family vacation Archives - Shared Adventures

Planning a Theme Park Vacation

May 10, 2022 by Liz Picurro Leave a Comment

Every type of trip has its own set of requirements that need to be thought through in advance. Theme Parks offer many adventures, so there’s definitely some planning and research that needs to be done beforehand. Unlike a tropical beach vacation or roaming in a European city, theme parks serve a unique, particular interest. So, what are some of these things you need to consider before you go?

Attractions

The first and most important thing to check with any theme park is the number of attractions that your family can participate in. Rides and attractions come in all sorts of different shapes, sizes, and types — which makes their height restrictions as unique as they are. It’s important to confirm that your chosen park has enough attractions for your family. This information is typically on the theme parks website. And checking it in advance can ensure your kids are tall enough to ride the attractions they are most excited about.

Height is not the only consideration. It’s also important to take a preview of the rides and discover the ones that your family will enjoy the most. Some people love intense roller coasters and spinning attractions. But, if you have family members who are afraid of specific ride types or get motion sickness in 3D theaters, it’s important to check in advance.

[Photo Credit: Liz via Shared Adventures Travel]

Special Dates

The next thing to check is if there are any special events or holiday functions during your preferred travel dates. Many parks now feature special events year-round. You can celebrate the seasons, holidays, and special park events with them, and enjoy the added excitement. Or choose a quieter time to visit.

Whether you visit Disney World in the fall for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival or Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, these events change the theme park experience. Some events, especially the holiday ones, tend to close the parks early unless you have pre-booked a special ticket. This makes the exciting experience more exclusive but requires a little more advanced planning.

[Photo Credit: Brian Mcgowan via Unsplash]

Whether or not you plan to participate in these special events, it’s very important to know when they will impact the park schedules. If you aren’t familiar with a specific event, make sure to check the park website. Or ask your travel advisor who can explain the potential changes in the park and experience.

Location

Once you have a feel for the park’s attractions, entertainment, and special events, the next step is to consider the park’s geographic location. Some parks are open year-round while others are only open during the summer season. In addition to those general opening dates, the time of year can also affect the availability of specific experiences and attractions.

For example, many people do not want to ride a river rapids attraction in early May at Hershey Park due to the colder temperatures. However, most people will gladly ride the same attraction at Disney World since it’s much warmer in Florida. Take a look at the geography and general weather averages. Consider how this may affect the parks and attractions, and how you can best enjoy your downtime together.

[Photo Credit: Liz via Shared Adventures Travel]

Don’t forget to consider how you might fill the extra time other than the resort/hotel pool, particularly if it’s cold. Not everyone is comfortable swimming in a heated outdoor pool when it’s only 60 degrees outside.

Talk to an Advisor

Given the large amount of planning and research that goes into a theme park vacation, we are here to help you navigate through it all. If you like, you can do some basic research on your own prior to planning with your advisor. Or you can call us right at the starting point, and let us guide you through it.

Remember, theme parks are an exhilarating, unique type of vacation. And they require much more planning before, leading up to, and even during travel. The good news is we will be by your side every step during the booking process. We will review the various amenities, offerings, and perks at each theme park destination, and will always make sure you are well-prepared for the trip. Are you ready to plan your next theme park vacation?

Villa Vacations

November 3, 2020 by Ann Petronio

all you need to know about renting a villa pin — *Pin it for later!*

When planning a vacation, the first thing that most people think about is the destination itself. Second only to that, the thing that really makes or breaks a getaway is the accommodations. It sets the tone for the whole trip. You want someplace that provides comfort, relaxation, and a sense of well-being — someplace you’ll enjoy coming back to at the end of a busy day, or relaxing and spending the whole day in. If privacy, space, and a home-like setting are on your wish list, a private villa might be the perfect option. And it’s not just for the rich and famous. Here’s what you need to know:

What is a villa?

an italian style villa against a blue sky and green lawn

When you think of a villa you probably imagine a grand house on a large estate nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany. And while a villa certainly can mean this Italian “Under the Tuscan Sun” dream, villas have become much more flexible, diverse, and unique.

