Have you made your reservations yet for your family vacation yet?
Januaray & February are the most popular months for making vacation reservations. if you're a busy parent juggling homework projects, Karate, dance recitals, work and oh yes...a life, time can whiz by. Before you know it you're faced with another boring staycation. Let's NOT let that happen! You and the kids deserve better than that. We've put together a list of ideas to help inspire you to escape your everyday.
Please don't feel bad. It seems more folks than usual have procrastinated vacation planning this year. Maybe it's not really procrastination? it might be a bit of concern and confusion at the moment. Maybe we can blame it on the election and the confusion over travel bans? Perhaps families are worried about Zika? Winter has arrived and the "get out of town" mentality has certainly kicked in. It's ok, we've got you covered.
Spring Break - Despite Zika and Political concerns, Mexico and Caribbean travel is as strong as ever. Prices remain high and availability, especially for families of 5 or more, is extremely limited this late in the game. Europe provides a great alternative! Our spring break season in the U.S. is low season for Europe. Availability is good and prices are the lowest of the season. President's week stateside means winter coats while in London it's spring jackets and primroses. If you're looking for sun, consider a Mediterranean Cruise with prices starting as low as $100 per person per night.
Mother & Father's Day - Vacationkids is all about families - not just about kids. 100% togetherness isn't always a good thing. Grown ups earn and deserve some alone time to relax and recharge. it does the whole family good! This year consider sending Mom and Grandma for a girl's getaway to wine country or a spa retreat. Dad and the uncles would enjoy a golf outing or a fishing trip - what ever floats your boat. Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder.
Memorial Day Weekend - City people like to escape their city on long weekends. This makes it the perfect time for everyone else to enjoy an urban holiday. If mom and dad took getaways for mother and father's day then everyone can enjoy a short city break together. Broadway show, monuments in D.C., Country Music Hall of Fame, Baseball game & hot dogs, Please Touch Museum, Zoos and Aquariums....the ideas and cities are endless.
Summer Vacation - The official start date differs depending upon what part of the country you're in. If you're school gets out in May, plan your summer vacation for as early as possible. You'll get the best rates mid May thru the first 2 weeks in June. Once the northern and east coast kids start their summer break around June 16th this year, summer vacation prices will take a jump. Plan early whenever possible. Don't forget to calculate for possible snow days. It you're like the rest of us and don't have a crystal ball to predict the weather, MAKE SURE you protect your vacation investment with cancel for any reason travel insurance. If summer vacation gets delayed due to snow or even strikes, you're worry free.
Fourth of July - It falls on a Tuesday this year making it a bit awkward. Don't procrastinate. Tag a couple of vacation days on and extend your time off and do something memorable. Gather some friends and family together and talk to us about a vacation home rental. It's the perfect time to head for the hills. Many ski lodges offer all sorts of sport vacations during the summer months. Better yet, climb the mountains on horseback and get your "Cowboy on" at one of our recommended Dude Ranches.
Labor Day Sept. 4th - This marks the "unofficial" end of summer vacation. Those kids who started their summer vacation in May and early June are already back in school. This means northern and east coast families can squeak some great "end of summer" vacation deals the last two weeks of August. If you have young pre-school kids or if you're homeschoolers, this is when you hit the jackpot! September is when you'll get some of the lowest prices of the entire season. Vacation plan accordingly and take advantage of these offers whenever and how ever you can. This is prime time for Disney free dining deals which can save you a bundle at the park.
Thanksgiving Nov 23 - More and more families are spread out across the country from one another. It's MUCH easier to gather everyone together in a fun vacation destination for Thanksgiving. This way no one person gets stuck doing all the hosting, cooking, cleaning and expense. Cruises, All inclusive resorts, vacation homes and villas work perfect for gathering the clan together for the holiday.
The trick here is that you MUST book EARLY. Larger accommodations suited for multi-generational gatherings always sell out first. In addition, with everyone heading home to Grandma's house, Thanksgiving is one of the busiests weeks of the year for air travel. Flight prices continue to climb and sell out the closer you get to departure. Plan accordingly to avoid disappointment.
That said, this year Thanksgiving is certainly the best choice for gathering everyone together for the holidays and here's why....
December Holidays:
Hanukkah Dec 12-20
and
Christmas Monday Dec 25 - New Year's Eve Monday Jan 1 - In 2016 Hanukkah and Christmas fell on the exact same week. We saw some fantastic low rates during Mid December just prior to the combined holiday week. With Hanukkah starting Dec 12 - 20, Christmas Dec. 25 and the continued high demand for Caribbean and Mexico travel it's like a perfect storm of high pricing. You may need to go a bit farther and think a bit outside the box for a great holiday together...Ireland, Canada, Tuscon, Croatia, Fiji.
Of course 2017 the perfect time to start thinking about 2018 vacations, especially if the idea of vacation layaway or even a FREE vacation works for you.
So do NOT let another year slip by with unused vacation days. Remember if you're like most parents, you only get about 15 chances to create amazing vacation memories with your kids. if you've got NO time to plan a vacation, don't worry, our Vacationkids travel agents have you covered. We've got all the time in the world for you!
