I have a love affair with islands. No matter where I go in the world, from Shelter Island that’s almost in my backyard, to more far-flung locales - islands conjure up a dreamy melding of adventure, romance and relaxing satisfaction. Here are five of my favorite isles.

1. The Azores, Portugal
The nine islands that make up the Azores are a delightful mix of the traditional and the contemporary, along with plenty of dazzling and quirky features. Each island has a distinct personality and I’ll give you my take on just a few.

The town of Furnas on Sao Miguel is a land of boiling hot springs, steaming geysers and bubbling mud pools. Don’t miss watching the locals and the staff of the Terra Nostra Garden Hotelcooking pots of cozido, a stew of chicken, sausage, beef, cabbage and kale, in the hot earth alongside the lake. Then have a hearty bowl for lunch and afterwards, take a romantic stroll through the garden past exotic plants and rocky grottoes.

On Faial, you’ve got a wonderful contrast of the lively port city of Hortawhere the quayside’s walls are decorated withbold murals painted by visiting yachtsmen, the twisty roads edged withtall hydrangea hedgerows and the stark western edge of the island where abandoned houses poke above the thick black ash, thanks to volcanic eruptions fin the late 1950s.

I’m a cheese lover and that made Sao Jorge a perfect visit. Sao Jorge has eight factories and, when I visited one, I observed milk being delivered, learned how cheese is manufactured, and even got a taste of the tangy product.

2. Sardinia, Italy
On Sardinia’s less developed west coast, the picturesque town of Alghero makes a perfect base for a multi-day trip. Rather than settling on my beach blanket day after day, I did a self-guided audio tour where I climbed the 70-foot-high terrace of the 16th century Porto Terra Tower for panoramic views. Then, I rented a bicycle – though you could just as easily drive the route – and peddled to Palmavera Nuraghe to explore the ruins of this prehistoric village.

Farther along, the little-visited Regional Forest of Porto Conte – appropriately dubbed Noah’s Ark – has some curious creatures wandering about, including white donkeys, petite horses, and Tibetan goats. Though most visitors sign up for a boat tour to reach the famous Grotto di Nettune with its cave network, a more memorable journey for me was walking the 654 steps of the Goat’s Stairway down the cliff face.

3. Corsica, France
Most people flock to accommodations along Corsica’s coast, but I found that walking, hiking, and driving in the mountainous interior provided a more authentic experience. In even the most remote areas, you’ll come upon a village, like Casamaccioli, that provides some of the most spectacular views of the island’s high peaks. Because some villages are situated far from markets, another unusual feature that you’ll find are grocery trucks that stop like school buses, bringing produce to the locals.

One of my favorite and, again, off-the-beaten-track areas of Corsica is La Balagne where an artisan’s route allows you to drive from hamlet to hamlet where men and women are practicing age-old craft traditions, from pottery to glass blowing. A purchase at any of the workshops along the way makes for a perfect souvenir.

4. The Lofotens, Norway
With an intriguing name like Å, how could I not make this Norwegian town my ultimate destination? Making my way in the pristine Lofoten Islands from the town of Svolvaerto 19th century Å, I easily lost track of time as I passed soaring cliffs, fisherman’s huts (known as rorbuers) that are perched on stilts, as well as snug harbors.

Among the highlights of my journey to the Lofotens was eating cod fish tongue -who even knew they had tongues? I also enjoyed staying overnight in a fisherman’s hut that had a hole cut in the floor in case I needed to drop a fishing line.

5. Bozcaada, Turkey
In Turkey, Bozcaada Island inspires disparate opinions. One couple I met told me they planned to spend four days and were leaving early because there was nothing to do. Another pair thought the island would make a perfect locale for a summer house. I fall into the “wished I had more time” category of visitor.

I rented a bicycle and pedaled past old stone farmhouses and thick pine forests that open up to a long row of wind turbines. Everyone on the island flocks to Ayazmar Beach but you can bicycle to two slivers of sand, Sulubahce and Hubbele, in quiet coves that see few visitors. Other lanes wind between vineyards and even more desolate stretches of sand.

Vineyards and wine tastings are a highlight of any visit to Bozcaada but you can’t get away from the island’s history. After climbing the battlements of the island’s fortress that Venetians and Genoese once occupied, I found ancient urns, cannons, tombstones, and columns inside the walls. All of these sights plus a handful of contemporary art galleries means that a three-day stay isn’t enough time to enjoy everything Bozcaada has to offer.

Travel and food writer Jeanine Barone is a native New Yorker who travels the world looking for little visited venues. Her articles appear in National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, the Boston Globe, and a variety of other magazines and newspapers. Her blog, J The Travel Authority, is very much about what she calls hidden treasure travel (writing about boutique hotels, restaurants, galleries, shops, trails, and other sights that are often missed by many a visitor).

What is your favorite island escape? Leave a comment below!

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I left it up to you to decide where my family should go for a Southern California road trip getaway. With 55% of the votes…we are headed to Santa Monica for a weekend of Old School Amusements & Beachy Fun! Coming in second place was Knott’s Berry Farm with 45% of the votes, for a trip filled with Rides & Waterslides. That means the third choice, Wooly Mammoths & Hollywood in Los Angeles, got exactly zero votes. Was it the bones of creatures stuck in gooey ponds of muck that turned you off?!

Many who voted for Santa Monica recommended Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, the Farmers Market, and Pacific Park. Based on your recommendations, it sounds like there is plenty of tasty, family-friendly food to try too. I’ve booked our room at Marriott’s Courtyard Marina Del Rey and my five-year-old is already psyched about the Ferris wheel on the pier. We can’t wait!

For helping me with my bout of indecision, everyone who voted was automatically entered to win two travel games from ThinkFun – Zingo! To Go and Rush Hour or Rush Hour Jr. One lucky winner was selected at random using Random.org. Congratulations to Mia J., who said, “I think Santa Monica sounds the best. You will be able to enjoy each other and the fun and beauty of the beach.” I hope you’re right, Mia! The winner has been notified via email. If I do not hear from her within two days, another winner will be chosen using Random.org.

If you have any additional Santa Monica site, restaurant, or activity suggestions, send them my way with a comment below!

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Whether splashing in the waves, searching for fishies while snorkeling, or sipping a tropical drink from a lounge chair, nothing says “family vacation” more than a day at the beach! I asked some of the best family travel bloggers to tell us about their all-time favorite family-friendly beach hotels. From where to take a dip with babies and toddlers to the best beach hotel for active families, there’s sure to be something on this list that will appeal to you. As a beach-loving mama, I couldn’t resist including a favorite of mine too!

Last summer I posted a story about the 10 Best Family-Friendly Hotel Pools. There must be a lot of water lovers out there because this is consistently one of the most popular posts on Travel Mamas. Grab your sunscreen and sand toys - this year we’re headed to the beach!

Hilton Waikoloa Village on The Big Island, Hawaii
(Photo courtesy of Sharlene Earnshaw)

Most Superb Slice of Tropical Paradise by Sharlene Earnshaw, Trekaroo
With its lagoon surrounded by white sandy beaches, three unique pools, relaxing spa, two championship golf courses, and dolphin program, it’s hard to beat the family friendly fun at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii. Where else can you snorkel with sea turtles, slide down a 175-foot waterslide, take a luxurious coconut milk bath, and chow down Polynesian style at a luau without ever leaving the resort? Kids will love the crafts, games, and water activities they can participate in at the resort’s Camp Menehune, while parents experience some child-free time participating in one of Waikoloa Village’s many activities or simply savoring some peace and quiet at the adults-only pool. With so much to do at this tropical island resort, your family may never want to board that airplane home!


Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado, California
(Photo courtesy of Hotel Del Coronado)

Grande Dame of Beach Hotels by Colleen Lanin, a.k.a. The Travel Mama
Lucky for me, the Hotel Del Coronado on the Coronado peninsula across from downtown San Diego is a mere half-hour drive from my home. A tourist attraction in its own right, many people stop by “The Del” (as it is known to locals) just for the day to eat its famed brunch, enjoy its immaculate stretch of beach, peruse its fancy-schmancy shops, or snack on fresh crab legs and sip martinis in its swanky seaside bar. Adding to its old-school charm and glamorous vibe, many movies have been filmed here, most notably Some Like It Hot starring Marilyn Monroe. This is a favorite place to bring out-of-towners; its stunning beach and turreted architecture always elicit oohs and ahhs. After years of daydreaming of spending the night at this grande dame of beach hotels, my husband, then baby daughter, and I checked in for a long weekend. It lived up to all of my inflated expectations…and then some! During the summer, the resort offers family-friendly activities like S’mores Night on the beach and Flick N’ Float movie night, where kids can watch a film from an inner tube. For the holidays visitors and guests alike can take a spin on its oceanside outdoor ice skating rink!


Holiday Inn on the Beach Destin, Florida
(Photo courtesy of Jennifer Close)

Most Affordable Beach Hotel for Busy Kids by Jennifer Close, Two Kids and a Map
Holiday Inn on the Beach Destin, Florida is perfect for parents on a budget who are looking for activities to keep their kids busy. The hotel’s KidSuites come complete with bunk beds, a separate area for mom and dad, and video games. The Buccaneer Program for kids runs through the summer and includes carnivals, treasure hunts, Parent’s Night Out and much more. There is a DVD rental box for watching movies in your room but there is plenty to keep the kids busy in the clubhouse area. Besides sitting on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, there are two pools (one of which is inside for those rainy afternoons). The hotel is also very close to many family friendly activities like Big Kahuna’s Waterpark, miniature golf, and tasty restaurants.


Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, Mexico
(Photo courtesy of Corinne McDermott)

Best Beach Resort for Babies & Toddlers by Corinne McDermott, Have Baby Will Travel
Sapphire-blue Pacific water meets the golden sand of Playa Quieta to create a wonderful setting for a fabulous resort that welcomes every member of your family. Club Med Ixtapa Pacific offers spacious, renovated rooms, lush gardens and grounds, two great pools, plus all the usual Club Med activities. There’s the Mini Club for kids four and up, the Petit Club for guests aged two to four, and the Baby Club, for babies as young as four months. You’ll also find baby-welcoming amenities like cribs, high chairs, baby baths, baby food and snacks, as well as several stations for preparing baby’s food and bottles.


Viva Cala Mesquida Resort on Mallorca, Spain
(Photo courtesy of Andrea Fellman)

Best Quiet Island Beach Retreat by Andrea Fellman, Have Kids Still Travel
Mallorca is just off the coast of Spain and is apart of the Baleric Islands. It is the hottest European vacation destination and for good reason, it has over 200 beaches! Unlike the neighboring party island of Ibiza, Mallorca is a great family destination. Viva Cala Mesquida Resort is a perfect choice for a private family getaway. The hotel even has a mascot, Bufo the Galactic Super Hero! Bufo entertains the kids nightly at the Bufo Disco. Plus, the Bufo Mini Club offers childcare daily from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. The resort has two sandy playgrounds complete with all of the buckets, shovels, and toys your kids will need. The kiddie pool has a few different slides and is shallow enough to splash around with young ones. The beach is only a short walk down a paved path and it is set in a very private and secluded bay.


Forte dei Marmi, Italy
(Photo courtesy of Amie O’Shaunessy)

Beachy Destination Most Worthy of the Journey by Amie O’Shaunessy, Ciao Bambino
Most people think of Cinque Terre or Positano when they dream about the coast in Italy. Both are incredible and must be experienced. For families with young children, however, these destinations can be tough with rugged terrain and limited open space for running around. Not so in Forte dei Marmi. A plethora of beach clubs offering chairs, umbrellas, and fresh meals plus calm waters and a flat sandy beach make this venue a joy for a family beach holiday, Italian style. We recommend the California Park Hotel in Forte dei Marmi on Ciao Bambino. This hotel is just blocks from the beach with friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere for all.


Azul Beach in Riviera Maya, Mexico
(Photo courtesy of Kara Williams)

Top Pick for Pampering by Kara Williams, The Vacation Gals
I have at least a half-dozen favorite family-friendly beach hotels, but one that really stands out among my frequent tropical vacations in Mexico is the all-inclusive 98-room Azul Beach. Kids are greeted with smoothies (parents get champagne!). The resort partners with Fisher-Price, so you can borrow toys for use during your stay. Also on complimentary loan for little ones: a baby monitor, stroller, bathtub, bottle warmer and more. For older children (ages four to 12), every day brings fun activities at the Azulitos Kids’ Club. My family loved lolling on one of the comfortable beach beds just steps from the ocean, especially because we enjoyed the services of our very own beach butler! He brought us cold drinks and offered snacks, and when we left our bed to frolic in the mellow waves, he’d fluff the pillows, tidy it up, and leave our kids towel animals! If Azul Beach is booked when you’re looking to travel consider the sister property, Azul Sensatori, just down the beach. This is a newer and bigger property, with 438 spacious rooms, including guaranteed family connecting suites. Both Azul properties are near Puerto Morelos, on the Riviera Maya, a short 20-minute drive from Cancun International Airport.


The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida
(Photo courtesy of The Breakers)

Awesome Active Family’s Resort by Amie O’Shaunessy, Ciao Bambino
I get restless on the beach so it’s always important for us to find beach hotels that have plenty of alternate activities. The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida fits this requirement in every way. Golf, tennis, a world-class spa, boating, croquet, shopping, excellent restaurants…check! They also offer top-notch children’s amenities including a kids’ club for ages three to twelve and an enormous game room. There’s no getting bored at this hotel, even in bad weather. Top it off, the service is exceptional and there is nothing that staff won’t do to ensure every age is happy and relaxed while on vacation. Read our complete family-friendly hotel review about The Breakers for more information and offers.


Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club on Kauai, Hawaii
(Photo courtesy of Glennia Campbell)

Beach Resort Most Deserving of Multiple Visits by Glennia Campbell, The Silent I
My favorite beach hotel in the world is the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club on Kalapaki Bay in Kauai, Hawaii. My family likes to try a new place for every vacation, but Kauai Marriott is one of the few places we go back to repeatedly. The hotel is situated on a strip of golden sand overlooking peaceful Kalapaki Bay. The beach is usually far less crowded than Poipu on Kauai’s South Shore. If you don’t want to get sand in your suit, there is a narrow strip of grass shaded by palm trees where you can pull up a deck chair and read while the kids frolic in the gentle waves. The last time we visited, our nine-year-old took a surfing lesson right in front of the hotel while we sat and watched from the patio at Duke’s Canoe Club, tropical drinks in hand. The hotel also boasts the largest single-level pool in the state. We love the Kauai Marriott so much, we bought a half timeshare so we can go back “home” every other year.


Crystal Cove Beach Cottages in New Port Beach, California
(Photo from www.CrystalCoveBeachCottages.com)

Coziest Seaside Cottages by Debbie Dubrow, Delicious Baby
Crystal Cove Beach Cottages in Newport Beach, California are the perfect place to recuperate after a few days at Disneyland. These restored historic cottages, located in a secluded cove, aren’t fancy, but you and the kids will be outdoors enjoying the sunshine, the sand, and the tide pools all day anyway. Each cottage has a microwave and refrigerator, so while you won’t be doing any heavy cooking, you can certainly pour yourself a cold glass of wine after the kids are in bed. Reservations can be made up to seven months in advance and the cottages fill up quickly.

Did your favorite make the list? Leave comment below about which beach hotel you like most and why!

Learn more about these fabulous family travel bloggers:

Glennia Campbell (Beach Resort Most Deserving of Multiple Visits) writes and publishes the family travel blog, The Silent I, chronicling her family’s adventures around the world. The three of them have traveled to 25 countries, kid in tow, including Greenland, Libya, and the Galapagos. She is co-founder of MOMocrats, a political collaborative blog for progressive moms, and is a contributor to the Korean-American parenting blog, Kimchi Mamas.

Jennifer Close (Most Affordable Beach Hotel for Busy Kids) loves to explore and take new adventures with her family. She writes about her adventures on her family travel blog, Two Kids and a Map, and writes about exploring Pensacola at Pensacola with Kids.

Debbie Dubrow (Coziest Seaside Cottages) blogs about traveling with her three kids (ages five, three and one) at DeliciousBaby.com. Check out her kid friendly city guides for ideas about things to do with kids in cities around the world. Follow her on Twitter at @deliciousbaby.

Sharlene Earnshaw (Most Superb Slice of Tropical Paradise) is the Blog Editor in Chief for Trekaroo, and mother to two travel addicted toddlers. If you can’t find them enjoying the day at one of California’s spectacular beaches, then they are probably off discovering something new on one of their many travel adventures. Follow her on Twitter at @doubleadventure.

Andrea Fellman (Best Quiet Island Beach Retreat) is a mom who hasn’t lost her style to Motherhood. She is the creator of Savvy Sassy Moms an online destination and information source for everything fun and fashionable for moms, babies and kids.  She also writes about her passion for traveling with kids over at Have Kids Still Travel. 

Colleen Lanin (Grande Dame of Beach Hotels) Hey! That’s me! I’m the creator/editor of TravelMamas.com, a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in Babytalk Magazine (sister publication of Parenting), San Diego Family Magazine, and 101 Things To Do San Diego. Want to know more about me? Check out About Travel Mamas. It would be sweet if you would follow me on Twitter too at @TravelMamas.

