What to do on your holiday to Montego Bay?

Montego Bay, Jamaica is one of the hottest destinations for American families, and it is a short distance from Miami (less than two hours by plane) makes it a quick getaway for long weekends or for vacation breaks.  Montego Bay is Jamaica's fourth largest city.  

The shores of Montego Bay create a unique retreat in Jamaica where rainforests, beaches, and cosmopolitan delights mingle for a family-friendly getaway with activities for adults, teens, and children to enjoy.

Here are some ideas for Montego Bay’s attractions:

Animal Farm & Natural Reserve (not named after the book) is a perfect place to enjoy an afternoon with exotic animals, beautiful gardens, rainforest nature trails, a butterfly garden tour, and a petting zoo. Most visitors enjoy hand-feeling birds in the walk-in aviary, but kids can also enjoy a ride on Boxer, the farm’s donkey!

Chukka Caribbean Adventures include an ATV safari, a horseback ride and swim (watch Paradise Found below for details!), a jungle river tubing exploration, a zipline through the rainforest, and the “Flight of the White Witch,” a special zipline tour where you learn about the infamous mistress of Rose Hall and fly 1,200 feet above sea level.

A former plantation with more than 2,000 slaves, Rose Hall Great House tells tales of hardship, romance, and even witchcraft. It is now a museum with tours, including a night ghost walk, great for teens and adults. 

Martha Brae River Rafting is the island’s number one rafting attraction. On a hand-made raft, float down the Martha Brae River as your guide tells you the Legend of Martha Brae, who is believed to have changed the course of the river. If you want, you can guide the raft or go for an swim. The attraction is quite popular and has welcomed Spike Lee, Chuck Norris, Kenny Rodgers, the Queen of England, and more.

Golf is one of the awesome activities for parents to enjoy in Montego Bay with four exceptional courses, including the White Witch Golf Course, 18-hole championship golf course by Robert Von Hagge and Rick Baril at Rose Hall with five tee boxes per hole and dramatic Caribbean vistas; and the Half Moon Bay Golf, a member of Jack Nicklaus’ “Great Golf Resorts of the World” and the host of the Jamaica Open Golf Championship, the Dunhill Cup Final of the Americas, and the Red Strip Pro-Am.

Where to stay in Montego Bay.

Less than 10 minutes from the Montego Bay International Airport there are many resorts for families or adults only who want a little time for themselves.  The full-service resorts offer all-inclusive programs with a buffet breakfast, cocktail hour, lunch and dinner.   Guests can choose from different levels of accommodations.  All of them offer oceanfront, oceanview and gardenview rooms.

Cindy Graff  |  Travel Consultant  | grafftravel@excite.com  |  701.258.0472  | 

Basic Flying Tips For Your Next Vacation



                              

Millions of people take planes everyday to faraway destinations to enjoy their vacations. However, making reservations, meeting up at the airport, going through the process of boarding then flying can be a trying one, especially if the trip is going to be a long one.

However, there are some basic flying tips that you can use to help make your group vacation a fun, adventurous one while minimizing the issues that can plague travelling by plane. What follows are just a few tips to help you get through this process as best you can.

Tickets

Most airline companies offer low priced or budget ticketing for certain flights. However, these flights usually have some type of restrictions as well, so be sure to check all of them first so you are not charged extra fees.

Plus, if you are only using one airline for your travel, then be sure to use electronic tickets as they cannot be stolen, forgotten or lost. You can even have them printed for you at the kiosk or airport counter so that you can save time as well.

Carry-On

For weekend getaways or short vacations, you may want to consider just having carry-on luggage since that will save you a great deal of time at the airport. Be sure to check the limits of what you can take with you as carry-on because many airliners consider laptop bags as a separate item.

Seating
One of the most overlooked aspects of flying is the different types of seats that are available on aircraft. Generally speaking, if you are looking for more room, than seats near the tail of the plane often have no middle seat so you can spread out. However, seats at the end of a section or just before the exit row may not recline. Plus, first row seats generally do not have a place for your bag, so it will have to be placed in the overhead bin.

Baggage

Remember that most airlines charge for baggage and even more for overweight baggage, so try to take only what you need for the trip. Get familiar with the rules that each airline has so you can obey their policies. One neat trick for those who need to carry a lot of items is to ship them ahead in advance, then pick them up once you reach your destination. You may find that you’ll save a considerable amount of money that way.

Flying with Grandkids

While adults can be just as bored as kids when flying, adults do a much better job of handling the stress. Your grandkids will need some type of entertainment that they can occupy their time while flying. You should have video games, laptops or tablets, snacks for fussy eaters, and it always help to give them the seat by the window so they can look outwards, it may help alleviate the boredom and anxiety that they will experience.

Overall, by following these general tips, you can plan your air travel better and be more prepared when flying to your destination. For those of who don’t like to fly but love their vacations, I hope this helps.



Cindy Graff  /  Graff Travel  / 701-258-0472  / email:  grafftravel@excite.com

 

 

Seven Blocks, The Signature Cocktail @DreamsCancun

I’m dreaming of the beach today!  Would love to be laying on a lounge chair, listening to the waves with a drink in my hand.  Dreams Cancun Resort & Spa has a very interesting cocktail that you can even try at home.

Here’s the recipe to their signature cocktail, Seven Blocks.

Ingredients:

1 cup ice
1/2 ounce rum
1/2 ounce gin
1/2 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce tequila
1 ounce triple sec
3 ounces orange juice
2 ounces red win

 

What do you think? Would you try it?

Thank you to DayDreams, the Official Blog of Dreams Resorts & Spas for sharing this great recipe.

 

Cindy Graff  |  Travel Consultant  | grafftravel@excite.com  |  701.258.0472  |