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Six Trips Which Should Be Booked at Least a Year in Advance

Some destinations require advance planning due to limited availability, high popularity, or both.  Often the best options book up early, and in some situations there may be only one good option!  If any of these are on your list for 2017, you should start planning now.

African Safari   

The best Africa lodges and tented camps are small and intimate, often less than a dozen rooms, so there isn’t much space to begin with.   Safaris are popular for family reunions or celebration trips, so it’s not uncommon for one group to book the entire property.   Families should note that lodges might have only one family suite which can sleep 4 people, otherwise you will have to book two separate rooms.  

Who says you have to rough it while on safari?

The other key to a fantastic safari is having the right guide, and the most knowledgeable and respected ones are booked year round.  Even the escorted tours, that generally stay in larger lodges, are fully booked a year out. 

My client’s South Africa wildlife encounter.

Alaska


Due to a short travel season and high demand, hotels are booked to capacity every summer. The problem is exacerbated when cruise lines block chunks of hotel space far in advance, and I’ve had to reach in my bag of insider tricks to get even one room for my clients.  Wilderness lodges are small, and I know at least one in Denali that is already sold out for most dates in summer 2017.   

This beautiful lodge, built by the owner, has only 14 rooms.
Lucky family got a clear view of Denali!

Want to travel on an expedition cruise so you can get up close to nature?  They carry less than 100 passengers so you have to grab your spot early.  You can find space on large ship cruises on fairly short notice, but the options will be limited.  Your choice of cabin location or itinerary may not be available. In my experience, the best rates and perks come with booking earlier rather than later.

My clients got up close to a calving glacier on their Lindblad cruise.

Tuscany Villa


Yes, there are lots of villas available at any given time if you are searching on the internet.  But if you want to book a property that you know has been vetted by a reliable source so there will no unpleasant surprises on arrival, you need to plan early.   And if you want one with everything on your wish list (a pool, near a quaint town, centrally located, etc.), all the more reason to plan early.  Those villas you see available in April for summer travel?  There’s a good reason they are still on the market.  

Wine-tasting with a fabulous view.
An easy day trip to Florence

Iceland


Its popularity has skyrocketed for travelers seeking adventure, especially as it’s considered one of the safest European destinations.  Unfortunately the tourism infrastructure has not kept up with demand, so hotels and our preferred tour partners are heavily booked. Reykjavík is a decent sized city, but finding accommodations in the countryside can be quite tricky.  And when you find yourself in a remote location with limited resources, you definitely want to be traveling with someone reliable.

Clients captured this gorgeous double rainbow on their epic family adventure. 


National Parks

The national parks are always popular, especially with families, but even more so as travelers prefer to stay close to home rather than venture out of the country.  Because of the convenience and historical aspects, staying at a lodge within park boundaries is highly desirable, so even the most modest accommodations book up early. 

Can’t get much closer to the Grand Canyon rim than by staying at El Tovar
A little chilly on top with the residual snow,
but great weather for a hike into the canyon

This year’s centennial celebration increased demand, and I expect spillover into 2017 from travelers who got locked out this year.  Guided hiking and cycling trips are especially popular with active travelers, but their set departure dates mean you have to book early.

There is much more to Yellowstone than Old Faithful!

Any Destination Over the Holidays


It’s not uncommon for the top beach and ski resorts to have waiting lists more than a year in advance.  And most have strict minimum night stays, so you need to make sure you’ve blocked enough vacation time. The best rooms and suites (and guaranteed connecting rooms for families) are always the first to be snatched up.   

Ski out right from the terrace at the Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe
The new Four Seasons Ko’Olina on Oahu does not have
a waiting list for the  holidays. Yet.

Imagine how happy and relaxed you would be to know you have the trip of your dreams planned out a year in advance. And research shows that the anticipation of a trip is what makes us happiest, so why not extend that feeling as long as possible?


Whether you plan to travel next week or next year, just send a note to suzette@family-treks.com and we’ll get started setting up something for you to look forward to!

Our Amalfi Coast visit
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Why JK Place Firenze is the Most Romantic Hotel in Florence

I had the pleasure of visiting JK Place Firenze on my trip to Italy last summer, and I was blown away by how unique and awesome it was.

As we approach Valentine’s Day, I found myself thinking about the hotel, how it would be an excellent for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.  Here’s why:

* Private and sophisticated –  LIke a home away from home with lots of private spaces.  There’s no lobby, you “check in” in the library.

Cozy!
* Great location –  On pretty Santa Maria Novella Piazza with a view of the church, convenient to the train station and shopping, and away from the heaviest tourist traffic

Do you like this…
.. or this?

