In the past year, a growing number of hotel chains have revamped their kids’ menus to make them healthier with less fat and sugar as well as prepared with locally sourced foods. It’s terrific to see a travel industry contest that actually focuses on something families care about—healthier and better children’s menus–rather than giving them another toy or backpack they don’t need or want.
Wherever you go this summer, all of us want the same thing: The chance to relax and make happy memories, Vacation memories, families say, not only last a lifetime but are among the most important they have, helping them to get through the tough times. Just thinking about the vacation ahead can put the fun back in everyday life, Disney Consumer Insight Team’s Amy Foster told the attendees at the First TMS Family Travel Summit in Orlando. “Fun is not frivolous,” she said. “Fun is precious.”
During the Great Depression, and the Dustbowl, over 250,000 people packed everything they could and set out from Arkansas and Oklahoma along Route 66, heading–they hoped—for a better life in California. Recently I got to drive part of the route in a Ford hybrid vehicle.
Forget the new slippers. Dad certainly won’t want another tie. And he can choose his own books. This Father’s Day, get Dad something he’s guaranteed to love–a special experience on your next vacation. Here are five we think are guaranteed to please:
Let’s have some fun on vacation or at home this summer—safely of course. Here are some summer safety tips for parents and kids — at the beach, on a boat, on wheels, or around bugs.
First Lady Michelle Obama suggests letting the kids lead is one way to get everyone more active on vacation this summer. The first lady told Taking the Kids exclusively, “The key to getting kids moving is to find something they enjoy, and join in!” For the First Family, that includes biking.
Sail racing is the island of Anguilla’s national sport dating back to the early days of the 20th century when Anguillan men on their way back from working in sugar cane fields in the Dominican Republic would race their schooners home. In fact, the unique design of the racing boats here evolved from fishing boats that would fish as much as 40 miles off shoe
We all know that kids seem to grow up in a blink of an eye (It seems as if my youngest who is graduating from college this month was just starting preschool!) That’s why families shouldn’t feel guilty about taking time—or money– for vacation. We’ve only got a certain amount of time when our kids are mesmerized by princesses or dinosaurs, when they think playing with mom and dad is the best time ever.
Check out these fabulous video shorts our partner Kyle McCarthy of the Family Travel Forum put together while at the first ever TMS Family Travel Summit in Orlando May 3-5, 2013:
This first-ever summit brought together national travel media with top marketers to brainstorm how we could work together to improve and de-stress the family travel experience. “It’s nice to see both sides of the table share the same concerns,” observed Laura Parquette, from Vail Resorts.