A few hours on a zipline is practically a guaranteed family vacation crowd-pleaser. We experienced a zipline tour in Central California near Paso Robles that is as fun as it is unusual. The tour takes place on the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, a vast private estate the size of Manhattan encompassing acres of vineyards and stunning wilderness.

The Margarita Adventures zipline tour offers families the opportunity to learn about California history and geology as the 2.5 hour experience includes a local guide and private transportation through the ranch. If all of this sounds too calm to you or your children, think again. Here’s a look at our 9-year-old going down the first of four ziplines, aptly named Renegade.

The Renegade takes riders 1,300 feet across an expansive valley into an oak forest.

Disclosure: I don’t like heights so I opted out of the zipline part of the tour. Although everyone else in our group leapt off the Renegade  — loved it — and proceeded to giggle for the next hour, so clearly I missed out. After seeing the whole course, I just might give it a go the next time around. There are four ziplines and only the first one is daunting.

Each of the four ziplines has it’s own personality. This one is low and fast

Karl, one of the ranch owners, took us out on our tour and shared a bit about the fascinating history of Santa Margarita Ranch. Part of the California Mission Trail and inhabited by Native Americans for 13,000 years, the ranch is truly a historic landmark.

Now a good part of the ranch is used for wine production under the Ancient Peaks label. The tour includes a look at their varied and vast vineyards yielding 15,000 cases of wine (they sell fruit to other wine producers as well).

Part of Santa Margarita Ranch lies on an ancient sea bed

Part of what makes the vineyard soil rich with minerals and the tour so interesting is that Santa Margarita Ranch lies on an ancient sea bed and evidence of sea life is everywhere from fossilized oysters to whale bones.

Although the ranch has ziplines and vineyards, it’s also an active wilderness. It’s not unusual to see deer, eagles, and even bears on a tour.

Margarita Ranch is a fantastic spot for a multigenerational tour as they specialize in managing small groups and can really put together a special experience.

Essential Information:

-Children must be at least 75 lbs to ride the zipline alone. Children who are at least 40 lbs can go tandem with a parent. 275 lbs is the maximum weight allowed to participate.

-Full property tour including ziplines: $99 per adult/$79 per child

-Property tour only without ziplines: $40 per person

-All tours include the opportunity to taste wines in the Ancient Peaks Winery tasting room. A stop is recommended as the wine is well-priced and delicious.

Advance reservations are required. Click here to book a tour.

Our party received a complimentary tour in order to review Margarita Ranch for Ciao Bambino. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own. Photos by Amie O’Shaughnessy

Relevant Links:

Great California getaways, Paso Robles with kids

Skiing is one of the best family vacations ever. The only downside is that this beloved sport is expensive. Once you add in lessons, lodging, equipment, and tickets, skiing becomes cost prohibitive for families. Fortunately, family-friendly ski resorts are plentiful and many are doing their best to take the sting out of the cost by offering ‘kids ski free’ deals. At some resorts, this perk is just for very young children so the benefit is short-lived. While at others like Keystone Resort, Steamboat, Mt. Bachelor, Killington, and Sun Valley, school-age kids get a big break too.

All of these deals have some strings attached, but nothing too onerous and real savings is there. Think snow!

Photo courtesy of Keystone Resort, offering a fabulous Kids Ski Free package this season

CANADA

Whistler/Blackcomb

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Complimentary daily Tot Tickets can be picked up at the ticket window or a Tot Season Pass is $15. Must accompany a full paying adult. Available from Whistler/Blackcomb Reservations 1-888-403-4727. Go to WhisterBlackcomb.com for more information.

CALIFORNIA

Mammoth Mountain

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Kids must accompany a full paying adult. Free tickets must be
picked up at front line ticket windows. Proof of birth-date may be required. Go to MammothMountain.com for more information.

Diamond Peak

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: No specific rules published. Go to DiamondPeak.com for more information.

COLORADO

Aspen/Snowmass

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Kids must accompany a full paying adult. Go to AspenSnowmass.com for more information.

