Explore every episode of the podcast Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 277: Explore Iceland on a Windstar Cruise | 09 Sep 2024 | 00:33:28 | |
Kim just came back from her third cruise of the year and her first small-ship cruise on Windstar Cruises. TL;DR, she loved Windstar and small ship cruising! In this week's episode Kim dishes on everything you need to know about small ship cruising on Windstar. Plus, hear about her pre-cruise excursions from Reykjavik including a small group Golden Circle tour with Hidden Iceland and hot springs experiences at the Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon. Note: Kim was hosted by Windstar Cruises for purposes of her review. All opinions are her own. Highlights of the Windstar Cruise experience:
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| 226 New England Travel | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:26:13 | |
Are you ready to go leaf peeping in New England this fall? Tamara shares some great destinations and road trips on where to go to northern New England including Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
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| 217: Scottsdale and Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka) | 27 Jun 2023 | 00:53:21 | |
Well it has been a minute since we had a chance to catch up and record a podcast but in this episode Tamara shares her insights and experience from her recent family trip to Japan. Kim and Tamara also share their love for Scottsdale, Arizona and some of the things they did on a girls' trip together. Read more at:
Tamara also talked about her time in Paso Robles, California. You can read her Paso Robles itinerary to get inspired to visit this wine region. Kim attended conferences in Walt Disney World (read her tips for using DVC points to save money on a Disney World vacation), Disney Land, and San Antonio. She also took a family cruise to Alaska aboard the Norwegian Bliss, which was different from her Alaska cruise on Holland America last summer. Kim also took a quick press trip to Iceland, where she was able to explore Reykjavik and visit the Sky Lagoon. We really dug into Tamara's 2-week trip to Japan which included: If you are planning a trip, be sure to read Tamara's Japan travel tips! When talking about how great Google Maps can be to figure out transportation in Japan, Kim also mentioned her post about using Google Maps to plan a trip. Tamara was also just back from a short press trip to Waterton and Glacier National Parks. We will be traveling a lot over the summer so expect to hear another episode in the late summer. Then you will hear about Tamara's trip to Scotland & Wales, her river and barge cruises in France, and Kim's amazing trip to Kenya. Full Episode Transcript[00:00:00.000] - Kim Today, we're journeying to the land of the rising sun.
[00:00:14.520] - Tamara Welcome to Vacation Mavens a family travel podcast with ideas for your next vacation and tips to get you out the door. Here are your hosts, Kim from Stuffed Suicase and Tamara from We Three Travel.
[00:00:29.740] - Tamara Kim, I can't believe the last time I really talked to you was when we were together in Scottsdale in April.
[00:00:34.670] - Kim I know. It's been a crazy travel season for us. Good. I love that travel's back and everything, but it's also crazy because I thought we would be talking more and we've seen each other so much at the beginning of the year. And then all of a sudden it's like, Oh, summer is almost over.
[00:00:47.920] - Tamara Not quite. That was our intent was to have this monthly. We're struggling, guys. So if anyone is still listening and subscribe to us, which I hope that they are, we're going to do a quick little rundown of some of our recent travels. Now you'll see why we haven't been able to connect and record an episode.
[00:01:07.600] - Kim Yeah, exactly. It's been insane. The last time you guys heard from us, we were headed to Scottsdale, which was middle of April, and we both, I think, had an amazing trip there. We both published our articles, so you can always head to Wee 3 Travel and Stuff Suitcase and see the stuff that we covered. But I loved Scottsdale. It was great.
[00:01:25.720] - Tamara Yeah. I think Scottsdale just continues to be a place I want to go back to because there's so many beautiful resorts and hotels, so there's always some place new to check out. There's amazing spas. Then this time, we did a lot of really cool activities.
[00:01:41.370] - Kim I loved how it was really I think Scottsdale is a great destination a combination for being able to do outdoorsy things. We did hot air balloons, horseback riding, a few different things. But we also did wine tasting and shopping and went to some museums. Then, like you said, went to an amazing spot, the Phoenixion. Scottsdale, if you are a spa person, that's where you want to go.
[00:02:03.230] - Tamara I've been watching our friend, Colleen, that lives out in Scottsdale. She seems to be hopping around another spa every day. I'm like, Wow, I want to come be your friend right now.
[00:02:12.830] - Kim I think everyone's been saying that, I want your job.
[00:02:15.790] - Tamara I'm sure. I would definitely say romantic getaway, girlfriend get away. Scottsdale is amazing for that. There's plenty to do with the family as well because of all those outdoor activities. But definitely check out. I know I have an itinerary. You have some great suggestions on things to do in the summer and how to manage the heat out there. D efinitely check those out on our websites to see more.
[00:02:39.620] - Kim So where did you head after Scottsdale?
[00:02:41.800] - Tamara I went right from Scottsdale to T uson to see Hannah for a little bit. And then the following week, I went to Paso Robles, which I'd learned.
[00:02:51.090] - Kim I always said it was Paso Robles. Oh, it's Robles.
[00:02:52.980] - Tamara Yeah. And it's actually Robles. And I'm like, I feel silly saying Robles.
[00:02:57.270] - Kim Yeah, it sounds like Marbles.
[00:02:58.630] - Tamara But that is a wine region in central California near San Louis Biscoe. I just love it. I was there, I think it was nine or eight years ago with the family, and we were checking out some family friendly wineries there. But it has just exploded in terms of the number of wineries, but also really good food now. The downtown has expanded. I stayed in a new boutique hotel that was just I loved it, which was so cool. It has a rooftop bar. It had a wine, actually a champagne vending machine in the lobby. Oh, I saw that. I saw your story on that. Yeah. So I had a great time out there. And I definitely think anyone that's into wine, put that on your radar as a region to visit. You can easily spill a long weekend. I had a couple of really wonderful spots that I went for wine tasting, just those perfect, incredible views, great food, wonderful wine. I think where many, many years ago it was newer to the scene or it was well known for J. L oor, some of the bigger names. There's just so much going on out there.
[00:04:02.940] - Tamara Where did you go next? Because I know you were really busy right after our.
[00:04:06.130] - Kim Scottsdale trip, too. I had three trips back to back. I did go to Disney World for a conference and I got to ride the new Tron ride. I also checked out a new hotel, which was the Contemporary Hotel, which I had never been to. I loved that. I really do love the splurging on those Disney World hotels that have the monorail access and the ones we've been at Revere too with the Skyliner because, man, it's amazing how much easier it is just to get into and not have to deal with the bus system because then whenever I have to wait for a bus to one of the parks and it's like, inevitably I get there and I'm the last one, I've got to wait for 20.
[00:04:39.400] - Tamara Minutes or something. I will say that's what I liked the most about Disneyland because I've never stayed on park at Disney World. I've only stayed at partner hotels and by hotels.
[00:04:50.150] - Kim Yeah, it is a big splurge for sure. I have a great article about that, though, because we splurged and used... We rented DVC points to be able to stay, and it's still not cheap. It was for the graduation trip and stuff, and this one does a conference hotel rate. I'm definitely not saying it's cheap, affordable, but if you do want to splurge, renting DVC points, and I have a link, so if anyone wants it, or you can look up the how I saved $2,000 plus dollars at Disney World. I have how we did that in there. I actually just tried to do it for Disneyland, but they didn't have any availability because Disneyland only has one property, almost two. Anyways, I did that. But then right after that, I also went on another Alaskan cruise, which you and I have talked about a few times. I'll soon have a couple of articles updated, but this was more of just a family cruise, so I didn't actually treat it like a work trip, which was nice to.
[00:05:39.930] - Tamara Just relax. Which cruise were you on this time, though? Because I feel like was it last summer that you did celebrity?
[00:05:44.310] - Kim Holland last August, which I absolutely loved. I loved Holland. I haven't done celebrity in Alaska yet, but Holland America was awesome. This time we did Norwegian because my family has status with there, and so they like to book Norwegian. We did the bliss, which we have been on the bliss before for a little media sailing when they started it.
[00:06:02.560] - Tamara That's the one that we took.
[00:06:03.920] - Kim To Alaska. Yeah, exactly. Family trip. Yeah. Anyway, so that was that. Then I had one other conference, then back to Disneyland. I hit both the parks within about three weeks of each other, but that was a lot of fun and just...
[00:06:17.460] - Tamara You should have really had a Disney.
[00:06:19.000] - Kim Cruise in the middle. I should have. That would have been perfect. Yeah, exactly. But anyways, that was a wrap up for me. My final trip that I did was I went at the end of May and went to San Antonio for another conference. It feels like most of mine were conferences. I was just conference out. But San Antonio is a cool city. It's been a while since I've been there. I went there for one day when I went to school in Texas for a little while. It was fun checking out San Antonio. But I know you've done a lot of other travels that did not involve conferences.
[00:06:51.170] - Tamara Yeah, I'm like, Have I? I guess. You forget by now. Yeah, that's for sure. Well, I went back to T uson a week and a half later to pick up Hannah and bring her back from school. Then we were home for a week. Then we did our two week trip to Japan. Then I was home for, I don't know, two weeks. Then I just did a real quicky trip to Glacier National Park area.
[00:07:14.290] - Kim Right. I forgot you went to glacier and I went to Iceland. I forgot to mention that. Oh, yeah. I'm blanking on June. I forgot June even existed. Sorry, I was just focusing on up to May, but yeah, definitely. I didn't get to experience the Iceland you got to experience because we stuck around Reykjavik and just explored a couple of attractions that were around there. So it was a quick, quick trip. But Mia is quite the little outdoor lover and cultured lover, so I definitely want to go back to Iceland with her because I know she'll just love to do some of the exploration that you've done.
[00:07:48.850] - Tamara I was going to say, I'll meet you there. Yeah, definitely. I'm always ready to go back there. Yeah, well, I'll definitely put all of these links to articles in our show notes so you guys can read more. But I think.
[00:08:00.800] - Kim That's a good way to do it. But I think we should dive into Japan because it is a very hot destination. I'm still so sad because ours was canceled. We were supposed to be going in April 2020, so we switched off and now you got to finally live the vacation that I was dreaming about back then. I think we should give everyone just a really quick rundown because I know that you have done an amazing job of writing a whole bunch of articles that are really going to be useful for people who are planning a trip to Japan. Let's just start off and give you an idea of how many days were you there and how maybe did you break up your itinerary?
[00:08:36.480] - Tamara Yeah, absolutely. We took two weeks because especially coming from the East Coast, it's just such a long trip. Honestly, it's been on the top of our bucket list for so long, but we just haven't had two weeks where we felt comfortable to go that far knowing we're going to deal with jet lag on the way back. And then the flights are just always so expensive. But at least I was able to use points for one of our flights. So we took two weeks. I flew out on a Saturday morning. Yes, I got there on a Sunday, and then we were supposed to come back on Saturday, but we came back on Sunday because of a weather delay. But anyway, so I did five days in Tokyo, five days in Kyoto, and then three nights in Osaka. When I first started planning the trip, a lot of people told me that I would only need two or three days in Tokyo. But as I was looking at everything that we wanted to do, I was like, I really feel like I could easily spend a week here. It's just a fascinating city. There's just the ultra modern, and then there's the more traditional and each neighborhood is so huge.
[00:09:42.570] - Tamara I think what many people don't realize is just how large the cities are. It's funny, I was talking to my mom before I left, and I don't think she's kept up on modern times as much. There's no way she's listening to this podcast, so I can say it. But she was like, Oh, I showed a picture when we went. She's like, Sky scrapers? I wasn't expecting that. I'm like, What do you think? It's rural villages. But this is the biggest city in the world.
[00:10:09.310] - Kim Yeah, for sure.
[00:10:11.080] - Tamara So it's so huge. And I'm used to going to Europe where even though the cities can be really large, we always stay in that historic, more central area where you're mostly walking. You're taking the metro, but you're primarily walking around a lot. And you may pick a neighborhood, I think about Paris. You pick a neighborhood each day. But in Tokyo, to get to a certain neighborhood, it might be 45 minutes on the couple of connections with the subway and stuff. So I'm glad that we did five days. That's crazy. I could end that was within without doing the Disney stuff, which I know many people like to do when they go there.
[00:10:49.630] - Kim I do know that as a Disney person, it would be hard for me to go to Tokyo and not do Disney, at least Disney Sea, because it's considered a really unique park.
[00:11:00.330] - Tamara Yeah, that's what everyone says. It's unlike any of the others. I get it. But we're not as.
[00:11:06.430] - Kim Into the.
[00:11:06.990] - Tamara Theme parks. Glenn was like, I am not going around the world to go to theme parks.
[00:11:11.590] - Kim Exactly. When you have limited, yes, it's totally valid. I mean, it's very hard to figure out. I agree. I get what he's saying, but I also have that side of me that's like, Oh, but how can you be this close and not do it? So it's very hard to balance that. So, yeah, it sounds good. So you were saying, I know you guys... So I'm picturing Tokyo for my own planning. So you guys were in the Northwestern side of where you look at the downtown to the...
[00:11:38.990] - Tamara Right. The Shizuku neighborhood, which some people were like, oh, do you want to stay there? It's like Times Square. And the area right around the train station is lots of neon, lots of crazy, especially at night. But we were honestly within a 10 minute walk to that, but where we were was more like, business, like government buildings, things like that. So it was really quiet, peaceful. It was great. And we stayed at the Hilton, Tokyo, and it was basically on top of... You could go just down an escalator and connect to two different subway stations. Plus they had a free shuttle if you wanted to the Shinkoku train station. So it was really very accessible. It felt very convenient. And there was plenty of restaurants and things around, but it wasn't super expensive. I don't know how expensive, really, but the Ginza area is much more high end. And then the Shiboya would be nice. But it totally.
[00:12:43.620] - Kim Worked for us. We were happy with it. Nice. That's perfect. Yeah. I had looked at staying in the ginza area because of a few... I was also liked that it was closer to the Disney side, so it was a little easier to get out there. For those of you planning Genza area is basically opposite, diagonal across from where tomorrow states. I've heard the same thing from my research. You really have to allow a lot of time to transfer if you're going to different sides of what you consider the downtown center, 45 minutes to get across sometimes. Kind of crazy. Great. Well, what were some of the highlights then that you guys did when you were in Tokyo?
[00:13:17.970] - Tamara We did a sushi making workshop with True Japan, and we really enjoyed it. The ladies were just really friendly and funny and nice. And so it was fun to see what goes into making sushi. And you probably know that I'm not a sushi eater, really. And we can talk about food later because it worked out better than I expected, except for a couple of times. But it was just fun. It's such a huge part of the culture. So I enjoyed that. We didn't do a whole lot of tours and things. We did a lot of exploring on our own. But the one thing that everybody has to do, which was as amazing as you would think, was the team lab planets, which is that immersive art experience where there's water and flowers and reflections. It's just unlike anything else. And it's really cool. And we've done the traveling, like van go immersive experience. But this was turning that up times 10 or more. And Hannah really loved it. It was really cool. The thing about it is you definitely have to book your tickets well in advance because just one of those things you have a timed entry.
[00:14:30.970] - Tamara It's super popular. And honestly, when it comes to planning Japan, you really need to plan really far in advance. I mean, if you want to get restaurant reservations, some of them book up a month in advance. I think because some of them are so small that if they could take reservations, it might be for eight seats. And so they just go really quickly. And we weren't even there during cherry blossom season or golden week in early May when it's extra busy. difficult to do that. It was amazing. But I would say those are definitely highlights. I just loved exploring different areas. We did go, surprisingly, I liked this, but we went to a sumo wrestling tournament. Yeah, I wonder if I saw that. Which sometimes when people are there, they can see a practice. But there was actually a tournament going on while we were there. So that was something that I had figured out ahead of time. And when the tickets went on sale, I was able to book those the day that they were released. And it was a very cool thing. You don't want to spend hours and hours there because you don't know who the guys are.
[00:15:33.160] - Tamara But just like you could see how excited everyone was to cheer for their favorite, the local person or whatever. And it's just such a dramatic theatrical type of sport. It was interesting. Yeah, for sure. Those are some of my highlights.
