Unusual Places for Family Vacations

As the days add up, leading to
the holidays for the festive season, I am certain that you would have been
receiving emails and texts from the retail stores, providing reminders of the
forthcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, thus signaling the time where
you should probably order the perfect gifts for your friends and loved ones, to
let them know how much you love them. For some of us, it is also a period to
take the time off, possibly from the routine 9–to –5 daily work hours. The
holiday season can be a great time, not only to unwind, but to plan to spend
more time with the family and loved ones. If you aren’t looking to spend the
holidays indoors, you might be considering a visit to one of your favorite
vacation locations. And while the Disney Theme Parks might not be an ideal for
those who do not like crowds, noises and waiting in queues, I have put up some
fun places, in some cases if the finances is not a restriction, where you can
go and rekindled the bond with your loved ones and members of the family.

Castries, Saint Lucia

Capital city of Saint Lucia,
Castries would remind you, in a striking manner, of the attractions in Costa
Rica and Ecuador, however without the crowds of tourists and expats that don
these places. An absolutely beautiful location, Castries boasts of an
impressive run of beaches, mountains, snorkels and scuba diving, very tall palm
trees, enviable landscape and awe-inspiring waterfalls with much, much desirable
sunlight. You can visit the Marigot Bay, the Maria Islands Nature Reserve, or
even the Pigeon Island National Park, while having a family togetherness that
is like no other.

Castries also has a sea port and
is a recipient of a volcano that happened years or decades ago. These are
places you can also visit during your stay in this admirable location. The
Castries market is also close by, a market where food and other items are sold
in the open.

A population of less than 10,000, you would be blessed to
have a great family time, without the hassle of being around a lot of people.

Prince Edward Island, Canada

On the North border of the United
States lies Canada and its vast expanse of lands. You must have heard of places
like Calgary, Alberta or even Vancouver Island. However, in Canada resides a
small place called Prince Edwards Island. Though a minute part of Canada,
Prince Edwards Island is renowned for its beaches, stunning landscapes, and
aura of community which serves as icing to such a beautiful location.

There are also other features
that would trigger the pull toward visiting this small island. The island is
also home to amusement parks, lighthouses as well as golf courses spread across
different luscious locations. You can visit the Confederation trail or sit by
the seaside to a feast of freshly caught lobsters. If you do schedule your
visit timely, you might get to take part in the Cavendish Beach Music Festival.

It does add to the attraction
that vacationing on Prince Edwards Island is affordable, compared to more
exclusive locations. It truly is a home away from home experience.

Butrint, Albania

Located in the south-eastern part
of Albania is the little town called Butrint. One of Albania’s invaluable locations,
Butrint is an ancient city with one of its primary attractions being the archaeological
remains evident of the historical Roman Empire – the public baths, the theater,
the basilica etc.

The city is awash with different
places to visit and lots of experiences to have. When visiting, you do have
several accommodation facilities you can opt for. You can select the inns, the
hotels, the motels or probably, the resorts. Once you are done and settled,
unless you are on the trip with a tour guide service, you can then plan your
vacation according to the sights the city has to offer.

The Butrint National Park is
known for possessing remains from an earlier era where a mixture of the Greek
and the Romans lived. Resident on the environs of the National Park is the
Butrint Lake. The Castle of Ali Pasha Tepelena is another location you can
visit. There are also museums, castles, national parks, beaches and other
monuments that are accessible from Butrint. Just after the city is the Butrint
Monastery.

Butrint is mostly visited for its
historical value – this is evident from the day-trippers who flood the location
to view the different historical and cultural artifacts. Also, if you are one
to go local while on your vacations, you can try out the restaurants to sample
the Butrint traditional dishes. Also, vacation to Butrint is relatively an affordable
venture.

Corfu Island, Greece

One of my favorite vacation
destinations, I happened to visit Corfu while collaborating with a friend who
is involved with a admission essay writing service. Booking adjoining rooms in
the Marbella Corfu hotel, she proceeded to inform me of the processes that go
into the development of an all in one essay.

