Other Options...

[TXTransplant]

My vacations are planned through Summer of 2017, and I thought *that* was way out. I don't know enough about what I'll be doing to make plans and commit money that far out!!

Sayhello

I haven't even planned our 2017 trip, yet!!! The Alaska and Canadian Rockies ABD trips don't fit with our schedule. I'd really like to do Hawaii, but after having another amazing ABD experience, I'm not sure I want to "go it alone". We may end up doing Tauck next year...

 

[acndis]

I LOVE the Nat Geo Japan Itinerary. We were thinking about it for next summer. However, we are still traveling with my dad and he feels most comfortable with ABD. If someone goes on this, please report back. It sounds amazing.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Not surprisingly, it's totally on our list, too! I'm planning to piggyback on Calfan's research so thanks for all the tips. I'm *only* planned out right now through early 2018 on my future vacation spreadsheet. I would have more planned but with DD going off to college, I'm not sure what her summer schedule is going to be like so want to accommodate. I have a list a mile long to choose from though I'd love to join Calpyso and her DH on the maiden voyage of the new ship. Must put that down on the calendar

 

[sayhello]

I haven't traveled with them, but my neighbor, who is well-traveled, uses Overseas Adventure Travel a lot. I'd heard about them a few years ago, but kind of forgot about them. Their itinerary looks like a kind of off-the-beaten-track kind of trip.

https://www.oattravel.com/trips/land-adventures/asia/japans-cultural-treasures/2017#!

However, they only accept kids 13 and older on their trips.

A big plus (for me)? No Single Supplement!!

Sayhello

 

[Calfan]

Thanks again for the feedback. I've checked out a few itineraries, and my list of possible choices now consists of: the NatGeo Japan Family Expedition, Tauck's Essence of Japan (noticeably more expensive than the NatGeo trip, but also 4 days longer, I think) and Inside Japan's Luxury Japan or Japan Enrichment Small Group Tour. Luxury Japan, which is one of Inside Japan's superior tours, says to call for a price quote, so that one might be even more scary price-wise than Tauck, LOL. When I was looking at the Tauck Essence of Japan itinerary, I noticed a link to one of their discussion forums about the trip that talked about teens on the trip. There were at least two families planning to take their teen-aged children on Essence of Japan (different dates, so they weren't traveling together), so that made me feel better about my 16- and 18- year olds possibly doing that trip (if I can get over the price, that is). Trafalgar looked like it also had a couple of good Japan itineraries, but I got the impression that it was a notch down from the others in terms of service, accommodations, etc. Anyone have experience with Trafalgar who can comment? Still hoping ABD comes up with a Japan itinerary within the next few years to add to the mix.

 

[aggiedog]

Well, if the economy holds out, we'll do InsideJapan and report back! We lived in Japan for 2 years a long time ago and pre-kids, so have a general idea of what we'd like to see, and what we can "BTDT" skip. Hence a more custom tour. If I'd never been before, I think many of their tours would be a great introduction to the country.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Hi Folks,

Because this is the ABD forum and this thread is about other tour groups, it will be merges with the Other Options thread.

 

[Rapunzellover]

I have up to 2019 planned. This year, Spain/Scotland. Next year, England/France. 2018/19 will be Australia and Italy again (different areas). Haven't decided the order. Might throw in Germany somewhere, although I've really been cooling on a trip to there.

Tauck announced they're starting a Portugal trip next year (details coming next month), and after they post that I'm probably going to add it to the list. Maybe rearrange 2017 to do it next year. Portugal is top of my list and I want it now!!

 

[tink1970]

We're planned through next Thanksgiving ('17) so slacker here too.

I really really wanted to do Spain with Tauck (my BFF is high school's sister has been with Tauck for 20-ish years and that's one of the ones she does)but the dates didn't work out.

