This weekend officially kicks off the summer travel season with the Memorial Day Holiday. What does that mean for your travel plans? In some cases it means that if you aren’t prepared you could be faced with travel delays, missed connections, and other headaches that come with the territory of trip interruptions. It also means that our lobby will be closed Monday, but as always should you experience a travel emergency we are available on our 24 hour numbers.

We’ve all seen the news reports of TSA lines snaking for hours through airports across the country. In fact, just this week I saw a report of a TSA line that was over an hour long, compared to the TSA pre-check line that was less than a ten minute wait. If you haven’t secured Global Entry for yourself yet, what are you waiting for? Remember, it comes with TSA pre-check!

Summer thunderstorms are widespread across the midwest. It’s only a matter of time before they begin here on the East coast as well. Flight delays from thunderstorms will become increasingly common in the afternoons as we move forward into the summer travel season. If at any time you are uncertain of your connecting flight, or even whether your nonstop flight is going to get you to your destination, that is the time to contact one of the travel professionals at Slaydon’s Travel.

Many times I’m asked, “Why do I need to bother you if I’m already at the airport? I’m still going to have to stand in line to get a new ticket, right?”

Yes, you are going to have to stand in line to get your ticket re-issued, but normally, in the time it takes you to get to the front of that line, we can have you rebooked on that new flight. Perhaps there are only a few seats left on the next flight and there are 30 people in front of you, if you call me I can grab those seats. However, if you wait in the line without calling, those seats will certainly be gone by the time you get to the front.

Still have questions about what to expect? Contact me, or one of the other travel professionals at Slaydon’s Travel. We can make getting there as easy as being there!

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Every day is some sort of holiday, right? Yesterday was May 1, known as May Day throughout much of Europe and observed as a celebration, it was also Travel Advisor Day! Often as travel advisors we get “mayday” calls from clients, or even potential clients to help them out when things go awry. This week I wanted to share with you just some of the benefits you’ll experience when using a professional travel advisor. 

#1 – It’s our job to make sure you not only get the best value but also the vacation that best fits your travel needs. If price is your only driver we are not a good fit. One of my favorite quotes from a travel colleague is “How cheap does a bad vacation have to be for it to be okay?” A professional travel advisor is in your corner to add value, not to be an order taker. We know that the least expensive price is not normally your best value, there can be restrictions or fees associated with that price that you may not realize. We also have connections that have been build within the industry over the past 40+ years, those connections benefit our clients in ways they could never imagine or obtain on their own.

#2 – You aren’t just number with a professional travel advisor. We take the time to get to know each and every one of our clients. They know that should something go wrong they can pick up the phone and reach us directly, not going through a menu of “press 1 for English, press 2 if you are…” etc.

#3 – A professional travel advisor can guide you in making the best decisions for your vacation, just because your neighbors, friends, family members had a wonderful time when they went to a certain resort or destination does not mean that it’s the right fit for your vacation investment.

#4 – A professional travel advisor isn’t a click and buy database! We’re passionate about what we do and how we can customize a vacation that exceeds your expectations

#5 – The average family takes a “big vacation” every other year that requires hours of research and planning, if we narrow that down to just the years that your kids are in school from K-12, that’s 6 or 7 vacations. We plan those “big vacations” every day! While you could spend hours researching, talking to friends, neighbors, family members or even scouring what may or may not be legitimate reviews online a quick consultation with a professional travel advisor and you’ll be on your way to planning your dream vacation. You most likely don’t cut and color your own hair, you don’t do your own manicures and pedicures, you don’t do your own taxes or try to navigate your own financial planning or estate planning, you leave those things up to professionals. Why take a chance with trying to DIY your vacation plans and the memories that will last a lifetime that go along with that vacation?

When you’re ready to start planning your next vacation click here, we would love to help!

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Spring has finally sprung here in Coastal Virginia! The same can not yet be said for the mountains of West Virginia. My family spent the Easter weekend at my brother’s vacation cabin the mountains and with the exception of several red buds (which produce bright purple blooms) there weren’t very many signs of spring. While the wifi is strong, he says stronger than at his row house in DC, there is absolutely no cell reception. It was nice being able to disconnect for a few days and do some hiking, trying out the reported “best burger in West Virginia” and sitting around the campfire. For those who know me well, you know this is as close as I’ll get to camping!

With the fresh promise of Spring, this week I wanted to share some thoughts on how you can also refresh your travel gear to prepare for your summer vacation!

