I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for Scotland since the early nineties when a yearlong Fulbright teaching exchange took me there and ignited a passionate and insatiable curiosity about the world. A few years ago I was back in Scotland for the Adventure Travel World Summit and met Irene Lane, owner and founder of Greenloons, an ecotourism tour company.
If you’re ready to launch your own Scotland adventure, here are three eco-friendly trips—a Highland safari, family adventure and Scottish train experience—from Greenloons to get you there…
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
It’s a common family dilemma: The kids want to stay home with their friends. Parents are ready (a.k.a. desperate) to head further afield.
Tempt them with Bedouin camp sleepovers, jungle ziplines, elephant rides and tiger safaris, however, and watch how quickly they stop complaining and start packing.
Summer vacation never looked so good as the new ‘kidtastic’ family travel collection from Kensington Tours. Here are 10 of their hand-crafted family adventures sure to please kids and parents.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Are you ready for a family vacation that won’t leave them rolling their eyes at your lame choices? Fear not. It ispossible, if you let the kids do the planning. At least that’s the idea behind Austin Lehman Adventures’ (ALA) new “What Kids Want on a Family Adventure Vacation” call-in focus group webinar headed up by Kasey Austin (daughter of founding director, Dan Austin), the company’s new CEO (Chief Entertainment Officer).
Austin aims to get your kids (ages 7 to 17) on board with adventure planning by giving them their say in every step of the planning and learning what’s important to them on an active family vacation during the Sunday, April 15, 2012 webinar (4 p.m. EST ).
“This is an ongoing research project and dialogue between ALA and its guests, fans and family to constantly improve and enhance the ALA trip experience,” said Austin. “Our summer guests will benefit from the ideas that come out of this focus group discussion.” Kids’ opinions from the webinar will be integrated into ALA family trip programming and orchestrated with guides during ALA’s annual spring training in Billings, MT.
Austin urges kids to sign up early online. The first 25 participants will receive a “certified cool” ALA gift and goody bag. Even better, their family will receive a $250 trip voucher good for any 2012 ALA trip.
To register for the online focus group kids are instructed to go to:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/571338808. After signing up and confirming they have their parent’s permission to participate, kids will receive a confirmation email containing information about being part of the Webinar.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Just because your child has become a teenager – or is acting like one – doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice meaningful family vacations. To help you keep the peace and the fun flowing, listed below are a few wise tips for traveling with teens from family travel specialists, Thomson Family Adventures.
1) Choosing a destination that offers activities to challenge and excite – like a zip line, white water rafting, or kayaking – will keep your big kids active, engaged and satisfied. If they’ve done an activity before, try in a new environment for new excitement. Look for a variety of activities that give everyone a chance to try many things; don’t give them the chance to feel bored with the same old thing.
2) This is your family vacation, but diversions are very useful. Traveling in a small group of like minded and similar aged families gives you the chance to meet new people and make new friends. For many families, having company to share the fun with helps prevent the family bond from fraying under the stress of too much togetherness.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
With winter’s essential wardrobe staples of galoshes and snowsuits, it seems hard to believe that spring break and the summer holidays are just around the corner. And while local amusement parks and day camps might seem like the obvious boredom-busters for youngsters, a Wildland Adventures family vacation just might be the ticket to both entertainment and enlightenment.
Wildland Adventures Family VacationsHaving earned the titles of “Family Travel Pro” and “Family Adventure Gurus” by National Geographic Traveler and Adventure magazines, the Seattle-based Wildland Adventures has created all-ages family adventure vacations to just about every destination in the world. And with special discounted pricing for children and teens, parents won’t have to worry about breaking the bank during the upcoming holidays.
To ensure a successful holiday, follow these tips from Kurt Kutay, founding president and director of Wildland Adventures, for planning the perfect family adventure.
1. Walk among the people. Following local footpaths through villages and farmlands opens windows to family life far different from our own. During your vacation, walk through the new land and meet people of different cultures.
2. Capitalize on everyone’s interests. When planning your family adventure, gather around the kitchen table and make sure everyone’s interest and ideas are included in the itinerary.
3. A good family guide is key. The best guides for family trips are parents or teachers who are familiar with young minds so they can deliver age-appropriate, interpretative information. Guides should possess the spirit of a child for fun, discovery and exploration.
4. Build anticipation. Provide pre-departure trip materials that include colorful, age-appropriate information about the destination. Some suggestions are laminated wildlife guides of animals they can expect to see or posters of the rainforest and other habitats they’ll visit.
5. Anticipate a peak experience. Plan activities in a walking itinerary that kids find personally rewarding: come across a waterfall or ruins or climb to the top of a castle or ancient temple. The trick is to make the journey as much fun as the destination.
6. Show the parents a thing or two. Involve activities that allow all family members to participate together – learn about yourselves, discover inner strengths or skills and do things you never imagined. Try out activities that parents might not be as adept as kids to reverse normal roles at home: kids can show their parents a thing or two!
7. Kids leading kids. Plan to invite young people from the local area to join in on the trip. Walking is a normal and daily fact of life in many cultures, and North American kids will more likely keep up the pace with other kids than adults!
To learn more about these or other Wildland family adventure vacations, visit http://www.wildland.com or call 1-800-345-4453.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".