Families love the Denver Art Museum and its backpacks
It turns out that some 20 years ago, the Denver Art Museum was the first in the country to not only embrace families but to introduce backpacks-to-borrow as a way to engage kids.
-
-
Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
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.
-
A family vacation includes volunteering at a nearby children’s center
In our family, an afternoon away from the resort is fundamental. A 20-minute taxi ride from the luxurious Iberostar Playa Mita brings you to the sleepy fishing village of San Francisco, known locally as San Pancho. In this tiny seaside town, you will find Entre Amigos.
-
Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
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.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
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.
-
Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Six days in Nicaragua, the next family eco-travel destination?
We’ve followed our 22-year-old daughter Melanie here to Nicaragua, which many say is poised to become the next eco tourist’s must-see destination with volcanoes, cloud forests, pristine beaches and tiny eco resorts like Jicaro Island Ecolodge.
-
A visit to the town where Vincent Van Gogh spent his final most prolific days
I’m literally walking in Vincent Van Gogh’s footsteps to the field where he painted the famous paintings like the Wheatfield of Crows and where he shot himself.
-
Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Two days touring the D-Day sites in Normandy
We are at the famous Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial overlooking Omaha Beach, where the massive allied assault on the Normandy on June 6, 1944 aimed to liberate France and defeat Nazi Germany.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Family gatherings at Gettysburg for 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s address
At the time, no one expected the speech to be a big deal. Lincoln had merely been asked to make a few remarks at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, here in the Pennsylvania countryside, just four months after the searing battle that turned the tide of the Civil War.
-
Touring the famous Louvre in Paris with a family-oriented guide
Eighty per cent of her clients are American families. She notes that most guides, while true experts in their field, aren’t often as willing to play to the kids’ interests so when booking a guide, it is key to make sure they appreciate that kids’ may not have as long attention span.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Day Three in Dallas – at the Zoo, Audubon Center, Presidential Library
My favorite exhibits were the ones that allowed me to feed the animals. I loved the feel of the giraffe licking my hand as he munched on lettuce leaves. My daughter had tropical birds land on the top of her head and drink sweet nectar right out of her hand.
-
Day Two in Dallas — great places to take the kids for fun and learning
There are a great many new options for families visiting Dallas – take the kids to the Perot Museum of Science and Nature, or the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure. And the new Klyde Warren Park with its sparkling new playground is one of the most vibrant urban spaces around.
-
Families flock to aquariums in the fall for fun and learning
Fall is a great time to visit an aquarium — and go on a whale watch with your kids, whether you have a day off from school, are enjoying a weekend getaway or a reprieve during a college tour trip. Some aquariums also offer sleepovers and behind-the-scenes tours for marine life aficionados. Aquariums are a place to learn about the creatures who live deep in the sea and along the shore in far-flung destinations
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs | Volunteer & Service
More free attractions for family travelers in Washington DC than any other place
Certainly you could spend all of your time in Washington, DC without paying to enter a museum—there are plenty of free ones to choose from. In fact, Washington DC likely has more free attractions than any city in the country.
-
ACES in Aspen: a hidden gem for local and visiting families
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is celebrating its 45th anniversary and it is a great place to learn more about the spectacular environment here—and the creatures who call it home, whether you visit in summer, fall or winter.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Four days in the Adirondacks begins with a stop at Fort Ticonderoga
All summer and into the fall, there are Soldier’s Life programs, family hands-on activities and Fife & Drum Corps performances. We’re immersed in the year 1755 when French soldiers began construction of the Fort, called Fort Carillon. Ticonderoga, we learn, in the Native language was “The place Between the Great Waters.”
-
Pick your Brain at the MIT Museum
Looking for a mind-boggling experience on a rainy day? The MIT Museum is just the place to visit. Tucked away at 265 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, this nifty museum offers a closer look at the technological wonders of science and engineering.
