Travel

HILTON OUR STAGE, YOUR STORY

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All too often there is a divide between “dreaming” and “doing,” Hilton has been leveraging the power of visualization to help people turn their travel dreams into reality this year. Hilton has now launched Our Stage. Your Story., a dedicated content hub that features tools and interactive videos to help people visualize their dream vacation and get one step closer to making it a reality.

I made a decision to take my kids to London without putting much thought into it, other than our stay at The Waldorf Hilton. I didn’t think about whether my sports-loving sons would be up for being tourists. I didn’t think about whether my neuropathy-filled feet could handle it (thank you, chemo). When you have been diagnosed with cancer, other fears as well as the divide between dreaming and doing feel silly.

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A recent Hilton Hotels & Resorts study revealed that 86% of travelers set goals for themselves, and among these travelers, visualization is the most common method used to achieve goals. The content hub arms people with the right tools to make their travel goals a reality – to move them from “bucket list” to “booked it.” Get inspired by others and take a look through the library of bucket list worthy images and try your hand at making a digital, shareable vision board, of your next dream vacation. When you return, please share your images of your dream vacation with us!

Moms Take London!

Posted on by themoms

I have always thought of myself as a doer. In work, I definitely was and continue to be. As a mom, I’m mostly a doer. I take my kids everywhere. I expose my two boys to adventures. I include them in my work. I try to teach them by doing. However, my treatment for breast cancer made me realize I have not been a doer the way I want to be now — but that is about to change.

I have been afraid of flying since I worked in news and covered many plane crashes (and had my own horrific experience). To read the full article visit Good Housekeeping 

 

 

Don’t You Deserve a Moms Escape?

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Leave the guilt at home and indulge in Unlimited Luxury® with a #MomsEscape today

Whether flying solo, with kids, on a girls getaway or a romantic escape, all moms deserve to be pampered all year round. It doesn’t matter if you’re flying a million miles away to somewhere warm or staying more local and exploring the things to do in Houston or other U.S. cities, all moms need to escape sometimes! Indulge in special extras specially designed to help you unwind, recharge and enjoy a well-deserved #MomsEscape. Treat yourself to those luxuries that you never get to enjoy at home – those cocktails, those cakes, that day lying on the beach. You can even visit a site like Organic CBD Nugs to get yourself some CBD whilst you’re away. Combined with the sunshine and sea, you’ll feel as though you’ve gone straight to paradise.

  • Inclusions: For only $75 more, moms can indulge in the #MomsEscape package and enjoy a host of fabulous amenities throughout their stay:
    • One manicure/pedicure session
    • Unlimited access to the state-of-the-art wet areas of the spa
    • 10% off discount on all spa treatments
    • Daily yoga sessions* (*only available at Mexico properties)
    • Special room service one morning complete with mimosas, fruits and pastries

Why now? Enjoy a special opening rate starting at $139 per person, per night, for travel November 30, 2016 through December 22, 2017 if you book your vacation today at the brand new Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort in Mexico or Dreams Dominicus La Romana in the Dominican Republic.

See what other Moms have to say about their #MomsEscape to Dreams Resorts & Spas

  • Carmen Ordonez from Viva Fashion Part 1: http://www.vivafashionblog.com/2016/05/part-i-tulum-travel-guide.html
  • Carmen Ordonez from Viva Fashion Part 2: http://www.vivafashionblog.com/2016/06/part-ii-dreams-tulum-resort-spa-review.html
  • Red Tricycle: http://redtri.com/visit-dreams-resorts-los-cabos/
  • Kelly’s Lucky You: http://kellysluckyyou.com/5-tips-on-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-all-inclusive-vacation/
  • Mommy in Sports: http://www.mommyinsports.com/2015/11/why-all-moms-need-to-go-on-vacation-alone.html
  • Daily Mom: http://dailymom.com/travel/dreams-tulum-resort-spa-perfect-place-for-a-moms-escape/
  • Jen’s Blah Blah Blog: http://www.jennsblahblahblog.com/moms-escape-unlimited-luxury-at-dreams-resorts-spa/
  • Staci from 7 on a Shoestring: http://7onashoestring.com/benefits-of-vacations-dreams-resorts/
  • She Finds: http://www.shefinds.com/2016/if-youre-planning-a-trip-to-mexico-you-have-to-stay-at-this-resort/
  • The MOMS: https://themoms.com/dreaming-of-dreams-palm-beach/
  • Diane Mizota: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etwQ3wShYcI