[Photo Credit: Shaun Gehring via Unsplash]

Initially, the term “villa” was used in ancient Rome to describe an upper-class country house. Someplace luxurious and sprawling where ancient Romans went to get away from it all. Since then the term villa has evolved, ranging from small farming compounds to magnificent mansions on private islands.

a cottage-like villa surrounded by the stunning mountain views

At its core, a villa is a detached house with plenty of space between you and your neighbors. It can range from a cozy and intimate 1-2 bedroom cottage to large estates that can accommodate 20 or more.

[Photo Credit: Pradidpong via Unsplash]

Why Should You Rent A Villa?

[Photo Credit: Fran Hogan via Unsplash]

Villas are available pretty much anywhere in the world — the Caribbean, Europe, the US, Mexico and more. They come in different shapes and sizes but they all offer privacy, comfort, and a sense of home. In the Caribbean, it’s very common for the villa to come with staff like cooks or housekeepers, but in other places around the world, it’s easy enough to add them on if you want to.

You can join everyone in the dining room for a delicious breakfast. Then head out to the back deck to enjoy a sun lounger and a good book by your private pool. After spending the morning snorkeling on the nearby beach and exploring the local side of town, you can enjoy a peaceful and relaxing afternoon without other people’s screaming children. You can listen to your friends laughing as they whip up margaritas in the kitchen and then join them for a snack without fear that your sun lounger will be poached by someone else. In the evening you can watch a stunning sunset streaking over the ocean from the deck, before heading into the huge living room to sit on the comfy sofas and play games with the whole group laughing late into the night.

a peaked roof villa in a desert landscape with large glass windows — *[ Photo Credit: Nuzha Naashidh via Unsplash]*

a pool and back deck surrounded by trees and greenery at a villa in bali — *[Photo Credit: Nelbali Photography via Unsplash]*

Top 5 Reasons to Rent a Villa

Whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it – A villa lets you be master of your own vacation schedule without any restraints
Privacy & Seclusion – No stress from crowds or queues. A secluded villa allows you to unplug, unwind, and enjoy the company of your friends/family without the intrusion of other vacation goers.
Hotel-like amenities all to yourself! – Many villas come with private pools, spas, and gyms! Everything you love about a hotel or resort, and it’s all yours.
Space – Most hotel rooms have just enough space for two adults. Villas offer everyone a private room, plus comfortable living spaces to gather and enjoy being together without feeling on top of each other
Price– Even the most upscale villas can be more cost-effective than renting multiple hotel rooms. Families, reunions, or even just a couple of couples- the price per person often works out to be equal to a nice hotel or resort.

Top Tips When Renting A Villa

[Photo Credit: Fran Hogan via Unsplash]

Be sure you know what kind of vacation you want. If your idea of relaxing is curling up with a good book, make sure the villa has plenty of nooks where you can get some time to yourself! If you plan to do a lot of cooking, make sure the kitchen is big enough for everyone to roll up their sleeves and help out.

What are your staffing needs? Do you want to cook or would you rather have a personal chef? Do you want housekeeping every day? A butler? A bartender? A driver? The possibilities are endless!
Choose your group wisely – make sure your expectations are the same and you know that spending a week together under one roof is a good idea!

Always think about the specific bedding arrangements that you need, not just the number of bedrooms. Married couples don’t usually want twin beds, and no one wants to get stuck with the bunk bed room.

Be clear on location- How far out in the country will you be? Will you need a car to get into town? Is it actually on the beach or is there a road down to the sand?

See if the villa allows pets and children. Oftentimes villas can accommodate pets, letting you take your furry family member with you instead of paying for boarding.

Remember that many properties have one-week minimums and rent Saturday to Saturday.

Plan well in advance so that we can help you get the exact kind of villa you’re looking for with all the amenities you want!

Villas provide more than just a place to sleep while you’re on vacation. They provide a unique backdrop for your getaway, combining an exciting new setting with all the comforts of a home. And in the time of COVID, they provide a safety bubble where you can enjoy a vacation without the concern of being around large groups. No matter what your destination, there’s a perfect villa waiting for you! Let us know and we’ll help you find the perfect size, location, and price for your home away from home.

