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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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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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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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
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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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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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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The Greatest Show On Earth Is Out of This World
There are only a few of classic outings that will never get old: going to the beach, a picnic at the park, heading to the carnival and going to the circus!
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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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A Family Getaway To Kennebunkport, Maine
Kennebunkport is loaded with New England charm. The pedestrian-friendly streets are brimming with retro sweet shops, folksy art galleries and authentic lobster shacks.
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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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Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
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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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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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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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,
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Visiting Turkey, briefly, in a year of travel warnings
Although the US State Department has warned about travel in parts of Turkey, we are far away from the unrest and terror threats in the tiny village of Sirince not far from the famous ruins of Ephesus
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Shore excursions: Planning ahead is smart
It seems as if all 4,000 passengers on the Carnival Vista, docked here, this morning are visiting Lindos, which means we’re jammed tight
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The entertainment never stops aboard Carnival’s Vista
IMAX movie or Sky Ride? No, we’re not in Orlando. We’re in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea aboard Carnival’s new and largest ship VISTA.
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No way to diet: 19 restaurants on Carnival Vista
It’s nearly impossible to stay on your diet aboard Carnival’s new and largest ship Vista with some 19 places to eat.
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Carnival’s newest and biggest ship – chock full of kids activities
Kudos to Carnival for what they have achieved for families on their new and largest ship, Vista, now sailing in the Mediterranean.
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Off the beaten cruise tourism track on Italy’s Amalfi Coast
Every day, Maria Grazia, 80, walks thousands of steep stone steps to and from her home in Minuta, a tiny hamlet high above the Amalfi Coast in southwestern Italy that is among the oldest towns here, dating back before medieval times.
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Scavenger Hunt in the Vatican Museums? You bet!
You wouldn’t guess the always crowded Vatican Museums would be a good place for a scavenger hunt, but it is an ideal vehicle to keep kids interested, says Eva Polino, an art historian and licensed guide
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Truffle Hunting in Tuscany – Day 2 of Carnival Vista Med Cruise
We’re on a shore excursion in Tuscany off the Carnival Vista cruise ship, which is sailing the Mediterranean this summer. We’re with experienced truffle hunters Salvatore Cucchiara, a retired policeman, and his son Massimo
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Carnival’s newest and largest ship in the Med – first stop Marseilles, France
Marseilles is our first stop on a 10-day cruise of the Mediterranean on Carnival Vista, Carnival’s new and largest ship, carrying more than 4,000 passengers and nearly 1500 crew.
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Last Cuba port call – historic Santiago de Cuba and pirates of the Caribbean
Historic Santiago de Cuba is home to revolutions, gave birth to Cuban leaders Jose Marti and Fidel Castro and was the scene of Teddy Roosevelt’s famous charge up San Juan Hill.
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Second port call in Cuba – beautiful French-inspired Cienfuegos
If Cuba had a Paris, Lonely Planet Cuba says, Cienfuegos would be it as it’s arranged around a spectacular natural bay (there are charter sailboats in the harbor and I can only imagine a lot more once Americans discover this place).
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In Havana, meeting people who are starting private businesses
Gilberto Valladares Reina has always been a barber—and a dreamer. That’s not always been easy in Cuba, where the government controlled so many aspects of your life.
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Into Havana on a “people-to-people” tour from the first American cruise ship in 58 years
Cubans lined the Havana shoreline, cheering loudly as the ship sailed in. Those on board lined the decks cheering, waving Cuban and American flags as Adonia, became the first American ship to enter Havana Harbor in 58 years
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How kids like making history on first American cruise to Cuba
The Russell kids had spent the last two weeks in the Dominican Republic where they joined in volunteer activities that ranged from wrapping chocolate bars at a women’s collective to helping to lay cement floors for several families.
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On the first American sea voyage to Cuba since the Revolution
Eleven kids are making history, though they may not realize it. The kids are among the 700 passengers aboard Fathom’s Adonia, the first American ship to win approval to sail into Cuba from American shores in more than 50 years. (Fathom is the newest cruise brand of Carnival Corp).
