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Maui: Pacific Island Adventure

A playground for outdoor trekkers, golfers and beach loungers, the Hawaiian island of Maui attracts families, friends and romantics to her beaches, lush mountains, renowned golf courses and rugged volcanic crater. Discover with your group why Conde Nast Traveler dubbed Maui the best Pacific island for the 16th straight year and ranked Maui number two for all destinations in the world in 2006.

Activities Galore
Watch the sunrise atop 10,000-foot Haleakala Crater and bike down to the Pacific Ocean from its rim. Try fishing, whale watching, snorkeling, surfing or parasailing off the coast of Lahaina or go hiking in the West Maui Mountains. With Maui being home to authentic ranches and rodeos, you can also opt for a horseback riding tour from a ranch along trails that lead to the beach. Kids will enjoy the Maui Ocean Center, largest tropical reef aquarium in the world, where turtles, sharks and other marine creatures swim, play and eat. Golfers have their pick of world-class golf courses on Maui. And you won't get a true sense of the Aloha State without feasting at a luau or taking in a Polynesian show.

Land Adventures
Trek around Haleakala National Park, one of only a few of national parks in Hawaii. Near Haleakala tumble the Wailua Falls where hikers can stop and picnic near the oasis. Drive the road to Hana, a stunning road trip with winding paths carving around steep cliffs. Bring your camera and sense of adventure. The road to Hana cuts through lush mountains with unparalleled ocean vistas, but the curvy road is infamous for turning some passengers (and drivers) into white-knucklers. Maui is also home to authentic rodeos, ranches and cowboys, so saddle up at a ranch for a horseback riding tour through hills or along a beach. Maui Ocean Center, largest reef aquarium in the world, is a perfect way to entertain the water-logged kids. Visit Lahaina's art galleries, shops, boutiques and craft displays after eating at Lahaina's many restaurants.

Golfing
Maui is consistently ranked one of the best golf destinations in the world, plus host to professional tournaments. Kapalua and Wailea golf courses draw more skilled golfers, but all levels can enjoy the links at over 15 courses around the Valley Island. Nearby neighboring island of Lanai (easily accessible by boat) also offers two championship golf courses in private, tranquil luxury. Want more relaxing golf? Try golfing on jungle-dense Molokai, with two golf courses, one by the sea and another in the deep woods. No tee times or golf pros. Just ample time to perfect your swing.

Water Sports
Snorkeling. Surfing. Parasailing. Fishing. Whale watching. Scuba diving. Maui offers numerous ways to enjoy the Pacific. Take a surfing lesson or just hit the waves from Lahaina. Try windsurfing near Kahului. Numerous tours offer whale-watching and snorkeling adventures, often to nearby crescent-shaped Molokini island where you can snorkel around the reefs, then head to another area to snorkel with sea turtles and peer at colorful coral. Many tours also boat past schools of bottlenose dolphins and spinner dolphins to find them leaping and twisting as if playfully putting on a show.

Beaches
Maui boasts an array of beaches for every taste. Kaanapali Beach is a long white stretch of sand for beachcombers, snorkelers and swimmers. Other popular beaches include Big Beach in Makena, Black Rock near Kaanapali for renowned coral snorkeling, Black Sand Beach, Changs Beach, Hana Bay, Hamoa Beach, HA Baldwin Beach Park and many more rocky and sandy shores.

Best of the Web for Maui, Hawaii

• Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau
• Maui surfing maps
• Maui Ocean Center (aquarium)
• All Maui luaus
• Golf courses on Maui

To plan a Maui getaway with friends or family, start with TripHub's free group trip planning tools. Plus, here are more tools to help you plan your Maui group vacation:

1. Shop for Maui hotels
2. Shop for Maui flights
3. Shop for Maui activities and attractions
4. Shop for Maui car rentals
5. If you have a larger group, peruse this group reservations guide to help you navigate the group booking process.

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Photo credits: Ron Dahlquist and HTJ

Safe Cars for Family Road Trips

Summer is settling in nicely and autumn leaf-peeping season is just around the corner. It's the right time to think of safe family vehicles not only for toting the kids to school, but also for those classic road trip vacations.

MSN posted an article on Consumer Reports' top ten vehicles for family road trips. Fear not, hip parents! There are more than just family wagons and minivans. The list includes the likes of Lexus, Audi and Cadillac cars. These autos are state-of-the-art with curtain airbags, stability control, not to mention a slew of reliability testing, leg room for long trips and other features Consumer Reports deems ideal for comfort and safety while driving.

So hit the road for a weekend escape, ski vacation or family reunion. Don't forget the snacks for the kiddos!

