A growing number of families, however, are solving both challenges by choosing golf vacations. In 2011, nearly 26 million people age 6 and older golfed in the U.S., according to the National Golf Foundation. The sport attracts families – both serious golfers and casual dabblers – for many reasons.

Fortunately, says Scott Schult, a golf enthusiast and travel expert with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB, vacationing families have plenty of options if they choose a golf vacation. Families seeking a golf destination should keep several factors in mind, Schult says:

Does the destination cater to families with special offers and incentives?

“With summer vacation season upon us, destinations will compete for business – good news for families seeking deals,” Schult says.

When evaluating a location, check online resources for special offers tailored for families. For example, during the summer kids play for free at 46 courses in the Myrtle Beach, S.C. area, including the renowned Arrowhead Country Club, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club and Possum Trot Golf Course, where humorously named holes help the course earn its reputation as the “friendliest course on the Grand Strand.”

Does the location offer a mix of serious golfing opportunities and “just-for-fun” options?

Some golf destinations may be more geared to serious, adult golfers than for families, while others may be heavier on miniature golf courses than championship-level play. The ideal location for a family golf vacation will have a mix of both types of venues. If you’ll be staying at a golf resort, the same principle should apply. The resort should offer a mix of types of play that will appeal to both beginners and sophisticated golfers.

Is instruction available for all levels of player?

Look for a location where instruction is available – either individual or group. Not only will lessons give everyone an opportunity to improve their game, they can also allow parents the enjoyment of watching their children discover something new and exciting. In Myrtle Beach, many courses offer one-on-one instruction, or small-group lessons, such as the Grande Dunes Golf Academy or the Classic Swing Golf School.

Are there other attractions that will appeal to the whole family?

While golf may be the impetus for your vacation, there’s no shame in breaking away from the course now and then. Look for locations that offer myriad other activities and attractions for times when you want to do something else. Family-friendly locations should include a mix of dining and lodging options, museums and amusement parks, beaches and park areas, musical shows, historic sites and more. Myrtle Beach, S.C., is the perfect example of this kind of destination.

“Whether you’re a family of avid golfers or just learning the sport, a golf vacation is a great way to bring the family together, spend some time in the fresh air and have some fun while learning something about the sport and each other,” Schult says.

Provided by: ARA

With a few tips, you can get your vehicle into top shape for easy cruising this summer and beyond.

Don’t wait, fix it fast

With the sun shining a little brighter this time of year, those vehicle nicks, scratches and dents suddenly become much more noticeable. And more importantly, they can begin to rust in as little as 30 days. This visible exterior problem can quickly reduce your vehicle’s resale value, not to mention its cosmetic appeal.

Fortunately, you can avoid these ugly and potentially costly problems by using a touch up paint such as Dupli-Color Scratch Fix touch-up paint. Available in hundreds of exact-match colors, the paint offers a seamless fix to nearly any vehicle damage. With a roller ball tip for precision, taper brush for full coverage and available clear coat to ensure an exact manufacturer-approved match, Scratch Fix is extremely easy for anyone to use and costs only a fraction of a professional repair.

Rolling on out

Tires are one of the most important aspects of vehicle safety, and proper maintenance can prolong tread life and save money on replacements. Rotating tires every 7,000 miles can help keep treads from wearing irregularly. A simple tire rotation not only makes for a dependable vehicle, but also saves money in the long run because your tires will last longer.

Another tire must is to regularly check for uneven wear, bulges or holes. These small issues may not seem like much, but they have a very real possibility of causing larger problems such as a tire blow out or skidding on the road. If a defect is spotted, make sure to have that tire replaced immediately.

Internal workings

Despite the warnings, many people put off changing their vehicle oil far longer than recommended. Whether the excuse is lack of time, money or some other factor, regular oil changes are vital to proper car maintenance. No matter what time of year or how often you drive, you need to check oil every three months or 3,000 miles – whichever occurs first. Changing oil will prevent residue buildup, allowing your vehicle to function more efficiently and safely. Forgoing this routine check could lead to an unexpected engine seize, causing costly and potentially dangerous damage.

