Thanks to everyone who participated! The giveaway has ended and Rachel T. is our winner. We will reach out shortly with instructions for receiving your item.
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We Go With Kids is thrilled to announce our first giveaway!
As busy moms, getting our kids to and from locations safely is high on our list of priorities. Having traveled extensively with our kids, transporting them safely while on vacation is something we have devoted many hours of research to! In our post on car seats, we featured the RideSafer travel car seat, which comes in handy not only on trips, but also as a handy option for carpooling, taxi cab rides, and grandparents’ vehicles. Today, we are thrilled to announce that in partnership with SafeRide4Kids, we are giving away one RideSafer travel car seat, which retails for $145-$159.
There are three ways to enter, and you can enter multiple times for more chances to win:
(1) Follow @wegowithkids on Twitter!
(2) Leave a comment below with your favorite family vacation destination with kids or where you would most like to take your kids!
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Although I have driven from Southern California to Northern California more times than I can count, I had only been to Monterey once prior to our family trip this spring. As an avid fan of aquariums, however, I have long wanted to take my husband there and when I started researching options for things to do in Monterey, I quickly realized that it would be a wonderful place to spend the week with the kids. In Part I of this series, I discussed the logistics of our flight from DC to Los Angeles and our decision to spend the night in Santa Barbara and take our time driving up the Coast. In this post, I’ll describe the activities we packed into a seven day trip to Monterey.
My Fourth Grade year was spent studying California history, which included an exhaustive series on California missions. I spent a lot of time as a child wondering about the missions and intrigued by their history. Although I did not get a chance to visit many as a child, my husband and I have explored many together through the years.
If you spend any time driving up and down the California Coast, you’ll invariably see signs indicating that you are traveling on the Historic Camino Real, the road connecting the 21 Spanish missions.
Happily for me, the house we rented was just a short 25 minute drive to the San Charles Borromeo de Carmelo Mission, or the Carmel Mission, and it was the perfect location for our Easter morning mass.
The mission was built in 1770 and many parts of it show its age. Luckily, it is now the home of a vibrant parish and school. The early morning mass we attended (7AM) was completely full, with seats in the courtyard for the overflow. Since I had a defiant toddler with me, we ended up exploring a lot of the grounds during mass. Unfortunately for me, a Southern California native, it was much much colder than I expected so I was freezing by the time my son and husband were done. Definitely do not underestimate how much colder it is in Northern California than it is in Los Angeles!
Juniper Serra, the Franciscan priest who founded the first missions in California is actually buried in the sanctuary floor. My then-seven year old, who had learned about the Spanish missionaries during Spanish class was intrigued by the historical significance of the Mission and we stopped by the gift shop to purchase some items to bring back and share in class.
Being that it was Easter, we, of course, did an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. The garden at the vacation house provided the perfect spot for hiding eggs.
As you might expect, we spent a lot of time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This was the driving force behind our decision to visit Monterey and we visited every single day for a few hours at a time. The house we rented came with two guest passes to use for the duration of our stay and children under 3 are free, so we really only needed one more ticket. One day admission is $49.95 for an adult, so we decided to go ahead and purchase a $95 annual membership for my husband to use. Had our house not come with the two guest passes, we would have purchased a family membership which, at $250, is a bargain for a week of entertainment.
Many of the days ended up being rainy, so the aquarium was the perfect place to let off some steam and get some toddler energy out. My seven year old never got bored and my toddler loved the playspace.
The only downside to the experience is that my husband and I didn’t learn a single thing while there! We were too busy chasing our toddler (who thought it particularly fun to run like a maniac through the dark aquarium gallery). I did catch this video of the sea gooseberry, which was probably my favorite organism at the aquarium.
My kids loved the sardines swimming in an endless circle. I remember being fascinated by this very aquarium as a child, so it was neat to see my kids experience it as well, even if it is much smaller than I remember it being!
Monterey happens to be home to the Dennis the Menace Park. Unfortunately, our stay occurred while it was under construction, so we did not get a chance to actually experience the park. The park, however, is adjacent to Lake El Centro, where you can rent paddle boats from El Estero Boating.
We took advantage of a sunny afternoon for our first family paddle boating experience.
my fearless munchkin
The water was calm and as we were there in the middle of the week, it was not crowded. I believe we were the only people on the water that day. Now that the Dennis the Menace Park has reopened, this is an easy place to spend the afternoon with kids.
Our vacation rental was only a 15 minute drive from Asilomar State Beach, which turned out to be a surprisingly delightful place to visit. Across from the beach is the Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve:
where a landmark stile stands at the gateway to this preserve and the Asilomar Conference Grounds. A ¼ mile boardwalk meanders through 25 acres of restored sand dune ecosystem where visitors can discover the native plant greenhouse where more than 450,000 plants, representing 25 species, have been grown and planted in the effort to preserve the dunes and coastal bluffs. Several boardwalk outlooks provide panoramic views of Asilomar State Beach and the blue Pacific Ocean.
coastal trail @ Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve
Both my kids enjoyed the boardwalk and so did we! It was not crowded and the wooden pathways were easy for my toddler to manage on his own. Although it would be a bumpy ride for a stroller, it is certainly manageable – the bigger concern would be sand from wind. My seven year old had a blast playing army on the walk with his cousin while my toddler enjoyed stopping and throwing sand every few feet.
Later that week, we returned to the beach for some play time in the sand and despite the stiff wind, both kids had a great time.
My husband and I are avid hikers and there was no doubt that we would try to sneak in as many walks as we could. Of course, it is necessary to adjust your expectations when hiking with kids and we try to find small walks that they can enjoy. Jacks Peak Park fit the bill. Although there is a nominal fee to park (I believe it is $5/car), it was well worth it.
Looking out over Monterey with the map pointing out major destinations.
The trail was well maintained such that my toddler had no trouble walking most of the path himself.
Dad was happy to give him a ride when he got tired!
Although this is not a stroller friendly spot, it is a relatively easy walk without too much elevation change and the path is maintained such that I would not hesitate to bring a child in a carrier. Most of the walk was shaded and cool – especially with the ocean breeze coming in from the west.
Being in Northern California, there were many days in which it rained too much for us to do anything other than go to the Aquarium. One day, we took the kids to the Aquarium in the morning, but were desperate for indoor activities for later in the afternoon. My brother (who was visiting with his wife and two kids) ended up taking all the kids to Jump-N-Around, a local chain bounce house. My kids had a great time and it provided them with some much needed jumpin’ around time (pun intended).
Although we did not intend to do much, if any, wine tasting while in Monterey, we spent one afternoon exploring the Monterey tasting scene after we discovered there were a number of tasting rooms all centrally located in one area, thus saving us from having to drag the kids to and from wineries. One of the tasting rooms we visited was Georis, located in nearby Carmel.