Off to research since I'm clearly behind the 8 ball planning for '18

 

[Golden Rose]

We usually plan pretty far out, but for the first time in years, we haven't even planned a year out! We'll have had a really crazy year - Alaska cruise August 2015, DCL Holiday Bahamas cruise end of 2015, ABD Costa Rica spring break 2016, we just got back from WDW and Universal, and we're heading to Galapagos with Celebrity in August- but then we don't have anything actually booked except WDW for next spring break. (We have DVC, so at least we always have a WDW trip planned.) We've talked about several possibilities for this year's holiday season or next summer - South Africa ABD, Australia (probably not ABD, considering the new itinerary), Danube River Cruise ABD (waiting to hear back from the first trip reports!), or even a great American West type trip with friends. We travel with fairly young kids; our daughter is 5 and our son is 11. We've just about ruled South Africa out for the near future because I honestly don't think our daughter is capable of being silent and motionless for long periods of time on game drives yet. We've just had such a crazy, vacation intensive year that having very little booked after August feels really strange. (Yes, we may have gone a little overboard this year.) We feel like we're in a sweet spot where my mother and step father are still healthy enough to travel with us, and the kids are more or less old enough for serious travel.

We are still struggling some with when to do ABD and when to do the trips on our own. Between us, we speak passable English (obviously), Spanish, French, Italian, and German, and can make ourselves understood in Portuguese when we have to. We are comfortable hiring private guides and trying out local restaurants. That said, we did try ABD in Costa Rica, a place I'd previously traveled on my own, and we loved it. It was particularly good for our very, very extroverted daughter, who is happiest with other children. I also would feel safer going into some parts of the world with Disney, or another group like Tauck Bridges or Abercrombie and Kent Family, both of which we've seriously researched. It's because clear to me that my kids would prefer we do group travel for a while. There were so many really wonderful people on the ABD we tried, and it really was one of the best vacations we've shared as a family.

 

[TXTransplant]

(I don't want to start a new thread for this, because I know it will eventually be combined with this one...) I am looking for ABD-like experiences for Hawaii. I'm trying to plan for next summer, and my instinct is telling me to do either the Canadian Rockies (with Tauck Bridges) or Hawaii, and I am really leaning toward the latter. I know I could do Hawaii on my own, but my son just gets so much enjoyment from interacting with other families/kids (and we would probably kill each other after a couple of days if we went just the two of us).

I know Aulani offers excursions, but I don't really want to stay there. I've looked at a couple of travel companies including Trafalgar (their itineraries look decent), Nat Geo (2017 trips are not listed and it is over $6k per person!), and Backroads (only one choice for our available travel dates and the trip is only 6 days/5 nights).

I'm sort of leaning towards more adventure travel for this one - zip-lining, hiking, kayaking/paddleboarding, etc. I am not opposed to booking accommodations and inter-island travel on my own and using a company to do day-trips and excursions. But, what I do want is to be in small groups that include kids/families (some of the tours I looked at and did not list here appeared to be more geared toward adults/retirees).

Any suggestions out there?

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Nat Geo has a Family Expedition to Hawaii http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/hawaii-family-tour/detail

 

[TXTransplant]

Nat Geo has a Family Expedition to Hawaii http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/hawaii-family-tour/detail

Yes, I mentioned that in my original post. But they have no 2017 dates showing, and it is over $6000 per person! I was hoping to hear about some other alternatives.

 

[RSM]

We are doing the Canadian Rockies starting 7/10, but doing it more on our own. Starting in Vancouver and taking the Rocky Mountaineer train to Kamloops, then Jasper. Picking up a car in Jasper and staying in Jasper, then heading to Lake Louise, Banff, and Calgary. I'll let you know how easy it is to do on your own if interested.

 

[TXTransplant]

We are doing the Canadian Rockies starting 7/10, but doing it more on our own. Starting in Vancouver and taking the Rocky Mountaineer train to Kamloops, then Jasper. Picking up a car in Jasper and staying in Jasper, then heading to Lake Louise, Banff, and Calgary. I'll let you know how easy it is to do on your own if interested.

I'd love to hear about it! That is another trip that I'm confident we could do on our own, but I have really grown to appreciate the benefits of traveling with other families!

 

[Bobo912]

We did a trip on our own in 2013 that combined the ABD and Tauck itineraries - GNP, Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise. We had a fantastic time and it was super easy. It was just me and my son (who turned 13 during the trip). He says it is one of his favorite trips, even though he only had me for company.

