So, you’re planning your 2008 family vacation destination and you’re perusing the travel guides for Alabama condos, Alabama resorts, and Alabama hotels. Smart idea! Alabama is a state rich in history with incredible topography!

However, like all states, Alabama has some wacky laws you might want to know about before you hop on that plane or jump in the minivan:

• Like to bear wrestle? Well, sorry… but Alabama law prohibits it. So if you wrestle Smokey to the ground, you’ll be in violation of unlawful bear exploitation, subject to penalties. (Fortunately, most Alabama family vacation destinations are bear-free, so the temptation to “rassle” will be minimized!)

• Planning to spend a day leisurely playing dominoes at one of Alabama’s fine resorts? Better make sure it’s on a weekday or Saturday, because dominoes is one of the many [...]

Shhh… there’s a huge secret that entrepreneurs have known for quite some time: Business trips and family holidays can mix!

However, it’s important to know where to draw the line during your trip so you can experience the best family vacation possible without jeopardizing yourself from a career standpoint.

First, understand that if you’re commingling business and pleasure, it’s critical to delineate which is which.

This means if you’re heading to a nice beach to have drinks with a potential client, your loved ones should probably be sightseeing or hanging out at your Florida vacation condo, not tagging along. Likewise, if your Michigan family vacation has business overtones, make sure you aren’t crossing any boundaries. (In other words, keep the kids far from the customers unless and until they invite them to join you!)

Next, make sure that your travel companions understand that you won’t be [...]

You spend tons of time racking up those frequent flyer miles, but are they really doing you any good just sitting there, figuratively collecting dust?

If you have plenty of such miles, and you doubt you’ll be able to use them before their expiration dates, why not give them to a loved one so he or she can have the best family vacation imaginable?

Transferring frequent flyer miles isn’t unheard of; in fact, people do it all the time. However, it’s always best to contact the miles provider to figure out the easiest way for you to give some (or all) of yours away.

Often, you’ll have to purchase the tickets yourself, which will require you to talk with your gift recipient (rather than simply surprising him or her) to make sure you know where he or she wants to go.

Grease the wheels by casually handing [...]

Homework… ugggh, right?

Most people recoil at the thought of researching anything, but when it comes to planning your best family vacations, it’s an essential element.

And, best of all, it can honestly be enjoyable!

You see, what most people forget is that half (at least) of the excitement of a family vacation is in working through all the details. Sure, it can be time-consuming, but as long as you’re doing it together, it can also be a wonderful time spent as a family.

Here are some great ways to get you started to making your family vacation homework a blast!

1. Give Everyone Something to Do!

Even little ones can help plan the next family vacation getaway by looking through vacation guides and travel magazines. If they can’t read yet, they can at least point to pictures of beaches, forests, snow-capped mountains, anything that [...]

Do you have a pile of vacation guides or travel magazines just sitting around your house?

Don’t pitch ’em! Instead, let us tell you how you can reuse them in clever and practical ways!

1. Turn Them into Wrapping Paper

Chances are, you’re going to need some wrapping paper this holiday season… and travel magazine inserts (maps, pull-outs, et cetera) make awesome wraps for gifts! In fact, the vacation guide glossy pages are loads stronger than some of the wrapping paper found in stores!

2. Shred ‘Em

Have a shredder at home? Then remove the staples (if applicable) from your travel magazines and shred away! Use the shredded pages for packing or to line the bottom of your furry friend’s litter box.

3. Let Kids Create Collages

The photography in travel mags is typically outstanding… so why pitch it when your kids can use their [...]

Okay. You have your heart set on a summer vacation at any of those posh, quaint, exquisite Vermont resorts. And you’d LOVE to receive reservations from your sweetie as a holiday gift that you’ll both treasure.

There’s just one problem.

He (or she) hasn’t a clue that you want this Vermont trip. Not an inkling.

In fact, s/he seems to be completely oblivious to your trip-taking desires!

At times like these, allow good old vacation guides to come to your rescue! By strategically using them, you can be assured of the present of your dreams…

Here, we’ll look at a few awesome ways to leave hints for your special someone without seeming overbearing:

– Place vacation guides and a travel magazine or two in the bathroom, bedroom and/or living room as (hint, hint) “reading material”.

– Make sure that vacation guides around your house are turned to pages featuring family vacation spots you’d adore.

– [...]

It’s almost the end of 2007, and although most families are deeply entrenched in holiday planning, it’s never too early to begin considering the best family vacation spots for next year.

Obviously, what you and your loved ones will find perfect won’t suit another couple or group; thus, it’s essential to talk with your clan to determine the ideal family vacation getaway locale for all of you in ’08.

In this post, the gurus at GuestQuest have put together some straightforward discussion points to get your brood started on planning for a summer to remember!

1. What does your family like to do?

If you’re all into swimming, family beach vacations seem like a good bet. Whether you choose a room in one of those lovely Delaware resorts or a suite among Florida condominiums, you’ll have a terrific time.

2. What is your price range?

Though you may want to head to a Tennessee log [...]

Let’s face it. At one time or another, we have all allowed ourselves to become so consumed by… well… consumerism… that by the end of the holidays, our piggy banks are squealing with hunger.

And what do we do to feed our pink friends? We scale back on the following year’s family vacation getaway, choosing a not-so-hot spot (did someone say Uncle Larry’s dilapidated hunting cabin?) instead of one of the best family vacation spots ever.

So what’s a typical parent to do? Turn a blind eye toward the holiday season and hope the kids don’t notice? Pretend that a tree isn’t something special? Eschew all gift-giving?

Nah.

Really, the average family doesn’t have to agonize or stop celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa. Instead, they just need to be a little more thoughtful about where their finances are going.

To keep you and your loved ones on a path to a fabulous family vacation getaway [...]