Corinne McDermott (Best Beach Resort for Babies & Toddlers) is the mother of two and the founder of Have Baby Will Travel: Your Online Guide for Travel with Babies and Small Children. She’s appeared on Canada’s top-rated talk and morning shows delivering tips on travel with tots, and her writing’s been featured in such magazines as Canadian Family and Oh Baby magazines. Corinne contributes a monthly column to parent resource sites across North America as a Family Travel Expert. Connect with Corinne online at Have Baby Will Travel or on Twitter at @hvbabywilltrvl.

Amie O’Shaughnessy (Awesome Active Family’s Beach Resort & Beachy Destination Most Worthy of the Journey) is a mom with perpetual wanderlust and the editor of Ciao Bambino, a worldwide family travel resource providing the insight and information parents need to plan everything from weekend getaways to multi-week vacations with kids. Ciao Bambino makes it easy for families to uncover the best of where to go, where to stay, and what to do once they get there.

Kara Williams (Top Pick for Pampering) is a freelance writer who co-owns TheVacationGals.com, where she and her buddies cover all things related to family travel, girlfriend getaways and romantic escapes. She makes her home in the Colorado Rockies with her husband and two school-age children. Follow her on Twitter at @karasw.

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I need your help with a little travel dilemma. I have got a $250 Marriott gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket book! The problem? I tend to be a tad (ahem, a ton!) indecisive. That’s where you come in. I’ve narrowed it down to three choices…please weigh-in and choose where my family should go on our weekend getaway! For helping me out, you could win two fabulous travel games from ThinkFun. Even if you don’t need the prize, go ahead and vote! Just let me know in your comment that you’d like the games to go to another entrant. We’ll go wherever you tell us to go!

To keep things within my (tight) budget, I need to go somewhere within driving distance from our home in San Diego. My travel companions will be the hubs (Phil), my daughter (Karissa, age five), and my little guy (Leo, age two). We’ll take our journey sometime during September, while the weather is still warm and sunny in Southern California.

Option 1: Rides & Waterslides
What kid doesn’t love amusement parks and waterslides? While we’ve visited Disneyland with Little Ones numerous times, we have never taken our children to Knott’s Berry Farm. In fact, the last time I visited the nation’s oldest theme park was during high school and I’m sure a lot has changed since then. There are oodles of rides in Camp Snoopy that would please the kiddies, like the Flying Ace Balloon Race and the Charlie Brown Speedway. The following day we could head to Knott’s Soak City waterpark for a watery good ol’ time on its plentiful waterslides, lazy river, and Gremmie Lagoon children’s pool.

Option 2: Wooly Mammoths & Movie Stars
My husband and I have lived in SoCal for ten years and during that time we have only ventured to Los Angeles for a weekend getaway once…and that was shortly after we moved here. Sure, we’ve driven through the city on our way elsewhere or to pick up cupcakes from Sprinkles, but that’s about it. For this trip, we’d bring the kids to La Brea Tar Pits, where thousands of years ago extinct animals got stuck in black, gooey pits of tar. There are life-sized wooly mammoth models submerged in the tar pits as well as skeletons of creatures like Sabor-toothed cats constructed from fossils found in the muck on display at the Page Museum next door. We could also wander along the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard, try to match our hands with those of celebrities at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, or take in behind-the-scenes movie magic at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Option 3: Old-School Amusements & Beachy Fun
I have never been to the Santa Monica Pier, the West Coast’s only amusement park on an oceanfront pier. With its aquarium, old-fashioned soda fountain, carnival games, carousel, Ferris wheel, and other diversions – this place is sure to please the kiddies. The next day we could pick up a picnic lunch and head to Santa Monica Beach for a day of splashing in the water and building sand castles.

Road Trip Entertainment
For the journey, I’ll be sure to bring along lots of healthy (and a few forbidden!) snacks, pack some bubbles and a beach ball for rest-stop entertainment, and pull out the Zingo! To Go for a few rounds of on-the-go fun. My kindergartner and I played this game for the first time during our flight to Puerto Rico for our mommy-daughter getaway. We have the at-home game too and my daughter and her friends love, love, love playing both versions! The game is similar to Bingo…but with a zing! There are no loose pieces to worry about misplacing and everything fits in a compact travel bag. It’s recommended for kids aged four and older.

Another fun travel diversion for puzzle lovers is Rush Hour, a single player sequential game in which the player steers cars, trucks, and buses out of traffic jams. It also comes with its own handy travel bag. The original version is appropriate for kids and adults aged eight and older, while Rush Hour Jr. can keep children aged six to eight occupied on the way to your destination.

Vote & Win!
So…where should we go? It’s up to you! Just leave a comment below about which of these three paths you think we should take for a chance to win two games: Zingo! To Go (for ages four and older, retail value $14.99) PLUS your choice of ThinkFun’s popular Rush Hour (for ages eight and older, retail value $19.99) or Rush Hour Jr. (for ages six to eight, retail value $17.99). 

This contest ends on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. A winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. The winner will be notified via email. If the prize is not claimed within two days, another winner will be selected. One entry per person.

To vote, simply make a comment below about which road trip option my family should take. That’s it! If you have additional tips on sites to see, restaurants for us to try, and activities to do during our trip, feel free share those too. We will go to whichever location receives the most votes.

A note from the Travel Mama: I earned this $250 Marriott gift card for running a Tots Travel Too Contest for Marriott a couple of months ago on Travel Mamas. I was under no obligation to write another blog post mentioning Marriott. ThinkFun provided my family with a free Zingo! To Go game to preview and will provide the two games to the winner of this giveaway.

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Looking back on our summertime mommy-daughter trip to Puerto Rico, all of the delicious food we ate plays a starring role in many of our favorite vacation memories! From traditional Puerto Rican cuisine to kid-friendly fine dining and refreshing treats – there’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy in San Juan.

A plate of Puerto Rican greasy goodness

Traditional Puerto Rican Cuisine
To get a taste of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, we went to Raices. All of the adults ordered some version of Mofongo; mashed green plantains served with a choice of protein. I got mine with garlic shrimp. While it was tasty, I preferred the side of fried ripe plantains. Yum!

Be sure to get a side order of fried sweet plantains at Raices!

Upscale Meal WITH the Kids
If you’d like a fancier meal but don’t want to book a sitter, look no further than Jam Rum Bar & Bistro Moderne! This restaurant has a modern, candy-colored decor, serves scrumptious food, and offers a “kids’ lounge.” When the kids got restless, we sent them off to play with building blocks, color with crayons, and watch movies in this little room just around the corner from the dining area.

Kids’ Lounge at Jam Restaurant

In addition to a wide variety of tropical drinks and fine wines for adults, Jam also offers a menu of Kidtinis. With names like the Chocotini and Kidsmopolitan, how could we resist? My succulent, savory, creamy entree of Puerto Rican pork with pumpkin risotto was worth the multitude of calories. For dessert I ordered a chocolate mousse served with a crumbly chocolate cookie and a shot of coconut rum…mmm…heaven!

Mama’s Pomegranite Sangria and my daughter’s No Tequila Sunrise

A Refreshing Treat 
One day we ventured to El Morro, the oldest fortress in Puerto Rico and a perfectly windy spot for kite-flying and a refreshing Piragua (snow cone). The vender formed our frosty treats by scrape, scrape, scraping a large block of ice. There were 19 flavors to choose from, with exotic options like sesame seed, molasses, and guava plus traditional choices like cherry, lime, and grape.

My daughter slurping up her grape piragua at El Morro

Breakfast at San Juan Marriott
Each morning we started our day at the San Juan Marriott with either room service or the plentiful breakfast buffet at La Vista Restaurant. The array of pastries (like M&M muffins!) and selection of fresh fruits were a big hit with my five-year-old, Karissa. I appreciated the vanilla-flavored oatmeal and the made-to-order omelets.

Just a peek at the extensive breakfast buffet at the San Juan Marriott

New Latin-Themed Restaurant at San Juan Marriott
This restaurant will get a much-needed renovation this fall (2010). One night during our stay we were treated to a sampling of the new, Latin-themed menu. The best part was the Puerto Rican-style shrimp ceviche, made with Grand Marnier and coconut.

Puerto Rican shrimp ceviche at La Vista Restaurant

Italian Night in San Juan
My favorite meal at the resort was at the fancier Italian Ristorante Tuscany. In my opinion, pasta is this restaurant’s strong suit. I particularly enjoyed the appetizer Fiocci, darling little purse-shaped pasta topped with a creamy cheese sauce served alongside a gorgonzola and pear salad. The tray of scrumptious mini desserts was a big hit too!

Dessert tray at Ristorante Tuscany

Take Home a Taste of Puerto Rico
Looking for a unique, affordable souvenir that will satisfy your sweet tooth? Look no further than the local drugstore, where you can stock up on sugary treats made of coconut, sesame seeds, mango, and more. Do you prefer savory snacks? Pick up a bag of fried garlic plantains instead. Or, grab a bottle of Puerto Rican rum to mix up some tropical fruity drinks once you return home.

Puerto Rican candies and snacks

After all of this wonderful food, is it any wonder that I gained two pounds in a few short days on this vacation? Ahhh…but it was so worth it!

What is your favorite Puerto Rican dish or restaurant? Leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My daughter’s and my flight, accommodations, and many other expenses for this trip were paid for by the San Juan Marriott. I always provide my honest opinions, regardless of who’s footing the bill.

Our stop in Naples, Italy was the most frustrating day of our Disney Mediterranean Cruise. Rather than explore the port town famed for its glorious pizza, we opted to hire a private driver/tour guide to take us to Sorrento and Pompeii. It’s not that these locations were bothersome or not worthy of a visit – quite the opposite, in fact!

From great frustrations, one can learn great lessons. Here’s what I learned about how to make the most of your precious vacation days, even when things don’t go exactly as you hoped…

L’Agruminato Citrus Grove Garden in Sorrento

More Expensive Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Better
Hiring a private guide seemed like the best way to visit both Sorrento and Pompeii in one day with our then two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Plus, this was before the economy crashed so we were doing pretty well financially and could afford such extravagances. In retrospect, I wish we would have just taken the Disney Sorrento and Pompeii Excursion and saved ourselves a lot of money and frustration!

Go Your Own Way
The tour company we hired had specific suggestions for how to spend the day, but I’m pretty type-A and had my own ideas; this didn’t seem to go over too well. I requested that we tour the Pompeii ruins in the morning to avoid the heat of the day and then head to Sorrento for a relaxed lunch and shopping. However, at pick-up our driver informed us that our private archeological guide would be meeting us at 2:00 pm so we would have to drive to Sorrento first and eat lunch in the town of Pompeii instead. During the two-hour drive, I sat in the backseat with my toddler, Karissa, reading books aloud, playing with lace string boards, and trying (without much luck) to keep her entertained.  

Stop to Smell the Roses & Taste the Limoncello
Once we arrived in picture-perfect Sorrento, my husband and I took our daughter first to L’Agruminato, a darling citrus garden recommended in Rick Steves’ Italy. There Phil and I tasted and purchased a bottle of Limoncello liqueur, for which Sorrento is famous. This mixture of vodka, sugar, and citrus is mostly sweet, a little tart, surprisingly strong, and all together good.

Seize Opportunities Before It’s Too Late
While wandering through the Sorrento’s plentiful shops, I found several beautiful ceramic centerpiece towers of lemons. This is exactly what I had envisioned purchasing in a town known for its lemons and pottery. I knew it would be perfect in my rustic, yellow dining room with the long white table. I couldn’t decide which to purchase and knew we were on a strict timetable, so my husband and I dutifully marched back to the car. 

Here’s my dining room. Hmm…what’s missing?

I asked the driver if we had time enough for me to dash into a store to purchase one of the centerpieces. He told us that he was illegally parked and we really had to hurry to get to our fabulous lunch reservation in time and besides, I need not worry because these items could be found anywhere throughout all of Italy. Needless to say, I spent the remainder of our trip searching for my beloved lemon centerpiece to no avail.

I have searched and searched for something similar and have found but a few options stateside – all of which are three to four times more expensive than what I could have bought in Italy. This has convinced me that we are destined to return to Sorrento, if only to finally purchase my long sought-after ceramic sculpture!

Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Up!
After our one-and-a-half-hour drive to Pompeii (throughout which, again, I attempted to amuse Karissa), we pulled up to a “restaurant” literally across the street from the Pompeii ruins named simply, Snack Bar. It featured giant, laminated photos of pizza and other eats on its outdoor menu. I asked our driver if this was the place where he “made reservations.” When he said yes, I requested he drive us to a different restaurant for lunch. We came all of the way from California and food is part of the joy of Italy. We did not want to waste a precious lunch snacking on tidbits at the fast food joint across the street from a tourist destination. He protested, but my stubbornness won out.

We dined at a small, unassuming café in the modern town of Pompeii. I was feeling a bit stressed out by the hurried schedule of the day and our tour guide’s insistence in telling us all we were missing by not including a visit to his hometown of Amalfi (which was part of their standard tour package). I, therefore, ordered a bottle of red wine to accompany our lunch. Our meal was beyond delicious, as you can tell by this photo of Karissa gobbling up a huge bowl of penne.

Pasta Lunch in Pompeii

Make Your Needs Known
After a giant plate of pasta and half a bottle of red wine what you really don’t want to do is go walk around in the sweltering sun for a couple of hours. But that is exactly what we did. Now, my husband knew that I had been entertaining our little one in the car all morning. He also knew that I was really excited to see Pompeii as it had been on my bucket list ever since I was ten-years-old and I had learned about it in elementary school.

Our archealogical guide knew none of this and therefore seemed quite put off by the fact that I kept leaving my poor husband to chase after our over-tired, red-faced toddler while I snapped photos and asked questions. In retrospect, it would have made sense to explain our situation to our guide so that I could have just listened and enjoyed while Phil and Karissa ran about. Instead, our guide kept pulling my husband in and re-explaining things to him (which Phil had little interest in), drawing out our tour even longer and making Karissa all the more antsy.

Plan Your Day According to the Weather
I hate to say “I told you so,”  (not really!) but my plan to visit the ruins in the cool of the morning to allow for a relaxing lunch and shopping in Sorrento would have been ideal. I don’t know if there was much I could do to change this. I made my desires clear when booking our tour. It’s not that I don’t like tours of any kind – booking a tour can be less stressful, easier, educational, and fun but you give up control of your vacation itinerary when you go the tour route. I guess if I wanted total control, I should have rented a car.

The ruins at Pompeii

Make the Most of Your Trip, No Matter the Glitches
Even in the stifling heat, with a rambunctious toddler, and an annoying start to the day, I loved Pompeii. Since sixth grade I had tried to picture this ancient, doomed city that was covered ash in a volcanic eruption by nearby Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. In fact, the first piece of fiction I remember writing was about Pompeii as part of an assignment for my English class. (Oh! How I wish I could find that story now!) There is something so magical about being someplace you’ve tried to imagine nearly your whole life. For me, seeing Pompeii ranks up there with seeing the Eiffel Tower or the Roman Coliseum for the first time.

Besides, like those citizens of Pompeii from so long ago, you never know when you’re time will be up and you may be covered with a heap of volcanic ash. As long as you’re here, you might as well seize the day!

The outline of a body of a Pompeii resident who died in the catastrophic volcanic explosion in 79 A.D.

Keep Dreaming
Cruising allows you to take in a lot of sites in a short period of time, with little planning, all while unpacking only once. But it also means making compromises due to limited time in each port.

The next time we come to this region of Italy, I hope it is for longer than just one day. I dream of days filled with leisurely lunches of pasta and wine, strolling through shops unburdened by the restrictions of a timetable, and finally bringing home my darling Italian ceramic centerpiece of lemons.

Have you ever passed up purchasing or experiencing something on vacation that you later came to regret? Leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My family paid for this cruise and I did not receive any compensation or goodies from Disney related to this story. I will always let you know if I receive any money or products related to a blog post.

At first I was skeptical about the usefulness of the My Handy Hold, an alternative to a safety harness that children hold onto instead of being buckled into. I thought, if they can let go of it, what’s the point? But, I figured what they heck, and I accepted a free My Handy Hold from the manufacturer to see if it might be something worthwhile for traveling parents.

Well, I tried it and guess what? I like it! The My Handy Hold provides a good alternative to hand-holding for kids who like a bit of independence but who still need to stay close to mom or dad. This child security strap helps keep kids close by when out and about. As an alternative to a harness, attach the My Handy Hold to your belt, purse, shopping cart, or (my favorite place for it) your younger child’s stroller. When crossing a busy street, I still recommend holding hands if possible.

Sometimes I have a hard time wrangling my five-year-old daughter when we are out exploring the world. Getting her to hold my hand when we are in a busy place, or when she is dawdling and falling behind, can be a challenge. Asking her to hold “her handle” seems less stifling than holding hands to her. Plus, it keeps my hands free to push her younger brother in the stroller. Ahh…more freedom (and less whining) for everyone!

My Handy Hold comes in your choice of blue or purple and costs just $13.95.

What do you think about using a safety harness or security strap for young children? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Oh, how I love water parks! To be an “authentic” traveler, I guess I’m supposed to only like nature-y, educational, culturally enriching, good-for-you stuff. But here’s the thing about water parks…they’re FUN! They induce pure joy for my children, and let’s face it, for me! Joy is good, right?

I kept seeing television ads and hearing radio spots for the new LEGOLAND Water Park, located at LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California (just North of San Diego). I couldn’t take it any longer; I had to check that place out!

