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Explore!
May 2005
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| Greetings!
Summer is upon us! I've just returned from New York where I had the opportunity to promote FamilyTravel.com and the Family Travel Adventure Collection via a satellite television and radio tour. I also met with several travel industry colleagues and we all agree. It will be a great summer for travel! The current research affirms that family reunions and multigeneration travel will be big this year. So get planning yours now! We have some tips for you here as well as suggested outings for you from our Adventure partners. As we add members to our partner group and provide more tales from the trails and byways, you'll only have difficulty choosing which trip to take first!
Lynn O'Rourke Hayes and Pam Plesons
| It's a Reunion: Surviving The Relatives! |
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 Go ahead. Admit it! You love your extended family, but you're not sure how you're going to survive an entire vacation with them. These simple tips will help you enjoy your reunion trip as you keep your cool! Here's how: Keep it light. Your reunion vacation is not the time to criticize your daughter's parenting skills or your brother- in-law's career choice. Give the youngsters a little leeway and let them work out their own squabbles whenever possible.
Take a break. Everyone doesn't need to be together every minute. Separate cars for each family helps. Arrange for a responsible babysitter (or an older niece) to watch the kids while the adults enjoy some time on their own. Schedule a morning for each family to go off to explore. Take the little kids one place while another adult chaperones the older ones. Come together at dinner and share your adventures.
Get ready to compromise. Everyone in your group will have to adjust their vacation styles and expectations to make your reunion a success. Maybe you'd rather camp than stay in the hotel. Perhaps you'd prefer a beach rather than a five-star mountain resort. Be prepared to abide by group consensus, and remember that you're here to celebrate family! Communicate clearly when it comes to how much babysitting Grandma is willing to do, how many treats the kids may have, and who's allowed to discipline the children. Nothing can derail a reunion faster than hurt feelings. Focus on what you love about one another, and stay positive. Before you know it, your reunion will be just a pleasant memory.
Planning tip: Did you know that rental car companies like Budget provide discounts for family groups? They even provide a 24 - hour help line to assist in getting the details right!
Read more! »
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| Share the Moment -- Adventure Bonding |
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 I have found that an active adventure trip is a great way to bond with your children at any age. In recent years, we've paddled through Minnesota's Boundary Waters, hiked and rafted through the Grand Canyon, hiked, skied and fished in the Colorado Rockies and traversed Idaho's Salmon River via kayak.
This year we're off to Peru to trek the Inca Trail and explore the Amazon!
Don't stay home! Pack up the kids, spin the globe and go!
- Lynn O'Rourke Hayes
Find your adventure here! »
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| Sea Kayak Adventures Invites Teens to Paddle the Inside Passage! |
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| Picture yourself paddling the sheltered orca waters of Canada's Inside Passage, feasting on baked salmon and relaxing next to a campfire under the stars. Or imagine hiking through a lush rain forest, where bald eagles dot the trees overhead. Sea Kayak Adventures is now offering this wonderful trip for families with teens. Words cannot describe the excitement and beauty you'll feel watching a powerful but gentle orca whale as its six-foot dorsal fin pierces the water's surface. Or, the experience of witnessing a dolphin's exclusive aerial show within a paddle's reach of your kayak.
Located in British Columbia, Johnstone Strait is the best place in the world to observe wild orcas (known as killer whales for their voracious consumption of fish). These sleek ebony and ivory mammals with their huge dorsal fins congregate in this breathtaking locale every summer to feed in the salmon-rich waters. The trip highlight is viewing orcas from the comfort of a stable kayak and listening to their vocalizations from a hydrophone. Experienced guides will focus on maximizing your opportunities for observing orcas and sharing their knowledge of whale behavior.
Don't miss this opportunity to bond with your teen family members and friends July 31-Aug 5, 2005. According to the experts at Sea Kayak Adventures there no experience necessary! Just come ready for fun and adventure. For more information call 800-616-1943 or 208-765-3116 or visit their web site at www.seakayakadventures.com
- Lynn O'Rourke Hayes
Check out the Family Adventure Travel Collection Now! |
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email: lohayes@familytravel.com
voice: 480.556.6266
web: http://www.familytravel.com
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