Places To Go

Updated March 2020 One of the challenges to visiting a New York City is finding fun, authentic, kid-friendly things to do, that every other tourist isn’t also doing.  Here’s one good tip to help you avoid the crowds: The Big Apple has more than 100 museums, many of them are …

Roatán, Honduras was one of the stops I was most looking forward to on our NCL Getaway West Caribbean cruise. And the island didn’t disappoint. Because of its small size, nice beaches, great snorkeling and light adventure activities it’s an easy and fun port of call with kids.   Because …

Not many parents plan for a Walt Disney World date night when they visit the resort, and we think they’re missing out. I hear it all the time from my clients,  “This is really just for my son,” or, “Just make sure the kids have the best time possible.” But it will …

Our family took a winter-break cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Getaway because the ports of call on its Western Caribbean cruise really intrigued us. I was particularly looking forward to a day in Belize, which I’ve been curious about for some time. The other three ports were Roatan, Honduras, which …

I had the good luck to be invited down to Lafayette, Louisiana for Mardi Gras and I made a few excellent discoveries while I was there. The first: Once you get outside of New Orlean’s French Quarter, Mardi Gras is a family friendly, community based celebration. The second and more …

It’s so easy to hunker down at home after the Christmas holidays pass, avoiding the winter weather and dreaming of your distant summer vacation. But don’t do it! Whether you take quick weekend getaways or full week’s vacation over winter break, this time of year offers fun opportunities to bond …

On any city vacation we take, admission fees to museums and other cultural institutions are one of our biggest expenses. For art, history and even children’s museums, admission typically starts at $15 or so for kids and heads higher for the parents. At zoos, aquariums, and science and natural history …

One of the easiest and most fun weekends with kids that you can do in Hudson Valley is a winter ski getaway. Catskill Mountain ski resorts like Belleayre, Windham or Hunter are close to the New York City metro area, offering a much shorter drive and far less expensive family …

Updated December 2019 December is the time to deck those halls, trim those trees and make lots and lots of gingerbread. Or you can just book a stay at a hotel and let them handle all the Christmas cheer.   These ten hotels from across the U.S. really go out …

Adults-Only Resort: Luxury Bahia Principe Sian Ka’an Where: Mayan Riviera, Mexico Rich and I have managed to find ways to manage one or two nights away from some kid-free couple time. But never more than that. Parents who have managed longer romantic getaways tell me it was wonderful for their …

We would have never guessed it was spring in Lake Tahoe as we climbed out of the car on a May weekend. While the ski lifts were closed, plenty of winter snow lingered. Nevertheless, with attractions like the Olympic Village at Squaw Valley, boat rides on the lake and opportunities …

Heading to Disney World or Disneyland soon? Here are tips on how to avoid lines using Disney’s incredibly handy FastPass service. First-timers and Disney veterans will find this advice handy. It’s important for Disney veterans to know there have been big changes in how FastPass works. Here are the essentials. …

Hotel Review: *Nemacolin Woodlands ResortWhere: Farmington, PA The Vibe: *Nemacolin Woodlands, a luxury resort  in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, doesn’t have a single vibe. The type of vacation you have depends on where you stay—one of three hotels or on-property vacation homes—who you’re traveling with and what activities you’ve come for. …

In a bookstore in Portland, Oregon we spotted a book called This is Portland: The City You’ve Heard You Should Like. It pretty well summed up our experience in this Pacific Northwest city-of-the-moment. We didn’t dislike Portland. We found things to do with kids and teens, and good, inexpensive places …

We sailed on the Norwegian Getaway out of Miami for a winter break vacation. It’s the same class of ship as the Breakaway that we sailed on several years ago (read our review and check rates). We were curious how we would experience the ship differently with a tween than …

Prague has become one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe. It’s high on the list of young single travelers, retirees and backpackers, but the Czech Republic’s capital city also has a lot to offer for a family vacation. It’s easy to navigate, and is relatively inexpensive. It offers a wealth …

We booked a cruise out of Miami over winter break. Since we’d never been to this famously colorful Florida beach city, we decided to spend 48 hours exploring. Planning our 2-night itinerary was a challenge. Miami doesn’t market itself as a family destination. There are plenty of fun and unique …

* As of June 2019, the U.S. president has once again severally limited travel to Cuba.  Read on for what you can expect when restrictions are lifted again. You Can read our additional post about tour groups that are still managing legal visits.  My family recently visited Cuba for the first …

All hail the Girl Scouts! Tween Traveler headed off on a two-night camping adventure with her troop trip in early June, leaving Rich and I free to take our own 36-hour kid-free vacation. This year we chose Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Barely two hours from New York City (if you’re up …

Queensland should be on the top of every family’s list of things to do on a vacation to Australia. With its pristine beaches, the iconic Great Barrier Reef, exhilarating theme parks, tropical rainforests and plenty of opportunities for animal encounters this part of the country has a lot to offer, …

The Berkshires are one of those regions that looms in my mind as a summer vacation paradise.  The region stretches along the spine of Route 7 up the length of Western Massachusetts. And it offers a bounty of things for families to do on a weekend getaway or weeklong vacation. …

I love Canada for family vacations. It offers a taste of French, Scottish, Irish and British cultures without the long flight to Europe. It also offers beaches, two coasts of local seafood, beautiful national parks and adrenaline-pumping adventure activities—often for less money than a similar vacation in the U.S. Below, …

In our house we choose the Caribbean when we want an easy vacation. Beach, umbrella drinks, some sightseeing options in case we want a break from our lounge chairs and beach reading. Whether we choose a resort or rent a beach house even a simple vacation takes some planning. To …

My first cruise was on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas. I began the trip as a cruising skeptic and ended up a huge fan.  My love for cruising truly soared, though, once I started sailing with kids. (I’ve loved it so much, I eventually wrote a book about it.)  …

If your family prefers a quieter Caribbean vacation than some of the mega resorts offer, consider an escape to the village of West End on Grand Bahama Island, the Bahamas. West End village is an especially appealing destination for a winter or spring break vacation with tweens or teens, who …

I keep this photo of Tiny Traveler walking through a pasture in schwangau, Bavaria on my laptop’s desktop. The messy hair and girly sundress and the way she’s too caught up in her flower picking to care about the camera capture her personality and her age when it was taken.  But …

Chicago is a popular weekend destination for families, but the city has more than enough things to do to fill a four-to-six day trip. And most of the city’s most popular tourist activities are exceptionally kid-friendly and fun for families. Here is an itinerary of the most popular things to …

London is high on most families’ vacation bucket lists, and it’ss often the first place a family travels to in Europe.   It’s easy to see why, the people speak English, there’s a lot of familiar, kid-friendly food, and the city has attractions and activities you know you want to …

With its reliably warm weather and wide open spaces,  Australia is a prime spot for a family vacation with bicycles. In case you’re headed Down Under soon, here are five of the best routes and trails for a self-guided Australian Bicycling vacation. Some are easy, protected trails that are doable with …

Yes, a child changes your life in a big way, especially in the first few years. So getting a last chance to spend quality time as a couple is really important, whether it’s going to the movies a lot or taking a full-on babymoon getaway. If you have your own …