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At Mystic Seaport-Aquarium with two Fresh Air Fund boys
ByEileen Ogintz August 7, 2011June 28, 2023

It’s easy to see why Juno the Beluga is a star here at Mystic Aquarium as well as a YouTube sensation— “dancing” to a Mariachi Band. He’s a growing boy, just like Jason and Enesi, the two 12-year-old boys who have left New York’s inner city, courtesy of the Fresh Air Fund to spend a week with us. We wanted to show the boys a place they’d never been and somewhere quintessentially New England, since they are spending 10 days in Connecticut, and what better place than Mystic?

Read More At Mystic Seaport-Aquarium with two Fresh Air Fund boys
Families & Groups | Destinations | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries

A guided trip through Montana and the Yellowstone — no better way to travel
ByEileen Ogintz August 5, 2011May 13, 2024

This is the first morning of our guided trip to Montana and Yellowstone, arranged by Montana-based Austin Lehman Adventures, which has been guiding visitors to Yellowstone and beyond for more than two decades—several hundred families a year. The company sends adventurous families around the world but Yellowstone remains their signature trip and the Museum of the Rockies is a great place to start.

Read More A guided trip through Montana and the Yellowstone — no better way to travel
Eileen in the Media

Foxnews.com interviews Eileen on the Polar Bear expedition
ByEileen Ogintz August 5, 2011June 28, 2023

Watch this video on Foxnews.com of Eileen being interviewed about her recent trip to the Arctic with Lindblad Expeditions on the National Geographic Explorer.

Read More Foxnews.com interviews Eileen on the Polar Bear expedition
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column

How to combat your family’s nature deficit
ByEileen Ogintz August 4, 2011June 28, 2023

The next time you’re thinking about hiring a private soccer coach, more violin lessons or a new video game, take the kids for a walk in the woods instead. Inject a little nature on your next vacation too, even if you’re heading to New York City (how about a long walk through Central Park?) or Orlando (get up close and personal with the manatees, or go fishing). You’ll all be the better for it. …

Read More How to combat your family’s nature deficit
Families & Groups | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column

Learning about wildlife and photography in the Arctic Ocean
ByEileen Ogintz July 28, 2011June 28, 2023

A polar bear sighting (we’ll see 16 before the week is out), a whale (two enormous blue whales swam and played right by the ship), sea birds (imagine thousands nesting on high cliffs) or walrus (60 of the huge creatures weighing a ton or more lolling right in front of us on a beach) are all reason enough jump out of bed, bolt from lunch, forgo a shower or get off the ship’s treadmill. It’s why the 145 guests have paid thousands of dollars and traveled thousands of miles to cruise through ice.

Read More Learning about wildlife and photography in the Arctic Ocean
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Taking the Kids Blogs | Volunteer & Service

History and adventure abound at Mount Rushmore
ByEileen Ogintz July 25, 2011June 28, 2023

So where can you see the guy with the 20-foot long nose? Here’s a hint: Conceived as a tourist gimmick and celebrating its 70th birthday, it’s recognized around the world as a symbol of the United States and democracy. The answer, of course, is Mount Rushmore, which literally will give the kids an in-your-face history lesson they won’t forget.

Read More History and adventure abound at Mount Rushmore
Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column

Want an old-fashioned family vacation? Think Maine
ByEileen Ogintz July 21, 2011June 28, 2023

Maine is ideal for an old-fashioned family vacation with plenty of modern touches. Indulge your young foodies at Portland restaurants ( www.visitportland.com) or shop till you drop in Freeport, home of L.L. Bean and more than 200 retail outlets. Eat blueberry pancakes (the season starts in mid-July). Head out on an old-fashioned schooner for a few days, like we did one summer aboard the Isaac H. Evans, where we ate our fill of fresh lobster on a deserted island, or explore Acadia National Park and hike some of the famous Appalachian Trail.

Read More Want an old-fashioned family vacation? Think Maine
Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries

The Arctic Desert holds many surprises — including Walruses
ByEileen Ogintz July 20, 2011June 28, 2023

This is called Arctic Desert, the man with the rifle—naturalist and geologist Jason Kelley tells us. While hiking in the land of the polar bears, our guides always carry rifles. We stop to look at huge whale bones that date back to the 18th Century and tiny fossils of crinoids stems (they look like flowers) that are 180 million years old. Then we see the Walrus.

