Ava Thompson is the chief family officer for the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism—that means she helps families decide which island best suits them and what to do when they arrive. She explains that Grand Bahama Island, home to about 55,000 people, is a nice mixture of city (Freeport) and laid-back island feel.
You’ll have your pick of thrills — wet and dry — this summer when nearly 200 new rides and attractions open at more than 80 theme parks, water parks, family fun centers, zoos, aquariums and museums in the United States and Canada, according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
If you’re on board the new Norwegian Breakaway, you—and baby—and grandma might all be joining in special “Guppies’ activities—maybe finger painting with special paints or using chalk or crayons made out of vegetables. “We want those younger families whose kids aren’t in school,” said CEO Kevin Sheehan –especially during times of year when there aren’t school breaks.
That this ship is home-ported in New York is such a big deal that Mayor Bloomberg was on hand for the christening. “New York is the number one cruise capitol in the Northeast,” he said welcoming 587,000 passengers in 2012—growing 32 per cent just in one year. “Breakaway will add to those numbers and it will be our pleasure to show them the greatest city in the world,” he said
Talk about kid vacation heaven — Caribbean style. “They really cater to the kids here at Curtain Bluff observes Dr. Tania Spenlinhauer, here in Antigua from Maine with her husband and three kids, including Brady, for her sister’s wedding at the resort. That the small (just 72 rooms) all-inclusive resort offered so much for the six young grandchildren was a big factor in why the family opted to gather here, they said.
2013 is the Year of the Ear at Disney Parks with new limited release Disney Ear Hats available every month as part of Disney Parks’ Limited Time Magic—special experiences designed to surprise and excite guests when they visit—including saving up to 30 per cent with the Monstrous Summer promotion available at Walt Disney World Resorts through mid June.
Any mom — or grandma — who has traveled with kids, especially young ones, knows that all too often a vacation is not a vacation at all for moms. “It’s just like home without the washing machine,” one young mom told me glumly as she watched her kids splash in a hotel pool.
Today people consider the War of 1812 “the forgotten war” but visiting the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine is a good place to earn about it. Wherever you go in Baltimore, the kids are bound to learn something—maybe without even realizing they’re getting a history lessons.
On Richmond’s Emancipation and Civil War Day held the first weekend of April, I joined hundreds of visitors to take advantage of the open doors of the historical sites and honor the important event in American history.
Royal Caribbean wants you to know they’ve not only got your back but they’ll guarantee you an experience like none other on board a ship. That’s especially the case if you wait 18 months for the new Quantum of the Seas that will sail out of the New York area.
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