Tag Archives: summer 2012

Ireland with Children: Reasons to Visit Ireland in 2012

I’m Irish so naturally Ireland is always going to be near the top of my list of places to recommend for family travel but right now is a particularly good time to visit and here’s why…

Legacies of the Celtic Tiger Boom
Dublin Airport’s new Terminal 2 opened in November 2010. It is, as BigB said “Very fancy, futuristic even.” And it is. All shining glass and steel with wide open spaces and lots of great light its a tremendous improvement to the airport. For me, having a smooth and fairly pleasant experience just getting in and out of the country help set a good tone for our visit.

Infrastructure in Ireland has improved vastly over the past fifteen years. It’s easier to get from the airport out into the country and now there are motorways linking Dublin with other major cities (Belfast, Cork and Galway).

Motorway tolls are automatic. You may think this is trivial bu if you’ve ever had to sit in the waiting line for the toll plaza on the M50 (Dublin’s ring road) with an infant screaming in the back of your car you’d understand why, to me, this is a huge improvement.

There are new family-friendly tourist attractions such as the Sea Life Aquarium in Bray and Dublin’s Children’s Museum. Around the country historic sites such as the passage graves at Newgrange have improved visitor facilities with cafes and informative displays so that you can get more out of your visit.

Indirect Legacies
The wealth years have left Ireland with a many great new hotels and resorts and the whole country looks as if it’s been spruced up. Freshly painted and newly whitewashed main streets in pretty villages up and down the country look even more charming.

Side-Effects of the Crash
On our recents visits to Ireland my husband has commented on how surprising it is that the country doesn’t appear more dreary – given the extreme economic deceleration that’s happened. That said, on our last visit (April 2012) we did notice that restaurant food prices appear to be falling which is a nice bonus for visitors: a hearty and filling cooked breakfast for 5 euros anyone?

While driving in Ireland we heard a radio interview with the head of IDA Ireland. This development authority is busy at work trying to bring international investors back to the Emerald Isle. Indeed, during the interview, he says that they have had some “encouraging discussions” driven by falling local labor costs and an educated, English-speaking workforce.

This is another reason why now is an excellent time to visit Ireland. If the IDA is successful, increased employment will create upward pressure on prices. If they are not successful, sadly, there won’t be enough money available for maintenance of those new roads, buildings and tourist facilities.

Right now is a sweet spot for any tourist who’s ever had a hankering to see if that fabled Irish Cead Mile Failte (a hundred thousand welcomes) is real or not.

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Information on traveling to Ireland with kids.

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Would You Go To Greece in Summer 2012?

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I was talking to a co-worker about vacation destinations recently. The conversation went something like this:
Him: “Yes, we had a really great time in Hawaii. My wife and kids loved it. I think we should try something similar but outside the U.S. next time.”
Me: “You should go to Greece. The Greek Islands are one of my favorite places in the world.”
Him (eyebrows almost into his hairline): “You’re kidding, right?”
Me (honestly confused): “Why?”
Him: “Ah, political unrest? Riots? Seriously, are you crazy?”

The truth is that I don’t think I’m crazy. I would go back to Greece in 2012 if I could and I do think he should consider it for his next family vacation.
True, there’s a lot that’s wrong about the Greek economy at the moment. True, there’s a risk of instability in that country, but, well, check out this photo:

That photo was taken on a ferry between Kos and Paros in late July 2011. Doesn’t it look just idyllic? Cerulean blue sea and sky, peaceful from end to end. Just days before this photo was taken there were major riots in Athens. Throughout the time we were relaxing in the Cyclades, there were riots, protests and sit-ins in major Greek cities. You can check, there’s even a wikipedia page on the subject. But I posit that no-one riots against tourists. Why would they? You’re helping them dig out of their economic mess.

All that said, here’s a few things I would keep in mind if I were planning a trip to Greece in 2012.

Be prepared for travel disruptions related to striking transportation workers. Allow an extra day or two between returning home and starting work for example. Even families can work around this. When we arrived in Athens off the boat from Paros the taxis were on strike so we took the bus to the airport. Buses run all day long, the bus ride is much cheaper than a taxi and it’s yet another reason to travel light so you can be flexible.

