Autism Awareness on your family’s travels
April is Autism Acceptance Month, which aims to foster inclusion, understanding and support for those on the autism spectrum and their families.
Search Results for: Autism
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Margaritaville Properties Achieve Autism Certification
Margaritaville properties achieve Autism certification, promoting inclusive hospitality for all guests traveling with loved ones.
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Traverse City is First Autism Certified Destination in Michigan
Traverse City, MI is now an Autism Certified Destination, making it easier for families with autism or sensory needs to enjoy their vacation. Learn about the training received by businesses and attractions in the region.
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Michigan’s Crystal Mountain now a Certified Autism Center
Find out how Crystal Mountain in Michigan is leading the way in inclusivity by becoming a Certified Autism Center, providing specialized training and accommodations for autistic individuals.
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Weekly Column | Backyard Vacations | Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Getting There | Volunteer & Service
Understanding Autism and celebrating differences
Who hasn’t had a travel nightmare? The worst I’ve heard is angry passengers booing as you try to calm a child on the autism spectrum.
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Taking the Kids — when they are on the autism spectrum
The 13th annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2. Thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities were expected to be lit light blue in recognition of people living with autism
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When they have autism
Traveling with kids, especially young ones, we all know is never easy. They don’t want to let go of their “lovey” to put it on the security belt at an airport. They get impatient in long lines, hate to sit still on airplanes and may cry and spill their drinks. And the passengers, restaurant patrons or hotel guests in the vicinity may not be sympathetic to the beleaguered parent’s plight.
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This New York Sanctuary Lets You Drive Past Animals So Close You Can Hear Them Breathing
Rolling down your window and hearing the quiet sounds of animals just a few feet away is not something you expect to experience in New York. At this unique sanctuary, visitors can slowly drive through open areas where animals move freely, creating a close-up encounter that feels far more immersive than a typical visit. The…
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This Tennessee Museum Lets Kids Build, Create, Explore, And Play In One Fun Place
Curiosity runs wild the moment the doors open. Bright exhibits invite little hands to build, stack, paint, experiment, and imagine without limits. In Tennessee, this lively children’s museum turns learning into a playful adventure where creativity leads the way. Kids design towering structures, test simple science experiments, and dive into art projects that fill the…
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This Massive Magical Playground In Tennessee Screams Family Fun Like No Other
Excited voices echo across the playground as kids sprint toward towering slides and colorful climbing structures. Tennessee is home to a park where playtime feels bigger, brighter, and far more adventurous than the usual neighborhood playground. Wooden bridges, twisting tunnels, and tall lookout towers create a space that invites curiosity at every step. Children race…
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A Taste Of New Orleans Shines At This Tennessee Spot With The Best Beignets Ever
Powdered sugar in the air. A plate of warm, pillowy beignets landing on the table. One bite and suddenly Tennessee feels a lot closer to the French Quarter than you’d expect. This lively café has mastered the art of New Orleans comfort food, serving golden beignets that arrive hot, soft, and generously dusted with sweetness….
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12 Massive Indoor Playgrounds In Florida That Keep Kids Busy For Hours
When the Florida heat turns the pavement into a frying pan or a sudden storm rolls in without warning, outdoor plans can unravel fast. That’s when indoor playgrounds become the real heroes of the week. Behind brightly coloured walls and climate-controlled doors, kids can climb, slide, jump, and explore without melting in the humidity or…
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12 Great Ideas For Your Family’s Spring Getaway
It’s not too late to plan a Spring Getaway. In fact, According to CheapOair, one of the world’s leading online travel agencies, families as well as those traveling without kids are waiting to book less than a month in advance. Growing numbers want to take a road trip, camping or RVing along the way, though that may change giving the sudden spikes in gas prices.
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This State Park In New York Is So Picturesque, You’ll Think You’re In A Dream
There’s something about this New York state park that makes you slow down the second you arrive. The views are so ridiculously pretty, you’ll catch yourself stopping every few minutes just to stare and say, “Wait… is this real?” It’s the kind of place where a simple walk somehow turns into a full photo session…
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Our annual guide to the best fall festivals, events, destinations
Fall is a great time to stay on budget whether you want to take the kids apple picking and leaf peeping. You can head to many (mostly) free festivals. And, if you’re an empty nester, you could do a trip to Europe when fares are lower, and summer crowds have gone.
