Big Club Med April Fools Sale: Save $3,000 through April 6!

We're passing on some good news from Club Med, one of our top all-inclusive resort brands and a great summer getaway option. You'll have to act quickly to take advantage of this estimated $3,000 savings, so please take a look at the specifics of their offer, and see if it's right for you.

Club Med Buccaneer's Creek, Martinique, aerial view courtesy Clubmed.us

Club Med’s April Fool’s Flash Sale allows guests to book today through Wednesday, April 6, 2016 for stays from April 30, 2016 through October 28, 2016.

To top it off, during the months of May, June, September or October, children age 15 and under stay for free at Cancun Yucatan, Mexico and Ixtapa Pacific, Mexico.

Participating Club Med Resorts

Club Med Cancun Yucatan, Mexico: With new family ocean front accommodations, lounge and amphitheater, there’s no better time for the whole family to relax together on the beach or spend quality time exploring the Mayan ruins. We love this place.

This is really what the beach looks like at Club Med Cancun Yucatan, photo courtesy Clubmed.us

Club Med Sandpiper Bay, Florida: Jump head first into a vacation chock full of fun in the Florida sun! Known for its pro instruction and sports academies dedicated to tennis, golf, volleyball and fitness, it is the perfect escape for sport lovers of all skills levels to enjoy. Another great family choice, especially for multigenerational families.

Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: While couples may want to escape to the new adults-exclusive Zen Oasis to unwind by the Olympic size pool and private beach area, adults and kids alike can try something new at the Club Med CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil playground. With more than 25 Cirque inspired acrobatic and artistic activities, guests can try their hand at face painting, flying on the trapeze or even the acrobatic bungee.

Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Mexico: With a breathtaking mountainous backdrop to everything you do, it’s a family vacation filled with fun, relaxation and year-round sunshine. From sailing and dining al fresco to relaxing on the beach, there’s something for everyone in this lush tropical paradise.

Club Med Turkoise, Turks & Caicos: It’s playtime for grownups at Club Med’s adult-exclusive resort. Enjoy thrilling water sports, beach parties, and even a flying trapeze set against one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Club Med Columbus Isle, Bahamas: An ideal resort for romance, couples unwind on secluded beaches and in pristine waters while embarking on adventures in a world-class diving wonderland.

Club Med La Caravelle, Guadeloupe:  Fun for the whole family awaits with time to relax and play on breathtaking secluded beaches. Feeling adventurous? Sightseeing excursions, snorkeling and volcanic islands are just steps away!

Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek, Martinique:  Get immersed in the festive Creole spirit of this unique resort. Experience the sights, sounds and flavors of French island flair.

Guest room wing at Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, photo courtesy Clubmed.us

What "All-Inclusive" and Fool's Pricing Mean

A Club Med all-inclusive vacation means more than upscale accommodations and gourmet dining options with a full open bar of premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included. Guests enjoy an unparalleled offering when it comes to water and land sports, with expert instruction by day and a variety of entertainment shows in the evening.

How Did they Calculate a $3,000 Savings?

Club Med says: Sample discount is based on savings for a 7–night stay for a Family of 4 in a Club category room in select weeks at Cancun, Mexico and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Prices on other dates and/or at other resorts may vary. Blackout dates apply. Offer requires a 3-night minimum stay. Offer is subject to capacity control and may increase at any time.

Petit Club for toddlers at Club Med Sandpiper Bay, photo courtesy Clubmed.us

Fine Print on Kids Under 15 Stay Free Offer

For flights that are booked through Club Med, tickets for children must be paid for by the client. Children who are eligible to stay for free must be lodged in the same room as the adults who are paying for their stay, or in a connecting room. Offer available in select room categories and occupancy. Costs associated with Baby &; Petit Club Med are at the full rate during entire stay booked.

All the Fine Print & General Conditions

Blackout dates apply, including holidays and other dates. For Turkoise all guests must be 18 and older. Guests at Columbus Isle must be 2 and older. Club Med Membership fees of $60 per adult and $30 per child are additional. Other restrictions apply, including brochure terms and cancellation/change fees. Not responsible for errors or omissions. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

Act Now if an All-Inclusive Summer Vacation in in Your Future!

For a full list of participating resorts and more information, visit www.clubmed.us/flash-sale, call 800-258-2633 or contact a preferred travel professional with all your questions.

Let us know which resort you decide to try!

9 Days Only! How To Survive Slavery

Most parents don't have to watch as their children are subjected to the brutal horrors and indignity of slavery, what Africans who arrived in America between the years 1619 and 1865 endured. But a living history museum in Indiana offers that opportunity with an immersive experience called "Follow the North Star," in which guests take on the identity of exploited slaves.

A slave snatcher examines a group of potential slaves; c. Conner Prairie

Since the innovative educators at Conner Prairie in Fishers, Indiana began the program in 1998, more than 75,000 people have survived it.

Each November and April, Conner Prairie reenacts slave escapes using its 200 acres of farmland dotted with historic barns and buildings. Carefully trained, costumed interpreters become terrifyingly greedy slave hunters, or sympathetic locals who assist victims on the Underground Railroad, the clandestine road to freedom.

