When is the last time you really unplugged from your device? Can you make it through the day without your phone? Most of us can’t, myself included. I’ll admit that if I happen to leave my phone at home or at the office accidentally, I’ll go back and get it pretty quickly.

As a society we’ve come to rely on having that technology at our finger tips. The statistics I get each week on this email indicate that around 50% of you read this on your phone rather than a computer or tablet.

Can you really enjoy a relaxing vacation if you’re always looking at the screen on your phone rather than the stunning surroundings you are visiting? Or, is it because you are plugged into the office that you feel like you can get away for a week or more and not be buried under a pile of work when you return? The struggle is real, I get it, but when we talk to our kids we find out that their favorite parts of vacation aren’t necessarily the experiences or the sights. When asked, most kids will tell you their favorite part of a family vacation is the time they spend away from routines at home, the time they spend with you, no housework, no yard work, no phones, no email, just the family making memories together.

This week I wanted to share with you a few ways that you can ease into unplugging during your next vacation.

Sure, selfies are a great way to get the whole family in the picture, but some vacations deserve more than selfies. That’s why we have teamed up with the folks at Flytographer who have photographers all over the world. We handle all the details for you and all you have to do is show up and the photographers from Flytographer will capture your vacation memories and send you the link to digitally download the high res images from your photo shoot. The results are stunning.

Instead of turning to social media for restaurant suggestions why not ask a local where they eat. Better yet, we’ve also teamed up with suppliers who will match you with a likeminded local family with whom you can share an evening of conversation over dinner in their home. It’s a really fantastic way to immerse yourself in a destination and get a greater understanding of the differences and similarities of every day life.

Most of us would draw the line at actually leaving the phone at home during a vacation, but a day out on the water is a great excuse to at least leave it safely at the resort. Don’t get so caught up in nonstop social media posts that you miss the whale breaching beside your boat, or don’t quite catch the green flash as the sun sinks into the sea after a beautiful sail. Take time to really experience your destination as well as the time you are spending with the ones you love the most. The memories you make together on vacation will last long after you return to the office, and perhaps will provide you with the much needed mental fuel to make it to the next vacation.

The good news is that you don’t even have to put your phone down to get started planning your next vacation, all you have to do is click here and we can get started today!

Don’t get stuck at home this Summer because you didn’t check your passport! If you are planning to travel this Summer, now is the time to check that expiration date. If your passport expires in 2023 you need to renew it soon! Estimated turn around times are 8-12 weeks for standard processing and 5-7 weeks for expedited service. Those times do not include mailing time, the clock starts when the application arrives at the department and ends when they mail it back to you, not when you receive the passport.

Remember, your passport needs to be valid for the 6 months AFTER your trip. While adult passports are valid for 10 years, assuming they are in good condition and are not full of stamps; passports that are issued to children under 16 are only valid for 5 years, with the same stipulations. For families that had 2020 vacations postponed those expiration dates for the kids can sneak up quickly.

So, go check now! Don’t get caught in the backlog and miss out on the next vacation opportunity. I’ve already seen that happen more than once this year for clients wanting to take a last minute getaway.

It’s been a pleasure planning out itineraries for the youngest travelers, older siblings, parents and even grandparents the past few weeks. I am often faced with questions on how to keep the younger kids happy on those flights to Europe overnight, so today I wanted to share some tips that I hope you will find useful for the entire family.

#1 – Keep them informed, don’t try to gloss over the fact that the flight is long. However, it’s important to break it down into terms they can understand. The concept of a 7 hour flight might be lost on a preschooler, but when you explain to them what your expectations are for them it makes things more clear.

#2 – Routines don’t stop at 30,000 feet. One thing we have found helpful on the overnight flights is for kids to change into pajamas either right before they board the plane or just after they eat dinner on the flight, depending on the departure time. If the flight doesn’t leave until 9pm we’ll eat dinner in the airport rather than wait for the inflight meal. Brushing teeth and putting pajamas on helps signal your body that it’s time for sleep, as do completing all the steps of your child’s nighttime routine. Also, lets be honest, pajamas are pretty darn comfy! Is the sleep they get on the airplane going to be as good as what they would get in their own bed? No, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. During an overnight fight to Europe several years ago, my daughter did change into her pajamas, she was excited about her new eye mask and had been talking for weeks about sleeping on the airplane. Ultimately, the kids movie channel in the back of the seat in front of her was too enticing. She didn’t get much shut eye on that flight, but she was a trooper the next day not complaining once that she was tired. She was only 6 or 7 at the time.

