Search Results for: teen travel

Teens flying unaccompanied: what to do when things go wrong

On Pit Stops for Kids, we’ve written tips for parents whose kids are flying solo. But what about teens? Most airlines allow kids aged 5-14 to fly as unaccompanied minors (with kids 5-7 restricted only to direct flights), which leaves kids 15 and up in a completely different category. When kids 15-17 fly solo, they’re still every bit as unaccompanied…and are still minors. But basically, they’re on their own. Pretty scary for parents, and even more so when things go wrong.

We decided our oldest, Nate, at age 15, was old enough to fly unaccompanied. The route: San Francisco to Dallas/Fort Worth, then DFW to San Jose, Costa Rica. Yep, it was a biggie: a non-direct flight through big airports to an international destination. Was he ready? YES…but unfortunately, we were forced to learn this the hard way as Nate was tested severely on his travel day.

Here’s what happened: I escorted Nate to his departure gate in SFO (it’s easy to get an escort pass!), and his flight departed on time. When he arrived in DFW, he found his connecting gate without a hitch, even though it involved a shuttle ride. He even boarded his second flight without a problem, texting me updates all the time. However, he never left the tarmac. As happens occasionally, his plane experienced mechanical difficulties. First it was some sort of brake fluid issue, then an engine overheating. He sat on the tarmac for two hours before his plane was taxied back to the gate. He deplaned, and moved to a new gate as instructed, but the flight continued to be delayed. Finally, the inevitable occurred: the flight was cancelled. The earliest he would leave the airport was 6:30 am the next morning.

Nate found himself facing the prospect of sleeping overnight, by himself, in Dallas/Fort Worth, with his chaperones far away in Costa Rica and his parents nearly as far away in Southern Oregon. He was a seasoned flier, but suddenly felt very, very alone. He faced several immediate problems:

  1. In the chaos that always accompanies a cancelled flight, he didn’t know to get online and try to book a better flight immediately. Even if he had, he lacked the resources to pay for an upgrade.
  2. The travelers on his flight were being issued hotel room vouchers by the airline (American Airlines), but as a minor, the Marriott they’d partnered with didn’t want to issue him a room.
  3. He was tired and hungry, and the long line of impatient travelers trying to get vouchers and demanding answers intimidated him.

Here’s how we helped:

  1. We stayed on the phone with Nate nearly constantly. Thank goodness for cell phones! If you have a teen flying solo, I strongly recommend sending him or her with a phone, even if he or she normally doesn’t carry one.
  2. I told Nate to give his phone to the gate agent, so I could speak with her directly. I was polite but insistent that he receive instructions, and more importantly, be issued a room. The American Airlines agent I spoke with was helpful and sympathetic. She got it done.
  3. I got online, and looked for any other flight that would save him from an overnight in Dallas. There was none, but in the case this happens to your child, be proactive: the airline would rather give any available seat to a minor than have to figure out what to do with him or her all night! Every airline I spoke with after this incident told me that minors do get priority over other travelers, when at all possible.
  4. I asked for the name and phone number of the hotel the airline had put Nate up in, and I called their front desk. I explained that Nate was a minor (which they already knew) and asked the questions I thought he may have forgotten: when does the morning shuttle back to the airport begin to run? Does he need a reservation? Can I place a wake-up call on his behalf? The Marriott Dallas/FortWorth Airport helped in every way possible, and gave Nate a toothbrush, to boot.
  5. The next morning, I followed the flight’s updates via texts from American Airlines. All I needed was the flight number to ensure any gate or time changes would come directly to my phone.

Nate and I both had restless nights, but in the end, he got through it. Without help, he found his airport shuttle, checked into the Marriott, woke up on time (at 2 am PST!), made it back to the airport, and got on his flight. It’s not the way either of us wanted his travel day to go, but he’s now a seasoned soldier in the battle of air travel.

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Before embarking on your teen flying unaccompanied, I suggest the following tips (learn from us!):

Teen flying alone? Ensure you have stellar support from chaperones at the destination. When Nate’s travel day from hell occurred, he was flying to Costa Rica for an Adventures Cross Country trip. I cannot say enough good things about ARCC’s home office. When I called just before business hours ended, I got an immediate answer from Brooke in the office, and my updates were relayed immediately to Nate’s leaders in Costa Rica. This line of communication was so flawless, it was clearly protocol. When the afternoon turned to evening, and then night, Brooke gave me her cell phone number and continued to help. I was able to reassure Nate that his leaders hadn’t left him (of course not!), and that they knew what had happened to him.

Send your child with a debit card for teens, such as Buxx. Even though Nate’s flight was cancelled due to mechanical issues, and he therefore received vouchers for lodging and food, he spent more than we’d planned in the airport. We were able to look at his balance on his Buxx card and add to it from home. Had he needed to purchase a hotel room himself (perhaps due to a weather delay), we would have called a hotel directly and booked it for him, or put more cash on his card. I am not paid by Buxx in any way; we use this service personally for our teen.

Emphasize to your teen that he or she needs to be a self-advocate. It’s not easy to stand up for yourself, but it’s imperative that your teen is able to approach airport and hotel personnel and ask for help. Nate continually said to people, “I’m a minor flying alone, and I need some help figuring this out.” Even the most nurturing agent can’t assist if your teen has blended into the background and is unnoticeable.

