BERKELEY, CA –Backroads, a leading active travel company, has just introduced a slew of spring break trips for the whole family, ranging from Florida’s Key West and the Everglades to Hawaii’s Big Island, Costa Rica, Palm Springs and beyond. The all-inclusive family adventures offer a perfect blend of activity choices for all ages including biking, hiking, kayaking, cultural exploration, great food and unlimited opportunities for adventure.
Backroads makes traveling easy for families by handling all of the planning and logistics and making booking a breeze. Families traveling with Backroads find it easier to engage with the destination, with everything taken care of, there is less family tension and as kids unplug from their electronics opportunities for interaction abound. Each itinerary balances quality time together and apart, with welcome opportunities for everyone to take a break and recharge—usually impossible on a family vacation.
“Spring break is an ideal time to embark on a family adventure. Many of our destinations are not as crowded as in the summer and the school break is a welcome respite for busy kids and their parents,” said Backroads Founder and President, Tom Hale. “Because we take care of all the details, families can fully relax and enjoy their time together, and even book last minute knowing we have reservations at the popular hotspots.”
Some of the most popular family trips planned for spring break 2016 include:
California’s Palm Springs & Joshua Tree Bike Tour (new in 2016), March 28-31:
Bike on quiet roads amid gravity-defying rock formations and Joshua trees, rock climbing, pool time at luxury hotels, bird watching, hiking and more.
(www.backroads.com/trips/BPJIF/palm-springs-joshua-tree-bike-tour)
Everglades to Key West Family Multisport Adventure Tour (March 6-11, March 20-25, March 27 – April 1): Winter sunshine in America’s Caribbean – biking, walking & hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat rides, history, culture and relaxation
Hawaii’s Big Island Family Multisport Adventure Tour (March 13-18, March 20-25, March 27-April 1, April 3-8): Big-Time Fun on the Big Island from Coast to Crater
Costa Rica Family Multisport Adventure Tour (Family Breakaway and Family departures), April 4-8: From Arenal Volcano to the Pristine Pacific Coast
Santa Barbara & Ojai Valley Family Bike Tour (April 4-8): Rolling Waves and Rolling Hills on California’s Coast
Ecuador: Galapagos & Andes Multisport Adventure Tour (March 20-27):Ancient Culture & Wondrous Wildlife in Ecuador’s Islands & Highlands
Caribbean Family Adventure Multisport Tour (new in 2016), March 21-26 and April 4-9: Beaches, Rain Forest and Volcanoes on Nevis & St. Kitts
(www.backroads.com/trips/MCBIF/caribbean-biking-hiking-tour)
Argentina’s Lake District Family Multisport Adventure Tour (new in 2016), March 20-27: National Parks & Epicurean Delights in Patagonia
(www.backroads.com/trips/MARIF/argentina-patagonia-biking-family-tour)
Belize and Guatemala Family Multisport Adventure Tour (March 13-19, March 20-26, March 27- April 2): Jungles, Maya Temples & The Barrier Reef
More information about Backroads’ family adventures is at www.backroads.com/award-winning-tours/family.
Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been in business for more than 37 years. The company hosts thousands of guests, 80% of whom are repeat guests or referrals from past guests, in hundreds of locations across the globe. Backroads was named one of the top 100 places to work by Outside magazine in 2015, and is a founding member of the Adventure Collection. For more information, visit www.backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.
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Celestial Centennial and MarsFest Symposium, April 8 – 10 in Death Valley National Park
DEATH VALLEY –For decades, the remarkable terrain of Death Valley has been one of scientists’ favorite stand-ins for Mars due to its arid climate and unique geology: Death Valley. Now the public has a chance to explore the region’s alien-like landscape and experience what life on Mars might be like with the Celestial Centennial and MarsFest Symposium 2016, a three-day, free public festival that will be held April 8-10, 2016 in Death Valley National Park.
The Celestial Centennial and MarsFest Symposium is a night sky and space festival that brings together educators, scientists, the public and National Park enthusiasts looking to learn more about Earth, Mars and the rest of the solar system. Participants will enjoy guided field trips to Death Valley’s rugged, otherworldly terrain that serves as researching and testing sites for places on Mars, such as Mars Hill, the Ubehebe Crater, and Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America. Other weekend events include panel discussions and lectures about current research and exploration; a Day Time Expo for visitors to experience what is happening in the cosmos; a Night Time Expo complete with telescopes to view the universe and beyond; a campfire program and stargazing event; and numerous family-friendly, hands-on events and activities.
The Celestial Centennial and MarsFest Symposium is hosted by the SETI Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Astrobiology Institute, National Park Service and Death Valley Natural History Association. Visitors of all ages are invited to attend, with more information, a schedule of events, and details on how to register is at www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/celestial-centennial.htm.
With Celestial Centennial and MarsFest events centered around Furnace Creek, the ideal place to stay is the oasis at Furnace Creek Resort, including the family-friendly Ranch at Furnace Creek, with its towering palm trees and true oasis atmosphere situated on the desert floor, and the more sophisticated and refined Inn at Furnace Creek. Fed by natural spring waters, The Ranch boasts a large pool, golf course (the lowest on Earth), post office, general store, casual dining restaurants, horseback riding and 224 rooms.
The romantic, historic AAA Four Diamond, Inn at Furnace Creek, nestled into the mountainside where the spring bubbles forth, was built in the late 1920s by the Borax Company (a member of Historic Hotels of America, historichotels.org). It features 66 elegant rooms, fine dining, verandas with sweeping views of Death Valley, opulent gardens, a stunning spring-fed pool, tennis courts and pool-side massages.
Rates begin at $239 for The Ranch and $449 for The Inn, are subject to availability and do not include taxes and resort fees.
Furnace Creek Resort is two hours west of Las Vegas by car and a four-hour drive from Los Angeles.
For additional information, call 800-236-7916 or visit www.furnacecreekresort.com.
