Packing up the car for a getaway with the family doesn’t have to mean armloads of bedding and a feeling that you’re going to be more exhausted when you come back than you were when you left. There is no reason why a family holiday should mean sacrificing luxury, the hallmark of a great vacation.  Where are the best places to go for a NSW family looking for action and entertainment for the kids and the chance for relaxation for the parents? Whether you’re looking for a hands-on down-on-the-farm country experience, a holiday park, a beach resort or an adventure experience with a difference – here are the best getaways which don’t skimp on the special things in life while providing everything a family needs to enjoy themselves and build memories to cherish for a lifetime.

 Hanericka Farmstay  

Farmstay holidays are getting more and more popular, especially with city dwelling families who want to get away from the hectic pace and give their kids a taste of the real country. On a farmstay holiday, children get the chance to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into the real farming lifestyle, laying down impressions and memories for years to come.

Mid way between Sydney and Melbourne, in the heart of Australia’s wheat, sheep and cattle country, this award-winning sixth-generation farm generously opens its doors to families, providing a top quality farm stay with a difference. In the Full Farm package, families are invited to participate in the everyday life of the farm, helping with farm chores, feeding and caring for the animals, chopping wood, bagging wheat from a silo, washing out pig pens, fencing, collecting eggs, catching yabbies, marking lambs and riding on the back of a farm ute or horse.

But life on the land doesn’t mean a lack of luxury here. Comfort and attention to detail put this farm stay above the rest. All rooms are ensuite, with expansive views of the fields, and have heaters and electric blankets in the winter and air-conditioning in the summer. There are also an in-ground swimming pool, two tennis courts and table tennis, a cubby house, swings, soccer field and a farm/folk museum. No one goes hungry at Hanericka – meals are lovingly cooked and include hot-cooked breakfasts, tea and scones, picnic, BBQs, bonfires with billy tea, damper and marshmallows. All these special touches combine to create an unforgettable family holiday.

Ocean Beach Holiday Park  

If you are after a family beach holiday, look no further than the Ocean Beach Holiday Park. Located on the idyllic Umina Beach on the NSW Central Coast, this award-winning beach resort provides something for every member of the family, whether you are after a total unwind and relax or heaps of fun and activity.

The beach is surrounded by Bushland and The Brisbane Water National Park so there is plenty of opportunity to get out and enjoy a stunning tramp in the wild. Children are well entertained by the giant jumping pillows, adventure playground, and game room. An official activities programme is run every day by the Kidz Korner, allowing parents the chance for a relaxing swim in the heated resort pool or a stroll on the beach.

There’s a range of accommodation choice depending on the level of luxury you’re after. You can glamp it up in the Safari Palm Treehouses, providing all the fun of camping but with added luxury touches or go for one of the self-contained 2 or 3 bedroom cabins, all containing a spa.

If you have your own camping facility you can enjoy a plot on one of the large range of manicured caravan, RV and camping sites, some of which overlook the beach.

Situated within the protection of Broken Bay at the southern end of the picturesque Central Coast, Ocean Beach is also a short drive to the Australian Reptile Park and Glenworth Valley Adventure Activities, providing plenty of local entertainment for the family!

Roar & Snore – Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Roar & Snore at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo certainly is, as it describes itself, the ultimate sleepover. This is a totally unique opportunity to stay overnight on a zoo – literally, camping among the animals.

All kids love Taronga Zoo!

Roar & Snore is a fully hosted experience that includes architecturally designed tents, complete with a lavish roast feast, drinks in the main tent and close up encounters with the animals.  One side of the campsite has views of the iconic Sydney Harbour and on the other, lions, snow leopards and meerkats.

What an adventure to fall asleep to the sound of an animal’s growl and to wake to the trumpet of an elephant.  After a delicious breakfast, there is a chance to shower while enjoying the world famous views and then to enjoy the zoo experience before the crowds arrive. With a chance to feed and pet some of the amazing animals, this is an experience that offers heaps of photo-moments and will fill the heads of every member of the family with unforgettable memories.