State Tourism Sites

If you're putting together those last-minute summer vacation plans with friends or family, there are great resources online for researching activities, attractions, destinations in the U.S. Many state tourism sites offer travel ideas for where to go and how to entertain your group; quality sites have useful information, beautiful photos, clean designs, give an accurate glimpse of what to expect from visiting the area, and are easy to navigate.

Type the state plus the word tourism in any search engine to find the official state tourism sites. Here are some of my favorite U.S. state tourism sites for trip planning and idea gathering:

Washington
Aside from TripHub blogging, I also write features for this site. Have a look at Washington's great outdoors, national parks, farmers markets, and one-of-a-kind Washington. If you like what you read, the writer graciously thanks you. ;-)

Oregon
This is an easily usable site with useful travel ideas and descriptions of what makes Oregon unique and enticing as a place to gather the troops: wineries, culinary travel, outdoor activities, mountain hiking, urban experiences, etc.

Utah
Clean design, lots of information, easy navigation.

Colorado
Clean design, good amount of information, relatively easy to navigate.

Making the Most of Volunteer Vacations

By guest blogger Leah Mayor, PhD

Volunteering abroad can be one of the most rewarding travel experiences. Choosing a pre-organized group trip means valuable knowledge, resources, and information will be available to help you integrate and immerse yourself in a new destination.

After living and volunteering abroad for more than three years in different countries as well as conducting years of research on the subject, here are a few tips to help you make of the most of your experience traveling abroad both as an individual and group traveler. 

Think about long-term impact.
Even if you are only volunteering for a few weeks, aligning yourself with an organization means that you are a part of an on-going relationship with a community.  Choose an organization that reflects the kind of relationship that you want to share with that community abroad and hopefully you will find ways to be a part of it even after returning home.

Know why you are going and align your motivations with your actions.
Not long ago, I spent 6 months helping volunteers acclimate to their new surroundings in Mongolia.  I worked with a woman who espoused that her main motivation was to immerse herself in another culture and learn from intercultural interactions.  Unfortunately, she spent most of her time in her tent avoiding the heat, the flies, and the very kinds of interactions that led her there. Clearly, her actions were not in-line with her goals. When volunteering abroad, you can expect to have to put more energy into situations simply because they will feel "new." Defining clearly your goals and intent will help you to reach out to more situations and opportunities so that you can achieve your goals and will lead to a more satisfying and transformative trip. 

Consider your skills and the destination.
Choosing a volunteer destination is not just about where you want to go on vacation. While many of us dream of riding through Mongolia on horseback or circumambulating Mt. Kailash this is not what the volunteer vacation is about. If you really want to travel to make a difference then your skills can help you determine where we go.  Consider the kind of impact you can make abroad.  When you are researching groups to volunteer with tell the organization about your skills and what you have to offer and see if they have any suggestions. Making an impact will help you to have the trip of a lifetime!

Do your research.
Nothing is more important before departure than knowing what you are getting into. Talk to people who have done the trip before, learn what kind of support you will have in your volunteer experience. Learn what you can about the kinds of people who choose the trip. Often Web sites and promotional materials show the best face of an organization. Talking to people will help you to assure that this is indicative of the actual experience there. There are some organizations that don't follow through in providing the kind of relationship with tourists or the community that they say they do.  Figuring this out is part of your job in ensuring an amazing volunteer experience.

Look inward and outward.
I have spent years working with international organizations and individual travelers to understand their motivations and experiences. While most of us emphasize the cultural understanding gained through travel, the truth is that our deepest insights are personal. Travel is a marvelous opportunity to come to a clearer sense of our own cultural lenses and to cut through limiting aspects of our own culture. When seen this way, time abroad can open an opportunity to live more authentically and free from cultural expectations. But it is important to not simplify the cultural codes of others. It is one thing to believe that "Life for Mongolians is simple." It is another to understand the meaning of this more closely resembles "Coming to Mongolia has simplified my life in ways that I hope to retain when I return home."

Bon voyage!

Leah Mayor holds a PhD in Adult Education from Cornell University and continues to conduct research and write about travel.

Travel Carnival 12: Potpourri

A potpourri of travel topics from how to ditch your travel companion to touring Paris to a (much-needed) rant on airport noise pollution and a top 10 list of tourism-competitive countries. Read on...!

Brilliant Insights

• K T Cat presents A Little Bit of Paradise in Chicago O’Hare posted at The Scratching Post. A well-written, much-needed rant on blaring televisions at airports.

