Places To Stay

Updated February 2020 Question:Where Can We Find Good Hotel Deals in Washington, DC? I’m searching for advice on a mid-range hotel in Washington DC for me and three kids. We’ll hit museums and the mall. Any ideas?  ‪Our Advice: If it isn’t a holiday weekend, or a weekend where a …

The Hotel: La Fonda On the Plaza Where: Santa Fe, NM I Review  *La Fonda Santa Fe How’s the Location? Visitors to Santa Fe tend to fall in love at first sight. Our family certainly did. The well-preserved Old Town has a charming central plaza surrounded by shops, museums and …

I Review 3 Hotels:  • Nativo Lodge  • Hotel Chaco • El Vado Motel Where: Albuquerque, New Mexico We had the opportunity to spend time in three unique Albuquerque hotels. We stayed in two and spent an afternoon experiencing the third. They have very different looks and ambience and target slightly …

I Review 2 Bermuda Resorts: The *Hamilton Princess & Beach Club in Hamilton The Fairmont Southampton in Southampton I had the great good fortune to stay at these Fairmont ‘s two Bermuda resorts in a single visit. They are very different in their locales and ambience. I’m partial to the …

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 hotel and let them handle all the Christmas cheer.   These ten hotels from across the U.S. really go out …

There is nothing like visiting New York City at Thanksgiving and Christmas time, when it seems like the entire world descends on Rockefeller Center, Macy’s and other decked out city landmarks. The most budget-friendly way to visit the city at any time, but especially the holiday season, is to rent an …

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 …

Hotel Review: Nemacolin Woodlands Resort for Families & Couples Where: 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 …

The Hotel: Loews Hotel Where: Chicago The Location: *The Loews Hotel Chicago is right downtown, one of a few hotels at the edge of the city’s tourist center. It’s a short walk to sprawling Millennium Park, the river and its pedestrian esplanade and Michigan Avenue. It also has practical things …

A question that comes up all the time in family travel circles is, where should we go for a multi-generation vacation? It’s a challenging question. You have to accommodate several ages, energy levels, waking and sleeping hours, and perhaps mobility challenges, plus differing diets, tastes and travel styles. You want …

The Hotel: Woodloch Pines Resort Where: Hawley, Eastern Pennsylvania The Location: *Woodloch Pines is an all-inclusive resort that sits on the rural edge of the Poconos.  Rather than one large hotel, the resort has a series of small buildings and cabins that dot a woodsy campus on the shore of a picture-perfect …

The Hotel: Berkshire Mountain Lodge Where: Pittsfield MA, in the Berkshires Our Review The Location: *The Berkshire Mountain Lodge is just off of Route 7, the region’s main artery. It’s a bit off on it’s own but only ten minutes from the town centers of both Lenox and Pittsfield. You …

The Resort: The Country Inn at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort The Destination: The Berkshires Region of Massachusetts (nearest town: Lanesborough) The Vibe: We know Jiminy Peak as a ski destination for both New York City and Boston, but this was our first summertime visit and the first time we stayed overnight. With …

The Hotel: *Gaylord National Resort The Location: National Harbor, MD (Washington, DC) The Vibe: Everything about the *Gaylord National Resort is impressive and entertaining in the larger-than-life way Las Vegas hotels are. Everything is big from the soaring glass atrium and tall glass elevators to the sprawling cocktail lounges and …

The Hotel: Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel Where: Watkins Glen, The Finger Lakes Region, NY The Harbor Hotel’s upscale comfort shouldn’t have taken us by surprise but it did. Watkins Glen, New York is known for two things: it’s great nearby hiking and NASCAR racing. Main street dining leans toward pizza …

The Hotel: Flanigan’s Inn Where: Zion Canyon, Springdale, UT The Location: Flanigan’s Inn is a half-mile from the south Entrance to Zion National Park, and just at the beginning of town. You can easily walk to the Zion visitors’ center, a grocery store, outfitters and a few restaurants. The Room: …

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 family vacation, it’s also the most popular time by far to travel with kids. So everything is crowded and expensive. …

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Montreal Where: Montreal, QB The Location: We like the Hyatt Regency Montreal because it’s not in the middle of anything but it’s convenient to everything. It’s on Catherine Street just a few blocks from the heart of downtown. It’s only a few blocks from the historic old …

The Hotel: The Crowne Plaza Where: Lake Placid, NY The Location: The Crowne Plaza is perched at the top of a hill right off of Main Street in Lake Placid. It’s very convenient to the ice rinks and the Olympic Center, where a lot of special events take place. It’s …

Resort: The Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel & Suites Where: Williamsburg, VA Ever notice that since you became a parent you appreciate anything that make your life easier? It’s especially true for me when I’m on vacation. Staying the Woodlands Hotel made our visit to Williamsburg very easy in a lot of …

The Hotel: Club Med Punta Cana Where: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic The Vibe The Dominican Republic is a popular resort destination because of its relatively short flights from the U.S. and the great deals it offers relative to other Caribbean Islands. The Punta Cana Coast is dotted with all-inclusive resorts …

The Hotel: The Principal, Charlotte Square Where: Edinburgh, Scotland The Location: We really felt we lucked out on the location of The Principal (see more reviews and find the best rates), which was operating as the Roxburghe when we were there but has remained largely the same with its name …

The Hotel: *The Disneyland Hotel Where: Anaheim, CA The Location: The Disneyland Hotel is one of only three onsite hotels at the Disneyland resort. It’s located just beyond downtown Disney, about a 10- or 15-minute from the main entrances to the two Disney parks. If you have your admission pass you can …

The Hotel: Wilderness Lodge Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL The Location: The Wilderness Lodge is one of three premium hotels closest to the Magic Kingdom. We were able to see the fireworks from our room. The Lodge is not on the monorail; you travel to and the Magic Kingdom …

Updated December 2020 For a lot of families, the ideal winter getaway includes a long stretch of beach and a short flight from the continental US. For me, that means a Virgin Islands vacation. I recently headed to the islands on a kid-free getaway. But it’s such an ideal family …

The Hotel: Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Where: Lake Placid, NY The Location: The Golden Arrow has probably the best hotel location in Lake Placid. It’s on the lake and has a beach for swimming in summer and for outdoor fires, hockey and ice skating in winter. It’s it’s also right …

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 …

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 the U.S. the fall foliage is the main attraction. But even the brightest red maple leaves will only interest kids …

Hotel Review: The Sanderling Resort Location: Duck, Outer Banks, North Carolina As we checked into the upscale *Sanderling Resort on North Carolina’s Outer Banks on a sunny summer day, a front desk staffer told us all the usual things about beach towels and where to find coffee in the morning. Then …

The Caribbean is definitely one of those destinations where you can find everything you want most in a family beach getaway: resorts that are good values, fantastic food, incredible nature and pristine beaches, plus a wide range of activities for all ages. Moreover, the calm, clear, relatively warm Caribbean Sea …