Posts Tagged ‘travel’
So let’s say you live somewhere that claims to have four seasons but actually only has 2 – Winter & Construction… and let’s say you have family that actually lives somewhere that lots of people travel to for fun in the sun… any guesses as to who does the most traveling? Exactly! And such were our plans to take off somewhere in the summer and visit the fam down South once the weather turns bad. But guess what? They actually want to come North – and visit us! So it looks like we’ll be doing the hosting for a change and it’s time to try this staycation thing that everyone keeps talking about.
I’m determined to NOT spend the entire week thinking about chores and odds and sods that need doing around the house, so we’ve set aside day #1 to get our usual roster of stuff done. And as anal as it sounds, we’ve pretty much plotted out our whole week’s activities and meals (weather permitting for the activities) so we don’t have a chance to laze about a bit too much in the mornings and end up not doing much all day.
The nice thing about hosting family from out of town, is that they’ll be seeing things with new eyes. Even though the agenda is our usual haunts, we know that satisfaction is guaranteed and few surprises mean we can enjoy our outing AND our time with family. We would have loved to book a cottage for a few nights to give them a taste of our beautiful cottage country, but that will have to be another summer.
So where will we be “going” on our staycation? Certainly The Toronto Zoo. We can’t wait to check out the new Tundra exhibit – and we’ve missed the polar bears! Next stop – Centre Island. The city’s been on strike for the past 6 weeks, and a highlight from last summer has had to be put off until now since the ferries weren’t running. I LOVED Centre Island as a kid (something about that ferry ride makes you feel like you’re really going places) and I’m so glad my daughter loves it too. I think it’s just charming enough for kids from the land of the Amusement Park to enjoy as well.
Last thing on the agenda is a farm. We haven’t decided which one just yet, but there are a couple near to the city that we can explore. It’s cute how this was on their wish list of places to visit when they come, a real-life farm is hard to come by when you live where most people go on holiday.
Am I a bit disappointed that we’re not going away? A little – but I haven’t got the baby’s passport yet so we couldn’t go far anyway. What I’m most looking forward to is spending time with my family, and my extended family.
Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel, your online guide for travel with babies and toddlers. For more information please visit www.havebabywilltravel.com or send a message to info@havebabywilltravel.com
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The Grand Prize:
A PeaPod Plus travel bed
A BedBugz bed rail
A HandySitt portable high chair + travel bag
A Trunki
An ERGObaby hands-free carrier system
A Travel ‘N Doodle
A Snack & Play Travel Tray
A SnackBall
A Mommy Mat
A Wet Happened waterproof bag
A CARES safety harness
A Bibagogo travel bib
- The Toddler Travel Prize Pack (2 to give away):
A Trunki
A Travel ‘N Doodle
A SnackBall
- The Baby Travel Prize Pack:
An ERGObaby hands-free carrier system
A PeaPod Plus travel bed
A Bibagogo travel bib
The winners will be chosen in a random draw on Monday May 11, 2009 and will be contacted by e-mail. Please, only one entry per submission - multiple entries require multiple submissions. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. There is no cost to the winners. All legal residents of the 50 United States including the District of Columbia, 18 years of age or older as of the time of entry and legal residents of Canada, over the age of majority in their province/territory of residence, as of time of entry, excluding residents of The Province of Quebec, are eligible to enter the giveaway.
How to fly, stay, and eat for less…
The weather’s bad and the news is gloomy; time to escape with the family for a week and decompress on a beach - right? Unfortunately, the economy is just as nasty as the weather and the news, and many are opting for “staycations” or canceling their travel plans altogether. For me, neither are appealing options… If I stayed close to home I’d never relax or let go of the chores that need tending to. If I cancelled our trip, I’d be even more miserable.
Back pre-baby, I was the cheapest traveler around. I flew on rickety airlines at awful times, I stayed at hostels and tiny b&bs, and I’d live for days on end on nothing but bread, cheese, and wine. But now that travel involves more than a backpack on my back and time on my hands, I’ve found it a challenge to travel on the cheap while still maintaining a certain level of comfort and safety for my daughter. However, I’ve now got a number of trips with her under my belt, and I’ve leaned some money-saving tricks along the way.