Lights out

A burnt-out light bulb in your living room can be a nuisance, but a burnt-out light on your car can be extremely dangerous, and may even earn you a traffic ticket. Perform regular inspections of your car lights by turning all lights on – including turn signals – then walking around the car to determine if any need to be replaced. Car lights are typically inexpensive and are usually easy to install. The risks of ignoring a burnt-out car light far outweigh the cost of the bulb, so perform a quick check before your next night drive.

By taking these car care maintenance steps you will have your vehicle running and looking great this summer and beyond.

Provided by: ARA

Rather than rushing through an over-packed itinerary, today’s travelers are seeking a real connection with the little aspects of everyday life in Europe. Luckily for those discerning jetsetters, tour operators are savvy to those desires. Tauck, a tour company with more than  86 years of experience in the field, is a leading force in the ultra-specialized tours that put travelers in contact with locals and orchestrate one-of-a-kind experiences.

One of the most exciting developments in guided tours of Europe is the proliferation of different kinds of tours. Whether you’re traveling as a family, looking for a bit of extra adventure or want to sit back and cruise the waterways of the continent, there’s something to suit your needs.

* Family travel. Europe tours can be a great way for parents – and grandparents – to spur a lifelong interest in travel in the youngest generations. Whether you’re going as a multi-generational group or just taking the kids on their first big excursion, having the trip organized by experts cuts back on stress and planning in a major way. All-inclusive tours offered by Tauck Bridges have itineraries that are suited for travelers of all ages and take in a wide variety of European destinations, from Bavaria and the Alps to the castles of France and England.

* Adventurous travel. Travelers yearning see the world in new and different ways shouldn’t ignore guided tours, thinking that they’re only for low-energy tourists. In fact, Europe small group tours make it far easier to delve into the countries you’re visiting in an immersive way. Tauck’s Culturious small group tours give travelers hands-on “sight-doing” experiences, creating opportunities to interact with the places you travel to and become immersed in the fabric and rhythm of daily life. Cook, create, share the interests of local experts – and enjoy active pursuits too, like walking and bicycling – you’ll energize the mind, body and spirit.

* By land or by water. A Europe tour is often the best way to see a variety of countries and to get the most out of your travel dollar. But there are a couple of ways to take in the sights. While both land tours and cruising take you to the most sought-after destinations, each offers a unique vantage point for taking in the scenery of the countries you travel through. In both cases, your accommodation and transportation are covered, so it’s up to you; which view do you want to have?

The incredible variety of Europe – cultural, historical and natural – gives it almost unending allure in the eyes of travelers. With the right tour, you’ll be able to experience Europe in fine detail, giving you an impression of the nuances that make life in the Old World so rich and unique.

In fact, the National Marine Manufacturers Association reports 83 percent of American boat owners have an annual household income less than $100,000. It’s a popular pastime in the U.S., as nearly 83 million Americans went boating last year, going out on their own boats or a family member or friend’s boat.

“The reality is there’s a boat for every budget and for boaters, being on the water creates priceless experiences – there’s nothing like disconnecting from land and feeling the wind on your face,” says Carl Blackwell, a boater from Chicago and president of Discover Boating. “Being an avid boater, I know how accessible it can be and how important it is to do your research so you can figure out what kind of boat fits your lifestyle and budget. One of the best kept secrets is how to get on the water without owning a boat – consider it research since it gets you on your way to becoming a boater before you own one.”

Find four simple tips from DiscoverBoating.com to enjoy the boating lifestyle before owning a boat:

1. Rent-a-vessel.

Renting or chartering a boat is the perfect summer escape that’s surprisingly easy and accessible in a variety of forms, from daily to hourly rentals or week-long charters. Be your own captain or hire one to teach you the ropes. Renting is the perfect way to compare boat types, explore local waterways and feel like a celebrity on a getaway – without breaking the bank.

