Blog – Page 14 – Best Vacations Ever

Top Family Vacations – 10 Must-Do Activities at the Beach

Many top family vacations include a visit to the beach. If you have this kind of vacation planned for your family this summer, you may have splashing in the waves and lounging on the beach in mind, but there are several other must-do beach activities that will cost you very little money. Thankfully, you don’t have to spend a fortune on family fun vacations at the beach to achieve lasting vacation memories. Here are the top 10 cheap or free activities you can participate in on the beach.

Fly a Kite

Choose a store-bought option or be even more frugal and make your own kite. Make it a contest to see who can keep their kite in the air the longest.

Go Fishing

You don’t need an expensive reel and bait to catch something on the beach. Grab hold of some netting or a bucket and wade into the water to see what you can catch. Kids love this activity, and it can even turn into an educational experience.

Make Sand Angels

You might end up a little sandy, but that’s what going to the beach is all about! Claim your patch of sand and wave your arms and legs to make a sandy angel. See how long it takes for the tide to come in and fill in the outline.

Set up a Treasure Hunt

Plan this fun activity for your children, complete with treasure maps and an X marking the spot!

Go Snorkeling

If your beach vacation comes complete with clear waters, forgo the trip to the aquarium and bring your own snorkel along instead. You will view sea life up close without spending a dime.

Play Beach Bowling

Set up empty cans or half-filled water bottles as the pins. Take turns trying to knock them down with a beach ball or soccer ball.

Collect Sea Shells

This activity is like a treasure hunt without any effort to set it up. Walk along the shoreline and see what treasures catch your eye. Later in your vacation, see if you can find a jewelry maker to turn the shells into a bracelet or necklace to take home.

Build a Sand Castle

It’s a classic beach activity that never gets old. Use buckets and other containers to shape the castle walls, or simple shape it with your hands. Don’t forget to have fun destroying your creation before you leave!

Create Footprints

Be creative and shape prints of dinosaurs, giant birds, and other creatures in the sand.

Draw Pictures

The beach is a giant sandbox where you can design pictures with pebbles, shells, and the sand itself.

These activities will keep you and your family entertained on the beach without spending nearly anything. When it comes to family fun vacations, nothing beats the beach.

Best Outfits for Traveling Comfortably to the Best U.S. Vacation Spots

The part of vacationing that can sometimes be puzzling is the traveling part. Whether you are planning a road trip or flying across the country, you want to feel as comfortable as possible during your travels to the best U.S. vacation spots. Here are some top travel tips for packing to help you select the right clothes to travel in.

Make comfort and function more important than fashion

While you may not choose to sport sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, you shouldn’t feel like you have to dress up to travel, either. A comfortable in-between might be modern, cute loungewear. For examples, sleek but comfy lounge pants and a snug cardigan could be the perfect way to avoid the pajama look while still being very comfortable.

Keep your final destination in mind

Who will be greeting you upon arrival, friends or colleagues? Will you have a chance to get freshened up in a hotel, or will you be headed straight to your first activity? Keeping this final destination and the company you will keep upon arriving will help you decide what’s appropriate to wear.

Consider bringing an easily accessible change of clothes

If a comfortable travel outfit simply won’t cut the expectations of your immediate destination, you can bring a change of clothes and make the switch in an airport bathroom. This is also important if you’re traveling to a different climate. You may need to leave Colorado in a long-sleeved shirt during the winter and change into shorts and a T-shirt when you arrive in Florida.

Wear layers

You can’t control the temperature on a plane and you never know what kind of weather you might run into on your road trip, so layering is a great option when traveling. This makes changing clothes to match a different climate easier as well.

Consider wrinkles

A crisp white shirt may end up wrinkled after a multiple-hour flight or drive, so make note to avoid wearing linen on travel day. Another fabric that tends to wrinkle is untreated cotton. Choose clothes from your wardrobe that are resilient to avoid wrinkled clothing that displays you have been traveling all day.

