Travel Ideas & Lists

You are probably looking forward to a family vacaton this summer. Getting out of the house, having a change of scenery, enjoying quality time with your family rather than just …

One of the few bright spots in the past 10 months is that families have been spending more time exploring —and newly appreciating — their hometown, their nearest city, their …

With summer coming and everyone needing to get outdoors as soon as possible, I thought I would pay tribute that to amusement park classic, the carousel. It’s a ride that …

At some point in late January I always get tired of my LL Bean down coat and Ugg boots and New York’s gray days. I tell Rich that we need …

Question:Where Can We Find An Affordable Beach Vacation in the U.S.? I want to take my twins to the beach for the first time, but I’m very restricted on budget. …

Nearly every city has a children’s museum. They can save parents’ sanity when it’s too cold, too hot or too rainy to take your energy-filled kids outside. The Brooklyn Children’s …

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! Get out …

Updated November 2020 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 …

Updated August 2021 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 …

Where should I go on vacation? It’s the question people love to ask travel writers. And our answer is always, “Well, what do you like? Every family has its own …

Updated April 2020 In need of some fresh travel ideas for the coming year? Lots of cities and towns have festivals to attract people in their low season or feature …

Updated February 2019 One of these days tween traveler is going to leave the nest. She’ll head off to college and Rich and I will once again be pair rather …

What will next year’s family vacation be for you? Another week at the beach? A first trip to Disney? Heading home to the family? How about something more exotic? Family …

Updated October 2020 It can be tricky to find great Halloween activities for tweens and young teens. They’re over face painting and Halloween crafts but really haunted mansions and hayrides …

The Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks are supposed to be a time for getting together with friends and family. But with the stress of cooking, shopping, getting yet another sweater from …

Note: This post will be updated for summer 2021. With so much uncertainty around travel this summer, few hotels are updating their packages. Summer is the ideal time for a …

Ski towns can make great summer destinations for families. Don’t necessarily count on off-season discounts. But crowds can be a little smaller and more dispersed. These towns offer a good …

Found a place where kids ski free, read these tips for a fun family ski trip. Unless you’re lucky enough to live near a good mountain, ski vacations are expensive. …

Updated August 2020 Fall is a great time of year to for quick weekend getaways. It’s cool, but not cold, places tend to be less crowded. In many parts of …

Updated March 2020 My family doesn’t put its traveling shoes in storage when our travel budget shrinks or the odd pandemic prevents us from taking our usual vacation. Instead, we …

Been to a flower show lately? Nothing heralds Spring like seeing lots of your favorite favorite spring flowers. Daffodils, tulips, lilacs, cherry blossoms, magnolias or even late spring  roses help us …

Updated January 2020 One of the most fun evenings I’ve ever had while traveling was a visit to the Singapore night zoo (this was pre-kids and probably says as much …

Updated March 2020. Zoos are one of the most reliable crowd-pleasers of family travel. Adults like them. Kids like them. Both toddlers and teens can learn something new and find …

Updated May 2019 Few words are bigger bummers when you travel than “single supplement.” But when you’re traveling as a single parent it isn’t just about the supplement, it’s also …

Updated June 2021 Our first kid-free parent getaway so far was to Montreal for my 40th birthday. My memories are filled with what we were able to do without a …

My ideal kid-friendly museums provide an amazing learning experience for both my kids and me. Whether we are taking in a gigantic model of a blue whale at New York’s …

Read about side trips from U.S. national parks. Who says kids can’t spend some time learning new things over the summer?  Weekend visits to these historical places can make history more …

Here’s a way to get get outdoors with your kids this summer: Visit a National Wildlife Refuge. Every state has them, and many are near a national park. The US Fish …

Annual day trips to the apple orchard weren’t quite satisfying my family’s appetite for a taste of country life any more. We wanted scenery for more than a few hours, plus …

Read About Florida’s Best Family Beach.  Beaches are the no-brainer vacation destinations if you’re traveling with kids. Most children love playing in the water and sand. There are a variety …