Let your teen practice. In anticipation of Nate’s trip, we let him ‘take the wheel’, so to speak, during an earlier summer cross country air travel day. Even though I was present, I had Nate check us in, hand out boarding passes, direct us through security, and find our gate.

Absolutely wait until you think your teen is ready to fly alone. While we anticipated a long travel day for Nate, and prepped him on procedures from going through customs to finding his gate, we had no idea his day would become two days. But we should have been prepared for the possibility. Thankfully, I trusted Nate could navigate the situation because he’s flown many, many times with his family. Even though he’d never been asked to figure everything out himself, he was already familiar with boarding passes, security, customs, and yes, hotel shuttles.

We hope your teen never experiences a solo flight like Nate’s! 

Travel Gear We Use: GlocalMe WiFi hotspot for travel

Let’s get real about WiFi usage and fees while traveling internationally as a family. When we travel, we embrace being off-the-grid most of the time, but we absolutely need wifi at various times. Sometimes, this is due to necessity: we need turn-by-turn directions out of a foreign city, or we need to call the credit card company to check our damage (I mean, balance). Other times, someone needs to download an episode of Parks and Rec, or someone else really wants some quality Instagram time.

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Staying connected in Iceland: using GlocalMe to work from locations like this.

We are a family of five, with older kids and teens who all have phones. Therefore, we have five phones to connect when we travel. Usually, we simply don’t connect them: the parents pay for WiFi, and the kids are basically SOOL. Why? Because our cell service plan charges us $10 per day for an international plan. Now, that’s not terrible, until you multiply it by five. $50 per day seems excessive, even for luxury travelers.

What to do? Invest in a WiFi hotspot for travel.

During our most recent trip, which took us through Iceland for ten days, we tried something new: a GlocalMe WiFi hotspot. For an initial investment of about $150-250, you get the hotspot, which you can then load with varying amounts for different destinations. Or, you can rent the device from Roaming Man.

I spent $20 for 3 GB of data in Iceland, which would ‘turn on’ (for lack of a better word) when I got to the country, and expire after 22 days. The hotspot can connect up to five devices (hey, perfect for us!) and you can add data at any time, either by ‘topping it off’ or buying a second package.

As I noted above, we use WiFi sparingly when we travel, preferring to enjoy the freedom from screen time (for the most part). We turned on our hot spot for about 30 minutes each day to check email, upload photos to Facebook and Instagram, and text, plus a few extra times to navigate when we needed directions, and our package of 3 GB easily lasted us 10 days. So instead of $50 per day for unlimited use we didn’t want, we paid $20 total for all of us to have a little bit of WiFi per day.

This is a perfect solution for us, and we plan to use the GlocalMe hotspot on many more trips.

Note: the hotspot is not intended for streaming video or downloading TV (it will, or at least will try, but it uses tons of data quickly).

How to load the hotspot with data:

Once you have a hot spot, go online to GlocalMe and register. It will ask you for your device’s registration number. Once you’re registered, you can add money by scanning the list of countries (I didn’t see any missing that were within the realm of visiting) and choosing a package or pay-as-you-go option. You can monitor your usage and add money with the free app or with the website. The device itself shows your data usage so you can monitor it there, too. The hot spot recharges with a standard USB cable (included) but during our 10 days, we never ran out of battery life.

How to buy:

The actual GlocalMe device is a one-time purchase of about $130-150, depending on where you buy. We recommend Amazon for the best deal.

Disclosure: We were given a GlocalMe hotspot device for the purpose of review. We paid to use it at our own expense.

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Can’t travel? Escape reality and get away with these Sci-Fi books

Let’s face it. 2020 has been a rough year. There’s no shortage of people looking for a way to escape into their imaginations in the face of such disarray on the global stage. 

If you count yourself among them, a great science fiction book might be the answer. A genre that has continuously examined and predicted the progress of human civilization; it’s the perfect form of art to escape into parallel universes or alternative realities that are similar yet different to our own. Good science fiction has readers inhabit a compelling and utterly convincing fictional world that can have a cathartic effect for many reasons.

travel booking concept, tours, hotels and tickets online reservation

If we’re honest with ourselves, exploring the fake problems of fictional worlds can be more relaxing than dealing with the very real and daunting problems that are presented to us day in and day out by the media. Let’s explore a few of the most memorable and transporting sci-fi books to replace our pressing day-to-day problems with some fictional ones. After reading one, you might just be able to come back to reality with fresh eyes and a renewed sense of purpose. 

Wanna Get Away? Escape 2020 Reality with These Transporting Sci-Fi Books

  1. Ender’s Game

Ender’s Game is a 1985 novel written by Orson Scott Card that follows a teenage boy named Ender that is handpicked to participate in an intergalactic military training camp. Ender captured the minds of young people and adults alike because of the coming-of-age story is told about a well-intentioned yet imperfect hero that finds himself being used and manipulated by an unforgiving, violent world. 

The book is set in a future version of Earth in which human civilization faces an impending invasion of an alien species. The brightest military minds convene to vet and train the next generation of military geniuses that will be needed to fight off the alien species. Ender is one of the most promising recruits. 

Throughout his training, Ender is forced to come to terms with the dread of an impending invasion and to navigate the tricky social politics of fellow recruits. Ender shines as an up-and-upcoming military mastermind, but all is not as it seems. Throughout his journey, Ender peels back one layer of illusion after another until making contact with the reality of his position in this volatile world at the end of the book.