The bottom line is traveling in comfortable clothing is important for your trip. Then, if your destination calls for it, bring a change of clothes. Ensuring that you are completely comfortable is the best way to start your trip to one of the best U.S. vacation spots.

Popular Travel Games while Heading to the Best U.S. Vacation Spots

The top family vacations are underway as school is out for summer and families are beginning to leave town. Whether you’re taking a road trip or flying to one of the best U.S. vacation spots, travel games are the perfect way to start having fun as soon as your vacation starts. Travel games are also a great way to make sure the children you’re traveling with are happy and entertained. Check out a few favorites from Preferred Guest Resorts.

License Plate Game

This one is a classic for road trips! The goal is to identify license plates from states other than your home state. You can play as a team or individually to see who can get the most license plates during a certain amount of time. If you want to make the game more challenging, try playing in alphabetical order, not moving on to the next state until you find the first one.

Car Bingo

Car Bingo is a great travel game to get younger kids involved and keep them entertained during a road trip to one of the best U.S. vacation spots. Bring along some custom printouts that include things such as stoplights, animals or landmarks, and have your child mark the spaces as they notice them. The first player to get a line of items crossed out is the winner! Bringing along prizes to give to the winner is a fun tip to make the game even more exciting.

Board or Card Games

Many games now come in travel sizes with smaller boards and pieces. Games such as ConnectFour, Checkers and Uno now even come with travel kits to help ensure game pieces don’t get lost while you’re on the go to a top family vacation destination. These games give you a great opportunity to take the games you love playing at home as a family with you on your vacation! They’re also great for travel by car or by plane.

Top family vacations are the perfect opportunity to make memories that your kids will remember forever, make sure the experience starts as soon as you leave with these games! If you haven’t planned your family vacation yet, visit Best Vacations Ever by Preferred Guest Resorts and check out the great beach packages we have that your family is sure to love!

How to Stay Fit on Your Family Vacation

Going on vacation is a time for relaxation, but if you’re concerned about your figure, there are easy ways to stay fit on your family vacation. And no, we don’t mean spending your vacation time in the hotel gym. Utilize these five tips from Best Vacations Ever by Preferred Guest Resorts to enjoy your vacation without sacrificing your figure in the process.

Choose the Stairs

Dodge the elevators and hit the stairs instead. It’s a tiny change that won’t mess up your routine and could result in 100 calories burned if you climb the stairs for 10 minutes in a single day. Especially on vacation, when you’ve abandoned your formal workout routine for a time, every calorie counts.

Walking Tours

Instead of doing your sightseeing on a trolley or in a taxi, put on your walking shoes and take a stroll. You’ll be able to go at your own pace, get a better view of everything, and burn plenty of calories in the process.

Play with the Kids

Sure, you can relax and sunbathe for a bit, but have some calorie-burning fun with your kids as well. Shoot hoops, get in the pool, go for a bike ride, play some ping pong. You will undoubtedly find yourself having at least as much fun as the kids.

Workout on the Beach

You’ve probably seen exercise videos of fit men and women working up a sweat to the sound of the rolling waves with a gorgeous sunset behind them. You can get your exercise on the beach without your mat and weights by starting a beach-friendly game like volleyball or tag. You can also simply enjoy a brisk walk or jog along a stretch of beach to get a workout during your vacation.

Plan Physical Activities for Each Day

If the morning is filled with more standing and sitting than walking and running, fill the afternoon with a long walk at a park or at the beach. Incorporate other kinds of aerobic adventures at the airport where you can transform terminals into walking tracks. Be sure you are responsible and sensible in your effort to stay fit on vacation, especially in crowded places.

Each morning you wake up on vacation, look forward to everything you will get to see and enjoy that day. Don’t obsess over ensuring you get your exercise, but let these tips come naturally to your day. Your travels will invigorate your mind and your efforts to stay fit on your family vacation will energize your body as well. For more information about family vacations, visit bestvacationsever.com.

