Cuba Essentials

Entry & Exit Requirement

• Visa Requirements: US Travel to Cuba remains prohibited, unless you obtain a license from the Department of Treasure OR your travel falls into 1 of 12 authorized travel categories. Consult with Department of Treasury or Travel Agent.

• Passport Validity: Must be valid at the time of entry

• Blank Passport Pages: At least two (2) blank pages

• The export of Cuban convertible pesos (CUC) is strictly prohibited, regardless of the amount.

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Time Zone

• CDT (Cuban Daylight Time)

• Daylight savings time is observed

• Time Zone Difference

  • New York: No time difference

  • Houston: CST + 1 hour

  • Los Angeles: PST + 3 hours

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Currency

• Cuban peso (CUP) and Cuban convertible peso (CUC)

• All currencies have a 3% exchange fee. USD has an additional 10% tax upon exchange. Tip: Before leaving the US, convert USD to Canadian Dollars to avoid the additional 10% tax on USD conversion.

• U.S credit and debit cards are not accepted.

• Bring enough cash to cover ALL expenses during your stay.

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Language

• Spanish

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Health, Safety & Security

• Emergency Number: 106 (Police Department) & 105 (Fire Department)

• Security Environment: Relatively stable and with a strong military and police presence.

• Crime: Increased property and violent crimes against tourists, which are opportunistic. Tourists should stay vigilant.

• Air Pollution: Classified as serious due primarily to emissions from trucks, buses and automobiles built before 1959.

• Health: Diarrhea is common among travelers. Travelers are advised to wash hands, drink bottled water and avoid uncooked street foods.

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Food & Water

• Is water is safe to drink? No

• Food Do’s:  

  • Eat food that is well done and served hot

  • Eat fruits, nuts and vegetables you can peel

• Food Don’ts:

  • Eat raw, uncooked, or cold meats, poultry, fish, seafood or eggs

  • Eat bush or game meat

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Transportation

• Colectivos/Almendrones/Shared Taxis

• Private Taxi

• Bici Bus

• Intercity Bus

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Accessibility

• Cuba has limited accessibility

Sin City with a Baby: Baby Friendly Hotel on the Vegas Strip

There are lots of adjectives that come to mind when thinking about Las Vegas – baby-friendly, quiet and smoke-free are not those adjectives.

Because I’m apparently not ready to leave my child overnight (or over several nights) he travels wherever I travel. So, when I had a conference in Las Vegas, of course he tagged along – along with his entourage, i.e., my husband and my mother. To add insult to injury, the conference ended July 3rd – so there would likely be enhanced holiday travelers, partiers and boozers.  

Although the conference was at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Conference Center, I agonized over where to stay. I was not ready for my nine (9) month old to be exposed to the essence of Vegas, i.e., loud, rowdy, heavily intoxicated partiers some of which might be scantily clad. I wanted a boutique hotel or a hotel with a smaller presence on the strip – I was looking for a needle in a hay stack. As I began searching for a hotel in Las Vegas – I hit the jackpot, atop the Mandalay Bay Hotel was a Four Season. After further research, the Four Season Las Vegas had a separate entrance, a separate pool and spa and two (2) stellar restaurant options with the added benefit of having access to all of the Mandalay Bay facilities, i.e., pool, spa, casino, etc. I immediately booked two rooms with strip views – we decided to stay through July 4th to enjoy the Vegas fireworks.

The Four Seasons Las Vegas is obviously a fantastic property and it was perfect for our little one. We requested a crib in each room. Not only did we get a crib, but the hotel also provided a teddy bear, diapers, wipes, bib (monogramed with the Four Seasons logo), and a travel kit containing soap, shampoo and conditioner. While there were quiet a lot of people at the hotel, it was not booked to capacity. We were able to sit by the pool and relax without fighting throngs of people and children running to and fro.

Every time we would venture to or through the Mandalay Bay, I was quickly reminded that the extra money spent at the Four Seasons was WELL worth it. There were hordes of people at the Mandalay Bay – excruciatingly long check-in and check-out lines, lines to get on the elevator and the pool was jam packed.

For those looking for the Vegas experience with the casinos, hordes of partiers, the ostentatious rooms and bathrooms, then the Four Seasons may not be for you. However, the Four Seasons gave me the best of both worlds – the laid back option (Four Seasons) and the rowdy option (Mandalay Bay). 

Successfully Attend Sporting Events with Toddler in Tow

We recently took our son to his first Oklahoma Sooners football game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. While fun was had by all, the planning and logistics leading up to the game was intense. Not only did I have to plan travel, lodging and transportation, I also had to understand the does and don'ts of entering a sports stadium with a toddler.

Unlike an airplane, sports stadiums have fluid rules. Meaning, the stadium may have stringent rules, bag policies and more. Additionally, ticket attendants may be sticklers for rules or may be more relaxed and understanding. Imagine an uncontrollable toddler screaming their head off because they can't take their favorite sippy cup into the stadium.

Bottom line, there are lots of unknowns when entering sports stadiums. Appropriately planning and building flexibility into your psyche will go a long way.

1. Stadium policies. Most stadiums have rules or policies governing appropriate and inappropriate items which can be brought into the stadium. Find them, read them and understand them.

