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8 Best NYC Activities With Kids

There were few places on Earth my parents loved to visit, with their kids, more than New York City. From a young age, my siblings and I became well-acquainted with the vibrant city, and for me, it formed a lifelong love with the Big …

5 Best Things To Do With Kids For New Years Eve 2020 in L.A.

Nope, it’s not happening. The crowded living room full of friends, hugging and kissing each other over goopy, sugar-filled desserts and salty, crunchy snacks. Drinks that may or may not leave you feeling a bit queasy the next morning. Well, the …

6 Tips to Plan a Safer Holiday Family Reunion

Planning a family reunion this year isn’t easy, as we all struggle to find safe ways to see loved ones. Our family has had to get creative with hosting outdoor grandparent visits. There’s even talk of a back porch Christmas tree. When making

Holiday Family Shopping in Ohio’s Amish Country

A shopping trip to Amish country is the perfect holiday and long weekend getaway! The pace of life is slower in Amish country. It offers a chance to finally enjoy the scenery and the time to do it. There aren’t many highways, so you have no …

7 Best Holiday Activities in Chicago for Families

The holidays are always my favorite time of year. The mundane becomes the magical. And nowhere is that transformation more evident than in the city of Chicago. The steel and concrete landscape suddenly becomes awash in greenery, twinkling …

The Best Things To Do At Dollywood

I love a good amusement park. I consider myself something of a guru. But, until recently, I had never been to Dollywood theme park. So, when my husband found himself with vacation time to blow, we packed up our car and headed for Pigeon Forge, …

Perfect Holiday Gifts for Family Travelers

For many, the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. For those of us who struggle with finding the perfect gifts, it can also be the most stressful, full of frantic catalog flipping, manic Amazon scrolling, and hectic trips to Target

The Best Things to See in 48 Hours in Salzburg

If you’re planning a trip to Austria — Salzburg likely falls low on your list of places to visit. You’ll likely put it well below bustling Vienna, charming Innsbruck, and Insta-worthy Hallstatt. In fact, if you’re not a raving Sound of Music …

Four Spots on the Gulf Coast for A Low-Key Family Vacation

My family has a special way we recharge. When the gray clouds of the winter months get us down, we pack up the kids and flee south for a low-key, family beach vacation on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Growing up, I loved the trips my parents planned to …

How to Have a Family Vacation in London Without Going Nuts

Since I’m an introvert who doesn’t like crowds, I have a love/hate relationship with London. Full of fascinating history, diverse cultures, and world-class museums, London requires careful navigation. But despite my …

6 Tips to Survive your First Hotel Stay with a Baby

There are babies that can sleep anywhere, and my kid was not one of them. If you’re the kind of person who finds your baby napping on the floor, I’m jealous. My child needs perfect conditions to sleep. I can’t tell you how much money I have …

5 Tips to Traveling with Grandparents Without Losing Your Mind

It can be really fun to bring your child’s grandparents along on a family vacation, but I don’t have to tell you that it can be frazzling too. With all the extra people running around, it’s no wonder the mom in Home Alone forgot one of her kids …

5 SpOOky Things to Do with Kids for Halloween Around Los Angeles

The alarm has sounded. A shriek has wrapped its tendrils around our hearts. A pandemic has descended upon the Earth and this Halloween in Los Angeles the most frightening thing isn’t the monsters, the ghouls or the tricks. It’s the idea of not …

Dover: A Day Trip from London

We had one extra day in England. I had always wanted to see more of the United Kingdom than just the London area. And can I tell you a secret? I’d always wanted to see an old castle. When I say castle, I don’t mean the sophisticated splendor of …

How to Plan the Ultimate Washington D.C. Trip with Kids

With free attractions and some of the world’s top museums, visiting Washington, D.C. with kids is one of the best vacations for a family. But somehow, despite all the benefits of this kid-friendly vacation spot, our family found ourselves …