Bring extra cash. This one was a bit of a surprise for us. For our first few days on the islands we couldn’t get money out of any ATM. We assumed that this was related to the overall currency issue. Credit cards still worked but if I were heading to the Greek Islands tomorrow I’d bring enough cash to cover 3-5 days of expenses just in case.

Local accommodation vendors flocked to meet the ferries arriving on Paros. According to a local we spoke to, these small proprietors of family hotels and bed-and-breakfasts were the worst affected by lower numbers of tourists. To me, that spells an opportunity to get good deals on charming locally-hosted accommodation. Arrange your in-country transport so that you arrive at your final destination early in the day so that you have time to check out some properties before making your decision. If that’s not your cup of tea, research in advance and negotiate over email or by phone for best rates at your desired property. As a family, we opted to find accommodation on arrival in a number of places (including Kos). The trick is for one parent to take the kids for food or to the beach while the other checks out available properties.

There you have it. I bet you’ll find specials on flights and package holidays to Greece in 2012. If you’re willing to take a (small) risk you can do your bit to help the Greek economic troubles. I only wish I could be there too!

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Summer Vacation 2012 – Planning

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If you’re like me, you’ve just about put away your holiday decorations. You’re shocked that the stores have Valentine’s candy out already and you haven’t even considered what you’ll be doing for Spring Break yet. Summer? Summer is months away!
I know, I know, we’re all rushed and short on time. But, to get the best deal for your summer vacation in 2012, I encourage you to take a little time now. Follow the steps below and do a little homework now (Yes!, I do mean in January). It’ll put you in the best position to get the most out of your time and budget this coming summer.

Pick your summer vacation dates
When does your child’s school break up for the summer? Would a family vacation at the start or the end of the long summer break suit better? Or maybe in the middle to break up the time?
Keep in mind that there isn’t a worldwide master school vacation schedule. Summer vacation starts and ends at different times in other countries – and that can work to your advantage. In the UK for example, schools only break for six weeks from mid-July. In Germany, the summer break start date and duration varies by province. If you plan to travel internationally, timing your vacation to happen when local families are still in school will help your budget.

Set your summer vacation budget
The budget. Unfortunately forward planning doesn’t remove the hard dollars and cents constraints around vacation planning but at this early stage you can have a little fun (no, honestly, I mean it). Make a list of your desired vacation destinations. Research costs for food, transport and entertainment at those destinations – all the information you need is available on the internet, in guidebooks or from tourist information services. Create an approximate daily budget as (# people X # days X $ food+transport+entertainment). I know, you’re waiting on the fun part – we’ll get there…

Here’s the thing – which is a little counter-intuitive: you don’t have to pick a destination yet. If you’ve got this far, you’ve now pulled together vacation costs for number of destinations. With this data you might already know that Destination A is too expensive or you’re surprised at how affordable Destination B is. Now, you can narrow your list down to a two or three possible destinations and let the internet work for you to get the best vacation your money can buy.

Look for summer travel deals
This is the fun part. You’re ahead of the crowd. You’re an early bird. There are tools out there to help you use that to your advantage – particularly to help your budget. Use YAPTA or FareCompare to help you find the best price for flights. Register for deals emails on Expedia, Kayak, or Vayama. If you have a favorite hotel brand, see if they have a newsletter or email list where you can sign up for special offers. These days many travel vendors use Facebook or Twitter to post internet specials. Enroll in any and all of these that are relevant for your search and sit back and watch the information come rolling into your inbox. In the meantime you can research fun things to see and do on your vacation.

This is where the budgeting exercise above really helps. Since you already know the vacation costs without any deals, special offers or discounts, you’ll be able to identify the best offers from the dross when you see them. Remember that deals aren’t always price discounts, sometimes a deal means more goodies (breakfast, drinks, a larger room) for the same amount of money.

So there you have it. Join the early-planning crowd and save money planning your summer vacation 2012 – and let me know how you get on, won’t you?

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