Trip Ideas By Activity
There are so many ways to vacation with your children.
City explorations, museum sleepovers, condo-style rentals, road trips, mountain and lake cabins, beaches, cruises, and all-inclusive vacations stretch budgets. Resorts run the gamut from moderate to pricey. Staying midweek or during shoulder season saves money.
Dream trips—African safaris, Galapagos treks, polar bear watches—deliver the thrill of wildlife encounters but at a hefty price. Farmstays, state and national parks, and hikes through Costa Rican rain forests let you enjoy animal encounters at a fraction of the cost.
Time travel fascinates kids. At living history parks, march with the militia and meet pioneers. In Europe, tour centuries-old castles, climb atop medieval walls, and stroll streets laced with 18th-century buildings. Go back millions of years to the dinosaur era. Satisfy your kids’ curiosity by going on a dinosaur dig, walking in dinosaur footprints, and ogling fossils of these fierce critters in museums.
Build sandcastles at the beach, canoe and fish at a lake, get tossed, twirled, and dropped on rollercoasters at an amusement, ski downhill, or snowshoe through snowy woods.
Stay overnight, for a few days, or a week. Plan carefully, allow for spontaneity, know that things will go awry, and maintain your sense of humor. Have fun.
Spain’s Andalusia Region
Postcards||by Candyce H. StapenCategories: Adventures, City and Cultural Vacations, College Age & Adult, Europe & Scandinavia Destinations, Family, Historic, Museums, Trip IdeasAs our instructor Juan –slim hips, tight black pants, perfect posture–steps forward and right, then forward and left to the pulsing beat, we do the same. It doesn’t matter that some of us don’t understand Spanish. All we need do is copy Juan’s fluid moves. That’s easy because our group of eight women hasn’t stopped staring—uh—watching—him since he walked into the room. Juan breaks the dance into four distinct components: rhythm, hand techniques, feet movements and coordination. When he puts the elements together, smiling, we mimic him. “Hey, girlfriends, we’re dancing the flamenco.”
Learning the moves at Seville’s Flamenco Dance Museum (Museo del Baile Flamenco) is just one of the delights we find in Seville, the capital of Andalusia, the former Muslim stronghold in southern Spain.
The region rewards travelers with iconic images of the nation: centuries old palaces and mosques, stunning cathedrals, bountiful olive groves, remarkable horses and sunny beaches. It’s no wonder that Andalusia rates among Europe’s “hot new places.
Seville’s Flamenco Dance Museum
Seville
Vibrant Seville is a good place to start any tour of Andalusia. And the Flamenco Museum is both informative and fun, whether or not you take a class (sign-up ahead of time). We watch videos of great performers, listen to thrumming guitars and learn about the flamenco’s origin in Andalusia.
When not dancing, we walk. It’s the best way to savor Seville’s flamboyance, born of the mix of simple and majestic. On strolls we have time to note the purple bougainvillea cascading from the window boxes of white-washed houses, the weathered faces of the old men sitting in cafes, and the lush orange trees–20,000 of which grace the city.
The Royal Alcazar (Reales Alćazares) is one of Seville’s gems. Constructed as a fortress in 913 by Andalusia’s first caliph, the structure was enlarged over the centuries, blooming as a grand palace in the 14th century under Pedro I, a Christian king. Although the palace, added to over the centuries, illustrates many architectural styles, it shines as an example of Mudéjar, a blend of Muslim and Christian elements known for elaborate plaster work, intricate mosaics and ornamentation.
Entering the Alcazar’s Patio of the Maidens (Patio de las Doncellas) feels like falling into a fantasy. Sunlight radiates off the elaborately decorated, two-level courtyard, with its striking archways embellished with carved ruffles and panels of minutely detailed shapes set in geometric strips. In the palace, a masterpiece of pillars and passageways, inner courtyards and sequestered rooms sparkling with tilework, we imagine the harem women dressed in billowing white who once danced here as well as the potentates who long ago paced the halls, contemplating battles and booty from the New World. Magellan, our guide tells us, planned his trip from the Alcazar’s chambers.
