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| DollarWise | 4 types of a hassle-free vacations
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DollarWise digs up no-stress getaways that don't require any arrangements or decisions except what's next on the fun list.
By Jennifer Mulrean
Somewhere in our quest to do more, vacations morphed into extreme adventure. Traditional all-inclusive vacation packages were dissed as unimaginative and unadventurous -- the default territory of blue hairs and honeymooners.
But the do-it-yourself approach to vacationing, complete with jam-packed itineraries, can leave you needing a vacation to recover from your vacation. Why not sign up for a trip where your every need is anticipated and catered to; where the goal is to settle in for the duration and -- gasp -- actually relax?
All-inclusive vacations are popping up all over, says Kathy Sudeikis, travel agent and vice president of American Society of Travel Agents. Its really a way to get your arms around the pricing, she says. Usually theyre a good value -- they may not be cheap, but theyre a good value.
While many of these vacations still fall into the traditional categories of cruises and Caribbean beach resorts, I also spotted caving trips in Belize, cooking schools in Italy and dude ranches all over the United Sates. Turns out that hassle-free need not mean adventure-free after all.
To be sure, all-inclusive means different things to different tour operators, Sudeikis warns, so read the fine print and ask questions about what youll be expected to pay for out of pocket. On cruises, you can generally expect to pay for drinks and shore excursions, for example, while some resorts include even the tips for hotel staff.
Here are a few lists of some great hassle-free, adventure-packed vacations, along with some resources to help you start your research. In most cases, all you really have to do is show up.
Cruises, reinvented
The original all-inclusive, cruises are sometimes disparaged as nothing more than floating buffets and extra-long shuffleboard tables. But the cruising industry has worked hard to reinvent itself as a venue for active, adventurous trips suitable to families and thrill-seeking young adults.
On Royal Caribbeans cruises you can climb an onboard rock wall, work on your golf swing or become certified in scuba diving. Disneys Cruise Line includes Mouseketeer Training, an underwater playground and various other Disney-themed activities for children, along with spas, wine tastings and cooking demonstrations for the adults.
And if youre looking to surround yourself with likeminded travelers, cruises offer plenty of smaller niche-market sails, including those for gays and lesbians, adults-only trips and the kids-focused programs a la Disney and Carnivals Paradise. Check out Cruise Critic.com, which rates the best cruises in several interest groups.
Where to look:- Cruise Direct boasts a searchable database of 12,000 cruise deals and discounts at its Web site. The site also posts cruise reviews, ship ratings and photos of cabins.
- Travel discount sites such as CheapTickets.com and 11th Hour Vacations often hawk excess cruise inventory.
Cost: No matter which cruise you pick, travel experts generally agree you shouldnt pay full price for your passage.
Its a perishable product, Sudeikis says. Hotels can have guests arriving any night, but once a cruise sets sail, thats it.
This means cruise companies have a greater incentive to wheel and deal. Many of them offer kids cruise free deals, for example. Just last week I received e-mail from LastMinuteTravel offering a 7-day Holland America Alaska cruise starting at $599 for inside staterooms; $699 for outside -- a fraction of the $1,300 list price at Holland Americas site.
Family camps, s'mores and all
Instead of packing the kids off for summer camp, some parents are opting instead to pitch a tent right next to them.
Its easy to see why. Who doesnt love roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories around the campfire and playing tug-of-war? Besides, plenty of these activities provide the low-key, unplugged time were looking to spend with family.
Fellow MSN Money columnist Jon Markman has been attending the same family camp in California since he was 5 years old. Now he and his wife take their own kids there every summer.
It is as programmed or as loose as you want. You can go hiking or fishing, or do arts and crafts or play badminton or volleyball if you want -- or you can just sit in a green Adirondack chair under the pine trees and read all day, he says. Basically it is a completely checked-out week in your life where you can just eat popsicles and play badminton and swim in the river with your kids all day long.
Where to look: - YMCA
- The American Camping Association. The ACA accredits some 2,300 camps, many of them offering family programs; check out its online searchable database.
- Local churches or synagogues and their national affiliates.
Cost: Family camps can be one of the more affordable vacation options. According to the YMCA site, a family of four might pay $1,000 for a week, and some camps have financial assistance for families in need. (Can you think of another vacation where someone else will help you pay for it?)
