Just For Kids in Los Cabos

Los Cabos is a great beach destination just a short flight from West Coast cities. Located on the Baja Peninsula, the climate is arid and dry, very different from other Mexico resort areas.

Here is a sample of what resorts have to offer for families:

Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa – The Explorer’s Club for ages 3-12 offers a playground area, indoor game room, plus movies under the stars and a weekly camping adventure on the beach.

Royal Solaris Los Cabos Resort & Spa – A water park has fountains for toddlers to splash in and a water slide for children under 12. A teen club is open 10 am to 10 pm for ages 12-18.

Melia Cabo Real – In addition to a kids’ club for ages 5-12, they also provide childcare for children as young as 4 months. Older kids and adults can enjoy a zip line on the beach and rock climbing wall.

Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos – The Fiesta Kids Club features six animated characters to entertain children. A cove beach area, protected by its own reef, is safe for swimming.

One and Only Palmilla – Children 4-11 enjoy a fully supervised program which explores the culture of Mexico, including Spanish lessons, piñata-making classes, and cooking lessons. Virtuoso amenities for my clients include a complimentary upgrade based on availability, daily continental breakfast, a 30 minute in-room Foot Rejuvenation for two people, and a set of candles.

For help planning the family vacation of your dreams, contact Suzette Mack, Family Travel Specialist at suzette@family-treks.com.

Family Travel Diaries: Yellowstone & Grand Tetons

Here is a report from a client who visited Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks this summer. To make the most of their time in Yellowstone, they booked a guided tour which gave them behind the scenes access to some of the amazing natural features. They enjoyed the guided tour so much the first day, they upgraded to a private tour for the next so that they could have an even more exclusive and personalized experience.

Below are excerpts from the travel journal written by the children:

Day 1 -We flew into Bozeman, MT on a puddle-jumper this afternoon. About a half an hour later, we were half way to 320 ranch (our “hotel”) when we saw two black bears (that were brown) and one stood up on its hind legs!... Our “hotel” actually turned out to be a historic cabin which had one bedroom- until J. found the magic door in the ceiling to the finished attic for us kids. That night was our first tour: “The S’mores Tour”. On that tour we saw old faithful erupt. When it got dark, we pulled over to a “picnic” area where we had Smores and our tour guide told us a scary story…


Day 2 – [We] took another Yellowstone tour. It was the best! This time, we went to Lamar Valley, or the Upper Loop. We saw way more animals. At the end of the tour, HUMOUNGO Bison were crazily crossing the road. There must have been hundreds of them! About half were babies, and that was totally cool.


Day 3 - Today was a crazy day. We went into Yellowstone this time to see The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We drove up to Artist Point, and when we got there it was pouring down rain!... Anyway, the view of the canyon was absolutely beautiful! It is made of literally, “yellow” stone. Also, we saw Upper falls, which drops two times longer than Niagara Falls! The drop on Upper Falls is 309 feet! The view was excellent!

Day 4 - Today, we started a hike that was an animal trail…We were walking in places that your typical tourist would not travel. We picnicked at the top of a hill – we ate right there on the ground...

Day 5 - [We] started off the morning going horseback riding. It was the awesomist horseback ride I’ve ever been on.... J rode the biggest horse, on his first horseback ride ever! It was extremely fun!!!! We had the best views of the Teton Mountain range.

For more information about planning your family's next adventure, contact Suzette Mack, Family Travel Advisor at suzette@family-treks.com.

Frightfully Fun Events for Families This Halloween

Universal Studios Orlando - Movie monsters such as the Wolfman, Jigsaw and Chucky come to life on Halloween Horror Nights. The Wolfman movie doesn't hit theaters until February but Universal guests will get a preview of the character and his obsessions at the park. Other horror films and characters include re-imagined classics like Frankenstein and Dracula, along with haunted houses, live shows and costumed actors.

Walt Disney World® Resort – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom features trick-or-treating with Disney characters in their finest Halloween outfits, a HalloWishes fireworks show where the Disney villains go trick-or-treating in the sky, and Mickey's "Boo-to-You" Halloween Parade. Separate event ticket is required, for select dates between Sept. 4 and Nov 1.


