Families dream big about how to spend their precious vacation time; that's why we're giving away a family expedition to the legendary Galapagos Islands of South America.
TakingtheKids.com, TravelingMom.com and Family Travel Forum have teamed up to make your Big Dream vacation come true aboard the National Geographic Endeavour!
All it takes to win this Dream Big Galapagos Expedition Adventure is some imagination, participation in our online scavenger hunt, and a spirit of adventure! (Luck helps, but participation counts the most!)
Experience Galapagos with the Experts: Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic
Family vacations are more than R&R. They’re about building memories to last a lifetime. Guarantee more of those indelible memories by sharing an amazing cruise adventure to the Galapagos Islands with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, pioneers in exploring Galapagos.
Leave your luxury expedition ship by Zodiac to go ashore, and get up close to giant tortoises, marine iguanas, curious sea lions and blue-footed boobies during daily hikes. Kayak, swim and snorkel together as you explore a new island each day of the 9-night/10-day expedition, encountering wildlife that has never developed a fear of humans.
The Lindblad-National Geographic expeditions team knows how to make a family vacation magical. Activities geared specifically to children and teens include a unique expedition photography program with a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified Photo Instructor, a Crossing the Equator ceremony (yes, you cross the equator on this adventure), scavenger hunts; plus craft programs in which kids can make postcards and memory necklaces from recycled paper, learn knot-tying and enjoy a special pizza & movie night.
The A+ Expedition Leaders and Naturalists’ in-depth understanding of the islands guarantees days steeped in joy, wonder and engaging activities, whether you are 8 or 80.
Galapagos Family Adventure Cruise Specifics
The Families Dream Big Galapagos Expedition aboard the National Geographic Endeavour is a $20,000+ offer valid for two Category 1 cabins, each sleeping two. The giveaway is good for travel between February 1 and April 30, 2012, or September 1 and November 15, 2012, only. Airfare not included. Subject to availability by Lindblad Expeditions and excluding holiday blackouts. Confirmation is given 45 days prior to sailing. May not be combined with other offers; limitations and conditions apply. There is no age restriction, though such a trip may be better suited to children aged 8 and older.
How to Enter the Families Dream Big Contest
There are many ways to enter, by participating in our online scavenger hunt. or on our social media pages. Remember that no matter where or how your participate, you'll have to verify it by leaving a comment on this special TravelingMom.com page so it will be considered an entry.
1. The scavenger hunt
Take our scavenger hunt challenge in which you'll visit all three sites — Taking the Kids, TravelingMom and Family Travel Forum — to learn about the Galapagos Islands, interacting with animals, taking great photos, getting a passport in a hurry, saving money when you fly, South American cultures and more!
- Click on the questions below, which are each linked to a story on TravelingMom.com, TakingTheKids.com or Family Travel Forum. Read the post for each question, then go to the TravelingMom.com page to post your comment or answer. Remember, your comments will only count as an entry if you leave a link to them on TravelingMom.com
- One comment = one entry.
- Entries are limited to one comment or answer per question, but write as much as you'd like!
Scavenger hunt questions from Taking the Kids:
- Which of these tips will you use or have you used to get better family vacation photos?
- Which of these suggestions for getting kids out in nature have you tried or would you like to try?
- Which of the animals on this Lindblad North Pole expedition would you most like to see and why?:
Scavenger hunt questions from Family Travel Forum
- Which of the things in this diary would you like to experience and why?
- Which of the animals seen on this African safari would you most like to see and why?
- Which of these places would you most like to have a sleep over and why?
Scavenger hunt questions from TravelingMom
- What would you say to your spouse in this situation?
- Which of the free US city zoos would you most like to visit and why?
- Which of these tips for saving money when flying have you used? Do you have other great tips?
2. Join the Conversation on Facebook for More Chances to Win
Participate on our Facebook pages (optional) for more chances to win. Visit our Facebook pages and leave a comment there, then post the link to your comment on the TravelingMom.com page. Limited to four Facebook entries (one per FB page) per day.
- Like TravelingMom on Facebook, then come back here to tell us you did.
