Oceania Archives - My Family Travels
woman at laptop computer
Article
14 Travel Hacks You May Not Know For Planning A Bucket List Adventure

Make Bucket List dreams come true, and affordably, by using a few of my favorite travel hacks. Current research and a lifetime of travel experience taught me some new tricks to...

Read More    7 min read

Busy dad is rading and his girls playing in the aisle of an airplane.
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Shoes Off? Shoes On! The Latest Air Travel Tips To Ease Family Vacation Hassles

The Dept. of Homeland Security just announced the end of their shoes-off mandate, proclaiming the new policy will increase hospitality for travelers. Really? Given the...

Read More    6 min read

Family at airport security
Article
Required Documents And Travel Consent Letters For Travel With Minors

Whether you’re married and leaving a spouse behind to work; grandparents taking grandchildren on vacation; same sex couples with adopted children -- even a military family trying...

Read More    8 min read

woman at laptop computer
Article
Best Sites for Vacation Packages – Top Travel Deals

We are often asked how to save money with vacation deals, so we are sharing our favorite sites for discount travel booking. As a network of frequent traveling parents, we do a...

Read More    8 min read

baby lying down on white fuzzy blanket
Article
How To Get Your Own US Passport & Start Your Adventure

Your U.S. passport is a travel essential because a U.S. citizen's birth certificate does not suffice to cross borders. That law applies to citizens of any age...

Read More    8 min read

Cruise ships docked at Caribbean port
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15 Family Cruises With Kids: Setting Sail for Unforgettable Adventures

Ready to say Bon Voyage? It’s time for our annual cruise with kids directory. Plan now because AAA projects 19 million Americans will go on ocean cruises this year, a 4.5% increase...

Read More    18 min read

Bus brings skiers and snowboarders to the slopes in Park City, Utah. Photo c. Visit Park City.
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12 Favorite Family Winter Getaways And Travel Deals

Sun or snow or stay close for your family winter getaways? Maybe your winter escape is that long-delayed trip to Orlando. Perhaps it's a cruise with extended family or experiencing...

Read More    14 min read

Rendering of an eVTOL air taxi developed by Eve Air Mobility. c. United Airlines
Article
Green Skies Ahead: Education Builds A Sustainable Aviation Industry

Sustainable aviation, technology, and customer education have joined forces to make seeing the world a less environmentally damaging activity. That’s because aviation is arguably...

Read More    6 min read

Volunteers sort clothes at a clothes bank near to home to help others. Photo by Julia Cameron for pexels.
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Teen And Family Volunteer Vacation Opportunities

Family volunteer vacations, once known as voluntourism, are back in action as the global pandemic comes under control. From community service to building homes, environmental research...

Read More    5 min read

Beautiful old banyan tree in a park. Photo by Palinska for pixabay.
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Sustainable Travel: 8 Ways To Travel Responsibly As A Family

Sustainable travel and ecotourism were always hot topics around Earth Day. But, when the pandemic put the world on pause and we watched our environment begin to heal itself, sustainable...

Read More    4 min read

Adult points out a country in Europe on a huge outdoors globe to a young blond child.
Article
Predictability Is The Key to Successful Special Needs Travel

Predictability is the key to every family vacation’s success, not only for special needs travel. In researching

Read More    8 min read

Tina Fey stars in a Super Bowl ad for Booking.com and dreams about travel from her Miami villa.
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Traveling Tina Fey Rocks Super Bowl Ad For Booking.com

Did you tune in to watch the NFL’s biggest game, check out the Super Bowl ads, find Taylor Swift in the crowd or revel in Usher’s halftime show? If your house is like ours,...

Read More    4 min read

Diver free diving underwater off the island of Bali wtih a shark swimming above.
Article
How Health and Wellness Trends Impact Family Travelers

It’s hard to pick up a magazine or listen to a podcast without noticing how wellness trends impact family travelers. Personal wellness, now estimated to be a $2.2bn market worldwide,...

Read More    7 min read

Kids jump into the water with a Carnival cruise ship in the background at sea.
Article
5 Reasons To Feel Good About Family Cruising In 2024

It’s time to feel good about family cruising and gift everyone an unforgettable experience. After a swift recovery from the pandemic pause – cruise vacations are hotter than...

Read More    4 min read

Factory on fire with firefighter spraying water and billowing smoke.
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How To Protect Your Family Against Travel Disasters – 10 Tips To Travel Prepared

Our 10 travel disaster tips help you prepare for natural or manmade disasters, plus other unexpected problems that may arise on vacation.

