Vacation Mavens

186 Best Florida Hotels Resorts

185 Tips for Finding Hotel Deals

184 Wine Tasting Tips and Wine Travel

183 Tips for Saving for Travel

182 Catskills NY

181 Use Points to Fly Your Family for Free

180 Visiting Hawaii During Covid

179 What to Expect at Ski Resorts this Winter

Lake Tahoe is a great outdoors destination with plentiful vacation rental homes perfect for social distancing. This week we chat with Leslie Harvey from Trips with Tykes about her family's experience visiting the Lake Tahoe area in the winter and the summer. Find out her favorite ski resorts for families, the differences between North Lake and South Lake and California side and Nevada side. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 07:55 - Talking with Leslie Harvey 09:05 - Where to go in Lake Tahoe 12:58 - Winter destinations 14:00 - Ski Resorts 17:55 - When to go 19:50 - Where to stay 22:05 - Outdoor/Water Activities 23:30 - FInal tips 27:35 - Ski clothing tip 30:10 - Giveaways! ABOUT LESLIE HARVEY Leslie Harvey is a family travel writer who publishes the blog Trips With Tykes. She co-hosts both the Disney Deciphered and Disneyland with Kids podcasts and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Follow Leslie on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. TIPS FOR VISITING LAKE TAHOE Lake Tahoe covers a huge area between California and Nevada. If you were to drive all the way around the lake it would take a solid two hours. There are so many different towns and scenes around the lake. The Nevada side of the lake has more of your party scene with the casinos and big resorts. While the California side and part of the North side of the lake on the Nevada side are the more family-friendly areas. If you have never been to Lake Tahoe before the towns of Truckee, Kings Beach and Tahoe City are great spots to find reasonably-priced lodging. Especially if you are going with kids. The town of Kings Beach is located right along the water at the north end of the lake and is a great destination for a winter vacation. There are a lot of great vacation rentals and it is in a great location to be able to easily get to a lot of different ski resorts. Northstar Ski Resort is a great place to take kids skiing. The resort has a great ski school as well as tubing, an ice rink and even a daycare for non-skiing kids. Diamond Peak Ski Resort is also a great resort to take kids skiing. It’s not as well known but one big plus about this resort for families is that the kids ski free! Summer is the most popular time for vacationers to visit Lake Tahoe. If you want to go in the warm months, the lake will be warmest from late July to early August. Though the lake is most crowded in the summer months there are ways to avoid major crowded areas. If you are looking to really avoid crowds and maybe get better deals on lodging, the month of September will be your best bet. It will not be as crowded as the summer months but it is usually still decently warm and prices will go down being that it is out of peak season. Though the water is mostly too cold to really swim in, you can rent a boat and explore, go kayaking, fishing, take cruise tours, etc. Off the lake there are some great hiking areas and the ski resort trails actually turn into mountain biking trails if you are like to do that. Driving times can be a little tricky both in the summer with the crowds and the winter with the weather. You really need to be prepared to rearrange your plans in the winter if you are relying on driving places. Depending on the weather, roads do close quite often and it is not just smaller roads that will close but highways too. You will really want to keep that in mind when you are planning a winter vacation to Lake Tahoe. If you are planning to go this winter you really want to do your research for Covid restrictions. Make sure that things will work for you and you will be comfortable going. Some ski resorts you will require reservations. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Leslie recommends that if you have younger kids you should really think about buying gender neutral clothing, especially if you have boys and girls. Ski gear is so expensive and buying neutral colors will make it easier to pass them down to your younger kids or even to cousins. Getting the most out of the gear seeing as kids grow out of clothing so fast. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST First Timer’s Guide to Lake Tahoe Northstar Ski Resort Diamond Peak Ski Resort The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe

178: Visiting Lake Tahoe

Wondering what it is like to visit one of the Florida theme parks during these COVID times? This week the Mavens chat with Rob Taylor from 2TravelDads to get his take on the safety protocols at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Find out what you need to know to decide whether or not now is a good time to visit Orlando. ON THE PODCAST This podcast is sponsored by Moon Travel Guides. Learn more about The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips in the USA. All opinions are our own. 00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 04:10 - Talking with Rob Taylor 06:40 - Feeling comfortable with travel 12:40 - Transportation for the parks 15:25 - Social distancing on rides 21:15 - Available Passes 24:05 - Arriving at the park 26:45 - Food at the park 33:30 - Final tips 37:16 - Rob's Travel Gear 39:20 - Up next for Rob and his family ABOUT ROB TAYLOR Rob Taylor is the founder of 2TravelDads, the original LGBT Family Travel blog. Focusing on ecotourism and education, 2TravelDads inspires LGBT families (and traditional families also) to go beyond their usual getaways and use travel to learn about and be part of a bigger world. "Traveling the globe and giving the kids a broad worldview." Follow Rob on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. TIPS FOR VISITING DISNEY WORLD Visiting an amusement park may not be in your comfort zone yet, due to the pandemic. You should research the protocols in place carefully and see if travel is something your family feels comfortable with at this time. Shuttle, Monorail, moving walkways, and trams are all still operating (with limited capacity and social distancing). Though keep in mind that some of these may not be 100% enforced -- Disney is much better about enforcing protocols than Universal from what Rob has observed. Stay observant of your surroundings. If one area of the park is getting more packed than you are comfortable with, try to explore another area of the park. Each park is probably going to manage ride spacing differently. Disney ride lines have markers for where to stand and the zig-zag parts will have extra spacing so that you are not stopped directly next to someone, or plexiglass walls separating each zig-zag portion from the next. Just because there is reduced capacity at the parks doesn't mean ride lines will necessarily be shorter. In the case of Disney, they will frequently close down a ride in order to deep clean the seats and handles to help minimize any potential germ spread. You can still purchase Express Passes with your ticket at Universal Orlando, or receive them free if you are staying at one of their premium properties that includes Express Passes. Disney FastPass+ is not currently available. Disney is very good at enforcing the rule where you can take masks off to eat and drink, but only while you are stationary. Universal also has designated areas that you can take off your mask even if you are not eating or drinking. Indoor dining seems to be managed very well compared to the outdoor mobile order dining. Everyone's comfort level is going to be different. Do your research beforehand if you want to find out the specifics for what they are doing to keep social distance, but keep in mind that anywhere can make these rules and signage but what makes the big difference is how well a place is enforcing these rules. Keep in mind that if you are planning to visit these parks that means that you will be traveling into Florida. Florida does not make it mandatory to wear masks. They have left it up to individual business on what they want to enforce. If you are coming from a stricter state this may be surprising to you. While the Parks themselves are stricter the state of Florida is different. Think beyond the Theme Park for your visit! FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Rob packs for travel based on the weather instead of focusing on any favorite items. He makes sure to add pieces that are colorful, to make for fun photos, and are comfortable. For shoes, he recommends shoes that are comfortable, versatile and NOT brand new! You should never break in shoes on a vacation. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Moon Travel Guides Disney World in COVID Universal During Coronavirus Disney vs Universal with COVID Disney vs Universal During Normal Life

177: Visiting Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando during COVID

Are you intrigued by the music, food, and culture of Cuba? Find out what it is like to travel to Cuba with kids as we speak to Deborah Haile, author of a series of children's books about traveling with kids. ON THE PODCAST This podcast is sponsored by Moon Travel Guides. Learn more about The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips in the USA. All opinions are our own. 00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 08:27 - Talking with Deborah 10:07 - Traveling to Cuba 17:28 - When to go 18:45 - How long to stay 23:19 - What to do 32:20 - Jonah’s Global Footprints book series 38:09 - Final Tips 42:11 - Deborah’s favorite travel gear 43:14 - Where she is heading next ABOUT DEBORAH HAILE Deborah Haile is the CEO of Tiny Global Footprints and the author of Jonah's Global Footprints book series. She holds a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from University of Minnesota. Deborha loves traveling the world with her son Jonah, and sees a world where working moms have the tools they need to be able to make international travel with their children a priority and a possibility. She is originally from Eritrea, but grew up in Minnesota, lived in Virginia and recently moved to Miami. She is extremely passionate about exposing children to global cultures. Follow Deborah on Instagram. TIPS FOR VISITING CUBA If you would like to plan a trip to Cuba after places start to open up fully, you should know that you can no longer stop there on a cruise trip. You will need to get an Advance Visa. You can get this online or go in person to the Cuban Embassy.  This is only one of the ways that you can travel to Cuba. There are different categories for traveling to Cuba for Americans, which include: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people (obtaining a Visa, staying at a Casa and eating at local restaurants); humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines. The best time to visit Cuba is between December and May, which is after hurricane season. 7-10 days is a good amount of time to give yourself to explore and take in what some of Cuba has to offer. Start in Havana and then rent a car to travel to places like Vinales or Varadero to experience more of Cuba. Keep in mind that you will have limited access to WiFi when in Cuba. This is a great opportunity to disconnect and immerse yourself in the culture around you, but you also need to be prepared. English is not widely spoken so if you are not a fluent Spanish speaker, you may want to brush up before your trip and look into a language program to teach yourself some basics in order for you to get around easier. Be aware that not all U.S.-issued credit cards will work in Cuba. Be sure to bring along plenty of cash, because finding an ATM can also be challenging in parts of the country. Packing light will make getting around that much easier, and you won't need much while you are there. Be aware that those cool old cars you see around Havana don't have seat belts. Plan accordingly if you feel you will need a carseat for your child on longer drives. You should also do a lot of preplanning for your trip before you leave. Since you will not have easy Internet or phone access, you will want to bring printed maps and information for the places that you are staying. You might also want to think about bringing a Spanish-language dictionary or printing up some phrases to help you with your travels. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Jonah's Global Footprints: The Search for Elephants in Thailand  

