5 Tips for Simplifying Family Travel

Between working around a variety of schedules and preparing for the time you’ll be spending away from home,  family vacations can certainly feel complicated sometimes. However, by implementing a few of these helpful tricks before your next family vacation, much of the stress that comes with family travel will be a thing of the past. Check out our list of tips below to help turn the organized chaos into a relaxing getaway for all!

1. Try Cross-Packing

In theory, each family member hauling around their own luggage makes the most sense. However, this method can fall short when lost baggages comes into play. To avoid the chances of someone being stuck without their clothes or other personal items, pack a few items for each family member in every bag. This will ensure that everyone is covered (for at least a day or two) regardless of which piece of luggage took a detour.

2. Overpack Anything Mandatory

Kids always seem to have a way of going through much more than the typical supply of things when home is hundreds or thousands of miles away. There’s really no such thing as too many snacks, diapers, or really anything that you wouldn’t have immediate access to on plane, in the hotel room, and on the beach. The magic number of whatever these essentials are for your family can be hard to hit right on the head without prior travel experience. A good rule of thumb is to bring a little more than you think you need, since having extra is a much better alternative than running out in nearly every scenario.

3.Let The Kids Weigh In on the Trip

Many families have found it extremely helpful (and fun) to get the kids involved in the vacation during the planning process. Not only does it build up the anticipation and excitement for everyone, but is also a perfect way to make everyone feel more involved and willing to cooperate once the day finally arrives. By giving each family member some type of “responsibility”, everyone is able to feel like they contributed in some way (this could be something as simple as picking out an activity or excursion).

4. Opt for Non-Stop Air

Depending on your preferred departure city, this can be a tough one for those who do not live near international airports. On the other hand, if non-stop is an option to you between your departure and destination city, it is almost always worth any uptick in price. Lengthy connection times, pressure changes during take-off and landing, and dealing with carry-on luggage in multiple airports can really take a toll on the family morale!

5. Keep A Similar Routine

Vacation is for sleeping in, relaxing, and endless hours of fun. Though sometimes, deterring too far from the daily schedules and routines that everyone is used to can make transitioning back to reality a total nightmare. If possible, try to keep mealtimes and bedtimes similar to what the kids are used to at home. Your future self will thank you! 🙂

Do you have any family-friendly travel tips that work every time? Share them with us in the comments!

All images have either been provided by the travel agent or are licensed under the Creative Commons.

After just a five night stay this past summer, we’re convinced that it doesn’t get much better than Costa Rica for exploring the great outdoors! The Guanacaste area of Costa Rica in particular truly gives you the best of both worlds. Here you can spend your mornings exploring the rainforest and your afternoons soaking up the sun on one of the many golden beaches!

Whether you’re into hiking, surfing, or simply taking in the tropical scenery, you’ll find it all and more in this exotic country. Check out our list below of the top five things that make Costa Rica an absolute paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.

1. Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano National Park 

Nestled between the Tilaran and Guanacaste mountain ranges, touring the Arenal Volcano National Park was probably the most memorable experience of our trip. Arenal Volcano itself is surrounded by lush rainforest, which means you’ll have to do some hiking to get a good glimpse. We felt that the hiking difficulty was intermediate, but it could be intimidating to beginner hikers. Often times, the very top of the volcano is hidden by clouds, but fortunately we were able to get an unobstructed view of the entire peak.

For our tour, we went with Central American Tours and we would highly recommend them! Our tour guides were extremely informative, fun, and always completely in-tune with the surroundings.

2. Village Hopping

Another perk of Costa Rica? It is the perfect destination for exploring with a car! Since the Guanacaste area is surrounded by small villages, it is really easy to arrange mini-trips during your stay to get the full experience. On our way to Arenal Volcano National Park, we pit-stopped in several villages that were along the route. Each village has its own unique personality, and all of them we visited felt very safe and clean. This is your chance to try some authentic specialities at the local cafes and restaurants!

For the true adventurist, a road trip to the capital city of San Jose is around a 3.5 hour drive from the Guanacste area. The atmosphere in this city is unlike any other in the country, with an endless selection of nightlife, restaurants, cafes, markets, and museums.

3. Surfing 

If you’re an avid surfer or have always wanted to learn the sport, Costa Rica is the place to do it! With both options for beginner’s surf school and waves for the experts, be sure to check out Playa Grande, Malpais, and Playa Naranjo (otherwise known as Witches Rock).