Disneyland® Resort – Halloween Screams, a bewitching display of fireworks and breathtaking effects, will be shown select nights between Sept. 25 and Nov. 1. Space Mountain will turn into Ghost Galaxy with sinister sound effects and creepy cosmic creatures lurking around every corner. Jack Skellington and his creepy crew are back for another Halloween/Christmas monster mash-up at Haunted Mansion Holiday. And guests of all ages can enjoy crafts & activities plus lots of spook-tacular entertainment at Mickey’s Trick or Treat party (separate event ticket required).

Hawaii – Lahaina (Maui) is famous for having the biggest Halloween party in Hawaii. The festivities are often compared to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, although more family friendly, at least until sunset when things can get a bit rowdy. In fact, events are kicked off with a Children's Costume Parade. Ichabod's Haunt" spooky attraction on Front Street offers not-so-scary children's shows from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu offers a Haunted Lagoon canoe ride beginning Oct. 2. The Hallowbaloo Music and Arts Open Air Street Festival will take place in the Downtown Honolulu Arts District on Oct. 31. Kauai activities include a cornfield maze at the Kauai Christian Fellowship Church in Koloa, and a haunted house and costume parade at Hanapepe Town Park. And the Big Island features an all day block party in Kailua-Kona on the Alii Drive waterfront, including live entertainment and costume contests.

Las Vegas – I don’t normally recommend Las Vegas as a kid-friendly destination, but older children who enjoy haunted houses and horror movies may enjoy the award-winning Fright Dome at Circus Circus. Beginning Oct. 2, the hotel's Adventuredome theme park transforms into a frightful experience, including five haunted houses (two themed after the legendary SAW horror movies), 23 rides & attractions, a Freak Show, and a haunted 4-D FX theater.

California - In San Jose, the Winchester Mystery House offers special flashlight tours and trick or treating in the gardens. And Half Moon Bay is host to a world famous pumpkin festival on October 17 & 18. Here families can see pumpkins bigger than Volkswagens and watch the "Picasso of Pumpkin Carvers" create a masterpiece out of a 1000+ lb gourd. The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay has rooms beginning at $399 per night including these exclusive amenities for clients of Virtuoso agencies:

• Breakfast for two daily ($60 Credit)
• $85 Wine Flight Voucher to Eno
• Upgrade at check in based on availability

For more information about planning a fun family vacation for Halloween or any other holiday, contact Suzette Mack at suzette@family-treks.com.

Four Seasons' Sweet Deals on Suites and More

Four Seasons is making luxury more affordable for families with several great deals on suites or guaranteed connecting rooms.

At Four Seasons Las Vegas, buy one night get one free on suites. No limit on the number of nights, and the offer is good through December 30. My clients also receive exclusive amenities such as a $100 spa gift certificate and breakfast or dinner daily!
The Four Seasons Resorts in Hawaii have family offers through mid-December. On Maui, get a second ocean view room at 50% off. On Lana’i, families receive special rates on guaranteed connecting rooms and 4 hours of nanny service at both the Lodge at Koele and Manele Bay.

Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island announced the Family Connecting Package which includes daily breakfast and dinner for up to five, a “date night” for mom & dad, and one family activity when booking a one or two bedroom suite.

Four Seasons Bora Bora offers 50% off a second bungalow for families traveling with children, or a complimentary fifth night through December 18. At Chill Island, teens can hang out on their own private beach, playing volleyball, table tennis and enjoying beach barbecues and kite-surfing lessons. Exclusive amenities for my clients include a spa gift certificate $100, airport transfers, daily breakfast, and an indigenous Polynesian gift.

Four Seasons is known for family-friendly luxury. All resorts offer a complimentary Kids For All Seasons program with activities for ages 4-12. In the summer and during school holidays, some hotels even provide a Teen Concierge. And baby furnishings and toiletries are always complimentary as well.

I have many other exclusive offers at Four Seasons hotels worldwide. For more information, contact Suzette Mack, Family Travel Specialist at suzette@family-treks.com

Don't Want To Be Home for the Holidays?

