A rich archive of weekly “Taking the Kids Columns” in newspaper syndication since 1992
It’s easy to see why these vacations are so popular with multigenerational families. No one is doing all the chores that typically come with a house rental.
Got your green on? You’ll want it if you are heading to Dublin this month, especially during the four-day St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
Who knew that Walt Disney World had so many attractions for the littlest park goers not yet in kindergarten — 80, with more coming this summer when the much-anticipated “Frozen Ever After” family adventure opens in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion.
Welcome to The National WWII Museum’s newest exhibit: The Road to Tokyo which retraces the soldiers’ journey from Pearl Harbor ultimately to Tokyo Bay by many routes in Asia and the Pacific
A lot of families are concerned about spring break plans as the Zika virus continues to spread through the Caribbean and Mexico — popular spring break destinations for families, as well as their college students.
on vacation, free is great — a lot better than paying for meals the kids don’t eat, theme park tickets when they’d rather play in the hotel pool or museum entry fees when they are ready to leave in less than an hour.
We were brought together by a volunteer program called Meet the People, which has been bringing tourists and locals together for more than 50 years over a shared interest — in our case, cooking and food. meeting the locals in Jamaica Did I mention the program is free? The volunteers will even come and pick you up.
Many families who cruise look for the best deal — and this is “wave season” when cruise lines are offering upgrades, shipboard credits and discounts to encourage you to book for later in the year.
From the time the Berlin Wall went up in August 1961 till it was torn down in November 1989, thousands of East Berliners made their escape the short distance to the West in the most ingenious ways. At least 2,000 died trying. Today, it’s hard to believe this beautiful city was once divided by an ugly wall.
There’s nothing more fun than trying something new — wasn’t that one of your new year’s resolutions — especially in such spectacular country? And there’s no better time than January, which is designated Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month.
Welcome to river cruising, family style. If you think river cruising is just for seniors, think again. Uniworld, which has been named by CruiseCritic.com as the “best overall river line,” is tripling its family itineraries in 2016
Maybe you like nothing more than exploring new places and sharing new adventures with the kids and grandkids, well aware that things may not go as planned, though that can happen wherever you go, of course. Wherever you venture in 2016, give yourselves permission to get off the tourist track, at least for a little while. You’ll be glad you did.
It may be Christmas week, but we’re as far from a mall and city crowds as we can get. We’re hiking the Crawford Trail, the longest continually used trail in the country, snow crunching under our feet
It is eight in the morning and we are a few blocks from the hotel at Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market, Japan’ largest. More than 15,000 people work here; international tourists line up in the early hours of the morning for the chance to watch the famous fish auctions,
I’m speechless. You would be too with a menacing Darth Vader haranguing you behind his black helmet and costume. But then I laugh and we pose for a picture. This is Disneyland, after all, at its immersive best.
This year, I hope everyone gets something they can use on their next trip, wherever they want to go, even if they are simply heading to a nearby city.
For many families, sharing holiday displays, whether at a theme park, a hotel or a nearby neighborhood is an annual tradition that gets everyone away from pre-holiday chores and stress. It’s just these days, you’ll find Santa, elves and millions of lights at the ready long before the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone.
When the two Whitaker teens talk about their holiday trip to Tanzania two Christmases ago, it’s not the animals they saw on safari that proved the most memorable, as amazing as the elephants and giraffes were. It’s how they helped a small unofficial orphanage.
I love Yellowstone in winter — no crowds, lots of animals and the chance to see Old Faithful and other thermal features without any crowds. (Did you know Yellowstone has more thermal features than anywhere in the world — 10,000 bubbling mud pots, hot springs and geysers?) Honestly, we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.
The Museum of History and Industry, now in the historic Naval Reserve Armory at Lake Union Park, boasts the largest heritage organization in Washington State with nearly 4 million artifacts. It is a good place to start any family visit to Seattle.
They were among the best baseball players in the United States, traveling cross-country to play the game they loved before cheering fans. But they were often forced to sleep on their bus and eat peanut butter crackers.
Ashford Castle, in western Ireland on 350 acres along the shores of Lough Corrib and the River Cong, is famous for its fishing and falconry but if you’re a boy just staying in a bona-fide castle is the real attraction.
Tiny Telluride is a popular place. Nestled in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, the mountain range has the highest concentration of 13,000 and 14,000 foot peaks in North America
No, I’m not a little early, though Halloween is nearly a month away. That’s because everyone from hotels to theme park to attractions to campgrounds to museums now have special Halloween doings that typically go on all month long.
Take advantage of the glorious fall weather wherever you live to get them away from electronics — you too — for a day or a weekend and head to a fall festival, an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch.
I’ve got chills as Amber Whaley, 12, and her friend Miko Uno, 11, lead us into their elementary school’s basement. This was all that was all that remained of the Honkawa Elementary School when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima 70 years ago this past August 6.
Are you a windshield tourist? That’s what they call the many visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park who simply traverse the park’s famous 30-plus mile Newfound Gap Road through the park and don’t get out of the car much, if at all.
I know a lot of kids don’t even read “real” books anymore. Everyone is all about interactive books kids can read on tablets with all sorts of fun features. But there’s still something to be said for stopping in at a local bookstore — or a national park visitor center — and browsing their collection of children’s books.
Visit Orlando’s magical dining month, which starts August 24 and continues throughout September and highlights many restaurants offering prix fixe dinners for $33. (Ready to share with your junior foodie?)
