Monday, June 14, 2021

15 Top Picks from 51 Great Summer Vacation Ideas

How's your summer going? We're still busy planning some vacation time. If you're in the same boat we are, here’s our pick of the 15 very best summer vacation ideas from the amazing #bestsummer directory issued by FamilyTravelForum.com.  

We love that they’ve done the homework, and we can load our cart with some of the best ideas for our family. In the hopes of providing you with hope for a (somewhat) normal summer vacation, please read on!


ALASKA TOURING  

Meet sled dog puppies on your Holland America land excursions in Alaska. Photo c. HAL 


This year for the second year in a row, there will be no big ships in Alaska as Transport Canada has banned almost all cruise activities in Canadian waters until next February. Families who don’t want to wait until 2022 have the opportunity to see Alaska a different way—and spend more time on land in and around Denali National Park as well as elsewhere. The largest players in the region -- Holland America Line and Princess Cruises -- have committed to operating their Alaska-based lodges this year. Adventure Smith Explorations also offers small-ship and other Alaska adventures, including yachts potentially available just for your group. The  summer of 2019, TakingtheKids.com spent a few magical days kayaking, canoeing and just taking in the views and wildlife  at  the small  (just 18 cabins and 40 guests) at  Kenai Fjords  Glacier Lodge within the national park and accessible only by boat from Seward. And really good news: Denali National Park will allow road trippers to venture farther on their own. Check out one of the state’s newest campground sites, K’esugi Ken RV & Tent Campground, where you can pitch your tent in the shadow of North America’s largest peak. To find more campgrounds and plan your trip, visit TravelAlaska.com.


BLACK HISTORY & CULTURE FOR ALL  

Take the kids to the museums and historic sites around the country that are putting the civil rights struggle in context for 21st century youth. The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC may still be closed but you certainly can visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Open destinations worth the journey include the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the first built by a major U.S. city to interpret the life and work of African Americans, Plan a weekend around the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute or the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.


CAMPING AT JELLYSTONE PARKS 

Yogi Bear and his pals will soon be your pals when you stay and play at one of the Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts in the US. Photo c. Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts 

So, what if you haven’t been camping since Scouts? Record numbers of families are camping, often for the first time, and Yogi-Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts make it easy. With more than 75 Jellystone Park locations across the US and Canada, you’ll find a campground nearby packed with amazing attractions such as pools, water slides and splash grounds like the Jellystone Park Camp-Resort that Family Travel Forum visited. Hike, fish, explore and take advantage of family activities such as jumping pillows, mini golf and foam parties. Beloved characters Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, Cindy Bear and Ranger Smith from Jellystone make an appearance, too. Accommodations ranging from premium cabins and treehouses to deluxe RV sites and traditional tent campsites suit every family. Book now at www.jellystonepark.com, as prime summer dates are already selling out. Plan ahead for popular theme weekends such as Christmas in July, Chocolate Lovers Weekend and Halloween Spooktacular Weekends. Remember you can borrow or rent, rather than buy, any gear you might need.


CITY LIGHTS IN THE BRIGHTEST CITY  

New York is waking up and welcoming visitors once again, encouraging you to help rebuild the city’s $60 billion tourism industry. One of the summer’s cultural highlights is the outdoors show at the New York Botanical Garden, KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature, showing through Oct. 31, 2021. Immerse yourselves in sculpture and art installations from the famous Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, who lived in New York from 1958-1973. Kusama’s lifelong obsession with nature, thanks to a childhood spent in the greenhouses and fields of her family’s seed nursery, will find full expression at the NYBG. New monumental sculptures highlight the show; Dancing Pumpkin and I Want to Fly to the Universe make their worldwide debut. Watch for the first-ever obliteration greenhouse, Flower Obsession. Infinity Mirrored Room - Illusion Inside the Heart, a signature Kusama experience in which visitors interact with mirrored walls and the sense of infinite depth, is set to open August 3. NYBG is in the Bronx and is easily accessible by subway or the Metro-North Railway. NYBG is open daily; purchase timed entry tickets online at NYBG as early as possible. At 250 acres, NYBG is quite large so we recommend going early in the day to allow time to see it all and dine at one of the garden’s restaurants.


