Trip Review: A California Adventure

The Family Traveler’s Jen, her husband, and their 16-year-old twins (girl and boy) from Philadelphia went to California over spring break for 10 days and the trip did not disappoint!  They were looking to do something different than a typical beach holiday and wanted to explore and add some sense of history, culture, and geography to their trip, but still have some time in the sun and hit the hot spots.  They flew non-stop to San Francisco, stayed with family and picked up a rental car in town. Three busy days were spent in and around San Francisco visiting all the top tourist spots and some of the more obscure ones.  In particular, they loved Muir Wood, riding the cable car, exploring Pier 39 and watching the sea lions, and running the Golden Gate Bridge.  Their tour of Alcatraz was also really interesting.  In addition, they had wonderful meals, including authentic dim sum, deliciously fresh seafood, and sushi.  They explored many different neighborhoods going up, down, and around the steep and windy streets that bisect the city.  San Francisco is a fun place to drive through not so fun to find a parking spot! They left the Bay Area and drove south to Monterey. The drive is spectacular and they were charmed by Carmel-by-the-Sea.  From there they hopped on the Pacific Coast Highway.  Initially, they were not sure that spending over a day in the car driving the PCH was a good use of their precious vacation time and they wondered if their teens would be bored.  It turned out to be a highlight of the trip.  No wi-fi, no radio stations, just the most amazing views over cliffs at every turn and places to stop for photos and to see animals frolicking by the coast.  It is not a drive for the faint of heart and the children loved it.  Overnight in San Luis Obispo was at a La Quinta and then onward to Los Angeles. Their stay in Santa Monica at Le Merigot – a JW Marriott Hotel was chosen due to its relatively central location and proximity to the beach.  They took two rooms and especially enjoyed the hotel’s amazing valet service, pool, and vibrant lobby bar. Determined to see everything they could in LA, they almost succeeded.  They spent a day in Anaheim at Disneyland, toured UCLA, drove out to Malibu and lunched at Malibu Farms, and took the tour at Warner Brothers Studios.  They weren’t sure they wanted to take one of those “cheesy” Hollywood bus tours, but they succumbed and it was great.  The allure is in the stories the tour guide tells. The commentary was polished and hilarious, providing the family with a lifetime of family jokes.  Splurging on some over-the-top LA restaurants including Katsuya and Ivy proved definitely worthwhile, but they also ate at a few fast food options not available on the east coast.  They also walked Venice Beach and watched the skateboarders and weightlifters, did some mother/daughter shopping, and went south to Redondo Beach and swam in the Pacific Ocean.  Overall a wonderful California vacation with two teens who were happy to be traveling and were up for anything!

Trip Review: Punta Cana Experience

Lauren and her husband Evan traveled to Punta Cana earlier this month and stayed at both the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara and the new Finest Punta Cana. The Hyatt is one of The Family Traveler’s most popular Dominican Republic resort. This modern and upscale all-inclusive opened in late 2019 and is in the Cap Cana development just 15 minutes from the airport. The resort features two sections: the family-friendly Ziva and the adult-only Zilara. Adults have full access to both sides of the resort. Each side has its own lobby, large pools, and club lounges. The club level also has its own pool on each side of the resort which is a nice perk during peak occupancy. The center of the property features a shared theater for evening shows, a large sports bar, and a huge fitness facility. The gym has a variety of daily classes and separate rooms for cardio, fitness classes, spinning room, functional fitness, and weight training along with areas for stretching, boxing, and more! Behind the Ziva is a spacious and enclosed water slide and water play area staffed by several lifeguards along with food trucks for drinks and snacks and plenty of lounge chairs and shade. Nearby are the kids and teen clubs with supervised programming throughout the day and evening. There is also a rooftop sports court for basketball, pickleball, and tennis. The resort’s food is excellent with a large buffet and several specialty restaurants on each side of the resort. Adults have full access to all restaurants (depending on occupancy levels). The resort’s beach is long and wide with plenty of chairs, shade, and watersports. Lauren stayed in a club-level oceanfront junior suite on the Zilara side that includes a private butler service (that was not really used). Other than the tricky lighting system, the room and bathroom were large and comfortable with awesome water views. Overall Lauren appreciated the high quality of service and how appreciative the staff was to have return guests. 

