The Top Three Teen Travel Writers
The Family Travel Forum Teen Travel Writing Scholarship was founded in 2007 to promote teen literacy by granting teen travel bloggers cash prizes for college or future travels
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You earned your vacation! You can afford to take it
Did you know 55 per cent of Americans report they don’t use their earned vacation? The good news is that you can get away this winter without busting the budget
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Celebrating family togetherness “creactively” at Club Meds in Caribbean
The unique Creactive program at Club Meds in the Caribbean is for adults and kids, inviting them to learn activities inspired by Cirque du Soleil
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Multigenerational cruising with Holland America Line
Holland America Line is especially popular with multigenerational families seeking an upscale experience on mid-sized ships known for the food and immersive activities
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Business and leisure – Airbnb enables “bleisure”
Today, more and more road warriors want the flexibility to fit business travel into their lives rather than scheduling their lives around business travel
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Cyber Monday 2019 – 80+ Great Travel Deals
If you thought you couldn’t afford a vacation in 2020, think again. And mark your calendars for Monday, December 2, 2019 – Cyber Monday.
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“At Wit’s End” with Erma Bombeck in Denver
At Wit’s End had its premier at the Arena Stage in Washington DC in 2015 and has had 39 productions thus far. — one zinger after another
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Camping Hacks for Newbies
If you haven’t had a chance to unplug and get the kids outdoors this summer…the time is now!
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The Perfect Family Getaway: Why the Caribbean is Great for Every Member
I personally prefer a destination which hosts all fun-filled activities from sandy beach relaxation to strikingly beautiful scenery and landmarks
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You Can Score a Good Hotel Deal at a Time You Want and Need to Travel
The IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) Global is enabling families to save at least 20 percent at participating hotel stays this season — through Sept. 15
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Why DID We Pick The Whitehall for Our Wedding 37 years ago?
The place just felt right – as it does for guests today. It was small, for one thing and a convenient locale on the city’s Gold Coast
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Best of Taking The Kids | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
This could be one of the best seasons ever for river rafting in Colorado – we know!
We just spend five days and four nights on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument with the premier river rafting outfitter OARS. Take a look at some of our photos
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Never tried cruising? Now’s the time!
It turns out that the vast majority of people recently surveyed about vacations who have never been on a cruise — 94 percent — said they’d like to try cruising.
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Why we travel
The world is a huge and amazing place. It makes you feel alive when, through travel, you’re touching as much of it as you can, gaining valuable insight on what’s important to other people and why
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Legacies of the 10th Mountain Division – all over Vail Colorado
The newly re-opened Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum (it’s free!) in Vail is a great place to learn about the tremendous influence those 10th Mountain Division veterans who founded the modern US ski industry
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A NEW WAY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDKIDS TO CONNECT
The next time you want to give your grandchild a gift, skip the toys or gadgets and make them a Road Scholar by sharing an adventure instead.
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The Shutdown is having big effects on the travel industry too
The lines to go through security were longer than usual at Denver International Airport this morning (Saturday, Jan 12, 2019). The government shutdown is having big effects on the travel industry too.
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Three great affordable bets for holiday travel and beyond
The holidays are fast-approaching. It you haven’t made plans yet, here are three great affordable holiday getaways to consider — Orlando FL; Karisma Resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico’s Riviera Maya; and the great state of Maine
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Taking the Kids Blogs
Caribbean and Riviera Maya – Karisma Hotels & Resorts is Ready and Affordable
If you thought a winter Caribbean getaway was out of reach this winter, think again. The all-inclusive Karisma Hotels & Resorts, known for their Gourmet Inclusive Experience, not only can offer the luxe vacation you want but deals that are 45 percent off or more and in some cases, kids are free
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Visiting Maine in Winter – Family Friendly and Affordable
Unlike bears, Mainers don’t hibernate in winter. They like to encourage everyone who visits to get outdoors. Maine is the place to ski, snowboard, snowshoe, cross country ski, ice skate, tube, build snow forts and make lots of snow angels
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Too much cheese in your fondue miss? No problem…
We are climbing along the base of the Mattenberg Mountain below the Grindelwald Glacier. It is beyond amazing
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Taking the Kids Blogs
Rebranded and Vibrant – Disney Springs!