[00:15:48.770] - Kim That's awesome. Because I know I saw some of the restaurant experiences you had. It seemed like sometimes you guys went simple and basic, but other times you went really over the top. Anything in Tokyo that you think somebody should splurge on or any savings tips for food or eating in Tokyo other than the restaurants making the reservations?
[00:16:08.160] - Tamara Yeah, we did mostly the casual places in Tokyo. What I was trying to do, because I'm not a sushi eater, is have a variety of foods. And in Japan, all the restaurants really specialize in one thing. They do ramen, they do tempura, they do soba noodles, different things like that. So there's so many different styles of food to try within Japanese cuisine that we just booked a different style of food each night. And honestly, in some of them, we had to line up for the first night that we got there, we went to a place where it opened up five, and we got there at 445, and there was already probably 40 people in line for a 10 seat little place. And you basically you would wait till there was enough space in line. There was people sitting at the counter eating and then people standing behind them waiting for the second that they got up to sit in.
[00:16:56.790] - Kim Their seat. Oh, my goodness.
[00:16:57.810] - Tamara Oh, wow. And you had a vending machine, which is typical. Yeah, a vending machine to order from. So it's typical in a lot of ramen shops. So there's pictures and you just hit the button of what you want. You put in the money, you get a ticket and you hand.
[00:17:11.650] - Kim The person the ticket. That's like McDonald's.
[00:17:13.780] - Tamara Yeah. I'm just kidding. Those.
[00:17:16.820] - Kim Screams in the middle. They have one at Tim Horton's as well. So of.
[00:17:20.940] - Tamara Course, I made a mistake the first time because I saw people with a broth, which I thought was a ramen, and then a bowl of noodles. And I'm like, oh, that's so I saw on the machine that they had dipping noodles and they had ramen. And then you could add extra things, but only if you could tell what the picture was because it was otherwise in Japanese. And so I ordered dipping noodles because it looked really good and ramen because I thought that that's what people had. And then when I handed the girl the ticket, she was like, for one person?
[00:17:51.710] - Kim Oh, no. And she was like, you.
[00:17:53.890] - Tamara Want small or large? Because I was like, oh, is that not what they have? And she was like, no, they have. Because the dipping noodles come with a broth, so I thought it was that they had two.
[00:18:02.980] - Kim Different things in front of them. Oh, and bologna.
[00:18:04.650] - Tamara Yeah. Okay, got you. But I'm really glad that I did it because both were delicious. So I'm happy to sample both. But then Glenn ordered on his ramen, Scallions, and it was covered. It was like a mountain of Scallions because I was like extra. But it was like, if you get extra cheese on a pizza, it's like extra.
[00:18:23.110] - Kim Extra extra. Oh, my goodness. Crazy. I mean, I love Scallions, but I don't know if I could handle the mountain of them.
[00:18:27.560] - Tamara It was crazy. So you make those little mistakes. But we did a lot of the more casual things. And the hard thing is that honestly, I kept saying this, but there's very little in between. So there are the places where you... First of all, Japanese people love to line up, which is really hard when you're visiting and you're tired and you want to be able to eat with a certain time. People wait for two hours to get into this little ramen place or whatever. Oh, my goodness. Yeah, because you're like, I'm tired. I've been running all day. We were running like 5 to 9 miles. We were doing a lot of walking every day. So I'm like, I just want to sit down. So that's why we tried to do some reservations. But there were the really casual, inexpensive, really inexpensive places. And then there's the crazy, crazy high end... Some of the Sushi places, I'm like, there's no way. Because some of them charge up to like $500.
[00:19:19.820] - Kim A person. Oh, my goodness.
[00:19:21.930] - Tamara Insane. That's crazy. So there's just not a lot of middle ground is what I found. Okay, good to know. But the low end, not low end, but the inexpensive stuff is really good.
[00:19:31.970] - Kim Yeah, of course. You just have to go on to wait for it.
[00:19:35.440] - Tamara Yeah, exactly. And honestly, one day... So we had a bit of a rough start because Glenn had a stomach bug the day before we left. So the whole flight over and everything, he basically didn't eat for a couple of days. And then I had a really bad cold the day before we left. And for two days, I was so nervous, I'm testing. I'm like, Please.
[00:19:57.490] - Kim Don't let it be.
[00:19:58.350] - Tamara And it was. And it was just a cold, but I was still super congested, so it was just hard. And in Japanese society, you can't blow.
[00:20:06.290] - Kim Your nose.
[00:20:06.970] - Tamara In public. So I'm trying to be so discreet, going outside and blowing my nose and sanitizing and tucking it into my pocket know, like very... Like trying to be really conscious of that and trying to be super sanitary. But Hannah did end up getting a cold also. One day she was just not feeling up to going out and doing a tour and stuff. So we're like, just stay here and sleep. It was going to be the day that we toured one neighborhood and then we went to the sumo wrestling, and she wasn't super into that anyway. So we're just sleep. And then she went out on her own and she found a 7 11 because just like everybody says, 7 11 has amazing convenience food. So you can buy these really good sandwiches and all that stuff. So there's definitely plenty of ways that you can eat cheap there.
[00:20:56.090] - Kim That's good to know. So then from Tokyo, you went to Kyoto? Yes. Kyoto is such a different vibe. Yeah, the bullet train, right?
[00:21:05.570] - Tamara Yeah. So a couple of things to know about the bullet train is that we had gotten the JR pass, which allows you to use all the JR trains. We got the national ones, so you could use bullet trains as well, except the super fast ones weren't included. And we had gotten one that allows us to make seat reservations. And you also, if you're bringing luggage on the train, you now need to make a reservation for the luggage. And this is for more of a checked bag size luggage, not the carry on size. But we were there for two weeks, so we had checked bags. So you can make a reservation for the last row of seats where the luggage can go behind you, or there's a couple of spots on a luggage rack, but they're really cutting down on luggage on trains. Or you can ship your bags ahead, which we ended up actually a couple of times just shipping our bags ahead. And it only costs $20 a bag. It's waiting for you in the hotel when you get there. It takes 24 hours. So you need to have a small bag with all your stuff for.
[00:22:06.140] - Kim Then one day. Yeah.
[00:22:07.320] - Tamara But we took the bullet train and that worked really well. We saw Mount Fuji because it was a nice day out. So and we ended up like, we got to Kyoto and we just put our bags in a locker and then we took a local train out to Nara, which is about a half hour away or so, maybe 45 minutes. And there's a really beautiful, huge temple out there. But also it's known for their deer park, which Glenn, years ago, because we both work for a Japanese company, so he's been to Japan many times, but 25 years ago. And so he would always tell us about the deer in Nara that bow to you to get fed. Oh, right. And the deer have changed a bit in the last few years.
[00:22:53.320] - Kim Yes. I've heard about this stuff. They have this issue at the monkey place, too.
[00:22:57.310] - Tamara They were so aggressive. That's too bad. They were grabbing my shirt and pulling on my shirt. They nipped my butt. I'm like, Whoa. I feel like all these videos of Glenn and I trying to run away from the deer and we're like, Oh, no. Let's just get away from where the food is so that the deer are calmer. But it's funny because later in the trip, we went to the island of Miyajima, and they have wild deer there also. And one of them followed me into the visitor center, went over to the desk, grabbed a brochure, and then ran out.
[00:23:29.250] - Kim Because they like to get the paper.
[00:23:31.240] - Tamara And so the person comes running out behind the desk, yelling at the deer. And then there's three people in the street trying to wrestle the paper away from the deer.
[00:23:39.390] - Kim Oh, my goodness.
[00:23:40.590] - Tamara And I'm like, You think of deer in the headlights, these gentle creatures.
[00:23:45.240] - Kim Yeah, exactly. It's sad when humanity is like, Yeah, I won't get there.
[00:23:51.560] - Tamara No, it's definitely because there's too many tourists now. They're being fed. Definitely not a great situation. But we did enjoy the day trip out there. Yeah, for sure. I love everything about Japan. It's just so clean and orderly and polite and easy to figure out. My type A personality just really appreciates the order of things. I would like that too. The fact that everybody stands in a line and waits and then you get on when you get on. I love that because in a society where everyone's pushing or whatever, I get.
[00:24:27.400] - Kim Super stressed out. Oh, my gosh, I hated it. We were on a cruise, a European cruise, and that attracts a lot of Europeans. I thought, Oh, you wait in line for your turn to go get your food that you want served. But no, people just come up from other directions and just walk right up. There's no line concept. I'm like, Oh, I like lines. What am I supposed to do? So sorry.
[00:24:49.240] - Tamara I get that. You would love Japan. I think it's such a wonderful place to visit. I think there must be challenges if you live there within the culture. I recognize that I used to work for a Japanese company. I'm aware of many of those issues, but as a visitor, it makes it so pleasant. But anyway, I was going to say that they have lockers where you can store things. Everything is just easy. The trains, everything is in Japanese and English.
[00:25:19.260] - Kim I know they did a big push with that before the Olympics were going to be there. They were trying to...
[00:25:25.180] - Tamara And all of the trains have signs that say what the next stop is. Because sometimes you're on a subway and you're trying to look and you're like, Oh, yeah. They might not answer, but you're like, What was that?
[00:25:36.320] - Kim What did they say?
[00:25:37.460] - Tamara That's Charlie Brown's.
[00:25:38.740] - Kim Teacher talking to you. Exactly. I've had that happen so many times.
[00:25:43.040] - Tamara So that part was great. And Kyoto is just very different. So it is more traditional in the architecture. They preserved a lot of the traditional architecture. There's tons of shrines and temple s o that's the thing is that you could get a little shrine and templed out, but the architecture is so beautiful. There is a downtown center city that's more city like, but it's nothing like Tokyo.
[00:26:09.310] - Kim Or Nagasaki. I remember when we were looking to stay in Kyoto, I seem to recall because we were going to go during... We were hoping for cherry blossom season, but I seem to recall there it's still pretty spread out and there's little neighborhoods in Kyoto even. It's like, okay, this one has more of this vibe and this one I can't remember where we were staying, but I was looking at the different things and getting the bamboo forest, like, oh, well, I'd have to leave here and we want to be near a train station.
[00:26:32.970] - Tamara All those plans. Yeah, you do want to be near a train station because the metro system is not as well developed there. So we took a mix of busses, GR trains, private trains that you paid for the same way you'd pay for a subway. But when we stayed at the Hyatt Regency, which was probably about a 10 minute walk to one of the train stations, but there was a bus that stopped right outside that then went to the main Kyoto station, which is where we would get on to go to the bamboo forest. And then, yeah, so it was conveniently located, but you definitely needed to plan your travel because some of those destinations, especially many of them were taking slower local trains, and they could still take 45 minutes to.
[00:27:26.150] - Kim An hour. That was one of the things in my planning that was the hardest is recognizing that there are so many different train lines, like brands, and you might have a pass with one, but it doesn't necessarily mean you can go on every train that's coming in. So it's an interesting thing that I've never... I'm sure maybe it's in other places around the world, but it's not something we think about in the states at all.
[00:27:49.420] - Tamara The nice thing, though, is that we had our JR pass, which, by the way, I don't even know if they're going to be that useful after this fall because the price is almost doubling. It's going up. It's having some. Unless ticket prices are going up a lot also, you might just want to buy individual tickets.
[00:28:04.190] - Kim Individual.
[00:28:04.600] - Tamara Ticket, yeah. But we bought, as soon as we got, we had ordered the JR passes ahead, so we had our voucher that we had to turn in to get the actual pass. Then we went to an ATM because you needed cash for a lot of things. We have to also use cash to get an IC card. So this is the rechargeable card that you would use to get on the metro or the bus or something like that. But the nice thing is that unlike, Oh, I'm going to New York, I need a metro card. I'm going to this place, I need that card for their.
[00:28:32.660] - Kim Subway system. Yeah, like Long Island Railroad and Metro card.
[00:28:35.370] - Tamara Yeah, exactly. This card worked for all of them. And it also works for a lot of vending machines.
[00:28:41.990] - Kim Some convenient stores.
[00:28:42.850] - Tamara Yeah, the vending machine.
[00:28:43.690] - Kim I forgot. And you reload it always with cash, though? You always have to reload it only cash. You can't reload it with cash.
[00:28:48.300] - Tamara Yeah, which is so bizarre. It's like this is a digital payment system and I'm loading it with cash.
[00:28:53.590] - Kim I wonder if it's because they want to make sure that you're actually paying for it. They don't want you to just be able to dispute it and have gotten the ride for free or gotten the food for free. You know what I mean? I wonder if it's a culture thing.
[00:29:04.840] - Tamara I do know that it used to be, before COVID, a very cash based society. Now more and more places will take a credit card. And if you have, there's a lot of... Not many places take Apple Pay, but a lot of them do take a tap payment system, but more one that they have in Asia. I don't know if it's really worth signing up and trying to figure that out. Got you. I just basically used my.
[00:29:28.420] - Kim Chip credit card. The IC card and.
[00:29:30.030] - Tamara The card anytime for that. And the IC card for the metro, the bus, some vending machines, some required cash still. But yeah, it's just super convenient. So even though there are different trains, so yeah, maybe you can't use your free pass, not for you because you.
[00:29:44.710] - Kim Paid a lot for it.
[00:29:45.480] - Tamara But it's still pretty easy to get around.
[00:29:49.930] - Kim Yeah, it's good. That's great. And I do want to quickly, before we jump over to finishing up Kyoto and going to Asaka, I did want to mention something that you did that I think was brilliant because I even had looked into doing it when we were planning our trip. And that was you had someone meet you at the airport, right?
[00:30:05.450] - Tamara Yeah, I did. And don't do it. At least not for the company that I did. Okay, here we go. You and I had talked about it. I think it was about $75 to $100. It was the company that I bought the JR Pass from. I also arranged to rent a mobile hotspot, so that was taken care of ahead of time to pick up at the airport. And I arranged to have a greeter meet us after customs. And then what I was told was that that greeter would then take me to do the things I need to do at the airport, which would be pick up my mobile hotspot, exchange my JR Pass, get my IC card, find where I need to go to get my transfer.
[00:30:45.390] - Kim Get the train.
[00:30:46.220] - Tamara I figured, hey, it's not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things.
[00:30:51.800] - Kim And especially.
[00:30:52.310] - Tamara After traveling.
[00:30:52.820] - Kim For 20 hours.
[00:30:53.250] - Tamara And I want to be jet lived. Yeah, exactly. This will be useful. It was such a waste of money because first I'm trying to talk to the guy, I'm like, okay, we need to go to an ATM, and he's not even understanding what I'm saying. I'm like, You're a greeter. I'm not coming in there with like, everyone should speak English, but his job is.
[00:31:11.680] - Kim To meet people. When you pay people. Yeah, exactly. I know a lot of times they'll have if you want to in English or if you want to in... You can specify a language, but.
[00:31:20.330] - Tamara It seems like it's... Yeah. So one person had my name up and then she called this guy over. So it's like a service they do for multiple people. They had multiple greeters there. I don't know if I just got an inexperienced person, but I went to the counter of the mobile WiFi hotspot place and that person spoke perfect English, no trouble communicating at all.
[00:31:40.320] - Kim And it was easy to find. And you were able to easily find everything.
[00:31:42.690] - Tamara Yeah. I mean, he led me there, but I could have found it on my own, no problem. And then I was trying to explain that I wanted to go to the JR ticket office to get our pass, but also see if he could help us make reservations. Yeah, exactly. Because I wanted to make the reservations as soon as I had my pass because I wanted to try to get the luggage reservations. And he was just like, Oh, no, they don't do reservations here. And I'm like, Oh, well, that's part of why I wanted to pay for this service because I wanted somebody to help me translate what my need was. And meanwhile, we were back and forth, just not understanding each other. So then I get in line at the JR ticket office. I get up there, perfect English from the person that's behind the desk, completely easy to talk to. They didn't make the reservations there. They told me where to go in the Tokyo station or Shinchu station, whatever, which I did the next day. That person also spoke really good English, was able to communicate no problem. And then I was trying to explain that I want to get an IC card.
