Posts from 2007
By guest blogger Sarah Gagnon
Timeshares are becoming more and more popular; however, the long-standing stigma surrounding them still exists. There are plenty of voices in the travel industry talking about the positives and negatives of vacation property ownership and it is easy to get confused. Here are the ins and outs of the industry, the market and usage opportunities. Also, some helpful tips in case you are interested in taking advantage of the potential benefits of vacation real estate ownership.
Timeshares aren't evil. In fact, many people find that they are innovative, useful and valuable. That does not mean one shouldn't use caution when considering ownership. The concept of timesharing is inherently helpful, but the same cannot be said for every individual out there trying to make money. This is where the timeshare reputation has suffered in the past, and - although things are improving - continues to suffer today.
Timeshare history: As the timeshare industry struggled to progress in the 1970s and 80s, scams were recurrent and the bad name stuck. However, as associations like ARDA began to step in and refine the process and the amount of scamming dramatically decreased.
Resorts: Resorts are one type of timeshare and unfortunately, many resorts entice travelers into buying timeshare by using high-pressure sales tactics and deceitful information at very long, uncomfortable presentations. Furthermore, resort rates are high due to their large-scale advertising campaigns.
Resales: But there is good news about timeshares. The reason so many people still prefer vacation property ownership is that there are relatively easy ways to avoid the risks of buying timeshare. The most important way is to buy resale.
Timeshare resales can offer vacation value:
- Low cost, often thousands less than resort prices
- Private sales - no scams, no pressure, no falsehoods
- Timeshare resale companies present the very same property that resorts do
- These timeshare resellers also staff licensed brokers and closing companies to assist you
- Resale Web sites allow you to search at your own pace and find what is right for you
Timeshare resales aren't perfect. But you can potentially save a ton of money and avoid headaches provided you take the same precautions anyone would when purchasing property. Timeshare resales basically succeed everywhere that timeshare resorts fail.
Timeshare resale benefits: For the money, resales are incredibly effective. You can also find good deals and timesharing can be less expensive than hotels. Furthermore, you don't have to worry about accumulating day-to-day bills. You own the timeshare, so you have a vacation every year already paid for. To sweeten the pot a little more, you can use exchange companies to trade your property and travel all over the world. All in all, if you want to vacation with freedom and flexibility while enjoying low cost and luxury, timeshare resales are something to look into.
Guest blogger Sarah Gagnon, M.A., works for Sell My Timeshare Now, a resale company, and is also known as the "Travel Lady-Bug."
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By guest blogger Jacquelin Carnegie
On a group trip, even when you're traveling with family and friends, you usually find the good, the bad and the unexpected. The good—you make a new friend. The bad—one annoying person drives everybody insane. The unexpected—you visit a destination or attraction you never would have discovered on your own that blows your mind.
No matter where you go, any great trip begins with smart planning. Here are some tips to consider as you get your family, friends or wedding party ready for a trip together:
Test drive the group: Your wild friend Bob and crazy Uncle Larry may be fun to hang out with on a Saturday night but they might drive everyone nuts during a two-week trip. Before spending a vacation together, try a long-weekend group trip to see what the dynamics are like. Then, plan accordingly.
Set ground rules: It is very important to make the "ground rules" crystal clear at the beginning of the trip. It helps to have them written down and handed out (even to your family members). Ground rules can include how costs are divided up, daily departure times, who’s responsible for driving, etc.
Timing is everything: When traveling as a group, the "on-time" issue usually causes the most friction. Invariably, one or two people are always late for the morning blast-off and/or wander off at stops and are nowhere to be found when it’s time to hit the road again. Nip this situation in the bud immediately! It’s not only annoying but unfair to the rest of the group.
If a gentle (or harsh) reprimand doesn’t work, a) assign an on-time "buddy" to the person (this task can be rotated among the group members); b) simply state that the car/van/bus will take off at the appointed time and persistent latecomers will be responsible for getting to the next stop on their own. (You can put this in the ground rules memo.)
Schedule downtime: Don’t let the desire to see everything blind you to the need for daily downtime. Be sure to plan for time to relax by the pool and/or change clothes back at the hotel.
Staying connected: Even on vacation, we are all so attached to our need to check e-mail. Find out in advance from your hotels if there’s a WiFi connection in the rooms or if there’s a business center for those who don’t have or don’t want to bring a laptop. Also, check if there is a hotel "hotspot" charge to access the internet.