4. Resort Variety

Costa Rica holds a wide variety of accommodations, from all-inclusive resorts, to standard hotels, and even bed and breakfasts. If you’re hoping to get in a good amount of beach time during your trip, an all-inclusive beachfront resort will definitely be the way to go! For independent travelers who aren’t set on staying by the beach, a European-plan hotel in the mountains might be right up your alley.

We stayed at the RIU Palace Costa Rica and toured several other resorts in the area, including The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, RIU Guanacaste, Occidental Grand Papagayo, and Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort.

5. Wildlife Unique to Costa Rica

Costa Rica will give you plenty of chances to catch glimpses of all sorts of wildlife. Don’t miss the Mounteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, which houses more than 500 species of birds (including the vibrant Quetzal). In this reserve, you’ll also find over 3000 species of plants, many of which are orchid varieties. If you’re really lucky, you may even spot a white-faced monkey!

Ready to explore this tropical country for yourself? Here are a few of the things we wouldn’t visit Costa Rica without:

• Bug spray
• Sunscreen
• Tennis Shoes
• Hiking Shoes
• Layerable Clothing

Call 402-281-3022 today to speak with an Enchanted Honeymoons travel agent about our all-inclusive packages in Costa Rica!

All images have either been provided by the travel agent or are licensed under the Creative Commons.

All inclusive resorts have come a long way. Gone are the days of mediocre food and hidden fees. With the competition heating up in the all inclusive resort industry, the service-oriented amenities are boundless. They best way to find an all inclusive that meets your needs is to talk to a reliable travel agent who knows the industry and what’s available at your price point. It won’t cost you more to book with a travel agent. The resorts pay their fees. It will take you a lot of time and energy to investigate all the options available within your criteria. To save your valuable time and money, call a travel agent who specializes in the all inclusive market.

There are many reasons why a vacation or honeymoon traveler would want to use an all inclusive resort to get away. Here is a list of 5 reasons to book your trip at an all inclusive resort.

Affordable Vacation and Honeymoon

Going on vacation or a honeymoon takes a lot of planning, especially if you want to go at a time of year when everyone else seems to be traveling. For some locations, like Hawaii, booking a year in advance to get the flights and fares you are looking for, or to use your airline miles, is the norm. There are many affordable locations and resorts for almost every budget. Mexico and Jamaica offer some of the best beaches and best amenities for the price. The best part is you won’t have to recover from the shock of a
high credit card bill when you get back. All inclusive resorts include everything from meals and drinks (alcohol included), room service and land and water sports. You won’t find many extra extravagances you’ll have to pay for when you travel to an all inclusive resort and with resorts offering air credits, you may not need to use the airline miles it’s taken you years to accumulate!

All Food and Drinks (including alcohol) Included

All inclusive resorts are famous for the variety of food they offer, the restaurants on the property and top shelf list of alcoholic beverages they provide. Many Sandals locations have up to 15 restaurants for dining, 24 hour room service, swim up bars and snacks.

All of which is included in the all inclusive rates. Gone are the days of house label wine and cheap liquor. You can find brand names such as Bombay Sapphire, Cointreau, Tanquaray, Jack Daniels, Crown Royal and Johnny Walker and as many as 12 bars at many Sandals Resorts. Have a taste for Asian, Japanese, West Indian, Jamaican, Seafood, Pizza, French, Thai, Italian or Fusion? You’ll find world-class food and world-class chefs in the kitchen in these all inclusive resorts and the restaurants are all included in the price!

Prime Resort Locations

Every Sandals all inclusive resort sits directly on a beach! You won’t have to walk far to get your toes in the sand! The Beaches Resorts (caters to families) offer calm leeward side island locations, protected cove beaches and reef snorkeling within wading distances so you won’t have to worry about the kids! With 44 categories of rooms, and  suites designed with families in mind (1-3 bedrooms in Turks & Caicos or 4 bedrooms at the Penthouse Suite in Turks & Caicos) and available amenities like plasma TV’s, Xbox, rain head showers, marble showers and granite wet bars, a vacation with the family will feel like a vacation not just a trip with the kids!

Take an Adults Only Vacation

We know you love kids, especially your own (if you have them). An adults only vacation is just for the two of you. As a couple you have planned to spend a couple of days or a week alone as “your time,” and you’d like to leave the sights and sounds of children behind for just a little while. If this is the scenario you long for, choose an adults only all inclusive resort from Secrets, Sandals, Palace, Excellence, Couples, and Iberostar. These resorts offer adults only locations to relax and unwind and fall in love all over again. Adult’s only resort locations are especially perfect for a couple on a honeymooner or anniversary celebrations.

