Travel Tip: Travel Regulations
There are only a few good sources for keeping up to date with the world’s changing travel regulations. Even the airlines are struggling to keep up! Please be careful when doing random searches as information may not be updated. One of the definitive sights is IATA’s COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map at https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php. Give us a call and we can help you sort out all the varied rules and regulations.
Trip Review: Road Trip
One of our Philadelphia families with their New York-based young adult children in tow took to the road this summer with a trip to Santa Fe, Durango, and Telluride. The family spent five nights in New Mexico’s capital city (a return visit for the parents) at the Inn of the Governors. They found it to be warm, friendly, and comfortable…a bit faded in many respects, but a good value that fit the family’s budget. A room with a fireplace was appreciated by the parents and they loved the hotel’s location near the city’s main plaza. They enjoyed a private e-bike tour of Santa Fe through Heritage Inspirations with plenty of historical dialogue. They found the guide to be knowledgeable and the ride well-conceived. They always enjoy the amazing Mexican cuisine at Gabriel’s about 15 minutes outside of town and this visit was no exception. They then drove onto Colorado. Their one-night Durango stay was sadly marred by maintenance issues at the Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn. They rented bikes from a local shop and rode on the riverwalk which they said was great. The young adults enjoyed a hike on the Smelter Mountain Trail which was short, but steep. They made a quick stop in the charming town of Ouray, but recommend spending more time if you can. In Telluride, the family stayed in a condo in town for 3 nights that we rented through a local management company. They found the location to be a great choice and loved the views from everywhere. They said the condo was really clean and the management company was super attentive and also helpful with pre-trip planning. They said riding the gondola was pure joy and rode it many times. They also loved the sunsets, stargazing, and hiking the Bear Creek trail a few times. The young adults also hiked Jud Wiebe Memorial Trail and boasted about the amazing views. Overall the trip was a great success!
Travel Tip: The World Opening Up
We are starting to get an increase in post-pandemic international travel as more countries open their doors to US travelers each and every day. Entry rules; rules for travel to, from, and through each country; what is open once there; COVID protocols and more are still complex, confusing, and constantly changing. While it could be a while before any travel is “back to normal”, we know our families are truly eager to get away and start exploring the world once again. We are here to help you sift through it all to make sure your trip is seamless and enjoyable!
Trip Review: Jamaican Villa Getaway
The Rabbino family of 6 (2 adults and 4 teens ages 14-18) from Bala Cynwyd, PA enjoyed a spring break villa rental in Jamaica for a week-long getaway this past March. The family loved the low-key and calm nature of the experience away from the hustle and bustle of Jamaica’s resorts and towns. Perfect for post-COVID travel. The waterfront Noble House is located just 30 minutes west of the Montego Bay airport made even easier with VIP arrival services from Club Mobay. The staffed villa, with 10,000 sq. ft., gave the family plenty of space to stretch out. The one-story house featured 4 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms along with expansive grounds, gardens, pool, and beach. The narrow stretch of beach was shared with two other villas (although still a public beach where locals congregated at times). The family loved the large, air-conditioned bedrooms and bathrooms with nine decks to relax and take in the views including a rooftop deck ideal for morning yoga. They appreciated the really large and deep pool and especially the baskets of towels placed all over the house! The teen boys slept in the pool house while the large living room and connected deck were the main gathering space in the evening to play games, have drinks, watch movies, or just take in the ocean. The property also featured a fish pond and a huge yard for recreation that included equipment for volleyball, badminton, and croquet. Kayaks and standup paddleboards were also provided (although some windy days and seaweed made this a challenge). There were some minor/quality maintenance issues at the villa that will hopefully be addressed for future guests. A highlight of the experience was having a private chef who provided excellent meals. The family said Chef Jerome was truly exceptional and very attentive to their special needs and requests. One child’s dietary needs for gluten and nut-free meals turned out to be more variety than he gets at home! The chef is adept at kosher meals too. The entire house staff (which numbered more than the family!) included an excellent butler, driver, and housekeeping staff who laundered their clothes as well. The family did venture off the property with an outing to Dunns River Falls where the knowledgeable guides there helped them safely navigate the climb up the falls…a very unique experience. A ride back to the villa off the main road gave the family a good insight into Jamaica’s daily life and standards of living. They also had terrific meals off property at Houseboat Grill (on a floating houseboat) and Scotchies, a Jamaican institution for jerk chicken. Overall the villa was perfect for what the family needed and they were also appreciative of The Family Traveler’s attentive service and planning for this last-minute getaway.
Trip Review: Wild Dunes Family Gathering
Lauren and Mindy’s family traveled to Charleston, SC, and the Wild Dunes Resort this month to honor the memory of their father who passed away last year. The gathering consisted of three generations with 21 family members gathering from 5 different cities. We spread out in two rental homes and two beachfront condos that were located a short walk from each other. We appreciated the ease of getting to the beach, especially with a baby and toddler in tow. Chair and umbrellas can be rented in advance and set up daily. The recreation at the resort kept our family as active as we liked with several pools, tennis, bike rentals, golf, spa, gym, family activities, and more. The property also has several restaurants and a specialty market. Wild Dunes is located on the Isle of Palms about 25 minutes from downtown Charleston. It showcases two hotels along with condos, townhomes, and home rental options of all sizes. The brand-new Sweetwater Inn opened just this month next to the Boardwalk Inn and features a large pool, fire pit, games, restaurants, and free valet parking. Keypads on the entry doors allowed us to avoid a traditional check-in process and we easily communicated with Guest Services by text for anything we needed. A Harris Teeter grocery store on the island kept our kitchens well-stocked. Highlights for our families were relaxing massages, kayaking on Morgan Creek that runs along the back of the resort, long beach walks, and group dinners at several local restaurants including the Boat House and The Refuge. We also cooked a BBQ feast one night with charcoal grills stationed near the condos along with covered picnic tables. And Lauren was excited to meet her long-time clients, the wonderful Gaugler family from Connecticut, who were also vacationing at Wild Dunes at the same time! Overall Wild Dunes provides an ideal setting for family gatherings both large and small.