Provide options: You may love your family and group of friends, but spending every waking moment together for a week or two can be trying. Plan optional activities and restaurant choices so individuals or smaller groups can branch off on their own.
Activity options could include a choice of museum hopping, shopping or a sports activity. For restaurant choices, contact your hotels in advance and get three good restaurant suggestions for each place you’ll stop for meals. You might wind up eating together anyway, but it's good to provide choices for those who might need a break from a little too much togetherness!
Jacquelin Carnegie is a contributing travel editor to Accent magazine. For the past 15 years, she has covered international travel destinations for both consumer and business publications.
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By guest blogger Jacquelin Carnegie
Germany is a wonderful place to visit for anyone who loves art, architecture, culture and history. It's also a bike rider's paradise. On a group trip with your friends, family or wedding party, there's plenty to do and see in every region of Germany.
Bike, Art and Culture - Here are some ideas for places to visit with a focus on art and architecture. You can tour these areas by bike (it's easy to rent bikes locally) or by car:
Focus on Art - Muenster and Kassel:
- If you and your group of friends or family members love contemporary art, there’s a "solar art eclipse" taking place in the Westphalia region (until the end of September 2007). In Kassel, documenta 12, a prestigious, contemporary art exhibition—like the Venice Biennale—takes place every five years and the Muenster Sculpture Project takes place every 10 years—see them both now! (Trains linking Muenster and Kassel take about two hours.)
- Muenster is a lovely town with cobblestone streets, historic buildings and charming churches. The Sculpture Project is not in a museum but strategically-placed throughout the town. You can tour the sculptures with a knowledgeable guide on a bike or walking tour. Even when the Sculpture Project is not taking place, it’s worth a trip to Muenster. This university town is full of pubs, restaurants and year-round cultural events. Be sure to sample some local beer at Muenster’s oldest brewery, Brauerei Pinkus and enjoy regional specialties at the oldest restaurant, Gasthaus Leve. In the surrounding countryside of Muensterland, there are 100 castles to be viewed on a bike tour or by car.
- Hotels: In Muenster – Stadthotel; Hotel Feldmann. In the countryside - Hotel Hof zur Linde; Hotel Schloss Wilkinghege. In Kassel – During documenta, there are special hotel package deals.
Focus on Industrial Design - The Rhur Region:
- The Ruhrgebiet area has transformed sites from its former industrial past—steel mills, coal mines, gas tanks--into incredible venues for art exhibitions and other leisure and cultural activities. As a result, the area has been named European Capital of Culture 2010.
- In Essen, the Zeche Zollverein, a former coal mine, is now a UNESCO world heritage site and a vibrant arts center with space for emerging artists and an outstanding showcase for design at the Red Dot Design Museum. You and your group can hike or bike around the site as well as have a great lunch in the Zollverein Casino.
- In Oberhausen, the Gasometer at CentrO used to store gas for the steelworks. An installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude made the site popular for unique art exhibitions.
- Other cultural highlights in the area include Essen's Folkwang Museum (its fabulous collection is currently in the Villa HĂĽgel). In Duisburg, stroll along the lovely Inner Harbor. The Lehmbruck Museum is a must-see, then head for Landscape Park on the grounds of the former Meiderich Ironworks, now an entertainment and recreational center. The Ruhrgebiet tourism office can help arrange tours for your group. If you'd like to discover the area on your own by bike, the RuhrTalRadweg is a signposted trail or your group can do an organized bike tour.
- Hotel: Castle Westerholt is a lovely and convenient base to use for visiting the region.
Focus on Medieval Architecture – Lower Saxony:
- The Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) region of Germany is a treasure trove of half-timbered architecture (similar to Tudor style with strips of horizontal, vertical and diagonal wood framing on the houses). One of the most picturesque spots is Hannoversch Münden, located at the juncture of three rivers—Werra, Fulda and Weser—it has over 700 half-timbered buildings centuries old. The town is on a few incredibly scenic routes that your group can tour via bike or car including the Fairy Tale Route and the Framework Road.
- Hotels: Try Hotel Alter Packhof.