- Like Taking the Kids on Facebook, then come back here to tell us you did.
- Like Family Travel Forum on Facebook, then come back here to tell us you did.
- Like Lindblad Expeditions on Facebook, then come back here to tell us you did.
If you already like us, leave a comment here telling us that as your entry.
3. Help us promote the contest for More Chances to Win
Share the news with friends and family and earn more chances to win.
- Post a link to the contest on your Facebook page. Suggested post: Have you dreamed of going to the Galapagos? Enter this contest to win a family dream vacation from Lindblad. http://bit.ly/pbf5lK
- Tweet about the contest. Suggested tweet: Win a family vacation to the Galapagos! http://bit.ly/pbf5lK #TMOM #DREAMVACAY
- After posting, right click on the date stamp to get a link to your post or tweet, then come back to record your link in the Comment section.
Please note, this is limited to one FB post and one tweet entry per day so we don't spam any of our friends.
4. Join us on a Twitter Party! #TMOM #DREAMvacay
The #TMOM #DREAMVACAY party will take place from 9-10pm ET on October 17, 2011, when we talk about travel that allows you to Dream Big.
- If you tweet at least once on the party, come back here and post a link to that tweet for one additional entry.
Families Dream Big Contest Details
By entering the contest, you give us permission to share your email address with our sponsor Lindblad Expeditions. If we don't have your email address, please post it in the Comments Page so that this amazing adventure travel company can keep your family up to date on new trips.
- Contest closes at 12:01 am ET November 8, 2011.
- Winner will be chosen by random.org on Nov. 9 and notified via email
- Winner will have 48 hours to accept the prize. If the prize has not been accepted by the deadline, a new winner will be chosen.
- By accepting the prize, winner agrees to allow TravelingMom, Taking the Kids and Family Travel Forum to post publicly his or her name and agrees to supply photos taken during the trip to be posted on all three sites.
Please! Read the legal fine print here.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
A destiny I will never forget.
This was by far, the best vacation I have ever been on. I hope be awarded the scholarship so that I can go on to college, graduate with honors, and get a great job so that one day I can show my family what a great place Yellowstone National Park is. Thank you for considering my application!
I hope you enjoy my essay. Thank you for your time.
My favorite city so far!
It's such a beautiful place!
my trip.
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for checking out my blog. 🙂 I hope you enjoy.
With Much Appreciation,
– Zoe McDowell
hello
I have run short on space, yet I managed to squeeze in about 3/4ths of my trip.
Lordsburg and Demming are in New Mexico (I guess I should have edited that), and there are numerous other details I would have liked to have included….
If you're interested in traveling in my footsteps, I highly recommend the Togwotee Lodge and Resort, which is where we stayed during our trip.
While visiting Paris the summer I was fourteen, I was captivated my by its beauty. The city's rich culture, diverse people, and turbulent history fascinated me and captured my imagination. It was there that I discovered the wonder of adventure, and my never-ending love of Paris.
this is my actual scholarship submission. PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE THE PREVIOUS ENTRY. THIS IS MY SUBMISSION. THANK YOU.
This was the most incredible vacation ever! All my classmates who attended agreed and have remembered every memory from Washington D.C. Thank you School Tours of America and my special sponsors Mrs. Nobel and Mr. Fitch.
My trip to new york was wonderful. I even c reated a website to prove it.
http://nothinglikenewyork.shutterfly.com/
I almost did not go on this trip, worrying about what could go wrong, that summer would nearly be over when I returned, and how much it cost. But, I decided to take this trip to see a few of my German friends and their families, not knowing when, otherwise, I would see them again if I didn't take this opportunity. Now that I have returned home, I am very happy to have taken this trip.
My name is Inemesit Effiong.I am an avid reader and an ardent Colin Firth fan. I love outdoor activities, writing poetry, and volunteering. I have had the privilege of volunteering with several clubs like National Honor Society, Rotary Club, Interact Volunteer Club, and The Bridge Run. I enjoy watching Jeopardy with my father (mostly because of Alex Trebek) and I hope to pursue Nursing as a major. I entered this contest because I love exploring and I fell that my experience is very relatable, especially to teenagers my age, who would like to travel abroad, but lack the means or opportunity to do so.
