Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast

This week, we are sharing our top family travel planning tips and Kim has a very special announcement! ON THE PODCAST 00:29 -  Tamara and Kim talk about family travel planning 05:20 - Where to start your planning 11:07 - Kim's research sources 11:50 - Where to find places to eat 15:42 - Visitors Bureau 16:53 - Guide books. Yes or No? 17:57 - Digital maps vs. paper maps 19:38 - Getting kids into tr...

Do you have the winter blues? It is time to start thinking about a trip to a somewhere warm. This week we chat with Jodi Grundig about planning a Grand Cayman vacation. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Kim and Tamara chat about winter travel and the winter blues 02:42 - Warm Weather Vacation Experiences 09:54 - About Jodi Grundig 16:28 - Where to Stay in Grand Cayman 18:30 - Beach Access with a Hotel 21:56...

If you haven't gotten sick while traveling yet, count your blessings. Chances are it is going to happen and the trick is to be prepared. This week, Hilarye Fuller from Dotting the Map shares her tips on using essential oils to stay healthy when traveling. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Tamara and Kim share their stories about getting sick traveling 10:30 - About Hilarye Fuller 14:37 - Essential oils Hilar...

Kim and Tamara cover their recommendations for the best family travel destinations for 2017. Where are you headed this year? Leave us a comment below and we will give you a shout out!   ON THE PODCAST 0:32 Happy New Year! 04:27 - Kim's Top Destination of 2016 08:57 - Kim's Second Destination 11:54 - Kim's Third Destination 14:35 - Kim's Fourth Destination 17:58 - Kim's Fifth Destination 19:07 - Ta...

Visiting Chicago with kids? The Vacation Mavens interview Francesca from Working Mom Travels and Chicago native on this week's podcast. Find out where to stay, where to eat and which neighborhoods you need to visit. ON THE PODCAST 00:33 - Tamara and Kim chat about the holidays 11:45 - About Francesca 16:45 - How long to spend in Chicago 17:26 - Where to stay 19:04 - Neighborhoods in Chicago 22:53...

Canada has been named the number one country to visit in 2017 by  Lonely Planet . From great exchange rates, 150th birthday celebrations, free National Park entries and festivals galore -- Canada has so much to offer families next year. Claudia from The Travelling Mom helps us scope out some of the best itineraries for families and things to visit in 2017. ON THE PODCAST 00:34 - Kim and Tamara tal...

This past weekend, Kim and Tamara, along with their families, visiting the Great Wolf Lodges in Grand Mound, Washington and Fitchburg, Massachusetts for their "howliday" Snowland festivities. They swap stories about their weekends and trade notes on the differences and similarities between the two resorts. This week, their girls, Lizzy, Mia and Hannah share their thoughts about the weekend. ON THE...

Mara from Mother of all Trips shares what to pack, where to go and how to prepare for your first family ski trip this week on the Vacation Mavens podcast. ON THE PODCAST 00:25 - Tamara and Kim talk about about recent trips to Iceland and Punta Cana 17:40 - Tamara and Kim's ski experience 20:10 - Mara Gorman from Mother of All Trips 22:31 - Ski school experience 28:00 - Lessons for your kids 30:11...

Kim and Tamara were recently out in Tucson, Arizona at the Family Travel Association Summit and they share their experiences in Arizona and chat with Rainer Jenss about family travel trends and the goals and mission of the Family Travel Association. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Tamara and Kim chat about their recent travels to Arizona 12:15 - Horseback riding experience with cacti 15:03 - Talking with t...

Have you had second thoughts about family traveling because you are nervous about flying with kids? Today we are sharing our top tips for flying with babies and toddlers to help get over that hurdle and get out there. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Kim and Tamara chat about flying with babies 05:55 - Tips for managing kids' gear traveling on a plane 11:40 -About Becky and Paul Kortman 16:54 - Carrying les...

Whether it is for the holiday card or your walls, we all love getting great family photos to capture our travels and memories. Professional photographer Kristen Duke shares her tips on getting the best family vacation photos. ON THE PODCAST 00:34 - Kim's recent travel to New Mexico 03:58 - Petroglyphs vs. Pictographs 06:40 - Future plans and past trips to Jamaica 12:08 - About Kristen Duke 14:10 -...

There is so much to know when visiting the Grand Canyon with kids and LiLand Pang from Trekaroo shares where to go, how long to stay and tips for your trip.   ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Tamara's time in Italy 10:33 - Talking with LiLing Pang about her time at the Grand Canyon 14:38 - Road trip 15:42 - North Rim vs. South Rim 19:33 - Drive between both Rims 20:55 - Best time to go 22:07 - Lodging aroun...

