How they make it all happen in Clearwater FL
Lisa Chandler wants everyone to love Clearwater Beach “by far the most family oriented beach in the state of Florida,”
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Plenty of options for lodging in Clearwater FL
Just before sunset at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater, kids are in the pool on the eighth floor while parents are nearby nursing a cocktail. The beach is spread out below us.
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Fun and education on the beach in Clearwater FL
We just have to decide what we want to do on the six-mile long Clearwater beach just before Sunset.
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Catch your fish and bring it to Nauti Nancy’s in Clearwater FL
At the popular Clearwater restaurant Nauti Nancy’s, families bring their catch–which the restaurant prepares blackened, lemon picata or beer battered—along with sides for $10.
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Taking the kids to Germany’s famous Christmas markets
Germany has the most holiday markets in Europe, drawing tourists from around the world, though you’ll also find them a popular holiday tradition in neighboring Austria, Switzerland and Czechoslovakia.
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Inspired by “Frozen,” families flock to Norway
Not only have spunky Princess Anna and ethereal Queen Elsa stolen the hearts of little girls everywhere, but they’ve significantly contributed to the increasing number of tourists visiting Norway
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Visiting Two Happy Midwestern Cities Competing in the World Series
Whoever wins the World Series, visit Chicago or Cleveland this fall or holiday season and get a dose of happy along with great eats, world-class museums and holiday festivals.
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At Vista Verde Ranch in Colorado – on a different kind of snow vacation
I wondered when I planned this trip if my gang of grown kids, who love nothing more than tearing down those steep slopes, would like a more laid-back holiday — at least for a few days on a week-long winter trip to Colorado. I needn’t have worried.
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On a family vacation in Portugal
Since 2010, Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts in Lisbon, Portugal have been providing family-friendly luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, facilities and activities to provide memorable holidays to family groups of all sizes and ages.
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October is “Kids Free Month” in San Diego
No wonder families have been coming here for 100 years. San Diego, of course, is a great bet for families all year round — sunny weather, 70 miles of coastline (take your pick of 30-plus beaches), theme parks (SeaWorld and LEGOLAND) and plenty of history
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On a fall cruise when family doesn’t necessarily mean kids
even without a lot of kids, the ship was still packed with families — mothers and daughters, aunts and cousins, brothers and sisters-in-law, grandparents and young grandchildren, even four lifelong friends celebrating their 70th birthdays
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Taking full advantage of Halloween season
You don’t need to wait till Halloween to put on costumes, not when theme parks, resorts and haunted attractions have already kicked off special Halloween events
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A Multi-Generational Getaway to Charleston, SC
I am always on the lookout for destinations with multi-generational vacation potential. Charleston SC met our expectations
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At the Gilded Age mansions in Newport RI
This is our last day aboard the Norwegian Gem—we return to New York City tomorrow and Newport, famous for its sailing and coastal location as well as these spectacular mansions, is a good way to end the trip
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Bar Harbor ME, Acadia National Park and St. John
Our cruise on the Norwegian Gem takes us to Bar Harbor ME, the beautiful Acadia National Park as well as St. John in New Brunswick, CA
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Do Kids Clubs have a future at resorts and on cruises?
Almost every major resort and cruise line catering to the family market offers extensive children’s programming, but many Millennial families are opting out. What’s the future
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Halifax, Nova Scotia – History and Heroism Combine
Everyone knows about the Titanic, but few have heard about the Halifax Explosion of 1917 that killed 2000 people. Here in Nova Scotia history, tragedy and a beautiful city combine for some incredible stories.
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10 fall festivals for families
There are literally hundreds of Octoberfests around the country this fall — some kid-friendly — but there are also plenty of apple, pumpkin and harvest festivals from which to choose
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
Fall is Family Time on Mexico’s Pacific Coast
Fall is family time along Mexico’s Pacific Coast whether you want to take a bike ride around town, practice your Spanish, head to a local festival or relax at an all-inclusive resort
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Antarctica is at the top of the list for adventure travel
An astounding 64 percent of Millennial families took an international vacation in the last year — and Antarctica is at the top of most wish lists
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Getting slimed at Nick Punta Cana Resort
This upscale, all-inclusive 208-suite resort, a partnership of Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Viacom International Media Networks, is the first all-inclusive to have been built as a themed resort from the ground up
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Spa or Slime or Both? Last Day at Nick Punta Cana
The beautiful Vassa Spa at the new Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana has an 11-step “ritual hydrotherapy “program that comes with a spa treatment, complete with a “spa butler”
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Are Kids’ Clubs passe? At Nick Punta Cana Families Relish Time Together
The just-opened Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana has a well-appointed kids’ club with cooking lessons, arts and crafts, a wide selection of toys, games (video and board games) and a slide that lands you in a pool of brightly colored plastic balls. But most of the families I’ve met have been keeping their kids with them.
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Families Flocking to New Nickelodeon Hotel and Resort in Dominican Republic
It was a no brainer for his family and three others —10 kids aged 3-9 and eight adults—to choose the brand new Nickelodeon Hotel & Resort in Punta Cana, a partnership of Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Viacom International Media Networks.
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Grapevine TX – not just a place near the airport but family central
Grapevine, TX, 10 minutes from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and in between the two North Texas cities, hosts some 20 million visitors a year, more than half from out of state.
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When your grown-up kids take you for a hike in the mountains
I always suggest parents and grandparents let the kids lead some of the time on vacation, even when they are in grade school. They will take you in unexpected directions
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Take me back to Chicago – for a father-son weekend and the Cubs!