#3 – Discipline doesn’t stop at 30,000 feet either! If your kids know the rules and know that you’re serious about enforcing those rules you won’t have a problem.

#4 – Bring the headphones or ear buds that your kids are used to using. Sure they pass them out on the plane, but we all know how uncomfortable they can be on us, let alone the smaller ears of children. No body wants a melt down because they can’t watch a movie or listen to some “nighttime music” drown out the airplane noise because the ear buds “don’t work right.”

#5 – Pack a carry on for each person – let your kids (within reason) pack their own. We love story cubes when we travel. They are lightweight, easy to pack and can provide some good entertainment. If they have a favorite stuffed animal you may convince them to leave that one at home and take a runner up just incase the favorite stuffed animal decides to head off on their own adventure and becomes lost. Some gum or kid friendly snacks and an empty water bottle can come in handy as well. As far as travel pillows everyone has their own favorite, but I’ve found for kids that the inflatable pillows are a nice solution. Being able to fill them to fit tiny necks and not having to carry around a larger item comes in handy.

I hope you’ve learned a trick or two from these tips, in the coming weeks I’ll share some insight on how to keep kids entertained during the vacation as well. If you have specific questions or are ready to start planning your international vacation click here and we can get started today.

Did you see the recent news story of the man who intended to purchase an airline ticket to Sydney, Australia for a cruise and ended up in Montana? For many it was quite an eye opener. For those of us in the travel industry it came as no surprise. We get several inquiries a month from people who need help sorting out an online purchase. Unfortunately for the purchaser, most conversations go something like this: “I hope you can help me, I purchased a vacation on a website….”  You name it, the scenario has been presented to us as to why this “great deal” is now turning into a nightmare, like getting Sydney, Australia and Sidney, Montana confused.

Stories like this are just one example of why you should rely on the help of a travel professional to make sure you are getting the best value possible from  your travel budget, and ending up at the correct destination.

Here are some of the reasons that our clients not only come back to us year after year, but also continue to recommend us to their friends and family.

#1 – I not only protect your vacation dollars, but also your time. I’ve been there, seen the resorts, know the locations and I take the time to get to know my clients as well as possible. I am able to match them with the right experience. I hate to see anyone waste money on the wrong vacation, even if it appears to be a great deal. One of my favorite travel quotes is “How cheap does a bad vacation have to be for it to be okay?”

#2 – I save them a lot of time and hassle. There is so much information on the internet these days that it is nearly impossible to know what is accurate and what is not. Thanks to my training, I know the options far better than most and am able to zero in on the best value very quickly. In addition, I’m the one who sits on hold, checks the prices, books the dining reservations, etc, saving clients hours and hours of mindless time.

#3 – I can get clients special treatment they can’t get on their own. Thanks to long standing relationships with travel suppliers, I can often get amenities, upgrades and other special VIP touches that my clients don’t have access to. So, even though many “do-it-yourself” vacations may save a few dollars, I often get my clients special amenities and inside information that is worth much more.

#4 – I am only one phone call away! If any unexpected surprises come up, such as a missed connection, my clients know they have just one phone call to make and I will take care of the rest.

As you can see, I’m passionate about making this the best experience possible for your family. I may not get you the cheapest deal – that’s what the online booking engines are for. But, if you are looking for a true partner with the expertise to do the job right and get you the best value, you’ve made the right choice in coming to me. There are a lot of “shiny, red objects” out there and it’s easy to get sucked in. If you find a better price, bring it to my attention so we can do a true apples to apples comparison and make sure it’s the right choice for your family.

The best part of my job is the opportunity to help clients realize their dreams of seeing the world.

Leave the details to me and you get to sit back, relax and enjoy the memories! Contact me or one of the other travel professionals at Slaydon’s Travel. We can make getting there as easy as being there!

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. Just incase it’s sneaking up on you, it’s this coming Tuesday, so plan accordingly.

This week, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I thought we would dive into the world of chocolate! With the exception of my daughter’s best friend, who doesn’t love a decadent chocolate treat?

European chocolates are known worldwide as some of the best.

The top three destinations within Europe (ranked alphabetically) are currently Belgium, France and Switzerland. While the cacao beans aren’t grown in Europe, these countries have nearly perfected (I’m sure there needs to be more personal tasting to confirm) the art of chocolate making. The artisanal chocolate shops that can be found on nearly every block in the larger cities, and even the occasional small towns turn out beautiful, and tasty creations that are known worldwide. Those in the photo were some we came across in a small shop in Belgium.