Free Wedding with Minimum Stays 

A Destination Wedding followed by a stunning tropical honeymoon is all the rage. Secure a free wedding at a Sandals Resorts that includes a bouquet, boutonniere, table setting for 8 and a wedding cake with any 3 night stay. At the Excellence Rivera Cancun, book an Excellence Club Junior Suite with an Ocean View for 7 nights or more and the complimentary wedding package is yours! There are many other all inclusive resort locations offering complimentary weddings for you ad your wedding party.

Use a Travel Agent to book your All Inclusive Resorts Vacation

The best way to find an all inclusive resort that offers free weddings, family accommodations or an adults only stay is to contact a travel agent that specializes in Honeymoon, couples only and family locations for an all inclusive stay!

 

Whether we are traveling to the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, or Florida, we are always on the lookout for a great beach when booking a hotel. With crisp turquoise waters and long white sand beaches for strolling, these 7 resorts have the best beaches our agents have seen.

 

1. Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort

This huge resort, with an equally expansive beach, tops our list for best resort beaches we have ever seen. Not only is the beach incredible, but it has one of the best pools in Hawaii and a spa ranked one of the top in the US.

 

 

2. Grand Velas, Riviera Maya, Mexico

This luxury resort boasts one of our favorite beaches in all of Mexico. Luxury does not stop at the beach, though! This is a resort that we love to send avid foodies to, because all of the cuisine is gourmet and delicious.

 

 

3. Four Seasons Maui

This private resort sits on the beautiful Wailea Beach. This resort is also known for great dining, but expect to pay quite a bit for your meals here as this is not all-inclusive and the restaurants are pricey!

 

4. Beaches Turks & Caicos

This is one of the most beautiful and fun beaches, located in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. It sits on the calm, leeward side of the island and is situated in a protected cove, so it is safe for swimming and snorkeling.

 

 

5. Couples Negril, Jamaica

It would not be a complete list in our eyes without Seven Mile Beach, which is where Couples Negril is located. This adults-only property is great for honeymooners and, you guessed it, couples!

 

 

6. The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL

For Florida-goers, we recommend Palm Beach. The Breakers Resort offers a half-mile private beach, four pools, and a private reef for snorkeling and scuba diving.

 

 

7. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

One of the most fun and energetic resorts in the Dominican Republic, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana has an amazing beach. What we love about this beach is the variety of activities available—from water sports to sunrise yoga.

 

 

Our owners Kem & Lori just returned from a quick stay at the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya Hotel in Playa del Carmen. They were there to attend a destination wedding (booked through Enchanted Travel of course!) but it was cut short due to a new member of the family being born a bit early!

Read their full review of the 5-star, adults-only all-inclusive property below.

 

Beach, Pool, and Grounds

The Valentin is an ideal adults-only luxury resort in the Mayan Riviera. The resort is best described as casually elegant. Here you’ll find two beaches. There is a smaller beach in front of the Emerald Suites, as well as the main beach. Both beaches are on Playa Secreto, a half-mile stretch of white sand beach.

The main pool is one of the largest pools in Mexico and has a large swim-up bar where you can order snacks and cocktails. The pool winds throughout the lush gardens of the property, and since there are no kids allowed, you won’t be bothered by splashing or screaming!

 

Activities

Since the Valentin is adults-only, all the on-property activities are tailored to adults. With pools, beaches, live entertainment, and themed parties, there is always something to do and see at the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya.

Sporting activities include water polo, aqua Zumba, beach volleyball, yoga, and even rifle shooting. You can also take a Latin dance class, or laze away an afternoon with tequila and wine tastings hosted by Valentin’s very own sommeliers. Those are just a few of the activities available to you as a guest of the Valentin.

 

Service

The service at the Valentin is unbeatable. The staff is friendly and helpful, and they truly make you feel at home immediately upon your arrival. If you want to experience an even higher level of luxury, ask your Enchanted Travel expert about Privilege Club. This will grant you a better room location, special concierge service, upgraded amenities, and exclusive lounge access. Whether you opt for the Privilege Club or not, you are sure to be met with impeccable service and warm staff throughout the resort.

 

Rooms

There are several different room categories to choose from at the Valentin, all with a colonial style and emphasis on the colorful culture of Mexico. Standard room features include large furnished balconies or terraces, full marble bathrooms, a hydro-massage bathtub and more. You can also choose to be closer to the restaurants and pools (with a 4-minute walk to the beach) in a Silver Junior Suite. However, if you are looking for more space, opt for a Diamond Privilege Suite or an Imperial Privilege Suite. These corner suites offer the very best views of the resort. Keep in mind that these two room categories in particular are reserved for Privilege Club (see more details above, under ‘Service). If you are not part of Privilege Club, there are still more spacious suites with ocean views and swim-ups available.