Destinations and Experiences

• Sundance presents Dublin:The Luck of the Irish posted at Destination Station.
• Georgina Kelman presents Parisian Peregrinations posted at Georgina Kelman Works on Paper.
• Surfer Sam presents What Makes Japan Unique? Japanese Culture, All Things Japanese posted at Surfer Sam and Friends.
• Roderick Russell presents THOTH - The Power of Performance posted at NOUMENON :: Art, Ideas, Culture & Capricious Opinion.
• Natalie presents A visit to the Place des Vosges posted at My Paris Your Paris.
• Michelle presents Free things to do in Vegas! posted at Blogging In Vegas.
• Madeleine Begun Kane presents Surmounting Marriage posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.
• Denise Olesky presents Thought you'd never do a bus tour? Think again posted at Tired of working? Take a break!.

Travel Tips

• Henry Bagdasarian presents Travel Security Tips and Advice to Prevent Identity Theft During Your Trip posted at Free Identity Theft Prevention, Detection and Fraud Solutions.
• Trav Monkey presents How To Ditch Your Travel Mate and 8 Things You Should Know About Hostel Dorms posted at TravMonkey.
• Albert Klamt presents World Economic Forum scores Countries in Travel and Tourism posted at Zaadz: Connect. Grow. Inspire. Empower.
• Andrea presents Top 10 Travel Related Diseases posted at Travel Vaccinations.
• Brad presents Foreign Credit Card Transaction charges reimbursed? posted at Brad's Bits.
• KoffieVerkeerd presents Dutch Starbucks AKA The Coffee Company posted at DaarZijnWeWeer.

New Dynamic Maps Improve Trip Planning

TripHub's new Trip Maps allow groups to more easily plan and share trip information. If you're visually oriented, this is a dream come true. The maps are essentially a mash-up of trip elements from each group member (think wedding location, museum visit, restaurant for dinner, theater shows, hotels), plus you can easily add search results for local activities, accommodations, and more to your group's trip map.

According to a recent group travel survey by PhoCusWright, 80 percent of group travelers find maps and driving directions to be the most helpful trip planning tools. TripHub took PhocusWright's data to heart and listened to its customers and by creating maps that allow groups to see where activities, events, and accommodations are in relation to each other and to other local landmarks in a destination. You can also get driving directions to any of these locations within your Trip Home page and print both maps and directions. Most convenient!

See for yourself in this sample group trip.

Note: The maps require whoever sets up the trip to use a valid city name (Las Vegas instead of Vegas, New York City instead of NYC, for instance).

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2007 Travvies: Vote for Group Trip Advisor!

Group Trip Advisor has been selected by Upgrade: Travel Better and a distinguished list of judges as a Finalist for Best Group Written Travel Blog.

We are honored to be a finalist along with Brave New Traveler, Gridskipper, Lost Girls' World, and Vagablogging.

If you like what you read here, please vote for us.

Voting is open until 6pm February 28, 2007.

Thank you and thanks to Upgrade: Travel Better for including TripHub Group Trip Advisor.

11th Carnival of Travel: Culinary Commentary

If you travel for food, read on. The 11th carnival of travel is filled with thoughtful (even mouth-watering at times) commentary on food for herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores alike. Each article is fresh and flavorful.

• Pam Mandel presents Recycled: Baked Insanity posted at Nerd's Eye View, saying, "In which I lose my mind over a baked good at a roadside restaurant...."
• EDJ presents Adventures in Eating posted at Planet Nomad. This is a hilarious account of a meal abroad.
• Melissa Petri presents Visit the Tapas King in San Sebastian and Gastronomic Experience in Beijing posted at Wandalust.
• Jennifer Miner presents Best Restaurants in Florence Italy and Best Brunch in Chicago posted at Travel Articles.
• Mr. Besilly presents A Starbucks Latte: With No Surprises Inside posted at Mr. Besilly - One Man's highway, saying, "Do you need that cup of Starbucks when tou travel. So do I! Here's my rant on that subject."
• R Waldhoff presents Food Lore: The Artichoke posted at Britannica Blog, saying, "Gregory McNamee provides a brief cross-cultural history of the artichoke."
• Tannaz Sassooni presents Ethnic Markets: Feel worldly for cheap posted at WiseBread Frugal.
• Gillian Polack presents Food History » Blog Archive » Melbourne Chinese food posted at Gillian Polack, saying, "I spent my holidays in Melbourne (Australia) and they were all about food and food history.
• Joanne presents Camping Food for Kids posted at Vacations with Kids, saying, "Picky eaters don't get any less picky just because you’re on vacation—just ask my youngest ones (Rachel is two and Jacob is six, and both of them want everything just so at mealtime)."
• ispf presents Breakfast in Germany, Lunch in Switzerland, Dinner in France. Total Cost: $0 posted at Personal Finance for Students and Fresh Grads.
• Toffler presents Restaurants in Shanghai posted at Toffler's Blog.

Thanks for tuning in. Hungry for travel yet? Plan a group trip on TripHub.