-
A fun-filled day at the Harvard museum in Cambridge, MA
While most in the crowd continue toward Brattle Street, Alex and I turn right on Peabody and head toward the gates of Harvard Yard. We’re on our way to the Harvard Museum of Natural History located on Harvard’s picturesque campus at 26 Oxford Street. Founded in 1998, the museum is the most frequently visited attraction at the university.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
To Boston’s children’s museum celebrating 100 years of the power of play
When the kids lead the way, we’re guaranteed smiles rather than whines. And there’s no better place to let kids lead the way and to see the power of play in action than at the Boston Children’s Museum, which is celebrating its centennial this month on the South Boston Waterfront.
-
Kids and families at the site of the Boston Tea Party
It may be 90 degrees but we’re making believe it’s December—and we’ve time traveled back to 1773 –December 16, 1773 to be precise. We’re part of the night that literally changed the course of American history—The Boston Tea Party, of course. Welcome to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
-
“The Power of Play” at Boston Children’s Museum
The kids at the huge waterfront museum were too busy having fun—from the toddlers in the PlaySpace wheeling mini grocery carts to the grade schoolers making their way up the soaring three story climbing structure. That’s the point as the museum celebrates it’s centennial.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Lady Liberty is reopening July 4 after cleanup from Hurricane Sandy
Wow! Even the most jaded teen or tween can’t help but be impressed gazing up at The Statue of Liberty, reopening July 4 for the first time since Liberty Island was seriously damaged and closed last fall in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
-
A special place in Orlando for families with sick children
At Give Kids the World Village near the Orlando theme parks, visiting kids can have ice cream every day for breakfast if they choose. They can celebrate Halloween in June and Christmas in July, complete with presents. But these families belong to a club no parent wants to join.
-
Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
In the Abacos: mixing culture with tourism in a People-to-People program
That’s also the idea behind the Bahamas People to People Program. Visitors are paired with locals of similar interests who might take them to church, running in Nassau, on a boat ride or a kayak in Grand Bahama Island or to dinner at their home. There is no charge.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Learning all about the Star Spangled Banner in Baltimore and Washington
lLarning about the flag starts in Baltimore with a visit to Fort McHenry (walk among the canons and peer into barracks that look as they might have during the Battle of Baltimore). Then on to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. to see the actual flag in all its glory.
-
Taking the Kids Exclusive: Tips from the First Lady for families on staying active on vacation
First Lady Michelle Obama suggests letting the kids lead is one way to get everyone more active on vacation this summer. The first lady told Taking the Kids exclusively, “The key to getting kids moving is to find something they enjoy, and join in!” For the First Family, that includes biking.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Baltimore is a great place for families to learn history
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.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Families learn more than just Civil War history in Richmond VA
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.
-
Some museums are more than worth the admission
Certainly you could spend all of your time in Washington, DC without paying to enter a museum—there are plenty of free ones to choose from. But two on our list are private and to the high school boys I’d taken to see the sites for the weekend they were worth the cost of admission.
-
Include a museum stop on your family’s Spring Break
Wherever you are this winter or wherever you’re planning to go for spring break (check out our ideas for Spring Break 2013, take time to visit a museum exhibit that would especially interest your family.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Exploring African-American history in Washington, D.C., and beyond
This January, of course, also marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and I can’t think of a better time than this winter — February is Black History Month — to explore civil rights in Washington and beyond.
-
Historical events converge this week; families can participate
There is no better time than the week we celebrate Martin Luther King Day and the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation to embrace teachable moments with kids about slavery—no more so than at the Lincoln Memorial and Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington DC.
-
Explore the World Heritage of Ethiopia with the Children
Africa and in particular Ethiopia may not cross many minds as being a number one choice for a family holiday. What you should know is that with 8 world heritage sites, some stunning scenery, and many opportunities to inspire and educate the children, Ethiopia may well be a fantastic destination for a family holiday.
-
Reflecting on Newtown and Winnetka 25 years ago when my kids were young
All of us who covered that story were deeply impacted by it, just as those have been covering Sandy Hook. My kids were the same age as the children who were shot and went to a suburban school two towns away. That tragedy made us as young parents mindful not only of our mortality but that of our children. It made us resolve to make the most of the happy times together while we could.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Taking the Kids Blogs | Volunteer & Service
Food, Glorious Food — at the museums!
