Visiting the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.There is something surreal and magical after reading The Diary of Anne Frank to climb the steps behind that bookshelf that hid her and her family & friends for over 2 years. To experience the space they called home is beyond words. Where they celebrated birthdays, holy days, anniversaries and grieved for their deceased family and friends. She describes being able to see out of a window on the roof. She could hear the bells of the churches, the bustle of the foot traffic of people going about their days. And the sound of the war that was ravaging their lives. Walking through those rooms reading her words will absolutely make an impression on you forever. I was 16 years old the first time I visited, 17 the second. I was struck by the personal effects in the rooms, under glass to protect them, of Anne and her sister. Posters of movie stars her dad had brought before they arrived, in the hopes of making it feel like home. I was their age, I couldn’t imagine living so confined with the fear of the unknown except for stories and news they were being told. How can someone of such a young age do that? My most recent visit was as a mother of teenagers. This time I saw the hiding place from the perspective of Edith and Otto Frank. Their fears they would be caught. Their realization that their daughter’s lives would not be the same. Their despair as they sat in silence during the day and created a life in the darkness of the night. Both perspectives have stayed with me and shown me that the citizens of the world are a lot like us but their experiences, trials and tribulations may be vastly different. Giving this insight to our children will make the world safer, better. Travel gives you that. If you'd like to see interior pictures, click here to visit the Anne Frank House museum website.  Mia Mackey, MackeyMouse Travel I am a travel professional helping families take meaningful, core memory adventures. I have been traveling since I was born and visited Walt Disney World the year it opened! I've visited over 14 countries and can't wait to expand my number next year. I love to talk travel, write about experiences and show families how they can see the world!
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It’s not as scary as it seems. We flew with one at 3 months old and one at 6 months old for their first flights. One of those flights was even international! Go prepared and have zero expectations for behavior and you will be just fine! 5 Things to Do:
5 Things Not to Do:
Travel is great with a baby. I recommend getting your little one out as often as you can. Taking them to museums, restaurants, buses, subways and out in general will help acclimate them to new environments. The more you acclimate them the better your flights will be!
Always use a travel advisor to book and help you plan your vacations! With connections in destinations, knowledge of current requirements for entry into countries and a passion for helping families make incredible memories, MackeyMouse Travel is the agency to use! Senior Trip! Do you have a senior? Do you remember your senior trip? We currently have seniors booked for Cancun and Disney World. Where would your child and their friends like to go? What about you going just to be on the ground where they are but give them freedom to be adults! I am the person to see for that. Walt Disney World - It’s not just for kids!!! Yes, 18 and 19 year olds can have fun at Disney and create lifelong memories with the kids they grew up with. Nothing says I’m ready for the world like a coordinated instagram shot with all your bestie wearing matching shirts and ears!  Universal Orlando - Much like a trip to Disney World, focusing your trip on Universal is a great way to ring in the new chapter of a young life! You have two world class theme parks and one amazing water park. I’d spend 2 days at the water park and I’m not always a fan of swimming and sun! Universal gives you thrill rides galore and some childhood favorites right along with that. Still want that amazing IG shot? No problem, you can done Hogwarts robes and wands! And who doesn’t want a pair of Harry Potter glasses?  Cancun, Mexico - Cancun offers that tropical paradise they’ve dreamed of! Cancun is a great option because it is top in service and choices among the all inclusive resort community. So many choices!! That means competitive pricing and excellent service. We make recommendations based on what activities the seniors want, non-motorized water sports are included, food, entertainment on property and beverages. We can plan an off property excursion too, like seeing the Mayan ruins or 4x4 trail riding. I hate to say it again, but so many options!  New York City - Broadway fans unite! Broadway is open, so taking a group of theater seniors to NYC is back on the table. We could set up tours that include the Today Show, backstage at Broadway theater and take in a show. Your options are only limited by your imagination. Shopping! There is shopping and world class dining! Yes, we can do that too. Paris and France - What would be better than taking your next profile picture with the Eiffel Tower in the background? Nothing, nothing would be better!! Paris offers food, museums, river dinner cruise on the Seine, cafe dining, Opera and world renowned shows. We can include a day at Disneyland Paris and a homage to Normandy Beach. You must take a train ride through the Loire Valley at least once in your life. France is not just for couples and romance!  Greek Island Cruise - We just did this with our senior! WOW!! If you don’t have Greece on your bucket list, write it in right now! We have a wonderful relationship with a Greek cruise line that visits 6 - 7 islands in a 7 night cruise. This is unheard of with the big brands. You might have 4 stops with a day on board. Not this line! The destination is the charm and reason you are there, not the ship. We can add 2-4 days in Athens pre or post to give you a chance to dive into the culture in depth and see more UNESCO - listed archeological gems in 10 days than you’d ever see anywhere else in the world. And, we make it easy and affordable!  Let me help you plan with a group of your child’s friends without the hassle of keeping up with who has booked, linking them to your trip and keeping up with due dates. I keep up with the “back office” part of travel and you just plan your wardrobe and photo ops! I gladly take on the strain of planning and hand you an itinerary to relax and explore!
