Timeshare Information

"Even the best vacation can be derailed by a travel emergency." So says an article posted on the web site for the Travel Channel. In Part 2 of our 2-part series we'll continue a look at their picks for the Top 10 worst-case travel scenarios, and tips on how to deal with each problem.

5. Medical Emergency
   If you're planning to travel in a foreign country you might want to obtain travel health insurance before leaving home. The US Department of State maintains a list of hospitals where American citizens can get help in an emergency. Bring this information with you or contact the local embassy for guidance on where you can seek help.


6. Lost Passport
   First make sure you have a copy of your passport with you, which you keep separate from where you carry your passport. If your passport is lost or stolen, immediately notify the US State Department and local police, and contact the nearest US Embassy. Embassy consulates will issue a temporary passport to get you back to the US.


7. Detained in Customs
   Fill out customs paperwork honestly and carefully and be aware of what you can’t bring home with you as a souvenir (such as live plants, precious gem stones). If you have questions about international drug laws, investigate before you travel. Keep your prescription medication in original, labeled packaging and bring a letter from your doctor confirming your legal use of the medicine. If you find yourself detained by customs, remain calm and tell the truth - if you’re not hiding anything you should be on your way after a brief interrogation.


8. Victim of a Crime
   Even if you take all of the right precautions you might still find yourself a crime victim while traveling. If this happens, immediately contact the local police. If you're in a foreign country also contact the US State Department for consular support and advocacy. A consulate can explain local laws, connect you with legal support and help you contact family or friends back home.


9. Extreme Weather Evacuation
   Follow the advice of the weather professionals when it comes to extreme weather including hurricanes, floods and blizzards. If you're traveling in a foreign country, register with the US State Department so they can keep track of your whereabouts during an emergency. Investigate travel insurance that offers airlift evacuations in case normal airline travel is disrupted.

Being properly prepared with information on how to deal with travel issues will help you plan for the best timeshare vacation ever.

Read the Travel Channel article in its entirety.

Travel News: Top 10 Travel Emergencies – Part 1

Summer is just about here and that means it’s time for a family vacation! The summer family vacation is a great time for wonderful bonding, and creating special memories that last a lifetime. Since this is no time for parental stress, try these tips on how to keep a family vacation "family Friendly."

1. Rent a Timeshare
   No need to cram everyone into a cramped hotel room when timeshares have extra space! The separate bedrooms will work wonders when you have children to put to bed early. Parents and teens can still enjoy late night movie watching or game playing without disturbing anyone's sleep. Plus, you'll find that the spaciousness of a timeshare will make an enormous difference in how relaxed your overall vacation feels.
   
   The timeshare kitchen is a life-savor when trying to keep your constantly hungry kids fed. And all of the fun activities at the resort are available to you, too, so, there's plenty to do for everyone from your toddlers to your teens.


2. Tips when Flying
   For those traveling with kids, many people like to sitting in the bulkhead seat because it offers more leg room. But, what it doesn’t have it room for your carry-on bags under the seat. With smaller kids, you’ll want easy access to toys, snacks, drinks and wipes.
   
   If your child has a fit on the plane, do your best to remain calm. Your frustration could escalate the situation. Be soothing by: Walking him around, humming a favorite tune, trying to make him laugh, or distract him with a toy or view out the window. And do apologize to your fellow passengers. A simple "I'm sorry" will show them consideration and most likely put them on your side.


3. Tips when Driving
   Driving at night is great so your children can sleep part of the way. If you must leave during the day, books, toys, and a portable DVD player are great ways to pass the time. If there's a problem with car sickness, have your children play games that require them to look out the window, such as the "ABC" game, the license plate game, and the "I Spy" game.
   
   Limit your driving time to two-hour stretches. This is good for parents and kids alike! A break every couple of hours will give your children a chance to get some fresh air and run off some of that excess energy."

With good planning and these great tips, your family vacation can be one of the wonders of the world!

(Photo from photobucket.com)

What kid doesn't like animals? A summer family vacation that is definitely kid-friendly is anything that involves seeing exotic animals. This could include zoos with lions and tigers and bears (oh, my!), or getting up close and personal with exotic marine animals. And what better place for kids to do that than visiting SeaWorld. There are three SeaWorld parks in the U.S., one on each coast, and one in the middle. Take your pick: rent an Orlando timeshare in Florida, a San Diego timeshare in California, or a San Antonio timeshare in Texas, and visit SeaWorld!

SeaWorld is a marine mammal park, an oceanarium, and an animal theme park all rolled into one. The parks feature killer whale (orca), sea lion, and dolphin shows, along with zoological displays featuring various other marine animals including graceful rays, slippery eels, sharks and even penguins.

SeaWorld was the brain child of four UCLA graduates who originally set out to build an underwater restaurant in San Diego. When the underwater restaurant idea proved unfeasible, they decided to build a marine park instead, and the San Diego Sea World opened to the public in 1964.

Today all three SeaWorld parks also feature a variety of thrill rides. Sea World Orlando has the Kraken and Manta roller coasters; Sea World San Antonio offers two rides called the Steel Eel and the Great White; and a "splashdown ride," Journey to Atlantis, can be found in all three parks. Because the giant beer brewing company, Anheuser-Busch, owned the Sea World parks for a number of years, each park also keeps some of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales as an additional non-marine type attraction.

