Families give Paws Up high marks
Suha Jhaveri opted for a mom-son road trip to the Resort at Paws Up, where they stayed in a huge safari-like tent
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Chuckwagon caps a day of weather challenges
When it rains, you just soldier on as we did horseback riding and riding ATV vehicles
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A cold summer rain can’t stop the fun: Paws Up
At least we are cozy and dry in our tent. That’s right—our tent. electricity, an in-suite bathroom, and heated floor.
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Navigating Glacier National Park during #COVIDSUMMER2020
So far this summer, the east side of the park remains closed due to heavy winter snows—we could only go as far as Avalanche, where we went hiking to Avalanche Lake, about a two miles each way with a gradual gain of about 500 feet in elevation.
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Families & Groups | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
At Glacier National Park: a Covid summer like no other
Glacier National Park is only partially open this Covid summer. No park lodging. Eastern side closed completely. So be prepared for scarce lodging, food, even hiking options
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Flathead Lodge: Kids discover friendships and much more
After months sheltering at home, “This place encourages you to make new friends,”
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Pandemic Family Travel | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
How to make the most of the pandemic summer
The good news: If you can work remotely with kids’ camps and summer school canceled, you can opt for a longer break. Perhaps this is the year to take that big road trip out West or get a longer rental in a mountain or beach town.
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Best Bacon Ever: On a breakfast trail ride
“The breakfast ride is my favorite thing at the ranch. Breakfast tastes so much better,” says Sydney Byrne, 17, a guest at Flathead Lake Lodge in NW Montana
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Three generations, 75 years: The Averill family and Flathead Lake Ranch
Flathead Lake Lodge is much more than a lodge – it’s a ranch, farm and acre upon acre of wilderness and lakefront.
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A huge menu at Flathead Lake Lodge in Montana
What should we today? that’s the biggest decision a guest must make with nearly two dozen activities—including those just for kids and for teens.
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Flathead Lake Lodge copes well with Covid Summer
At Flathead Lake Lodge, rather than 125 people spread out in 22 cozy log cabins and the main lodge, there are 83, including 30 kids
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A mind game: fly-fishing in Yellowstone National Park
Fly fishing in Yellowstone is a big deal. If I could have only one fishing license in the world it would be here at Yellowstone National Park,” says Almond, who traded an executive career to become a fly fishing guide.
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A different kind of camping – Under Canvas
This is camping Under Canvas style, modeled after the traditional safari experience and especially welcome this Pandemic summer when everyone is anxious to enjoy the outdoors but may not want the work of camping, sleeping on the ground or sharing communal bathrooms.
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Big Geyser, Little Geyser – social distancing at Yellowstone NP
We’re at Yellowstone National Park but we’re not at Old Faithful. We’re a few miles away at Lone Star Geyser that required a little over a two-mile hike—really a mellow walk along a beautiful steam.
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Destinations | Families & Groups | Getting There | Lodging | Pandemic Family Travel | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
A look at summer travel under COVID rules
We’re talking about the havoc the COVID-19 Pandemic has wreaked on in lives. That includes, of course, any travel plans we might have had for this summer.
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As Orlando Reopens, Safety First at Theme Parks
Just to enter, you’ll need an advance reservation, temperature screening and a mask. Welcome to the New Normal as Orlando begins to open in this Pandemic Summer.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
On the Road – Covid Summer 2020: 1st stop Jackson Hole; it’s cold, rainy and tourists and businesses are coming back
ckson, of course, is the gateway to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. This time of year, the town should be buzzing with tourists, including many from overseas. Summer is high season—typically.
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Where did you get that funny hat?
The lead guide and one of the rafters had these funny-shaped conical hats that kept the sun away. The hats were lightweight and wicked sweat.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Pandemic Family Travel | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
Rocky Mountain Towns are Reopening for Adventurers
As long as you are willing to wear masks and social distance, you will find mountain towns have fine-tuned their lodging, restaurants, and guided adventures so that you can get outdoors and enjoy yourselves this summer—safely.
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Tilley Hats – guaranteed for life!
Tilley customers often write stories on the Tilley website, explaining strange experiences they have had with the hats—even one being eaten by an elephant, and pooped out later that week intact.
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A Dozen-plus Gifts for the Outdoorsman Dad
After months of sheltering at home with the kids and, maybe working remotely, Dad probably can’t wait to get outdoors. Some gift ideas.
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How to Plan a Trip with a Big Group
Traveling with a big group may seem like the ideal way to go. A large crowd means there will always be a group to get up and go, and there will always be people around who like to hang back. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong.
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Families & Groups | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Getting There | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
On a road trip to South Dakota’s Black Hills and Badlands
This summer, it seems, road trips are expected to be particularly popular — if families opt to leave home at all. That’s why throughout the summer, we’ll spotlight some classic American road trips — like to South Dakota’s Black Hills and Badlands.
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Heading outdoors any way you want this summer
Families, it seems, think camping can be the antidote they seek — and a way to get out of town safely, according to a new COVID-19 edition of the North American Camping Report, sponsored by Kampgrounds of America.
