Alton Towers

Like Disneyland in Paris, Alton Towers is a family-oriented theme park which offers a fun-packed selection of thrilling rides. You will also be surprised at the offers that are on from time to time. A quick look at the website will lead you to events such as Pirate Weekends and the Ice Age Weekend. If you are interested in going to one of these themed weekends, then you had better plan in advance. Keep an eye on the website and you will know when the best events are on.

Bike around Bordeaux

Going on a break isn’t going to mean that you have to lie around on the beach all day. If your family is the active sort, then you can enjoy what Bordeaux has to offer. The small town of St. Emilon, a UNESCO World Heritage site, can boast a range of Gallic charms that everyone will enjoy. For adults, Bordeaux is the wine capital of the world and the perfect place to treat your taste buds. Other places of interest include underground catacombs and galleries. Domaine De La Barbanne is a nearby campsite which boasts two swimming pools and tennis courts. You can also choose to hire a bike and cycle around the charming Bordeaux countryside.

Visiting Ireland

Ireland is only a stone’s throw away and family flights from the UK are usually good value and can take less than an hour from most UK airports, perfect for families with young children. You can choose the bright lights of Dublin, Ireland’s capital, or you can be a little more adventurous and head out into the countryside. Ireland also offers a number of attractions. These include the Ring of Kerry located in County Kerry. As well as this, the neolithic tomb of Newgrange in County Meath boasts a monumental feat of human engineering older than the Egyptian pyramids. For families, Ireland has so much you may need two or more weekends to take it in.

Sardinia, Italy

For parents with younger children, the restored country-estate of La Collina in Italy offers the perfect break. It is filled with barnyard animals as well as attractions for children such as two pools, a play area and a restaurant. Sardinia also offers a wealth of self-catering accommodation and hotels to suit any budget, with kid’s swimming pools and kids clubs that will keep your children entertained while you relax by the pool.

A Safari in France

You no longer have to go to Africa to enjoy a safari. Visiting Normandy, France, will present you with Safari Lodge. Gibbons, rhinos, antelopes and a number of other unique African animals are housed here. Only three hours’ drive from Callais, Safari Lodge is the perfect weekend getaway for families.

Choosing the Right Travel Provider

The best source of information comes from first-hand experience. Luckily in the digital age, you don’t have to personally know someone who has gone skydiving or kayaked down the Nile: you can find first-hand accounts on the internet. Search TripAdvisor for recommendations and testimonies from previous travellers. You should then talk with the travel provider to better understand the training they have and the type of safety measures they take to ensure your well-being. Check to see if the provider is accredited through an adventure travel organisation before you sign up.

Preparing for Your Trip

Adventure tourism activities often require some mental and physical preparation. If you have a fear of heights, enclosed spaces, or close encounters with wildlife that may interfere with your planned activity, try to work through it before you depart. Make sure to train for the physical part of your high thrill adventure as well—plan to cycle, jog, or walk long distances to build up your stamina, do yoga or Pilates to improve balance and flexibility, and do some light weight lifting to help strengthen target muscle groups.

Doing some research on your travel destination will also help prepare you for your trip. Check National Health Network and Centre or NHS Fit for Travel for a list of required and recommended travel inoculations. If you’re planning to hike, cycle, or climb in high altitude, you may want to consider getting a prescription for Diamox before you depart. Depending on your chosen activity, you may need special clothing or equipment for your trip, such as rainwear, hiking boots, warm hats, gloves, jumpers, flashlights, maps, water bottles, and a multi-tool kit. If you’re unsure, ask a local travel provider or experienced traveller for recommendations.

Staying Safe

When the moment for your big activity finally arrives, always follow the instructions of your guide or travel provider, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure of what to do. Make sure any equipment you’re using is in top form and has been fitted properly. Stay hydrated, pace yourself, and take breaks if you feel tired or sick. There’s always some risk involved with high thrill adventure, so make sure you purchase a supplemental travel insurance that provides holiday accident compensation for medical fees and other expenses you may incur while abroad. Stay safe and enjoy your action-packed holiday!

6 Months or Older

Of course, multiple risks are taken when parents take a new-born on a trip in an aeroplane. Most of those risks are lessened or they disappear by the time the child has had 6 months of development. Usually when they are not over-tired, babies that are over 6 months of age are physically and emotionally mature enough for public travel.

Reserve Flights before 3:00 P.M

Since a rested infant or toddler sleeps through the night, they are ready in the morning for the day’s adventures. Whenever possible, parents should book aeroplane flights in the early part of the day. From 3:00 p.m. and on through the evening, young children are usually much more fussy and less adaptable.

Book a Window Seat

For privacy and easier control of a wiggling and active child, booking a window seat is a good idea. Then sometimes, adults just like the comfort of leaning against the window with a pillow.

