Serafina Mystery
The Grand Bohemian Hotel, located in Asheville, N.C.’s historic Biltmore Village, is offering mystery fans the Serafina Package, inspired by The New York Times bestselling Serafina series 
by author Robert Beatty. The historical mystery-thriller novels, which take place in the mountains and forests around Asheville, center around a 12-year-old girl who lives secretly in the basement of Biltmore Estate. The package, which will run through the end of the year, includes a signed copy of the newest book, Serafina and the Twisted Staff; overnight accommodations; two tickets to Biltmore Estate; complimentary gourmet breakfast for two children ages 16 and under in Grand Bohemian’s Red Stag Grill; two coupons for complimentary scoops of Serafina Dark Forest Flavor ice cream from The Hop ice cream cafe; and an adventure map that provides a guide to Serafina’s Mountains, helping children explore the young heroine’s world. Mystery solved!
Ski Telluride
Skiers will appreciate the Ultimate Franz Klammer Lodge Ski Package at the Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz 
Klammer Lodge in Telluride, CO. It includes accommodations in a spacious two- or three-bedroom luxury residence, two adult daily lift tickets (excluding arrival day), complimentary round-trip airport transfers from Montrose or Telluride airports, valet parking, and ski valet. The package is available from November 24, 2016 to April 2, 2017 with a four-night minimum stay. The property features 63 units, spa, outdoor heated pool and hot tubs and game room. It is steps away from a variety of Telluride dining and shopping options and walking distance to the gondola.
Every Kid in a Park Returns
The Obama Administration recently announced that Every Kid in a Park has returned for its second year.
The program offers free park entry to the country’s fourth graders. Visit the Every Kid in a Park website to obtain a free pass that provides access to federally managed lands and waters – including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries. The pass is valid from September 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017, and grants free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire non-commercial vehicle for drive-in parks) at more than 2,000 sites across the country! This program is an Administration-wide effort between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Army, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Education and will continue each year with each new class of fourth graders.
College Visits to Boston
We are booking many of our families on college exploration tours with their high schoolers (as we now have two in
college and one high school senior!). Our packages include airfare, car rentals, convenient hotels and route planning. It’s such an exciting yet stressful time for families; so having a well-planned and organized trip can really make the difference (we just let you take care of the tours at each school). More hotels are throwing out special rates and packages for such an occasion that also give you time to enjoy the college locales. For example, in Boston where there are over 50 institutions of higher learning, the Commonwealth Hotel offers a College Visit Package. It includes your room, two Fenway Park tour tickets, reference book on fun Boston vocabulary slang to prepare you for your Boston years ahead, a $20 gift card to New England’s own Dunkin’ Donuts, a Boston map with local hot spots, and a 20 percent discount for graduation year 2020.
Sunny Isles for Families
Available through October 1st the Family Escape package from the upscale Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles Beach includes your room, daily buffet breakfast for two (or four when you book a 2-bedroom suite), kids club 
access, a $40 spa credit for up to two adults toward a body or facial treatment, daily valet parking and internet access. This 98-room Florida resort (5-Diamond AAA and a Leading Hotels of the World member) features a unique and educational marine science program for children ages 5-12 called AcquaMarine. It uses a variety of educational hands-on activities that are also streamed on-line for parents (and approved family members). Family friendly activities abound including magic shows and balloon twister for kids, art and hip hop dance classes for teens, and tennis and nearby golf for adults. There is also a gym, fitness classes, several pools, beach butlers, cabana rentals, restaurants and more.
Family Adventure in Chicago
Through the end of the year, The James Chicago is offering their lil’ james Family Adventurer package 
where you can explore the best Chicago sights and culture with James-curated, family activities and destinations. Receive up to 20 percent off your stay along with a welcome amenity from Seedling, a company offering creative activity kits to spark your child’s imagination. Families also receive special amenities such as milk and cookie turn-down; a wide selection of books and classic board games; complimentary car service within the downtown area and free bike rentals with helmets. You will also get maps and guides for family adventures around the city. The James has 297 rooms, studios, one bedroom apartments and unique loft suites. The loft suite has two separate sleeping areas and includes a private media room with HD DVD projector with a selection of movies available through the hotel concierge. The modern hotel, located a block from the Magnificent Mile, also showcases a spa, steakhouse and complimentary internet.
Mini Manhattan Project
Enjoy a family week-end in New York City with the Mandarin Oriental New York’s Mini Manhattan package 
that includes a complimentary children’s welcome amenity, two $50 gift cards, one-hour carriage ride through Central Park with pick-up at the hotel, $100 food and beverage credit daily and internet access with at least a two-night stay. Young travelers are also invited to tailor their own adventure and explore the hotel’s MO Panda Club. Just launched this month, this exclusive kids program features Pocket Panda, a whimsical paper cutout character inspired by MiniMO the Panda. Children ages four to 16 can embark on a sightseeing and photography quest alongside Pocket Panda, and enjoy a selection of welcome amenities, immersive on-property experiences as well as access to some of the city’s top attractions. Children will also get a list of must-visit attractions to take their photo with him, which is curated seasonally with Art Smart, designers of personalized museum tours.
Legoland VIPs
Families headed to Legoland California Resort can now enjoy front-of-the-line access, a personal host for 
the day and more with the Ultimate Overnight VIP package. The deal also includes one-day admission to Legoland and Sea Life Aquarium, an overnight stay in a Legoland hotel suite with VIP check-in, turn-down service with bedtime storytelling, a photo package, a character escort to breakfast, lunch, valet parking and a special gift from the resort. Your family can also upgrade to include the Water Park VIP Experience for an additional $100 per person. Legoland recently opened Ninjago World, which features several new interactive attractions and its very own Ninja Kitchen restaurant.
Flying High in Scottsdale
The Phoenician, Arizona’s premier AAA Five Diamond resort destination, has partnered with I.FLY Trapeze to 
bring a one-of-a-kind, high-flying adventure to the desert. From October 2016 to April 2017, the property will offer 90-minute trapeze classes every Tuesday-Sunday at the recreational center known as The Park. Under the guidance of I.FLY instructors, you will learn timing and techniques for swinging, locking legs on a bar and completing the celebrated wrist-to-wrist catch. Each session, at $70 per person, is offered to individuals 4 years of age and older. Group packages and workshops are also available which is ideal for family reunions and families traveling together. The resort will also showcase complimentary shows – with all the pageantry of a Big Top performance — presented by the I.FLY team and select students. The Phoenician has 583 rooms along with 60 suites at The Canyon Suites property. There are plenty of great dining options, golf, tennis, pools, spa, children programs, bikes, playground, iScavenger Hunts (with your cell phone), art tours and more.
Urban Adventure Quest
For 28 seasons one of our favorite television shows The Amazing Race has followed teams around the world who compete for a million-dollar prize by completing various tasks. Your family can experience your own version of this travel competition through Urban Adventure Quest with a fun and educational way to explore a small city or a particular area of a larger one. The company now has 43 tours in 33 cities across the U.S. plus Vancouver, British Columbia. Using your smartphones to receive clues, you will embark on adventures to find specific locations where you need to answer questions, solve puzzle and complete challenges, all while earning points and competing virtually against other teams. Throughout the course of the race, you will visit famous sights, discover hidden gems and learn facts about the history and culture. Once your teams is registered, you can play on any day and time that is convenient for you. Or even split up into multiple teams and compete against each other. In addition, pricing is per team of two to five players; so a whole family can play for $49 for a two- to three-hour experience or $30 for a Mini Quest. With 86,000 players and counting, Urban Adventure Quest is a great way for families with children of all ages to explore a new city or even learn more about your own hometown!