176: Travel to Cuba with kids

Yosemite National Park is a popular destination for families during all seasons. This week we talk to Preethi Harbuck from Local Passport Family about her many trips to Yosemite. We cover the best places to stay, good hikes with kids, and fun things to do in Yosemite.  Tamara also fills us in on her most recent glamping experience at the KOA in Lincoln / Woodstock, New Hampshire and how it compared to her stay at the Huttopia glamping resort nearby. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Tamara about her recent glamping trip 12:32 - Talking with Preethi about RVing 15:12 - What to keep in mind when visiting Yosemite 17:45 - Where to stay outside of the park 19:48 - How long to stay 21:50 - When to go 24:35 - Where to stay 26:40 - Activities and family-friendly hikes in Yosemite 29:55 - History of the Park 35:10 - Global Children’s Book Club 38:20 - Preethi’s Favorite Travel Gear 40:40 - What Preethi is doing now 41:20 - WINNER! ABOUT PREETHI HARBUCK Preethi is an exploring mom of 5 who writes about education and diversity in and through travel. She helps families recapture curiosity and connection by connecting with the world. Follow Preethi on her blog Local Passport Family, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. TIPS FOR VISITING YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK WITH KIDS Keep in mind that Yosemite National Park is popular and can get very, very busy. If you can you might want to plan your trip during off season. June, July, and August is peak season for the Park. Late May and September are ideal times to visit, but it can be very beautiful in the winter as well. If you are planning on camping in the park you will want to look into where you would like to go and make reservations far in advance. The Valley is the most popular camping area and you will need to make your reservations well in advance for your trip. Due to Covid restrictions you will now need to make reservations just to go into the park not just for camping. You will want to plan well in advance and avoid the disappointment of being turned away at the entrance. If you can’t get a reservation to stay and camp inside of the valley, you will be looking at a 45-60 minute drive to get there if you stay outside. Mariposa is one of the closest small towns to the Valley which has some hotels and even RV parks. If you want to take a trip and explore some of what Yosemite has to see, you will want to spend at least three days. You could make your trip longer and explore some more in Yosemite or you can travel a few more hours and visit a few other National Parks that are nearby. All four seasons in Yosemite are magical in their own way. But if you want to keep to the warmer weather, May or September are perfect! The park is going to be quieter than visiting in the main summer months but you will still have the beautiful weather. September will give you more dry weather to get out and explore, while in May the waterfalls will be big and the river flowing heavily, which is really incredible to see. The Upper Pines Campground is a great place to spend your time while visiting Yosemite. It is located in the Valley, right near the river and beautiful with tons of trees. From this campground you can access a lot of the Valley by bike. If you are willing to drive a little farther you can stay at the Rush Creek Lodge which is located right outside one of the entrances to the park. If you have young kids that may not be too into camping outside, this may be the place for you. They have a big game room, heated pool, playgrounds and every night they offer s'mores over the fire pit. Sentinel Dome Hike is a great hike to take with families. The hike is two miles and it doesn’t have a lot of elevation. The hike starts from Glacier Point Road, which unfortunately will be closed in 2021 for repairs. A great way to visit Mirror Lake is to bike up the trail. The ride is mostly flat making it great for families. You can rent bikes if you don’t have your own or don’t want to transport it. If you are interested in the history of Yosemite National Park you can visit the main visitors center that has an exhibit that takes about the Indigenous People who lived there. There is an old story called Two Bear Cubs that talks about the Miwok Native American People that lived on the land. This is a great book to read to your kids to help them learn more about the park's history. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Preethi loves her travel pants but she also loves to wear stretchy leggings with pockets on the sides so that she can store her phone. When she is hiking through water she loves her Chaco’s. ALSO MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Global Children’s Book Club Ultimate Guide to Yosemite with Kids Yosemite Camping Tips with Kids One Day in Yosemite with Kids How to Get a Free 4th Grade National Parks Pass Best Kids Hiking Gear Our Family's Favorites FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email at podcast@vacationmavens.com. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!

