Celebrating women’s accomplishments on your next trip
There is another important cue we can take from Oprah Winfrey’s words when we travel — show our kids the ways women have contributed and made a difference in our history.
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A Private Caribbean Island at the Renaissance Aruba Resort
Tourism is a big part of Aruba’s economic picture and locals aim to keep visitors satisfied. The people we encountered were overwhelmingly welcoming. The country’s slogan, “One Happy Island”, couldn’t be more appropriate.
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Celebrating Martin Luther King Day
As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday this month, and African American History Month in February, there’s probably no better time to start that conversation with the kids. They’re likely studying Martin Luther King’s accomplishments in school — 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of his assassination on April 4, 1968.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
Visiting The Newly-Renovated Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
The Swan and Dolphin Resort just celebrated the completion of a major renovation. All 2,267 guest rooms have been refurbished along with the Dolphin lobby, grab-and-go restaurants, and more
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Having fun in the snow during Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
Sometimes it’s a good idea to let the pros lead the way — especially with so many enticing deals during Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
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New Year Getaway: SeaDust Cancun Family Resort For Your 2018 Travel Bucket List
The brand new SeaDust Cancun Family Resort reopened its doors to guests late last summer. The property boasts tropical vistas, the sandy white beaches that Cancun is renowned for
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Crystal Caves: Bermuda’s Underground Treasure Chest
While Bermuda offers plenty of above ground pleasures are wonderfully worthy, Bermuda’s don’t-miss family attraction is actually hidden underground
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Best of Taking The Kids | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Spending New Year’s with the whales in Antarctica
Everyone is busy getting ready for the black-tie New Year’s Eve bash. Here in Antarctica, it’s a giant penguin party, of course. Whales are invited too
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Gawking at giant gingerbread creations
Wherever you find yourself this holiday season, you are likely to discover ever bigger and elaborate gingerbread structures to inspire your home creations
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Beach Vacations | Best of Taking The Kids | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
Our special place — Curtain Bluff Resort on Antigua
“This is our special place,” said Gwen Larder. I get it. We honeymooned here 35 years ago and have returned 5 times. Curtain Bluff is our special place too.
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
A day trip off Antigua’s beaches on a 65-foot catamaran
We are on board the Mystic II, a 65-foot Catamaran sailing around a portion of the Antigua coast –a Tropical Adventures day trip popular with the many cruisers coming to Antigua.
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Returning to Curtain Bluff, still small and elegant after 55 years
Thirty-five years ago, we sat on the beach at a small Caribbean resort drinking champagne left from our wedding and talked about the kids we would have.
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A Kids’s Perspective: Living on Antigua in the Caribbean West Indies
Katherine Woodhouse, 10, has lived her entire life on the Caribbean island of Antigua where her mom is the resident manager of the Curtain Bluff Resort
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To NYC and beyond Manhattan during the holiday season
Some 6 million visitors from around the world come to the Big Apple this time of year, more tourists than at any other time of year
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
5 Reasons You Need To Take The Kids to Santa Fe NM in 2018
Santa Fe is the city different with a bustling art scene, a cultural hub and a restaurant scene that will have foodies from both sides of the coast drooling with jealousy
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Building a gingerbread chapel at the historic Broadmoor Resort in CO
The Broadmoor Resort’s 17-foot high gingerbread house this year is a replica of the Pauline Chapel, due west of the sprawling resort that was completed in 1919 by the owner of the resort, Spencer Penrose, for his wife Julie as a place of reflection
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A special new style trip as a gift
The perfect gift: a trip together, but not just any trip, a custom adventure designed for your group, based on their ages and interests. And it doesn’t have to be as big a budget-buster as you might think.
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The Holidays at Denver’s Historic Brown Palace Hotel
For many Denver families, the holidays include a visit to the historic Brown Palace Hotel to see the extravagant Christmas lights, enjoy a sumptuous tea under the holiday lights or do Breakfast with Santa.
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Making holiday lights a post-Thanksgiving tradition
There’s no better time to see who has the biggest and best holiday lights than as soon as the Thanksgiving dishes are done. In some cases, before Thanksgiving if you are looking for ways to get everyone out of the house
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Debunking Thanksgiving myths
That first Thanksgiving in 1621, the Pilgrims and Native Americans from the Wampanoag tribe feasted on venison, shellfish, and while there might have been wild turkey, there were just as likely swans, ducks and geese.
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Peru: Person-To-Person Culinary Experiences In The Inca World
Peru is the latest “it” culinary destination. Peruvian cuisine is a fusion of flavors. The melting pot of indigenous and migrant people is reflected in its kitchen.
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More than one Dolphin Tale at the Clearwater (FL) Marine Aquarium
Winter has inspired the hit movie Dolphin Tale (2011) and attendance at the small aquarium has jumped from 76,000 to over 600,000 a year, many with physical challenges.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Supporting Sonoma County
No one wants to at all diminish the horrible impact of the fires. They just want people like you and me to realize that the best way to help is to visit
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Gathering the gang when budget isn’t a concern (and when it is!)