Finest Punta Cana also proved to be a quality vacation experience.  The fresh and modern family resort opened just last year. This property is located 45 minutes north of the airport in Uvero Alto. It features several pools with fun water play areas, a playground, tennis court, sports court, and pickleball along with a large, supervised kids club compound with additional water play areas and waterslides. The beach is nice and wide, but the water here can be a little rough. Water sports equipment is still available when the sea cooperates. There was also nightly entertainment in the covered theater and open plaza areas. The resort also showcases a family club-level section along with an adult-only club section located in their own buildings. We highly recommend the club level as this affords access to restaurants with higher quality food overall, a club lounge, and special areas at the beach with higher quality loungers. Lauren got an extra-long stay at Finest after testing positive for covid. The resort comped five extra nights in a quarantine room with all the room service she wanted!

This trip also included site visits to several other family-friendly properties: the brand-new Dreams Macao, Dreams Onyx, Dreams Royal Beach, and the new Margaritaville along with several adult-only resorts: Excellence Punta Cana, Excellence El Carmen, Secrets Cap Cana, and Secrets Royal Beach. The trip was a wonderful opportunity to check out new properties, see renovations and upgrades at existing resorts and establish relationships with resort staff.

Trip Review: Cool in Cabo

The Fisher Family of 5 (parents and young adult children) from Philadelphia and New York traveled over winter break to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.  They said that the destination was great, and the weather was perfect!  They spent seven nights at the Viceroy Los Cabos in ocean view rooms.  The family said the super modern hotel was beautiful and unique in the way it is surrounded by water.  Food and service levels (front desk, concierge, waiters, etc.) were all top-notch.  The first night they enjoyed their dinner at Nido at the hotel which is a fusion of Mexican and Asian.  Breakfast and lunch by the pool and beach were also quite good.  The spacious rooms all had large and private balconies with big daybeds and table and chairs.  Relaxing and reading there in the early morning and late afternoon was a treat.  The only negative about the room was the open bathroom concept – there was a separate toilet, but no door to close off the rest of the bathroom area.  If one gets up earlier the light and sounds fill the room.  The hotel’s junior suites and suites do have more private bathrooms.  Their dinners off property were preplanned with a mix of cuisines and atmosphere.  At Los Tres Gallos, they sat upstairs on the roof patio where mariachi music was played.  The restaurant offers traditional Mexican food that was very good. Mi Casa restaurant has an outdoor courtyard and a very traditional Mexican menu that they savored.  Appropriately overlooking the beach, 7 Seas Seafood Grill is close to the hotel and got great reviews.  Surprisingly they were able to get into the uber-popular Flora Farms for dinner through a connection with one of the hotel’s waiters!  They said it was definitely a great experience and the restaurant was much larger than expected with excellent food and live music.  They enjoyed the cute little shops there too. They also dined at Invita Bistro, an Italian restaurant near the Cabo Marina. They liked the casual atmosphere and food and dining in downtown Cabo.  Their New Year’s Eve celebration started at District MX Eat + Drink to catch a bowl game.  Then onto Tamarindos and its beautiful outdoor patio overlooking Cabo.  They said the food was excellent!  The night ended back at the hotel roof bar where there was a great band, champagne toast, and a view of fireworks in several directions.  For fun activities and a way to explore the desert, they took an E-bike Tour with Cabo Adventures.  They biked for an hour and spent an hour on the tour company’s Eco Farm, but all the transportation time to and from the start of the tour made for a super long day.  They also enjoyed a cocktail sunset sail with Cabo Adventures that went past The Arch and included some whale sightings.  They said the crew was great.  To enjoy a swimmable beach and watersports, they spent the day at Sur Beach Club and said it was definitely worth it!  The young adults rented jet skis for a ½ hour and had lots of fun!  This private beach club has a whole different vibe which was a fun change for the day.  They also took a private Stand-Up Paddleboard tour with High Tide Los Cabos.  They said their guide was great. The tour started at Santa Maria Beach and ended at Chileno Beach where they snorkeled.  To get around, they were glad that they decided not to rent a car.  They took cabs everywhere and The Family Traveler arranged private airport transfers.  Overall, the trip was memorable and a special celebration of their son’s recent professional accomplishments.

