Part one: “Family Travel for Real Life” Worked! Time to plan #FT4RL 2…
Travel with kids is not only possible, but necessary. By sharing the world with our children, we expand both their minds and our own, creating a lifetime’s worth of wonder that can come no other way.
I’m happy to report FT4RL went better than I could have imagined. The speakers brought incredibly diverse experiences to the table from chicken buses in Guatemala to (gah!) first class to the Maldives. We had an engaged group of guests, everyone had great feedback about the sessions, and most importantly we all left with both concrete tips to use in our travels and a network of new friends to help us share ideas.
I can’t thank Shawn, Jason, Phil, Susan, and Debra enough for their generous donations of time and knowledge.
Hat tip goes to Dan for live blogging FT4RL so I don’t have to do a detailed recap! You’ll get a real flavor of the sessions by checking out his posts.
My favorite part of FT4RL wasn’t the sessions, though, as fun and informative as they were. My favorite part of the event, as it’s “Mom”, was watching the room fly on it’s own. We’ve all been to events where the vibe was just “dead”, and it’s always a fear when you have a party that people won’t gel. I knew before we even started that FT4RL was going to work because the guests quickly got to know each other and by the time afternoon break rolled around, I had trouble getting everyone back to their seats for the last session!
The event officially ended up at 5, but we were in the room until 6:30 until we rolled the party over the bar, then closed it down. THAT’s the sign of a good event!
This makes me happy.
Will you be at FT4RL2? Please share any ideas about timing and location in the comments and I’ll get a poll up in a few days.
PS: Shout to the Hyatt House Dulles Airport for hosting. The hotel universally got high marks, even for the food (which can be hit or miss at a hotel event). We all raved over the desserts…the cupcakes were straight out of a gourmet bakery! If you have an event to plan in the DC Metro area, definitely reach out to Heba and Terrell in the sales department.
Part two: Speakers Announced, Early Bird Tickets $59
I’m thrilled to announce that the 2nd “Family Travel for Real Life” conference will be held on March 7, 2015 at the Hyatt House Center City in Charlotte, NC. Registration will begin at 9AM and sessions will run from 9:30-5:00 with a lunch and afternoon snack break included in admission. Ticket info here.
One of the strengths of FT4RL 1 was the group of vibrant, diverse, and passionate speakers on the subject of family travel. That diversity continues as over half the panel this time contains new speakers, and every session will present new topics. Another strength is affordability: general admission tickets are $69 and a limited number of early bird tickets are available at $59.
Our Panel:
Phil from Miles Abound on Current Events and Sweet Spots in Miles and Points
Kenny from Miles4More on National Parks and Destination Ideas Off the Beaten Path for Families (and how to get to them with awards)
Bonnie from Frugal Travel Lawyer on the New Frontier (Airlines): Southwest, Jetblue, and the rest of the game changers
Shawn from Miles to Memories on Immersive travel: family adventures, educational experiences, and ways to give back
Leslie from Trips with Tykes on Disney: Mastering the International Houses of Mickey
FT4RL is the first seminar for frequent travelers (and those who wish to be) specifically tailored to the needs of families. Created by Dia Adams, who writes the family travel blog The Deal Mommy, FT4RL brings together a community of travelers with experts in various aspects of family travel to teach and, more importantly, to learn from each other. The event fills a giant hole in travel advice for families, which tends to swing from “Sleeping at your in-laws house is a great vacation” to “Fly your baby in First Class or stay home”.
If you’ve never stayed at a Hyatt House, you’re in for a treat! All rooms are full suites and breakfast is complimentary and includes fresh omelettes. I’ll definitely be there Friday and Saturday nights and will be happy to co-ordinate a dinner or happy hour. Charlotte has lots of family friendly attractions if you want to make a weekend of it. There’s also a Charlotte Hornets NBA game on the evening of March 6th at the arena right next door.
The Hyatt House has offered us a group rate of $139 for the 5-8th of March. Code is G-FTRL. No need to have a car as there’s an express bus from the airport for $2 and downtown attractions are all nearby.
Part three: Some Thoughts on #FT4RL 2
efore I head home from my little party, I just wanted to share a few take-aways about the actual event. I have some definite action items I learned and will share them later. The speakers, our honorary secretary, and perhaps some of the guests will also share their views over the next few days and I’ll compile them for you as well. In no particular order:
Family Travel is a shared passion. How you travel with kids isn’t nearly as important as the mere fact that you travel with kids! Each speaker could not have been more different from another- by design. We talked about First Class on Asian Airlines and Southwest. We chatted about Hyatt Suites and Mongolian Gers. We shared stories about infants and grandkids. And Disney…lots of Disney!
When kids travel, it shows. A few of the guests brought their kids for the weekend. I’m convinced their comfort in conversation and natural curiosity is a direct result of their travel experience.
When planning an event, try to lean in. People kept asking me about my stress level. Besides the weather (which did have me sweating many arrivals), the logistics didn’t stress me this time. Any bumps along the way smoothed out…or I just rode over them. Guests provide the experience and the camaraderie. All you do is set the stage.
When you host an event, you invite guests into your home. Treat them as such. Guests are doing YOU a privilege by spending their valuable time and money on your event. Let them know you get it!
Don’t get too married to your original vision. I expected FT4RL to appeal to beginners and while we’ve had a few, we also have guests with extensive knowledge join the tribe. FT4RL is so much richer with them.
My baby has toddled in a direction I didn’t originally see. I’m thrilled with where it goes.
Thanks so much to those who joined me in Charlotte. Hope to see you at #3!
Part four: FT4RL Recap of Recaps and Spitballing #3
This post is a quick round-up of the presentations and various reviews of Family Travel for Real Life that speakers and guests have been kind enough to post. If I’ve missed yours, please let me know.
To get a feel for the event, check out the Twitter feed and podcast.
Dan at Points with a Crew once again volunteered to live blog the events and his recap links to each session.
Other speaker and guest reviews include ones by Chasing the Points, Carolina Travel Girl, Trips with Tykes, Miles to Memories,As The Joe Flies the jaw-dropping Miles4more and of course my own thoughts.
UPDATED: FT4RL 3 will be 10/24 in Suburban DC. Details here!
I’m also brainstorming ideas for #3 and welcome your input. So far I’m considering October 24th or November 7th as tentative dates. It seems the right balance: after school start mayhem but before the holidays and (hopefully) snow. The following locations popped into my head for various reasons:
- Fort Lauderdale or Miami (easy transport, lots to do)
- Downtown Philadelphia, Baltimore or Pittsburgh (3 under-rated cities I love)
- DC, but this time on the metro. I loved the Hyatt House Dulles but know it was isolated.
- Dallas or Houston (lower on my list just due to lack of knowledge of the area)
Please share your thoughts in the comments or just tag me on Twitter. I’m also throwing out a wide net for speakers. If you have an interesting family travel story to share, please let me know.