Oh, and you dont really need to pitch a tent. Most family camps set up everything for you, from lodging to activities. Some offer semi-permanent tent structures and rustic cabins, and others have downright luxurious lodge-like settings. Meals are often served in dining halls with other campers, meaning youll rub elbows with other families when passing the butter, but youll likely be free of any cooking and cleaning duties.
Hassle-free adventure vacations
Todays all-inclusive trips go beyond beachcombing and golfing, though youll still be able to find many packages catering to those interests (just take a peek at All-Inclusives.com). I spent part of my honeymoon at a safari lodge in Namibia where safari drives, meals, drinks and guarded passage to dinner in case any lions decided to make an appearance -- everything but the tips and transportation to the lodge -- were included.
Kayaking in Mexico, trekking throughout the Himalayas -- name your adventure and theres probably a packaged tour that will handle all the nitty-gritty details for you. Here are just a few of the more tantalizing trips I spotted:Jungle adventures: Ian Andersons Adventures in Belize offers caving and jungle survival overnight packages; you bring only your backpack and a willing spirit (they also offer day trips if you dont want to commit to the full package).
Cycle tours: ExperiencePlus.com and Backroads put together cycling tours throughout the world, including New Zealand, Ireland and the French wine country. Whats more, some routes are even accompanied by vans in case youre too pooped to finish the days ride. Search their Web sites for trips based on geography, skill level or special interest, like culinary tours or singles-only trips.
Old-West fun: Dude ranches are another popular way to ward off any vacation weight gain. And according to the Dude Ranchers Association, you dont need to be an experienced horseback rider to don your best cowboy cool. (Junior will likely have to be at least 6 years old to ride, though.) Many dude ranches offer fishing, hiking, 4x4 excursions and river rafting. And not all are true working ranches, meaning you wont necessarily be helping with cattle drives. Be sure to ask ahead about what types of ranch activities are included so your cowboy dreams arent killed on arrival. Where to look: Cost: Because of the wide range in activities and itineraries, theres a huge variety in costs for these trips, though they certainly tend to be more expensive than the family camps or cruises, for example. An eight-day Experience Plus bike trip through Provence costs $2,500 per person, including use of their bikes, lodging and most meals but not including airfare to and from France.
On the other end of the spectrum, the four-day jungle survival trip costs $450, though your accommodations may be no more than a hammock (the tour description calls for participants to have backpacks and be adventurously aggressive). At the DRA site, you can search for dude ranches that start under $1,000 per person per week.
Relax-while-you-learn vacations
Sometimes, the best souvenir is a new skill or improved prowess in a favorite hobby. The choices run the gamut from low-key writing classes to photography workshops in remote corners of the world, Tuscan cooking classes that are actually set in Tuscany, race car driving classes, scuba certification -- the world really is your classroom.
Where to look:- The Shaw Guides is a great starting point for finding all kinds of learning vacations, though youll have to sift through a ton of listings.
- Elderhostel offers an astonishing number of trips -- 10,000 in more than 90 countries, according to its Web site -- geared for older adults (age 55 and up). As you can imagine, theres great variety -- from active hiking trips to more studious history and art tours, and even volunteer vacations. The organization also offers a select number of intergenerational trips so grandkids can join in on the fun.
- Family Hostel is a similar program that was started in 1991. True to its name, its focused on matching families with learning vacations around the world. (Children must be school-aged and be accompanied by an adult; also, adults must be accompanied by children.) Trips include a 15-day cruise on the Baltic Sea and a seven-day trip following the footsteps of Lewis and Clark on the Oregon Trail, including hands-on history lessons.
Cant find what youre looking for? Dont forget to check out summer programs at colleges and universities. Many offer non-credit courses and seminars. Accommodations may be spartan college dorms, but if nothing else, it adds a touch of authenticity to your back-to-school experience.
Cost: Again, the costs here will vary greatly depending in part on the length of the program, what the accommodations are like and how far youre traveling. Some programs may match you with host families in foreign countries, while others will include stays in four-star hotels. One Elderhostel 6-night photography workshop in Massachusetts costs $556 per person (based on double occupancy). A weeklong cooking class in Umbria with cookbook author and chef Deborah Krasner (found through the Shaw Guide) costs closer to $2,700. Neither trip includes airfare.
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