Nobody likes to leave their dog behind when the family goes on vacation, and the mental image of those sad, disappointed eyes looking at you in disbelief at being left behind does take a bit of the fun out of the trip. My heart aches just thinking about it! Thankfully, there are other dog lovers out there who are willing to let you bring your pet into their home.
Don't think you have to settle for a dark, dingy motel room just because Fido came along on the trip. You can find many gorgeous homes all over the world that allow dogs. HomeAway, one of the largest vacation home rental sites on the net, has a whole separate category of pet friendly rentals. Just by searching for a few minutes, I found a stunning house in Key West, a chic designer loft on Manhattan, and a beautiful oceanfront villa in La Jolla, which all welcome dogs. They also have listings for the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and Europe.
Other sites with easy to search, pet-friendly listings all over the world include vacationhomes.com, greatrentals.com and perfectplaces.com. If you are looking for a pet-friendly castle in the British Isles or France, check out celticcastles.com. They don't have a separate pet friendly category, but the castles that welcome pets have a little paw print symbol next to them. And there are many.
Some things to keep in mind when vacationing with your dog Is he ok with being left alone in an unfamiliar home? If you planning on visiting museums, or going out to eat while you're there, you will probably have to leave your dog at your rental home alone. If you suspect he might not deal so well with that, you're all probably better off leaving him at home rather than returning from dinner to find a designer couch in shreds.
Bring his bed or a blanket that smells like home (a favorite toy is a good idea too). They can be a huge comfort, especially for a dog left at the house.
Give him bottled water. Even if there's nothing wrong with the tap water at your location destination, just a tiny bit of different bacteria can cause stomach upsets.
Bring his usual food. Even if you're traveling in your own country, you can't be sure that the local stores carry the same brands.
Bring all his medicines and vaccination certificates. If the certificates you have are older than 10 days, ask your veterinarian to send you updated ones (a must if you're traveling to Europe).
Bring photos of your pet in case he decides to go exploring without you and can't find his way home.
If you're traveling to another country, make sure to check well ahead of time what the rules are for bringing pets. If you're traveling to any country in the EU, for example, your pet must have a specific, 15-digit microchip, and you also need your veterinarian to fill out a health certificate for your pet, which you then have to send to the USDA for an official certification stamp. There are other requirements as well, depending on which country you're visiting, so always check.
Lets take a place like San Diego for example. Isn’t it possible to have a wonderful family vacation along the white, sandy sun-kissed beaches there? Oh yes, very much so.
If you are wondering, “A budget vacation at as costly a place as San Diego? Naah, not possible", think again. Yes it is possible to have an absolutely stupendous family vacation in San Diego, something you can come back and brag to your friends about, if you follow a definite plan chalked out to suit your budget.
If you hunt for an affordable family vacation package, there are a number of San Diego motels and hotels which offer some really smart ones. Plus, even if it is San Diego, vacation rentals are available within budget too.
Here are some tips to help you say “Bon Voyage," without breaking the bank.
1.Spend time on Internet; sit down with your travel agent to find you a family vacation package which suits your budget.
2.Before you go, decide a budget as to how much you would be willing to spend for a family vacation package and stick to it. Work out a daily budget to make it easier to keep track of what you’ve spent, and how much extra you have left over for side trips and souvenirs.
3.Be flexible so far as your travel dates are concerned. Look for last minute deals at places like San Diego. Motels, hotels and resorts often offer lower vacation rentals to fill empty. Picking on off-peak days, like Tuesdays and Thursdays to travel might get you lower airfare.
4.Avoid eating out as much as possible as this is quite expensive and can mar your budget. So choose hotels that have refrigerators and microwaves in the room and offer free continental breakfasts. Always bring along a cooler so you can stop for picnics on travel days.
5.Do enquire about any specials from your booking agent and don’t forget to mention any memberships you may have, as they may get you a better rate.
6.If you are traveling with large family, ask if the hotel has a family suite available. These cost less than two rooms and have more bed space. Another option is to consider renting a weekly apartment or condo for the length of your stay.
7.If you are traveling with a baby, bring your own travel crib as hotels often charge extra for the crib, and you may arrive to find that all available cribs are already in use.
8.On vacations make lunch your big meal out. Restaurants usually offer the same food as on the dinner menu, but at lower prices. Look for restaurants that offer a free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entrée.
9.Avoid unnecessary expenses such as fountain drinks and desserts when eating out, instead carry along a good supply of special drinks and small sweets to dole out as treats during the day.
Going on vacations minus well planned family vacation package can be hard on your wallets and even leave your pockets empty if you are not careful. Most vacations happen only once or twice a year for the practical reason that going into one is expensive and can cause you to lose a chunk of your hard-earned cash. With a dose of common sense and these saving tips, you may be well on your way into keeping your vacation expenses within your pocket’s reach.
Both Cattie Coyle & David08 are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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