Peppers Salt Resort and Spa Kingscliffe

If you’re looking for a mix of a lazy holiday in a luxury setting mixed with more active periods, this ultimate beach resort in beautiful Kingscliffe is a must.  Twenty minutes’ south of the Gold Coast airport and 30 minutes’ drive from Byron Bay, the resort boasts lagoon style pools and a world class spa.  When you get tired of relaxing poolside, you have the option of a stroll down to the patrolled Kingscliffe Beach, a bush walk through World Heritage listed National Parks or a bike ride through the beautiful surrounds of the Northern coast of new South Wales.

All resort rooms have private balconies and some are located around the secluded rock pools.  The rooms and suites are spacious and equipped to a high standard with (varying according to room type) kitchens, mini bar, lounges and patios. All rooms have broadband access and cable TV. Those extra facilities that make all the difference are all there; including babysitting and child minding, bike hire, car rental and limousine service and a 24 hour reception.

Ghostriders Vineyward Lodge, Hunter Valley

If you have a large group to cater for – maybe an extended family get-together – this exceptional holiday home, nestled in the middle of its own boutique vineyard in the Hunter Valley wine country is surely the place to do it. This state of the art, luxury property was completed in 2011 and boast spectacular views from every window of the vineyards, the Broken Back mountain ranges and the spectacular countryside. It’s ideal for groups of up to ten people and is totally private. You’ll be staying on your own 12 acres and the only neighbours you are likely to spot are the kangaroos who come regularly leaping through.

Centrally located in Pokolbin with its boutique wineries, cafes and restaurants, it is also minutes away from all the Hunter valley attractions such as horse riding and golf. The estate itself is beautiful for taking long walks on or picnicking by the dams.  The accommodation and location make it an ideal adult retreat for groups of friends, couples and corporate events.  An important word of warning – the property is not suitable for small children (infants excluded) due to the proximity of the unfenced dam.  No pets either. Overall, an ideal place to get away from it in a stunning setting.

Guest author, Carla C. Burton, is a self-employed Travel and Hospitality writer with a BBA in Business Administration from Bond University.  Although a Gold Coast native, Carla moved to Melbourne in 2008 to further her writing career in the Travel industry. 

Melbourne

Melbourne is one of the most culturally significant of Australia’s major cities, with cultural endeavours spanning major events and festivals, drama, musicals, comedy, music, art, architecture, literature, film and television. All year round this vibrant city celebrates a wide variety of cultural events and festivals of all types, including Australia’s largest free community festival—Moomba, the Melbourne International Arts Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia

This is a must-see for animal lovers and children will love seeing some of their favourite furry friends in their natural habitats. Among the more common species are dingoes, Antilopine Kangaroos, Black Wallaroos, and Short-eared Rock Wallabies. Smaller common mammals including brown bandicoots, black-footed tree-rats and brown fruit bats and if you are very lucky, you might even spot a Dugong, a species like a manatee, in the coastal waters.

For an extra bit of ‘bite’ for your trip, there are also two species of crocodile found in Kakadu – the Freshwater Crocodile and the Estuarine, or Saltwater Crocodile. You can also visit the sites of original Aboriginal rock paintings of Mimi spirits in the Anbangbang gallery at Nourlangie Rock.

Great Otway National Park

Cape Otway is a great place for kids

The park is a popular area for both home-grown and international tourists, with companies operating tours across the region. The park includes three camping areas at Johanna, Aire River and Blanket Bay and is the perfect place to spend a few days out in the fresh air with your family. The Cape Otway Lighthouse is adjacent to the park and is open to tourists throughout the week, while the park and the Aire River camp ground are home to a significant koala population. It has also been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports populations of Rufous Bristlebirds, Striated Fieldwrens and Pink Robins, as well as numerous other species.

Indian Pacific

The fantastic train journey leaves Sydney and travels all the way across this amazing continent before arriving at East Perth. Travelling via Adelaide, the Indian Pacific covers 4,352 km (2,704 miles) through some of Australia’s most breathtaking country. East coast to the west, you and your family can immerse yourself in some of Australia’s most beautiful and unspoiled landscapes, from the incredible Blue Mountains to the open wilderness of the Nullarbor.

Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown on the South Island of New Zealand

Lake Wakatipu is an amazing place to visit and is a habitat for a number of fish species, including the longfin eel, brown trout, salmon and rainbow trout. These and other fish support predators such as the pied shag and the Black-billed Gull which can also be spotted at certain times of the year. And for all you movie buffs, Lake Wakatipu was also a backdrop for several scenes in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, including the battle at Amon Hen.