Perhaps you want to dive a bit deeper into the world of chocolate? You can go to to the source and visit cacao farms. While most cacao is grown in Africa there are opportunities to visit farms and production facilities as close as the Dominican Republic. I was able to visit a farm near Puerto Plata several years ago. We planted cacao trees, saw the fruit as it was picked and transformed into the beans, then followed them through the production process. We sorted the beans, then the nibs, we watched as they were transformed into molten chocolate and then we were able to mould them into bars (don’t worry, they didn’t sell any of those that we made). Lastly, we put the labels onto the wrapped bars and packaged them for distribution. The entire process was quite interesting and gave everyone in our group a new appreciation for the work behind a simple chocolate bar.

Would you rather take a vacation to learn about the process, or enjoy the finished product? We can help you plan either, reach out today to make an appointment.

It’s Groundhog day, that bizarre little holiday where we rely on a small furry creature to predict the weather for the next 6 weeks. Will we get lucky and have a cloudy day, or will a sunny day send the little guy back into his burrow and bring us six more weeks of Winter?

Americans aren’t the only ones that use traditions to predict the changing of the seasons. February 2nd is known throughout the Catholic world as Candlemas. The French also refer to Candlemas as La Chandeleur and don’t miss the opportunity to make and enjoy crepes. There are several superstitions surrounding making the crepes and your fortune in the coming year. With regards to the forecast of an early spring, if the skies are sunny on Candlemas spring will soon follow, if the day is dreary, winter isn’t on it’s way out just yet.

Personally, I would much rather enjoy a day celebrating French crepes than a rodent!

Whether we get an early Spring or six more weeks of Winter, warmer weather is on the horizon. This warmer weather brings a laundry list of Spring cleaning, outdoor chores and busier schedules. Before the yard thaws out and you make a weekly date with your lawnmower, make a date with your family to reconnect. Time for you to regroup, reconnect and spend time together as a family before busy schedules get in the way. Don’t wait to plan your annual vacation.

I think that generally there can be two categories of travelers when it comes to vacation planning. The dancers and the jugglers. What do I mean by that?Let’s take a look.

The jugglers are those who really want to do and see as much as they can during a vacation and research everything but really don’t go so far as to seek the advice of a travel professional or even lay out their own itinerary when it comes to the trip. Their vacations could come off without a hitch, but often result in one resembling controlled chaos. Sure, they “see” everything, but often don’t really know what it is they are seeing.

On the other hand, the dancers put the same level of research into their trip, but also seek out the advice of a professional who can seamlessly lay out all of the steps of the trip. Much like a ballroom dancer who has a well choreographed series of steps when put together with thought and executed make the process appear not only effortless, but beautiful.

Certainly it is no one’s intention to take a vacation that is more stressful than staying at home. However, when not planned out to take full advantage of their time it can certainly turn out to be quite stressful for everyone involved.

That’s not to say that every moment of your vacation needs to be planned out like the steps of a dance. I love building downtime into itineraries where clients can explore on their own and experience serendipitous moments that will create memories to last a lifetime.

If you’re ready to stop juggling your vacation dreams and lay out the steps to make it effortless, we would love to be of service to you.

This week I wanted to share some of the travel trends we are seeing for 2023, some hold true year after year, while others are emerging as we move away from our days grounded by the pandemic.

Top 5 trends for 2023 travel

#1 – Making up for lost vacation time – many families are planning for multigenerational travel in 2023 as the past several holidays were spent away from friends and family. We’re seeing larger groups that include all branches of the family tree.

#2 – Going big – With the pent up wanderlust we’ve all experienced our dream sheets have gotten even longer. We’re seeing more inquiries into locations that are often “saved” for milestone occasions, such as Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Egypt and Southern Africa.

#3 – Staying longer – This goes hand in hand with the unused vacation time from the past few Summers. We’re continuing to see a shift towards average vacation length of 14 – 17 days combined with fewer locations. Clients are choosing to immerse themselves in the local culture and slow down enough to enjoy their time away. “Go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see” ~Jimmy Buffett.

#4 – Private tours – Many clients prefer the personal touch of private tours to get to know the destination. These tours are often tailored to the interests of the clients, rather than joining a bus full of tourists to check boxes on a “must see” list in a guide book.