Focus on Modern Art and Architecture – Düsseldorf:
- DĂĽsseldorf: Although people often come here on business, anyone who loves art and architecture should definitely put DĂĽsseldorf on their travel itinerary. First, it is situated on a lovely stretch of the Rhine River lined with magnificent buildings such as Neuer Zollhof by Frank Gehry and William Alsop's Colorium that have made Media Harbour a hot spot for architecture. Next, DĂĽsseldorf has outstanding museums (Kunst means art): the Kunst Palast features old masters, contemporary art and a fantastic glass collection. K20 displays 20th century masterpieces and K21, cutting-edge contemporary art of the 21st century, while KIT (Kunst im Tunnel) is a unique exhibit space for emerging artists and the Hetjens Museum features ceramics.
- After all that museum-hopping, you and your group of family and friends might need to recover with a cold brew. The best place to taste test DĂĽsseldorf's famous Altbier is in Altstadt, the charming old section of town with more than 260 bars and restaurants.
- If you like, do some designer shopping along the tree-lined boulevard Königsallee and have a tasty meal in one of the all-glass restaurants along the riverside such as the Cafe Curtiz or the Lido with a view of Media Harbour.
- But don't leave the area without a visit to the splendid Insel Hoimbroich, art pavilions in a nature preserve and the adjacent Langen Foundation, a stunning museum for Japanese art designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando.
- The DĂĽsseldorf tourism office can arrange any kind of biking, city or cultural tour for your group.
- Hotels in DĂĽsseldorf: Lindner Hotel Rhein Residence; Sir & Lady Astor Hotel; Carat Hotel.
- Arrival: All the above regions can be easily reached from DĂĽsseldorf. Delta, LTU and Lufthansa have direct flights from several U.S. gateways, as well as flights to Berlin. In Germany, there's an excellent train network between cities; you can even get your tickets before you leave through RailEurope.
Focus on Culture and History - Berlin:
- No trip to Germany would be complete without visiting Berlin. Not only is it a major European city, its also become a trendy spot for contemporary art. East and West Berlin now form one huge, fascinating urban scene. But you can get anywhere in a jiffy in the excellent subway system (U-Bahn and S-Bahn). If your group prefers biking, there are several biking tours or you can just rent a bike and pedal around on your own.
Sightseeing highlights include: The Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and the Holocaust Memorial: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, designed by internationally-renowned architect Peter Eisenman. Sections of the Berlin Wall that still stand, with landmark status, have become a canvas for modern graffiti art. There are museums galore and contemporary art lovers can tour hot, new galleries with Go Art! Berlin.
- For an authentic cabaret experience, spend an evening at the Bar Jeder Vernunft. For trendy nightlife, the East Berlin neighborhoods of Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg are the new hip spots, filled with twenty-somethings partying to all hours at the clubs.
- Classical music fans will also be in seventh-heaven here as there are three opera houses and eight symphony orchestras; the Berlin Philharmonic is considered one of the world's best.
- Berlin even has two zoos—one in the East and one in the West. In fact, your group should spend some nights in a hotel in East Berlin and some nights in West Berlin to fully experience this marvelous city.
- Hotels: In East Berlin - Juncker's Hotel, a small, friendly place with great breakfasts; in West Berlin - Steigenberger Hotel, a pleasant spot in the heart of the shopping district.
The tourism offices in all these places can help you arrange any kind of group trip—city tours, bike tours, museum visits. Almost everyone in Germany speaks English and those that don't will still make every effort to help you. In Germany, it isn't just the art and culture that shines, even the sparkling-clean restrooms are impressive! So, no excuses. Get your group organized for a great journey to Germany.
Jacquelin Carnegie is a Contributing Travel Editor to Accent magazine. For the past 15 years, she has covered international travel destinations for both consumer and business publications.
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A playground for outdoor trekkers, golfers and beach loungers, the Hawaiian island of Maui attracts families, friends and romantics to her beaches, lush mountains, renowned golf courses and rugged volcanic crater. Discover with your group why Conde Nast Traveler dubbed Maui the best Pacific island for the 16th straight year and ranked Maui number two for all destinations in the world in 2006.