Make Time to Unwind: Relax at One of These Orlando Spas

Most people head to Florida for the sand and sun, and if they’re heading to Orlando, they’re all about the amusement parks. But sprinkled throughout the theme park-packed city are peaceful places of relaxation to help you get away from the non-stop craze of the city. Best Vacations Ever! by Preferred Guest Resorts wants to let you in on a few of the reenergizing secrets.

There are many Orlando spas that can fulfill their promise of delivering one of the most relaxing vacations yet. After all, if your vacation was simply full of nonstop activity, why would you call it vacation? A relaxing treatment—including aroma therapy, a sauna, and an Orlando massage—will revitalize your body and mind, allowing you to return home feeling fully refreshed. Here are a few notable Orlando spas that deserve your attention.

Sanctuary Salon and Day Spa
Just two miles from Universal Studios, this top-notch day spa is often frequented by celebrities, athletes, and TV personalities. East Indian accents with soft, soothing music add to the relaxation of this day spa. Try the Signature Sanctuary Massage with an Unwinding Scalp Massage.

Massage Works Spa and Fitness
This spa is located near another fun location—Walt Disney World! Enjoy one day at the park, and then spend the next day relaxing in one of the most spacious, tranquil Orlando spas available to you. The trickling water and calming music certainly set a different tone than the screaming and excitement at Walt Disney World. The specialties here are massages. They range from classic Swedish and deep tissue massages to Swe-Thai, bamboo, and mothers-to-be massages. Plenty of other spa and salon treatments are available as well, including microdermabrasion, permanent make-up, dimensional hair coloring, and manicures.

Euro Day Spa
For a day of rest and relaxation featuring treatment for nearly every part of your body, discover what Euro Day Spa has to offer. Treat your skin to a Diamond Microdermabrasion peel, receive a manicure or pedicure, and have your hair cut, colored, and styled. Enjoy a therapeutic spa stone massage, Lomi Lomi massage, or prenatal massage. There are even custom-designed organic body cocktails to help soothe and relax the largest organ of your body—the skin!

So on your next Orlando family vacation, make time for a relaxing, rejuvenating pit stop. Great deals from Preferred Guest Resorts await so your vacation can be planned and paid for without breaking the bank.

A Getaway To Get Closer

Whether you are looking for a way to improve your marriage, get to know your boyfriend better, or simply to better the relationship you have with your girlfriends, you will be pleased to learn that there is wide selection of possibilities. Thanks to the deals offered by Preferred Guest Resorts through Best Vacations Ever!, you can improve marriage and other relationships without breaking the bank trying to fund your vacation.

If you’re in a serious relationship and considering getting married soon, plan a vacation with your soon-to-be spouse. It doesn’t need to be to a far-off location. In fact, a local Bed & Breakfast will give you the getaway you need to discuss pressing matters before you are married. Get all your dreams, fears, disappointments, and expectations off your shoulders and out in the open. While snuggled in a cozy B&B, talk about child rearing, differences in your personalities, in-law worries, sexual intimacy expectations, finances, and what you see for the future. It will be a vacation from your everyday responsibilities, but you will return a stronger couple on the same page as one another and fully prepared for the commitment of marriage.

You might already be married with children in which case a family vacation could be just what the doctor ordered. Get out of your redundant routine, go visit family friends who live a long way away, or go to a place you and your spouse find nostalgic. You will be launched back into your youth and discover a revitalization of your marriage and family life when you return home. To prevent falling back into a dismal attitude, enjoy day trips with your spouse or the whole family that are inexpensive but perfect for breaking up the routine.

If you and your girlfriends need to get away for a time, pursue a vacation that is purely about fun and activity. Your friends are imperative to your social support system whether you are married, single, in a relationship, with or without children. Even though you are not a little kid anymore, you should still plan times to get away with your friends and explore places you’ve never been. Returning to old stomping grounds can result in an incredibly rewarding vacation as well.