Trip Review: St. Croix Getaway

The Krimsky Family from Philadelphia traveled to St. Croix this past winter and stayed at The Buccaneer Resort.  The family of two adults and two teen boys let us know they had a great time!  They thought the resort was a great spot for families and would be happy to return.  They shared a Deluxe Oceanfront room that was located right on the beach and was comfortable with 2 queen beds (with room for a rollaway) and with a spacious bathroom.  The teens found plenty of activities and recreation to keep themselves entertained at the resort including watersports, lawn games, and more.  Lunches at the beachfront grill and the special holiday dinner were dining highlights at the resort.  They also enjoyed their meals off property at Savant (10 out of 10!), The Bombay Club and Too Chez (amazing ambiance) in the town of Christiansted.  Venturing off the property was a breeze as the taxis picked them up right at their room!  A snorkeling excursion with Caribbean Sea Adventures to Buck Island was a hit– and they appreciated that you could only snorkel in a designated area to protect the reef.  They also raved about their guide for a rainforest hike that was booked through Fitness Integrated Tours.  They walked for about an hour to the tide pools which they said were pretty amazing.  Their main gripe about the trip was a small glitch with their private transfer and flat pillows at the hotel (they tried several options).  Overall they let us know that service levels at the resort were top notch albeit slow at times…but understood and appreciated the concept of island time!