It has become a science fiction classic that was adapted into a movie in 2013. It’s a great book that will allow readers to engage with social, strategic, and civilizational problems in its fictional world. The novel even made the list of best science fiction books from Cool Things Chicago

  1. Dune

Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert in 1965. The novel is set in a distant foreign galaxy for many years in the future. In the enchanting world that the novel takes place, the galaxy is ruled by a number of royal families. 

The novel follows its main character Paul Atreides, a young member of a royal family that has accepted the responsibility of ruling a planet called Arrakis. Arrakis is a desert-like, barren planet that proves to be a primitive and unforgiving environment. However, it contains a vitally important natural resource called melange, or “spice” as it’s regularly referred to in the novel.

Melange is the most valuable resource in the fictional Dune universe because it enables navigation in space as well as other mysterious abilities in users that consume it as a drug. The nature of dust, as well as the abilities it provides, becomes more clear through the story of Paul Atreides and his rulership over Arrakis. 

Dune is a terrific book that explores themes around politics, environmentalism, and religion. It continues to find an audience of new readers even today, as talked about in this piece from the New York Times.

  1. The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale is a science fiction novel written by Margaret Atwood that is set in the United States after a future totalitarian takeover of the country orchestrated by a fanatical religious group. Infertility has become a widespread condition in this dystopian universe and has given rise to practices of ritualistic rape and impregnation by members of this totalitarian regime.

In response to a kind of moral panic that took hold after widespread infertility, a quasi-religious, fascist group takes power and proceeds the role back much of the moral progress and human rights enjoyed by the Western world. The group called the Sons of Jacob in the novel, strip women of their human rights and force them to live subjugated lives purely focused on bearing children. Fertile women are dubbed handmaids and are forced into lives of indentured servitude for rich families for which they bear children after being raped. 

The book is a staunch and sober look at the fragility of moral progress and human rights that we take for granted and how easily they can be eroded in the face of crisis and fascism. It follows the life of handmaiden Offred as she navigates this dismal, masochistic world after being stripped of her rights and forced to be raped and bear children for powerful families. This piece by the Washington Post explores how the book, later adapted into a TV series, reflects or exaggerates existing patterns in our current civilization.

  1. A Scanner Darkly

A Scanner Darkly is a semi-autobiographical novel written by renowned author Philip K. Dick. The book follows Bob Arctor, a drug addict that lives in a household of other addicts. 

Arctor leads a double life. In secret, he is an undercover police agent that is attempting to crack down on illegal drugs. Through his undercover work, pretending to be a drug user, he becomes addicted to a drug called Substance D that is known for its dangerous qualities. 

Arctor falls in love with Donna, a drug dealer and a fellow addict. Due to his addiction, Arctor’s superiors realized that he isn’t fit to continue his duties. 

The book’s author, Philip K. Dick, is known to have struggled with drug addiction, and the story draws inspiration from some of his darkest moments. This piece by the LA Times explores Dick’s history and many of the themes that ultimately ended up in the book.  

  1. The Martian

The Martian is a science fiction novel written by Andy Weir that follows the life of an astronaut that is stranded on Mars after his entire crew is killed in an accident. Believed to be dead by all of the civilization after his long-range radio fails, the protagonist of the book is forced to come to terms with surviving in solitude on Mars. 

The novel immerses the reader into the loneliness of being marooned on Mars but does so with surprising wit and a comedic narrative. The book is loved by many die-hard science fiction readers because of its accurate inclusion of real science. It’s a testament to Weir’s commitment to researching the science related to his story. 

The novel features many more references to pop culture than is found in many science fiction books, and some readers may find they need to be up-to-date with the latest lifestyle narratives and pop culture trivia to truly enjoy its humor.

Hopefully, this list will offer some suggestions that will help readers transport themselves, if even for a few hours, away from their daily concerns and into a fictional world that is captivating and thought-provoking.

Travel tip: Fighting germs on vacation

I don’t like to think too much about it, but there are a lot of icky germs out there, friends. Sure, there are a lot of benign ones, too, and I don’t obsess over it, but none of us want to get sick when traveling. This is why I up my germ-fighting game substantially when we’re on the go.

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Fighting germs on vacation:

At home, I have my tried-and-true Mrs. Meyers house cleaning supplies and everyone has soap in their bathrooms. When we travel, I always have a small bottle of hand sanitizer and some wet wipes, but to be honest, that’s about it. I put more energy into cold-fighting products like the ones in this post on natural remedies to pack on your next trip.

However, I want to do better in the prevention-department. On Squix.com, parents can find just about every sanitizing and germ-fighting product you could need, all in one place. It’s like Amazon for sanitizer. Squix has a subscription box, which will introduce you to a sampling of products every month, but even more useful (I think): it has a full marketplace. Their travel kit is only $24, and includes an antimicrobial pouch to carry it all in. In fact, the pouch is large enough that I can fit my first aid supplies in there too.

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Here’s what you get in the travel kit:

– Wet Ones Travel Pack
– SQUIX Hand Sanitizer
– Lysol To Go Disinfecting Spray
– Wireless Wipes (12 count)
– Travel Size Mouthwash
– Apera Fit Pocket Arctic Blue
– Mouth Watchers Travel Toothbrush

As you can see, Squix is procuring the best brands for the kit, not re-inventing the wheel. Could you put this all together yourself for less? I did a little research, and my answer is…maybe. Certainly you could buy the wipes, spray, and sanitizer for less, but the  wireless wipes are a bit hard to find, and the true value is in the Apera pocket (pouch). Of course, you also get the convenience of not having to shop for it all yourself.