Activities Galore
Watch the sunrise atop 10,000-foot Haleakala Crater and bike down to the Pacific Ocean from its rim. Try fishing, whale watching, snorkeling, surfing or parasailing off the coast of Lahaina or go hiking in the West Maui Mountains. With Maui being home to authentic ranches and rodeos, you can also opt for a horseback riding tour from a ranch along trails that lead to the beach. Kids will enjoy the Maui Ocean Center, largest tropical reef aquarium in the world, where turtles, sharks and other marine creatures swim, play and eat. Golfers have their pick of world-class golf courses on Maui. And you won't get a true sense of the Aloha State without feasting at a luau or taking in a Polynesian show.
Land Adventures
Trek around Haleakala National Park, one of only a few of national parks in Hawaii. Near Haleakala tumble the Wailua Falls where hikers can stop and picnic near the oasis. Drive the road to Hana, a stunning road trip with winding paths carving around steep cliffs. Bring your camera and sense of adventure. The road to Hana cuts through lush mountains with unparalleled ocean vistas, but the curvy road is infamous for turning some passengers (and drivers) into white-knucklers. Maui is also home to authentic rodeos, ranches and cowboys, so saddle up at a ranch for a horseback riding tour through hills or along a beach. Maui Ocean Center, largest reef aquarium in the world, is a perfect way to entertain the water-logged kids. Visit Lahaina's art galleries, shops, boutiques and craft displays after eating at Lahaina's many restaurants.
Golfing
Maui is consistently ranked one of the best golf destinations in the world, plus host to professional tournaments. Kapalua and Wailea golf courses draw more skilled golfers, but all levels can enjoy the links at over 15 courses around the Valley Island. Nearby neighboring island of Lanai (easily accessible by boat) also offers two championship golf courses in private, tranquil luxury. Want more relaxing golf? Try golfing on jungle-dense Molokai, with two golf courses, one by the sea and another in the deep woods. No tee times or golf pros. Just ample time to perfect your swing.
Water Sports
Snorkeling. Surfing. Parasailing. Fishing. Whale watching. Scuba diving. Maui offers numerous ways to enjoy the Pacific. Take a surfing lesson or just hit the waves from Lahaina. Try windsurfing near Kahului. Numerous tours offer whale-watching and snorkeling adventures, often to nearby crescent-shaped Molokini island where you can snorkel around the reefs, then head to another area to snorkel with sea turtles and peer at colorful coral. Many tours also boat past schools of bottlenose dolphins and spinner dolphins to find them leaping and twisting as if playfully putting on a show.
Beaches
Maui boasts an array of beaches for every taste. Kaanapali Beach is a long white stretch of sand for beachcombers, snorkelers and swimmers. Other popular beaches include Big Beach in Makena, Black Rock near Kaanapali for renowned coral snorkeling, Black Sand Beach, Changs Beach, Hana Bay, Hamoa Beach, HA Baldwin Beach Park and many more rocky and sandy shores.
Best of the Web for Maui, Hawaii
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If you're putting together vacation plans with friends or family, there are great resources online for researching destinations, activities and attractions. Many state tourism sites offer travel ideas for where to go and how to entertain your group; quality sites have practical information, beautiful photos, give an accurate glimpse of what to expect from visiting the area, and are easy to navigate.
In alphabetical order, here are links to the official tourism websites for all 50 states:
Alabama;
Alaska;
Arizona;
Arkansas;
California;
Colorado;
Connecticut;
Delaware;
Florida;
Georgia;
Hawaii;
Idaho;
Illinois;
Indiana;
Iowa;
Kansas;
Kentucky;
Louisiana;
Maine;
Maryland;
Massachusetts;
Michigan;
Minnesota;
Mississippi;
Missouri;
Montana;
Nebraska;
Nevada;
New Hampshire;
New Jersey;
New Mexico;
New York;
North Carolina;
North Dakota;
Ohio;
Oklahoma;
Oregon;
Pennsylvania;
Rhode Island;
South Carolina;
South Dakota;
Tennessee;
Texas;
Utah;
Vermont;
Virginia;
Washington;
West Virginia;
Wisconsin;
Wyoming
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By guest blogger Leah Mayor, PhD
Volunteering abroad can be one of the most rewarding travel experiences. Choosing a pre-organized group trip means valuable knowledge, resources, and information will be available to help you integrate and immerse yourself in a new destination.
After living and volunteering abroad for more than three years in different countries as well as conducting years of research on the subject, here are a few tips to help you make of the most of your experience traveling abroad both as an individual and group traveler.
Think about long-term impact.