Bring another Adult

Two are definitely better than one when it comes to travelling with young children. An extra pair of hands makes a big difference. A spouse, friend or even an older child can be so helpful when you need a washroom break or need to carry all the bags and equipment.

Bring a Carrier

Bringing along a front carrier frees your hands and gives your baby extra support wherever you are sitting during the trip. Babies can sleep fairly comfortably in the carrier.

Nurse or Feed during Take-Off & Landing

Keeping the young child swallowing and even doing a little chewing motion will keep their ears from hurting and popping when the aeroplane takes off and later when it lands. Additionally, the child will often feel more secure while their attention is distracted from the strange movement of the plane.

Pack Toys and Wipes

Packing for a trip includes extra clothing and diapers, of course. Still, toys may be even more important. Having something the child loves will bring her or him some comfort and enjoyment during the trip. Then, disinfectant wipes are excellent. You can wipe down anything that the baby will handle, sticky fingers and messes and spills.

A roast dinner can be eaten any day of the week, but continues to be most popular and easiest to find on Sundays. The meal will typically have roast meat, potatoes, gravy, and vegetables, and there will be side accompaniments to go with whatever meat is served. The meat used in a roast dinner is most commonly beef, pork, lamb, or chicken. Occasionally other game birds that are in season will be used.

In London, there are several places you can buy a roast dinner. Amersham Arms is a local pub in London where you can find three different meat choices and even a vegetarian choice each Sunday. Besides the good food of a traditional roast dinner, they have live music and comedy nights to liven the atmosphere.

At the Drayton Court Hotel in London, you can enjoy a fine dining experience with a roast dinner on Sunday. This five-star hotel serves traditional British pub fare and is handmade daily. If you are staying here on your trip to London, you can eat here without having to travel far at all.

If you are looking for a fancier setting for your London roast dinner, try Rhodes 24, a restaurant started by celebrity chef Gary Rhodes. His influence is in every bite you take! This restaurant sits atop the tallest tower in London and has many windows for spectacular views of the city. This is a place where some businessmen meet to make deals with each other and other businessmen meet to relax after work.

The Bumpkin serves roast at all times with special options for Sunday lunch. This is a family friendly restaurant with a separate kids menu. There is also live music and a DJ at certain times of the week. Watch the chefs make create a masterpiece of a meal right before your eyes!

For visitors who want to experience where the locals find their roast dinners, try The Grove Pub. Situated a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the city, The Grove Pub offers amazing pub food and roast dinners in a relaxed atmosphere.

If you are visiting London and want to experience their tradition of a Sunday roast dinner, you have many options to choose from. It it is easy to find exactly what you are looking for whether it is Sunday or not.

How about a stopover in Hawaii? Enjoy some fine Polynesian cuisine or take in a little Hawaiian history. Take time out to relax on one of the picturesque Hawaiian beaches or play a round of golf on one of the golf courses Hawaii has to offer. Go hiking, horseback riding or take a surfing lesson. Visit the Pearl Harbor Museum or the Diamond Head Volcano, which is visible from the flight into Honolulu Airport. The Pearl Harbor Museum admission is $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for children. Hawaii has so much to offer as a tourist destination that you’ll be able to find something memorable to fill your time during your stopover here. The Honolulu airport is filled with restaurants and plenty of services to choose from too.

Dubai is a city that makes itself a very interesting stopover destination. Beaches, desert safaris and more are at your fingertips in Dubai. There is an array of Arabian attractions and restaurants to choose from. Want to do a little shopping? The Mall of Emirates is the city’s largest shopping center. Sink your toes in one of the beautiful white sandy beaches. Take time to relax during your stopover with a massage or facial at one of the city’s many spas. Visit one of the nightclubs, such as the Trilogy for dancing and live music entertainment.

London also makes itself a popular stopover destination. If you have enough time, you can take in some of the world-famous historical sites located here. Visit Buckingham Palace for an admission price of $28.00. Students with valid ID and those over 60 years of age can get in for around $26.00. Take a tour of London to see London Bridge, Big Ben or Trafalgar Square. Sports enthusiasts can take in a soccer game here as well. Plan some events and sights to see and purchase tickets in advance to secure a spot to visit any attraction or events in London.

Always wanted to see the Great Wall of China? Reach out and touch this world-famous historical landmark with a stopover in Beijing. There are tour companies available to take you there. You will need to have at least eight hours available to be able for the tour. The tour companies can pick you up right from the airport with English speaking guides for your convenience. The costs vary depending on how many are traveling in your party, and include a private car or van, all transfers, entrance fees and lunch. One person traveling costs $160.00 per person, while 4 persons is around $80.00 per person. The tour company will take you to the Great Wall and return you back to the Beijing Capital Airport to board your flight to your next destination.