CRUISING EVERYWHERE

Princess Cruise Line guests use a wearable Medallion Pass as their ID when embarking on their ship at port. Photo c. Princess Cruise Line 

While cruise lines are working to figure out how and when they can start cruising from US ports this summer, they also are getting creative with alternatives. Luxury Seabourn Cruise Line, known for unique all-inclusive cruises on smaller ships, will be cruising in Greece and from Caribbean ports this summer. Holland America is finding great interest in their Alaska land tours this summer while offering value-added amenities on 2022 cruises, including half-off drinks, WiFi, excursions and dining. Additionally, they are scheduling weeklong Greece and Mediterranean cruises between August and November aboard the Eurodam. And Princess Cruises, for those planning ahead, is touting deals that include drinks, gratuities and with your Medallion wearable, flexible new Dine My Way schedules. MedallionNet is super charged WiFi internet connectivity that leverages a new constellation of satellites, if you can’t leave work behind. Plan ahead as most cruise lines will require passengers to be fully vaccinated before boarding.


DISNEY NEWS

Disneyland and California Adventure Park have reopened to Californian residents and hope to open to all later this summer. As at Walt Disney World, there is limited capacity, fewer shows and no character meet and greets, though additional parades and pop ups have been added. At the Orlando theme parks, guests like the virtual lines for rides and ordering food via a Disney Experience App so that it is ready when you arrive. There are also new attractions -- like Micky and Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Disney’s Hollywood Studies, the first time the world’s two most famous mice have been featured in an attraction. The Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Show runs until July 5, followed by the Food and Wine Festival July 15-Nov. 20 while EPCOT undergoes a multi-year transformation. Disney Cruise Line has announced new itineraries and its much-anticipated new ship Disney Wish that will begin cruises to the Bahamas next summer complete with the first AquaMouse water attraction, a revamped Oceaneer’s Club, new restaurants, including a Frozen dinner theater and more adults-only options, including a Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge with otherworldly concoctions. 


EUROPE RIVER AND CANAL CRUISES

Gift the family a barge trip on a French canal with Croisieurope. 

River and canal barge cruising continue to grow in popularity, letting more guests experience more European destinations aboard the comfort of a floating hotel. For families, the formula seems right: All included amenities, visiting many ports without the need to pack and unpack each day, and variety of tours for all interests mean a worry-free vacation for parents. Customize a barge trip for your group of up to 22 for the ultimate in social distancing. CroisiEurope welcomes families on board all cruises: Children under 2 travel free, under 10 at a reduced rate year-round. Cabins for singles, doubles, triples and quadruples mean every size family can be accommodated. Kids under 16 travel free in Spain, Portugal and Italy – and at 30% off fares in Croatia and Montenegro on summer departures. Vaccinated families should consider the special offers on their current departure schedule. Activities for families are built into the itinerary, so it’s the relaxing way to experience Europe. Here’s a review of a recent CroisiEurope Duoro River cruise in Portugal.


KANSAS, GEM OF I-70

With road trips all the rage this summer, many families are likely to drive part of their route along I-70, a central component of the US Interstate System founded by President Eisenhower’s Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. What many families don’t realize is just how much fun the stops along I-70 in Kansas can be. It’s more than 500 miles of 18-wheelers and corn fields. Kansas boasts classic small towns with huge artworks; talk about the summer of Van Gogh – have you seen Goodland, Kansas’ 80-foot-tall “Three Sunflowers in a Vase?” Other places worth a stop along I-70 include cinemas, arts festivals, military forts and local history museums to ease the road trip boredom for passengers of every age and interest. Read more about Kansas’s roadside attractions to plan just where your family will stay the night.


MEXICO AND CARIBBEAN RESORTS

The Seabourn Odyssey is moored offshore in the Caribbean. Photo c. Seabourn 

Summer traditionally has been considered family season in Mexico and the Caribbean; wild sales and kids stay free packages at all-inclusives are the norm. However, each destination has different entry requirements and even vaccinated travelers may be required to show a negative COVID test result for entry. Order Let’s Get Checked home COVID-19 testing kits by mail, now approved for minors (aged 2 and over) for at-home Covid-19 testing, using this 30% off COVID testing link. Note that travelers from most international destinations will have to present a valid negative COVID-19 test to enter the US. We also recommend family travel insurance to anyone booking resorts during the June to November hurricane season. Jamaica offers options from staffed villas to all-inclusive resorts like Beaches, known for their commitment to children on the Autism Spectrum, to Half Moon Bay with the chance to swim with horses, and Golden Eye, where Ian Fleming famously wrote the Bond books and where you can take your pick staying in a beach “hut” or two-bedroom villa. Families interested in a cruise to more off the beaten path islands should plan ahead to November, when the luxury Seabourn line resumes award-winning 7- to 21-day cruises to the Caribbean, with 10% off for early bookers.  