Even if you are only volunteering for a few weeks, aligning yourself with an organization means that you are a part of an on-going relationship with a community. Choose an organization that reflects the kind of relationship that you want to share with that community abroad and hopefully you will find ways to be a part of it even after returning home.
Know why you are going and align your motivations with your actions.
Not long ago, I spent 6 months helping volunteers acclimate to their new surroundings in Mongolia. I worked with a woman who espoused that her main motivation was to immerse herself in another culture and learn from intercultural interactions. Unfortunately, she spent most of her time in her tent avoiding the heat, the flies, and the very kinds of interactions that led her there. Clearly, her actions were not in-line with her goals. When volunteering abroad, you can expect to have to put more energy into situations simply because they will feel "new." Defining clearly your goals and intent will help you to reach out to more situations and opportunities so that you can achieve your goals and will lead to a more satisfying and transformative trip.
Consider your skills and the destination.
Choosing a volunteer destination is not just about where you want to go on vacation. While many of us dream of riding through Mongolia on horseback or circumambulating Mt. Kailash this is not what the volunteer vacation is about. If you really want to travel to make a difference then your skills can help you determine where we go. Consider the kind of impact you can make abroad. When you are researching groups to volunteer with tell the organization about your skills and what you have to offer and see if they have any suggestions. Making an impact will help you to have the trip of a lifetime!
Do your research.
Nothing is more important before departure than knowing what you are getting into. Talk to people who have done the trip before, learn what kind of support you will have in your volunteer experience. Learn what you can about the kinds of people who choose the trip. Often Web sites and promotional materials show the best face of an organization. Talking to people will help you to assure that this is indicative of the actual experience there. There are some organizations that don't follow through in providing the kind of relationship with tourists or the community that they say they do. Figuring this out is part of your job in ensuring an amazing volunteer experience.
Look inward and outward.
I have spent years working with international organizations and individual travelers to understand their motivations and experiences. While most of us emphasize the cultural understanding gained through travel, the truth is that our deepest insights are personal. Travel is a marvelous opportunity to come to a clearer sense of our own cultural lenses and to cut through limiting aspects of our own culture. When seen this way, time abroad can open an opportunity to live more authentically and free from cultural expectations. But it is important to not simplify the cultural codes of others. It is one thing to believe that "Life for Mongolians is simple." It is another to understand the meaning of this more closely resembles "Coming to Mongolia has simplified my life in ways that I hope to retain when I return home."
Bon voyage!
Leah Mayor holds a PhD in Adult Education from Cornell University and continues to conduct research and write about travel.
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A potpourri of travel topics from how to ditch your travel companion to touring Paris to a (much-needed) rant on airport noise pollution and a top 10 list of tourism-competitive countries. Read on...!
Brilliant Insights
Destinations and Experiences
- Georgina Kelman presents Parisian Peregrinations posted at Georgina Kelman Works on Paper.
- Surfer Sam presents "What Makes Japan Unique? Japanese Culture, All Things Japanese" posted at Surfer Sam and Friends.
- Roderick Russell presents "THOTH - The Power of Performance" posted at NOUMENON :: Art, Ideas, Culture & Capricious Opinion.
- Natalie presents A visit to the Place des Vosges posted at My Paris Your Paris.
- Michelle presents "Free things to do in Vegas!" posted at Blogging In Vegas.
- Madeleine Begun Kane presents Surmounting Marriage posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.
- Denise Olesky presents "Thought you'd never do a bus tour? Think again" posted at Tired of working? Take a break!
Travel Tips
April 18, 2007
Update: The Carnival of Travel is no longer active but Group Trip Advisor welcomes guest posts. Please contact us to learn more.
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If you travel for food, read on. The 11th carnival of travel is filled with thoughtful (even mouth-watering at times) commentary on food for herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores alike. Each article is fresh and flavorful.
- Pam Mandel presents Recycled: Baked Insanity saying, "In which I lose my mind over a baked good at a roadside restaurant...."
- EDJ presents Adventures in Eating. This is a hilarious account of a meal abroad.
- Melissa Petri presents "Visit the Tapas King in San Sebastian" and "Gastronomic Experience in Beijing" posted at Wandalust.