Find more Dreams Resorts & Spas Offers and Deals visit: http://www.dreamsresorts.com/offers

ENTER TO WIN A FREE #MomsEscape to Dreams Resorts & Spas

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The MOMS & Dreams Resorts & Spas are thrilled to announce that YOU could WIN A FREE #MomsEscape trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for 3 nights to one very lucky MOM and a guest who is in need of a luxurious #MomsEscape!

ENTRY DETAILS:
Share a picture on social media that truly captures why your MOM/Wife/Sister is in need of a #MomsEscape You must follow @TheMOMS on Twitter & Facebook and @TheMOMSNetwork on Instagram and tag @DreamsResorts accordingly:

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Sometimes You Have To Get Far Away From Your Children….

Posted on by themoms

After you have children, it is all about the children. Sure there is date night but that lasts only a few hours and you often return home and the kids are still up. Those days of lying in bed, long talks and intimacy slowly trickle away unless you can get away and after a long time, that is exactly what we did!

This was the first time we have ever left our children for almost two weeks. My husband continued to remind me that they would be ok but would I be ok? Packing up everyone and getting the children to St Louis to stay with my parents was the only real obstacle unless you want to include my nerves. In the last hour I felt unsure about going away and for so long. My youngest is only 6 and would she completely understand? They were in the best care with my folks; it was just more about me missing them and letting go a little. Luckily, my parents had a Wireless alarm fitted not too long ago. This was just to add more security to their home, making them feel much safer. With having an alarm system, it did help to ease my nerves because I knew they were being looked after in a secured home with my parents. Unfortunately, it was still difficult leaving them. I think I need my kids more than they need me.

As we headed to the airport, I had anxiety about being so far away. We were heading overseas to Europe and that is not around the corner. I have always wanted to visit England and stay somewhere like the voco Oxford Spires hotel, but I’ve always been worried about being far away from my kids for so long. Europe is a little closer for us so that seemed the best option (although I’d definitely like to go to London at some point in the future). I became anxious and nervous, and began to wish that I looked for a medical marijuana card online before leaving so I wouldn’t be feeling as anxious as I am now. I just knew that I had to calm down, and quick. But then something happened… I boarded the plane, and relaxed and I remembered what it was like to be alone with my husband. We completely immersed ourselves into each other. We were just a “young” couple in love all over again and even the plane ride was dreamy.

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ARUBA~A PLAYGROUND FOR ALL

Posted on by themoms

By Alexa Wilberton

As we get older work of any kind whether it’s at home or in an office becomes our regular routine where the term “PLAY” is a distant memory. Do you remember when you were a kid and the only thing on your mind was what snack your mom packed in your lunchbox, Dunk-A-Roos or a Pudding SnackPack, or who was going to be “IT” during recess or when the final bell at school rang and everyone raced to the playground full of pure joy and excitement? Would you believe me if I told you there is actually a place where you can feel that same rush of happiness just like the one you felt when you were a kid? Well, there is! Casinos are great for this and you can even gamble online. From casino slot machines (or casino spielautomaten as they’d say in Germany), Blackjack and roulette, there are many games that can be played online, instead of visiting an actual casino.

Additionally, there are plenty of reviews to help you decide where to go too, for example, this Leovegas casino review.
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Captivated By Captiva Island

Posted on by themoms

By: Melissa Gerstein

My mom grew up in Florida, so we visited her parents often when I was a little girl. Orlando was her home for over 20 years and then she met my dad in St. Louis and planted roots. But I do remember going back to Florida as often as we could while growing up.