Outside in the lavish gardens the scent of thousands of flowers hangs in the air. The gardens, developed over centuries, reflect each era’s preferences from Muslim inspired ponds and fountains to the shaped hedges and formal patterns of an 18th century English garden.Along with the Alcazar, the Giralda Tower, first built as a minaret in the 12th century, as well as Seville’s cathedral (Catedral de Sevilla), the largest Gothic building in the world and Europe’s third largest cathedral, are among Seville’s other UNESCO World Heritage sites. In the cathedral, Christopher Columbus, or at least part of him, lies entombed, confirmed by a DNA sample. That makes us smile since gold from the New World adorns the church’s lavish altarpiece.
From here we make our way to the Barrio Santa Cruz, once Seville’s Jewish Quarter. On our stroll of the neighborhood’s maze-like, narrow lanes we find a centuries-old building that may have eons ago served as a synagogue. Other streets lead us past houses bright with red geraniums and into courtyards where children chase pigeons around trickling fountains. By now, it’s early evening. The aromas of spicy chorizo, sautéed clams, oysters au gratin and other dishes pull us through the barrio until we select a tasca (inexpensive bar), settling in for tapas and glasses of wine.
Córdoba
From Seville it’s about a 75 minute drive to Córdoba, a city spicy with the aromas of jasmine, lemons and oranges. The scent of oranges gets stronger the closer we get to Córdoba’s Orange Tree Courtyard (Patio de los Naranjos), the plaza fronting an entrance to the Mezquita, Córdoba’s magnificent mosque also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Muslims controlled the city from the 8th to 11th centuries. They built this mosque between the 8th and 10th centuries as the city’s crowning glory.
It still is. We can almost hear the collective sucking in of breathe as our group enters, wide-eyed. Row upon row of double arched pillars (one above another)–856 of them–sit atop columns constructed of jasper, onyx, marble or granite. Each arch consists of an alternating pattern of red brick and white stone. The hundreds of repetitions evoke for us the billowing of desert tents. The Mezquita is so large that it takes us awhile to walk to the cathedral built within after the Christians conquered Córdoba.
In Córdoba’s former Jewish quarter (Judería), we wander the narrow streets, coming upon the synagogue (Sinagoga de Cordoba), one of Spain’s three pre-Inquisition synagogues still standing. Built in 1315 the elaborate stuccowork and the upstairs women’s gallery remain as does a four line psalm in Hebrew carved on a wall. Because the words appear without spaces or vowels, it takes us time to puzzle out a phrase. But when we do, we feel an electric connection to the worshippers who stood here nearly 700 years ago.
Núñez de Prado’s olive mills, Spain
Granada
On the drive from Córdoba to Granada, we see acres and acres of olive trees lacing the hillsides, their green leaves splashed with sun. Of Spain’s 300 million olive trees, 70 % to 80% grow in Andalusia, with a majority in and around Córdoba, Granada and Jaén. Near Baena we pause for a special lunch and tour of the Núñez de Prado’s olive mills, operated by the 7th generation of the family often called “the high priests of olives.”After a lunch of tapas and chunky soup and ham, Felipe, one of four brothers managing the business, leads us on a tour. The plant is thick with the pungent smell of olives. From 160,000 trees, the Núñez brothers produce about one million liters of olive oil. Some of their “liquid gold” sells at Trader Joe’s in the U.S. What does Felipe want for the future? “My son is young. I hope there will be an eighth generation of olive farmers.”
Granada, Moorish Spain’s last stronghold, is home to the Alhambra, Spain’s most visited monument and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Located on Sabikah hill, the citadel, a complex of palaces, was primarily built in the 14th century at the height of the Nasrid Muslim dynasty. The Nasrid palace (Palacio Nazaríes) especially dazzles with exquisitely detailed rooms that reveal a hidden world of power and privilege.
Delicate carvings and precise tile work adorn the rooms. A courtyard pond reflects the intricate stucco designs of two facades. A prayer room soothes with a row of blue stained glass windows; 8,000 wooden pieces detail the seven Koranic heavens on a domed ceiling; and two marble slabs, once covered with soft pillows, mark where the emir’s two favorite concubines reclined.
When we depart the Alhambra, it’s late afternoon and unseasonably chilly. We stroll along Puerto Real, a bustling pedestrian street to the Bib-Rambla square for a snack of hot chocolate and churros, the Spanish version of deep-fried donuts, at one of the many chocolaterias.
