Guide to Military Travel

Moving Blogs...

2011-08-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

As of August 22, 2010, you can find us at http://www.militaryfamilyradio.blogspot.com. See you there!

Come Visit Us

2011-01-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

We have launched a new family travel blog - http://www.travelswithsam.com/. We invite you to come visit us and learn more about our traveling family. We are hoping that with the creation of a personal family blog, you will be given a closer look at our family. Enjoy!

Continental Airlines - Military Baggage

2010-12-21T22:10:00.000-08:00

Just found out some great news for those traveling on Continental Airlines. Continental Airlines do not charge active duty military and their dependants baggage fees on the first two bags if traveling together on leisure travel. From what we understand, the active duty member must be traveling with the family in order for the offer to be valid. Our calls to Continental's PR office have not yet been returned to verify all the details. As soon as we have more information, so will you!

Also, in all but one of our flights to Orlando, we were also extended the courtesy of pre-boarding just for being an active duty family. Nice touch, Continental!

Without baggage fees, Continental is often one of the most affordable airlines - something to consider while traveling this holiday season.

Is the Recession Making Businesses Friendlier?

2010-11-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

I stopped by two take-out restaurants yesterday (everyone in my family wanted something different and I was in the mood to please them) and both restaurants wowed me with their customer service. This normally doesn't happen. You see, I consider my self an expert in TWO things and TWO things only - TRAVEL and CUSTOMER SERVICE. I use to give trainings in customer service and soft skills many moons ago. I'm from the Disney school of service. Going above and beyond what a customer expects is the only true way to know you've got the best service around.
With that said, both restaurants I stopped at truly went above and beyond in their service, and this got me thinking - Has the recession made hospitality businesses friendly and better at service? The fact that both places employed young kids (17, 18 maybe) that excelled in their service skills leads me to believe that companies are going out of their way to make sure their business stands out so that you come back (and they in turn survive the recession).

Have you had similar experience where you eat, shop and stay? Tell us about it.

Can you afford it?

2010-11-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

My 'day job' is as a travel writer for military families. I love doing it. On the side, I also am a travel writer for the general public. I was approached by a five star hotel that wanted to be included in one of my articles. I was excited because it happened to be located in a military city. I knew that not only would my non-military audience enjoy learning about this hotel, but my fellow military wives would love to hear about their spa and luxurious rooms. After all, my hubby will take me anywhere after a deployment or detachment (even if out of sheer guilt or appreciation for taking care of things while he's gone). I'm always looking for those romantic places where fellow military wives can be pampered as we deserve.

I mentioned to the hotel how excited I was to write about them for both my audiences. I received an email back telling me that they appreciated my willingness to tell my audiences about their property but would prefer to only be written about to my non-military audience. She said the following:

"Please know that since "XXXXXX Hotel" is a luxury resort on the pricey side, we prefer not to be included in the Guide to Military Travel – especially since the resort does not offer any sort of military rate."

Is it just me, or did she just say military families can't afford her hotel? I know that all military members make different amounts of money. I also know that we can all afford different nightly rates; however, shouldn't we still be considered a viable audience? It's not like she was paying for my article in any way. All it was going to be was free publicity for her resort. Is it wrong that this offended me? Tell me what you think.

Travel Dreams?

2010-11-16T20:26:00.000-08:00

I'm working on an article about my top ten travel wishes for 2011. It got me wondering where you wish to go? Is there somewhere you've always wanted to travel to but haven't had the time or the money? I've always wanted to go to the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island. Tell us where you want to go?

Have you heard? We are on the RADIO!

2010-11-15T07:03:00.000-08:00

Have you heard that we now have our own radio show? That's right! Military Travel Talk Radio airs twice a month (with some special shows) on Mondays at 1:00pm PST. You can download the show on iTunes on Monday night or visit our website at any time for a direct link. Visit www.blogtalkradio.com/militarytravel to listen LIVE. Here is a list of our upcoming shows:

Nov. 15 - Orange County, CA
Nov. 22 - Holiday Travel Advice
Dec. 6 - Northern Florida - From Panhandle to Amelia Island!
Dec. 13 - LIVE on LOCATION from Kissimmee, Florida

Hope you listen in! Let us know if there is a topic you would like us to cover in 2011.

