Looking to go away with my wife and 10 month year old son somewhere not more than 6-7 hours in distance on a flight. Hawaii was an option but places are sky high in price and not much selection. We aren't into Mexico because we have been there many times. Any suggestions on some cheap flights and places? Thanks in advance.

What about Costa Rica, flights on Alaska

Cuba is a great price right now. Make sure to go as high star as possible 4+

We are going in two weeks 5* for 11pp direct flight

Cuba great if all inclusive otherwise expensive

Which Webster are you finding the best deals? I'm looking for February!

Website not Webster

I looked on travel best bets.
Also sell off vacations & then compared it to actual vacation suppliers . Ie air transat

Cuba

* following, we are in the same boat and wanting to take advantage of him being free before 2 years old

Dominican Republic is cheaper than Mexico (though the liquor isn't as good, if that's an issue) and wayyyy cheaper than Cuba.

Cuba is reasonable right now.

Went with my daughter to Cuba right before she turned 2 and it was excellent

Cruise out of vancouver or seattle to Alaska or pacific coastal

Cuba. The Cubans love kids, and the hotels have great services for people with children.

I really dislike Cuba. Panama? Bocas del toro.

Why do you dislike Cuba David? Ww're just in the middle of planning a last minute vacay... we've considered Cuba but love Mexico.

Lyndsey the food in Cuba is brutal

Adam I've heard that!

Food is very plain in Cuba but it is worth going! Bananas are amazing. Cuba is affordable, beautiful beaches, fabulous people...so many great things that outweighs the bland food!

don't go for the food...Cuba is amazing...beaches, people, culture...it's amazing!

Adam I've heard that from all my friends that went. No taste.

It's still a lovely place to go but for me, the local cuisine is a big part of my holiday and because of Cuba's food, I much prefer to go elsewhere like Jamaica!!!

Lyndsey the food is awful yes but manageable. The weather was horrid when we went the last time which obviously isn't Cubas fault. Everything is extremely expensive compared to Mexico, but they do have domestic alternatives. I'm 28 and was hoping for a younger crowd but the average age at our resort was about 60 haha (not knocking old people, made friends with a retired couple we hung out with entire trip), thought it was just our resort so went to town and it was the same deal. I'm not sure how to explain it, just wasn't nearly as exciting as Mexico. On a positive note the beaches are amazing yes, but that's not enough for me to return. Personally I prefer Mexico tenfold, mainly due to the costs and amenities while there. I like to go to Cabo and I think the beaches are nicer in Cabo.

I think it would be nice if you were older and wanted to lay around all day in the sun and not move. It's like eerily quiet and slow. I'm not sure how to explain this, haha.

David Roth thanks for your insight!

Take a ten day cruise around the Caribbean -- one stop shopping for the price:: and you can get babysitters on board!

Cuba is awesome! I highly recommend the Iberostar Tainos in Varadero. The staff there are incredible people and the beach is spectacular!

Monterrico guatemala

Palm Springs or Phoenix easy flight, warm weather lots of great pools.

Out of Bellingham with Alegiant air, so cheap. Love Palm Springs. Check out Omni Rancho Los Palmas Resort. Cool little water park and lazy river, on a golf course, across the street from a small mall complex with a pub with most number of taps in North America?

Will write that down David thanks for info.

Moon palace cancun

New York city is a fun place to visit

Thank you everyone. Although Cuba sounds wonderful it's quite a long flight. Not sure how our son would do on his first trip. Been to Dominican Republic and loved it before having kids. Palm Springs is mostly for retired people isn't it?

I'm in my 20's and love Palm Springs. It's laid back but nice to relax and just chill out. Hot desert sun by the pool. They have a giraffe farm type thing you can feed the giraffes and such. Check out trip advisor for activities.

Thanks David I will look into it.

When are you going? I recently checked the weather in PS and it was a bit to cold for my taste - like 15-17 with a rain?

No not into that type of weather thanks Olga

sunwing flies direct to Cuba from YVR 6 hours...

If you get an alaska airlines credit card (or west jet credit card). They have a companion fare offer once per year. I think the extra ticket costs $150 or something. We used it for Hawaii- it made the price reasonable. Not sure what the west jet offer is.

I called WJ last year regarding the companion ticket and was told Hawaii is not included for the deal

WJ includes Hawaii now for companion ticket but instead of $99 you pay $299.

Getting to Hawaii can be quite reasonable, it's the price you pay to stay that is exorbitant, even home rentals.

Tami - we have an AA cc and want to go to Hawaii. Do they ever have direct flights from Vancouver? There seem to be a lot of milk runs.

Sue you pay $299 plus taxes which is crazy...

I also love Cabo San Lucas for young families. Easy short flight, no time change, sun and sand. Only drawback is that there are only certain places you can go in the ocean because of the currents. It is easy to find the beaches you can snorkel at. Lots of fish right off the beach.

Looking at Cabo right now. Places as cheap as $1125 during spring break. Cabo is my fave.

Been there and love it. Mexico is not my favorite spot anymore I have been there so many times. Prefer a completely different area.