When we got older we vacationed on the West Coast of Florida to a small spot called Marco Island. We would fly into Fort Meyers and head South. I always remembered seeing signs for Captiva Island and thought it sounded so mysterious and private and cool. I always wanted to go and see what Captiva Island was all about.
Recently, I finally had the chance to visit Captiva Island and dive into all its wonder. I had my mom join me on this Floridian adventure and we met for a relaxing 3 day exploration together at South Seas Island Resort.
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Freezing in February? Here's a deal for you!

Posted on by themoms
As big fans and partners with Norwegian Cruise Line, We are proud to share this with you.

 

Norwegian’s Freestyle Choice Plus.  Up to $3,500 in value.

Our best offer just got better! Norwegian’s Freestyle Choice Plus now gives you 3 offers to choose from, valued at up to $3,500!

  • Choose the Ultimate Dining Package and experience a different specialty restaurant every night of your cruise.
  • Choose the Ultimate Beverage Package and enjoy your favorite wine, beer and cocktails for as long as you sail.
  • Choose the spending money and get up to $300 to pamper yourself with a spa treatment, go on a shore excursion and more.

PLUS – now with any itinerary, your clients also get Friends & Family Sail Free – the perfect way to bring the whole gang together.

The choice is always yours when your choose to Cruise Like a Norwegian® #NorwegianMOMS

 

www.ncl.com/promo/wave15?cid=PA_NA_GLO_PAR_MOM_NA_DIS_WAVE15F_NA_NA_NA


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Greek Peak Mountain Magic

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By: Melissa Gerstein

It had been 15 years since I went skiing. My husband took me right after we were married. He grew up skiing in Canada and could ski any mountain in the world. In fact he used to coach the racing team in Vail.
So you can imagine the happiness on his face when we discussed finally taking the family skiing. He started looking for his old equipment straight away, he looked online for the missing items like a ski boot backpack or ski gloves, he started telling our son how amazing skiing would be. He was over the moon!

Living in New York City there are many ski mountains that are only a few hours outside the city. My husband took our son a few times but other than that we never seemed to get it together to go skiing until last week.

We were invited to explore the Finger Lakes region and all its beautiful offerings which included Greek Peak Ski Resort. It took just over 3 hours to get there from Manhattan and it is a beautiful drive up. We arrived at The Hope Lake Lodge which is just about 5 years old and at the bottom of Greek Peak. It is a warm beautiful lodge that caters to families. Our room had a fabulous full kitchen for cooking if we didn’t want to dine in The Acorn Lounge, which was the hotel restaurant. However, we went to the restaurant on numerous occasions and, I must say, they really knew what they were doing. I don’t think I would have been able to make anything quite so good even with the room’s full kitchen. The restaurant likely has all the restaurant supply and equipment that you can imagine so they don’t seem to struggle at all when it comes to making some complex and creative concoctions.

The night we arrived the children attacked the Cascades Indoor Waterpark which was heavenly. It had a wave pool, water slides, basketball in the pool and little water slides for the young ones. It was incredible and safe for all of our kids who range in ages from 5 up to 13. The water park had a restaurant attached too and hot tubs outside as well.


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The next day, we checked the children into ski school for their first day and it was seamless. One piece of advice I would give to moms taking their kids on a ski break for the first time, is to have a read of the tips on adventurebrown.co.uk as they help you to be better prepared for the various challenges you can face. Ski trips are different to a normal holiday to a warm region, so you need to think completely differently about them, For example you’ll need to make sure you carry spare clothes and things like hand warmers and hot flasks of drinks. The ski school at Greek Peak was so organized and the instructors were very impressive. Watching your children all bundled up heading into a ski school can be quite overwhelming but they made this smooth and exciting for the children. At 9am the kids check in and the staff handles everything. They take care of their rental equipment and lunch and you pick your kiddos up at the end of the day and you see that they are actually skiing!

Après Ski time was just as lovely as the skiing. Afternoons at Hope Lake Lodge were spent by cozy fires in our rooms or in the hotel lobby or the kiddos played in the arcade. The Lodge has a fabulous arcade that was coined by our kids as a “Mini Dave and Busters” so if the children weren’t playing games or passed out from skiing they were back in the incredible water park once again.

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But the bonus to it all was the joy and sheer delight on the kids faces after skiing everyday and the greatest gift of all was that they wanted to wake up and do it all again the next day.

