This past weekend I attended The 2018 New York Times Travel Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center as a member of the press. Since travel was one of the things that I noticed was missing from my family’s life in 2017, I was especially excited to get some memorable family travel ideas for 2018. Although I didn’t visit all 560 + exhibits, I was able to get the information that I needed. Today, I’m sharing the 5 types of international travel that made it on my personal family travel bucket list.
1. Cruises
I have been on a couple of cruises so far in my lifetime. I went on a short cruise to Canada with my mom a few years ago. My husband Reggie, our sons and I also went on a Norwegian Nickelodeon All Access cruise during Sean’s 4th birthday. It was such a special memory because the actors who voice Spongebob and Patrick did a birthday video for him.
2. The Caribbean
Reggie and I went to the Dominican Republic before we had kids. We had an amazing time. I think that the kids would enjoy the food, the people and the relaxed vibe of the Caribbean. Martinique and Jamaica were the two locations that stood out at the show. Martinique is beautiful and has some especially great, budget-friendly deals (including 3-night stays at hotels with airfare from NYC for $500)…and it’s only four hours from NYC. Jamaica also has gorgeous beaches and family-friendly adventures. Plus, I already know that I love Jamaican food!
3. Asia
I picked up a pamphlet from The Dragon Trip because Japan is on Reggie’s long-term bucket list. I checked their website and they offer 12-day Japan Family Adventures. We could see Mt. Fuji, learn how to make sushi, watch traditional Japanese performances and more. Since sushi is my son Michael’s favorite food, that would be a great experience for him too.
(Michael took a sushi-making class when he was 7.)
There are two places that I would like to visit in Europe – Madrid and England. Reggie and I were scheduled to go to Madrid a few years ago, but then there was a travel issue and my mom became really sick, so we canceled the trip altogether. Friends had given us hotel, museum, restaurant, and local attractions suggestions. Plaza Mayor and the Real Palace in Madrid, the red tour bus, paella, sangria, and the Prado Museum were all highly recommended. Attending the travel show reminded me that we need to put Madrid back on our radar! Meanwhile, I would visit England with my mom (family travel can be multigenerational). My mom loves Agatha Christie books and wants to visit Christie’s literary trail. Since afternoon tea is one of my favorite experiences, it would also be great to enjoy it in England.
5. Africa
Since the results of my DNA test came back, I have had a strong desire to visit Africa. At the travel show, I went to the Africa Travel Association booth and requested information about traveling to Nigeria. It is definitely on my bucket list to take my family to my ancestral home one day.
These were my five favorite international destinations from the travel show. Did I miss your favorite international spot? (On a side note, I found it interesting that the U.S.A. pavilion ended up catching my interest for the longest period of time. I’ll be writing two additional posts – one about travel in New York state and another about domestic travel outside of New York later this week.)