We may say in passing, “that is on my bucket list”. But have you ever made an actual list of your bucket list items? It’s like your goals, if you don’t write them down, you’ll never hit them (or get there for the bucket list items!) I thought I’d share a couple of mine and why they are on my list. I’d love to hear from you about your bucket list items. Leave a comment with all of them or just a few!
 photo from "Belmond"
Take a few minutes and make your list. It’s fun and enlightening to see where you want to go and experience. Be sure to include your significant other and children in this list because traveling with the ones you love is priceless! Always use a travel advisor to book and help you plan your vacations! With connections in destinations, knowledge of current requirements for entry into countries and a passion for helping families make incredible memories, MackeyMouse Travel is the agency to use!
Caribbean Cruise - This is a great option for large families. Cruise lines have gotten very good at offering staterooms that can accommodate 5 guests. You can even have a balcony room with an interior directly across, giving you more room with less cost! A 7 night Caribbean Cruise gives you entertainment, activities on board, with ships that have roller coasters, bumper cars, rock climbing walls and plenty of water slides. Shorter cruises don’t offer as much so let’s plan for a long and fun adventure filled week.  Spring is coming! I know I know, it’s not even Halloween yet! But, in the world of travel, spring is just around the corner!! Let’s talk about some of the HOT destinations for 2023 for families Walt Disney World - With the 50th Anniversary coming to a close soon, we know that Disney is going to be a special place to visit this upcoming year. All year, they will have extra magic sprinkled everywhere to enhance your Disney World visit. Cinderella Castle be host to the fan favorite “Happily Ever After” fireworks and show once again sometime in 2023! You can head over to Epcot where the World Showcase is ready to party too. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure ride is highly popular but now with the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, the park is buzzing! Hollywood Studios of course offers Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Tron is expected to open 2023. This is going to be the most amazing ride on Disney property and will sell out park reservations for months! So many new and exciting attractions and food, 2023 is the year you need to plan a visit to Orlando.  Universal Orlando - Universal is strong for 2023! But I’m going to remind you that UO is more than just thrill rides. Universal has been working on becoming a vacation destination all its own. This is the time, the spring, to visit this remarkable destination in Florida. You have deluxe resorts that include front of the line tickets. Resorts that have some of the most luxurious pools and lounging areas in the U.S. Great dining in the parks, at City Walk and the resorts. Volcano Bay is a must! I say this all the time, I don’t like water parks, but Volcano Bay is a water park you must try. So many great features, attractions and extras. If you “do” Universal and don’t go to Volcano Bay, you are missing the boat!  Punta Cana, Dominican Republic - Punta Cana offers that tropical paradise they’ve dreamed of! Punta Cana is growing and offering some of the best choices among the all inclusive resort community. An All inclusive vacation offers non-motorized water sports, food, entertainment on property and beverages, all in one complete package. Bavaro Beach is probably the most beautiful in the world! I love the palm trees that are plentiful. When you don’t have to pull out your wallet every second of the day, you get to truly relax and rejuvenate! Leave that sand wagon full of paraphernalia and go on a truly amazing vacation in 2023!   London - A week-long spring break in London would be perfect! The weather would be wonderful with flowers and trees in bloom. London is open and offers many cultural museums, castles, history, and royalty. It is not difficult to venture out of London to see some of the countryside. In 7 days you can see everything you want to see in London and have a couple of day trips out of the city. Stonehenge, Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and so much more. London is a great destination to start sharing the world with your family!  Spring is the perfect time to travel, but we need to start planning it now. With Covid restrictions being lifted everyone is ready to go somewhere! Some places will require more time to plan and some will actually sell out. So, getting yours booked now is more important than ever before!
Always use a travel advisor to book and help you plan your vacations! With connections in destinations, knowledge of current requirements for entry into countries and a passion for helping families make incredible memories, MackeyMouse Travel is the agency to use! One of my favorite things about Europe is the cathedrals!Oh, the cathedrals in Europe are AMAZING!!! Not just the cathedrals, but modest churches built centuries ago are just as ornate. I've been to Cologne Cathedral twice! Once by boat, sailing into Cologne over night was a magical sight!! The cathedral is lit up and absolutely majestic! The first time was by train. We came out of the train station and looked up and up and up! The cathedral was enormous and breathtaking! I recommend either form of travel to see this beautiful masterpiece. You can also see a piece of the Roman Road right next to it! Strasbourg is somehow on my families radar! Every trip I make to Europe includes Strasbourg. This sometimes in history German city and sometimes French city is easily one of my favorites! The cathedral is just a few steps from the river and I can't miss either of these during our visit here. The third picture is another church in Strasbourg where I got to experience a private organ concert. I had no idea this was a thing, but I will always look for something like it when I am in Europe next time! This was the most amazing evening spent on my river cruise with my friends at Adventures by Disney. I cannot wait to take my family and share this little gem with them!! Mia MackeyI love to travel, no doubt about it. But I most enjoy learning and experiencing things I've never seen before. It's also a thrill to take people with me who have never been! Their energy is contagious and I see so many things I missed before. I'm a travel planner and owner of MackeyMouse Travel. I would be honored to help you plan your next family adventure, couples getaway or bucket list trip! |
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