Are most of your vacations, or staycations based on rest and relaxation or are they active vacations? Do you take bike tours, go hiking, or focus on activities specifically for the kids? On our recent couples trip to Maui we finally got a chance to take one of our first adventure vacations. My husband surfed, we snorkeled, we hiked, it was a magnificent time that also forced us to rest our bodies after the great workouts!

Austin-Lehman, http://www.austinlehman.com, rated # 1 tour operator in the world by Travel & Leisure Magazine. ALA specializes in small-group adult and family multi-sport, hiking, biking and culture tours around the world. With a 37-year legacy, Austin-Lehman provides adventure vacations on five continents, has built an international reputation for small group active travel to destinations in North, Central and South America, Europe, the Pacific Rim and Africa. The company specializes in adult and family multi-sport, hiking, biking vacations that emphasize history, culture and nature’s charms.  Family Europe vacations and all the other amazing trips are limited to 12 guests (18 on family departures) and feature excellent regional dining, distinctive accommodations and all-inclusive rates and services. In addition to scheduled group departures, ALA offers customized trip planning.  ALA offers each traveler a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

Awards
ALA was voted #1 tour operator/Safari operator in the world in 2009 and # 2 in 2010 by Travel and Leisure Magazine. This year, it continues in the top 5 as #5 in the world. ALA has also made National Geographic Adventure Magazine’s list of ‘Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth,’ and was featured in National Geographic Traveler’s ’50 Tours of a Lifetime’ specially for their Montana Adventure.

Groups
All ALA trips are all-inclusive. On designated family adventures, ALA accommodates children as young as 7 (age 5 on their Costa Rica Family Adventure). Most trips have 2 guides and an average of 10-12 guests. On family adventures ALA can accommodate up to 18 guests and 3 guides. This affords each traveler a much more intimate and authentic experience and the guest-to-guide ratio is never more than 6:1!

Trips
Options include unique cycling tours, hiking trips, multi-sport adventure, family adventures and rafting trips filled with local flavor, gourmet food, distinctive lodging and cultural exploration in North, Central and South America, Europe, the Pacific Rim and Africa (they have 82 different itineraries spanning 29 countries worldwide.) Haven’t you ever wanted to try out Europe bike tours or have a Costa Rica family adventure (This adventure allows kids as young as 5 to attend!)

Authentic and Distinctive Lodging and Cuisine
ALA trips are designed to deliver surprising luxury with an absence of pretension. Whether you dine in a 5 star restaurant or are served campfire-side, you will enjoy the finest local cuisine and wines, artfully prepared and deliciously sinful. You are a VIP at Austin-Lehman and they’ll deliver on your high standards for luxury quality and comfort.

Austin-Lehman truly believes in everyday active family adventures. Whether it’s rollerblading, hiking, renting bikes, going to the pool, having a picnic in a park and playing games, kayaking, or renting paddle boats, doing fun, small adventures around your own city and exploring with your kids may lead you taking a world adventure with Austin-Lehman!

Austin-Lehman thought our family was a great match to take the “Austin-Lehman Active Family Challenge.” The challenge is to find multi-sport, active and unique adventures to do locally and explore with your family! We took the challenged and ventured about 20 minutes from home to take in the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center where you can swim laps, dive off the high dive, slide down one of two waterslides, play in a water tower and have the time of your life.  Our little town has minimal options, so taking this ride was no sweat!  Having 3 kids ages 12, 10, and 5 and taking them all to one place for family fun is often hard to come by, but this place was perfect.  My oldest invited two friends and hung out at the lap pool, while my son went on the waterslides over and over.  My five year old is still a beginning swimmer and too small for the big slides, but their are some her size.  Walk on over the water playground where water gushes from geysers in the ground and cascades over head!

This fabulous local adventure was so reasonable at $8 per person, $6 for under 48″ and even less for Morgan Hill residents.  Open through the summer from 11:30am-5:00, the park fills up fast, so go early to secure a lounge chair or two.  We had to sit on the grassy area for a while before seats opened up, but it wasn’t too bad.  Lines are inevitable but they go fast, bring your patience!  Also, you can enjoy the poolside concession stand that offers hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos, burritos, churros, nachos, fries, drinks, smoothies, sno-cones, and much more for a reasonable fee!  The center is perfect for kids all ages, life vests are offered to rent for the littlest ones, and adults can enjoy a swim as well! School is back in 3 short weeks, make the most of your summer family adventures and consider Austin-Lehman when you’re looking to make reservation for your next grand vacation!

Austin-Lehman provided us a gift card to experience a local adventure.  All opinions expressed are our own.