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Two-plus years of pandemic have sharpened families’ yearnings for vacations. A segment of those stuffing bags into car trunks and overhead compartments this summer will be what travel agents call “multi-gen,” or multigenerational, travelers. Bring the kids? Hell, bring the parents, too. Everybody needs to get away.
These kinds of trips can enrich, entertain, and satisfy. They can also be big, complicated pains in the posterior—especially as the threat of COVID still looms. “I have a multi-gen family right now going to Africa in June,” says Candy Geiler, a travel agent in Charlotte for nearly 40 years and a partner at the Charlotte agency World Travel Mates. The family consists of two couples; five children, ages 7 to 17; and one set of grandparents.
“There are 11 of them, and we’re flying them to South Africa,” Geiler says in March. “Right now, with the COVID restrictions, they’re stopping in London on the way in, and we’ve had to find a place in London to get them COVID tests, because they’re going into Zambia, and they have to be taken no less than 72 hours before the time they arrive in Zambia …”
Travel alone is complex enough, and health restrictions and the juggling act of multi-gen travel further complicate families’ plans. A 2021 survey by the Michigan-based Family Travel Association and New York University found that 52{e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a} of respondents planned to take multi-gen trips within a year, and 88{e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a} of parents planned to travel with their children. That’s double the percentage of parents who took trips with their kids in 2020, according to the survey.
The desire to get out of town means more pressure on agents like Geiler, who suggests that all-inclusive resorts or destinations closer to home might be better multi-gen bets for now. “You certainly don’t want, you know, 11 people going to South Africa, and they can’t get in. You have a lot of responsibility to your client to make sure that you’re well informed on the dynamic of their location,” she says. “Now, if you’re taking a bunch of kids to Disney World, it’s a whole different story.”
An easier and less expensive one, in other words. Here are four travel options that suit all ages, and three lie within a day’s drive from Charlotte. They can scratch the travel itch until it’s safe, or safer, to take the family on sojourns that require passports.
STAY
Leave your car on the mainland, and take a ferry or private boat to this 12,000-acre island. Bicycles and golf carts are the only transportation options. Rent a beach house through Airbnb or Vrbo, or stay at The Marsh Harbour Inn, which has 13 rooms and serves hot breakfast each morning.
Above: A half-hour ferry ride from the Deep Point Marina in Southport gets you and your family to Bald Head Island. Courtesy NC’s Brunswick Islands.; Bald Head Island Limited; Shutterstock.
EAT
The Maritime Market has everything you need for family meals. When the group wants to eat out, Jules’ Salty Grub & Island Pub has a wide selection of seafood and a kids’ menu. Copper’s Wood-Fired Kitchen, Jailhouse Provisions, and Horizons all have family-friendly options.
PLAY
Traverse the island on a beach cruiser from Riverside Adventure Company. Kids’ bikes, trailer attachments, and child bike seats are available to rent. Book an excursion with Coastal Urge, and see the island from a kayak or paddleboard, or stop by Jailhouse Provisions to play trivia or bingo. Visit Southport by ferry and take a self-guided tour of filming locations from Dawson’s Creek, Matlock, Safe Haven, Weekend at Bernie’s, and dozens more. Then explore Old Baldy Lighthouse and the Smith Island Museum.
More information: ncbrunswick.com
Courtesy Michael Walter.
STAY
Roam Mount Mitchell Eco Retreat’s 28 acres of fields and creeks. Lodges have rocking chairs with views of the Black Mountains. Some units have bunk beds, and the lodges are within walking distance of each other. Cook family dinners in the community kitchen and eat in the dining area in the main lodge. Play cards and board games by the fireplace, relax in a hammock, roast marshmallows by the fire pit, or challenge Grandpa to a game of ping-pong.
EAT
The lunch and dinner menus at Pig & Grits in downtown Burnsville include burgers, barbecue, chicken tenders, fish, and a variety of sides. A full breakfast menu is also available until 11 a.m.
Homeplace Beer Company and Hog Hollow Wood-Fired Pizza have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Wood-fired pizzas are the specialty, but small plates and sandwiches are also on the menu. The brewery specializes in malts and dark and sour beers. In the summer months, the outdoor area has horseshoes, fire pits, tabletop games, and live music on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
PLAY
Visit Westside Quilt Block Trail in western Yancey County and take photos of all 17 quilt squares on barns and buildings. Purchase a guidebook at One of a Kind Art Gallery in Micaville, or go online for an interactive map. Bring crayons or colored pencils to color in the sketches of each quilt block in the guidebook. See constellations, galaxies, satellites, and meteors at the Mayland Earth to Sky Park’s Bare Dark Sky Observatory. Hike to Crabtree Falls, a 70-foot waterfall, in Pisgah National Forest along the Blue Ridge Parkway; just be aware that the loop trail is more than two hours and includes three flights of stairs.