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26 Fabulous Summer Vacation Ideas Closer To Home
Discover 26 fabulous summer vacation ideas closer to home that accommodate both your budget and family including pets.
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Sensory Room at Chase Field in Phoenix AZ
Explore the new Sensory Room at Chase Field in Phoenix AZ, designed for fans with autism and sensory sensitivities.
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Weekly Column | Backyard Vacations | Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service
It’s not too late for a family spring break
Make it a family spring break to remember! Learn why it’s not too late and how to get your kids excited about the trip.
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Our Best Ideas for Your Family’s Spring Break
Discover the best spring break ideas for your family in 2025. From eco-friendly sailing trips to new theme park attractions, we have you covered in our annual guide.
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Taking the Kids Annual Family Cruise Guide
Plan your next family cruise with our comprehensive guide. From multigenerational travel to unique adventures, find the perfect cruise for your family.
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Accessibility for Everyone at these Tennessee Sites
Experience accessible travel in Tennessee. Learn how the state is innovating to provide opportunities for everyone, regardless of ability.
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Colorado amusement park offers sensory-friendly mornings
Experience sensory-friendly fun at Bounce Empire, Colorado’s biggest indoor inflatable amusement park. Enjoy a calm and stimulating environment without overstimulation.
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Lots of choices for your best family summer vacation
Discover the best family summer vacation destinations for your next adventure. From the Paris Olympics to the Arctic, there are endless choices.
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Weekly Column | Backyard Vacations | Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations
Spring Break is Upon Us – Have You Made a Plan?
There are lots of options – new theme park rides, city visits, skiing of riding in spring sunshine or bask on the beach, frothy drink in hand
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Romance any time you can make it happen
A romantic trip doesn’t have to be to a far-off and exotic destination. Maybe the place you first met or recreate your first trip together
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Taking the Kids Annual Family Cruise Guide
Most pandemic restrictions have been lifted. Cruises are filling up again. Health and safety still top of mind, especially for family cruises
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Weekly Column | Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Disney | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Parks & Outdoors
To Orlando in fall with young kids
If you think Orlando with toddlers and preschoolers is a nonstarter, think again. “The Magic outweighs the temper tantrums,” says one mom
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Weekly Column | Backyard Vacations | Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Snow Vacations
Taking the kids on spring break safely
Especially this year, consider getting outdoors for spring break. The more time you can spend outdoors, the safer you’ll be.
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Families & Groups | Beach Vacations | Destinations | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Weekly Column
A tropical resort with something for everyone
We’ve just gotten off our horses on a white-sand beach after swimming with them and we’re real thirsty — yes, we were swimming with them
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Beach Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries
Something For Everyone: Half Moon Resort
Mixology classes for the adults… sailing and diving classes for the kids. And plenty of sun, sand and ocean for everyone
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Backyard Vacations | Best of Taking The Kids | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Weekly Column
Seeing San Antonio like local families
At the state-of-the-art Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery at the Witte Museum in San Antonio, where you can step inside a cast of an Alamosaurus footprint at The Dino Lab. What’s different from other dinosaur exhibits? This one is focused on ancient creatures that called Texas home, including ancient fish, turtle and, yes, a full-size Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Jamaican Villas with solid family ties
Adam’s Stewart’s family is now so big—seven siblings and 13 grandchildren—they spread out between two villas in Jamaica
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Destinations | Families & Groups | Lodging | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Camp for Special Needs Kids at Beaches Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Beaches Resorts became the first resort company in the world to attain advanced certified autism center
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20 New and Familiar Trends in Family Travel: A 2020 Whitepaper
Eileen Ogintz of TakingTheKids and Kyle McCarthy of The Family Travel Forum have been chronicling the growth and trends in Family Travel for more than three decades. Entering the Third Millenium’s Third Decade, they have produced this white paper on trends to expect in the time ahead.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Parks & Outdoors | Travel Diaries | Volunteer & Service
Morgan’s Wonderland: An ‘Ultra-Accessible’ facility for people with special challenges
Morgan’s Wonderland is the very first theme park of its kind. The park has welcomed more than 1.6 million guests from all 50 states and 73 countries in its first decade
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Families & Groups | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Parks & Outdoors | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
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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More than one Dolphin Tale at the Clearwater (FL) Marine Aquarium
Winter has inspired the hit movie Dolphin Tale (2011) and attendance at the small aquarium has jumped from 76,000 to over 600,000 a year, many with physical challenges.
