabo to relax and celebrate Thanksgiving. They stayed at the all-inclusive Paradisus Los Cabos which is located along the corridor between the towns of Los Cabos and San Jose del Cabo. This Leading Hotels of the World property has 305 rooms and suites, a wide and swimmable beach (rare in this area), an expansive beachfront pool, spa, gym, children’s program, daily activities, evening shows, and lots of dining options (a festive Thanksgiving meal included!).  Mindy’s family stayed in the club-level Reserve section with a dedicated concierge who tended to their every need.  This section also has a quiet and adult-only pool and a dedicated section of the beach with added service levels.  Mindy and her daughter also enjoyed some pampering at the spa and the family got the unique opportunity to see the annual sea turtle release.  The weather was perfect with 80 degrees and sunny every day.  Off the resort, they took a private pontoon boat and snorkel excursion with La Isla Tours from Cabo San Lucas. They enjoyed seeing the area highlights and wildlife (including whales and seals) while boating around the Sea of Cortez where it meets the Pacific Ocean.  Unfortunately, the snorkeling wasn’t that great next to Pelican rock, but the sunset was!  Another trip highlight was a cooking class at Metate Cabo, a Cabo San Lucas restaurant, where they had a tour of the restaurant’s herb and vegetable garden and then made salsa and pressed handmade tortillas for quesadillas for a special dinner with dessert and drinks included.  They loved the festive atmosphere and being outside under the night sky. Overall the trip was super relaxing, great family time, and a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving!

Travel Tip: Breast Milk Storage

As a response to the challenges faced by new parents traveling with breast milk, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is launching the Kimpton On Demand Family Fridge Program to provide Mini Me Milk Fridges upon request. Unlike the traditional mini-fridge provided in rooms with limited temperature capabilities, these fridges allow parents to preserve milk at the CDC-mandated temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Each property will also have a dedicated fridge for employees who may need to pump and store the milk during their work hours.

Travel Review: A European Journey

Lauren and her husband Evan traveled to Berlin, Prague, and Amsterdam this month, a historical and culturally filled experience.  We started the trip in Berlin.  We enjoyed a fun bike tour with Fattire Tours to see the city’s highlights.  Our history student guide from the UK was terrific and it was easy to maneuver bikes through this rather quiet city.  Other Berlin experiences included wandering through the lovely Tiergarten Park which is laced with canals; visiting the Charlottenburg Palace with an audio tour and admiring the palace’s extensive gardens and meandering through the city’s various neighborhoods.  We stayed in the quiet Charlottenburg neighborhood near the Berlin Zoo at the Hotel am Steinplatz.  This Marriott hotel is located in a gorgeous art deco building.  The staff was super helpful and our quiet room was nicely accommodated with views of the inner courtyard.  The hotel offers a nice restaurant, a full-service spa, and a decent gym as well.  We used My Day Trip to travel by car with a private driver from Berlin to Prague stopping in Meissen and Dresden on the way.  Both cities are located in Saxony, have rich histories, castles, churches, and more, and both are situated along the Elbe River.  Meissen is best known for its porcelain factory and we had the opportunity to see how its made by visiting different crafters for each step of the process.  There is also an extensive museum of all of their handmade wares.  Quite impressive!  The city of Dresden is well known for its WWII destruction.  Much of the city has been restored including the impressive Frauenkirche Church.  We walked around the city and saw much of its impressive architecture including museums, churches, horse stables, tile art, and public squares.  There was a busy fall festival in the main square that offered ample opportunity to try this region’s most popular foods and treats.  Our extended stay in Prague (where Lauren’s daughter lives and works) was at the Mamaison Residence Downtown.  It is an apartment hotel in the New Town close to the national museum but within easy reach of the Old Town.  Our one-bedroom apartment in the new and modern section of the hotel had a spacious living area, balconies, and a fully stocked kitchen with a dishwasher and a washing machine.  Rates at the hotel include an ample buffet breakfast and there is a large game room, spa, and a small gym.  This was our second visit to Prague, but we still were able to find plenty of new experiences in this historic city.  We explored the National Museum, the Communist Museum, and the Straha Monastery.  We loved the amazing city views we got from climbing to the top of the Petrin Tower, experiencing a high-tech light show festival that took place around the city, seeing the opera Tosca at the gorgeous State Opera House, attending Yom Kipper services at the Jerusalem synagogue, and took a group tour of the city’s Jewish Quarter that we missed the first time due to holiday closures.  We ventured outside the city with a group tour to see the horrors of the Terezin Concentration/Labor/Ghetto Camp and took the train for the day to the town of Pilsen best known for its beer.  We toured the Pilsen Urquell beer factory and also took a tour of the extensive underground level of the city which was used for food, beer, security, and other storage needs.  Our last stop was in Amsterdam with Lauren’s daughter and friend in tow. Unfortunately, the city was packed with tourists during an autumn break school week in Europe.  We did our best to avoid the high tourist areas as much as possible venturing into the more residential areas for dining, shopping, and exploring.  Highlights of our Amsterdam experience included the Anne Frank House, a canal boat ride, the Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt’s House, Waterlooplein flea market and not getting hit by a bike!  We stayed at the boutique-style Ink Hotel, an MGallery hotel.  A former newspaper building uses the writing theme nicely throughout the hotel.  The rooms were very quiet and the staff are very friendly and helpful.  Overall a wonderful trip!