An Indiana local provides escaping slaves with a route north to freedom; c. Conner Prairie

These "escapes" are so compelling as living history because it is the guests -- those who pay for the privilege -- who are themselves enslaved.

A ticket entitles visitors to be herded, flee, run scared, listen to abuse, bond with other escaping slaves and, finally, find a sympathetic family who provides safe haven.

A Quaker family offers to help the slaves escape; c. Conner Prairie

The Conner Prairie team adds an educational component to the moving experience, saying, "This powerful program brings to life a pivotal period of our nation's history, and shines a light on issues of social injustice that we still struggle with today in schools and workplaces across the country."

Slave Hunters round up escaped slaves to earn the bounty on their heads; c. Conner Prairie

Unlike historic slavery, the modern slave trade -- still a huge global problem -- is fragmented and impossible to quantify as it moves across borders, between classes and among races. The Trafficking in Persons Report 2014 issued by the U.S. Department of State identified 44,000 survivors, and more than 20 million victims, around the world enslaved by sex trafficking, child sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and debt bondage. The deplorable trade in persons is often close by, yet unseen, unrecognized or just ignored.

It is hard to believe such human cruelty exists... until it happens to you.

For 2015, opportunities for degradation, humiliation and escape occur November 4, 6, 7, 12 through 14, and 19 through 21. They begin each night at 6:30pm, with start times staggered every 15 minutes.

According to the Conner Prairie staff, some guests cry through the whole experience; others beg to be allowed to leave. Because of the intense insights into human nature that result from the experience, only guests age 12 and older can participate, and children ages 12-16 must be accompanied by an adult.

The 1 hour 45 minute program costs $20 per person. As the Conner Prairie website promises, "You'll walk away with a lot to think about."

Southern Food & Beverage Museum Reopens with Kid Cooking Ambassador

The  SoFAB Institute and The Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans were founded on the premise: "Food  is the one element of life that can unite the traditions and cultures of the world into one peace loving healthy family, regardless of one's race or religion." We are delighted to announce that they are moving into their 30,000-square-foot building at 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard -- the former Dryades Market -- on September 29, 2014 and we can't wait to visit.

As always, their  focus is in tracing the foods we eat back to the source to better understand  how and why they influence and shape our perceptions and our health.

Despite all the upheaval in their move, the SoFAB Institute has initiated a kid's menu of educational and fun interactive activities that are leading children of all ages, and their parents, to a future of healthier food choices. The recently expanded and widely popular kid's programs include monthly storytelling, gardening, weekend cooking classes and a kids culinary summer camp. 

Award given to SoFAB Kids Ambassadors

In keeping  up with all that is going on for children, SoFAB founder Liz Williams and her team decided they needed a Kids Ambassador who would exemplify the healthy cooking and eating habits they are promoting.

Choosing a SoFAB Kids Ambassador

"We did not need to look far from home. We are proud and happy to announce that Kid Chef Eliana (Eliana de Las Casas), the award-winning 13-year old chef, radio show host, and author, (who we have  watched  cook and grow since SoFAB opened) has been named the Kids Ambassador of the SoFAB Institute. In that capacity Kid Chef Eliana will work with us to spread the message of sustainability, healthy cooking and eating, and whole person literacy (including nutritional and reading literacy.)"

Kid Chef  Eliana de Las Casas is a Taste Award honoree for Special Achievement in the Outstanding Kids category for her role as host of “Cool Kids Cook,” her weekly web radio show on the VoiceAmerica Kids network. The TASTE AWARDS are the highest awards for the Lifestyle Entertainment Industry. She accepted her award at a red carpet event at Grauman’s Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California in January.

Winning SoFAB Kids Ambassador Eliana de las Casas

Her second cookbook, "Cool Kids Cook: Louisiana," won a 2013 Parents’ Choice Approved Award. Her third cookbook, "Cool Kids Cook: Fresh & Fit" (Pelican Publishing) has just been released. It focuses on fresh foods and healthier recipes for families. 

It is the mission at SoFAB to have those kids carry forward their skills into adulthood.  In the planning stages is a huge play area for children where they can learn through play about healthy eating and the farm-to-table process.

The SoFAB Culinary Library and Archives opened in October 2013; its goal is to amass the largest collection of children’s culinary literature in the county, and an exhibit on children’s culinary literature is in the works.

We agree with Chef Eliana. Her mission is to encourage families to cook together and to inspire kids to become culinary explorers.

As Eliana always says, “Cool kids cook and get creative in the kitchen!” 

Guest post by Babbie De Derian

Safety First on Student Spring Breaks, or Should We Say Bacchanalia?

It's that time of year to contemplate the debauchery of prospective spring-breakers who are currently enrolled in college and, yes --in high schools -- around the country. Companies like StudentCity are advertising space on (barely) escorted three- and four-night trips to "our most popular international destinations, Nassau, Bahamas and Cancun, Mexico." Sound familiar?

Fortunately, the U.S. Department of State, who regularly field complaints and crises involving spring break behavior, are sharing some tips we can pass onto our kids... without taking the heat.

