While you are waiting for the newest Going Local with the Langes travel blogs here is a list of some legitimate (verified by moi) travel contests you can enter to win;
1. Write a review of a recent overseas experience and win an ipad-
www.gooverseas.com/leave-a-review-contest?cid=643
2. Win a 5 day trip to Scotland-
http://www.driveithome2012.com/
3. Win a trip for 2 to Napa Valley-
http://www.menageatroiswines.com/sweepstakes/
4. Vote for the best of Aruba Sweepstakes-
http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com/contests
5. Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa St. Martin Sweepstakes
http://www.caribbeantravelmag.com/contests
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Coming Soon
Its been a busy couple of months, traveling around Europe to bring you ideas and advice on kid friendly vacations on a budget. Now that were back and things have settled, you can look forward to the following blogs coming soon; Amsterdam at New Years, London's Calling and Switzerland on a Budget.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Ti's the season in Toledo, Spain
Christmas is magical time of year in cities across the globe but the Spanish really make Christmas feel like its all around you. One great example of this is Toledo, Spain. At the end of November workers begin decorating the streets with colorful decorations, light displays and large Feliz Navidad signs that are strung throughout the streets. 
In shop windows across the city you can find nativity scenes proudly displayed in their windows, with the grandest of them all being the outdoor live nativity scene in front of the Caja Rural. There they have several different types of live animals on display such as sheep, goats, ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys, pigs, rabbits and even a camel.
The Spanish acknowledge the Feast of the Three Kings as another important holiday so their holiday season extends all the way through January 6th. In the past, it was the three kings who brought the children of Spain gifts (placing the gifts inside the shoes of the children). But Santa made his way into the Spanish culture and now a lot of children get a gift from both Santa and the Three Kings.There are many festivities that take place during the Holiday Seasons such as plays, concerts, processions and parades (some celebrating the birth of Christ and others celebrating the Three Kings), tram rides with Santa Clause and vendors selling fresh roasted chestnuts. Every year the town hall mails out a list of activities to residents of Toledo, with dates, times and admission prices. Toledo is a great place for the holidays, with all the decorations, lights and activities it's hard not to get into the Christmas spirit there.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Kelly's Top 10: 5 websites for traveling with kids and 5 budget travel tips
Top 5 websites for kid friendly travel
- This one claims the top spot because it has destination ideas, travel tips, deals and even a section on theme parks all in one site; http://bestkidfriendlytravel.com/
- Some helpful top 10 lists of kid friendly destinations; http://hotels.about.com/od/kidfriendlyhotels/Kid_Friendly_Hotels_for_Family_Vacations.htm
- Check out their list of best travel books; http://www.kid-friendly-family-vacations.com/#axzz1cHM57k96
- This one has a good selection of nicer hotels; http://www.ciaobambino.com/
Top 5 tips for budget travel
- Save and track your frequent flier miles. I have flown for free many times using miles not just within the USA but to places like Costa Rica. I keep a spreadsheet with all of the necessary information including the expiration dates of the miles. I update it regularly and take advantage of all opportunities to earn miles such as online purchases, surveys and you can even earn miles for paying bills such as your utilities. Check at each airlines website to see all the different ways to earn miles. They can add up quickly this way.
- Stay in an apartment versus a hotel. We did this in Rome and it saved us a lot of money and we had our own little apartment with a gorgeous view of the Vatican. I liked the privacy but there aren't amenities like housekeeping and room-service that you would get at a hotel.
- Research, Research, Research!! All accommodation possibilities, all possible transportation options, etc., before purchasing one. For example in Costa Rica, when I looked at option to get from the Pacific Coast back to the airport in San Jose, it turns out flying was only $20 more than the bus and renting a car was the most expensive option. This isn't what I would have assumed so it pays to do some research.
- Travel during the shoulder seasons. Most places have a high and a low season, the prices are lower for air, hotels etc. during the low season but on the flip side the weather is usually isn't as nice and a lot of places close down during the low season. The shoulder season (often Sept.-Oct. and April-May) gives the best of both worlds, lower prices but great weather and activities and bonus you beat the crowds!!
