#LifeisBetterTraveling Archives - Page 6 of 15

Inside tour of Buckingham Palace

The best time to visit Buckingham Palace is in the summer months…

A visit to London wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of England’s most famous landmarks, Buckingham Palace. This royal palace has served as the official London residence and administrative office of the British royal family since the 19th century. However, access to the public is limited and exclusive but worthwhile for those who arrange a visit.

Year round you can always view the palace’s opulent exterior through the gates. The best time to visit Buckingham Palace is during the legendary Changing of the Guard ceremony when the royal guards change shifts. This tradition that dates back from 1689, and eventually moved to Buckingham Palace in 1837 when Queen Victoria started to use the palace. The best time to see this 45-minute ceremony would be on a Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, or Friday at 11:00 am but can be canceled in bad weather.

If you are visiting London in the summer months, you can get a peek into some select state rooms. See the Throne Room, stroll through the palace gardens, and admire masterpieces by artists such as Rembrandt and Canaletto in Queen Victoria’s Picture Gallery. The palace interior is only open to the public during summer, from late July until the end of September, with tours running daily from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm (until 6:30 pm in September). You’ll want to book this coveted experience in advance with our travel agency.

Things to Know Before You Go from Viator.com

The palace is a must for history buffs and royal enthusiasts.
Pair a stop at Buckingham Palace with the Changing of the Guard ceremony and afternoon tea for a quintessential London experience.
Tours of the palace interior are only available in summer from late June to late September, while the queen is on holiday in Scotland.
If the Royal Standard flag is flying atop the palace, it means the queen is in residence; otherwise, the Union Jack flag is flown.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation. Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Tips to surviving a Hurricane

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Would you know what to do during a hurricane while on vacation?

With so many hurricanes this season, it seems like as soon as one moves through we are concerned about the next one. We are watching various weather outlets to determine if the path will be near us or even go through us. We are all concerned for the people in those areas who have been affected and wonder when they will get help.

I personally have never been through a hurricane. Yes, the aftermath storms, but an actual 200mph, heavy rains, damaged buildings hurricane, no. It does make me think that I could be in the Caribbean, Florida, or Outer Banks on vacation with my family when a hurricane does come through. So if that were to happen, what would I do? Do you know what you would do?

I think most people try to get out of the area that hurricane is projected to come through. Unfortunately, if you are on an island or a long peninsula, this may not be an option. You also may not be familiar with the area to know where to go or worse, you don’t speak the language. So what are your options?

Many resorts and hotels are now implementing inclement weather precautions into their policies. They have plans to evacuate people from resorts and move them to parts of the island that may not see as much force come through. They are also working with the local governments to provide additional shelters throughout the island to shield you and your family. If you are “stranded” at a resort due to a hurricane, they are also offering reduced rates for those extra nights.

It is best to make sure the whole family stays together the entire time. Remember, that you are your voice for your family. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to be separated.
Here are some tips in case you run into an emergency hurricane situation while on vacation:

1. Start to charge all cellphones, smart tablets, computers, and charging blocks as soon as there is a threat

2. Try to get a flight or rent a car so you can get out of the area if you don’t have a car or flight

3. Order bottled water and non-perishable food to be brought to your room

4. Organize a bag that is filled with 2 to 3 days’ worth of clothes for everyone in your family in case you are moved from your resort/hotel. Make sure to pack all medicines into this bag.

5. During the hurricane, make sure your shelter is away from any glass windows.

6. Call your travel agent/travel protection concierge services for additional help in getting to a safe place

Remember, hurricane season is considered June through November. If you are planning a vacation in the Atlantic region, our travel agency high recommends purchasing travel protection.

Tips to Traveling Safely

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Are you becoming nervous to travel?

Here are some tips on how to feel more confident when you travel

We recently had a booth at the Wine and Food festival showcasing wine-themed river cruises. I love talking about Europe, as we have traveled to 19 countries in Europe, and I love talking about river cruising. I was surprised at how much I ended up talking about the “fear” of travel. With the recent events in Spain, England, and France, I had a lot of people tell me that they wouldn’t travel over there anytime soon because of “all the things that have happened.” It is not uncommon for people to feel a bit uneasy at the thought of going to a place where something bad has happened to innocent people. Eventually, time heals and people start to feel more confident in traveling again, but it does take time.

What if you don’t have time to heal and you are traveling soon after an incident has occurred? How do you prepare yourself mentally to travel? Have faith, hope, and believe! Here are some tips with helping increase your confidence to travel.

