Jo-Anne Thomas | Personal Travel Consultant

The places that make me smile

Florida My favourite place to visit as a family has got to be Florida, I have two teenage children and there is something for everyone to enjoy. We are never bored! The weather is great, the shopping is amazing. I love to get stocked up when I visit as there is often some unbelievable savings on premium brands, such as make up and hand bags! I love the Theme parks; my favourite is Universal Studios and my favourite ride is the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride. We love the City walk and there is always live music, great food and drinks and shows to watch. The food in Florida is something else! I enjoy visiting a variety of places and I have a real sweet tooth, so I am in heaven when I visit. You can’t beat chicken and pancakes to fuel a busy day! Away from the parks you can visit the amazing beaches, they are breathe taking. Clearwater Beach is great for families as it has Beautiful white sand and clear shallow water. With the weather being so hot, the waterparks are a favourite for us! If I want a rest day I can take it easy on a sun lounger or the relax on the lazy river while the children tire themselves out! My favourite so far is Typhoon lagoon. I just love the massive surf wave. Its hilarious to watch too. The standard of the hotels in Florida is very high. You can get modern, state of the art hotel rooms, I love the gigantic beds! I always sleep so well when we visit. The main reason I love it so much is because we never get bored there is always something to do or something new to explore! I have my next trip booked and I can’t wait.

Majorca Majorca is such a beautiful island, I have been many times and visited different parts and each time I visit, I always wish I had booked for longer. I like to visit in Summer when its lovely and warm. Majorca has amazing beaches and beautiful Marinas; I admire the gigantic yachts and dream of one day owning one myself! The beaches are lovely and clean and very safe for children. We enjoyed jumping from the rocks into the sea and snorkelling, we saw lots of fish very close to the shore. Puerto Pollensa is one of my favourite places. I love to sit in the market square watching the world go by, usually drinking the delicious local sangria! Its my favourite holiday drink. It just doesn’t taste the same anywhere else! There are lots of lovely restaurants that offer a wide range of cuisine. The Market has all sorts of lovely handmade items and it’s a great opportunity to speak to the locals and get some tips on nice places to visit. The Pine walk is lovely for a romantic evening stroll along the beach.

Greece Again, I love the sunshine and in Greece you don’t have to look far for it. There are so many different and amazing places to visit, Greece has over 5000 Islands and that means that I still have some exploring to do. I would really like to take an island hopping tour. I find Greek history so interesting, there is so much culture, many museums and historic buildings that are waiting to be explored. I love the relaxed feeling of Greece, The white washed buildings, Architecture and amazing beaches. Santorini is such a romantic Island, you can take boat trips, wine tours and there are plenty of amazing restaurants. You can’t beat the locally produced olive oil and feta cheese. Again in Crete you can see historical sights and beaches. Crete is family friendly and there is plenty to do and see. Chania is a charming town and a great place to stay for exploring the western side of the island.