We tried out the whole system on our spring break road trip, using the tooth products separately as needed. Even though my kids are teens, we still went through all the wet wipes. I added my first aid stuff to the pouch, and when everyone piled in and out of the car, they paused to use the sanitizer or wipes. It worked quite well.

 

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7 tips for keeping everyone healthy while traveling

Read on for travel tips once it’s safe to travel again!

Face it. Germs are just a part of life, especially if you have children. From summer colds to that oh so awful stomach flu, there are quite a few different ways for little ones to become ill, even when the temps are high and the sun is shining. If you happen to be planning a vacation, here are a few tips that can help keep you full of energy and healthy even when you’re on the road.

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Travel Trip Map Direction Exploration Planning Concept

Keep Moving

It’s easy to keep the kids moving, but you can’t forget about your health. No matter where you go, keep moving. It doesn’t matter if you find kid-friendly gyms, go for walks with the kids, or even go for a swim at the beach or in the hotel pool. If you’re moving, you’re helping your body stay healthy.

Sleep Early

Whether you’re at home or on a Disney cruise, kids don’t always understand the meaning of sleeping in. When you know that the little ones will be up with the sun every day, you’ll know that you owe it to everyone to go to bed early every night. When you burn the candle at both ends, you’re just begging for a family that’s overtired and this can increase the chances of illness.

Farmer’s Markets

One big reason for people getting sick while traveling is that we tend to deviate from our typical routine of healthy eating. Eating fast food as often as three times each day means that your intake of fruits and veggies has dramatically decreased. Make it a tradition to visit local farmer’s markets when you reach your destination. This is a fun way for you to get to know a few locals, but having fresh produce is also an irresistible method of eating healthy when you’re away from home.

Water

Your body always needs to be hydrated, and this is especially true on those sweltering summer days. You can stay away from sugary drinks by ensuring that each member of your family has their own bottle of water every day. This makes drinking it a habit, and it only takes a few seconds each evening to wash them out if you want to reuse them on the following day.

Breakfast

One thing that many people enjoy about vacations is the spontaneity. Yes, you should check out that interesting looking pizzeria or stop for a gelato. However, it’s important for everyone’s health to ensure that before starting the day, you have a healthy breakfast. You’ll worry a bit less about the nutrition of the family if you know that they’ve started the day off right. 

Down Time

There are times when vacations or family trips will be anything but a relaxing holiday. We tend to pack our days with so many activities that we end up collapsing each night from exhaustion. This is truly a recipe for those who want to weaken their immune system. Instead of courting disaster, plan a bit of downtime into each one of your days. It doesn’t matter if it’s simply snuggling with a movie or a book at night or just spending a leisurely morning exploring a local park.

BYO Supplies

Having the ability to change a dirty diaper without having to do it in a dirty public restroom or to clean up a spill without having to run out for paper towels can save you both time and stress. 

If someone in your family does happen to get sick while on vacation, be sure that you have your insurance cards and identification on hand for a visit to a local doctor or emergency room. 

How to plan college visits for your teen

As a family who’s always loved learning on the go, we’re excited to be diving into a new version of educational travel: college touring for our teens. At first, figuring when, when, and how to plan college visits can feel daunting, but in fact, we’ve found the process to be fun, helpful, and even a little relaxing! With two teens at home, and one starting the college decision-making process in earnest, here are our best tips:

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Start with ‘unofficial’ visits as you travel

There’s no need to go overboard touring colleges before your child is in 11th grade, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start the process earlier in a natural way. While we didn’t schedule any official visits until our oldest son was a junior in high school, we toured approximately six major universities unofficially in the past several years. How? We simply tacked visits to college campuses onto our vacation itineraries. When we went to Williamsburg, VA, we walked through the pretty campus of the College of William and Mary. When we were in Gettysburg, we stopped at Gettysburg College. And so on. These pre-college-age college tours (try saying that three times fast) proved a great introduction to not only what college campuses offered, but the idea that kids can go to college anywhere…not just near home.

Plan to see a variety of school types

Once you’re ready to officially tour colleges with your junior or senior, be sure to visit a variety. On our first ‘official’ college tour road trip, we visited four schools. One was a state school, the other three private. Two were in urban areas, two in rural areas. Two were quite large (over 20,000 students), and two were small (under 3,000 students). The ability to compare them all really helped my son see what was out there. While he still maintains that he prefers smaller, private schools, the state school we visited has programs we didn’t know existed, which could be a game changer. Even for bright studentscollege homework help is a decisive factor for us.

Make appointments for tours at least one month in advance

Schools definitely make it easy to find that ‘college tour’ or ‘visit campus’ button on their websites. From there, it’s easy to book a campus tour online. You can do so only a week in advance in some cases, but I advise planning earlier. Why? Campus tours fill up fast, especially during high school breaks, such as Spring Break. It’s also helpful to look to see if the college is planning anything special, such as full day visits or overnights (usually only for seniors). It’s good to take advantage of these, since more school personnel will be on-hand and special presentations may be planned.

