Tamara recently took a travel agent FAM trip to Turks and Caicos and spent two nights at The Palms and two nights at The Shore Club. She also visited many other properties and today she shares her insights into each to help you decide where to stay in Turks and Caicos.

• Turks and Caicos is known for its beautiful beaches and not for all-inclusives or as a party island
• Most of the hotels have great accommodations for families with 1, 2, 3-bedroom accommodations and up (including villa rentals)
• When arriving, be prepared for a long wait at passport control/immigration. Expect about an hour and longer on the weekends. When departing, leave 2-3 hours to get checked in and wait in the security line. There isn't a lot of room in the gate area but there is an area upstairs that has more space.
• To save time at the airport, you can pay for Fast Track access starting at $75 per person, each way.
• Private transfers from the airport are about $150 each way, but cabs can be $30+ per person for shared taxis. Taxis throughout the island are priced per person and are pricey.
• It is about a 15-20 minute drive from the PLS (Providenciales) to most of the hotels
• The Palms is on Grace Bay Beach (the most famous beach on the island). It is a luxury hotel with a lush, garden-like setting right on the beach. The style and decor is similar to Sandy Lane in Barbados, a colonial or plantation style.
• Tamara stayed in a one-bedroom suite oceanfront, which was huge with a full kitchen, living room, laundry, dining room, large balcony, bedroom with tons of closet space, and one and one-half bathrooms.
• They recently did a renovation at The Palms of rooms but also of the pool area and added a new pool/beach restaurant and pool bar (including a swim-up bar).
• The restaurants at The Palms were very good. Parallel 23 is fine dining and Sisi is modern Mexican.
• The Palms also has one of the best spas in the Caribbean
• The high season is during Festive (winter holidays) and President's Day weekend. The low season would be July-September
• Pricing in the Caribbean is quite high.
• The Shore Club is across the island on Long Bay Beach. There is a beach-to-beach package so that you can split your week vacation between the two properties.
• Long Bay Beach is breezy and very popular for kite surfing. The beach itself is narrow but long and The Shore Club has plenty of space to spread out. The water here is very calm and you can walk out very far, especially at low tide.
• Shore Club is also a luxury hotel and it has a sophisticated feel. There are villas and multi-bedroom accommodations that would be amazing for a girls' trip or multi-generational vacation.
• The one-bedroom oceanfront suite is huge and great for families with teens because there is a study that has a pull-out couch, full bathroom, and closets and a door that closes off from the rest of the space. There is another pull out couch in the living room.
• There is a sushi restaurant and a comfort food restaurant, plus pool bars and restaurants.
• There is a shuttle between the properties and also the four-star Sands property and guests have signing privileges for all the restaurants.
• The Alexandra Resort is a four-star, all-inclusive on Grace Bay next to The Palms with multi-bedroom suites and restaurants
• The Wymara Resort has a South Beach, sexy vibe that would be great for couples and honeymooners but the rooms are a bit smaller
• The Ritz-Carlton is a high-rise hotel with a smaller beach. The second tower is for Ritz-Carlton Residences and you can't use or earn points for the Residences.
• They are building an Andaz and St. Regis on Turks and Caicos now too.
• The H20 Resort on Long Bay Beach is a small boutique hotel that is good for people that are independent travelers and enjoy watersports as they have a kite surfing school and tons of rentals.
• Tamara is going back to Turks and Caicos in the fall for a Family Travel Association conference at Beaches Turks and Caicos (stay tuned!!)
• On Thursday nights there is a fish fry with food trucks, music, and artisans/souvenir vendors. The Junkanoo band performs and it is such a lot of fun.
• You can island hop by ferry or plane (but there is a separate terminal for domestic flights)
• You can also go scuba diving, snorkeling, charter a boat for fishing or island hopping, or boat out to the tiki bar off Long Bay Beach.

Kim recently took a quick trip to her happy place, Disneyland, to attend a special media preview of its 70th anniversary celebration. This yearlong celebration features new entertainment from fireworks to parades, special celebratory food items, decorations throughout the park, and fun interactive activations.