ORLANDO

Yup. The world’s theme park capital is open and welcoming families with new attractions as well as enhanced COVID-19 safety protocols. For those planning ahead, Walt Disney World will celebrate the resort’s 50th anniversary starting Oct. 1 and continuing for 18 months. (Follow #DisneyWorld50 on social media platforms.) Of course, a visit will be different this year, requiring masks and advance reservations. The kids won’t be able to hug their favorite characters. We’re Orlando fans because in addition to the theme parks, there’s so much else to do: great outlet mall shopping, several small art museums, lots of fun dining experiences and plenty new outside the parks too. Dr. Phillips Center’s Frontyard Festival is the first socially distanced music festival in the U.S., offering everything from music performances to comedy shows to big-name concerts, through May. The Museum of Illusions Orlando offers 50 interactive, immersive and mentally deceptive exhibits based on math, science, and psychology. Dezerland Park, an all-new indoor attraction on International Drive, boasts a trampoline park and the longest indoor dual go-karting tracks in Florida. There are also plenty of options for free things to do outdoors, from farmers markets to Sunday morning yoga in the 43-acre Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. Play outside at the 20-plus mile West Orange Trail (rent bikes from West Orange Trail Bikes & Blades Co., which offers delivery to area hotels) and the Nemours Family Zone at the US Tennis Association National Campus. (Play for free but you must pre-register!)


RIVER RAFTING AND AQUATIC ADVENTURES

Keep cool -- no need to carry on with your paddling when you're on an escorted river trip with OARS. Photo c. OARS 

The legendary outfitter OARS has been sharing the world’s great rivers with guests since 1969, contributing more than $5 million in donations and fees toward the preservation of the environment and to various conservation initiatives since the company’s inception. After an abbreviated and challenging 2020 season, OARS is looking forward to fun, low-stress whitewater conditions for many of the family-friendly rafting trips they offer in the West. They're forecasting lower, but reliable water levels this summer for popular river trips like Utah’s Green River through Gates of Lodore and Desolation Canyon, which can count on water releases from upstream reservoirs. Five-day family trips (minimum age 7) for Green River Rafting through Desolation Canyon promise more than 50 Class II and III rapids. OARS experts say that in California, a mild winter and statewide snowpack that’s at 59% the normal average isn’t expected to heavily impact rafting on dam-controlled rivers like the American River and the Tuolumne River. The 3-day Lower Klamath Trip departing Happy Camp, California is ideal for young adventurers ages 4+. From June to mid-August, families are guaranteed warm and gentle Class II rapids, easy rafting, fishing and fully supported camping along the Klamath River. Due to the region’s rich Gold Rush history, discovering gold may be a highlight of the trip. For 2021, expect many of the same COVID-19 protocols that were put in place last summer to minimize the risk of transmission on the river. For more information on OARS’ eco-friendly adventures, visit www.oars.com or call 800/346-6277.


SKI COUNTRY SUMMERS

An off season ski resort condo should be a bargain whether you choose Steamboat Springs in Colorado for its weekly rodeos and free concerts or Lake Tahoe for yoga paddleboarding. In Park City, Utah, spend summer careening down an alpine coaster or facing the Olympic bobsled track. Hike and mountain bike through Montana’s Big Sky or Oregon’s Mt. Hood regions, among many other almost-four-season resorts. The good news is that lodging is a lot cheaper in summer at snow resorts  and more on-mountain activities are returning this summer, like the Lost Forest at the top of Snowmass’ Elk Gondola. You don’t need a pricey lift ticket to hike or bike – but they are great value for scenic sightseeing with less fit family members. It likely won’t be as hard to get into the top restaurants either. Here’s an account of celebrating a pre pandemic July 4th weekend in Vail.


SPLURGE BY PLANNING AHEAD WITH ATLAS

Watch Juvenile Southern Seals fight for dominance with a show of strength on your Antarctica expedition. Photo by Michel Verdure for Atlas Ocean Voyages. 

