When you can’t let it rain on your parade
The thing about any adventure trip — any vacation that involves being outdoors in fact — is that you can’t let less-than-perfect weather stop you.
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Following in the footsteps of royalty
There’s nothing stopping you and the kids from following in the royals’ footsteps in and around London this summer — a great time to visit with everyone so enthusiastic, first celebrating the birth of the new baby prince and now the wedding.
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Useful gadgets and gizmos for the moms in your life
If you’re thinking expensive flowers for Mother’s Day, think again, as there are so many useful new affordable gadgets and gizmos, not to mention apps, which will be appreciated by the moms in your life every time they travel
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Shopping on vacation
The next time you get caught in the rain on vacation, remind the kids how vacation missteps can actually be life-changing — in a good way. Think LL Bean
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A different kind of trip to Alaska
Just one road leads into Denali National Park’s 6 million acres, and after mile 15 the road is restricted to park buses. You can’t get much more remote in Alaska.
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Making the most of visiting the Smithsonian with kids this spring
The Smithsonian Museums, particularly Air and Space, Natural History, American History, the African American Museum and the National Zoo are on every family’s must-see list when visiting Washington, D.C.
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Making the most out of a national park visit
The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation are hoping you will #FindYourPark — or at least start thinking about what park you next want to visit, including the less visited ones — during National Park Week, which runs April 21 through April 29.
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Snorkeling for our dinner
I wasn’t planning to swim while my husband fished for our supper, but I couldn’t resist the entreaties from Carlos Cordova, our 22-year-old guide, who urged us to join in on the conch and lobster hunt
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To Denver the Mile High City
Denver is a great bet for families, I discovered while writing my Kid’s Guide to Denver, Boulder and Colorado Ski Country. In fact, local families are perplexed that families visiting Colorado head straight to the mountains without first stopping in Denver
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On spring break, without busting the budget
It’s not too late to book a spring break, whether for a week or a long weekend. If you plan smart, you might snare a deal. The Taking the Kids 2018 Very Best Spring Break Ideas can help.
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Taking the Kids — to Berlin
There’s no better place to see reconciliation at work that than in Berlin where the Berlin Wall, as of last month, has been down longer than it was up
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Channeling your inner-Olympian
Why not take a trip to the snow where everyone can indulge their Olympic fantasies and dreams? If you have a spring break coming up or a long weekend, consider some fun in the snow
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On an adventure in Belize
Lucy and Mick Fleming, a young adventurous couple, spontaneously bought an overgrown 140-acre farm and citrus orchard on the Macal River in Belize after meeting the owner in a bar in Belize City, about a two-hour drive away
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The whole gang on a cruise, but not necessarily a big ship
Cruises are a great bet for extended families as everyone, if they’d like, can go in different directions and meet up for dinner.
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To Antigua, spared from the 2017 hurricanes
Curtain Bluff welcomes kids with a breezy, open-air kids’ club and an adjacent playground tucked in the shade. The activities, says Ainsley Smith, a former teacher and daycare provider who oversees the kids’ program, are designed to teach kids about Antigua
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Options when weather derails your trip
Flight cancellations still occur on a regular basis because of the weather, but these days there are more options for passengers, especially if they are proactive, starting with carefully monitoring weather, road and airport closures
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Celebrating women’s accomplishments on your next trip
There is another important cue we can take from Oprah Winfrey’s words when we travel — show our kids the ways women have contributed and made a difference in our history.
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Celebrating Martin Luther King Day
As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday this month, and African American History Month in February, there’s probably no better time to start that conversation with the kids. They’re likely studying Martin Luther King’s accomplishments in school — 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of his assassination on April 4, 1968.