[00:32:38.620] - Tamara And he was like, Well, you can get the one that requires a deposit or not a deposit. I'm like, I don't care? Can you just tell me where? And he didn't know where to go. Finally, the guy that was behind me in line at the JR ticket office was like, Oh, you want this line right here. And I'm like, Thank you. Then I'm like, What? Then I had arranged for an airport limo bus to take us from the airport directly to our hotel. I just thought first day, and it's really, it's inexpensive. Taxis there are very expensive, but this is inexpensive. And instead of having to drag some bags on multiple trains and subways, I thought it's easy. And so I was like, I thought all that would take us an hour and a half, maybe, from the time we arrived. So I had booked a later bus, but it was really quick to do all of it. So I was like, Oh, maybe we can get an earlier bus. So I was trying to get him to help us with that. No. So I ended up just doing it on my phone. But then he had to come down and he was like, No, I have to wait.
[00:33:42.890] - Tamara Because I was like, Okay, we're all set. Thank you. Bye. And he's like, No, I have to wait till you get on the bus. I'm like, All right, well, can you just stand over there? Because I'm like, I'm done.
[00:33:52.120] - Kim Yeah, exactly. You did not help me. Wow. Okay, well, that's good tip. Good to know.
[00:33:56.970] - Tamara What not to.
[00:33:58.150] - Kim Do, I guess. What not, yeah. No, I mean, it's good because I had considered that too because I was thinking the same thing like, Oh, my gosh, how am I going to get my pass? I was thinking all that same stuff.
[00:34:07.930] - Tamara Cool. I think a lot of things with travel, it feels so overwhelming. But once you're there, you're like, Oh, this is not as bad as I.
[00:34:13.260] - Kim Thought it was going to be. Well, especially in a country that you can't even get around with. It's like, Oh, I speak a little Spanish. I speak a little French. It's just like, None of that's going to help you. You don't want to go in being a ignorant traveler who's just like, Oh, why don't you speak my language in your country? Exactly. I can't stand people like that. But anyways, okay, good to know. Anything else about Kyoto you wanted to mention? I did think it was awesome, your little tip about the bamboo forest. It wasn't really a tip, but I was so happy that you had that experience because I heard the same thing.
[00:34:44.990] - Tamara When I was there, even, I saw some people on Instagram that seem to be there at the same time, but a couple of days before me. And they showed just this mass of people walking through. Because the word is out that for many of these things, you need to get there early. And so even if you show up at 7 AM, there's still this massive crowd of people funneling through this little area. And I don't want to do that. It was an hour away. No one's getting up at 5 AM to get to a place by 7 or whatever just to take a photo. My family doesn't roll like that. They're like, I don't really care about your photo. We just want to see it. And so we decided to sleep in a little bit. We went, we had lunch, then we went to the monkey forest. And I will say the whole Arashima area is, for a touristy area, so much nicer than I expected. It was really lovely. And there's a really pretty river that runs along that on some days you can run boats. It was really nice. Anyway, so we went to the monkey park first because Glenn loves monkeys, although it's such a steep climb up there, he was like, This better be worth it.
[00:35:53.700] - Tamara Actually, there was a fan of it that was like, This better be worth it for your monkeys. But it was cool. We saw a lot of baby monkeys. The monkeys were not aggressive at all. They just hung out as long as you followed the rules. You weren't staring at them in the eyes to challenge them or something. Then we went to a temple, then we went to the forest. So we got to the Grove, not really a forest. It's much smaller than you think it's going to be. We got there maybe like 2.30, 3 o'clock, and it was fine. There was people there, but no crush of crowd and plenty of space to have a photo. Yeah, there's people in the background, but that's fine. Honestly, we just wanted a couple of family photos. I'm not going to win an Instagram competition over it, but it was nice. And it's really beautiful. It's really pretty. But sometimes I think doing the opposite of what everyone says.
[00:36:47.700] - Kim You should do and work out. Especially when it's been around for so long, people are saying do that because it's very much like, oh, the gates open at seven. And so everyone who's built up, it's just like Disneyland. People say, oh, rope drop, rope drop. And you get there. And if you get there late, there's such a long line to get in. And then people come 30 minutes after opening and they walked right up to the turnstiles. There's something about that.
[00:37:10.900] - Tamara Yeah. And I looked at Google Maps is wonderful. It was so helpful for the travel, figuring out the trains because it would say what platform, but also what car to get on if you were transferring. And then when you were leaving the station, what exit to take because those train stations are huge. So you're like, you don't know where you are when you come out. So it was really, really helpful. And it would tell you like eight minutes, 3 stops, here's the name of your stop. This is how much it's going to cost. It was really very helpful. But you can also look for attractions, and it'll show you the busiest times, like a little graph.
[00:37:47.100] - Kim Yes, for sure.
[00:37:47.990] - Tamara I was like, Okay, it looks like 10 to 2 is super busy. Who knows how accurate it is, but let's go.
[00:37:53.690] - Kim After it. I have a good article about how I use Google Maps and you can make a custom and saver on map to help you with your planning to help see stuff for not just road trips, but also when you're planning a city vacation. But that's a good thing. I always forget about how they have that busy season section. I should add that to my post because.
[00:38:11.540] - Tamara That's a.
[00:38:12.160] - Kim Useful thing.
[00:38:13.300] - Tamara When you're trying to figure out, especially for public transportation, many times the night before, I would look like, Oh, how long is it going to take? Because we need to know what time should we be done breakfast? What time do we need to leave? I like that there's a little drop down where you can say when you're departing or when you want to arrive because it changes. Especially public transportation may not have as many trains when you're looking late at night versus when you're going in the morning.
[00:38:42.000] - Kim Totally. That's awesome. I always worry about the train, the car thing, because even in New York, sometimes I've been like... Because I'm not used to using trains often. When I first started going to New York and doing that, the Long Island Rail Railroad and stuff, they have certain cars they don't open the doors to all the time. During different hours of the day. I'm always like, Oh, how do I know what car I'm in? It's definitely one of those Charlie Brown teacher's voices. Sometimes I'm like, I have no idea where I'm at.
[00:39:10.980] - Tamara That's the other great thing. In Japan, it's like, on the avement on the platform, it has numbers. So it's like, you know exactly what car that's going to be. Oh, man. And then everyone lines up single file behind those on either side of the.
[00:39:26.830] - Kim Door for.
[00:39:27.350] - Tamara Everyone to come out and then they go on.
[00:39:29.780] - Kim It's lovely. Lovely. Nice. Okay, so then your last little stop was OSAKA. So why don't you tell us a little bit about that? Because I had planned that we were going to fly into Tokyo and out of OSAKA, but you ended up going back to Tokyo to go home. But what did you do in Osaka?
[00:39:45.130] - Tamara Yeah, flying out of OSAKA would be ideal, but for us, Delta doesn't do that. So we had to go back to Tokyo. So OSAKA is known as the Japan's Kitchen, so it's known for its street food. So I knew I wanted to take a food tour when we were there because it's just that's really one of the things it's well known for. So I ended up... We actually got there, we explored a little bit. We did the... You made a sky building, which actually Glenn did not do. No surprise that when we went up high, especially there's these glass enclosed elevators that go between two towers on the 39th floor. And he was like, Are you kidding me? No way am I doing that. So Hannah and I did that. And then that night we actually went to a baseball game, which was really fun because Japanese culture is really into baseball. And it was like being at a college game in a way because they were playing Hiroshima, so that's not far away. Half the stadium were Buffalo fans and half the stadium were carp fans and they all sat on the right side.
[00:40:49.140] - Tamara So it's like one half was red, one half was white. And they each had a cheering section in a band. And so you felt like you were a little bit at a college game with the marching band thing. It was a lot of fun. But then the next day we took a food tour with Arrogato Travel, and they have food tours in multiple cities. If you want to do a food tour in any of the cities, I would definitely recommend them. The guide was amazing.
[00:41:13.870] - Kim It seemed like you had a really good time.
[00:41:15.920] - Tamara Yeah, she was really wonderful. She had lived in the US for a little bit. I think she went to the University of Wisconsin. She lived somewhere else in the Midwest, too, but it's just such a funky, fun city. We toured this area called Shenzakai. It was built after World War II to attract Westerners and has more of a Coney Island vibe is what they were going for. It has carnival games and all these street food things. It's just so funky and retro. I think anywhere else I would have been like, Oh, this is cheesy. But it was actually really cool. And all throughout that area and the Dontambury area of Osaka, all of the food places, it's like Vegas for food places because they all have these three-dimensional facades with a giant octopus or a giant crab, and they're moving and lit up, and it's just so funky. There was one place where you could fish for your own fish, and then they cook it for you. It's almost hard to describe, but it is just bright lights, really funky, interesting, but lots of street food, lots of fried food on a stick, or like.
[00:42:30.660] - Kim A fair.
[00:42:31.420] - Tamara No, I'm just kidding. And the takeyaki octopus balls is like, that's where that's from. So that's like really huge. Afterwards, we went to the Don Donburi and we had Okonomiyaki. My family always laughs at me because for some reason I could never get this out. And Hannah and Glenn are like, Why can you not say this word? But Okonomiyaki, so it's like the Pancake type of thing with egg and cabbage and other things thrown in that they make on a griddle in front of you. So they have it in Kyoto and other places, but it's really known there. And in Hiroshima also, they have slightly different versions. That was just fun. So to do all the street food stuff, to have the good food tour, we really loved that. And then on our last, what was supposed to be our last day, we went to Hiroshima and we did a tour. I have a whole itinerary where it has a link to the tour company that I booked. Our guide was really sweet. He was wonderful. I highly recommend that. So we did the whole atomic bomb dome and museum, which was really heavy, obviously.
[00:43:36.130] - Tamara And you have very confused feelings.
[00:43:39.080] - Kim About it. Yeah, being.
[00:43:40.620] - Tamara A member. Our role in that. But then we went to Miyajima Island, which is just a short, like, ferry ride. And it is just beautiful. We were there, it was raining. So there was all these mist and clouds on the mountains. And it just had this magical feel to it. But it was such a... I would love to spend a night there. It wasn't overcrowded, but when the people left, have.
[00:44:07.840] - Kim It more to.
[00:44:08.650] - Tamara Yourself type of thing. But there's a really famous Tori Gate that's in the water that looks high tide like it's floating, or when we were there during low tide, so you can walk out to it. And just a shrine. It's just a really pretty lush... That's one thing that really, I don't know why it surprised me, but Japan, outside the cities, it's so lush. You're like, Oh, right. These are islands.
[00:44:34.300] - Kim Yeah.
[00:44:35.380] - Tamara And that's why I liked about Kyoto too, because it's like a city that's nestled in a valley surrounded by these lush mountains. Not like towering.
[00:44:43.150] - Kim Mountains, but these really lush. And it has a nice little river or stream or something through it too.
[00:44:47.450] - Tamara So that was how we finished. I loved that. And then unfortunately, then we got stuck in a delay on a train coming back because there was a lot of rain. And then we found out our train for the next day to get back to Tokyo in time for our plane was canceled and we were hoping it was going to be all fixed by the morning. But Glenn woke up at five and he said it wasn't. And so then we were up for a couple of hours trying to figure out, what are we going to do? Because we were like, oh, we'll fly up to Tokyo. And by then, all the planes were booked until 3 PM. But we had a 625 flight and we would have had to get our luggage, get to another terminal, recheck it. We're like, that's never going to work. If we get there at 415 or I don't know, it was 435 o'clock or something is when we would have arrived. Never would have worked. So we're like, all right, let's see if we can stay an extra night here and let's book stuff for tomorrow. And let's call Delta and see if they can switch us.
[00:45:40.700] - Tamara So then we had such a long travel day home because we flew from Osaka to Tokyo. And then we had to do Tokyo to LAX instead of Tokyo. We were booked on a Tokyo to Atlanta. So then at least the last little leg is short. Then we're in LAX for four hours.
[00:46:00.110] - Kim Then you had a six hour flight.
[00:46:02.380] - Tamara Well, and then it ended up being delayed. So we came out, we were luckily at the lounge and we actually went on the patio. The Delta Lounge in LAX has a patio, so it's loud but it was really good. It was just nice to get fresh air.
[00:46:16.400] - Kim After all.
[00:46:16.980] - Tamara That time. I actually went and I took a shower. I didn't even have any clothes. We had even checked everything, so I didn't even have any clothes to change into. But I'm like, I'm just taking a shower anyway. Yeah, for sure. And so then we came out of the lounge. We're like, Go to the gate. They're like, Oh, we're waiting on a crew member still. We're going to wait to board you. And then they started boarding us. We're like, Okay, I guess everything's all set. And then we're sitting on the plane and an hour later, they're like, Okay, the pilot's now in the parking lot.
[00:46:42.550] - Kim And we're like.
[00:46:43.320] - Tamara Oh, my gosh. Seriously? It was the pilot. They weren't even on premises when you boarded us. So we were delayed a couple hours. So we ended up... We got home at 315 in the morning. We'd been going for 30 hours, I think, or more, like 33 hours maybe.
[00:47:02.380] - Kim That one did you have? Did you have any of the upgraded seating for any of those legs?
[00:47:06.890] - Tamara Luckily, because we had booked our tickets in premium select, which if you know Delta, there's like Delta 1, which is like the nice pod lay flat thing. Then there's premium select, which has like a footrest that comes out and it reclines, but not like all the way, but it reclines some. Then there's comfort plus, which is basically like a regular seat with a little.
[00:47:26.290] - Kim More leg room. Like me coming.
[00:47:28.590] - Tamara So the reason we went through LAX is that's what we could get for premium economy. Oh, good. Okay. I mean, premium select on that, the longest leg from Tokyo to LAX. Then LAX to Boston doesn't have that. So I think we were in, I think, we were in Comfort Plus. I don't even know at that point. I was uncomfortable, that's for sure. But yeah. And then we flew into Boston, which we had flown out of Providence. So my car is still in Providence. So I had to get a car service to pick us up, bring us back. T he next day I'm like, Hannah, can you drive me down to get my car? Whatever. That's a.
[00:48:03.840] - Kim Whole long story. It worked out. It sounds like you guys had an amazing trip and it was awesome. I know, like I said already and mentioned, Tamara has quite a few blog posts and she'll link them in the show notes, but you can also just go to Wee 3 Travel. I'm sure it's pretty easy to find them, but I know she has all of her itineraries that are if you guys know Tamara, they're very in-depth with a lot of detail. So super helpful if you're thinking of planning a trip. I think it was great. I'm glad you guys had a good time and glad I got to hear about it a little more.
[00:48:31.780] - Tamara Yeah, it was definitely a bucket list trip. I think being there and being together as a family was wonderful. I think we all acknowledged, we don't know when we're going to have that opportunity again. Just know Hannah is going to be very busy the next few years. S he's going to be more than happy to take a trip with us when she can. We might just know when that will be.
[00:48:52.240] - Kim Exactly.
[00:48:52.840] - Tamara I'm glad.
[00:48:53.360] - Kim We got to do it. Yeah, that's awesome. Perfect.
[00:48:56.710] - Tamara What's next?
[00:48:58.290] - Kim I don't even know. You're like, What day is it? What month is it? Exactly. The big thing on my agenda, I'm trying to take the summer off a little bit. We do have a trip up to Canada to visit family coming right up for Canada Day. Happy Canada Day to those of you Canadians that might be listening. Then happy fourth of July to the US Americans that are listening. We are doing that. Then I have a fun trip. You'll be moving Hannah back to school, but I am going to be flying to Kenya and doing a Simara J. W. Marriott stay, which I just got a steal on points for. I'm using points to fly some nice flights as well. That's what's coming up for me. My fall is going to be crazy and booked again, but at least I have. It looks like I'm trying to keep my summer a little more calm. Although that Africa trip, I cannot wait. It's during the Wilder Beast migration. That's a pretty big trip to be. I'm really excited. It's going to be during the Wilder Beast migration, too. So hopefully we'll get some amazing pictures. I got to rent a lens, it reminds me.
[00:50:04.360] - Tamara I was telling somebody about the points deal that you got on that. Everyone just can't even believe it. What a lucky straw.