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Can’t get to your dream school for a pre-application visit? Go to a similar one closer to home.

My son has about 10 schools on his ‘maybe’ list, half of which are far-flung, from Colorado to Vermont. Since we live in Oregon, we don’t have the time or budget for him to visit every one of these schools before he applies. Instead, we’re visiting the half dozen we can get to more easily, including a few schools that have similar qualities to the distant ones. For example, he’s interested in a small, liberal arts private school in Vermont, with a big emphasis on outdoors programs and environmental science. Since we can’t get to that one in the immediate future, he’s going to visit a similarly structured school in Washington. The Washington school is not necessarily on his shortlist but will give him a feel for the general philosophy and campus life of the Vermont school. And who knows? Maybe he’ll love it! Of course, after he applies to colleges, he’ll go visit any he is accepted to personally.

Follow your favorite schools’ Facebook pages

If your favorite schools are fairly local, or even regional, to you, check their social media pages often for info on campus events. Major sporting events, community days, or even rallies can give you a good idea of campus culture and the student body. Attending something on campus that’s open to the public allows your teen to put him or herself into the action, getting a feel for what it might be like to be a student there. This is especially helpful if your official college tour was during a school break for the campus, such as summer or Spring Break.

Ask about college interviews, meetings, or specialty programs

College interviews are rarely required during visits, but can leave a good impression. They’re also an opportunity to ask questions about the campus culture or programs. If your teen is reluctant to do an interview with an admissions counselor, remind him or her that this is really an opportunity for him or her to interview the college, not the other way around. After all, at this point, they are ‘shopping’ for schools.

If your teen has a particular interest or major in mind, ask when you book a college tour whether you can also get a specialty tour tacked on. For example, when we visited a state school, we booked a second, shorter tour specifically of the science departments. You can ask for specialty tours of campus Honors Programs, music programs, or even sports programs. Do you want to play basketball while there? Meet with the coach. Thinking of joining a specific club you’ve heard about? Ask if someone might be available to answer your questions.

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Bring siblings…if they can stand it

College tours can seem boring to younger siblings, but consider bringing your young kids to at least a few. It helps them picture what college actually looks like, and helps them envision themselves there someday. It also takes some of the mystery out of the ‘going to college’ process younger siblings hear so much about as their big brothers or sisters prepare. Our youngest was actually quite worried about his big brother going to college…which we didn’t realize until he had a chance to see what colleges were actually like.

Stay somewhere central to the schools you’re visiting

Sure, you’re touring colleges, but it can still be a fun vacation, right? If you’re only looking at one college in a location, stay somewhere touristy…play the role of vacationer while you’re there. If you’re visiting several schools in an urban area, as we were, stay at a central location to cut down on driving time. We recommend an airport hotel: it will offer perks such as a free breakfast and free parking, and be central to major interstates…and of course the airport. During our college tour through New York state and Connecticut, we stayed almost exclusively at Red Roof Inn PLUS locations. These hotels are comfortable and convenient, and after a few days, we began to think of their beckoning red roofs as a sign of home. In PLUS properties, you get nice linens and pillow choices, some have complimentary breakfast, and plus, you get complimentary healthy snacks and waters. If you check out Red Roof, definitely look for their PLUS locations, as these rooms elevate the stay to a higher level for a still-economical price…after all, college is expensive! We have to save our dimes. We were able to find PLUS locations in each of the cities we were visiting, plus by the airport before an early flight home.

Have fun!

Plan to visit some local attractions during your college tour trip. During our trip to Portland, we also visited the Oregon coast, always a favorite with my kids. We ate out at fun Portland institutions, and visited some urban parks and food trucks. Not only did playing the tourist help my son picture himself living in this city, but it gave us all much-needed breaks.

TIP: Want to learn more or enhance your kids’ computer and business skills? Here’s their great companion to help them adjust on their new life in college and be at the top of their classes! Check out Training Connection here.

What are YOUR best college touring tips?


Source: Fix.com Blog

What you need to know about going through international travel customs with kids

To some parents, the thought of navigating immigrations and customs with kids is intimidating. For some, the first experience in customs will be during a trip to Mexico, or Canada. For all of us, it can be tiring, especially after a long travel day (or night). But by knowing what to expect (and having the forms and documents you need) going through travel customs with kids can be a breeze. Here’s what you need to know:

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1. Finding customs will be easy.

To frequent travelers, this may be obvious, but I’ve been asked by several parents how they’ll know where customs is. The answer: you can’t miss it. Airport security won’t let you. Once you deplane, the only way to go will be through immigrations and customs (through an international arrivals terminal). On the way, don’t delay, if you can help it. There are usually restrooms just before you enter the customs line, but if everyone’s good to go, it’s best to keep moving to avoid a long line.

2. You’ll go through Passport Control/Immigration first.

Get in the line that applies to you (foreign citizen or American citizen, depending on where you are and who you are). Have your customs declaration form ready (one per family, given to you on the plane), plus everyone’s passports. Keep your cell phone off, and pay attention to when it’s your turn. Keep all carry-on luggage with you (just as you would elsewhere in the airport).

When it’s your turn, hand the immigration agent all the passports and the customs declaration form, and be ready to answer some basic questions, such as why you’re in the country, how long you’ll be there, and where you’re staying. The agent may ask questions of your children, as well. He or she will give you the customs declaration form back.

