by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
It's been a weird school year for students and their families. Understatement.
 
With graduations just around the bend, finding the right kind of celebration to honor your favorite student, is particularly challenging amid the lingering pandemic. The upside is that people are getting vaccinated, and travel is becoming safer. With this in mind, here are a few ways to celebrate this year's graduation, which may mean making up for lost time or finding a reason to get the whole multigenerational family together.
 
For lasting impact and memories that will last a lifetime - hands down, the answer is travel – whether you're celebrating a graduation or just need to get the family together.
 
5 Family Travel Ideas to Celebrate a Graduation
 
1. Rent a house or villa
Not quite ready to step into a full return to post-COVID activities? Villas and house rentals are very popular this year. Some have minimum-length stays; others allow you to stay for a quick weekend, an extended weekend or longer immersion. Suites at hotels that provide deep sanitized cleaning between guests add a layer of safety. Get an exclusive package at Tranquility Bay in the Florida Keys: like a 3-bedroom waterfront beach house with full kitchen, living room, oceanfront patio, laundry facilities, three swimming pools, mini-golf, snorkeling and family activities on premises, close to restaurants, fishing boats, bicycling and more.
 
2. All-Inclusive resort
There's something for everyone of any age. The kids can enjoy a sailing lesson while parents try the stand-up paddle boards, and grandparents relax poolside after a morning yoga class. Gather for meals and excursions at an all-inclusive that matches your family's personality. ClubMed has new locations with larger family accommodations and optional activities all day long. Hotel Xcaret, in Mexico near Tulum, includes zip lining, water parks and the famed Xcaret eco-park.
 
3. Walking tours
Create your own private guided group or choose a self-guided option, complete with maps and local assistance if you need it. Whichever you choose, your breakfast and dinner will be included (with recommended lunch options for self-guided trips.) Luggage is transported every morning to your next destination at an authentic boutique hotel or B&B. What a fantastic way to spend family time together outdoors. Itineraries are available within the US and abroad with Easy, Moderate and Challenging levels.
 
4. Boat
Spend a week with your family on a private catamaran, which sails flatter than a monohull. Choose to have a captain and cook, so you are completely free to do as much or as little as you want. Pull up on beaches to explore villages, cultural sites or local culinary adventures.. Bahamas and Virgin Islands are popular destinations for ideal weather and crystal clear turquoise waters.
 
5. Road trip Pack the car, fill the cooler and head out. There's no telling if Americans will be able to cross the Canadian border this summer, pending COVID-restrictions. Explore Maine with its coastal communities, islands, or inland lakes and rivers (family rafting!). Or head down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Smokey Mountains, filled with opportunities for outdoor exploration. If you have more time, Add Nashville for a diverse music and food scene - and a must-do experience at the Grand Ole Opry. This summer is expected to be very busy at the National Parks, so book as early as you can. Maybe this is the summer to get a bike rack and head to the Finger Lakes. Not in shape for the hills? No worries - ebikes are readily available at rental shops. You might also consider a fly-drive experience, or renting a camper. Campers and RVs have gone upscale since COVID scared people away from hotels.
 
As with all travel plans mid- and post-pandemic, it's very important to understand the cancellation policies of any hotels, airlines and travel vendors you choose. An informed travel advisor can help navigate these changing conditions and provide peace of mind should your travel plans need to change. Need help planning your family getaway? Call 860-399-0191 or email [email protected]. Initial consultations are always free.

by Marcia Simon
 
By industry standards, the North Fork of Long Island is still in its winemaking infancy. The region's viticulture reputation has been steadily on the rise since 1973 when its first commercial grape vines were planted. The region now boasts about 55 wineries and vineyards.
 
Unlike Connecticut, where driving takes all day to follow the wine trail from Stonington to Litchfield, a 25-mile span along eastern Long island's north coast allows for easy stops for tastings, picnicking and musical entertainment in season. During a COVID-winter, the scene is surely different and very quiet mid-week, which is attractive to people more interested in the wines themselves. It's a quick getaway that is as COVID-safe as you make it.
 
The North Fork is as laid back as Long Island gets. Its popularity as a destination is growing as the quality of its wines and oysters are added to restaurant menus across the country. This unpretentious east end of Long Island is less than 100 miles from New York City, and less than 90 minutes with a car on the Cross Sound Ferry from New London to Orient Point.
 
