Vacations Blog

Southwest Airplanes

For the last couple years, as many airlines have gone under, there have been that select group of airlines that have continued to grow and rise in popularity. Although considered a smaller airline compared to some of its competitors, Southwest Airlines has quickly risen as one of the most liked and most flown airlines, predominantly because of its customer service and low fees. Now, for only a couple days, you can fly for Southwest Air for even cheaper rates, as they’re offering steeply discounted fares for as low as $25.

Southwest has become quite popular and talked about among the major airlines over the last year because of its strong social media and customer service presence. Southwest is especially popular on Twitter, as it ranks high in popularity along with JetBlue with almost one million followers. Southwest is also preferred because of the perks it offers that other airlines do not. To this point, Southwest continues to offer complimentary snacks and drinks, while many airlines have started to charge for many food and drink options. Another major pain for travelers is fees for checking in baggage. This is a fee that Southwest waives, compared to many other airlines which are now charging for checked bags. Read More »

My tree at home? Wouldn't be this good anyway.

Laura recently shared 5 Little Ways To Save Money for Vacations. Her suggestions were sensible, savvy and financially sound, and called for little to no disruption in your day to day life.

I’d like to offer a suggestion that’s a little more extreme.

Cancel Christmas.

Seriously.

Now before you start throwing the Scrooge label around, hear me out.

I’ve been thinking recently about how much I want to take my kids on a great vacation.  I travel quite a bit on my own, and I’ve noticed that it’s much more affordable to travel solo than it is in a group.  Even when I go places with just my husband, the sticker shock of two airplane tickets and two full sized meals (as opposed to one street vendor hot dog) never ceases to amaze me.  (Plus, when you’re traveling with your husband, you can’t save money by splitting a hotel room with 3 of your closest friends.)

I can easily scratch the heck out of my travel itch for under $400 – when I’m traveling alone.

But I’ve been wondering, where can I come up with the well over $400 needed for a great vacation for a family of four?

Obviously, one of the first things I could do to save money is stop traveling alone.  And to that I say, Ba Humbug!  I’m a travel writer, for Pete’s sake!  I pretty much have to take regular trips or I’ll lose my job! Nobody wants that!

My next idea was to stop buying groceries.  But then I considered the enormous hassle of dealing with Child Protective Services and quickly scrapped that plan.

And then came my brilliant idea to cancel Christmas.

Read More »

Happiest pumpkins on Earth - or at least Disneyland.

Yes, those are real pumpkins.  Yes, they are intimidating.  No, I didn’t carve them.  That’s a little something the kids call Disney magic.  They do, I’ve heard them.

Your moment will soon be upon you.  Prepare for pumpkins! Also, turkey.  Happy carving!

For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.

Photo by W. Honea

With its upscale restaurants, landmark buildings, beautiful bridges and breathtaking views, San Francisco always tops the lists of favorite US cities and tourist destinations.  Many people come to visit during the summer months and get disappointed by the cold fog and damp weather. However you would be pleasantly surprised if you made a trip to the city during this time of year.  The winter months often bring cold temperatures but very blue skies during the day and nights full of stars.

San Francisco is almost more beautiful at night during the holidays than any other time of year – and that is saying something.

During the holidays living in the City is such a gift: the bright lights on the Embarcadero Center row of buildings, outlined to look like giant present boxes; the beautiful window displays in high-end stores like Gump’s and multi-colored lights adorning neighborhood parks and homes. Walk through any of these areas of the city and you can’t help but smile and get a little more into the holiday spirit.

If you are visiting the City or planning to in the future and want to experience a uniquely San Francisco evening, I have the perfect recipe for you. The itinerary will need a little planning but should only require one phone call for the dinner reservation.  This evening is a local favorite for a romantic date but it can be adjusted for just a great night out with friends or family.

First thing you want to do is plan on wearing some warm layers of clothing, especially a scarf and gloves.  San Francisco at night, during this time of year, can be very cold. Wear some nice holiday clothes and comfortable shoes and you will be set for the evening.

Begin the evening with a drink at the beautiful Big Four Restaurant on Nob Hill. Located inside the Huntington Hotel, this secret spot doesn’t have the view that you can get from the Top of the Mark, but this is the place locals go. Filled with beautiful dark wood, the bar area is rich and a historic reminder of the robber barons that built San Francisco.