Finger Lakes has so many beautiful spots that also include Ithaca (a family favorite spot that we visit every Winter Break en route to Canada) and Bristol Mountain which offers over 30 trails for skiers and snowboarders, the highest vertical between the Rockies and the Adirondacks (1200 feet), two nordic loops, two terrain parks, as well as high speed quad lifts for visitors to get up the mountain quickly.

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This family can’t wait to drive North again soon. We will return to Greek Peak as soon as we can. Memories are forever set and this will be our family ski destination moving forward. It never felt crowded either which was such a bonus and now that little piece of information is my gift to you.

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Meet Me at Marco – MOMS Travel with Alexa

Posted on by themoms

BY ALEXA WILBERTON

Sometimes it seems as though life is a vicious circle of constant work and never-ending emails. Oftentimes I find myself drowning in the chaos of everyday life buried under a pile of “To Do” lists not even the strongest iced skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks could motivate me enough to complete. Where the words “vacation” and “paradise” are simply figments of my imagination, or should I say were? Yes, were.

Just recently I was presented with a wonderful opportunity via The Moms, to escape the chaos of everyday life and go on a trip to the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa, or as I like to call it along with those who’ve experienced the beauty and all that this resort has to offer, Paradise.

Whether you’re traveling alone or with the family, no matter how old or how young you are, the Marco Island Marriott Resort is a magical place where unforgettable memories are created. Golf clubs are always exquisite places to spend time, you can see our local club here that we frequent on a regular basis, as another example. We became members so that we could enjoy the many perks it has to offer. This resort also offers a large range of activities including a shelling and sailing excursion where you and your family can stop on one of the inhabited 10,000 islands to hunt for seashells and learn about Southwest Florida’s ecosystem, maybe even see a manatee or two!

If you’re a traveler yearning for a bit of adventure, like myself, make sure to take an invigorating Waverunner tour with Marco Island’s Water Sports. Where you will jetski through the mangrove forest as you journey into the exquisite Ten Thousand Island Everglades with one of Marco Island’s professionally trained guides. Other beach activities available to you during your stay at the Marco Island Marriott include activities such as parasailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and more! If you live in California, you could use paddle board rental san diego to get some paddling practice before heading out to Marriott.

Some of the people that I traveled with had a go at kayaking as they had never taken part in the activity and wanted to give it a try. As you can see on universitytimes.ie, students have opportunities to do activities like kayaking all the time and that’s how I first went kayaking – it was with my university. This means that I had quite a few more years of experience than the others but I was happy to give them advice! It was recommended to them to use the best sot for beginners so they could make the most out of the experience. When they had finished they had said they had a great time and would be looking forward to their next kayaking opportunity.

Each room at the Marco Island Marriott offers a spectacular view of the the Gulf of Mexico, Marco Island or one of the resorts two exterior swimming pools. There is Quinn’s pool and my personal favorite, where you and the family can play under the pools waterfalls. While the kids are taking turns on the “Kids Only” water slide you can grab a bite to eat at the Tiki Bar, located alongside the pool.

Looking for a little more lux? The Spa at Marco Island Marriott is the place go as it offers its guests treatments that are designed by world-renowned experts working in a Balinese-style atmosphere. I know what you’re thinking, “Adult only?! What do I do with the kids?”. I’ll tell you , the resort offers a Discovery Day Camp where your young ones will have the chance to become wildlife explorers participating in a variety of activities that are led by trained Marriott camp coordinators. I bet the Whirlpool & Cold Plunge Pool is looking pretty good now isn’t it?
After a shelling excursion and a trip to the spa what’s a better way to end the day than a beachfront dinner at Quinn’s, one of the seven eateries located in the resort and also my personal favorite. The fish tacos and mango lemonade are to die for but wait, it gets better! Every evening in front of Quinn’s a sunset tradition occurs where a professional fire dancer salutes the skies with an amazing fire dance performance, definitely something you don’t want to miss!