The water, air and soil trifecta
Surrounded by Long Island Sound, the Peconic Bay and salt water from the Atlantic Ocean, the North Fork is buffered from both warm and cold fronts. This unique climate protects grapes through a long growing season and gives winemakers more control over their harvests; they can pick their fruits at peak times for ripeness.
 
The region's most popular varietals include Bordeaux-style reds – Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec from which winemakers create their signature blends.
 
Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are popular whites, but even more inviting than a soft white is a glass of North Fork Rosé or Gewürztraminer, which many think of as sweet wines, but after tasting a few, it's safe to say that many are refreshingly light and dry.
 
My two travel companions and I enjoyed tasting flights at multiple vineyards during a January road trip along Routes 25 and 48 between the towns of Peconic and Jamesport. We visited the grounds of several others, too to get a feel for their upcoming in-season outdoor scene and COVID-safety.
 
Featured Vineyards
Starting at Pellegrini Vineyards in Cutchogue, we were the only tasters at 12 noon. We tried four varietals and surprisingly preferred the easy-drinking, dry 2019 Rosé. Pellegrini's tasting room mixes old world charm with modern open space and technology. Guests are welcome to walk over to the adjacent building to view the stainless steel fermentation tanks, behind glass walls, used in the winemaking process. Pellegrini's winemaker is Zander Hargrave, son of Alex and Louisa Hargrave who were pioneers of the North Fork wine industry with their vines back in 1973.

The largest of all the Long Island vineyards is Pindar Vineyards in Peconic, This family owned-and-operated vineyard is run by siblings Pindar, Alexander and Alethea Damianos. A fourth sibling, Jason, was an integral part of the family operation, too, and later opened Jason's Vineyard in Jamesport. An unfortunate car accident took Jason's life in 2015, and the Damianos family now operates Jason's as well as Duck Walk in Southold, which their father acquired in 1994. Remembering a blueberry port wine I tasted years ago at Duck Walk Vineyards, my travel companions and I stopped in to try it again. We also tried their Boysenberry Fruit Wine, which is not a port, but a very tasty after-meal sipper.
 
The family patriarch, Dr. Herodotus Damianos, known as Dr. Dan, was an internal medicine physician by profession when his winemaking vision led him to purchase 36 acres of potato farmland in 1979 on which he planted his first Chardonnay grapes from California vines. Today, Pindar's 500 acres yield 17 varieties of grapes and more than 70,000 cases of wine every year. As large as it is, Pindar Vineyards' comfortable atmosphere provides a warm  environment for tasting their popular reds such as Cabernet Franc, Pythagoras. We particularly enjoyed their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve and Cabernet port.
 
Pindar is among the pioneering vineyards of the North Fork sustainable wine movement away from chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Their massive composting operation combines lawn clippings from dozens of local landscapers, fish parts from a local seafood wholesaler, and their own grape skins. Tons of this rich organic compost is spread over the vineyard's sandy soil to enrich the grapes.
 
COVID-19 Precautions
Although some Vineyards are closed for winter, or operate on limited hours during the pandemic, the wineries we visited all took their safety precautions very seriously. Some offer tastings by reservation only; others accept drop ins, with occupancy limits.
 
Mid-week in January, the tasting rooms were practically, and sometimes literally, empty; we felt very COVID-safe the entire time. Visitor traffic picks up on weekends, we were told, so mid-week is advantageous. Masks are required everywhere to keep staff and visitors safe.
 
Travelers who want to venture out with their bubble (up to six people) before the crowds return for spring season can rent one of the Bergen Road Bungalows at Macari Vineyards. These private, cozy heated tents provide your group with four hours of relaxed tastings from the selection of flagship Macari wines paired with a locally prepared gourmet lunch overlooking the grape vines on this 180-acre vineyard.
 
An Overnight Delight
After tasting wines at four vineyards, we were ready to check in to the Sound View Hotel in Greenport, three miles west of the village, and a short ride from most vineyards. Arriving before sunset, we watched the sky's changing colors from the deck of our room.
 
If you didn't know its story, you'd drive by Sound View, thinking this is still a 50s-era roadside motel. Now owned by Eagle Point Hotel Partners, renovations began a few years ago and are ongoing. Simple, rustic and modern all at the same time, this hotel feels beachy and upscale at the same time. All rooms provide waterfront views of Long Island Sound. It's so close to the water that you might get sea spray on your windows during a storm.
 
The hotel's Halyard Restaurant had limited winter pandemic hours. However, the to-go menu includes plenty of tempting items available for room delivery. From chowder to chili, turkey-bacon wraps to fish and chips, local sea scallops, salads and a kids' menu.