3. Head next to pick up your bags (if you have any).

Again, you won’t be able to miss this step. On the other side of immigration, the baggage carousels will be waiting. Get your bags before heading to customs. If your bag is delayed (bummer!) be sure to have your baggage claim form handy. You will have to pick up your bags whether or not you’re in your final destination. If you’re connecting to another flight, get the bags, go through customs (explained below), then follow signs to ‘connecting flights’ or ‘luggage drop off’.

4. Go through customs.

Get in the proper line (do have something to declare, do not) and turn in your customs declaration form. Declare everything you might have bought in the country, including duty-free items. Our souvenirs never add up to much, and we’re always waved through without much fanfare.

5. Head out and connect with your next flight or ground transportation!

That wasn’t so bad, was it?

If you’re traveling without your children’s other parent:

Learn from my mistakes, because this is where we’ve hit a snag. If you share custody of your children (either in a custody arrangement or as married parents), but you’re traveling without the other parents, you MUST have a signed letter stating that you have permission to take your children out of the country. If possible, get it notarized. We were delayed and ‘interrogated’ (using that term loosely) when I neglected to have a letter from my spouse on a recent trip to Canada.

If your teen is traveling alone:

In addition to his or her passport and customs declaration form, any teen traveling without a parent or guardian should also have a notarized letter from both parents (if both have custody) explaining his or her purpose in the country. He or she should also have a document with the names, addressees, and phone numbers of whomever he or she is meeting in the country. We also send our son with a photocopy of his passport, carried in a different bag on his person.

Will your child be flying as an unaccompanied minor? Read our tips for kids flying solo.

Photo credit: J Aaron Farr

Back to Ski: Smugglers Notch Resort for teens and advanced skiers

We covered Smugglers’ Notch amenities for young kids and babies last winter, but Vermont-based Smuggs has older kids, teens, and advanced skiers covered as well. In fact, this combination makes Smuggs an excellent resort pick for multigenerational family travel, so bring Grandma and Grandpa along, too. If you have expert skiers and older kids or teens in your midst, here’s what you need to know about Smugglers Notch Resort for teens:

smuggs for teens

Two-hour lessons appeal to older kids:  

My kids—all of whom are expert skiers—balk at all-day lesson programs. They long to explore the mountain on their own, but we insist they continue to work on their skills. At Smuggs, advanced skiers can opt for two-hour lessons (ages 6-17), giving kids plenty of time for free skiing. Tip: book the afternoon session instead of morning for a less crowded lesson. You may even luck out with a private experience! 

Mountain configuration is teen-friendly:

Smuggs is comprised of three interconnected mountains. Morse Mountain is where all the action is: you’ll find the childcare and ski school at its base, along with the entire Village Center, and a network of trails primarily for beginners, with a sprinkling of blues for intermediate levels. Madonna and Sterling mountains are further afield, and offer a solid helping of intermediate runs, plus the resort’s black diamond, double-black diamond, and even triple-black diamond runs. To get there, skiers need to ride the chairlift up Morse Mountain, ski the access trail, then catch the double chairlifts at Madonna and Sterling. What this means for parents of teens: to get back down the mountain, runs funnel back down to Morse, ensuring there’s only one place your kids will end up. It’s easy to plan meeting places for tweens and teens, and if you have kids in advanced ski school while you’re hitting the slopes solo, you can meet them at the Madonna/Sterling base lodge.

smuggs adult lessons

Adult lessons are not just for beginners:

Practice what you preach to your kids, and take a lesson yourself! If you’re an expert skier, consider your time to be a lesson on Smuggs as well as a lesson on ski form. Madonna and Sterling mountains are chock full of secret stashes, hike-only terrain, backcountry tree runs, and hidden powder pockets. Newbies to the mountain cannot hope to find many of them on their own, and ski instructors act as mountain guides, showing you where all the fun stuff is. (Tip: be a hero and show your kids the best tree runs after your lesson.)

No need to sweat about snow conditions:

Families can plan their entire ski vacation carefully, but no one has control over the weather. Smuggs takes care of this worry as well with advanced—and ever-increasing—snowmaking abilities. With 150 new snowmaking guns last season and another 100 in place for this winter, families can book late or early in the season with confidence, taking advantage of school holidays and long weekends. (Though the resort’s traditional 300 inches from Mother Nature per year certainly help!)

Don’t forget about cross-country terrain:

Included in the vacation packages, the resort’s Nordic terrain includes 30 km of cross-country trails and 24 km of snowshoe terrain.  Lessons are available if you’re new to the sports, and ice skating is on-site as well (we find our kids prefer skating while we enjoy the tranquility of the trails). Rent equipment at the center or bring your own.

Teen clubs:

Teens and tweens are usually forgotten when it comes to kids’ clubs (most end at age 12), but Smuggs offers not one, but two! Kids ages 13-15 have their own space at Teen Alley, and 16-17-year-olds have access to Outer Limits. Both clubs are open for après ski fun without parents, and programming includes organized games, video game tournaments, movie nights, and dance jams. How teens have the energy for all this after a day of skiing, I’ll never know, but they do!

Photo credit: Smuggler’s Notch

 

Museums and historical travel in Eastern Tennessee

From the Manhattan Project to coal mining and civil rights, Eastern Tennessee offers diverse and rich history lessons for families visiting the region. If you came with your family to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park or Knoxville, stay an extra few days to explore the history of the area.