Singapore offers many attractions to visit here during a stopover. There are restaurants, shopping and more. Visit one of Singapore’s beaches or the zoo and bird park. The Singapore Zoo is a unique rainforest zoo featuring animals roaming freely in their natural habitats. This wildlife park is home to more than 2,800 animals with over 300 species of birds, reptiles and mammals. General admission to the zoo is $20.00 for adults, $13.00 per child 3 to 12 years of age and $10.00 for senior citizens.

Paris is another popular destination, especially with honeymooners. The airport is located close to the center of the city, which makes it an excellent stopover destination. Shopping, restaurants and bars are extremely close. Take in sightseeing of the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame Cathedral. Tickets to enter the Eiffel Tower range from $15.00 to $24.00. It would be wise to purchase tickets in advance of your visit. Visit the famous Louvre with advanced tickets in hand as well. There is plenty of shopping and sightseeing here that can be easily accessed during a stopover in close proximity to the airport.

For more tips and advice when planning your next long-haul flight, take a look at Travelbusy.com – a site full of tips for all kinds of travellers.

The Cotswolds - Fun Facts & Figures

For anyone who has visited the Cotswolds (England) it will be no surprise that it is designated as an ‘area of outstanding national beauty’. It is quintessentially beautiful with its chocolate box villages, quaint cottages and rolling countryside. Many travellers return year after year, never tiring of the pretty villages, countless historic churches and tasty tea rooms. It is the perfect destination for a walking or bike holiday as it has a multitude of meandering lanes that are perfect for a stroll or leisurely cycle. People of any age will find much to do in the Cotswolds from viewing gardens, exploring stately homes, following wildlife trails and meeting animals at one of the many farm parks in the area. For arts and crafts enthusiasts towns like Chipping Campden will be a dream come true, as they once were the hub of the arts and crafts movements. This remnant of this can still be seen today in the multitude of galleries and museums that cover the region. For more interesting facts and information about this lovely holiday destination check out our infographic!

Vicky works alongside Cotswolds Journeys who provide Cotswold walking holidays. She loves to write travel articles especially those relating to UK destinations.

Enjoy!

If it was a question of football it would be easier. Spain the world champions, Portugal the promising veterans. Yet things aren’t so simple with these Iberian neighbours, both hugely popular travel destinations in their own right. Who comes out champions in the tourist stakes? That’s not something that can be settled too easily by both countries’ favourite sport.

So how to work out which destination edges out the other when it comes to offering up a hot and steamy travel destination? Let’s break this down into a face off between cities, culture, food and value. Let the battle commence!

Cities

Portugal’s capital Lisbon is a pretty enchanting destination full of ancient plazas, tall apartment buildings and lots of seafood and fish restaurants. But how does it compare to the Spanish capital of Madrid? Well, Madrid certainly tips the scales in terms of atmosphere and buzz (thanks to its larger population) but in terms of aestheticism Lisbon probably has the edge.

Yet Spain’s a diverse foe and has a wide bunch of intriguing cities that all help to pull in the tourist crowds. Barcelona jumps hoops over any Portuguese city in terms of beauty, but is its nightlife as vibrant and colourful as Porto’s? Scratch beneath the surface in Portugal and city-trips fall a bit thin. Spain’s got Valencia, San Sebastian, Granada and Seville to keep people busy too.

Final Score: Spain 1 – Portugal 0

Culture

Thanks to the two countries historical past and geographical proximity, anyone would find it a little bit dubious to say that the two cultures are vastly different. Spain, just like Portugal, is a late night country that thrives on outdoor terrace culture. Portugal, just like Spain, has plenty of party action all year round too.

So how do we draw a line between the two? Taking a glance at the language and people might help. Travel through Spain and you might well find it difficult to express yourself and get heard in the more remote towns and villages – even making simple requests can be hard thanks to the limited English in big cities. Portugal, on the other hand, has a much higher general level of English, making it much easier to get off the beaten track. As for whether there’s any truth in the argument that Portuguese people are much more closed? I’m not sure that Spain is vastly more open!

Final Score: Spain 1 – Portugal 1

Food

Paella and sangria pitchers, bacalao (fried cod) and Portuguese wine. Make no mistake, when these two countries do culinary battle things can certainly get messy. But who’s got the edge?

Spain’s tapas culture and the ability to stuff your self silly on the price of drinks alone (especially in places like Granada and Santiago de Compostela), takes some serious beating. Portugal’s colonially-infused cuisine, on the other hand, could be said to be a lot more varied. This one’s hard to call, ending in a tie-breaker.