* Romantic accommodations –  Only 20 rooms, all unique.   The Penthouse has a private balcony with a clear view of the Domo. 

Some have canopy beds
Chic but comfortable

* Spa access – Two minutes away is Olimpo SPA Steam Bath

Couples massage anyone?
* Pretty rooftop terrace – With daybeds to snuggle on after a long day of sightseeing.

Peace and quiet and fresh air
* The tiramisu – Some say the best in the city. 

They say the shortest distance to the heart is through the stomach.
Presentation is everything!
* The general manager – One of the most important features of any hotels is who’s at the helm. Claudio Meli is passionate about providing the best possible experience for his guests, and that attitude trickles down to every member of staff.  After talking to him for a short while, you’ll learn he’s a devoted husband and father, a true romantic at heart!
  


JK Place is also a great value when you book through a Virtuoso travel advisor and receive exclusive Virtuoso amenities:

– Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
– Continental breakfast daily for two
– $100 USD equivalent Food & Beverage credit
– Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability

Breakfast at “home”

Are you ready to take your Valentine to Florence?? Then contact me!


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Private Guides – Your Best Travel Investment

On our trip to Italy this summer, I tried out several companies we use for private tours.  My expectations were exceeded, and our experience was so much better than if we had done it alone.

Vatican Museums – The crowds were so overwhelming, I could not imagine visiting without a private guide.  She was able to pull us aside as dozens of large tour groups filed by with headsets on, and then show us something interesting (even for the kids) that everyone else was missing.  

Couldn’t even see the pictures when the hall was filled with tour groups

While many people just popped their heads in the papal apartments, we were learning how different Raphael and Michelangelo were both in artistic style and personality. Before entering the Sistine Chapel, we relaxed in the beautiful courtyard as our guided explained what to look for when we got inside.

Prepping for the Sistine Chapel

Pompeii– We took a day trip to Naples from Rome, and I previously wrote about our experience hiring a private driver.  Before we headed off for our drive along the Amalfi coast, he dropped us off for a 2 hour tour of Pompeii with a guide. I had heard it was huge but had no idea until I saw it for myself.  It literally is a city, with block after block of streets that all look alike, and minimal signage. 


The streets go on and on and on…

Most guests take a self-guided tour with headsets, which can run out on the busiest days.  Our guide, who also led school field trips, expertly led us around the site so we could understand what life was like for residents. Often other visitors nearby leaned in to listen, as the stories she told were not found on any signs.

Learning about the “McDonalds” of Pompeii

Tuscany– We explored with our own car most of the time, but one day we had the luxury of a private driver.  Finally my husband and I both got to relax and enjoy the scenery rather than focus on a map and scan for road signs.  

Wouldn’t you rather enjoy this view while someone else drives?

We visited a honey farm, a cheese farm, and a winery where we had a wonderful lunch prepared by the owner.  He also took us to the hilltop village of Montalcino so we could see the fort.  He dropped us off outside the castle so we could enjoy the scenery rather than waste time in the car looking for parking.

This Brunello wine came home with us.
Say cheese!

One day we drove ourselves to Volterra, where we met another guide who grew up there.  She showed us around the ancient Etruscan village, and took us to the shop of an alabaster artisan I had met in San Francisco, when his replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was put on display.

If this looks familiar you may have seen it in a Twilight movie,
this is the home of the Volturi
A master in alabaster

Florence– We day tripped by train from our resort, so our time was limited.  The guide we hired for a city orientation tour met us at the train station, and she took a few minutes to get a feel for how we’d like to spend our time. Since we had seen enough churches and museums, she took us to the food market, which we would have never discovered on our own. 

Before the lunch rush.

Then she led us on a tour of the city, guiding us through side streets so we avoided the worst of the crowds.  She pointed out where Leonardo di Vinci and Michelangelo once stayed, and told the back story on funny signs we saw everywhere. 

Hunting for these signs amused the kids.

We planned to visit the Accademia on our own, so she had done us the favor of reserving our tickets in advance.   She ended our tour at the will call window (which was practically impossible to find unless pointed out), made sure we got in the right line (there were 3 very long ones), and recommended a nearby cafe for lunch.

The original David

When you hire a private guide, you will save time, you will learn more, your kids will have fewer melt downs, and overall you will have a better experience.  Whenever we’ve visited a town or museum on our own, we found ourselves wandering a bit aimlessly. (And in the summer heat, efficiency is key, you want to make every step count!) 


