* SNOW SPECIAL *
E - News
August 2008

Welcome to our new monthly newsletter which aims to help you plan exciting and affordable family getaways that you and your kids will always remember.

At Holidays with Kids magazine, we believe that families that holiday together, stay together. Time away with the kids is very precious. New sights and experiences and an escape from domestic and work commitments enrich the whole family and create special memories that will last a lifetime and help shape your children’s lives.

The rising cost of living has affected many families but no matter what your budget, we know there is a great family holiday in Australia or overseas you can afford. And it’s our ambition to bring these holiday choices to you through this new monthly newsletter, our email specials and our quarterly magazine.

For 12 years now, Holidays with Kids magazine has remained the leading authority in Australia on family travel and 2008 is our biggest year yet, with our magazine now being released quarterly instead of twice-yearly.

Our recent edition, a bumper 212-page ‘flip’ edition, is our biggest yet, including the first ski magazine for families ever published in Australia, possibly the world. This special snow magazine has been a fantastic success, with wonderful feedback from readers so we’ve decide to devote this month’s e-newsletter to snow holidays.

There’s lots of snow around so if you’re keen to take the family skiing, check out the tips and deals below. And for more information, grab our current ‘two magazines for the price of one’ ski issue at newsagents or ring us for a copy on 02 9410 2555.

Have fun, from the team at Holidays with Kids magazine!

Cathy Wagstaff
Editor
Holidays with Kids magazine

Perkins Clan on a High

Holidays with Kids magazine ambassador and reporter, Symantha Perkins, her husband, Kieren the ‘Superfish’ and their three kids share with us their love for the snow and their ski tips…

“While it’s true that snow holidays are hard work for parents – think endless suitcases of luggage, hauling your exhausted kids, skis and boots around, not to mention all that washing when you get back home, the flipside is that no other vacation grows with the family like skiing.

We enjoy skiing because it’s an active, outdoor vacation and the kids are learning a skill for life. Like riding a horse, there are just some things that get harder with age.”

The Perkins family ski regularly at Thredbo and Falls Creek and recently visited Aspen and Whistler for their first taste of northern hemisphere powder.

Symantha’s tips for family snow holidays:

• Save money by staying below the snow line in lodges at towns like Jindabyne
• Rent ski gear from towns off the mountain
• Arrive at the snow early to beat the crowds and capitalise on your kids’ energy levels
• Buy a cheap rubber doormat to use on the snow next to your car so the kids can change from wet gear into dry gear
• Throw all wet gear into a plastic storage container in the car
• If you’re going to ski often, buy season lift passes

Click here to read full stories of the Perkins’ fun on the slopes in our free digital snow edition of Holidays with Kids magazine.

ET Finds ‘Space’ for Holidays with Kids

Rugby league legend and TV star Andrew Ettingshausen - or ET - as you may know him better – has become the latest celebrity to become an ambassador for Holidays with Kids magazine.

The former Cronulla Sharks player and father of four fronts his very popular TV fishing, outdoor lifestyle and travel show, ‘Escape with ET’, which is screened nationally on Channel Ten.

ET, who also loves the snow, will become a celebrity reporter for the magazine with his own adventure-themed section – so look out for his first stories in the new edition of Holidays with Kids magazine, out now.

Snow Secrets

The team at Holidays with Kids magazine has often taken their kids to the snow. If you’re a first-timer or an old-hand at ski breaks with the kids, here are our tips for hassle-free fun in the snow…

