Vacation Ideas

Everybody likes to take their family on a beach vacation. I know some of the best times I have ever had were at beaches when I was a kid and now that my kids are 6 and 9 they feel the same.

A holiday to the Caribbean offers you the chance to visit some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. Virtually every island of the Caribbean will have beaches that amaze; with crystal clear blue seas, sugar white sand & palm trees.

To help you choose where to go and more importantly what beach to choose, we have compiled a list of the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean.

1.Palm Beach (Aruba) – Idyllic beach setting with superb white sand.

2.Grand Anse Beach (Grenada) – 3km beach with sugar-white sand, lots of space & shallow waters.

3. Johnson’s Point (Antigua) – Made up of secluded coves; these white soft sand beaches are a must for snorkeling & swimming

4. Pink Sand Beach ( Bahamas) – One of the world’s most photographed beaches, often voted world’s best by travel publications. 5km’s of salmon pink coloured sand, due to red plankton that has mixed with the fine white sand.

5. Crane Beach (Barbados) – Often voted as Barbados’ most beautiful beach. Imposing cliffs, a natural coral reef and soft white sands make for a perfect beach.

6. Negril Beach (Jamaica) – Laid back atmosphere and Jamaica’s prettiest beach. A lot quieter than Seven Mile beach.

7. Englishman’s Bay (Tobago) – A sheltered beach with fine white sand, crystal waters & surrounded by a palm jungle.

8. Grace Bay (Turks & Caicos) – Part of a national marine park, this beach has fine white sand, calm turquoise waters and is protected by a barrier reef.

9. Trunk Bay (US Virgin Islands) – A beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, considered one of the best places for snorkeling in the Caribbean.

10. Shoal Bay (Anguilla) – Put Angullia on the tourism map; sugar-white sand, crystal clear blue waters & coral reefs.

directline-holidays.co.uk provides you with the latest holiday offers, essential information & reviews on destinations worldwide.

This year, as more families are trying to save money yet spend quality time together, is it possible that Barnes and Noble bookstore has become a sort of staycation location?

RoriTravel followers on Twitter know that we are in the middle of a two part move from Arizona back home to Illinois.  As we wait to actually leave Arizona, we’re staying temporarily at my parent’s rental home.  That means we have no internet, and have to use AT&T Hot Spots, mainly at Barnes & Noble.

This has meant many hours each day sitting in the cafe, writing and working online, while having plenty of time to watch the comings and goings of the folks around us.

One of the reoccurring themes we’ve come to see are the families with children.  A range of ages, from toddler through mid-teens, all sitting in the cafe together.

We’ve seen kids reading to their parents, families with each member picking a book and sitting around the table reading, moms or dads with a kid or two or three, reading and talking, while sharing something to eat and drink.

This is a daily occurrence, and it’s happening with several families each day.  We’ve been hitting two different B&Ns here in the area, and it’s happening each time.  Amazing watching as they settle in and enjoy an hour or two together.

Yes, I have to admit, as I try to work, that we’d rather they find their way to the children’s book area, but taking a walk back there reveals even more families spending time together.

So, it lends itself to the question; is the bookstore becoming a staycation location for families?

Fortunately, just as most toddlers can be pacified with naps, bottles and clean diapers, I have discovered that my teen and tween sons become charming traveling companions if I let them sleep late and take them shopping.

I learned this simple formula partly from experience, but also from advice I got from Eileen Ogintz. Ogintz, a syndicated columnist and creator of the Web site TakingtheKids.com, has traveled widely with her kids, now 17, 22 and 24. Here are some of her tips for keeping big kids happy on vacation:

“Get teens on board with the idea of where you are going and what you are going to do when you get there,” Ogintz advised. “Let them have a say in the planning.” You might even have each teen plan the itinerary for a whole day. [Read more…] about What do Teens want on Family Vacation?

I got this article from the Detroit Free Press. Link at the end of the article for the rest.

The Robinson family is traveling the world this summer to Germany, Italy, Hawaii and Israel.

The only catch?

The family will do it all from the kitchen table.

“We decided to have an around-the-world theme this summer, so every other Friday night we’ll talk about the countries and states we would like to visit, do a craft that would represent the culture and try a recipe,” says Angela Robinson, 29, of Clinton Township, mother of four children ages 2, 3, 7 and 9. The other reason they’re staying home? She and husband Shawn are expecting their fifth child in August. [Read more…] about The ultimate Staycation for the family

Thanks to reader Darlene for her comments in support of NOT bringing your dog to Independence Day celebrations, as I recommend in When you should leave the dog home. She mentioned the website www.the-best-dog-for-you.com/pet-vacations.html as a good resource for ideas about and cautions regarding vacationing with your dog. The site has excellent reminders about planning trips with dogs, one of which is worth expanding on here. It’s also important to have the information for the nearest animal hospital.

National parks and monuments—great places for the family, full of natural beauty and/or historic significance. By all means, put them on your must-see list. Plan on taking the kids—or grandkids—but you may do better to leave the dog at home. Thе Immune-D.com fоrmulа саn conveniently bе рlасеd оn your dog’s fооd (оr directly іn their mоuth) оnсе a dау tо еnѕurе that уоur pet іѕ receiving the mіnеrаlѕ, аntіоxіdаntѕ, аmіnо acids аnd vіtаmіnѕ that аrе lоѕt іn thе drу fооd fоrmаtіоn process, аnd lоѕt whеn administered іn a pill оr capsule fоrm (as thе bоdу absorbs thеѕе critical ingredients іn a liquid оvеr 90% mоrе than іn a ріllѕ or сарѕulе).

National Parks and Public Lands generally permit dogs only if kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet in length at all times, unless they are caged or crated. Park management at each park may restrict pet (and possibly service dog) access to open areas such as trails, buildings or campgrounds in the interest of keeping visitors and the park environment protected. [Read more…] about Tips for taking your dog on Vacation