[00:50:11.400] - Kim That was. Oh, my gosh, it was amazing. I don't know if this would work always, but I'm just a little tip for you guys, if you guys are points people. If you know of any future opening hotels that haven't opened yet, that are opening in the future, just maybe keep an eye on their points rates because that's what happened. This hotel hadn't opened yet. It was opening in April, and in February or something, I saw someone mentioned, Oh, my goodness, they've got nights for 20,000, 20 ish thousand points a night. With Marriott, if you book five nights with points, you only pay for four nights. So it's like book five nights, get one free thing. I don't know how to.
[00:50:49.500] - Tamara Explain it, but you get it. And it's an all inclusive property.
[00:50:51.920] - Kim It's all inclusive property. So all the game drives are included, all the meals are included, everything. I'm paying 93,000 points total for five nights for two people.
[00:51:00.640] - Tamara That's like one night at a nice city hotel.
[00:51:04.320] - Kim Yeah, I know. I was looking at a Fairfield Inn in New York in January, and there were like 65,000 points. So it gives you a little idea there. But anyways, so that's what's up for me. But what about you?
[00:51:14.810] - Tamara As you hear this, I will probably either be in Scotland or Wales, depends on how quickly I get this out. So I leave shortly for a week with a couple of other travel writers, a week in Scotland, a week in Wales, and then I'm going to be home for a couple of weeks. And then I'm actually going to have two weeks in France, which I don't think I've even had a chance to tell you about. But I'm going to do... Glenn and I are going to go to France. We're doing the Taste of Bordeaux River cruise on Amman Waterways. Oh, nice. And then something else that came up. I was invited to do a press trip on European Waterways, which does hotel barge cruises. And I was trying to look at dates in the fall, but they didn't have any availability. But they're like, Well, how about this one on August sixth, which would have been the day I was flying back from France. I was like, Well, I will already be in France. It's to an area that I've been to before. So I was hoping to see something new, but I think it just works out for me to do this back to back, a more traditional river cruise versus a hotel barge cruise just to have these new experiences because I'm not a big ship person, but I'm definitely been wanting to try some of these other types of things.
[00:52:28.570] - Tamara And my friend Michelle is going to come join me for that one because Glenn can't stay for the two weeks.
[00:52:33.830] - Kim Take off that whole time.
[00:52:34.800] - Tamara That's awesome. And then as soon as I get back, Hannah will come back and we have one day at home and then we fly her to Arizona.
[00:52:43.570] - Kim Okie dokey. Well, thank you guys for tuning in again. If you're still with us and still listening, as you can see, we have a few trips on the agenda, so we're not quite sure when we'll make another episode. But as always, we always appreciate you guys tuning in and we'll try to share again soon.
[00:52:58.280] - Tamara Yeah, hopefully, maybe the end of the summer.
[00:53:00.250] - Kim Talk to you later.
[00:53:01.640] - Tamara All right, bye bye. | |||
| 127 Switzerland | 30 Apr 2019 | 01:03:58 | |
Let us whisk you away to the land of chocolate, cheese, and gorgeous mountain trails! This week we chat with Claudia Laroye, from The Travelling Mom, who has visited Switzerland over two dozen times. She shares her love of all things Swiss and best tips for planning a trip to Switzerland. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - What Tamara Learned from the Switzerland Tourism Board 13:26 - Talking with Claudia 17:30 - Number one area to visit in Switzerland 19:44 - When to visit 25:30 - How to plan your itinerary 36:30 - Planning early 38:47 - Getting around 47:18 - Swiss foods 54:30 - Final tips 55:35 - Favorite place to take a family photo 57:30 - Claudia’s favorite travel gear 1:00:45 - What’s next for Claudia 1:02:28 - Coming next for Kim and Tamara ABOUT CLAUDIA LAROYEClaudia Laroye is a freelance travel writer, blogger and editor. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with her husband and two sons. In addition to The Travelling Momfamily travel site, Claudia is the Contributing Editor forTwist Travel Magazine, the Curious Travel Mama on TravelMamas.com, and contributes to a wide variety of print and online publications around the world. She writes about adventure, family, luxury and sustainable travel. Follow Claudia Laroye on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. TIPS FOR VISITING SWITZERLAND
Getting a photo with the Matterhorn in the background is a great place to snap a photo, as well as in the historical town of Bern. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARClaudia loves to wear her Scarpahiking shoes or BirkenstockGizeh sandals or Allbirdsshoes to walking around town. She pairs those with her Athletapants and Kit and Aceor Lululemontops and pashminas, and an Arcteryxlayer. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTReasons to Visit Canada in 2017 - Episode 39 FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 126 California Coast Road Trip | 23 Apr 2019 | 00:57:15 | |
Happy Easter, Passover, and Spring to all our listeners! This week Kim is giving us the low down on her massive road trip from Seattle to Disneyland, including stops along the California Coast. If you have ever thought of taking an epic California coast road trip, don't miss this episode! ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Thank you Listeners!! 01:18 - Talking with Kim about her road trip 01:50 - Itinerary 07:15 - Redwoods 08:45 - Fort Bragg 14:52 - San Francisco 22:37 - Unplanned stops 26:30 - Cambria 33:06 - Ventura 37:37 - Disney 40:19 - LA 41:58 - Going home 43:05 - Final tips 50:15 - Where to take a family photo 52:30 - Kim’s Favorite Travel Gear 56:28 - Coming next week TIPS FOR PLANNING A CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP
If you are going to San Francisco you should definitely get a shot on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge where you can have the bridge on one side and the city on the other. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARKim loved wearing her leggings for driving around since they are so comfortable and perfect for the long times in the car. One huge time saver would be to make sure everyone has slip on shoes, which will make taking stops that much quicker when getting out of the car. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTBest Place to see the Redwoods on the California Coast Tips for Driving the California Coast Pelican Inn & Suites in Cambria Visiting Los Angeles with Kids FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 125 Planning a family trip to Morocco | 16 Apr 2019 | 01:07:06 | |
We are back from our spring breaks and this week, Tamara is telling us all about her family trip to Morocco. Tune in for tips on visiting Morocco with kids and what you need to plan your own trip. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim about her ski trip 13:55 - Talking about Tamara’s trip to Morocco 14:30 - Weather in Morocco 16:36 - How long to spend 18:28 - Travel to and from Morocco 19:40 - Itinerary 24:40 - Riads 29:39 - Food tour 34:20 - Shops 37:28 - Camping in the Desert 45:30 - Marrakech 51:15 - Cooking class 54:14 - Language 55:04 - Money 59:29 - Final Tips 1:01:55 - Favorite Place for a Family Photo 1:02:45 - What to wear 1:04:47 - Listener’s tip TIPS FOR VISITING MOROCCO
If you plan on experiencing the desert, this is a great place to get a family photo while you are there! MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTChefchaouen Morocco: 5 Important Facts to Know Before You Go 50 Essential Morocco Travel Tips for First-Time Tourists How Much Does a Morocco Trip Cost? Plan a Perfect 7-day, 10-day, or Two-week Morocco Itinerary FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 124 Traveling with Kids on the Autism Spectrum | 02 Apr 2019 | 00:40:22 | |
Today is World Autism Awareness Day and we wanted to share some tips and strategies for traveling with kids on the Autism spectrum. Nicole Thibault shares her personal story and learnings to encourage families that feel that travel isn't possible or is just too hard. Learn about some of the resorts, theme parks, and brands that have been certified to support guests on the Autism spectrum. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Tamara traveling with special needs 05:10 - Talking with Nicole 09:25 - Advice on whether or not to travel 13:40 - Certified destinations around the world 14:30 - What age to go 15:58 - Flying with kids on the Autism spectrum 18:30 - Tips for visiting uncertified locations 20:34 - My Villa Key 22:30 - Theme parks 28:16 - Cruising 32:40 - Preparing your child 35:11 - Final tips 36:25 - Favorite Travel Gear ABOUT NICOLE THIBAULTWhen Nicole Thibault opened her travel agency, Magical Storybook Travels, in 2015, she knew she wanted to create a travel business that catered to ALL families, including those with Autism and other Special Needs. She takes great pride in assisting families with their vacations, especially those who thought that they might not be able to travel with their child with Autism. In addition to Magical Storybook Travels, Nicole also owns Spectrum Travel Social Story Videos, a production company that creates destination-specific travel videos that help children with Autism and anxiety get acclimated to a destination prior to travel. These videos greatly reduce the anxiety and fear for a child with Autism about traveling to an unknown destination. Follow Nicole on Instagram. TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH AUTISM
Nicole loves to be comfortable; wearing shorts, t-shirts, sandals. She also like to wear her Lands’ End fleece for when she gets cold. Eagle Creek makes a backpack that you can roll up that Nicole loves to use on her travels. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTTSA Press Release - has all the information you will need and links to find out more Fact on the DAS pass for Disney Sesame Place Autism Social Story Videos Spectrum Travel Social Story Videos YouTube channel FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 123 Top 10 Podcast Episodes Anniversary Celebration | 12 Mar 2019 | 00:33:43 | |
Happy anniversary to us!! Thank you to all of our listeners who have been with us all along our three year journey and those who have joined in along the way. This week we are celebrating our third anniversary by recapping our top 10 most popular episodes of all time. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - 3 years, top ten episodes 01:57 - New York City 05:36 - Summer Travel 08:36 - Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship 10:18 - Our Top 100 Travel Products and Experiences 14:07 - More Summer Travels 15:44 - Travel Apps 20:24 - Black Hills of South Dakota 21:58 - First Trip to Italy 23:10 - Mexico All-Inclusive Resorts 27:02 - Saving Money for Vacation 32:40 - Next Episode MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST#1 New York City with Kids - episode 54 #2 Summer Travel - Yellowstone, Montana and a Midwest Road Trip - Episode 103 #3 Our Experience on the Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship - Episode 104 #4 Our Top 100 Travel Products and Experiences - Episode 100 #5 Summer Travels - Arizona, New Mexico, Toystory Land, Italy and Montana - Episode 102 #6 Best Travel Apps - Episode 90 #7 Visiting the Black Hills of South Dakota - Episode 105 #8 Planning a First Trip to Italy - Episode 84 #9 Guide to Mexican All-Inclusive Resorts - Episode 109 #10 Tips for Saving Money for Vacation - Episode 87 Disney Cruise Guide for First Timers - Episode 91 FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 122 Florida Keys | 05 Mar 2019 | 00:47:59 | |
Does the winter weather have you down? It is time to start thinking about spring break and summer vacations. This week we are talking about another warm-weather destination, the Florida Keys. Bryanna Royal from Crazy Family Adventure has spent a month in the Florida Keys and shares her tips for visiting the Florida Keys with Kids. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about Florida 06:25 - Talking with Bryanna 09:55 - Florida Keys 11:30 - Not about the beaches 12:10 - Getting around the Keys 13:05 - Where to stay 16:30 - How long to stay 17:28 - When to go 19:43 - Must do activities 30:10 - Day trips 33:49 - Campgrounds/Hotels 37:14 - Food 40:30 - Final tips 41:51 - Where to take a family photo 42:02 - Bryanna’s favorite travel gear 45:37 - Where Bryanna is going next ABOUT BRYANNA ROYALBryanna, her husband, 4 kids, and dog sold everything, bought an RV and our traveling full-time around North America. If they aren’t out climbing mountains, hiking to a waterfall or playing at the beach they are most likely at the local donut shop trying to find the best donuts in North America! They write about things to do with kids at the destinations they visit, full time family travel and working from the road at www.crazyfamilyadventure.com. Follow Bryanna on Facebook, Instagram, Youtubeand Twitter. TIPS FOR VISITING THE FLORIDA KEYS WITH KIDS
Bryanna suggests that you take your family photo at the southernmost point of Florida, but be sure to go early in the morning or you could be waiting in line for a couple hours to get your picture taken. If that doesn’t matter to you, taking a family photo on any beach with the ocean behind you will be a great photo! FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARBryanna loves to wear her Adidas sandalsbecause they are so comfortable and easy to slide on and off. When she is not wearing those she like her plain black flip flops that you can dress up if you want too. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTRV Travel Tips - Podcast Episode 012 The Ultimate Florida Road Trip Family Fun in the Florida Keys John Pennenkamp Coral Reef State Park Florida Keys Eco - Discovery Center Sunset Festival Mallory Square Dock FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 121 Puerto Rico | 26 Feb 2019 | 00:41:18 | |
Puerto Rico has come a long way in its recovery from the hurricanes in 2017 and is waiting for you! Seriously, you can help in the recovery by spending your vacation dollars here. And why not, between beautiful beaches, a rainforest, history, and culture, there is so much to show the kids -- and you don't even need a passport. This week we chat with Jessica van Dop DeJesus from The Dining Traveler, who has literally written the book on dining in Puerto Rico and she shares her favorite places to visit. ON THE PODCAST 00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about Puerto Rico 08:59 - Talking with Jessica 12:22 - What is it like to visit Puerto Rico 14:54 - Where to stay 18:14 - Bioluminescent bays 22:17 - Hotels to stay in 24:20 - Experience local culture 28:23 - How to get around 29:23 - Must try local foods 33:40 - Tips for visiting 35:18 - Where to take a family photo 35:53 - Jessica’s favorite travel gear 58:54 - Where Jessica is going next 40:31 - Next week’s episode ABOUT JESSICA VAN DOP DEJESUSJessica van Dop DeJesus is a food and travel content creator and founder of The Dining Traveler. She began traveling over twenty years ago as a young Marine and has lived in a variety of places from Okinawa, Japan to Baghdad, Iraq. From serving as a translator in the Senegalese countryside to interviewing chefs in Peru, she loves learning about new cultures and people. She has traveled to over fifty countries and lived in six, fueling her appetite for travel. When she's not traveling, she's a home with her Dutchrican family in Washington, DC. You can also see her writing in publications such as Travel Channel, Modern Luxury, Edible, Southern Living, and Telemundo. She's a graduate of University at Albany '00 (undergraduate) and Boston University '07 (MBA). Follow Jessica on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. TIPS FOR VISITING PUERTO RICO
Jessica recommends a sunset shot with your family if you make it to the southwest side of the island. Though if you don’t make it to the southwest you can get some great shots at El Morroin Old San Juan. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARJessica loves to wear maxi dresses at night and loves to wear a blazer with her outfit and her Todsloafers. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 120 Civil Rights Sites | 19 Feb 2019 | 00:48:32 | |
It is Black History Month and the perfect time to honor the Civil Rights heroes by planning a trip through the South. Today we talk to Mia Henry from Freedom Lifted about which civil rights sites to visit, how to plan a trip, and what to expect along the way. If this type of trip isn't on your radar, be sure to listen to hear why it should be and the powerful impact it can have on you and your kids. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Tamara about her Civil Rights road trip 08:08 - Talking with Mia Henry 12:03 - Top Civil Rights destinations 20:47 - Sample Itinerary 22:30 - Combining your trip 28:52 - Touring on your own vs. with a guide 36:27 - What age to take your kids 38:30 - Books and Documentaries 44:25 - Mia’s favorite travel gear 47:30 - Thank You!!! ABOUT MIA HENRYFreedom Liftedhosts customized Civil Rights tours for groups through the Deep South. They work with students, teachers, and large family groups to plan and lead educational experiences to Alabama, Mississippi and more places connected to the movement. For more information, see www.freedomlifted.com. Follow Mia on Facebook, Instagram, Youtubeand Twitter. TIPS FOR VISITING CIVIL RIGHTS SITES
Mia loves to wear Eileen Fisher Crepepants and a pair of Crocsin the summertime. Since she the temperature is constantly changing and the bus temp can fluctuate she like to make sure she has layers including scarves. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTNational Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel Mississippi Civil Rights Museum Civil Rights Movement Veterans FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 119 Planning a trip to Antarctica | 12 Feb 2019 | 00:54:40 | |
Is Antarctica on your bucket list? Everyone wants to see the penguins, but what does it take to get there and how much does it cost? These are just some of the questions we asked Shellie from KidTripster, who just returned from her trip to Antarctica with her teen son. Plus, get the scoop on Seattle Museum Month! If you are thinking about visiting Seattle and like to explore museums you should definitely go in February. February is museum month! This is a partnership between museums and hotels were if you stay at a hotel even for a night you get a pass which will get you half-price admission to about twenty different area museums. Read more about Seattle Museum Month on Stuffed Suitcase. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Thank you from the Vacation Mavens and reminder to subscribe 00:55 - Kim’s recent staycation in Seattle 13:47 - Taking with Shellie Bailey-Shah 16:29 - What put Antarctica on Shellie’s bucket list 17:24 - Choosing a company to go with 18:58 - The plane ride over Drake Passage 20:16 - How to decide if your child is ready for this kind of trip 23:00 - When to go 24:25 - How long to visit for 25:25 - Cruise life 33:50 - Wildlife encounters 37:57 - Weather 39:30 - Packing tips 41:32 - Food on the cruise 43:45 - Budget 46:14 - Travel insurance yes or no? 49:30 - Shellie's Favorite Travel Gear 51:08 - What’s next for Shellie 53:20 - Travel with teens Facebook group ABOUT SHELLIE BAILEY-SHAHShellie Bailey-Shah is the founder and editor of KidTripster, an online family travel resource that provides information and inspiration to families traveling anywhere in the world. The site was just awarded the Lowell Thomas Silver Award from the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) for "Best Travel Journalism Website." Shellie, of course, does a fair amount of traveling herself. She's visited 46 states, 44 U.S. national parks, 34 countries and as of last month, 7 continents. She lives in Portland, Oregon and is mother to two boys, ages 16 and 18. Follow Shellie on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO ANTARCTICA
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. Shellie and her son loved their Columbia Outdryjackets in Antarctica, it felt like their own personal furnace surrounding them. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTAntarctica & Kids: 7 Ways to know if your child is ready for a journey to the White Continent KidTripster Teen: 5 unforgettable memories from my bucket list voyage to Antarctica FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 118 Athens Greece | 05 Feb 2019 | 00:45:57 | |
Do you have a Percy Jackson fan in the family? Even if you don't, if you have been dreaming of a trip to Greece, Dawn from 5 Lost Together shares her tips on planning a family trip to Athens, Greece and the surrounding areas. Plus, find out where Kim and Tamara were hanging out together last week! ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about their time in NYC 03:25 - Kim’s plans for her west coast road trip 09:10 - Tamara’s Canada trip ideas 13:40 - Talking with Dawn 16:05 - First trip to Greece 18:13 - How long to visit and when 19:42 - What time of year to visit Greece 22:17 - Things to see in Athens 28:22 - Driving other places from Athens 34:05 - Tips for visiting 39:40 - Getting around 40:20 - Dawn’s favorite travel gear 42:26 - Where Dawn is going next ABOUT DAWN NICHOLSONDawn is a Canadian mum who loves blogging about her adventures traveling with kids and expat life at 5 Lost Together. She eats, sleeps and breathes travel and wants to inspire other families to take epic trips with their kids. Follow Dawn on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitterand Instagram. TIPS FOR VISITING ATHENS, GREECE WITH KIDS
Dawn loves to wear her Toad & Co dress paired with a scarf and her entire family loves to wear their Keenshoes. Her husband is very particular about his shorts and he loves his Quicksilver Waterman shorts. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTThe New York Times Travel Show Mythology Tour with Greeking.me Nafplio - a small fishing town FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 216: Ireland and Northern Ireland | 25 Apr 2023 | 00:55:43 | |
Kim took a last minute spring break trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland with her younger daughter and this week on the podcast, she tells us all about it!