For many American families, this summer will be about staying local and saving up for a really big bucket list vacation. With nearly 15 months to think about what could be the most amazing destination ever, Antarctica is topping many wish lists. While several expedition companies are touting their special sailings, none compares with the luxurious new offering from Atlas Ocean Voyages. Families set sail for Antarctica aboard World Navigator, Atlas’ Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified ship, after a private flight from Orlando to Ushuaia, Argentina. Fewer than 200 fellow explorers join naturalists and experts dedicated to helping you and kids ages 10+ get the most out of your refined adventure. You can even make or renew wedding vows at ‘the end of the world’ on the Valentine’s Day 2022 departure. Atlas’ wedding package is complimentary for guests when registered in advance plus, the bride enjoys a 50% stateroom savings when the wedding party books five or more rooms. As with all Atlas luxe-adventure expeditions, guests travel in the brand’s signature All Inclusive All The Way style, which, on Antarctica expeditions, includes all meals, beverages, activities, shore excursions and more. Their flexible travel policy also provides travelers a 100% refund of deposited funds up to 91 days prior to sailing. Plan now because you can change your reservation as often as you want, and even switch to a different Atlas itinerary, up to 15 days before your voyages’ sail date.


UTAH HIGH WITH MOAB ADVENTURES

The Moab Adventure Center will help you achieve new heights when adventuring in Arches, Canyonlands or the great outdoors around Moab, Utah. Photo c. Moab Adventure Center 

Moab Adventure Center focuses on day tours and adventures, whether you want to river raft, take an off-road Hummer safari, hike with a guide in Arches National Park, horseback ride, have a unique mountain biking adventure or raft in Cataract Canyon. They’re family welcoming too, with Hummer safari tours available to ages 3+ and laidback rafting trips for ages 5+ and 50 lbs. Enjoy each of their adventures knowing safety protocols have been put in place to maintain a safe and fun environment. Moab is a very popular, eastern Utah mountain town that can get crowded, making Moab Adventure Center the easiest way to reserve any outdoor experience without worry or stress—and get out of your comfort zone trying something new!


WILMINGTON AND DELAWARE’S BIDEN COUNTRY

Start your tour of Biden Country in Newark at The Biden Welcome Center, a visitor’s center packed with maps and brochures about the state the 46th president has called home for years. Renamed for the entire Biden family and their service to Delaware prior to the election, it reminds us that even the Wilmington railroad station is named after the First Commuter who was nicknamed “Amtrak Joe.” Did you know that both the Bidens and reggae legend Bob Marley lived in Wilmington’s Eastlake neighborhood? From the estates of the du Pont family which have become fantastic museums of American arts and crafts to the casual, homey eateries that the President and his family still frequent, the first state is full of surprises every family will enjoy. And no, the St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church in Greenville was not named after the president.


Note that this summer, vaccinated Americans traveling within the US won’t need COVID-19 testing or post-travel self-quarantine as long as they continue to wear masks indoors, avoid crowds, social distance and wash hands frequently. Additionally, vaccinated travelers will likely be safely allowed to travel in many European countries. Travelers going to destinations that require a negative COVID-19 PCR test should take advantage of our partnership with Let’s Get Checked to get home COVID-19 testing kits by mail, now approved for minors (aged 2 and over.) Use our 30% discount COVID testing link and get results back in 72 hours or less.


Let us know where you’re off to!


Monday, July 23, 2018

Celebrate Silent Night This Christmas


To mark the 200th anniversary of the first performance of “Silent Night” on December 24, 1818, Salzburg and its neighboring Austrian communities are celebrating the song heard round the world. It’s true; “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht” has been translated into 300 languages and dialects and still resonates with music lovers of all faiths.
 
The City of Salzburg, festive year round, gears up for the winter holidays.

How do you celebrate a song?

 Austria will celebrate Silent Night 200 between September 29, 2018 and February 3, 2019 so there’s plenty of time to appreciate the poetry, music and a silent night. In the city of Salzburg, already making noise at the holiday season for its ornate and festive Christmas markets, the Salzburg Museum will feature “Silent Night 200” all about the song’s myth, history and message of peace.