 

Food & Drink

There are eight restaurant options for dinner, as well as two options for lunch. In addition, there are nine bars on the property, including one that is beachfront, a poolside bar, cigar bar, martini lounge, and one that features nightly live entertainment.

Restaurant options include Taman Sari, an Asian fusion eatery open for dinner; a casual Mexican restaurant called La Hacienda; Ginger, serving Japanese cuisine and Teppanyaki; a traditional french restaurant called L’Alsace; L’Olivo, serving Mediterranean cuisine; and two buffet-style restaurants: Le Marche and Mar y Tierra. In addition, you can try The Corner, which is a culinary experience with different gastronomic tendencies. This is the only restaurant at the Valentin with additional charges.

Location

The Valentin Imperial Maya is just a 25-minute drive from downtown Cancun, where you’ll find plenty of nightlife. It is ideally located for making a day trip to the ruins of Tulum, Coba, and even Chichen Itza. Xel-Ha, a “natural aquarium” and marine life theme park, is also nearby.

Contact us today.

 

 

 

Our travel expert Mandi just returned from an unforgettable trip to Isla Mujeres, where she stayed at Isla Mujeres Palace. You know we love Palace properties, and this resort was no exception. Read her full review below, including what she loved about the property, what she enjoyed about exploring Isla Mujeres, and a few things she didn’t love.

 

How to get to Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is located just Northeast of Cancun. This five-mile long island has a real bohemian vibe, and upon arriving you’ll notice locals getting around by bicycle or foot rather than car.  You can get to the island via a 20-minute ferry ride which departs The Gran Puerto Cancun ferry dock in Puerto Juarez, just a few minutes from downtown Cancun. Keep in mind that if you stay at Isla Mujeres Palace, you can enjoy complimentary sea transportation directly to your hotel. For more details, visit this page, or ask your Enchanted Travel expert about this perk when booking your trip.

If you don’t take advantage of the complimentary sea transportation, a one-way ticket on the public ferry is 160 pesos and a round-trip ticket is just 300 pesos. The boats leave every half hour from 5 AM to 9 PM, and after 9 they leave every hour. Your Enchanted Travel expert can book these for you, but for more details visit this page.

Alternately, you can also take a ferry from Cancun’s hotel zone to Isla Mujeres, but the fare is more expensive at about $14 one-way. If you want to leave from the hotel zone, you can choose from three locations: Playa Tortugas, El Embarcadero and Playa Caracol. Check the timetable if you decide to take this route, but we highly suggest you take advantage of the complimentary sea transportation through Isla Mujeres Palace.

 

Isla Mujeres Palace

This adults-only, couples-only resort on Isla Mujeres is perfect for travelers who are looking for a luxurious 5-star property, but also want to venture off property to explore. Ranked among the top resorts in Isla Mujeres on TripAdvisor, you are sure to love the laid back luxury and seclusion of Isla Mujeres Palace. With just 62 suites, you’ll feel like a VIP no matter which room you choose. Standard amenities include in-room double whirlpool tubs, a liquor cabinet and mini bar, and 24-hour room service.

Mandi thoroughly enjoyed her stay here, and ranked it a 5 (out of 5) overall. She also ranked the rooms and food at a 5 out of 5. Despite the resort being relatively small and boutique-style, they are certainly not lacking in the restaurant department. Besides 24-hour room service, Isla Mujeres Palace also offers Azul, an international buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, you can enjoy a continental breakfast, snacks, and expertly crafted cocktails in the Lobby Bar. Last but not least, venture to the pier area on property to sample fresh ceviches and seafood at La Cevicheria. This beachside restaurant is open from 11 AM to 5 PM every day.

The only aspect of the property that she did not rank as a 5 was the beach. She described it as average and relatively small. If you are looking for a sprawling beach, you may want to stay in Cancun or Riviera Maya. Besides the mediocre beach, there is pretty much no nightlife on the island. If you are looking for clubs and all-night bars, Cancun is where you should stay.

 

Exploring Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is very safe and is also home to North Beach, or Playa Norte. This is one of the top ten best beaches in the entire world and her favorite part of the trip was stopping at local bars and restaurants along North Beach, via her own personal golf cart.

Another place she loved exploring was the Shell House. This is a home on the island that people can rent out, and it is made entirely of seashells! The large tourist attraction is easily accessible via golf cart.

 

Call Mandi today at 402-281-3022 to book your own stay at Isla Mujeres Palace!