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Relative Trips
The Occidental Tourist · May 3, 2000

Last week, the Tourist painfully disclosed to readers that he's not only a troublesome traveler, but he's a cheap one, too. Which is why he applauds the idea of grandparents springing for vacations. "So, you wanna spend time with our little one?" he snarls into the phone with his mother in Florida. "It's gonna cost ya . . . . How's free lodging at the winter pad sound?"

(Tourist to mom: Yes, I know you read this column. Yes, I realize this conversation never actually happened. This is not meant to be read on a literal level. It's a matter of deploying humor to set up a premise. Yes, the Tourist really does enjoy getting together with you and dad in Florida. Yes, he would do it even if it weren't free. He is at least 99 percent confident on that last statement.)

So if you're planning a similar trip, consider these tips and resources free of charge as well, courtesy of the Tourist:

Tips for planning: Consider time constraints, as the school calendar and soccer league playoff schedules could automatically nix various vacation plans. Ask about the amount of room where you're staying; you'll want a sense of privacy no matter how much you love your grandkids. Plan for the worst-case scenarios: A ski trip may sound great, until you factor in the possibilities of weather not cooperating and having the entire clan stuck in a condo with no cable or video games. So check out whether the resort has spas, shopping, local museums, and other indoor-based areas of interest. Or, consider the self-contained vacation, like a cruise ship or a motorcoach tour designed for families.

Take advantage of specials: The American Association of Retired Persons' "Purchase Privilege Program" link offers much information on membership discounts for car rentals, lodging, cruises, and other travel services, complete with travel-industry-company Web links and toll-free contact information. Looks like flashing an AARP card can save a lot. Carnival Cruise Lines, for example, offers anywhere from $50 to $200 off per stateroom for various cruises. Doubletree Hotels offers a 40 percent discount with a 21-day, nonrefundable advance purchase. National Car Rental offers up to 30 percent off its rates for AARP members.

And resorts and hotels will discount for kids as well, of course: Lindblad Special Expeditions focuses on family-learning vacations and offers a 10-day trip to the Galapagos with a $750 discount for children age 17 and under. Ask your travel agent about special deals, or inquire with the resort or destination of choice direct.

Aruba Sonesta Resorts at Seaport Village offers a "Grandfamily Getaway" package that provides a 15 percent lodging discount. (It costs about $575 for three nights for four people, including jeep rental for a day of exploring and a theme dinner. If Mom and Dad tag along, a second room is available for only $123 per night.)

Use Web resources: GrandparentWorld.com now has a popular travel link that connects users to travel businesses offering special packages for grandparents, such as GrandTravel. The site also suggests destinations that are fun and offer learning experiences for both young and old. (Good examples include safaris, rail journeys, ranches, aquariums, and kid-geared museums.)

Recently, the site featured a guide to steamboat cruises, including information on a Belle of Louisville fossil-bed destination outing at the Falls of the Ohio State Park.

The Occidental Tourist is a magazine writer in Washington, DC. He writes for Maxim, POV, Capital Style and ABCNews.com. His column appears on Tuesdays. E-mail him at tourist@ticked.com.