Among the numerous prohibited items in Sooner Stadium are strollers and backpacks. However, the stadium allowed diaper bags and reasonably sized purses. Our diaper bag was a backpack. Because I am a planner, we stored an actual "diaper bag" in our car, just in case were were denied entry. Fortunately, the ticketing attendants were amazing and unfazed by the backpack diaper bag.

2. Noise canceling headphones. The decibel levels in sports stadium can be harsh to babies or toddler ears. To relieve irritation and prevent hearing loss, invest in baby/toddler noise canceling headphones. While the prospect of wearing the headphones may initially annoy your little one, the volume within the stadium will likely cause your child to welcome the headphones with open arms.

3. General toddler supplies. Don't leave home without your typical baby/toddler supplies - diapers, wipes, a change of cloths (at least one), cup/bottle, a distraction item, jacket/blanket, etc.

4. Environmental Supplies. Understand the stadium environment and the weather. From a weather perspective, remember sunscreen, mosquito repellent, mittens, hats, etc. Also consider the stadium environment, meaning if everyone stands the entire game make sure your little one wears appropriate footwear.

5. Remember the tickets. Understand whether your child needs a ticket before you arrive in game day. At Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, every entrant must have a ticket regardless of age. For us, although our toddler was going to either sit on our laps or be in our arms, we had to purchase a full priced ticket for him.

6. Select the right game. Consider selecting a non-conference, non-rivalry, low profile game. We selected a non-conference game - Tulane. It was great because fans were relaxed and the Stadium was not to capacity.

7. Fans. Everyone will not think you toddler is as cute and cuddly as you. During our game experience, our toddler was fascinated by the two gentlemen sitting in front of us. He was so fascinated, that he wanted to constantly pat the men on the back. Well the two gentlemen were anti-baby and very unfriendly, which was even more appealing to our son. We had to be creative in order to prevent our son from interacting with these gentlemen. 

Remember, the game is only a few hours. Try to have fun and go with the flow. You and your child will likely never forget the experience for one reason or another.
 

Boston Activity Guide: 5 Child Friendly Activities

1.     African American National Historic Site  – Black Heritage Trail

Massachusetts was the first state in the union to declare slavery illegal in 1783 – partially due to participation of blacks in the Civil War. As a result, freed and escaped slaves settled in the north slope of Beacon Hill – along with Eastern and Southern Europeans. As a result, Beacon Hill is laden with historically and culturally significant pre-Civil War structures and sites. After the Civil War, blacks migrated to other areas of Boston outside of Beacon Hill.

During the Spring and Summer months, rangers from the National Park Service provide FREE walking tours of the various pre-Civil War structures and sites. While the Black Heritage Trail is hilly and not always conducive to strollers, small children or wheelchairs, it is definitely well worth the “inconvenience.” The Black Heritage Trail includes visits to the African Meeting House – built in 1806 is the oldest black church edifice in the United States; the site of Lewis and Harriet Hayden’s House – black abolitionist who escaped slavery in Kentucky and maintained the home as a stop in the Underground Railroad; other suspected parts of the Underground Railroad; and much more.

2.     Boston Children’s Museum

The typical non-member admission fee is $16 for adults and children one and older. However, due to Target Fridays from 5 PM – 9 PM the admission fees are slashed from $16 per adult to $1 per adult. During our trip to Boston, we were able to take advantage of the discounted entrance fee.

The Museums exhibits focus on cultural awareness, STEM, arts and health and fitness.  Highlights include an actual Japanese House and and exhibit entitled Native Voices focusing on the Native American experience. Each Exhibit is thoughtful and impactful. However, the Boston Black Exhibit plays on unhealthy stereotypes. Per the museum, "Boston Black is a dialogue about race, ethnicity, identity, and community." However, it is disturbing that the Black experience and community is relegated to beauty shops, barber shops, a Dominican marketplace, Caribbean drums and a newsstand highlighting pictures of entertainers and athletes.

Tip: If you are a member of certain participating museums or science centers in your home city (includes both domestic and international cities), your membership may benefit from ASTC (Travel Passport Program) which provides FREE museum or science center admission at over 300 museums or science centers worldwide. Visit http://www.astc.org/passport/ for more information.

3.     Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a MUST-DO while in Boston. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile 90-minute walking tour of historically noteworthy sites in Boston, which is led by historically significant 18th century costumed guides. The costumed guides, referred to as the Freedom Players, provide lively entertainment – never breaking character. There are a range of Freedom Players.  

The Freedom Players pack a LOT of information into the Tour, so prepare for information overload. The tour was so fast paced and contained so much information, that our son could not contain himself and took an 85-minute nap.

Tip: The Freedom Trail is wildly popular. Arrange your schedule to take the day’s first Freedom Trail Tour – smaller crowds and less foot traffic.

Tip: Some tour sites are not stroller/wheelchair friendly.

Tip: Groupon and LivingSocial often have Freedom Trail discounts.

4.     Harvard University & Harvard Square

Harvard University established in 1636 is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Harvard offers a FREE one-hour Guided Historical Tours; however, availability may be an issue as the tour is capped at 35 attendees. Alternatively, download the Tour Harvard College Self-Guided Tour, which features an interactive pathway and a campus map.

Harvard Square is the business district outside of Harvard’s gates features restaurants and shops.

5.     Boston Public Garden

Boston Public Garden is a large park located in the heart of Boston, which includes ponds and historically significant statues.