After a glass of wine or cold cocktail, walk slowly across California Street, watching out for the cable cars and taxi drivers heading across town. Criss-cross the street and stroll through Huntington Park, a wonderful small city park situated between Grace Cathedral and The Fairmont Hotel.  It is one of my favorite parks to visit at night during the holidays because the neighborhood association installs beautiful old-fashion lights in the trees.

Walk through the park towards your dinner reservations, at Venticello Ristorante on Taylor Street. This wonderful Italian restaurant has a warm intimate setting that reminds you of San Francisco society pages from the 1920s. I have had dinners where I have watched patrons walk in that could have been related to Grace Kelly or Kim Novak, in their style of dress and manner. The food is classic Italian with homemade pastas, risotto and roasted meats. The fireplace and wood oven add warmth to your dinner setting along with a backdrop of cable cars going up and down California Street.

After your dinner walk down Taylor Street to Jackson Street and catch the Powell-Hyde Cable Car, with its maroon colored sign, to head towards the waterfront and Hyde Street Pier.  The cable car ride will be very chilly but you can cuddle up inside the center of the car or wrap your scarf tighter and hang onto the outer poles like a local.

Your ride will take you up past Nob Hill and across Russian Hill until you head down Hyde Street to the end of the line. Hop off and turning your back to the bay, walk into The Buena Vista Cafe – home of the perfect Irish Coffee!

Irish Coffee

The recipe of this famous drink was created in 1952 when the restaurant owner and a well known travel writer worked to re-create a highly touted “Irish Coffee” served at Shannon Airport in Ireland.

The Irish Coffee served here at the Buena Vista is the perfect night cap any night of the year, but especially in winter.  How and when you decide to end your evening is up to you, but after all the lights, rich foods, fresh air and drinks – I recommend taking a cab home. Enjoy!

If you’re planning a trip, check out flights to San Francisco.

Photo credits to bill lim, tinou, shayne kaye and rick

Of all the vacation attractions in Connecticut, I think that Mystic Seaport in Mystic most defines the state’s history. From the seventeenth century, a naturally protected shoreline on Long Island Sound has provided safe harbors for trading, fishing and whaling ships. In 1929, Mystic Seaport—the Museum of America and the Sea—was founded as a maritime museum of these tall ships, ship building, and a recreated nineteenth-century coastal town. My family has a membership there which pays for itself with just two or three visits each year.

It won’t surprise anyone who knows me to learn that my favorite time of year at the Seaport is summer. Even in winter though—and especially around the holidays—there are some fantastic programs going on for visitors. This year Time.com listed Mystic Seaport as the number two holiday destination in the United States. Here are its three most popular holiday attractions.

Lantern Light Tours

Lantern Light Tour at Mystic Seaport

This is much more than a tour—it’s a show that moves its audience from place to place.  Groups are greeted by a costumed guide who’ll bring them through the town on Christmas Eve in the year 1876.  Based on the premise that the town is putting on a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the tour blends Seaport history with the familiar Christmas ghost story.

Tours run through December 28 on scheduled dates and reservations are strongly recommended.  Admission fees and other details can be found at the Seaport website.

Carol Sing

On December 21, the Seaport hosts its annual Community Carol Sing which attracts thousands of visitors each year.  Even better?  If you bring a canned food to be donated to charity, your admission is free.  All ships, buildings and exhibits will open at 10 a.m., the Seaport’s carolers perform at 2 p.m., and at 3 p.m. the Community Carol Sing begins.

The Community Carol Sing attracts thousands to Mystic Seaport.

Another great attraction to take in this day is at the Seaport’s planetarium.  The Star of Bethlehem is a show about “the splendor of the winter skies, merging science, mythology, religious observance, winter traditions and music.”  (I didn’t think I could paraphrase that great description.)  The planetarium program runs hourly from noon through 3 p.m. and does require an additional admission of $2.50 ($2.25 for members), but it’s worth it.

Holiday Magic

We all know that museums sometimes bore kids to tears. And I literally mean tears. But even my seven year-old has been enjoying Mystic since she was about two. There are playscapes (for warmer weather) and a children’s building that a lot of kids don’t want to leave.