- Mr. Besilly presents "A Starbucks Latte: With No Surprises Inside" posted at Mr. Besilly - A roadmap for loving life on planet earth, saying, "Do you need that cup of Starbucks when you travel. So do I! Here's my rant on that subject."
- R Waldhoff presents "Food Lore: The Artichoke" posted at Britannica Blog, saying, "Gregory McNamee provides a brief cross-cultural history of the artichoke."
- Tannaz Sassooni presents Ethnic Markets: Feel worldly for cheap posted at WiseBread Frugal.
- Gillian Polack presents "Melbourne Chinese food," saying, "I spent my holidays in Melbourne (Australia) and they were all about food and food history."
- Joanne presents "Camping Food for Kids," saying, "Picky eaters don't get any less picky just because you’re on vacation—just ask my youngest ones (Rachel is two and Jacob is six, and both of them want everything just so at mealtime)."
Thanks for tuning in. Hungry for travel yet?
February 16, 2007
Update: The Carnival of Travel is no longer active but Group Trip Advisor welcomes guest posts. Please contact us to learn more.
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By guest blogger Suzanne Rowan Kelleher
Love family vacations? Love golf? Bringing the two together has never been easier, as more hotels and resorts are wooing parents with excellent golf schools and family-minded packages. But how will you know if a resort’s family golf program is really as kid-friendly as promised?
You can tell a lot simply by reading the property’s brochure or web site, says Jerramy Hainline, director of instruction at the Hilton Golf Academy, whose three resorts welcome over 350 kids each year. Compare how the resort describes its junior golf instruction with how it portrays its adult offerings. “If there’s very little difference in how the classes are described, it’s more than likely that the resort hasn’t tailored anything for kids,” says Hainline. “If a resort or school truly wants kids there, it will have made accommodations to offer junior golfers a quality experience.”
What else should you look for? Here are 10 more clues that a resort will deliver a golf vacation that’s truly a family affair:
- On-course instruction. A no-brainer, right? Far from it. You’d be surprised at how often a kids’ golf “program” turns out to be a 90-minute etiquette lesson in a windowless conference room or an hour on a driving range plus a soda break. It’s critical that a program teaches kids how to play the game, not just how to drive a ball or putt. “Kids need to experience being on the course to bring it all together,” stresses Hainline. So if a resort’s junior program doesn’t feature any on-course time, it’s a deal breaker.
- Reduced green fees. Discounts for junior golfers or deals where “kids play free” with a paying adult demonstrate that a resort is serious about encouraging kids to play.
- Low student-instructor ratio. Class size for kids ages 6 to 17 should never exceed six kids per instructor, says Hainline. “And for 4- to 5-year-olds, the ratio should be closer to 2 to 1.”
- Inclusive instruction. Even preschoolers can learn the fundamentals of golf, including the basic rules of etiquette—whose turn it is to putt, where to stand, and that old bugaboo, when to be quiet. A family-friendly resort will have come up with ways for kids as young as 5 or 6 to participate in the game.
- Child-savvy pros. “You want instructors who have experience with the programs and a history of working with junior golfers,” says Eric Alpenfels, director of instruction at the Golf Academy at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. “I think five years of experience is a good start. Junior-golf certification programs vary from facility to facility.” If you can’t find this information on the resort’s web site, call and ask.
- Family-friendly tees. Most youngsters don’t have the skill and strength required to play a long course. To get kids in the game, many resorts now offer forward tees set at shorter distances. Having a variety of tees allows the family to play together, with Mom and Dad playing the long course and kids hitting from the forward tees. Some resorts even have special scorecards with more realistic pars for kids.
- Kid-size clubs. “Cut-offs” are adult clubs that have simply been shortened, resulting in a heavy head relative to shaft length. They’re better than nothing, says Hainline. But it’s preferable that a resort provide kids with junior clubs, which are scaled down appropriately from top to bottom.
- Big balls, little balls. Young kids are still working on eye-hand coordination. At the Hilton Golf Academy, junior golfers start off hitting beach balls. Once they’ve mastered those, it’s on to rubber balls, then tennis balls, and finally golf balls.
- Designated family time. Many resorts now offer special tee times reserved just for families. Pinehurst’s “Family Fairways” program goes one better, giving parents and their kids one course all to themselves for several hours each afternoon. “Family Fairways takes the intimidation factor out of play,” says Alpenfels. “You don’t need to worry about who’s behind you, or hitting in the middle of the fairway, or going straight to the putting green.”