Build-A-Raft River

For the Whole Family
Looking for something to keep everyone happy? Head to the Build-A-Raft River. This lazy river meanders through the water park and welcomes guests of all ages, including lap-held babies. Be ready to get doused or hop off to steer your vessel away from squirting cannons and pouring buckets poised along the watery path. Upbeat, summery tunes like Beatles remakes and “Brown-Eyed Girl” bopping through speakers add to the fun. Kids and grown-ups alike enjoy stacking foam LEGO bricks on the perimeter of their rafts before setting sail. While waiting in line for the more daring slides, I was entertained watching floaters of all ages who busied themselves rearranging their LEGO creations while as they floated down the river.

Especially for Babies, Toddlers & Little Kids
My favorite part of this park is the DUPLO Splash Safari. True, this is partially due to the fact that my kids are the perfect ages (two and five) for this attraction. But, LEGOLAND shines best when catering to younger children, as evidenced by its abundance of kid-centric rides while offering just a few relatively tame “thrill” rides.

Our friend, Mat, sliding side-by-side with his daughter, Isabella (age three)

The three small-scale waterslides do not have any height requirements but curiously do not allow parents to ride with children in their laps. Instead, you must ride side-by-side. I found this to be a precarious way to keep my toddler, Leo, safe while sliding together and it resulted in him getting a noseful of water on one splashy entry.

Kids Creek, a lazy river just for children

My kindergartner, Karissa, appreciated the freedom (under her parents’ watchful, yet distant supervision) that this kids’ area allowed. She zipped down the slides again and again, without any help from mom or dad. She also loved setting sail on Kids Creek, a miniature lazy river, whenever she wanted, no parents’ permission or assistance required. LEGOLAND life guards assisted kids in boarding their rafts and kept a close eye on them as they floated along the circular river.

Polar bear-shaped splash fountain

The squirting polar bear, alligator, and elephant fountains provide oodles of entertainment to the youngest park goers. Plus, they allow for adorable photo opps to parents of tots.

Fun for Big Kids & Grown-Ups
There were five big waterslides at the LEGOLAND Water Park. The blue-colored Splash Out was closed the day of my visit, which I think added to our long wait times. Be forewarned that kids cannot wear life vests on any of the bigger slides besides Orange Rush. Karissa and I waited 10 minutes in line for one of the two red Twin Chasers tube slides before someone alerted us to this fact, at which point I had to walk back to DUPLO Splash Safari to deposit Karissa with her dad. I then rejoined the line and waited an additional 30 minutes before I could take a turn (it’s a tough job being a travel blogger, but someone’s gotta do it!). I liked the Twin Chasers well enough but they were’nt the zippiest of slides. In fact, I got stuck midway and had to scoot myself down to keep going.

The Joker Soaker and big kid waterslides

The most exhilarating slide, by far, was Orange Rush. My daughter and I sat in a gigantic inner tube to glide and spin our way down and around to the bottom. I thought Karissa might get nervous when we spent half of our journey backwards-facing, but it didn’t seem to phase her one bit! She tends to be a bit of a daredevil when it comes to amusement parks; if you have more timid ride-goer, take heed. I asked Karissa what was her favorite part about the LEGOLAND Water Park and she said, “Oh! Oh! Going down the slide with you!” Why? “Because I got to ride with you!” (Awww!)

My daughter and my favorite LEGOLAND waterslide, Orange Rush

Although we didn’t partake, the Joker Soaker near the big slides appears to be a big hit with grade school boys. It’s a big clock tower that gushes buckets of water periodically on those below it. There are also water guns the kids delight in aiming at one another. Another fun spot is Imagination Station, where LEGO fanatics can build creations in a watery environment.

Kids hard at play at the Imagination Station

Useful Stuff & Tips
There is no option to visit just the water park. You must pay for entrance into the main park plus an additional, nominal fee for the LEGOLAND Water Park. As someone who has been to LEGOLAND numerous times and whose family loves water parks, this extra fee makes sense. If you think you will be too busy riding roller coasters, eating apple fries, and building with LEGO bricks, you might not have time enough to squeeze the water park into your day. Keep in mind, you can always cool off in Pirate Shores, a splashy land that comes with the cost of admission to the regular park.

Bring your own beach towel. They aren’t provided but you can purchase one if you forget yours at home.

Lockers (at an additional cost) and changing rooms (for free) are available.

Kids’ life vests are available at no extra charge. Even if your child is a good swimmer, using a life vest for little kids can help you to relax a bit and enjoy the day. Life guards stand watch over all areas of the park but parents must still be vigilant to keep an eye on their children.

My son, Leo, sporting his life vest

Go midweek if possible. On a Saturday, Karissa and I waited nearly an hour (in the shivering shade) for a chance to whoosh down Orange Rush. While it was worth the wait, if you want to make the most of your day, avoid Fridays and weekends when the park is more crowded.

Check for LEGOLAND online specials. You should never pay full price to go to LEGOLAND. There always seems to be a LEGOLAND discount somewhere.

The LEGOLAND Water Park hours vary from those of the amusement park. Check their website for the LEGOLAND schedule. You can always go early or stay late and spend some time enjoying the rides on dry land to round out your day.

What’s your favorite water park? Leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My family received free 1-Day LEGOLAND/LEGOLAND Water Park passes. We have visited LEGOLAND many times on our own dime too. In fact, we have purchased two years worth of annual passes in the past.

“Welcome to Middle Earth!” A huge sign at the Auckland airport greeted us with these words the minute we stepped off the plane. It was a fitting start to our Lord of the Rings adventure through New Zealand.

Maria’s three teens in front of the Lord of the Rings Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand

It was entirely the kids’ idea to go to faraway New Zealand from our home in Sweden. Diehard J.R.R. Tolkein fans, all three of our teenagers knew the three-hour long dialogue from the first Lord of the Rings film by heart. They had read the books, both in English and in Swedish, as well as a couple of autobiographies by the actors. They had made their own cloaks (which they wore wherever we went), studied Elfish and did lots of role playing with their friends. Now they wanted to visit “the real place.” Since my husband and I are firm believers that kids learn loads when they can immerse themselves with their interests, we took up the idea immediately.

The family’s rented campervan in front of a typical gorgeous New Zealand view

Hobbiton
With our Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook in hand, we started out in our rented campervan on the North Island at Matamata. This is the place where Hobbiton is situated in the Tolkein stories. We took the informative guided tour of the movie set village. We were able to see the hobbit houses (what’s left of them), Sam’s beautiful garden, the huge party tree as well as the green hills of “The Shire.”

Mordor
Our next stop was a bit darker, Mordor. The scenes for this horrific place were actually shot at a ski resort on Mount Ruapehu! If you look away from the ski lifts and forget the parking lot (where they shot the battle scenes in the beginning of the first movie) you can imagine this place as the home of darkness and evil. The mountain was made of hardened black lava, as it’s a volcano, and it was surrounded in eerie mist.

Mordor looks just like you would imagine (if you turn away from the ski lifts)

Gollum’s River
We set forth on a quest to find the river where, in the movie Gollum caught a fish and ate it raw. Since we had our terrific guide book, containing both maps as well as pictures from the movie, we found the exact place outside the village of Ohakune – we even recognized the rocks! So, we now have our own filmed version of the scene, with our youngest crawling in the ice cold water as Gollum, while the other teens stood on guard as Sam and Frodo. It was hilarious to make and still every time we watch it we roar with laughter.

Hiding from the Nazguls
Our expedition took us to the capital, Wellington, a pleasant town at the southern part of the North Island. Smack in the middle of the city at lovely Mt. Victoria Park was where they shot the famous scary scene where the hobbits are hiding under a tree root while the Nazguls rode just beside them. It was interesting to see how the camera can twist reality!

The ferry ride between New Zealand’s North and South Islands is amazingly beautiful!

The Film Premiere
In Wellington, you also find The Embassy Theatre where they had the world premiere for the third film in the trilogy. Of course, we had to visit this movie theatre before we took off for South Island.

South Island
The ferry ride between the two islands was absolutely breathtaking; this alone could be worth a trip to New Zealand! There are many places on the South Island to visit if you want to follow in the footsteps of Frodo, Sam, and the others but we decided to save that for another trip. Instead we spent our time here watching whales, swimming with dolphins, and visiting friends.

The whole family outside Bilbo Baggins’ home, Bag End

Family-Friendly New Zealand
From awe-inspiring scenery, the friendly and laidback locals (affectionately called kiwis), and Lord of the Rings lore…New Zealand is a fantastic spot for a family vacation. We often talk about going back, so it’s probably just a matter of time!

Maria Berkestam is a world traveler and homeschooling mom.Together with her husband and three (almost grown-up) children, she runs the Extended World Travel blog, for families considering traveling together for six months or longer. She and her husband, Magnus Drysen, also wrote the e-book Extended World Travel – How to take a break from the rat race and travel the world with your family for 6 months – or more!

Have you embarked on a themed trip like Maria and her family? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Headed to San Diego with a baby or toddler? Check out my latest article for San Diego Family Magazine Baby It’s Hot Outside about  summer fun spots for tots in my sunny hometown. Want to see the pretty version with the photos? Click here and flip to page 94.

The Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden miniature train
at the San Diego Botanic Garden

The article covers four places that are particularly popular with little ones, including the San Diego Botanic Garden with its two children’s gardens, the San Diego Zoo’s best attractions for wee ones, San Diego’s most baby-friendly beaches, and what to be sure to see at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps when visiting with a young child. 

What is your favorite San Diego attraction for babies and toddlers? Leave a comment below!

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For weeks before our San Juan getaway my five-year-old daughter, Karissa, asked daily, “How many sleeps until our vacation?” She danced around the house singing, “Puerto Rico…Puerto Rico!” She bragged to neighbors and waitresses about her impending trip with just mommy…no little brother, no daddy. This would be a special time for the two of us to talk, frolic on the beach, play games, and do other mommy-daughter stuff.

Mommy and daughter at El Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Despite the lengthy travel time (12 hours door-to-door each way from my home in San Diego), when I was invited by the San Juan Marriott to spend a few days at their resort with three other fabulous family travel bloggers and their children, I jumped at the chance! We were joined by Debbie Dubrow of Delicious Baby, Amber Johnson of Crazy Bloggin Canuck, Corinne McDermott of Have Baby Will Travel, and their kiddos.

Water Fun
If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you might know that I’m a sucker for great hotel pools (and not just because of my kids)! A zero-entry pool with shallow water and gorgeous waterfall fountains was a fantastic splashing spot for babies, toddlers, and kids of all ages. We spent most of our time in the main pool with its tropical flower mosaic-tiled floor.

San Juan Marriott’s Zero-Entry Fountain Pool

On our first day at the resort we tossed a beach ball back and forth and ignored the burgeoning droplets that had begun to fall from the sky. The closed waterslide taunted Karissa, who begged me to let her slide down it just once pleeeease despite its sign announcing “closed” (apparently due to rainy weather). We warmed up in the hot tub, although the sign posted clearly prohibits children under age 12 from entry.(Shhh…don’t tell!) Too soon, heavier rains forced us out of the water.

Sipping a strawberry smoothie at the swim-up bar

Thankfully, a couple days later a sunny morning allowed for some all-out poolside fun! We swam with our friends before pausing for fruit smoothies at the swim-up bar.

Finally, it was time for what every child-sized hotel guest had been waiting for…the waterslide opened! Children and grown-ups alike took turns zooming down the winding slide. I have visited a lot of resorts with fabulous pools and never have I experienced such joyous frenzy surrounding the waterslide! The lifeguard at the top egged us all on to “scream on the way down.” (My daughter took this directive quite seriously!) Truly, this was my favorite part of our trip. When you’re zipping down a waterslide, there’s no time to think about bills, or work, or to-dos…it’s just pure fun, fun, fun!

The waterslide at the San Juan Marriott

As we drove past other hotels in the area, it seemed the San Juan Marriott had snagged the best beachfront location of the bunch. Its expansive stretch of sandy beach lined with lounge chairs and blue and white striped umbrellas was a wonderful place to laze away the day.

Rainy Day Activities
What is there to do in San Juan when it’s raining? Not a whole lot, frankly. San Juan is where to go for a sunny getaway and typically rain is rare, especially during the summer. Thankfully, the kids didn’t seem to mind the rain a bit. Really, children just want to spend time with YOU, it doesn’t matter what the weather is.

One day we were scheduled to visit the Rio Camuy Cave Park, which apparently houses a raging underground river. While this sounded intriguing our visit had to be canceled due to the rains. Instead, we went to Museo Historico de la Biblio, which reminded me a bit of the attractions in Las Vegas for children. There were animatronic dinosaurs and wooly mammoths that roared if you feed them a couple of quarters, miniature golf, an indoor ice skating rink, kiddie carnival rides (the children’s favorite), an aquarium (the moms’ favorite), and a pizza place for lunch. I wouldn’t bother making a trip here if the weather is nice, but it certainly was an entertaining rainy day diversion for the kids.

Karissa and her new crush, Everest, on the indoor carousel at the Museo Historico de la Biblio

When all else fails, go out for ice cream! Another rainy afternoon Karissa and I walked to Haagen Dazs with Debbie (Delicious Baby) and her two sons, Elan (14 months) and Everest (five). My daughter and Everest were quite smitten with each other, so they would have been happy wherever we went. My berries and cream cone, however, kept me happily distracted for awhile.

Old San Juan
Downtown, known as Old San Juan, was a charming, hilly area filled with pastel-colored buildings and cobblestone streets. There were horses clopping through town pulling families and couples in carriages, which looked like a delightful way to take in the sights. We didn’t have much time to explore but I did some serious speed shopping and purchased a Christmas ornament for the family, a pink quartz necklace for me, a small bottle of rum for daddy, and some adorable hair ribbons for Karissa.

El Morro
Puerto Rico’s best known fortress, El Morro, began construction by Spain in 1539. Before heading to El Morro, pick up a kite in town. After exploring the fort’s ramparts and taking in the sweeping views from its rooftop, take advantage of the windswept grassy landscape and soar your kite through the windy skies. Be sure to hold on tight to the string; poor Everest lost his kite to the wind gods and was quite inconsolable afterwards. Luckily a piragua (snow cone) was distraction enough to lift his spirits. 

The kids slurping up their piraguas at El Morro

The Mommy-Daughter Experience
It was awesome to have some undistracted one-on-one time with my little girl for a few days. On the airplane, we played a travel version of Hi-Ho Cherry-O and Zingo To Go, created Color Wonder Glitter princess pictures, read books, and watched videos. We splashed together in the swimming pools and rode down the waterslide together. Over meals, we discussed the merits of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse versus Caillou.

That’s my girl!

No matter my travel partner, toward the end of most trips, I’m ready for a break from nonstop closeness. This was even (especially?) true when traveling with an adorable, sweet, loving, whining, fidgety, demanding five-year-old. After awhile, we ran out of cartoons, classmates, and candies to discuss. We sat in silence across each other at lunch in the airport during our layover on our way home. We’d had our fill of time, love, and attention.

In time, though, I won’t remember those last draining 12 hours of travel. I will remember my daughter’s raucous laughter as I swung her through the pool’s water, her squeals of joy as she zipped down the waterslide, and the friendships we forged with the other traveling moms and their kids.

Want to read more about San Juan? Look for my upcoming story on Kid-Friendly Food in Puerto Rico.

Have you gone on a mother-daughter vacation? How’d it go? Please leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My daughter’s and my flight, accommodations, and many other expenses for this trip were paid for by the San Juan Marriott. I always provide my honest opinions, regardless of who’s footing the bill. ThinkFun also provided us with a free Zingo To Go game.

When you think of Washington State things that come to mind might include the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks Coffee, and if you were a teen during the 90s, maybe The Real World on Pier 70. As much as I enjoy all of these wonderful Washington icons, I hope tourists come to see more than just Seattle in my home state. Some of my favorite destinations are just an hour or two from Seattle and can fit easily into a day trip while visiting the Emerald City.

At the foothills of Washington’s majestic Mount Rainier

Visit a Volcano – Mount Rainier or Mount Saint Helens (2 – 3½ Hours South of Seattle)
The sleeping beauties Mount Saint Helens and Mount Rainier are breathtaking from afar and even more so up close. Each mountain has something different to offer.   

If you enjoy historical trips, visit Mount Saint Helens to learn about that fateful day of the volcano’s eruption in 1980. As you travel towards the mountain you will see how the land was forever changed and how it has re-grown to what it is today. Even in just the last few years Mt. Saint Helens has begun forming a new dome and is considered the most active volcano in the Cascades.

Love to hike or looking for some snow? Visit Mount Rainier in the winter for skiing or in the spring for endless fields of flowers and a true Kodak moment. This sleeping volcano has not erupted in over 150 years but could erupt again in our lifetime.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma

Tacoma & Gig Harbor (40 Minutes South of Seattle)
Tacoma, a popular destination for both locals and tourists, has many activities to offer. Pack a lunch and spend the day at Point Defiance Park with its beautiful five-mile drive or visit the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.   

Head to downtown Tacoma for a delicious variety of restaurants such as the Old Spaghetti factory, the Melting Pot, or if you’re looking for a premiere steakhouse and you’re not afraid to dish out a Benjamin Franklin, then El Gaucho will suit your taste. Before or after your meal, visit the world-renowned Dale Chihuly Museum of Glass to take a look at beautiful art that will even inspire the little ones. Make your way to the “Hot Shop” studio where you can watch the artists firsthand as they blow glass into masterpieces. 