Historical travel in Eastern Tennessee:

historical travel

 

Museum of Appalachia:

This living history museum and farm is located near Oak Ridge in the town of Clinton, Tennessee, and is absolutely fantastic. It was created by local resident John Rice Irwin in 1969, with just one re-located Appalachian cabin and some artifacts. Now, it has dozens of buildings to tour, animals to see, and a wonderful ‘Hall of Fame’ museum, which houses historical exhibits, antiques, and artifacts from the area. Most exhibits feature ‘regular’ citizens, detailing their lives with as much reverence as one would expect to find of key historical figures. It’s very touching to walk through and read of these ‘ordinary’ lives that become extra-ordinary in the telling of their tales. Many of the buildings around the property have been re-constructed and reimagined with period furniture and touches, and many living history events take place here.

appalachian history

Admission is $18 for adults and $6-10 for kids (depending on age), with multiple discounts for various groups. Definitely eat in the restaurant here for lunch; it was among the best home-cooked meals of our stay in Tennessee. Allow for at least 2-3 hours. The farm is located at 2819 Andersonville Highway, Clinton.

Note: across the street form the Museum of Appalachia is the Appalachian Arts Craft Center, which features crafts, pottery and fiber craft products from local artists. The member artists of this co-op work in studios downstairs and sell their wares upstairs; if you’re looking for hand-crafted souvenirs from Appalachia, this is the place.

Oak Ridge:

Just 30 minutes from Knoxville, Oak Ridge is the once secret city that housed the Manhattan Project during WWII. Now a national historic park, families can tour Oak Ridge in two basic parts. Start at the American Museum of Science and Energy, where you can check in with the national park service and get a park passport stamp. Your admission here includes a three-hour bus tour of the surrounding sites (great to do with older kids), but if you don’t have that much time, you can learn a lot right at the museum. Watch the short video, then tour the exhibits showing the history of Oak Ridge, which housed 75,000 scientists and their families. The bottom part of the museum will take about an hour, then be sure to head upstairs to the outdoor area, where you can walk through an actual housing unit from Oak Ridge. Additional exhibits upstairs are almost exclusively hands-on science exhibits (of a children’s science museum variety). The bus tour takes visitors to some of the actual sites of labs and reactors, and of note: only US citizens can do this part.

Green McAdoo Culture Center:

Continue your history lesson in Clinton with a must-do stop at the Green McAdoo Culture Center. Clinton is the location where on August 27, 1956, twelve teenagers were the first to desegregate a state-supported high school in the South, and Bobby Cain was the first black student to graduate from a public (white) high school. This event took place several years before the better-known moment in history when Ruby Bridges desegregated a school in Little Rock, Arkansas, and yet is nearly forgotten by history. The culture center is changing that, with a wonderful yet small museum in the Green McAdoo school building, just up the road from one-time Clinton High School (still there today, as the current middle school).

mcadoo school

The Green McAdoo school served for years as the segregated school for black students, up until the time of desegregation. The historical events that took place in Clinton in 1956 tell a story of bravery from the students, their families, the larger community, and the school. The museum sheds light on important though often hard-to-hear civil rights history during the Jim Crow era, as the town of Clinton was rocked by the events of the ‘Clinton 12’. This is a stop on the East Tennessee history tour for older kids and teens, who will best be able to understand the complicated history. It’s located at 101 School Street in Clinton.

Coal Creek Coal Mining Museum and Discovery Tour:

Finally, take yet another turn through Tennessee history at the Coal Creek Miners Museum in Rocky Top, Tennessee. This is a small but important museum that can be toured in just about 30 minutes. It details the history of coal mining in the area, which started in the 1800s and included the third-worst coal mining disaster in US history, as well as what was known as the Coal Creek War, in which miners formed a militia to try to stop the US government from using prison labor in the mines. It’s a fascinating, sad history, good for school-aged kids and older. After touring the museum, hit a few stops on the Coal Creek Discovery Tour in your car (you’ll get a map at the museum). Stops include locations of the mining camps, cemeteries, and hilltops where the US military used cannons against miners in the Coal Creek War. The locations are largely well-marked, and all are close by.

Do you have a historical stop to add to our East Tennessee history tour? Let us know in the comments!

Photo credit: Amy Whitley and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development

How to get kids to sleep while traveling (no matter what age)

I’ll be honest: we’ve had some insanely sleep deprived family vacations. We followed every parenting book in the…well, book, but when our kids were babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, they struggled to sleep anywhere, no matter what we did. This torture, of course, followed us on any trip we took. Now that our kids are older, we all sleep better, but there are still nights on the road when we need some extra help getting everyone enough rest.

how-to-get-kids-to-sleep

If you, too, struggle knowing how to get kids to sleep while traveling, this post is for you. I polled family travel experts across the globe, soliciting sleep ideas from everyone with babies to teens. Not every idea will work for every family, but hopefully at least a few of these tips will resonate with you and your crew. Our own Pit Stops for Kids tips are listed first in each category, with tips from other experts below, marked by author and a handy link to each external site.

For parents with babies, toddlers and preschoolers:

Try to keep your child’s nap and bedtime schedule as close to normal as possible. This may mean skipping an afternoon activity or returning early from a tour to respect nap time, or settling kids in bed earlier than you’d like at night. Of course, short trips can survive a less rigid sleep schedule, while longer trips require more planning. Check out this nap guide from Nicole Wiltrout of Arrows Sent Forth. As an alternative viewpoint (parents have many styles!), try Jessica Bowers of Suitcases and Sippycups idea of doing whatever it takes to get kids to sleep, even if it means changing the rules.