This is a blog about my trip with my mother to New York City
I encourage you, go on a mission trip! You will never regret it. If anything it can help you to figure out your place in this world.
I raised money for this trip during the course of my Freshman year, first by a Bake Sale, which raised over $700, then by giving out poetry that I had written in exchange for donations. They expereince broadened me as a leader and created lasting friendships with other cultures.
This was my Italian experience. It was extremely fun and I can’t wait for the time when I get the chance to return.
Hope you enjoyed my essay! Just wanted to share my beliefs and personal experience. 🙂
Hopefully you can enjoy my post! It's what I believe and is my own personal experience. 🙂
My scholarship entry!
Im glad to share my families trip with you. I hope this inspires you to go on a trip with your family to Hawaii.
My vacation to Spain in general was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. The culture was rich and the archetecture was far more ornate than anything I've ever seen in the United States. I will defenately go back there some day if I am fortunate enough.
This particular blog was submitted as a scholarship essay to myfamilytravels.com, enjoy!
I truly am grateful for the wonderful opportunity I had to travel to Hong Kong for a month! I'll definitely think about living in Hong Kong in the future!
I hope people can read this travel blog and see for themselves how great the aftermath of war is. Because of war, these children have to suffer every single day. ):
This blog was very fun to write, it let me reevaluate what had happened during the trip and laugh about it once again. Maybe it will inspire someone else to do what what my family did and go through the indescribable little horrors that we all went through. Happy traveling!
If you have ever wondered what a BIG city is, than New York City is the place for you to go! i had a blast there! Check it out!!
I had alot of fun writing this essay.
Europe is a great place to visit!
it looks cool!
Here is my scholarship for the Teen Travel Writing Scholarship of my journey to Alaska!
My trip to London.
I discovered that I was a pretty good photographer while on this trip. I now take all the family vacation pictures!
My trip to Yellowstone was truly amazing! Yellowstone is a must-see for all nature lovers and hikers!
The wedding took place on August 6, 2011.
this was a wonerful trip with friends & family
My experience was amazing here!
My essay describes the emotional connection to the effects of a storm which would seemingly ruins a trip to Lake Michigan.
I wish I could have written more about Germany, but summing up a vacation such as that in only 600 words seemed impossible to me. I would have never guessed I would have learned so much about myself there. We did activitivities I would never seen myself doing in a million years. Many of the students that went on the trip I would not normally be friends with, but at the end of the day no matter how different we were from one another, we were all friends and family to eachother and still keep in touch till this day. I don't know when I will be able to go on such an amazing adventure again, but my advice to whoever comes across this is, if you have the oppritunity, take it. Even if you are apprehensive, take the risk because I'm willing to bet you will learn so much more.
Thank you all for reading this and best of luck to everyone who entered this contest!
We love going to the Hawaiian Islands. Maui was one of our favorites. Molokini Crater is just off of the Maui coast. I couldn't believe at the variety of fish we snorkeled with–we even glimpsed a reef shark! Snorkeling at Molokini Crater was a great experience and was the inspiration for this short essay.
This is my scholarship essay, please confirm that it has been entered. Thank you!
The reason for my visit to Nigeria was because of a death in my family. In the attatched picture, I am in the middle, surrounded by my family members as we walked toward the area where the ceremony was to be held. The whole experience of visiting Nigeria a third time (but as a teenager) opened my eyes and made me realize that there are things in the world bigger than just me and my problems, and it's my job to find a way to give back before time runs out.
This was my family trip to Missouri…never forget how important learning and family is.
I am a young international traveler interested in seeing the dynamics between different cultures acted out out not only through travel but through international relations on a global stage. Trips to Belize and across the world have cemented my belief that nations working together is for the good of everyone on earth.
I wrote this for the Scholarship writing contest.
This is my entry for the FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholorship!
I hope that everyone can learn a little about this unique country from my blog. There are so many more things I wish I could say, but space is limited!