The day we visited was pleasant enough to be outside and there is a little garden where kids can play without disturbing others (although there are cacti, so be careful)! Georis also has a limited menu, which we did not take advantage of, but it would have been easy to get a snack for the kids and keep them entertained while we sipped. Many of the other wineries we visited had similar set ups and it was definitely a more laid back environment than Napa. I would not hesitate to bring my kids along for some wine tasting next time we are in the area.
Relax
Reading through this post, it sure does surprise me how much we managed to work into a week long stay in Monterey! My husband and I each worked in a few visits to the Monterey Sports Center, where we paid a nominal fee for a day pass so that we could get some exercise in and we also spent plenty of time sitting around and just enjoying the cool, ocean air from the comfort of our rented backyard. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to occupy ourselves with and we never got bored. We tend to focus on big, exciting places to visit – London, San Francisco, DC, New York – visiting the sleepy town of Monterey was a nice change of pace and there was plenty to do while also providing us with some much needed down time.
Having grown up in Southern California, where most of my family still lives, traveling to and from Los Angeles is something that has become routine. My oldest has made the cross country flight more times than I can count and my youngest thinks nothing of a five hour plane ride. That said, over the years, we have exhausted the number of things to do in the greater Los Angeles area and when I suggested taking a trip to Monterey over Spring Break, my husband jumped at the opportunity as he and our sons have never been.
How did we get there?
Monterey is located approximately two hours south of San Francisco International Airport and five and a half hours north of Los Angeles International Airport. When pricing flights, direct flights to and from Los Angeles were significantly cheaper than San Francisco and with four tickets to purchase, we elected to fly in and out of Los Angeles and take a mini road trip up and down the coast with the kids.
A few years ago, we started renting vehicles from Silvercar when flying in and out of Los Angeles. Not only is an Audi A4 a much nicer car to drive than your usual compact rental car, but one of the perks of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is that I receive 30% off the cost of the rental car. Our nine day rental ended up costing approximately $500 out of pocket, which we were happy to pay considering it saved us from having to wait hours in the rental car line after a long day of travel. All vehicles are also equipped with WiFi and GPS, which was an extra bonus considering we intended to spend hours in the car with both boys, neither of whom are particularly fond of long car rides.
Buckled up and ready to go!
In order to break up the trip, we decided to stay in Santa Barbara on the day of arrival and in the Los Angeles area on the night prior to departure. This would not only give us time to do some sightseeing along the coast, but it would also give us an opportunity to visit family while also letting the kids stretch their legs.
Where did we stay?
Our first night was spent at the Hyatt Centric Santa Barbara. My husband used the free night certificate that comes with being a Hyatt cardmember and so our room was completely free. The room was right across the street from the ocean and although we were on the ground floor (which I usually do not prefer), our room also had a nice little private patio which was a nice place to sit and people watch.
Not a bad room for a free room!
For the seven days spent in Monterey, we rented a vacation home via Homeway. There are so many options in terms of vacation rentals, but the one we ultimately decided on seemed a bit off the beaten path and also had sufficient space to accommodate friends and family who would be coming to spend some portion of the week with us.
lovely rooftop deck where we enjoyed many a glass of wine while the little one napped
For the last and final night of our vacation, I redeemed Marriott points for a room at the Residence Inn in Pasadena/Old Town to help cut down on overall expenses from the trip. The hotel was newly remodeled and, as an extended stay location, came with a small kitchen and microwave. Although we were only there for one night, I wanted to check it out and see whether it would be a good location for future stays and visits (answer: yes, I would happily stay there next time I’m in Pasadena).
What did we do?
Although it was only 10AM when we landed in Los Angeles, we had been up since 2AM local time due to the time change and travel time. We stopped for a quick burger at In-N-Out before heading to our first stop of the day.
The Santa Monica Pier
Although largely believed to be a tourist destination, I happen to love the Santa Monica Pier. There’s a parking lot that makes it easily accessible, great ocean views, and lots of wonderful people watching. We actually had photos taken in our wedding attire after our ceremony/reception at the Pier, so it was great fun to return with both kids for some sightseeing.
As an added bonus, Santa Monica Pier is a known Pokemon Go hotspot and unless you’ve been living under a bridge for the last year, you can imagine how excited my seven-year-old was to do some Pokemon catching in a new location.
We spent about an hour at the Pier before climbing back into the car and heading up north to Santa Barbara for our next destination, the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Although I’ve been to Santa Barbara many times, I wasn’t even aware that there was a zoo until my husband suggested it as something to do to let our toddler run around. We had no idea what the zoo would be like, but the location of the zoo (less than one mile from the hotel) and the perfect weather convinced us that it was just the right thing to do before turning in for the night.
The zoo ended up being a perfect way to spend the afternoon! My toddler, who loves animals, was thrilled to run around and see animals after a long day of traveling and being cooped up and we loved being able to stretch our legs while breathing in the fresh ocean air. It’s a small zoo and thus had a more intimate feel than our usual zoo – the Smithsonian Zoo here in DC. If you happen to find yourself in Santa Barbara, perhaps doing some wine tasting, this would be a great place to spend a few hours in the afternoon, with or without children.
After a few hours at the zoo, we grabbed a quick bite to eat before turning in for the night.
Solvang
The next morning, we woke up bright and early thanks to our jet lagged toddler and quickly packed up and headed up the coast towards Monterey. Our first stop, however, was Solvang, a Danish Village in the Santa Ynez Valley, less than an hour from where we were staying. My brother attended UC Berkeley and so I’ve been visiting Solvang for years with my family as it is an easy pit stop between Los Angeles and Berkeley. My kids were wowed by the pastries, but unfortunately, we could not visit and do any window shopping because it was still incredibly early (before 8am) and none of the shops were open.
Pinnacles National Park
After our stop in Solvang, we drove three hours north on the 101 (US-101 N) to Pinnacles National Park. Pinnacles National Park is worthy of a visit for its unique rock formations and in recent years, it has become a hatching location for captive California condor.
Although our hiking options were severely limited by our toddler, we did manage a short walk from the Visitor’s Center up to one of the hiking trails. Parking is extremely limited and although the website states that a “section of the Bench Trail between Peaks View and South Wilderness Trail may be accessible to visitors in wheelchairs,” the parking options would make it undesirable, for me, if I had a child in a stroller. Luckily, my toddler was able to walk and/or be carried through the hike and although my husband had to run back and forth (about 1/2 mile) from the main parking lot to the overflow lot, this was a nice off-the-beaten-path detour on our drive up the coast.
Riviera Maya was such a perfect family vacation spot during my maternity leave that we did it twice. For both trips, we chose an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico with our kids (aged from two months to six) because we thought it would be the most laid-back and relaxed trip we could take with an infant. All-inclusive hotels are not prevalent in the US, but they are common throughout Mexico and in several Caribbean islands. Both trips definitely were low key and different from our normal vacations filled with exploring new cities and sites, but we did get to plenty of time at the beach and pool. There were also some cultural opportunities with traditional food, speaking our limited Spanish with the staff and attending market nights and cultural events. We enjoyed our stay at two of the best family resorts on Riviera Maya.