- Research hotels online but then call them directly to see if you can get a better price.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Authentically Andalusia and the Craze of Carnival
If when you think of Spain images of Flamenco dancers, bull fighters and tapas come to mind then Andalusia is the place for you. Andalusia's capital, Seville (Sevilla in Spanish) is filled with an endless amount of history and charm. You can visit places such as Plaza de España, the Sevilla Cathedral (pictured on the right) and Alcázar. In spring the streets are lined with orange trees and the weather is perfect. You can spend your days touring Seville's museums and monuments rich with Spanish history and exploring its maze of old, twisting, narrow streets. Enjoy your nights watching Flamenco dancers, eating at the city's numerous tapas bars and listening to Andalusia's Arabic influenced music. 
Cadíz, a province in the southwest of Andalusia, hosts the second biggest carnival (Carnaval in Spanish) celebration in all of Spain. It takes place on the weekends preceding and following the week of Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday (Carnaval dates for 2012 are February 16th-26th). We went March 2011 and loved it! The streets were filled with lights, decorations and lots of people that had come from all over the world to join in the festivities. Everyone was decked out in elaborate costumes. There were vendors selling souvenirs, alcohol and the most delicious fair food I have ever had in Spain.
This trip is definitely not one for the younger kids. They might get bored easily and seeing all the sites requires a lot of walking. Our daughter did well and really enjoyed Carnival but it did limit us adults as far as enjoying the huge party going on around us.
Andalusia is another great side trip within Spain. Seville is a 20 euro bus ride (4-hours) from Madrid. Continuing on to Cadíz is only another 2-hours. You can save time and take the high speed train (AVE) however, the price goes up significantly for the train. Both Seville and Cadíz have a lot of great, reasonably priced accommodations. Book at a larger chain like the NH, Hilton or Novotel and kids usually stay for free in their parents room. However, note that during Carnival season rooms prices go up and they need to be booked well in advance. To save money we stayed in a town right outside of Cadíz, San Fernando, and took the public bus into Cadíz for the celebration. It was just a 20-minute journey and the buses ran until about 2-3 a.m.
Questions about an upcoming trip? Ask me in the comments section and I will respond back shortly.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
The Balearic Islands a Mediterranean Paradise
The Balearic Islands are a group of islands located just off of Spain's eastern coast. There are 4 main islands, Majorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera. Ibiza is well known among jet setters as an international hotspot but as we were looking for a more family friendly island we chose Majorca. From mainland Spain plane tickets can be very inexpensive if you use one of Europe's discount airlines such as Easy Jet or Ryan Air. For example, I found round trip tickets as low as 40 euro a person and you pay even less for the kids. The high-season is June- August but the water is still warm and comfortable May-October. We chose to go this past September (mid-Sept) and it was perfect.
Flying into Majorca, I knew I was in for a great vacation as I saw the sparkling, emerald water of the Mediterranean Sea. The island has many destinations whether you want a beach vacation or a mountainside one. We chose the city of Can Pastilla as our home base because of its proximity to both the airport and beautiful beaches. The area had lots of activities like Aqualand water park, water sports such as parasailing and the spectacular beaches of Playa de Palma and Playa de Arenal. 
We chose a hotel that included half board (breakfast and dinner provided) which in hindsight was not a good decision unless you are a big fan of European cuisines. It was very different than an American style buffet. A better option might have been a hotel with a kid's club or babysitting like the ones I listed below.
Overall it was a nice, relaxing, hang-out-on-the-beach-all-day, type of vacation. Definitely fun for the whole family and very affordable as a side trip if you are visiting Spain.
Delta Hotel
Sol Cala Blanca Hotel
Barcelo Cala Viñas Hotel
Grupotel Picafort Beach Hotel
Questions about an upcoming trip? Ask me in the comments section and I will respond back shortly.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Follow us all over the world
Welcome, Bienvenida, Bienvenue, Willkommen! I am Kelly Lange age 34, follow the adventures of me and my family (Joel, 34, Isaac, 14 and Paris, 6) as we travel to family friendly destinations across the globe. As you follow us learn the secrets of traveling on a budget as I divulge tips on how to get discounted airfare, hotels, rental cars etc. Discover new worlds as I blog about our past and future adventures!!
Feeding a deer in Costa Rica
Sledding in Colorado
At the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Swimming with the dolphins in the British Virgin Islands
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