The city’s Felsenreitschule will present a musical version of the song’s creation story that begins its run November 24. With any luck, it could do for Salzburgland what “Sound of Music” – the blockbuster film made from a Broadway musical – did for Salzburg more than 50 years ago.

Salzburgland towns associate with the song’s composer and lyricist are celebrating the anniversary with special events and Advent Festivals. You can also catch a historical re-enactment of the Silent Night story to be done on the stage of Hochberg’s parish church.

Two towns are already set for the influx of Silent Night 200 tourists because of their long history: Oberndorf, the hometown of the priest who wrote the lyrics; and Arnsdorf, home of the musical composer.

The Creation Story of “Silent Night”

Silent Night Square with the Chapel in the background, Oberndorf

Researchers today think that the song’s message of hope had such immediate impact because in the 1700s, political and economic hard times had befallen Salzburg, then a prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire.

At that time, Josef Mohr was the unconventional priest assigned to the Church of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf. Whatever the inspiration, he decided that an old poem of his about the night of Jesus’ birth might cheer his congregation. He asked Franz Xaver Gruber of nearby Arnsdorf, the church organist, to set it to music so it could be performed Christmas Eve. The church organ was not working, so Mohr performed his song on guitar -- with Gruber singing along and the church’s chorus behind them.

Historians say this musical act was so radical for Catholic clergy during that era that many believe it could only have been performed outside the church’s walls, perhaps for local farmers. Thus, a legend began…

Oberndorf, Silent Night Museum and the Chapel

 A small chapel commemorating the two was built between 1924-1937 in Oberndorf, on the ruins of St. Nicholas Church.

Today, this picturesque Austrian village boasts a sophisticated little museum at Silente Nacht Platz that will be open daily during the 200th anniversary celebrations.

The museum building is thought to have housed clergy during the early 19th century. Inside, families can learn about mining salt and transporting it by barge on the rough Salzach River. Multimedia displays illustrate how the bend in the river that today separates Salzburgland from Bavaria, Germany, was challenging to navigate in Mohr’s era.

Visitors can put on headsets to hear the song in dozens of languages but must head upstairs to sing along! On the small second level, there’s a film re-enactment of how this song inspired brotherhood among soldiers on both sides during the siege of Stalingrad.

Another room illustrates the story of two singing families from the Tyrol region who took the still anonymous “Silent Night” on the road with them, including a performance at New York’s Trinity Church by the then-famous Rainer Family Singers in 1838.

From there, the song’s universal message of hope went viral and its fame grew so in Europe that in 1854, research done by the Cathedral at St. Peter’s in Salzburg revealed the identities of its creators, and the stories of Mohr and Gruber were shared with the world.

And yes, the museum’s last room has a karaoke booth where guests can select to voice renditions by everyone from Elvis to Bing Crosby, and the audio file will be emailed to you.
 
Options to try out "Silent Night" Karaoke at the museum in Oberndorf

Arnsdorf and the School

 Tiny Arnsdorf has a different appeal because its two-level schoolhouse (two grades at a time still share a classroom) was where composer Gruber himself was teacher.

Upstairs, thought to be where the poor musician lived with his wife and family, is a small museum of artifacts, including the original Circulare or lesson plan used to guide his instructional program. Other artifacts and some furnishings belong to his grandson, also a musician, who legitimized their claim to the song. Children will enjoy seeing the way a classroom of that era was set up.

Next door, the Maria im Mosel Church is more than 500 years old and under restoration. Inquire about hours the school is open to the public.

What’s Special at the Christmas Holidays

 The holiday season in Salzburgland is extra special, especially this year when thousands are expected to make the traditional 1.2-mile walk between the villages. The procession begins after the Christmas Eve mass at Maria im Mosel church in Arnsdorf. Visitors are invited to the simultaneous outdoor mass and, while carrying candles, can join the walk to the plaza in Oberndorf to sing the song outside the chapel.

The local Christmas Markets, open annually the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Eve, have charming small-town versions throughout Salzburgland. Oberndorf’s Christkindlesmarkt features about 20 vendors selling crafts and lebkuchen, a traditional cinnamon biscuit. The local Tannenbaum evergreens are decorated with small lights and ornaments made of hay, lighting the festivities until silence descends.

Salzburg and its Christmas Market

The Dom St. Peter's, the Salzburg Cathedral, is the centerpiece of the winter Christmas Market.