Planning a Reunion is No Picnic, Spread the Work

That reunion you're planning, or thinking of planning, is coming up more quickly than you might think. Studies show that while most reunions take place in summer, reunion planning goes on year-round. In a recent article for Leisure Group Travel, Edith Wagner of Reunions Magazine writes that accommodations for summer reunions are typically locked in by March so that members can plan ahead. She adds that planning and activities are becoming more organized as well, with programs often including golf tournaments or city tours in addition to the classic group picnic.

Because planning a reunion can be a daunting undertaking, Wagner urges planners to delegate and use all the help they can get. Getting others involved in planning generates "ownership" in the event's success and spreads around the gratification, as well as the workload. Of course, TripHub is a great way to invite others to participate and keep everyone informed throughout the process. See our Family Reunion Guide for more tips and suggestions on planning your reunion. Have fun!

Kid-friendly Golf Resorts: Ten ways to know one when you see one

By guest blogger Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

Love family vacations? Love golf? Bringing the two together has never been easier, as more hotels and resorts are wooing parents with excellent golf schools and family-minded packages. But how will you know if a resort’s family golf program is really as kid-friendly as promised?

You can tell a lot simply by reading the property’s brochure or web site, says Jerramy Hainline, director of instruction at the Hilton Golf Academy, whose three resorts welcome over 350 kids each year. Compare how the resort describes its junior golf instruction with how it portrays its adult offerings. “If there’s very little difference in how the classes are described, it’s more than likely that the resort hasn’t tailored anything for kids,” says Hainline. “If a resort or school truly wants kids there, it will have made accommodations to offer junior golfers a quality experience.”

What else should you look for? Here are 10 more clues that a resort will deliver a golf vacation that’s truly a family affair:

• On-course instruction. A no-brainer, right? Far from it. You’d be surprised at how often a kids’ golf “program” turns out to be a 90-minute etiquette lesson in a windowless conference room or an hour on a driving range plus a soda break. It’s critical that a program teaches kids how to play the game, not just how to drive a ball or putt. “Kids need to experience being on the course to bring it all together,” stresses Hainline. So if a resort’s junior program doesn’t feature any on-course time, it’s a deal breaker.
• Reduced green fees. Discounts for junior golfers or deals where “kids play free” with a paying adult demonstrate that a resort is serious about encouraging kids to play.
• Low student-instructor ratio. Class size for kids ages 6 to 17 should never exceed six kids per instructor, says Hainline. “And for 4- to 5-year-olds, the ratio should be closer to 2 to 1.”
• Inclusive instruction. Even preschoolers can learn the fundamentals of golf, including the basic rules of etiquette—whose turn it is to putt, where to stand, and that old bugaboo, when to be quiet. A family-friendly resort will have come up with ways for kids as young as 5 or 6 to participate in the game.
• Child-savvy pros. “You want instructors who have experience with the programs and a history of working with junior golfers,” says Eric Alpenfels, director of instruction at the Golf Academy at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. “I think five years of experience is a good start. Junior-golf certification programs vary from facility to facility.” If you can’t find this information on the resort’s web site, call and ask.
• Family-friendly tees. Most youngsters don’t have the skill and strength required to play a long course. To get kids in the game, many resorts now offer forward tees set at shorter distances. Having a variety of tees allows the family to play together, with Mom and Dad playing the long course and kids hitting from the forward tees. Some resorts even have special scorecards with more realistic pars for kids.
• Kid-size clubs. “Cut-offs” are adult clubs that have simply been shortened, resulting in a heavy head relative to shaft length. They’re better than nothing, says Hainline. But it’s preferable that a resort provide kids with junior clubs, which are scaled down appropriately from top to bottom.
• Big balls, little balls. Young kids are still working on eye-hand coordination. At the Hilton Golf Academy, junior golfers start off hitting beach balls. Once they’ve mastered those, it’s on to rubber balls, then tennis balls, and finally golf balls.
• Designated family time. Many resorts now offer special tee times reserved just for families. Pinehurst’s “Family Fairways” program goes one better, giving parents and their kids one course all to themselves for several hours each afternoon. “Family Fairways takes the intimidation factor out of play,” says Alpenfels. “You don’t need to worry about who’s behind you, or hitting in the middle of the fairway, or going straight to the putting green.”
• Non-golf kids’ activities. If family members have varying levels of skill and interest, it’s simply unrealistic to expect your whole clan to golf 24/7. Look for a swimming pool and other recreational activities to keep everyone happy. An on-site kids’ camp or babysitting service will add flexibility to your schedule.

Bio: Suzanne Rowan Kelleher is the Editor-in-Chief of WeJustGotBack.com, a family travel website with resort and hotel reviews, how-to articles, readers’ tips and recommendations, and planning advice for kid-friendly vacations.

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