#5 – Special interest vacations – This goes hand in hand with the curated experiences of a private tour. We’re seeing more clients request unique experiences centered around their passions. Already booked for 2023 we have clients who are taking hiking vacations in Portugal, garden trips in Spain, cooking classes in Italy and biking trips in France. There really is an itinerary for everyone if you share your vision at the beginning of the planning process.

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News continues to report air travel delays and cancellations. Yesterday it was the FAA computer glitch, over the holidays it was the weather, along with crew shortages, before that there were more stories,

Now, more than ever, the value of booking with a travel advisor is clear.

When travelers spent hours on hold negotiating refunds or navigating their way home, our clients didn’t have to lift a finger because it’s our job to handle that on their behalf. When things go wrong, we have your back. It’s our job to read the fine print and understand what’s a good fit for our clients. Like an attorney or financial advisor, we have a fiduciary duty to do what’s best for our clients. Given the overwhelming complexities of the post-COVID travel industry, I’m here to remind readers how important it will be to work with a professional like me.

As a travel advisor, I am the person behind the scenes helping us connect again as travel exceeds pre-pandemic numbers. When I say connections, I’m not just talking about flights! I have relationships and industry knowledge that take a lifetime to build. The benefits of my relationships and experience are passed along to my clients in the form of free hotel upgrades if available, late check-out, spa credits, free breakfast and so much more. These are things you can’t get on your own when you book your own.

If you really want to travel confidently, use a professional travel advisor. According to ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors) , there is a 98% chance that the travel agency you work with is a small business and a 66% chance they’re female-owned. (Slaydon’s Travel is both.) By working with an advisor you can feel good about supporting a small business, but you’ll feel even better when you see what we can do for you.

We get 18 Summers before our children finish traditional schooling and head off to college, trade school, or into the working world. Since many families take a big vacation once a year, or even once every other year, that translates to only a handful of vacations. I highly recommend that they don’t DIY something that important. I plan family vacations on a daily basis. Reach out today and let’s start together.

Happy New Year! I trust each of you had a wonderful holiday season, Now that we are in the beginning stages of 2023 many of you are considering vacation plans for the coming year.

This week I wanted to recap the top 10 reasons everyone should be utilizing the services of a travel professional now more than ever before.

#1 – Peace of mind – We hold your hand from start to finish, when flights are cancelled you are in touch with the same person who you’ve been planning with the entire time. When regulations change we are there to help you understand the new protocols.

#2 – Customer Service – much like peace of mind, we’re just a phone call, email or text away. You’re not directed to an 800 number with a 6 hour hold time to reach a representative who has no idea who you are or what your situation is like.

#3 – Maximize your budget – when booking your vacation online, or even directly through the cruise line, resort or hotel, do you think they will tell you that if you travel on a different flight or a week later or earlier that you can get a better value? Of course not!

#4 – Better choices – this is something we’ve touched on in many articles. Just because a vacation was perfect for your friend, neighbor, cousin or your friend’s neighbor’s cousin, doesn’t mean it is the right fit for you. We drill down and make sure that the proposal we provide is the best choice for your travel needs.

#5 – We save you time – A 15-20 minute consultation with one of our agents will start you on the path to your next vacation. Once you choose the proposal that is right for you we’ll continue to monitor that vacation for changes in regulations, flight schedules, pricing and more so you don’t have to.

#6 – Personal service – You will never be a number to us, we are here to get to know you and your travel style so we can better match you with the vacation you’ve been dreaming about.

#7 – Insight and expertise – Most families plan one big vacation every year, we do this all day, every day. In addition to our years of planning experience, we’ve also been to the locations that many of our clients are visiting. There’s no substitute for the first hand knowledge we can provide.

#8 – Document assistance – Did you know that your passport needs to be valid for 6 months after you return home? (You should if you’ve been keeping up with these emails regularly) We check your documentation from the start and continue to monitor changes from the time you book until you return home.

#9 – Consumer advocate – We are here to help when things don’t quite go as planned, which leads right into the next reason

#10 – Industry contacts – We have spent years cultivating relationships with travel industry colleagues around the world.

These are just some of the benefits of utilizing the services of a travel professional when planning your next vacation. This is not the time to try to take on planning yourself. Turn to a professional, if I’m not a great fit for the vacation you have in mind one of my agents most likely will be. Still not a great fit? I’ve got a network of colleagues all over the US, I’m certain I can connect you with someone who will be the right fit for your travel needs.