Australia has some amazing sights to see for you and your family and can make your vacation one of the most incredible experiences of your lives. Just make sure you keep you and your loved ones safe before you travel by getting the right travel insurance. Shop around and try great websites such as Budget Direct to find the right travel insurance for you and your family.

Experienced freelance writer, Lara Anderson, wrote this article. Lara specialises in providing travel advice for families who are looking to explore Australia.

There’s that strange age in kids where they osculate between childish things, and grown up ones. It’s a tough time to celebrate birthdays because you are never quite sure what’s in and what’s not.

A different dining experience makes memories

I guess the good news is kids just want to feel special and have the occasion marked with something, so you can’t go far wrong. The bad news is, they are going to compare their birthday with that of their friends, and you want it to be a positive comparison.

Teen birthdays are special at this fairy land in Brisbane

My advice for this situation is threefold:

• Firstly, choose experiences rather than expensive gifts… the memories will last a lifetime. If you are stuck for ideas, check out www.kidswelcome.com.au.
• Firstly, choose something different, so it can’t be compared, and it will be remembered for a long time.
• Secondly, have a brainstorming session with your teen and see what comes out of it, before running ahead following your own agenda.

I took my own advice when Amber turned 13 this year and what transpired was the best birthday ever (apparently!). I was surprised when I asked what she’s like to do. Amber remembered going to a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant when her grandmother turned 80, and really wanted to do it again.  So, we made a night of it. Four of us (my best friend and hers) dressed up and drove to Brisbane for dinner. We started with a fancy coke at Cloudland, which is rather like grown up fairy world… then enjoyed the entertainment of having our food thrown at us… add a walk through China Town and sleeping in the car on the way home (it was a school night, after all!), and the night was a roaring success.

We are one of those families, if you hadn’t gathered, that live for our camping getaways. Imagine our disappointment, then, when this weekend’s anticipated adventure with our Happy Camper gang was dashed by Queensland’s ‘liquid sunshine’. Island fever; Gone Tropo; stir crazy: all descriptive terms which applied.

Wet weather gatherings are just as fun

All was not lost and a little house camping ensued. Our group of 10 Happy Campers descended on one house with sleeping bags, mats and toilet kits in hand.  Every available floor space was reserved and the living room took the place of the campfire. We even dragged out a few camping chairs for authenticity!

Now, when we go camping electronic devices are left in the car and the board games come out. This weekend we started with a bit of Trivial Pursuit, followed by communal Sudoku (getting harder as the weekend progress until we even tried an ‘evil’ puzzle). Throw in a few beers and a pot-luck Mexican feast and you can imagine what a success house camping turned out to be.

I would love to say the electronics remained dormant and, for the most part they did. Singstar did rear its head for a while, as the evening progressed. The kids opted for modern songs and adults time-warped back to the 80s. The generation gap dissolved into fits of laughter throughout.

Looking at the forecast today, it doesn’t look like the Sunshine Coast’s wet season is likely to end any time soon… maybe more House camping this weekend?

Taking children on a road trip is a brave decision, and reduces most parents to nervous quivering wrecks. However, we’re here to prove it doesn’t have to be a stressful task if treated with military precision.

We’ve helpfully compiled all of the top tips and tricks for keeping your little ones amused, whatever their age.

 The Traditional Stuff

The oldies are the always the best and a colouring book and pencils still goes down a treat with lots of children. If your child does enjoy arts and crafts whilst on the move why not pack a metal baking sheet for them to use as a table. Most little ones love being set a challenge so why not ask them to draw some pictures of their journey on the road trip that you can form into a book, or if you have an older child get them to do some creative writing about what they have enjoyed about the trip so far. This is teaching them skills that will be appreciated and noticed when the children return to school, so is surely a bonus that it keeps them quiet too.

Keeping kids happy on long journeys

Books and magazines also get overlooked but are lapped up by the little ones, especially if they are based on their favourite cartoon character and contain activities.

Playing Eye-Spy may seem twee with the technology on offer but for younger children, this game works a treat to expand their vocabulary as well as solidify the words they are already familiar with.

Possibly the most important piece of advice I can give is to take advantage of your toilet and fuel stops.  Get the children active (weather permitting) by having a ball or Frisbee handy to throw around during pit stops.

