CAMINO DE SANTIAGO 2018 – a trek through Spain
This trek in Spain is one of the greatest trips ever, you go with your ideas and thoughts and you come back with a different new perspective
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Snorkeling on Belize’s great barrier reef – lots of fish!
We are in the Hol-Chan Marine Preserve just inside a huge barrier reef and just a few miles from San Pedro, Belize on the island of Ambergris Caye. This is some of the most spectacular snorkeling I’ve enjoyed in many years
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Tour combines history and culture – and of course food – In San Pedro, Belize
Food tours, I think, are a great introduction to any community wherever you are in the world and this one doesn’t disappoint, not only showing us local spots we wouldn’t have found on our own but giving us a little history along the way.
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
On the hunt for conch, spiny lobsters and snapper on Belize’s barrier reef
I wasn’t planning to swim, just relax and read a book while my husband fished for snapper. But here we are, looking for conch with our 22-year-old guide Carlos Cordova
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
No need to dress for dinner – on a private island in Belize
When we arrive at the private island Caya Encanto, just two and a half miles from the resort town of San Pedro on Ambergris Cay, Belize’s largest island, the smiling staff is lined up to meet us
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Belize is home to more than 600 Maya sites and much more
Belize, with more than 600 Maya sites, the largest concentration of Maya sites in all of Central America, is known as the Maya Heartland.
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Chaa Creek Lodge in Belize – home-grown adventure for all ages and budgets
It started out as a hut, farm and campsite for backpackers. Now Chaa Creek Lodge in Belize is a resort for all ages and budgets and fulfill the vision of its founders
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
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.
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A Backroads bike tour combined with a Danube cruise
We’re zipping along on bikes along the Danube in Budapest and the request, though a joke, wouldn’t have been a bad idea given the heat.
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A tasty tour of the historic Jewish quarter in Budapest
Our 30-year-old Taste Hungary guide and the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, explains that not only has food always been an important part of the culture here
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Comfort, great food, close to everything: Sofitel, Berlin
I admit what I like best is the breakfast buffet. I’ve love the chance to try foods that Berliners might typically have but I wouldn’t at home
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Touring the Sites of Rememberance of the Holocaust in Berlin
“There were many unsung heroes,” said Nadav Jakobovitch, our Tours by Locals guide on our second day in Berlin. He comes from a family of Holocaust survivors by way of Israel
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Walking the Berlin Wall – Reconciliation Matters
We had just walked between what had once been called “the death strip,” the area between West Berlin and East Berlin, between the wall and safety of the West
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One Big Adrenaline Rush at Adventures on the Gorge in West Virginia
While a lot of people are still trying to figure out what an “adventure resort” is, Adventures on the Gorge is showing their guests of all ages what a vacation destination should look like
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Energy and body restoration at the Four Seasons Resort in Vail
I’m at the Four Seasons Resort in Vail with one of the best spas in the Vail Valley. The idea, of course, is not only to relax but to restore your energy and your body
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Families love the Four Seasons in Vail Co. for “glamping” and more
Get ready to get spoiled—for a few days anyway. That’s why the Johnstons, including Kendall, 11, and Reagan, 13, have decamped from Denver to the Four Seasons Resort in Vail for their fourth weekend—this time the Fourth of July.
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Kids learning nature through fun at the top of Vail Mountain
this is July Fourth weekend, the resort’s busiest of the summer season. It’s family central at Adventure Ridge located at the top of the gondola at 10,350 feet. Wow what a view!
