See America's National Parks For FREE

Once again, fourth graders can enter the national parks for FREE. Just go on this website, answer some questions about your trip and print your pass. 

• The pass expires August 31, 2019. 
• You must bring a printed paper version of your pass, no electronic versions
• The pass is good for kids under 16 and 3 adults
• You still need to pay for parking fees and tours. 

Have fun and enjoy! 

Southwest May Fly To Hawaii Sooner Thank We Thought

You may be able to fly to Hawaii on Southwest as soon as October or November 2018. We have just received word that the airline submitted in flight operations and procedures documentation for ETOPS (government) approval.  That move puts them one step closer to adding routes. 

Another clue is that all airlines including Hawaiian Airlines are offering $142 one way flights to Hawaii from the west coast. That low fare signals that they are preparing for competition from Southwest.

Southwest plans to offer service from several west coast cities to Honolulu and Maui. The airline may offer intra island service as well. 

We will keep you posted! 

Top 5 Things To See And Do In Trinidad, Cuba

Trinidad is considered the jewel of Cuba with cobblestone streets and colonial old town. It lives up to its name. You only need a few days to explore Trinidad. You can take a shared taxi from Havana for about $35 per person. You can book an Airbnb.com online which is more expensive than Havana, but still only $30 per night. Find a casa particulares that is close to the old city center so you can walk and has air conditioning like Casa de Yash. Be sure to pay the extra $4-$5 for breakfast and enjoy one dinner $10 per person at the casa.

Top 5 things to see in Trinidad:

1.  I urge you to start with a FREE walking tour that starts in the plaza opposite the Historical Museum. 

2. Nightlife centers around the steps with live music playing every evening courtesy of Casa De La Musica. Here's a tip if you sit above the steps before 7pm, it's FREE. After 7pm, you will pay a few CUC to enter. 

3. There is also a club in cave near the radio tower. We did not hike up there because we heard mixed reviews. But if you are into that stuff, it may be worth the hike and your $5 CUC. 

One of the most popular day trips from Trinidad is to visit the waterfall via horseback. Tours cost $20-$35 per person. Dozens of tourists will board their horses on the outskirt of town for the all-day tour. You can hike if you prefer, but it is a long walk. Even on horseback, you will walk the last 30 minutes so wear closed toed shoes. 

4. The waterfall is well worth it. 

5. And on the way, you will visit a coffee and cigar farm which is interesting. Our tour also stopped at a restaurant where we could eat lunch or enjoy a drink. 

Trinidad is a delightful place to spend a few days. The people are friendly and welcoming. The town is also close to the coast if you want to enjoy the beach. 

IHG Point Break Hotels Are Selling Out Fast

Every quarter, IHG announces list of "point break" hotels. This means you can book these hotels for just a fraction of the points needed normally. They are offered as low as 5,000 points per night to 15,000 points per night. 

Usually, these are hotels that IHG is trying to promote or fill up or are in offseason. But it's always interesting to look at the list and see if it may fit into your plans. 

Last year, I was touring colleges with my daughter. There was a hotel located near one of the campuses and I was able to book it for 5,000 points saving me about $100. 

So it's always worth a check. That's how we do it at almostfreefamilytravel.com

Top Things To See And Do In Vinales, Cuba

 Vinales, Cuba is beautiful. A small town just 3 hours outside of Havana, but it could be another world. Tall mountains, caves, country living at its finest.
If you have time to spend a few days here, I recommend it. If you only have time for a day trip, it's well worth it.

We only had time for a day trip from Havana. I would recommend taking a shared taxi from Havana and then hiring a guide and car to take you to the caves, the mural, a tobacco farm and to a farm for lunch. If you have time, there are dozens of airbnb.com in Vinales. Most are located along the main street in town. 

Amazing organic lunch....this is the original farm to table right here. Ask Cuban farmers what they do with their food rations from the government and they will tell you they feed it to the animals. Be sure to try eating Ropa Vieja while in Cuba. 

The Cuban people are warm and welcoming. We enjoyed talking to them about life in Cuba. 

Even though it was not tobacco growing season, this man showed us how the leaves should look and how to roll cigars. They will try to sell you cigars or coffee at every demonstration like this one. The government allows them to sell 10% of their crop. They usually sell their wares at a good price and it's good quality. 

The famous mural de la prehistoria in Vinales. It took 18 people 4 years to complete. 

The bar located on the grounds of the mural has the best pina coladas anywhere. I highly recommend taking a break and enjoying. Next post: Trinidad, Cuba. 

Earn United Miles When You Shop Groupon

United Mileage Plus is teaming up with Groupon! For every dollar you spend on Groupon local, you will earn 5 miles on United Mileage Plus.  You will earn 4 miles per dollars on Groupon Getaways and 3 miles per dollar on Groupon Goods.  Just add your Mileage plus account number to your Groupon account. 

And if you are new to Groupon, you will get 1,000 miles with your first purchase over $30.  You must register your Mileage Plus account number with Groupon and then enter the code United in checkout. United is part of the Star Alliance which includes dozens of airlines. We flew to Europe last summer using United miles on Austrian Airlines booked through Singapore Air. Crazy, but all 5 plane tickets were FREE. That's how we do it here at almostFREEfamilytravel! 

How To Get Around Baggage Fees

Paying for checked baggage when you fly is a total bummer. This week, Jet Blue announced it is raising the price to check a bag. American Airlines and United followed the lead and raised their baggage fees by $5. 

But there's hope. You can work around the baggage fees with a bit of planning. 

1. First, the easiest workaround is to pack light. You really don't need more than a week's worth of clothes for any trip. When we were in Peru for 3 weeks, we stayed at an Airbnb halfway through the trip that had a washing machine.  In Prague, we found a laundromat which was an adventure in itself.  Plus take travel sizes of your toiletries and you are all set. 

2.  Sometimes, you have to check a bag like when we went to Cuba. We needed lots of sunscreens and weren't sure we could buy it there. So check one bag for the family and carry the rest of the suitcases on. Now at least you are only paying for one. 

3. If you have a Citi American Advantage Platinum Select, Platinum Select World Elite, and Executive World Elite credit card or the United Explorer credit card, you get a FREE checked bag. So take advantage of the perks of the credit card. Some cards offer credits for incidentals like baggage fees. So be sure you know which card you have offers that and pay for your incidentals with it so you can get credit back. 

4. If you have a Capital One credit card or Barclays Arrival Plus, you may be able to "erase" the baggage fee if it is coded as travel. 

Paying for checked bags is a drag and definitely not the way we do it at almostfreefamilytravel!