News and adventure to expand your horizons
By Michele Peterson | May 2019
PHOTO: VACATIONS BY RAIL
“Skip-Gen” travel with National Geographic
One of the newest buzzwords in family travel is “skip-gen” which is grandparents travelling just with grandchildren. A new partnership launched between G Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions makes it easier for skip-gen travellers to discover the world together. Their new tour program, National Geographic Family Journeys with G Adventures, features 12 culturally-immersive, small-group itineraries designed to appeal to adventure-loving children aged seven and above, as well as grandparents and parents. Memorable tour highlights will include opportunities to learn about wildlife, conservation, history, culture, photography and storytelling. Departures begin in 2020. Learn more: www.natgeojourneys.com/family
Centennial of Grand Canyon National Park
2019 is the 100th anniversary of the creation of Grand Canyon National Park and there’s no better way to celebrate the centennial of this UNESCO World Heritage Site than to journey there by train. Vacations by Rail’s Grand Canyon Railway Rails to the Rim Adventure departs from Los Angeles and Chicago aboard Amtrak’s Southwest Chief. After the overnight train journey, visitors board the historic Grand Canyon Railway. From there, visitors venture out on a narrated motor coach tour of the Grand Canyon and visit the most scenic overlooks with stops at breathtaking Mohave Point, Pima Point, the Abyss and Hermits Rest. Another memorable journey is the Grandest of Grand Canyon Tours departing from Chicago, featuring the panoramic Dome Car as well as an overnight stay at the historic La Posada Hotel. Learn more: www.vacationsbyrail.com
100 years of Bauhaus design
From its inception in 1919 in Berlin, the Bauhaus design movement has shaped many aspects of today’s modern lifestyle — from lamps and pottery, to urban planning, architecture, furniture and outdoor space. The just-opened Bauhaus-Museum Weimar has a new exhibition showcasing Bauhaus design treasures as well as the early history, development and legacy of the movement. The Bahaus-Museum Weimer is built at the edge of the Weimarhallenpark, directly opposite the National Socialist “Gauforum” which dates to the Nazi period and is a strikingly modern building described as geometrically clear architecture within a minimalistic concrete cube with five levels and open spaces. Learn more: www.bauhausmuseumweimar.de
Savings on spring sailings
Sea Cloud Cruises is offering a complimentary open bar package on a seven-night Mediterranean sailing on the Sea Cloud II, embarking from Nice (France) on May 12, and disembarking on May 19, 2019 in Malaga, Spain. In addition to the drink package, guests will also get a complimentary excursion of their choice. The itinerary includes Sanary-sur-Mer (France), Tarragona (Spain), Valencia (Spain) and Alicante (Spain) with highlights such as a day trip to Provence, a Spanish wine tasting and Castillo de Santa Bárbara. The expert lecturer onboard this sailing will be archaeologist Dr. Frank Hildebrandt, head of the Department of Ancient Art and Antiquities at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MKG) in Hamburg, Germany. Sea Cloud Cruises features luxury sailing ships that evoke the glamour of the bygone age of tall ship sailing. Learn more: www.seacloud.com
A memorable Mother’s Day with Trafalgar
For something unforgettable this Mother’s Day, how about booking a travel experience featuring French perfume? In collaboration with the famous French House of Fragonard, creating unforgettable scents since 1926, Trafalgar Tours has created a new fragrance La Belle Vie. The fragrance, created for both men and women, is available exclusively for Trafalgar guests travelling through France on itineraries visiting Paris, Eze and Grasse. For guests travelling on Trafalgar’s eight-day Paris Explorer trip, the brand includes an insider experience at Fragonard’s Parisian Headquarters. Guests can mix-and-match three components of the La Belle Vie fragrance to create their own custom perfume. Learn more: www.trafalgar.com.
Michele Peterson is a Cobourg-based travel writer. You can reach her at www.michelepeterson.com
