Keep the Peace on Your Family Road Trip with These Tricks

Taking a road trip with your family in a caravan or RV can be a great way to spend your holiday. You can all bond with each other and experience new things. However, it can also be a recipe for disaster. You can end up with bickering, sulking, and shouting- and that's just the adults! Keeping the peace when you're all sharing a small space is sometimes difficult, but it's not impossible. Some special tricks will ensure the whole family has a wonderful time without too much trouble. Use the tips in this article to prevent any disasters while you're on your travels and everyone will come home happy.

Start with the Perfect Vehicle

The ideal journey begins with a vehicle that suits you and your family. You should think about your needs as a unit and as individuals. Start with how many of you there are in your family and your ages. You should also think about your setup at home. If your kids share bedrooms, they're more likely to get along when they share space in an RV. If everyone is used to having more space to themselves, you might need more in your vehicle. You're sure to have other needs too. For example, you might want to have cooking facilities or certain technology that you can't live without.

Source: Bull-Doser

Allow Everyone Their Space

It can be hard for anyone to get some alone time when you're sharing a small space. But there are still ways to ensure everyone can get some time to themselves. Even if you're sitting together, you can all be doing your own thing. Someone can read a book while someone else puts headphones on and listens to music. When you make your stops, make sure everyone can do different things too. Teenagers might want to go for a walk, while younger children could join a campground kids' club.

Let Each Person Have a Say

It's no fun for the whole family if one person always makes the plans. While the adults might be in charge of the main itinerary, try to let the kids have their say too. They could help you decide what to do on a particular day or what to eat for dinner. You don't necessarily have to give them complete control. Offer them two or three choices and they will still feel like they get to decide what you do. You don't always have to do everything together either. One parent could be in charge of one activity, while the other handles something else.

Enjoy Family Activities

Don't forget to enjoy your family time together too. Your road trip is an excellent opportunity to bond and have lots of fun. Do a variety of things, from enjoying the outdoors on foot or bicycles to playing board games. There are lots of activities you can enjoy together to get to know each other better.

A family road trip can bring you all together and be a memorable experience. Just make sure you plan carefully to keep everyone happy.

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Travel Photo: Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum

 

This  is Little M's  first Lighthouse she climbed. It has 177 steps. It is located at  Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum 2081 Radford Blvd. Pensacola,Florida 32508.

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5 Great US Destinations For Exploring the Great Outdoors

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The US is such a huge country; there’s no wonder just how much variety there is in its landscape. From rugged mountainous regions to lush forests, there’s plenty of reason to get out and about. So if you haven’t yet planned your summer holiday, how about considering a trip to explore the US’s fabulous countryside. Here are five destinations to whet your appetite.

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

Pack your family into your RV and hit the road to Arizona’s major attraction: the Grand Canyon. This huge gorge is up to eighteen miles wide and one mile deep. The south rim of the canyon has the best road access, so many visitors head to this section in personal vehicles or on shuttle buses. At the south rim, you’ll see the Grand Canyon Village. You’ll be able to explore the old pioneer town began. If you fancy stretching your legs, there are many hiking routes that go along the canyon.

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite is a fantastic camping destination. It offers visitors 800 miles of hiking trails and unmissable views of mountains and rock formations. A free shuttle bus transports visitors around the park, meaning once you arrive, you can leave the car in the car park for the whole trip! The park holds a lot of ranger courses that help tourists get to know the landscape better. The Yosemite Ranger Walk & Talks are very popular and teach about the area’s geology and native settlers.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Maine’s Acadia National Park is the perfect destination for adventure! Not only does the park have sandy beaches for the kids to play on, but there will be the chance to take part in many different activities. Including kayaking and hiking. Be sure to drop into the Wildwood Stables to take a horse-drawn carriage tour of the park. It’s a great way to take in the stunning views!

Aspen, Colorado

If you want some winter fun, head to Aspen for some serious skiing! Most of Aspen’s resorts are at the higher end when it comes to price, but there is also a good choice of affordable accommodation. The Snowmass area is a popular place for skiers to stay. It offers a number of recreational activities alongside the usual skiing and snowboarding. It’s even a popular summer destination. Throughout the warmer months, you can hit the bike park or join one of the many yoga classes.