Taking advantage of kids’ love for the Seaport, they’ve scheduled some activities for the school break that cater to families and kids. Tours aboard a historic fishing schooner include sailors’ stories about their holidays at sea and their families back home. Daily nineteenth-century magic shows and even some how-to magic should interest young illusionists. Special shows are also at the planetarium, and another exhibit lets kids explore a far away sea—the Arctic—at the museum’s newest exhibit. Daily schedules and admission fees are available at the Seaport website.

I may be a warm weather type of guy, but activities like these at Mystic Seaport make even me think winter in Connecticut may be bearable. As much as I love the Seaport any time of year though, I’m still waiting for spring and summer.

All photos courtesy of Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea.

Visiting the Seattle area during the holidays and want to treat yourself to a unique Northwest experience?  Check out a Puget Sound Christmas cruise from Argosy Cruises.  These cruises, which have been a Northwest tradition for nearly 60 years, leave from various Seattle area ports of call each evening from late November through December the 23rd. Each beautifully decorated and lit Christmas ship is also accompanied by a number of decorated ships and private boats, creating a floating, parade-like, holiday atmosphere.  This flotilla of festive boats sails the waters of the Puget Sound spreading the cheer to land lubbers gathered at designated beachfront locations.  It is a memorable and wonderful event to experience.

Sail into Christmas on a Seattle Argosy Cruise

Santa Claus, refreshments, and photo-ops are available on board these Christmas Ships.  To add to the festive atmosphere, each lead ship in the flotilla is joined on board by a local choir, which performs a 20 minute long concert of Christmas carols at each designated port of call. (The Northwest Boys Choir put on a wonderful show on last weekend’s south sound cruise).  These holiday themed performances are simultaneously piped over state of the art speaker systems on board the ship to throngs of locals gathered around huge bonfires on shore who take the opportunity to join in.  It is a perfect Northwest kickoff to the Christmas season.

Tickets prices: $35 for adults, $19.00 for kids, Free for kids 4 and under.
Value nights: $25 for adults, $12 for kids , Free for kids 4 and under.

A portion of the proceeds from these cruises are donated to the local charity The Seattle Times Fund for the Needy. So, you can splurge a bit on your family, and still know you are donating to a good cause.  In these tough economic times, every little bit helps.

So, whether you are enjoying the food and activities on one of these festive ships, or snuggling around one to the community bonfires on a cool Northwest evening listening to the sound of the waves mix with the sweet harmonies of the carolers, you will agree that a Puget Sound Christmas Cruise from Argosy Cruises is a very unique and very Northwest way to get into the holiday spirit.

Photo courtesy of Argosycruises.com

The Polar Express

Ohio’s Scenic Railways offer magical experiences to make this holiday season truly memorable.

Chris Van Allsburg wrote the Caldecott Award winning book, The Polar Express in 1985. Tom Hanks gave his voice to the characters in a 2004 movie version which garnered numerous awards including 3 Oscar Nominations. The Polar Express is a seasonal favorite for families all over the country. And while reading the story or viewing the film can make for special holiday traditions, nothing compares to the magic of an actual train ride in your pajamas. Truth be told, any public endeavor in your pj’s is pretty magical.

What I’m referring to here, though is an actual Polar Express Train Ride. Several of Ohio’s scenic railways offer variations of the magical excursion to the North Pole where you will read the story, sing carols and drink copious amounts of hot chocolate, all the while gorging yourself on fresh cookies and eventually greeting that jolly old elf himself, Santa Claus. When planning your Christmas visit to America’s Heartland make sure to include one of these fascinating trips.

Santa at the Cuyahoga Polar Express

The most popular line in Ohio is the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway. It boasts itself one of the oldest scenic railways in operation in the country. And with stations in Independence, Akron and Canton, OH it is certainly one of the longest. Unfortunately, tickets for the Polar Express excursions have been sold out for this year but there is plenty of availability for the Christmas Tree Adventures the last weekend in November and the first two weekends in December.

The Christmas Tree Adventure departs from the Rockside station in Independence and takes you to Heritage Farms where you can select your tree from a variety of pre-cut trees or you may choose to cut your own–ala Clark Griswold. They will then bag and tag your trophy and place it on the train for your return trip.

