29 May Out of the Box Summer Vacation Ideas

It was such fun to talk family travel on Good Day Los Angeles this morning. The topic? Out- of -the- box summer vacation ideas. Of course beach vacations are fun. Mountains too. But I offered a few with a little more wow factor.

ALL AGES

GLAMPING NEAR A NATIONAL PARK

“Glamping,” or, glamorous camping,  has spiked in popularity over the last decade. Under Canvas (close to Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Canyon, Moab, Glacier) is about airy wood and canvas tents that feel like a boutique hotel: king sized beds, plush linens, animal hide rugs,  leather chairs, a wood-burning potbelly stove and even daily maid service. For families, the basic tent with adjacent tipi is an ideal set up. Parents get the fluffy bed, kids get to sleep in the tipi. The shared bathhouse (an adventure for kids) is modern with hot running water, showers and ceramic sinks. At dusk, staff sparks up the fire pit, a communal hub. There are nightly activities like volleyball,horse shoes, live music and astronomer-led stargazing.

Depending upon tent type, rates range from $175-$425 per night. Rates are based on double occupancy per tent. There is a $25 surcharge per night when adding more than two people to any tent.

ALL AGES

 DUDE RANCH

An all-inclusive dude ranch is a slam dunk for families. Kids can live out their cowboy or cowgirl fantasies. Parents can avoid being wrangled for every nickel and dime.

• Vee Bar Guest Ranch in Laramie, Wyoming is that authentic, no-frills Western experience — rustic log cabins, horseback riding, mess hall meals, campfires, river tubing, hiking, fishing, hay rides. And, no crowds. There are just nine guest cabins so by the end of the first day, the staff will know everyone’s name and your children’s snack preferences On the final night, there is a campout under the stars (or, you can sleep in a teepee) complete with fiddlers by the campfire and s’mores. Adults $980, kids 6-18 $825, 5 and under $200 (rates slightly higher in July and August) for the 3-night packages (It’s $310 to extend over a Saturday night, for all 4 ppl)

• At Tanque Verde in Tuscon, guests realize cowboy dreams as they slumber in casitas and spend their days “roping”, team penning, horseback riding (the sunrise gallop includes a pancake breakfast). It’s upscale. But, the all inclusive status plus a Kids Stay Free summer package (two children stay free when booked with two paying adult guests) sweetens the deal. $365/night based on double occupancy)

ALL AGES

NEW ORLEANS

The Big Easy’s wild brew of culture- rainbow-colored Creole houses of the French Quarter, buskers of Jackson Square,  impromptu trumpet blasts and parades-are catnip to kids.  Don’t miss taking a mule-drawn carriage ride through the historic Garden District, taking a jazz cruise on Steamboat Natchez , doing a bayou swamp tour and experiencing Rock and Bowl, an old school bowling alley with a nightly lineup of zydeco, blues and “swamp pop.

10 + Younger

Camp (Dirty Dancing style) for the Whole Family

Vacations touting a nostalgic Dirty Dancing set up-family waterskiing, volleyball and theatrical performances have spiked in popularity. Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, VA. was the actual set for Kellermans and still offers family fabulous itineraries with archery, arts and crafts, bocce ball, lawn chess, badminton along with frozen-in-time cottages. The Everybody Plays package offers a three night, all inclusive stay for $279 per night for a family of four throughout the summer 

TEENS

Aspen Backcountry Adventure

Sure, Aspen is glitzy. But there is a way to hike the storied 14,000 foot mountains without breaking the bank. Book one of the bare bones 10th Mountain Division huts (equipped with firewood, kitchen, platform beds with mattresses and pillows outhouse, propane burners) that pepper the remote back woods for $45 a night per person. Need to bring sleeping bag/pillow case, water and food.

Family hut trip details: You can rent at http://www.huts.org/Reservations/make_reservations.php   or call 970-925-5775.

**If you want a guided hut experience, both Aspen Alpine Guides (www.aspenalpine.com) and Aspen Expeditions (www.aspenexpeditions.com) have permits to provide guided hut trips.

Stay in a Real Castle in the UK—SPLURGE

Castle hotels hold Hogwarts allure for Americans. The notion of resting one’s head where nobles slumbered is part of the attraction. The other is old world ”leisure pursuits” like falconry and archery.

Ashford Castle in Western Ireland is the stuff of medieval dreams, a 13th century Anglo Norman castle with  turrets, a moat, and opulent rooms. But, for kids, the action is outside. On top of  horse riding and kayaking,  this 350 acre sporting estate is home to the oldest falconry school in Ireland.  When birds of prey gobble raw chicken from your child’s glove during a “hawk walk” computers are all but forgotten (about $900/nt)

PLANNING TIPS & TRICKS

• Set airfare alerts on Airfare Watchdog.Fare fluctuations make last minute trips surprisingly affordable
• Hopper, helps you  predict when the best time is to buy your ticket to proposed destination. It sends notifications when the prices drop
• Try and use points and miles from loyalty programs and credit cards. Even if you haven’t planned a year in advance, you can often find tickets. Taking an unpopular route improves chances for an awards seat. And, people do cancel.

• Try Norwegian airlines if are headed to Europe Their low cost model offers one way tickets to Europe as low as $200 from JFK
• Budget Icelandic airline WOW allows travelers to fly to Reykavik and continue to Europe without paying for the stopover.
• If your family is not seated together or in a last row, try setting Seat Alerts on ExpertFlyer.com, a website that keeps real-time tabs on airline seating maps. Seats fluctuate frequently. Someone else’s maneuver could improve your situation.