This post was sponsored by FamilyGetaway.com, the first advertiser on the Family Travel Ad Network, a partnership amongst Ciao Bambino, Delicious Baby, Travel Savvy Mom, The Vacation Gals, Trekaroo, See Jane Fly, and Traveling Mom.

I am forever in search of a great deal.  I get a thrill out of digging through the clearance racks at department stores,  squeal when produce is in season and a fraction of the normal cost, and I LOVE to travel well for less.   Getting a great deal on lodging means I can dedicate more of our vacation budget to sampling local cuisine or visiting regional attractions.  So when I found out that FamilyGetaway.com offers discounted family vacation packages for up to 65% off, I just had to test it out for myself.

The first thing I loved about FamilyGetaway.com was that all the hotel packages listed on their site are family-friendly.  It is nice to search for a bargain vacation package that’s already got your kids in mind.

The next thing that interested me were the different search functions, families can use to find the perfect vacation spot.  Parents can search by destination, interests (aka awesome kid pools), or property type.  Whether you want to spend a week in San Diego, take advantage of some fabulous kids’ clubs or be pampered at an all-inclusive resort, FamilyGetaway’s search tool will easily find a package to fit your needs.

Finally, the most interesting feature on FamilyGetaway is its Ebay-style auctions.  Families have the opportunity to get spectacular hotel deals by either bidding on packages or choosing the “buy it now” option.  How well does it work? I decided to put the entire experience to the test.

I love taking my family down to San Diego. Between Sea World, the zoo, and Legoland, my pre-school twins are always eager to vacation there. I bid the minimum, $767, on a hotel package at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa near San Diego which included:

• 3 nights in an estate room with 2 queen beds and a private balcony or patio
• A welcome gift basket upon arrival, including children’s snacks and juices
• Breakfast for up to four each morning at the resort’s restaurant
• $100 resort credit, good for food and beverages and activities
• Movie rental on one evening of your choice, including turndown service with milk and cookies
• Taxes & resort fees

According to the website, the package I was bidding on had a $1322 retail value. I also saw that there was a date range for availability (Oct 3, 2010- March 31, 2011) and that there were a few black out dates to avoid.  Upon bidding, I discovered there a $40 handling fee, which brought my total to $807.  However, shortly before bidding, a screen popped up informing me that if I signed up for the FamilyGetaway newsletter,  I would get $100 off my first booking so my total was now, in fact, $707.  Then I searched popular hotel booking websites such as hotels.com and found the price of the exact room without all the listed perks plus taxes and fees was $297 a night ($891 all-in). Add in all the perks and the Earnshaw family is in for a great deal.

After I bid, I received email confirmation of my bid letting me know that I was the current high bidder and that I would receive an email if anyone outbid me.  Lucky for me, nobody did and I won my $1322 package for only $707!!!  Woohoo!  Once I won the auction, FamilyGetaway processed the payment and asked me to submit my top three travel date ranges ranked in order of preference.   FamilyGetaway’s concierge department then works with the property to confirm your travel dates and then sends you the reservation number plus any other pertinent information.

One concern I did have was just how often families got their first preference on travel dates. I was reassured that the majority of customers get their first choice.  However if a customer is not flexible with their dates, two things they can do are:

1.  Call the hotel and check availability for those dates.

2.  Use the Buy Now option.  For that option, a customer does not have to pay for the package if FamilyGetaway.com’s concierge cannot get their dates confirmed.

The deals were real and the experience really was that easy!

The Steal:  Get 10% off any FamilyGetaway Package!

Details, Details: Now through November 15, 2010, families will receive an additional 10% off their hotel package by entering the promo code: FGFall10* at checkout.  That’s 10% off an already heavily discounted package.  What a bargain!  Visit FamilyGetaway.com for details.

You can also get another $100 off your next FamilyGetaway package by signing up for their newsletter.

What is Monday Madness?

Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal.  It could be a green water bottle, a hotel stay on Maui or theme park tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.

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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

Welcome to

One of the biggest reasons families don’t travel is cost.  Lodging can be very pricey and sometimes, camping is just not a practical option.  Luckily, there is still another inexpensive option- hostels.  I will be honest, up until recently, I thought hostels were only for backpackers. I couldn’t have been more wrong.  There are some wonderful hostels across the country that welcome families.  Many of these hostels are small and quite popular, so its important to book them early.

