7 Tips For Traveling With Kids

Traveling with your children is a wonderful opportunity to share an experience, explore and learn about new places, and just spend some time together. Now that school's out for the summer this is a great - but prime - time to travel and vacation. 

Before you book your flights, consider these tips for making your summer travel fun for you and your kids.

1. If you have older kids, let them help plan the trip. Talk about places they might want to go, activities they might want to try, and sights they want to see! You're much less likely to have a moody child if they've helped pick out the tours or activities on the itinerary.

2. Bring entertainment for the travel. This is the time to loosen any restrictions you have on screen time. Watching a movie on the plan with a tablet and headphones is a great way to make the time pass and reduce "when are we going to get there" conversations. Choose headphones made specifically for kids as they have volume controls that don't allow the volume to get dangerously high.

3. Consider all-inclusive resorts. Most all-inclusive packages include meals, drinks, snacks, and sports packages. This can be really helpful when you have kids in your group.

4. Look for hotels or resorts with specific kid packages. Many hotels and resorts will have a kid center or kid's activity zone that may include babysitting, games, and other recreational activities so you can take a snorkeling lesson while your child is safe and having fun.

5. Bring children's medicine. It's a good idea to bring your own children's Tylenol, cough medicine, and antacid. If they end up with a fever, cough, painful scrape, or upset stomach you don't want to risk trying to dose down on an adult medication. This also includes sunscreen and bug spray. 

6. If you're traveling internationally, plan ahead with passports, which can take up to three months. Remember that children's passports expire in five years. It can be stressful and expensive trying to expedite a forgotten passport.

7. Try some new things and keep some things familiar. It's exciting and fun to try new cuisines and new activities but sometimes a familiar meal and a low-key afternoon help to rejuvenate before the next adventure.

Whether you're looking for a beach vacation, a cruise, or a DisneyWorld  trip, I can help you plan a perfect kid-friendly get-away! 

Why Jamaica?

Looking to plan your next vacation or destination wedding and can't decide on a location? Jamaica is a fabulous option to consider! Why Jamaica? Here are 8 reasons:

1. Beautiful Beaches for Miles

Home to some of the Caribbean’s most impressive beaches, Jamaica offers a vast expanse of spectacular white sands. With breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, mountains, and crystal blue waters, the beaches are the perfect place to relax on vacation. Consider Whitehouse, & Montego Bay as wonderful beaches to enjoy. Or the famous Seven Mile Beach with amazing sunsets!

2. Tropical Climate & Weather

If you like tropical weather, then Jamaica is for you. Jamaica is a tropical destination where you can put on a bathing suit and enjoy an island with an average temperature of 81˚ all year round!  

3. Enjoy Local Cuisine

Jamaica is well known for its exotic and locally sourced food. You may have heard of jerk-seasoned dishes, which is native to Jamaica. And while you're here you have to try the national dish of Ackee and Saltfish, a locally grown fruit sautéed and served with onions, peppers, tomatoes and salt cod. Delicious!

4. Perfect for Nature Lovers

If you love to experience nature, you'll be delighted with the new experiences and adventures to take in while visiting Jamaica. Known for their exotic wildlife, the area bird species and flora will astound you. And if you dream of swimming with the dolphins, you can in Ocho Rios!

5. All-Inclusive Resorts Abound

The easiest and greatest way to experience Jamaica is with an all-inclusive resort. Vacation packages with all amenities and activities included give you the freedom to immerse yourself in the culture and island while on a refreshing travel. Whether you're traveling on a budget or searching for the luxurious side of the island, you're sure to find an all-inclusive package that fits your needs.

6. Child Friendly Resorts & Activities

Traveling families know the importance of making sure children can and will enjoy the vacation just as much as the adults do! That being said, the adults need to have some fun themselves, too.

Many resorts in Jamaica offer childcare for the days and nights when parents need a little alone time. Don’t worry about dreary childcare in a room filled only with crayons and paper. Kids are on vacation too, and you want to make sure it stays that way!