Read More The Arctic Desert holds many surprises — including Walruses
Eileen in the Media

Kids flying solo on Nuts About Southwest
ByEileen Ogintz July 20, 2011June 28, 2023

Eileen guest blogs about how to prepare and send your kids on a flight by themselves on the Nuts About Southwest blog for Southwest Airlines.

Read More Kids flying solo on Nuts About Southwest
Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service

A chat with Richard Louv on the benefits of being outdoors
ByEileen Ogintz July 19, 2011June 28, 2023

Louv’s work has stimulated an international conversation about the relationship between nature and children. His new book has just been named to Oprah’s summer reading list He as the chairman and co-founder of the Children and Nature Network, and hopes to inspire the many parents and grandparents on board to realize how important it is to get kids engaged with nature on trips like this as well as at home.

Read More A chat with Richard Louv on the benefits of being outdoors

Explore Freely, Travel Smart

Inspiring Places

Travel Better

Dining Destinations

Traveler Stories

The Georgia Backroad Locals Say You Should Never Drive After Dark

Deep in the Georgia mountains, there’s a road that locals whisper about when the sun starts to set. GA-180, known as Wolf Pen Gap Road,…

9 North Carolina Restaurants That Stay Packed Without Ever Advertising

North Carolina hides some of the best food secrets in the South, and you won’t find them on billboards or flashy commercials. These restaurants don’t…

This Hidden California Lake Might Be The State’s Prettiest Secret

California is packed with popular lakes that draw massive crowds every summer. But what if you could find a place where the water sparkles like…

Pennsylvania’s Forgotten Park, Frozen In Time

Deep in Pennsylvania’s woodlands lies a place where history whispers through overgrown paths and crumbling stone foundations. Rock Point Park Natural Area once thrived as…

Bags Packed?

At Mystic Seaport-Aquarium with two Fresh Air Fund boys

A guided trip through Montana and the Yellowstone — no better way to travel

Foxnews.com interviews Eileen on the Polar Bear expedition

How to combat your family’s nature deficit

Learning about wildlife and photography in the Arctic Ocean

History and adventure abound at Mount Rushmore

Want an old-fashioned family vacation? Think Maine

The Arctic Desert holds many surprises — including Walruses

Kids flying solo on Nuts About Southwest

A chat with Richard Louv on the benefits of being outdoors

POPULAR NOW

The Georgia Backroad Locals Say You Should Never Drive After Dark

9 North Carolina Restaurants That Stay Packed Without Ever Advertising

This Hidden California Lake Might Be The State’s Prettiest Secret

Pennsylvania’s Forgotten Park, Frozen In Time

Haven’t Found Your Dream Destination Yet?

Where To Go Next

The California Cliffside Village With Sunsets Locals Don’t Want Tourists Crowding

The Pennsylvania Coal Country Town Slowly Turning Into A Traveler’s Secret Spot

The Pennsylvania Countryside Village That Locals Call Their Quiet Retreat

The California Mountain Hamlet Tourists Always Miss On Their Way To The Parks

Nature’s Retreat

Why Locals In This Pennsylvania Small Town Won’t Tell You About Its Secret Waterfall

Why Locals In This Idaho Town Don’t Want You To Know About Its Hot Springs

This Unique Pennsylvania Bridge With A Backstory You Won’t Believe

This Forgotten New York Fishing Lake Is A Quiet Mountain Escape Waiting To Be Found

Plates Worth The Trip

13 Washington Seafood Hotspots You Have To Book Before They Disappear

This Texas Drive-In’s Ground Beef Taco Will Live Rent-Free In Your Mind

The Texas Small Town Where Barbecue Lines Start Before Sunrise

10 Hole-In-The-Wall Breakfast Taverns In Virginia Locals Quietly Love

The Seasonal Edit

10 Michigan December Getaways Locals Return To Year After Year

13 Pennsylvania Small-Town Getaways That Turn Magical In December

12 North Carolina Day Trips That Make November The Best Time To Explore

10 Florida Escapes That Combine Sandy Shores With November Fall Charm

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