Cross over the Narrows Bridge from Tacoma for a visit to picturesque Gig Harbor. This small, but growing city lines the waters of the Puget Sound and has a very walk-able downtown. Ever heard of Galloping Gertie? That was the name of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge that now lies under the water – which fell down due to high winds and structural failure in 1940. A new bridge was built soon after, which was named the Tacoma Narrow and in 2009 they added a second Narrows above the replacement bridge.

State Capital Building in Olympia

Visit the Capital (1 Hour South of Seattle)
My hometown, Olympia, is Washington’s capital city and boasts culture, clean streets, and activities for the whole family. The State Capital, summer water fountain and waterfront boardwalk are all FREE and can be done in a day. Olympia also has plenty of fun parks for the kids and the ­­­­Chehalis Western Trail has more than 44 scenic miles dedicated to biking, walking, or jogging. 

The Coast (2 Hours 45 Minutes from Seattle)
Although we don’t have beaches that make you want to whip out the suntan lotion and towels, Washington coast lines are majestic and can’t be beat for kite flying! Head Northwest to Port Angeles or drive Southwest to Ocean Shores for a day of building sand castles, horseback riding, or Geoduck hunting (pronounced gooey duck). If you’re thinking a Geoduck goes “Quack Quack,” you’re quite mistaken. This native clam is harvested from deep in the sand and is considered a delicacy in Asian countries. 

Welcome to the Evergreen State!
These Northwest locations are just a small sampling of what Washington has to offer. Other sites that might pique your interest include the Yakima desert, the deepest lake in North America (Lake Chelan), and the Grand Coulee Dam. I know Washington will wow you with its vast array of sights to see all in one beautiful state!

Crystal is married and raising her two young children in the beautiful Northwest, all while bringing her family along on adventures around the world and around the corner!  She loves sharing travel tips, reviews, and advice on her blog Travelers Barista.

What is your favorite thing to do in Washington? Please leave a comment below!

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It looks like a lot of you wanted to win the JoggerMom Summer Travel Prize Pack! With nearly $250 in travel gear for babies and toddlers from Phil & Teds, who wouldn’t want to win?! There were 224 entries total in the giveaway but only one lucky Travel Mama (or Travel Daddy) could win.

The winner of the Traveller lightweight travel crib and Wriggle Wrapper compact portable highchair is…Kim H. The winner was selected at random using Random.org. Kim said she wanted to win the JoggerMom Prize Pack because, “That travel crib looks awesome! I’ve seen others before, but this one looks like it would be easy to set up. I also love the feature where it opens on the side. Sometimes you want to give the little one a little freedom, or at least see to the side. And I love the way the Wriggle Wrapper makes any seat safe.”

The winner has been notified by email. If the prize is not claimed within one week, another winner will be chosen at random.

Learn more about these products and many others that make getting around with little ones easier at JoggerMom.com, your ultimate resource for jogging strollers and other baby and toddler gear.

Have you ever used the Phil & Teds Traveller or Wriggle Wrapper? Share your thoughts about these products with other parents in the comments below!

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From where to enjoy a night out on the town to why you should step outside your comfort zone but avoid tequila shots…here are my seven tips for ensuring you have a fabulous girlfriend getaway in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

As “The Travel Mama” it seems like I am always on the go with my children. Grown-up getaways, on the other hand, are a bit of a rarity. So, it was quite the treat when I was invited by The Villa Group and Discount Mexico Vacation Hotels for a long weekend away in Cabo San Lucas with four other mom bloggers: Andrea Fellman of Savvy Sassy Moms, Laurie Cooper a.k.a. Clueless Mama of Guessing All the Way, Heather Spohr of The Spohrs Are Multiplying, and Mindy Roberts of The Mommy Blog.

Mindy (The Mommy Blog), Laurie (Clueless Mama), Andrea Fellman (Savvy Sassy Moms), Heather (The Spohrs Are Multiplying), and Me (The Travel Mama)

1. Take to the Water
Cabo San Lucas is a water-lover’s paradise. Beach activities abound, like swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, glass bottom boat tours, and of course, Cabo’s world famous deep sea fishing. The last time I went to Cabo, I stayed with my family on the Pacific Ocean side, which meant the waves and undertow were too dangerous for these activities. Who wants to pile into a rental car or cab every time you want to have some beach fun? This time I stayed at Villa del Palmar, one of The Villa Group’s three Los Cabos locations, situated along a gorgeous stretch of sand before the more tranquil Sea of Cortez.

Even someone like me who tends to get seasick can enjoy a tour of Cabo’s famous Los Arcos sea rock formations aboard a catamaran. Our two-and-a-half-hour sunset cruise took us from the Sea of Cortez into the rolling Pacific Ocean and back again. A dinner of grilled chicken and steak with rice, beans, chips, guacamole, and salsa was served. And, of course, there were free-flowing margaritas, cervesas, and other bebidas. When the boat’s crew gathered the passengers for a dance party, I was wary. I was ready for solid land and, well, it seemed a bit cheesy. First a handful of men were selected to participate in a dance contest of sorts. These five good sports bopped, gyrated, and generally embarrassed their wives and children. It got everyone laughing and ready to join in some line dancing. It wound up being a whole lot of fun!

The famous Los Arcos in Cabo San Lucas

2. Get Pampered
No girlfriend getaway is complete without a trip to the spa. The Desert Spa at Villa del Arco (a Villa Group property next door to our resort) was divine. I was treated to an 80-minute massage. Often when I get a spa treatment I feel like I have to hurry up and relax…like at any minute the service will be over and I’ll be scooted out of there. But this massage went on and on. Just when I’d think my time was up, my therapist would start massaging another limb. My attendant did not waste time sticking my hands in warm mitts (not needed!), spraying aromatherapy mist into the air (I can do without) or leaving me lying there “to relax” while disappearing to some unknown place. No, this treatment was pure, all-out kneading, rubbing, and pampering. Mmm…heaven!

Desert Spa at Villa del Arco

3. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
Vacations are a great time to set your adventurous alter ego free and try something you might never do at home. For me on this trip, that meant parasailing with Andrea (Savvy Sassy Moms) and Laurie (Clueless Mama). While we waited for our boat for ten Mexican minutes (a half hour), I started to get un poquito nervous about our impending flight, so I ran off to the bar to grab liquid courage (white wine for Andrea and me and a Miami Vice for Laurie).

You know you’re in Mexico when you must fling yourself onto the boat when it swooshes closer to you with one big crashing wave. No docks for us…just grab hold and throw yourself in (whilst a boatman holds your beverage). In mere moments we pulled up beside another boat into which we climbed, all the while trying not fall into the rollicking sea. I didn’t have time to take a sip of wine before the co-captain pulled me over and tried to get me to slip into the parasail’s safety harness. I said, “I’m not ready! I’m not ready!” and insisted Andrea go first (who has experience bungee jumping and skydiving and therefore had no trepidation about a measly parasail flight).

Laurie was another story. She and I decided we would fly together in a tandem carrier but she chickened out and removed the harness when it was our turn to go. Laurie doesn’t normally even ride roller coasters, so this was very far out of her comfort zone. The day before, Laurie had told me how she almost got off the airplane in her hometown of Denver, so nervous was she about leaving her kids and the familiarity of home behind. I reminded her of this and said, “What if you had gotten off that plane? Aren’t you glad you’re here? If you don’t go, you’ll regret it.” We guzzled down our drinks and before we knew it, we were soaring through the air.

While Laurie speculated at the likelihood of our survival if the ropes tethering us 600 feet in the sky suddenly broke, we giggled nervously and tried to soak up the beauty of Cabo below us. Doing something scary together creates a unique bond between people, especially new friends. It was by far my favorite, scariest, silliest, most intense memory of the trip.

Parasailing with Laurie (Clueless Mama)

4. Take the Vacation Ownership Tour
All five of us mom bloggers went on the vacation ownership tour as part of our experience at the resort. Afterwards, as special guests of Villa Group, we were videotaped giving feedback about the tour, our experience at the resort, and Cabo overall. Our tour was similar to what regular vacationers would experience. It started with a delicious, complimentary breakfast buffet with bacon aplenty, chilaquiles (a Mexican breakfast dish), fresh omelet bar, pastries and more. Then we walked through a couple of sample condominium options. Finally, we sat down with a sales person (well, ours was the Vice President of Villa Group) and discussed options and pricing over champagne cocktails. It was all rather low-key and painless…fun even.

Discount Mexico Vacation Hotels offers a family of four a four-day vacation for $399 in exchange for going on an hour and a half tour. An affordable, upscale vacation like this is certainly a fair trade-off for such a brief interruption in a long weekend getaway. I say, go for it!

My one-bedroom suite at Villa del Palmar

5. Don’t Do Tequila Shots
I certainly like to drink my share of wine, margaritas, and pina coladas. But I draw the line at tequila shots, or shots of any kind really. I stopped doing shots in college and for good reason.

At a recent neighborhood get together someone (my husband, surely) joked about breaking out the tequila to which one of my friends said, “No good ever comes from tequila shots. No one ever says, The night started out with tequila shots and ended wonderfully.” It’s true. Most stories that start with tequila shots end with somebody throwing up, fighting, falling down, passing out, or some combination thereof.

This is why when my fellow mom bloggers started drinking tequila shots, I declined. I gave away my shots to one of my bloggy friends (who shall remain nameless) who wound up taking an early cab home (accompanied by a non-drinking friend) when she started to feel woozy. My advice? If you decide to drink, alternate alcoholic beverages with glasses of water and steer clear of the shots. You’ll thank me the next day!

Sunset cruise dance party

6. Enjoy a Night Out On the Town
Even if there are a lot of entertainment and dining options at your resort you should venture downtown for at least one night of frivolity. The Villa Group resorts offered several restaurants to choose from at its Cabo locations, including a sushi restaurant, fine-dining establishment, and standard Mexican fare as well as themed party nights plus bars where you can enjoy cocktails while taking in a stunning view of the ocean.

Downtown Cabo San Lucas offers numerous modern restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. After a dinner and live music at Desperados Restaurant & Cantina, we ventured out for a few rounds of Karaoke.

Finally, it was time for what I’d been waiting for…dancing! The last time I went dancing (not including weddings) was the last time I visited Cabo…three and a half years ago. We went to the hip Nowhere Bar to boogie for a bit with beautiful people. I was pretty excited to be out of the house, with adults, soaking up some nightlife when all too abruptly my friends announced it was time to head back to our resort. I wasn’t ready to go and (unsuccessfully) attempted to convince the girls to stay out longer. Ahh…well…I guess I’ll have to go back to Los Cabos again so I can get my groove on!

Villa del Palmar’s gorgeous pool with waterfalls and whale-shaped waterslide

7. Soak it Up
One of the best things about a little reprieve from the kiddos is taking some time to yourself to simply relax. Just sitting by the ocean listening to the waves crash on the shore as I read magazines, uninterrupted, felt like a splendid luxury.

On the last day of the trip, I choked up a bit at the airport before flying home when I told Laurie (Clueless Mama) how much I missed my kids. It’s good to miss them. It reminds me to appreciate the little moments I often take for granted…the sounds of my children giggling in our backyard as I cook dinner…the way my little boy hides under the pillow in his crib playing peek-a-boo and refusing to get up from his nap…the way my daughter bursts into my room every morning, too early but full of smiles and bouncy energy, ready to start the day.

I think it’s important to take notice of those moments AND to appreciate a break from the ordinary because all too soon…I’m back to the daily grind and daydreaming of a moment of peace during which I could do something as languorous and unlikely as flipping through a magazine without children clamoring at my side with requests for more juice and pleas for one more episode of Dora the Explorer.

Want to learn more?
Check out the Villa Group multimedia player below to explore locations, pricing, and more. Click on the ”video” button to see my fellow mom bloggers and me living it up in Cabo and to watch interviews about our experience. 

What are your tips for a girlfriend getaway or a trip to Los Cabos? Please leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My flight, accommodations, and many other expenses for this trip were paid by The Villa Group and Discount Mexico Vacation Hotels. All of the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I would never recommend anything I don’t truly like and believe in!

You know those rare vacation moments when you look around and think, “I don’t ever want this experience to end!” My one-day adventure through the Sicilian countryside was filled with those. 

There are many who look down upon all tours, no matter the form, for being inauthentic…too touristy…maybe even cheesy. I like travel in nearly all forms: cruise, train, road trip, independent, relaxing, adventurous, romantic, girlfriend getaway, kid-centric, and beyond. And, I like a good tour from time to time, especially one that gives a glimpse into a location’s essence that you might not be able to find on your own.

A slice of Sicilian heaven 

Sicily was the first stop on our Disney Mediterranean Cruise. As our bus rambled through the gorgeous Sicilian landscape, our proud tour guide gave a brief lecture on her country’s history and culture. My daughter, Karissa (then age two), draped her body across mine and dozed during our one-hour trek, allowing me to savor a rare moment of snuggly relaxation. The guide on our “A Day on the Farm” excursion told us in a lilting Italian accent that Sicily’s central location in the Mediterranean Sea has made it a target throughout the ages by conquering forces from Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines to Arabs, Normans, and more. She said the island’s residents to this day consider themselves Sicilian, not Italian.

My daughter snuggled up in her beach towel on my lap

Upon arrival at Villa Dafne, an agritourism farm/hotel in Alia, the children were given lumps of dough to roll into little balls. Afterwards, we were served delicious pieces of airy focaccia topped with tomatoes and olives (not formed by the kids). Then we were given bowls of fresh ricotta to sample. The warm, lumpy cheese was a bit too reminiscent of something else entirely unappetizing of the same temperature and consistency, so after one bite I discreetly dumped the rest in a trash can. Adults helped themselves to some red Sicilian vino while kids sipped bottled water.

Foccaccia topped with tomatoes and olives

Then we donned requisite blue swimming caps and jumped in the pool, where we splashed alongside resort guests of various nationalities. As my husband tossed my giggling daughter about in the water, I was overwhelmed by the bittersweet perfection of that moment. The aqua blue of the pool, surrounded by the golden hills…I wanted to stop the clock and forever be enveloped by Sicily’s beauty, the sun shining down on our happy little family, the sounds of children at play ringing through the air. I knew it would be over all too soon.

My daughter and I taking a dip in a pool in the Sicilian countryside

Before long it was time to depart that watery spot of heaven. Thankfully the transition was an easy one because it involved eating a multi-course organic farm-style Sicilian lunch. After one more small glass of wine, I switched to Coca-Cola but my husband, Phil, drank my portion and then some. We were treated to several appetizers involving things like eggplant, tomatoes, and olives. Then we dined on homemade pasta shaped into little shells and served with chicken in a fresh, earthy broth. It was a dish that I will probably never stop craving. It pains me to know that I will never taste anything like it again, unless, of course I return to that little farmhouse hotel. (I might have to, if only for that pasta dish!) Then lamb was served, which we declined due to full bellies (and my personal aversion to eating baby animals of any sort).

A fountain at Villa Dafne

Finally, it was time for a dessert of cannoli. Ever since, I have been on a quest for an authentic cannolo. I have found a few good cannoli, but none even in the same realm as what we tasted that day. Our tour guide had prepared us for the wonders of this sweet treat. She told us that to get a taste of true cannoli, one must come to Sicily. She warned us that the Italian version of Sicily’s national dessert should be avoided at all costs. She said, “You are more likely to get authentic cannoli in America than in Italy because Sicilians who have moved to New York City and beyond carry on the true recipes and methods of making the dessert, unlike the excuse for cannoli that can be found in Rome.”

Prickly Pear Cactus Crop in the Sicilian Countryside

Some cannoli shells are flimsy and soggy while others are overly dense and greasy, having been over-cooked to stay crunchy while holding the creamy center for hours on end. According to our guide, the dessert should be stuffed with Ricotta cheese just prior to eating. Most cannoli cream I have encountered, even if delicious, had a slightly grainy texture. The genuine cannoli we were served consisted of an impossibly crisp, light shell that crackled when bitten. The filling was a cloud of sweet velvety goodness.

My daughter dutifully mooed at these Sicilian cows

Sufficiently plumped, bronzed, and relaxed – we and our cruise mates re-boarded the bus. After a quick stop to spy on cows and watch brave fellow cruisers milk goats, my good fortune continued. The bus was equipped with a television screen on which old-school Mickey Mouse cartoons played to the delight of tired children and their parents. While Phil slept off his numerous glasses of lunchtime wine (I can hear him now, “But it’s table wine – it’s not that strong!), I happily stared out the window at a patchwork of verdant and sun-bleached rolling hills speckled with vineyards of twisted grape vines and crops of prickly pear cactus bearing a few gems of their burgundy-colored fruit.

Not all vacation days are blissful. Most aren’t, in fact. But some are. And this one was.

Sadly, the current Disney European Cruises do not stop at Sicily. This stop has been replaced by Valletta, Malta. Of course, I wouldn’t mind exploring this nation, which is spread across seven islands and is home to ruins that predate the Egyptian pyramids and England’s Stonehenge. Ahhh…a girl can dream…

How do you feel about Sicily or about group travel tours? Please share your thoughts below!

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London is a child-friendly, historical city with plenty to discover both indoors and out. As an American expat living in London, I’ll share with you some of my favorite spots as well as a few key points for visiting England’s capital.

London’s Tate Modern Art Museum 

Budding artists will be inspired!
London is home to some of the most amazing art museums in the world. On the top of my list is the popular Tate Modern, located on the Southbank. It houses beautiful pieces of art, impressive sculptures and media, and it is located in one of the most prime areas of London, making it a convenient stop before or after a stroll along the Thames River. Kids enjoy visiting the museum’s open spaces and its Family Zone, suitable for kids aged five and older. In front of the building is a huge lawn on which you can have a picnic on a, sunny day. If it’s raining, there is a café and a restaurant inside the museum that offers a complimentary kid’s meal with a paying adult. What a treat! 