Then take a look at what some travel suppliers are offering families for the upcoming holiday season:

Villas of Distinction is offering a $500 credit on Christmas or New Year’s villa reservations made by October 9. Pioneers in the villa rental field, they offer luxury villas in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Tuscany, Italy, and the South of France, ranging from two to twenty bedrooms. They are also full service travel planners, who can assist with airfare, car rentals, and concierge services.

Princess Cruise Line has space is available several holiday sailings, including:
Dec 19 Mexico cruise on Sapphire Princess out of LA
Dec 20 Southern Caribbean cruise on Caribbean Princess out of San Juan
Dec 19 Western Caribbean cruise on Crown Princess out of Ft Lauderdale.

Princess makes it easy to have a Happy Hanukkah, Christmas or New Year, with ships trimmed in festive holiday decor, and a special dinner featuring traditional favorites such as roast turkey, mincemeat pie, and chocolate Yule logs. Children can make ornaments for the ship's Christmas tree, and participate in a holiday play which they perform for passengers. On Christmas day, Santa Claus makes a surprise appearance, bringing joy and gifts to each child on board.

Ceiba del Mar, a luxury boutique resort in the Riviera Maya, has scheduled fun family events for the holidays. On Christmas Eve, children can smash a piñata and go caroling on the beach, and families will enjoy traditional Mexican and American Christmas dinners. Guests can dance under the stars to lively music each evening, enjoy a Fire Show, and celebrate New Year’s Eve with a scrumptious feast.

Ritz Carlton Kapalua is offering 6th night free from Dec. 23 – Jan. 3. The luxurious Maui resort recently underwent a $180M transformation which included renovated rooms, re-designed restaurants, an Environmental Education Center, and a new children's pool. The Ritz Kids program has also been enhanced, and now features Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program, offering an environmental and cultural education center with excursions led by expert naturalists.

And for an “over the top” experience, celebrate an authentic Renaissance Christmas in a chateaux in the Loire Valley. Up to fourteen guests can have exclusive use of the ancestral home of Count and Countess de Vanssay. Château de La Barre’s special Christmas package includes champagne and chocolates, a cheese and vintage wine tasting dinner, a Renaissance dinner at Leonardo da Vinci’s home, and chauffeured car service for New Years’ Eve.

For help with planning a memorable and stress-free trip for the holidays, contact Suzette Mack, Family Travel Advisor, at suzette@family-treks.com

Hot Off the Press From Disney Destinations

Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island, is undergoing several upgrades to accommodate new ships being added to the fleet. Stingray Adventure has been relocated to provide 700 more feet of family beach area. Additional water play areas include Pelican Plunge, with two corkscrew slides, and Scuttle’s Cove, a supervised area for younger children with geysers and water jets. Twenty new private cabanas will provide the privacy and luxury of a deluxe beach retreat, with the optional services of a cabana host.


Disney Cruise Line has laid the keel of the Disney Dream, a 2,500-passenger ship scheduled to enter service in 2011, which will be followed by the Disney Fantasy in 2012. Design details will be revealed later this fall. The ships will be based at Port Canaveral, which is also being upgraded and expanded.

Disney Cruise Line has also extended their Kids Sail Free promotion to select 3 and 4 night sailings this winter and spring. Kids currently can sail free on select Med sailings in April and May.



Walt Disney World dining reservations can be made 180 days in advance beginning October 27, including reservations for dinner shows and character meals. The dining plan is a great value for families, as we found during our trip this summer.


Adventures by Disney is offering Signature Trips in 2010 which feature upgraded accommodations and meals, and special elements for an even more extraordinary vacation. For example, Viva Italia Signature includes a privately guided visit of the Vatican City Museum, a pasta making class, and a trip to the Murano Glass Blowing Factory.

Studio Disney 365 is now open at Disneyland. Kids can be made over to look like their favorite Disney Channel star, then meet their fans and have their picture snapped by the waiting paparazzi.

The Disneyland Hotel has begun a major renovation which will bring a contemporary design to the rooms, and a new energy efficient exterior. Rooms will showcase new headboards carved with the image of Sleeping Beauty Castle, and a magical skyline with fiber optic fireworks. Sky blue reflective glass windows on the towers will give the outside a sleek, radiant look, and will also be energy efficient and reduce outside noise.