The Seven Things You Must Do On Your Family Trip To Zurich

As a kid, my dad traveled a lot for work, catching flights to far flung destinations like Japan, Germany, and Italy. I thought it sounded so glamorous. I remember asking him once what his favorite city in the world was. Zurich, he said. And …

Salem, MA: The Spookiest Family-Friendly Destination for Fall

When you think perfect small town for a spooky fall trip, you might think Sleepy Hollow or Amityville, but we think Salem, Massachusetts. Home of the infamous Salem Witch Trials that plagued the tiny town in the late 1600s, today it’s quite …

A Walk In The Redwoods: Family Activities at the Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort

When I heard the news, a wave of relief so great washed over me, I felt the unexpected strain of tears, bits of moisture managing to squeeze through. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized our family camping trip to Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort …

A Local’s Guide to Family Friendly Cleveland

I know my hometown doesn’t have the best reputation. After all, we sometimes get called the “Mistake on the Lake.” The idea of Cleveland being a center of tourism was such a joke, a local comedian made a fake tourism video when Cleveland hosted …

How to Save Your Family Vacation When Everything Goes Wrong

When I first heard rumors about the French transit strikes, I didn’t think much about them. After all, our vacation was weeks away. Surely I could keep those reservations for our dream trip to Paris.

How to Plan a Safe Labor Day Weekend with a Toddler

Labor Day weekend is that amazing time of the year when you can comfortably enjoy outdoor activities but totally decorate for Fall! And I am so here for both! As I resisted the urge to start baking the first of many batches of pumpkin cookies, I

A Local’s Guide to the Best of Kid-Friendly Nashville

As a native to Nashville, Tennessee, I love to tell everyone about my home city. There’s just something special about the Nashville way. We smile and say hello to strangers. We help each other recover after floods or tornadoes. And we never, …

Our First RV Trip: A Beachy Way of Life — Review: Pismo Coast Village RV Resort

It’s the dividing line between youth and age. It was about 63 degrees at the beach where we camped at a nearby Pismo Beach RV park. A sharp wind made me wish I could retract my head into my body like a turtle. At the same time, my boys, 10 and …

RVs for Families 101: Tips to Prepare You for Your First RV Trip!

We bought a travel trailer and went camping this summer like everyone else. And, like most people who hadn’t gone camping regularly pre-COVID, we were forced to become experts as we were flying out the door. We collected as much information as …

6 Things That Should Always Be in Your Carry-On

Don’t leave home without them, here’s what should always be in your carry on!

A Cowboy Weekend: Family Fun at the Circle Bar B Guest Ranch

Just because you live in a modern city doesn’t mean you can’t be a cowboy. At least for a little while, anyway. About 100 miles from the skyscrapers of Downtown Los Angeles are men and women who wrangle horses and ride them, spurs clanking, …

Our 9 Favorite Family Friendly Things To Do in Charleston

Ahhhh Charleston. The land of sweet tea, true southern charm, and humidity so thick it took my hair weeks to recover from our family trip. No joke. Walking around in Charleston feels almost akin to walking through a pool. The humidity is …

A Local’s Guide To The Best Family Activities In Florence

Between the Medicis and a lot of Caravaggio, for many, Florence doesn’t exactly scream ‘family fun’. While it may not sound like Florence has a lot to offer kids, it actually does have many wonderful activities for adventurous …

The Only Things You Need to Pack in a Theme Park Bag

In my family, summer is theme park season. I’ve been riding roller coasters since I was 42″ tall. Finally tall enough to take on the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood in Pittsburgh PA. Those family trips had a huge impact on my life. Even now, to me a …

7 Fun Things to Do on Nantucket Island for the Whole Family

A tiny island twenty miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Nantucket, Massachusetts is an old school throwback to a simpler way of life. There are no chain restaurants. No Starbucks. No stoplights. The speed limit never breaks 45 miles per hour, …

The Reluctant Hiker: When Your Kids Won’t Cooperate (Video)

Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you can’t leave your house. As long as you can find a way to socially distance, you can appreciate the gifts G‑d, mother nature or the universe has freely just plopped right into your backyard. Our backyard is …