Sunday Roast at The Paradise Pub

Pubs are family-friendly!
Wherever you go in London rest assured that there’s a pub within walking distance and nearly all pubs welcome children of all ages. Pubs are used to catering to families since pub life is a huge part of London culture. While not all pubs have changing tables, most tend to have highchairs. Occasionally they’ll have a kid-friendly menu too. 

Ciao Baby Cucina’s Mummy Mornings

Shopping is easy and fun!
London is filled with an array of shops, from high-end boutiques to stores like H&M and Harrod’s all located within Central and Greater London. Take a walk along Regent Street and visit the famous Hamley’s toy store, a seven-floor megastore that retails toys for kids of all ages and features a café.

If you’re looking for a one-stop shopping experience, then I highly suggest a trip to Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherd’s Bush. Inside you’ll find a cinema, food court, numerous cafes, restaurants, and stores selling anything from clothing to housewares and of course all things for kids! Check out the centre’s three family rooms where you can change diapers, nurse in a private room, and warm up food using their microwave. There’s even a miniature play area on the ground floor!  If you’re there on a Monday, why not see if Ciao Baby Cucina is hosting their Mummy Mornings coffee club?

Marylebone Station

Public Transportation is plentiful!
All buses have a designated area for you to park your stroller and most cars on the train have them too. Children under age five travel for free when riding with a valid adult ticket holder. Travelling by tube is quick and convenient but bear in mind that not all stations have elevators or escalators. Most of the major stations now have restrooms and baby changing facilities but remember to always carry change for entry. You may check the Transport for London website for further information on fares, directions, maps and other transport news.  

Hyde Park

Beautiful green spaces abound!
Be sure to visit the children’s playground at Hyde Park. It is especially stunning at Christmastime when they host Winter Wonderland, which consists of an outdoor German market, rides such as a huge Ferris wheel and a haunted fun house, food stalls, and vendors selling a variety of gift options. Be sure to try a cup of mulled cider – an English winter season tradition! 

My other favorite parks in or near Central London include: Regent’s Park (which offers the London Zoo and a puppet theatre), Coram’s Fields (in Bloomsbury with its pet’s corner, picnic area, and more), St. James’s Park (with a delightful playground), and Battersea Park (for its children’s zoo and adventure playground).

Bridgette Shima lives in Southwest London with her husband and one-year-old son. She is a stay-at-home mom who writes about where to go with kids in Greater London as well as her personal experience as a new mom, an American expat, and a traveller on her blog Eat. Drink. Potty. Play.

What is your favorite family-friendly London attraction or activity? Leave a comment below!

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Your baby or toddler can travel with ease and style this summer with a Traveller and a Wriggle Wrapper, both made by Phil & Teds. JoggerMom offers these products as well as many others that make travel easier for parents. Read on to find out how to win this pair of prizes, worth a total of nearly $250!

Traveller
• A light travel crib that weighs just 5.5 pounds!  
• Compact alternative to traditional travel cribs, which can weigh up to 30 pounds.
• Easily stowed in an airplane’s overhead compartment or in your baggage.
• A perfect crib to leave at grandma’s house.
• Sets up in mere minutes.
• Great for camping!
• For newborns through age 3.

Wriggle Wrapper
• Easily attaches to any chair with a back to create an instant portable highchair.
• Secures baby to an adult single bed for safe naps on the go.
• Good for long weekends away or even just for naps at the neighbor’s house.
• Folds up to take along in the luggage or diaper bag.
• Weighs just 2 pounds.
• Machine washable.
• For babies from newborns (or 6 months for sitting function) through 24 months.

JoggerMom
These prizes are provided by JoggerMom.com, which caters to moms and dads interested in fitness, parents of multiples, traveling parents, and parents looking for the perfect stroller, jogger, baby carrier, or stroller accessory to fit their family’s needs.

Kelly Morse is the creator of JoggerMom and the mother of four children (a set of triplets and one singleton).  She was inspired to start her company while attending a stroller fitness class. She says, “I kept noticing that the mommies pushing the (strollers with small wheels) were always in the back of the class. I was pushing all four of my kiddos the first few months of class so I could not understand why they would want to work harder than they had to pushing a smaller wheeled stroller. The bigger the tire, the easier it is to push.”

For the perfect travel stroller, Kelly recommends the Baby Jogger City Mini. She says, “It is a full service stroller with a very compact style.”

Enter to Win!
You can win the Joggermom Summer Travel Prize Pack which includes a Phil & Teds Traveller ($199.99 retail value) plus a Phil & Teds Wriggle Wrapper ($49.99 retail value). This contest ends on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. A winner will be chosen at random using Random.org. The winner will be notified via email. If the prize is not claimed within one week, another winner will be selected. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED. Find out who won!

Choose your entry method below and enter once, twice, or up to three times. It’s up to you! Leave a separate comment for each entry. Each method of entry can be used one time. 

1) Make a comment below below about why you would like to win the JoggerMom Summer Travel Prize Pack. (Please be specific. Comments like, “I want to win!” will be disqualified.)

2) Tweet about this contest on Twitter by copying and pasting the entire phrase below. Be sure to post a comment with a link to your tweet!

Celebrate summer travel! Enter to win $250 in travel gear from @JoggerMom on @TravelMamas http://bit.ly/bU79Iz

3) Sign up to receive the JoggerMom e-newsletter. Afterwards, post another comment below indicating that you signed up for the e-newsletter.

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I am happy to announce my partnership with Best Family Travel Advice! If you are looking for help with packing, places to go, things to do, activities for kids, ANYTHING to do with family travel…throw it at us and we’ll do our best to get you expert travel advice to meet your needs. The best family travel blogs have teamed up to provide a one-stop travel question and answer shop. All you have to do is ask. That’s it!

So who is on this panel of experts with me? Debbie Dubrow of Delicious Baby, Corine McDermott of Have Baby Will Travel, Jamie Pearson of Travel Savvy Mom, and many other family travel bloggers extraordinaires!

Try to stump us…I dare you!

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Last weekend I was in New York City to attend the Travel Blogger’s Exchange (TBEX) Conference with 300 or so fellow travel lovers. Some of what the city and the conference had to offer was just what I expected, but there were a few surprises along the way too.

New York City Rooftop View

I’m pretty sure I’ve missed the TBEX train of posts about the conference. Even though I’m The Travel Mama, the “Mama” portion of that name comes first, with the traveling and writing aspects of my life sometimes getting stowed in the overhead compartment. Oh well, here are my thoughts nonetheless…

New York City was downright friendly.
The last time I visited New York was 11 years ago when I was first dating my now husband and I felt a little intimidated by the gruff attitude of the city’s rushing populace. Ordering a coffee the right way seemed like a feat in itself that could result in being sent to the back of the line à la Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi. It wasn’t just my youthful age either; by that time I had already traveled to twenty-something countries, to many of which I journeyed alone. Now, while New Yorkers are still in a hurry, everyone seemed willing (eager even!) to show off their town. And for good reason!

The subways were a pleasant surprise.
I did not expect to find the subways as clean as they were. Again, I’m comparing to my last experience in New York City over a decade ago, but I remember practically wading through a sea of subway tickets in the underground train stations. Today everyone reloads their Metro cards and apparently discards used single ride tickets neatly in the trash dispensers. Way to go green, NYC!

I found a great hotel with lots of room for families to spread out.
One of the hotels recommended to conference attendees (at a special TBEX rate) was the artsy, boutique place, The Roger Smith Hotel. I split a two-bedroom suite with three other blogger moms. The suite was bigger than many New York apartments and came with a microwave, a mini fridge, and enough room for all of us to sleep comfortably. This would make a great option for a family looking for extra room to in which to spread out while visiting the city.

The networking and the chatting was beyond fun.
My favorite part of any blogger meet up is talking with people who are just as crazed about Word Press, Google Analytics, and pixels as I am. This was doubly the case at TBEX because I got to cavort with gobs of people who love to travel as much as I do. This weekend was like giving a kid an hour and $100 to go spend in a toy store…so many great bloggers…so little time!

Out for an Indian dinner with some of my all-time favorite travel bloggers (from left to right): Amy of The Q Family Adventures, Jennifer of The Vacation Gals, Debbie of Travel Dither, Jody of Family Rambling, Kara of The Vacation Gals, Moi, and Sharlene Earnshaw of Double the Adventure

The PR reps rocked.
You know what was so great about the public relations folks at this conference? They made an effort to truly get to know those in attendance and understand which bloggers would be a good fit for their brands. As the blogging world gets bigger and more influential, many companies are jumping on the blogger bandwagon without much idea of where that wagon’s headed or why. These PR folks spent time connecting with the attendees and most of the companies were a good fit for a conference specifically targeted at travel bloggers. Examples? Marriott San Juan, Vail Resorts, and TripAdvisor, just to name a few.

You had me at travel bloggers’ conference.
Even with a few bumps in the programming, the TBEX conference was an incredible experience for those obsessed with seeing the globe. Beyond the social and networking aspects, there was also a stellar speech given by travel blogging phenomenon Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere and lively panel discussions with such esteemed travel writers as Evelyn Hannon of Journeywoman.

The conference was a bit disorganized.
Kim Mance, Go Galavanting editor and the mastermind behind TBEX, has admitted that she is a writer, not a conference organizer and has thus hired someone to take on that role for the 2011 TBEX conference in Vancouver. I understand that TBEX grew much bigger than a small gathering for drinks, as was its original intention. Still, I hope things are a wee bit better structured next year, with sessions starting on time, technical difficulties kept to a minimum, chairs provided for all at hosted lunches, and nametags held in some semblance of alphabetical order rather than strewn silly-willy across a table.

Break-out sessions would have been nice.
It’s hard to be all things to all people. For much of the actual learning portion of the conference I was B-O-R-E-D. This is not to say that the speakers weren’t good, but a few of the topics covered were simply not of interest to me. For example, I have no desire to incorporate podcasts or video blogging to my site (at this time, anyway) so while others found this fascinating, it was ho-hum for me. Plus, sitting for hours in a big lecture hall is sure to put even the most dedicated of students to sleep. TBEX attendees were at a wide range of levels of their bloggerdom. Some (like Johnny Jet and World Hum) have been at it for a very, very long time. Others may have started just a few months ago. Certainly, these bloggers on opposite ends of the blogging spectrum have differing needs and interests when it comes to what they would like to get out of a conference. With the No Blogger Left Behind approach, I felt a little underwhelmed.

I’d prefer a more-inclusive environment.
There seemed to be a definite preference for backpack/independent travel at the TBEX 2010 conference that I don’t necessarily subscribe to. I loved traveling during college with nothing but the backpack on my shoulders and a Let’s Go Europe! in my hand. I think everyone should experience the freedom that comes from seeing the world alone at one point in their lives. However, I’ve been there, done that. I’m ready for high thread count sheets, private bathrooms, and preferably a fancy pool with a waterslide. My friend, Kara Williams over at The Vacation Gals, covers this more thoroughly in her post Reflections on TBEX ‘10 and Travel Blogging.

The hangovers.
Certainly not everyone was drinking too much at TBEX, but many of us were. And the hangovers during the sessions on Sunday were apparent in many of the attendees’ faces. In fact, when the Canadian Visitors’ Bureau announced they would be hosting the next Travel Bloggers Exchange, one of the representatives joked, “Well, we know you guys like to drink…so we’ll have alcohol for you in Vancouver!”

This Central Park fountain seemed to be the only oasis of relief from the hot New York day for tourists and locals who took a dip in its water to cool off

The heat.
The ugly stepsister at TBEX was the muggy weather. The day after the conference had officially ended, my friend, Jody Halstead of Family Rambling, and I took a long walk through Central Park. The grounds were gorgeous but it was hard to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings when simply taking a stroll made it us look as though we had just stepped out of a steamy shower of hot glue.
 

Will I go to TBEX next year?
I already bought my early bird ticket and I plan to be there. I’ll take any chance I can to hang out with people who are wacky enough to devote a good portion of their lives attempting to perfect packing, finding a great hotel deal, and climbing to the top of the tallest building around for an aerial view.

I’m hoping the hubs and kids can join me in Vancouver for a few days (AFTER the conference)!
Vancouver is toward the top of my very, very long list of places I would like to someday visit. I’ve heard it’s an extremely family-friendly city that I’d love to experience with my kids…and then share our experiences with you!

You don’t blog?
If you don’t write a blog and you made it to the end of this story, I am equal parts shocked, pleased, and embarrassed. Surely, throughout this story you were thinking, “What is this crazy lady writing about? Where’s the packing list and bulleted quick travel tips? Why do these freaks need a conference and who is reading all of those dang travel blogs anyway?” Here are my responses: 1) Whatever strikes my fancy, 2) Click on the links above, 3) Because sometimes the only way to feel normal is to surround yourself with craziness, 4) I have no idea!

Did you go to TBEX this year or do you plan to go next year? Do you have  thoughts to share about New York City as a vacation destination? Please leave a comment below!

You might also like:

• Disney’s “World of Color” Premiere & My Red Carpet Hullaballoo

• New York City Holiday Travel Tips for Families

• New York City’s Best Sites, Activities, and Restaurants for Kids

• Plan a Girlfriend Getaway…and Appreciate Home More

Thank you to everyone who entered the JetSetBabies contest on TravelMamas.com! Two lucky parents will receive $50 to spend at JetSetBabies, a site that delivers baby and toddler supplies (like diapers, formula, and baby food) and other goodies (such as bath and sand toys) to hotels and homes around the world.

One winner was chosen at random from all of the comments made to the story, Travel with a Baby or Toddler Made Easy with JetSetBabies. Congratulations to Kimberly, who said about JetSetBabies, “This is a great idea. It should limit the number of trips to Walgreens for forgotten items!”

Another winner was selected specifically from attendants of the Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX) Conference 2010 in New York City. While the conference was flush with travel bloggers, parents of babies and toddlers were harder to come by. Of the four TBEX entrants, Andrew of the Brooklyn Nomad was selected at random. Andrew said, “I am planning my first road trip with the little nomad for this summer or early fall. Would come in handy for sure.”

Want to try this handy service out yourself? Don’t forget you can receive a 10% discount at JetSetBabies just by entering the code “travelmamas” at check-out.

Have you ever used JetSetBabies? I’d love to hear your thoughts about this fabulous service for traveling parents in the comments below!

You might also like:

• 4 Packing Sanity Savers

• Savvy Sassy Mom Travel Picks for Kids

• The Most Important Item to Pack…A Bucket!

• Top 10 Travel Tips from Parents of Tots

A note from the Travel Mama: Thank you JetSetBabies for sponsoring this contest and my travel to the Travel Bloggers Exchange Conference!

Last week I asked parents to share their favorite travel tips for a chance to win a Marriott Tots Travel Too gift pack of goodies. From sentimental to practical, here are my top 10 travel tip picks from among the 56 entries.

Sentimental Tip
• “Don’t get bummed because your child/children got cranky or didn’t want to take a picture with their favorite character. Because before you know it they are going to be bigger, older, and not want to do the pictures or vacations. So take lots of pictures with them cranky or not so you and them can remember the moment of when they were young, impressionable, little and still love vacations as long as it is with their parents!” – Chacoy

Generous Idea
• “We buy drinks (for) our fellow travelers in the seats in front and behind us as a thanks for putting up with baby’s ups and downs during the flight.”
- Mena

Timing Tip
“Always plan in an extra half hour or hour. It his hard with little kids to stick to a strict schedule, so take your time.”
- Louis

Impromptu Solution
• “When all else fails grab the airline magazine and search for pictures of dogs. If your toddler loves puppies it works every time.” – Gen

Eating Tip
• “My best travel tip is bring your own snacks and have plenty on water available for your kiddos at all times.” – Kerrie G

Think-Like-A-Kid Tactic
• “When my kids were too young to understand the concept of time, they still asked the question that all parents dread When will we get there? To give them an answer that they could understand, we would tell them in terms of their favorite TV shows. So one half-hour would be, We will be there in one Barney. The answer seemed to satisfy them because they understood how long the Barney show lasted.” – Annette D 

Packing Tips 
• ”My travelling tip: bring more diapers, wipes, and formula than you think you’ll need. And don’t forget to bring your patience and a sense of humor!” – Sarah V.

• “Lots and lots of baby wipes. You can use them to clean stick hands, clean off a table before lunch or clean up a mess in the car.” – Meredith

• “Make a list of what you need to pack. Make the list way in advance so you can review it several times. As you pack, cross each item off the list as it goes in the bag. Check the list as you walk out the door. That will help you from forgetting things that can only be packed last minute such as a favorite toy, or a sleep machine. You could get fancy and computerize/save the list!” – harmskills

(Hey! Travel Mamas makes this one a cinch! Print out one of our packing lists before your next trip. There are spaces for you to add extra items to meet your family’s needs and to suit your destination.)

Winning Tip
I had a very tough time choosing the best tip from the 56 entries but only one lucky Travel Mama (or Travel Daddy) could win. I tried to pick a tip that was practical and universal, yet unique. Here’s the winner…

• “Keep a stash of fun stuff to do (toys, activities, etc.) that only comes out on long trips, that way the items stay fun and exciting and hold the attention of little ones longer.” – Hattie

Travel Mama Hattie, a mom of two from Minnesota, will receive the Tots Travel Too gift pack from Marriott (pictured above). Congratulations!