Tip #1: Lightening doesn’t strike twice in the same place. This is also typically true when it comes to attacks. Once a city or area has been attacked, a large amount of security surrounds that area to make sure it is secure. It becomes very difficult for anybody to try anything suspicious because everyone is on edge and quickly responds by contacting the appropriate authorities. This is typically the best time to travel to these places because you have added security, and you get to experience a city or area come together like they have never done before.

Tip #2: Set up private tours and transfers. With a private tour or transfer, you have less people to worry about if something goes wrong. You have your own personal concierge or chauffeur that can get you away from the area quickly and safely, rather than having to worry about a large group of people all trying to get on a large motorcoach. Private tours also take you behind the scenes of some places so your guides will know the in’s and out’s of the place.

Tip #3: Each day make sure you have your smart devices fully charged. Information is key! If you are feeling unsafe, then you need to be connected to the world to find out what news outlets or bloggers are saying is going on where you are. Also make sure you have data and voice plans available for your phone.

Tip #4: Be open minded about changing your travel plans. If you feel so uneasy or find out information that makes you more concerned about the area you are in, then try to change up your destinations. Make sure to have your travel consultant’s information on hand and give them call to make a reservation at a hotel in another city or country and arrange a private transfer. Yes, it is going to cost more money to change your plans, but hopefully you will feel much more relaxed.

Tip #5: Be aware of your surroundings. This sounds like something you know you should be doing but it easy to forget where you when you are walking around an amazing place. Knowing where you are and making sure you understand where to go in case you have to get somewhere quickly, is key! Every day, when you plan out where you are going, make sure you know exactly how to get back to your hotel or the US Embassy quickly. Like James Bond, have an escape route.

Traveling is a part of life for everyone. Whether you go a museum on the weekend or travel abroad to visit 1000 year old sites, it is part of who we are. The best way to protect ourselves and make ourselves feel more confident about travel is to be prepared. If you have trip coming up, consider trying out some of these tips to help make you feel more at ease so you enjoy your time traveling.

Deposit, when to put it down.

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When to Put Down that Deposit on Your Next Cruise

The best cruise prices come when you book in advance! This is especially true when you book 12 to 24 months in advance. I recently sat down with a business development manager of a huge cruise line, which I am not going to name, but our agency does sell their cruises. We talked about the newest promotions coming out and I told her that I felt like her company always had promotions going on and I asked if they were finding a decrease in overall cruise sales. She informed me that their sales have been better than ever because of their promotions. She explained that many years ago, the business model for cruise lines was to have “fire sales” close to departure dates to fill cabins. You would be able to get the best deals IF you waited until the last minute.

That was a big risk for cruise lines because if people couldn’t take last minute vacations, those cabins would remain unfilled. About two years ago, a new CEO came into the company and wanted to get rid of the “fire sales.” Instead, they wanted to put into place the “incentive” for people to book early. The earlier they book, the more they save because every so many months, we are going to increase the pricing slightly.

Not only will they increase the pricing slightly, but they will put out promotions that are combinable with each other. For example, if you wanted to take an Alaskan Cruise with a cruise tour, you can take advantage of the buy one get one 50% off on the cruise and the $250 off the cruise tour portion. If there is a flash sale of an onboard credit or beverage package, you can stack promotions on top of each other. The best part is that if you put down a deposit 12 to 18 months prior to the cruise departure date, you are getting the better value for your cruise than the person who booked last minute.

This all sounds good and made sense to me, but I really wanted to see the numbers for myself. I pulled a couple of reservations that our agency made last year and the clients were sailing this year. I looked at the promotions they were under and the current promotions available. When I recreated their bookings, the clients would be paying at least a $100/person more if they booked this month compared to what they booked last year! That is if their cabin category was still available. One group we had booked, that entire cabin category was sold out. It was good that they booked the cabins they wanted when they did!

If you are thinking about taking a cruise next year, especially if it is an Alaskan cruise, I would recommend that you call our agency today. We can help you determine which itinerary will be best for you, and make sure that you get the cabin category you want. Most deposits for cruise lines are fully refundable up until 90 days prior to departure for a 7-night cruise, so put down the deposit just to secure your space.

Is the Disney Dining Plan worth it?

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Disney Dining Plan, Is It Worth It?

Disney easily comes up in conversations with random people I meet, but when they find out I am a travel consultant they always ask me if the Disney Dining Plan is worth the money. I have read so many different opinions on various Disney blogs, Facebook pages, and travel agent outlets about people’s views on this subject matter. It seems like people are split, some love it and some say it is a waste of money. Well, several family trips with the dining plan and hundreds of clients who have been on the dining plan, the verdict is in, and we all think YES!