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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lights Up for Evening Adventure
Soaring lights dance across the evening sky at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, but it’s no longer just soft lights illuminating the closed park while the animals play.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
In Albuquerque: an historic Inn and Organic Farm
Check out the peacocks! Smell the lavender! Tonight we’re at the family- owned Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm in Albuquerque, which was established in 1934.
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New Mexico – Land of Enchanted Cuisine
Certainly you can eat well in New Mexico no matter what your budget. Do you want green or red chiles?
If you want both, that’s “Christmas.” -
Green Chile Cheesburgers and Bubbling Hot Springs
It’s a risk as well as an adventure – stopping for a green chile cheeseburger lunch (a New Mexico specialty) at a grocery store/gas station along the state’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail.
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Bringing City of Light to City of Stars
The Walt Disney Concert Hall never fails to deliver exquisite music to its audience, especially with the current on-going concert series: City of Lights: A Century of Music From Paris.
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Affordable Aspen – families enjoying the amenities and vibes of the famous ski town
Lest you think Aspen is only for celebs and wealthy Hollywood types, there’s plenty affordable here—starting with the Limelight Hotel with rates under $200 a night
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Angeleno Goes Full Cowboy in Colorado
At the Vista Verde Guest Ranch, it turns ranch life ain’t so bad. It also turns out, a city slicker can really look really really ridiculously awesome wearing a Cowboy hat.
At the Vista Verde Guest Ranch
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Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations | Travel Diaries
In Aspen, a hotel with great vibes and amenities – The Limelight
We’re atop Ajax—as Aspen Mountain is known—with just a handful of others for “First Tracks” at 8:15 a.m.—before the Mountain has opened.
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The mountain or the ranch – so many great choices
The staff at Vista Verde Ranch, about 25 miles outside the ski town of Steamboat Springs has obligingly left us an Evening Sky Map for this month.
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A visit to Strawberry Hot Spring Park in Colorado
Nestled in the hills about 10 miles outside the town of Steamboat Springs, Strawberry Hot Springs is a natural hot springs fed by heated underground aquifers that come to the surface to make a number of heated pools
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Combining ski vacation and dude ranch in the Colorado Rockies
This year, I decided to mix it up—opting to spend half our winter ski week at a dude ranch, Vista Verde Ranch, on 500-plus gorgeous acres about 25 miles outside of Steamboat Springs and as far away from the crowds and tumult of a major ski area as you can get.
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Storytime at New Orleans Museum of Art
Head to the New Orleans Museum of Art on select Saturday mornings where authors, actors and artists read or act out a story followed by a family art activity.
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China Lights brighten the night in New Orleans through May 1
Welcome to China Lights, the exhibit of more than 30 bright silk-covered structures that will light up the Botanical Garden in New Orleans’ City Park through May 1.
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Huge Expansion at National WWII Museum, New Orleans
Welcome to The National WWII Museum’s newest exhibit: The Road to Tokyo which retraces the soldiers’ journey from Pearl Harbor ultimately to Tokyo Bay by many routes in Asia and the Pacific
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Warm Up Under The Big Top – Big Apple Circus
What to do on one of the coldest weekends so far this winter? Stay in and curl up with some hot chocolate? No! Head out to see the Big Apple Circus’ fantastic show The Grand Tour.
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Disney Springs rolls out fab family dining, shopping and entertainment
What was once called Downtown Disney has just been renamed Disney Springs with new restaurants like the Boathouse, new shopping outlets (ready for some custom painted Tom’s sandals?) and new acts at Cirque du Soleil.
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What’s new for kids at Walt Disney World
One in five grandparent surveyed by Disney reported they’d taken a Disney vacation with their children and grandchildren and that certainly seemed evident here in Orlando.
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City lights. No cameras. Lots of action.
Wearing a gray hoodie and sunglasses, a suspicious man was trying to debrief us while also not being noticeable. This was: Accomplice the Show: Greenwich Village.
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Bumpkins on a river cruise in Jamaica. Seriously
Seriously. We are at River Bumpkin Farm and have floated down about 1.5 miles of the 75-mile long river.