A Local’s Guide to Lake Erie Beaches

I know, I know. When you first hear the word “Ohio,” you immediately think the word “beaches,” right? No? Well, you should and I’ll tell you why. In my hometown of Cleveland, there are at least 5 beaches within an hour’s drive of my house. And …

5 Can’t Miss Tips for Traveling With Your Kids During COVID

I’m not sure when exactly that my family reached their personal breaking point in quarantine. It was likely around the time Chicago was getting doused in apocalyptic rain. So, not only were we not allowed to go anywhere, but we also couldn’t …

One Dad Discovered What Makes Travel With Kids Easy

For the last four years my wife and I, along with our children, have made our home on the Asian side of sprawling Istanbul, Turkey. There are plenty of benefits to living in what is, for all intents and purposes, the center of the world, and one

What to Do With Kids in Bermuda

They’re not afraid of color. Their buildings resemble an assortment of Easter eggs, waiting to be plucked from dark green hills. If you’re visiting the vibrant main island of Bermuda with your kids, there are many fun ways to explore the pastel …

7 Essential Stops on a Family Summer Texas Road Trip

As a young couple, my husband and I would power through long drives to see family in Texas. During our road trips, we made a game out of stopping as little as possible, pushing ourselves to the limits of our gas tank. And then something …

A Local’s Guide To The 11 Best Family Friendly Things to Do in Chicago

After months of steeling ourselves against sub-zero temperatures, battling unforgiving winds and the chills they bring, trudging through snowdrifts that come up to our butts, we use summer in Chicago to its full advantage. Because, let’s be …

Surfing Indonesia — The Best Family Surf Trip

“I think you’re a little bit of a witch,” Luana said with a slight crinkle of her green-grey eyes, her hair pulled back in a ponytail to combat the Mentawai Island’s humidity. We all sat around long tables eating dinner. She said this shyly, a …

What to Expect if You Visit Universal Orlando During COVID

The world is starting to open back up. As a travel agent, that’s a relief. As a mom, I need to know how that’s happening and the best ways to travel safely. And here’s what my kids love: Central Florida’s theme parks are preparing to welcome

The Trick That Saved Our Family Trip Through Austria

There’s only one time I’ve come close to cutting a trip short, calling it a failure, and buying the first available ticket home. I was in Vienna. Yes, beautiful, enchanting Vienna, on a family trip with our kids. Don’t get me wrong, my wife and …

Why Universal Orlando is Better for Families than Disney World

I’m a travel agent, and a not insignificant portion of my business comes from Disney. I specialized in Disney. I keep up with all the Disney blogs. I know an embarrassing amount about Disney parks and everything they have to offer. So, it feels …

7 Ways Not to Lose Your Mind Traveling With Kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJWWNw1ufOI&t=32s If you’ve been keeping up with our crazy shenanigans that are our version of family travel, then you know how wild and unruly (and sweet …

5 Fun Staycation Ideas to Get Your Kids Excited About Being Home

You know the scene in Castaway where an increasingly insane and unkempt Tom Hanks marks off the days he’s been stranded at sea, watching the number slowly tick up? Today, we can oddly relate. After a full two months in quarantine, our …

7 Tips for Surviving a Road Trip With Kids

We’ve all been on those family road trips. You know the ones. They start off pleasant enough. The windows are down, a nice breeze circulating. The Black Keys are churning those good vibes and (miraculously) no one is complaining about the music.

What Every Mom Needs

There’s nowhere to go right now. No matter how much of a break we all need, we will only get it on our half-hour walk during the stay-at-home order. Instead, we get to be together a lot now. But come on! Sometimes mama needs a time out too. …

Woodward Park City: Extreme Family Travel

It’s a side-effect of parenting. Once your kids get close to 10 years old, you are suddenly the least cool person they know. No matter what you were before becoming their mother or father, you are now the voice of Charlie Brown’s teacher anytime

9 Tips to Plan Your Family Trip After Quarantine Now!

I’ve lost count of how many weeks we’ve been social distancing. Though I’m thankful to be healthy and safe, it’s tough. With the weather fluctuations, and staying home as much as possible, it’s easy to start feeling claustrophobic. I’m now at …

Three Fun Days In Vail With Adventurous Kids (video too!)

