A COSTA RICAN FAMILY VACATION

Our family was thinking of visiting Costa Rica next summer. Our group would consist of eights adults and six children ranging in age from two to 11 years old. Is this a good idea? If so, any suggestions?

Costa Rica easily accessible, affordable, and filled with opportunities for family-friendly activities, so yes, this is an excellent choice. One popular excursion includes visiting Ecological Farm in Monteverde, where you can embark on a Night Safari armed with flashlights and a guide to search for nocturnal species like sloths and glow worms.

Because you’re traveling with such a large group, it seems wise to rent out a villa rather than booking several hotel rooms. A villa will keep you all together, and provide you with a common area where you can congregate. We checked with Tricia Morris from Costa Rica Vacation Rentals, who arranges stays directly through the home-owners and property managers.

According to Morris, you would need at least a five-bedroom rental to accommodate all of you. Although prices vary based on quality and location, she estimates that you can find an all-inclusive rental (meals and liquor) for about $6,000 for the week. If you’re looking to stay in the rainforest, you may want to stay near Manuel Antonio, and if you’re looking for beaches, try staying in the Guanacaste Province (northwest Pacific). Keep in mind you may want to hire a van to transport you to and from the airport.

Other family-friendly lodgings include: Monteverde Lodge, which is located near Costa Rica’s most famous cloud forest, starts at about $95 night. Hotel Costa Verde, near Manuel Antonio National Park, offers studios (they sleep four) with kitchenettes starting at $135 a night in the summer season.

EUROPEAN TRAVEL

I was looking for some tips about European travel. I am a 30-year-old single male. I am looking to go to Scotland, Amsterdam, Poland, and Norway for sure, but was wondering what other places I could stop by along my journey. I guess that I am really wondering about the rail service that Europe has to offer. I am looking to travel cheap and the length of my trip will be approximately 10 to 14 days. Any help you can give me is really appreciated. I love your show and listen to it on XM every Saturday! I could listen to your travel show every day and you still would have new and interesting stories.

Darren W.

Rail travel in Europe is a great option, and is typically quite comfortable and cost effective. Options suited to your trip length would include: a 15-day rail pass for unlimited travel within all 18 countries served by the rail ($675 for one person, or $569 each for groups of two or more); a regional pass targeted at travel in a specific region of Europe; or a pass for eight or 10 days in three to five countries. The official Eurail Web site (www.eurail.com) provides a more detailed breakdown and pricing for each of these options.

Discount airlines are another option, although the lowest-cost itineraries can sometimes take you to airports that are a significant distance from the main city centers. You’ll also have to pack light or you’ll get nailed with baggage charges. Such airlines include Ryanair and Easyjet. Depending on how much you plan to be traveling outside your main destination cities, flights can be a time saving and often affordable option.

However, the countries you chose all lie a sizable distance from each other, and it may be a challenge to see all of them in one 10 to 14 day trip. Remember that you would have to schedule flights between Scotland or Norway and mainland Europe.

Consider traveling to multiple regions within the country or splitting your time between travel there and in a neighboring country. For example, a trip to Scotland and England or to the Netherlands and Belgium would be far less taxing in terms of the cost and time spent on travel between areas of interest.

MILEAGE CALCULATIONS

I’m wondering if there is a site that calculates how many miles I’d earn for various destinations from my home town. I’m trying to earn 5000 more miles on NWA so I’m doing a little research.

There is a Web site that does exactly that. It’s http://www.webflyer.com/travel/milemarker, and allows you to type in your departing and arrival cities to determine approximately how many miles you’re cover. Keep in mind, these figures are a mileage estimation, which may not reflect the rewards that you’ll receive from an airline, but it’s a great place to start. Check with the specific airline once you book for the full mileage details, as some airlines offer minimum mileage (usually 500 miles) for even their shortest flights.

BOOK BY WEB OR PHONE?

To get the best airline fares is it better to use Web sites or directly phone the carrier?

Jane R.

Peter always recommends using a combination of both online booking and a phone call. Start by checking online for prices, but follow up with a phone call and speak to an actual human being (go to GetHuman.com to find out how to skip the automated messages and go straight to an agent). Talking to an agent can help you think of other options, like alternate airports or different flight times that may save you some money.

Also, a nice reservations agent (yes, they’re out there) may be willing to give you a deal that the online booking service couldn’t give you, or alert you of flights that are not listed online. However, keep in mind that you can put a 24-hour hold on your ticket and then check prices online to see if a better deal pops up in that time.

SOLO VOLUNTEERING

I love all your segments on the Today show. Can you recommend any vacation spots for a single woman looking to go away (it can be adventurous and non-adventure trip) during the holidays? I prefer coed. Or even a volunteer vacation, i.e. help re-build New Orleans, etc.

Many Thanks
Rae F.

A volunteer vacation is a great option for solo travelers who want to join a ready-made group and do something meaningful over the holidays. A volunteer vacation organization such as Globe Aware offers opportunities in far-flung destinations such as Peru, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Romania. Globe Aware offers more short-term, week-long adventures than some other organizations. Not only will you be able work with locals building wells, teaching English, etc., but you’ll also get to embark on cultural excursions, attend local festivals and explore the surrounding area with your team. 877-588-4562, http://globeaware.com

A little closer to home, Habitat for Humanity is still offering several hurricane relief opportunities in the Gulf Coast, including landscaping, painting, removing debris, and serving hot meals. For more information on those positions, call 800-422-4828 ext. 2196, or visit www.habitat.org.

If you decide not to volunteer on your vacation, joining an existing tour is an excellent way to meet other travelers—just keep in mind that these groups tend to skew a little older or may be predominantly female. An organized tour takes all the work out of your planning, as they’ll take care of accommodations, meals and sightseeing. For adventurous travel, check out Wilderness Travel (www.wildernesstravel.com) or Mountain Travel Sobek (www.mtsobek.com), or for an upscale vacation, Abercrombie and Kent (www.abercrombiekent.com).

Lastly, we checked in with Lea Lane, who runs the Web site Sololady.com. For those who don’t have a lot of experience traveling solo, she recommends starting with a city. An urban setting makes it easier to get around, eat alone and find activities that interest you. But, she recommends, “Do what you like. If you like painting or cooking, there are so many niche vacations out there. It’s become very easy to be with others if you’re anywhere that you enjoy.”

The key is simply not to be afraid of venturing a little bit out of your comfort zone.

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