Marriott’s Tots Travel Too Program
Marriott makes families comfortable and safe with its Tots Travel Too Program, which provides such amenities as a freshly laundered COVERPLAY travel crib slip cover, outlet covers, nightlights, tot-friendly toiletries, bath toys, and even disposable bibs.

For more travel tips from parents like you, including those submitted for the Travel Mamas contest, check out TheMotherhood!

You might also like:

• Do You Care about Keeping Your Child Safe when Flying?

• Marriott Loves Tots Who Travel

• Travel Tips from the Travel Mama

• Your Travel Questions Answered

A note from the Travel Mama: I am working in partnership with Marriott and Global Influence – a Resourceful Mommy Media network – to cover the Marriott Tots Travel Too program and have received a stipend.

This weekend I’m excited to be attending the Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX) Conference in New York with 200+ travel lovin’ bloggers and public relations peeps. I can’t wait to see some familiar friends and meet many other writers whose blogs I love to read! 

New York City’s Central Park

It seemed crazy to fly all the way from California for just a couple of days so I’ll be staying a tad longer to see some sites. Since I’m in a New York state of mind I thought I’d re-post New York City’s Best Sites, Activities, and Restaurants for Kids, which is full of fabulous tips from a Travel Mama who KNOWS New York – Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids Author Meryl Pearlstein. She gives the scoop for the best the city has to offer kids from babies to teens.

I’m going alone but I still think I want to check out what Meryl calls the Best Museum for Children of All Ages, the American Museum of Natural History. We’re all kids at heart, after all! But what I really, really, really want to do is head over to Serendipity3 to try out their famous Frozen Hot Chocolate!

I am so thankful to JetSetBabies for sponsoring my travel to New York! They offer baby and toddler supplies like diapers, formula, bath and beach toys, and more delivered to hotels and homes worldwide. Enter to win a $50 JetSetBabies gift certificate!

Which New York City site do you think I should be sure to see? Leave a comment below to let me know and I’ll try to squeeze it in!

Marriott is going above and beyond to make sure its youngest guests are welcomed, comfortable, and safe at more than 2,500 Marriott brand hotels with its new Tots Travel Too program. To celebrate, Marriott wants to give you an opportunity to win a Tots Travel Too gift pack! Read on to find out more about the program and how you can enter to win.

The complimentary Tots Travel Too program provides parents with a travel crib and laundered COVERPLAY removable crib slipcover. Outlet covers and nightlights are available to keep baby safe and secure away from home. Even toiletries for tots and disposable bibs are on-hand. Plus Marriott will give your wee one an adorable squirting tub toy for bath-time fun to take home with you.

With many airlines requiring payment for checked baggage, gone are the days when it was easy to just bring along your own travel crib. A few months ago, I recommended COVERPLAY as a convenient way to keep cribs germ-free while traveling in Your Travel Questions Answered.

Now your baby can sleep soundly and healthfully at any Marriott brand hotel in a crib protected with a cover that mom and dad know has been cleaned just for your family. In partnership with COVERPLAY, Marriott has had slipcovers specifically designed to match the décor at all of their brand locations, which include Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, and TownePlace Suites.

 
Enter to Win!
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. To find out who won, see Top 10 Travel Tips from Parents of Tots.

One lucky Travel Mama or Travel Daddy will win a Tots Travel Too gift pack, which includes:

• COVERPLAY travel crib slipcover and matching sheet in a Marriott-exclusive polka-dot pattern.

• Bibs to Go Book by Dwell, a waterproof pad of 20 full-color illustrations, each of which tears off to become a disposable, tab-closure bib.

• Animal Party Tub Squirties by ElegantBaby made with non-toxic paint and phthalate-free PVC.

To enter, simply leave a comment below with a tip for traveling with babies or children. That’s it!

I will choose the winner based on what I believe is the best travel tip.  The deadline for the giveaway is Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. All tips will be posted at The Motherhood after the contest has concluded. Approximate retail value is $78.

Do You Blog?
You do NOT need to write a blog to enter! But if you do, please be sure to leave your blog name and URL for inclusion the tip list on The Motherhood. Plus, the winner’s blog name and URL will be included a press release.

Do You Tweet?
Be sure to join us for a Twitter Party on July 1 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm Pacific Standard Time where tips from The Motherhood circle will be shared, the Tots Travel Too program will be discussed and you will have a chance to win over $2,000 in prizes! The hashtag for the party is #TotsTravel2.

Another Chance to Win!
Enter another fun Travel Mamas contest for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to JetSetBabies to have supplies like diapers, formula, baby food, and toys sent to your hotel worldwide.
 

You might also like:

• Best Travel Toys and Activities for Kids, from Babies to Teens

• 10 Most Popular Travel Mamas Blog Posts

• Top 10 Disneyland Rides and Attractions for Babies and Toddlers

• Travel Tips from the Travel Mama

A note from the Travel Mama: I am working in partnership with Marriott and Global Influence – a Resourceful Mommy Media network – to cover the Marriott Tots Travel Too program and have received a stipend.

Attending Disney’s “World of Color” premiere at Disney’s California Adventure Park was THE most fun I can remember having in a long, long, long time!

Red Carpet
Before the show, I was given a press pass and a spot on the red carpet (actually it was blue) along with about 20 other blogging moms. I was a bit unprepared for the red carpet hullaballoo.

Let me start by saying I have a silly little camera. Don’t get me wrong…it’s a darling Cannon model and it gets the job done, but I certainly don’t look like anyone special walking around with my grape-colored pocket camera.

Secondly, I write about travel with children. While I have conducted interviews with authors, childcare experts, and traveling parents, I don’t know a thing about interviewing celebrities. I learned what little I do know about interviewing celebrities on the red carpet from watching Joan Rivers or Kathy Griffin asking celebs who designed their clothing.

So, I was a little flustered when Actress Teri Hatcher came right up to me and said, “So, do you have a tape recorder? And what would you like to ask me?” or something like that (I don’t have a tape recorder, so I’m paraphrasing here).

Teri Hatcher taking photos with fans on Disney’s “World of Color” blue carpet

I said, “I just love your dress – that green is fabulous on you,” being sure to smile a lot and seem very confident. Thank goodness Janice from 5MinutesforMom.com was standing next to me and quickly whipped a recording device from her bag and started asking questions. (Janice has a real, important-looking camera too!)

Hatcher is an adorable bitty thing. She seemed quite interested in talking to the mom bloggers about her project, Get Hatched, a section of DisneyFamily.com that offers “A chick’s guide to life.” Hatcher said something about wanting to connect with moms and blah, blah, blah. I was too busy nodding and smiling to really understand the words that were coming out of her mouth.

Disney CEO Bob Iger chatting with the mom bloggers

For some reason, all of the VIPs who stopped by the mom blogger area seemed to come directly to me. So, I also met Geena Davis, Jodi Benson (the voice of Disney’s Ariel), and Disney CEO Bob Iger, as well as a bunch of other Disney muckety-mucks. Marcy from The Glamorous Life asked Iger if he reads blogs, to which he responded something like, “I do read blogs. I am on the computer a lot. I like to stay on to on top of what the mom community thinks about Disney. You are the pulse of that community, so if you all are not happy with what Disney is doing, then moms are not happy with us. Our goal is to keep moms happy.”

Jason Segel from “How I Met Your Mother”

Other celebrities in attendance included Jason Segel who plays Marshall Eriksen on my favorite TV sitcom, “How I Met Your Mother,” Jamie Lee Curtis, actor/comedian Wayne Brady, and my grade school crush, John Stamos (yes, he IS hot in-person), among others.

The Show
A lot of people are equating Disney’s “World of Color” with the Bellagio fountain show in Las Vegas. Let me put it this way, if Bellagio is a four on a scale of one to 10, “World of Color” is a 10. Yes, it’s that good. Clips from Disney movies (from “Fantasia” to “Toy Story” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”) are projected onto a screen formed of water. The show is beautiful, colorful, fun, touching, and at times, breathtaking…what more could you ask for?

A scene from “World of Color” featuring Ariel

The day after the premiere, I had a chance to sit down with some of the Disney minds behind the “World of Color”. Chuck Davis, the technical producer of the show, said, “Our goal was to give people something they’ve never, ever seen before.”

The show starts with Tinkerbelle and Walt Disney’s quote, “Every child is blessed with a vivid imagination” flying across a curtain of misty water. According to Steve Davison, vice president of parades and spectaculars for Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment, that’s exactly what the show is all about.

The show is intended for an audience of all ages. Sayre Wiseman, a show producer for “World of Color” proudly told a story about how after her hard-to-impress teenage son saw the show for the first time, “He said, ‘Wow, Mom! That was incredible!’ And I don’t think it was because I’m involved with the show. I think he was really just blown away.”

Davison promises the show will always evolve. He said, “Scenes may come and go. I don’t want “World of Color” to be stuck in time.” Disney plans to include special scenes for holiday celebrations too. Davison said, “New Year’s Eve will be like no other now.”

I am pictured above (second from left) with some of my new mom blogger friends

The After-Party
I would have enjoyed the “World of Color” all that much more if I hadn’t been shivering, in need of using the restroom, and starving throughout. So, the minute the show ended, I was on a mission to resolve those issues. Appetizers gobbled, potty break taken, hot pink Mickey sweatshirt purchased, I was able to relax and enjoy a couple of hours of kid-free, all-out fun!

My glowing blue martini at the “World of Color” premiere party

The rest of Disney’s California Adventure park was closed besides Paradise Pier, which is where I partied down with my fellow bloggers, media members, and a few lingering celebrities. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning as I rode California’s Screamin’ roller coaster (no line, of course) and then one of my favorite Disney rides, Toy Story Mania (FOUR times!). There was dancing, live bands, carnival games, petite savory snacks, delectable desserts, and glowing blue martinis. Disneyland truly knows how to throw a party! I can’t remember an evening when I’ve had more fun!

Join the Fun!
The 25-minute “World of Color” will be presented twice nightly throughout the summer, at 9:00 pm and 10:15 pm. (It will continue beyond the summer as well, just not as frequently.) There are a few ways to secure a spot for watching this magnificent show.

FASTPASS
You can obtain a FASTPASS to secure a spot to watch the show. The FASTPASS for “World of Color” will be available each morning at the Grizzly River Run FASTPASS terminals. You can insert your park ticket into the terminal to obtain a FASTPASS ticket for the show, and you will be assigned a specific show time. As with other FASTPASS attractions, a limited number of passes are available for “World of Color”. When all of the day’s FASTPASS allotment has been distributed, Grizzly River Run terminals will convert back to distributing the Grizzly River Run FASTPASS tickets.

Boxed Picnic Meal with Reserved Viewing
Beginning June 11, 2010 (date subject to change), you can go online and order a special boxed picnic meal that includes “World of Color” Reserved Viewing. All picnic meals with “World of Color” Reserved Viewing are priced at $14.99. Picnic meals may be ordered online – or by walk-up purchase, subject to availability, at the Sonoma Terrace, Golden Vine Winery. They are not available for order via the 714/781-DINE line. Reserved viewing tickets will indicate return time, location and show time. You can choose from four selections for grown-ups and three options just for kids.

Prix Fixe Meals with Preferred Viewing
Prix fixe meals are available at both Ariel’s Grotto and the newly redesigned Wine Country Trattoria restaurants, and they come with “World of Color” Preferred Viewing. You can order from a varied menu of seafood, meat and vegetarian options at Ariel’s Grotto (current price: $36.99 for adults; $20.99 for children ages three to nine) or a selection of Italian cuisine at Wine Country Trattoria (current price; $39.99 for adults; $18.99 for children ages three to nine). Prix fixe meals must be reserved, at 714/781-DINE. Keep in mind that Ariel and the other princesses will not be present for the “World of Color” meals but will still be joining diners for breakfast and lunch.

Should you go see Disney’s “World of Color” in-person with your own eyes? Ummm….hello…YES! Until then, check out this video to get a taste of the show.

 
Do you have any thoughts or questions about Disney’s “World of Color”? Leave a comment below! (Oh! And…next time I am given an opportunity to meet with celebrities, what questions would you like me to ask? I need some help!)

A note from the Travel Mama: I received free entrance to Disneyland as well as accommodations and some meals as part of the media preview of Disney’s “World of Color”.

Want to make traveling with a baby or toddler easier? Then you need to know about JetSetBabies! Enter to win one of two $50 JetSetBabies gift certificates. Read on to find out how!

The Birth of JetSetBabies
Necessity is the mother of all invention and Patty Opoien is a mother who invented JetSetBabies after searching for a company that could deliver baby supplies to her destination for a trip with her two young children. She says, “I was stressing a little on how I would handle all of our luggage and the kids in the airport and got the idea to shop and ship ahead my baby items. I looked on the Internet and couldn’t find any store that handled just baby supplies.” That was in 2000, and JetSetBabies has been delivering baby supplies to hotels and homes around the world ever since.

Making Travel Easier for Families
JetSetBabies offers a wide selection of baby products for traveling parents, such as diapers, baby food and formula, toys, and bath-time necessities. Pre-made Travel Packs are available for the beach, slopes, pool, or woods. These customizable bundles make ordering supplies for a weekend or weeklong vacation easy and fun.

Customer Service is Key
It is the high level of customer service that JetSetBabies provides that Patty believes sets the company apart. JetSetBabies calls hotels to ensure every single package arrives on time. She says, “We treat every customer like our best customer. I called and verified some information for someone who had ordered one $4 item. They were shocked that we had treated them so special – like they were our best customer.”

Patty with her two kids in Seattle (2007)

A True Travel Mama
Patty’s babies are older now but they still love to travel. Patty and her kids, Anna (age nine) and Aaron (age 15) take one big vacation and several smaller trips every year. The kids love visiting amusement parks but Patty’s favorite vacation was a trip to Seattle and Vancouver, followed by a journey home to Minnesota aboard the Canadian Rail.

Travel Advice
Patty advises parents traveling with young children to bring along favorite blankets, toys, and pacifiers as well as some undiscovered items. She says, “I’ve gotten through long waits at the airport, long plane rides and other delays by bringing out brand new items never seen….and it doesn’t have to be store bought toys. We have gotten so much mileage out of a little box filled with old key rings, cotton balls, or plastic measuring spoons.” 

She also suggests letting little ones out of the stroller to explore while traveling. Patty says, “They get more out of the trip and it tires them out so they sleep better in a strange place. My daughter has never ridden in a stroller. When she was young I carried her in a sling. She was walking by ten-months-old and she walked everywhere! She has a fabulous sense of adventure.”

A Second Business for Babies
Patty’s second business, Baby Showers by Mail, grew out of requests from customers wanting to ship diapers as a gift to new parents. Their best-selling product is the Year Supply of Diapers. Patty says, “We ship out the new mom a welcome kit that explains how to order diapers, and then the moms call or e-mail every month with their brand and size and we ship out a case of diapers each month.”      

Passion for Helping Parents
What does Patty like most about running JetSetBabies and Baby Showers by Mail? “I love the challenges of running my own business. I also love the customers. I can relate most to moms and love being able to calm their fears about traveling with a little one – and making their lives so much easier.”

Save 10% Off Your Order
Make traveling with a little one easier on your next trip by ordering baby supplies through JetSetBabies. Be sure to enter the code “travelmamas” at check-out to receive a 10% discount off your order!

Enter to Win
Anyone can enter to win a $50 JetSetBabies gift certificate! THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED. Check back in a few days to find out who won!

JetSetBabies is sponsoring a portion of my travel expenses for the Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX) in June 2010. One $50 JetSetBabies gift certificate will be awarded to any entrant and another will be awarded specifically to a TBEX attendee. If you are a TBEX attendee, be sure to note that in your entry below!

This contest ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Saturday, June 26, 2010. The winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified by email. If no response is received within one week, the first winner will forfeit the prize and another entrant will be selected.

You can enter a maximum of four times, using each method of entry once. The first option is required for entry. For each bonus entry, you must add an additional, separate comment to this blog post.

• REQUIRED ENTRY: Leave any story-related comment below. Please be specific! Generic comments like, “I want to win” will be disqualified.

• BONUS ENTRY: Follow @TravelMamas on Twitter and tweet this contest. Be sure to add a link to your tweet below! Copy and paste the following phrase into Twitter:

I want to win $50 from @JetSetBabies on @TravelMamas to make traveling with a baby or toddler easier! http://bit.ly/9pnvSs

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Fan of Travel Mamas on Facebook. Then submit a comment on the Travel Mamas Fan Page about WHY you’d like to win a $50 JetSetBabies gift certificate. Be sure to come back here and repeat the phrase in a separate comment on this blog post!

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Travel Mama to receive bimonthly e-newsletter updates. If you already receive the e-newsletter, that counts! Just be sure to make a comment below saying that you are on the distribution list!

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If you are asking, “What’s a vision board?” – obviously you are not nearly as obsessed with Oprah as I am. So, I’ll give you the scoop. A vision board is collage representing things you would like to attract to your life. You can cut pictures and phrases out of magazines or print them from websites and include your own photos in the collage. You glue the images and words onto a piece of poster board and place it somewhere you can see it on a regular basis (mine is hanging on the bulletin board in my home office). Then you sit back and wait for the magic to happen!