Jerez de la Frontera Sherry Production, Spain
Cádiz
Before visiting the port city of Cádiz, we drive 21 miles northeast to Jerez de la Frontera, known for both its sherry production and its amazing horses. We sample the wines later, but first we watch the impressive Dancing Horses of Jerez at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art Foundation (Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre). The white and dappled horses prance and trot, turning quickly in impossibly narrow spaces. Moving like four-footed ballet dancers, the horses, controlled by gifted riders attired in 18th century costumes, pace to flamenco and other rhythms. The steeds edge sideways on their rear legs and execute turns and bends with precision.To Cádiz, the sea is central. Situated on a peninsula, with the Atlantic on one side and the bay on the other, Cádiz grew from an old port town. In the new section, the Playa de la Victoria, with its relatively wide sands, is a popular beach. Before dining at El Faro, we stroll the narrow streets of Old Town, breathing in the salty sea air.
We celebrate the end of our trip with a seafood feast. As we sample fried dough with bits of shrimp, seafood soup and whole dorado cooked in salt, a Roma (once called “gypsies”) family enters. The mother dressed in a sparkling silver blouse and dangling earrings claps her hands to flamenco and other rhythms, leading her grown sons, a daughter and a grandson in songs. The family sings and claps, moving among the tables, encouraging diners to bang their spoons to the ever faster rhythms. And when the family arrives at our table, smiling, we stand up and twirl for a round or two. After all, we started this trip by dancing.
Statistics
–Andalusia is becoming one of the main cruise destinations for ships in the Mediterranean. In 2008, 660,053 passengers reached Andalusia on 713 cruise ships.
-10.3 million passengers landed at Andalusia airports in 2008
Malaga is the region’s main airport.
–50% of tourists travel through Andalusia by car
–Seville and Malaga are one of the top 8 destinations for travelers to Spain
-In 2008 Andalusia was named the best golf destination in Europe (report doesn’t say who named the region this).
–Candyce Stapen can’t wait to go back to learn more flamenco moves.
Otavalo, Andes Mountains, Ecuador
BellaOnline.com||by Candyce H. StapenCategories: Adventures, Central & South America Destinations, College Age & Adult, Cruises & Resorts, More Lodging, Nature Vacations, Ski and Mountain Vacations, Trip IdeasWe took it as a good omen that just as we headed out of Quito for Imbabura Province in the north the sky cleared to reveal the slopes of Cotopaxi, at 19,348 feet, the world’s highest active volcano. Looming to Quito’s south, Cotopaxi, backed by a blue sky, hung like a clear promise, contrasting sharply with the concrete and cinder block city.
This is the other Ecuador.
Instead of frigate birds, tortoises, and penguins found in the Galapagos, my daughter Alissa and I discovered the magic of the Andes, an alluring landscape of mountain peaks, towering volcanoes and native markets.
Driving north along the Pan-American Highway, we wound through valleys whose brownish yellow hills were feathered with alga ropo trees, their flat tops flared like open hands. Below us, streams ran through rocky gorges, and on the horizon we could see softly curving slopes that had been tilled into neat patches of yellow and green, creating a garden that rose to the gods.
It was easy to realize why Ecuador’s indigenas (indigenous peoples) worshipped mountains. Their powerful presence defined these high Andean plains, a place the early explorers called the “Avenue of the Volcanoes.” We headed toward the fluted ridges and peaks of Cotacachi, considered by locals to be a female, fertile volcano, and her imposing mountain mate Imbabura.
We stayed at a 16th century hacienda in the hamlet of San Pablo de lago. As soon as we crossed the flower laden courtyards and knocked on the huge wooden door, we felt part of the long-ago landed gentry.
The eclectic furnishings, a combination of medieval tapestries, Spanish religious paintings, fireplaces, dim candelabras, hallways with handcarved benches strewn with old saddles, and beds warmed with blankets woven from llama wool reminded us of the diversity of cultures that have settled this spectacular countryside.
Bolivar, the hotel’s friendly, mostly mastiff named for General Simon Bolivar, who once slumbered here, willingly accompanied anyone on walks, but you had to heed the hotel’s caution: “You are responsible to pay the owner for any chickens that he kills.” It was that kind of setting.
The clear, almost gold light of the Andean mornings proved magical. On a spirited horseback ride through the Otavalo valley, we passed native women carrying huge bushels of sticks on their backs while herding sheep. We cantered across fields, the heels of the swift Spanish horses kicking up soft clouds of dust.