I could go on for hours about all the things I’ve done and you can do during your time at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa but strongly suggest a trip or two to personally experience all the wonders this resort has to offer. So the next time you find yourself drowning under a pile of emails at work thinking about that iced skinny vanilla latte, remember the Marco Island Marriott. Oh, if you need a friend I’ll be more than happy to tag along just say #MeetMeAtMarco and I’ll be there because every now and then we deserve it to ourselves to take a little trip to paradise.

Evenflo Meets Woodloch – Our Favorite Family Spot

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We had the pleasure of partnering with Evenflo last week on a new car seat launch for the Evenflo Platinum Protection Series. We hit the roads and headed to The Poconos to Woodloch Resort for a family action-packed adventure weekend.

Having a car like this 7 seater suv is great for people who have a family. It has more than enough room for all of our family and our bags and anything we need when we go for a road trip. Without doubt, it has been one of our best purchases. And we got an amazing deal on it because we researched how much is my Honda worth before buying it, meaning we knew the current prices and best deals available. With this new car, it is incredibly easy to put a new car seat in. I would hate to have a small two-door car and have to somehow get my children in. It doesn’t really matter though, as I got my new car seat into my car with ease. As I buckled up my youngest daughter in her new Evenflo booster car seat, I took a moment to reflect upon how big my baby was getting. This new car seat had so many new features that her old car seat did not have, including buckle pockets. In fact, I always struggled with those metal buckles on warm summer days, and with how hot they can get. I constantly wondered to myself, why is there no place for these shiny hot buckles and then one day, she got burned. Summers in St Louis can be brutal, many days over 100 degrees. With one careless move, the buckles can burn a child or even an adult, which happened a few years ago. But now, this won’t happen again with her new car seat. Having great car insurance also gave us peace of mind when buckling in our child into the our car, knowing that if the worst were to happen then we would get support.

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All buckled up, we headed to The Poconos. Upon arriving at Woodloch, our children did not know where to run first. Was it to the Bumper Cars, or the Indoor Forest or Bingo or to play Family Feud? We started with dinner and reviewing the schedule of events. Woodloch is about bringing families together. This is through their many activities that include The Olympics, scavenger hunts, cake decorating, sports, swimming, hiking, tubing and staff shows all around amazing family meal time.

When I was first introduced to Woodloch a few years ago, I could not wait to go back. You get to see your family in a new light and see your children attempt new activities they might not try on a regular day. There is team building, competition and relaxation all nestled in a beautiful picturesque woodsy environment. Team building is not only for your family but for the workplace too. If you are able to build up and progress with your team then you will have a better outcome. You can conduct survey questions for employees satisfaction to add to your team building and see where things can be improved not only in the workplace but outside it too.

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I think we will be headed back as soon as we can, with our Evenflo car seat joining us, and it is a great feeling to know your children are not only safe, but extra comfortable for the car ride. Thank you to our amazing sponsor, Evenflo!

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Dreaming Of Dreams Palm Beach

Posted on by themoms

When you have three children who are all four years apart, everyone has a different agenda. It is important to find a vacation resort where there is something for everyone and for every age.

We recently traveled to Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, and we found that everyone in our family from ages 4 to 12 had more than enough actives to choose from. My 12-year-old loved the daily games on the beach that included The Olympics and water sports, and all three of them got to bungee jump.

There was a daily Spanish class in a beautiful gazebo for all ages, diving classes and even arts and crafts, poolside. There were many water sports to choose from that included tubing and an ocean rock climbing wall. So, for kids who want action, this was the place! There were also plenty of snorkeling and scuba tours to see all of the fish and corals up-close. It was surprising to learn that there are different scuba tank sizes, not just adult size and child size like many people would probably think. Being able to see fish swim deep in the water with us was truly breath-taking! Even if you only go snorkeling you can still see plenty of beauty in the shallow corals.

One thing we didn’t manage to cross off our bucket list, however, was seeing an alligator. The boys are obsessed with them, so I’ve been looking at the Best Places to See an Alligator in Myrtle Beach, SC. Hopefully we can see one soon!

