Whether crossing an international border, or hopping across a county or state line, there are endless opportunities to introduce your family to new customs, new ideas, new foods, and new people and become a unique family traveler.
For travel inspiration, destination advice, packing and smart traveler tips, check out the Unique Family Traveler blog.
Travel with a Purpose: Kenya
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Safaris are magical, otherworldly experiences, wholly unlike other journeys. Not just transported to a foreign land, you are completely immersed in nature, culture, food, history. Safaris enrich the mind, stretch the imagination, calm the soul, and encourage self-reflection. A typical day? Rise with the sun and enjoy a peaceful breakfast in the wilderness; hold your breath while a mamma lion brushes up against your safari vehicle; dance with Masai warriors upon exiting a bush plane; tour a proud village elder’s mud hut; quietly tip toe through the brush to gaze at the majesty of a carefully guarded rhino; contemplate a flawless night sky and the Milky Way stretching over the evening bonfire…
Cruise Around Iceland
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Most Iceland itineraries include a stay in Reykjavik, the capital city. A series of day trips from this home base will give you a glimpse of this island nation’s extreme natural beauty: glorious geysers, gleaming glaciers, and volcanic springs. But, experiencing all that the “land of fire and ice” has to offer, requires a days-long drive around the extensive outer loop roadway… or a cruise around the island’s perimeter…
Best of Reykjavik
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle and positioned on top of the world’s most active volcanic hot spots, Iceland checks all the travel adventure boxes – glacier hiking, fjord kayaking, cave exploring. But no journey to the 66th parallel is complete without a visit to the country’s captivating capital. Reykjavik, the smallest, northern-most capital in Europe combines the hip with the wholesome – it’s a modern city with small town Scandinavian charm…
Smart Traveler Tips
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Some practical advice on how to prevent unnecessary vacation-planning stress: Inspect your Passport: As soon as you even consider leaving the country, check your passport’s expiration date. You can be blocked from boarding the plane if the date is inadequate. Some countries require three months prior to expiration, some have a more stringent six month policy...
Planning Perfect Multi-Generational Trips
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
A multi-generational trip is an amazing way to create authentic, long lasting memories with your friends and family. But coordinating a multitude of individual needs and desires can overwhelm even the most intrepid traveler. Here are some tips to help make your vacation planning stress-free…
What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Packing for a trip to Alaska can be a challenge: its northern reaches and varied geography means traveling through several microclimates. From mild to extreme, the temperatures will fluctuate. Summer is the best time to visit though, which is why most cruises are scheduled June through September: the odds of spotting wildlife are high, salmon are swimming upstream...
Safari Packing Tips
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
The rule “less is more” definitely applies when packing for an African safari. Unburdening yourself from the usual travel trappings is liberating. On our recent family trip to South Africa we journeyed from city to safari and back again hopping from lodge to lodge by bush plane (click here to read my recent posts). Not worrying about our “stuff”added to the spirit of adventure. Need advice...
Journey Through Alaska’s Inside Passage
by Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Although it is rarely represented properly on a U.S. map, Alaska looms large over North America – it’s actually twice the size of Texas. For the traveler, this means you could spend months exploring “The Last Frontier”—mountain climbing in Denali National Park, biking in Fairbanks, fishing for Sockeye, and exploring Juneau, the state capital. With a coastline longer than all other states combined, many people choose to cruise Alaska on their first visit…
Fish and Feast in Ketchikan
By Mollie Mandell, Herricks Travel
Our recent summer cruise to Alaska, included a stop in Ketchikan, the state’s southeastern-most city. With my sons’ passion in mind, we signed up for the excursion “Guided Fishing in the Wilderness.” Before we left the safety of our cruise ship, I diligently dressed warmly and in layers, as instructed, and tried to visualize exactly what a “skiff” was…
Top Twelve Copenhagen
Planning a cruise or land tour to Northern Europe? Make sure to schedule some extra days in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital city and Scandinavia's center of culture and cool. Here are just a few experiences to put on your must see list..