Food

I don’t know about yours, but as soon as children even sniff the possibility of day out or a journey in the car they turn into starving hungry beasts eating anything in sight. Packing snacks (preferably low in sugar) is a great way to keep children entertained as well as avoid stopping at service stations to queue for fast food.

Fruit, sandwiches, wraps, crisps and even yoghurts are all car worthy treats that aren’t loaded with fat or sugar. To drink, cartons of fruit juice and milkshakes are perfect and still feel like a treat from their usual daily snacks. Bearing in mind how excitable children get in transit you may end up with a fairly messy back seat (and of course, child) so wet wipes and a carrier bag that can be used as a ‘bin’ is worth considering.

Technology

The answer to all parents’ prayers whether its an IPod, tablet or mini DVD player, technology has improved the dreaded car journey with the small people a million times over.

The old fashioned favourites

Why not download some free children’s stories that they can listen to and even help them to nap, on the move. Alternatively loading their favourite songs or TV show theme songs for a sing a long also goes down a treat, if you can handle the racket! Watching films on the mini DVD player or tablet is a godsend and not only for the children, download some grown up viewing for when they fall asleep.

Games for tablets or even mobile phones are nowadays very good quality and you can restrict what they children see and play on so let them while away the hours on education games that utilise their spelling or addition skills, for example.

Obvious Bits & Bobs, but You’ll Thank Us Later

To conclude, those last items that get forgotten but will make the world of difference to your road tripping experience:

• A battery-powered fan for those boiling hot days, even in a vehicle with air conditioning, really makes the difference to a warm and whiney child.
• Check the vehicle for oil, water, screen wash and tyre pressure as you really don’t want to spend an extra few hours at the road side waiting for assistance and have even more time to kill with the children getting bored.
• Medicines and a first aid kit are a travelling staple, including sunscreen for when you get to your destination.
• It may sound ridiculous but towels are one of the best multi-functional items you can find. Use them as a blanket, a rug instead of sitting on the ground or even tuck them in the car windows to act as curtains to let your backseat passengers catch up on some sleep.

Experienced freelance writer, Joanne Price wrote this article. Joanne specialises in providing holiday travel advice, on behalf of Expedia, for families who are looking to go on great holidays and days out.

We have just returned from our biggest travel adventure yet!

A tall claim, you may think, since Amber and I have explored vast tracts of Australia together alone in our camper trailer. At 12, I felt she was ready to widen her horizons and see how some of the other 98% of the world’s population lives (those not as lucky as we).

Learning from overseas travel

Our little adventure was a resounding success and I voyeuristically read her Facebook post to her friends after her return:

“I only now realise what a great country I live in. The roads are flat with no giant holes, the electricity has no faults and no blackouts, the wifi is always fast, no one is spitting in houses and on the streets and mostly everyone doesn’t smoke everywhere. I love Australia and I always will!”

Now that’s what I had hoped she would get from the experience!

Until now, most of our travels have been within Australia and this has been intentional. Travelling is a challenge in its own right. Kids need time to adjust to some of the things adults take for granted. Things like moving home every night, sleeping in a new bed or eating unusual food. Australia offers the chance to accustom your kids to travel one step at a time.

New experiences around every corner

Amber’s first overseas trips were to safe, happy resort locations like Fiji and Vanuatu, or similar cultures like New Zealand. These might seem tame to some world explorers, but to kids, the differences are still acute.

So, you see, it has taken time to develop my mini traveller. Like a trooper, she tried every native dish put in front of her; tackled a few words of the new language; handled the heat and bugs and even remembered to take her malaria pills.

None of this would have been possible without Australian exploration first. The training has been invaluable and the results more than I could have hoped for. A few more years, and the world is her oyster!

There are people, or so I’ve heard, who enjoy travelling with their children, enjoy spending precious time with each other in a very small space – Urban legends they may be, but I aspire to be one of them.