Do you want it to be direct/non-stop flight? When are you going?

Kay Vee - ideas!

Direct preferably since we have a 10 month old baby. We are pretty flexible but probably end of this month up until March sometime. Anytime in between.

Be careful with the flights - according the fine print all the airlines can change the direct/non-stop into ones with the stop if they decide to. We book the trips very close to departure trying to avoid it. Also it is very often that the stops are hidden and you only get to see that there is a stop when you are in the booking process toward its finish. End of this month is cheaper than Feb (reading week) or March (vacation time/school breaks and when is Easter this year?)

Non-stop flights to Sun destinations are very limited from YVR - Hawaii, Mexico, Cuba, DR (often with 1 stop on the way back now). Use google flights to find the cheaper dates for HNL or OGG in Hawaii. But I was looking at the weather there and it is like 25-26 often with the wind so might be not that hot either. Have you visited Huatulco or Ixtapa in Mexico?

I and my husband just went to Palm Springs last month and love it. So many things to do. We didn't take our son but I can see PS is great for family traveling. We plan to b back every year with kid

My son who is 30 years old also went to PS (few times already) and the weather was like 17-19 (doable but not with 10 month old baby) but it changed on his last day there to 13-15 with the rain.

I wouldn't go until April/May at earliest.

Hong Kong, Seoul, Japan, Beijing, Shanghai

Wouldn't these flights be much longer than they are looking for?

Yes but the flight do provide cribs for baby to sleep in. Most local flight don't provide this and it is pretty difficult for parents to carry infant for more than 7hrs flight

I went to Korea with air canada when my lo was 7 months old, and air canada didn't provide a bassinet as mine was over 6 months. I went there with Korean air with my 21 months old a month ago and they provided a bassinet for him! It was a huge difference as I travelled with my kid alone.
However every time we travelled far away, the biggest problem was a jet lag. In the first trip, it took 8 days to adjust and this time it took for 10 days!!! That's why I am thinking to go to Mexico, Cuba or San Diego for a vacation. No more jeg lag.

air canada sucks. I refuse to fly with them. Sorry you had such a bad experience! I hear horror stories on a consistent basis

I love Palm Springs as well. A lot of people think it's for retired people and it's NOT. Lots to do, lots to see, lots of great restaurants. And the weather is warming up every day. We went to Cuba last year at this time and in two weeks had three days of sun. Lol. What about a cruise? PM me as I know of some great deals right now for Caribbean.

Same deal with me. December spent a week in varadero and had about a half hour of sun haha. Nothing really made up for it either. Previous time in Cuba was same deal but nice weather.

Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva Islands in Florida. We love it there. Super beaches and good standards of accommodation for your son. Flight not too far and weather is great.

Is there a direct flight to Fort Myers?

That area of Florida is fantastic! The Gulf of Mexico is also warm enough for swimming in March

I don't think so Barbara. We either fly via Atlanta or go into Tampa and drive down. This year we are flying into Orlando and spending a couple of days in Disney before driving down.

Yes we love it
Andrea Staples. Been going there since 2001.

iceland was amazing. sorry it's cold, but it's amazing

Cayo Santa Maria Cuba!
Last minute it can be reasonable ALL Inclusive.
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotels-g670039-Cayo_Santa...
TRIPADVISOR.CA
The 10 Best Cayo Santa Maria Hotels 2017 (with Prices) - tripadvisor

Have you been to Scottsdale yet, Ryan? We're going again at Spring Break.

Cuba! especially if you have never been!

Cuba is lovely the beach that is. Make sure you take everything you need meds etc as very little places to buy anything!

Look at vacation rentals in Hawaii. Ilikai is great, right on waikiki.

check into cruising. unless yuo drink a lot cruising is a very reasonable priced alternative

We did a few cruises when our son little. Worked really well. Like western Caribbean. Good childcare so you can take a break too.

Santa Bárbara, California

Yes we have been there and like it quite a bit Michelle. That's definately an option. I'm booking a quick cruise tomorrow.

Where did you decide?

This is just a quick little getaway. This is a separate trip from my post. Heading down to LA for my wife's cousins wedding and then taking a cruise back to Vancouver from Sandiego. All booked and ready to go!

Where did you book your cruise through Ryan? I'm thinking about something similar with my son, but don't have any experience cruising and no idea where the best value booking options are

I have generally only booked straight through the actual cruise line. I find they cater to your needs better. EG: before my wife and I had a child we went on a 24 day Mediterranean Cruise and had window seats in our cabin. For 100.00 each we upgraded to a balcony. ( we could only get that through the actual cruise line.) Alternatively I have also booked through vacationstogo.com and you can convert the prices to CAD. That site shows all cruise deals with all lines. You have to book quick otherwise they go fast on that site. Worth a look though. If you get sea sick it's worth staying on a lower floor on the ship and preferably mid ship.
If you need help let me know!
VACATIONSTOGO.COM
Discount Cruises, Last Minute Cruises, Cruise, Cruise Line, Cruise Vacation

I use vacations to go to price check as well and then call expedia cruise ship centres or the cruise line direct to book. Fyi disney cruise is doing that one way pacific coastal in the spring and the fall oncd each as well

Puerta Vallarta is good. Direct flights from Vancouver.

