 |
TRAVEL TIPS
By Jack Adler
Farm stays have become so popular among travelers that farms, like hotels, are now being monitored and classified in some countries. Categories generally are based on such factors as size of the farm, whether bathroom facilities are private or shared, and how many meals are included.
Farm stays allow travelers to experience more of the countryside than they would on a city vacation, while offering greater opportunities for personal contact with locals, including the host family. Such stays are an inexpensive way to meet people in a more informal setting and to get a real feel for country life.
Farm stays marketed in the U.S. are primarily to English-speaking nations such as Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. However, farm stays can be set up in other countries as well.
Such rural experiences are especially good experiences for families with young children, who are usually fascinated by all the farm animals.
In most cases, a car is essential to reach farms; public transport may not be available or convenient. Figuring the cost of a rental car may be a budgetary issue. Make sure you know what meals are included as restaurants may not be nearby. But figure on getting good and plentiful food with included meals.
Some farm stays are built-in elements of a travel package, while others may be optional experiences to the structured package. Farm stays are often possible components of self-drive packages that permit travelers to plan their own itineraries. Besides farmhouses, accommodations in these kinds of packages could include combinations of farmhouses and country homes, bed and breakfast inns or standard hotels. More structured motor-coach tours may include a farm stay as part of the tour, but are more likely to use standard urban accommodations.
These programs are particularly popular in Great Britain and Ireland, where travelers can stay at more than one farm in an area of their choice. Farm stays in Australia and New Zealand are more oriented toward just one farm, with more attention given to the opportunity to watch day-to-day farm activities. Generally, these farm stays tend to be pre-booked in the U.S., especially for Australia, where the distance between farms is much greater, thus tending to create less flexibility in booking.
Generally, travelers can decide how much of daily farm activities they want to see and to possibly participate in such as actually milking cows, collecting chicken eggs, etc. Getting up early isn't mandatory, but it certainly enables travelers to genuinely see the farm in action.
To determine farm stay opportunities in individual countries, check with travel agents or foreign government tourist offices. Farm stays are also possible domestically, with state tourist offices a good source of information.
Based in North Hollywood, Jack Adler contributes travel articles and columns to a variety of publications. He can be reached at jadler@prodigy.net.
|