Steamboat Springs

What: Kids 12 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Kids 12 and under ski free the same number of days as their parents/grandparents when parents/grandparents purchase a 5-or-more day adult lift ticket. Each qualifying purchase allows one free child per paid parent/grandparent. Children ages 5 & under always ski free but are required to have a ticket. Call 970-871-5252 or visit Steamboat.com for more information.

Keystone Resort

What: Kids 12 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Minimum two-night stay required and families must stay at lodging owned and operated by Keystone Resort. No blackout dates. Go to KeystoneResort.com for more information.

IDAHO

Sun Valley

What: Kids 15 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Requires a stay at the Sun Valley Resort this Winter Season. One child in the same room with a parent stays and skis free (15 years of age and under). A child will receive a lift ticket for the same number of days the parent has purchased. Black out dates apply: December 22, 2012 to January 1, 2013 and February 16 to February 24, 2013. For more information call 888-490-5950 or visit SunValley.com.

MONTANA

Big Sky Resort

What: Kids 10 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Kids 5 and under always ski free. Kids ages 6-10 only ski free when lodging and skiing booked with Big Sky Central Reservations. Call 1-800-548-4486 for more information.

NEW MEXICO

Taos

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Kids must accompany a full paying adult. Go to SkiTaos.com for more information.

NEW YORK

Whiteface Lake Placid

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: No specific rules published. Go to Store.Whiteface.com for more information.

OREGON

Mt. Bachelor

What: Kids 12 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Kids ski free the same number of days as their parents with the purchase of a 3-or-more day adult lift ticket. Must Purchase a discounted Adult 3-out-of-5, 4-out-of-6, 5-out-of-7, or 6-out-of-8 multi-day ticket online at least 4 days in advance of your first ski day at Mt. Bachelor. No blackouts or restrictions. Go to MtBachelor.com for more information.

UTAH

Snowbird

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Ski chairs for free only. Tram upgrades are $15 per child but complimentary for Snowbird lodging guests. Go to Snowbird.com for more information.

Brighton Resort

What: Kids 7 and under ski free all season long

Fine Print: No specific rules published. Go to BrightonResort.com for more information.

Park City

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Children 6 and under need to have a valid lift ticket. Available at any ticket window. Go to ParkCity.com for more information.

Canyons Resort

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Children 6 and under ski/ride free when accompanied by an adult. Available at ticket office. Go to CanyonsResort.com for more information.

VERMONT

Killington

What: Kids 12 and under ski free all season long

Fine Print: Kids 6 to 12 ski and ride free when parents pre-purchase prior to arrival a 5-day or longer lift ticket. Offer is not valid when any of the days are a Peak day: December 24 to 31; January 19 to 20; February 16-23, 2013. One free child is available per paid parent. Kids ages 5 and younger always ski and ride free when accompanied by an adult. Go to Killington.com for more information.

Okemo

What: Kids 6 and under ski free all season

Fine Print: Free kids’ tickets available at any ticket window. Child must be present. Go to Okemo.com for more information.

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino recommended family-friendly ski hotels and resorts

Back to Ski Week on Mother of All Trips

How to find the best family-friendly ski areas

Tips for skiing in Europe with kids

Kids’ ski school best practices

One of the most challenging parts of international travel with kids is enabling them to really engage with a new culture. It’s the difference between being an observer versus a participant; the latter creates the biggest impact. Ways to accomplish this include kid-friendly walking tours or taking a class — anything that brings kids and locals together in an interactive way.

During our extraordinary family tour of Morocco, Kensington Tours organized a lunch in a home. This authentic glimpse of Moroccan life was a trip highlight for all of us.

Our hosts for the afternoon warmly welcomed us into their home

Lunch in a Moroccan Home

The warm welcome we experienced when we entered this family home was truly something special. Moroccan hospitality is alive and well, and crosses all political and cultural boundaries.

This family not only shared their food with us, but opened their hearts and minds to us as well. We traded stories and marveled at our differences … and similarities. They gave us a first hand view of their home and way of life.

Chicken and prune tagine

The main activity, of course, is eating. Foodies beware, the cuisine in Morocco is a huge treat; the opportunity to partake in a home-cooked meal is not-to-be-missed. The only requirement is that you arrive hungry.