Maui, Hawaii

For a tropical adventure, book a trip to Hawaii’s Maui island. The Haleakala National Park has many hiking paths that snake up a dormant volcano, and there’s, even more, hiking along the Hana Highway. As you walk the highway, you’ll pass stunning rainforests and a beautiful waterfall. Both amateur and professional golfers can practice their swing at the King Kamehameha Golf Course. History buffs also have plenty to keep them entertained. They can visit the Bailey House Museum and historic Holy Ghost Catholic Church.

Hopefully, you’re now brimming with ideas to help you plan an exciting holiday in the US!

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Preparing For Your Experience Holiday

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Experience holidays are a wonderful way to explore the farthest reaches of the globe. They provide unique opportunity to discover terrains, wildlife, and climates that we only see in films. For many of us, these holidays are a once-in-a-lifetime trip. To capitalize on this experience, follow our advice on how to prepare.

Advance Planning

Experience holidays require a little more thought than your everyday beach holidays. There are many things to consider once you have chosen your destination.

1. Before booking, do your research and read books, travel blogs, and online reviews. This will give you an idea of what to expect. It will also provide you with access to other people's experiences. If you’re looking for a bespoke holiday.

2. Check with your holiday provider about what to expect and what you should take. They will be best placed to provide you with a packing checklist.

3. Make a list of everything you need to prepare and take with you. Keep it handy, so you can add to it as things occur to you.

4. Dust off your luggage and leave it somewhere amenable. As you pack items cross them off your checklist.

5. Check to see whether you require vaccinations and plan them in ahead of time.

6. Remember to include charging cables for your phone, e-book, camera, etc. Depending on your destination these items may not be available. Imagine not being able to take photos of your trip of a lifetime?

7. Pack any prescription medications and a small first aid kit. This might include plasters, bandages, antiseptic, and insect repellent, etc. Check with your holiday booker whether you need additional items.

8. Include sun protection such as sunglasses and sunblock. The sun doesn’t have to be strong for it to burn and damage your skin.

9. Read our tips on how to travel better.

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Suitable Clothing

Wherever you’re going, you will need suitable clothing. Perhaps the most important items to consider are shoes. Pack sturdy and comfortable shoes that are suitable for the climate and terrain. Wear them in before you go. You don’t want to have to deal with blisters on your safari or arctic tour.

Research carefully in advance to ensure you are adequately equipped. A few things to consider:

• Check to see whether extreme clothing can be hired at your destination.
• If you’re visiting a hot country, then take items that are cool but will protect you from the sun.
• Take a few hats. Hats will protect your head from the extreme heat of the sun, or the extreme cold.
• Pack a few items of spare clothing.  Wherever you’re going, they are likely to come in handy.  In hot climates, you will sweat. If it’s cold, you may get wet.
• Pack some travel wash to save space in your suitcase.
• Take clothing for relaxing. You won’t spend your entire holiday on safari, trekking or dog sledding. Take evening clothes too.
• If you’re visiting a cold climate, then pack some extra layers. Layering will keep you warm.
  

Experience holidays offer exhilaration and excitement. They are a chance to explore and discover new lands and people. Make the most of this adventure by planning ahead and packing carefully. 

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How to have an Awesome Family Trip in the UK

The UK is an excellent place to explore as a family. A lot of families will experience some of the main cities and locations, such as London, Edinburgh and Stone Henge. However, if you have a week or more, it's the perfect opportunity to see more of the nation. There's plenty to see, but you can pack a lot into a week or two. It's less than 900 miles by road between John O'Groats and Land's End. They are the furthest northern and southern points in Scotland and England. The UK is a fantastic country for families too, so start planning a journey everyone will love.