My friends, Genevieve and Jennifer, creating vision boards at my party

A couple years ago it seemed everyone and her sister were showing up on Oprah with their magical vision boards, so I signed up the hubs and I for a vision board class. He made a great board…but mine…meh. I couldn’t find enough photos to accurately represent my passion for travel. Plus, I put a big photo of wine glasses being clinked together because 1) I like wine and 2) the photo embodied joy and friendship to me. But then I worried, would such a large picture dedicated to alcohol turn me into a wine-o?

I resolved to make another, better vision board filled with the things I truly wanted to attract into my life. I’m a busy lady. I’ve got two darling, demanding children. I’ve got one darling, demanding blog. I have magazine deadlines to contend with and I’ve been working on revising my book proposal for my agent. And that husband of mine, well, he requires attention too.

So, the board never got made. I knew what had to be done. I had to throw a vision board party!

Another party guest, Holly, creating her vision board

Why throw a vision board party?
- It forces you to set aside the time needed to create a vision board to draw positive things into your life.

- You will have more magazines from which to select your images and phrases.

- It’s a great excuse to get the girlies together for a night of fun!

A party wouldn’t be a party without some food and drinks!

How to plan a vision board party?
-Invite your friends.  Keep the party to a manageable number – say six to 12 girlfriends (or however many can squeeze in around your kitchen or dining room table). Don’t bother with paper invitations; just send an email invite. The point is to de-stress your life, not add more unneeded tasks! Be sure not to invite any Debbie Downers to the shindig. You don’t need that kind of energy messing up your vision board.

- Request a few things. Ask everyone to bring a pair of scissors, a stack of old magazines, and an appetizer, dessert, or a bottle of vino.

- Head to the store. Once you have a rough idea of how many people will be attending the party, purchase a handful of glue sticks, one poster board per person, a snack to share, and some drinkies.

Here’s my vision board!

What to do at the vision board party?
- Start with introductions and intentions. If everyone doesn’t know each other, or even if they do, go around the table stating your name and what you hope to achieve with your vision board. (For me? Balance, less stress, family time, good health, love, a deeper connection with nature…and, of course, travel!). We didn’t actually do this at my vision board party, but it sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?!

- Get to work. Clip those magazines to shreds. Lay out a general design for your board. I think it’s a good idea to put a strong image of your central intention in the center of your board. Mine is of a woman balancing on one hand in front of a waterfall. For me it represents strength, peace, balance, and beauty.

- Glue everything on THAT night! Some of my friends had to leave early and took their clippings and board home separately with the intention to paste it together later. That was a few weeks ago. Their boards still haven’t been finished.

- Leave some white space. This gives you room to add additional images as you find them. (I still need to add a picture of Oprah to my board…’cause ya never know!) Plus the white space allows room for serenity on your board. If there is too much chaos, you might just draw chaos to your life!

- Be open to how your intentions may be realized. Work toward goals but understand that your desires might manifest in a different way than you imagined. (I’ve got a great example of how something I wished for came to me from a totally unexpected source. It’s still a secret though…one I can’t wait to share with you someday!)

- Eat. Drink. Be merry!

What do you think about vision boards? Leave a comment below!

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A note from The Travel Mama: CalNaturale provided us with two complimentary bottles of wine to sample at the party. CalNaturale wines are made from organic grapes and come in eco-friendly packaging. The gals at the party who tend to like a crisp white wine preferred the chardonnay while the red wine lovers enjoyed the full-bodied cabernet. Thank you CalNaturale for the tasty wine!

It’s always exciting when I get feedback about how this site helps traveling families! Over the past couple of months, a few websites have written about TravelMamas.com and I wanted to share their stories and tell you about the rockin’ products and services these sites offer to traveling parents.

Recently Bye Bye with Baby wrote a post entitled, TravelMamas – a GREAT Online Resource! Bye Bye with Baby is a website and iPhone app that lists thousands of places to stop when you are out and about with your baby or child, from nursing rooms and diaper changing stations to family-friendly restaurants and urgent care centers. Sounds like Bye Bye with Baby is a pretty great too!

Another sweet resource for road-tripping parents is Mom Maps. This iPhone app is a fun way to find family-friendly sites while on-the-road. Easily find parks, restaurants, indoor play areas and more reviewed by moms (including some by yours truly)!

Check out this interview on the Boingo blog of…guess who? Me! Need Tips on Traveling with Kids? Ask the Travel Mama. Have you heard of Boingo yet? According to their website, “Boingo is the world’s largest network of Wi-Fi hotspots. We make it easy to get online at more than 125,000 hotspots worldwide – including Starbucks®, hundreds of airports, and thousands of hotels.” Boingo provided me with a free Boingo Wi-Fi account, which works seemlessly!  Ahhh…sweet connection to the web wherever I go!

This Tours4Fun article asks, Hey Travel Mama! Do You Want to Travel with Your Kids and Stay Sane? Of course you do, right?! One way to travel sane with kids is to let someone else do the hard stuff (the planning, research, and scheduling) so you can do the fun stuff (the playing and touring!). Tours4Fun is THE online source for travel tours and vacation packages. Find a tour that fits your family’s needs by type (land, water, air, or independent), price range, length and destination city.

Looking for more resources that make traveling with kids easier and more fun? Check out the Travel Mamas Resource Listings for recommendations on everything from Child-Friendly Accommodations to Travel Toys & Gear.

Got a suggestion for a service or product for traveling parents? Leave a comment below!

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I was asked to share my Top 10 Travel Tips for Parents by BreezyMama.com. I hope you’ll swing by Breezy Mama to check out my round-up of tips!  While you’re there, be sure to enter to win a My Busy Kit to keep your wee ones content while traveling or enter to win a super-stylish Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag.

I was happy to share these tips with a site that, “is for those women who feel that motherhood doesn’t define them. They love being a mom but have no problem admitting it’s hard. They put their best foot forward to make life raising kids mutually enjoyable. It’s not about sacrificing for the kids, but doing things everyone enjoys together.” Sounds like a great approach to motherhood to me!

Read my tips and enter to win now!

See Past Quick Tips.

Each of the five Disneyland character meals has its own feel, special touches, and star character. These meals are a great way to meet many characters in one fell swoop, which frees up park time to enjoy rides, shows, and other attractions rather than waiting in long lines for a brief photo opp. But how do you know which character meal is best for your family? Let me break it down for you…

Most character meals are served buffet-style. I am not a huge fan of buffets but Disney does everything well, and buffets are no exception. For dinner, expect kid-friendly food like macaroni and cheese, pizza, and chicken plus some especially delicious desserts. For breakfast, you will find made-to-order omelets, pastries, Mickey-shaped waffles, and other tasty treats. Ariel’s Grotto is the only character meal option that serves a sit-down, three-course meal of appetizers, main course, and dessert.

Breakfast in the Park with Minnie & Friends
Where?  The Plaza Inn inside Disneyland (so you must have a Disneyland park entrance ticket to dine here).

Meals offered?  Breakfast only.

Characters?  We saw a multitude of characters at this meal, from Minnie herself to Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother.

The Verdict?  Dining with Minnie with a view of Tomorrowland’s Asto Orbitor was a wonderful start to our day at Disneyland. However, I’d rather not “waste” precious park time eating a long breakfast. I suggest eating a character meal at one of the hotels either on the day of arrival or departure to squeeze in some extra Disney magic on a day when you don’t want to spend your money or time at the parks.

Tips?  Be sure to request a seat indoors when you make your reservation and again when you check in so you can get out of the heat or the cold, as the case may be. The pink stained glass mosaics inside are darling, plus you will feel more “a part of the action.”

Chip n’ Dale Critter Breakfast at Storyteller’s Cafe
Where? Storyteller’s Café at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel.

Meals offered? Breakfast only.

Characters? Chip n’ Dale and other woodland characters like Brother Bear and Winnie the Pooh.

The Verdict? Children who have their hearts set on seeing a specific character may be a tad disappointed to be greeted by the array of woodsy creatures here. On the other hand, kids collecting signatures might be pleased to find some off-the-beaten-path characters to sign their autograph books!

Tips?  Don’t follow the characters around the restaurant. Enjoy your meal and they will come to you! (This is true of all Disney character meals.)

Goofy’s Kitchen
Where?  Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel.

Meals offered?  Brunch and dinner.

Characters?  The only character guaranteed to make an appearance at any meal is the meal’s namesake. So, for sure you’ll see Goofy here. You are likely to see other classic characters like Pluto, Donald Duck and the like.

The Verdict?  Watching the kids dance with Goofy was definitely the highlight and added a little something special to this meal. Goofy parades about the restaurant before clumsily “spilling” a bunch of clanking, non-breakable dishes. Then he invites children to join him in making music by banging the dropped plates and bowls.

Tips?  This will soon be the only Disney restaurant offering a character dinner, so if you want to dine with characters in the evening, book this one early!

Ariel’s Disney Princess Celebration
Where?  Ariel’s Grotto in Disney’s California Adventure Resort (so you must have a Disney’s California Adventure entrance ticket to dine here).

Meals Offered?  Breakfast and lunch. In mid-June 2010, dinners at Ariel’s Grotto will no longer feature the princesses. Instead a special World of Color dining experience will be offered here in the evenings only.

Characters?  Ariel and other princesses like Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, and Aurora. Unlike the masked characters, the princesses talk to diners. My husband said to one of the princesses, “You really look like Snow White. Snow White replied in her tiny, bubble gum voice, “Why, whatever do you mean?”

The Verdict?  For a little girl, this is the ultimate treat for a birthday or other celebration. Younger children scared of plush characters will find the princesses less intimidating. My son, Leo, was 19-months-old when we visited and he seemed just as enthralled as his big sister by all of these sweet, beautiful women stopping by his table to say hello. I enjoyed the more relaxing, upscale dining experience of this only sit-down Disney character dining option. Hors d’oeuvres and mini pastries are presented on tiered trays, adding to the fanciful feel of the meal.

Tips?  There is both indoor and outdoor seating at Ariel’s Grotto. Make your preference known when making a reservation and checking in.

Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey & Friends
Where?  Disney’s PCH Grill at the Paradise Pier Hotel.

Meals Offered?  Breakfast only.

Characters?  Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters.

The Verdict?  This is the newest Disneyland character meal. We ate here back when Lilo & Stitch were the title characters. Attendance seemed low to me, probably due to the hotel’s slightly longer walking distance from the theme parks and because Lilo & Stitch don’t draw the crowds like the more well-known characters. It looks like Disney is going all out to draw diners here by having the head cheese himself, Mickey Mouse, as the headliner. I’ve never seen Mickey at any of the other meals, so that just might do it. Plus, this meal offers interactive activities with the characters, who show youngsters how to surf and do the hula hoop.

Tips?  Save a seat for me! Since I haven’t attended this newly-revised character meal, this gives me an excuse to head back to Disneyland to check it out. (All for you, dear readers, all for you!)

More Character Meal Tips
Some young children are fearful of these life-sized cartoon characters. Before attending a character meal, you may want to get your little one acquainted with Disney creatures by reading books featuring Disney characters, watching Mickey Mouse Playhouse or other shows on the Disney Channel, or renting a couple of Disney movies. Also, consider waiting until after your tot has had a day in the parks to get used to the idea of the characters at a distance before plunging into a character meal.

An autograph book brings a whole new, entertaining dimension to the character meal experience. Hold off purchasing one until your child is old enough to appreciate it. My daughter, Karissa, requested her first autograph book at age five and proudly brought it to preschool for “show & tell” the following week.

Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera! Shots of your kids cuddling up to their favorite Disney characters are priceless.

Reservations are recommended for all of the character meals and can be made up to 60 days in advance by calling 714-781-3463. Call as soon as you know you will be attending; you can always cancel later.

What is your favorite Disney character meal? Leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My family and I recently received free passes to Disneyland so that I could review the Breakfast with Minnie at The Plaza Inn. We paid for all of the meals mentioned in this post ourselves. I will always let you know if I receive any complimentary or discounted goods or services in conjunction with a story on TravelMamas.com.

Singapore is an exciting, fast-paced city best known for its diverse culture and ultra-modern tastes. Usually a destination for the business traveler, Singapore is also a great vacation stop for families.

Many visitors are surprised when they first arrive in Singapore. The city has a contemporary, Western appearance and offers a friendly first foray into Southeast Asian culture. English is the primary language, although four official languages are recognized. Due to the tremendous impact of Chinese immigrants in Singapore, family is at the core of the society and great reverence and respect is paid to families, particularly children. It is not uncommon for strangers to comment or even pat young children on the head, so please do not be surprised.

The Climate
Given Singapore’s location, it can be incredibly hot and muggy almost all year. Luckily, the comprehensive system of underground malls and pedestrian tunnels can help you easily escape the heat. Be sure to keep children well hydrated and bring along a sun hat and enough sunscreen for your stay.

Family-Friendly Dining
Singapore is well known for its culinary talents. There are many American-style restaurants for picky eaters. Plus, there are many food courts and hawker centers throughout the city. Not your typical mall fare, these food courts actually offer some of the best food in the city and can be a fun experience, especially for kids.

Sentosa Island
At the heart of family activities in Singapore is the resort island of Sentosa. Sentosa in itself could be a complete vacation featuring something for everyone including: sheltered beaches, shows, a wave house and the new Universal Studios Singapore. If your hotel isn’t on the island, it is a very easy sky tram ride over and there is plenty of parking if you have a rental car. Sentosa does a great job catering to families and offers plenty of special moments. One thing not to miss is the nightly show, Songs of the Sea. This musical celebration uses pyrotechnics, water jets and computer imagery to create an amazing evening that will entertain kids of all ages. Sentosa’s theme park attractions are a little pricey though and not different from anything you can find in the U.S.

At statue of “Merlion,” the half-fish/half-lion symbol of Singapore, on Sentosa Island

Singapore Zoo
One of my absolute favorite things to do in Singapore is to visit the phenomenal Singapore Zoo. The zoo specializes in animal displays that are open, using moats and hidden fences to keep the animals in and the people out. After a few minutes you feel like you are part of the exhibits rather than just a voyeur.

A feature that I particularly love is the opportunity to feed a variety of animals. Every day the zoo offers visitors the ability to feed more than 20 different animals, from jaguars to manatees. You pay a nominal fee for the food and then wait your turn to feed the remarkable animals.

To truly enjoy the zoo properly, you should plan to spend most of the day there. If you have the time, also make sure to stay for the zoo’s night safari. This unique adventure is the first of its kind in the world and takes visitors on an exploration of the zoo’s nocturnal animals. You begin with a tour on a tram, exploring the darkest reaches of the zoo’s jungle before a guided walking tour where you will learn about the nighttime habits of the zoo’s many residents. If your family likes animals, this is a must do activity. The zoo also offers a buffet style dinner at one of its restaurants, but that option is a little pricey and not worth the cost.

Feeding rhinos at the Singapore Zoo

Singapore Science Center
Another popular family attraction is the Singapore Science Center. After a few days you come to the realization that Singapore does everything well, and its museums are no exception. The expansive science center has more than 1,000 displays covering a variety of science topics including aviation, robotics and astronomy. What makes this a great destination for kids is that so many of the exhibits are extremely interactive and allow people of all ages to play and learn. One of my favorite programs is the Discovery Zone, which is specifically designed for children aged four to 12.

No matter what you choose to do, everyone in your family will love the exciting, multi-cultural city-state of Singapore.

Matthew Long, Editor-in-Chief and creator of LandLopers.com, has a true passion for traveling. As someone who has a bad case of the travel bug, Matt travels the world in order to share tips on where to go, what to see, and how to do it all on a budget. Matt is a Lonely Planet Featured Blogger, as well as a contributor to TravelBlogSites.com, Traveldudes, and Travel Tidbits. Follow Matt on Twitter @Landlopers.

What are thoughts or suggestions on Singapore with kids? Leave a comment below!

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Expectant parents often take a babymoon, or one last hurrah vacation before that bundle of joy comes along to interrupt meals and make reading a magazine on an airplane impossible. The thought is often, “We’ll never be able to travel again after the baby is born!” Of course, that’s just not the case. Travel with children requires more planning and may not be as relaxing as a trip sans kids, but it certainly can be every bit as joy-filled. Nonetheless, whether it’s your first baby or your fifth, a babymoon is a wonderful way to relax and celebrate couplehood with your partner before a baby’s arrival. Check out my five tips for traveling while pregnant in “Babymoon” Tips from The Travel Mama on the fabulous blog, Savvy Sassy Moms.

My friend and fellow travel lover, Andrea Fellman, created SavvySassyMoms.com as a fun resource for modern moms who haven’t lost their style to motherhood. It is a destination for great products, fun giveaways, useful tips, and supporting moms in business and the moms making a difference. Andrea wrote a guest blog post for Travel Mamas a couple months ago on Savvy Sassy Mom Travel Picks for Kids highlighting some snazzy travel gear for kids that every mom should check out!

Barcelona, the departure city for our 10-night Disney Mediterranean Cruise, just may be the friendliest city I have ever visited. Would I recommend a visit? Definitely! Would I go again? Probably not.

To make the most of our costly air tickets we decided to extend our stay by a few days before and after the cruise. This really gave us a chance to explore this welcoming Spanish town. Barcelona is pretty widespread so be prepared to do a lot of walking and take a cab or two!

Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonia region of Spain. Catalan is one of its official languages, which sounds to me like a mixture of French, Spanish, and Portuguese. I always like to make an effort to speak at least a few words of the native language wherever I visit. Since everyone speaks Spanish too, I didn’t bother tackling Catalan and instead got by with un poquito d’Espanol.

