Monday, July 21, 2008

Important (and Useful) Links

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—Taking the Kids is now featured on CNN.com—(http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/news/takingthekids/)

—http://www.SmarterTravel.com also features an archive of Taking the Kids columns—http://www.smartertravel.com/all/?content_type=column&column_type=taking_the_kids

—Travel news you can use from Peter Greenberg Worldwide http://www.petergreenberg.com

—Ciao Bambino reviews family travel destinations in Italy, England, Spain, and France: http://www.ciaobambino.com

—the Centers for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/travel for the latest information on necessary vaccinations and potential health risks, like Avian Flu

—Clif Bar has posted a blog on family travel tips, including Eileen’s http://www.clifbar.com/blog/detail/road_trippin/

—Looking for day-trips in New England?  Visit http://www.shortdrives.com and find all kinds of attractions—golf, fishing, museums, even lighhouses, within a short drive of your home base.

—The U.S. Department of State website - http://www.state.gov - posts Consular Information Sheets for every country of the world with information on everything from health conditions to entry requirements, warnings, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate

—http://www.kidsflysafe.com - for more info on the new Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES), the first designed specifically for use on planes and just approved by the FAA for use by children 22-44 pounds. CARES is small—it fits into a 6” pouch—and attaches directly to an airplane seat, thus allowing a child to be restrained by a shoulder harness (Price: $74.95)

—http://www.faa.gov - for why the FAA strongly urges parents to use safety seats on planes

—http://www.tsa.gov - the Transportation Security Administration website to see the latest rules on what is and is not permissible through security

—http://www.usa.safekids.org - the website for the National Safe Kids Campaign, with tips on everything from installing your car seat correctly to keeping your kids safe around water

—http://www.luggageconcierge.com - http://www.luggagefree.com - http://www.luggageforward.com - http://www.baggagedirect.com are among the companies now offering to ship your luggage and sports gear when you travel.

—http://www.insuremytrip.com and http://www.quotewright.com - to compare and purchase travel insurance plans, some of which insure kids free including http://www.travelguard.com - http://www.travelex-insurance.com - http://www.accessamerica.com - http://www.travelsafe.com

—http://www.familytravelforum.com - a rich archive on family travel

—http://www.jetsetbabies.com - to have the babygear you need delivered to where you’re staying on vacation

—http://www.nps.gov to link to the National Park you hope to visit

—AAA’s http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com to see exactly what you’ll spend on your upcoming road trip and if you’d be better off renting a more fuel-efficient vehicle for the trip. http://www.travelpost.com promises to help travelers find the cheapest gas as well as hotels offering special deals to those arriving by car

—http://www.hotels.com and http://www.hotwire.com for discount hotel rooms in cities

—http://www.citypass.com and http://www.gousacard.com to purchase discount coupons for major city attractions around the country

—http://www.site59.com for last-minute trips

—Buy tickets to the production your gang wants to see both for London and New York at http://www.keithprowse.com (another plus using this website if you’re heading to London: You can pay in U.S. dollars)

—http://www.tdf.org to see what discounted Broadway tickets are being offered at the TKTS booth at 47th Street and Broadway and downtown at South Street Seaport

—http://www.harvardsquare.com is a good source of information when touring colleges or sighseeing in Boston, as is http://www.bostonusa.com

—http://www.cruising.org - the website of the Cruise Lines International Association where you can search for a cruise, find a deal and a travel agent in your area who is a cruise specialist. http://www.cruisemates.com is an excellent webzine about cruising, with a special section on family cruises. 

—Disabled Sports USA http://www.dsusa.org to find out more about wilderness and snow-sports programs around the country that cater to those with disabilities.

—websites for adventure companies that I have traveled with and that especially cater to families include the consortium of companies http://www.trustedadventures.com    http://www.familyadventures.com and http://www.oars.com    The Sierra Club (http://www.outings.sierraclub.org)    the Appalachian Mountain CLub (http://www.outdoors.org)    Thomson Family Adventures (http://www.familyadventures.com)

—http://www.familyskiresorts.net/ A one-stop guide to family ski fun. Vacations, lessons, resort reviews, family travel tips.

—http://www.mydriveholiday.com/usa USA RV Rental—Features Motorhome, RV, Campervan Rentals and Hire in the USA

—http://www.FrugalMonkey.com/ FrugalMonkey helps you find cheap travel deals and free country travel guides.

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Thursday, January 19, 2006

Travel Sites for Kids

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Here are some kids educational travel websites recommended by National Geographic Society Director of Education Outreach Nancee Hunter:

First, of course, is National Geographic Kids: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

Go Zone (http://www.nps.gov/learn/gozone.htm) is a National Park Service website with links to further information on activities and programs for children in all National Parks. Also offers resources for teachers, including curriculum and field trip planners.

At The World Heritage Pointer (http://www.muenkermedia.com/whp/), children follow Sonya the dog around the globe and read stories steeped in geography, play puzzles, games, contests and activities.

Canadian Geographic Kids (http://www.cgkids.ca/cgkids/cgkids.asp) interactive site with games, facts, and a kid’s atlas.

Kids Travel Fun (http://www.kidstravelfun.com/), how-to site for younger children. Travel games, trivia, making a travel journal, and more.

UPDATE: The Texas Travel Industry Association (http://www.ttia.org) offers Texas Education Vacation (http://www.texaseducationvacation.com), offering guides for families, teachers, and kids including information, deals, and games.

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