#1 – Check the expiration date on your passport. Remember, passports need to be valid for 6 months after you return from vacation. Now is a good time to pull that out and check the date. Passports for adults, 16 and over, are valid for 10 years and can be renewed by mail under most circumstances. For those under 16 passports are only valid for 5 years and can not be renewed, obtaining a new passport is just like when your child got their original. Both parents and the child need to appear together to get the new passport. We did this over Spring Break for our daughter. For those of you who are local, I highly recommend the main Post Office on Church St in Norfolk. You’ll need to make an appointment online, but they are readily available and offered every 15 minutes from 9am -3pm weekdays. When you arrive you simply stand in line for the postmaster. We were in and out in less than 10 minutes. The entire process was effortless.

#2 – Pull those suitcases out of the attic and check them out. Test the zippers, wheels, locks. etc. There’s nothing worse than getting your suitcase out to begin packing for your trip and discovering that you need a new one, or need a repair.

#3 – Perhaps your Summer vacation will have you traveling to a different climate. Now is the time to make a list of off season items you may need before you switch out your closet for Summer.

#4 – Make sure there is room on your phone, or camera for all those fantastic photos you’ll capture while you’re on vacation. There’s nothing that strikes fear into a photographer more than a full memory card! You don’t want to spend time deleting old photos as you are touring the Vatican Museums just so you don’t miss the next shot.

#5 – While you are checking your travel gear don’t forget to make sure you have the converters and adapters necessary for the countries you’ll be visiting. Dead batteries rank right up there with full memory cards with regards to striking fear!

So, now that you’ve checked your travel gear, maybe it’s time to actually start planning your next vacation! I’d love to help you get started, click here and we can start today!

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Many of us watched in awe this week as the iconic Notre Dame burned. Thank goodness that preliminary reports are showing that she is structurally sound and the towers appear safe.

I’ve been flooded with messages and emails this week as friends and clients recount their experiences in Paris and Notre Dame.

Monday also marked the 6th Anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings, you can read about my experience that day here. Tuesday marked 12 years since the Virginia Tech shootings. Really everything comes back to the quote often attributed to Buddha, “The trouble is, you think you have time.”

Each of these events are stark reminders that anything can happen, any time and any where.

Your calendars will always be full of reasons to put off until tomorrow, or next year, or when you reach that next milestone birthday or anniversary. Too often I’ve seen couples or families plan for “a big trip in x number of years” when x sadly never actually arrives.

In the spirit of spending quality time with the ones you love, our office will be closed Good Friday to observe the Easter Holiday. We will reopen Monday the 22nd at 10am.

Maybe you’re ready to plan that trip you’ve been putting off until the timing is right. Click here and let’s get started planning today.

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We hear a lot in the travel industry about “getting out of your comfort zone” so what does that really mean? It certainly doesn’t mean to me that you should be uncomfortable when you travel. I think the answer is really two-fold, it’s a matter of opening up your horizons to new experiences, this is why I do what I do. 

I’m passionate about helping people explore beyond their zip code. I truly believe that the more we see and experience of this big beautiful world the better we understand our place in this world. Travel is more than checking boxes or posting on social media, it carries many different meanings. It’s reconnecting with your spouse, your children or even your parents. It’s disconnecting with the technology we are constantly connected through. It’s exploring those destinations you’ve been dreaming of visiting since you learned about them in grade school. It’s about expanding your world view.

The other way that comfort zones and travel go hand in hand is when it comes to your actual accommodation when you travel. Quite often I hear “the hotel doesn’t matter, we’ll just sleep there” and I tend to disagree. Deep down most people want to elevate their everyday experiences when they travel rather than take a step down from their everyday standard of living. Travelers tend to want to enjoy local cuisine and restaurants rather than heat up ramen noodles in a hotel microwave. Travelers don’t want to clean a bathroom while on vacation. Travelers want to feel less stress, not more! Your travel budget certainly includes how much you will spend, but it also relates to the time you have to travel. We are here to maximize the value in your vacation. Were we to suggest a hotel that isn’t in the right location to fit your needs but sounds like it’s a money saver we would be doing you a disservice when you arrive and realize that you’ll not only spend hours a day getting to and from the center of town, but you’ll also spend more money in doing so than if you had chosen the hotel in the right location for you from the start.

When you’re ready to start exploring click here and let’s get started together.

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The temperatures may not feel like Spring just yet, but we are in the thick of the Spring break travel season. That means the airports are crowded, lines can be long and tempers can be short.

Here are a few tips that may help you navigate the TSA security screening process a bit easier.

It sounds like a no brainer, but it’s important to know exactly what is in your carry on as you prepare to clear the security check point with TSA. Don’t wait until it’s time to put your bag on the conveyor belt to start pulling items out that need additional screening. Prepare them in advance so they are easy to access. If the volume of people traveling this Spring is any indication, you will have plenty of time to prepare as you wait in the security line.

If you are wearing a jacket take it off while you’re waiting in line and put it in your carry on.

