Travel Info Video Uses "Family of 5" Phrase

We keep hearing that the travel industry is focusing more and more on families -- with kid-friendly hotels, cruises, and activities on the rise. But it's still nearly impossible to search for accommodations to sleep a family with 3 or more children. Travel experts usually steer family travel planners toward booking two rooms or a large suite.

A family travel video I recently ran across shows that travel providers may be hearing our frustration. On Fox News' online Lifestyle Magazine, http://www.fncimag.com/, the video below actually includes the phrase "family of 5".

Listen closely, as first, the host, Audrey Hasson, asks a question about budget travel for a "family of 5". And later, the expert guest, Beth Collins, Associate Editor for Budget Travel Magazine, speaks about airline tickets vs. car trips in regards to a "family of 5":



You may notice that neither of them specifically addresses how a family of 5 would be able to sleep in the mentioned tourism dependent locations, or find a hotel to sleep 5 in the off-season ski destinations mentioned, or book a cabin on the mentioned kid focused cruise ships...But at least the video offers an awareness, and a glimmer of hope for easier budget travel planning for families with 2 adults and 3 children in the future!

Meanwhile, we'll continue to help. At Sleeps5.com, we are always researching accommodations for one room to sleep 5 people, and adding cities to our website every year. Feel free to email us with questions and requests for the next location, or with hotels we should add to our website at contact_us(at)sleeps5(dot)com.

Sandy Nielsen
Sleeps5.com

Travel Tips from Homeland Security - a Very Friendly Blog!

The most comprehensive travel tips for all travelers, straight from the rulemakers, Homeland Security, are in a blog article called Gobble, Gobble: TSA Helpful Holiday Travel Tips.

With a tone that is warm, conversational, friendly, even funny, I would have thought it was written by a favorite optimistic-so-happy-mom-blogger, not a government representative (no offense!), and especially not a government representative of a department with the main task of keeping us from being killed.

Easy to read sections of the article include detailed descriptions and links to more information about the by-now-very-familiar stipulations about liquids, ID, boarding pass, and shoes; plus, the not-so-familiar rules about foods, family lanes, and gifts.

The details answer questions like:

Is stick deoderant limited to 3.4 ounces? (no)
Is gel deoderant limited to 3.4 ounces? (yes)
Is powder makeup limited to 3.4 ounces? (no)
Is liquid eyeliner limited to 3.4 ounces? (yes)
May I bring a pie on board? (yes)
May I bring a turkey on board? (yes)
May I bring gravy or jam or sauce on board? (no)
(Keep in mind that all of the above general guidelines are subject to closer inspection if officers notice any "anomalies".)

Situations with snow globes at checkpoints are apparently frequent enough to warrant a separate section in the blog entry, and NO they are not allowed on board -- you must check them or mail them.

Most interesting to me was the note about inconsistencies, as in why we are asked to form a queue or show id or partially undress differently from one airport to the next. It is partly because agents are allowed to modify activity as needed, but also, (and here's my 'duh!' moment) so that the processes are similarly confusing for "those who might wish to do us harm".

Now, every time I have the thought, "Hey, they didn't do it this way in San Francisco...", I'll instead think, "Hurray for unpredictability! And Thank You, TSA!"

A tip from me that wasn't included in the Homeland Security article: NEVER try to take a photo while waiting in an airport customs area. When returning from our trip to England in 2005, we passengers were all standing around, waiting for our luggage. I was bored, and thought the kids were cute and snapped this picture. Suddenly, two security agents swooped in and demanded to see the image. Having not yet entered this century, technologically speaking, I had to apologetically explain that my camera was a simple 35mm and I had no way for them to see the image. I was embarrassed with all the passengers now looking at me, expressed my remorse, and must have convinced them that I meant no harm since they thankfully allowed me to keep my camera, with the film inside. I really had seen the 'no cell phone' signs, but there weren't any 'no camera' signs. The photo I took of my silly twins is above, and yes, I had to scan it in order to create the digital version. (I now have a digital camera!)

Sandy Nielsen
Sleeps5.com

Expedia Deals in Paris

My favorite Expedia deal this month is Hotel Migny Opera Montmartre in Paris, France which is described in further detail on our web site Sleeps5.com. I found prices on Expedia advertised for this Spring (2010) as low as $221.00/night for a room with a double and three twins. Also, in the environs of Paris-Disney, check out My Suite Inn Lognes. Expedia rates for a room that sleeps up to 6 are as low as $129.99/night. C'est magnifique!

Click here for more hotels in Paris and Disneyland Paris that can sleep a Family of 5 on Sleeps5.com.
Paris Dining with Kids - Skip the Fast Food links blog article
Paris with Kids - Things to Do links blog article

Holly Jacobsen
Sleeps5.com