A rich archive of weekly “Taking the Kids Columns” in newspaper syndication since 1992
Today Lady Liberty is a worldwide symbol of freedom — no more so than on July 4th. She attracts some 4.4 million visitors annually
For busy parents, it’s the luxury of not having to organize anything for a camping trip. Someone else has shopped for the food on this five-day trip and the always cheery guides cook everything from lasagna to steaks
Philadelphia is a terrific place to celebrate our country’s birthday. Not only can you walk in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers and mothers (maybe even meeting one or two), but you can also celebrate big time with the Wawa Welcome America Festival, starting June 29
You don’t have to plan every minute of summer vacation (even if you are going to Walt Disney World). The unexpected — good and not-so-good — is what make a vacation memorable. Tell that to the super-planner in your house!
So how can you show your appreciation for all they do come Father’s Day? It just takes a little creativity (and not necessarily a lot of money).
You have to get up really early at Acadia National Park on Maine’s Mount Desert Island and get to the top of Cadillac Mountain to see the sunrise.
Here’s a vacation idea that’s guaranteed to please those (sometimes) difficult-to-please teens — and get everyone to put away their devices. Let’s go camping!
Whether you like thrill rides, water rides, dark rides, immersive lands that take you inside your favorite movies, virtual reality or want something to entertain younger children, you’ll find plenty that’s new this summer at the 400 amusement/theme parks in the country
San Francisco is a terrific city to encourage kids to experience new foods, starting with dim sum where they can point to what they want to try on the cart and commit to just a bite or two, starting at $6 for a portion
She’s usually the chief vacation planner and packer, not to mention the on-the-go therapist, managing sibling disputes, the meal organizer and the first responder when someone is sick or injured.
Portugal, it seems, is drawing more Americans and American families. It’s safe. It’s affordable and there is great food and wine, of course. And plenty of sunshine.
April 22 is Earth Day — the time to celebrate our beautiful planet, and lend a hand to keep it that way. Especially if you are traveling, there is no better time to teach the kids an environmental lesson while having fun
The annual National Park Week offers daily activities and celebrations at parks and monuments around the country. April 20 kicks it off with National Junior Ranger Day & Entrance Fee-Free Day.
That increasingly includes kids as resorts, cruise ships and city hotels offer special treatments — everything from mani-pedis at the JW Spa Chicago and a Tween Delight s’mores manicure with bubbling foot bath and s’mores pedicure at the Allegria Spa at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek…
Welcome to San Francisco’s Presidio — nearly 1,500 acres transformed from a bustling army post to a national park, the largest national park in an urban area, drawing 7.5 million visitors a year
There’s no better time to take an afternoon to visit a museum, including some you never knew existed, with your kids on spring break
Welcome to the new “Leonardo da Vinci’: 500 Years of Genius exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, which runs until Aug. 25
The truth is we are all so busy at home that there’s something to be said for some unscheduled time, no matter what the weather
March 8 is International Women’s Day, which celebrates women’s achievements around the world with everything from conferences to fun runs to festivals
Whether you have just a long weekend — perhaps tacked onto a business trip — or a week, whatever your budget, there is no better time to get away than during the kids’ spring break
It isn’t necessary to be in the mountains Valentine’s Day weekend for romance. Any time will do and at any age, suggests Russell Watt, 66, visiting Breckenridge from Australia
All-inclusive resorts are also upping the ante when it comes to food. But unlike most cruise ships, these specialty dining experiences don’t come with an extra tab.
Welcome to Vista Verde Ranch, about a half-hour from Steamboat Springs, Colorado; and it couldn’t be more different than a traditional vacation in snowy country
Here’s your chance to explore a famous American city in a new way — and support those there who count on our tourism dollars.
Today, locals and tourists flock to the Sprungli stores for Luxemburgerti and for chocolates. In fact, at the airport, my daughter used our last Swiss francs to buy a box of Sprungli chocolates to take home. She wasn’t the only one.
