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 fun things to do and yummy things to do. But as …

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 vacations can–and should–be about experiencing new things and having adventures together. Even if you don’t have the trip of a …

Have you ever had a vacation where you booked a quick stop in a place, arrived, realized you really like it and wish you’d allowed more time? That was our reaction to Flagstaff, where we planned to spend 24 hours before flying back to NYC on our national park road …

We had never heard of Page, Arizona before planning our recent trip to the Southwest. It turns out Page is a good size town planted strategically between Zion, Mesa Verde and Grand Canyon national parks and sitting at the bottom of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. It’s a popular stop between …

We went to Zion National Park without knowing anything about it other than that everyone who has been says it’s stunning. Well, it is stunning, in a variety of ways. And we absolutely loved the 48 hours we spent there and in the nearby town of Springdale. Zion has some …

As my family walked toward the first scenic overlook we came to at Grand Canyon National Park, I was more interesting in seeing 9YO Tiny Traveler’s reaction to natural wonder than I was in the canyon itself. She was suitably wowed and all the work of planning our spring road …

Californians take Sonoma Valley’s wine country for granted for romantic sojourns and girlfriend getaways. But it’s also one of my favorite family destinations. It’s one of those places where it’s possible to find activities that keep parents and kids happy at the same time, making it a surprisingly rich destination …

Driving up the mountains on my way to Tenaya Lodge in early December there was still a lot of gorgeous fall foliage to see. As we continued to climb up the mountain, though, the golden leaves began to disappear, replaced by freshly fallen snow. That is when I knew this trip …

Read more about Denver. Holiday Season in Denver includes a month-long series of family-friendly parades, special seasonal performances, lots of local shopping, and the largest holiday light display in Colorado. Here are some of my family’s favorite things to do. Outdoor City Fun We usually kick off the holiday season …

Autumn is a perfect time for a family weekend getaway to San Diego. The weather is fine, attractions are less crowded, the beaches are still open, and Restaurant week and Kids Free month make travel cheaper. Stay in the city proper, visit Carlsbad or venture up the coast. Here are …

Visiting San Francisco? Read about Monterey and Sonoma. Nothing makes Tiny Traveler’s face light up than the familiar site of a playground in a new city; they’re often what she remembers most from a trip. If you can find a playground that adds to your visitor experience with great views, …

Southern California is a dream vaction destination for most people, but particularly for families. The area spans three counties, San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles. Its two large cities (San Diego and L.A.) are close to each other and to Hollywood, beaches, theme parks, museums, microbreweries, the desert and so …

Check out all our best advice on Southern California. Here at FamiliesGo! we have yet to meet someone who doesn’t love Southern California. That is, unless they haven’t yet been there, in which case they’re dying to go. The great weather, beaches and high-profile attractions and outdoor opportunities make it an especially …

Read more about skiing with kids and  visiting Steamboat Springs. This month’s #MOMtravelchat was all about skiing with kids. Steamboat Springs Ski & Resort hosted the party and Smart Wool provided giveaways to keep several of our party goers warm in the outdoors this winter. Here is what you missed. …

Read about Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon, too. Bryce Canyon would seem like a big enough reason (literally) to visit Garfield, County Utah. But there’s more to the area than that stunning National Park. Opportunities for recreation, culture and family fun abound. Here are five ways to enjoy Bryce Canyon …

US Route 101 is one of the most breathtaking road trips in America, winding along 363 miles of the Oregon coast. Traveling between the mouth of the Columbia River and the old-growth redwoods of Northern California, you’ll encounter charming costal towns about every thirty miles along the drive. A local historian …

Here’s the cool thing about driving around or across Alaska: While our 49th state has nearly 700,000 square miles of real estate, it does not have an extensive road system. It provides just enough major highways to be interesting and a bunch of little byways with exciting twists and turns. …

Hawaii is on just about everyone’s bucket list and is a great place to take Kids. Maui offers a combination of beachfront resorts, out-door activities, unique natural feature and local culture that is sure to leave everyone in almost any family smiling. Better still, Maui’s hotels are adding family amenities …

Park City is almost better known for its star-studded Sundance film festival than for its skiing these days. So we wondered how it would be as a family winter destination. We took a chance and headed out there in April for some late season skiing and winter fun. To our surprise …

We went to Steamboat Springs to visit friends for Thanksgiving. It was a quick trip over a holiday with no skiing in our forecast.  But then we arrived to several inches of the fresh “champagne” powder snow. We promptly signed Tiny Traveler up for a ski lesson, seeing as she was …

Visiting Monterey? Read about San Francisco and Southern California. We love spending time on the Monterey Peninsula with our kids. We regularly make the drive 2 1/2 hours south from San Francisco. Here are our top picks for a weekend in Monterey and its neighboring towns. Monterey Bay Aquarium The …

Denver is the gateway to all the amazing hiking and skiing that the Colorado Rockies offer. But before you head to the state’s great outdoors, take a few days to explore the city, too. The Mile High City has a lot of things to do with kids. If you are …

Parents sometimes hesitate to visit Los Angeles kids. Hollywood, trendy restaurants and velvet-rope clubs don’t scream child-friendly.  But there are a lot things for families to do in L.A., and you really can’t beat the perfect Southern California weather. (Visiting Los Angeles? Learn all about Southern California.) The concierge at …

Thanks to SeaWorld and a renowned Zoo, San Diego is a rather obvious kid-friendly destination. But this west coast city offers a lot more than pandas and Shamu’s latest tricks, and lesser known attractions can make for a mellow family vacation. Here are my favorite things to do in San …

  We would have never guessed it was spring in Lake Tahoe as we climbed out of the car one 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 …