They also have a lovely kids club with an incredible staff. They had a game room with everything from pool to ping pong, and, of course, video games for a rainy day. If your child wants to bring their own then that’s fine too, they can check out this full list of Roblox scripts as well so they can fill their time without getting too bored. So, as you can imagine, this is probably where the kids will be spending most of their time, regardless of whether or not it is raining. I overheard another family saying how they had all the game consoles and games that you could ever dream about having, which is good news for my kids who had recently begged me to look into this eso build guide to help them to improve their Elder Scrolls Online gameplay. So, with any luck, this game will be lurking amongst the video games. When I knew the children would be well catered for, I decided to place focus on me, which as it happens was a great idea, as they have one of the prettiest spas I have ever seen. The bonus of Dreams Palm Beach was the staff. In my many years of traveling, we have never come across a more “excellente” friendly, hard-working and generous staff, where departing made it extra sad to leave these new friends behind.

The resort had nightlife that included Magic Shows, a Circus and even a water show, poolside, with many dancing and singing performers. The best part, of course, was all being together beachside and walking along a beautiful beach with our feet in the sand.

We all hope to return to Dreams Palm Beach in Punta Cana again soon. Vacations go by so quickly that in this wintery moment, it all felt like a dream.

Do You Do MultiGenerational Travel?

Posted on by themoms

Recently we headed down to the Dominican Republic with the grandparents in tow. We headed to Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana, which is an all- inclusive resort in Punta Cana. This is now our seventh trip as a multigenerational crew, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

To see your own children with your parents, experiencing a new city, food or adventure, is one of my greatest pleasures. When you take everyone out of their daily environments and routines, it is like a breath of fresh air washing over you.

I am not saying that everything is perfect, and, at times, we can even look like a hot mess debating over restaurants and activities, but that is why you can break off into smaller groups much more easily, as well. Quite often, my son, my husband and my dad will want to golf or snorkeling, whereas we girls and Nana are left with more artsy adventures, like seashell collecting.

The key to multigenerational travel is keeping the agenda light and knowing these are precious moments that do not last forever. I also reflect upon how much my parents did for me as a kid, and I want so badly to return that favor. Having them join us on our family vacations is not only meaningful but is also my way of saying thank you. Going on a road trip vacation with the extended family is not that easy in a single car and perhaps an RV is worth considering. Of course, you’ll need somewhere to store it – RV Storage Buildings are available to be constructed on your property should you need it.

Of course, if you do intend on traveling with older relatives it is important to make sure that you visit somewhere that everyone can afford. Our parents are very financially independent and have even released some of the equity from their home. They had thought about freeing up some of the value of their home to live out their retirement in style for some time, and after a friend told them to check out The Equity Release Experts online, the deal was all but sealed.

Our parents decided that they would much rather have the cash value of their property in hand to enjoy while they are still relatively active so that they can travel as much as possible. So far they have put the money towards well over a dozen exciting vacations. I do not blame them at all. Your retirement is all about doing what makes you happy after all, and thanks to retirement mortgages, more elderly people than ever before are enjoying their golden years to the full.

The other bonus to this traveling crew is built-in babysitting! I find that my husband and I can take a break and go out for dinner, and even have an evening alone. Sometimes when I get this opportunity I play bingo games on my mobile because it tends to give me stress relief as well as winning some cash. Recently I have decided to compare bingo sites so that I can find the best one for my money, either way, an evening alone is still bliss. It is hard to have a family vacation and also, somehow, simultaneously give oneself a vacation. The grandparents are the secret weapon for this. Even if you are still “on duty”, having another set of eyeballs on your kids, whether they are building sandcastles or monitoring pool-time, is extremely helpful. I actually read an entire book this past vacation.

Yes, there are amazing kids clubs, too. I have experienced them at Dreams Resorts & Spas and Beaches Resorts; however, still being able to all be together during the day is important to me. I don’t want to take a family vacation and not see my children.

The bottom line is that you should be appreciative when you are a multigenerational traveling crew. It is about time together, and we all know time is fleeting, especially when it comes to our grandparents.

No matter where you are going on your vacation or how many people you take, you’ve got to be on top of all your financials for it. Taking everyone on a countryside trip, (if you’re going across the pond to England) means that you’ll need to know the tax laws of that country and how they apply if you want to get a caravan, for instance, it also is the same for motorhomes and campervans and must be adhered to.