A First-Timer’s Feedback

May 19, 2019 by Ann Petronio

My friend Clare recently asked me to help arrange a family trip to Italy — for her and her husband, and their high-school-age son, visiting her older son who is spending a semester in Florence. It was their first trip to Europe, and they had an ambitious wish-list, but we hammered out a pretty fantastic itinerary that included something for everyone.

From the feedback below, it sounds like it was a hit. And I very much appreciate her sharing all these details/tips that will be of interest to other first-timers!

Hi Ann-

I am finally sitting down to write something up for you. This is a lot of information, but hopefully it can help someone who is thinking about Italy for the first time.

Rome:

When we arrived in Rome, the driver you set us up with was ready and waiting and delightful! He dropped us off at Capo d’ Africa around 11 am. The individual at the front desk who checked us in was very friendly and said our room would be ready in about 15 -20 minutes. They also recommended a local restaurant and, though they encouraged us to make evening dinner reservations, we knew we would not make it to start dinner at 7:30!

We had a wonderful lunch that fueled us for the day. We took some time and walked down the Colosseum and some other areas – we basically explored and walked a lot until we were done. It did rain on us but that was okay – we were just happy to be outdoors. After walking around we settled in at the hotel a little more, went out to get some drinks and gelato and then hunkered down for a good night’s sleep!

Sunday we were off for the day and did a lot of walking before the mid-day Colosseum Tour. The surprise of having Brett join us in Rome for Dillon’s birthday was outstanding – he was shocked and SO SO happy to see him. The Colosseum Tour was really great. Our guide was excellent – great information at a nice pace. Half of our group was an extended family with young kids so they left half way through – which actually made it a small group tour. We finished our day at a restaurant Dillon had picked before we went (from Trip Advisor). Food and drinks were good and it was a nice atmosphere.

Monday Morning we were out early to the Express Sistine Chapel Tour. Your ears probably were ringing b/c you picked the PERFECT tour for us. Loved the small group – there were 5 of us. Rosa – our tour guide – was great. Her pace was so fast – but it really worked for us! Since Dillon and I don’t love museums – this was a fabulous way to see the Sistine Chapel, Vatican and St. Peters Square. I think LivItaly Tours does it right! After that were were back to the hotel to check out and head to the train station. We had plenty of time and opted to walk – which took us about 25 minutes.

NOTES: The hotel was great – room was oversized and we did not feel crowded with a cot. We did have to ask at the front desk how to keep the lights on. Clearly we were rookies! No A/C – had to open windows – which was a little strange with no screens! The included breakfast was good and service excellent. We also loved the location.

LaSpezia/Cinque Terre:

The train ride to La Spezia was beautiful – so much to take in. When we arrived we took a cab to the hotel and our room was ready. We were surprised by the size – Dillon’s cot was in a living room area – so we definitely did not feel crowded. It also had a beautiful view and we saw a few ships come in and out. Again, needed to open windows to cool down the temp! The hotel recommended a local favorite for dinner where we arrived at 7 pm and were their first customers! We walked along the water and just enjoyed the sites and made plans for the following day.

We decided to take the train from La Spezia to the farthest town in Cinque Terre (Monterosso) and make our way back. We had read a blog that recommended the hike from Vernazza to Corniglia – and decided that we would take that one. The blog indicated there were places along the way to stop for food and drinks. Unfortunately, we found out after climbing the stairs to the hiking trail, that it was closed. In fact, the only trail that was open was Monterosso to Vernazza. That was a bit of a bummer, especially since we purchased the hiking/trail pass. Instead we went back into town in Vernazza and enjoyed pizza and beer by the water. We made our way to each town by train. Corniglia we explore along the water, did not walk the 350 stairs to the town. Manarola was our favorite shopping town and we spent a bit of time exploring the shops. We returned to the hotel after a great day, played some cards and went for a walk to find something to eat. Much to our surprise, most places were closed for the night (8:30 or so), and by the time we got to a grocery store – it was closed as well. So we headed back to the hotel and had some snacks that we had in our bags and got a good night’s sleep!

One thing we hadn’t planned for was having Euros for this location – we needed 15 for each trip to and from the train station.

