Palace Hopping

Yep, that's me in front of Schonbrunn, the palace built by Empress Maria Theresa in Vienna. It was the childhood home of Marie Antoinette and was the palace that the last Austrian Emperor left to go into exile after World War I.

 I love the history of Europe's royal families, both families still on their thrones and the ones deposed due to war or revolution. So it's not unusual for me to plan trips around my interests. In 2002 I went to London for Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, one of the highlights for me was to see the royal wedding dress collection on exhibit at Kensington Palace. Queen Victoria to the present Queen's dresses were on display. Interesting that it seems the Royals don't throw anything away, but how wedding dresses have changed over the years, from just a plain white dress for Victoria to the magnificent embroidery on HM's dress. Some royal spotting we just stumbled upon, like the spring break we were in Copenhagen Denmark and were doing a city tour to get our bearings. The guide said today's tour will be a bit different since we will be stopping at Amalienborg Palace first as it's Queen Margarthe's birthday and she makes an appearance on the balcony. I had the little Danish flag that was handed out for everyone to wave for years.

My top picks for getting your Royal History fix:

London: My suggestion is to go in late July-late September when Buckingham Palace is open to the public, when HM heads to Scotland for her summer break at Balmoral. There is always a special exhibit, from the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress, to the extra special exhibit on the 50th anniversary of the Queen's coronation. This year a special exhibit on the behind the scenes view of a state visit is highlighted. Also Kensington Palace, Windsor and Hampton Court all former homes of the British Monarchy can be visited.

Vienna: One of my favorite cities and former capital of the Habsburg dynasty. It still has the grand buildings of a major empire. The Hofburg was the main palace, while the rulers tended to prefer Schonbrunn outside the former city walls(now the famous Ringstrasse that circles the city). Here was the home of Franz Josef who ruled from 1848-1916, unhappily seeing his younger brother shot by a Mexican firing squad, only son and heir commit suicide, his wife the beautiful Elizabeth stabbed by an anarchist when she was travelling incognito(as royals could do in the old days) and then his next heir shot in Sarajevo, which we all know what that lead to. Since we are in the midst of the 100th anniversary of WWI, a stop in this capital is a must for a history buff.

Chateau de Versailles courtesy of Trizek

Paris: The Louvre Museum was a royal palace until Louis XIV decided to move the court to Versailles in 1682. It was original built in the 12th century by Phillip II. Remnants of the medieval fortress can be viewed in the basement of the museum. Now looking out towards the Tuileries Gardens from the Louvre courtyard, you have to imagine the Tuileries Palace being there. It was built in 1564 by Henry II widow Catherine de Medici and was in use as a royal palace until Napoleon III was given the boot after the French debacle in the Franco-Prussian War. The palace was set on fire shortly after by the Paris Commune and it was finally torn down in 1883. There has been talks of rebuild it to use it as an extension of the Louvre to display more art works. Of course you need to take a trip to Versailles, the former hunting lodge turned into the seat of the French Government by Louis XIV. With the monarchy and the aristocracy in their gilded cage away from Paris and their estates, it is now easy to picture how and why the French Revolution happened.

Winter Place courtesy of saint-petersburg.com

St Petersburg: When Peter the Great toured Europe, he returned home and decided he need a grand "European" style capital for his empire, Moscow wouldn't do. So he had built Russia's window on the West. The Winter Place, now a part of the Hermitage Museum, was the official home of the Russian Monarchy until 1917. But after the assignation of Alexander II in 1881, the Winter Palace was just used for official functions and the Imperial Family elsewhere. Outside of St Petersburg is Pushkin where the Catherine & Alexander Palaces are located. It was in the Alexander Palace that Nicholas II and his family were held under arrest after his abdication. Also Peterhof Palace, called the Russian Versailles, a favorite summer location for the Imperial Family. But the family usually stayed in "cottages" on the estate. What is most amazing is the restoration work done on some of these palaces, since a lot of them were severely damaged in WWII.

Even if you are not a royalty buff, these cities and their palaces should be on your bucket list for their beauty and their place in the history of the world.

Great Multi-Generational Vacation Ideas

According to findings from the 2015 MMGY Global Portrait of American Travelers survey, more than 40 percent of Americans reported taking a multigenerational trip in the previous year.  And demand continues to rise, with MMGY Global forecasting mutigenerational trips to increase by 7 percent in 2016.

The appeal is obvious; Grandparents love to spoil grandchildren, working parents like to use limited vacation time to get everyone together and kids of any age enjoy reconnecting with family they may not see often.  What's less obvious is how to organize a successful trip for the whole gang.

A few factors, including your budget, desired activities and convenience play a big role in determining the best multigenerational vacation option for your needs.  If grandparents pay ( and research surveys found they pay for 33 percent of trips), they typically look a for structured, more comfortable vacation where everyone can spend time together.  Cruises, all-inclusive resorts and guided tours with supervision for children are ideal choices.  When parents pay, they may bring along in-laws to babysit so they can get out on their own.  City getaways are also popular with this group.  And when participants share the costs, options expand.

With that in mind, here are some great multigenerational vacation ideas that are suited for a wide range of budgets, interests and traveler types.


Consider Taking a Cruise

Cruises are a great multigenerational vacation option because they include meals, entertainment and accommodations in one all-inclusive price.  Plus, many cruises offer non-stop activities and provide lounges, restaurants and other public spaces to enjoy time together and apart.  Best of all, cruises effortlessly transport the family to new ports without requiring packing and unpacking, offering more convenience and a greater value than other trip choices.