The former Downtown Disney completed its multi-year transformation in 2016. Today, the rebranded Disney Springs has more than 150 shops, restaurants and other venues and is as popular with locals as for guests
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Disney Puts its Signature on More Than Theme Parks
Welcome to a newly branded Signature Disney Experience. The Reunion Lounge is kind of a concierge level space for Disney Vacation Club guests
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Moving across country – how to avoid scammers and con artists like we didn’t
We were moving cross country — our first move in nearly 25 years — and I let myself be conned by a smooth-talking moving broker and an unscrupulous moving company. Here’s how you can avoid my mistakes
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The newest hotel guest VIPS are WHO?
She was the newest hotel VIP—not the person with the zillions of loyalty points, not kids. The newest hotel guests to inspire special attention–dogs. Very Important Dogs (VIDS!) like Trooper
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The road trip: snacks and drinks for survival — and fun!
“How much longer???” “Can we stop for a snack and something to drink?” Those questions are as inevitable on road trips as scattered potato chips and melted crayons in the back seat
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Kayak, sail or shop ’til you drop: Visiting Maine in Summer
Maine is big—as big as all of the other New England states combined-with 5,000 miles of coastline, some 4,600 islands, 6,000 miles of lakes and ponds and 17 million acres for hiking and biking
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A vacation without busting the budget: Carnival Cruise
There are activities for all ages—including supervised programs for kids from preschoolers to teens so parents and grandparents can get a break. Parents can feel more comfortable allowing tweens to navigate on their own around the ship than at another vacation venue
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The remarkable air travel safety record — and the responsibilities
As horrifying and tragic as it was, the in-flight emergency and forced landing of a Southwest Airlines flight in Philadelphia was the first instance of a passenger being killed in a U.S. airline accident since 2009
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Traveling greener in honor of Earth Day
In honor of Earth Day (Sunday, April 22), let’s remember how easy it is to do your bit to help end plastic pollution when you are traveling — and teach the kids a lesson in the process
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More companies need to stand up to the NRA!
This is a “family travel” website, not a political one. But the issue of the safety of our children and grandchildren cannot be ignored after the assault gun massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School
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Two massages in one week! Now that’s the way to travel
There isn’t anything like a massage, I think, to help you de-stress, especially when traveling and I’ve had some really memorable ones
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Adventure travel tragedy in Costa Rica
I’m so sorry for all those who died and all those who are grieving their loss. I’m also sorry for the fallout this is bound to have for Backroads, as well as for Costa Rica
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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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Holidays in a hotel? Relax and avoid family stress
This year, we’re not home for the holidays but we’re not guests or hosts. As the Thanksgiving holiday coincided with a family Bat Mitzvah in Denver, we’re comfortably ensconced at the Marriott Denver West Hotel
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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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Local festivals and culture year-round: Puerto Vallarta
Local festivals offer a great entrée to a new culture and, Puerto Vallarta is a terrific bet to experience them whenever you visit
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Hot Fashion at the Style Fashion Week NYC
The Style Fashion Week NYC events at the Intrepid Museum were electrifying! I had the opportunity to see two afternoon shows in the presentation room at the Intrepid Museum at Pier 86
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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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Talking to Children about Hurricanes, Floods and Other Natural Disasters
Once again, parents and teachers are faced with the challenge of discussing an overwhelming natural disaster with children. Although these may be difficult conversations, they are also important. There are no “right” or “wrong” ways to talk with children about such tragic events. However, here are some suggestions that you may find helpful
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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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The airport lounge ain’t what it used to be
I’m not flying business class. I’m not a high roller. But I have access to the Wingtips lounge in Terminal Four —and more than 1,000 airport lounges in 500 cities around the world.