Travel Tip: Reloadable Credit Card
If you don’t plan to spend a lot of extra money on your next trip or want to stick to a budget, consider getting a reloadable credit card. These cards will help avoid stolen card numbers and even provide a money lesson for your children. FamZoo, a virtual family bank, offers a prepaid Master Card that allows you to control your accounts and the money rules within them. This includes scheduling tasks for your children to complete in exchange for money (or even to lose money). Some of the other convenient features are instant or scheduled transfers between cards, activity alerts (great for knowing what your children are buying and where), the ability to lock and unlock cards, no foreign transaction or ATM fees, and purchase reimbursement. There are small monthly fees, but discounts for paying in advance.
Travel Tip: Passport Check
Now is the perfect time to check all of your family’s passports! There is heavy demand for travel and for passport services. The passport office is telling us that it can take 10-12 weeks for a new application or renewal and 4-6 weeks for an expedited application when processing by mail or at local acceptance facilities. You can also check the status of your passport application online 7-10 days after applying. Because of increases in COVID-19 cases and local health conditions, the passport office has an extremely limited number of appointments for in-person service if you are traveling in the next 72 hours (with at 3 business days). Remember that passports for children under age 16 are only valid for 5 years. Adult passports are valid for 10 years.
Trip Review: Florida Keys Getaway
The Slone Family from Penn Valley, PA (2 adults and children ages 12 and 14) traveled to The Florida Keys for spring break with a stay at the lovely Isla Bella Resort in Marathon. They let us know they had a fabulous time. The family flew into Key West, rented a car and traveled about an hour north to reach Marathon. They thought the resort was beautiful and a perfect size with 199 residence suites with kitchens along with one- and two-bedroom suites. They stayed in a spacious Grand Oceanfront 2-Bedroom/2 Bathroom with Balcony. Minor complaints included a lack of storage in their room, small bath and beach towels, and tiny trashcans. And due to COVID, housekeeping was every few days instead of daily. The family enjoyed the one large pool and beach area, but there were also smaller pools scattered around the property which helped with social distancing. The resort used plexiglass to separate groups of chaise lounges and had plenty of sanitizer available. The resort offers daily activities, some watersports, beach yoga, bike rentals, spa, gym and more. Five minutes by car are public tennis courts which the family used several times. The rest of their time was spent by the pool, swimming, reading, and playing board games. Daily texts from hotel staff let guests know about daily activities and what is open or not open depending on the weather. The family found the resort food above average, but they enjoyed great meals in Marathon at the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Island Fish Company, and Lazy Days South that offered plenty of waterfront outdoor and covered seating. Sweet Savanah’s was the place to go for ice cream. A very relaxing trip for a much-needed vacation with ideal weather to boot!
Trip Review: Winter Wonderland
When your Florida teens have never seen snow, it is time to plan a trip to The Rockies! The Getsy family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens age 16 and 13) traveled to Jackson, WY this month to celebrate a special wedding anniversary. They had a great time experiencing winter and snow with various adventures, including snow tubing, chair lift, and alpine sliding at the Snow Mountain Ski Resort; snowmobiling through the Gros Ventre Mountains; sleigh riding in an Elk Refuge; making snowmen at the hotel, and more during their stay. There was no need to snow ski to appreciate this winter wonderland. The family stayed at the Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa in two peaceful creekside rooms with fireplaces (which proved to be quite hot, but good for drying towels). This upscale property, across from the National Elk Refuge, showcases a 7-acre nature preserve and is just a few blocks from downtown Jackson for plenty of dining and shopping options. There is a shuttle to town as well. Mind-blowing bacon and a nice variety of food options made breakfast a hotel highlight. Their favorite meal out was at the White Buffalo Club in Jackson. Pricey, but worthwhile to taste delicious and fresh bison and venison. Trio, The Kitchen, and The Blue Lion also received praises and Bin 22 was a good spot for buying and sipping wine. Their vacation package featured a free (and thanks to COVID), private excursion! They chose Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris’ Best of Jackson Hole tour with a visit to nearby Grand Teton National Park, a windy National Elk Refuge (dress extra warm), and the Wildlife Art Museum along with light breakfast, lunch, and a sleigh ride. In Grand Teton, their excellent guide helped them spot moose, coyotes, rams, buffalo, and various birds of prey. They also loved their Granite Hot Springs snowmobile experience with the Teton Tour Co. that included an excellent guide and dip in the hot springs. The teens also had a chance to take the snowmobiles for a spin in the beautiful wilderness. Thankfully cold-weather outerwear was also included. Overall, the trip was a great success for a fun and first snow encounter.
Travel Tip: COVID Test with Miles
American Airlines is now allowing AAdvantage members to redeem miles for COVID-19 tests. For only 12,000 miles, you can order an at-home COVID-19 testing kit through LetsGetChecked. The company is a direct-to-consumer at-home health testing business. Their test incorporates a nasal swab at-home which you mail to the lab for PCR analysis. Typically, a test result is available on-line within 24-72 hours . The test is Federal Drug Administration approved under emergency use authorization provisions. Just be sure this lab is an approved one for your specific destination.