For my family we choose the Disney Dining Plan which includes 1 quick service, 1 table service, and 2 snacks per person per night of stay and 1 resort refillable mug. The refillable mug can only be used at your resort but a nice tip is to take it with you to the parks to hold your Free ice water. With each table service meal, we were able to choose one entrée from the menu, one dessert, and one non-alcoholic beverage. When you choose an entrée you are not limited to a select menu specifically for those on the dining plan. You receive the same menu that everyone receives and get to choose any of the entrées including steak or salmon. Dessert at Disney is fantastic! It is gourmet and no matter what you choose it will not disappoint. However, having dessert every day could be a lot for some people, as it was for me. There is a little known fact that isn’t shared by the wait staff, but some restaurants now allow you to substitute your dessert for an appetizer. You have to ask your server when you sit down if this is one of the participating restaurants and which appetizers are included, but you may have an option of a salad instead of the that rich chocolate cake.

Quick service meals are just like the combo meals that you get at any of your local fast food places, and snacks include a variety of foods including popcorn, cookies, cupcakes, fried rice, Mickey soft pretzels, a banana, or the famous Mickey Mouse ice cream bar.

Now the Disney dining plan was the perfect amount of meals and snacks for my family, but some families have teens or growing, hungry children who eat a lot more or need more snacks, so purchasing another plan to fit their family’s needs would be a better option. On the other hand, if you have members of your party who do not eat a lot of food, not including small children, any dining plan might be too much food for you and your family. We always advise our clients to know what is best for you and your family, so we can make sure to fit your needs.

So are you ready to find out if the dining plan is worth the money? For a family of four ( 2 adults and 2 children under age 9) going to Disney for seven nights, who elect the Disney Dining plan, it is a little over $1100. Now that is just for the Dining plan, not including park tickets or resort stay. For four people on this seven-day Disney vacation, it comes to around $40 per person per day. One character meal is around this same cost, if not more, so if you do one character meal you have paid for your entire day right there!

Even if you are doing non-character meals, your meal cost with entrée, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage can easily reach the $40 to $50 range per person. When you look at the numbers you really see that you are paying for table service but getting a quick service meal and two snacks for free. I, personally, find that the dining plan is worth the money and saves me time when we are there. My meals are planned out, they are paid for, and everyone is happy because the food is so good.

Now, one thing you must know is that tip/gratuity is not included. The suggested tip is based on your total meal cost prior to deducting your plan. It is up to you, how much you want to tip unless you are a party of six or more than 18% is automatically added to your bill. Also on your bill will be the total remaining allotment of your meals. If you had six table services to start and just finished eating, then your bill will show that you have five remaining. You can always get your entire amount of allotted meals from the concierge or guest services at your hotel. It is important to note that meals do not roll over after your stay. If you don’t use them up you will lose them so I highly recommend planning out your meals for each day you are at Disney. Also, the meals are to be used at your discretion. If you want two table service meals on one day and two quick service meals another day, it is up to you how you use them, but again, use them up!

The “Mom Guilt” of Traveling

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Should I feel the “Mom Guilt” traveling for work?

This week I wanted to talk about a business trip I took a month ago to a family friendly Orlando destination without the kids! Oh boy, did I feel guilty for not taking them but I did learn a big lesson. Read my article to find out what it was.

Take a look at my article on Should I feel the “Mom Guilt” traveling for work?….CLICK HERE

You MUST go here!

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I fell in LOVE with the Parks at Universal Studios Florida!

A few weeks ago I talked about my resort experience at the Loew’s Royal Pacific Hotel on Universal Orlando™ property. This week I want to talk about the changes I saw at the parks since having been there last in 1994.

One thing I like to do when I travel to a place that I haven’t been in a really long time is to imagine that I have never been there. Why do I do this? Easy, then I won’t be disappointed. If I really liked a place, and it changed into something hugely commercial, tacky, with poor customer service, then I tend to be disappointed. Now 23 years ago there was no Islands of Adventure™ and Universal Studios Florida™ could be done in only 6 hours. Not on this trip! It took us a good 2 days to get through everything, but we also had a secret in our pockets, Unlimited Express Passes!

When you stay at the Loew’s Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, or Portofino Bay Resort you will automatically receive complimentary Unlimited Express Passes. This pass allows you to go to the front of the line on select rides an unlimited amount of times during your visit. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone I am comparing this but for Disney people this is like having FastPasses for almost every ride!) If you aren’t staying at one of those resorts, but are at one of the other resorts you can pay an additional fee for this Unlimited Express Pass or the Express Pass, which allows you to skip the line once per ride. I prefer the Unlimited Express Pass because you are able to go to the front of the line an unlimited number of times for your favorite rides.