 

[sayhello]

I've been to Maui three times, and always travel solo. But there's no way I could spend 2 weeks totally on my own; I'd go crazy. I have found that there are a WEALTH of independent tour operators on Maui that you can book for a day or half day, and make up your own itinerary and still have that interaction with others. The Pacific Whale Foundation has a bunch of really great excursions, and if you join the foundation for a year (not very expensive) you get a discount, and sometimes even one free excursion. When I get home, I could find some of the other companies I've booked with over the years. From what I've seen, most of the actual tour companies either align themselves with a resort and use that resort to book all the activities through, or they contract with the same tour companies you can do yourself. Most of them do not run their own excursions.

Backroads is great, but their trips are too short in my opinion. You could always combine that with a few days you booked yourself, though.

Sayhello

 

[TXTransplant]

I've been to Maui three times, and always travel solo. But there's no way I could spend 2 weeks totally on my own; I'd go crazy. I have found that there are a WEALTH of independent tour operators on Maui that you can book for a day or half day, and make up your own itinerary and still have that interaction with others. The Pacific Whale Foundation has a bunch of really great excursions, and if you join the foundation for a year (not very expensive) you get a discount, and sometimes even one free excursion. When I get home, I could find some of the other companies I've booked with over the years. From what I've seen, most of the actual tour companies either align themselves with a resort and use that resort to book all the activities through, or they contract with the same tour companies you can do yourself. Most of them do not run their own excursions.

Backroads is great, but their trips are too short in my opinion. You could always combine that with a few days you booked yourself, though.

Sayhello

Sayhello, that would be great! I don't mind booking the hotel at all (in fact, I'm kind of picky about hotels), but having the names of some great tour/excursion operators would be fantastic! I don't think we will do a full two weeks, but I was thinking 8-10 days.

And you are right, for the money, the Backroads trips are too short! I did think about combining it with pre- or post-days on our own, but I thought I'd check here first.

 

[TXTransplant]

We did a trip on our own in 2013 that combined the ABD and Tauck itineraries - GNP, Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise. We had a fantastic time and it was super easy. It was just me and my son (who turned 13 during the trip). He says it is one of his favorite trips, even though he only had me for company.

Good to know! And just to clarify...my son and I have a wonderful time traveling together. However, it is just the two of us 11 out of 12 months of the year (he spends every July visiting his dad). Considering how much time we spend together when we are not traveling, it's really nice to meet other families when we vacation. Honestly, it's as much a break from routine for me as it is for him!

 

[Cousin Orville]

(I don't want to start a new thread for this, because I know it will eventually be combined with this one...) I am looking for ABD-like experiences for Hawaii. I'm trying to plan for next summer, and my instinct is telling me to do either the Canadian Rockies (with Tauck Bridges) or Hawaii, and I am really leaning toward the latter. I know I could do Hawaii on my own, but my son just gets so much enjoyment from interacting with other families/kids (and we would probably kill each other after a couple of days if we went just the two of us).

I know Aulani offers excursions, but I don't really want to stay there. I've looked at a couple of travel companies including Trafalgar (their itineraries look decent), Nat Geo (2017 trips are not listed and it is over $6k per person!), and Backroads (only one choice for our available travel dates and the trip is only 6 days/5 nights).

I'm sort of leaning towards more adventure travel for this one - zip-lining, hiking, kayaking/paddleboarding, etc. I am not opposed to booking accommodations and inter-island travel on my own and using a company to do day-trips and excursions. But, what I do want is to be in small groups that include kids/families (some of the tours I looked at and did not list here appeared to be more geared toward adults/retirees).

Any suggestions out there?

I don't know how much I can help, but I thought I'd say "hello from Maui!" We're here now. Usually we don't do a lot of organized/tour activities in HI. Not necessarily right or wrong, we just typically chill out when we're here. We are doing zip lining in a few days, and trips out on our own. If you have any questions regarding resorts or HI with children, let me know. What works for us is 5-7 days per island and usually down time (pool/beach time) every other day. We've been a few times to Oahu, Maui, and Kauai.