Adventure Starts Here.
Every journey brings you closer to new places, to people you love, to family, and to yourself. Let’s make your next escape unforgettable.
A day at a theme park like Elitch Gardens is about more than having fun, we discover. It’s about facing disappointment when we lose at an arcade game and it rains when we want sun. It’s about riding that first thrill ride and recognizing when it may be too much thrill for a little girl (or a grown up).
Eileen is quoted in a Parents Magazine article on family-friendly doings in Orlando, Washington DC and Chicago.
In the past year, a growing number of hotel chains have revamped their kids’ menus to make them healthier with less fat and sugar as well as prepared with locally sourced foods. It’s terrific to see a travel industry contest that actually focuses on something families care about—healthier and better children’s menus–rather than giving them another toy or backpack they don’t need or want.
This small island — just 14 miles East to West and 3.5 miles north to south — is so pretty with its weathered gray shingle houses, roses climbing white picket fences and cobblestone streets in Nantucket town. There are more than 800 pre-Civil War houses on the island, which shares the name with a county and a town — the only place in the country that all three have the same name.
Eileen offers best bets for families and kids visiting Baltimore in Have Family Will Travel by Four Seasons.
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.
Detroit has plenty of kid-friendly activities too! If you or your kids are history buffs, the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village are perfect destinations. The Ford Museum has an impressive collection of artifacts, including the first Mustang ever made, the car in which JFK was assassinated, the chair Lincoln was seated in when he was shot, and the bus that Rosa Parks rode.
Eileen reports on How to Make the Most of Summer in the Bahamas on Foxnews.com
Ann Arbor is full of wonderful and unique food. The day opened at Zola, originally started as a small Turkish gem, which still sticks to its roots. Usually, I love sticking to my roots, treating myself to blintz and crepes for breakfast, but the waiter convinced me to try an artichoke omelet with plenty of veggies and hearty flavor.
Wherever you go this summer, all of us want the same thing: The chance to relax and make happy memories, Vacation memories, families say, not only last a lifetime but are among the most important they have, helping them to get through the tough times. Just thinking about the vacation ahead can put the fun back in everyday life, Disney Consumer Insight Team’s Amy Foster told the attendees at the First TMS Family Travel Summit in Orlando. “Fun is not frivolous,” she said. “Fun is precious.”
This was supposed to be our day to hang at the pool. In fact, we chose the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando because it’s got a new water play area—big new water slide and 1500 acres with put-put golf, tennis, sandy beach with paddle boats, smores pit…the list goes on and on. But Tropical Storm Andrea put a wrench in our plan.
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.
If you think all Orlando food is turkey legs, burgers and churros, think again. Sure you can get all that but you have plenty more choices—and healthier options—for the kids as well as the adults
Because we’re staying on property at the wonderful Loews Portifino Bay Hotel, just a short water taxi ride from both parks and CityWalk shopping and entertainment area, we could have entered the park an hour before opening to avoid the mad crush. But I had another ace up my sleeve.
The baby is so fluffy! I petted the four month-old still covered in dark brown down. I did that at the behind the scenes tour at the brand new Antarctica Empire of the Penguin exhibit at SeaWorld Orlando—home to 250 penguins from four different species.
During the Great Depression, and the Dustbowl, over 250,000 people packed everything they could and set out from Arkansas and Oklahoma along Route 66, heading–they hoped—for a better life in California. Recently I got to drive part of the route in a Ford hybrid vehicle.
Breakfast at leisure at the Bayside buffet at the relaxing but active Beaches Resort in Ocho Rios. We were treated to freshly made smoothies and omelets, delicious morning glory muffins and everything else you could want at a breakfast buffet, and, of course, more interactivity with our friends from Sesame Street. Then we grabbed some towels from the pool and headed to the Dunn’s River Falls.
Thank goodness for a giant king bed and 8 hours of sleep here at Beaches Resort in Ocho Rios. Friday morning was the Character Breakfast and the Venetian Dining Room was completely decked out with Sesame Street decorations, banners, posters and table settings.
There’s no better place to combine activity and indulgence than in Aspen in summer. And it won’t bust your budget either. The Little Nell, for example, is offering free room nights and fly-fishing excursions, with rates as much as half-off peak winter rates. You can save even more on a condo rental in Aspen or Snowmass,
When we arrived at Beaches Ochos Rios, the welcome staff immediately swept Jude up to get ready for the carnival parade with the Sesame Street characters. She was given a glittery crown and had her face painted right off the van. She instantly forgot about the long day of travel and was immersed in the fun and activities.
Forget the new slippers. Dad certainly won’t want another tie. And he can choose his own books. This Father’s Day, get Dad something he’s guaranteed to love–a special experience on your next vacation. Here are five we think are guaranteed to please:
In summer, you’ll find cheaper air fares to the Caribbean than in winter, too, which will enable you to experience more far-flung locales. Look for deals in the Bahamas, for example, that include free airfare from Nassau to the outer islands. But be forewarned that especially if you plan to travel in August or September, a tropical storm might rain on your parade.
The Canary Islands and Lanzarote in particular, are in many ways the ideal location for an unforgettable family holiday. For a start there’s the weather.
Let’s have some fun on vacation or at home this summer—safely of course. Here are some summer safety tips for parents and kids — at the beach, on a boat, on wheels, or around bugs.
The sun is warming us with brief guest appearances through the clouds, and the cool river water running though the deep canyon is not too high but not too low. The conditions are perfect for a day of whitewater rafting on West Virginia’s New River Gorge National River with River Expeditions outfitters.
This ship is such a big deal for The Big Apple that Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on hand for the christening earlier this month, noting that New York City welcomed nearly 600,000 cruise ship passengers in 2012. The ship celebrates its NYC connection with bright Peter Max art of the N.Y. skyline and Lady Liberty on the hull. And you can’t beat sailing right by the Statue of Liberty either!
Eileen’s interview with First Lady Michelle Obama on staying active on family summer vacations ran on ABCnews.com
Eileen is guest on Rudy Maxa’s radio travel program, talking about her exclusive interview with the First Lady on tips for staying active on vacation.
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.
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.
Browse through a selection of travel ideas for cities, countries, and unique regions that offer memorable experiences for every type of traveler.
Escape to the outdoors where lush parks, scenic trails, and serene natural retreats provide the space to relax, recharge, and experience the world in its purest form.
Every destination has its own flavor. Let the food take you on a journey through local traditions, and unforgettable meals.
