Holiday Travel Season Is Here: 4 Questions

Getting to Grandmother's house used to mean going over the river and through the woods. These days it means crowded highways, train platforms and airport terminals; extra baggage fees; even a full body scan or enhanced pat-down. 

Holiday travel can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be miserable.

Since Thanksgiving and the holiday travel season is officially here, we decided to ask Cathee Smith-Fava, owner of Travel Resources, Inc. in Eastchester for some timely advice about getting to your destination with minimal stress.

How should families prepare for travel at crowded airports and train stations? What should they bring, wear, etc.? What should they be prepared for at the airport? 

Especially when traveling with children, parents should always devise a plan or a central meeting place at the airport or rail station  and let children know how important it is to follow that plan should they separate from each other.

With children, parents would benefit from making the trip an adventure right from the start by buying each child their very own backpack and filling it with great snacks, books, and fun surprises to keep them occupied.

When picking out what to wear while traveling, light layers always work! Also, remember that if you are going to a warm climate from a cold climate you will need the proper outerwear.

What about special situations like traveling in large groups, with children or pets?

Since each airline has different rules about baggage allowance, always check the airline's website for size and weight.  With security, which is more strict now than ever, all passengers must have proper acceptable identification. Domestically, a valid government-issued photo ID is required.  For international travel, a valid U.S. Passport (valid at least 6 months past the return date) is mandatory. Remember that the name that is on either of these forms of ID must match exactly as it is on the airline ticket.  Check in at least two hours in advance for domestic flights and three hours in advance for international flights.

Is it too late to plan a holiday trip? For Thanksgiving or any of the other holidays? What are some novel travel ideas?

As far as we at Travel Resources are concerned, it is never too late to book a vacation.  Advance planning is a must, however, if one is looking to stay within a certain price point.  When planning a trip during a peak period or close to the date of departure, clients usually realize that they will probably not get a good "bang-for-your-buck" deal.

Many times we have clients who have been on a cruise or traveled to the Caribbean, and are looking for something different.  Since there are so many wondrous places in the world to travel to, why not venture off to places such as Alaska or Hawaii? Or maybe more exotic spots like South Africa, Asia or even Australia and New Zealand.  There is an entire wonderful world out there!

If readers are staying close to home, what suggestions can you give for local attractions to entertain out-of town visitors?

For clients doing a "staycation" or entertaining relatives coming from out of town, we always suggest a stay of one or two nights in New York City, since there is no place like it. Also, train travel is a fun and exciting way to get to nearby places such as Boston or Philadelphia, where the children will love the atmosphere.