The Family Tree

The Dennison Depot Railroad Museum’s Polar Express has several departure times the first two weekends in December. Passengers ride in their pajamas sipping hot chocolate and eating cookies (pretty standard fare on all of the Polar Express Excursions) and Santa hops on board once the “North Pole” is reached to greet passengers and hand out presents. The Dennison Depot Railroad Museum is located in Dennison, OH on SR-36 east of I-77.

Another very popular Polar Express is the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway which departs from Nelsonville, OH. The line runs between Nelsonville and Logan along the scenic Hocking River and the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio. They offer two versions, a Santa Express where Santa and Mrs. Claus ride the train with you and personally visit each passenger. The Santa Express runs weekends (Saturday and Sunday) November 29-December 21.

The Nelsonville North Pole

The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway’s North Pole Express scheduled to depart December 6 and December 19 follows the more traditional storyline as passengers are encouraged to come in their pajamas and robes. After visiting with Santa and enjoying cookies and hot chocolate passengers can go ice skating at the Nelsonville North Pole. You are encouraged to bring your own skates.

Yes, Christmas time is filled with magic, tradition and memories. I can think of few things more memorable than a train ride on the Polar Express.

Prices and departure times vary and are subject to availability. Please check the individual station’s websites for details and to make reservations. All photos obtained from websites linked within article and considered public domain.

Marble House

Peak tourist season in Newport, Rhode Island is summer.  Founded on Aquidneck Island in 1639, Newport was one of the first major seaports in the colonies, was significant in whaling and the slave trade, and was one of the first popular getaway locations for wealthy American families when the rich first became richer in the 1870s.  Newport is also a major naval base, frequent host of the America’s Cup regatta, location of the International Tennis Hall of Fame (the U.S. Open was first played here in 1895), home to annual jazz and folk festivals, and the summer residence of two presidents.  In short, Newport is where money meets the sea.

The Breakers Library

Being a summer resort doesn’t mean that Newport isn’t a popular destination other times of the year. Year-round, tourists come by land and sea to sightsee, shop, dine and relax.  Christmastime, in fact, is probably the second busiest time of the year.  It’s then that tourists can see holiday decorations in the mansions built here by America’s very rich—families with names such as Vanderbilt and Astor—in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  Nine of those mansions are operated by The Preservation Society of Newport County.  Three of these—The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House—are especially decked out for the holidays.  Inside are hundreds of ornaments on dozens of trees, thousands of poinsettias, fresh flowers and wreaths, dining tables set with period silver and china, and mannequins in period holiday dress. Another mansion, The Astors’ Beechwood, is not only decorated but populated with actors portraying the Astor family and their servants.  Visitors can tour the home as these characters prepare for Christmas, sing carols, and entertain in the grand ballroom.  Guests can even dine with the family at Beechwood’s Victorian Christmas Feast featuring a multi-course period meal.

The Elms Foyer

The Preservation Society’s Breakers, Elms and Marble House are decorated and open daily for tours from November 15 through January 4 except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.  A Winter Passport ticket providing daytime admission to all three houses can be purchased for $25 for adults and $9 for children ages 6 to 17. Purchased separately, admission to The Breakers is $16.50 for adults and $4 for children ages 6 to 17. Marble House and The Elms are each $11 for adults and $4 for children 6 to 17. Information on additional ticket packages and special holiday events such as visits with Santa Claus on Sundays in December (at no extra charge), holiday concerts and refreshments, and a holiday dinner dance are available at the Preservation Society website.

At Beechwood, a schedule of holiday tours and events is available at the Beechwood Web site.  Standard tour admission is $20 for adults and $8 for children ages 6 to 17. A family rate of $50 is available for two adults and up to four children. Reservations are strongly suggested. Tickets for the Victorian Christmas Feast are $125 for all seatings and reservations are required.

For travelers planning to visit Newport, dozens of choices exist for accommodations and even more for dining.  A couple favorite restaurants of my family are the Red Parrot and the dockside Candy Store at the Clarke Cooke House which my wife and I (and our waitress) agreed makes the best hot fudge anywhere.

All photos courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County. The Breakers Library and The Elms Foyer photos by John Corbett.