While taking your children on vacation can be one of the best experiences of their lives (and yours) navigating the airport can be a stress inducing activity that may leave you feeling exhausted and spent. If you are traveling somewhere with one or more kids, use some of these ideas to help your trip go smoother than you ever thought possible. Here are some ideas for what you can bring when flying out of Denver International Airport or Detroit International Airport.

• Bring games or other activities to keep the kids occupied.

With longer wait times at the airport than ever before, you need to make sure that you are keeping your children occupied or they will drive you (and everyone else) nuts. Bring as many coloring books, handheld electronic games, dolls and toys that you need to make sure that they are happy and their attention is occupied for those long waits.

• Don’t forget the snacks.

A hungry kid is not a happy one and this can lead to whining and crying that can really make the airport experience unpleasant. Bring some crackers or cookies along with you, as well as some cut up veggies so that your kids have something to snack on while you wait. This also saves you cash, which is very important when traveling with kids.

• Get there early.

Anyone with kids knows that doing anything with them can take double as much time as it should. Kids do not always understand that they need to have a sense of urgency, especially at the airport when you are running late for your flight. If you are traveling with children, ensure that you are leaving for the airport much earlier than you need to. Having plenty of time will help to cut down on your stress level and you will not have to hurry your children along as much.

• Be organized.

Make sure to have all of your tickets and identification cards in order and ready to go when you need them. You can bring a small pocketbook that is just for holding IDs and other pertinent flight information and then put it in a prominent spot in your purse or carry-on bag. Having everything in one place will also help you get through the airport much easier, as you will not have to dig through all of your things every time someone needs to see yours or your children’s IDs.

• Travel with Another Adult

If possible, travel with another adult so that you can keep better track of luggage and kids. Assign one adult to luggage duty while the other handles kids, which can significantly help to make security checks and getting through the airport much smoother. If your child is able to walk, they can go through metal detectors on their own. If not, you need to carry your child through, so be prepared for this.

Flying with kids does not have to be the nightmare experience that many parents say it is. All you have to do is plan your timing carefully, bring plenty of activities for kids, and get to the airport early.  If you are looking to make the airport experience even less stressful, try reserving your denver airport parking or detroit airport parking online with Airport Parking Connection, Canopy Airport Parking, and Valet Connections.  

Every year, there are must travel to events that are exciting and out of the ordinary. 2012 is no exception, as there are thousands of unique and fun-filled events to check out all over the world. Here are some of the hottest 2012 events you may have already checked out and some that are coming up!

• Mardi Gras -- New Orleans, LA

Of course, Mardi Gras is held every single year, but this year is as important as ever. The gulf coast is getting back into the swing of things, and the city of New Orleans is finally back on its feet after the devastating hurricane more than 7 years ago. More people than ever are heading to this wild carnival of fun, so why not check it out this year? The party runs from February 4th to the 21^st.

• Launch of the Titanic Belfast – Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Take a trip to Ireland at the end of March for the grand opening of a new shipyard museum celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Titanic. View never before seen artifacts from the ship and enjoy being a part of history.

• 75^th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco, CA

Come enjoy the 75^th anniversary of this iconic bridge in San Francisco over Memorial Day weekend. The annual Golden Gate festival will be bigger than ever as locals and tourists alike eat, drink and dance in celebration of this large and beautiful industrial work of art.  

• The Diamond Jubilee – London, England

This huge celebration is in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60 years of leadership. There will be 1,000 boats in a pageant on the Thames River to commemorate the queen’s rein, as well as festivals, food, drink and music. This will take place the first week of June.

• The Summer Olympics – London, England

London has another huge event this summer, this one on a national scale. The 2012 London Summer Olympics kick off on July 27 and last until August 12. More than 10,000 athletes from all over the world will compete on the world’s stage and hundreds of thousands of spectators will fill the city to see the events.

• GrapeFest – Grapevine, Texas

This massive celebration of all things wine and champagne kicks off in mid-September in Texas. The largest champagne cork shoot-off ever will take place, as will a healthy amount of wine drinking and fun.

• 2013 New Year’s Eve – New York City, New York

One of the largest parties in the world takes place in New York City every year on New Year’s Eve. People often book their hotel rooms, flights, and JFK, EWR, and LGA airport parking a year or more in advance, so if you are looking to join the party, book now!

For all of the above events, especially the London Olympics, it is wise to make your travel plans as soon as possible. Waiting too long can mean missing out on getting a hotel room or flight, so book early to get your spot and to save money. Prices will rise as the events get closer especially with the rising cost of flights, baggage fees, and parking.  Try reserving your airport parking online at Airport Parking Connection in advance to find great deals at your favorite airports, LAX, ATL, DIA, MDW, and ORD.

When you are making your travel plans and mapping out your budget, there are a number of areas where you can cut corners to save cash. You can opt for less expensive hotels and smaller rooms to save money and you can choose cheaper flights reserve your airport parking online with discounts. You can also decide not to do any expensive shopping. One aspect of travel that you cannot simply cut out of your budget is eating. Food can be one of the biggest expenses when you are traveling, but if you follow some of these tips you can slash your food budget in half without starving.