It was only because we used snowboarding as the hook. But it was the promise of a family trip to a ski resort in the Colorado Rocky Mountains that enticed the college boy to travel with us to Vail, Colorado over …

Travel In Time: Tips to Help the Elderly Cope with Coronavirus

Aline Morris, 80, used to be a world traveler, starting to seriously travel when she was 60 but she stopped traveling by herself a couple of years ago. She has fond memories of seeing the world whether on tours, cruises or …

Yosemite for Families: Nature With Pamper (with video)

The wind leads the leaves in a Rumba as their hips sway through a daring gust. The clouds form shapes any contortionist would admire, with a backdrop of blue so deep, your heart can get lost in its gaze. It’s nature …

(Family) Travel In the Time of Corona

When news of a new virus in China first began making minor headlines, I was blissfully enjoying my time in Kenya, helping to build a school dormitory for girls and enjoying the people and wildlife that call Maasai Mara home. Today, schools …

What You Need to Do in Pismo Beach For Family Fun!

We’d seen pictures of all-terrain vehicles blasting through sand dunes in Pismo Beach, like Mad Max searching for an adventure in a post-apocalyptic future. It doesn’t seem too far of a stretch based on what’s happening in the world today but …

Fun Things to Do with a Toddler While You’re Stuck at Home

I’ve heard so many people say, “I’ve never experienced anything like this.” That’s one thing we can all agree on. Lines at grocery stores as if it’s Thanksgiving, toilet paper in high demand, empty shelves where baby wipes used to be, canceled …

How to Survive a Quarantine with Four Kids (and a Grandma!)

As everyone now knows we are officially dealing with a pandemic of epic proportions. I have four kids, one is medically complex, and my eighty-seven year old grandmother lives with us. I, like others, am limiting our risks. Normally, I am the …

Exploring Celtic Gardens in Galway

Most Irish school children learn about Brigit, an early Christian saint who was almost as important as Saint Patrick – she even has her own holiday on February 1st (without the green beer). But Brigit is also a significant part of Irish …

How To Stay Healthy Traveling With Kids

Even before the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) reared its ugly head to disrupt all our lovely travel plans, traveling was a dirty business. Yes, you know there are those of us who don’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom, kids who …

Experience the Wild Side of Florida

When my husband told me at the beginning of November that he had vacation days to use or lose come January, that’s all I needed to start planning something fun. Since we live in New England, Florida seemed like the best place to travel to in …

How to Re-Light That Spark in a Disney World

Whenever my fiancé and I start to feel like we’re out of sync or we haven’t had a real conversation in a while, we set a coffee date. And by “coffee date”, I mean that we make coffee in our kitchen or run to the closest drive-thru and then bring

How to Survive a Vacation in Europe with a Baby

After years of traveling to Europe with my mom, and becoming a bit of an addict, I made the conscious decision to continue my adventures once my daughter was born. It would be amazing. I would show naysayers that your whole life doesn’t have

Cancun for Families: Two Ways

Cancun is big enough for both of them. You can visit one and the other won’t get jealous. On your next family trip to Cancun, visit the sister properties of the Park Royal Golden Cancun and the Grand Park Royal Luxury Resort. Two miles apart in the hotel zone of Cancun, both offer Los Angeles families convenient beach fun. #LAFamilyTravel #CancunFamilyVacation

Grand Velas Riviera Maya: An All-Inclusive for All-Inclusive Haters

It’s the perfect all-inclusive vacation for families who hate all-inclusive vacations. The Grand Velas in Riviera Maya, minutes from the Cancun airport, will satisfy your luxury trip dreams at a Mexico-affordable price tag!