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Having fun in the snow during Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
Sometimes it’s a good idea to let the pros lead the way — especially with so many enticing deals during Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month
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Spending New Year’s with the whales in Antarctica
Everyone is busy getting ready for the black-tie New Year’s Eve bash. Here in Antarctica, it’s a giant penguin party, of course. Whales are invited too
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Gawking at giant gingerbread creations
Wherever you find yourself this holiday season, you are likely to discover ever bigger and elaborate gingerbread structures to inspire your home creations
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Holiday gifts for your favorite little traveler (and big ones, too)
Many think gift cards are the holiday-gift-of-last-resort, but when the card is chosen wisely, it just might turn out to be the most appreciated gift of the season
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To NYC and beyond Manhattan during the holiday season
Some 6 million visitors from around the world come to the Big Apple this time of year, more tourists than at any other time of year
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A special new style trip as a gift
The perfect gift: a trip together, but not just any trip, a custom adventure designed for your group, based on their ages and interests. And it doesn’t have to be as big a budget-buster as you might think.
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Making holiday lights a post-Thanksgiving tradition
There’s no better time to see who has the biggest and best holiday lights than as soon as the Thanksgiving dishes are done. In some cases, before Thanksgiving if you are looking for ways to get everyone out of the house
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Debunking Thanksgiving myths
That first Thanksgiving in 1621, the Pilgrims and Native Americans from the Wampanoag tribe feasted on venison, shellfish, and while there might have been wild turkey, there were just as likely swans, ducks and geese.
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Supporting Sonoma County
No one wants to at all diminish the horrible impact of the fires. They just want people like you and me to realize that the best way to help is to visit
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Gathering the gang when budget isn’t a concern (and when it is!)
Those who are looking for the ultimate where-I-spent-the-holidays bragging rights (and have $40,000 to spare) can gather the gang Thanksgiving or Christmas (seven bedrooms in separate cabins) this holiday season for a three- or four-night experience
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Taking the Kids — away from the crowds to play in the snow
We discovered one week last winter that, despite the tumbles, it’s exhilarating for everyone in the family to have the chance to try a new snow activity like snowmobiling, horseback riding, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing or biking on “fat bikes,”
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Packing smart for your next family trip
If you are like me and want to pack more efficiently, especially these days when you don’t want to pay for bags for the entire family (wait at the airport for them or need a larger rental car to accommodate the bags), this column is for you.
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Taking the whole family on a cruise
There are ships to suit every budget and travel style, from adventure-minded families chartering a small ship from a company like AdventureSmith Explorations that accommodates as few as a dozen guests, to a river cruise in Europe to a megaship in the Caribbean
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To San Diego, where kids are free all month!
Welcome to San Diego, considered California’s birthplace, and one of the most kid-friendly cities in America
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Celebrating Halloween for an entire month
You’ll need that costume a lot sooner than Halloween since theme parks, zoos, haunted attractions, farms, even zip lines everywhere are touting Halloween festivities and scares all October long
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To the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History & Culture
Since the museum opened Sept. 24, 2016 on the National Mall, next to the Washington Monument, nearly 3 million people have visited the 12 inaugural exhibitions
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To Budapest and exploring a new city through food and drink
In Budapest, The Hungarian Flodni layer cake with plum jam, apple, poppy seed and walnuts lives up to its reputation. Yum! So do the “Baselon,” (translated as a “friend’s ear”) — dumplings fashioned from potato dough with plum jam and sprinkled with brown sugar.
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On a European river cruise with kids of all ages
The all-inclusive nature of these cruises also seems to de-stress the experience — just choose which shore excursion you like, borrow a bike, enjoy complimentary wine and beer and more on some ships.
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Taking the Kids — to a fall festival
There’s a lot to celebrate in fall — not the least of which is the kids getting back to school and out from underfoot. There are festivals galore
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On an adventure when the kids are in or out of college
Welcome to a Backroads Breakaway trip. Besides the biking, there are special walking tours in various cities and lunches in out-of-the-way local spots.
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To Acadia National Park in Maine
Welcome to the only national park in the northeastern United States. Last year, when the park celebrated its centennial, it had its busiest year in 27 years, with a record 3.3 million visitors
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Time traveling in Bath, England
The kids immediately saw life wasn’t much fun for slaves. We’ve time traveled back much farther than the United States before the Civil War, though. We’re in Bath, England where slavery was a way of life for the Romans 2000 years ago
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Taking the Kids — to see the solar eclipse on August 21
We’re talking about a different kind of milestone, but one equally memorable — the 2017 total solar eclipse, something that happens only rarely in this country. It’s an event they’ll remember all their lives, and should be good for many science projects to come.
