Blue Life

By Joe Collinsworth

 Traveling is such an enjoyable experience that we wish we could do it all the time. Unfortunately most of us only get a couple weeks a year (if we’re lucky) to take our vacations.

In order to ensure that those trips are the very best and everything we expect (unlike the many travel movies where there are nightmares around every corner), we want to provide our best vacation tips so your vacations are very memorable - in a good way of course.

Discount Florida Vacations Best Vacation Tips (these are in no particular order):

1. Plan early and book when a good deal fits your budget or smells right. There are more and more travel companies popping up everyday. Why? Because as the baby boomer generation gets older and once they boot their children out of the house, they are traveling more and more. Good deals are easy to find and there are many reputable companies that offer great rates and fares.

2. Know about your destination and the best times to travel. Remember when Chevy Chase takes the whole family cross country only to find out their favorite fun park is closed? Don’t let that happen to you. Know what is going on and when the best times to travel are.

For example, most people know that March and April tend to be spring break times. Well, if you take your little ones to Panama City Florida during these months, chances are you are going to run into wild, college kids. Bummer for your children and you.

3. Take care of things at home. Making sure the family pet or the house is taken care of is important. You don’t want to come home to a disaster after you’ve had a wonderful vacation.

4. Budget wisely. Even if you don’t have a budget it is smart to take care of your money. Make sure that if the worst happened you still have funds to fall back on. If you are on a budget be smart and enjoy doing things on vacation that aren’t going to have you taking out a 2nd mortgage just to pay for everything.

5. Don’t forget your important documents. There is nothing more frustrating than forgetting something when you are hundreds or thousands of miles from home.

6. Plan things to do ahead of time. Again, get to know your area of choice to determine how

close you are to various activities and restaurants. There is nothing like landing a great deal on a hotel only to find out it is miles from anything or in a location that is not suitable for a great vacation.

For example, a hotel that is so far away from the beach you need to catch a plane just to get there. Also, you want to make sure that everyone traveling with you will have fun! Again, in Vegas Vacation when the kids are too young to gamble, they have to come up with creative ways to have a good time (hence Nick Popagorgio).

7. Sign up for online newsletters and keep your ear to the ground about your destination of choice.

8. Read the fine print. This can really bite you in the behind on certain things like rentals and such.

9. Utilize a checklist and make sure everything is in order before and during the trip. From booking to packing to check in to relaxation, don’t forget anything.

10. Have fun and enjoy yourself. No matter what type of vacation you are going on, the goal is to not want to come back.

Those are our best vacation tips and we live by them each time we take a vacation. Hope you will too because we know your trip will be much more pleasurable.

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Joe Collinsworth is an avid travel lover and writer regarding anything travel, Florida, beaches, and any tropical paradise. Visit us at Discount Florida Vacations for more great tips and share your vacation tips at our Florida Travel Tips section.

How to Calm Your Fears and Enjoy Baby’s First Vacation
By Roger Munns

 Is there one word that can strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest parents? One word that can cause mommies and daddies everywhere to break out in a cold sweat and gnaw their fingernails nervously? There is, and that word is vacation.

Taking a vacation with children is no picnic, but taking a vacation with a baby is downright frightening. The disruption in their routine, the hauling of endless baby-related paraphernalia and the hourly feedings are, to say the least, discouraging. It’s no wonder that many families forgo vacations altogether when the children are young.

But you don’t have to be a slave to the playpen. It’s entirely possible to take your young baby on a vacation without too much stress. And (surprise!) it can actually be fun for the entire family.

Before you start planning your first vacation with your baby, think about the practical side. Babies require a lot of equipment. You’ll have to bring loads of diapers, several changes of clothes for every day you’ll be gone, toys, formula and bottles if your baby is bottle feeding, a sturdy stroller and a car seat. In some cases, you may need to bring along a portable crib or playpen for baby to sleep in. Think about the amount of space you will need for all of this gear before you book a cross-country bus ride or a ‘cozy’ one-room cabana.