Another afternoon we drove to Iluman, a small village known for its felt hats. At first all the shops were closed except for a small eatery. But once Alissa and I started taking Polaroid photographs of the seven-year-old girl handing out the sodas, the street came to life. Soon the girl’s mother and a neighbor arrived for photos.( We always give these as gifts when traveling in rural areas). Suddenly our new-found friends had shop doors opened for us, and we happily tried on an array of nattily constructed fedoras.
Back at the hacienda, Alissa and I cooked llapingachos, the Ecuadorean version of potato pancakes, with Blanca, the cook. the next day we visited the Otavalo market. We arrived to view the animal market. Men with long black braids, wearing traditional attire of white pants, blue ponchos, and black hats dickered over the price of horses.
In town at the plaza, we browsed the rows upon rows of stalls set up by craftspeople. The weavers of Otavalo are well-known. Here you can buy heavy, knit sweaters, blankets still smelling of llamas, intricately patterned bags and wall-hangings for much lesss than stateside prices. We purchased blankets, bags, and sweaters for next year’s holiday presents.
After hiking, horseback riding, and bargaining, we returned to our hacienda. Its comforts proved most welcome, especially Blanca’s cookies served with hot chocolate or coffee.
Eco-Adventure Riviera Maya, Mexico
BellaOnline.com||by Candyce H. StapenCategories: Adventures, All-inclusives, Beach Resorts, Beaches, Central & South America DestinationsEco-adventures abound in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.
At Hidden Worlds, not far from Tulum, we snorkel underground rivers, pedal a SkyCycle at tree-top height, and fly along a zipline.
What we especially like about Hidden Worlds are the choices and the small group experience.
In addition to its fine sand beaches, the Riviera Maya along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, gains fame for its thousands of cenotes, or sinkholes. These formed when the region’s porous limestone gave way, revealing miles of underground rivers. The ancient Maya used the cenotes as sources for freshwater and sometimes as sites for sacred ceremonies.
Hidden Worlds offers guide-led scuba dives through the caverns connected by tunnels as well as snorkel tours. Visitors can explore the lush “jungle” by pedaling the SkyCycle, a bike-like contraption strung along a high cable or by gliding along a zipline. Not divers, we choose to snorkel through the underground caverns.
As our guide Loca explains with some glee, the “pre-adventure” is the “Mayan massage” delivered as we bump along the rutted dirt path to the cenotes in a jungle buggy, a barebones truck with benches in the back. It’s a relief when, after 20 minutes, we arrive at the lockers to stow our extra gear. Back at the office we rented an optional wet suit since the cenote waters hover around 70-degrees. However, the family from British Columbia, Canada, who join us do just fine without wet suits, informing us that they regularly swim in lakes colder than the cenote.
Loca leads our group of eight through the chambers of taak bi ha, which means “hidden water” in the Maya language. This cenote starts with a high, wide domed ceiling and spreads out into a series of lower chambers. Loca points out “draperies” of stalactites on the ceiling and cave walls, tells us when to look through our snorkel masks to see a ridgeline of submerged stalagmites and he shows us where the bats nest. Occasionally, we swim by small schools of nearly colorless fish.
Out of the water, we wait on a platform to take on Avatar, a more than just gravity propelled zipline. Avatar ups the speed of descent by employing a series of rollers to connect the participant’s harness to the cable. And instead of a straight line angled downward, the Avatar zipline features roller coaster ups and downs and twists. The improvements propel riders along at a fast 8-10 mph.
Doesn’t sound so thrilling? When suspended from a cable, swaying back and forth, rushing downward, and up and over loops until landing with a splash in the cenote, the Avatar is, for us, quite thrilling enough. The entire time—maybe three minutes—we ride Avatar, our “whoopee” scream comes out as the more cautious “whoa.” Maybe if we do this again we can get a rebel yell going. That’s for our next visit.
It’s wise to book Hidden Worlds’ adventures online ahead of time. That way you get the lunch $6, and the wet suit rental, $3, for free. Another surprise: the chicken faijtas with rice and beans is tasty. Afterwards, we head back to our hotel for a well-deserved snooze beachside in the shade.
Related links
https://www.mexicancaribbean.travel/riviera-maya/