More information: exploreburnsville.com
This unfinished, pre-Civil War railroad tunnel in Oconee County, South Carolina, maintains a year-round temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit—a cool spot for all ages. Courtesy Discover South Carolina.
STAY
Put the family up in a cabin, lodge, or yurt at Wildwater in Oconee County. The Corkscrew Cabin sleeps 12, and the Jawbone accommodates eight. Each unit has a full kitchen and large dining and outdoor areas. Book rafting and zipline adventures when you reserve your rooms.
EAT
Finding a restaurant in the mountains can be tricky, so stock up on snacks at Long Creek General Store. Near Wildwater, Humble Pie serves pizza, sandwiches, wraps, and quesadillas. Brasstown Creek Gathering Place BBQ is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 9 p.m.
Rafting at Wildwater. Courtesy Wildwater LTD.
PLAY
Visit Stumphouse Park to see Stumphouse Tunnel, Issaqueena Falls, and walk along the Blue Ridge Railroad hiking trail, an easy-to-moderate 2.5-mile hike through the forest. The nearby Yellow Branch Falls is a moderate, 45-minute hike to a 50-foot falls. Book a pontoon boat with Jocassee Lake Tours and see Lake Jocassee, or head to Devils Fork State Park for camping, fishing, scuba diving, swimming, and a 1.5-mile nature trail. Rent canoes and kayaks through Eclectic Sun.
More information: visitoconeesc.com
North Carolina-based visual artist Patrick Dougherty used 30,000 pounds of willow saplings for Sea Change, an immersive structure at Naples Botanical Garden. Courtesy Naples, Marco Island.
STAY
Edgewater Beach Hotel has beach access and a range of activities. Enjoy two outdoor pools, the Reflections Pool Bar, and Coast, the hotel’s famed restaurant. Rent paddleboards, kayaks, and bikes for family outings, and treat yourself to milk and cookies each afternoon at the hotel.
EAT
Coast at Edgewater serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and provides in-room service and delivery to the beach and pool area. Venture into downtown Naples for pizza, pasta, and seafood at Osteria Tulia. For a large group with varied tastes, try the food trucks at Celebration Park along Haldeman Creek. For a casual meal, head to Riverwalk at Tin City for burgers, fish, salads, sandwiches, tacos, and a raw bar. Save room for ice cream at M&M’s Café.
PLAY
Visit Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, a 43-acre plot with black bears, cheetahs, lions, panthers, and pythons in gardens filled with ficus, orchids, and palm trees. Stroll the boardwalks and paths of the Naples Botanical Garden to see ponds, sculptures, and plants from all over the world. Take the wheelchair-accessible path to the birding tower near Lake Tupke to spot feathered friends. Book a boat ride with Pure Florida to learn about dolphins, manatees, and local birds, then stop at Keewaydin Island to search for shells. Thrill-seekers can see the Everglades from an airboat.
More information: paradisecoast.com
Tips on multi-gen travel from Shanell Varner, CEO and chief travel advisor at Moonglade Travel in Charlotte:
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:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/HCM4HU2KAZA5NFJJYYYYC5RG4Y.jpg?ssl=1 "Tips for navigating cancellations and travel changes if your Alaska Airlines experience proves ‘choppy’")
Are you organizing on traveling Alaska Airways before long?
You may possibly be in for a “choppy journey,” according to Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci.
The issue is not turbulence at 30,000 feet. Relatively, it has to do with your odds of acquiring into the air at all. Alaska has been canceling flights and axing routes during the spring thanks to a scarcity of pilots.
In a video clip presentation Thursday to the airline’s frequent flyers, Minicucci owned up to the cancellations. “We’ve been canceling about 50 out of 1,200 flights daily,” he reported. Minicucci claimed that the cancellations are probably to continue on, although he’s hopeful points will get superior as the summertime progresses.
Flights get canceled each individual day. But the corresponding bottleneck with Alaska Airlines’ shopper services centers compounds the troubles for vacationers. Tourists have documented ready on keep for 10 hours or more.
A short while ago, my flight on Alaska Airways was canceled just as we had been finding prepared to board. Also, I have spoken with quite a few vacationers, some marketplace representatives and vacation brokers to distill some crucial methods for tourists when they’re confronted with a canceled flight.
If you have options to fly with Alaska Airways this summer season, get a second correct now and evaluation your preparations. Go on the internet and double-check your flights, your seat assignments and any other arrangements you have produced with the airline. Make sure none of your flights have been altered or canceled.
In his modern movie, Minicucci mentioned Alaska Airways has been canceling about 4{e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a} of its flights. Previously, the airline had applied a 2{e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a} reduction in its schedule. So that signifies that a lot more flights are finding canceled in an effort to match up readily available pilots and crew with planes to fly.