Should you venture far from home on your first vacation with a new baby? Some babies simply don’t do well with sitting still for long periods of time. A nine-hour drive can feel like an eternity when it’s spent with a screaming, inconsolable infant. Some grown-ups can’t even sit in a car for that long.

Staying close to home is a good idea for baby’s first vacation. It’s not hard to find something exciting to do that doesn’t require a lot of on-the-road time. There are plenty of national parks, wildlife reserves and historic monuments all over the world. No matter where you live, you should be able to find something that interests you and your family.

If you do decide to brave a long-distance trip, do your homework before you go. Choose a hotel based on its kid-friendliness. That means finding a place to stay that does not tolerate loud, all-night parties. You may have to avoid hotels with bars or restaurants in the lobby since those tend to encourage late-night noise. When you’re far from home, it’s not possible to simply pack up and head back if the hotel turns out to be a nightmare.

In general, jetting off to exotic locations may not be a great idea with an infant. Besides the obvious logistical issues involved in toting their equipment around, there may be health concerns in some countries. Babies are more susceptible to illness than adults and should not be exposed to these risks at a young age.

Wherever you go, keep your baby’s happiness in mind. Take along some beloved toys to make the hotel seem more like home. Keep baby engaged and interested enough that he won’t be tempted to scream with boredom. If baby is small enough, take a sling carrier or front carrier to keep him close to you while you explore your destination.

Above all, try not to let stress overwhelm you. Your first vacation with your baby is a learning experience for all of you. It will help to prepare you for all of the family vacations in your future.

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How to Plan a Trip on a Budget
By Jill Black

 No matter how much gas prices climb, or how high airlines raise their prices, people will always need to travel. And though many Americans are eliminating long-distance vacations and other unnecessary trips from their schedules and their budgets, personal obligations like weddings, funerals, college visits and business trips continue to keep Americans on the go nationwide.

Many people used to cut travel expenses by skipping the airport for the national highway system (back before gas prices essentially doubled). However, this is no longer the money-saving option it once was, and Americans everywhere have to get more and more creative when it comes to planning trips in order to keep the overall expense both reasonable and manageable. Unfortunately, climbing gas prices are not only affecting American motorists, but the entire airline industry is feeling the crunch. This has resulted in the emergence of fees and costs never before seen among airline travelers fees for checked bags and even carry-on’s, and additional charges for drinks, snacks and meals on board. With all of these added fees (on top of higher ticket prices and fewer flights being scheduled across the board), air travel has become more expensive than ever.

But these primary forms of transportation are not unmanageable. Fuel efficient cars can help lighten the burden of a long distance drive, as can following simple tips like sticking to the speed limit, lightening the overall load you’re hauling, and making sure your tires are inflated to the correct pressure. These kinds of tactics will help you maximize your fuel efficiency and get where you need to go without wasting gas (and therefore, money).

Similarly, smart shopping and practical planning will allow you to plan a trip by air that won’t completely gouge your budget. One trick many people aren’t aware of is shopping for airfare on midnight of the first night of the month (so, shopping at midnight on October 31 for travel in November) this is when airlines post their newest (and lowest) fares. These are usually snapped up by travel agencies before daybreak, but a savvy Internet shopper can find a great deal if they act quickly.

Another trick for purchasing air travel is to stick to extremes, shopping either several months in advance, or only days before (if not day-of). These are the times when tickets are most reasonably priced; if it’s several months in advance, the demand for the tickets in question will likely not have peaked (which is when prices rise), while tickets bought the day of, or day before departure are usually discounted, since the airline is trying to sell off any unsold seats. Whatever you do, don’t try to buy a plane ticket within 21 to three days of travel this is when tickets are at their most expensive. And once you do purchase a ticket, make sure to carefully read the fine print associated with additional fees if they require a fee for checked bags, try to stick to a carry-on. If they charge a fee for food during the flight, bring your own.

If neither the highways nor the airlines will get you where you need to go at a reasonable price, check out your options by rail while a bit pricey, train travel can be significantly more economical (albeit more time consuming) than either of the other two travel standards.

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