Costa Rica Family Tour Surges To #1 Spot Worldwide

With river rafting, ziplining and more, it's the favorite of Classic Journeys' guests

La Jolla, CA (December 2010) – Stats like this are meant to be shared: Classic Journeys' Costa Rica family vacation recently vaulted to the top-selling spot among 68 adventure tours worldwide.

"Besides being a relatively short flight away, Costa Rica has something for everyone, from parents and kids to grandparents," explains Edward Piegza, president and co-founder of Classic Journeys. "When it comes to bonding between generations, there's really something magical about the rainforest."

With the increasing demand for family-friendly vacations, the award-winning provider of walking tours now offers 20 Family Journeys throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. As the company enters its sixteenth season, what began as a small segment of its business in 2003 now accounts for more than 30% of business overall.

Parents who travel internationally with their children know that mastering the logistics and eliminating language barriers is half the battle. That's why Classic Journeys thoroughly scouts each itinerary beforehand and employs a top-notch team of more than 150 local guides native to each regions it visits.

As Piegza observes, "If you expose kids – especially those aged seven to 16 – to other cultures in a fun, engaging way, they'll never fail to amaze you with how they soak it all up. As a dad myself, I know that kids love to be seeing and doing, and the more exotic the destination and its daily adventures, the more eagerly they respond."

Even planning a trip around school schedules isn't a problem. The company offers dozens of departure dates specially timed to coincide with spring, summer and winter school breaks.

Among the trips departing during spring 2011 are:

* Morocco Family Journey - Departing March 27 for nine days/eight nights

* Costa Rica Family Journey - Departing March 27 & April 3, 17 and 24 for seven days/six nights

* Panama Family Journey - Departing March 27 & April 17 and 24 for seven days/six nights

* Peru Family Journey - Departing April 17 and 24 for seven days/six nights

* Amalfi Coast Family Journey - Departing April 17 and 24 for seven days/six nights

* Tuscany Family Journey - Departing April 17 and 24 for seven days/six nights

Adult pricing for spring break Family Journeys starts at $3,195 per person (double occupancy, land only). For kids, it gets better and better; up to age 16, they enjoy significant discounts when sharing a room with one or two full-paying adults. For families with limited vacation time, Classic Journeys also offers private departures for all 20 Family Journeys.

Readers who want to learn more about specific itineraries may click on www.classicjourneys.com/family, or contact a Guest Services Coordinator directly at (800) 200-3887.


About Classic Journeys:

Classic Journeys offers cultural walking tours, culinary tours and family vacations in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. Guests enjoy luxury accommodations and gourmet meals that reflect the best of each region, coupled with soft adventure activities, daily interactions with locals, and native guides who make countries and cultures come alive. Tours are six to 12 days long with two to four hours of easy-going walking per day. Land-only tour prices range from $2595 to $8895 per person (with discounts for small groups and children traveling with parents). Average tour size is 10, limited to a maximum of 18 guests per departure. Full details and links to itineraries are available at www.ClassicJourneys.com.

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