• Stay off snow at lodges with all-inclusive meal packages to save money
• Check and see if there are any church halls/scout halls that hire our space for big groups
• If you want to avoid slippery roads or chains, park below the snow line at Bullocks Flat near Jindabyne and take the Skitube train up to Perisher Blue. Elsewhere, you can use shuttle buses up and down the mountain.
• You may know how to ski but it’s best to avoid arguments and tears by getting professional ski instructors to teach the kids. Kids are fast learners so you may find they become better than you very quickly! Private lessons are even better as they learn more, in less time
• Kids get tired and hungry easily so plan multiple breaks and call it a day in the early afternoon to allow them rest
• Keep the kids warm
• Take some masking tape so you can stick it your skis/helmets to write names on. Hire skis can look the same and people often pick up the wrong pair, resulting in wasting valuable skiing time at the ski hire shop!
• Be safe on the snow – hire helmets for everyone. They keep heads safe and also warm
• Nearly all lodges have a drying room – use it to dry parkas, ski gear, gloves and so on
• Sometimes you can get hire gear and ski lessons at a discounted rate at your accommodation. Ask before booking as it can save you heaps
• Take a break from skiing and play with the kids in the show – make a snowman!
• Take advantage of late season discounts in September and consider taking younger kids out of school for a couple of days to enjoy less crowds and lower rates
• If your trip to the snow is a one-off, consider borrowing gear from friends. Or look for bargains at second hand clothing shops/op shops etc to save money
• Most clothing hire places do not hire clothes for under twos, so you will need to borrow or buy
• Charlotte Pass – Australia’s highest ski resort and accessible only by Snowcat from Perisher – is a small resort tailor-made for families with easy runs

HOT FAMILY SKI DEALS

From Alpine World – Australia’s largest provider of
local and overseas ski holidays

Kids Ski Free at Thredbo

Thredbo - 5 nights from $2234 per family
Package inclusions:
5 nights accommodation
5-day lift only pass
5-day Thredboland for two children
(2 adults, 2 children 5-14 years)

Canada

Great ski resorts, even greater snow and our strong Aussie dollar mean snow holidays in North America provide better value than ever before.*

Sun Peaks Family Package from $2448 per family
7 nights deluxe accommodation in a family suite for 2 adults & 2 children (u/18)
6 Day lift pass
Return airport transfers

Whistler family package from $3044 per family
7 nights deluxe accommodation
6 day lift pass
2 kids under 13 ski free
Return airport transfers
(family 2 adults & 2 child u/13)

Call Alpine World for these and other deals on 1300 138 311

* Seasonal conditions apply to all packages.

For more top ski deals, visit www.holidayswithkids.com.au or click here to view the digital ski edition of Holidays with Kids.

SKI, SNOWBOARD, AND ICE HOCKEY BONANZA FROM $949 pp

Ski at Big White Ski Resort or Silver Star Mountain Resort in British Columbia, Canada

Ski Tours Canada exclusive 10 night family package with 2 BONUS FREE NIGHTS includes:
10 nights at the Ski in/ski out self contained accommodation at either resort
Return airport to resort & ice hockey game transfers
9 day lift pass with KIDS SKI FREE included

HOLIDAYS WITH KIDS EXCLUSIVE BONUS:

Complimentary Family Pass to a live Ice Hockey Game.

*Land package based on 2 adults, 2 children (15 or under) for departure Jan 4, 2009. Conditions apply. Must be booked paid by 30/9/08
Airfares are additional, priced from $2899 per adult & $2175 per child plus taxes ex Sydney to Kelowna return economy class. Extra nights can be added.
For more details or to book this or other great deals, email Ski Tours Canada at info@skitourscanada.com and quote ref: HWK Family Deals/BWSS

Call Toll Free 1 800 446 302

THE SNOW TRAIN – UNIQUE CANADIAN WINTER TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Contact us for a brochure and full details on this wonderful winter experience travelling with VIA RAIL through the magnificent snow covered Rocky Mountains. If you are considering a Canadian snow holiday, you must include the Snow Train. Regular departures each week from Vancouver and Jasper.

This is a once in a lifetime experience and a fantastic and easy add on to snow travel packages, particularly for Sun Peaks, Jasper, Banff & Lake Louise.

For more details or to book this or other great deals, email Ski Tours Canada at info@skitourscanada.com and quote ref: HWK Family Deals/Snow Train

Call Toll Free 1 800 446 302

Snowballs

News from the slopes

Newsflash – the snow can be slippery!

A top drawcard for families heading to the mountains this winter is Perisher Blue’s fantastic Tube Town. Located next to the carpark, Tube Town offers specially groomed lanes allowing fun lovers and thrill seekers of all ages to enjoy a high-speed ride down the slopes and a lift back to the top, on purpose-built lifts. No skill is required, just the desire to have fun. It’s ideal for first-time visitors to the snow and it’s very affordable, with a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children), including return Skitube train to the snow and 20 tube rides, available for $126. Visit www.perisherblue.com.au.