Really don’t hold out for Alaska Airways to call you if your flights have been improved. Nevertheless, if you do obtain an email recognize that your flight is canceled, contact the airline making use of the unpublished range in the e-mail. That is distinct from the common reservations quantity. According to Tim Thompson, a spokesman for Alaska Airways, that “secret number” in the notification electronic mail will help you skip to the entrance of the line to converse with a consumer support agent.
[Travelers can expect Alaska Airlines to keep canceling flights at high level for weeks]
If your flights are canceled and you want to get in touch with the airline, find out the person in your occasion with the optimum elite-stage standing. Normally that is MVP Gold or previously mentioned. When an elite-stage traveler calls, their calls are answered 1st.
One traveler was flying with her family members to Palm Springs when her flight acquired canceled at the gate. She termed Alaska Airlines and was place on keep, then opted to get a get in touch with back again from reservations. After getting a journey back again home, she used her husband’s cellphone to call. He’s a top-amount elite flyer. The reservations employees answered suitable absent and she was ready to rebook everyone’s flight. Sitting down in the lounge the following working day just before their new flight, she eventually acquired a phone again from Alaska Airways. It had been far more than 24 hrs.
In addition to contacting on your mobile phone, you can send out a text to the airline, at 82008. Retain your messages down below 160 figures. I’ve by no means applied the textual content perform, but I have had good luck in the earlier sending a immediate note by means of Twitter. Alaska has a devoted social media staff that monitors Twitter, Fb and Instagram.
When my flight was canceled two months back, I walked in excess of to the agent manning the counter. A lady named Grace helped rebook me for the up coming flight. I renamed her “Grace Beneath Fire” considering the fact that 50 folks rapidly lined up at the rear of me to get rebooked.
From time to time it is simpler to go to the airport and chat to a purchaser company agent than to attain Alaska’s consumer service office environment by cellular phone.
I spoke with an Anchorage-based mostly travel agent about Alaska’s woes. When questioned for advice to vacationers, the agent scoffed and mentioned, “I don’t know. Probably book Delta.”
We laughed. The agent continued, “This is a issue when you’re in a a person-airline town. There aren’t a whole lot of other selections.”
For most tourists in the state, Alaska Airways is the preferred airline. For several, it’s the only possibility. At minimum here in Anchorage, there are some aggressive options heading south to the Lower 48.
In his online video deal with, Alaska’s CEO Minicucci acknowledges that rebooking in the course of a peak vacation time can be complicated. A single elite-degree traveler was headed to St. Louis for a presentation when his flight from Seattle was canceled. At the very last minute, he could have acquired a replacement ticket for $2,500. That was much too significantly, so he canceled the presentation and Alaska refunded his ticket.
If you really need to get to your location, get in touch with and acquire an additional ticket. You have 24 several hours to hold the ticket, throughout which time you can refund it with no penalty. Save your receipts and kind it out with Alaska’s shopper services afterwards. It is often a good notion to get the name of the customer company agent who’s helping you, as nicely as the time and date.
Take into consideration travel insurance plan. I have a travel insurance plan policy with Allianz, typically for dropped luggage and accidents. Some cancellations may perhaps be coated below the “travel delay” part of the policy, together with lodging, foods and transportation. My credit score card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, also has a robust journey coverage deal. It incorporates vacation delay insurance coverage and charges for shed or delayed baggage. There also is a group for substitute tickets, but there are caps on the rewards. There’s truly no way of realizing just what’s protected with out reading the great print.
But given that the COVID-19 pandemic, journey insurance policy has become a lot more well-liked.
If Alaska Airways is rebooking you and the other Alaska flights really do not do the job, question the agent to ebook you on yet another airline. Airways do this each individual day, but occasionally you have to inquire. Also, if your new flight demands a very long layover, be confident to question for assistance with lodging and foods.
Lots of tourists are concerned that Alaska Airlines pilots are on strike, since of informational picketing that took area final thirty day period. The pilots are not on strike. This month, the pilots’ union, the Air Line Pilots Affiliation, or ALPA, is having a strike-authorization vote. Although the pilots’ negotiations are a distinct and different difficulty from the present-day pilot lack, there is continue to a link. That is due to the fact some pilots are leaving Alaska Airlines to do the job for other airlines. The union designed its possess online video to spotlight this issue.
All airways are looking to deliver on new pilots, so choosing is very competitive. Alaska Airlines is doing the job hard to use and prepare new pilots, reservations agents and flight attendants to accommodate a surge in travel this summer season. Hopefully, the airline will be profitable in lowering the range of canceled flights and impacted travellers. In the meantime, passengers ought to be well prepared for a “choppy trip.”