Discover Fairy Tale Family Holidays in Bavaria Like I Did

When it comes to planning a holiday in family style, there are so many factors to take into consideration. It needs to be affordable and there needs to be enough fun amusement so that everyone is happy and able to relax together. A touch of nice scenery would also be beneficial as would friendly locals and good weather- oh and maybe a mountain or two, but where can all these qualities be found in one place? Well, look no further, for family holidays in Bavaria are all these things and more. Well, maybe the weather can't be guaranteed, but the Summers are normally nice and hot and sunny and the Winters cold and snowy enough to guarantee good Winter sports.

That is what is so good about Bavaria, especially Chiemgau, which is the area around the largest lake in the region, the Chiemsee. The mountains and lakes provide brilliant trekking and swimming in the Summer and exhilarating skiing and ice-skating for much of the Winter, not to mention sailing, boating and all the sports that go on around them, such as cycling and mini-golf. The saunas in this area also deserve a mention, for they are the best I have seen. Not just your couple of cramped boxes to sweat in and then go home, but whole complexes full of many different types of saunas, steam rooms, turkish baths and sun-beds, jaccuzis, palm trees, restaurants, outdoor sports, lots of pools with slides and diving boards and more. They certainly make you feel welcome and want to stay the whole day and even on into the evening too! The best has to be Therme Erding near Munich.

The Chiemsee is so large that you could be forgiven for believing you have come to the seaside! All the travel guides will highlight it as a favourite holiday place for the locals as much as the foreigners. At the height of the season it can be buzzing with people on their family holidays and yet it never seems overcrowded. There are plenty of rustic looking restaurants and hotels to tempt you with refreshing weissbier, apple strudel or bratwurst to name a few of their local specialities. Many of them speak English and are only too pleased to speak it with you, although they will be delighted if you show willing and have a go at their language. Along the path to the lakeside you can often see the locals selling their wares and if you are lucky, you might find yourself admiring them in their lederhosen and dirndl, the local dress, especially at the times of their many traditional festivals. They love celebrating and will gladly sell you their alpine hats and souvenirs in recognition of their cultural diversity.

When you arrive at the lake you will be met by elegant swans gracefully swimming up and down and different types of boats gently gliding in the water, which you can hire and explore the lake for yourself. The ferries will transport you to the islands where you can visit the palace of the late King Ludwig of Bavaria on the Herren Insel. The lake encompasses a large area, majestically bordered on one side with a mountain backdrop, offering one of the most beautiful pictures of Germany that you will see. At Prien you can find the perfect combination of most of these amazing features where you can also find a steam train to take you around the area to admire the scenery at your leisure, if your feet are growing tired. What better way to spend your holiday, where nature is at it's best and the Bavarian people welcome you with open arms. Well I think so anyway!

3 Tips for Having a Fun Family Holiday Vacation

Holiday travel need not involve a trip to a boring unheard of town and sleeping on couches or kids' beds. Families these days are enjoying the trend toward planning holiday celebrations at vacation destinations. This way family members get to use their vacation time from work actually going somewhere fun and interesting instead of visiting their home towns. It is really a win-win situation because family members get to visit and celebrate the holidays while staying in a comfortable hotel and site-seeing.

Popular destinations for family gatherings include Las Vegas, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Florida, and the Caribbean. For Las Vegas, the Christmas holiday season marks the start of the Las Vegas busy season that lasts through the winter and into the spring as snowbirds escape cold and gray climates for Nevada sunshine and stimulating night life and casino action.

Because gambling is a popular activity for many people, Las Vegas is particularly well suited as a vacation destination for holiday family gatherings. There are plentiful hotel resorts with various themes. There are gambling games to satisfy every whim. Las Vegas shows really are world class entertainment, but the tickets aren't cheap by the way. The shopping is truly fabulous and an excellent way to get rid of any casino winnings.

Another thing that makes Las Vegas and other gambling destinations appealing to families planning a holiday vacation is the potential for low room rates. A family member who is a regular or at least an annual casino visitor can get a player rating that will qualify him or her for complimentary prices or "comps" on rooms and meals. Casino resorts are eager to sign up visitors for their player rating or player points as part of their marketing efforts. Usually a player can find out about the deals offered by casinos by talking to guest services or a casino floor supervisor.

Tips for a successful holiday family vacation:

    Plan as early as possible to get good rates on flights and rooms.
    Be willing to compromise. If everyone can't decide on where to go, let majority rule. If the vacation turns out to be a bust, everyone will know who to listen to next time.
    Plan for free time. Don't pack so many activities into each day that nerves get frazzled and tempers flare. Relax and have fun at a leisurely pace.

Vacation destinations and resorts are eager to accommodate families interested in an alternative to the family gathering at a home. And families are also glad to avoid any bickering about who will host the family for the holidays and it is nice to skip all the housework needed to prepare for guests.