The economic crisis has affected the travel industry as well, so if you’ve already socked away your travel money, you may find it goes further than you were expecting it to with reduced prices on different types of packages. However, if you’re building a trip from scratch, here are some ways to fly, stay, and eat for less…
Kids, no matter what are awalys happiest on the beach!
Flying for less:
If you’re close (even close-ish) to an American gateway, it’s often worth the extra travel time to fly out of The States. For example, flying direct to Tampa from Buffalo added about 2 hours to our journey (we got lucky at the border) but the total cost for all 3 of us to fly was less than the cost of one fare on a Canadian carrier. Long-term parking from Buffalo airport worked out to less than $10 a day. Some hotels nearby even offer free parking for up to 2 weeks (plus shuttle to and from the airport) if you stay with them the night before your flight. Just a quick peek at some fares on US carriers for the third week of January: Buffalo to Tampa return: $215 USD, Burlington, VT to Cancun: $404 USD, Bellingham, WA to San Diego: $178.50. All prices quoted are taxes-in!
If a US gateway is not a possibility for you, keep your eyes peeled for seat sales and charter sell-offs. Also note that a mid-week departure is often significantly less than Saturdays or Sundays.
Staying for less:
They say that that travel is one industry that has been completely revolutionized by the Internet, and the Internet is your friend when looking for deals on accommodation. If you
‘re looking for a small, family-friendly motel or b&b, chances are they have a website and chances are there are reviews to be found online as well. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the hotels that are part of a package also book separately and the rate is often reduced. This works out well for you if you’ve done your research and found a great flight online! The types of deals usually to be had are 7 nights for the price of 5 and amazing mid-week deals as well. As with any brochure, the web site of any hotel is meant to sell the property and may very well glamorize the rooms and amenities. This is where online reviews come in. Once you’ve sorted out your flight and hotel, you can then prepare to save money elsewhere.
Eating for less:
In a word: self-cater (ok, technically that’s two!) This was never an appealing option for me as I thought cooking on holiday was not my idea of a good time. However, the more we’ve done it, the more I prefer it. Not only do we eat healthier and save lots of money, I’ve also come home at least the same weight as I left (I’ll admit to a bit of a self-control issue when it comes to buffets).
In order to make your self-catering experience as stress-free as possible, locate the nearest grocery store online before you go and have a few snacks and essentials on-hand so you’re not scrambling as soon as you check in. We also keep our breakfasts and lunches very simple, and go out for nice dinners. A loaf of bread, a few spreads, a box of cereal, milk, juice, cold cuts, fruit and pre-sliced veggies (and often prepared salads) have kept us full and satisfied with a minimum amount of fuss or dishes. We’ll indulge in a couple of great brunches to fulfill the requisite vacation bacon & eggs, but otherwise our mornings are less rushed and if our early riser decides to rise extra-early, we’re not constantly checking the clock to check out when the restaurant opens!
Beer and wine are usually available at grocery stores in most other countries, and usually at incredibly low prices. If you’re not renting a car, have one stay back with the kids while the other shops and grabs a cab back to your hotel.
The bottom line:
Travel is a luxury, and tough times often means giving up luxuries. But for me, travel has become a necessity, so I have to find ways to make our money go further. While this has sometimes meant staying in minimalist accommodation and/or curtailing fancy activities, my daughter only knows she’s on a fun adventure with mommy and daddy and their full attention. She was just as happy on the beach with a bucket & shovel as she was at Disney World, and so were we!
Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel - your online guide to traveling with babies and toddlers. For more information please visit www.havebabywilltravel.com or send a message toinfo@havebabywilltravel.com
Our family travels by car quite frequently. Entertaining and keeping children happy in the car is a challenge that many parents face. Car seats are not conducive to many activities, especially when children are young. This is why the Snack and Play Travel Tray is the perfect solution for us!
When we first got ours, my daughter told me how excited she was that she would finally be able to colour in the car. Losing markers and crayons in the car was a frequent occurrence in our vehicle up until we started using the Snack and Play Travel Tray.
The Snack & Play Travel Tray has mesh side pockets and a 2 inch wall to stop items from falling off the tray. The wall is the feature that I am most impressed with!