Source: unsplash

Where to Go

Where you choose to go in the UK will depend on what you want to do. If you prefer to stick to cities, you might hit the capitals of London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. Families looking to explore further could check out other cities too. There are many places to see, from Liverpool and Newcastle to Portsmouth and Glasgow. If you're more of an outdoor, nature-loving family, there are so many places you'll love. You can seek out the seaside for coastal walks and water sports. Visit England's Lake District for hiking and biking, or camp in a forest. Maybe you want to see some history, from Roman villas to Viking settlements. Or perhaps you want to eat your way around the country.

Choose Your Mode of Transport

Hiring a car to drive around the UK is easy, but it's not your only option. Public transport is accessible in all but the most remote areas of the country. The trains aren't always the most reliable and can be expensive. But watching the countryside pass by is always enjoyable. If you're in a large city, particularly London, it makes more sense not to bother with a car. The underground network and buses in the capital will help you get around. And there's always walking, especially when in the center of London. Then there are ferries at the coast, which will help you cross to Northern Ireland and other islands in the British Isles.

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Camping or Other Accommodation?

If you're traveling around, you need to decide how to accommodate yourselves. You can, of course, stay in hotels, B&Bs, or rented properties. Another option to consider, however, is camping. Brits love to camp, so there are are great campgrounds up and down the country. You can stay in a tent, hire a caravan (trailer), or stay in a static caravan. If you enjoy using a motorhome when you're at home, consider using one in the UK too.

Finding Things to Do

You should have no trouble finding things to do and days out for families in the UK. Take a visit to Blackpool for theme park fun or spend a day in the museums in London. Or visit Edinburgh in August for the arts and comedy festival. Spend your time outdoors or seek out kids events, especially during the time when British children are out of school. You can even find plenty of free things to do.

The UK is a fascinating place to spend a week or two. Take your time having a leisurely adventure and you will all have lots of fun.

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Holiday Rentals: Reasons Why They Could Make Your Vacation Even Better

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Choosing accommodation is an integral part of planning a luxury vacation. While hotels are a common choice for travellers wanting a luxurious experience, there is another option you could try. Holiday rentals have become increasingly popular throughout the world in recent years. There are more now than ever before ranging from city centre apartments to seaside cottages. A primary factor behind this popularity is the cost. Holiday rentals often offer the same level of luxury as hotels but at a far lower price. Making them far more appealing. So instead of just booking into a hotel, take at these reasons why a rental could be a better option.

You can make your own schedule

When staying in a private holiday rental, you can decide how you spend your time. Hotels will often have schedules for dining, activities and transportation which you have to adhere to. But rentals give you the freedom to tailor your own itinerary each day, instead of relying on the hotel to do it for you. You have the opportunity to pick and choose what you want to do and when. Rather than having to stick to deadlines and schedules which could prevent you from making the most of your trip. There might be something a restaurant you want to try or an attraction that isn’t nearby. Making your own schedule allows you to come and go as you please without the stress of time constraints or other guests.

Image via Flickr

They can offer more space

If you’re planning a vacation with your family or a group of friends, some hotels will be unable to fit you into one room. This can result in your group being split up and staying in different rooms. This isn’t ideal if you want to spend as much time together as possible. Rentals, however, offer more space and privacy that can cater to all manner of party numbers. For example, take a look at Pezula Estate villa rentals. They can offer large rental properties that can sleep up to eight people. Or visit the Home away website where you can find rentals that can sleep over ten people. Meaning that your party can all stay together and still have plenty of space and room.

It’s a home away from home

Some hotels are highly comfortable to stay in but can lack personality and character. Holiday rentals, however, are cozier and filled with charm. Making you feel more like a local and more at ease within your surroundings. They often come with amenities such as dishwashers, washing machines and cooking appliances. Meaning you can cook your own meals and clean your clothing throughout your stay if you wish. Again, rather than having to rely on the hotel staff to do it for you. They also usually have personal touches which are often lacking from hotel rooms, such as books, local produce and fresh flowers. Bringing, even more, character and homely features into the space.

Holiday rentals can help you create a unique, luxury vacation unlike any other. So start researching luxury rentals instead of hotels and make your next trip the best one yet.