There are also promotional package deals available through Kim's partner Getaway Today. Learn more here and use code 'Stuffed Suitcase" when purchasing to save an additional $10 off a 2+ night vacation package.

Learn more about Disneyland's 70th celebration foods here: https://disneyparksblog.com/dlr/disney-eats-disneyland-70th-celebration-foodie-guide/

See more of the special events and decorations on Kim’s Insta post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJskA7ZJRKD/

Related Episodes:

• Girls' trip to Oceanside, California and Disneyland
• Disneyland and Irvine, California
• Disneyland Holidays
• Planning a trip to Disneyland
• Disneyland travel tips

If you like culinary or wine travel, you need to put the Chilean Winelands on your travel bucket list. Tamara just came back from a two-week trip to Chile including the Atacama Desert and the Winelands.

• The wine regions are south and west of Santiago
• It is easy to drive through these regions but it is still recommended to get a driver for days when you are doing wine tasting
• Two hours south of Santiago is the Colchagua Region that is known for its red wine including Malbec, Bordeaux blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carmenere.
• One hour west of Santiago is the Casablanca Region, which is closer to the coast, and is more known for its white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
• She stayed at the Vibo Wine Lodge in Colchagua. This is a small boutique property on the Viu Manent Vineyards near Santa Cruz. It has individual lofts or tiny homes spread out throughout the vineyards. Another popular place to stay in this region is Clos Apalta, which is a Relais & Chateaux luxury property.
• Vibo Wine Lodge includes breakfast in the coffee shop on property and they also have two other restaurants, the Rayuela Restaurant and the Vibo Wine and Food Studio.
• On property you can hike, borrow bikes, enjoy the pool, go wine tasting or set up horseback riding.
• They also did a wine tour with Colchagua Wine Tours, which was only $125 for a day with a private driver (you pay for the tasting separately.)
• Tamara enjoyed wine tasting at Montgras Winery and Maquis Winery. They had a nice lunch at Fuego Apalta on the Montes Winery (but she didn't like the wine at Montes.)
• Tastings of the "icon" wines, which are the top wines, are about $40-50 per person.
• Clos Apalta Residence is also an excellent place to go for lunch or dinner and you can go wine tasting at the winery.
• In Casablance, they stayed at La Casona, which is a hacienda which has been converted to a hotel on the grounds of the Matetic Vineyards. This was all-inclusive because there isn't a lot nearby to eat. But the menu doesn't change so it gets repetitive if you are there for any length of time.
• The package also includes excursions and they did a biodynamic wine tour and tasting, mountain biking, and hiking. They also offer horseback riding and excursions to towns.
• They took a day trip to the coast and visited Pablo Neruda's house.

• Chile's Atacama Desert
• Wine tasting in Northern Italy

If Hawai'i is on your bucket list, you need to listen to this episode with Hawaii travel expert Marcie Cheung. Marcie is a family travel blogger and mom of two who's been to Hawaii more than 40 times, staying everywhere from luxury resorts to budget-friendly condos. She helps parents plan unforgettable Hawaii vacations with kids by sharing expert tips, honest reviews, and stress-free itineraries. You can learn more on her website hawaiitravelwithkids.com or follow Marcie on Facebook and Instagram. You can also listen to her podcast, Hawaii Travel Made Easy.

