On the hiking trail – handy hydration and a comfy “Skort”
I’ve discovered on a day hike, what I want most is a hydration system so that I can get water when I want it without stopping to get out a water bottle.
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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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Travel T-Shirts: one keeps bugs off and one may bug certain politicos
Two new travel T-Shirts that Taking the Kids Correspondent Andy Yemma (Eileen’s husband) highly recommends. One keeps the bugs off – the other may bug certain twitter users.
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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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What’s new at theme parks this summer?
There is certainly lots to choose from this summer — 170 new rides, slides and experiences at 75 parks and attractions across the United States and in Canada
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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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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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Crossing the Atlantic aboard the Queen Mary 2
Today, aboard the Queen Mary 2, there is a mural depicting the Cunard history of entertaining kids dating back to the mid-19th century
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Learning a little history on July 4th
if you play your cards right, you’ll all have fun celebrating the nation’s birthday — and learning something about American history at the same time.
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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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Kids Travel Journals by father of 3
A father of three kids under 11 tries to balance screen time with other entertainment on long road trips. But unlike most, he has published a series of old-style fun books
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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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Healthy and cool pouch drinks for kids and adults on the go
Fruit drinks for kids on the go are getting healthier. Drink pouch products such as Fruit Me Up! offer low-calorie formulas including organic, 100% fruit sauce
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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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Cool and inexpensive blazer and slacks for the traveling dad
Tired of dragging that suit or blazer out of the suitcase and it needs a pressing to be worn. Bluffworks.com solves the problem
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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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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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Cool Dad’s Day gifts for outdoors-loving dads
Maybe he’s an avid camper. Maybe he’s a fisherman or sailor, a hiker, golfer or biker. However the dads in your life enjoy the outdoors, there is plenty of new gear to enhance their experience — just in time for Father’s Day.
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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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Traveling safely abroad: passports, security, paying attention
These days, especially, it’s important to know what to do if your passport gets lost or stolen or if you need a passport in a hurry (say for a family emergency abroad or last-minute business trip that you can bring a child along).
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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.
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An Atlantic Crossing on the Queen Mary 2
Welcome aboard Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 as she takes a week to sail the Atlantic from Southampton to New York.
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What’s in the garden for family vacationers at Chewton Glen?
The resort, a five star Relais & Chateaux country house hotel is just over 50 years old but the house dates to the 1700s.
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200 Years Later – Celebrating Jane Austen’s short life in her hometown
This tiny house is where Jane Austen was her most prolific—writing in the morning after breakfast at a tiny table. She lived with her mother, her sister and a family friend during the last eight years of her short life.
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Planning a family summer vacation – let the kids help figure it out
I’m sure the kids have lots of ideas, and they may not all involve theme parks. It’s a good idea to talk to the kids about what you’re thinking for a summer trip
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Greenwich, England – famous for time, history and friends
In Greenwich, England, famous for “mean time.” You can see famous sites any time. Sharing a meal with new friends…not so much. More ravioli please!
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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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High Tea, a Musical and Cocktail – so British
We were literally across the road from Buckingham Palace looking right at it while we had our own Royal Afternoon Tea at the newly renovated Rubens at the Palace
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‘Taking the Waters’ in Ancient Bath, England
People have been coming here to “take the waters” since the Romans first built the baths and temple here to worship Sulis Minerva, Goddess of the Thermal Spring.
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London’s Athenaeum Hotel is a favorite for visiting families
London’s Athenaeum Hotel is family run with whimsical touches –miniature toy soldiers or taxicabs mounted as room decoration, photographs of the Beatles and Spice Girls in the hallways, just reopened last summer after a multi million dollar make over
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Learning how the princes and princesses lives
Kensington Palace is one of London’s historic palaces where for more than 300 years Britain’s young royal families lived in the heart of Kensington Gardens
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Flying can be pleasant – upgraded on British Air flight to London
In expected the usual indifference of US carriers at JFK. Instead, the British Airways staff couldn’t have been nicer and I breezed through security. The gods must have been smiling on me because I got upgraded!
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Quick wash and dry travel underwear
I’ve long been a fan of ExOfficio’s undies because it is light weight, moisture wicking and will dry overnight after being washed in a hotel sink.
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To Dubai – Theme Parks, Deserts, Beaches and Culture
We’re in the middle of the Arabian Desert at a nearly 140-square-mile Desert Conservation Reserve about an hour southeast of Dubai riding in a four-wheel drive SUV up and down 6,200-foot-high sand dunes.
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Dare to Let Children Plan Your Vacay – advice from Eileen in the WSJ
“Maybe one kid is all about the thrill rides and another kid is a foodie. You can allow each of them to have a voice, and then they’re each exposed to something new,” Ms. Ogintz says in the Wall Street Journal.
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Cool clear water – in stainless steel travel tumblers
Tiger’s new stainless steel tumblers available from Amazon will keep beverages hot or cold with a special vacuum insulated structure