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How To Choose The Right Hotel For Your Vacation

A trip to Newport, Oregon, gives you the chance to visit the restaurants, beaches and museums in the
area. You are going to need a place to stay during your vacation, and the motel you choose can make
or break your experience. A motel Newport Oregon such as Agate Beach Motel offers a mixture of 
cozy guestrooms and convenient amenities. Here are several things to keep in mind when choosing a rental  for your trip to Newport,Oregon.

Your Budget: You should always check the rates of the hotel to make sure it is within your budget.
You may realize you can afford that hotel with the spacious guestroom and long list of amenities. The rates are usually based on the location, guestrooms, amenities and brand of the hotel. The rates also
depend on the length of your stay and amount of guests staying in your room. You do not want to
book a reservation or write off a hotel until you have checked the nightly rates for your room.

The Guestrooms: You are going to be staying in this room for several days, so it is important to make
sure the guestroom fits your needs. You may want a spacious guestroom if you are sharing with multiple people or looking to relax during the day. If you are staying alone or only using the guestroom as a place to sleep, then a small but comfortable room may work for your vacation. You should always read the reviews and make sure the guestroom is neat and clean.

Accommodations: You should always look at the list of accommodations when checking out the guestroom in a specific hotel. The idea is to make sure you will have everything you need during your stay. A comfortable guestroom usually includes cozy bedding, a television set, coffee maker, mini refrigerator, bathroom, fresh bath towels and travel-size toiletries. There are guestrooms with additional accommodations, such as a fully-equipped kitchen, dining area, desk and Internet access. Are you planning to bring your cat or dog with you? It is important to make sure the guestrooms are pet-friendly before you book your room.

Hotel Amenities: You do not want to overlook the features and amenities offered by the hotel. There are many hotels that offer a range of amenities to guests, such as a fitness center, swimming pool, restaurant, business center and on-site convenience store. Some hotels offer just a few amenities, such as a fire pit, crab pot, deck and free parking. It is great to have access to a variety of amenities, but do not base your overall decision on the amenities alone. You may realize that you are not going to spend enough time at the hotel to enjoy them.

Activities and Attractions: The nearby activities and attractions can make a difference on what hotel you choose for your trip. You can find hotels near a variety of attractions in Oregon, such as the Agate Beach

Golf Course, Yaquina Bay and Lighthouse and Cobble Beach. It is easy to plan your vacation when you know what activities and attractions are located near the hotel.It is important to take your time when choosing a motel in Newport, Oregon. You want to choose a motel that is comfortable, affordable and located in a great spot.

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Editing Travel Videos with the Movavi Video Editor

How often do you record videos when you travel? Generally nowadays most people tend to do so – either using their digital camera or smartphone, or some other device entirely. In fact odds are that you have several videos from every trip you’ve been on – some of which you may choose to share online, but many of which didn’t turn out quite the way you hoped.

If you were able to edit your travel videos, you could correct any issues with some of the videos you recorded, or even just improve and give your videos a bit of polish and style. However as much as recording travel videos is so easy and convenient nowadays, video editing is normally not quite so easy – unless you use the  Video Editor.

Intuitively Edit Travel Videos

A big part of the reason it is so easy to edit travel videos with the Movavi Video Editor boils down to how intuitive the software is. Right from the get go you’ll be able to jump right in and start to edit videos without having to go through any sort of learning curve.

In addition to being easy to use, the Movavi Video Editor also boasts a huge amount of features that will allow you to both perform small tweaks to improve your travel video as well as more extensive alterations to boost its production value and stylize it as you see fit. Some of the features that you will undoubtedly find useful include:

• Cutting and combining segments of video to remove any unnecessary footage from your travel videos as well as merge clips together in the sequence you require.
• Adding audio tracks for background music or voiceovers by utilizing existing audio files or capturing audio directly from a microphone or some other device.
• Enhancing the video quality manually or automatically and correcting common issues such as pixelated, blurry, or shaky segments of video.
• Inserting customizable text to create unique titles, subtitles, captions or watermarks.
• Applying stylish filters or special effects to alter the visual appearance of the video subtly or extensively.