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR

A trip to the supermarket triggers anxiety, but looking at photos of Caribbean beaches and crystal clear blue waters makes me want to hop a plane and wiggle my toes under a pile of warm golden sand.
 
How safe is travel at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to soar? We're all tired of COVID; this is not the time to let down your guard. The question is whether or not it is possible to travel safely.
 
A lot depends on your personal situation, when you want to travel, and how important the trip is. Do you have a compromised immune system due to a medical condition or age? Are you the primary caregiver for a family member? Would you lose needed income if you were unable to work for a month due to illness or quarantine before you could get back to your job?

On the other hand, airlines, airports and hotels appear to be taking every precaution to maintain a clean, sterile, safe environment. And not just for travelers; they are equally concerned about the health of their employees.
 
Not all destinations provide the same level of protection. Many hotels have reduced occupancy limits, so expect fewer guests. Along with that, anticipate fewer dining choices at resorts known for numerous culinary experiences. Buffets are gone. Masks are required in all public spaces; guidelines vary at pools and on beaches. And assume that nighttime entertainment will be minimized, too. Don’t expect an early check in. It takes longer to sanitize rooms and deep-clean the areas. Most hotels are not cleaning rooms on a daily basis either, so you'll need to make your own bed and clean up after yourself from check-in to check-out, depending on the length of stay. Ask the hotel before you book what their policy is about room occupancy and cleaning.
 
Destinations outside the US approach entry requirements in different ways. Some mandate proof of a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of arrival. Some require proof of health insurance that covers you while in their country. Rules may change from the time you book your trip and the time you actually travel.
 
Insuring Your Safety
Aside from protection against lost luggage, accidents and trip interruptions, "Cancel For Any Reason" insurance is a no-brainer today, whether you're booking a trip for next month or two years from now. But not all policies are the same. Some allow you to cancel up to 24 hours before your trip with 100 percent cash refund. Many resorts now include cancellation insurance at no additional cost, giving you a credit for future travel rather than a clean refund. Some policies exclude medical care due to COVID, so make sure you understand the policy to assure you are actually purchasing what you think you are. Insuring your trip is probably more important now than ever before.
 
So, is it okay to travel?
The answer lies in diligence. If you expect to get away so you can escape the coronavirus, forget that thought. It's not possible now.
 
Are you willing to mask up and revise your expectations so you can feel a warm breeze on your back, and close your eyes on a lounger submerged in an infinity pool overlooking the most amazingly blue ocean you've ever seen in your life? Run on the beach? Enjoy a fine wine or ice cold beer with the sound of island music as the sun goes down? Would you be happy eating some meals, delivered by room service, on your oceanfront balcony instead of in a dining room?
 
Hunkering down at home to minimize the risk of leisure travel during a pandemic that can literally kill you makes perfect sense, at least until you've received the two-step vaccine in its entirety. And yet, many people are determined to go and are willing to take the risk if they have already experienced and recovered from COVID-19 and have been shown through testing to carry antibodies, which may offer protection to some degree to themselves if not to others.  The waters of COVID are uncharted. Nobody knows anything with certainty.
 
For those who choose to travel by plane during the pandemic, follow these recommendations from Friendly Group Travel in Westbrook, Connecticut to maximize safety:
 
1. Choose nonstop flights to reduce exposure to people and surfaces at multiple locations.
2. Pay for an assigned seat and choose a window on the left side of the plane, away from the restroom area. Window seats generally expose you to less contact with other passengers. The left side of the plane usually disembarks more quickly than the right.
3. If at all possible, avoid a checked bag and go with carry-on only. Some airlines have tightened requirements for carry-on sizes to reduce the time passengers juggle carry-on luggage in and out of overhead bins. Confirm this beforehand so you can pack accordingly.
4. Use private ground transportation from the airport to your hotel (some hotels include this now at no additional cost) rather than a shared shuttle.
5. Get "Cancel for Any Reason" (CFAR) insurance at the time you book your trip. Your circumstances may change, or you may become less comfortable about travel as the date gets closer.
6. Check your hotel's policies on occupancy limits, how and how often they clean guest rooms, how long they wait to fill a room between guests and whether room service charges are waived if you decide to eat in your room.
7. This is not a time to look for bargain hotels. Prioritize comfort and safety. Many of the larger hotel chains have trusted safety protocols and sanitation standards you can find on their websites.