Tauck Tours Yosemite Event

As we enter the holiday season, it's the perfect time to discuss with the family travel plans for the upcoming year.  One unique idea is to visit Yosemite National park in the winter. There are only a handful of packages available, and Tauck tours has added a new trip for 2014 to Yosemite.  There is only space for a total of 175 guests on one date, which is December 12th through 18th, 2014.

Highlights of the trip include:

• Three nights at the St. Regis San Fransisco in the artsy SoMA district, and two nights at the Ahwahnee, the historic hotel and remarkable architectural wonder in the heart of Yosemite National Park.
• Holiday pageantry at its finest when the Ahwahnee transforms itself into a 17th century English Manor and event guests attend the annual Bracebridge Dinner - a 7 course holiday feast with entertainment and a highlight sought after holiday tradition since 1927.
• Daily sightseeing tracks - small groups immerse in the iconic beauties of San Fransisco including Muir Woods, the Yosemite Valley and western film making, and the Gold Rush at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown.
• Rail travel through California's Central Valleym roughly following the Buffalo Soldier Trail from San Fransisco to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a scenic rail route highlighted by vineyards, small towns and farms.
• Note speakers include Michael Adams, son of legendary photographer Ansel Adams, who discusses his father, his works and his lifelong love of Yosemite, and San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art Photography Curator Corry Keller who gives insight into "The Earthquake and Great Fir of 1906."
• Filmmaker and author Dayton Duncan, who co-crafted this event with Tauck, collaborated with filmmaker Ken Burns on the National Parks: America's Best Idea, he gives a special keynote address celebrating Yosemite's sesquiceentennial
• Private evenings and dinners including cocktails, canapes and dinner in the beautiful Legion of Honor, part of the Fine Arts Museum of San Fransisco, and a holiday concert in the Great Lounge at the Alwahnee featuring a massive stone fireplace and floor to ceiling windows.

Globus Tours: Family Travel

While you’re spending time with your loved ones over the holidays talk about your family plans for 2014. Many families are finding the road to togetherness may lead away from home. That’s because somewhere between MP3 players, social networking sites and text messaging, it’s become increasingly difficult for families to create meaningful moments and memories. Now, as parents (and grandparents) look for new and old ways to connect with their children, family travel is on the rise. In fact, according to HospitalityNet, family travel is growing at a faster rate than all other forms of leisure travel.

“Families are increasingly looking for ways to explore the world together, whether it’s touring historical sights in Rome or learning about America’s Wild West,” said travel expert Phillip Gordon. “Traveling as a family is a great way to share passions and interests and connect in more meaningful ways. It’s an investment that always has a great return.”

While resorts and cruises catering to families are options, more families than ever are taking escorted tour vacations. Here are a few of the reasons parents choose to tour the world with their families:

·         All-inclusive prices give families the value they want. When purchasing an escorted tour vacation, parents can pay for transportation, hotels, many meals and visits to major sights up front as part of the vacation package. Tour operators specializing in family travel often offer kids 25 to 50 percent off.

·         Escorted tours provide a nice blend of free time and planned activities. When taking a tour, families can match their personal passions with planned exploration.

·         Educational journeys are part of the fun. As families encounter famous sights on tour, they don’t just drive by; they get to go inside and learn the stories that bring each destination to life.

·         Escorted Tours can be both kid and parent friendly. Transportation, sightseeing and safe, well-placed hotels are included as part of a tour vacation. The on-site tour director is responsible for making sure everything goes smoothly for each traveler. Some tour operators, such as Globus Tours, also offer VIP access for families with no waiting in lines.

·         There’s probably no easier way to travel abroad. Taking an international vacation as a family can be an intimidating proposition. On a tour, the majority of planning can be done before the vacation and an English-speaking tour director—someone with deep roots in each destination— will take care of details on the trip.

As you and your family discuss your options, you may want to consider one of these great Globus vacations: View all Globus family tours.

·         Oahu, Maui & Kaui – 10 days from $1,249 per person, land only

·         London & Paris: A Tale of Two Cities – 7 days from $2,049 per person, land only

·         Canyon Country Family Adventure – 8 days from $2,069 per person, land only

·         Patriots’ Passage – 8 days from $2,079 per person, land only

·         Wild, Wild West – 9 days from $2,329 per person, land only

·         From the Colosseum to the Eiffel Tower – 10 days from $3,429 per person, land only