Spring Break welcome from Student City crew

As they rightly note, some students use their spring break from classes to volunteer in a foreign country, embark upon a European adventure, or visit friends studying abroad. We don't mean you. But regardless of the motivation or destination, the U.S. Department of State shares this wisdom:

• Avoid underage and excessive alcohol consumption. “Overdoing it” can lead to an arrest, accident, violent crime, or death.


• Obey all local laws, and remember they might be different from our own. Don’t carry or use drugs, as this can result in severe penalties. Don’t carry weapons either -- some countries have strict laws, and even possessing something as small as a pocketknife or a single bullet can get you into legal trouble. Punishments in other countries can be very different than those in America, and just because you're traveling abroad, doesn't mean you're free from criminal persecution. 


• Before you leave for your trip, learn as much as possible about your destination at studentsabroad.state.gov, our website dedicated to student travelers. Here, you can find out about entry requirements, crime, health precautions, and road conditions.


• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This program keeps students up-to-date with important safety and security announcements, such as Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and security messages.


• Keep in touch with your parents. If you will be without Internet or phone service for a few days, let them know. We receive many calls from parents who fear the worst when they have not heard from their children. In most cases, their child is fine, but has been too busy to check in.


• Be careful traveling at night. Of course you are going to want to see the nightlife of some places, but be smart. Stay with your group, always let someone know where you're going to be, and stick to the well-lit main streets. Places in Mexico, such as Baja California can be especially dangerous at night, so exercise caution. 


• Avoid getting involved with political affairs. Some destinations may have a lot of political tension, and it's important to avoid demonstrations, riots, or anything else that can harm you or others.   


• Learn important key words. If you're traveling to a country where you are not fluent in the language, learn a few key words and phrases beforehand. A precaution such as this will make asking for help and directions easier while visiting. It's also just a fun way to embrace the culture you're in!

Of course, even well-prepared travelers may face an emergency, like a lost passport or an injury. In those cases, the embassies and consulates of the United States are available to help 24/7.

• Be sure to write down the contact information for the U.S. embassy or consulate in your destination country. In emergencies, they can direct you to the nearest doctor, lawyer, or any other service you may require while traveling. Other resources concerning natural disasters, lost or stolen passports etc., can be found here.


• Prepare for health-related issues. Does your vacation destination require vaccinations of any kind? What medications will you need to bring with you on your trip? Does your health insurance reach outside of the U.S.? These are all very important questions to consider before you travel.

For more sage thoughts on young ones traveling, especially to regions that are often mired in political trouble and civic unrest, read Mayer Nudell's story on security tips.

Healthcare Service Makes Vacations with Dialysis Patients Easier

Have you thought about planning a family vacation with a loved one who's tied to a kidney dialysis machine, then dismissed it as being too hard? 

Dialysis is a life-sustaining process that cleans waste products from the blood, removes extra fluids, and controls the body’s chemistry when a person’s kidneys fail. Dialysis patients typically require treatment on an ongoing basis unless they receive a kidney transplant.

We know that family members who are on kidney dialysis need life-sustaining therapy typically three days a week, so it seems impossible to travel far from their therapy center. However, a new patient referral service from Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) makes it easy and safe to arrange for dialysis at a clinic near your destination. 

Dialysis patient Bill Young and his wife, Ann, recently used the Patient Travel Service before heading to Dallas, Puerto Rico and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

“The Patient Travel Service has been a big help for Ann and me as we plan our trips to visit family and friends by taking the worry out of getting my treatment,” Young said. “We encourage dialysis patients to use the service so they can continue traveling and not let a thing like dialysis stop them from enjoying the pleasures that travel offers.”

FMCNA, with more than 2,700 clinics in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa, provides kidney dialysis treatments to approximately 210,000 patients worldwide. Their clinics already operate in traditional family resort vacation areas such as Cape Cod, the Jersey shore, the Carolinas, New England and the Smokey Mountains, and in popular cities such as New Orleans, Las Vegas, or Orlando.  The company has noticed an emerging trend in which more patients are taking road trips that are closer to home due to the rising costs of fuel and airfares.

FMCNA encourages all dialysis patients, whether they are FMCNA patients or not, to enjoy travel and take vacations across the U.S. and abroad by utilizing its free Patient Travel Service. According to their Senior Manager, the company sets up everything -- at no charge except for the treatment itself -- so patients can focus on living life to the fullest without having to worry about where and how to get dialysis.

Patients, their clinical staff or social workers can arrange dialysis by calling the Patient Travel Service at 1-866-434-2597, Option 2) or visiting www.ultracare-dialysis.com to get help finding a convenient facility at their travel destination.

Family members and the patients themselves also can get answers to general questions about traveling as a dialysis patient. Spanish-speaking phone representatives are available. There is no charge for this service. For the best results, patients are encouraged to make their travel plans well in advance of their trip.

FMCNA says patients use the travel service primarily for vacations and family visits, but “snowbirds” also arrange treatment when they head to warmer climates for extended visits during winter. Family Travel Forum has more information on travel with family members with special needs.

For more information about the company’s more than 1,800 U.S. dialysis facilities, visit their website (in English and Spanish). Here is a video that shows you more about Kidney Dialysis facilities.