Perhaps you already have a favorite beach — one where already you know how to nab a free parking space, where the best shady spot is and when the soft-serve truck makes its rounds.
25.06.2024 - 09:31 / insider.com
The homemade videos came through in quick succession on the camp WhatsApp channel. Seven tiny sailboats with children manning them dotted crystal blue Mediterranean waters. The children were in pairs, seemingly matched according to age. Then there was my little one, the 5-year-old, who had insisted on tagging along with her 9-year-old brother, and the camp had agreed.
It was a blistering summer in the little seaside town of Caldes d'Estrac, an enchanting getaway thirty minutes outside Barcelona. We were staying there for two months because our friends had generously invited us to their masia, or country home, for July and August. Caldes used to be a fashionable spa town for the Barcelona bourgeoisie in the 1920s and is now known for its thermal baths and stunning beaches. When our friends suggested we put the children in a sailing casale, or summer camp, together at the local seaport, we enthusiastically agreed.
There was one catch: How much was this going to cost us, and would we even be able to get a spot? In the US, or at least in California, where we live, summer camps usually start around $250 per child per week and can run upwards of $1000 for specialty camps. In addition, securing a spot is challenging, with parents already beginning to register for summer camps as early as March.
We drove the five minutes down to port Balis in Caldes and went to register in person. It was less than a week from the beginning of camp, yet the experience was seamless. They not only waived the membership fee for the yacht club, but the tuition ranged between 170 and 260 euros depending on how long they stayed, and it included lunch.
After just the first day, the children came back with exciting and harrowing tales of adventure. They had gone out solo in dinghies with a couple of adults following alongside them in speedboats. They had experienced the thrill of being independent out on the water from the very start and had been forced to problem-solve tricky situations using teamwork to prevent their boats from capsizing or getting stuck. This was especially challenging for my children as they did not speak Spanish, but somehow they managed.
They, of course, took the necessary precautions of life jackets and basic training, but then they were let loose very quickly and had to learn as they went. It felt as if there was a much more laid-back attitude and push toward personal responsibility than we had experienced in the US. When my 5-year-old refused to stay with the little kids in her age group because she was so attached to her brother, the camp counselors let her tag along and ride in the boats with the older children or inside the speedboats with the adults. I'm not sure that would ever have happened in a
Perhaps you already have a favorite beach — one where already you know how to nab a free parking space, where the best shady spot is and when the soft-serve truck makes its rounds.
Move over, Jeff Bezos. Mark Zuckerberg is looking like this summer's Poseiden.
In May 2021, I moved to Panama . My partner and I lived there for two years, and during that time, my son would spend one month with us and one month with his dad and stepmother in the States. This was possible only because he has been homeschooled since first grade, and his dad and I established a system to keep his work in both homes synchronized.
The best part of summer cruising is that there are more cruising options than in any other season. Cruises to destinations like Alaska and Scandinavia are highly seasonal; go in the summer, or you can't cruise there at all. Even the Mediterranean is somewhat seasonal, with most cruise lines leaning heavily into summer and moving ships to warmer destinations during the cooler months.
It has been nearly eight years since my three Welsh children have visited my family in the United States. Even though I would have loved to make the eight-hour plane trip with them more often, logistics, the pandemic, and cost have kept us away.
Delta Air Lines announced it would launch a new seasonal service between Orlando International Airport and London Heathrow Airport (LHR), starting on October 26.
Start your engines—summer has arrived, and with it, all sorts of new hotel options to explore. There’s a major renovation of a Cape Cod classic with an unbeatable beachfront location. Near Yellowstone, design-forward cabins come with their own private wood-fired hot tub. And on the banks of the Kiawah River in South Carolina, a new Auberge Resort offers some serious Lowcountry R&R just minutes from downtown Charleston, yet worlds away from the hustle and bustle. This summer’s most exciting openings aren’t merely places to rest your head—they really help you disconnect from your home life in order to savor the great outdoors. And isn’t that what summer is all about?
As someone who's spent their entire life in the tristate area, I'm always interested in comparing other metropolitan areas to New York City.
I'm an American living in Italy. I've lived here for almost 10 years and have two children, a 5-year-old daughter and a 9-month-old soon. Last year sent my daughter to summer camp for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised.
Summer has officially begun, and billionaires have already dispersed to their favorite vacation spots to enjoy the spoils of their labors.
Jun 21, 2024 • 9 min read
It is not too late to fly to Europe in business class this summer at a reasonable price.