2. Sharing the fun.

Did you know you can have all the benefits of ownership, if you share? Fractional boat ownership, similar to lodging timeshares, is a cost-effective way to have access to new boats and be able to share costs among a group of friends or other local boaters. Members pre-schedule use of the boat online and often receive the added benefits of lessons, flotillas and additional crew, if needed.

3. Join the club.

Get outside, enjoy the warm weather and join a local boating club. Thousands of boating clubs and organizations are located across the U.S. and offer everything from watersports and sailing to power boating. Clubs provide inexperienced boaters options to test the waters through access to classroom and on-water training, a fleet of boats and member events.

4. Find nautical pals.

Boaters are a friendly group often looking to share the boating lifestyle with novices. Mingle with boaters at your local marinas, boat club events, boating courses, boat shows or even at dock-and-dine restaurants. Put your best foot forward and display good boat guest etiquette. If you offer to lend the captain a hand, bring sea-worthy snacks and chip in for fuel, you may find yourself aboard in no time.

Miami’s South Beach provides the best mix of beach, culture and entertainment. Historic Art Deco boutique hotels line the boardwalk. For a truly deluxe experience, check out The Hotel Clinton South Beach on Washington Avenue. The ultra-contemporary hotel houses a full spa and 88 sleekly styled rooms with smooth carpeting and elegant, white accents.

After relaxing in the hotel’s pool or optional in-room spa, guests who step outside can find world-class clubs, shopping and restaurants. South Beach, or the “America Riviera,” headquarters the U.S. Latin music industry and offers a sizzling nightlife scene. More than 200 restaurants and upscale shopping — think Armani, Kenneth Cole and Versace — leave no visitor unsatisfied.

The beach itself is a long, white stretch of warm sand and blue water — perfect for sunbathing or a game of beach volleyball. Those with a taste for adventure can rent Jet-skis at the Miami Beach marina or visit the South Beach Dive and Surf Center, located across the street from the Clinton, to plan scuba, surf and snorkeling excursions.

If even a beach this lovely can wear thin, guests should explore South Beach’s cultural destinations. The Wolfsonian Museum houses modern art objects dated from 1885 to 1945, while the Bass Museum exhibits everything from 16th-century Flemish tapestries to contemporary conceptual art.

Of course, no visit to Miami would be complete without a taste of the city’s vibrant nightlife. From popular clubs like Mansion, Prive, Glass, Bed and Opium Garden, to more intimate, but no less chic destinations like the Rose Bar, Social, Sky Bar and the Roof Top at Town House, visitors and celebrities alike can enjoy one of the world’s hottest clubbing destinations.

“Whether you’re traveling half-way around the world or within your home state this year, you can capture these experiences and create lasting memories with your favorite digital device,” says Gail Fisher, former senior photo editor for National Geographic and the Los Angeles Times and current department chair of visual journalism at Brooks Institute, a leading provider of higher education for film, graphic design, visual journalism and photography. “It’s more than just snapping photos during your vacation. It’s about telling a visual story.”

Fisher offers these five tips to help capture your favorite memories on your next vacation:

Do advance research. Buy travel books and look online at photos to get a better understanding of where you’re going and what you’ll see. Talk to tourism centers and ask for recommendations based on your interests. Consider making an advance list of attractions or areas you want to photograph to help plan your trip and the visual story you want to tell about your experiences.

Be a backpack journalist. With technology these days, it’s easy to have a picture or video camera on hand at all times – just like backpack journalists, who have creative control over the stories they tell since they act as reporters, videographers and producers. Travelers can take a similar approach. Consider capturing both still and video images, and spend time interacting or talking with locals who may be able to tell you stories beyond what you’ll read in travel books.

Tell a visual story. Whether you’re an aspiring videographer or enjoy capturing everyday life on your digital camera, it’s all about telling a great story to help translate the feelings you experienced at that moment to others. Go beyond shooting famous landmarks and traditional subjects. Find and capture everyday moments and people who can help bring to life the area’s culture, history and story.