Those who are looking for the ultimate where-I-spent-the-holidays bragging rights (and have $40,000 to spare) can gather the gang Thanksgiving or Christmas (seven bedrooms in separate cabins) this holiday season for a three- or four-night experience
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations | Weekly Column
Taking the Kids — away from the crowds to play in the snow
We discovered one week last winter that, despite the tumbles, it’s exhilarating for everyone in the family to have the chance to try a new snow activity like snowmobiling, horseback riding, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing or biking on “fat bikes,”
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To San Diego, where kids are free all month!
Welcome to San Diego, considered California’s birthplace, and one of the most kid-friendly cities in America
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One Fine Day In Vancouver, British Columbia
My family and I recently spent a whirlwind 24 hours in Vancouver, Canada. We were impressed with this friendly, functional city and hope to return.
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Celebrating Halloween for an entire month
You’ll need that costume a lot sooner than Halloween since theme parks, zoos, haunted attractions, farms, even zip lines everywhere are touting Halloween festivities and scares all October long
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To the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History & Culture
Since the museum opened Sept. 24, 2016 on the National Mall, next to the Washington Monument, nearly 3 million people have visited the 12 inaugural exhibitions
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Vacation rentals are perfect for families that like to enjoy home-cooked meals
My far flung family loves to cook when we are together on vacation so we like to stay in condos where we can spread out and enjoy homemade meals—whether chili and just baked corn bread, spaghetti bolognese, or steaks cooked over the condo grill.
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Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Weekly Column
To Budapest and exploring a new city through food and drink
In Budapest, The Hungarian Flodni layer cake with plum jam, apple, poppy seed and walnuts lives up to its reputation. Yum! So do the “Baselon,” (translated as a “friend’s ear”) — dumplings fashioned from potato dough with plum jam and sprinkled with brown sugar.
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On a European river cruise with kids of all ages
The all-inclusive nature of these cruises also seems to de-stress the experience — just choose which shore excursion you like, borrow a bike, enjoy complimentary wine and beer and more on some ships.
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Families & Groups | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Taking the Kids — to a fall festival
There’s a lot to celebrate in fall — not the least of which is the kids getting back to school and out from underfoot. There are festivals galore
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Take the Kids (or Your Girlfriends) To Hacienda Encantada Resort & Residences in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
The Hacienda Encantada Resort & Residences is a beachfront and cliff top hacienda-style resort, located along Millionaire’s Row in stunning Los Cabos
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Lunch is served at Cabarrus County’s Hospitality and Tourism Academy in NC
The farm to table lunch was expertly prepared and served. But we weren’t at some trendy new restaurant. We were at Cabarrus County’s Hickory Ridge High School
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On an adventure when the kids are in or out of college
Welcome to a Backroads Breakaway trip. Besides the biking, there are special walking tours in various cities and lunches in out-of-the-way local spots.
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Florida’s Hidden Beach Destination: Marco Island
I still wake up in the morning thinking about our unforgettable hotel room view of the Gulf of Mexico, reminiscent of the Caribbean turquoise waters
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Visiting Chicago in summer: Baseball, pizza, burgers and The Bean
Everyone told my mom and dad that the first thing we should eat was get deep dish pizza. We made our way to the original Pizzeria Uno in downtown Chicago.
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Hipper than Paris? Try Cousin City Montreal
Montreal is like Paris’ overseas cousin that you don’t get to visit very often although it’s close in proximity and dare I say, more hip and happening
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To Acadia National Park in Maine
Welcome to the only national park in the northeastern United States. Last year, when the park celebrated its centennial, it had its busiest year in 27 years, with a record 3.3 million visitors
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A Context Tour of the Berlin Wall (July 2017)
Read more in our Travel Diary: Walking the Berlin Wall – Reconciliation Matters
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A beer tasting tour in historic Prague
Prague is certainly the place to learn about a beer culture as the Czechs drink more beer than any one—more than 144 liters per capita.
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In historic Prague – great views and a luxe spa at the Four Seasons
The Four Seasons Prague comprised of three historic and one modern building–with views of Prague’s famous castle and river from its restaurant terrace and offering a luxurious spa
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Time traveling in Bath, England
The kids immediately saw life wasn’t much fun for slaves. We’ve time traveled back much farther than the United States before the Civil War, though. We’re in Bath, England where slavery was a way of life for the Romans 2000 years ago
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With Backroads and AmaWaterways in Bavaria
Hard or really hard—that was our choice for our final day of cycling with Backroads and AMAWaterways—today in Bavaria. Either way, it was worth the effort
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Excursions offer river cruisers history and culture
Wolfe chose a river cruise because friends at home in Salt Lake City raved about their experiences with their kids and all were having a fun week
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Best of Taking The Kids | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Biking in the rain along the Danube in Austria
It is pouring, raining so hard that we’re getting soaked despite good rain gear. Did I mention we are on bikes riding alongside the Danube River in Austria?
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In Vienna, Sacher Torte and ice-cream coffee!
Sacher torte is a chocolate cake invented by Austrian Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna. It is one of Austria’s most famous pastries
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In Bratislava – the “Iron Curtain” bike tour misadventure
The “Iron Curtain” bike ride was to take us about 18 miles through the country side into Austria from Slovakia — the border made famous by Winston Churchill and the Cold War.
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Biking along the Danube in the summer heat – a miracle!
I’m biking past fields of sunflowers, bucolic fields with rolls of hay, ponies and pretty farm houses. Did I mention it’s 90 degrees? We try to convince ourselves that is part of the adventure.