• The most popular tourist islands are: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii (The Big Island)
• Oahu is best if you can only visit one island and are looking for a mix of experiences and attractions from Pearl Harbor to the Dole Plantation and also city life, nightlife and beaches on the North Shore or Waikiki
• Maui is also popular for luxury resorts, a quieter vacation, the famous Road to Hana, and also great restaurants and activities
• Kauai is even more laid back
• The Big Island is good for those that are looking to be adventurous and take road trips, plus this is where you will find Volcanoes National Park
• A first time visitor coming from the U.S. should look at least one week and spend it on Oahu because it has such a range of experiences. If you have two weeks, then you can island hop from Oahu to Maui or Kauai. Be active on Oahu and then relax on Maui or Kauai.
• Keep in mind that when you island hop you still need to fly and deal with all of the airport security, rental car lines, etc. that eats up a lot of a day in travel.
• The Big Island is really large and you need at least five to seven days. It takes several hours to drive from the beach area to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
• Expect to spend about $12,000 or more for a family vacation to Hawaii. Airfare from the West Coast is about $500 and closer to $900 from the East Coast. You can use a Southwest Companion Pass or Alaska Companion Pass if you have them.
• Accommodations keep getting more and more expensive. Midrange hotels are $350-500 and luxury resorts can easily go over $1000 per night.
• You need to beware about vacation rentals because they are being closely regulated in Honolulu and often they will be cancelled last minute as there are a lot of illegal vacation rentals. If you go with a vacation rental, go with something reputable.
• Food is also expensive because so much needs to be shipped in on the islands. Plan on spending about $100 a day on food if you are able to mix up going to restaurants and buying groceries or eating at food trucks.
• Rental car prices are high and you need a rental car for at least a few days on each island. Keep in mind that hotel parking can be $40-60 per night.
• Activities are also quite pricey, at $300-500 per person. Luaus are at least $200-350 per person. Narrow down your wish list to 2-3 activities and have beach or pool days or exploring on your own for the rest of the time.
• Minimum stays during winter break can be 7-14 days and this is the most expensive time to visit.
• When planning road trips or hikes, be sure to map them out to see how far they are and how long it will take to get there.
• Don't overpack your itinerary.

• Insider tips for visiting the Disney Aulani
• Planning a Hawaiian vacation

Kim just wrapped up round two of college tours and her daughter Mia has committed to UCLA's School of Engineering! We thought we would share some of our college search experience to help others that are just getting to this phase of parenting.

• It is important to visit various college campuses before you begin the college application process to help your student understand the style and size of campus that they feel most comfortable in
• It helps to start early during their sophomore or junior year
• Before you look at a particular school, make sure it is a school that you can afford by researching their tuition, merit scholarship opportunities, and the financial aid calculator
• Join the Parent Facebook group for the schools they are interested in and this is a great source of information but make sure they are run by the school or parents and not just a data-mining company
• Try to find hotels that are near the college campus for campus visits because it will give you a better sense of what it would like to be on campus. Graduate Hotels is a great chain to look at as their properties are always close to college campuses and it is now part of Hilton
• Make sure you drive around the campus and the surrounding neighborhood and think about how they would get to campus if they are flying in from out of state
• If you want to tour campus, you need to make a reservation to join a group tour and these can fill up far in advance
• Try to time your visit to when students are on campus and not during their spring break
• Be prepared to ask questions about food, class size, how hard it is to get into the classes they need, dorms, and campus life
• You can find dorm room tours on YouTube
• Be sure to check out the student union and see how busy it is and what the options are. Also pay attention to whether or not it is a swipe or cash system
• Check out the department buildings where your kid would be taking a lot of classes, the library, and where the dorms are
• Visiting on the Admitted Students day will give your student a good introduction to campus and campus life and provide an opportunity to connect with other students. Admitted Students day typically takes place during April
• Be sure to pay the housing deposit early unless your school guarantees housing for freshmen
• If the school doesn't guarantee housing, look at housing costs in the area
• When thinking about dates, also look at booking hotels for move in, move out, and parent's weekend
• Make dinner and brunch reservations during move in and Parents Weekend

Tamara and her husband recently took a couple's trip to Chile and this week on the podcast she shares her impressions, experiences, and tips for Santiago and Atacama Desert. In a future episode, she will talk about her week in Chile's Winelands.

