Jaunted

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Volunteer to Help a Special Needs Family Finally Get a Vacation

It's that time of year again when all of our friends with kids start planning (and in some cases dreading) their annual trips to Disney. Amusement parks are fun for kids, but it's easy to get burnt out after a few days of non-stop characters, candy, and rides. So why not take a break and do some good at the same time?

Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee, Florida is a 70-acre resort with over 140 Villa accommodations, entertainment attractions, and fun specifically designed for children with special needs. Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 115,000 families for a once-in-a-lifetime, cost-free vacation.

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Airline Fees / Family Travel / Traveling with Children / Travel News / → All Tags

Senator Schumer Demands Your Family Sit Together, Fee-Free

Just in time for the summer travel season, it looks like the government is stepping in to help out all those families heading off to the beach, to Grandma’s and to Disney World. Senator Chuck Schumer—he’s a Democrat from New York—isn’t really the biggest fan of airline fees and surcharges, so he’s voicing his concern and displeasure. He’s especially peeved about the airlines offering premium seats for a fee, and how this might force families to pay extra just to sit next to one another.

Here’s exactly what he has to say about these seating shenanigans:

Children need access to their parents and parents need access to their children. Unnecessary airline fees shouldn't serve as a literal barrier between mother and child.

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Airline News / JetBlue / Airlines / LCCs / Traveling with Children / Family Travel / → All Tags

Believe It Or Not, JetBlue Now Offers Concierge Services

Browsing winter vacation deals yet? Drooling over JetBlue Getaways offers like $359 per person for a 4-day escape to St. Lucia? Then you'll need to know that, if you go through with booking that trip, you have access to JetBlue's newest feature: a Concierge On Call.

The Concierge On Call service is super new (just announced yesterday), super rare (this from a lost-cost carrier?!), and super limited (only for JetBlue Getaways travelers). After booking a package deal with JetBlue, you'll receive the Concierge On Call contact phone number. Use it before and all throughout your trip to any of JetBlue's cities—even international. The service itself is free, but of course anything you book or arrange through it, you'll be paying for.

So what exactly can the JetBlue Concierge do?

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Father's Day Travel / Family Travel / Bahamas Travel / Fiji Travel / Cancun Travel / Golf Travel / → All Tags

Three Last-Minute Father's Day Getaway Gifts

If you want to take a break from the usual barbecue ritual for Father's Day, treat dad to a quickie getaway. There are still several last-minute deals that will make dad happy and make you look like the best child he ever had.

Check out these three last-minute trips for dad.

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Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Disney / Florida Travel / Orlando Travel / California Travel / Disney World / Disneyland / Family Travel / → All Tags

Disney Asks for a Few Dollars More

It looks like an annual Disney tradition has taken place just in time for the summer vacation season, as the theme parks in California and Florida have raised their ticket prices. There wasn’t too much warning either—which is usually the case—as the house of mouse sent out a little reminder on their Disney Parks blog that things would be heading north effective Sunday, June 12.

For those looking forward to hitting up Walt Disney World anytime soon, tickets for one day of fun at one of the parks is now $85 per adult—it was $82 before the pricing update. Kids—which are only those between age three and nine—get a slight discount at $79 per day. Of course there are all kinds of multi-day park tickets which do provide some sort of discount in one way or another, but unfortunately those were increased as well. Expect a four day ticket—with the ability to hop between the four main parks—to now set you back $298.

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Father's Day Travel / Family Travel / Puerto Rico Travel / Caribbean Travel / Ireland Travel / Traveling with Children / → All Tags

Three Family-Friendly Travel Destinations for a Father's Day Trip

The best way to bond with dad on Father's Day is a good old-fashioned family vacation. But instead of heading to your usual vacay spot in Florida or California, change it up and surprise him by going someplace unexpected, whether you visit the beaches of Puerto Rico, road-trip it in Ireland or cruise the Caribbean.

Check out our list of three family vacation hotspots for Father's Day:

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Amusement Parks / Disney / Florida Travel / Orlando Travel / California Travel / Disney World / Disneyland / Family Travel / → All Tags

Mickey Wants Your Money: Ticket Prices Go Up for Disney World and Disneyland

We cannot take responsibility for any nightmares you may have tonight involving Mickey or Minnie Mouse, but here's some bad news: ticket prices for Disney World and Disneyland are going up, and they're doing it tomorrow. The only upside is that the price hikes aren't very high, just a few dollars here and there, and that if you're currently holding a ticket bought at the old price, then you can use it until January 3.

Check out a few of the price hikes:

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Obama-Around-The-World / Presidential Travel / Barack Obama / Political Travel / North Carolina Travel / Family Travel / → All Tags

Some Lucky North Carolina Vacationers Will Get to Sleep With the Obamas This Weekend

Update: @AshevilleTravel informs us in the comments that they hear Obama is making this romantic getaway for just himself and Michelle. Awww.

"Staycations" are officially so over; forget that the word ever existed, because spring is in the air and cabin fever is running high. Like many Americans who spent the winter working overtime, President Barack Obama is making plans for a quick getaway to reconnect with his family. They'll be packing up for a long weekend—this weekend—among the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina.

It won't be his first visit to the town however, as Obama was last here in late 2008 and business kept him away from the golf courses and nature he openly admired. And that's where you'll find him now: on the golf course and possibly even chowing down on ribs at 12 Bones Smokehouse, where he dined last time.

Stay with the Prez, after the jump

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Mother's Day Travel / Family Travel / Scottsdale Travel / Tahiti Travel / Bora Bora / Costa Rica Travel / → All Tags

Three Warm Weather Destinations for a Great Mother's Day Getaway

Mom will love you forever if you put her in one of these chaise lounges in Tahiti.

This year, upgrade mom's usual Mother's Day grocery-store bouquet with a trip just for her. The lady who raised you and dealt with your horrible teenage self deserves a nice break from it all, so treat her with a quickie getaway.

Check out three mini vacations for mom after the jump.

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Volunteer Travel / Montana Travel / Family Travel / Frontier Travel / → All Tags

Take The Whole Family On A True Western Adventure Next Summer

If you're already thinking about where to take the family on vacation next year and want a trip that includes adventure, giving back and activities everyone will enjoy, we may have found the perfect option. Adventures in Preservation, a non-profit group dedicated to saving the world’s architectural heritage, is planning its first hands-on building conservation workshop in which the entire family can participate. The workshop will be held in the historic mining town of Nevada City, Montana, June 20-26, 2010.

During the workshop, participants will learn and practice building preservation techniques and then put those skills to work. Activities include learning how to mix and apply historic exterior finishes as well as practicing chinking and daubing techniques that keep the wind from blowing through log walls.