The tray fits most car and booster seats. It comes with a belt and buckle that can be fastened and unfastened on either side. This belt keeps the tray in place and from falling off a child’s lap.
Your First Vacation With Baby!
Connect with your new family on holiday…
A vacation with baby can seem daunting. After all, travel can be stressful in itself, throwing diapers and spit up into the mix doesn’t necessarily sound like much fun! Leaving the house is often a major accomplishment in the early days of mommyhood. But once you’re out and about, you can’t imagine ever staying housebound. And once you’ve gone away with your baby, you can’t imagine ever experiencing somewhere new without her.
Backpacking and hostels or exotic locales and boutique hotels may be postponed for the time being. In choosing a destination, your first concerns should be safety and health. If you feel the need for a little sun, there are many places in the Caribbean and South America that are peaceful and clean – at many price points. With our stronger dollar, the Southern U.S. is also a great option. Europe can be pricier and trickier, but it can be done. Deciding where to go is part of the fun! Pick a place you’ve always fancied, and tailor your itinerary to baby’s routine and your needs.
You’ll be spending a lot of time in your room now, so it’s worth spending a little more to make sure it’s nice. A kitchenette comes in handy, but it’s not necessary. You will need a fridge – not only for baby’s food, but for your drinks as well! Unless you’re arranging for babysitting, your evenings will be spent in once baby’s in bed. Try to get a room with a balcony or terrace. See if your hotel offers cribs, but if you’re concerned, toss a playpen onto your already giant pile of luggage.
Right, luggage… You’re going to have a lot of it and it will be heavy. If baby’s traveling on your lap, you won’t get extra luggage allowance. Some airlines will nail you with overweight charges, but you might get lucky with a sympathetic check-in person. Either way, you shouldn’t be charged for checking a car seat or gate-checking a stroller, and your bags will be considerably lighter on the way back. Make a detailed packing list or print one off the Internet. How detailed depends on how easily you can buy what you need. Florida? No problem. Cuba? Not so easy.
The travel days are tough, so be armed with extra everything – diapers, wipes, distractions, clothes (for you too!), and nourishment for baby. Delays are common, and airports aren’t the best places to buy baby things. Once you get where you’re going, the journey becomes a distant memory, and your new vacation memories can start! Your holiday routine will fall into place if you go with the flow.
A vacation with baby provides the opportunity for you all to connect away from the busyness of day-to-day life. Take the plunge, and try a family getaway. It doesn’t matter if baby won’t remember, because you will never forget it.
Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel - your online guide to traveling with babies and toddlers. For more information please visit www.havebabywilltravel.com or send a message to info@havebabywilltravel.com
Howling When It’s Time To Leave…The sign of a good time at Great Wolf Lodge!
This summer was a busy one, and there wasn’t a lot of time off for vacation. With the precious few days we did manage, we still wanted to get away and go somewhere fun. We’d heard raves about Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, so we decided to check it out for ourselves.
We timed our drive around our daughter’s nap – hoping she’d get a few winks in before the fun began. Of course she didn’t sleep, but we lucked out with traffic and we were pulling into the parking lot just over 90minutes after having left our house in Toronto. Great Wolf Lodge is roughly a 5-minute drive from the main drag in Niagara Falls, and looks like a giant log cabin from the road.
The log cabin theme is continued in the large lobby – where a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace is adorned with animatronic wolves howling intermittently. My daughter was captivated by “Mr. Moose” and “Mama Bear” – more animatronic creatures set up in the lobby – but we were both a little creeped out by the talking tree. Along with Daddy, Mr. Moose and Mama Bear kept our little cub occupied while I checked in. The line moved quickly and in no time we were wristbanded and away to our room. We were lucky that our room was ready early. You can check in as early as 1pm but rooms aren’t guaranteed until 4pm.
The rooms are spacious and well laid out for a family stay. Ours was the basic family suite that would certainly pass for an upgrade in your typical hotel. Each room is equipped with a small fridge, a microwave, safe (with buttons at perfect toddler level – beware!), TV with inputs for your dvd player or game device, as well as a separate sitting and eating area. We found the beds to be very comfortable and our room was a perfect place to relax and unwind.
