A bird-watchers paradise on Mexico’s Pacific Coast
People come to San Blas in the Riviera Nayarit from all over the world to see birds—as well as to surf the famous breaks. We are in a boat, mangroves on either side in La Tovara National Park
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On the Riviera Nayarit along Mexico’s Pacific Coast
At the Iberostar Playa Mita in Riviera Nayarit on the Pacific Coast of Mexico they feel they’ve gotten as close to family vacation nirvana as they could possibly get. “We’ve never had free room service,” joked Troy Nathan.
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Dolphins and art galleries in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
There are dolphin discovery programs run by this company all over the Caribbean but this park is different because for the same price (a little over $100) there is a challenge course, water slides, a water play area for younger kids, even a zipline over the slides).
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Day Two – a tour around the all-inclusives of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta is known for its galleries and its food but it is probably known more as a cruise ship stop and for those visiting the all-inclusive resorts.
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Visiting the Grandest of Canyons with young kids
I looked around and saw kinds of families — from around the world here to experience what is widely considered one of the wonders of the world.
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Three days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: Day One taco tour!
We’re in Puerto Vallarta, which is increasingly known for its food and happens to have some 500 taco stands open into the early hours of the night—each one with a specialty that locals come to savor. Every ingredient comes from within a 20 mile radius.
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Orlando – the most visited city in America
The good news is that if you are planning to visit Orlando in May — before the summer crowds arrive — the lines might not be as long and you’ll save some bucks on your hotel.
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Nearly 30 years of Taking the Kids – NY Times
It started in 1987. Cat in pond. You may already know the story. Eileen interviewed about it in the New York Times
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Baseballs, burgers, crepes, water parks and family time in Arizona
Once we land, I talk the rental car lady and my Dad into getting us a cool Mustang to ride around in instead of this family looking car they had for us. My dad tells me I have rental car swag.
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TMS Family Travel Summit Explores Opportunities in International Travel
The TMS Family Travel Summit meeting in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico April 23-25, 2015 will explore how many of the 1.135 million overnight international travelers are families, and how to increase their numbers.
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Taking the Kids? What’s your souvenir strategy?
Just as you should plan your itinerary and have a “what if” talk if the kids (or you) get lost, you need to have a souvenir strategy before the trip even starts. You don’t want to bust the vacation budget on something like a $40 sweatshirt, or a toy that will be forgotten the next day.
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Discovering history and fun in the countryside outside London
After seeing London’s great sites, it’s a joy to explore Britain’s famous Cotswolds towns, which are just about a two-hour train trip from London’s Paddington Station — ideal for a day or a weekend when you’ve had enough of the city, as fun as it is.
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National Park Service launches new “Find Your Park” campaign
The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation has just launched a nationwide campaign to encourage Americans to Find Your Park and share their memories and experiences online and via social media with the #findyourpark hashtag
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs
Orlando is the most visited place in the USA. What this means for you…
Spring is one of the busiest times in Orlando which happens to be not only the theme park capitol of the world but the most visited city in the country. What does that mean for your family?
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New coasters arrive to thrill — or scare — your family senseless!
For you coaster lovers, there are more than two dozen new attractions with unprecedented technology, spins and speed at large and small theme parks around the country this year,
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Enjoying a week of baseball spring training in Arizona with a young cousi
Matt Yemma and his 12-year-old cousin Ethan Sitzman spend a week shagging baseballs, autographs and enjoying the waterparks and sunshine of spring training in Arizona.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Snow Vacations | Volunteer & Service
Boarding, burgers and teen bonding in Bolton Valley, VT
A high school junior and scholar in the A Better Chance program writes about a weekend of snowboarding fun and bonding time with his housemates in Bolton Valley, VT.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Getting There | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Modern camping with kids – and WiFi
Younger campers say having a smartphone on a camping trip is nearly as important as toilet paper, according to the 2015 North American Camping Report. I’m guessing your kids would agree
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Families get acquainted with Thomas Jefferson at historic Monticello
It is only fitting that the home of our third president and the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence is so kid friendly. Jefferson was very fond of his 12 grandchildren, many of whom lived here with him after his retirement.
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Skiing and Soaking at Sunlight Mountain and Glenwood Springs
By springtime, many skiers are exhausted by the lift lines, carved out runs, and crowded resorts in Colorado Ski Country. But Sunlight Mountain Resort is the perfect little oasis where skiers can hit the mountain without having to schlep to the lifts.
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Telluride: An A-Lister’s Dream; a No-Lister’s Playground
Skiing down the “Galloping Goose,” it hit me — Telluride has something for everyone, even the 1 percent A-listers.
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Tapping his inner rebel at Crested Butte Mountain Resort
A die-hard snowboarder since his teens, Chris Yemma decided to try skiing on a blue-bird day at Crested Butte to see if his inner rebel still lives.
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Plenty more for families to do while visiting the Cactus League
March is all about baseball in Arizona — some 2.75 million visitors, 60 percent from outside Arizona, come to watch 15 major league teams get ready for the season through April 4
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Off the slopes and into the Spa: At The Peaks in Telluride
My daughters and I head up to one of Colorado’s biggest Spas at The Peaks Resort in the Mountain Village, where kids love the indoor-outdoor heated pool complete with water slide and is ranked a top spa by Conde Nast Traveler
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Let it snow! Transformational day at Telluride Ski Resort
After a week of bluebird weather, a much-needed winter storm has moved into Colorado and it is dumping snow at Telluride Ski Resort.
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Telluride CO: historic mountain town welcomes modern families
Welcome to Telluride Ski Resort, about an hour from Montrose and 2.5 hours from Durango (both of which have regional airports) in Southwest Colorado with just 2500 year-round residents who happily live in a box canyon 8750 feet above sea level. Yes you feel that altitude.
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Spring training – where families get up close with ballpayers
The parks are smaller, the food cheaper and you might get close enough for those who are big baseball fans in your gang to get an autograph.
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Special challenges for special kids in Crested Butte CO
Tony suffers from dwarfism and is autistic. But here at Crested Butte’s Adaptive Sports Center, he literally is king of the hill.
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Our family trip back to Crested Butte, where memories were made
The 6 year old was determined to set herself apart from her older brother and sister on vacation. My youngest daughter declared she was a “big girl” and could decide for herself what fun she would have in the snow that week in Crested Butte CO
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Conquering my mountain meltdown with the help of a ski instructor
We’re at the top of the mountain in Crested Butte, CO, elevation over 12,000 feet, and I suddenly am too scared to move. To be fair, the wind is blowing hard and the conditions are a bit icy but it really wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle — or hadn’t handled many times.
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Plenty to do on and off the slopes in Crested Butte, CO
For a town of 1500 people, Crested Butte, CO has enough restaurant choices to please any palate, promises David Wooding, co owner of the popular new Mexican restaurant Bonez
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Returning to our favorite ski resort when the kids were young – Crested Butte CO
When my kids were small, we often skied at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Southwest Colorado. This trip we’re back with family and I remember quickly why I love this place and so do the other families I meet.
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A weekend ski getaway to family-friendly Southern Vermont
Situated between Southern Vermont ski resorts Bromley and Stratton, Manchester is home to shops, restaurants and more small cozy inns than you can count. The Inn at Willow Pond was a quant rustic place that can fit the needs from couples to families, even allowing pets.
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It’s almost March – time to take the kids on spring break!
Whatever you choose, spring break is a good time to get away with the kids. Plan smart and you might even snare a bargain. The good news is you’ve still got plenty of time to get a trip organized.
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Making sure Mom gets out to play in the snow
Come on, moms! Got your snow pants and mittens? Let’s go have some fun in the snow — on the ski slopes. No watching the kids, no trying to keep up with your husband!
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
San Francisco’s hidden gem — The Presidio
We’re hiking the famous Batteries to Bluffs trail in San Francisco’s Presidio, a national park unlike any other, which takes us up and down steps along the western Pacific shoreline, past historic gun batteries, rewarding us with a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Wow!
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
Two worlds for kids and adults in one resort on St. Lucia
Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia offers Splash, a wing where the kids club is housed and visitors delight in being young and taking part in family-friendly activities and Harmony, Coconut Bay’s adults-only wing.
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Eileen’s Kids Guides featured on ABCNews.com
Eileen’s series of Kids Guides to great American cities was featured on ABCNews.com.
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Marriott Vacation Club Opens the World for Traveling Families
Maybe you should check out Marriott Vacation Club. Backed by the Marriott name and celebrating its 30th anniversary, it’s a far cry from those old school timeshares
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Eileen talks spring break ideas on Rudy Maxa’s World
Eileen talks with Rudy Maxa’s Travel World about ideas for family spring breaks. Listen to podcast.
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Teen Ambassadors offer unique perspective on 9/11 Memorial Museum
David Rothblatt and Fia Hargil are among the six members of the inaugural class of teen ambassadors trained to work with children who visit the National September 11 Memorial Museum, which opened at the new World Trade Center this past May.
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A quirky new hotel in San Francisco makes you feel special
Welcome to the Hotel G, San Francisco’s newest boutique hotel with 151 rooms just north of Union Square but miles away from the big-box chain hotels in the neighborhood. Incidentally, there have been hotels in this building since just a few years after the 1906 Earthquake.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
At the Presidio in San Francisco, top chef aims at kids menus
Award winning San Francisco chef Traci Des Jardins wishes American restaurants would take a page—a menu page—from their counterparts in other parts of the world. “The United States is one of the only places in the world that has special meals for kids,” she said. “We are conditioned to teach kids to eat differently than we do and that is a mistake.”
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Off the slopes snowshoe fun at Northstar California
Rather than ski, I’m going to have some fun in the snow a different way—hiking on snowshoes in the woods, though the lack of snowfall does impede us a bit.
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Families love concierge level for informality
“I love it here,” said Martha Kramer, enjoying an early dinner with her two kids, including one with special needs. She could have gone to the first rate restaurant downstairs Manzanita with her husband and his business colleagues, she said, “But this is more relaxing.”
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At Northstar CA, moms get pampered with special ski progam
This program at $295 is less than an all day private lesson. The women are grouped according to their ability, no more to four to a group. They might end up with a private coach all day. The day includes a lift ticket, the latest demo equipment and at the end of the day, champagne and canapés during a “tech talk” about equipment. Considering that a lift ticket is over $100 and demo equipment $70, this is a bargain.
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Winter is a great time for a family visit to a zoo or aquarium
The human kiddos laugh and giggle at the antics of the animals all day at the St. Louis Zoo. It’s one of three major free zoos left in the country along with the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
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Audiences of all ages love the Blue Man Group
It all started nearly 25 years ago, when three college-friends — Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink — developed a bald and blue character they called Blue Man (to evoke the word Human), who delighted audiences at this small theater
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Pack the family and check the cold bleak winter at the gate
The tropical weather and scenery, and numerous beaches are the perfect backdrop for Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in Vieux Fort on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.
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Fun in the snow at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado
You’ll certainly be warmly greeted at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch, and many of the welcomes will come in the way of furry kisses by the adorable and powerful Snow Mountain Ranch dog sled team.