Trip Review: Israel Bus Tour

The Travisano Family (2 adults and their daughter, age 22) traveled to Israel in late June through early July to visit their son who was taking part in an Onward program in Tel Aviv.  Their trip began with an expedited VIP arrival service at the airport.  Their first three independent nights in Tel Aviv were spent at the Metropolitan Hotel, just two blocks from the beach.  The hotel upgraded them to a 1-Bedroom Suite….they were thrilled!  While in Tel Aviv they went to the beach, relaxed at the hotel pool, did an amazing graffiti tour, went to the street market, and more. Then they began a 7-night group bus tour organized through Gray Line.  This Israel highlight tour was geared toward all religions and the family thought that the tour was fantastic.  There were people of all ages and they met lots of nice families.  The tour started with 29 and ended with 13 people (as this tour can begin in different cities).  They also said that their tour guides were excellent, stuck to the schedule, and were so knowledgeable.  They had a great bus driver as well.  The first tour stop took them south to the Negev Desert including Masada where they took the cable car to the top and then for a float in the Dead Sea.  Onward to Jerusalem for a 3-night stay at the Grand Court Hotel.  They enjoyed the location and expansive breakfast buffet.  In The Holy City, they visited the Israel Museum, Ein Karem, Yad Vashem, and Bethelem one day and the Old City, Mount Zion, Mount of Olives, and the Mahane Yehuda Market the next. Upon leaving Jerusalem, they drove east to Jericho before heading north to Galilee to Beit Shean, Nazareth, and Safed.  They spent the next two nights at a Hagroshim, a kibbutz guesthouse.  They found the hotel to be very nice and modern with great food.  The next day was spent exploring the Golan Heights, a winery, and the Sea of Galilee highlights including Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha, and Tiberias.  On the way back to Tel Aviv they drove down the Mediterranean coast and saw Acre, Haifa, and Caesarea. The tour ended with a short city tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa.  Overnight in Tel Aviv completed this tour experience.  They gave a special shoutout to the tour company for handling their food allergies but found that lunch was very similar day to day (which is fairly normal for a bus tour trying to feed large numbers efficiently and meet everyone’s dietary needs).  Overall this was a cost-efficient and effective way to experience the best of the Holyland.

Travel Tip: TSA Update

The US Department of Homeland Security is urging those who mostly fly domestically to apply for TSA PreCheck instead of Global Entry, despite shared benefits. Applications for Global Entry have been experiencing processing times of up to 18 months as a result of a surge in demand for memberships while US Customs and Border Control continues to clear the backlog from the pandemic lockdowns of 2020. By contrast, most TSA PreCheck applicants can schedule an appointment in less than two weeks and can receive approval in three to five days. The Mobile Passport app can help expedite you through passport control when traveling internationally.

Travel Tip: Electronic Bag Trackers

Understaffed airports have increased the incidents of lost bags, but if you can’t travel with just carry-ons, at least you can know where your bags are located! Apple Air Tags are both affordable and reliable. These devices are very compact and can fit and hide almost anywhere. They are always “on” once you activate them and the battery lasts a very long time with standard replacement batteries readily available. The tags work by “pinging” any Apple device they see via Bluetooth. This includes airline workers and other travelers. It will register your bag’s location anonymously. There can be some issues with accuracy until someone with a modern iPhone goes and looks for your bag. But there is no subscription required like some of the more expensive trackers that use both GPS, Bluetooth, and cellphone towers. They also come with some other useful features like alerting you when you leave something behind – which is not what you want with luggage, but might work with your carry-on!

Trip Review: Iceland Adventure

The Negrin Family of New York took a last-minute father/daughter getaway to Iceland earlier this month. They started their six-night trip with a stay at the lovely Edition hotel in Reykjavik and spent their first day in Iceland relaxing at the Sky Lagoon, a newish thermal bath just outside the city. They said the experience was awesome and a relaxing way to start their adventure.  They appreciated the well-organized operation, in-lagoon bar, and wonderful ocean views. For the next few days, they took several day tours and one overnight tour with Arctic Adventures to see the South Coast, then to the northwest and around the Golden Circle. They found the tours to be well organized with knowledgeable drivers and guides but didn’t love all the long drives involved. Their tour hotel for several nights, Reykjavik Lights, was pretty basic with small rooms to match this last-minute, budget-priced package. They were able to visit a variety of natural landscapes such as waterfalls, geysers, black beaches, natural thermal baths, lava fields, and more, and also explored the unique nature with an amphibian lagoon tour and ice cave experience. Stops included Jokulsarlon, Gullfoss, Thingvellir National Park, Vatnajokull National Park, Snaefellsnes, and Kirkjufell. A trip highlight was a 10-mile hike around the newly activated Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula, not far from the airport. The volcano erupted the day they arrived (and has actually just gone dormant!). Their self-guided hike took a total of 5 1/2 hours with rocky terrain and steep slopes but was such a unique and worthwhile experience. Their favorite Reykjavik dining experiences were at ROK Restaurant, Sushi Social and morning runs to Kaffibrennslan. Overall a fun and memorable visit. You can see more amazing Iceland photos at http://izzinegrin.com/iceland.