Escape to Kauai With Family

Only, upon arrival at our Airbnb, our family discovered there was no key left inside the mailbox as promised by the landlord. Learn how our crazy solutions created the adventures that bind us.

Best Food in the North Carolina Mountains

The picturesque towns of Highlands & Cashiers, N.C. are at the top of our weekend getaway list! Check out this guide for the best food in the North Carolina mountains.

No Spoilers! What to Expect from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

The time has come, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is finally open at Disneyland. See what the experience was like, what to expect, and whether our expectations were met in this no spoilers guide.

7 Tips for Mammoth Summer Fun with Crazy Kids

Although I wanted him to be brave, part of me pictured his hands losing grip on the rope suspended to the branch above his head and his little body landing with a dull thud onto the sharp rocks. Besides our screams of terrified excitement, …

How To Survive Your First Flight with a Baby

When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, everyone was quick to tell me that my traveling days were over. Determined to prove them wrong and continue to explore the world, I made the decision to take her with me. Was it challenging? Ummm, yes. Imagine changing the diaper of a rambunctious toddler in […]

The Most Family Fun You Could Have at Winter Carnaval and Quebec City

Sometimes it is great to escape the heat of LA for early winter in Quebec City. From a massive snow carnival to a chocolate museum, there is no shortage of things to do #familytravel #quebeccity #weekendgetaway

New Years Eve Fun with Kids in Los Angeles: 2020 Style!

So maybe you’re not hanging out at swanky restaurants in sequin dresses knocking down champagne bottles until 4 in the morning now that you’re traveling with kids but you can still have a great time! If your New Year’s Eve plans include Los …

LAX-it: The Terror Confronted of the New Lyft & Uber Pick-Up Zone

The terror of the changes getting rides with Lyft and Uber at Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, is upon us. Read how you will survive.

Behind the Scenes at Disney: An Invitation to Explore

Do you love the magic of @Disney and have always wanted to peek behind their curtain? Well, now you can. Read on.….

Seeking Balance in New York City

I recently took a weekend girl’s trip to New York City. (And no, that is not a misplaced apostrophe, because there was only one girl on this trip — me.) That’s right, I did New York solo. I did visit and spend time with friends, but much of the …

SATW Convention in El Paso: VIDEO Reverbs Storytelling — From Russia With Love

This is the story of my family’s journey through Russia, the Soviet regime and escape into the New World. In 2019, I became a member of the honorable writing organization, Society of American Travel Writers or SATW. These are a group of …

An Oasis Adventure in Irvine

Until recently, Irvine, California has only existed as a blip on our family road-trip map — between the freeway drive from Los Angeles to San Diego. We’d see high-rise buildings, malls and hotels whiz by. Nothing to draw us in. Nothing to …

Attraction Review: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

Universal Orlando’s perfectly named new coaster is definitely both magical and an adventure. When the Wizarding World of Harry Potter first opened in 2010 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure Park, a visit to Universal Orlando Resort immediately

What to Expect at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

I consider myself to be a mid-level Star Wars fan. I’ve seen all the movies, but I’m not familiar with the other mediums in the Star Wars franchise. Still, since I saw the first movie as a kid, I’ve loved the adventure, triumph, humor, and even …

Adventures by Disney SoCal Escape: How To Get Behind The Scenes at Disneyland

I love Disneyland, so when my son and I were invited to experience the 4‑day Adventures by Disney: Disneyland Resort and Southern California Escape, I was beyond excited. But even I could never imagine the amount of pixie dust that was about to

Hop On — Hop Off Bus Tours: An Affordable Way to Travel with Kids

I’ve spent a good deal of time on the top of a double-decker bus – and not just in London where that sort of thing is expected. In quite a few different cities, double-decker bus tours have allowed my family to see the sights, get around town, …

A Magical Family Adventure in India

The following post was written by Jennifer Spatz. Jennifer enjoys combining family travel with the opportunity to give back as much as we do. She also values getting to know local cultures in authentic settings. We are hoping to join …