- Non-golf kids’ activities. If family members have varying levels of skill and interest, it’s simply unrealistic to expect your whole clan to golf 24/7. Look for a swimming pool and other recreational activities to keep everyone happy. An on-site kids’ camp or babysitting service will add flexibility to your schedule.
Bio: Suzanne Rowan Kelleher is the Editor-in-Chief of WeJustGotBack.com, a family travel website with resort and hotel reviews, how-to articles, readers’ tips and recommendations, and planning advice for kid-friendly vacations.
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This 10th carnival focuses on the wide range of outdoor adventures - family vacations, group trips, expats traveling abroad, volunteer vacations, solo treks. The list goes on. Enjoy!
- "Expats Today Have It So Easy": Lynn Rodriguez, an expat, reflects on her expat days and compares them with the technology "insta-connection" (cheap phone calls, internet access, American products abroad) expat days of today. What has been lost in the technology advances is the ability to truly disconnect and immerse oneself in another culture. A nostalgic article that raises the pros and cons of being able to "check in" so easily from abroad.
- Walking In A Winter Wonderland For $1,300: The Silicon Valley Blogger, a finance writer, shared tips and stories from a recent group family trip to Yosemite. Comparing costs for a trip to the mountains to a Disney trip, he proves it's dollar wise and "priceless" to go au naturale.
- "Maui - Best Island in the World": Jennifer Miner writes of Maui: an island of turtles, dolphins, volcanos, lush hills and meadows, plus a drive to Hana, a cliff-hugging road with bridges and towns along the route that make the journey as luscious as the destination.
- "Haciendas in the Yucatan":Â "Working Gringos" give an historical and personal account of traversing through the Yucatan to visit haciendas. An enlightening read that blends colonialism, tourism, anthropology, and architecture.
- "Support Your Parks: Take the Kids and Visit": Sheila Scarborough writes about taking her family to a Texas CCC cabin that was built in the 1930s, reminding us that many parks still have these architectural relics, and their sturdy nature makes them a perfect way to add adventure to a trip without camping outside.
- "Stay Cold, But Cozy, in Quebec's Ice Hotel": Mary Jo Manzanares says, "At the ice hotel, you can have your outdoor adventure indoors as well!" If you choose to stay, have a cocktail in an glass made of ice, go dog sledding, and dip your toe in a steamy hot tub to warm up before resting your head on a bed framed by ice.
- Our Homer Odyssey:Â Michelle compares two trips to Alaska; one with her mom, and another with her husband and kids. She touches on how the essence of a trip, the inspiration and beauty, are unique - never to be recaptured again. Her post reminds us to keep searching for new adventures, even when we know how fleeting they can be.
- "The Contents of a Good Camping Guide": Darlene Berkel offers tips for finding the best camping guide. It's a good hit list of things to consider: from survival tactics, to supplies, and so forth.
Dear Diary: Many posts had a diary-style essence, so I grouped them together here.
- "Coconuter: Introduction": David Poarch passes up an Ivy League education to become a nomad in the Phillipines and find himself, calling it "An epic adventure that surpasses just travel. It is also a search for life, freedom, purpose, happiness, and the meaning to it all." Here's to finding yourself!
- "Motorcycling Leads to Serendipitous Discovery": Lisa Grissom waxes poetic about "How a recent ride on my motorcycle helped me to discover why I ride."
- "On Wearing a Bathing Suit": Toe blogs about beach-going in diary style, saying, "An overweight prude contemplates on wearing a bathing suit in a paradise beach resort in Cambodia."
- "Mt. Field National Park": Dan also writes in diary format also about his visiting Tasmania's Mt. Field National Parks and its various waterfalls.
- The G Cam - Trek to Kodachadri, Karnataka: Vinaya HS photographs the road less traveled, saying, "After a brief hiatus, the G Cam is back - this time bringing you mesmerizing photos from the Kodachadri Mountain Range in the evergreen Western Ghats of beautiful Karnataka." Ooh, la la. Stunning images, indeed.
That's all, folks. The 11th edition of the carnival of travel will be themed food or culinary travel (including beverages, etc.).
January 15, 2007
Update: The Carnival of Travel is no longer active but Group Trip Advisor welcomes guest posts. Please contact us to learn more.
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