This week we are getting the scoop on the National Parks from someone who has been to quite a few of them! Ford Cochran from National Geographic Expeditions shares his top five parks and National Park travel tips -- plus we have a fun book giveaway! ON THE PODCAST :34 Kim tells us about Epcot's Food & Wine Festival 4:10 Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party 7:49 Kim's adventures in South Carolina'...

Thinking about planning a cruise with your family but not sure which cruise line is best? Amber from Global Munchkins shares her best tips on cruising with kids including picking a boat, planning your activities, and packing for a cruise. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Kim's girlfriend getaway 08:03 - Wine tasting experience 11:58 - Talking with Amber Mamian 16:54 - Favorite Cruise Lines 21:27 - How to Pi...

Does the recent Harry Potter release have you dreaming of a visit to England with kids to see the play? We are!! Today we are chatting with Nicole Wiltrout from Arrows Sent Forth, who spent three years living in England with her family. She gives us great ideas on planning an itinerary, getting outside of London, and the best times to visit England.   ON THE PODCAST 00:35 - Kim and Tamara experien...

Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine...there is nothing quite like fall in New England. This is the time when the foliage is at its peak, the air is crisp and the apples are crisper. What a perfect time to visit for hikes, festivals, and scenic drives. Get the inside scoop with Vermonter Dana Freeman from Dana Freeman Travels.   ON THE PODCAST 00:40- Tamara's trip to Cape Cod 06:10- Mar...

Kimberly and Tamara both took their families to Southwest Montana this summer. On this week's episode we talk about our trips and bring on a very special guest to share her favorite family adventures in Montana. ON THE PODCAST 00:45- Tamara's latest trip to Montana. 02:20- Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Park 08:40- Life on the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch 10:30- Dude ranch meal times.  12:37-...

Israel is on a lot of bucket lists, both for religious, cultural and historic regions. Today we talk with Joanna Shebson, an expat living in Jerusalem, who shares her tips and insights for visiting Israel with kids and all there is to do in her home city of Jerusalem. ON THE PODCAST 02:18 Tamara's trip week to Jackson Hole, Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park 10:27  About Joanna Shebson 13:...

We all need to save a little money when we travel, right? This week we chat with Bethaney Davies from Flashpacker Family to get her best tips on using Priceline.com to save money on family travel. ON THE PODCAST :37 Kim takes a special flight with Southwest Airlines 9:55 Bethaney Davies from Flashpacker Family 13:02 Favorite money saving tips 16:47 Ways to determine what the "mystery" hotel is 19:...

Newport Rhode Island is known as the sailing capital of the world but it is also home to gorgeous mansions, fun restaurants, and beautiful beaches -- making it a perfect family getaway destination. Today we talk with Helena Bee from That Newport Show to get her inside tips on what to do, where to stay and where to eat in and around Newport, Rhode Island. ON THE PODCAST :034 Tamara talks about her...

Wineries with kids? Yes, it is possible! We've gotten together with Jana Seitzer from Merlot Mommy to share our best tips for visiting wineries with kids including what to look for in a family-friendly winery, some of our favorite wine regions, and our favorite wineries. ON THE PODCAST :30 Tamara and Kimberly talk about their recent staycations in Providence, RI and South Seattle, WA 9:43 About Ja...

Have you ever thought of a trip to Disney World could be relaxing and luxurious? Listen in as Robin Hutson from Luxe Recess shares her secrets on a relaxing Disney World trip. We dish about luxury hotels, fine dining, VIP tours and everything luxury Disney. ON THE PODCAST :30 Kim and Tamara talk about their recent trips to Disney 9:50 Robin Hutson from Luxe Recess 17:24 Luxury experiences at Disne...

How can you cope with food allergies and still explore the world? We chat with Kirsten Maxwell from Kids are a Trip for ideas on traveling with allergies. Kim's daughter and Kirsten's youngest son both have severe food allergies and they both share tips on how to travel internationally and domestically. ON THE PODCAST :30 Tamara chats about recent visits to Portland, Maine and the Saybrook Point I...

Utah hit the jackpot when it comes to National Parks...Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef...but how can one see them all? Allison from Tips for Family Trips shares her sample itinerary for seeing all the parks in 10 days and her top tips for visiting Utah's National Parks. ON THE PODCAST :30 Kim is in Edmunton 6:10 Allison Laypath from Tips for Family Trips 8:38 Allison's top 5 parks i...

Camping with the family can take a lot of thought and preparation. This week, we turned to the expert, Amy Whitley from Pit Stops for Kids, to get her best tips for when, where and how to camp with kids -- including suggestions on the best camping gear. ON THE PODCAST  :40 Tamara's recent trip to Florida 11:30 Amy Whitley from Pit Stops for Kids 15:49 Favorite camping trips 19:09 Camping tips 23:3...