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Embarrassing your kids doesn’t end after middle school
If you think embarrassing your kids ends at middle school, think again. My older daughter, 31, seems convinced I’ll somehow embarrass her (perhaps by not being able to keep up) on our upcoming biking river cruise along the Danube
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Getting a new passport requires planning – here’s how
You get to the airport for a long-planned overseas trip only to discover you can’t board your flight— because your passports expire within six months!
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Does Trump Really Want to Kill the US Travel Industry?
Trump himself benefits from tourism. We all do. So does the president really want to kill it?
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Join the party in London celebrating Harry Potter’s 20th
Ready to join the party? Britain is the host, celebrating Harry Potter’s 20th birthday. The first Harry Potter book was released on June 29,1997
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Disney transformative? Try new Pandora at WDW and Guardians at DisneyLand this summer
Often families head to Disney because they want to escape the real world. With the opening next month of Pandora-The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom, a visit can be a transformative adventure
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Tragedy on cruise: ship responsible for couple’s death, report finds
On the first night of a long-planned cruise in the Peruvian Amazon, Larry and Christy Hammer, retirees in their early 70s, were killed in a fire that broke out in their cabin on the 31-passenger La Estrella Amazonica.
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Can flying actually be fun? Yes, but more likely on a foreign carrier
If you’re thinking you wouldn’t find these amenities on an American carrier, you are probably right. “In the United States, you don’t see a lot of airlines offering amenities for kids,” said Brian Sumers, who covers airlines and aviation for the travel industry website Skift.
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Why do the major airlines like bullies?
Anyone who has flown in coach in recent years knows that from the moment you arrive at the airport departure curb there’s an indifferent vibe from the ticket agents to the gate agents, to the flight crews, to the baggage carousels
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Cruises for all generations – Carnival Corporation
Name one vacation that’s guaranteed to please everyone from the preschoolers to the moodiest teen to grandma. A cruise! Especially on a Carnival Corporation ship
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All the fun in one place – Grapevine TX – all summer long
Fun is waiting for families at Grapevine, TX SUMMERBLAST all summer long—from Memorial Day thru Labor Day with day-night activities (even Friday night Fireworks!) and plenty of hotel deals.
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Reducing the costs and stress of travel with the right insurance
Travel insurance can alleviate costs—and stress–but many families aren’t aware of the benefits or that with certain policies, kids under 17 may be covered free.
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The great American family holiday – on a dude ranch
There can be plenty of time in the saddle when you take the kids to a dude ranch. But these days, there’s plenty else to do. In fact, ranch goers acknowledge, they often spend less time riding than they expected because of so many other activities and so much land to explore.
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Trump’s immigration directives are stifling tourism — not good!
Trump’s immigration policies are causing grief for innocent people at airports all over, and this is having a chilling effect on tourism into the United States. This is not good for our economy or our image abroad.
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Resolutions for February: Show the Love
Here’s a new way to show your love—and it doesn’t necessarily involve chocolates (who needs the calories) a fancy dinner or flowers, nice as they are to receive.
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Football, roses and art – Pasadena CA has it all
Pasadena, just 12 minutes from Downtown LA via light Metro Rail, has a lot to offer every day—not least the sunshine, 300 days a year.
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Let’s Get Every Teen on a Train
A prominent member of the European Union Parliament is proposing that every 18-year-old receive a free trans-Europe train pass so they can get to know Europe better. We should do the same
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Yes politics is ugly. But kids need to learn about elections – here’s how
There still is a lot to be learned about the electoral process, of course, and museums around the country have mounted interesting, interactive exhibits that can answer kids’ questions and serve as a positive teaching tool—but only in the coming weeks.
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With strong dollar, beach vacation in Puerto Vallarta is a good bet
With the US dollar strong against the Mexican Peso, a beach vacation in Puerto Vallarta is a good bet this time of year. The town oozes charm, starting with Old Vallarta, the city’s 1930s town center complete with cobblestoned square.
