Tip! I hope you will always remember to plan for your Family Vacations each year. .The last thing you want later in life is regretting that you never took the time to spend with your family

It’s Time for a Family Vacation….Don’t let another year pass
you by without taking a Family Vacation !

Many People are quick to come up with excuses why they
shouldn’t take a Family Vacation each year.
Don’t allow yourself to become one of those people.

Family Vacations are not just an idea to lower your bank
account….Family Vacations are beneficial in a lot of different
ways. Here are 5 reasons why you should plan a Family Vacation
each and every year.

~You DESERVE it ! That is the number one reason for taking a
Family Vacation. Give yourself the permission to take the time
off of work and have some fun with your family. Statistics show
that giving yourself a break and getting away from your job for
some fun can actually increase your productivity when you
return. You will feel better about yourself and have a fresh
mind

~Strengthening Your Family Bond….this is without a doubt a
very important reason for taking a Family Vacation. Isn’t that
why you work hard in the first place, so you can be
a good provider and a good role model for your children. Taking
time off to play and enjoy life with your children can teach
your children a very important lesson…..They Learn how to
Enjoy Life !

Tip! Keep your vacation planning information in one place. Create a labeled file folder (’Hawaii Vacation’) and use it to keep your airline, hotel, car rental information, as well as maps or AAA guide books, tourist information, contact information for people you know in that city, etc.

~Time Flies When Your Having Fun ! Although we don’t want life
to pass us by so quickly, we must treasure every moment we have
with our children. Before you know it your children
will be grown and gone. Think about all the memories you will
be making on your Family Vacations. Your children will take
these memories along with them on their life’s journey.
Building memories while you have the opportunity
is another very important reason for taking a Family Vacation.

~Priceless….That’s what Family Vacations Are! The time you
spend together as a family is priceless. Don’t let money be an
issue or an excuse. There are so many Family Vacation Spots
that fit into everyone’s budget. Every vacation doesn’t have to
be a High Dollar Event. Save up for the Big vacations and plan
some less expensive ones in the years between, but Never
deny yourself or your family an annual vacation.

Tip! Family Vacations are not just an idea to lower your bank account….Family Vacations are beneficial in a lot of different ways.

~Lastly, We all want our children to perform well in school and
enjoy learning… Family Vacations , while being a lot of fun
can also be educational. The world is an open book there is
so much to explore, so why not explore it with your family.

As you read through these reasons, I hope you will always
remember to plan for your Family Vacations each year. .The
last thing you want later in life is regretting that you never
took the time to spend with your family and that you never
helped build those lasting memories

Happy Planning !

Sue Lattrelle

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Tip! Family Vacations are not just an idea to lower your bank account….Family Vacations are beneficial in a lot of different ways.

Ask anyone who knows anything about Walt Disney World and they will tell you, “Don’t go there in the middle of the summer!” Why not? Because it’s hot and crowded. And when I say hot, I mean really hot (90+ degrees combined with 80% humidity). And when I say crowded, I mean really crowded (long lines in which you can wait more than an hour). Add to that the sudden summer thunder storms that will get you twice as soaked as anyone on Splash Mountain and the conclusion is obvious, don’t come to Disney World in the summer.

The local experts are all agreed. They say with somewhat arrogant confidence, “Do Disney World in the Spring, it’s lovely,” or “come visit in October, the weather is perfect,” or, “plan your vacation for early December, there are no lines whatsoever.”

“Yeah, right,” you say, “no problem.” But, actually, it is a problem because summer is the only time for most families to plan a Disney World vacation. That is the time when the kids are out of school. Unless your children are geniuses and their school is very lenient, it is a bad idea to take them out of school long enough to go to Disney World. This fact is, of course, the reason why it is so crowded during the summer.

Tip! Keep your vacation planning information in one place. Create a labeled file folder (’Hawaii Vacation’) and use it to keep your airline, hotel, car rental information, as well as maps or AAA guide books, tourist information, contact information for people you know in that city, etc.

Well, I’m one Floridian who says, “come on down,” even in July! You’ll have a great time because despite the problems mentioned above, nobody handles crowds and lines better than Disney. You only need to do two things in order to make your trip pleasurable. First, prepare yourself for the weather and second, make a plan to beat the crowds.

Preparing for the rain and hot, humid weather is simple:
1. Carry a poncho and/or umbrella.
2. Dress in light comfortable clothes; definitely no denim.
3. Plan on buying cold treats during the day like ice cream and frozen lemonade.
4. There are also several rides and shows in air conditioning; visit these in the hottest time of day (also good places to keep dry).
5. You may even choose to bring a water misting fan to keep cool (especially at Animal Kingdom where there are fewer air conditioned attractions).