As you can see these features should let you create a travel video that really does look and feel as if it has been professionally edited. Suffice to say – if you want to share your travel video on social media or publish it on some other platform, it makes sense to give the Movavi Video Editor a whirl before you do so.

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Cheekwod Botanical Garden: Southern Roots

I've been here in Tennessee for 6 years and I visited Cheekwood Botanical Garden all year round-I saw and visited  exhibits  in every seasons,it's amazing.My husband and I decided to renewed our membership this year.This will be our 3rd year as a member.

It was beautiful and sunny last Sunday, Travelentz decided to checked out the new exhibitions; SOUTHERN ROOTS-Yay! the trip was worth, I have never seen such unique creations before.Every year the Cheekwood Botanical Garden has different exhibitions.

"Southern Roots features work from Tobin’s Steelroots sculptures, an evolution of his signature bronze Walking Roots series. In addition to his massive sculptures in steel and bronze, Tobin incorporates natural elements such as wood, glass and ceramics to create dramatic works of art."

My family spent a couple hours at the garden. Though my daughter was antsy to leave and get ice cream.

 Low season is one of my favorite time of the year. No rushing,no lines, no crowds, and I got all the time to enjoy all the exhibits without rushing and worrying my daughter.

It's not colorful yet, some tress are start budding and  flowers start to bloom.Considering it's Sunday afternoon, you can see kids running around in the  common area. The place is not crowded so I got a chance to take photos and enjoyed looking the exhibitions.

It's not just a garden,sculptures you can see in this garden. You can enjoy as well feeding the ducks.


 

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Five Tips for Planning the Ultimate Western Vacation

If you’ve grown up watching cowboys on the big screen, a Western-themed holiday in The States could be your dream trip. There are many American destinations to visit for a taste of the Wild West. Stay on a cattle ranch or try out a horse riding vacation. Not only will these kinds of trips take you back to a bygone time, but they are more often than not very active. Helping you stick to a healthy lifestyle.

Photo from Pexels

So how do you plan your ultimate Western vacation? Here are five top tips.

Choose a State

The name “Wild West” suggests cowboys were just out in the western states. Even though this is where most of them lived, there were many in the other states as well. One notable cowboy hotspot was Texas, down in the south. Cattle ranches still play an important part in local economy there and is one possibility for an authentic cowboy vacation. Up on the Canadian border, Montana still has many ranches and farms as well. For an experience out in the desert, think about booking some time in Arizona.

Accommodation

Where would you like to sleep? Cowboys were perfectly happy sleeping out under the stars. If you fancy this too, think about booking a spot in a camping site. If you want to do lots of hiking, you could hike between different sites. This way, you’ll see even more of the local landscape. Staying at a ranch is the most comfortable option. There are lots of different options depending on your budget. These range from five-star ranch-themed hotels to real working cattle farms.

Traveling

The possibility of hiking has already been mentioned above. But another great option is to book a horse riding trip. When you book one of these stays, horse riding is often included in your hotel price. Each day you will get the chance to ride off and explore the surrounding country. If you want to take it easy, travel around famous cowboy locations in a comfortable RV .

Activities

If you choose to stay in a ranch, you should think about the activities you would like to try during your trip. All ranches will offer horse riding, however, certain pastimes might not be available. Only specialist ranches will offer rodeo experiences, so if you really want to try it, check it is offered before you book. Some horse ranches may expect you to get stuck in with looking after the animals. Doesn’t sound like your idea of a holiday? Best to book accommodation somewhere you won’t be responsible for cleaning the stables out!

Suit Up!

How about getting some traditional cowboy clothes for your trip? Looking the part will help you feel the part! Don’t worry about looking like you are going to a fancy dress party. Many farmers and ranch owners still wear cowboy hats, boots and chaps. The clothes are very practical for working on a ranch. So, if you are planning on helping the farmer out, getting the correct gear is very important.

Time to saddle up and get planning your Western vacation!

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