Having the extra passes was very helpful on our first day in Islands of Adventure™. When I first walked through the gates, which had no lines because security is handled way before you get to the gates, I was amazed by the façade. For me it felt like I was at the North Pole and Moroccan trading marketing at the same time, which gave me a very warm happy feeling. Being on property resort guests, we were able to enter Islands of Adventure™ at 8am but we were directed to Harry Potter® world of Hogsmeade. If you are a Harry Potter® fan, walking into Hogsmeade is like the very first time you sat down to watch the first Harry Potter® movie, AMAZING! I felt like I was actually in the world of Harry Potter® . Now Harry Potter® world is split over both parks and if you want to ride Hogwarts Express you must have the park to park ticket, and as much as I loved riding the train, it was not my favorite part of the Harry Potter® worlds. My favorite part was in Universal Studios Florida™ the ride Escape from Gringotts. A 3-D roller coaster taking you on a journey through Gringotts bank while escaping from He Who Must Not Be Named! But first you have to find Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida™, which is hidden behind a huge façade.

Let’s head back over to Islands of Adventure™ because I really was amazed at how real, authentic, and alive the attractions felt to me. The amount of thought, care, and detail to plan out each attraction was the most surprising and exciting part of being there. In Jurassic World™ the dinosaurs looked so real, and the ride made me feel like I was in the movie. On the Kong ride, there were many times I felt like the truck was falling but it was just the 3D effects and mechanics of the ride. I can go into each section of Islands but this would begin to get long. One last thing I will say about Islands of Adventure™ is that no matter which section you are in, you really, truly feel like you are part of that world.

Now, let’s dive into Universal Studios Florida™, the originally built portion. It is so much larger than it was 23 years ago, but to me the attention to detail was not as strong as the Islands. It felt more like an amusement park than an experience, except when you are in Diagon Alley. However, that all changes once you enter a building to get on a ride. WOW, you are thrown head first into that attraction. You feel like you are talking to Jimmy Fallon while racing around the streets of New York City, or looking down on the headquarters of Men in Black while waiting in line to shoot aliens with lasers. The details that go into the rides, are like no other amusement park I have ever been to.

Overall, I loved my experience as Universal Orlando® and we will be taking the kids there soon. Most rides you need to be 40 inches or taller to ride, but the play lands in Islands will keep those under 40 inches entertained for hours. I must warn those who experience motion sickness on 3D simulator rides, this may not be the destination for you. There are several rides where you have to wear 3D glasses to experience the full effect. The effects are amazing, but will make you feel a bit off the rest of the day.

Call me to book your next Universal Orlando vacation with your family. If you are thinking you want to split your time between Universal Orlando and Disney, that’s easy! We can easily set that up for you.

Mary is a graduate of the Disney’s College of Knowledge and a Universal Orlando Specialist.

NOTE: All Photos taken by Mary Yohannan, Rights Reserved

Must-have car items for kids on longer trips.

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You may not be flying anywhere, but traveling by car is a must for family trips this summer. Our family travels all over the Tri-state area during the summertime, which means long car rides. So what are my must-have items every time we have a car ride? I am about to give away my favorite, must-have items:

1. Smart tablets. I am a huge proponent of bringing along the Smart tablet or DVD player for the car, if your car doesn’t have a built in system already. Since so many phones can act as hotspot, why not bring the Smart tablet and let the kids play some educational games or watch some movies.
2. Snacks. As soon as we leave the house, the first things I always hear is “what is for a snack?” Pack a cooler with their favorite snack and drinks. I even pack a few bottles of milk for the kids to help curb their appetites until we are able to stop for a meal.
3. Blanket and Pillow. It may be hot outside, but inside the car the air-conditioner is blowing full blast. My kids are always telling me they are cold, so I pack a small blanket for each one of them, and they bring a small pillow to lay their heads against in their car seats. Sometimes they even fall asleep and the silence in the car is so relaxing.
4. Dollar bin items. It is amazing what you can find at your favorite stores dollar bin. Some of my favorite items to grab for less than $3 are the coloring items. At one of the stores we go to, right in the front they have their $5 and under bins. They change the items seasonally but it also seems weekly. There have been various bags with the kids favorites characters and in each bag there are coloring pencils, pads of paper, stickers, and erasers. This item is great for the car, the restaurant, and the hotel room.
5. Games, Games, Games. There are so many games you can play such as “I Spy with my Little Eye…” or “License Plate” where you don’t need any additional materials to play. One of my favorite games to make is Car Bingo. You can make your own version using cardboard paper or buy one at the store, but there are various items you need to see such as a cow or a food truck. You either close the flap on the board, or but an “X” over the item, and the first person to get to their items crossed off either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally wins Car Bingo.