A kid-friendly dream: a country where eating with your hands is good manners

Our then 8-year-old son was particularly pleased to be in a country where eating with your hands is the custom.  Let me tell you that eating couscous with your hands is an art …

Learning to prepare and pour traditional Moroccan tea

After much laughter, we concluded lunch with traditional Moroccan mint tea and Devon had a lesson in tea preparation and pouring. Today, one year later, this afternoon still stands out in his mind.

I hope he remembers this experience forever. We were all struck but the joy we shared with people who live so differently than we do. The lesson that people are people irrespective of where they live in the world is a gift for life.

For more Photo Friday posts, head over to Delicious Baby. Our lunch in this home was complimentary and part of our program designed by Kensington Tours. Photos by Amie O’Shaughnessy

Relevant Links:

Morocco with kids trip planning tips

Ciao Bambino family desert adventure with Kensington Tours

Visiting Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes for photo friday

Family-friendly sustainable tourism in the High Atlas Mountains

Family-friendly review of the Four Seasons Marrakech

Kid-friendly tour of the Marrakech Medina

I don’t subscribe to the “wait until they’re old enough to appreciate it” travel philosophy. Sure the kids won’t remember everything, but it’s not just about them. My memory’s still pretty good. That said, I understand picking and choosing destinations. A family holiday in Australia’s been on my bucket list for a long time, and I’ll admit I’ve been waiting until my girls were old enough to scuba dive. Learn from my mistake. I could and should have taken a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with kids years ago.

Turtle hiding among the coral in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

My first day in Port Douglas, even though the weather was far from ideal, I headed to the Outer Reef with Quicksilver. The massive multi-level boat can hold more than 400 excited people.

It’s the kind of boat you want to be on when the weather doesn’t cooperate with your dream trip to the reef. I didn’t notice the waves, but I did notice the kids, everywhere. Some of them weren’t old enough to walk, but that wasn’t stopping their parents from letting them get wet.

“Everybody knows Nemo, because Nemo’s a movie star,” says John Scotese, a Quicksilver Reef Biosearch Biologist.

Great Barrier Reef Introduction

The Great Barrier Reef is actually a series of about 2,900 individual reefs. Stretching almost 1,500 miles along the north-eastern coast of Australia, it covers an immense area half the size of Texas. It’s said to be home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 350 different corals.

Different operators go to different sections of the reef. Quicksilver goes to Agincourt Reef, at the very outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef and the edge of the continental shelf of Australia. It takes a little more than an hour, but there’s plenty going on aboard the boat to keep the family busy. Dive briefings, reef videos, information about helicopter tours and marine biologists educating folks about what’s waiting for them in the depths below.

Agincourt Reef with Quicksilver

Quicksilver has a floating platform at Agincourt Reef where it docks when it arrives at the reef. Along with doubling the space to move around in, it creates an immediate sense of organization when you arrive.

Those going for a helicopter ride over the Great Barrier Reef board a second, smaller boat and are whisked off to yet another floating platform. Divers go to one spot, snorkelers another, all while lifeguards and safety supervisors keep a watchful eye.

Having floating platforms changes everything. Snorkeling with the kids becomes doable and enjoyable, not overwhelming. You don’t have to jump off the side of a boat to get into the water.

A metal framework with stairs and a series of benches that drop into the water give parents and kids an easy place to sit while putting gear on. Once wet, floating lines create clear boundaries for snorkeling and exploring while keeping everyone where the lifeguard can see them.

If you have older kids, tweens and teens, consider going on a snorkeling tour of sorts with a biologist. (There’s a beginner and advanced tour if swimming is a concern.) You’ll leave the floating boundaries behind and see things you might have missed on your own, like the chance to swim with a shark out cruising the reef. It’s more fun than it sounds!

Bright blue star of Agincourt Reef

There are also a couple options for those looking to see the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet. The underwater viewing platform is popular with swimmers and non-swimmers alike. Boats shaped like submarines with sides made of glass leave regularly for reef tours.

Exploring the Low Isles

If the thought of venturing to the Outer Edge of the Great Barrier Reef with kids still seems a bit overwhelming, consider a sailing trip to Low Isles. It’s still the Great Barrier Reef, just a softer, gentler version on the Inner Edge, complete with sand.