I do not enjoy travelling myself, having coveted a pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers as a child (“there’s no place like home, Toto”) I have still not grown out of the desire to click my heels together and be instantly transported to my destination. Imagine my disappointment then to have been presented with a pair of bright red furry bedroom slippers in a horrendous case of miscommunication between Santa Claus and myself.  As the magical ruby slippers were not forthcoming, I have had to find ways around my travel-itis.  As the prospect of spending fun and relaxing days away or exploring far flung locations with my beloved bunch bring a great deal of pleasure to my soul, I have had to overcome my aversion to sitting still and come up with ways to prepare, entertain and occupy myself and children whilst en-route.

Travelling with children: fun or stress?

This is less of a cheery ‘top ten tips’ list and more of a hard-core survival guide:

1. Plan well. Children do not respond well to witnessing parental stress. The most common cause of stress on holiday is from lack of preparation, so ensure factors, such as car hire and travel insurance, are booked in advance.  Online booking companies mean that you can organise the fine details in the comfort of your own home before the trip – and with so many travel insurance plans available, from single, cover to whole family cover, as well as annual travel insurance cover, they’ll help you to decide what plan is best both your family and your holiday.
2. Take games to play. Great games for travel include simple card games such as rummy or happy families. Games such as naughts and crosses or hangman where only a piece of paper and pen are required are ideal.
3. Reading often causes travel sickness, so make up your own story. Take it in turns to tell a chapter so everyone gets a turn to speak and listen.
4. Encourage your children to pack a small bag full of their ‘top 20’ favourite things to have with them. This could be some small toys, favourite books, special blanket etc.
5. Break up long journeys. Do your homework and make sure there is a café or picnic place where you can take a break from the confines of the vehicle.
6. Pack healthy snacks. A small space is no place for a hyper sugar rush (for you or the kids) so leave the sweets for another time.
7. Take some ‘surprises’. Wrap up small new items, such as a little car, toy animal or a tactile puzzle toy.
8. Make sure you are well rested. Travel with children requires patience and you will feel less than serene on 3 hours sleep.
9. If you are traveling with a partner take it in turns to be the parent ‘on duty’ so you both get a break.

10. Laugh! Even the most stressful situations will have a funny side and know that once you have reached your destination it will all be worth it.

Experienced freelance writer, Lara Anderson, wrote this article. Click to find out more about Lara, here. Lara specialises in providing holiday travel advice for families who are looking to go on the holiday of a lifetime in the New Year.

Know the rules to be safe and polite.

Participating in social media can be fun. Posting photos of events, sending messages to friends and checking out links to movies, fashion and current events are all enjoyable ways to spend time online. However, social media isn’t nearly so much fun when people don’t follow the rules or when they don’t practice good etiquette. By following a few common sense rules, kids can enjoy the time they spend with social media while minimising the dangers involved.

Email Etiquette

 Email sent to friends can be informal.  Emoticons, also called “smileys” are fine, and often help clarify the tone of a message.  Remember that humor does not always translate well in email. Even including an emoticon may not prevent someone from misunderstanding your meaning.

Avoid using “text speak,” or excessive abbreviations that the recipient may not understand.  While most everyone understands what “LOL” means, fewer people will be able to interpret “FWIW” (for what it’s worth) or “SMH” (shaking my head). Likewise, adhere to proper capitalisation and punctuation except for very informal messages to close friends. DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS; it is the pixel equivalent of shouting, and is considered to be rude.

Your subject line should give an indication of the purpose of your email message. For example: “Birthday Party Invite!” lets the recipient know that you’re inviting him or her to a party. Be careful about including links and attachments in email messages, especially to people you don’t know.  Mention in the subject line that there are links or attachments in a message, and don’t be offended if the message is deleted.

Forwarding messages should be done sparingly. Do not forward a private message without permission.  Don’t hit “reply all” on a message sent to a group unless you really need everyone in the group message to read your reply.  Use the “bcc” (blind carbon copy) function only to maintain the privacy of email addresses for messages addressed to a group. Do not send chain letters. Breaking the chain will not unleash a curse, but spamming people’s mailboxes with junk messages will annoy them.

Social Profile Etiquette

 Your social media profile photo should be of you.  If you don’t want to post your face on the internet, doctor the photo so it’s unrecognisable. Using an avatar is also OK if you created the avatar yourself or you have permission from the person who created the avatar to use it. Don’t post someone else’s photo claiming that it’s you.