The Disneyland Hotel renovation is a part of a larger expansion project throughout the resort, culminating in 2012 with the opening of an all new land - Cars Land. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is also adding 200 hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom villas, which will be part of the Disney Vacation Club.

For help with planning your next family vacation, contact Suzette Mack at suzette@family-treks.com.

New and Cool for Kids

2009 brings some cool new parks and programs for kids of all ages!

HOTEL DEL CORONADO (San Diego)

”The Del,” Southern California’s only oceanfront hotel, recently opened two new activity centers. KIDTOPIA, for ages 4-12, features bright and fun colors, underwater murals and separate beach-themed rooms for crafts and playtime. The playroom’s center stage is perfect for talent shows, dance-offs and performances, and a separate diner-style area allows for supervised cooking activities. There’s also a cool climbing unit, a crazy funhouse mirror and high-tech entertainment stations.

VIBZ is a contemporary lounge dedicated to teens. It offers billiards, foosball, darts, karaoke, computers, movie-time media, Dance Dance Revolution and, most importantly, the opportunity for teens to meet others their own age.

Hotel del Coronado is a Virtuoso member hotel, which means my clients receive exclusive amenities: an upgrade on arrival (subject to availability), daily buffet breakfast for two, VIP services, and a $100 daily spa credit if they are staying in the Beach Village.
RIU HOTELS & RESORTS

RiuLand, a children's entertainment program, has been launched at some all-inclusive RIU resorts in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico. The programs provide entertainment and activities for kids ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 12, revolving around a series of 12 themed days. Themes include Aqualand Day with games in the pool, Riu Olympic with group sports, Piratesland with pirate contests and treasure hunts, and Ecoland with environmental activities.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

The Carnival Dream will debut in November, featuring a water park with a 303-foot-long, four-deck-high corkscrew water slide (the longest on a cruise ship), and twin 80-foot-long racing slides. Carnival is offering an online contest for children ages 7-12, where they can win a trip to NYC to christen the WaterWorks aqua park. To enter the Virtual Book of Dreams contest, children must complete the thought, "I’m always dreaming up fun stuff. Wouldn’t it be awesome if…" in 250 words or less, from now until Sept. 18. Go to www.carnivalbookofdreams.com/ to enter.

BREEZES CURACAO

Breezes Curacao, the only all-inclusive on the island, has been undergoing renovations throughout the year. The property’s three swimming pools now include a misting pool, a children’s pool and an adults’ pool with swim-up bar. A new playground for kids has also been added just outside the expansive Kids’ Club. In addition to SuperClubs' trademark Breezes feature, a professional circus workshop with a swinging trapeze, Breezes Curaçao also has the island's first ice-skating rink, as well as a 30-foot rock-climbing wall.

BEACHES TURKS & CAICOS

Beaches Turks & Caicos opened Pirate’s Island Waterpark this past spring. This 10 times bigger waterpark features a lazy river, a surf simulator, seven new waterslides, water cannons, pop up jets, and a zero-entry pool for little travelers. Other features to keep the kids happy are an ice cream machine, disco, game room, 50’s style diner, and swim-up “bar.”

Beaches also unveiled the all-suite Italian Village, featuring five new restaurants, a 7,000-square-foot retail area, the island’s largest freshwater pool and the Caribbean’s largest Jacuzzi. Spacious two-bedroom suites have a bunk bedroom for kids with a play area and XBox 360, a master bedroom and sitting area for parents, and a balcony or patio. Flexible configurations allow various size suites to be connected together, and some are large enough to accommodate a family of 12!

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Black Pearl Skate Park, located on Grand Cayman, opened this summer with 60,000 square feet of challenging, multilevel concrete skateboard terrain. Beginning in June, an 11-week Skate Cayman day camp program was offered, the first skateboarding camp of its kind in the Caribbean. The challenging but rider-friendly park offers three main courses -- expert, intermediate and beginner -- with concrete bowls, half- and quarter-pipes and flow and street courses for each level. Adjacent to the skateboard park is Black Pearl's surf park, a self-contained wave machine that generates 11-foot waves in a 16,000-gallon wave pool. For more information visit http://www.blackpearl.ky/.

For more information about planning the family vacation of your dreams, contact Suzette Mack, Family Travel Specialist, at suzette@family-treks.com.