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Getting There | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Summer travel, or not, in the new normal
What’s a family to do? If families get away at all, they are likely to drive and stay closer to home, suggests Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association
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Getting moms and daughters out of their comfort zones
When Steff Keene wanted to backpack for the first time, she didn’t turn to adventure-loving friends for advice like college students might. She turned to mom.
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Staying sane: Helping your kids cope as the pandemic continues
A Q&A with Dr. David Schonfeld, expert on children’s mental health issues, on coping with fear and disappointment during the pandemic
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Let’s hear it for moms everywhere (grandmas, too!)
Happy Mother’s Day! If there ever was a time to thank moms for all they do it’s this year, as we celebrate the strangest Mother’s Day ever
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Why Greece is the Destination for Skip-Gen Vacations
Isn’t this the best possible gift for the young ones! Grandparents today are healthy, active and available. Combining their stories and their unconditional love with the young children’s curiosity connects the kids with their past and their roots
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Backyard Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Families & Groups | Getting There | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Thinking about adventures past and to come — in Alaska
Nearly a year later, stuck at home, trips canceled in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I smile thinking about that stellar day and the rest of last summer’s trip to Alaska
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To Golden Gate Park for its big birthday
They called the area the Great Sand Wastes, but even those who believed in the project could never have imagined what Golden Gate Park would become
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Learning about the origins of the Titanic in Belfast, Northern Ireland
At the award-winning Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience, you are right where Titanic was built (a special dry dock had to be constructed — the largest in the world at the time).
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Thinking about the great outdoors
As for Doc, he retired and opted for a second career where people meet him with big smiles on their faces, some having waited more than a year to meet him
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On a virtual adventure
Since we are all grounded right now, let the kids lead us all on virtual adventures (and they can safely share them with grandparents too)
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Taking the Kids — when they are on the autism spectrum
The 13th annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2. Thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities were expected to be lit light blue in recognition of people living with autism
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Pandemic Family Travel | Taking the Kids Blogs
7 Great Destinations to Visit from Home
Whether you’re sheltering in place by choice or command, we hope you’ll enjoy touring seven great destinations you can visit virtually from home.
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Learning to cope with travel disappointments
It’s not irresponsible or shallow to be upset about your derailed vacation plans. Don’t minimize the kids’ disappointment either, the experts say.
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Coronavirus Advice for Travelers with Kids
Although many of us are currently unable to travel due to international restrictions, you may be thinking ahead to your next planned trip. If you decide to travel with your kids, here is some coronavirus advice that you should be aware of.
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Traveling through the COVID-19 crisis
The coronavirus pandemic has derailed many upcoming family trips — everything from shipboard reunions to destination weddings to spring breaks. What to do?
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The civilized route to ski country: The Winter Park Express
There is a better way to go skiing — every Friday and Saturday, January-March, Amtrak offers the “Winter Park Express” from Denver’s Union Station to a platform just a short hike from Winter Park’s ski lifts.
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To Philadelphia and celebrating women during women’s history month
For 2020, Philadelphia has officially changed the city’s “City of Brotherly Love” moniker to the “City of Sisterly Love,” acknowledging that women of color were not fully enfranchised until the 1965 Voting Rights Act
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A Teen’s Perspective – The Perfect Teen Trip to Orlando & WDW Resorts
While family trips are a lot of fun, one-on-one time with only one parent and one child allows for really special time and bonding that often does not occur with a lot of family members around
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Snow graffiti? Who knew? The kids program at Vista Verde Ranch
All you need is some snow and spray bottles with food coloring—blue, yellow, green, red, purple…
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Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations | Travel Diaries
Back to Vista Verde Ranch – snowmobiles and more fun in the snow
Welcome to Vista Verde Ranch near the tiny Colorado town of Clark and about a 40-minute drive from Steamboat Springs-and a world away from the busy ski town where you have to jockey on the slopes for a place to sit at lunch time.
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Under the Devil’s Thumb, a guest ranch for XC, snowshoe and spa lovers
We see that giant snow-covered thumb as we are getting a Nordic classic ski lesson at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, a four-season resort on 6,500 pristine acres about 75 miles west of Denver and 15 miles from Winter Park and its famous downhill slope
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Families & Groups | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations | Travel Diaries
Tweens Spill on Skiing in Vail and Beaver Creek
Local kids in Vail Valley say there’s so much to love about the area. Hear directly from kids themselves about their favorite ski runs, off slope activities and more!
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations | Weekly Column
Fun in the snow off the slopes
Spring also is a great time to come to the slopes with plenty of sunshine, warmer temperatures and late season deals
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations | Weekly Column
Taking the Kids — on spring break
Spring break is such a good time to get away. Hopefully, your kids will have that same week off. And you may find it easier to escape for a week or a long weekend than in the middle of the summer when everyone wants to get away
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Woodward Copper — all year fun on the snow an hour from Denver
Just an hour from Denver at popular Copper Mountain, Woodward Copper is an innovative action sports center that offers year-round skiing and snowboarding
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Fitting your ski boot makes all the difference
Surefoot started in Park City UT and is now the world’s biggest ski boot specialty store company, with shops all over the US and Europe