175: Visiting Yosemite National Park with Kids

Whether you are a frequent camper or a newbie, our guest this week, Catherine from To and Fro Family, offers up some great tips on camping with kids. We talk about how to find campgrounds, packing tips, and great ideas for entertaining young kids at the campsite. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking about Tamara’s Huttopia glamping trip 16:13 - Talking with Catherine 21:35 - How to choose your campground 30:30 - How to choose your campsite 32:55 - Camping in the Fall/Winter 35:20 - What to pack with Kids 42:15 - What to do at your campsite 46:55 - Planning for meals 52:27 - Catherine’s Favorite Gear 57:30 - Catherine’s Book 59:50 - Book Giveaway ABOUT CATHERINE RYAN GREGORY Catherine Ryan Gregory shares travel hacks and kid-friendly destinations to de-stress family travel. She founded the family travel website To & Fro Fam and is the author of Virtual Travel Activities for Kids. Follow Catherine on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. TIPS FOR CAMPING WITH KIDS The first thing you should do when picking your campground is figure out how far you want to drive. Next, think about the kind of terrain you want to camp at; in the mountains, by a lake/coast, or in the desert. Campgrounds offer different amenities and campsite locations. Some campgrounds are first-come-first-served. With first-come-first-serve campsites, the sooner you get there, the better chance you will be able to grab one of these spots. Going on a weekday can help with this since the weekends will usually fill up fast. Keep in mind that first-come-first-serve campgrounds have different rules/restrictions. Some have restrictions on how long you are allowed to stay at the site. Make sure to check this out if you are planning to get a spot at one of these campgrounds because some sites have a one-night limit! Before booking your campsite make sure to double check the amenities that the campground offers. This is especially important if you would like to have certain amenities and services. If you plan on taking a camping trip in the fall or winter months when it will be colder, you really want to make sure that you are checking the high and the low temperatures for the time you are going. Make sure that your sleeping bag is rated for the colder temperatures and you may also want to pack some more layers for the night time. No matter what time of year you are planning on taking a camping trip you want to check to see what the weather is supposed to be like and plan accordingly. If there is any chance it might rain when you are camping, you might want to think about bringing a kind of canopy so that you are not stuck completely inside your tent for the times that it rains. Less is more when it comes to clothes. You can always rewear if they are not too dirty. For kids you don’t need to change their clothes everytime they get dirty. Just let them go and be dirty! Minimizing the changes of clothes will help you downsize your packing. You are already bringing a lot of other supplies, you don’t need to bring a huge suitcase with clothes on top of that. One item that you don’t want to under pack on is wipes. Especially if you have younger kids having wipes to clean their feet and hand, and even their face, without having to make the trek to the bathroom that may not be all that close to your campsite to get clean. In regards to your meals, you might want to prep as much as you can before your trip. Depending on what you are eating that might just mean cutting up potatoes, vegetables and mixing them with seasoning and oil in a bag. Then for your meal you can pull the bag out of the cooler and using some foil pour some of this mix in with a burger or meat and heat it up. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Catherine loves all things REI. The quality of the items they have gotten from them have lasted them for years! Catherine loves to use her fanny packs but recently she has not needed to wear them because of the Alder Apparel pants that she has fallen in love with that have lots of pockets and are super comfortable. Along with that she loves Columbia and Eddie Bauer, that make up the majority of her summer clothing. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Tamara's Huttopia White Mountains review Fun family camping hacks The best way to pack a cooler for your camping trip Outdoor art projects for kids when camping Recreation.gov Hipcamp Tentrr Digital Courses during Covid  FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email at podcast@vacationmavens.com. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!