Taking the Kids goes back to where it all began — Chicago — and a father-son weekend with the Cubs playing the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
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Salzburg Austria Is Not Just for Sound of Music Fans
I think this picturesque city would be a good place to base yourself for several days or a week, though it can get crowded as the city of 150,000 welcomes more than 1.5 million tourists a year
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Aspen/Snowmass in the summer and fall – Affordable for Families
The scenery is beautiful. There are plenty of activities. And you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars for lift tickets to have fun in the summer or fall in Aspen/Snowmass CO.
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Yurts Give Families a Modern Alternative to Camping at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch
By staying in a yurt at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch, you can enjoy the outdoors without the annoyances of lurking bears, determined bugs and cumbersome sleeping bags.
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Exploring history and viewing the modern at Disneyland
Walt Disney was tapped out. The construction of Disneyland was taking nearly every penny he had. A kid-friendly, upscale hotel next to a theme park seems like a slam-dunk, but not in the early ’50s
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Food and wine and an angry potato make a grownup family weekend in Aspen/Snowmass
When you’re traveling with grown kids, as we are this weekend, artisanal cocktails can play a key role.
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Snowmass in Summer – cool air and lots of family activities
After an arduous 16 mile hike yesterday, I’m at The Spa at Viceroy Snowmass while an experienced massage therapist ministers to my aching legs and shoulders.
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Hiking Crested Butte to Aspen – again – the good, the bad and the better
If I’ve learned one thing from travel—especially with kids—is that you have to take the bad with the good. That’s a good lesson for the kids to learn, along the way, of course. And perhaps there is no better time to remind you of that adage than on an outdoor adventure. We certainly were reminded on the hiking trail.
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Summer in Crested Butte CO – a family vacation haven
Crested Butte bills itself as the Wildflower Capital of Colorado and there is a Wildflower Festival going on with everything from art classes, guided wildflower hikes, photography classes and more.
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Touring the Vatican with kids – hidden gems to explore
Welcome to The Vatican, the world’s smallest sovereign state, established in 1929. It’s the modern version of the papal fiefdom that ruled Rome and much of central Italy before Italy was unified in the mid-19th century
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A Family Culinary Adventure in Merida, Mexico
On a recent trip to Merida, Mexico, Alison Tibaldi booked a hands-on cooking class. It was an immersive experience that offered a window into the local culture in a highly sensorial way.
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One-of-a-Kind Slide Experience at OUE Skyspace LA
OUE Skyspace LA is a new attraction at the heart of Downtown Los Angeles built in the U.S. Bank building–currently the tallest building west of the Mississippi River–and the buzz is booming after its grand opening in June.
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Saving on a family summer beach vacation
A trip to the beach is a perfect summer getaway — and a bargain too. As long as you opt for a destination that’s off-season in summer — like the Caribbean or Arizona — you can have your pick of deals.
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Wizarding World Comes to Life at Universal Hollywood
On a recent visit to “The Entertainment Capital of L.A.,” WWoHP was packed with wizards, witches, muggles and humans alike.
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Tauck’s latest European river boat — extra space for families
I’ve never seen a nicer bathroom onboard a river ship. It’s so spacious! It has a rain shower. And as the MS Joy boasts more suites and fewer guests than other similarly sized vessels, it is a good bet for families.
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Celebrating July 4 with the kids
There are plenty of ways to celebrate, starting with your local parade. When my kids were small and we lived in Evanston, Illinois, that parade was a highlight of the summer
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An Austrian monastery underappreciated by the Hapsburgs
Today, the Benedictine Abbey “Gottweig” may be the most famous symbol of this region—a huge complex at the top of the mountain that houses, besides the gorgeous church, a youth center, inn and one building that was built for the Hapsburgs to stay though they never did and boasting the largest staircase in all of Austria.
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Rained out in Austria? No chance
We’re about an hour northwest of Vienna—a great place for a respite after city touring, The entire area is famous for its abbeys, churches, castles, picturesque villages and hiking and cycling. The best part—It’s not at all crowded!
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Food Tours: A Delicious Way To Explore Cincinnati OH
Nowhere is tradition and innovation more apparent than in the culinary arena of Cincinnati. While this city gets its share of recognition for down-home Cincinnati-style chili, cutting-edge chefs are flocking here like bees to honey.
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Baseball, the Dodgers and the Honorable First Pitch
The particular game that I attended in April was a rivalry game against the San Francisco Giants. This series was tied at 1-1.
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Traveling abroad in an age of terrorism
I didn’t meet anyone onboard during our trip who was nervous about traveling with their kids in Europe this summer, even though we were in Crete, less than 200 miles from where the Egyptair plane went down
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Visit to a Sea Turtle Hospital in Palm Beach County, Florida
More than just a place to observe, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a working hospital with the goal of rehabilitating its animal patients. In fact, it’s the preeminent sea turtle hospital in the United States and animals in need of treatment are carefully transported here from around the country.
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To the new, enhanced Disney Springs in Orlando
Book a $125 vintage Amphicar ride for the gang at the new Boathouse Restaurant at the newly imagined Disney Springs, which used to be Downtown Disney before its multi-year transformation.
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Sampling the great foods of Athens
I think the way to a city’s heart—or to understand its culture—is through its food. That’s why in Athens I signed us up for a “Beyond Feta” food tour offered by Context Travel,