We traveled during peak hurricane season in August and October, so the resorts were not crowded. We spent most of our days between the pool or beach and had plentiful food options at convenient restaurants and evening entertainment. Because of the all-inclusive nature, we did not have to guestimate how much food, drinks and entertainment for the trip might cost. We just added a few hundred dollars for tips, souvenirs and special activities and had a relatively certain total cost of the trip at the time of booking.
Great view for a family photo
Booking a Trip to Riviera Maya With Kids
Both vacations to Riviera Maya were Apple Vacations trips. We had taken a trip to Punta Cana through Apple once before we had kids, and it was very relaxing. Apple is a major package travel operator offering flight and hotel packages that also include airport transportation. Apple rates hotels based on an apple system with the highest rating designated as six golden apples. We have always chosen an all-inclusive beach-front hotel in the six golden apple category and read hotel reviews on Trip Advisor before making our selection.
Online resources make it easier than ever to create your own vacation package by booking your own flights, hotels and transfers in Mexico. However, we found the Apple package cost was lower than what we could book separately. We also booked both trips through Doylestown Travel, a travel agency with very helpful and knowledgeable agents and offers a best price guarantee for Apple Vacations and any other vacation they book.
I can never get tired of this view
Accommodations in Riviera Maya With Kids
We two Now Resorts in Riviera Maya stayed at the Now Jade in 2010 and the Now Sapphire in 2014. Both were amazing properties located about 20-30 minutes from the airport in Puerto Morelos.
Now Jade With Kids
Upon check-in at the Now Jade, we were informed that we had been upgraded to an ocean-front suite in the preferred club for the entire week. This was a great way to start off the week. The centrally located ocean-front suite was beautiful and had a stunning view. With the jacuzzi tub located on the patio and basically unusable for our infant and toddler, we figured out quickly that to shower with our four-month-old.
View from the patio of our ocean-front, preferred club roomOur bedroom
The preferred club was a perk that we had not even considered booking due to the substantially higher per person cost, but we thoroughly enjoyed the ocean front suite and the quiet, air-conditioned club lounge with specialty snacks and a full bar. At the time, the daily cost for WiFi was rather exorbitant, and it was great to have occasional use of the free computers to check email. We also had access to the adults’ only preferred club pool, but my husband and I could use it only one at a time while the other stayed with the boys. The few times we tried this were brief visits during the kids’ afternoon naps and wished a little that we could spend more time there.
Now Jade’s facilities were contemporary and clean. We made nightly dinner reservations and tried out all of the restaurants, except for the one that was designated as adults only. Our toddler particularly enjoyed Hibachi (and, he still does).
We spent most of our days lounging at the pool or the beach. Our son particularly enjoyed the shallow toddler pool, which was conveniently situated right next to the resort’s main pool. We actually chose Now Jade over Now Sapphire because the only toddler pool at Now Sapphire was located within the Kids’ Club area. Because our kids were too young for the Kids’ Club, we wanted a resort with a usable toddler pool and became friends with a family from England who also spent their days lounging next to the toddler pool.
This is the life
Other than yoga by the pool, which my toddler and I both enjoyed, we did not really participate in any of the activities during the day. However, we often watched the evening entertainment, which included acrobats and dancers in an indoor, air-conditioned theater.
Now Sapphire With Kids
When we decided to make a return maternity leave trip to Riviera Maya four years later shortly after our daughter was born, we decided to stay at Now Jade’s sister property, Now Sapphire. We loved our time at the Now Jade and definitely wanted to stay at a resort of the same standard but also wanted to try something slightly different. Because our boys were now four and six, they could enjoy the main pool with floaties. So, it was no issue that Now Sapphire’s only toddler pool was located inside the Kids’ Club.
We again booked through Doylestown Travel and inquired about extending our stay to 10 nights rather than the standard seven-night vacation. Because the flights are a substantial portion of the vacation cost, we discovered that adding an additional three nights only cost an extra $400 (total, not per person!). Because we really enjoyed the preferred club status at Now Jade, we decided to upgrade from a regular junior suite to a preferred club tropical junior suite. The cost of the upgrade without the ocean view was not substantial, and we decided that we really wanted the perks more than a room with a view. The upgrade turned out to be better than expected when we learned only preferred club guests could reserve the poolside cabanas and also received free WiFi throughout the resort.
Reserving pool cabanas was one of the highlights of our trip. Especially with an infant, it was so wonderful to essentially spend much of the day relaxing on a large shaded bed at the side of the pool. As preferred club guests during low season, we were able to reserve a pool cabana every other day of our stay. We spent cabana days mostly by the pool. Because our daughter could nap in the cabana, going in for an afternoon nap was not necessary. So, between breakfast and dinner, we just ventured out for lunch.
Cabana paradise
Now Sapphire found creative ways to deliver guests an afternoon snack, like fruit skewers on a kayak.
The preferred club lounge was a nice, air-conditioned and quiet place to go before or after dinner. It was set up like a large living room with couches and several chess sets, which were a particular hit with our oldest. While our preferred club guest room was a “tropical” view rather than “ocean-front”, it was clean and nice, and honestly, we really spent very little time in it during daylight hours.
Our boys were old enough to spend time at the Kids’ Club, but they only had a few brief stays at their own request. It was a great place to play video games on a rainy afternoon, and my oldest joined the group for beach soccer another morning. The kids in the club always seemed well-supervised and happy, but we really wanted to spend as much time with them as possible during our trip.
The nighttime entertainment was also particularly memorable. We stopped in at the air-conditioned theater most nights after dinner and usually ended up staying longer than we planned. Our favorite was the fire show on the beach, but the acrobats, musicians and magicians were also fun for all ages.
We had a few unusual challenges with our middle child falling sick with a mild flu just after we arrived, but 24-hour room service was certainly useful there. We thoroughly enjoyed the Now Sapphire. I would go back in a heartbeat if my husband, but my husband prefers more doing and seeing vacations.
Packing for a Trip to Riviera Maya With Kids
Packing for our Riviera Maya vacations was complicated by the fact that you cannot pick up forgotten items at Target or Boots. The resort store does carry a number of the essentials, but your options are both limited and extremely expensive. And, you cannot guarantee that what you need will be available. One resort store carried diapers only in size three and no swimming diapers. If you’ve ever had a baby, you know that “close enough” doesn’t really work with diaper sizing, and a baby needs a swimming diaper to go into the pool. These are not items for forget at home.