Value on the Slopes

The family-friendly Charlotte Pass ski resort in NSW has introduced a special Daytripper Pass covering over-snow transport from Perisher Blue, lift tickets for the day and a hot lunch for $89 per adult and $53 for children. It’s a great cost-saver and ideal for beginners. More on www.charlottepass.com.au

LA to the Snow

It’s now easier for Aussies to get to the snow in the US, with Horizon Airlines launching direct flights each winter from LA to California’s popular Mammoth Mountain ski resort south-east of Yosemite National Park. Fares start at US$79 each way. Visit www.horizonair.com

Night Skiing Across the Ditch

Snow Park NZ is the first resort in Lake Wanaka to offer night skiing, providing visitors with more time on the mountain and a unique experience on snow under floodlights.
Eight floodlights have been installed across the terrain park, with night skiing available until 9pm on Tuesday and Friday evenings till the end of August.
Individual night riding tickets are just $35 for adults and $20 for youths. Night riding is inclusive for all season pass holders. Visit www.snowparknz.com

Skiing on a Budget

YHA has sourced the best hostels for skiing on a budget from its network of over 4,000 hostels worldwide so that skiers can hit the world’s most exciting slopes and have money left over to eat!
YHA has been accommodating young travellers for almost a century and has a knack for nabbing great properties at the best locations.
YHA’s top 10 list of ski hostels are the HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre in Canada, HI Gosau in Austria,Chamonix Mont Blanc YH in France, YHA Queenstown in NZ, HI Zermatt in Switzerland, ThredboYHA in NSW, Niseko Annupuri YH in Japan, Argentina’s Marcopolo Inn, Alaska Backpackers Inn near Anchorage and the Lillehammer Hostel in Norway,
Beds start at just $20 per person per night.
Travellers, including families, can check with each hostel to see what special deals and ski packages they offer, or enjoy the freedom of designing their own adventure, knowing they have a nice warm – yet inexpensive – bed to come home to.

Visit www.yha.com.au for more information on YHA cards, hostels and bookings.

2010 Winter Olympics

When the Olympic flame is extinguished in Beijing next week, attention will turn to the next Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, in February, 2010. If you want to see the world’s best athletes on ice, grab event tickets from this October. More information on www.vancouver2010.com.

Check us out Online

For more special deals – especially hot family snow discounts - and information about the world’s best family holidays, jump on our huge website – www.holidayswithkids.com.au. There are prizes to win, personal reviews of holiday destinations and toy boxes full of ideas that are certain to inspire your next getaway with the kids.

New Issue of Holidays with Kids

Grab the latest copy of Holidays with Kids magazine - out now - with great stories on Africa, cruising, Coffs Harbour, Thailand, Bali and Fiji. We also have a feature on wonderful islands in the sun including the best family friendly islands in Queensland, as well as Lord Howe and Norfolk. Check out stories by our celebrity writers, with Antonia Kidman skiing at Thredbo, Kieren Perkins taking his family to the Kimberley and Frankie J Holden on safari with his tribe in Africa. And our latest ambassador, Andrew ‘ET’ Ettingshausen, shares with us his top adventure trips.

We’re Everywhere!

Just like children spread their toys eveywhere, our growing magazine is also everywhere.

Holidays with Kids is now available in Virgin Blue airport lounges, on outbound flights for Garuda and Emirates and in the lounges and on the aircraft of Australia's leading airline. Our magazine is now also available in the US, which is very exciting.

Holidays with Kids is, officially, the most popular, audited travel magazine in Australia, reaching both consumers and travel agents, with 60,000 copies* reaching more than 600,000 readers. And our website - www.holidayswithkids.com.au - now boasts an incredible 4.2million hits per month, with 33,000 online members and 840,000 page views per month.

* As audited by CAB

We want to hear from you

We would like to hear your thoughts and experiences on family holidays so we can share them with fellow readers and online members.

Email us (under 100 words)and send us a pic about your family getaways or your holiday tips and we will run a selection of them in this monthly newsletter, on our website and in our quarterly magazine.

And everyone who writes in each month goes into the draw to win a free two-year subscription to the magazine and a family DVD.

* Email us on admin@signaturemedia.com.au

We look forward to hearing from you.

P.O Box 1825,
Chatswood,
NSW 2057

Phone: 02 9410 2555
Fax: 02 9410 2035