Disneyland/Walt Disney World Military Discount 2010-2011

2010-11-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that 2010 is almost over? Well, we are less than two months away from the new year and it's time to start thinking about vacations and getaways in 2011. Last week, Disney Parks announced the new military discount for the rest of this year and 2011, and it is a GREAT offer. For those of you living around the West Coast, you can buy a three day park hopper for $99 to Disneyland. For those of you planning to visit Walt Disney World, my favorite Mouse is offering you a four-day park hopper for $138! That is an amazing deal! The offer other combinations to that pass including a water park option for those interested. For more details, visit our home page at http://www.guidetomilitarytravel.com/ for a complete list of the available discounts. If you were thinking of visiting a Disney Park, this is the time to do it. Any questions? Let us know and we'd be glad to help! Have a great week, Friends.

Go Play in Montana

2010-01-23T18:46:00.001-08:00

We just got a great tip from a reader on the website and she had some excellent information to share.

In her own words:

My husband (a marine) and I just went on a winter vacation to Montana -- it was AWESOME!! And we don't even ski!!

I heard you talk about your site on a podcast and did not see anything on MT. Well, now I see Jackson, WY on the front page, but I will say that MT and Yellowstone in the winter were amazing. We stayed at Chico Hot Springs and they offer a GREAT winter vacation package. Then we took an AMAZING dog-sledding adventure from there with Absaroka Dogsled Treks, that was the BEST day ever, and the lunch they served was terrific. 

Our last four nights in MT we stayed at this WONDERFUL bed and breakfast, Howlers Inn, near Bozeman. It is a wolf sanctuary and the owner is former Navy and we received a military discount there.

Sounds like an amazing trip. Thank you so much for sharing!!

Please, if anyone has any tips for great trips with unbeatable military discounts, always feel free to share.

Share the love, people!!

Louisville, KY Honoring Heroes!!

2009-11-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

Ninety years ago, President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day which in 1954, by an act of Congress, was signed it into law as Veterans Day.

Louisville honors its military heroes throughout the year with several memorials such as the Purple Heart Trail, The Patriots Peace Memorial and Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. Visitors can tour these locations which are featured in an “Honoring Military Heroes” itinerary posted on the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau’s website at http://www.gotolouisville.com/play/tours-itineraries/honoring-our-military-heroes/index.aspx.
Travelers looking to reflect on the heroism of those who served the country can do so year-round, or on Veterans Day, by visiting www.gotolouisville.com and reading the “Honoring Military Heroes” itinerary and searching the calendar of events, which is updated daily.
A current list of military-related events this month includes:
11/7/2009

Workshop -“Civil War Artifacts: Up-Close & Personal”

Frazier International History Museum, Louisville, KY

502 753-5663 / http://www.fraziermuseum.org/

11/11/2009

Veterans Day Celebration

Frazier International History Museum, Louisville, KY

502 753-5663 / http://www.fraziermuseum.org/

11/11/2009

Free Tours for Military Members and Veterans

Mammoth Cave, Cave City, KY

270-758-2180 / nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/cavetourschedulewinter.htm

11/11/2009

Kentucky Military Treasures: Selections from the Kentucky Historical Society Collections

Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, Frankfort, KY

502-564-1792 / http://www.history.ky.gov/

11/19/2009

An American Woman in World War II

Frazier International History Museum, Louisville, KY

502 753-5663 / http://www.fraziermuseum.org/

11/21/2009 - 11/22/2009

Civil War Living History

Bardstown, KY

800 638-4877 / http://www.visitbardstown.com/

now through - 3/28/2010

WWII: 48 Local Stories That Changed the World

Frazier International History Museum, Louisville, KY

502 753-5663 / http://www.fraziermuseum.org/

Welcome Home!

2009-10-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

Please join GuidetoMilitaryTravel.com in welcoming back to the USA Kent, Katie and their family! We are glad your back with us! Look forward to more of their adventures coming soon!

-GuidetoMilitaryTravel.com

New Contest!!

2009-10-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

A new contest is underway on our site. Win your child a "TravelKiddy" for your next trip. I highly recommend it. It is a parent's dream. Finally something to entertain your kids that is not a song or movie you have to hear or watch over and over and over again! Click here for more details!

--Erica

New to Facebook!!

2009-10-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

You can find the latest information on our military travel discounts updated in real time on our Facebook page. Click our icon in the sidebar to become a FAN! Hope you have all registered to win our first giveaway. If not, visit http://www.guidetomilitarytravel.com/ for more details on how to register. If you have already registered, a new giveaway will be posted on Oct 11! Stay tuned...

