Recently, Lainey Melnick's family asked one simple question, "Where do we go for a winter vacation?"
"After looking at ski vacations all over the globe, we've decided to go to the French Alps," said Melnick, a Dream Vacations Franchise Owner and Vacation Specialist in Austin, Texas.
"The reason is Club Med. We have kids under 10 years old as well as grandparents who want to enjoy a stress-free beautiful ski vacation."
According to Melnick, The Club Med at Valmorel offers a ski and sports school, ski equipment and lift tickets as well as gourmet dining and beverages, all included in the price.
"I can make all our generations happy whether or not they want to ski," said Melnick, who explains there are other winter activities available, including snow shoe hikes and the spa.
The location was also chosen because of its travel convenience.
"We could fly into Paris or Geneva and take a train to the resort," said Melnick.
Club Med offers many different ski resorts all over the world, and if travelers do not want to travel with their ski gear, there are options available.
"You can ship them using the FedEx Ship your Gear program or use Luggage Free to ship your luggage to you," said Melnick.
[READMORE]READ MORE Guess What? You Can Ski At Club Med, Too[/READMORE]
If you're interested in a winter vacation too, Margie Lenau urges you to book early, whatever your destination.
"Booking ski trips early is essential if you want to visit your preferred skiing locations," said Lenau of Wonderland Family Vacations in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
However, Samarah Meil of Amarillo Travel said it's best to avoid the actual holiday dates.
"In our area, we are within driving distance to great ski options in New Mexico and in Colorado," said Meil. "But we do find that accommodations tend to fill up quickly between December and March, so book in advance to secure a place to stay. Avoiding holiday dates will ensure best prices for accommodations and lift tickets."
When you book, don't forget travel insurance, especially for holiday travel, recommends Cassie Staiger-Jeter.
"With winter weather and full flights, you do not want to risk missing out on your investment should anything go wrong," said Staiger-Jeter, agent/owner of CS Travel Planners in Bismark, North Dakota.
"This past year, North Dakota experienced record snow fall both over both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and, luckily, my travelers had insurance to protect their investment enabling them to rebook at a later time."
[READMORE]READ MORE Ask a Travel Agent[/READMORE]
Kimberly Milnes of Family Travel Boutique in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, also advises that travelers watch how they are traveling to their winter trip.
"Flying to ski destinations usually means you will have a layover or stop on your flight if you are coming from the east coast out to a Western ski stop," she said. "If so, try to get that stop in the south: You have a better chance not getting stopped by weather flying through Houston or Atlanta in the winter time. Try to stay away from stops like Chicago and Minneapolis."
However, if your flight has no choice but to go through these areas, she advises building in additional travel time, 'just in case.'
It's never too early to start planning. The more time you have to plan your winter trip, the more details you'll remember to account for!
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