Wish we had a guide at the Colosseum, very few signs here

If you have a special interest in art, history, food, etc., then you’ll really appreciate having a guide who is an expert in that field, rather than taking a generic city tour where the guide is reciting a memorized spiel.


Beautiful Florence, one day is not enough!

You don’t have to hire a guide everywhere you go.  But consider investing some of your travel dollars in locations where a private guide will make the difference between a good vacation, and a great vacation.

Water taxi to the Venice airport, another worthwhile splurge
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Ten Tips for Driving in Tuscany

After a week of driving all over Tuscany this summer, I compiled this list of tips.  (Kudos to my husband who enjoys the challenge of navigating in a foreign country, can drive a stick shift, and is good at parking in very tight spaces.)

  1. Get an international driver’s license – If stopped without it, you can be fined, or even threatened with confiscation of the car. Note that it must be used with a valid driver’s license from your home country, so don’t leave your US license at home.
    Ready to go!

  2. Consider manual transmission – It can be much less expensive than renting an automatic.  But you need to be very comfortable driving a stick shift, because there are lots of hills.  Add car rental coverage to your travel insurance policy, it’s cheaper than buying the rental company’s insurance.  (You are getting a travel insurance policy, aren’t you??)
    The views are worth the climb!

  3. Look for alternate car pick up locations – If you are not picking up a car on the day you fly in, you don’t have to make a trip back to the airport. Consider taking a train to a town near your final hotel or villa and picking up a car there.  But be sure to book early and check the rental location hours.
    Great place to start the trip.

  4. Take a GPS – Unless you have unlimited data, it’ll get very expensive to rely on your phone.   Some car rental companies, like Auto Europe, offer GPS with their rentals.  We also rented a personal wifi hotspot with unlimited data, so we were able to use both while navigating.  The GPS gave us step by step directions, and the maps app gave us an overview of the area when the GPS directions didn’t seem to make sense and we needed to improvise.
    The scenery goes on and on…

  5. Get a good map – It’s likely you’ll get lost at some point, or run into a dead end, even with a GPS.  A map can help you get back on course, and also it’s easier to ask for help from a non-English speaking local with a map to point to.
    Uh, are we sure we’re supposed to turn here?

  6. Preload GPS coordinates – These are especially handy for rural destinations.  To find them, right click on the red pin icon in Google Maps, and select “What’s here.”  A screen will pop up with the GPS coordinates.
    Hidden gem!

  7. Plan your strategy– Review the route in advance, and check the GPS (or your map app) against a physical map so you can get your bearings. By in advance, I mean the night before, not 15 min before you leave. 
    Typical Tuscan “highway”

  8. Search for parking garages or other landmarks – This is often more helpful than just entering the name of a city, which will lead you to the center of town.  For example, there are several ways to approach Siena, and it’s confusing to know which highway exit to take.  We looked up the name of a garage that had plenty of parking and an escalator, and the GPS took us right to it. (However in Pisa, we had a hard time finding the public parking lot and basically stumbled across it by accident.  The best laid plans…)
    We could see dirt in-between the stones
    from the Palio Horse Race a week earlier.

  9. Be prepared for roundabouts – They are not difficult, just different if not used to them. They are well marked, you just have to pay attention to which exit you need. The good news is, if you miss it you can just go around again.
    No pics of roundabouts so will have to
    make do with this view.

  10. Plan for the unexpected – Getting lost is inevitable, but that’s half the fun. Allow plenty of time for your outings so an unplanned detour is a fun adventure rather than source of stress!

Is any trip to Tuscany complete
 without a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
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What I’ll Miss Most About Italy

I am on Italy withdrawal after our two week family adventure to Rome, Tuscany, and Venice (including a day trip to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast).  Here is what I am missing already, in no particular order:

* Steamed milk instead of cold cream served with coffee in the morning and fresh squeezed orange juice as the norm


* Watching artisans work in their studios


* Water fountains everywhere (a real treat coming from drought-stricken California)


* Pasta as first course at lunch AND dinner


* Cheese and Tuscan ham as an acceptable appetizer before the pasta (I have never liked cheese but I learned to love pecorino, especially with the right honey)

* The pleasant surprise of stumbling across a beautiful statue or church while strolling narrow cobblestone streets



* Yummy unique pizzas


* Stunning art and architecture



* Lounging around a pool with beautiful views of Tuscan hills, and chatting with families from other parts of Europe. (It’s interesting to learn how much is the same no matter what part of the world you are from.)


* Amazing limoncello from the biggest lemons I’ve ever seen



* And the wine!


Ok, most of these are about food but is that really so surprising? 

Stay tuned for more posts about our amazing Italy adventure.

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