Trip Review: Mother/Daughter Reunion in Iceland

Lauren and her Prague-resident daughter, Anna, met in Iceland this month for a special birthday celebration. The trip focused mostly on rest and relaxation, ideal in a country surrounded by amazing landscapes and an abundance of thermal waters. Entry requirements were straightforward with a covid test (or recent proof of having covid) and a health form needed to enter. Note that Iceland soon after lifted all their covid-related restrictions. Proof of vaccination will no longer be required to enter. Lauren traveled to Reykjavik first for two nights. The international airport in Keflavik, 45 minutes from town, is quite small and very easy to navigate. Lauren used a shared van service to get into downtown and stayed at the brand new Edition (part of the Marriott family). The city’s newest luxury hotel is located on the waterfront next to the super cool Harpa Concert Hall. A nice location for getting around the city. The staff was so accomodating and the rooms were lovely, albeit a little dark. Heated tile floors in the bathroom were greatly appreciated as the Florida resident tried her best to adjust to the cooler climate. The hotel has a nice coffee shop, an upscale restaurant, a cool lounge/bar vibe, and (a very dark) gym. A spa and rooftop terrace will be added soon. Lauren visited many of the family-friendly attractions in the country’s capital using the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus for some added commentary and also easily moved around on foot (with some good waterproof boots…thanks Di!). She went to The Whale Museum, and Flying Over Island in the Old Harbour area; The Culture Museum and National Gallery in the center of town, and The Perlan Museum surrounded by forest on Oskjuhlid Hill. She also saw a cool light show at the Harpa and went into and to the top of the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church for more great city views. Each place gave her a different view and perspective of Iceland’s history, culture, folklore, and nature. Her favorite place was The Perlan, a rotating and glass-domed building built on top of water tanks affording the most amazing 360-degree views of the region. You can easily spend hours at this museum learning all about how the country was formed and its wildlife, walking through an ice cave, watching a planetarium show about the Northern Lights, and more. Anna joined Lauren at the Silica Hotel located at the Blue Lagoon for a three-night stay. They both used bus services to reach the hotel. Years ago, excess water from a nearby thermal plant formed pools, and these pools were filled with healing minerals that eventually became the top tourist spot in Iceland! The Silica has its own private, thermal pools along with a gym, bar, and breakfast room. The breakfast buffet was abundant and included in the rate. The hotel felt outer-worldly surrounded by lava rock, but with a very peaceful vibe. Lauren and Anna enjoyed a special day at The Retreat, the Blue Lagoon’s spa complete with a variety of body treatments, private pool access, private changing rooms, steam, sauna, cold baths, and a healthy restaurant. They also dined at Lava at the Blue Lagoon…not really to their tastes, but high-end food and service. A private guide/driver then picked them up and took them around the southern coast of the Reykanes Peninsula and through part of the Golden Circle on their way to our next stop in Selfoss. They visited the Geysir geyser and the beautiful Gullfoss Waterfalls and ended with a very special meal at Fridheimar, an actual tomato hothouse that serves delicious tomato soup. Perfect after a cold and snowy day of touring! The up-close encounter with the Icelandic horses at this farm was an added treat. They spent the next three nights at the Hotel 360 outside of Selfoss. Owners Anna and Olafur and their two precious Icelandic sheepdogs make guests feel part of the family. The mid-century modern-style hotel has 13 rooms (including connecting rooms for families) and sits atop a hill with amazing views of the nearby volcanos and valleys. They finally had clear skies one night for an amazing Northern Lights experience. A plentiful breakfast buffet is included and the nightly communal dinner was exceptional.  The hotel’s natural outdoor hot springs pool and spring-fed indoor pool contributed to a relaxing stay. They visited the growing town of Selfoss and also took a day trip into Thorsmork National Park in a super jeep. The cold weather contributed to a somewhat difficult crossing of the rivers to reach the park (they had to be towed out twice), but the views were amazing. They visited caves, glaciers, and the nearby Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. To end the trip, their private driver took them back to Reykjavik for Anna to enjoy the city for a few hours before we headed to the new and comfortable Courtyard Marriot across from the airport for their last night. Next door was a free covid testing center. They met so many wonderful people in their travels including tourists from around the world and the many foreign workers that help with Iceland’s burgeoning hospitality industry. A country of only 345,000 citizens with millions of tourists needs a little extra help. Overall they had a wonderful experience in Iceland and look forward to returning to explore more of this amazing island.

Trip Review: Xcaret Hotel

The Bortnichak Family of Yardley, PA (2 adults and 2 teens ages 14 and 18) traveled to the Riviera Maya, Mexico for winter break with a stay at the unique Hotel Xcaret.  The family said the service was amazing and they had a great time!  This deluxe property is an hour south of the Cancun airport. As it is owned by the group that also owns a variety of eco-parks in the region; so hotel guests get free access to these parks as well!  We confirmed entrance into these parks in advance through the guest services department although several parks closest to the resort do not require advanced reservations and offer regular shuttle service.  At the resort, we secured the family connecting rooms (through a shared alcove) which they said felt like having an apartment and was perfect for their needs.  The resort offers free airport bus transfers which the family said was super easy.  The resort is also strict about masking and sanitizing…the family said the resort was super clean and felt very safe.  They liked the international feel of the property and commented that the food was excellent.  We booked dining reservations for them in advance as well.  They especially enjoyed the breakfast. Despite the challenge of meeting everyone’s palate, the teens loved the Hibachi restaurant and they all enjoyed Las Playas twice for fresh grilled cuisine.  They said the buffet is ideal for any fussy eaters with a nice variety of options. The resort also features pools, rivers, beach, spa, gym, children’s program, tennis, watersports, and jungle trails.  They did not really like such early yoga (at dawn) and a lack of daily activities where their teens tend to meet other teens when they travel, but they did take advantage of visits to the parks of Xcaret, Xplor and Xel-Ha where dad and son added on a fun Seabob experience.  The power snorkel is a unique way to explore the marine life in the park’s inlet.  Overall, the family had a relaxing and fun getaway and said they appreciated our guidance for a somewhat complex resort experience.