Empty your pockets and take off any jewelry or a belt that would delay your screening process. If you have a special pocket in your carry on to put each of these items it’s nice to keep them all in one spot in your bag, rather than using the small screening bowl only to wonder if you collected everything afterwards. If you do not have a spot in your bag for these items, I recommend that you carry an empty ziplock bag that you can put these items in as one easy to grab item from the screening bowl.

Everyone loathes taking their shoes off for security, but unless you are 12 or under, 75 or over, or have TSA pre-check, you’ll need to remove your shoes for security screenings here in the States.

Expect that all electronics larger than a cell phone will now need to be pulled from your bag and put in individual screening bins as laptops have been for several years.

Pull the quart sized zip lock back that contains your liquids, pastes and gels, each not exceeding 3oz and put the bag in the screening bin.

Any food or powders that you have packed in your carry on will also most likely need to be screened separately as well.

It’s not unusual for TSA personnel to require that books, magazines and large stacks of paper also be removed for screening.

You may be asking, what’s left in the carry on? There may not be much, and you’ve most likely got a train sized row of screening bins! That’s why it’s so important that you know exactly what you’ve got when you start the screening process so items aren’t left behind when you clear security.

Lastly, I also recommend that you tape a business card to any larger electronics such as laptops, tablets or other devices. Should you happen to leave one behind at security, agents can use the information on the card to have you paged or call you regarding the lost item.

What tips do you use to make the security process less stressful? For me, it’s TSA pre-check! With TSA pre-check you are able to keep your shoes on, keep your laptop in your bag and head to the front of the line, it’s a beautiful thing in a crowded airport! Of course, there can always be exceptions to the TSA pre-check process, but more often than not you will save valuable time.

Did you know that yesterday was not only the first day of Spring, but it was also World Storytelling Day? It is celebrated every year on the Spring Equinox and meant to bring people together as they share stories. Honestly I hadn’t heard of World Storytelling Day before last week, but I do like the idea that in sharing our stories that we have the potential to build friendships and break down cultural barriers. I think it’s a natural fit for travelers, don’t you?

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” -Ibn Battuta We venture out to see the World and come home with stories to tell anyone who will listen. It’s these memories and stories that help shape who we are and who we will become. When we are young, vacations allow us to bring to reality the places we’ve learned about in the classroom. It helps children recognize that we share more similarities than differences. As we age, vacations have the potential to bring us back to our youth. Have you considered traveling with your children or grandchildren to spots you visited when you were their age? Think of the stories you’ll be able to share!

We have all talked to someone who has taken a trip that ended up being life changing for them. We get wrapped up in their story and transported to the destination they are describing. Many of us can close our eyes and picture our favorite destination. Whether it was a recent trip, or one from your childhood the memories can be quite vivid. One of my favorite trips as a child was visiting Yellowstone National Park with my parents and grandparents. I remember the excitement on my brother’s face as my parents told him, at the airport, that we weren’t just dropping Grandma and Grandad off, we were going with them. We flew into Billings, Montana and piled into a rented “family truckster” and set off for adventure. I remember the beauty of the park, the smell of the sulphur springs, the magic of Old Faithful, and closing my fingers in the car door at a scenic overlook!

The first time my daughter visited Europe and Northern Africa she was only 2 1/2 years old. Many people told us she was too young to travel and that she would never remember the trip, that we were wasting our time and money. They honestly couldn’t have been more wrong. We still talk about that trip as a family. We remember seeing the awe on her face as she stared at the oculus in the Pantheon and the pure joy as she danced after riding a camel. She loves to see the photos and recount the experiences. My husband and I will always cherish the memories we made during that trip, even while our daughter slept in the stroller as we navigated Pisa.

What stories will your family share in the years to come? Will they involve tales from your summer vacation? Are you worried that your children won’t remember the stories from these summer vacations? Click here and read my blog post about keeping your vacation memories alive once you return home.

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Did you see the news last week that starting in 2021 US Citizens would need a visa to visit Europe? Thank goodness those reports were wrong! Here’s what is really proposed to happen in 2021.

There will be an extra hoop to jump through, but a visa is not required, unless you are planning to spend more than 90 days in Europe at a time. Americans will need to fill out an application online and spend about $8 to obtain an ETIAS authorization. This authorization will be electronic and valid for three years.

The requirement is reciprocal since the US requires most European citizens to go through a similar process when visiting.

The new requirements for Americans will cover 22 countries in the Schengen Area. The Schengen Area includes 26 countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

As 2021 approaches more information will become available. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We look forward to helping you plan the vacation you’ve been dreaming about to Europe or beyond.

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It’s all a matter or perspective, what do you see when you look at the photo above? Do you see a weed, or do you see a wish?

Travel can be the same way, it’s all about your perspective and your mindset. For some, if the smallest thing goes wrong it can set the tone for their entire trip. However, if you shift your mindset and have the expertise of a travel professional to fall back on, it’s not a disaster if your flight becomes delayed.