NOTES: Next time I think we might opt for the boat transportation from town to town instead of the train. We thought it might be too chilly, but the weather was delightful. Loved being in La Spezia, but if we went back we would probably opt to stay in one of the towns for something different.

Florence:

We arrived on time and Brett met us and walked us to the hotel. The room was not to be ready for a while, so we checked our bags and hit the town, It was so fun to be in Florence and I am glad you said to let Brett show us the town since that is where he has spent his semester. We saw many sights and Brett helped formulate our plans for Thursday morning while he was in class.

Brett made reservations for a nice dinner for the four of us and his girlfriend. Probably in our top 3 meals of the week. Thursday we got up and explored a little earlier at Brett’s suggestion, to see the Duomo without the square being packed. We walked around and went up and enjoyed the views from Piazzele Michelangelo. We met Brett for lunch – he took us to his favorite sandwich shop where the owner knows him and then we saw where he lives. We had picked a pizza and gelato making class b/c Brett only had the afternoon and had already done a pasta class with school. This was a disappointment. The food was good and the boys and I enjoyed our time together, but we felt very rushed. Of the 3 hour experience, we probably only prepared and cooked for just over an hour. It was warp speed. Mark shopped and explored while we were in class.

We did end up making reservations for our train to Bologna for the next day. Brett was looking online and everything was booking up b/c it was Good Friday. In hindsight, we probably should have booked in advance.

NOTES: Hotel De La Ville – This probably was our least favorite hotel. The room was very cramped with the pull-out couch. And the temperature was hot, with no window to open. I think we also just felt like we were in a cave b/c there was no outside light. The breakfast was good and the service friendly.

Bologna:

Hotel location was perfect for our stay. After checking in we took a walk to the main square area and found a cafe. We sat outside, enjoyed some drinks and snacks and played cards. There was live music on the square, and the church across the way had a choral group perform for Good Friday. Brett had selected a place for dinner, and we headed there on our walk back. It was a small local place. The food did not have “plate appeal” – but Mark said it was his favorite of everything he ate during the trip.

Again, your ears should have been ringing all day Saturday – that Food and Ferrari Tour you booked for us was SO FUN! It ended up being a 10 hour day – but it was relaxed and so enjoyable. Our guide was excellent – very funny and very knowledgeable. We had 18 people and it was a great size. We opted not to drive a Ferrari – 150 Euros for 10 minutes seemed crazy. Although if all 4 of us could have gone in one car we would have done it! The family restaurant where we had the meal at the end was great – delicious food at a relaxed pace. The location was beautiful farmland. This was definitely a highlight of the trip!

NOTES: Unahotels Bologna Centro – this hotel was fine – and they turned on the AC for us! woohoo! The guy at the front desk must have been used to angry Americans b/c he was flustered and apologizing through our check-in. We just kept smiling and telling him there was nothing to apologize for. Rooms were clean and basic. I would compare to a Fairfield Inn. The size of the rooms was generous and the breakfast was good.

Venice:

The high speed train to Venice was fantastic! Very comfortable and kids were happy for WiFi! Again, we arrived early and the hotel checked our bags – it was going to be a few hours until our rooms were ready. We left the hotel armed with a map and walked around the city. We checked the menu at the place we had made dinner reservations at and the kids said to cancel it. Ha ha. We made our way to where we knew we needed to be Monday morning and hit a lot of dead ends – but enjoyed ourselves walking around. We grabbed a bite to eat in the main San Marco square (tourist trap!), enjoyed some live music and relaxed. We headed back to the hotel and checked in, and got settled. After that we walked around some more and picked a place for dinner. This probably was our least favorite meal of the trip, but the service was good.

Monday morning we were off to the Murano, Burano and Torcello Tour which we really loved. We decided to buy water bus tickets for the day – and that is how we got to the meeting spot. We liked being the first tour group of the day – it meant smaller crowds in Murano. The Glass Blowing was fun and we did some great shopping. After we were done we took the water bus around and saw Venice from different perspectives, and got out a few times and walked. It was a fun way to explore! We grabbed some food and made our way back to the hotel so Brett could pack up and catch his train.