-Erica

Official Site Launch

2009-09-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Our website is having an official launch party starting tomorrow Oct 1, 2009! Visit www.guidetomilitarytravel.com for contest information and the latest in travel deals for our active duty military and their families! It's time to start preparing for that Fall getaway.

--Erica

International Travel...Hmm...What to bring?

2009-09-01T01:29:00.000-07:00

Well, as we prepare for our week-long trip to Zadar, Croatia with two small children, the question lingers...what do we bring? Both of them are in diapers, the baby only eats specific foods, and we need a crib. Do we dare try to bring enough diapers and food AND a crib? Not to mention, beach toys, towels, clothes, sandals, etc? Without paying for extra baggage, we would never fit it all. So here are a few tips that we have learned along the way to make traveling with children (internationally) just a teensy bit easier.

**Find lodging that has a baby bed. This is really rather easy to find. Even many apartments and villas will have a baby bed for you, though they are personally owned by an individual. Many times they will just ask their neighbors and borrow it for you:)

**Buy diapers at your destination. Pack just enough diapers to get you through your travel time, plus enough for one more day (in case of poor layovers, late/delayed flights, sick babies, etc.). Babies in most parts of the world use diapers. They are not hard to find. (In Europe we find the best selection in drug stores as opposed to small grocery stores.)

**Buy food at you destination. I suggest bringing snacks in small plastic ware (like Tupperware or Gladware) That way, when you buy more snacks and foods later, you have a place to store them. In many places around Europe you will find open markets and grocery stores with such beautiful fresh produce, you likely will not have trouble finding something to feed your children.

**Pack one outfit per day, plus one, for the children. If you're vacationing for a week or less you may not want to bother with doing laundry. Though, for anything longer I would suggest packing a travel size laundry soap and looking for a laundromat at your destination. Trying to pack that many clothes into limited suitcases can be more hassle than its worth.

**Toys? Don't worry about them, other than what you need to get you to your destination. There are so many new things to do and experience that most children hardly need a toy to keep themselves happy and occupied. A new leaf, a lake, a beach, an ice cream cone;), a playground now and again, and they're set. And by the time you're ready to settle down each night, they're so tuckered out that they can't usually be bothered with playing with toys.

**Bedding? Don't forget your child's favorite blanket and/or softie. (Like I really have to tell you that, right?;) And we have also found that bring an extra blanket for the baby is also a good idea, as many places do not have small blankets for them.

We hope that helps you out on the last of your summer travels. Maybe there are some out there who have not yet started school, giving you one last chance at a summer vacation.

I guess I had better get packing.

I found the perfect stroller built for two! - PRODUCT REVIEW

2009-07-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

During a recent trip to Disneyland Resort, I noticed that many moms were using stand and sit strollers. For those unfamiliar with the concept (as I was), one child sits in the front seat just like a traditional stroller, and there is a platform between the seat and the handles for a second child to stand and ride. The idea seemed fantastic. I was eight months pregnant with my second child at the time, and wondered if this was a product I would need one day. With the summer travel season upon us, that day has arrived and with the amount of traveling that my family does (and the amount of visits to amusement parks), a stand and sit double stroll was on my list of purchases before our next trip.
After reading many reviews and trying several strollers at local stores, I settled on the Joovy Caboose Ultra-Light. As the name suggests, the Caboose Ultra-Light is a solid and well engineered stroller, but weighs only a modest 21 pounds, which my husband appreciates. It is much easier for me to load and unload from the back of the family minivan than other strollers we have used, especially when my husband is not around. The stroller is easy to fold and unfold, and stores easily. It also has a padded and sturdy platform where my son can sit when he gets tired of standing. Besides being well built, the best praise I can give this stroller is that my two year old loves it. Being able to stand behind his brother while we stroll gives him a sense of empowerment. When he rides, the look on his face tells me that he thinks he is the king of the world, and for me, that is the highest praise I can give any product. I found a great website that sells these strollers. They have the best price I have found, offer free shipping and they are part of CSN Stores, the third-largest online retailer of home goods in the U.S. (and my favorite online shopping websites). With active kids like mine, I'm so thankful that I finally found the perfect stroller! Click here for more info.

We want to hear from you!