SeaWorld has made many contributions to wildlife conservation, including scientists and zoologists who participate in research and marine wildlife preservation. SeaWorld rescue teams routinely save stranded whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions, and have helped raise the awareness of Florida's endangered manatees. SeaWorld's commitment to conservation, research and animal rescue was recently formalized with the creation of the non-profit SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. SeaWorld is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which means that the parks have met and exceeded the Standards in Education, Conservation and Research.

A family timeshare rental vacation near one of the SeaWorld parks will not only give the kids the unique opportunity to see and learn about marine wildlife, and even have fun on some amazing thrill rides, but your family will also be participating, in a way, in marine conservation efforts the world over.

(Photo provided by seaworld.com)

When you are planning your family's summer vacation and will be traveling with kids, remember - the Zoo's the thing. What better kid-friendly vacation activity is there than a zoo? Rent a timeshare and give yourself the gift of spending time in these amazing "theme parks." We'll tell you about three of the country's best kid-friendly zoos.

Rent a San Diego timeshare and head to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Its remarkable Children's Zoo has 30 exhibits that range from nurseries for sick or weak baby animals, to a "Petting Paddock" where kids can touch goats and sheep and even miniature horses. "Zany Science Shows" are hosted by Dr. Zoolittle, and at "Bugtown: The Itty Bitty City" your kids can watch waterbugs, diving beetles and katydids in their own natural habitats.

Added fun for the kids in San Diego are interactive boards around the zoo with buttons they can push to hear various sounds the animals make when communicating. If they practice, your kids can be talking just like tigers by the time they're headed home!

There are many wonderful Phoenix timeshares available for rent in Arizona. And the Phoenix Zoo (see photo) is made to order for kids, and the entire family for that matter. For starters check out its Wilderness Experience Night Camp. Jeff Williamson, the zoo's executive director, explains that this is a great family activity. "We invite families to stay lakeside in a private tent, enjoy a grilled dinner with s'mores, learn about nocturnal animals, take a guided hike, and receive advice on how to navigate using the stars."

The Enchanted Forest is a magical exhibit created for kids 5 and younger, and the older kids will have fun exploring the "Forest of Uco," an exhibit designed to replicate a Colombian rainforest.

A New York City timeshare rental will set you up in good shape for a visit to the Bronx Zoo. One of the oldest zoos in the country, the Bronx Zoo was the first to teach students, and today has educational activities for kids from preschoolers to high school seniors. Its teaching materials have been translated into Chinese, Spanish, and African languages, and its curriculum is used in every state in the union and 15 foreign countries. "Our zoo is a living classroom," says Richard Lattis, general director. "Children are constant fountains of knowledge who are going to keep adults headed toward saving wildlife." The zoo's programs are divided into children's group visits, summer camps, and family outings.

To paraphrase Dr. Seuss - when you travel with kids, oh the places you'll go and the fun you'll have! And, there’s always fun at the zoo.

Wondering where to plan your 2010 vacation? Colorado, is a spectacular winter and summer vacation destination. Rent a Colorado timeshare at the Wyndham Pagosa resort and you'll be giving your family a unique vacation they'll always remember.

Pagosa Springs is nestled along the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado, 30 minutes from the Continental Divide and 35 miles from the New Mexico border. This picturesque town is world famous for its hot springs, one of the largest and hottest natural springs in the world. Still celebrated for its therapeutic powers, the ancient Utes called these sulfur-rich mineral springs "Pah gosah" meaning "healing waters." The rushing San Juan River also flows through the heart of town offering exciting white-water rafting.

The Wyndham Pagosa resort sits on an incredible 18,000 acres of outdoor activity and beauty. Six tennis courts, an 18-hole miniature golf course, an 18-hole world-class golf course, and on-site lakeside fishing are just for starters. The Activity Center offers a variety of classes from watercolor painting to tai chi. Many hiking and biking trails, as well as horseback riding, will get you out into this breathtaking country.

During the winter the nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area has downhill skiing for beginners to advanced, in a truly spectacular Rocky Mountain setting. World-class skiing is available at Purgatory Ski Resort just over an hour drive away.

A 45-minute drive will get you to the town of Durango, Colorado, where you can ride the popular Silverton-Durango Narrow Gauge train. This coal-fired historic train has been in continuous operation for 127 years. During the summer the vintage train will take you on a journey from Durango to the high-mountain town of Silverton, through magnificent scenery that can only be seen by train. In the winter you can still enjoy the sites and sounds of a yesteryear train ride on its shorter Cascade Canyon winter loop.

Also an easy drive from Pagosa Springs is the world-famous Mesa Verde National Park, home of the ancient Anazazi. Visitors from around the world flock to this extraordinary area of over 4,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. Guided tours will take you through some of the best preserved cliff dwellings in the United States, where you can actually climb ladders up to living areas and down into sacred kivas.

Colorado is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and year-round outdoor activities. By renting large variety of Colorado timeshares available, your family can experience the best of everything Colorado has to offer.