Hotel Santa Chiara – Great hotel (our favorite showers of the trip!). Clean and friendly. It was a nice location. They also were willing to turn on our AC. 🙂 The only person who was not friendly was the person at the desk at 4:15 AM when we checked out. No wonder he is on the overnight shift! ha ha.

We were leaving before the buses started service – so they assured us that taxis are always out front. We waited in the rain for a few minutes and then I asked the hotel to call one for us since it was raining pretty hard. We made it to the airport in plenty of time to get some breakfast and relax.

The flights home were fine – though we were late into London and had only about 25 minutes from when we deplaned to get to our connection – and it was a hike. It took us about 35-40 minutes to get through security and get to our gate. But we made it!

Here are some things that came up that we didn’t expect:

Public restrooms are few and far between in most places. When you have a chance to use one – use it. And make sure you have small denomination Euros on hand to pay for them! (I’ll pay a buck for a bathroom anytime if it is as clean as the ones we used were!)
We planned for 250 Euros – and did have to take more out. I would probably have planned for 350 next time.
The A/C – or lack there of. We found that most hotels do not turn it on until it is 78 degrees outside. We were thankful that our last 2 hotels saw a desperate woman in her 50s! Ha ha.
Hotel rooms were larger than we expected.
Language was not a barrier. In fact, everyone we had to speak to spoke English. That was a relief.

How can we thank you??

The organization of all of the documents for us was amazing. It is just how I would have done it if I planned myself. THANK YOU.
You picked perfect tours/experiences for us – the only one we didn’t like was the one I reserved! Ha ha!
Lots of good advice in the information you sent us that made us feel prepared.
Also – what we loved overall was that each of the places we went felt different than the last place. So we really had 5 different experiences. And while we are not accustomed to that much moving around – it all felt very well planned out. Only an expert could have planned this for us!
It was the perfect trip for a first time to Italy. We know we’d go back to Cinque Terre. And then explore other southern locations next time.

And now we need to start thinking about our next adventure!

Making Memories in Mexico

July 24, 2017 by Ann Petronio Leave a Comment

Teens can be notoriously hard to please, and TWIN teens could potentially mean double trouble, but it sounds like the Moon Palace Cancun was the perfect solution to this family’s vacation dilemma. Plenty of activities for the girls, a relaxing spa treatment for Mom, and as for Dad — well — if the girls are happy, what more does he need?

Hi Ann

We had such an amazing vacation. We had such a beautiful ocean front view from our room. It was incredible. I also loved the big jacuzzi in our room!

All of the restaurants were great too. We loved the service everywhere at the hotel. Everyone was friendly and helpful! We loved all of the choices of restaurants available to us at both Nizuk and Sunrise. We never made it to eat at the golf course. We never had to wait to eat!

We tried to get a hibachi table at Momo but in order to do that you had to wait in line before it opened, I waited in line about 45 minutes and by the time I got to the front the hibachi tables were sold out. They didn’t take phone reservations. It’s ok, though, we still ate there at a regular table and enjoyed it. So overall the food and service was excellent! We also loved the outside lunch buffets by the pool. There was even a food truck there by the pool bar. So good!

The resort credits were such great deals we did the Tulum Express tour and Ventura Park. Both were amazing! The park was great for us because it was close by to the hotel. It had zip lining and an adventure area plus an entire water park too. All of our food and drinks were included there too. And we rode on the only roller coaster in Cancun. Tulum was just breathtaking. We did the express tour and that was just enough for us. The transportation was a nice big coach bus. We were back by 2:30 to enjoy the resort.

I also used the resort credit to have a facial. At the Awe Spa. That was so relaxing and again great service.

The shows at night were so fun. We saw a circus, Breakdancing, Michael Jackson and a Fire show. All top notch performances!

We loved all the pools, slides, bars and flowrider too. My daughters rode bikes there. The transportation to get front Sunrise to Nizuk was very easy. We split our time equally between each section.

The only downfall was the beach area.

We also went to Beach Palace for the day and that crystal blue clear water was just incredible. We loved that water!

Amstar was a great transfer to and from the airport. We had no problems at all. It went very smoothly.

This vacation was awesome! Thank you for helping us! Now like you said back to reality but the memories will last forever!

Thank you,

Tracy