2009-07-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Are you a military family that has recently taken their summer vacation? If so, we want to hear from you. We are looking for guest bloggers - military families - that would like to share their adventures with us. We want to know where you went, what you did, what cool things you found, where you stayed...we want to know it all! Email us at erica@guidetomilitarytravel.com and let us know you would like to be a "Guest VA-cation Blogger". We hope to hear from you soon!

Formal Introductions!!

2009-07-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

We, at GuidetoMilitaryTravel.com, are very excited to introduce to you our newest travel experts. You've met Katie, but here's a small introduction of her family written by her Air Force pilot husband Kent. Kent and Katie (and family) will be our outdoor adventurists and international travel experts. Welcome Kent and Katie! We look forward to you writing about your many adventures.

Here's their bio:

Katie and I are a young military family with two kids, a three year old girl and a nine month old boy. We met in Estes Park, Colorado in 2003 where we hit it off immediately. Ever since that first meeting the military aspect of my life was like the gorilla you try to discretely keep in the corner – it inevitably tramps through everything and eats all the hors d’oeuvres. Although I got her number, the first time I called her was from Germany a little over a week later, I was TDY for over a month. After returning we started to date, but then I had to deploy for a few months and we continued via e-mail. Eventually I came home and we had some solid time together, at least enough to realize that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together and hoped to figure out the finer details later. Katie grew up a military brat, moving all over the world, so jumping right in was second nature, like finding your childhood blanky, familiar and comfy (though stinky and ratty in places). Since then God has blessed us with two children and Uncle Sam has taken us through Europe for nearly three years – so we’re anticipating a return to the states soon. We’ve had a wonderful time when I’ve been around, trying to go and see some great spots. The more cities we see, the more we realize that the mountains and the outdoors are what truly call to us and our family. Let it go on the record – the Alps are exquisite, I have yet to see other mountains that surpass them, having both the grandeur, the sheer size and magnificence as well as the charm, they’re really amazing. Off that tangent, back to us. You see, although we love the mountains we’ve felt an obligation to go and see many of the cultural sites, the tourist sites that are immortalized in every movie and book. Had we not seen them we’d forever ask ourselves “How could we have been so close and never seen them?” We almost look forward to being back in the states where this innate feeling of historical/cultural responsibility to experience doesn’t exist for us. Our guilt free quest to see all the national parks and as many fourteeners as a family can safely climb will resume in full swing or least a little bit of a swing, seeing how our next duty station will most likely not be within 500 miles of a national park – but that’s alright, because like you, we love to travel.

Here's a sample of our adventures for the last year:

Jan 08 Colmar, France – Baden Baden, Germany

Feb 08 Chamonix, France

March 08 Morocco, Southern Spain, Gibraltar

April 08 Amsterdam, Netherlands

May 08 Rhine and Mosel River Valleys

June 08 Normandy, France for D-Day Celebrations, Palace of Versailles, Monet’s Home and Smith Rock, Oregon / Olympic Peninsula, Washington

July 08 Lauterbrunnan, Switzerland Camping

Dec 08 Prague, Czech Republic

Jan 09 Seattle, Colorado Springs

Mar 09 Haute Route, Switzerland (Hut to Hut Backcountry Skiing)

Apr 09 Neuschwanstein, Ceramic Shopping Nove, Italy, French Riviera and Monte Carlo

May 09 Berlin, Berchtesgaden, Germany (Eagle’s Nest) and Vienna, Austria

June 09 ……

If we can answer any questions or if you'd like to send us a note, write us at KentandKatie@GuidetoMilitaryTravel.com!

Stay tuned for Kent and Katie's newest adventure!

-GuidetoMilitaryTravel.com

How to get a good deal

2009-07-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

As this blog is a guide, we thought it'd be a swell idea to guide our readers on how to find great deals. We will provide plenty of deals here on the blog and on our site http://www.guidetomilitarytravel.com/, however, finding good deals is something that anyone can do for any vacation, but it does take some time. The biggest thing?

Do some research.

Google the heck out of any vacation plans and look past the first few hits that come up. Once you find something that you think will suit your needs (car rental, vacation home/hotel/B&B, attractions, etc) find a phone number and give them a call. In this internet-led world we sometimes forget to make a phone call, but all too often sites won't advertise family or military deals so it takes a little one-on-one to discover such deals.