We met a guy on his honeymoon who forgot flip flops and a suit and spent about $75 purchasing the only suitable options at the resort. It’s definitely important to bring at least two complete swim outfits (suits/shirt/cover-up) per person because you will be wearing those most of the time. Also, it is important to bring with you goggles, floaties (arm bands and rings), snorkels, fins, beach balls, sand toys and children’s ibuprofen when traveling with kids.
During our first trip, I had two boys in diapers and had to keep track of how many diapers each went through on a daily basis in advance to guestimate what we would need. We did have some regular diapers, swimming diapers and wipes left at the end of the week, but not too many, which I counted as a win. I had underestimated the amount of sunscreen we would need, and we would have had to buy one of the $25 bottles in the resort store if we had stayed one more day. I made sure to bring significantly more sunscreen than I thought we would need the next time.
Neither resort we stayed at had washer or drier available for guests. The resort offered dry cleaning service on a per piece basis only. We did bring some liquid detergent to do hand washing of suits and essentials, but we generally packed more clothes than we typically do on vacation, particularly for our infants. Because we were in suits most of the day and only changed for dinner, we were also able to wear clothes more than one time without an issue.
The US dollar is the typical currency at Mexican resorts. Everyone tips in dollars, and purchases like excursions and souvenirs are all quoted in dollars. ATM machines not only charge a fee but also convert your withdrawal from US dollars to Mexican pesos and then back to US dollars. We learned this the hard way. It is definitely helpful to bring with you more cash than you expect to need. If you can’t bring a stack of dollar bills for tipping, bartenders are very willing to help you get change.
Items that are not needed include towels, snacks (except for the plane ride there) and toys/books from home.
Excursions from Riviera Maya With Kids
Apple Vacations offers a number of daily excursions from Riviera Maya hotels with transportation included. Trips include a Chichen Itza tour, swimming with dolphins, ziplining and visits to Tulum and Playa del Carmen. In 2010, we did an afternoon shopping trip to Playa del Carmen but chose to stay on the resort when we returned with three kids in 2014. However, my husband hired a guide with a boat to take him and our six-year-old son snorkeling after he spent many days practicing in the resort pool, and that experience was the highlight of my son’s trip. He came back with a love of ocean life and chose a hand painted ocean scene as his souvenir to bring home.
Watching an artist create ocean scenes at market night
Tips in Riviera Maya
While all tips are “included” in your all-inclusive stay, tipping servers, bartenders, housekeepers and concierges is relatively common and definitely appreciated. The service staff work hard and clearly rely on tips in addition to their salaries. The common 15-20% gratuity is not required, and people who do not tip do not get bad service. However, people who tip receive extra special attention. For example, we regularly tipped about $3-$5 daily during our buffet lunch, and after the first day, servers would call to us to sit in the best table in their section as soon as we walked through the door and make sure we all had what we needed.
Riviera Maya – Kid Caution
The main safety concerns in Mexico are sunburn and unsafe food or water. Because both of our infants were exclusively nursed at the time of our trips, there was no concerns about unsafe food or water or safely cleaning bottles. Note that an infant must be at least six months old to get a Hepatitis A vaccination, and there is definitely added risk to taking a child who is not exclusively nursed and has not received that immunization.
At Now Sapphire, there was clearly high attention paid to dietary restrictions. Our daughter had a milk protein allergy that developed after we booked the trip. She could be affected by any dairy that I consumed, and I was concerned about unknowingly eating food cooked with butter. However, the servers were amazing at informing me which dishes were prepared with butter and also finding the resort’s stashes of Kirkland soy milk so that I could get some calcium during my stay. Due to their diligence, I did not mistakenly consume any dairy during the entire trip. I came home feeling confident that it wasn’t so challenging eating out with dietary restrictions – until a few weeks later when a restaurant near our home clearly made an error when preparing my dish.
We specifically chose resorts where there were no reports of food or water problems and took extra precautions avoiding any raw or cut fruit and vegetables that may have been washed in tap water. Despite all our carefulness, our oldest child contracted a bacteria infection from ingesting pool water in 2010. We did not realize until his diagnosis just how dangerous pool water could be. Because toddlers and young children regularly swallow pool water, we decided after that trip that we would not return to Mexico until after the toddler years. We had no issues with bacteria infections on our return trip, and our infant daughter did not even dip her toes into the pool or the Caribbean.
Now Jade pool
The resorts offered plenty of shade options near the beach. For our infants, the canopies from both the stroller and infant seat and sun hats provided extra sun protection. But, our favorite days were the cabana days when we had built in shade and open air. Because we traveled with infants under six months old, we used California Baby sunscreen, a non-chemical sunscreen.
Is Riviera Maya Kid Friendly?
Both Riviera Maya family resorts that we stayed at were extremely kid friendly. While there are some safety concerns with infants and toddlers, this was probably the easiest to take with young kids. I’m not sure vacationing with kids can ever be completely relaxing, but both trips were glorious, nonetheless.
Note: These trips were taken in 2010 and 2014, and safety of travel in Mexico has changed since those trips. Please check all travel advisories beforebooking a trip to Mexico with kids.
Digital cameras and mobile phones with camera capabilities have transformed photography over the past 15 years – both how we take photos and what we do with those images. We generally take more photos than ever before, but they often tend to permanently reside stored on our phones, SD cards and hard drives. We’re so glad we discovered the Shutterfly photo book to make sure that we can easily view vacation photos.
Photography and My Earliest Travels
I brought a basic 35 millimeter camera when studying abroad in England for six months 20 years ago. I traveled in nine countries over my Spring break and came home with about five rolls of film and some doubles from photos that my traveling companions had taken. But, each click of the shutter was made with careful planning and deliberating. My pictures captured certain images that I really wanted to keep with me, and while few were stunning, some were really very beautiful.
Even if years go by without looking at the album I created using self-adhesive clear corners to affix those pictures along with postcards, ticket stubs and other memorabilia, I clearly remember the images in those photographs. However, the moments not recorded on film are hazy. For example, a notation in my 1997 version of Let’s Go Europe: The Student Travel Bookconfirms the actual date that I visited the Musee D’Orsay in Paris, but I have no pictures and absolutely no memory of either the building or of any of the paintings inside. While my study of art history and love of impressionist work came after this trip, even one photo would likely help me remember the visit.
After developing film from a two-week trip to England in 1999, I discovered that an unknown camera issue meant that almost none of my pictures from the trip developed. I did get doubles from my companion on that trip and incorporated them into empty pages at the end of my study abroad album. (Doubles were a big thing with film photography. I seem to remember it cost about $1 per roll of film to get doubles, and it was always an essential add on.) However, I was sad to lose the images that I wanted to capture and truly remember less about that trip than any other vacation of my adult life.