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Remembering five great family adventures in 2016
Ask anyone what they want from vacation and, besides a good time, they’ll likely answer that they’re after lasting memories for their family
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Whales and Christmas Carole on the High Southern Seas
On the Southern Ocean for the second day between the Falklands and South Georgia – rocking seas, HUMPBACKS! and Christmas carols.
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When someone in the family has special challenges
Adaptive sports programs are about much more than the activities themselves, Disabled Sports USA, has some 124 chapters across 42 states, including 75 at ski resorts
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Winter Park’s adaptive sports program changes lives for disabled kids and adults
By Eileen Ogintz WINTER PARK, CO – Fifteen-year-old Kati Leasure can’t walk or talk very well and has progressive loss of muscle control as a result of a rare genetic disorder. She was treated for cancer last year. But that hasn’t stopped her from skiing, rock climbing, kayaking or river rafting. The National Sports Center…
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Aboard the New Anthem of the Seas
Kids of all ages give high marks to Royal Caribbean’s second Quantum Class ship Anthem of the Seas which will be home-ported year round in Cape Liberty, NJ.
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Backyard Vacations | Destinations | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Volunteer & Service | Weekly Column
So much invention in Seattle: Inspiration for Kids
The Museum of History and Industry, now in the historic Naval Reserve Armory at Lake Union Park, boasts the largest heritage organization in Washington State with nearly 4 million artifacts. It is a good place to start any family visit to Seattle.
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WOW moments on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas
Royal Carribbean’s new Quantum of the Seas is the first in a new class of cruise ships that the company says it going to up the number of WOW moments on every family’s vacation.
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Really? Parents should pay more to sit next to small children?
I can’t agree with the “let the market decide” when it comes to forcing parents to pay extra to sit next to their preschoolers. Even worse, we’re talking about customers who may only fly once or twice a year
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What to do when you can’t sit together on a plane
Parents increasingly complain they can’t get seats next to their children — even 3 year olds — on packed flights. Those booking through online travel sites may not realize the seats are unassigned. (It is always wise to call an airline directly or check the airline’s site.)
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Vacationing with kids who have special challenges
The next time your kids are making you wonder why you left home with them, think of Terrie Easton. The Burlington, VT mom has eight-year-old twin boys one of whom has been diagnosed with autism; the other with a variety of cognitive and emotional disorders that present special challenges.
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Beach Vacations | Cruises & All-Inclusive | Families & Groups | Food and Dining | Lodging | Travel Diaries
TURKS AND CAICOS, November 2009 — Day One
The concert goers are swaying to the music, clapping and crowding the stage so they can reach out and touch their favorite stars. Their smiling parents are right behind, video cams and digital cameras in hand. That’s because these concert goers are toddlers and preschoolers, many in diapers. Their stars are Elmo, Burt, Ernie, Cookie Monster and the latest to join the Sesame Street gang Abby Cadabby, a fairy in training. They sing and dance for the kids for an hour
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To ski country in summer
Yes, ski resorts in summer. They might just be the best vacation value going in this summer of great vacation values. Ski instructors around the country whisper that they came to the mountains for the snow but stayed because of the glorious mountain summers.
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Lifting confidence and self-esteem through adaptive skiing
Haley Woodland may be freezing but she’s all smiles. So is her mom Eilizea. Four year old Haley has Cerebral Palsy and has just come in from her ski lesson — she’s in a sit ski. “I can’t tell you what a difference this makes in her self esteem and confidence, “ Mrs. Woodland says….