Tip! I don’t know why Lyon is not included in more vacation plans. It’s a great city for tourists and a perfect stop on your vacation trip on the way from Paris to the sophisticated beach life of the South of France.

Your personal plan to beat the crowds will take a little more effort. Most people who go to Disney World just “wander” from one attraction to the next in order. They may skip things that don’t interest them but generally move clockwise or counter clockwise around the park. This seems logical, it saves wear and tear on the feet, but it creates long lines at the more popular attractions. Understanding where and when the lines build up is the key to creating your own itinerary. With this knowledge, you will definitely add a lot more walking to your trip by crossing the park and backtracking a few times each day. However, with this strategy, you can cut down the time you spend in line considerably.

It would take a book to include all the information you might need to cut down your time in lines (actually, there are several good books available on this subject), but some of the best tips are these:
1. Arrive at opening time and do the favorite rides first (by an hour after opening, lines at certain rides are unreasonable).
2. Get a fast pass (an appointment for later in the day that allows you to skip to the front of the line!).
3. Actually leave the park early in the afternoon (when it’s most crowded) and return early in the evening (when many people are leaving).
4. Do the most popular rides during the parades, the lines are usually much shorter then.

Tip! I hope you will always remember to plan for your Family Vacations each year. .The last thing you want later in life is regretting that you never took the time to spend with your family

Some people balk at the idea of following an itinerary on vacation. They believe it stifles the fun of being spontaneous. However nothing stifles fun more than spending hours in line and then staring at the guide map trying to decide, “what should we do next?”

Being prepared for the Florida weather and a well-thought out plan with some built in flexibility will allow you to have a wonderful vacation to Disney World even at the height of summer.

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Tip! Family Vacations are not just an idea to lower your bank account….Family Vacations are beneficial in a lot of different ways.

There are 700 reasons to plan a Bahamas vacation for your family. The 700 Islands of the Bahamas form a 500 mile archipelago, and everyone of them is a reason to take the family to this island paradise.

The Bahamas are only a short distance from South Florida, and offer many affordable opportunities for an island adventure.

One of the most fun is the Atlantis resort, located on Paradise Island across from Nassau. It boasts eleven exhibit lagoons, with over 200 species of beautiful tropical fish including a predator lagoon alive with sharks, barracudas, and stingrays. There are eleven pools including a children’s pool, and a seven-acre snorkeling lagoon. This resort basically contains a water park within it. There is a one-fourth mile long lazy river ride for tubing. In addition, there is a five-story Mayan temple with five water slides. You can also visit an archeological dig on this resort that contains ruins from the lost city of Atlantis. The resort also has seventeen restaurants.

While in Nassau on your Bahamas vacation, be sure to visit the Pirates of Nassau, an interactive pirate adventure right in the middle of town. You’ll board the pirate ship “Revenge” and come face to face with some real pirates. Your kids will love the experience! The marketplace in Nassau is great, too. You’ll be able to purchase local handicrafts here. Be sure to negotiate on the price; it’s expected.

Tip! The top business concern among business owners with vacation plans is that an important client or customer won’t receive proper service followed by worries over who will run the company while they’re away and missed opportunities for new business. Other concerns include: technological problems, security and sick staff.

Freeport, on Grand Bahama Island, is another great Bahamas vacation destination. Consider staying at the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach hotel while in Freeport. This is a very kid friendly hotel. Organized activities are available every day for kids ages 4-12. While the kids are having fun in these activities, the parents can go on their grownup adventures without sacrificing the kids’ vacation fun. Freeport offers many water adventures for the whole family, including the chance to swim with dolphins in their natural habitat.

While visiting Freeport on your Bahamas vacation, be sure to take your kids to “People to People.” This activity allows your children to meet and play with Bahamian children. If you have never snorkeled, Freeport is also a great place for you and your children to learn. The water is clear and blue and the fish are plentiful. Snorkeling together as a family is a great way to experience the sealife.

For families who like hiking, don’t miss the five-mile long Heritage Trail. The terrain is easy to traverse. You will see see over 30 species of plant life, 18 different kinds of birds and 7 species of butterfly. You will also get to view the remains of “The Hermitage,” the oldest intact building on Grand Bahama.

Tip! I don’t know why Lyon is not included in more vacation plans. It’s a great city for tourists and a perfect stop on your vacation trip on the way from Paris to the sophisticated beach life of the South of France.

The Bahamas is a wonderful island paradise where families can relax together. There are still 698 other reasons to plan your Bahamas vacation. We’ll leave those for another time, but don’t wait until you hear those reasons. If you do, you’ll miss a great opportunity for a wonderful family adventure.

Copyright by Earl Calvert, 2006 - All rights reserved.

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