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To ski country in summer when it is more affordable
Hike one of Colorado’s famous Fourteeners — one of the 50-plus mountains that rise more than 14,000 feet — hike to Vail’s famous Back Bowls through a sea of wildflowers or mountain bike on miles of trails. Welcome to Vail in summer.
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Walking in Jane Austen’s footsteps in southern England
VisitBritain is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Austen’s death (July 18, 1817) with a year’s worth of exhibitions, talks, walks, writing competitions and performances here and elsewhere, like in Bath, where fans come to walk the streets that Austen
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What’s new at theme parks this summer?
There is certainly lots to choose from this summer — 170 new rides, slides and experiences at 75 parks and attractions across the United States and in Canada
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Crossing the Atlantic aboard the Queen Mary 2
Today, aboard the Queen Mary 2, there is a mural depicting the Cunard history of entertaining kids dating back to the mid-19th century
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Learning a little history on July 4th
if you play your cards right, you’ll all have fun celebrating the nation’s birthday — and learning something about American history at the same time.
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Cool Dad’s Day gifts for outdoors-loving dads
Maybe he’s an avid camper. Maybe he’s a fisherman or sailor, a hiker, golfer or biker. However the dads in your life enjoy the outdoors, there is plenty of new gear to enhance their experience — just in time for Father’s Day.
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Traveling safely abroad: passports, security, paying attention
These days, especially, it’s important to know what to do if your passport gets lost or stolen or if you need a passport in a hurry (say for a family emergency abroad or last-minute business trip that you can bring a child along).
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Planning a family summer vacation – let the kids help figure it out
I’m sure the kids have lots of ideas, and they may not all involve theme parks. It’s a good idea to talk to the kids about what you’re thinking for a summer trip
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To Dubai – Theme Parks, Deserts, Beaches and Culture
We’re in the middle of the Arabian Desert at a nearly 140-square-mile Desert Conservation Reserve about an hour southeast of Dubai riding in a four-wheel drive SUV up and down 6,200-foot-high sand dunes.
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Learning about mummies at the American Museum of Natural History
The new exhibition Mummies at the American Museum of Natural History gives us a rare glimpse into lives and cultures of the past, thanks to 21st-century tools and technologies
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Mom’s Day gifts for the traveling moms in your life
With Mother’s Day approaching, think about some little things that will make the moms in your life smile on their next trip. You don’t have to spend a fortune either!
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To San Francisco to commemorate the “summer of love”
Take the kids and grandkids to San Francisco where the city is marking the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love with a year’s worth of special events, exhibits, concerts and more.
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Free attractions in Washington DC this spring
It doesn’t cost anything to visit the Lincoln Memorial at night, to play pilot in a mock cockpit at “America by Air,” a permanent exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, attend a family event or one for young children at the Museum of African American History and Culture or visit the giant pandas at the National Zoo.
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Celebrating Harry Potter in Britain on his 20th anniversary
It’s no surprise that Britain is planning a lot of celebrations in Harry’s name. The good news for all of the fans on this side of the pond: It’s an excellent time to visit London and beyond
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Keeping kids water safe on cruise ships over spring break
It’s easy — far too easy — to lose track of kids in a crowded pool, especially on a big cruise ship. Drownings happen silently in a matter of seconds. How to keep them safe.
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Tips and pleasures for late season snow fun on and off the slopes
Wherever you opt to ski this spring break, expect plenty of sunshine, great deals and packages, even at the poshest resorts.
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March is spring break month – some last-minute ideas
Who says spring break is just for college kids? Certainly not the families impatiently waiting in line at Orlando theme parks, but at least it’s not as hot as in midsummer!
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Finding hidden gems in snow country
There are other hidden gems like Ski Cooper elsewhere in Colorado and around the country for snow-loving families, suited especially for those with young kids and families just learning. Here are five good bets:
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Finding the value at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico
The family had chosen Azul Beach Resort the Fives, a Karisma Gourmet Inclusive Experience, just outside of Playa del Carmen, for their getaway, because it seemed to offer all they needed.