Last week, we had a family traveling home from Jamaica who were delayed for several hours and ultimately had their flight diverted. They finally returned to their home airport at almost 3am. This certainly could have ruined the entire trip for many travelers. This family, however, rolled with everything and didn’t miss a beat. They enjoyed the VIP lounge that we had pre arranged for the journey home, complete with hot and cold snacks, an open bar, and plenty to keep their 7 year old entertained. I’m certain when they look at the photo above a wish is what they see.

Certainly, there are things that you can do while preparing for your trip to make sure it goes more smoothly. Here are some of my suggestions to help take the stress our of your vacation. While there are always unknowns that can arise, the more prepared you are, the better, in my opinion. 

#1 – Picking the location that best meets your travel style and the needs of your family is a huge step.

#2 – Secondly, you can seek out the expertise of a professional to make sure that the vacation that was perfect for your retired neighbors is the right fit for your family of 4. Often we are approached by a client who wants to do the same vacation that their friends or neighbors did, because they had a great time. However, upon further collaboration we are able to come up with a vacation that better fits their travel style.

#3 – Have a schedule, but also a back up plan. For instance, if you have a week to explore Paris, plan both inside and outside activities that are flexible. If the weather is beautiful, visit the local outdoor market, or picnic in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Should the forecast call for a cool or rainy day, spend that time strolling through the Rodin museum or participating in a french cooking class.

#4 – Always buy the insurance! We do all the right preparations and expect only the best, but obviously there are always things out of our control. Who remembers the volcano that erupted several years ago in Iceland and grounded a huge portion of the air traffic in Europe? Sure, it ruined the vacations of many travelers, but those with an open mind were able to extend their vacations and have a wonderful time during those few extra days.

#5 – Keep an open mind – if you are expecting things to go wrong there’s a good chance that they will! I’m a firm believer that you get what you ask for. If you have gotten this far and the suggestions above resonate with you, you’re on the right track to experiencing the vacation of your dreams.

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Happy Valentine’s Day! While most of the vacations that I plan for clients involve the whole family, I do work with couples as well who are in all stages of their relationships from engagement trips and honeymoons to 50th anniversary trips. These couples vacations are a wonderful way to reconnect and step away from the every day. As my colleague Shannon LeBlanc, chief romance officer of Paradise Vacation Escapes says “don’t just fall in love, stay in love!” 

This valentine’s day I wanted to share with you a few of the hottest destinations for couples  this past year, plus one exciting option that debut’s today! 

#1 – Paris – The city of love certainly lived up to her name for couples this past year. Even for a long weekend it makes a great destination from the east coast. Imagine spending the afternoon with the one you love strolling the streets of this iconic city, stopping in sidewalk cafes to linger over a bottle of wine, then gliding down the Seine as the lights of the city begin to flicker on around you. That was just part of one day planned for a couple celebrating a milestone anniversary. There was also a photo shoot planned by the husband to surprise his wife in their favorite city. How romantic is that? 

#2 – An all-inclusive resort that is not only adults only, but couples only – On the rare occasion that you are able to get away with your spouse and leave the kids at home the last thing you want to do is spend your vacation watching someone else’s kids! Making sure the resort is not going to be over run with kids is a great first step to enjoying your escape. Another popular feature with couples is butler service. Isn’t it time to let someone pamper you for a change? Combine that with a beautiful beach, a world class spa, super mojitos and fantastic al a carte restaurants and you have the perfect ingredients for a romantic vacation. 

#3 – River cruising through the vineyards of Europe – Bordeaux was the most popular wine region for river cruising this year with the Rhone and the Rhine not far behind. Spend your days exploring the cellars and vineyards in wine regions you’ve dreamed about for years. While there are some river cruises that allow children or itineraries that cater to families those are few and far between. 

#4 –  French Polynesia – There aren’t very many people, especially this time of winter who don’t day dream of jetting off to their own over the water bungalow! You’ll feel like the only couple around as you snorkel from your private dock or have breakfast delivered by outrigger and set up on the deck as you sleep. An easy flight from the west coast and in the same time zone as Hawaii you’ll feel worlds away. Did you know the islands of Tahiti only receive as many visitors in an entire year as Hawaii welcomes every week? 

#5 – Virgin Voyages – This one is brand new – in fact just today opening for reservations! This is the brain child of Sir Richard Branson and it is turning the cruise industry upside down these days. The first of 4 ships, the Scarlet Lady will sail the Caribbean on 7 night itineraries beginning early 2020. The minimum passenger age is 18 and the ships will have a decidedly adult vibe, complete with tattoo parlor onboard. This isn’t your grandparent’s ocean cruise! 

Hopefully today’s ideas have sparked some interest, click here and we can start planning today! 

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