I traveled for two weeks in the Netherlands and Scandinavia and then spent a month driving across the country after taking the bar exam in 2002. I probably took about five or six rolls of film on these two trips combined with a similar point and shoot 35 millimeter that accompanied me on my previous trips. As always, I also acquired some doubles from pictures taken by my companions and again compiled those pictures into a binder with plastic sleeves that each held three photos on each side.
My husband bought his first SLR camera in 2004 before we traveled to Costa Rica. The photo quality of the pictures taken with his camera far surpassed anything that I had captured on previous trips with my point and shoot cameras. Although friends and family were starting to get digital cameras, we thought this would be our new go-to camera. That all changed when I received my first digital camera as a Christmas present a few months later. All of a sudden, there was no longer a need to be so careful and deliberate when taking pictures and also no need to wait until developing to see what how the pictures turned out. That little thumbnail screen on the back provided instant gratification. A bad shot could be retaken immediately and even deleted on the spot if you wished. Photos could also be cropped or enhanced. The possibilities were endless. Our SLR had a short window of usefulness.
I was pretty good at first about uploading pictures and even using newly developed online sites to print images. However, the quantity of pictures we took increased when we bought our first Nikon DSLR, and it became more time consuming to wade through the images to select the ones we wanted to upload and print. And now, it’s extremely rare that we print photos.
Our Nikon D7100 gets heavy use when we are on the road. Our middle child also carries his child-friendly, waterproof Nikon Coolpix that really takes great pictures. We also shoot lots of photos with our phones. We brought back over 2,700 images combined after ten days in Iceland this summer. On our trip recent weekend trip to New Orleans, I probably doubled the number of pictures I shot during my six months studying and traveling in Europe.
While we have thousands of pictures from the past 13 years stored on various computers and external hard drives, I am very grateful that the history major in me continued my habit of creating vacation photo books after we moved to digital photography. I ordered the first vacation photo book from York Photo to record a 2009 trip to Orlando. The following year, I took advantage of a Shutterfly photo book coupon code for a free 20-page 8×8 photo book when creating a book memorializing our trip to Mexico.
Shutterfly Photo Book Review
Shutterfly 8×8 photo books are now my go-to choice because of the frequent promotions offering a free book (not including Shutterfly photo book shipping charge of $7.99) and my desire for consistency. We have one for every major trip we have taken during the past nine years, and our kids often look back at the albums from prior vacations to reminisce and also pull them out of their storage spot in our coffee table when we have guests over. Photo books are also a much easier way for friends and family to get of glimpse of our trip rather than scanning through disorganized pictures on a phone screen. (I am convinced that no one wants to look at more than three photos on a phone screen.) Our family’s favorite book is our Iceland album. We have taken advantage of Shutterfly unlimited free pages offers when ordering 111 page photo books for our Iceland and Paris/Italy trips for $27.99 each (including shipping).
Storage compartment of our living room coffee table
Although there are innumerable options for background themes, I always opt for basic black. I generally arrange photos chronologically with general labels but not much text. The hardest part about creating a photo album for me is sorting through all the pictures and selecting the best ones to include. It is ideal to choose and upload approximately 100-200 photos to create a 20 page album, knowing that not all photos will actually make it into the book. I enjoy selecting layouts and placing the selected photos into the book. But, if that part is not for you, try Shutterfly’s Make My Book Service for an additional $9.99 after culling your photos to your absolute favorites. If you are new to Shutterfly, you will receive a free photo book when you create an account using this link (and I get one, too, after you order your book).
Most people take a lot of photos when traveling. If you can get them off of your phones, SD cards and hard drives and organize your favorites into some kind of photo book, you will enjoy going back to quickly re-live the experience.
Ever find yourself drinking wine and snacking on cheese while holed up with your spouse in the hotel bathroom so as to not disrupt the sleeping baby? If so, you’re in good company! We have stayed at many a hotel with our kids, but shortly after our first hotel stay with a baby, we realized the standard one room hotel was not an ideal set up when traveling with young kids who need to go to bed early or nap. Although we have used points to upgrade to one-bedroom suites, they aren’t always an option in terms of location or price, and even then, space is still limited.
Even under the best circumstances, staying in a hotel with a toddler is cramped.
Cue the vacation rental! We have rented many vacation homes from a variety of different sources – HomeAway, VRBO, AirBnB, and small local management companies such as Eastern Shore Vacation Rental and Lydia Mountain Lodge & Lodge Cabins. Having rented and stayed at dozens of vacation rentals over the years, there are a few things that are absolutely critical to ensuring you have an enjoyable vacation in a setting that works for your family.
Read the Reviews!
When I start planning a vacation, I usually flag 3-5 homes that I am interested in and save them as a favorite on whatever app I’m using. Then, when I’m up in the middle of the night and unable to sleep, I scroll through the reviews. Even if there are nothing but five star glowing review, reading the reviews will provide you with tidbits of information that can help inform your stay. For example, a reviewer might mention how the laundry machine broke during their stay and the owner sent out a repair person the next morning. A reviewer might also comment on the lovely Thai restaurant within walking distance that they dined at twice during their stay.
If there are negative reviews, you will want to not only gauge whether the review is relevant but also note whether the owner responded to the negative reviewer. For instance, if a reviewer mentions that their vacation was awful because it rained every day while they were there… you can likely disregard that one star review. If a reviewer comments on the cranky neighbor with the dog that barks all night long, you might want to scratch that home off your list. And finally, if the owner responds to a review complaining about a broken screen or some item that needed repair, you not only learn that the owner is engaged, but that the owner is interested in continuing to provide a quality vacation rental.
Finally, keep an eye out for reviews from families with kids. Even if they don’t mention specifically how the house was well suited for their kids, the fact that a reviewer says “our family of five stayed at the home and had a great time!” is a good sign that the house will work for families with children.
One of our first vacation rentals had a lovely outdoor balcony with high walls, so our toddler was safe to be outside and we had a nice retreat for naps and bedtime.
Contact the Owner and Ask Questions!
Although I study all the photos on the individual listings with a careful eye, the photos don’t always explain everything. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the owner or the management company and ask!
When planning our trip to Monterey, I quickly zoned in on one rental that I was very interested in. I had a difficult time figuring out the layout of the home and the description was not entirely clear either, so I contacted the owner to ask my questions and we ended up having a quick 10 minute phone conversation where he explained the layout to me. Not only did this answer my questions, but speaking with the owner directly on the phone gave me a sense of the owner’s personality and level of engagement with the home, which definitely helped persuade me to confirm the rental.
When asking questions, don’t be shy and limit yourself to property specific questions. If there is anything that is absolutely critical to you, ask away! When renting a vacation home in Hawaii, I asked what the walk to the ocean was like because the listing only said it was “a block away.” It turns out the “block” was actually a small street and an easement through the neighbor’s property. If I had not asked, I would have been disappointed upon arriving at the house because there was no clear pathway from the house to the ocean. Instead, I knew what to expect going into the trip and prior to confirming the rental.