Did you know that most of the plants and animals we raise for food today barely resemble their wild ancestors? Did you know that more than a billion people work in agriculture today? Did you know that 40 million children are overweight? Did you know that 30 per cent of all food produced is never eaten? Did you know the average American family of four wastes 1,656 pounds of food a year?
-
A life-changing trip to the slopes with a disabled daughter
Our first day on the mountain my daughter’s instructor got her set up with a bi-ski and we all headed out onto the lift. It was a short run and I’m not sure if I breathed the whole way down, anxiously wondering how she was doing. We got to the bottom of the run and I was greeted by a wide smile. Game o!.
-
Becoming a junior conservationist at one of America’s premier museums
The Hall of North American Mammals, with its famous mammal dioramas, includes several that recreate scenes from national parks and monuments that Theodore Roosevelt helped preserve and protect.
-
Multi-generational travel gaining popularity among familes
Thirty-seven percent of leisure travelers say they’ve traveled with grandkids just this past year. Twenty-two percent report they are even leaving their children behind and just inviting the grandkids along….
-
Spy and crime museums — a hit with the high school boys
Certainly you could spend all of your time in Washington, DC without paying to enter a museum—there are plenty of free ones to choose from. But two on our list are private and, the boys said, were worth the cost of admission.
-
Touring the museums in Washington with the ABC boys
One of the best things about Washington, DC is that so many museums are free. We aim to hit as many as we can.This time, instead of trying to see all that the Holocaust Museum or the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History has to offer, I tried to pinpoint certain exhibits I thought would most interest the boys from the Westport ABC House
-
Three days in Washington DC with the high school boys
I was chaperoning six city high school boys who attend our suburban school under the auspices of A Better Chance, a national organization that identifies kids with academic potential in middle school and sends them to communities like ours (Westport, CT) to live and attend high school. Several of the boys had visited Washington, DC on middle school trip
-
Time-traveling back in history at Conner Prairie IN
Here at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, the terrific living history museum outside Indianapolis, a Smithsonian affiliate that focuses on 19th-century Indiana, the journey takes us 90 minutes, starting with our escape from an owner who plans to sell us “back South.”
-
In Phoenix, an amazing museum of musical instruments
There are other museums of musical instruments, but none with such an expansive collection from around the world—harps, zithers flutes and trumpets from the Middle East, African drums, a 17th century spinet and 20th century electric guitars…an Appalachian dulcimer, a ukulele, bagpipes and cymbals.
-
Space Shuttle Enterprise at USS Intrepid Museum
Walking into the Enterprise dome, you’re awed by the shuttle’s size. Dwarfed by her wide, black wings and smooth underbelly, Enterprise is a testament to the 1970’s engineering that carried Americans to outer space and back for over 150 missions.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs | Volunteer & Service
Mount Vernon is as close to royalty as America gets
America may lack royalty, but Mount Vernon, the regal estate of our first president, is a must for families taking in the history of our nation’s capital.
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Nieces on a road trip to Boston and New York City
My nieces from Arkansas recently visited Boston and New York with on a two week road trip with their parents. The girls used CityPASSes to visit top attractions and museums in New York and Boston.
-
Being Caymankind! A Fresh Air Fund kid visits the islands
In 2007, The Fresh Air Fund decided to team up with the Department of Tourism of the Cayman Islands and go international with children ages 7-12. Massou Traore was one of 10 lucky few to come on this trip.
-
The joys and values of summer sleepaway camps
I’m a real fan of sleep away camp. I went as a child and all three of my kids went for many years—my son to Camp Nebagamon in Wisconsin and my daughters to Camp Kamaji in Minnesota. My girls worked as counselors there as well, teaching sailing and leading wilderness trips.
-
Exclusive: The First Lady’s tips on eating healthier on summer vacation
We asked Mrs. Obama how she encourages her family to eat healthier when they travel and what tips she might have for the rest of us…
-
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
Interacting with the Turtles at SeaWorld Orlando
TurtleTrek is home to adult and juvenile sea turtles, including hawksbill, Kemp’s Ridley, loggerhead and green sea turtles — all of whom, like Grandma, have been deemed nonreleasable by the Florida government.