The Madikwe Game Reserve borders Botswana to the north and is home to the famous “Big Five.” Before breakfast one morning, we’d seen four of them — lions, elephants, Cape buffalo and white rhino
Throughout the month of January, resorts across the country offer deals to get everyone to play in the snow, whether you choose downhill skiing, snowboarding or cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
I realize as I look back over this past year that food has played a role in my family’s most memorable experiences. Here are five stand-out food memories for 2018:
Still doing holiday shopping? Take your pick of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, handwoven rugs and baskets — entire roomfuls that are handmade by Native American artisans. Of course, you can shop till you drop anytime!
I spent a few days perusing what’s new at the Outdoor Retailer show in Denver recently, chatting with passionate innovators, and came away with some ideas for your favorite travelers — kids, adults and even the four-legged ones
Cities, towns and hotels, just like many families, are getting themselves holiday-ready earlier and earlier, kicking of the season with holiday tree lightings starting Thanksgiving weekend.
Step aboard the new Celebrity Edge, four years in the making and set to take its maiden voyage on Dec. 9. I was able to get a sneak peek recently on a two-day trip from Port Everglades to Nassau
According to AAA, more people will be traveling over Thanksgiving — 54.3 million, the most since 2005. But they aren’t all heading to a relative’s house
Food has become increasingly important to traveling families as kids have expanded their palates by first watching the Food Network and then trying new foods on vacation. I can’t think of a better way to experience a new culture than through food or a better place than Italy where it won’t take any coaxing to convince kids to “eat local.”
World War I was so long ago that as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of armistice of the first global war in which millions died and empires were destroyed, today’s kids never met anyone who fought or lived during that difficult time
If you thought river cruises were only for seniors, think again. As the cruise industry reports rising interest in such trips, different lines are seeking ways to broaden their audience with more active excursions, an emphasis on food and wine and yoga and bikes onboard
The prestigious National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play is a top draw for not only visitors to Rochester, N,Y., but for all of upper New York state
To all parents heading out on the Great College Tour this fall, I wish you luck. You are going to need it. Maybe a cocktail or two at the end of the day will help, and so will keeping your sense of humor
No longer a one-day affair, Halloween has morphed into one of the year’s biggest holidays, with families taking off to experience haunted houses, spooky festivals and gruesome gourmet delights
There’s no better time than autumn to get outdoors and get away, whether you have a day, a weekend or a week. ACES should be on everyone’s list when they visit Aspen with its terrific in-town nature preserve
Fall, of course, is harvest season around the country and there are many festivals to celebrate the bounty, including those that include showing off your prowess in the kitchen and the garden
“Kids should try the local food here,” says Noa Von Allmen, 12, who lives in the Swiss mountain town of Lauterbrunnen, considered the gateway to the famous Jungfrau mountain region
This is the start of a two-week, self-guided hiking trip arranged by Alpenwild for my husband, me and our two daughters — a rare time together now that the girls are grown
I just spent a few days at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, North America’s largest trade show in the outdoor industry, and perused all that’s new in outdoor gear
Whether you have an end-of-summer trip planned or just a few days before the school year gets into full swing, consider checking out a new museum exhibit or two
There has always been plenty to give families and their pets vacation bragging rights in Breckenridge, the historic mountain town and ski resort located about a 90-minute drive from Denver.
At a time when travelers — kids as well as adults — consider what and where they eat a key part of their vacation experience, Disney Parks up their game.
Maine is as famous for its wild blueberries as its lobster. Thousands of acres of wild blueberries are harvested on and around Mount Desert Island where Bar Harbor is located. If you visit in summer
Welcome to the new outdoor 7.5-acre Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the world’s largest children’s museum, which welcomes 1.5 million visitors annually
Walk into Toy Story Land and you are suddenly toy-sized, surrounded by giant playthings — giant building blocks, yo-yos, board game pieces, Scrabble tiles