Read More    6 min read

Mom and daughter reading a book in bed together.
Article
Maximizing Your Layover: Finding Affordable Rooms Near Me

Most air operators define a domestic layover as a period between flight connections of under four hours. When you're connecting to an international service, this period extends...

Read More    3 min read

Hand drawn illustrations of common travel yoga poses.
Article
Anywhere Travel Yoga Keeps Your Vacation Stress-Free

Take advantage of our 'anywhere' travel yoga poses to stay stress-free while on the go. Family vacationers appreciate these easy, healthy yoga moves you can do on the plane, on...

Read More    4 min read

Firefighter battles wildfire in field.
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Why Travel Insurance For Families Is Essential

We love family travel insurance and won't leave home without it. Our family has found it essential since the very first holiday spent battling storms and re-booking missed flights...

Read More    6 min read

Infographic shows Americans confident about travel at an all time high since 2009. Graphic c. Allianz Partners
Article
Americans Are Confident About Vacations Again, Traveling More

If you don’t believe families have regained a confident mindset about vacations and travel, just ask Ron Bozman. He’s one...

Read More    4 min read

Parents and children in a step or blended family smile at camera.
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Step And Blended Family Vacations

Planning a family vacation with your step or blended family? We share resources and expert advice to make step and blended family vacations -- and any travel together -- a success.

Read More    4 min read

The Beko Survey asked households what they would do to support the environment. Graphic c. Beko
Article
Sustainable Cruise Brands Invest in Our Planet

The theme of Earth Day 2023 -- #investinourplanet – has prompted the Carnival Corporation cruise brands to share their investments in sustainable cruising.

Read More    5 min read

Indonesian rupiah and US dollars sitting on a straw mat with an offering of flowers piled on top.
Article
Make Or Break Spring Travel Plans – Hassle Free

It’s never too late to make (or break) Spring...

Read More    4 min read

14KY gold engagement ring with a purple spinel and champagne diamonds. Hand fabricated by Lindsey Scot Ernst
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Traveling With Jewelry To Avoid Damage And Theft

Traveling with jewelry may seem as simple as packing up your favorite pair of jeans or a nice outfit for dinner, but it is a little more complex than that.

Read More    6 min read

Flightroutes.com search results for all flights between Newark, NJ and Hong Kong Airports.
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Search And Compare Flights Made Easy

Did you know that travel planners visit an average of 6.5 different websites on different devices to search and compare flights? Two new websites, Directflights and flightroutes,...

Read More    4 min read

Native American style boat is rowed close to the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska as part of a Cunard Line adventure.
Article
What Is Wave Season and How Can You Take Advantage of It

Ready to ride during Wave Season? No, not a surf lesson. We’re talking about Wave Season, the period from January through March when you will find some of the...

Read More    4 min read

Gifts in brown paper boxes with string ribbons.
Article
Holiday Gift Guide for Travelers

Looking for a holiday gift guide for travelers? We know that people who love to travel want to encourage wanderlust in loved ones. There’s no better way than presenting them...

Read More    6 min read

Photographer in silhouette taking a picture of the mountains at dusk.
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Insider Tips on Taking the Best Photos on Your Vacation

Here are 10 helpful suggestions from travel writers and photographers for taking the best photos on your next vacation. The...

Read More    5 min read

Airline pilots wear face masks in the cockpit of a United flight.
Article
This Will Make Flying Safer

A lot has been done to make flying safer since the age of coronavirus began. Yet, it's still a big topic as confidence in leisure air travel -- and crowds -- increase. U.S. passengers...

Read More    6 min read

Goat with baby goats.
Article
Farms Stays and Agritourism Around the World

Use this directory of agritourism resources -- agricultural businesses that extend hospitality to guests -- to plan farm stays. Your kids will learn where food comes from and will...

Read More    3 min read

Gentoo Penguin sitting on egg and squawking.
Article
Top Your Bucket List with an Antarctica Cruise Adventure

Get up close and (almost) personal with Blue whales, penguins and southern Elephant seals on an exclusive Antarctica cruise adventure. Wildlife abounds on the southernmost continent,...

Read More    4 min read

Amtrak ticket buyer in facemask.
Article
Health & Safety Guidance for Holiday Travelers

I won't tell you not to be among the holiday travelers, because my family is, but I will share the health and safety guidance that we practice to keep everyone safe. We follow...

Read More    2 min read

Michelle and Barack Obama in Hawaii with their daughters.
Article
9 Lessons Learned: Michelle Obama on Becoming a Family Traveler

I recently learned some family travel lessons from former First Lady Michelle Obama. As one of the most traveled women in the world, she spent some of her White House years becoming a family traveler. Anyone...

