Taking the kids on an Adventure Vacation can seem like a daunting task, but with a little bit of research and planning and the right gear, your trip will be an adventure you will remember, for all the right reasons!

Going Hiking?

There are lots of great gear options for taking your little one's along on a hike. My favorite (and our son seems to like it as well!) is the Kelty Kid's Carrier. This framed backpack can carry your little one in style and comfort until they reach 40lbs. It is lightweight, easy to get on and off and comes with a sun/ rain hood and a changing pad.

This can take you from hikes around home to the peaks of Peru!

Of course, if your kids are old enough to hike the trails on their own two feet, be sure to get them a backpack, so that they can carry their own gear and snacks. Kelty also makes a great line of  backpacks designed specifically for kids, that even include hydration systems.

Adventure Apparel

A must have for any adventure vacation is UV protected clothing. Essentially, these clothes offer the same protection that sunscreen does ensuring that your little one will not get a sunburn! Many manufacturers now produce these clothes, but one of my favorite sources is Play Outdoors which offers unique and well priced clothing for all seasons.

Every adventurer needs a good sunhat--Patagonia makes a great UV protected, quick drying hat with a chin strap, so your little adventurer won't lose it!

Hitting the Waves?

Whether it's Kayaking in Colorado, or canoeing in Africa water sports are always a fun family activity. Make sure your little one has a life vest that is well fitting. There is a wide selection for all sizes and adventure activities at Safe Life Jackets

Happy Trails!

Don't forget the sunscreen, bug repellent and band aids! You are on your way to a great summer adventure trip!

Enter to Win a Culinary Tour of Maine!

We are excited to announce the launch of our new sweepstakes: Maine Culinary Tour!

Enter to win a privately guided 5 day/ 4 night trip through Maine, with stops along the way at some of the best casual dining spots as well as award winning, fine dining establishments. Throughout the entire trip, you will have a private car and driver to whisk you around the charming towns of Portland, Freeport, Brunswick and Rockland. After a full day of dining and site seeing you can relax at one of several renowned Inn's including:Portland Harbor Hotel  and Samoset Resort.

This trip is a foodie's dream! The prize includes many meals, all chosen from among the finest restaurants in Maine. Once you land in Portland, you will kick your trip off with a seaside lunch at the renowned Lobster Shack, then after relaxing afternoon you will enjoy dinner at Fore Street which is known for featuring ingredients from local Maine farmers and fisherman--be sure to try the mussels! On Day two of the trip you will enjoy lunch at the Historic Jameson Tavern and then dinner at the  Harraseeket Inn- a luxury country inn with superb cuisine. Day 3 will find you having lunch at the Breakwater Cafe at your resort and then a romantic dinner at Primo's  which is located in a restored Victorian home on the Coast. Hit the high seas on Day 4 on a Windjammer cruise for a lunch of freshly grown and local Maine fare, your final evening will be spent having a gourmet dinner at Marcel's  a winner of the Wine Spectator "Award of Excellence" and the AAA Four Diamond Award!

Enter now for your chance to win!

During the planning phase of a trip I spend a great deal of my planning, either looking at guide books in our iExplore library or spending time looking through our online guides or reading user accounts for a destination.

Once I have actually determined where I will be going and the logistics of how I will get around and where I am staying my focus turns to the experience. I start to read about the destination.  This can be combination of learning the history of my destinations, learning about the culture and wildlife or reading first hand accounts.

Certain destinations have required reading.  For instance you must read the history of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton prior to embarking on an expedition to Antarctica. I would not recommend anyone go to Australia without reading Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country.

The book I have enjoyed the most in preparing for my upcoming Safari to Zambia and Botswana is the National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife.  This is a handy guide that will help you to better identify and learn about the more than 850 species of amazing mammals, birds, reptiles and insects native to Africa.  Despite the great depth of information it fairly compact and has a cover that will protect it being tossed around and pulled out of daypacks.

I highly recommend this book to anyone planning an African Safari!

For years American's have dreamed of a Cuban vacation, and many have even illegally traveled to Cuba to explore this diverse Caribbean playground.  Cuba is highly regarded for its abundance of flora, fauna wildlife and scenic landscape not to mention an interesting political history.

Since President Obama took office there have been stronger and stronger rumblings of the travel ban being fully repealed in the near future. Our friends at Orbitz have started a grass roots petition to build support to Open Cuba to American travelers.  They published a study that stated "67% of of all Americans favor ending the U.S. Government's 50-year ban on travel to Cuba."

We agree that American travelers have a strong interest in seeing Cuba opened to American travelers.  Our Cuba guides on iExplore.com are some of our most read guides.

iExplore customers that seek out cultural experiences would love spending a few days walking through the maze of cobblestone streets in the UNESCO World Heritage site of colonial Trinidad.  Our our adventure seekers enjoying the diverse active sports of diving, cycling and hiking that abound in Cuba.

 
We invite you to visit OpenCuba.org to sign a petition to end the 50-year ban on travel to Cuba.  This petition will be shared later this year with the President, Vice President and Members of Congress. 

In the meantime the iExplore's product team is planning luxury, adventure, cultural and volunteers tours to Cuba.