Research Restaurants Beforehand

One of the best things that you can do is to hop online before you leave for your vacation and check out restaurants in the area where you will be vacationing. If you are staying in a popular tourist spot, look for restaurants that are off the beaten path. Some sites allow you to filter by price range, so that you can see how much you will pay per meal. This goes a long way in helping you to select which dining establishments are worth your time and which should be completely ignored.

Choose a Hotel with Free Breakfast

Often, the more expensive hotels do not have a free continental breakfast, while the affordable ones do such as the Renaissance Arlington Capital View or the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel around the DCA National Airport for example. This is great, as you can not only save money on your room, but you can get all of your morning meals for free. If the hotel that has the best price for you does not have free breakfast, do not pay the high fees that many hotels charge for food. Instead head outside and find a café or small coffee shop that carries breakfast foods.

Make Lunch Your Splurge Meal

If there is a restaurant that you are dying to try that is not exactly budget friendly, go there for lunch instead of dinner. Lunch portions are often smaller, but have better prices. This way, you can try fancier places without shelling out as much cash.

Drink Water

Fancy cocktails, beer, wine and soda can all cost you a lot of extra money when you are dining out. Tourist areas often charge extremely high prices for these drinks and many restaurants do not even give you free refills on soda. Stick to water when you are traveling and you can save a lot of money. Water is also healthier for you, which is a great bonus!

Purchase Snacks at Grocery Stores

Instead of buying snacks from expensive cafés, purchase munchies and other things that you can keep in your hotel room at a local grocery store. Then, you will have the in-between meal food items that you need without having to break your entire food budget. Purchase bottled water, sodas and juices as well at the local grocery store, so that you can stay hydrated without having to buy these beverages at triple their usual price in the restaurants.

You really can save money on dining when traveling, as long as you make wise decisions and plan ahead!  

Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood International Airport in South Florida that is, is one of those quality airports that are overshadowed because of its close proximity to another larger more popular airport (Miami International- 21 miles away). But as many frequent travelers have learned these larger more popular airports are often not the most convenient choices for a smooth transition to your final destination or return for that matter. It seem as though more often than not the way it really goes is the more popular and larger the airport the more hassle and stressful the experience, not always but enough to make this a general rule of thumb.

This rule of thumb is what makes Fort Lauderdale such a beautiful alternative option. You would think that because FLL is only 21 miles away from Miami International that it wouldn’t service too many domestic or even international destinations or that it would be a modern and pleasant alternative that is more than capable of efficiently meeting your traveling needs right? Try again; FLL is considered the 22^nd busiest passenger airport in the nation and is also the nation’s 14^th busiest international gateway with a total of 57 gates in the entire airport not to mention the numerous outlets located all around the terminals and the free Wi-Fi that they offer throughout the airport to its travelers while they’re waiting to board. Did you also know that Fort Lauderdale is home to one of the largest commercial cruise line ports in the nation? It is indeed, serving as one of the main cruise line ports for trips to the Bahamas. Whether your commuting to the airport or the cruise ship port you don’t have to worry about what to do with your vehicle once you do reach Fort Lauderdale  because there are plenty of close, convenient and very reasonably priced venues that offer a wide array of amenities and services.

Airport Parking Connection has partnered up with three of Fort Lauderdale’s finest venues to help make your search for affordable and convenient parking for not only your air travels but also your travels by sea a reality. That’s right, with the cruise ship port so close to the airport our partners Luxury Airport Parking, Airport Parking Inc. and Park’n Go offer you tremendous value at a reasonable price for both the airport and the cruise liner port. All three of APC’s partners offer complimentary 24 hr/day shuttle services to and from the airport and cruise ship port (there’s nothing that feels more VIP than getting dropped off/picked up at your entrance/exit gate) and guarantee your spot will be reserved and waiting for you when you book your reservation with APC, which can be a huge help considering the large floods of traffic that come and go for both cruise ships and flights. So why deal with the hassle, the more advanced planning you do the more savings you’ll find so make sure you add Airport Parking Connection to your list of travel planning and save your money for the fun stuff on your vacation.

 I am a travel writer, therefore, well, I travel a lot. I live in Santa Barbara, but usually fly out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as it’s easier to get to specific world wide destinations. So because I travel, I want easy, simple parking that I know and understand. And this is exactly why I choose AirPark LAX on La Cienega, right off the 405 freeway. I’ve been doing this for years and I like the convenience of having my car parked by myself, not some valet at a hotel. I park in a covered lot, take a shuttle to my terminal and I’m done. Are there places closer? Sure, but I want and prefer the ability to park in the exact stall I choose, keep my keys with me, and I like the inexpensive rate for a covered parking lot (I drive a convertible so an uncovered lot doesn’t interest me) which adds up to a routine which is a no-brainer. I like exactly what I do with Airport Parking Connection, and I never have had a problem. Whether I travel to New Mexico, China, Nova Scotia, Switzerland, Spain or even Wisconsin or Virginia, I routinely make the same choice to park my car; one that is familiar, inexpensive, consistent and lets me be in control. I’ve been doing this for years, and since I travel for a living AirPark LAX is seriously easy.

~Michael Cervin
www.MichaelCervin.com
www.Exploracation.blogspot.com
www.CervinsCentralCoast.blogspot.com