Final Score: Spain 1 – Portugal 1

Value

So finally it’s down to the question of value to help bring victory to either one of these worth foes. Hop on over to Spain, the richer of the two economically, and you might have to pay some pretty big expenses to stay, eat and hop around the larger cities. Portugal, especially in smaller populated regions, is decidedly cheaper.

But does that mean it has the best value? Surely paying to stay in a city like Madrid, where you can museum hop on certain nights for free, is sure to be up there in terms of bang for the erm, Euro. Portugal just doesn’t have the same level of attractions outside of his it’s lovely coastline.

Final Score: Spain 2 – Portugal 1

Conclusion

Although it’s a slim victory and Spain scrapes a victory, in no way can anyone snub a trip out to Portugal. These two Iberian titans should be sampled in their own right, free from any flimsy football-inspired scoring system!

1. Kayak:

This has been a popular holiday booking website for years and has recently made the switch to app form so that that users can use it on the go. If you have limited time to book your vacation package, then use Kayak to quickly select flights, hotels and even car rentals all at once. You can search for packages by price in order to get the greatest deals, or you can choose to opt for the highest rated hotels. The app is available for iPhones and well as the iPad.

2. Priceline Car and Hotel Negotiator:

Not all holidays require a plane to get to. In fact, some people are in the market for inclusive holiday deals that don’t require you to travel at all. In these cases, you might be searching for the best possible deals on hotel rooms and meals. Priceline is a simple to use app for smartphones that allows you to name your own price and find a hotel that fits your budget. Or, you can negotiate directly with a hotel. In some cases, the hotels will offer all inclusive deals with meals, airport transfers and even children’s activities during the hotel stay.

3. Orbitz:

For travellers who want to find the best all inclusive packages, the Orbitz app is a great place to start looking. It allows you to save money when you book things like your hotel, your car and even your flights. Having everything booked in one convenient transaction makes planning a holiday much simpler and more efficient. You can save your information to your smartphone or device so that booking in the future can be done with just a few touches of the screen.

4. Club Med:

This company is well known as being one of the most popular options for all inclusive holidays. They offer destinations around the world and provide meals, lodging, drinks and a range of activities for one single price. If you want to learn more about the various destinations, take a look at package and prices or book a holiday yourself, the Club Med mobile app is simple to use and makes the whole process easier than ever.

Book an all-inclusive holiday package with Travel City Direct and see how much money you could save on a family holiday!

So, here is the list of 5 best Snowboarding and Skiing destinations in the world:

Aspen / Colorado / USA. Aspen is the most popular ski resort in America and one of the most well-known throughout the world. The number of resorts in the world that can equal the Aspen can be counted on the fingers of both hands. The resort is located 2,400 meters above sea level in the Rocky Mountains. Although Aspen is known for its image as a ski resort, in reality there are unlimited opportunities for fun for the entire year. Despite the fact that the snow disappears completely in the summer, the resort is no less attractive for its perfect conditions for playing golf and watching amazingly beautiful mountain landscapes.

Zermatt / Switzerland. In the southern part of Switzerland near the Italian border, is one of the most famous Swiss ski resorts – Zermatt. It is situated at the foot of the Matterhorn, 1,600 meters above sea level. The peak for itself is known for its shape in the form of a pyramid. Alps became forever a classic resort, when it comes to winter ski vacation.

Queenstown / New Zealand. It is often referred to as New Zealand, the country with the most beautiful scenery. And it is hardly accidental. In fact, here you will find the most scenic and spectacular mountain scenery to the south of the equator. Queenstown is located only about 320 meters above sea level, but it is surrounded by impressive mountains of the Southern Alps, which are covered with fluffy snow in the winter.

Niseko / Japan. In the southwest part of Hokkaido is the most important ski resort in Japan Niseko. In winter, this is one of the most attractive places for the Japanese, who, because of the tradition is very much tied to nature. The most interesting thing here is that the stunning views of Mount Yotei Mont. Hence the volcanic cone is revealed in all its charms. The biggest advantage here is that all very well kept – from the ski runs and reaching to the conditions of the hotel. And it’s not surprising – it’s all the same and there is Japan. In winter there is very heavy falls of snow. In fact, a little known fact is that the island of Hokkaido is one of the snowiest places in the world.

Courchevel / France / EU. Courchevel is one of the best ski resorts in Europe and it is located near the border with Italy in the south-eastern France. The resort is known as a vacation spot for tourists with good financial resources, and many believe that it is the most prestigious ski resort in the world. It offers more than 100 ski slopes, and the quality of tourist product is hardly necessary to say. However, this is France – the most visited country in the world. It is a country that has a long tradition in welcoming and serving tourists. Like everything else in France, Courchevel is the place to visit people with style and taste.

So, in general these are the 5 best Snowboarding and Skiing destinations in the world that is mandatory to visit for every winter sport lovers.