There are so many fun ways to make your car trip exciting, and these are just a few of my favorite must-have items to help the time pass on our car rides. I hope you can tell us some of your favorite must-have car items, and remember…Life is Better Traveling!

Flying with kids Pt III

Liz Hough on

How to Keep Your Sanity

You survived preparation and you kept them occupied at the gate. Now comes the most challenging time, keeping them occupied on the plane. In parts 1 and 2 of my series I talked about how I get the look of “you better keep those kids quiet on this flight or I am not going to be happy” and how to keep them occupied at the airport terminal. But each time we fly, we get complimented on how well behaved our children were on the flight.

I know it is not easy flying with kids, but I want to give you some tips that may help you get those same compliments on your next flight.

Don’t rush to board the plane. The sooner you get on the plane the sooner the kids start to ask when is the plane leaving. If it is a large flight and you have per-arranged seating, then take your time boarding.
Talk to the flight attendants as you step foot on the plane. There is always at least one flight attendant there to welcome you, ask them how their day is going or if this is their first or last flight of the day. My husband always makes good with the flight attendant so if we ever need anything, they are much quicker to respond to us.
Make sure you have everything you need in the bag you are going to put under the chair in front of you. You can easily get to the bag under the chair but not the one in the overhead bin.
Let the kids sit where they want to. Even if you have assigned seating and you are assigned the window but they want it, give it to them. If you have two or more kids that want the window seat, then tell them that each of them will have the seat for a certain amount of time.
Wipe down the tray tables, arm rests, and seat belts with antibacterial wipes. Once the kids start asking for their toys, you will feel better giving it to them to play with on a clean surface.

Tips for keeping the kids occupied:

Get out those window clings I talked about in Part 2 of this series. While waiting for everyone else to board the plane and/or during take-off they can decorate the window and the underside of the tray table.
Books are always a good thing to have on the flight. I personally find that small coloring books, sticker books, and/or wipe-down books are fun for the kids and keeps them occupied for some time.
Yes, I dare say it… SMART TABLET! Before you leave your house, load movies onto their or your smart tablet. Nowadays, when you purchase a DVD of a movie you sometimes get the Digital HD version too. Download them so the kids have a movie or two to watch. You can also download some of their favorite games to play, but just make sure that they won’t need WiFi to play them.
When the flight attendants bring drinks, this is usually a good time to give the kids their favorite snack. Even though they may have eaten a meal at the airport, giving them a snack helps keep their energy up and you won’t have that hunger meltdown during landing.
If your child is still using a binky or pacifiers make sure you bring plenty along. This helps to keep them calm, and it will also help with their ears for altitude changes. I find that my children fall asleep with having their binky and the gentle sway of the airplane. This makes me happy because now I have time to relax and take in a movie too.
Bring a small blanket and pillow. We have a small blow-up pillow that helps the kids get more comfortable in the seat. They like the sense of cozy with a blanket around them.
Get out their favorite toy. At some point during the flight they may get antsy and start to kick the seat in front of them. A good way to keep your child from kicking the seat in front of them is by putting their favorite toy in the pocket in front of them. They will think you are being silly by putting it there but if I tell my child that her toy needs to be secured in a seat, just as she is, and that the pocket is her toy’s seat, there are no questions. This eliminates kicking the seat and an angry person in that seat.

I hope some of these tips will help you and your family the next time you fly with your little ones, and as always…Life is Better Traveling with SAFE TRAVELS!

Flying With Kids Part II

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Check me out!

I was recently honored to be chosen as a contributor for the Pittsburgh Moms Blog℠ in Pittsburgh, PA. I am able to talk about all things mommy related, but I really wanted to stick to my experiences as a Travel Agent Mom. I help plan so many amazing vacations for families, but the moms are the ones that confide in me about anxieties they have taking their kids on vacation. Whether they have an anxiety about a long car ride, if the resort will have enough to keep them occupied, dining options, or flying with kids, I am always there to listen and give advice. My favorite advice to give is from personal experiences, so I have decided to dedicate my posts with Pittsburgh Moms Blog℠ to my personal experiences of traveling with kids.

Take a look at my second article on How to Keep Your Sanity when Flying with Kids Part II….CLICK HERE