• Tamara flew Avianca Airlines on a flight deal from Boston to Bogota and Bogota to Santiago. Avianca Airlines business class is more like premium economy and not a very impressive business class but overall the flights went smoothly.
• She really enjoyed her stay at the Hyatt Centric Las Condes. Las Condes is a nice area to stay in Santiago.
• If you are visiting Santiago or Valparaiso, be on alert of pickpockets and petty crime and don't wear jewelry and keep your phone secure.
• Foodies would love the chef's tasting dinner at Borago in Santiago.
• To get to the Atacama Desert, you fly 1.5-2 hours to Calama and then it is a 1.5 hour drive to San Pedro de Atacama, which is the central hub for the region.
• Tamara stayed at the Nayara Alto Atacama, which provides a transfer to and from the airport. They offer an all-inclusive rate that includes food, drink, and group excursions. Other options include the Explora and the Tierra and the Awasi offers private excursions.
• She wouldn't recommend self-driving because there is very little cell service and getting to some of the attractions includes driving on dirt roads.
• The Atacama Desert is at a higher elevation so it is good to stay at least 3 nights so that you can do the higher elevation excursions later in your stay after you have time to acclimate.
• Nayara Alto Atacama is part of Virtuoso and booking through Tamara you can get perks that include a $100 spa credit.
• They did three excursions:
  • Sunset excursion to the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) with some short hikes and finishing with a sundowner
  • Salt Flats and Flamingo Reserve - the salt flats are not the flat white salt that you see in Bolivia or Utah, the salt is mixed with minerals and the flats looks a lot like a white lava field
  • Rainbow Valley - not as dramatic as Rainbow Mountain in Peru but a great landscape with layers of red, white, and green rock
  • Star gazing - the Atacama Desert is well-known for its dark skies and star gazing
• The food at the resort was fine but lunch was a three-course meal and if you want something more casual you can eat at the bar. The portions are small and there are only a few options per meal, but at least the menu changes every day.
• Make sure you get the correct adapter for electrical outlets.
• You need cash for small shops and some tips but you can mostly use a credit card or charge tips to your room
• Make sure you wear sunscreen and a hat because there is a high UV index
• Be sure to stay hydrated and bring lots of moisturizer and lip balm
• Bring plenty of layers because the desert gets cold at night
• Remember that it is in the Southern Hemisphere so the summer high season is December - March and winter is during our summer.
• Bring shoes with good traction.

A mother-daughter trip is an incredible way to bond in ways that you can't recreate in your home environment. This week, Kim and Tamara share their tips for mother-daughter trips and provide ideas for some of their favorite mother-daughter trip destinations (these can also be used for mother-son or father-daughter/son trips too.)

• When kids are younger, it is fun to find a theme to base the trip around or pick a destination that is tied to their interests
• Get your kids involved in the planning or allow them to choose a destination. At a minimum, let them choose activities.
• Plan to do a side-by-side activity like a cooking class, surfing lesson, rock climbing, white water rafting, etc.
• When you learn something new or get out of your comfort zone, they see how you handle the situation.
• Group travel can actually be a great solution for a mother-daughter trip because you can interact with others but then your alone time is even more precious.
• Talk about your highs and lows for each day or part of the trip while traveling.
• Recognize your kids as individuals and cater to their travel styles and don't try to push your preferences or travel style on them.
• Also, think about taking a mother-daughter trip with your mom.
• These trips help kids learn how to be a traveler, how to navigate, and how to make travel decisions.
• Plan a hotel or two that offers room service when you are on a long road trip.
• Some of our favorite mother-daughter trip destinations have been: Peru, Canadian Rockies, Ireland, Iceland, Chicago, NYC, cruising, road tripping through the South, and a spa trip.

• Canadian Rockies
• Ireland road trip
• Civil Rights Trail road trip
• Cruising around Iceland
• Midwest road trip
• Swiftie trip to NYC

Tamara is just back from a bucket list trip to Peru with her daughter and she shares all about her lodge-to-lodge trek with Mountain Lodges of Peru and tips for visiting Cusco and Machu Picchu.

