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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Celebrating Halloween for an entire month
You’ll need that costume a lot sooner than Halloween since theme parks, zoos, haunted attractions, farms, even zip lines everywhere are touting Halloween festivities and scares all October long
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To the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History & Culture
Since the museum opened Sept. 24, 2016 on the National Mall, next to the Washington Monument, nearly 3 million people have visited the 12 inaugural exhibitions
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Vacation rentals are perfect for families that like to enjoy home-cooked meals
My far flung family loves to cook when we are together on vacation so we like to stay in condos where we can spread out and enjoy homemade meals—whether chili and just baked corn bread, spaghetti bolognese, or steaks cooked over the condo grill.
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Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Weekly Column
To Budapest and exploring a new city through food and drink
In Budapest, The Hungarian Flodni layer cake with plum jam, apple, poppy seed and walnuts lives up to its reputation. Yum! So do the “Baselon,” (translated as a “friend’s ear”) — dumplings fashioned from potato dough with plum jam and sprinkled with brown sugar.
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On a European river cruise with kids of all ages
The all-inclusive nature of these cruises also seems to de-stress the experience — just choose which shore excursion you like, borrow a bike, enjoy complimentary wine and beer and more on some ships.
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Families & Groups | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
Taking the Kids — to a fall festival
There’s a lot to celebrate in fall — not the least of which is the kids getting back to school and out from underfoot. There are festivals galore
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Talking to Children about Hurricanes, Floods and Other Natural Disasters
Once again, parents and teachers are faced with the challenge of discussing an overwhelming natural disaster with children. Although these may be difficult conversations, they are also important. There are no “right” or “wrong” ways to talk with children about such tragic events. However, here are some suggestions that you may find helpful
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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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Lunch is served at Cabarrus County’s Hospitality and Tourism Academy in NC
The farm to table lunch was expertly prepared and served. But we weren’t at some trendy new restaurant. We were at Cabarrus County’s Hickory Ridge High School
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On an adventure when the kids are in or out of college
Welcome to a Backroads Breakaway trip. Besides the biking, there are special walking tours in various cities and lunches in out-of-the-way local spots.
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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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To Acadia National Park in Maine
Welcome to the only national park in the northeastern United States. Last year, when the park celebrated its centennial, it had its busiest year in 27 years, with a record 3.3 million visitors
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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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Time traveling in Bath, England
The kids immediately saw life wasn’t much fun for slaves. We’ve time traveled back much farther than the United States before the Civil War, though. We’re in Bath, England where slavery was a way of life for the Romans 2000 years ago
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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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Taking the Kids — to see the solar eclipse on August 21
We’re talking about a different kind of milestone, but one equally memorable — the 2017 total solar eclipse, something that happens only rarely in this country. It’s an event they’ll remember all their lives, and should be good for many science projects to come.
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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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To ski country in summer when it is more affordable
Hike one of Colorado’s famous Fourteeners — one of the 50-plus mountains that rise more than 14,000 feet — hike to Vail’s famous Back Bowls through a sea of wildflowers or mountain bike on miles of trails. Welcome to Vail in summer.
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Taking the Kids — to family reunion central
As fun as Colorado is in the summer, there’s something more important going on here at the YMCA of the Rockies. “It’s eating and joking around with all of our cousins.”
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Walking in Jane Austen’s footsteps in southern England
VisitBritain is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Austen’s death (July 18, 1817) with a year’s worth of exhibitions, talks, walks, writing competitions and performances here and elsewhere, like in Bath, where fans come to walk the streets that Austen
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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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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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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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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.