Take your time. Never be satisfied with your first shot. Instead, consider taking several photos to get yourself comfortable with the subject. Then, get creative by trying different angles, camera settings, lenses and lighting. If your schedule allows, return to your point of interest at different times of the day to capture new elements. Early morning light and the ‘golden hour’ before dusk is a favorite for most professional photographers.

Shoot now, edit later. Don’t review each shot immediately after you take it. Instead, take multiple shots and edit later. At the end of the day, you’ll be able to reflect on your experiences and have a keener eye for those shots that invoke the same feelings and memories when you were in that particular moment. Also consider adding audio to your story by collecting natural sound or interviews while you’re in the field, or adding audio narration once you are back home and compiling your memories in a story that tells a narrative.

If you’re wondering if a road trip is right for you and your more mature friends, a few practical measures can help ensure it is fun for everyone:

Steady goes a finely tuned machine
When you were younger, you probably drove through the night to rack up as much mileage as possible. The mature road trip is just as much about the journey as it is about the destination. You and your friends will appreciate a more relaxed pace, which includes resting, eating right and enjoying all the road has to offer.

To make sure you stay on course without any problems, get your vehicle tuned up before you head out. It’s a good idea to change the oil and check the tire pressure and coolant system before you get on the road. If your vehicle is due for some routine maintenance, have it done before you start your trip.

The right vehicle for a memorable trip
Your days of cramming six guys in a small, rusty car are over. A reliable yet fun-to-drive pickup is perfect for your grown-up road trip with the guys. And since your stuff is probably going to be worth more than what you toted around during your college days, be sure to protect it. A lockable roll-up cover, like the tonneau cover line by Access Cover, will keep your belongings protected from the elements – both weather and criminal – while you’re on the road. Plus, a truck bed cover can help improve your vehicle’s gas mileage.

It’s also important to protect your gear and reduce it from shifting all around with a Truck Bed Mat from Access Cover made from marine-grade carpet. Finally, even if your eyes aren’t what they used to be, you can still quickly access all supplies with a Truck Bed LED Light which can be mounted at the front or the rear of the truck bed.

With age comes wisdom to pack smart
As for what to pack, be sure to include an emergency roadside kit, first aid kit and any medications that you regularly need. Bring along a GPS device and your trusty mobile phone so you can stay on track and in touch.

In regard to food and supplies, you might also consider a set of dressier clothes if your dining tastes have matured since your fast-food days, but you’ll also want some comfy clothes for your time spent in the vehicle. Bring a couple pairs of shoes, one dressier and one comfy for walking. And if you’re not as keen on convenience store snacks as perhaps you were when you were younger, you’ll want to pack a small cooler of food and beverages.

Plan ahead for a great trip
Meandering can be fun, but having a plan can be rewarding too, especially when you’re older and prefer to know what to expect. Your taste in destinations has probably matured, so consult with your traveling partners and consider spots that appeal to your current interests and finances.

Has wine tasting become a hobby as you grew older? A tour of wine country may be in order. Perhaps you’ve discovered an interest in history? Consider taking the guys to a civil war re-enactment or to one of the country’s great historic cities. Having a plan doesn’t mean that there won’t be moments of spontaneity, but it will provide you with a good course to follow so everyone can enjoy their time together.

Staying safe and being prepared when traveling is more important than ever for this age group. Here are some special considerations for senior travelers looking for a hassle-free travel experience.

Pack carefully

When packing for a trip, it’s important to be prepared. Some packing essentials include a comfortable pair of shoes, a hat and sunglasses to protect the face, clothing that you can wear in layers and any necessary personal items. Multi-purpose items, such as a scarf, which can also be used as a makeshift beach blanket, are always smart to pack and limit the weight of your suitcase. If you are taking an extended vacation, inquire about laundry options close to where you’ll be staying.

Visit your doctor

As a senior, your health is very important and no one ever wants to get sick or injured on vacation. Schedule a checkup with your doctor before any major trip to discuss the activities you plan to do, and get written prescriptions for any medications you may need. Keep your prescriptions in their original containers so that they can be identified properly. If you plan to travel out of the country, contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for required immunizations.