We are at Ireland’s School of Falconry — the oldest in the country and home to more than 30 birds, including the always popular Dingle the owl. The school is located at Ashford Castle
The 91-year-old had chosen the Windstar Star Legend, a 212-passenger ship for a cruise with her 17-year-old grandson— one of three yachts without the line’s famous sails that the company has recently acquired from Seabourn
New York, of course, is always tops on tweens and teens lists of wanna-go places. If you have a few days before school starts, it turns out August is a good time. Sure it may be hot, but with business travelers scarce, you are likely to get a good hotel deal.
Of course, Gleneagles is known for golf — it is home to three of Scotland’s best championship courses and it is where the 2014 Ryder Cup was played. But today, only 30 percent of guests play golf — and some of them may be kids taking lessons.
The Woods family had flown 24 hours to London from Australia, but they weren’t planning to ride the famous London Eye, see a West End play or even check out the Crown Jewels. In fact, they’d come for just one reason — the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London — The Making of Harry Potter
Whatever the reasons, Americans failed to use 429 million days of paid time off last year, the U.S. Travel Association reports. Those who get vacation time are taking less, while a quarter of Americans don’t get any paid vacation at all
The kids want to stay right where they are because they’re having way too much fun at the expansive Explorer Island pool-water play area at the New Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World,
You’ll find increasing mountain-biking options at ski resorts across the country, whatever your level. You’ll also find free kid-friendly activities, festivals, farmer’s markets, mini and disc golf, tennis, challenge courses or, of course, the chance to hike, fish and river raft.
Like one in four American couples getting married this year, according to research by TheKnot.com, my daughter, Reggie Yemma, and her new husband, Dan Foldes, opted for a destination wedding
Rocky Mountain National Park is one giant outdoor playground offering more than 350 miles of hiking trails, many from Trail Ridge Road, 114 mountain peaks and 147 lakes that stretch 415 square miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake.
As Father’s Day coincides with the start of the summer vacation season, I figured there’s no better time to offer some suggestions to up dad’s fun quotient on vacation, which is a much better idea than yet another Father’s Day tie, or an IOU, accompanied by a charming kid’s drawing.
Looking for a summer beach bargain?
You know, somewhere with white sand beaches, clear blue water and plenty of activities to keep everyone happy — paddle-boarding, giant sand castle building, boogie-boarding and snorkeling. Let’s not forget kayaking.
The shop windows are full of surprises, like the self-knitting needles. There’s the towering dragon that breathes fire, the Escape from Gringotts ride through the Gringotts vaults and the chance to chat up the Knight Bus conductor and the shrunken head hanging from the rearview mirror
Yes, there has been a recent State Department warning about travel to Mexico. But here in what is a tourist destination — albeit one less busy than Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, we certainly feel safe amid vacationing Mexican families.
In Puerto Vallarta, all-inclusives account for 80 percent of the hotels and they are especially popular with families in Mexico and the Caribbean. They’re certainly upping their game to appeal to families.
This Mother’s Day, give the moms in your life something they will really appreciate. My friend, Nancy Schretter, managing editor of Family Travel Network calls it “Me Time for Moms with a Bow.”
The good news is that if you are planning to visit Orlando in May — before the summer crowds arrive — the lines might not be as long and you’ll save some bucks on your hotel.
Just as you should plan your itinerary and have a “what if” talk if the kids (or you) get lost, you need to have a souvenir strategy before the trip even starts. You don’t want to bust the vacation budget on something like a $40 sweatshirt, or a toy that will be forgotten the next day.
After seeing London’s great sites, it’s a joy to explore Britain’s famous Cotswolds towns, which are just about a two-hour train trip from London’s Paddington Station — ideal for a day or a weekend when you’ve had enough of the city, as fun as it is.
The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation has just launched a nationwide campaign to encourage Americans to Find Your Park and share their memories and experiences online and via social media with the #findyourpark hashtag
For you coaster lovers, there are more than two dozen new attractions with unprecedented technology, spins and speed at large and small theme parks around the country this year,
Younger campers say having a smartphone on a camping trip is nearly as important as toilet paper, according to the 2015 North American Camping Report. I’m guessing your kids would agree
It is only fitting that the home of our third president and the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence is so kid friendly. Jefferson was very fond of his 12 grandchildren, many of whom lived here with him after his retirement.
March is all about baseball in Arizona — some 2.75 million visitors, 60 percent from outside Arizona, come to watch 15 major league teams get ready for the season through April 4
The 6 year old was determined to set herself apart from her older brother and sister on vacation. My youngest daughter declared she was a “big girl” and could decide for herself what fun she would have in the snow that week in Crested Butte CO
Whatever you choose, spring break is a good time to get away with the kids. Plan smart and you might even snare a bargain. The good news is you’ve still got plenty of time to get a trip organized.
Come on, moms! Got your snow pants and mittens? Let’s go have some fun in the snow — on the ski slopes. No watching the kids, no trying to keep up with your husband!
We’re hiking the famous Batteries to Bluffs trail in San Francisco’s Presidio, a national park unlike any other, which takes us up and down steps along the western Pacific shoreline, past historic gun batteries, rewarding us with a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Wow!
David Rothblatt and Fia Hargil are among the six members of the inaugural class of teen ambassadors trained to work with children who visit the National September 11 Memorial Museum, which opened at the new World Trade Center this past May.
The human kiddos laugh and giggle at the antics of the animals all day at the St. Louis Zoo. It’s one of three major free zoos left in the country along with the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.
Mountain resorts across the country offer an ever-growing array of off-the-slopes activities where the kids — and you — can get inspired to build your own sculpture either at home or near where you are vacationing in mountain country