The best vacations ever are awaiting you and Preferred Guest Resorts, may be able to provide you with the perfect promotional vacation package. Whoever you choose to take your vacation with, you will come home with a renewed sense of friendship, trust, and loyalty. Sometimes, taking a break is exactly what you need, no matter how dedicated you are to being responsible. Let your hair down, take that much-deserved break, and see how your trip can improve you marriage or other relationships.

What to Expect on a Best Vacations Ever Promotional Vacation

You may have heard about promotional tours, but you might not know how they work. Best Vacations Ever, by Preferred Guest Resorts, offers promotional tours to private-branded resorts around the world. Travel-loving couples and families can stay for free or receive other incentives like a free car rental or theme park tickets in exchange for participation in an introductory sales tour of the resort. This video describes what you should expect on your Best Vacations Ever promotional tour step by step. For more information, visit bestvacationsever.com.

Travel tips you can learn from the movie Bridesmaids

Kristen Wiig’s new movie Bridesmaids hits theaters today, and it’s going to be BIG. We got a sneak peek of the movie last week, so we were able to capture these travel tips from the sure to be infamous plane scene. On your next flight, avoid disaster with these airplane travel tips:

To ease anxiety on a flight, don’t mix relaxation pills and alcohol
Do not scream “There’s a colonial woman on the wing of the plane!” unless you know for sure that there is in fact a colonial woman on the wing of the plane.
Don’t sneak into first class and claim to be a solo traveler’s wife
Don’t demand the curtain to stay open between first class and coach because of “Civil Rights”
Don’t mistaken the flight attendant’s name for a household appliance
Don’t ask your seatmate where he hides his gun
Do not stick a loaded gun in your brother’s carryon luggage
Don’t take a trip with your enemy

Go see the movie for yourself and tell us what travel tips we missed!

Take Your Next Family Vacation in Central Florida with a Free Promotional Vacation

Best Vacations Ever! by Preferred Guest Resorts, offers free promotional vacations to private-branded resorts across the country. This video identifies various reasons you should plan your next family vacation in central Florida. For starters, through Best Vacations Ever!, travel lovers can visit Orlando and stay for free at Calypso Cay Resort, a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel. For more information, visit bestvacationsever.com.

Theme Parks on the Cheap: How to Have Fun and Save Money

When it comes to a Walt Disney World vacation or any other trip to the amusement park, admission tickets are the least of your worries. Food, drinks, and souvenirs are the main culprits to your dwindling bank account. At Best Vacations Ever! through Preferred Guest Resorts, we want to give you all the tips for a fun and cheap family vacation. Our previous blog gave you tips on how to find discounted Disney tickets, and this blog gives some pointers on how to save money from inside the park.

Plan to bring your own food

You are permitted to bring a cooler and fill it full of snacks, sandwiches, and drinks to prevent being gouged by the over-expensive restaurants in the park. This can easily save you $30 or more per person throughout the day, allowing you to set money aside for one special treat per person that you can only buy in a theme park setting, like snow cones, churros, and cotton candy.

Buy souvenirs outside the park

There are plenty of places you can turn to for a themed souvenir item other than inside the theme park itself. Your hotel gift shop may offer key chains, hats, notepads, pens, and other such items at a much more reasonable price than you could find inside the park. This way, you need not skip the enjoyment of bringing home a unique souvenir, but it will cost you much less this way.

Opt for the refillable mug

The refillable, large mug or plastic cup might seem a little pricey at first, but consider the benefits: If you’re at a park like Walt Disney World, you buy the mug once and then you can bring it to any of the parks or waterparks and get refills for free. Instead of buying a different non-refillable drink for everyone in your family, just buy one and share. You can also fill the mug up with water to help you rehydrate.

Bring stir-in drink packets

Buy the Kool-aid or Lipton’s stir-in powder drink packets and bring a water bottle to the park. Use the free water from the fountain and stir the powder in for a tasty beverage that won’t leave your pockets empty. Bonus: Flavored water or iced tea is much healthier than soda and will help you stay hydrated.

Visit bestvacationsever.com to find out about free promotional vacations. Feel free to add any other amusement park money-saving tips below in the comment field below!