Get protection

Prepare for the unexpected by purchasing a membership from a travel and medical assistance company before you leave. Senior travelers ages 77 to 85 can purchase a special Mature Membership, which includes services like emergency medical transportation to the hospital of their choice, transportation home, worldwide physician referrals, a 24-hour nurse helpline and emergency travel assistance. The membership also includes pre-travel destination and health information, lost-luggage assistance, worldwide legal assistance and even covers the cost of transporting grandchildren or a traveling companion home if you need to stay in the hospital.

Plan carefully

When planning your trip, stay organized and compile any contact information and travel reservations to keep in a folder to ensure you don’t have any problems. You might also include emergency numbers and family contact information in this folder as well. Whether driving or flying, it’s smart to gather maps ahead of time so you don’t get lost. If you are traveling out of the country, make sure your passport is up to date several months ahead of time as getting a new passport takes time to process.

With a little planning, seniors can travel without worry and enjoy the best of their golden years exploring the world.

Visit travel.senior.com for more travel information.

Renting a villa is really a refreshing alter to staying inside a crowded resort where the only privacy you’ve is within of your area. This is like having your personal private vacation residence to appreciate at a fraction from the price.

This reasonably priced choice to a five-star resort is specifically great for households that need extra space for kids to roam freely that accommodations can not supply. Staying in a personal villa will be the closest you can get to feeling at home when on trip. There is more than enough room for everybody to have their own privacy when they select to. Furthermore, dwelling places in which folks can come together for meals and quality time without strangers being all around.

Discovering low cost villas for hire is as easy as searching online for ones available in locations you want to ebook a vacation to pay a visit to. If you might be considering a few trip destinations acquire your time in choosing. Preparing your trip ought to be stress free and fun. Most journey sites that function this type of lodging choice supply Web site visitors with color pictures with the home so they will get a real feel of what they’re renting. A total record of lodging which includes providers will aid you select the proper villa to guide primarily based on your personal needs.

All that’s left to suit your needs to do is to determine on exactly where you would like to go. It has never been less difficult to discover a great cope simply because the Internet has produced it feasible to shop many journey websites rapidly and with confidence. When narrowing down your list of low-cost villas to ebook ask about any special reductions they might have or final minute travel offers if you might be preparing a spur with the moment getaway. Saving funds on trip expenses is often an added bonus to enjoying a trip. 

In booking your hotels, strive to search for a reputable one that offers one thing with regard to wine tasting and tours. You must recognize that it is a fact that some hotels will arrange free tours for their guests. They are doing this since it’s one in every of the key reasons folks from around the planet visit the place, for the wine and also the tours. Some hotels could even offer vouchers as either passes to certain types of tours, or can represent as a discount. Furthermore, there are certain hotels that may supply in-house wine tasting events. This could return as a free event for individuals who booked the hotel earlier. It is best then that you select your hotel well, so that your tour will be price it.

Another method to get pleasure from the wine tours either for free or for discounted prices is to scan a range of magazines. The magazines you ought to scan are those that pertain to wine tours or tasting. These magazines will be found on retail stores or maybe in your hotel. Specialize in the wine ads, and examine them closely. Some ads coming from magazines are really vouchers that you can use to induce discounts or free passes to completely different types of wine tours and tasting. Cut them out therefore that you can use them within the future.

After you arrive at Napa Valley, check where you’ll obtain a Wine Tasting Card. This card sometimes prices below $20. Such a card will be accepted by bound wineries. With their acceptance, it means that you’ll either get some discounts as a result of of your card, or a free tour. Compared to the value of the tours, acquiring this card is such a sensible approach of having the ability to avoid wasting some money in your trip to Napa.

Follow these easy tips so that you may be ready to save lots of your money and still be able to participate in Napa Valley wine country tours. Book your hotel soon so that you’ll be savoring the style of the wines soon enough.