A neighborhood easement led us to the most beautiful beach during our stay in Hawaii.
Without exception, every single owner I have contacted with questions has been happy to answer them. It’s their business and they have every incentive to make sure not only that the house is the right fit for you, but also that you enjoy your vacation so you can leave a glowing review.
My favorite rental house of all time was in Seward, Alaska and came with this view.
Know What’s Included
Knowing what your rental includes is important. When looking for homes in Monterey, I quickly noticed that many homes included aquarium passes for use. Thus, the homes that did not include aquarium passes were quickly crossed off my list as the included passes helped save us hundreds of dollars during our stay. In different areas, what is included can vary and typically the policies are the same in a particular area. For instance, I was shocked the first time we rented a house on the Eastern Shore because linens were not included in the base price – there was an additional $125 charge for linens or you could bring your own. When looking around, I found this was common in the area, likely because the homes are managed by a management company instead of a private owner. Long story short, know what’s included so you’re not surprised when you read the fine print later on or… when you show up for your vacation without linens and find bare beds!
Our tiny rental cabin in Delaware (near Dewey) that included linens for an extra $50.
Proceed With Caution
Before booking, make sure you know what you’re getting and understand that a vacation rental is not a hotel. Vacation rentals do not include daily housekeeping and turn down service so make sure you understand that. In terms of the individual booking sites, I have heard numerous stories of AirBnb rentals being cancelled at the last minute and my understanding is that AirBnb is more of an apartment sharing concept than a true vacation rental that you are likely to get from HomeAway or VRBO. Long story short, make sure you not only read the information on what’s included in the specific rental, but also read the individual website’s guarantees and policies. If you have any trouble with the individual owner, you may find yourself needing to escalate the issue with the booking site. And finally, if you can, book with a credit card that offers as many protections as you can. I personally prefer to book with my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which offers trip protection.
Enjoy!
My final tip is to kick back and relax! We have taken many amazing vacations with our kids, but our favorite vacations are the ones in which we rent a small cabin or home just a few hours away. Getting away from home provides us with a chance to take a breath and remove ourselves from the hustle and bustle of real life and juggling work and activities, but having a vacation rental allows us to have our creature comforts. Indeed, we have gotten so comfortable with traveling this way that we have mastered the art of preparing a meal to take and bake with us upon arrival.
Our standard first night meal at the cabin on our annual fall getaway.
And, the best part of these mini getaways is that we get to bring along our four legged family member!
Resting on the deck of our Lydia Mountain Cabin Rental.
In May 2011, I was given the opportunity to travel to Seattle for work. On a whim, my husband decided to accompany me along with our not-quite-two-year-old for a four day mini-vacation. The decision to accompany me on the trip was inspired by the fact that my son was still able to fly for free (two and under travel free as “lap children” on domestic flights) and we had sufficient points for my husband to fly for free on the same flight I was scheduled to travel on. Although many thought we were insane to take a trip across country for essentially a long weekend with a toddler, it ended up being one of the best family trips we’ve ever taken and I still have fond memories of it, six plus years later. For those debating a long weekend in Seattle with kids, here are my tips for what to do on a weekend in Seattle with kids!
Seattle
Pike Place Market
Seattle is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever been to and my husband and I keep remarking that we need to plan a vacation wherein we rent a house near Pike Place Market and spend the week eating and drinking ourselves to oblivion. Even if you’re not planning on purchasing fresh salmon to fly home, I recommend you spend some time at the market – just soaking in the experience. There are tons of vendors selling everything from giant salmon to crafts to cheese! It’s really an experience that no trip to Seattle is complete without.
Pike Place is full of eateries, both inside and around the market and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Although we made a pilgrimage to the original Starbucks, located just around the corner from Pike Place, we stumbled across the Crumpet Shop one morning and were tickled to find that they had “Green Eggs and Ham” on the menu!
Green eggs and ham crumpet!
Seattle Aquarium
Also within walking distance to Pike Place Market is the Seattle Aquarium. I am a big fan of aquariums and make a point of visiting them whenever we’re in a city that has one, but the Seattle Aquarium was unique to me in that it was regionally focused. The adults learned a lot about Puget Sound and the local marine life and my son loved the open space to run around.
It’s an easy walk from Pike Place to the Aquarium.
The REI Store
If you know us, you know that we spent time at the REI Flagship store in Seattle. We didn’t need anything in particular, but there was a small play area for kids and we enjoyed walking around and getting some active play.
enjoying the play area at REI
Although I would not call it a must visit, it is a nice way to kill some time, especially when the weather is overcast and wet. It’s also a handy spot to pick up a fleece or two, if you find that you’re heading to the snow and you didn’t plan ahead for it!
Ballard Locks
In 2013, on our way home from Hawaii, we worked in a 24 hour layover in Seattle during which time we visited Ballard Locks with my then 4 year old.
The Ballard Locks carry more boat traffic than any other lock in the US, and the Locks, along with the fish ladder and the surrounding Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens attract more than one million visitors annually, making it one of Seattle’s top tourist attractions.The construction of the locks profoundly reshaped the topography of Seattle and the surrounding area, lowering the water level of Lake Washington and Lake Union by 8.8 feet (2.7 m), adding miles of new waterfront land, reversing the flow of rivers, and leaving piers in the eastern half of Salmon Bay high and dry.[5] The Locks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the American Society of Civil EngineersHistoric Civil Engineering Landmarks.
I was surprised by how fascinating it was to see the locks system and to watch the salmon climb the fish ladders. This is just one of the many amazing ways in which Seattle has focused on the local ecosystem and environment and made it accessible to its residents and visitors alike. And, although our trip to Ballard Locks did not take place during the same weekend in which we visited all the other sites in this post, it is easily something that can be squeezed into (and should be squeezed into!) a long weekend visit to Seattle.
Olympic National Park
After my work obligations in Seattle, we departed for Olympic National Park. Located approximately 2.5 hours by car from Seattle, we decided to head to Olympic because I had never been, but also because we were interested in the different climate that Olympic would have to offer. Instead of driving from Seattle, though, we took the Edmonds Kingston Ferry, which was a fun experience for all of us because we got to drive our car on board and then ferry across! It ended up taking about the same amount of time that it would have taken us to drive directly from Seattle, but it was a nice break from riding in the car and a new experience for all of us.
enjoying the Edmonds Kingston Ferry
We visited in late May, but upon arrival, found that Olympic was still definitely in the throes of winter.
snow covered Olympic
The roads were well plowed so we took a short walk near the Hurricane Ridge Visitor’s Center. The novelty of the snow packed up high along the roads was enough to entertain my son for a duration of the walk and I believe this is still the most snow he has ever seen to date!