Located on the grounds of Albania’s
close neighbor, Greece, Corfu is another location resplendent with beaches, monuments
and beautiful laid out landscape. An overwhelmingly attractive location, you
might experience crowds when you go down to the beaches, nevertheless, this
doesn’t mean you cannot locate some of the beaches with lesser crowds. You
probably would have to go toward the northeast areas, where the sites are not
really in the open. It should add to the novelty to discover some of these
beaches.

Other areas of interest would
include Corfu Town, the Corfu museum of Asian Arts, the vineyards, the resorts,
and the archaeological sites. The Greeks are also known for their culinary
prowess. You could use this opportunity to savor some of their popular dishes.

Corfu Town is also a heritage
site for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
So get ready to see some strongholds that served in the wars that occurred in
these locations, hundreds of years ago.

Ephesus, Turkey

Ephesus in Turkey is another
place you can plan a truly memorable family vacation. In the above locations
that I suggested, you would notice that most of these places were notable for
their open air, outdoor sights, i.e. beaches, parks etc. However, what if,
having had your fill of the outdoor and sunlight, you simply want to immerse
yourself in the novelty of the place? If one of your piqued interests lie in
uncovering the past and the activities that happened during those periods, then
Ephesus might be the place for you.

Though there are outdoor
attractions in Ephesus, the main lure of Ephesus lies in its archeological
remains with its own share of splendidly laid out landscape with panoramic
views. Here, you would also get to see the remains of the Temple of Artemis – one
of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Ephesus Museum, the basilica of
one of the apostles, St. John i.e. the place where he was buried, and the
Gladiator’s Graveyard. Notably referred to in the Bible, Ephesus has its own
share of Christian origins

If you do wear out from learning
about the past, you can go with the family to visit the resorts, the beaches and
the hotels. Ephesus offers diverse interests, while you enjoy the time spent
with the family.

Pinawa, Manitoba,
Canada

Taking us back to Canada, Pinawa,
located in Manitoba, is another place you might just like to spend your vacation.
An attractive yet reserved location, Pinawa also holds its own interesting
sights which might cause you to want to take the family there.

Firstly, the town is located
close to the Winnipeg River, which adds to the all-surround natural beauty that
it possesses. As a result of its proximity, most recreational activities
offered in Pinawa – swimming, diving, going on trips by boat, canoes etc.
involves the Winnipeg River. However, that is not the only sights that Pinawa
offers. Similar to Prince Edwards Islands, Pinawa town has its own golf course
as well as parks for those who are eternally drawn to the outdoors. You can
also go down to the beach, visit the hockey arena as well as get to play in the
tennis courts.

Pinawa is sparsely populated so
offers the attraction and security of a lovingly preserved community.

Margarita Island,
Venezuela

Having places such as Angel Falls
– recognized as the largest waterfall in the world and Caracas, in Venezuela; Margarita
Island sometimes goes under the radar as a place to visit. Generally, Venezuela
is very popular for its lovely beaches, gorgeous landscape and several tourist
attractions, notably, as mentioned, Angel Falls. However, Margarita Island
holds its head high among these more famous locations.

Margarita has its own share of
beaches – you get to select from a large number of them, mountains, and areas
you can go for a swim. You can also go scuba diving, jet skiing or other water
sports that might be of interest. The Restinga Lagoon National Park is also
within sight, and should be somewhere you put on the list of places to go. You
could visit the capital Asuncion which is also close by. There are shopping,
lots of entertainment and you could even book additional tours to get a more
expansive view of the island. The locals are very welcoming, notably depending
on the way you approach them.

Probably due to the affordable
cost of living in Venezuela, planning a vacation to the island is quite cheap,
even if you are going with the family. It is also important to know that the
Island is recognized for the large amount of crime that occurs there. Thus, it
probably might be more convenient, for safety purposes, to hire a travel agency
or a tour service, to plan your vacation and get your accommodations. The
occurrence of crime might and would deter some. However, as long as you err on
the safe side, you are going to have a largely memorable family vacation.

I have quickly put up this list
so you can timely plan on your vacation during this period, or put up a
schedule for the coming year. While making plans, you should be able to locate
travel agencies which would help you desirably plan your trip.

Do have a memorable vacation. And
drop me a note on your experience in these places.