• Tamara “won” this trip as part of an auction that benefits the Adventure Travel Conservation Fundthat takes place each fall
• When visiting Cusco and the Sacred Valley, it is best to give yourself 3-4 days to get used to the elevation prior to hiking (Cusco is at about 11,000 feet)
• You can take Diamox or acetazolamide (prescription) to help prevent altitude sickness
• Coca tea and coca candies help you with altitude but it also has caffeine so it can disrupt your sleep
• Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo are at a lower altitude so ideal you would start there and work your way up
• Peruvian food has a lot of rice, quinoa, and potatoes. For proteins there is beef, pork, chicken, alpaca, and a specialty — guinea pig! The portions are also very large.
• You shouldn’t drink the water (even to brush your teeth) and consider avoiding salads, veggies, and fruits that are rinsed in water
• Tamara and Hannah took a 5 day trek with a small group of six people and one local guide with Mountain Lodges of Peru.
• The trip was perfect for those that like to hike but don’t want to camp. It includes a mix of cultural activities and hikes but you stay at nice lodges.
• Some activities included visiting an alpaca museum, a ceremony with an Incan priest, enjoying dancing and music with locals at a weaving cooperative, visiting local markets, exploring Incan ruins, and having lunch at local homes.
• You need to bring your own hiking poles and need to pack in a light duffel bag or backpack
• The rainy season is typically November – April and they typically close the Inca Trail in February. However, this year was worse than usual because of El Niño.
• For the most part you can use credit cards but it helps to have some Peruvian Soles (or some US Dollars) to tip guides, pay for bathrooms, and purchase from local vendors and markets.
• For the first two nights in Cusco, we stayed at the Andenes Hotel, which was affordable, nice, and great traditional architecture. On our return, we stayed at the Palacio del Inka, which is a part of the Marriott Luxury Collection (which we booked via points.)

• Machu Picchu with kids
• Galapagos with kids

On this episode, we are joined by Susan Heinrich from Midlife Globetrotter. Susan is a Canadian writer living in Denver, Colorado. She is passionate about travel and supporting women in tourism. In 2020, she created Midlife Globetrotter, a website and platform that helps women over 40 follow their travel dreams to new places, with destination guides, practical tips and stories of her own adventures. Susan is passionate about reframing midlife as an opportunity, and explores themes of reinvention and self-discovery in her work.  You can follow Susan on Instagramand Pinterest.

In this episode, we talk about group tours and group tour operators, especially those that offer group trips just for women.

To learn more, see Susan's blog posts about:

• Women's tours around the world: https://midlifeglobetrotter.com/womens-tours/
• How to select a small group tour: https://midlifeglobetrotter.com/how-to-select-a-small-group-tour/
• Croatia group tour with Adventure Women: https://midlifeglobetrotter.com/a-womens-sailing-trip-in-croatia/

• Some things to think about when choosing a group tour include:
  • What is the pacing of the trip -- is there any free time, how often do you switch hotels?
  • What is the group size? Small group tends to be under 14 people. Small groups have advantages in terms of the type of accommodation and the size of the tour group when exploring cities
  • What is the activity level? Some companies like Adventure Women and Adventures in Good Company specialize in active trips and offer detailed explanations of the activity level involved in the trip
  • If you are traveling solo, you can also look for tours that are only solo travelers
• When you are evaluating a group tour, be sure to read the itinerary in detail.
• You can also call the tour operator and see if they can give you any information on how many solo travelers there might be versus those traveling with a friend or relative.
• Also look at what the single supplement is. Some companies like Girls Guide to the World have private rooms by default but typically group tours are priced based on double occupancy and if you want your own room they charge a single supplement.
• Some companies will pair you with another solo travel as a roommate if they don't charge a single supplement.
• Be sure to read through the documents to understand what is included in terms of transfers and meals
• Understand who is guiding the trip -- is it a local or a U.S.-based guide
• Make sure you understand the cancellation policy and buy travel insurance
• If you aren't sure if a group trip is for you, opt for a private room, start with a shorter trip, feel free to opt out of activities, and maybe start with a trip in the U.S. that doesn't require a more expensive airfare.
• If you just want to relax or if you don't like having scheduled activities, then a group tour may not be a good fit
• Good tour operators for budget travelers include G Adventures (now have tours for women and certain age groups) and Intrepid Travel (who have women expeditions to places where you can meet and interact with locals in a way that you couldn't if there were men on the trip)
• For a luxury trip, Girls Guide to the World is a good fit and Insight Vacations is upscale and have women-only trips
• For nature and wildlife, Natural Habitat Adventures partner with the World Wildlife Federation and are known for wildlife trips and have women's only expeditions
• Adventure Women is one of the first companies to get into women only tours and typically offer four-star accommodations with active adventures
• Backroads is known for cycling and hiking tours and offers some just for women and they have trips that accommodate a variety of activity levels each day
• There are also group tour operators focused on certain destinations like Viking Women in Iceland
• Another themed tour is the British Book Club Tour: https://thebookclubtour.com
• Susan is also co-hosting an art-history based trip to Paris this spring