174: Family Camping Tips

This week on the podcast, Kim fills us in on her summer family vacation to Olympic National Park and Mt. Rainier National Park in her home state of Washington. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Kim about her recent vacation 02:50 - Olympic National Park 08:08 - Waterfall Hikes 10:45 - Where to stay 23:20 - Mount Rainier 29:38 - How long to spend 34:15 - National park pass 35:44 - Final tips TIPS FOR VISITING OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK & MT. RAINIER The main visitors' center for Olympic National Park is on the northern end of the park by Port Angeles. Since all of the visitor centers are closed due to the pandemic things are a bit different than they normally would be. They do however have park rangers there that have trail maps and Junior Ranger booklets, who are willing to answer any questions that you may have. Other National Parks may have different offerings so you may want to look that up before heading out. If you make this a longer trip you can even take a ferry into Victoria, Canada from Port Angeles. Unfortunately right now due to Covid they have canceled all sailings until November 30, 2020. If you are planning a trip after that, check out the website for Black Ball Ferry Line for updates on their status. If you like hikes and wild flowers you should definitely check out the Hurricane Ridge hike in Olympic National Park. When you get to the summit you can see great views of the mountains and you can actually see into Canada. Marymere Falls is another great waterfall hike and you can take a swim in Lake Crescent while you are there. Or if the water is too cold you can enjoy a nice lunch by the lake. The Woodland Inns is a great little place to stay while visiting the park. They also have a great contactless system setup for checking in/out. Since they are individual cabins they will give you a code to a key box and they will text you the code and make sure that you have everything you need before you get there. Visiting Mount Rainier has some great hikes but depending on the weather you might not see much of the mountain. The parking lots in Mount Rainier fill up really fast so if you plan on visiting you may want to get an early start. You should also keep in mind that there is not much in the way of food when you go to Mount Rainier so bring a lunch and snacks. Also make sure that you go in with a full tank of gas. Keep in mind that when you are planning a trip anywhere right now, you should think about also planning on food options and do some research on what places offer or if they are even open. This is one thing that you never really had to worry about before Covid but now it can cause you and your family some unnecessary stress. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Hoh Rain Forest Walk Woodland Inns Tree of Life Lake Quinault Mount Rainier National Park Epic Olympic National Park Itinerary - Stuffed Suitcase How to get a National Park Pass - Stuffed Suitcase FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email at podcast@vacationmavens.com. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!

173: Olympic National Park and Mt Ranier

Kim and Tamara both managed to pull off a socially-distanced, outdoor-focused vacation this summer not too far from home. Tune in this week to hear all about Tamara's summer vacation in the Adirondacks in New York and her cabin and hotel stays in Lake Placid and Saranac Lake. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 01:50 - Tamara’s trip to Adirondacks 04:23 - Where they stayed 14:55 - Hiking in the Adirondacks 26:55 - Coming Next Week SUMMER VACATION IN THE ADIRONDACKS Be aware that if you would like to plan a trip to New York, the state has been very strict with what states are allowed in without quarantining. They also ask that you register with the state before traveling and follow the quarantine guidelines. If you do not register you could be subject to a fine. Due to the increased interest in house/cabin rentals, it may be very hard to find a cabin or lake house rental to visit the Adirondacks unless you plan ahead. Tamara stayed at Bear Cabin on Lake Colby near Saranac Lake, which is a two-bedroom cabin on a lake with access to canoes and kayaks. She found it on Airbnb (affiliate link.) An alternative to renting a cabin or house is to stay at a family-friendly resort, such as the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid. Tamara and her family stayed in a two-room suite with a fireplace overlooking the lake. The rooms are a bit dated but the location is perfect because you are right in town but have access to the lake, including free use of kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. The downside is the crowded beach without much social distancing. Some good hikes in the area for intermediate hikers include: Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Mt. Jo, and St. Regis Mountain. If you want epic views without the hike, you can take the gondola at Whiteface Mountain or pay to drive the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway to the summit.   FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. Tamara loves her new Black Diamond Hiking Poles, which fold up to fit into a backpack and offer great support on challenging hikes. FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email at podcast@vacationmavens.com. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!  

172: Summer Vacation in the Adirondacks, NY

Vacation Mavens is a family travel podcast offering destination inspiration and travel tips for traveling with kids. Co-hosted by Family Travel bloggers, friends, and moms Kimberly Tate from Stuffed Suitcase and Tamara Gruber from We3Travel. Each week we chat about our recent travels and interview fellow parents and family travel experts about destinations or travel tips to provide the info you need to jumpstart family vacation planning and tips to get you out the door.

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