Also, look into last-minute deals. "Last-minute" is often defined as a week or less from the determined time of vacation, and these can often be pretty unbeatable. Again, a phone call may be in order, but the deals are always worth it.

Some other great places to find fab deals?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/, a vacation forum of other vacationers sharing their great finds
http://www.virtualtourist.com/, similar to above

Just remember, those site are for research only. When it is time to book your trip, contact the companies directly. You can usually find a much better deal. If their price is higher, tell them about the rate you found online. I have NEVER found an instance where they didn't match the rate.

And of course, when planning a trip, don't forget to check out http://www.guidetomilitarytravel.com/ for the latest and greatest.

On another note:

**Anyone looking for a contest? Go find your greatest photo of your pet on vacation and we'll tell you what to do with them in a couple of days.

Happy travels!

Katie:)

NEED ADVICE

2009-07-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

We, at GuidetoMilitaryTravel.com, are looking for advice on the best "Stand and Sit" double stroller. If you have tried one, and want to tell us about it, leave us your comment. One of the comments will randomly be chosen to win a fun prize so tell us what you think!

-Erica

The Staycation

2009-06-30T03:58:00.000-07:00

In times such as these, it's hard to think about anything but how much money we don't have, much less, which vacation we want to go spend that nonexistent money on. That's why we're here! To help find those fab deals and great thrills for a penny or more (okay, probably a little more).

But in the mean time, let's not forget the grand "staycation." Yup. That's right. If you're looking for some time off, take it. Then stay put. I think we forget to look within the 50 mile radius of where we live for great things to do: national parks, lakes, city parks with water attractions, or just a day off in our backyard with the hose on for the kiddos and our feet up. Don't get me wrong, we love to get away, to explore, to experience, but sometimes, when the wallet or time demand that the get away is not possible, we get creative, at home.

First step to a great staycation?
Unplug. We rarely find ourselves with computers, Xbox, and phones when we chillin' away from home, so do it. Unplug, pull out the books and games and get outside.

Not sure what to do? Here are some ideas and some places to get ideas:

National Park website, search for parks by state
Children's Museum's, again, search by state
Your local newspaper in the 'entertainment' section
Your city's homepage
Local Harvest, check local farmer's markets and farms. This can be so much fun
Amusement Parks, this may pull a little money from the budget, so plan well
Your city's local visitor's center, it may surprise you

The great thing? You hardly have to spend a dime on most these attractions! A city park with a kid's fountain? Free! Take a lunch with you, swimsuits and towels, and you've got a wonderful, fun day without spending anything. Don't let money stop you from experiencing.

We've got tons of great things to share with you all: tips, deals, places to explore. Keep checking back!!

Katie:)

Here we go!

2009-06-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

So, I'm Katie. I grew up as a military brat moving from place to place and loving every minute of the different cultures I got to experience. Then, apparently addicted to the lifestyle, I married into the military (admittedly, thinking of life without an ID card does freak me out. Just a tad). Along with my adventure-sporting husband and two young children, I like to travel. Scratch that. I LOVE to travel. But not just to see things. We love to really experience things. To take it all in. One of my favorite things is coming home, and avoiding the mountain of laundry by telling everyone what we saw and did and where to stay (or where not to stay) and the great food that we ate. And along the way, we've learned some of the differences between traveling as a couple and traveling with small children (because heaven knows, there is a big difference), how to find great deals, where to go to figure out what to do at our destination, and how to make getting there a little easier on everyone. So here I am. To share it all. I'll be a regular around here. Like it or not;)

Katie:)

Welcome Bloggers!

2009-06-25T12:43:00.001-07:00

Welcome Bloggers to Guide to Military Travel's new blogsite. We are excited about giving you up-to-date stories, discount information and sharing with you our personal trip adventures. This blog gives us a better opportunity to let our hair down and explore our common quest as military members and spouses searching for great travel deals. We hope to recommend destinations, to inform you about the latest deals being offered and to reveal some insider secrets about an industry that is eager to invite us to explore the world and everything in it! Along the way we will share with you our own challenges in traveling, our fears about economic woes and the realism of affording a vacation in these times and the funny anecdotes of traveling with kids! Please leave us comments and share with us your experiences. If you would ever like to tell us about your adventures or share with us a special discount that you found, please contact us at guidetomilitarytravel@gmail.com and put BLOG in the subject field. We can't wait to hear from you!