Some women-only focused travel companies and others that have women-only trips

• Next Chapter Travel - small group, curated trips in Europe
• Next Tribe - over 45 women
• Gals Abroad Getaways - luxury
• Untethered Expeditions - adventure
• Adventure Women - small group adventure
• Adventures in Good Company - active 
• Girls’ Guide to the World - authentic, responsible (luxury)
• Sisterhood Travels - over 50
• Country Walkers - walking/hiking
• Scout Escapes - mother daughter travel and group trips for women over 40
• Viking Women - Iceland
• Explorer Chick - hiking and adventure in National Parks and abroad
• Insight Vacations - upscale group trips some women only
• Backroads - women only hiking and cycling
• Road Scholar - educational, some women only, over 50
• Uniworld - women’s cruises

Vacation Mavens recently celebrated nine years of podcasting!! For all of you who have been with us for this journey, we thank you for your support! For those that joined us recently, welcome and we look forward to many more years of sharing our travel experiences.

Tamara recently launched a new business as a travel advisor! You can learn more about her custom travel planning services here. Even if you aren't looking for full itinerary planning services, you can support Tamara's business by researching and booking hotels (and getting perks with preferred partner hotels) on this online booking platform.

• A travel agent and a travel advisor are generally the same but a travel advisor is more apt to offer custom trip planning, versus off-the-shelf packages, and serves as more of a consultant
• You want to use an advisor for many reasons including:
  • Industry knowledge
  • Destination knowledge
  • Preferred partners
  • Knowledge of sales
  • Traveler perks and amenities
  • Save a significant amount of time in the planning process
• How do travel advisors make money?
  • Some charge planning or service fees for custom trip planning. Tamara charges based on the length and complexity of the trip, starting at $500 per week and $50 a day for additional for a typical couple or family.
  • Advisors also receive commission from booking hotels, cruises, and trip packages. So travel advisors can't help with booking using points or Airbnb or places that don't offer commission. Generally, it should be the same rate or better than booking directly with the hotel.
• Many independent travel advisors are part of a larger host agency, which provides buying power and knowledge to get preferred relationships with partners.
• How do you choose a travel advisor?
  • There are people that focus on specific niches such as cruising, Disney, or all-inclusive resorts
  • Tamara focuses primarily on Europe and North America but she is part of an agency with resources and also partners with in-country specialists who have vetted hotels, guides, etc.
  • It is helpful to work with someone that has been to or is very knowledgeable about the destination
  • Word-of-mouth is a great way to find someone
  • If you are a luxury traveler, you can visit Virtuoso.com and search for the destination. You will then see travel agents that cover that destination in the sidebar
  • You can also find travel advisor specialists on Instagram by searching hashtags such as #luxurytraveladvisor, #travelagentlife, etc.
• How does working with a travel advisor differ from booking through Amex Travel since Amex Platinum card holders receive perks for hotel bookings within the Fine Hotels and Resorts. You need to book those through Amex Travel.
• Many of those luxury hotels are also part of a consortium such as Virtuoso. If there is a booking through Amex Travel vs a travel advisor, the booking through the travel advisor will have priority for upgrades.
• Virtuoso is a consortium for luxury properties and brands that offer additional perks when booked through a Virtuoso agency. The perks include free breakfast for 2, $100 resort or F&B beverage, and upgrade based on availability, or early check in or late check out based on availability
• Many travel agencies also have other preferred partnerships too that can offer perks or amenities for hotels that aren't part of Virtuoso
• Tamara works on creating custom itineraries that include hotels, activities, private tours, transfers, etc. However, she can also help with hotel bookings, river cruise bookings, and all-inclusive resorts, often without a planning fee.
• Does a travel agent help when things go wrong? Yes, they can help you if something goes wrong or if you need to cancel.