Once again Lydie has put together a wonderful list of family friendly hostels.  Many of these hostels are small but popular, which means they book up for the summer season early.  But if you can plan ahead, these special spots can save you a good chunk of change. Here is a sample of some of the hostels that made the list:

Hedonisia on Hawaii’s Big Island:

Explore the Big Island without breaking the bank.  Located in a tropical rain forest, this hostel focuses on eco-friendly practices and embraces the natural beauty of its surroundings.  Kids will enjoy helping harvest fruits and vegetables grown on the property and adults will get a kick out of the solar heated outdoor shower.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, CA:

Photo Courtesy norcalhostels.org

50 miles south of San Francisco is a hostel with a view worth planning your entire vacation around.  Not only is this hostel situation on the dramatic Central California coast, it also sits at the base of one of the tallest lighthouses in America.  Elephant Seals mate nearby, tide pools abound, and the sheltered beach provides gentle waves which are great for kids to frolic in.  After the kids go to bed, be sure to sneak on over to the hot tub to enjoy one amazingly romantic ocean view.

Lazy Lizard Hostel in Moab, UT:

The dramatic beauty and plethora of outdoor activities, make Moab a great destination for families who love to add a little adventure to their vacation experience. The Lazy Lizard is rustic and very inexpensive, with a kitchen, laundry, barbeque, a hot tub, and showers in site. Families can choose from private rooms or log cabins.

The Pirate Haus Inn and Hostel in St. Augustine, Florida:

This hostel just sounds like fun! With 5 private rooms in crazy themes such as the Pirate Room, the Jungle Room, and the Tropical Fish Room, you family is sure to have a one of a kind experience staying in this hostel. The private rooms include their own bathrooms, which is a nice perk that many hostel visitors don’t often get to enjoy. Be sure to enjoy some time on the rooftop patio and all the pirate themed fun in the surrounding community. Be aware that there are nineteen stairs which must be climbed in order to reach the rooms and no elevator, so pack lightly!

Interested to see what other locations made the list? Then be sure to check out the Family Friendly Hostels list here.

Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?

Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about.  Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo!  Link up something fresh from your blog using the Mr Linky below. 

PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Step 1: Pick a recent post (past couple of days)

Step 2: Under “Name” write: “Title of your blog post (blog name)” – blog name in parenthesis
Under “url” paste: the link to your blog post (not your home page)

Step 3: Grab the Spotlight Thursday image and link to this post so your readers can see who else is playing along this week.

We want to be sure that everyone who participates in Spotlight Thursdays gets their moment in the spotlight so blogs that don’t link back will unfortunately have to be removed.

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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

Welcome to

Have all our posts on kid-friendly National Parks inspired you to hit the road and take your kids to experience first hand some of the most fascinating places in America? Well, wait no more, because this is your chance to visit for free. Every year, there are a few weekends where the National Park Service waives entrance fees to it’s National Parks. One of those weekends is coming up on Aug 14-15. You’ll be able to get into all 392 National Parks in 49 states across America for FREE. That gives you just enough time to plan your last summer jaunt before the mad rush to prepare for “back to school”.

Cape Cod National Seashore - Photo by: Flickr/hdreisler

Although the parks may be more crowded during these fee-free weekends, there are good reasons to brave the crowds! In addition to the fee-free entrance, there will special events at most of the National Parks that weekend like Ranger-led programs with free instruction and equipment loans. So, whether you are up for snorkeling at Cape Cod National Seashore, kayaking at DeSoto, or canoeing in Congraree or Big Cypress, this is the time to do it.  Check out all the special deals park concessionaires are offering during fee-free weekends. 

• Special Deals on Activities in National Parks
• Special Events Going on at National Parks During Aug 14 and 15, Fee-Free Weekend
  

Battle Reenactment at Fort Stanwix - Photo by nps.gov

Would you like to see firing demonstrations at a military encampment? They’ll be oiling their cannons and guns at Antietam, Gettysburg, Fort Laramie, Fort McHenry, Fort Vancouver, Fort Stanwix, Fort Matanzas, Kings Mountain, Wilson Creek, Kennesaw Mountain, and Yorktown.

Dancing at at National Park? Yup, you got that right! At San Juan Islands, the Pig War Band will be playing some tunes you can’t resist tapping your toes to. You will also find Cajun music at Jean Lafitte, Ojibwe music at Grand Portage, mountain music at Blue Ridge Parkway, folk songs at Carl Sanburg, classical music at Saint Gaudens and even dulcimer music on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

If you can’t make it in August, there are couple more dates coming up before the end of the year.  So plan ahead.

• September 25, 2010 (Public Lands Day)
• November 11, 2010 (Veterans Day)

Plan your trip to a National Park with reviews and tips from Trekaroo families:

Quick links to kid-friendly activities and lodging in:

Acadia National Park | Grand Canyon National Park | Olympic National Park | Rocky Mountain National Park | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Yosemite National Park | National Monuments

Popular National Park Tips:

• Best Hikes for Tykes in Yosemite National Park
• Trekaroo Families’ Favorite Things to Do with Kids in Yosemite National Park
• 15 Family Friendly National Park Adventures
• National Park Junior Ranger Program
• 5 National Monuments Your Family Should Visit
• 5 family-friendly hikes in Yellowstone National Park
• Bryce National Park with Kids

Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?

Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about.  Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo!  Link up something fresh from your blog using the Mr Linky below.  PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Step 1: Pick a recent post (past couple of days)

Step 2: Under “Name” write: “Title of your blog post (blog name)” – blog name in parenthesis
Under “url” paste: the link to your blog post (not your home page)

Step 3: Grab the Spotlight Thursday image and link to this post so your readers can see who else is playing along this week.

We want to be sure that everyone who participates in Spotlight Thursdays gets their moment in the spotlight so blogs that don’t link back will unfortunately have to be removed.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

LiLing Pang is co-founder of Trekaroo - a reviews website dedicated to traveling with kids

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

For a vacation idea that’s made to order, consider a timeshare rental when you travel with kids. Vacationing this way can really be a custom family vacation to fit your needs because of these three reasons:

1. The variety in size and style of the resorts.
2.  An abundance of destination choices.
3. They are budget friendly!

Do you want to take your family on a vacation to the Bahamas? To Hawaii? To a
National Park? To a Theme Park? All of these destinations, and more, are family-
affordable by renting budget timeshares. On a per person basis, a timeshare rental can be
as much as 50% less than hotels. And there’s no comparison in the space you get for your
money. On the one hand you can have a cramped hotel room; on the other you get real
bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, and best of all a fully-equipped kitchen. You’ll
almost always have a balcony or patio, often a whirlpool tub, and maybe even a working
fireplace.

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Many resorts offer an area where you can barbecue. Speaking of which, having your
own kitchen is a wonderful convenience and a great money-saver. It’s an easy way
to feed those constantly hungry kids, while saving on the cost of meals. Often resorts
will pre-stock your kitchen with groceries to your specifications, and most are close to
supermarkets and sometimes even a farmer’s market.

Separate bedrooms means you can put the little ones to bed in a quiet room while the
rest of the family enjoys television, games, movies, etc., in the living room, knowing that
your late night activities won’t disturb the youngsters.  Try doing that in a hotel room.
And one of the main advantages of a timeshare rental is that it’s attached to a resort.
Many of the resort’s amenities will be included in your one low timeshare rental price.
That means that everything from swimming pools (often with water park features) and
hot tubs to tennis, golf, volleyball, arcade rooms, bocci ball tournaments, arts and crafts,
dance lessons, Kids Clubs, or just about anything else you can think of, might just be part
of your resort experience.

So go the non-traditional route and plan to stay in a kid friendly timeshare rental for
your next vacation.  It just might become your family’s traditional vacation from now on!

RedWeek.com is the largest online marketplace for timeshares. Owners sell, rent, or exchange their timeshares. Travelers find luxury accommodations for pricing less than typical hotel rooms. Try a timeshare rental for your next vacation.

Did you know that you can rent timeshares? It’s one of the biggest secrets in the industry and we want to share it with you because timeshare properties are perfect when traveling with kids. Separate bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, dining and living room areas and located on some of the best kid-friendly resort properties around the world.

Related article: Hot Travel Tip for Families – Rent a Timeshare

Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu

For example, one Trekaroo member raves about her timeshare rental experience,

“We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village by renting a timeshare there through RedWeek.  We have four kids ranging in age from 2 to 14 and were thrilled with it.  The fact that it’s right on the beach allowed our 12 and 14 year old kids to go to the beach when they wanted…great to have the kiddie pool and the playground for our two youngest.  And being a timeshare unit, we had space that allowed all of us to relax… Great experience for all of us.” – travelnut

You can read travelnut’s reviews on other RedWeek.com timeshare rentals that her family’s stayed at in her Trekaroo passport.

The Deal: Free Redweek.com Membership

After researching all the timeshare rental providers, Trekaroo is partnering with RedWeek.com to bring you kid-friendly timeshares properties you can rent. Together, we’ve identified hundreds of family-friendly timeshare resort properties around the world in their database. That’s not it.

They are also offering Trekaroo members FREE annual membership to RedWeek.com (Value: $14.99). Go to http://www.redweek.com/promo/trekaroo for more details.

If you’re trying to figure out where to stay this summer with the family, sign-up and check out RedWeek’s kid-friendly inventory. Here are their top family-friendly destinations.

Harborside Resort at Atlantis

• California
• Florida - Including Disney properties like the Wilderness Lodge (2 bedroom for $308/night)
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Virginia

Want to head further south? Checkout out these kid-friendly timeshare rentals:

• Caribbean
• Mexico

Related articles:

• Traveling on a Budget – The Art of Eating In
• Family Travel Tips for Roaming on a Budget

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Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids. Trekaroo is an affiliate of RedWeek.com. We would normally make a small commission off of the annual membership, but since they’re giving it to us for free. All the value goes to you. Enjoy!

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA