Kids cooking it up for their parents in New Orleans hotel
I like that Omni is as interested in encouraging kids to expand their palates when they are on vacation as in feeding their parents. As part of its Sensational Kids program
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On a culinary tour of New Orleans with a former history teacher
We’re in the so-called Mystery Dining Room at Antoine’s in New Orleans, the famous restaurant that has been operated continuously by the same family since 1840, our first stop on a wonderful New Orleans Culinary History Tour through the French Quarter led by former history teacher Naif Shahady.
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An old-fashioned family crab boil in Lake Charles, LA
I’m at a Fais-Do-Do, A Cajun Dance party, at Travel Media Showcase and Marilyn Dawdy, I learn, mid-lesson, is catering the big event for the conference in the Lake Charles Civic Center overlooking Lake Charles.
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Farm-to-table family fun on Martha’s Vineyard
At the nonprofit Farm Institute on Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts, the local and vacationing kids who attend summer day camp here tend the expansive vegetable garden, gather eggs and care for the animals. Older kids may learn the art of composting and carpentry.
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
A Family Friendly Guide to The Florida Keys
Riding down the highway towards the Florida Keys, I caught a glimpse of aqua marine colored medians, and even they began to soothe my stressed soul.
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Farmer John knows how to grow pumpkins in Half Moon Bay
Farmer John Muller, who is a third generation farmer and happens to be the Mayor of Half Moon Bay, knows how to grow a great pumpkin!
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Fish right out of the water, strawberries, goat cheese and more
At Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay near, where we were staying at the Beach House, locals either have downloaded the free FishLine App or call 650-726-8724 to see what fresh-caught fish commercial fishermen are selling “off the boat.”
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Sonoma County: the right locale for a trip with a grown-up kid
Who says grown kids don’t want to travel with their parents? I don’t get to see my daughter that often and was determined to make our few days together as fun and as stress-free as possible for both of us. The key, I discovered, is choosing the right locale.
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Discovering the family and foodie side of Sonoma County CA
Sonoma County CA – Twenty coastal beaches… soaring Coas Redwoods… 11 state parks, 27 historical landmarks… 120 farms open to the public and 12 farmers markets… 400 wineries and more than 500 restaurants committed to bringing you food grown locally.
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At the Farm Institute on Martha’s Vineyard with the kids
Kids learning about food at the Farm Institute on Martha’s Vineyard, MA. These 180 acres at the edge of Edgartown has been farmed since the first Europeans arrived in the 17th Century and before that by the local Wampanoag.
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Exploring historic and family-friendly Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Does a summer night get any better? Not on Martha’s Vineyard at the historic Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown that dates back 123 years. We loved sitting on the rocking chairs on the porch
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Old old-fashioned summer vacation on Cape Cod, MA
Cape Cod—more than 550 miles of spectacular coastline in Massachusetts with beaches (the Cape Cod National Seashore), historic light houses, clam shacks, bike trails and summer vacations like they used to be.
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In the Maine Beach towns – Ogunquit and lobsters
Taking the Kids Correspondent Andrea Timpano chronicles three days in the beach towns of Maine. Day 2- OGUNQUIT
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Old Saybrook CT: like Cape Cod but without the traffic
A short trip to Old Saybrook CT, which dates to 1635 when it was first settled by a company of English puritans. Yale University was founded here.
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At the Hotel Union (and spa) in Geiranger, Norway
I like that they love kids—there is a great indoor splash play area with a view of the fjords. Parents can relax while the kids play.
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Day 2 in Norway – rafting and exploring the Western Fjord region
We are on the second day of an Adventures by Disney new itinerary designed to show guests not only the glorious fjords and small farming villages of Norway but to explain the inspiration behind the hit film Frozen.
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A weeklong tour of Norway’s “Frozen” country with Adventures by Disney
I couldn’t have asked for better after arriving in Bergen, Norway this morning to join a new Adventures by Disney tour of this beautiful but sparsely populated country.
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Families learn 19th Century farming in Cooperstown NY
At the Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown, NY, Peg Young is making bread, fried bacon and potato balls all over an open fire. There will be rhubarb pie for desert.
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Kid-friendly Costa Rican resort not typical cookie-cutter
Alison Tibaldi’s recent visit to the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa in Costa Rica was the antithesis of the cookie-cutter experience that you get at some chain hotels.
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Beaches Turks and Caicos, a Teen’s POV
After a long and stressful year at college, nothing could have been more eagerly anticipated than a weekend soaking up the sun at Beaches Turks and Caicos with my mom.
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Beaches Turks and Caicos, a Mom’s POV
Correspondent Alison Tibaldi recently visited Beaches Turks and Caicos with her teenage daughter, Madeleine. They had never experienced a Mother-Daughter vacation, and the timing was right.
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Hoteliers like Kimpton take the stress out of family travel
Kids—and parents–will like that every Kimpton hotel is different. None of their amenities cost the hotel much but they certainly will make a stay memorable—and less stressful—for families.
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Hiking in the wildflowers and devouring oysters near Point Reyes CA
It’s all in the technique. That’s what we learn when we destroy two borrowed oyster knives at the Tomales Bay Oyster Farm north of San Francisco in Marin County.
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World War II history comes alive for families visiting Normandy
June 6 marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and many families, even if they can’t visit, will be thinking about grandfathers and great-grandfathers, sons, uncles and cousins who fought and died here.
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Kids treated like VIPs at San Francisco hotel
Everyone likes being treated like VIPS—especially a four year-old staying at the St. Regis San Francisco with her parents and younger sister
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Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be just once a year
Really, any day can be Mother’s Day — like on your next family vacation. All you have to do is declare: “This day is for you, Mom!”
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In Orlando, taking your kids to a restaurant is easy
Taking young kids to a restaurant on vacation can seem like it is more trouble than it’s worth. The good news is that in Orlando, you can relax.
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San Francisco’s North Beach: a fun area for family touring
North Beach, of course, is not a beach but a famous San Francisco neighborhood first settled by Italian fisherman and laborers in the early years of the 20th century.
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At the Tonga Room in SF, fun dining for families
The Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar has been a San Francisco fixture since 1945, famous for its tropical drinks and band that floats up and down the water on a thatched-covered barge
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A new way with kids menus at San Francisco’s Exploratorium
At the SEAGLASS restaurant in San Francisco’s Exploratorium, families and kids step out of their comfort zone to eat healthier and what is in season.
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Chiles and yogurt: family dining in Albuquerque NM
New Mexican cuisine is as much a part of Albuquerque as the museums and heritage, and there is no shortage of delicious places for families to dine when visiting the area.
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Back to Bolton Valley with the ABC boys — many lessons learned
Why would three sane adult males drive five hours for a day-and-a-half of skiing and snowboarding with a group of five high school boys when there are bigger and fancier ski areas much closer to home? A guys weekend of course.
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Why families love the quintessential ski town of Breckenridge, CO
Challenge is a good thing for all ages on vacation and Breckenridge offers it up in spades, whatever the kids’ ages and ability — from the Four O’clock run, which is 3.5 miles long, the terrain parks, the kids’ trails through the trees and kids’ terrain features with names like Rip’s Ravine and Dragon Trail.
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Families learning the culinary arts on vacation
We’re fans of including cooking classes in our travels, learning to make mole with our kids in Oaxaca, Mexico and pasta with other young travelers in Lucca, Italy. We learned to make crab cakes on a Windstar cruise ship, after following the chef to a local market in Croatia. Wherever we go, at the very least we make sure to visit local food markets.
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Four Days in Turks and Caicos — rapidly expanding for family vacationers
Turks and Caicos is made up of 40 islands and Cays just 575 miles from Miami. Providenciales, where we’re staying, is famous for its beaches, diving, snorkeling and fishing. There are a growing number of resorts catering to families here, including the giant Beaches resort.
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Following the kid — to Nicaragua, the new destination for eco-tourism
After years of Taking the Kids, on this trip we’ve followed our 22-year-old daughter Melanie here to Nicaragua, which many say is fast becoming the next eco tourist’s must-see destination, offering volcanoes, cloud forests, rain forests, pristine beaches and a growing number of eco resorts.
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A visit to Sayulita on Mexico’s Pacific Coast
An afternoon visit to laid-back Sayulita, a few minutes drive from the Iberostar Playa Mita on Mexico’s Pacific Cost. The crescent-shaped beach is fringed with tall palms. Fishermen sharing the beach with surfers and hippies.
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Three days at the new Iberostar Playa Mita in Mexico
If you think all-inclusive resorts are nothing but rowdy sun-seekers, conga lines, mediocre buffets and cheap liquor, meet the new Iberostar Playa Mita. A vacation here should do wonders to change any preconceived notions you may have about all-inclusive hotels.
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Holiday Festivities at Busch Garden’s Christmas Town
If you arrive at night, you might not recognize Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. The millions of lights that cover 1,500 Christmas trees give the theme park a fantastical holiday makeover and transform it into Christmas Town.
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In New Hampshire for an old fashioned family holiday getaway
In New Hampshire for the holidays, we sleep and hike with the Appalachian Mountain Club, visit the historic Omni Mt. Washington Hotel, tour the treetops at Bretton Woods Ski Area and are pulled by a sled dog team that includes a pair of amazing canines.
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Last day at sea and a port of call in St. Thomas, USVI
Taking the Kids correspondent Allison Tibaldi and her teen-aged son Alec enjoy their last day on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas with a port of call in St. Thomas, USVI, and ride on the Kon Tiki Sightseeing and Beach Cruise.
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Breakfast with the Dreamworks characters
Day three aboard Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas starts with the Dreamworks character breakfast for Taking the Kids contributor Alison Tibaldi, and ends with Italian food at Portofino.
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Combatting calories at sea and a stop in the Bahamas
Taking the Kids contributor Allison Tibaldi visits the gym on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas and first port call at CocoCay in the Bahamas.
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Combining a Royal Caribbean Cruise and a visit to Universal Orlando
Taking the Kids contributor Allison Tibaldi reports on a two-for-one holiday with her son on a Royal Caribbean cruise along with a visit to Universal Orlando Resort.
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How inspiration is producing a badly needed new tourism industry
A vacation can inspire you to take a different path—or in some cases, inspire a new industry. That’s what happened when Clemente and Claire Poncon vacationed at Lapa Rios Ecolodge on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.
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At Morgan’s Rock in Nicaragua, far from your typical family beach resort
Morgan’s Rock in southwest Nicaragua is about as far from a typical beach resort as you can get, from waking up to the howler monkeys to activities that include jungle walks, horseback riding on the beach and zip lining nearby.
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At Jicaro Island Ecolodge, sustainability is a passion
At Jicaro Island Ecolodge almost everything is locally sourced and sustainable. The food is delicious. And the scraps from the kitchen feed the pigs on a nearby farm whose waste produces methane cooking gas for the local farmers.
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Visiting Boston and the historic Boston Tea Party
There may be 21st-century LED holiday lights all over Boston, but we’ve time-traveled back to 1773 — Dec. 16, 1773 to be exact — the night that literally changed the course of American history.
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Last day in Paris — to the local market and in a French cooking class for dinner
We’re seven strangers ranging from 22 to 60-something standing in a Paris afternoon outdoor market trying to decide. We’ve signed on for a cooking class with La Cuisine Paris, one of just a handful here that offers classes in English.
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A unique foodie tour led by a Paris Greeter who certainly knows his neighborhood
Today, we’re touring this hip foodie neighborhood with Edouard Morhange who live nearby and is on the board of the Paris Greeter organization, which offers some 3,000 free tours every year given by 360 greeters.