Use the privacy controls to limit who can see posts on your wall and photos that you post.  In most cases, “friends only” is the safest setting. However, this does not prevent friends from copying and pasting posting content on their own profiles. Avoid posting photos or personal information on your profile or “wall” that could embarrass yourself or another person. That photo of people passed out drunk at a party may be funny now, but not so funny years from now when an employer withdraws a job offer because of a questionable photo or post on your social media profile.

Limit the amount of information you include. Don’t post last names, addresses or other information that would allow strangers to identify you or your friends. Do not provide this information to strangers, even if they claim to be a friend of a family member. Likewise, do not agree to meet strangers offline without having one or both of your parents or another adult that you trust present.

Friending and Defriending

 You have the right to “friend” anyone you choose on a social media platform. If you don’t want to “friend” someone, you may let him or her know, but it’s not necessary. If you “friend” someone and later change your mind, you don’t have to make a general announcement, or say anything at all. Just “unfriend” the person.   In most cases, the social media platform won’t send notification to the other person, so he or she may not even notice that you’re not “friends” anymore.

This guest post was written and contributed by Jessica McGarrity for Kazaana.com. Jessica is an independent researcher and freelance writer. She has extensive experience working with social media applications designed to be used by kids. Her articles appear on numerous parenting websites and blogs.

We all love taking time out and going on a vacation adventure especially when we are taking our kids to somewhere new and exciting. Parents share a common goal in that they look forward to treating their kids and a family vacation is one of those special occasions where things can get a bit more expensive than you expected. We take a look at how you can make some savvy savings in order to ensure that you have some money left over to spoil your kids a little without breaking the budget.

Plan ahead to save money

Plan ahead to offset the cost of peak season holidays and travel

It is a common fact that most airline companies and hotels have a tendency to increase their prices during the peak seasons as they are aware that the majority of travelers will have little choice other than to pay the going rate. It is always very difficult to get a bargain rate during the standard holiday periods such as Easter, the summer break, Christmas and the New Year but you can normally secure a better rate if you book well in advance and are prepared to put down a deposit up to a year before you travel. If you check the school calendar you might even be able to arrange to travel during the shoulder season, which is the period leading up the major season, and if it is possible to leave even a few days early you could make substantial savings on the cost of the holiday overall.

Finding a cheaper flight

Flights can be a major financial part of the total holiday cost so any savings that you can make in this area will give you more spending money for you and your family to have some treats while away. There are several ways in which you can potentially find a cheaper flight and save money such as:

Try to use a discount airline especially for shorter haul flights where you can cope with a bit less comfort in return for a great deal.

Consider booking your airline tickets yourself on-line rather than go through a travel agent who may not be able to offer the same flexibility on choice and price.

Consider booking your plane tickets as soon as you make your travel plans as the price for each flight will vary and generally increase as the seats on the plane fill up leaving last minute buyers no other option than to pay the full price if they want a ticket. An early booking should get you a better deal and hopefully also get the seats that you want as well.

Try to travel during the middle of the week rather than at the weekend. The cost of a flight can vary quite considerably if you travel on a Tuesday or Wednesday rather than a Friday or Saturday.

If you are prepared to leave very early in the morning or late at night you will also be rewarded with a cheaper flight cost than if you choose to travel at more sociable hours which are of course more popular and more expensive as a result.

Sometimes a package deal which includes the airfare and accommodation as one total cost can work out cheaper than if you book both items separately so shop around and work out the cost to see which option is better for you depending on what your travel plans are.

Special offers for children

Look for resorts and hotels that are particularly welcoming for families with children as many of them offer incentives such as free kids meals or no extra charge if they stay in the same room as the parents. Free meals and accommodation can quickly add up to a real saving and especially places where they might offer free drinks for the kids during your stay or a fixed one-off payment with unlimited refills, which will save you filling up water bottles or worrying every time they ask for another drink.

The more money that you can save before you travel and the more incentives that you can take advantage of during your stay, will mean that you will have more money left over to give your kids some extra treats and make it a truly memorable vacation.

Elizabeth Bailey is an avid travel who enjoys sharing her holiday money saving tips on various travel blogs. Visit Expedia for car rental saving information.

References:

http://www.kidspot.com.au/family-budget-money-saving-tips-budget-family-travel+1797+156+article.htm

http://www.rtwexpenses.com/10-money-saving-tips-for-traveling-with-kids/