Most families will base themselves in beautiful Salzburg, about a half-hour away by taxi, so don’t miss the famous Christkindlesmarkt. This ornately decorated and festive, outdoors market has taken place below the towering Hohensalzburg Fortress in the Old Town since the 15th century.

Salzburg’s market is unusual because many more typical handcrafts and artisan works are sold than food, though gluhwein, bratwurst and strudel are bestsellers that bring in the locals after a day’s work.

Visiting Salzburgland

 At other times of year, the best reason to visit Salzburg’s neighboring villages is to enjoy their authentic farm style, regional cuisine and alpine architecture.

The bicycle path that runs from Salzburg along the Salzach River (ask at your hotel about renting bikes) is flat, car-free and very scenic. In just 90 minutes, a fit bicyclist can be in Oberndorf to see the “Silent Night” museum and chapel. 

The Christmas Market in Salzburg's Old Town Square; Photo c. Visit Salzburg

Or, slow down and spend a quiet night at the closest gasthof, Hotel alt Oberndorf Bauern Brau, around the corner from the museum. They have 24 simple rooms (one to three beds in each) and a terrific homey restaurant that provide a serenity break from the holiday hustle-bustle of Salzburg.

Here is a roundup of more ideas of where to hear music and enjoy Salzburg with kids; for a holiday events calendar, please visit Salzburg Tourism.

This post and images contributed by Ron Bozman.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Road Trip Spin: Head across Sweden and Denmark


We love to share good deals, so this one – a free, five-day car rental for Americans traveling to Scandinavia -- caught our eye.  From now through March 15, 2018, any party of two can book flights and add on a rental car, at no extra charge, for any trips taken from May 18 to August 16, 2018.

Egeskov Castle seen from the local park, , photo courtesy Visit Denmark

The Scandinavian Airlines Fly & Drive promotion is designed to encourage travelers to see as much as possible during the long summer days by exploring the region’s cities, coastal towns (these countries have extensive archipelagos and hundreds of islands), and pristine national parks.

Here are two favorite itineraries suggested for outdoor adventures and family fun – divide your time between the stops that sound most interesting, and limit the driving to an hour or two each day, for a great vacation.

Stockholm to Skåne in Sweden


Begin in the capital city and make your way toward Söderåsens National Park in Skåne and hike toward Kopparhatten, often referred to as “Skånes Grand Canyon.” Stops along the way include Dalsland for moose sightings, and Koster Island – Sweden’s first national marine park.

Next, head to Grebbestad and join an oyster safari or lobster catching trip (their suggestions, not mine, but fun!) before driving to Tjörn for some kayaking. Then, it’s a tour of Pilane – one of Europe’s most popular sculpture parks. Less than an hour away, you’ll arrive in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second city, before arriving in Skåne.


Cathedral in Odense, photo courtesy Visit Denmark


Copenhagen to Fyn in Denmark


Start in beautiful Copenhagen and head to Denmark’s Fairytale island, where there are driving routes already charted to take into account your interests in beer, chocolate, horseback riding or castles.

The main city of Odense, Denmark's third-largest, is the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, one of Denmark’s most beloved authors (two hours from Copenhagen.) Here’s a Family Travel Forum report on a weekend in Odense with kids.


The charming village of Odense is fun to explore on foot. Photo courtesy Visit Denmark.

Just 30 minutes south of Odense, drivers will find Egeskov Castle, a 460-year-old castle, with extraordinary gardens, a Classics Museum, and tons of family-friendly activities. Svendborg, a short 20-minute drive from Egeskov, is an idyllic harbor town. From here, there are hourly ferries to Ærø—a favorite vacation spot amongst the Danes. Here visitors will find brightly colored harbor houses, cobblestone streets, and charming cafes. A 45-minute drive southeast of Odense lies Falsled Kro, the only Relais & Chateaux hotel in Denmark, perfect for an overnight splurge. 

Intrigued by a Scandinavian road trip?  To recap the details: When a roundtrip flight via Scandinavian Airlines is booked for two from the US to Oslo, Stockholm or Copenhagen, Scandinavian Airlines is offering a free, five-day Avis rental carto experience the destination. The Scandinavian Airlines Fly & Drive promotion must be booked by March 15, 2018 and used for travel this summer, between May 18 and August 16, 2018.

Let us know which itinerary appeals, or if you decide to head off in another direction.