The only problem with most (but not all) is the line charges your child regardless of the age. My son is 10 months old and would be charged the same price as an adult. Re-donk-ulous!!

One more positive for going to NYC is that cathay pacific use large roomy planes that have specific areas for infants (bassinets). They make travelling with infants easier

I will second the Santa Barbara option. To me, California is not that much different from Hawaii and only 2.5 hours away. The LA airport is the worst part of the experience.

My husband and I are also on the hunt for a similar destination with our infant son. We thought about Costa Rica or somewhere in Central America as we've been there before and loved it. However, I wonder about the Zika threat, haven't heard much about it of late. Anyone have any knowledge on that?

Anyone who's considering getting pregnant should avoid those areas, I think. There's still no vaccine for Zika. The CDC and WHO has a map of destinations with Zika.

The zika virus can still make your baby quite sick even if your not pregnant. I would avoid at all costs anywhere on the East Coast such as , Florida and south of there. You can Google map areas of where Zika virus is currently. Not sure how up to date it is though.

We took our son to LA when he was 8 months old (on that crazy $65 deal). It was a good first getaway and LA is cheap to get to. I wrote about it in my blog...might be helpful - link below. Also took him to Europe when he was 9/10 months old but I imagine the flights will be pricey....I would definitely recommend somewhere in California or even Vegas...both are cheap options and pretty much guaranteed good weather! We went to Vegas on our babymoon and we noticed so many families as it is a cheap holiday and you can stay in a nice hotel for a good price. Good luck!!
http://www.ohpoppycock.com/.../california-dreams-ways-to...
OHPOPPYCOCK.COM
California Dreams: 5ish Days in Los Angeles with a Baby in Tow

And this is how the first plane ride went....might also be helpful:
http://www.ohpoppycock.com/.../babes-on-a-plane-our...
OHPOPPYCOCK.COM
Babes on a Plane: Our experience with and tips on flying with a baby!

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Palm Springs, San Diego, Las Vegas

Scottsdale is good too

Thank you everyone for your helpful ideas. This should help me now.

Ya, San Diego is great too.

id say Chicago, nyc or Toronto all pretty short flights

You can get an amazing rental in Hawaii at a timeshare through Redweek.com. we just returned from the Westin Kaanapali and had an oceanfront unit for 1500 USD for a week. That included a kitchen, which is essential with a little one. Plus it cuts costs a lot to make your own meals. It takes some digging but there are many amazing deals to be had in Hawaii. Plus westjet has return fare from 390 CAD taxes included at the moment.
REDWEEK.COM
Timeshare Rentals, Timeshare Resales, Timeshare Resorts, Timeshare Reviews | RedWeek

Thank you

I will never buy another timeshare though

Oh I'd never buy either. These are rented.

Gotcha! Good to know. I use vrbo a lot they are rental properties all over the world.

I have used them as well. In the case of timeshare rentals they are often higher than redweek or craigslist rentals. But for rental from property owners they are terrific.

Jaki interesting what you have to say about westjet's flights. I've been watching b/c we are going to Kauai on March break and WJ prices (all airline prices) are stupidly high. I'm looking at direct flights from YVR. I was patiently waiting for them to come down a bit, but they haven't. I gave up and booked in at $840 through an online third party agency with one WJ non-stop flight there and a short stop in Seattle on the way back (Alaska Air). I've never gone during spring break. Obviously this is the reason prices are so crazy. And the with CDN $$ ouch, who can afford the US. Even Mexico seems expensive. I did get a good deal on the accommodation which helps.

I'm in Costa Rica right now love it. It is a lot more expensive then most. Just warning you. 10 percent tax as well as 13 percent gratuity added on already expensive meals.

where in Costa Rica are you?

I'm not concerned about that but thank you. Have fun!

Download the app TravelDeals24

Costa Rica is amazing. Go there. You won't regret it.

Ryan I am just going to base this on the parameters you set out. Hawaii accom too expensive, too much mexico, short enough flight for travel and not cold
. I would agree with the Palm Springs or California. PSP I love for all the reasons you never hear about. I am not old, and I don't just want to sit by a pool. From Palm Springs there are many things you can do and places to go. If you like hiking there are some good trails just a short walk to the mountains that sit beside town. You can go to numerous hot springs, or if you rent a car a short drive will take you up to Joshua Tree National Park. You are 2 hours from LA and the list goes on. Yes the weather can shift to cool quickly if the jet stream drops (you are in the desert so evenings in winter can be "cool" but for the most part you will probably have pretty good weather. It is an easy place to be if you don't want to try and figure too much out before you get there, and you can find some pretty good flight deals. westjet flies straight there in less than 3 hours or has a flight through Calgary which isn't much longer. There are other airlines as well. (Don't know all the routes and this isn't meant as an invite to hear everyone's good and bad experiences of every flight they have had. I am just stating how I flew there.) Hope this helps if you haven't figured things out yet.