Port Townsend/Discovery Bay
After our brief stop in Hurricane Ridge, we continued on to Port Townsend, where we had rented a cabin in Discovery Bay, through Adelma Beach Properties. Although we were surrounded by snow three hours prior, we suddenly found ourselves in a warm beach town where we took off our shoes and were able to relax for the next few days.
the private pier off our cabin
The house was well equipped with everything we needed and we ended up being very glad that we had rented a house instead of staying at a hotel, because it gave us the option of cooking meals and enjoying them quietly after putting our son to bed. Since there were two bedrooms, we could easily put my son down for a nap or his bedtime, but still enjoy having our own space to relax and talk, without risk of disturbing him. Luckily for us, there was a small organic grocer in Port Townsend, which was only five miles north of the house we were staying in, so we did our grocery shopping there by day and ate like kings at night.
one of the many fresh seafood meals we cooked
We basically spent the next two days eating, napping, and enjoying quiet walks along the beach. We did not even spend any time, if at all, in the town of Port Townsend. My husband ventured in by day to pick up groceries and wine, but I mostly stayed close to the house with our toddler and enjoyed the peace and quiet.
Seattle is one of those cities that I will go to whenever given the opportunity. There is SO much to do in Seattle that we have not gotten to do yet, but I know we will someday. For a long weekend in Seattle with kids, however, we had a great time on our escape from the hustle and bustle of real life and enjoyed some quiet family time.
Guest Author: Our kid blogger, “The Cool One”, is a seven year old second grader who loves travel, soccer and piano.
Three of my favorite things in Iceland were whale watching, Gulfoss waterfall and the Blue Lagoon.
Whale Watching in Dalvik
In Iceland, on day five, my family went whale watching in Dalvik. We went on a boat. It was a big wooden boat. It looked like this one:
There were a lot of people. We saw a lot of humpback whales. They were big and blue, and they had a hump on their back. The whales sprayed water.
I thought that the whale would hit the boat. I was scared. Then, we went fishing. I caught a cod fish. My brother caught two.
They cut up the fish on the boat.
We ate it after. It was good. I had fun.
Gulfoss
On the seventh day of the Iceland trip, we went to the Gulfoss waterfall. It was my favorite waterfall in Iceland. It looked like a cake with two layers.
We went on a long walk along a path to view Gulfoss. We saw a rainbow.
Blue Lagoon
On the eighth day on the Iceland trip, my family went to the Blue Lagoon.
On the way to the Blue Lagoon, I saw a part of the lagoon. It was very blue.
When we arrived, there was a long line to get in. When I got in the lagoon, the water was warm.
Everyone had a silica face mask. It felt really soft. We went into a cave. We made hand prints on the bottom of the bridge.
I really liked our Iceland trip. I would like to go back.
Although it was initially on the radar as a possible place to visit, after a neighbor, who had recently returned from a trip to Alaska, identified Wrangell-St. Elias as a must visit, it quickly shot up the list and became a priority. My husband, son, and my in-laws ended up spending two nights in Wrangell-St. Elias and, by all accounts, it exceeded expectations.
How did they get there?
The night before Wrangell, they stayed in Tok, Alaska at an RV camp. It wasn’t the nicest of places, but it was sufficient and they were able to get in a long bike ride on the way to dinner – a nice break from riding in the RV.
biking to dinner in Tok, AK
The next day, it was a four hour drive from Tok to Chitina, where they boarded a small air taxi for a 20 minute flight to Kennicott Glacier Lodge. The decision to fly into Wrangell was made entirely due to the fact that there are only two roads into Wrangell-St. Elias and both are dirt/gravel roads maintained by the state of Alaska, not the Park Service. There are no fuel options within the Park or services along either road, so the decision was made to leave the RV parked in Chitina and fly into Wrangell, instead of possibly risking a vehicle incident that would impact the rest of the trip. The road that they would have taken into Wrangell is only about 60 miles, but would have taken hours had they driven the RV.
Both my husband and my father-in-law loved the flight into Wrangell. The views from the air were incredible and had my husband, who was a private pilot in a former pre-kid life, dreaming of giving up the nine-to-five workday for a bush pilot gig in Alaska. Predictably, my son slept through most of the flight and my mother-in-law, who is not a fan of flying in general, said it was “tolerable.”
“The flight in is spectacular, giving you a great view of the Wrangell Mountains and views of Mt. Blackburn and the Kennecott Glacier as well as big horn sheep and the occasional moose wading in small ponds.” – Charles
Where did they stay?
Kennicott Glacier Lodge, located right in the middle of Wrangell-St.Elias was their home for three days and two nights. Due to the remoteness of the location (and thus, lack of competing options), the decision was made to book one of the special packages that included three meals a day, lodging, and the flights in and out of Wrangell. The Lodge itself was nice, but unremarkable. The views, however, were incredible. The lodge sits several hundred feet above the valley floor and my father-in-law recommends getting a glacier facing room with private bath. He also recommends the meal plan as there is not anywhere else to eat in Kennicott.
What did they do?
There are two vendors that provide guided activities in Wrangell – St. Elias Alpine Guides and Kennicott Guides. Both outfitters offer similar activities and my father-in-law decided to sign my husband up for a day of ice climbing while he, my mother-in-law, and my son went on a half day hike on Root Glacier with St. Elias Alpine Guides.Since the ice climbing was also taking place on Root Glacier, my son was able to see his dad hang on the ice both coming and going from his hike. All activities were booked and confirmed via the internet well before their arrival. Unless you are experienced in ice hiking yourself, my father-in-law would not recommend going on the ice without a guide. The guides make it easy and safe to explore with kids.
chatting with the guide about glacial iceCrampons on and ready to go!my ice-climbing husband
My husband really enjoyed his ice climbing experience and the hike on Root Glacier was a great experience for my son. They provided him with (the required) crampons to walk safely on the ice and he managed the approximately 5 mile hike without incident. The guide was also nice and enjoyed conversing with my son, instead of dismissing him as “just” a kid. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience for everyone’s full day in Wrangell-St. Elias.
What did they eat?
All dining took place at the Lodge as they had booked the plane ride + lodging + food package. The food itself was unremarkable. It was perfectly suitable but as my husband reports, “you weren’t there for the food.” The meals were served largely buffet/family style and one night was salmon, the other night was steak. Although my son is not the most adventurous eater, my husband was able to get enough to accommodate his taste buds.
Is Wrangell-St. Elias a good experience for kids?
My son really enjoyed hiking on the glacier with crampons. The guide did a really good job of engaging with him and he was just old enough to experience, remember, and enjoy it. My husband also enjoyed his ice climbing experience. The days they spent in Wrangell-St. Elias ended up being unseasonably warm, so they found themselves quite hot, despite being surrounded by ice. Nonetheless, the views and the experiences made the trip into Wrangell-St. Elias worthwhile and my husband can’t wait to go back. He’s already said, however, that he would like to wait until the boys are older so we can do some back country hiking and camping – which may very well mean that it will be a guys’ trip!