At Low Isles you snorkel right from the beach. Being able to simply walk into the water makes getting the entire family ready to go a much easier task. The water is often so shallow, everyone is encouraged to use a noodle to keep floating high atop the water and prevent damage to the reef. The coral is that close. At many points, if you reach out, you’ll touch it, but you’ll also do incredible damage.

Parrot fish are a common sight at Low Isles

The delicate reef around Low Isles is home to 150 species of hard corals, but is dominated by 15 species of soft corals. Along with a colorful variety of fish, it’s a favorite spot for green turtles.

Sailaway is one of only four reef tour companies allowed to moor at Low Isles, keeping crowds at a minimum. There are actually two small islands that share the same reef. Woody Island is uninhabited except for a large bird population. The smaller island is a coral cay with a tiny operating lighthouse just steps away from the beach where you’ll enter the water to snorkel.

Low Isles equally stunning from a distance

“The beach was really good. I wish I’d brought a cricket bat and ball,” says 11 year-old Hari Kukreja from Singapore. It was his family’s second trip to Australia this year.

The Sailaway catamaran was the first boat to arrive and our group of about 30, a good half of which were kids, had the place to ourselves for the beginning of the morning. If you can tear yourself away from the turtles and coral, do some exploring on land. You don’t need much time. You can check out the lighthouse and do a loop of the island in a matter of minutes. What it lacks in size, it makes up with in charm.

Sailaway does things slightly different than other providers at Low Isles. After a morning of snorkeling, lunch is served aboard the catamaran. After lunch instead of returning to the beach, passengers are encouraged to snorkel in a deeper, lesser known area off the coral cay. Don’t let the comfortable, warm, dry feeling created by the afternoon sun sway you from taking another plunge. The day I was at Low Isles, getting back in the water meant swimming through a few small sharks circling the back of the boat. Admittedly the thought was initially a little un-nerving, but once in, I hung out with the sharks, enjoying the company before swimming off to take in the coral.

Sails Up

Heading home is not a rushed affair. Sails go up and the true benefit of being aboard a catamaran begins. Our captain was quick to enlist the help of the many kids on board and by the time we arrived in Port Douglas close to a dozen kids had enjoyed time behind the wheel and navigated their way through the waters of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

“I thought it was really fun and I can’t believe that I got to drive a boat,” says 9-year-old Molly Jackson from Australia’s Gold Coast.

Sounds like a vacation the family will be talking about … actually bragging about for years to come.

Editorial Note: Dana’s trip to Australia was hosted by Tourism Queensland, but as always Dana’s thoughts and opinions are her own. Photos by Dana Rebmann

Relevant Links:

Australia Dream Becomes Reality

Australia with kids road trip through Southern Australia

Top things to do in Sydney with kids

Photo Friday at the Sydney Zoo

Christmas on the Great Barrier Reef

The mountain scenery in the Dolomites, located in the northern Italian Alps, is off-the-charts spectacular. If there’s a place where “skiing isn’t just skiing” and the trek to get there is worth the time and expense, this is it. UNESCO-protected, the region’s distinctive limestone cliffs are the backdrop for over 1,200km of pistes, including the unbelievable 36km Sella Ronda loop that can be covered in a single — very focused — ski day.

We spent our ski break here last winter and discovered the Dolomites is a family ski holiday paradise with mild weather, kid-focused amenities, and of course, sensational food. Here’s a look at the highlights from our trip:

San Cassiano Home Base

The village hamlet of San Cassiano, with easy access to the Alta Badia ski area, was our home base. It takes less than five minutes to walk through this town, but it has all families need including yummy restaurants, a handful of lovely shops, and postcard-perfect church.

Best of all, San Cassiano is home to a CB portfolio favorite, Hotel Rosa Alpina. Run by the same family for generations, this hotel is cozy and stylish with exceptional in-house restaurants including their coveted two-star Michelin restaurant, St. Hubertus.

The Alpine-style rooms and suites at Hotel Rosa Alpina are perfect for families and the hotel goes out of their way to cater to kids with seasonal activities, including a kids’ club for ages 4-12 over the summer months. There’s an appealing indoor pool and a full spa with treatments using the owner’s custom-crafted beauty products.

