A rich archive of weekly “Taking the Kids Columns” in newspaper syndication since 1992
As many of us head off to warm climes and cruise ships on spring break, it’s especially important to be mindful of water safety, particularly if young kids are along for the trip.
Spring break these days is more for families than for college kids, as parents find it easier to grab a few days off in spring rather than summer when the kids have jobs, summer school, camp, sports practice and everyone at work is vying for the same vacation days.
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.
Here are five Los Angeles museum bets that are guaranteed to please even the I-hate-museum crowd
This year, do a lot more than just watch the Olympians as the Winter Games get under way in Sochi, Russia on Feb. 6. Tap into the Olympic spirit right here at home.
In the Turks and Caicos, most hotels here are condo-style and kid-friendly. Most visiting families, however, opt for the gargantuan, all-inclusive Beaches resort, one of Sandals’ family resorts in the Caribbean.
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.
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.
Snow sports can be more than about fun in the snow. They’re about persistence and courage, trying something new (just ask the cold-hating Los Angeles boy who was with us) and empathy for those who may be struggling more than you might be.
In the Bahamas, they start ringing in the New Year on Boxing Day with the annual Junkanoo Festivals, with cowbells, goatskin drums, conch horns and incredibly colorful costumes.