If you’re like me, you subscribe to any number of websites that send you travel deals. And, if you’re like me, you aren’t able to take advantage of most of the incredible flight deals that come your way because there are too many schedules to juggle. With two working parents and one school age child, our opportunities to “get away” are limited by school schedules, vacation availability and work obligations, and if we’re seeking to sneak off as a couple, grandparent availability.
In the past few weeks, however, I’ve been fortunate to take advantage of two incredible flight opportunities that have come across my desk.
Washington, DC to Liberia, Costa Rica for less than $400 per person roundtrip
In 2014, while expecting our second, we explored traveling to the Andaz Papagayo for a few days just to relax. Unfortunately, flights to and from Liberia (LIR), the nearest airport, were either non-existent or cost prohibitive and the thought of flying to San Jose, Costa Rica and then making the nearly six hour drive to the Andaz Papagayo was less than appealing to a pregnant woman. Over the years, I have come across a number of reviews from othertravelbloggers who have traveled to the Andaz Papagayo, heartily recommending it not only as a vacation destination, but as a family vacation destination. Consequently, although not quite the couples getaway we had initially intended it to be, I mentally filed the Andaz Papagayo away as a possible family vacation spot, especially as my youngest has gotten older and more flexible.
To my happy surprise, an email alerting me to a flight deal from DC to LIR for less than $400 per person crossed my desk a few weeks ago and within 1 hour, I was in possession of four roundtrip reservations to the Costa Rica for the Spring of 2018 for under $1,600. Here’s how it happened.
First, I checked online and confirmed that there actually were four tickets available for our desired travel dates. The deal involved two separate airlines – outbound on United Airlines and back home on Copa Airlines. Thus, I had to check on both sites to confirm availability before proceeding to my next step: calling my husband and confirming that he was able and willing to travel to Costa Rica. Upon learning that he desired a suite at the Andaz Papagayo instead of a single room, I decided to go ahead and book the flights and sort out the hotel logistics later (we planned to redeem Hyatt points so availability was not guaranteed). To make this possible, I booked four one-way tickets on United from DC to Liberia (LIR) for $653.16, making sure to note that the fare was subject to United’s 24 hour flexible booking policy. Next, I reserved four one way tickets on Copa from LIR back to DC for $941.22, taking advantage of Copa’s 24 hour “reserve and pay later” option.
At copa.com you can put reservations on hold. Simply select the option “Reserve and pay later” and copa.com will keep your reservation active for 24 hours, and you will have this time to make payment. This reservation may be paid for later using a credit card in the Manage your booking section.
Knowing that I had round trip tickets for four secured to LIR for our desired dates at just under $1,600 (the total was $1,594.38), I was able to relax and comfortably explore options for reserving our stay at the Andaz Papagayo. At some point that evening, I touched base with my husband, confirmed that we had our stay booked at the Andaz in suitable accommodations, and went back to Copa’s website to pay for our reservation.
Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA for $99 per person round trip
If you’re sitting there with your mouth open, you’re in good company. I did not believe this fare could exist and frankly, almost didn’t bother clicking to check because I figured the dates would be so limited that there was no way we could take advantage of the deal. On a whim, I decided to check for availability over Martin Luther King weekend and to my surprise, found four round trip tickets from DC to SFO at the promised rate of $99 per person round trip. I was all set to book when I paused and thought – do I really want to haul my children out to San Francisco over a long weekend? The answer: no.
I quickly revised the search down to two round trips tickets and found even more availability at the promised rate of $99 per person round trip. Knowing that I could cancel the tickets within 24 hours if, for some reason, we were unable to take the trip, I decided to proceed to booking. Imagine my surprise when I learned that American Airlines offers a 24 hour free hold. In lieu of the 24 hour cancellation policy, American allows you to hold the reservation for 24 hours – fee free. I gladly selected this option as it meant I could avoid entering credit card information and the hassle of cancelling the ticket if the grandparents ended up not being available.
Luckily for me, I was able to confirm that evening that my amazing in laws were available and willing to come and babysit while my husband and I jet off to San Francisco for four days. That night, I logged onto the American website, retrieved the reservation, paid for the ticket, and received our confirmation for two round trip tickets from DC to SFO for a grand total of $200.22.
How can you take advantage of these deals?
Here’s what I do to make sure that when an appealing deal comes across my desk, I am able to take advantage of it before it expires or runs out.
I subscribe to many flight alert websites and I also “Like” many on Facebook. It’s not enough just to “Like” the flight alert pages on Facebook, however, you must, if you want to take advantage of the deals, make sure to prioritize these pages so that they appear on the top of your feed.This way, whenever you log into Facebook, you’ll immediately see the top travel deals before scrolling through to learn what your friend’s kids’ ate for dinner.
You must be on the same page as your spouse in terms of travel interests. It does nobody any good if you are dying to go to Thailand and ride elephants, but your spouse’s number one nightmare is being stomped to death by elephants.
You must be organized and have clearly set dates for when you are available for travel. Every year, I anxiously await the release of my son’s academic calendar. Once given those dates, I enter them into my calendar and cross reference them with holidays and three day weekends. Whenever a flight deal pops up, I can just flip to my calendar and find a list of all the dates in which my son is not in school and we are available to travel.
Be ready to book immediately. Even if you are not able to reach your spouse because s/he is in a meeting, you can book a flight reservation and cancel within 24 hours without fee or penalty, provided your trip is more than seven days out. The U.S. Department of Transportation imposes this requirement on airlines operating within the United States and this gives you an easy way to reserve a ticket, without worrying about being stuck with non-refundable fare and/or a fee if you are unable to actually take the trip. Although airline policies may vary, the general rule is cancel within 24 hours for trips more than seven days out for a full refund. You will see the fine print prior to completing the purchase, so always make a note of it before you hit “CONFIRM PURCHASE.” If you’re lucky, you’ll hit upon an airline like American or Copa that offers you a fee-free 24 hour hold, saving you the hassle of worrying about cancelling the ticket if it turns out you can’t take the trip.
My two favorite websites for airfare deals are The Flight Deal & Secret Flying, although there are many more options and you never know when one will alert you to the perfect fare deal!
The zoo ended up being a perfect way to spend the afternoon! My toddler, who loves animals, was thrilled to run around and see animals after a long day of traveling and being cooped up and we loved being able to stretch our legs while breathing in the fresh ocean air. It’s a small zoo and thus had a more intimate feel than our usual zoo – the Smithsonian Zoo here in DC. If you happen to find yourself in Santa Barbara, perhaps doing some wine tasting, this would be a great place to spend a few hours in the afternoon, with or without children.
that really takes great pictures. We also shoot lots of photos with our phones. We brought back over 2,700 images combined after ten days in 