She flew into Dublin and then stay at a country estate hotel in Northern Ireland before visiting Belfast, the Causeway Coast, Derry/Londonderry, and Galway before looping back to Dublin.
See Kim's articles on:
Ireland Trip Highlights:
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| 117 Best US Ski Resorts | 22 Jan 2019 | 01:02:49 | |
Whether you are a beginner or expert, boarder or skier, this week's podcast episode will help you plan your next family ski trip. Tamara shares her adventures in North Idaho and we chat with Amy Whitley from Pitstops for Kids and pick her brain on the best ski resorts in the U.S. for families. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking about Tamara’s trip to Idaho 01:50 - Schweitzer Mountain Resort 05:40 - Lookout Pass 08:30 - Silver Mountain 14:45 - Talking with Amy 18:20 - What to look for 24:33 - Favorite resorts in the Pacific Northwest 28:42 - Western favorite resorts 32:07 - Eastern favorites 37:43 - Amy’s all time favorite for beginners 41:44 - Mountains for advanced skiers 47:55 - Ski vs Snowboard 50:09 - Packing for our trip 52:40 - Renting gear 55:53 - Amy’s favorite ski gear 1:00:45 - Upcoming trips for Amy 1:01:45 - Follow Us!! ABOUT AMY WHITLEYAmy Whitley, founder ofPit Stops for Kids, is a family travel, outdoor adventure, and gear writer based in Southern Oregon. A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Amy helps families get outside with their kids in all seasons. Follow Amy on Facebook, Instagramand Pinterest. BEST SKI RESORTS FOR FAMILIES
Amy loves to wear base layers either Smartwool or Hot Chillys are her favorites. Then her Columbiaski jacket and pants. She may also wear a Patagonia shell jacket over a down jacket to keep with the layers, rather than wearing one big jacket. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTHow to Afford Skiing as a Family Okemo Mountain Resort - Vermont Lake Placid Ski Resort - New York FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 116 Planning a Family Safari in Africa | 15 Jan 2019 | 00:55:51 | |
Have you dreamed of taking the family on an African safari but worried that it would cost too much? This week we chat with Monet Hambrick of The Traveling Child and learn how to score great flight deals and plan an affordable and memorable African Safari. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking about Kim’s safari experience 15:37 - Travel shows 16:55 - Talking with Monet 20:56 - Monet’s Safari experience 22:13 - Where to start planning 26:10 - 8-day itinerary 30:37 - How to choose a country to visit 32:30 - How long to visit 33:22 - Bathroom on a Safari 35:13 - Best time of year to take a safari 36:07 - Budget ranges and payments 40:13 - Exchanging money 41:36 - Vaccinations 44:25 - Tips in planning 50:00 - Monet’s favorite travel gear 50:38 - Upcoming trips 51:33 - Flight deals 54:43 - Share and review ABOUT MONET HAMBRICKMonet is the mom and writer behind The Traveling Child. Her motto is if kids live there kids can visit and her family has traveled to 21 countries on 6 continents with their 2 and 4 year old. Follow Monet on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. TIPS FOR PLANNING A FAMILY SAFARI TRIP
Monet loves to wear comfortable clothes like leggings or sweatpants, and her family tends to pack light for every trip they take. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTAfrican Safari with Kids in Kenya FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 115 Singapore with Kids | 08 Jan 2019 | 00:49:32 | |
Does watching Crazy Rich Asianshave you thinking about a trip to Singapore? This week Marianne Rogerson from Mum on the Move and author of Singapore with Kids, joins us to share her experience living in and visiting Singapore. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking about Kim’s holiday travels 05:48 - Talking about Tamara’s holiday travels 09:30 - Future travels 15:37 - Talking with Marianne 18:40 - Lay of the land 21:25 - How long to stay 23:12 - When to go to Singapore 24:40 - Hotels in Singapore 27:34 - Top things to do 30:40 - Gardens by the Bay 32:16 - Local culture 37:52 - Changi Airport 38:43 - Local foods to try 44:13 - Best place to take a family photo 45:19 - Marianne’s favorite travel gear 46:38 - Marianne’s upcoming trips 47:56 - Follow Kim and Tamara ABOUT MARIANNE ROGERSONMarianne Rogerson writes family travel blog Mum on the Moveand is co-founding editor of family travel website Little City Trips. Marianne lived in Asia for 11 years and so her blog focuses heavily on Asia and Australia travel. Her latest book Singapore with Kidshas recently been released on Amazon. Follow Marianne on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitterand Instagram. TIPS FOR VISITING SINGAPORE WITH KIDS
Marianne suggests heading to the Merlion Statue which is located in Marina Bay. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARMarianne is simple in her gear but she loves to wear her J Brand jeans with her Niketrainers and a comfortable hoodie. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST50 Things To Do in Singapore With Kids The Best Family Friendly Hotels in Singapore The Best Child Friendly Restaurants in Singapore FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 114 Our Holiday Travels | 18 Dec 2018 | 01:12:38 | |
This week, Kim and Tamara catch up on recent travels including Memphis, Chicago, Philadelphia, Nashville, and the Georgia Coast. Kim also shares her recent experience on the media preview of the new Celebrity Edge cruise ship. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Presenting Sponsor 01:17 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:39 - Where Tamara was in November 08:55 - Kim’s time in Memphis 13:01 - Civil Rights Museum 20:46 - Tamara’s visit to Philly 30:23 - Kim’s cruise experience 41:53 - Tamara’s time in Georgia 54:01 - Kim’s time in Nashville 1:09:10 - Last for the year 1:10:30 - Thoughts on travels next year SPONSOR: ROSETTA STONEAre you planning an international trip next year? Now is the time to start learning a new language with Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone language learning system prepares you to use your new language skills in the real world. Rosetta Stone uses visual cues and its Dynamic Immersion system to develop practical conversational skills. With an emphasis on speaking, you will feel confident using your new language skills when traveling abroad. This holiday season, why not gift your family (or yourself) a three, six, 12, or even a 24-month subscription for as little as under $11 per month! You can learn on the go with the Rosetta Stone mobile app with features like downloadable lessons for learning offline and an audio companion for environments where you can listen but not speak aloud. Visit RosettaStone.comto sign up today. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTNovember Festivities in Chicago Historical Site in Philadelphia FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 113 Planning a Barbados Vacation | 04 Dec 2018 | 00:55:41 | |
Does the winter cold have you dreaming of an island getaway? This week Kim and Tara from Pint Size Pilot share their recent experiences on the island of Barbados. Learn everything you need to know about planning a Barbados vacation with kids. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Presenting sponsor Rosetta Stone 01:21 - Talking with Tara Cannon 03:46 - Tara’s vacations to Barbados 05:33 - Best time to go to Barbados 07:29 - Popular areas to stay on the island 12:15 - The people of Barbados 14:13 - Beaches in Barbados 14:55 - Tara’s favorite hotels 19:22 - Restaurants/local foods 24:04 - What to see/do in Barbados 26:08 - Spas in Barbados 30:40 - Getting around the island 34:53 - Final tips for visiting Barbados 42:20 - Where to take a family photo 47:07 - Tara’s favorite travel gear 50:12 - Where Tara is going next 53:30 - Kim’s upcoming vacations SPONSOR: ROSETTA STONEAre you planning an international trip next year? Now is the time to start learning a new language with Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone language learning system prepares you to use your new language skills in the real world. Rosetta Stone uses visual cues and its Dynamic Immersion system to develop practical conversational skills. With an emphasis on speaking, you will feel confident using your new language skills when traveling abroad. This holiday season, why not gift your family (or yourself) a three, six, 12, or even a 24-month subscription for as little as under $11 per month! You can learn on the go with the Rosetta Stone mobile app with features like downloadable lessons for learning offline and an audio companion for environments where you can listen but not speak aloud. Visit RosettaStone.comto sign up today. ABOUT TARA CANNONTara Cannon is the owner of Pint Size Pilot– a Family Travel Adventure Blog dedicated to taking the fear out of exploring the world with kids. Follow Tara on Facebook, Instagram, Twitterand Pinterest. TIPS PLANNING A BARBADOS VACATION
Tara has used Flytographer to book a photographer to take photos on the west coast. You can surely take your own sunset shot on the beaches of the west coast. You will just need to be a little creative with your lighting to light the faces of your family. Hilton Barbados has a great area to play around with family photos! FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARTara loves to wear her bathing suit underneath a romper so that she can stop whenever she finds a great spot to go in the water. She also likes to be prepared and packs a bag with towels and sunscreen to keep in the car for those potential stops. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 112 Disneyland Holidays | 20 Nov 2018 | 00:43:24 | |
Disneyland is decked out for the holidays. But before you grab your tickets, there are some things you should know about visiting Disneyland during the holidays. This week Leslie Harvey and Kim share their recent experience with Disneyland's holiday celebrations. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Tamara about her trip to Arkansas 09:15 - Presenting Sponsor Rosetta Stone 10:05 - Talking with Leslie Harvey 11:35 - What to expect to see in Disneyland at the holidays 15:11 - When the holiday season starts at Disneyland 16:31 - Crowds 17:27 - When is the best time to go 19:40 - Extra cost events 23:09 - Shows and fireworks 25:10 - Tips and things to know 28:25 - Seasonal food in the park 30:36 - Disneyland app 32:13 - Hotels for the holiday 35:03 - What not to miss in Disneyland 37:11 - What not to miss in California Adventure Park 40:25 - Leslie’s favorite travel gear 41:46 - Where Leslie is heading next SPONSOR: ROSETTA STONEAre you planning an international trip next year? Now is the time to start learning a new language with Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone language learning system prepares you to use your new language skills in the real world. Rosetta Stone uses visual cues and its Dynamic Immersion system to develop practical conversational skills. With an emphasis on speaking, you will feel confident using your new language skills when traveling abroad. This holiday season, why not gift your family (or yourself) a three, six, 12, or even a 24-month subscription for as little as under $11 per month! You can learn on the go with the Rosetta Stone mobile app with features like downloadable lessons for learning offline and an audio companion for environments where you can listen but not speak aloud. Visit RosettaStone.comto sign up today. ABOUT LESLIE HARVEYLeslie Harvey writes the family travel blog Trips With Tykesand also co-hosts the Disney planning podcast Disney Deciphered. Follow Leslie on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. DISNEYLAND HOLIDAYS TIPS
Leslie loves her Skechers GO walks and a pair of North Face Aphrodite pants. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTComplete Guide to Holidays at Disneyland Episode 17 - Disneyland Travel Tips FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 111 Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort | 13 Nov 2018 | 01:00:45 | |
There may not be a more family-friendly, all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean than Beaches Turks and Caicos. This week we dig into the nitty-gritty details with Sarah Pittard at Solo Mom Takes Flight. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Beaches Turks and Caicos. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking about last week's episode 02:58 - Talking with Sarah 04:33 - Sarah’s visits to Turks and Caicos 06:04 - Layout of property 10:10 - Kim’s time at the resort 11:36 - Renting homes 13:34 - Tamara’s experience 15:38 - Night activities 16:44 - Butler service/concierge level 20:24 - Pricing 23:40 - Activities/services available 30:35 - Sesame Street paid activities 36:20 - Food options 48:40 - Welcoming 51:44 - Sarah’s favorite travel gear 53:51 - Where she is going next 55:32 - Thank you!! ABOUT SARAH PITTARDSarah Pittard is a mom first, and travel writer second. She has a knack for finding adult themed adventure trips and tailoring them to include her children. Lately, they have driven through the state of Alaska and spend weekends hiking in Banff National Park. She what she has been up to on her travel blog Solo Mom Takes Flight. Follow Sarah on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. WHAT TO EXPECT AT BEACHES TURKS & CAICOS
Sarah loves to wear anything made by Lululemonfor all of her long travels and also loves her Conversesneakers! MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 110 Group Tour Vacations | 06 Nov 2018 | 00:58:18 | |
Have you ever considered taking a group tour vacation with your family? Not just a city-tour or full-day tour, but a multi-day vacation with other families that has been organized and facilitated by a tour operator? Today we are chatting with Karilyn Owen from No Back Home about her experiences both on her own and with her son taking group tours. We chat about the pros and cons, as well as what to look for in a group tour experience. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking about Tamara's trip to Bermuda 01:20 - Where is Bermuda 02:59 - Tamara’s time in Bermuda 04:45 - Where she stayed 06:43 - Food and culture 12:19 - Talking with Karilyn Owen 12:55 - Upcoming trip for Karilyn 16:10 - What is a group tour 17:05 - Karilyn's recent group tour experiences 19:05 - Overview of tours 22:06 - Pros and cons of group tours 28:57 - What to look for in booking a group tours 34:30 - Who would use group tours 36:52 - Eating with your group tour 38:50 - Other tour companies 46:55 - Trip planning tips 48:57 - Karilyn’s final tips 49:55 - Karilyn’s favorite travel gear 55:06 - Special Thanks!!! ABOUT KARILYN OWENKarilyn Owen, the founder of the popular family travel blog No Back Home, is a writer, photographer and social influencer sharing her family’s adventures at home in Southern California and around the world to inspire other families to get out and explore, even if it’s just in their own city. Karilyn and her nature obsessed 7 year old’s travels focus on outdoor adventures, exploring different cultures and seeking out the world’s beauty wherever they find themselves. Since 2000, Karilyn has traveled to 42 countries on her own and to 22 with her son. Karilyn was honored to be named Visit California’s Digital Influencer of the Year (for 2017). Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. And follow her son on Instagram. BENEFITS OF GROUP TOUR VACATIONS
Karilyn loves to wear her Exofficio Bugsaway leggings and a Scottevestlong sleeved cardigan along with her Josef Seibelsandals. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 109 All-Inclusive Mexico Resorts in Cabo and Cancun | 30 Oct 2018 | 00:49:24 | |
Winter is quickly approaching in the U.S. and that has us thinking about warm weather destinations for winter breaks. This week we are chatting with Kirsten Maxwell from Kids are a Trip about her favorite all-inclusive resorts in Cabo San Lucas and Cancun, Mexico. See why these are great for an affordable, family-friendly vacation destination. ON THE PODCAST 00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about previous trips to Mexico 12:47 - What to watch out for when you get there 14:47 - Talking with Kirsten Maxwell 16:15 - Experiences in Cabo 24:12 - What to do outside the resorts 26:10 - Staying in Cancun 34:26 - Other areas of Mexico 36:35 - Areas recommended for families 38:25 - What to look for in an all-inclusive resort 42:40 - Kirsten’s favorite travel gear 45:55 - Tip of the week ABOUT KIRSTEN MAXWELLKirsten is the founder of Kids Are A Trip, and writes for Travelocity. A former teacher, she truly believes travel is an education and feels fortunate she can teach her children about different cultures as the family has traveled to 30 countries and counting. A native Phoenician, Kirsten currently lives in Chicago with her husband and three boys. Follow Kirsten on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS IN MEXICO