Read More    5 min read

5 tips to prevent spread of coronavirus
Article
How Coronavirus Will Affect Your Travel Plans

Updated Mar. 29, 2020. As Passover, Easter and summer vacations approach, families around the world are very concerned about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and its impact on...

Read More    8 min read

VR Room and Sandbox Maker Studio at Zaha Hadid Apartments in New York.
Article
20 New and Familiar Trends in Family Travel

Looking back on a year of climate crises and social turmoil, it is surprising that many of the family travel trends noted in the past continue to play out. Family, this huge segment...

Read More    11 min read

FlightsFrom.com route map.
Article
More Time for Family Fun with FlightsFrom.com

Forget boring layovers, airplanes without in-seat video screens and expensive airport food. With FlightsFrom.com it’s easy to find a non-stop flight that meets all of your requirements...

Read More    3 min read

FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship logo by FamilyTravelForum.com
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Family Travel Forum Announces Winners Of 2019 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship

(New York, NY – September 24, 2019) Family Travel Forum (FTF) and its travel industry partners congratulate the winners of the 2019 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship. Completing...

Read More    4 min read

Ice Castle slide at Coronet Peak, New Zealand
Article
Beat the Heat on the Slopes of New Zealand

This summer, while some families are lying on beach blankets, others are making snow angels at Southern Hemisphere resorts that are celebrating "winter" with crisp ski deals. For example, the Queen's...

Read More    3 min read

organized suitcase
Article
Packing Light: The Ultimate Checklist for Traveling with Your Family

Many people believe that it isn’t possible to pack light with kids without sacrificing your sanity, however, they are wrong. Now I’m not talking about "I'm a backpacker and I wear the same clothes...

Read More    3 min read

Selfie station for moon walkers at the Armstrong Air & Space Museum.
Article
50 Cosmic Ways To Celebrate Space

July 20, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing when Commander Neil Armstrong took his “first step for man, giant leap for mankind.” It was a huge achievement for 1969 – meeting...

Read More    10 min read

High school students in class
Article
Sponsor Allianz Global Assistance Helps Student Travelers Every Day

We want to thank Allianz Global Assistance for their sponsorship of the annual FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship for 2019. Did you know they assist student travels every day, in many other ways? Operating...

Read More    2 min read

Koala playing on an Australian tree stump
Article
The 10 Best Family Activities in Sydney, Australia

Sydney is a seaside city that’s loaded with family-friendly activities. Beautiful beaches and one of the world’s most stunning natural harbors combine with big city verve to hit all the right vacation...

Read More    5 min read

Article
8 Ways Travel Alerts Should Impact Your Vacation

Frightening travel alerts, amplified by the 24-hour news cycle and lots of genuinely bad news, have become a daily occurrence… and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Although terror incidents, strikes,...

Read More    3 min read

Chart of the economic impact of business travel on the U.S. economy prepared by the Global Business Travel Assocation. Graphic c. GBTA
Article
Making Travel Sustainable

Travel close to home, stay longer, and don’t go at all are key takeaways from ITB Berlin on how to make tourism sustainable.

Read More    3 min read

Article
Innocents Abroad: Students Traveling Alone

For teens and college students, the freedom of their first trip or study abroad program without parents can be a rush. Empower them to stay safe by sharing this advice. Parents often...

Read More    3 min read

Article
A Journey to the Heart of Australia – the One and Only Ayers Rock (Uluru)

It was late June and my hubby and I were still undecided as to where to spend our winter holiday, but we had our hearts set on an adventure -– we just didn’t know how tremendous of an adventure it...

Read More    3 min read

Article
Mi Casa, Su Casa: Home Exchanges

What's the best money-saving and culturally educational accommodations option available to travelers today? Well, I'm not planning a trip to the French Caribbean right now, but the idea of a complimentary...

Read More    4 min read

Article
Secure Tourism Summit Reveals What’s Next in Airport Security

The first Secure Tourism Summit was held in New York City on April 9,2017. It was sponsored by the industry trade organization, US...

Read More    3 min read

Article
Top 10 Beach Resort Getaways For Family Vacations

Almost everyone's favorite getaway is a family beach vacation, whether it's winter or summer. Here are FTF's winners from a decade of "Top 10 Getaway" awards in the best family beach category. Our...

Read More    2 min read

Article
Milford Sound And Fiordland National Park

Fiordland on the South Island, one of New Zealand's most scenic regions and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of those bucket list destinations every family should...

Read More    8 min read

Article
5 top tips for an unforgettable multi-gen holiday

Taking your whole family on holiday is not an easy task to pull off, and making everyone happy on said holiday is just as impossible. When the age gaps are so big everyone tends to disagree with each...

Read More    3 min read