Kid-Friendly Two-Star Michelin Dining

It’s not every day you get the opportunity to dine at a two-star Michelin restaurant in the lobby of your hotel. It was a huge treat to learn that Restaurant St. Hubertus welcomes well-behaved kids. The reality is I wouldn’t bring a toddler here as the meal is meant to be savored for hours …

That said, they went out of the way to welcome our 9-year-old Devon. The Grand Chef Norbert Niederkofler came to our table just to chat with Devon and take “create” his order. Not your everyday kid — or parent — experience.

There’s no need — or budget — to hit St. Hubertus more than once during a visit and Hotel Rosa Alpina also offers a casual fondue restaurant, as well as an excellent wine bar & grill.

Alta Badia Ski Area

Alta Badia has plenty of terrain for all ages and abilities with 130 km of slopes and 53 ski lifts. You don’t feel like you will unwillingly end up on an expert slope here, which makes skiing with kids much more relaxing. Many of the lifts are low the ground and they are short, making them ideal for impatient bodies.

The Dolomiti Superski pass enables skiers to access all twelve of the main ski areas. Between them, 30% are rated as easy, 60% are rated as medium, and only 10% are rated as difficult. A perfect mix for parents who don’t want to be looking over their shoulder for extreme skiers who don’t have kids in mind as they head down the hill.

Although I didn’t find Alta Badia to be as English-centric as other European ski areas, enough people speak English here to make it user friendly. We loved Alta Badia, although other well-known favorite resorts include Val Gardena and Cortina d’Ampezzo. We don’t have other recommendations in these areas for families in our portfolio yet, although the sister property to our recommended Hotel Adler-Thermae is called Alder Dolomiti and offers a full kids’ club.

Getting There

Alta Badia is only a 1.5 hour drive from Innsbruck and 2.5 hours from Venice. The roads here can be hairy in bad weather. Rather than renting a car, I’d recommend budgeting for a driving service or bus from one of the main regional train stations or the airport.

Hotel Rosa Alpina is a luxury property and rooms start at 485€ per night. They do offer winter packages for families so it’s worth using the Ciao Bambino Check Availability form for the latest offers and pricing. Val Gardena and Cortina d’Ampezzo are larger areas with value-oriented accommodation options.

Relevant Links:

Tips for skiing in Europe with kids

Tips for flying with kids on Europe’s low cost airlines

Tips for taking the train in Italy

As if you needed one more reason to head to family-friendly Keystone Resort in Colorado for the 2012-13 ski season ...Vail Resorts recently announced that all children12 years old and under can ski and snowboard every day for free. There’s no cap on the number of children included per family and no black out dates, including ALL weekends and holidays!

I’ll be updating my annual Where Kids Ski Free post shortly and Keystone will be front and center. Many resorts say they cater to families, but putting real savings behind family packages makes all the difference in the world. Fact: skiing is expensive. Programs like this make skiing a viable vacation option for families who would otherwise have to pass.

Note, there is a minimum two-night stay required and families must stay at lodging owned and operated by Keystone Resort. This is not challenging, however, as they offer over 900 condos in over 30 complexes.

Photo courtesy of Kara Williams

To Book:

Visit the Keystone Resort website or call 877-204-7889

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino recommended family ski hotels and resorts

Family ski vacation in Keystone, Colorado

Tips for skiing in Colorado with kids

How to find the best family-friendly ski areas

This is an interview with Franci Kursh about her family’s vacation at Club Med Sandpiper Bay with ten family members including four kids ages 6 to 12.

Why did you choose a Club Med vacation?

At Club Med every member of the family gets to do a little bit of what they want.  Given that there are so many activities offered at the resort itself, there are no logistical nightmares. We could all do what we wanted without endless discussion.

What makes Club Med so great for families?

It’s an all-inclusive resort so all of the activities for kids  — sports, art programs, and circus classes — and adults are included in the package price, even golf! Meals and alcoholic beverages are part of the pricing as well.

There is a kids’ club for all ages with activities planned throughout the day.  Older kids can come and go as they please and enjoy independence as they safely engage in activities on their own.

Club Med offers several dining options, a sit down dining room and a buffet, as well as a snack bar that is open all day.  The food is good — not gourmet — but fine with kids.