Trip Review: Kenyan Romance

We’ve been operating The Family Traveler for more than two decades.  One of our favorite types of trips to book is honeymoons for the children that grew up with our trip planning.  A new generation making their way in the world.  We had such an opportunity with the Berman Family from Bala Cynwyd, PA with a memorable trip to Kenya.  After their Thanksgiving weekend nuptials, they set off for a 10-night safari experience through various parts of Kenya to take advantage of the diverse topography, lodging styles, and local culture.  The honeymoon started with a highlight stay at the famous Giraffe Manor located in the suburbs of Nairobi.  An ideal place to decompress from the long trip with flights through Germany.  They said their Giraffe Manor experience was unreal where they fed the resident Rothschild giraffes in the morning and evening while cozying up in the British Colonial-style manor home.  They loved chatting with the locals who worked there about the country’s culture and lifestyle; a great introduction to their stay.  They were then driven to the Loldia House in the Great Rift Valley near Lake Nakuru where they spent time animal viewing and had a lovely picnic by the lake.  The next stop was flying to the picturesque Solio Lodge for more animal viewing by jeep and on foot along with horseback riding.  This famed lodge set in a valley between the slopes of Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Mountains is also a private rhino breeding sanctuary.  A trip highlight was eating breakfast in the bush with the rhinos just a few feet away!  They said it was truly incredible.  Their last stop flew them to the Massai Mara for a tented stay at Angama Mara where animals were in abundance including elephants, lions (they saw a pride of more than a dozen), zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, cheetahs, and they even spotted an elusive leopard which they said was very exciting! Here they also took an early morning hot air balloon safari and saw hippos and giraffes from above.  A private guide showed them a bit of Nairobi before the journey home.  They let us know that the tour guides and staff at each place they stayed and each safari they went on were so incredibly genuine.  They couldn’t get enough of watching animals in the wild.  The Bermans also fell in love with the culture and learned everything they could about the beauty found in nature! In addition, they continue to be in contact with so many other wonderful travelers and honeymooners they met along the way. 

Trip Review: A Florida Getaway

The Myers family of 5 from Lower Gwynedd, PA (two adults and three boys, ages 12, 16, and 18) traveled to the all-inclusive Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port St. Lucie, Florida in August for a family getaway before their oldest left for college.  They wanted an easy-to-reach location in the U.S. that offered numerous on-site activities that didn’t require a lot of advanced planning to enjoy. To get to the resort, they flew into the Palm Beach airport and took the Club Med transfers that take about one hour.  The family stayed in a Connecting Family Superior Room with bay views.  This category offers guaranteed connecting rooms. With over 1,000 sq. ft. there was plenty of space for them all to spread out. They noted that the riverside resort had so many activities that they could all enjoy including water sports such as paddle boarding, exercise classes, bocci, and miniature golf.  The resort also showcases golf, tennis, pickleball, spa, circus program, several pools, supervised programs for infants through teens, and more. The family especially enjoyed the casino night where dad won a Texas Hold‘Em tournament!  The food at this French-owned all-inclusive got especially good reviews as well as the super nice and helpful staff.  Their only complaint was that it was evident that the resort was short-staffed as their rooms were cleaned late in the afternoon when they wanted to just shower and relax after a day in the sun. Mom mentioned that it wasn’t the fanciest resort they have ever stayed in but were appreciative of The Family Traveler’s advance notice.  Overall they all had a great time and it was just the getaway they needed.  They would definitely recommend this resort to other families.  