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At the Broadmoor’s Sunday Brunch you might want to start with dessert
It’s hard to resist when Banana Fosters, plum Calvados crepes, bread pudding, apple cobbler, ice cream sundaes, strawberry buttermilk panna cotta, raspberry mojito cupcakes, snickerdoodle crème brulee, even a vegan chocolate pot au crème are there for the taking
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Up in the mountain air at The Broadmoor’s Cloud Camp in Colorado
Cloud Camp is the historic Broadmoor resort’s highest wilderness experience. But my daughter Mel and her boyfriend Hank Lockhead – experienced backpackers—think it’s more of a luxury experience with well-appointed log cabins, beautiful bathrooms, gourmet meals…
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Generations gather to reconnect at quadrennial family reunion
There are lots of milestones at our reunion—25th and 35th anniversaries; 80th, 70th, 60th, 50th and 30th birthdays. One of the grandmothers tried to give the family a quick family history lesson
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In Rocky Mountain Nat Park – hikes are great, but beware crowds
if I’d done my homework, the Rocky Mountain National Park rangers would have told me to hike early, as parking spots at some of the popular trailheads—like Beaver Lake, a four-mile round trip hike that is kid-friendly—are gone by 8:30 am.
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YMCA of the Rockies is Family Reunion Central
Welcome to Family Reunion Central. In fact, the Estes Park Center and its sister resort Snow Mountain Ranch host more than 1,300 reunions a year—more, they believe, than any other venue in the United States.
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Orlando’s Top 5 Hotspots for Teens
Orlando is bursting with trendy and exciting places to visit, especially if you’re a teenager.
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Bikes, Beans and Blooms in Victoria, BC
A recent trip to beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, hit the outdoor foodie sweet spot. We participated in casual outdoor adventures by day and dined on delicious cuisine each evening.
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Greenwich, England, and the pluses of getting off the beaten track — a bit
Pietro La Rosa, with his flowing mane of gray hair, beard and lilting Italian accent, is not like any pub owner I’ve ever met nor is The Prince of Greenwich pub menu typical
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Orlando Is Universal: Volcano Bay Impresses Big Time
f you are an amusement park enthusiast, you know Orlando is full of them. However, Universal Orlando has brought a new water theme park like none other: Volcano Bay.
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Experiencing the All-New Animal Sanctuary & Grand Hyatt Amenities at Baha Mar
After years of multiple false starts and financial headaches, the $4.2 billion, 1,000-acre development simply known as Baha Mar finally opened its doors to the public last April
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Visiting the interactive Graycliff Chocolatier Factory
Children and adults of all ages are as giddy and equally excited to experience the Graycliff Chocolatier factory, located inside the iconic Graycliff Hotel in Nassau, The Bahamas
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Tales From The Spa at the Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa in Punta Cana
Even if your child is still an actual child, the Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa offers manicures, pedicures and hair braiding just for the little ones.
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
Mother-Daughter Dining Options At the Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa, Punta Cana
It would be impossible to go hungry at the Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa in Punta Cana. Besides free room service, the property offers plenty of menu options,
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A Spring Trip to The Grand Canyon and Flagstaff, Arizona
It’s great that the south rim of the Grand Canyon so close to Flagstaff, Arizona. We could envision wanting a hotel room and shower to stay in after backpacking in the desert heat for 5 days
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
A Mother-Daughter Getaway to the Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa in Punta Cana, DR
The all-inclusive, family-friendly Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa is very large, but we’re New Yorkers, so we’re not intimidated by big.
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Lectures, entertainment and fun on Queen Mary 2
Cunard—and the flagship Queen Mary 2 —is famous for its guest lecturers on board and its planetarium. Some days, the tickets are gone before 9 a.m. for the afternoon shows
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On Queen Mary 2 – You might just lose weight!
A Canyon Ranch meal on Queen Mary 2: red velvet cupcakes, macadamia chocolate tarts, chocolate fondant, three-chocolate mousse, chocolate cake pops and a chocolate fountain to dip cookies on a stick.
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Keeping the kids entertained aboard the Queen Mary 2
The first Queen Mary had a kids club that entertained a young Princess Elizabeth. Today’s Queen Mary 2 has a Kids Zone plus plenty of board games and other activities for families
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Gourmet food, formal dining on Queen Mary 2
Fifteen thousand meals a day, not counting snacks and High Tea! Twenty-five hundred guests and 1,250 crew have to be fed every day on Cunard Line’s flagship Queen Mary 2.