Can you tell us about Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida?

I liked everything about our Club Med experience at Sandpiper Bay. It’s located in Port St. Lucie on the East coast of Florida, north of Palm Beach. We never left the hotel so I can’t tell you what there is to do in the area, but the hotel did offer day trips for a fee.

In addition to the activities during the day, there are nightly family-friendly entertainment shows.  The staff is well selected and trained – they are good at what they do and it’s an internationally diverse group.

Our rooms were okay, nothing special.  We had a regular hotel room with a bed and a set of bunk beds for the kids with a privacy curtain for a little separation. Self-service laundry facilities are available for guests.

It’s important to note that the hotel is not located on the ocean.  It has a small beach on an inlet. Our kids liked it and spent a lot of time there.

Is there anything families should know before booking?

It’s just good to keep in mind that not all kids will want to spend a lot of time in the kids’ club. They have check out privileges at age 8 and can come and go as they please.

Photo by Franci Kursh

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino review of Club Med Cancun

Ciao Bambino review of Club Med Ixtapa

Tips for finding and booking family tours

Multigenerational trip planning tips

Evaluating all-inclusive resorts

Paso Robles, located off Highway 101 midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, is one of America’s fastest growing wine regions. We passed through Paso on countless road trips when I was a kid, but we never thought of it as an appealing destination for a California family getaway. No so anymore!

We spent the Columbus Day holiday here and enjoyed every minute; there’s loads to do for wine and food loving parents traveling with kids of all ages.

Roping practice at Jack Creek Farms

Get an Authentic Taste of California/American History

I grew up in Northern California and can’t think of another California destination other than the Gold Country where the sense of California/American history is so palpable. Farming was and is the main industry in Paso and kids have the opportunity to learn first hand what it means to live off the land.

We happened to be in town for Paso’s 82nd(!) Pioneer Day parade, a celebration of the local heritage and community. Tractors, stagecoaches, and locals of all ages rode and walked by the crowd who were happily waving American flags. This is not your average 2012 family experience. Our 4th grader is just learning about California history in school and the parade provided a real glimpse of what all the fuss is about.

Carl Wittstrom of Ancient Peaks Winery with an oyster fossil from his ranch

The geologic history is equally as rich. During our zip-line adventure tour of Margarita Ranch, we discovered the vineyards are planted on an ancient seabed complete with whale and oyster fossils.

Farm-to-table organic dining at Thomas Hill Organics

Up Close and Personal with Sustainable Farming

Sustainable farming isn’t just a foodie trend here, it’s a way of life. Families are able to meet generations of farmers who practice what they preach.

Best of all, samples of all the incredible locally produced ingredients are in great supply at the local restaurants. Farm-to-table dining takes on new meaning for kids when they can experience a farm minutes before sitting at a local restaurant specializing in organic, hand-picked food.

There’s a new sheriff in town

Family-Friendly Wine Tasting

We love wine and don’t want or feel the need to save wine tasting for our adult-only getaways. Family-friendly wine tasting is not an oxymoron in Paso Robles. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with zero pretentious attitude.

Everyone is welcome (dogs too) and some wineries go out of their way to include kids in the fun. Examples include Eberle Winery with a bocce ball court and Clautiere Vineyards has a seriously entertaining tasting room with wigs and hats for guest use.

Fresh grape juice just for kids at the Castoro Cellars tasting room

Perfect California Family Road Trip Stop

Although appreciating Paso Robles is all about inland treats, it’s only 30 or so minutes away from Cambria and a gorgeous stretch of coastline, making it an ideal stop on a California family road trip incorporating land and sea.

I love the idea of spring break in this area before the weather gets too hot. If you have a week I suggest:

2 or 3 nights in Monterey and Carmel

2 or 3 nights in Paso Robles

2 or 3 nights in Santa Barbara

You can easily fly into San Francisco or San Jose and then out of Santa Barbara or Los Angeles.

And oh, did I mention the wine is fantastic and well-priced? That alone is reason to go, with or without offspring-in-tow. Stay tuned for a detailed post with activity and meal suggestions …

For more information on visiting Paso Robles check out the Travel Paso Robles Alliance page listing news, events, and links to local resources.