In spite of (or perhaps because of) not sleeping in the car – my daughter was raring to go – off we went to the waterpark. My husband is a waterslide kind of guy, and his eyes completely lit up as we walked inside. This place is big and loud and wet and totally fun. In no time my daughter was going down the kiddie slides by herself, and we’d spell each other off catching her at the bottom so the other could go on the “big kid” rides. Tiny towels are provided and they do offer a small selection of life jackets to borrow. If you want to be sure your child is wearing one, bring your own. The wave pool was great fun and the lazy river was a surprise hit. With it being summer, I was hoping to spend some time outside, but the small pool out there was no match for the favoured green slide. However, the vigilant mom in me was relieved not to have to fuss with sunscreen.
Bleary-eyed (the chlorine is strong), we headed back to our room to shower and dress for dinner. There was a bit of a wait for the buffet, which was a little nerve-wracking with a hungry, non-napped toddler, but soon we were seated for supper and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and selection of the food.
After dinner, we snuck past the Mr. Moose & Mama Bear pajama party/storytime in the lobby (we learned on previous trips that staying up to party after dinner means no sleep for anyone) and once back in our room our daughter was asleep in minutes. We sat on our balcony and enjoyed the beer we’d brought that was chilling in our fridge, but truth be told we were lights out soon after. In spite of our pillow barricades, our poor little mouse fell out of bed. A call to the front desk confirmed that Great Wolf Lodge does provide bed rails – good to know for the future!
We started our second day with breakfast from the takeaway inside the waterpark. Then it was all slides, all the time – with a bit of wave pool and lazy river to break up the monotony! We all had a great nap in the afternoon, and after a quick trip to the Cub Club for a bit of arts and crafts, it was back to the waterpark once again. The spa looked lovely, but this mini-break was about spending time together so I figured I’d check it out another time.
We had intended to go into Niagara Falls for a bit of a change for dinner, but a torrential rainstorm thwarted our plans - it was back to the buffet. The choices were the same, but at least there is enough variety so you don’t necessarily have to eat the same thing. Again, after dinner our daughter was asleep in seconds, and even though we had beer left over – we were simply too tired to drink it. We were asleep within minutes of our daughter!!
Although you can stay until 7pm on the day you check out, my husband and I were a little waterpark-ed out and figured we’d hang out in Niagara Falls for the morning. We arrived in the lobby just in time for the morning storytime! As we got organized, our little cub enjoyed a few last moments with her beloved Mr. Moose & Mama Bear. The howls as we were leaving weren’t coming from the animatronic wolves, they were coming from a 2.5-year-old determined not to leave Great Wolf Lodge!
This was our first real venture to a “family” attraction, and we were pleased to find that it was very clean and nicely laid out for a family’s comfort. At 2 ½, our daughter was probably just old enough to really enjoy it, although families with small babies were well looked after as the older ones played. However, there were a few things I wish I had known in advance, so I’m giving you some tips to make your stay at Great Wolf Lodge a great one…
5 Tips for maximizing your enjoyment at Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls:
- Surf before you book – the rack rate is quite steep but there are often deals to be found online. Also, Great Wolf Lodge offers many companies an excellent corporate rate, so check with your employer.
- Give your wallet (and your waistband) a break by bringing healthy snacks and food from home. Many families brought coolers containing their breakfast and lunch staples, so their only other main expense was dinner.
- Check in early. You can arrive as early as 1pm, so pack a day bag and enjoy the facilities while your room gets ready. We had smooth sailing at 2:30, but by 4pm the lobby was absolutely jammed with people and luggage.
- Bring your skin and hair care products. I figured I could make due with the hotel stuff for 2 nights and didn’t pack my usual arsenal of lotions and potio
- ns. The waterpark area is spotless but the chlorine is strong and my skin and hair were really dried out.Pack your patience. Not every parent is as diligent as you are, nor is every child as well-behaved as yours… Try to laugh it off and just be grateful that it’s not your son cimbing the display to punch Mr. Moose in the face, it wasn’t your daughter pushing toddlers out of the way at the top of the slide, and it was someone else’s husband that almost knocked me down trying to get on the elevator as I was getting off.
Corinne McDermott is the founder of Have Baby Will Travel – your online guide to traveling with babies and toddlers. For more information please visit www.havebabywilltravel.com.