Kirstens loves to wear her Yosi Samra ballet flats with her jeans and t-shirts. The flats fold in half so they are great to store in your luggage. TIP OF THE WEEKIf you have Global Entry be sure to bring the card with you whenever you travel internationally. FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 108 What to Tip When You Travel | 23 Oct 2018 | 01:15:14 | |
That awkward moment when the valet drops off your can and you only have a $20. Or when the bellman tries to take your bags and you wrestle it away because it has wheels and you are perfectly capable of dragging it to your room. Or at the end of the tour when you try to suavely slip the tour guide a $10 bill. Today we deal with all of those scenarios and more. We are chatting with three experts about tipping at hotels, the airport, internationally, tour guides, and more. We get specific and tell you how much, who, and when to tip. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim about her trip to San Diego 08:48 - Talking with Jodi Grundig 10:15 - Tipping at hotels 19:48 - Tipping a doorman 21:06 - Valet parking 23:59 - Tipping outdoor staff 27:48 - Spa tipping 28:40 - Tipping when traveling in airport or Amtrak 34:32 - Jodi’s favorite travel gear 37:04 - Upcoming trips for Jodi 37:50 - Talking with Susan Pazera 40:20 - Where to research tipping customs 43:23 - Hotel tipping in Europe 46:03 - Getting currency to travel 48:40 - Tour tipping 53:17 - Final tips for tipping in Europe 55:50 - Susan’s favorite travel gear 57:37 - Talking with Lynea Adams 58:30 - Types of tours and places 59:22 - Who tips guides 1:00:37 - How much to tip 1:07:53 - What to know about how tours run 1:09:45 - Lynea’s favorite travel gear 1:10:30 - Upcoming adventures in Alaska ABOUT OUR GUESTSJodi Grundig founded Family Travel Magazinein 2011 to help make travel accessible to families. She resides in Massachusetts with her husband, twelve-year old son, fourteen-year old daughter, and Havanese dog, and has traveled extensively to Europe, the Caribbean, and the US with and without her children. When she isn't writing blog posts, Jodi can be found on the softball/baseball field or the theater cheering on her children. Jodi has a BA in Economics and Psychology and an MBA in finance. Follow Jodi on Facebook, Instagram, Twitterand Pinterest. Susan Pazera is a Travel & Lifestyle Writer and Photographer and Mom to four children ranging in age from 11 to 23. She’s been traveling with her kids since they were little and has become proficient at planning trips for families with kids of any age and any stage. She’s learned the ins and outs, the good and bad, and every late night snack stop there is in between! She enjoys traveling with her family but also loves to travel solo too, especially when it involves exploring & being active. You can find her skiing, hiking, swimming, relaxing on the beach, or just roaming the globe! She’s always on the look-out for her next adventure and loves to share each of her journeys along the way! Check out where she has been on bothMom on the Mapand Shes on theGo. Follow Susan on Pinterest, Twitterand Instagram. Lynea Adams is an independent tour director and celebrant specializing in Alaska and creating magical travel experiences. See where she is going and follow Lynea on Instagram. WHEN AND WHAT TO TIP WHEN TRAVELING
Jodi loves to wearing her Rothy’s and her Betabrand pants whether it is while traveling or just around the house. Susan loves to wear her Prana capris and makes sure to always have her Merrell hiking shoes. Lynea loves to wear t-shirt dresses and her Skechers sneakers. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTTips on Tipping Abroad - On Call International FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 215 Oceanside Disneyland California | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:44:06 | |
Spring break is almost here and on this episode Kim and Tamara share their experience on a girls' trip in Oceanside, California and then their mother-daughter trip to Disneyland with their girls. If you want some inspiration for a SoCal getaway, be sure to listen in! | |||
| 107 Listener Vacations - Montreal, Death Valley, Arches NP, WA State NP.output | 16 Oct 2018 | 00:53:14 | |
Instead of doing all the talking, this week we have invited some of our listeners to share their tips on travel based on their recent summer vacations. We get real insights from fellow travelers on visiting Montreal and many National Parks including Death Valley, Arches, Olympic, and Cascades. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:40 - Talking with Harmony Skillman from Momma to Go 02:09 - How long to visit Montreal 02:36 - Where she stayed 03:50 - Top things to do and see in Montreal 08:26 - Final tips for Montreal 09:33 - Harmony’s favorite travel gear 10:58 - Talking with Michelle Thompson 11:52 - How long to spend in Arches National Park 12:34 - Where Michelle and her family stayed 14:23 - Favorite things to do 20:55 - Top tips for visiting the Arches 23:06 - Michelle’s favorite travel gear 24:00 - Talking with Jessica Noland about Death Valley 24:30 - When to visit Death Valley and how long to spend 26:57 - Where you could stay 29:08 - What to do and see in Death Valley 33:57 - Jessica’s favorite travel gear 35:15 - Talking with Martha Gitiha about Washington State 37:04 - How long to spend in each National Park 38:26 - Where to stay at the parks 39:50 - When you start booking your trip 40:40 - Top sights to see 46:18 - Tips for visiting the parks 48:19 - Martha’s favorite travel gear 50:34 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about what is coming up! LISTENER TIPS
Harmony recommends dressing comfortably and though her family didn’t have a good daypack she suggests using one to carry around snacks and other necessities. She will be looking for her own before her next trip. Michelle loves to wear her Chacoshoes. She also loves to use her Smart Flaskwater bottle that came with a carrying case that straps across her body. Jessica loves to wear her Lululemonleggings especially when taking a flight because they are so comfortable. She will pair that with a t-shirt and loose fit button up shirt and a pair of tennis shoes. Martha loves wearing her Columbiasandals along with Kuhlpants, which keep her comfortable and cool. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTPlanning your visit to the Death Valley FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! ON THE PODCAST 00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:40 - Talking with Harmony Skillman from Momma to Go 02:09 - How long to visit Montreal 02:36 - Where she stayed 03:50 - Top things to do and see in Montreal 08:26 - Final tips for Montreal 09:33 - Harmony’s favorite travel gear 10:58 - Talking with Michelle Thompson 11:52 - How long to spend in Arches National Park 12:34 - Where Michelle and her family stayed 14:23 - Favorite things to do 20:55 - Top tips for visiting the Arches 23:06 - Michelle’s favorite travel gear 24:00 - Talking with Jessica Noland about Death Valley 24:30 - When to visit Death Valley and how long to spend 26:57 - Where you could stay 29:08 - What to do and see in Death Valley 33:57 - Jessica’s favorite travel gear 35:15 - Talking with Martha Gitiha about Washington State 37:04 - How long to spend in each National Park 38:26 - Where to stay at the parks 39:50 - When you start booking your trip 40:40 - Top sights to see 46:18 - Tips for visiting the parks 48:19 - Martha’s favorite travel gear 50:34 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about what is coming up! LISTENER TIPS
Harmony recommends dressing comfortably and though her family didn’t have a good daypack she suggests using one to carry around snacks and other necessities. She will be looking for her own before her next trip. Michelle loves to wear her Chacoshoes. She also loves to use her Smart Flaskwater bottle that came with a carrying case that straps across her body. Jessica loves to wear her Lululemonleggings especially when taking a flight because they are so comfortable. She will pair that with a t-shirt and loose fit button up shirt and a pair of tennis shoes. Martha loves wearing her Columbiasandals along with Kuhlpants, which keep her comfortable and cool. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTPlanning your visit to the Death Valley FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 106 European Christmas Markets | 25 Sep 2018 | 00:47:53 | |
Fall is here and that means it is time to start thinking about holiday travel! If you have ever dreamed of visiting the European Christmas markets, then you need to hear these ideas and tips from Sarah from Family Backpack. This episode just may get even Scrooge in the holiday spirit! ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim about her recent trip to California 06:18 - Kim’s next trip to Barbados 08:39 - Upcoming trips in October 13:24 - Talking with Sarah 16:44 - Cities Sarah visited in Europe 18:28 - How far in advance to start planning 21:50 - Dates for Christmas markets 23:30 - What to expect at these Christmas markets 25:23 - Sarah’s favorite markets 27:07 - Other things to do around the markets 32:10 - Tips to visit Christmas markets 35:09 - Glühwein 36:45 - Handmade merchandise 38:53 - Best place to take a family photo 40:14 - Sarah’s favorite travel gear 45:16 - Previous Holiday Episodes/Posts ABOUT FAMILY BACKPACKOur presenting sponsor is The Family Backpack, a time-and stress-saving tool for parents researching and planning family vacations. The Family Backpack has researched and curated over 2,000 posts from over 200 blogs to provide parents the best of family travel content from over 600 destinations worldwide – all in one easily searchable place. Whether trekking around your own city, road tripping with your kids or flying around the world, visit TheFamilyBackpack.comfor itineraries, tips, packing lists, tons of travel inspiration and more! ABOUT SARAH WILSONSarah Wilson is a writer and the Director of Travel Communications at The Family Backpack. Sarah loves to travel and explore with her husband and 3 girls - both around their hometown of Nashville, TN and around the world! Follow Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. TIPS FOR VISITING THE EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS
With the holiday lights and trees, any market can make a great family photo. If you can get a good one at night with all the colored lights, that would make for a great family photo. Some of the locations you may actually be able to find a frame that you can stand in with your family that has the name of the city or town you are in. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARSarah loves to wear her Waypoint Goods travel scarf, which are themed after cities, but they have a hidden zipper pocket that you can hide your passport or phone or even some money! She also loves her On the Go 247 bag, which are developed for traveling moms, and are very versatile. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTEpisode 02 - Visiting San Diego, California Episode 077 - Top Holiday Destinations for Families Episode 082 - Visiting London with kids FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 105 South Dakota Black Hills | 18 Sep 2018 | 01:02:51 | |
Where can you find a Crazy Horse, four dead Presidents, and a whole lot of bison? The Black Hills of South Dakota of course! This week we are chatting with Jody Halsted of Camping Tips for Everyone to get her tips about visiting the Black Hills, plus Tamara shares ideas for adding on some time in the Badlands of South Dakota. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Presenting Sponsor 01:18 - Tamara’s time in the Badlands National Park 09:28 - Circle View Guest Ranch 13:40 - Ranger Program in Park 18:19 - Talking with Jody 22:48 - How long to stay in the Black Hills 23:41 - Must do sights in the Black Hills 26:24 - The Crazy Horse Memorial 28:56 - Mammoth site 31:36 - If you have more time to spend 36:56 - What to do with young kids 40:20 - Home base or move around 42:25 - Where to stay 45:01 - Dining around the area 50:07 - Tips for planning your trip 55:02 - What to pack 57:14 - Where to take a family photo 58:03 - Jody’s favorite travel gear 1:01:25 - Thank you!! ABOUT JODY HALSTED Jody Halsted is her family’s chief vacation planner and a pro at creating meals with a few Dutch Ovens and a pile of charcoal. Jody is also an award winning writer and the publisher at Camping Tips for Everyone, were the only wrong way to camp is to not camp at all! Follow Jody on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. TIPS FOR VISITING THE BLACK HILLS, SD
BEST PLACE TO TAKE FAMILY PHOTO Jody recommends getting a photo at the Avenue of Flags with Mount Rushmore in the background. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Jody loves to wear her Margaux Cargaux pants by SCOTTeVEST because of the amount of usable pockets. She also likes her Columbia capris which are great for kayaking and paddleboarding. She never travels without her Merino wool quarter zip pullover top, that she finds are great for layering. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST We3Travel - Badlands National Park Ireland Family Vacations - Jody’s other site Episode 19 - Ireland Family Travel Tips Mount Rushmore Brewing Company
If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 104 Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship | 11 Sep 2018 | 01:04:20 | |
Welcome back! We hope you are all surviving back to school. Thank you to everyone who sent us an update on their summer travels. Now that we are back to a regular schedule, we wanted to share our two different experiences on the Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship. As you may recall, Kim and her family took a short media cruise on the Norwegian Bliss back in May and Tamara and her family recently sailed on the Norwegian Bliss from Seattle to Alaska. Hear what we loved (and what we didn't) and the latest and greatest Norwegian ship! ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Presenting Sponsor 01:06 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:45 - Norwegian Bliss Cruise ship 03:53 - Kim’s experience on Norwegian ships 06:40 - Tamara’s experience on Norwegian Bliss 11:25 - Tamara’s cruise stops 13:05 - Room configurations 24:12 - The Haven 26:12 - Bidding on upgrades 27:00 - Restaurants and packages on the Norwegian Bliss 40:57 - Tamara’s favorite restaurant 42:17 - Kim’s favorite restaurant 46:40 - Activities on the Bliss 54:58 - Spa 1:02:30 - Upcoming ABOUT FAMILY BACKPACKOur presenting sponsor is The Family Backpack, a time-and stress-saving tool for parents researching and planning family vacations. The Family Backpack has researched and curated over 2,000 posts from over 200 blogs to provide parents the best of family travel content from over 600 destinations worldwide – all in one easily searchable place. Whether trekking around your own city, road tripping with your kids or flying around the world, visit TheFamilyBackpack.comfor itineraries, tips, packing lists, tons of travel inspiration and more! MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST27 Useful Things to Know about the Norwegian Bliss Cruise Ship FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 103 Summer Travels Montana Yellowstone Midwest Road Trip | 21 Aug 2018 | 01:13:32 | |
It is time for another summer catch up! This week, Kim shares about her experience visiting Yellowstone and Montana with Adventures by Disney. And Tamara fills us in on her 3,600 mile mother-daughter road trip through eight states in fourteen days! ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Presenting Sponsor The Family Backpack 01:04 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:43 - Kim’s trip to Yellowstone with Adventures by Disney 03:50 - Adventure guides 05:05 - Getting to Yellowstone 06:12 - Mammoth Hot Springs 07:30 - Lamar Valley 10:13 - Stagecoach lunch 11:41 - Luggage with Adventures by Disney 13:06 - Grand Canyon of Yellowstone 13:53 - Under Canvas 16:03 - Junior Adventures Program 18:18 - West Yellowstone 19:15 - White water river rafting 19:45 - 320 Guest Ranch 25:21 - Zipline adventures 26:51 - Tamara’s midwest road trip 29:52 - Time in Milwaukee 35:29 - Art in Minneapolis 39:11 - Minnehaha falls and Mall of America 43:10 - Long drive to North Dakota 47:33 - Theodore Roosevelt National Park 51:47 - Motorcycles in South Dakota 53:03 - City of Omaha 58:19 - Iowa State Fair 1:00:55 - Drive to Chicago 1:01:44 - Hamilton in Chicago 1:03:18 - Using the Chicago CityPass 1:05:26 - Kim and Tamara’s favorite travel gear 1:11:03 - Contact Vacation Mavens if you are interested in being on their show ABOUT FAMILY BACKPACKOur presenting sponsor is The Family Backpack, a time-and stress-saving tool for parents researching and planning family vacations. The Family Backpack has researched and curated over 2,000 posts from over 200 blogs to provide parents the best of family travel content from over 600 destinations worldwide – all in one easily searchable place. Whether trekking around your own city, road tripping with your kids or flying around the world, visit TheFamilyBackpack.comfor itineraries, tips, packing lists, tons of travel inspiration and more! FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARTamara has recently found that she love to wear her ‘Prana’skort as well as other skorts. She also made really great use of her daypack sling bag. While Kim loves her ‘Eddie Bauer’ jacket. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTFOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 102 Summer Vacations | 24 Jul 2018 | 01:07:55 | |