Editorial Note: Amie received discounted accommodations and some free activities while visiting Paso Robles. As usual, all opinions on Ciao Bambino are our own. Photos by Amie O’Shaughnessy

Relevant Links:

Santa Barbara getaway with kids

Carmel with kids

Monterey with kids

A California castle perfect for kids and wine

Francis Ford Coppola Winery swimming pool

This is an interview with Katherine Strauss, the VP of Public Relations for Inspirato, one of the leading destination clubs. I asked Katherine to help me understand what Inspirato offers families and how they differ from the other leading Destination Clubs.

There have been quite a few luxury destination clubs that have made the news over the years. Your tag line says “Exceptional Experience. Extraordinary Value.” What does this mean?

Our founders created Exclusive Resorts in 2002 and pioneered the original Destination Club industry model. After leaving Exclusive Resorts, our founders were determined to do things differently so they created Inspirato in January 2011, the first club that uses the leasing versus ownership for featured properties, which leads to cost savings for members.

What is the Inspirato pricing model?

There’s a one-time initiation fee of $15,000, plus an annual fee of $2,500. Unlike other clubs, there are no long-term commitments or obligations beyond the annual fee. The initiation fee is non-transferable, but it does allow members to travel with immediate family.

We also recently launched a program called Jaunt, allowing members to be spontaneous and book homes that have last minute availability for $295 per night for the first week and $495 per night for the second week. One of our members was taking a motorcycle trip and had no hotels booked. He was able to stay in amazing luxury homes along the way.

Every Wednesday an email goes out with a list of the properties available that Friday. Members can stay one to fourteen nights.

What is the profile of your members?

Inspirato members vacation several times a year. We encourage our members to travel as often as possible! We offer 172 vacation options in 51 international destinations and the list is growing every day. Some members still go to the same favorites or they can try new places.

There is no limit the number of vacation nights a family can book in a given year.

What are the average nightly rates?

The nightly rates fluctuate based on availability and the time of year. For a family of 4 to 5 people the average nightly rate for a non-holiday stay is $800 a night or less. Average nightly rates for holiday periods are around $1,200.

What other value do you offer your members?

We work with a rich selection of partners. Our service list includes access to top-notch golf courses, sports clubs, alumni clubs, as well as discounts on things like ground transportation.

We also host members-only events. We organized a private screening of Paranorman by Focus Films for parents and children. It was a fun event with a red carpet for the kids.

We personalize the Inspirato experience as much as possible for our members. They can book online or choose to work with a personal vacation advisor who will get to know their family preferences and ensure homes are stocked with the right age-appropriate games and toys. We are also optimizing our interface for mobile phones so member can plan and engage with Inspirato right from their phones.

Where is your staff located?

The bulk of our personal vacation advisors work out of Denver, however, there is an onsite concierge available onsite at all Inspirato destinations.

We have an employee policy that allows all of our personnel to travel to an Inspirato home and check out one of our vacations. This ensures everyone understands what our members experience, enabling them to provide better service

What is your current membership number?

We have over 2,100 members right now. Maintaining availability is essential so we have an equation in place that ensures that our members can always find open inventory. Because our model is leasing-based versus ownership-based, we’re able to quickly ramp up and down inventory based on our member demand. This is a big differentiator for us.

What do you offer that is special for families?

50% of our members are families with kids at home. Our top priority is to ensure that our staff is mindful of creating an exceptional travel experience for children too.

We go out of our way to source amazing, memorable adventures that are thoroughly vetted ahead of time like swimming with dolphins on the beach or taking a special private tour of a local attraction.

Inspired Giving

Our philanthropy program called Inspired Giving is something we’re very excited about. We have designed a program where we can use vacations to raise money for non-profits by providing Inspirato vacations that can be auctioned off for a cause.

The winners of these packages are treated just like members when they travel with us. This program helps us give back to many of the communities we work with around the world.  We’ve raised $1.5M for our non-profit partners and now have 300 families who have purchased packages and are traveling with the program! It’s a win/win for all involved …

Relevant Links:

Exclusive Resorts destination club for families

Portico Club luxury family vacations review

Tips for booking luxury family hotels

This is a guest post by Emily Bradbury who lives, works, and plays in the green mountains of Vermont with her husband and two boys. She asked me if she could share her experience at surf camp in Costa Rica with our readers. The camp, Peaks N’ Swells, sounds amazing. Adventure loving families, this is one for the bucket list!