Get a suite whenever possible! The good news: more and more hotels offer suites or ‘family’ room configurations than ever before. Having two separate spaces, even if it’s a bedroom and a living area, is immensely helpful when family members have different bedtimes. We often put the kids in the master bedroom and slept on the pull-out couch in the living space, just to ensure four walls and a door around our sleeping kids. Nicole Wears of Traveling Canucks echoes this tip!

Turn off air-conditioners and heating units. In mild seasons, turn off those noisy air conditioner and heater units that kick on and off all night long, waking everyone up. I’m embarrassed to say how long it took me to realize I could pull the plug on these and sleep better though the night.

sleeping-in-hotels

Use a white noise machine. Cue up white noise on your phone (there are many apps for that), or bring along a travel-sized white noise machine. I know for a fact that my love of white noise machines is shared by Li Ling Pang of Trekaroo and Keryn Means of Walking On Travels!

Black out windows. The darker the room, the more likely it is you will all get more sleep. Robin Hutson of Luxe Recess says, “You can still make the room nice and dark by packing six dark black garbage bags and painters’ tape. Yes, garbage bags! If you tape the garbage bags up to the windows, it will create a serene sleep environment for you and your family. If you forget your garbage bags and tape, you can clip together curtains that won’t shut using the skirt hanger clips from the closet.” See more tips from Luxe Recess.

Break up the day. Marisa Langford of Trekaroo says, “Having four kids spanning from 2-10, we have 2 “fun shifts” on vacation, early and later. We are up early playing pool side or out and about in the new city, but them it’s back to the hotel to nap….and typically everyone naps, including my 10-year-old. We get up and we are back at it. This prevents melt downs from the baby and doesn’t push everyone to the brink of exhaustion. 

Bring comforts of home. Hilarye Fuller of Dotting the Map says, “It really helps my little ones sleep in a new place that is unfamiliar with them if they bring a few comfort items with them that remind them of home such as a blanket, baby doll or stuffed animal.” Corinne McDermott of Have Baby Will Travel takes this idea a step further, and always brings baby’s own sheets from home to acclimate him or her to a new crib.

For parents with school-aged kids:

Consider meditation. Sounds too far out there? I get it. But for our kids, it has worked. Especially if kids listen to meditation CDs or audio at home, they will find the familiar routine soothing. We have recently been introduced to the kid-specific meditations at JoyOhBoy.

Only loosen bedtime rules if kids have time to sleep in. The way we travel, we’re busy during the day, and often getting up at the same time we do for school in our daily life, to meet guides, take tours, or explore. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to extend bedtime for ‘vacation mode’.

Read together before bedtime: I know, that hotel TV has a zillion channels, and the kids haven’t gotten their Nick fix in a long time. But studies have proven that reading before bed instead of watching a screen helps kids relax. Get that required reading for school out of the way and allow the kids to doze off with books in bed. Better yet, read aloud to kids nightly as a family activity.

For parents with teens:

Adjust travel itineraries to allow for sleep-in days. This has been a lesson I’ve learned in the past few years. I’ve adjusted our go-go-go schedule slightly, to allow the kids to sleep in (even just until 8 am) a few mornings. This way, they can take up later at night to enjoy the destination or resort.

Eat healthy. When kids travel, they often eat differently while rules go out the window. Extra sugar, processed foods, and caffeine can affect sleep, as we all know. Stick to your usual diet, or at very least, limit sugar and soda after dinner.

Allow teens some ‘downtime’ with TV. Everyone, including teens, should read right before lights out, instead of looking at a screen, but first, some TV time can ease teens into a less-than-desireable bedtime. Note: if you watch programs via Netflix and you’re traveling outside the U.S., you may need to ‘unlock’ first with a vpn that works with Netflix, so you’re not blocked from viewing internationally.

On jet lag and time zones:

Don’t try to adjust to slight time zone changes. Leslie Harvey of Trips with Tykes says, “On short trips (2-3 days) where you are only changing a few time zones, don’t try to adjust your child to the new time zone. Stay on the time back home to avoid too many changes in such a short period of time. This method works especially well for West Coasters heading East, as you can keep your children up until 9 or 10 pm Eastern time with no problems. Just make sure your hotel has good blackout shades to prevent any early wakeups with the sunrise.

Embrace jet lag when it can’t be helped. Keryn Means of Walking On Travels says, “Embrace the 2 am or 4 am wake ups that come with jet lag, especially when traveling outside of the U.S. Have snacks or breakfast ready at those times so you can get up, have a little breakfast, watch a TV show or play for a little bit. After an hour or so go through your bed time routine again and hope the kids will go back to sleep.

Get sunlight. Becky Morales of Kid World Citizen says, “I really believe in getting outside in the sunlight to reset our natural, circadian rhythms. When it’s not the time zone change, but just the long days of traveling that’s causing stress, I like to get an early-ish start on the day, but then come back to the hotel for a siesta in mid-afternoon. Everyone can rest/read/sleep and then head back out for more sight-seeing and dinners outside enjoying the evenings.

Photo credit: Flickr/Ryan Dickey

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