Trip Review: A Sadness Tour

We have booked our families on unique tours all over the world…in search of new experiences, exposure to new cultures, family histories, and more. A Sadness Tour is a new one for us, albeit very relevant during the times of COVID. Ilyse Shapiro of Wynnewood, PA found a need for such a trip which she satisfied with a visit to Chernobyl, Ukraine, and a World War II-themed group tour highlighting concentration camps throughout Germany and Poland. Ever since seeing a story on 60 Minutes over 30 years ago, Ilyse always had a vision of seeing Chernobyl.  She was intrigued by the eerie music the workers listened to and how they could only work for 90 seconds before getting contaminated with radiation. Her self-titled Sadness Tour began with a privately guided tour we arranged of this nuclear disaster site.  She learned that there is still so much radiation coming from the reactor that workers constructed an arch around it then sealed it up.  Afterward, she visited the town of Pripyat, where 45,000+ of Chernobyl’s workers lived.  Today, it is an entire town ensconced by a forest.  She visited the supermarket, movie theatre, school, amusement park, and more to get a sense of how folks lived and used a Geiger counter to test radioactivity.  In some spots, it would be low, but over sewage grates, it was quite high.  A waterfront cafe is expected to reopen in 2022 for the 70,000+ guests who visit the site every year thanks in part to the popularity of the television show of the same name.  Ilyse said that this was an amazing start to her trip – a once-in-a-lifetime experience!  Next up on her tour was a group tour with Globus.  Ilyse had previously been to Terezin outside of Prague and was eager to experience and learn more about the atrocities of the Holocaust.  Fortunately, there were only eight people on this tour (bus tours generally go out with up to 44) with a lot of free time included to explore.  Before the tour started, we arranged a private tour for Ilyse of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Treblinka concentration camp.  The tour group then visited the Auschwitz/Birkenau camps.  It was one of the worst experiences of Ilyse’s life – going from building to building where she saw a display that included two tons of women’s braids and buns, a display of walkers, crutches, and arms, and one with combs and brushes by the thousands.  Afterward were a few days of beauty to balance out the emotional toll.  The tour visited Wroclaw and Krakow in Poland and then onto the war-torn towns of Dresden, Torgau, and Berlin in Germany. Ilyse took advantage of another private tour we arranged in Berlin that examined the city’s Jewish heritage and history.  The group tour continued south to Weimar and Nuremberg.  Each town was quaint with busy squares filled with cafes where the horrors of the past were obscured.  They also visited the Buchenwald camp on a misty gray day which fit the somber mood. Next on to Munich and the Dachau camp where Ilyse learned the difference between a concentration camp and an extermination camp and how the nazis used crystal meth to stay focused and on task.  After a few days of beauty and tranquility in Munich,  it was time to go home.  Ilyse, who has traveled around the world on her own and with her family, is thankful to The Family Traveler for making this unique trip a reality.

Trip Review: Alaska Charter

Two generations of the Silverstein family of Parkland, FL and Raleigh, NC (parents and six young adults) chartered a boat to sail through the Inside Passage of Alaska in June.  They love the all-inclusive aspect of this style of travel and being able to customize their vacation experience.  Their rate included all meals and beverages, excursions, fishing gear, land transfers, and hotel stays before and after the sailing.  Plus a captain, crew, chef, and guide.  Their home for 6 nights was the Alaskan Story, a 90 ft. yacht that sleeps 10 with all en-suite cabins.  The ship is fully stocked with salt-water fishing gear for catching both salmon and halibut, crab and shrimp pots, a 17’ Boston Whaler, and three double kayaks for a nice variety of adventures.  They also found a tranquil area for stand-up paddleboarding.  The ship sailed from Juneau to Sitka through the Tongass National Forest in scenic Southeast Alaska and anchored in calm areas each night.  The family spent a few nights at the end of the trip in Sitka where they hiked to the Fortress of the Bear and explored the Raptor Center.  They also enjoyed a beer brewery, shopped for souvenirs, and found the best breakfast at the Mean Queen where they ended up eating most of their Sikta meals.  Highlights of the trip were putting down and raising the crab and shrimp traps which were both so delicious and thoroughly enjoyed for the next two days.  They mentioned that the shrimp they caught was the biggest they have ever seen!  Wildlife abounded. Some special experiences they had were seeing a mother bear and her two cubs while hiking and a mother seal and her baby pups while the ship was sailing.  They also took a variety of hikes and saw many glaciers.  Overall this delayed trip to celebrate one of their special birthdays was well worth the wait and the extensive travel to get to and from Southern Alaska.