Retreat to an All-Inclusive Resort

Like cruises, all-inclusive resorts offer affordable prices and diverse entertainment and dining options, especially well-suited for active family members and big eaters and drinkers. With most all-inclusive resorts located in the Caribbean and Mexico; convenience and quick direct flights are another reason all-inclusives are popular for multi-generational gatherings.  Plus their are many resorts to match any beget and luxury level.


Seek Out Enrichment With Guided Tours

Using a travel agent who has access to discounted airfares, group hotel rates, ground transportation and guided tour operators help making vacation planning hassle-free.  A guided tour of Europe with the grandkids with a reputable operator will include lodging, meals, transportation, expert guides and some of the best sights and experiences in the world.


Plan a City Getaway

For plenty of culture, fashion, food and sites, a great choice is a city getaway for your group.  Big cities have multigenerational appeal in almost any season. New York, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, San Francisco are top close to home picks. A little more time? Dublin, London and Paris are great choices.

Top 8 Honeymoon Do's & Don'ts

1. Don't let Aunt Mary or Gram plan your honeymoon. Sure they may be well traveled, but do they really understand what a young couple is looking for in a honeymoon? We know both of you are busy with the wedding planning but what they may suggest is more to their tastes then yours or their idea of what a honeymoon should be(we won't even touch how long ago that was). Even if mom or dad are offering to pay are their favorites what you and your fiance are looking for?

Do realize your relatives don't live your lifestyle   It maybe that you are finding this out during the planning process, pressure to register for a whole lot of stuff you already have or don't want. How about setting up a honeymoon registry instead? We can sit down and find the perfect trip for both of you and just send mom & dad the bill if they have offered to pay.



2. Don't automatically jump on that offer of a free honeymoon aka Timeshare gift You may have a relative  that may want to "gift" you their timeshare week for your honeymoon. Is it in a location you want to go? Do realize that there is usually no room service or maid service included and may have limited amenities on site. Plus since most timeshares have multi bedroom units they are a favorite with families. I'm very familiar with timeshares, they work great for family travel but would not be my first choice for a honeymoon.

Do remember this is YOUR honeymoon plan the trip you have dreamed of not settle for the one you are given. You don't want to look back and regret your decision..



3 Fastest route to a honeymoon disaster-just book the cheapest option
There are reasons why there are such differences in pricing at resorts. Level of service, room categories, dining options, quality of food and atmosphere of the resort/ship.

Do remember you get what you pay for. That low cost resort may only have buffet service for all meals, not conducive for romantic dinners. Plus they are usually not adult only so you may find yourself surrounded by kids. Again not very romantic. I highlight the contrast between prices vs features so you can understand why I have recommended certain resorts that will make you both happy.

4.Don't be a copy cat Sure you maybe great friends, but does your friends have the same ideas of what your honeymoon should be and they may have had a different budget than you. I would hate to send you to a "party resort", when both of you want somewhere more quiet to decompress from the wedding planning and the stress of your jobs?

Do realize picking a honeymoon destination is a very personal decision based on many factors and the best way to get your perfect trip is to sit down and discuss your preferences. If they are similar no problem considering their resort.




5. Don't fall in love with pictures Sexy brochure pictures don't always tell the tale of a location or resort.

Do consider Photoshop is not just used by Kim Kardashian Pictures do not tell you if a location has been hit by a storm, political unrest or change in resort ownership. Or if it's a new resort will it open on time for your honeymoon. As a travel professional it's part of my job to visit resorts and keep up to date on what is going on.




6. Don't fall into that it's the Groom's job to book the honeymoon Well maybe way back in the day, but today it should be a joint decision because it's" we "not just" me" now. You would be surprised at the almost opposite views of what women & men want from a honeymoon I see in industry reports. If you want to surprise your fiance, I would suggest an interview so we can get an idea of what lights up her face and then we can go from there.

Do remember this is the start of your life together the honeymoon needs to fit both of your wants & desires. By sitting down together we can discuss options and create the right honeymoon for both of you.

7. Don't ignore your style of living when planning your honeymoon. Part of my interview process is to discover how you have traveled in the past, what are your interests along with what you have in mind for this trip. Then I can look at your "projected" honeymoon budget and let you know that it is realistic or not.

Do remember that your honeymoon will be a disappointment if you don't consider your lifestyle when making a decision. You can't get a Mercedes for Ford pricing. Smart couples pick the location that fits their style of living and pay the price.



8. Don't fall into the DIY trap, sure you are both busy with your jobs & planning a wedding and really don't realize that there are travel professionals that want you to have the perfect honeymoon that fits your dream & budget. Why? because I love planning trips so you can just pack your bags and go. Plus I  give you personal service you will not get from hugeonlineagency.com. This is such an important milestone in your life to just click on the buy button.

Do work with a travel professional, not only do you get my expert advise on locations,best times to visit said locations & give you options if you have worked through a big chunk of your vacation time planning the wedding(think mini moon, then the full honeymoon at a later date) or a short lesson in geography & logistics, Hawaii from the Midwest for 5 days is not a good idea.  Plus you have an advocate to call if something goes wrong. Spending a Saturday trying to re route clients because of a FAA computer malfunction is part of my job and my clients were thrilled that I got them re-booked and home the same day. And the cherry on top? My services are free to you!

Ready to wed, pack and go?