7. An Island Rich in Culture

Still asking yourself “why visit Jamaica?” Jamaica has a proud and astounding culture, embracing the land and the lifestyles they lead. One of the greatest aspects of Jamaica’s culture is the friendly and welcoming nature of the locals. You won’t feel like a stranger when you arrive at the island; the locals will welcome you with warm hearts. Visit the island with a schedule a tour, and don't miss out on the Bob Marley House in Nine Mile.

8. Destination Weddings

It's easy to have a destination wedding on a friendly island with no blood tests required, where you only have to arrive 2 days prior to the ceremony, and with so many resorts to chose. From large all-inclusive resorts to boutique hotels to villas, your destination wedding in Jamaica will never be forgotten.

10 Reasons Why a Local Travel Agent is Well Worth the Trip

Should You Work with a Local Travel Agent?

With so many online travel sites, daily coupon deals, and big-name agencies out there, is there really a benefit to working with a local travel agent? Absolutely!

It might be hard to resist that email advertising a weeklong escape for short money, but there are a lot of reasons why you should work with a local travel agent. Here are 10 of them.

10 Reasons Why a Local Travel Agent is Worth the Trip

1. If the "good deal" is what's catching your eye, keep in mind that seasonal price swings are a local agent’s year round specialty. Knowing when to go where at the best prices can make a huge difference in your travel plans and their costs.
2. Your travel agent gets to know you personally and takes the time to learn the things that make you a happy customer. From the best places to discover to the ones worth avoiding, your agent knows what will make you happy and will plan your trips to be the best they can be for you.
3. Your travel agent has the perspective of the whole trip: transportation, hotels, cars, sightseeing, shopping and all the details that go into making any trip go smoothly.
4. If you run into a problem while traveling you have someone to call who can guide you on how to fix it or make the fixes for you.
5. Want to plan a trip but not sure where to go? Your travel agent is a library of travel information to help you get a feel for where you want to go.
6. Your travel agent will guide you through the tough choices: charters versus scheduled carriers, car rentals options, special discounts, family travel packages, tour operators and more. And a travel agent will always work to get you the best deals because their reputation is on the line.
7. Time is money, and your local travel agent will save you time by preparing your itinerary and making all the telephone calls for your information and reservations.
8. You get the most up-to-date information.Your local travel agent knows travel and with so many choices, your local travel agent can guide you through the maze of information and help you make the best travel decision while saving you money.
9. When you use a local travel agent, you are supporting a local business, and that’s good for your local economy.
10. You receive the personal attention of a local travel agent who is dedicated to making your trips the BEST trips.

I love what I do because not only do I love travel, I love making it easy and accessible for my customers. Want to learn more about how I can help you plan an amazing trip within your budget? Contact me at marisa@sensationaltravel.com.

National Hurricane Center Predicts Above Average 2011 Season

Atlantic hurricane season begins Wednesday June 1st and the National Hurricane Center predicts that it will be an above average summer with 12 to 18 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes, which are Category 3 and above. It is wise for any American traveler going to the Caribbean or Mexico this summer until November 2011 to purchase travel insurance that allows you to cancel or change for any reason and especially for hurricane storms.  

Contact Sensational Travel for more information on how to protect your vacation dollars during this hurricane season at 978-745-2575.

Internet vs Travel Agent

A recent article in The Washington Post was talking about how the travelers are turning back to their Travel Agents to handle their needs. "Travelers are on information overload" when it comes to planning their vacations.  Interesting? I thought so too and you can read more

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/travelers-turn-back-to-travel-agents/2011/04/25/AFZcLM8F_story.html?tid=wp_ipad

Top Travel Gadgets & Accessories I

Video Camera: Flip Mino. This is an easy to use video recorder that is lightweight and compact enough to fit in a small handbag or pocket.  They have 60 minutes of recording time, a rechargable battery that lasts about four hours and a USB plug built onto the device that lets you plug it into a PC or MAC and automatically upload your movies to YouTube.  With its modest 640x480 resolution, you won't be winning any Academy Awards for cinematogrpahy.  But then again, the most prescious moments are the ones you capture with family and friends and now you can share them easily.  Sensational Travel has recently won this model and will be soon having fun recording!