Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES 45
Elderhostel (& 877/426-8056; www.
elderhostel.org) arranges study programs
for those ages 55 and over (and a
spouse or companion of any age) in the
U.S. and in more than 80 countries
around the world. ElderTreks (& 800/
741-7956; www.eldertreks.com) offers
small-group tours to off-the-beatenpath
or adventure-travel locations for
travelers 50 and older.
Recommended publications offering
travel resources and discounts for
seniors include: the quarterly magazine
Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel
50andbeyond.com); Travel Unlimited:
Uncommon Adventures for the
Mature Traveler (Avalon); 101 Tips
for Mature Travelers, available from
Grand Circle Travel (& 800/221-
2610 or 617/350-7500; www.gct.
com); The 50+ Traveler’s Guidebook
(St. Martin’s Press); and Unbelievably
Good Deals and Great Adventures
That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless
You’re Over 50 (McGraw-Hill).
FAMILY TRAVEL
If you have enough trouble getting
your kids out of the house in the
morning, dragging them thousands of
miles away may seem like an insurmountable
challenge. But family
travel can be immensely rewarding,
giving you new ways of seeing the
world through smaller pairs of eyes.
Australians travel widely with their
own kids, so facilities for families,
including family passes to attractions,
are common.
A great accommodations option for
families is Australia’s huge stock of
serviced or unserviced apartments.
Often less expensive than a hotel
room, they offer a living room, a
kitchen, a bathroom or two, and the
privacy of a separate bedroom for
adults. “Tips on Accommodations”
later in this chapter, has details on the
major apartment chains. Most Australian
hotels will arrange babysitting
given a day’s notice.
International airlines and domestic
airlines in Australia charge 67% of the
adult fare for kids under 12. Most
charge 10% for infants under 2 not
occupying a seat. Australian transport
companies, attractions, and tour operators
typically charge half price for
kids under 12 or 14 years.
Many Australian resorts have “kids
clubs” with extensive programs
designed for children under 12, and in
some cases teenagers. The Frenchowned
Accor chain of hotels and
resorts, which is Australia’s largest
chain, has kids clubs, kids menus
designed by a nutritionist (and not just
the same boring fodder you get everywhere
else), and other family-friendly
facilities including family rooms, while
other resorts such as Hamilton Island
have “kids stay, eat, and play free”
offers, particularly during holiday periods.
Many hotels will offer inter-connecting
rooms or “family rooms.” Ask
when booking, and look out for our
“kid-friendly” icon in this book.
Don’t forget that children entering
Australia on their parent’s passport
still need their own visa. See “Entry
Requirements & Customs” earlier in
this chapter.
Rascals in Paradise (& 415/921
7000; www.rascalsinparadise.com) sells
family vacation packages to Australia.
Familyhostel (& 800/733-9753;
www.learn.unh.edu/familyhostel) takes
the whole family, including kids ages 8
to 15, on moderately priced domestic
and international learning vacations.
Lectures, field trips, and sightseeing are
guided by a team of academics.
You can find good family-oriented
vacation advice on the Internet from
sites like the Family Travel Network
(www.familytravelnetwork.com); Traveling
Internationally with Your Kids
(www.travelwithyourkids.com), a comprehensive
site offering sound advice
for long-distance and international
travel with children; and Family Travel
Files (www.thefamilytravelfiles.com),