Twenty three years ago, George and Karen Harrison bought a stunning piece of beachfront property in Montezuma, Costa Rica. Using ox carts to bring in materials, they built what is now Peaks N’ Swells, a professionally coached surf camp run by their daughter, Hillary.

We booked our first family surf camp in 2011, and within weeks of our return home had already decided to return the following year. In and of itself, the camps are incredible, but it’s the local knowledge imparted by the Harrison family that makes the trip exceptional.

Family Surf Camp Costa Rica

Peaks N’Swells Family Surf Camps

Peaks N’ Swells family surf camps are offered in November, March and April — months that the Harrison’s know from experience offer great weather and predictable swells. The all-inclusive camps include breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily surf and yoga sessions, villa-style accommodations, massage, and professional photography (by none other than Karen herself).

Unlike many resorts where times are set for meals or surf lessons based on convenience, Peaks N’ Swells religiously checks the tide charts to make sure you and your kids are in the best possible conditions at the best possible break. If Internet is down, Hillary calls her friends around the peninsula to get a first hand report on what’s happening in the surf.

While the camp kept us busy for part of every day (read this post on Mother of all Trips for a more detailed review), we did tap into the Harrison’s extensive knowledge of the Nicoya Peninsula do some exploring.

Cemetery Island

Things To Do on the Nicoya Peninsula with Kids

Montezuma Waterfall: One of the most memorable of those excursions was a hike to the Montezuma Waterfall. Hilary told us that the “old school” route was to bypass the first pool and continue hiking to the top where we would be rewarded by a rope swing and majestic views from the top of the waterfall, and she was spot on. The hike is technically challenging, especially for small children, but so worth it.

Cemetery Island: On our day off, Karen loaded us all into the truck for a trek out to Cemetery Island. You can only access the island during low tide, so the trip has to be timed perfectly. Once on the island, there are shallow tide pools to explore and, true to its name, a cemetery marking the final resting place of Nicoya locals. On the way home, we pulled up under a huge tree so the kids could fill their t-shirts with marañón, the cashew fruit, which we later dried and ate with dinner.

Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve: One afternoon while the advanced surfers in our group ventured into more challenging waters, Karen took the rest of us to the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, 1,270 acres of preserved forest at the very tip of the Peninsula. Karen impressed the kids (and the adults) with facts about sloths, monkeys and history of the area as we watched iguanas scamper around and took in the incredible views.

Santa Theresa: After a big session of surf at Playa Hermosa, Hillary detoured into Santa Theresa so that we could stop into Kina’s surf shop, where we stocked up on sunscreen and rash guards. While the guys looked at surfboards, the girls snuck next door to try on the cutest bikinis made by a local surfer who knows that you don’t want to be fumbling around with straps while trying to catch a wave.

On the nights we ventured into town for dinner, the Harrison’s recommended their the best places to eat, including Playa de los Artistas, which is probably my favorite restaurant anywhere in the world. Café Organico also became a regular stop for snacks and smoothies, as did the authentic Italian gelateria in town.

Hilary also arranged for Jorge to stop by the camp at lunchtime with a steaming basket of his famous empanadas. However, the single best piece of local knowledge (from the viewpoint of my boys) came from Hilary’s husband, Ryan, who introduced us to Trits — a super sweet, almost marsh-mellowy Costa Rican version of an ice cream sandwich.

Peaks N’ Swells is about learning to surf with incredible instructors and spending time with family, but for us it was also about exploring another part of the planet with our kids. This trip embodied everything we wanted in a family vacation — adventure, culture, and a sense of authenticity that comes with a small, family-owned property.

Peaks N’ Swells

www.surfcamppeaksnswells.com

info@surfcamppeaksnswells.com | 604-967-2117

Photos by Emily Bradbury

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino recommended Costa Rica family hotels

Family vacation in Tortuguero National Park

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Kids and Costa Rica Kritters