We are back from a summer hiatus with a new episode and an update on our family travels so far this summer! Tamara has been to Arizona, New Mexico, Maine, and Italy, while Kim and her family have been exploring the new ToyStory Land at Disney World and Northern Montana. Join us as we share our summer travels and stay tuned for another update next month! Don't worry, we will be back to a regular schedule in the fall. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Sponsor The Family Backpack 01:08 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:22 - Tamara’s trip to Arizona 05:05 - Hotel Adeline 06:07 - Driving to New Mexico 07:05 - White Sands National Monument 08:24 - Truth or Consequences 10:32 - Driving around New Mexico 11:28 - Time in Albuquerque 16:50 - Kim’s trip to Toy Story Land 18:05 - The three main attractions 20:50 - Woody’s Lunch Box 26:11 - New with Fastpass 28:13 - Tamara’s trip to Italy 29:48 - Day trip to Ravello 32:04 - Gardens 33:31 - Car issues in Naples 40:03 - Tuscan Organic Tours 41:36 - Wine in the area 42:13 - Podere Le Ripi winery 44:50 - Agriturismo outside of Pienza 46:58 - Kim trip back to Montana 48:24 - Grabbing the brass ring 50:14 - Tamarack Brewing 51:22 - Bison range 53:40 - Flathead Lake 55:05 - Trying huckleberry 55:53 - Izaak Walton Inn 58:16 - Glacier National Park/Horseback riding 1:02:05 - East Glacier 1:03:02 - Glamping experience 1:04:22 - Whitefish 1:05:04 - Aerial adventure course 1:06:23 - Upcoming trips ABOUT FAMILY BACKPACKOur presenting sponsor is The Family Backpack, a time-and stress-saving tool for parents researching and planning family vacations. The Family Backpack has researched and curated over 2,000 posts from over 200 blogs to provide parents the best of family travel content from over 600 destinations worldwide - all in one easily searchable place. Whether trekking around your own city, road tripping with your kids or flying around the world, visit TheFamilyBackpack.comfor itineraries, tips, packing lists, tons of travel inspiration and more! MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 101 Peru and Machu Picchu | 26 Jun 2018 | 00:50:59 | |
We both have Peru on our bucket lists so this week we are chatting with Carrick Buss from Along for the Trip about his recent family trip to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim about her recent cruise 04:20 - Tamara’s trip to Kansas 12:19 - Talking with Carrick Buss 16:14 - Getting to Peru 17:19 - Booking on your own vs. through a tour operator 20:16 - Tips for planning your trip 24:29 - Planning your itinerary 25:18 - One week sample itinerary 29:11 - Machu Picchu 30:12 - Getting around in Peru 34:31 - Machu Picchu day trip 37:00 - Favorite hotels/companies 41:22 - Budget for visiting Peru 43:36 - Packing tips 45:15 - Things to know before you go 46:26 - Best place to take a family photo 48:04 - Favorite travel gear 50:06 - Kim and Tamara’s upcoming travels ABOUT CARRICK BUSSCarrick along with his wife Carrie and 2 children write for the family travel blog Along for the Trip. They seek out awesome, kid-friendly destinations close to home and around the globe, and prove that even with full time careers, there is always a way to travel with kids and see the world. Follow Carrick on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. TIPS FOR VISITING MACHU PICCHU WITH KIDS
In Peru there a lot of different places that you can get a great family photo. In Cusco you can get a few photos with the women that walk around with baby animals. And of course if you are going to visit Machu Picchu, the ruins in the background is a wonderful, iconic family shot! FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARCarrick loves to wear his Merrell trail running shoesinstead of bulky hiking boots for hiking. For flights he and his family like to wear comfy sport clothes from Old Navy. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST50 Best Things to do in Cusco Sacred Valley Peru Week Itinerary to Cusco Sacred Valley Machu Picchu with kids FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 100 Favorite Travel Things | 12 Jun 2018 | 00:55:12 | |
This week the Vacation Mavens are celebrating our 100th episode! That is a big milestone for podcasts. We decided to celebrate with a special episode sharing our 100 favorite travel products and experiences. Tune in and see if you agree with our picks! Have one to add? Leave a comment below. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Kim and Tamara talking about their favorite travel items and places 01:48 - Tamara’s favorite travel gear 04:00 - Kim’s favorite tech 05:05 - Kim’s favorite items to keep on hand 06:03 - Kim’s favorite shoes 06:20 - More of Tamara’s favorite travel gear 08:12 - Tamara’s favorite headphones 08:39 - Kim’s favorite coat 09:28 - Kim’s favorite shoulder bag 09:59 - More of Kim’s favorite items to keep on hand 10:29 - Kim’s favorite tech 11:40 - More of Tamara’s favorite travel gear 13:24 - Kim’s favorite ways to make traveling easier 16:12 - Tamara’s favorite subscriptions 17:30 - Tamara’s favorite bags/suitcase 19:09 - Kim’s activity tracker 19:28 - Kim’s favorite water bottle 20:22 - Kim’s favorite travel bottles 21:05 - Tamara’s favorite bags 25:00 - Kim’s favorite health items 25:50 - Kim’s phone and wifi device 27:08 - Tamara’s favorite packing items 29:29 - Kim’s favorite bags/tech 32:03 - Kim’s favorite passport app 32:43 - Tamara’s favorite products 33:42 - Tamara’s favorite tours and daytrip 34:34 - Kim’s favorite tips/apps 35:50 - Kim’s favorite travel products 36:55 - Tamara’s favorite experiences/hotels 39:45 - Kim’s favorite experiences/hotels 43:00 - Tamara’s favorite food and experiences 45:30 - Kim’s favorite food and experiences 48:00 - More of Tamara’s favorite experiences 50:47 - Kim’s favorite tips and experiences MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTBose Noise Cancelling Headphones Celebrity Cruise Line Beverage Package Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 099 Planning a Volunteer Service Trip | 29 May 2018 | 00:51:35 | |
Have you heard of voluntourism? It is the trend toward adding a service element to your travels as a way of giving back to communities. You can even take it a step farther by planning a service trip. This week we chat with Sasha Forbes on her recent experience with her daughter on a service trip in Bangladesh. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about their upcoming 100th episode 04:20 - Talking with Sasha 08:28 - What got Sasha interested in service trips 10:07 - Education program with Bangladesh 13:22 - Visiting Bangladesh 15:34 - Run through of their trip 23:07 - Brothel visit 24:25 - Explaining the seriousness to a child 25:44 - Maya's reaction to the volunteer trip 27:50 - The impact of service trips 30:35 - Timing and budgeting for their trip 33:28 - Travel clinic costs 35:06 - Finding an organization to support 38:50 - Kim’s volunteering experience 40:18 - Me to We 41:06 - Other organizations 44:52 - Travel gear 47:47 - Shoutout!!! ABOUT SASHA FORBESSasha is a wife, mom, and self-employed ASL interpreter who lives in the suburbs of Washington, DC. She adventures in every way possible - Couch Surfing, family Disney cruises, camping, adults only all-inclusive resorts, hostels, business, etc. Follow Sasha on Instagram. TIPS FOR PLANNING A SERVICE TRIP
Episode 76 - Talking is Tech Savvy Mom The Charge by Brendon Burchard FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 098 Summer Travel Plans | 22 May 2018 | 01:01:32 | |
Where are you headed this summer? This week Kim and Tamara chat about their upcoming summer travel plans to California, Montana, Alaska, Disney, Arizona, New Mexico, Italy and more. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about school ending 06:22 - Tamara’s travel plans for June 07:16 - Tamara's New Mexico trip 10:28 - Trip to Italy 13:30 - Kim’s travel plans for June 13:35 - Cruise plans 15:49 - Possible trip to Colorado 16:22 - Montana trip with kids 18:23 - Tamara’s May trip to New York 20:13 - May to June trip to Kansas 23:30 - Kim’s trip to Toy Story Land 26:48 - Summer Airfare 28:00 - Kim’s July plans 30:11 - Tamara’s road trip at the end of July 36:03 - Surprise show in Chicago 39:10 - Kim's possible California road trip 40:48 - Kim’s Montana trip in August 44:48 - River rafting 45:55 - Rustic dude ranch experience 50:10 - Tamara’s family trip on an Alaskan Cruise MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 214 Northern Italy + Big Announcement | 10 Jan 2023 | 00:52:10 | |
Happy New Year! We are back and apologize for taking so long to release a new episode. Moving forward, we will strive to have one episode a month to share our travels and tips, as we continue to each put more time into our respective websites.
But first, Tamara has a big announcement and that is that she is hosting a women-only small group trip to Iceland in September 2023! You can get all the information on YourTimetoFly.com and she really hopes that some listeners will be able to join! Note that there is a discount of 15,000 ISK if you register by January 15, 2023.
Next Tamara tells us all about her two-week trip to Northern Italy! Some highlights include:
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| 097 Family Road Trip Tips | 15 May 2018 | 01:02:45 | |
Summer is almost here, which means it is almost road trip season!! Tune in this week as Caroline from Y Travel Blog gives her top family road trip tips after their experience spending a couple of years on the road. Plus, Tamara fills us in on a great road trip option in Saguenay Lac St Jean in Quebec. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Tamara about her trip to Saguenay Lac St Jean in Quebec 05:35 - Nordic Spa experience 07:50 - Helicopter ride 09:25 - Ferry service 12:05 - French speaking 13:11 - Cheese making 14:03 - Waterfalls 15:22 - Talking with Caroline 18:48 - Favorite road trips 20:02 - How Caroline chooses destinations 22:20 - Planning stops 24:20 - Hours of driving each day 28:45 - Kids helping to plan 31:05 - Trip length 33:04 - Road trip packing tips 36:57 - What to bring into each night stop 39:21 - Checking your kids pack or not 41:16 - Entertaining your kids in the car 43:16 - Apps to use for your road trip 46:54 - Money saving tips 55:10 - Before and after road trip tips 59:14 - Favorite travel gear 1:01:29 - Review Shoutouts!! ABOUT CAROLINE MAKEPEACECaroline Makepeace is co-founder of y Travel Blogwith her husband and two daughter. They create inspirational and epic content that provides useful tools, strategies, and resources to help readers unplug from the chaos life, to reconnect to what matters and to travel more and create better memories. Follow Caroline on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. FAMILY ROAD TRIP TIPS
Caroline loves to bring her KeensHiking sandals with her on road trips, and when it is a little bit colder she will bring her Merrellhiking shoes. She also loves to pack her PrAnaclothes, that are comfortable active clothes. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTPlan a Family Experience Everyone Will Love FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 096 Live from Portugal | 08 May 2018 | 01:10:32 | |
Kim and Tamara recently visited Lisbon and Cascais in Portugal and share their experience and tips live from the Martinhal Chiado in Lisbon. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:03 - Live podcast video uploaded to YouTube 02:14 - Why they are in Portugal 04:16 - TAP Airlines 05:55 - Stopover app 06:22 - First hotel in Lisbon 08:25 - Fado (Portuguese music) 10:50 - Tuk Tuk tour 11:34 - Walking around 15:40 - Watch for pickpockets 19:10 - Sintra day trip 23:38 - Credit card/ATM tips 28:56 - Quinta da Regaleira 33:44 - Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites 36:35 - Tour of Tamara’s room (video) 41:20 - Sardine shop 42:25 - Time Out Market 45:06 - Belem day trip 49:50 - Shout Out! 50:40 - Fountains in Lisbon 54:35 - Visiting Cascais 58:28 - Martinhal Lisbon Cascais Family Resort Hotel 1:08:30 - Speaking English TIPS FOR VISITING PORTUGAL
Tivoli Palácio de Seteais Sintra Hotel Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Family Suites Martinhal Lisbon Cascais Family Resort Hotel FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 095 Jordan Travel | 24 Apr 2018 | 01:06:04 | |
There is so much more to see in Jordan than just Petra. This week, Keri from Our Globetrotters shares her sample itinerary for visiting Jordan with kids. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim about her Caribbean cruise on Celebrity 05:12 - Different ports 16:15 - The upside of choosing a cruise 19:09 - Talking with Keri 21:36 - Keri’s experiences in Jordan 22:41 - Driving in Jordan 23:36 - Sample itinerary/route 24:51 - Petra 26:27 - Tour companies vs. on your own 28:37 - Where to stop 29:27 - Wadi Rum Desert 32:16 - The drive to Petra and exploring the site 38:54 - Petra at night 41:27 - Shobak castles 44:10 - Sights on your drive 45:08 - Dead Sea 47:58 - Smaller villages to make day trips 51:05 - Syrian border 52:30 - Best time to visit 54:38 - Where to stay 55:18 - Prepare for your first visit 58:35 - Jordan pass 59:47 - Place to take a family photo 1:02:13 - Favorite travel gear ABOUT KERI HEDRICKKeri is a British/Australian mum of three currently based in the United Arab Emirates. Leaving her full time job in London to follow her husband’s job, Keri started blogging about both their expat experience and overseas adventures on her blog Our Globetrotters. As a family they have now visited 5 continents but Keri’s specialty is Middle East and South East Asian travel with kids. Follow on Keri Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. New site coming soon: https://www.familytravel-middleeast.com VISITING JORDAN WITH KIDS
Wadi Rum at the golden hour makes for a great family photo. Petra is a popular place to take a family photo but it may be hard to get a photo crowd free. Floating in the Dead Sea may also make for a great photo! FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARKeri likes to wear cargo pants and comfortable cotton t-shirt as well as walking sneakers. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 094 Hiking with Kids | 17 Apr 2018 | 00:48:19 | |
It is almost Earth Day and it is time to start thinking about ways to get outside with your kids this summer. This week we chat with Celine from Family Can Travel on her tips for hiking with kids. After hiking in Norway, Italy, Japan, and around her home in the Canadian Rockies, Celine has plenty of experience to share! ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about Global Entry 02:55 - Precheck vs. Global Entry 09:30 - Credit card perks 11:50 - Talking with Celine 16:30 - Hiking in Kyoto 19:45 - Favorite trails 20:55 - Tips for hiking with your kids 22:06 - Hiking scavenger hunt 23:53 - Animal safety 25:10 - Beginner distances 27:35 - How to choose your hike 29:00 - Hiking apps 32:20 - Hiking gear 42:10 - Final hiking tips 43:30 - Favorite travel gear 45:16 - Upcoming trips 47:18 - Next week's episode! ABOUT CELINE BREWERCeline and Dan Brewer are the owners of Baby Can Travel and Family Can Travel, two sites dedicated to supporting and encouraging other young families to continue to travel. Where Baby Can Travel is focused on helping parents be confident in travelling with babies and toddlers by providing all the tips and tricks, Family Can Travel is where the fun really starts and they share their love for active travel around the world. Follow Celine on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. TIPS FOR HIKING WITH KIDS
When Celine is hiking she likes to wear her Lululemonleggings or tank tops. She will also often wear them when she travels along with her Conversesneakers. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTCeline’s recommended Child Carrier - Deuter FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, orGoogle Playand leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcaseand We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebookor Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 093 Amsterdam with Kids | 10 Apr 2018 | 01:06:32 | |
Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination known for its fast-paced bicycles, "coffee" shops, tulips, houseboats, art, and history. But is it kid-friendly? American-expat Elizabeth from Dutch Dutch Goose shares her itinerary and tips for visiting Amsterdam with kids. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Tamara about DC 02:24 - Crowds in DC 14:55 - Talking with Elizabeth 18:11 - How long to spend in the Netherlands 21:30 - When to go 23:45 - Flowers 26:35 - Things for the kids to do when visiting the flowers 27:10 - Top things to do in Amsterdam 32:30 - Exploring the canals 34:50 - Outdoor activities 37:12 - Biking traffic 42:26 - Amsterdam zoo 43:55 - ‘Coffee shop’ 47:08 - Night activities 47:50 - Day trips outside of Amsterdam 50:51 - Petting zoos 53:33 - Castle and fort 55:48 - Favorite hotels 58:19 - Money saving tips 1:00:45 - Take a family photo 1:02:10 - Favorite travel gear 1:04:40 - Elizabeth’s upcoming trips ABOUT ELIZABETH NEWCAMPElizabeth is a type-A travel lover and freelance writer. Along with her three energetic little boys and loving husband, they are exploring Europe in search of amazing experiences. They have found quintessential European gems, some of the best playgrounds on the continent and have made some incredible memories along the way. Elizabeth is currently based in the Netherlands and shares her travels on Dutch Dutch Goose. Follow Elizabeth on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. TIPS FOR VISITING AMSTERDAM WITH KIDS
At the Rijksmuseum there is an iconic I love Amsterdam sign that would be a great spot to take a family photo. You can also get a great shot in the flower fields if you visit during the spring. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARElizabeth loves to wear Nordstrom Zella leggings along with a comfortable top. She also loves to wear her Hunter rain boots. When she is not wearing rain boots she like to wear her Rothy flats which are actually made of recycled material and you can wash them. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 092 New Zealand South Island Travel | 03 Apr 2018 | 00:50:17 | |
Have you wanted to visit the land of Hobbits and kiwis? Maybe bungee jump off a cliff or take a jet boat down a river? This week we chat with Australian Melissa Delaware from Thrifty Family Travels about how to plan a two-week family vacation to the South Island of New Zealand. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Tamara about her Florida Trip 03:33 - Upcoming trip to DC 06:35 - Kim’s upcoming cruise 08:48 - New Zealand 09:57 - Talking with Melissa 13:03 - Melissa’s recent trip 13:55 - How long to spend in New Zealand 14:36 - Weather in New Zealand 16:25 - Where to go 17:38 - Flights onto the Islands 19:14 - Road Tripping the South Island 24:03 - Beautiful gorge and glaciers 29:45 - Queenstown 32:52 - Milford sound 35:18 - Mount Cook 36:57 - Wildlife 38:05 - Best age to go 39:40 - Budgeting tips 42:15 - Driving in New Zealand 43:30 - What to pack in the summer 45:38 - Favorite place to take a family photo 46:13 - Favorite travel gear 47:43 - Melissa’s upcoming trip to Asia 48:41 - Review and Shout Out!! ABOUT MELISSA DELAWAREMelissa is the creator and writer for the Thrifty Family Travels website; which details her family’s travels both locally and across the globe. Together they travel the world, experience new cultures, indulge in local delicacies, and explore every corner of our beautiful earth, navigating their way around the world. Thrifty Family Travels hope to inspire other families to travel and to show them all the fantastic places the world has to explore. Follow Melissa on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL TIPS
Melissa loved visiting the Karangahake Gorge and recommends taking a family photo in front of it. The contrasting colors of the water and the greenery make for a beautiful backdrop. But you can also pull over on the side of the road and take a beautiful photo anywhere along the trip. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARMelissa loves to wear Merrell sandals, which are very comfortable to wear around for hiking or even in the city and to dinner. FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 091 Disney Cruise First Timer's Guide | 27 Mar 2018 | 00:59:39 | |
Wondering what a Disney cruise is really like and how it compares to other cruise lines? This week Kim and Lesli from 365 Atlanta Family share their thoughts and impressions about their first Disney cruise. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Tamara about Martinique 01:26 - Apps used 02:30 - Overview of trip 14:26 - Talking with Lesli 15:30 - Lesli’s first impression of the Disney cruise 16:15 - Disney Cruise Kids' club 18:50 - Kim’s Disney Dream impression 21:58 - Features of the Disney Dream ship 25:21 - Land and sea 27:13 - Castaway Cay 30:42 - Nassau stop 31:30 - Aquaduck slide 34:11 - Other kids' clubs 37:23 - Dining on the ship 43:02 - Adults only 44:55 - Disney portal 45:55 - Handling sea sickness 47:56 - Navigator App 49:13 - Wave phone 50:28 - Is it worth it? 52:37 - Movies on the water 52:58 - Other food options 54:55 - Specialty cruises 55:44 - Fish extenders 58:37 - Tell a friend about us!!! ABOUT LESLI PETERSONLesli Peterson is Owner, Editor-in-Chief & CEO of 365 Atlanta Family. She made her way to Atlanta over 20 years ago, after living in Germany, Japan and six U.S. states. She relishes the discovery of obscure, offbeat and unwonted places, and she will chat up any willing stranger to uncover a new secret locale. After 18 years in software development, Lesli bailed on the corporate scene. She now serves as the Family Travel Ambassador for Georgia, and freelances for several publications in addition to writing at 365 Atlanta Family. When she’s not traveling, she’s hiking in the mountains or checking out Atlanta’s culinary scene, whiskey in hand. Lesli has two kiddos (Cooper and Elliot) and two bonus teens, and she’s happily married to her soul mate. Follow Lesli on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. DISNEY CRUISE TIPS
If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 090 Best Travel Apps | 20 Mar 2018 | 00:51:10 | |
If you are getting ready to plan your next trip, be sure to check out these recommendations on the best travel apps and planning sites first! ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Kim about Disneyland 11:50 - Talking with Shellie 15:27 - Apps for airfare 20:28 - Deals on hotels 22:59 - Sites like Airbnb 31:48 - Deals on car rentals 34:55 - Apps for saving on tours 39:55 - Putting together a trip itinerary 41:59 - Apps for road trips 46:32 - Favorite travel gear 48:24 - Upcoming trips for Shellie ABOUT SHELLIE BAILEY-SHAHShellie Bailey-Shah is the founder and editor of KidTripster, an online family travel magazine that provides information and inspiration to families traveling anywhere in the world. Shellie and her family do a fair amount of traveling themselves. They've been to countries on six continents with plans to go to Antarctica this coming December! They're also national park enthusiasts with the goal of visiting every single one. Their current count: 44. Follow Shellie on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. BEST TRAVEL APPS & SITES
Shellie likes to wear her Kuhl cargo pants that way she has plenty of pockets to keep things. There must be at least one zipper pocket though that way she can keep her license or passport and her phone safely tucked away. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTSaving on Airfare Google Flights (only to use mapping feature) Saving on Hotels DOSH (app) Alternatives to Traditional Hotels Saving on Rental Cars Saving on Family-friendly City Tours Free Tours by Foot (you pay want you think it was worth) Sandleman's New Europe (you pay want you think it was worth) Big Apple Greeter (really free, NYC) iExit app (for road trips) Best Days to Buy and Fly Travel Tips Saving Money on Airfare Travel tips Top 10 Family Destinations for 2018 Little-known apps & websites for saving money on family travel Saving thousands of dollars on your family travel for 2018 Top 10 travel gifts for the holidays 10 Reasons to hire a Disney travel agent to book your vacation Why I love small ship cruises for families FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 089 What's New at Disney Parks (Coming Soon) | 13 Mar 2018 | 00:39:44 | |
Want to know what is coming at Disney resorts around the world in 2019 and beyond? Kim and Lesli are just back from the Disney Social Media Moms conference and have the full scoop. We apologize for Tamara's audio on this episode, we aren't sure what happened but at least Kim and Leslie do most of the talking. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Intro 01:04 - Talking with Lesli and Kim 01:30 - Disney social media mom’s conference 04:12 - Motion sickness 05:03 - Lesli’s first Disney World experience 08:57 - New Star Wars attractions 09:32 - New themed hotel 11:41 - Disney bounding 13:56 - Immersion of Galaxy’s Edge 16:02 - Toy Story land 17:27 - Disney Skyliner 19:11 - Mickey's first attraction 20:28 - New Animal Kingdom show 21:58 - Future Epcot changes 23:22 - Disneyland updates 24:43 - Pixar fest 26:05 - New disney movies 31:55 - Art of Marvel hotel 33:44 - Black Panther meet and greet 35:10 - Lands not coming to the US 36:19 - Coming to Hong Kong Disney ABOUT LESLI PETERSONLesli Peterson is Owner, Editor -in-Chief & CEO of 365 Atlanta Family. She made her way to Atlanta over 20 years ago, after living in Germany, Japan and six U.S. states. She relishes the discovery of obscure, offbeat and unwonted places, and she will chat up any willing stranger to uncover a new secret locale. After 18 years in software development, Lesli bailed on the corporate scene. She now serves as the Family Travel Ambassador for Georgia, and freelances for several publications in addition to writing at 365 Atlanta Family. When she’s not traveling, she’s hiking in the mountains or checking out Atlanta’s culinary scene, whiskey in hand. Lesli has two kiddos (Cooper and Elliot) and two bonus teens, and she’s happily married to her soul mate. Follow Lesli on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. NEW AT DISNEY
If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!
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| 088 Girlfriend Getaway to El Paso Texas | 27 Feb 2018 | 00:46:22 | |
We are back from our girlfriend getaway to El Paso, Texas and we have so much to share about our experience. This was a great destination for a girl's trip for active ladies that also love shopping, wine and good food. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 06:29 - Hotels in El Paso 10:05 - Enjoying the food 21:08 - Exploring El Paso 22:15 - Cowboy boot factory 26:30 - Downtown street art 27:35 - Wine tasting 30:32 - Golfing experience 33:55 - Visiting a copper mine 39:22 - ATVing in red sand 43:48 - Aerial tramway VISITING EL PASO
Los Bandidos De Carlos & Mickey's FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 213: Glacier Country, Montana | 11 Oct 2022 | 00:48:07 | |
This episode is sponsored by Glacier Country Tourism. All opinions are our own. This week, Tamara shares what it is like to visit Glacier Country, Montana on a girls' trip and Kim shares her thoughts on this scenic part of Northwestern Montana. From Missoula to Whitefish, Kalispell to Glacier National Park -- if Montana is on your bucket list, give this episode a listen! Read more: Adventurous Weekend Getaways to Western Montana- We3Travel Best Things to do in Glacier National Park - Stuffed Suitcase Things to do in Glacier Country, Montana
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| 087 Tips for Saving Money on Vacation | 20 Feb 2018 | 00:49:16 | |
Spring break is just around the corner and summer vacation planning is in full swing. Have you created your travel budget yet? This week, Kim and Tamara teach you how to save money when you are booking your trip and tips for saving money on vacation too. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Sponsor Wanderlist 02:32 - Planning with a budget in mind 04:56 - Activity prices add up 06:50 - Budget saving tips for flights 15:37 - Tip for saving money on accommodations 19:40 - Includes breakfast or not? 24:34 - Hotel packages 25:16 - Meals and snacks 30:16 - Saving money on attractions 32:26 - Local and work discounts 38:01 - Booking early vs. last minute 40:42 - Budgeting for kids 42:47 - Getting more money for vacation TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY ON VACATION
MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Travel Budget Vacation Cost Worksheet Stuffed Suitcase - Average Vacation Costs Best Budget Airlines for Families Helping Kids Budget for Souvenirs 5 Ways to Save Money on Vacation FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 086 Galapagos Islands Vacation | 13 Feb 2018 | 01:04:01 | |
The Galapagos Islands are on just about everyone's travel bucket list, but trying to figure out how to plan a trip there is overwhelming. Cruise, land, both, tour, on your own? There are so many choices. This week Kellie from 4 Worn Passports gives us her well-researched advice on how to plan a trip to the Galapagos with kids. ON THE PODCAST00:32 - Talking with Kim and Tamara about wildlife 01:20 - Bear sightings 04:15 - Kim’s safari experience 07:20 - Airboat tour in New Orleans 13:23 - Talking with Kellie 18:25 - Kellie’s trip to the Galapagos 20:19 - Cruise or not? 21:23 - Biggest experience for the best value 23:35 - Creatures of the Galapagos 25:50 - Booking tours 31:21 - Cruise boat experience 33:50 - Days on each island 35:03 - Must-see locations 41:58 - Weather and seasons 43:30 - Where to stay in Quito 44:48 - Budgeting your trip 48:54 - Galapagos tips 52:20 - Packing tips 54:43 - Best place for a family photo 56:14 - Favorite travel gear 1:00:38 - Tip of the week ABOUT KELLIE MCINTYREKellie McIntyre is the founder of 4 Worn Passports. Her blog is dedicated to inspiring family gap years and global adventure travel. Follow Kellie on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. PLANNING A TRIP TO THE GALAPAGOS WITH KIDS
Kellie and her family love the photo they took at the top of the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito. Then when you are on the islands getting a photo with a giant tortoise is a fantastic idea and really shows that you were in the Galapagos Islands. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARLearning it the hard way, Kellie found out that Chaco’s are great sport sandals to wear around and don’t cause blisters from wearing them in the sand and water. TIP OF THE WEEKKeep in mind the expiration date on your passport. Some places require you to have your passport valid for at least six months out from your trip. MENTIONED ON THE PODCASTRecommended 10-12 day itinerary Detailed Comparison of Itineraries and Costs History of Post Office Bay and Tips for Visiting Delivering the Postcards from Post Office Bay What’s the best Galapagos Airport? FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||
| 085 France Travel Beyond Paris | 06 Feb 2018 | 00:57:23 | |
Everyone wants to go to Paris. But what do you do outside of Paris? This week we chat with Barbara Weindling, a travel advisor with Ciao Bambino to learn tip for France travel beyond Paris. ON THE PODCAST00:30 - Talking with Tamara and Kim about NYC 07:42 - Getting into and out the city 13:15 - Talking with Barbara 16:15 - Regions outside of Paris 18:45 - How many days to spend 20:16 - Classic trip 21:26 - Best times to travel to France 23:52 - What different regions are like 24:55 - Loire Valley castles 26:12 - Provence, France 29:14 - Kayaking adventure under Pont du Gard 31:34 - Relaxing in Carcassonne, France 33:30 - Driving in France 36:18 - Beaches 38:40 - Cassis, France 39:47 - Other family friendly regions 42:10 - Beauty and the Beast concept town 43:35 - Budgeting for your trip 46:50 - Tips for going to france 51:37 - Where to take a family photo 52:16 - Favorite travel gear 54:47 - Tip of the week ABOUT BARBARA WEINDLINGSince she was a child, Barbara traveled extensively all over the world. She attended Lycee Francais, is fluent in French, and has lived in Paris. Although born and raised in NYC, today she lives in Providence, RI with her husband and 14 year old son. Barbara is a travel advisor for Ciao Bambino, a website and travel agency specializing in family travel. Follow Barbara on Instagram and Facebook. TIPS FOR VISITING FRANCE BEYOND PARIS
In front of any castle is a great way to get a family photo. Though, Barbara’s favorite place to take a family photo would be in front of the Pont du Gard. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEARBarbara loves to wear her leather Aco sandals, which are great for both walking around during the day and the still work with nicer outfits and going to dinner. Sundresses are great and comfortable to wear all around. In the winter Barbara has Paul Green loafers that work well for both indoor and outdoor. TIP OF THE WEEKIf you plan on taking the TGV train in France, the earliest you can buy tickets will be 90 days in advance. You also should reserve tickets to the Eiffel Tower in Paris for a timed entry ticket in advance. These also open up for sale 90 days in advance. Ticket Site MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD!If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening! | |||