Winter in Lake Arrowhead with Kids

For some reason, our Santa Monica beach family always went looking for snow and winter fun in Big Bear Lake, never Lake Arrowhead. In the summers, it was always back to Big Bear, to try our luck at …

The ABC’s of Food Tours with Teens

Whenever my sons and I travel to a new city, we always take a food tour (at this point, we’ve taken at least ten). It initially started because we wanted to try a famous food from a specific area, like beignets in New Orleans, BBQ in Austin, or …

Cave Kayaking with Kids! Santa Cruz Island in Ventura, California

It’s not something I thought could happen so close to the urban sprawl of Los Angeles. https://youtu.be/X‑NbH9OtyvI Yet, here we were, looking through a rainbow of ocean mist as dolphins below escorted our Channel Islands ferry to our cave

Cutting the Line: A How To Guide For Your Fav Theme Park

We’ve all told our kids a thousand times not to cut the line because it’s rude and selfish. But what if there was a way to cut a line that was neither rude nor selfish? Intriguing, right? One of the biggest – and most consistent – …

A Volunteer Vacation Every Family Member Will Love

Guest blog post by Jennifer Spatz, CEO & Founder of Global Family Travels The most memorable family trips are ones that offer experiences beyond just relaxing or spending time together. A vacation that combines a bucket-list adventure …

Walking the Streets of NYC: 2 Tours with Kids & Teens

New York City is a walking city. Now, the idea of a “walking city” may seem strange to anyone from L.A. because we have a reputation of never walking anywhere. Ever. But one of the coolest things about New York is that there are so many amazing …

Extreme Family Vacations: Beekeeping (VIDEO)

This Thanksgiving, we took a turkey break and went in search of bees. Rather, we had heard about a bee tour we could take at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa (which, by the way, looks to be a very family friendly resort, we …

Cruising the San Francisco Bay with Teens

a kayaking adventure San Francisco’s nickname is The City by the Bay, so when I traveled to San Francisco last December with my two teenaged sons, we decided it would be fun to see the city from the bay. A Different View — Photo

Crashing the President’s House with Kids

Traveling To History with Teenagers Visiting the home of our current president in Washington, D.C. is not as simple as showing up and knocking on the door. The advanced planning necessary (which includes contacting a member of Congress in …

Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa : Seeing the Real Hawaii

A Cultural Guide For Adventurous Families (VIDEO) I was pretty certain, at that special age when everything is mortifying, that attending a luau in Hawaii is a type of embarrassment specifically reserved for tourists. I was 14 and

A Spooky Adventure in Baltimore: Walking the Poe Trail with Teens

October is the Perfect Time to have A Spooky Adventure with Edgar Allan Poe in Baltimore — https://go.shr.lc/2NNtcMo @lafamilytravel @BaltimoreMD @Samdfriedman226 #familytravel #travel #Halloween

Making History Cool: Philadelphia with Teens

Thanks to Lin Manuel Miranda and his Broadway smash hit “Hamilton,” U.S. History has never been cooler, so now is the perfect time to hip-hop on the bandwagon and take teens (and pre-teens) to Philadelphia to see “the room[s] where it …

Grab a Bigger Piece of this World With Your Kids — Global CommUnity

Wouldn’t it be great if Pancho Villa could step out of a history book and shake your hand on your first trip to Mexico? What if he told you tales of his revolutionary escapades? (Or his stint in Hollywood while they filmed them?) Or sang folk …

A Fun Family Summer Staycation — Hyatt Regency Westlake

We’ve never done a staycation. I’ve never seen the point. Our house is fine. We have a pool. We have a grill in the backyard. We have a great view of some pretty hills (ok, they’re often brown but they’re better than concrete). We’re a 15 minute

A Long Weekend In La Jolla Shores with Kids

This is more than just a travel story. It’s a love story that takes place on the road. Its latest chapter took place in La Jolla Shores, California. It’s a tale of two families who used to live in the same town and spent a lot of time together. But now, these families live on opposite sides of the country.