La Boqueria food market along La Rambla

La Rambla
Barcelona is perhaps most famous for La Rambla, the city’s main street which is filled with vendors and street entertainers as well as a live bird fair. My favorite part is La Boqueria, the food market along La Rambla. You can pull up a stool at one of the grills or grab a cornucopia of fruits, veggies, nuts, breads, meats, and cheeses for your own little picnic at Citadel Park. I love a good open air market, and this is one of the best I have ever visited. It is like the world’s best candy store for grown-ups. The burst of colors, scents, flavors, and upbeat energy – it’s overwhelming in its beauty. To me, this is THE best part of Barcelona.

My daughter, Karissa, posing beside a “Finding Nemo” chocolate sculpture at the Museu de la Xocolata

Chocolate Museum
Any trip to Barcelona with children should include a trip to the Museu de la Xocolata! There are some descriptions of how chocolate came to be eaten and how it is made, but mostly my family browsed through various sculptures made of chocolate in forms like a bull fighting scene, Mickey Mouse, and then two-and-a-half-year-old Karissa’s favorite, Finding Nemo. Afterwards, you can (and should!) purchase a chocolate treat or two at the café!

Rental row boats at Citadel Park

Citadel Park
Barcelona felt a bit stifling due to its lack of greenery. To get your nature fix, take the kiddos to Citadel Park. Rent a rowboat and take a spin around a tiny green lake. Be warned that there were no life jackets available when we visited, which made me a wee nervous while paddling about with a wriggling toddler. Karissa swung on the swings and dug in the sand at a crowded playground here. Visiting a park is one of my favorite things to do when traveling anywhere; kids make friends easily no matter the language barrier and it gives a nice glimpse into the everyday lives of locals.

A day at a Barcelona beach

Beach
If visiting during the summer, you’ll probably want to hit one of Barcelona’s beaches. Bring along some water shoes or pop into one of the shops to get an inflatable ring for kids spoiled by sand beaches who, like my daughter, might whine about their uncomfy tootsies on a pebble beach. Karissa liked digging with her bucket and shovel best; I liked soaking up some Mediterranean sunshine. And the hubs? Well, as an American dude, he was thrilled to get his first peek at a few topless sunbathers. (Sheesh…men!)

Picasso Museum
Phil and I took turns trying to keep Karissa from destroying precious works of art at the impressive Museu Picasso. Pablo Picasso grew up in Barcelona and this museum contains the most extensive collection of his early works. This isn’t necessarily the most kid-friendly destination but it is definitely worth a visit, especially if you are a big fan of Picasso.

An upclose look at one small portion of Barcelona’s famous La Sagrada Familia Cathedral

La Sagrada Familia Cathedral
Construction of La Sagrada Familia Cathedral began in 1882 and is still underway today. This unique cathedral was designed by Antonio Gaudi, one of Barcelona’s most famous residents, for whom the wordy gaudy was coined to describe things that are overly ornate. The cathedral should reach completion within the first third of the 21st century. Promise the kids you’ll stop for ice cream at the park across the street in exchange for good behavior at this one-of-a-kind architectural feat.

My daughter and the hubs in front of a fountain at Park Guell

Park Guell
Gaudi designed Park Guell as a high-end residential area for the Barcelona elite. Today it is a tourist attraction filled with lovely paths, some breathtaking architecture, and a great view of the city. There isn’t a whole lot to “do” besides walk around and it is a bit of trek to get here so if you are on a tight schedule, this one can be skipped.

A Catalonian lunch of Paella

The Food
I have friends who traveled to Barcelona (without children) who rave about the array of tapas bars. The Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain has called Spanish cuisine, “the best food in the western world” and here’s a video of Samantha Brown enamored with a garlic-slathered piece of fish along Barcelona’s harbor (I think I ate at this very restaurant!). Our experience, however, was quite different from theirs.

Karissa hated all Spanish food. She refused to eat anything – even items she loves at home like pasta with red sauce, a fried egg served with french fries, and bread with a mild cheese from La Boqueria. While in Barcelona, she lived off of healthy snacks brought from home, fruit, ice cream and chicken nuggets purchased on a daily trek to McDonald’s in an attempt to get some protein into her belly.

I wasn’t a big fan of the food in Barcelona either. I found tapas to be confusing – tacos were white bread served with cheese and a crepe was a plain egg omelet. Or they were too dang greasy since many tapas items came deep-fried. The paella was decent but filled with too many odd creatures from both land and sea for my comfort. My favorite meal in Barcelona actually took place at an Italian restaurant! Now, the Crema Catalunya was a different story. It was like a cross between flan and crème brulee. Muy delicioso!

The rooftop pool at the Grand Marina Hotel

Where to Stay
Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel was recommended to passengers by the Disney Cruise Line and it certainly did not disappoint! We were given a free upgrade to a one-bedroom suite both on our pre- and post-cruise stays, just for asking. (And this was before I was a travel writer so it’s not like we got special treatment!) The staff was beyond courteous, the décor at once modern and elegant, and the location convenient. Every time the staff saw Karissa they cooed at her and handed her a candy; we finally had to ask them to stop offering lollipops to our little one! Plus, our room was HUGE, especially considering European standards. One of my favorite memories of our stay in Barcelona was splashing about in the hotel’s rooftop pool with its stunning view of the harbor spread out before us.

The Verdict
The best thing about Barcelona is its people. Barcelonans are sweet and genuine and they go out of their way to make sure you have a good time in their town. And, as you can see, there is plenty to experience in this vibrant city. Would I recommend a visit? Definitely!

Would I go again? Probably not. I’ve been to Barcelona twice and that’s enough for me. The food was not my family’s favorite and I felt a little nature-starved here. Plus, I feel like I’ve already seen what I wanted to explore and the world is filled with places I have yet to see! Having said that, Disney Cruise Line is setting sail from Barcelona to tour the Mediterranean again this summer. I would happily return to Barcelona for a dip in the Grand Marina’s rooftop pool and several servings of Crema Catalunya before sailing the Med with Mickey again!

What are your thoughts about Barcelona? I know some of you must think I’m nuts for poo-pooing Barcelona’s food. Go ahead…add a comment below!

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My senses were piqued in Morocco. The sights, smells, sounds and tastes were different and extraordinary – at times even overwhelming in all their newness. My family had come to Morocco looking for a different kind of family vacation, and we weren’t disappointed.

Dee with her daughters at the Dar Menebhi Palace Marrakech Museum

There was something for us all in this North African country to marvel at and enjoy. Here’s a look at our highlights:

Djemaa el Fna Square
This main square in the old medina of Marrakech was alive with exciting sights: snake charmers, women painting henna, wandering colorfully-dressed men selling water from their dangling, musical cups. Decide beforehand if you want your children to get henna tattoos; they will be asked a lot! 

Moroccan lunch of pigeon pie

We had several tasty meals at the cafes lining the square, and our favorite was actually above us. The rooftop restaurants were a welcome escape from the crowds and the view across the city to the mountains a beautiful backdrop to our pigeon pie and chicken tagine.

We also enjoyed visiting the Marrakech Museum, just off the square. It is a beautiful old palace, the tiles and fountains full of vibrant colors and patterns, and the courtyard was a relaxing place for mint tea.

Pouring mint tea

Shopping in the Souks
The souks are a traditional covered Moroccan market, full of the everyday as well as the bizarre. We gave our daughters each some pocket money and they learned about negotiating prices and choosing carefully. The first treasure spotted at one stall was quickly forgotten as soon as another trinket caught their attention.

Know before you go that the souks are a maze of tiny alleys and it is very easy to get lost. Local guides may offer to show you out for a fee or take you by way of their cousin who’s selling carpets. Though it can be worrisome, it’s all part of the experience and economy in the souks.

Palm oasis in Skoura, Morocco

Over the Atlas Mountains
After two days in Marrakech, we left the city behind and traveled over the Atlas Mountains into the heart of Morocco. We hired a guide who drove us and spoke English and became a friend by the end of the journey. The highlight was a thoughtful home-cooked meal at his parents’ home, the men in one room, us women and children in another. The many aunties fussed over my daughters and ensured they learned how to form their couscous into bite-sized balls with their right hand.

The Berber culture was prevalent in the countryside, and I smiled to see the women laughing and tending sheep in the fields, a nearby campfire heating a pot of tea. We stopped at a village guest house for the first of many wonderful meals of cous cous and conversation with the owners. Everyone along the several days journey was friendly and hospitable.

Camel Trekking in the Sahara Desert
One of our favorite experiences was riding camels into the Sahara and camping in Bedouin tents. It did get a little nerve-racking after about two hours, when I realized we were lost, but all was well in the end and a roaring campfire, millions of stars and another flavorful tagine awaited us.

Travel and Travails on camels in the Sahara Desert

Taking Unfamiliar Paths
As with all new experiences, there can be some anxiety involved. Morocco pushed our travel limits and guided our family to explore unfamiliar paths. Once we found our landmarks in the medina and learned our way around its winding streets, we felt more comfortable. We had heard stories about being harassed to buy or use a guide, but we found little of that. Know that if you are taking pictures of performers in the square, they expect a tip. Children giving you items also expect a tip. Marrakech has become a popular tourist destination with Europeans and tourism is a large part of the economy. While some of our experiences were stressful, I never felt unsafe, and pushing ourselves to try new things was what it was all about for our family.

I do recommend a private guide if you tour south and into the Sahara. Having someone navigate the roads, translate, and bring their home country alive for us was priceless. I highly recommend the travel guide we used, Journey Beyond Travel. They put together an amazing itinerary in Southern Morocco for our family. This was our first experience using a travel guide and it made for a unique and intimate experience that we will always treasure.

My entire family carried home lasting memories from our experience in Morocco. My 10-year-old’s favorite part:  the food. My husband’s: buying wine in a back alley, speakeasy type establishment in Zagora. Mine: the drive over the Atlas Mountains, through the Berber countryside… and the tagine my husband carried home so I could attempt to duplicate the cooking. As for my six-year-old daughter, she wants to have her entire family go to Morocco again for her tenth birthday to ride camels together. It’s good to have dreams, especially ones involving camels and Bedouin tents in a magical Sahara desert.

Dee Andrews and her family recently returned to Boulder, Colorado after living in Spain for a year. You can read about her family’s experiences moving and living abroad, traveling throughout the Mediterranean, and embracing change at Travel and Travails, www.travelandtravails.com.You can see more photos of the Andrews’ journey in Morocco by clicking here.

Looking for tips for keeping the kids happy and healthy this summer whether at-home or on-the-go? Listen to this interview with The Travel Mama (Me!) and Catherine McCord of Weelicious on Healthy Voyager Radio. I share some of my favorite travel resources and activities as well as what I think is most difficult about traveling with children (and how to handle it!).

Carolyn Scott-Hamilton (a.k.a. The Healthy Voyager) is the show’s host, a blogger, and the author of an upcoming series of books on healthy living. I interviewed Carolyn for a story here on TravelMamas.com in January 2010 on How to Stay Healthy & Fit While Traveling. Now we’ve swapped roles and this time I’m the one sharing travel tips. I hope you’ll swing by Carolyn’s site to listen in to our chat and then take a peek at her healthy travel ideas, recipes, and resources!

This weekend my family is headed to the OC. Inspired by the Travel Mamas guest blog post Orange County with Kids – Beyond Disneyland we’ve decided to check out a couple of the family-friendly sites recommended by Katie of the OC Mom Activities blog. Irvine Park with its miniature train and paddle boats sounds lovely, but then so does tide pooling at Crystal Cove Beach, which was also recommended by Travel Mamas Guest Blogger Sharlene Earnshaw of Double the Adventure and Trekaroo in 5 of California’s Best & Most Diverse Beaches.

On Sunday, we’re headed to Disneyland. I’m excited to visit the park now that my youngest is a tad older. Visiting with a baby is oh-so-much-fun but seeing Disney through the eyes of a toddling two-year-old is magical! Do your summer travel plans include a trip to see Mickey Mouse? Check out my Top 10 Disneyland Rides & Attractions for Babies & Toddlers. If Disney World is your destination of choice, maybe you’d prefer Epcot’s Best Rides & Hidden Treasures for Kids.
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We all have that vacation destination we daydream about. It might be a tropical island, where the water is crystal clear and the beaches are empty. Or, it might be luxurious resort with relaxing spa treatments and over-the-top customer service. Whatever type of vacation you are longing for, it CAN happen on a budget!

Stay with Friends & Family
Perhaps the easiest way to save money on that big trip is to stay with friends or family. Free accommodations mean you only need to budget for transportation, food, and entertainment. This is ideal if you have loved ones who live near resort towns or other locations you’d like to visit.

Thanks to amazing friends and family, we’ve been able to enjoy trips to Singapore and Indonesia, plus countless getaways to multiple locales throughout the U.S. Be sure to thank your hosts for this financial savings by taking them out to dinner or bringing a gift.

Sign Up to Receive Rewards
Most airlines, hotel chains, and rental car companies have some sort of rewards program, or at a minimum have a way to let you know the deals they are promoting. Be sure to sign up! In addition to freebies and complimentary upgrades, you might also receive notices of special deals or discount codes for members only.

For an upcoming trip, my husband had already booked a great deal on a rental car. Soon after, he received an email with a discount code offer from the same rental car company (making it an even sweeter deal). Because he was signed up to receive the company’s emails, we saved an additional $50!

Travel During Off Season
You can reduce your expenses just by traveling during the off season. You can usually tell high season/low season times just by looking at hotel prices, especially with certain resort websites like Disney or Rosewood, which clearly mark time frames. U.S. travelers know that spring break, summertime and Christmas holidays are peak seasons and prices are much higher. If you are planning to travel abroad, be sure to do your homework. Low seasons really do vary (as does weather) by geographic area.

My husband and I in front of Cinderella’s Coach during a dream trip to Walt Disney World in Florida

I didn’t think places like Caneel Bay on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands existed anymore – pristine beaches, private dining in sugar-mill ruins, and no telephones or televisions in the resort rooms. Traveling during off-season enabled us to enjoy the luxury at Caneel Bay, a resort nestled within a National Park that was founded by Rockefeller and which features seven secluded beaches, rather than staying at a standard chain hotel.

This principal applies to popular family destinations as well. By traveling to Walt Disney World in October instead of during the peak summer or holiday seasons, we were able to stay at the deluxe Grand Floridian at a reduced price. A fall vacation also means the moderate and value resort prices are reduced too, which will further stretch your dollar yet let you enjoy the Disney magic.

Stick to a Standard Room
Many hotels offer different types of rooms, and the differences between them can save you a pretty penny. If you’re not spending much time in the room (like at Disney), it may not be worth the extra cost to have that premium or “castle” view. Especially if you are splurging on a great hotel, consider the low-end, standard-view room for extra savings. You’ll still get to enjoy the hotel amenities at a much reduced rate.

Be sure you know how the hotel distinguishes among the rooms. For our stay at Caneel Bay, we chose the least expensive room type, called a “Tennis Garden” room at the time. While we did not have an ocean view, the beach was just a short walk away. With our savings we were able to enjoy some extra fun like sailing and spa treatments!

Our room at the dreamy Caneel Bay Resort in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Be Spontaneous
Some of the best deals I have ever seen require last-minute travel. Hotels want their rooms filled and cruises want full capacity…..and you can bet they are willing to reduce prices to get you there. I’ve seen week-long cruises to Alaska at a cost lower than what you’d pay for food on a normal vacation.

So…keep dreaming! With a little flexibility you can make your travel dreams a reality.

Debra Muccio lives in the Dallas/Ft. Worth with her husband and two-year-old daughter. She traded in high-powered suits and high-heeled shoes for a new role as mommy – crayon enthusiast, storyteller, and kisser of boo-boos. You’ll find her blogging at A Frugal Friend, where she finds the best deals and freebies on everything from groceries to entertainment. She’s currently featured as a regular guest on the CBS-11 news in Texas.

How do you save money on travel? Share your tips with other Travel Mamas and Travel Daddies in the comments below!

A few months ago I was invited to share my top three best kept travel secrets as part of a game amongst travel bloggers. Two hundred writers, including Peter Greenberg and Johnny Jet, shared their favorite hidden gem locations and secret tips for traveling better. In total, over 500 travel secrets were gathered. Now, they are available to you for FREE as eBooks.

What started as a fun little game has grown into a charity phenomenon. For every person that downloads a Travel Secrets eBook, Tripbase will make a $1 donation* to Charity: Water. You get great travel tips; people in developing nations get safe drinking water. The campaign’s goal is to build four freshwater wells to provide clean water for an entire school for the next 20 years. And it all costs you…nothing!

You can choose one or more of seven eBook themes: Travel Tips, Worldwide Travel (with an entry by moi on Montpellier, France), United States Travel (with an entry by yours truly on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota, an Editors Pick), Italy Travel (with an entry by me on Italy’s Lerici, an Editors Pick), Family Travel, Worldwide Beaches, and Foodie Travel.

So, what are you waiting for? Download an eBook…or two…or seven!

If you want to make an even bigger impact, donate your own money to this cause now. Just $20 can give someone clean drinking water for twenty years!

I’ve contributeddownloads

Download Free eBooks

led by Tripbase

* $1 Donation per download up to $5,000, half a dollar to $10,000, and 25 cents to $15,000. Total donation cap is $15,000.

Here’s what I have been telling anyone who will listen ever since I set sail with Mickey Mouse and friends in 2007: A Disney Cruise is THE ideal vacation for families. Whether you have a baby, kid, or teen…everyone’s needs (and wants!) are met on a Disney Cruise. Plus, the children are so entertained and catered to, parents are free to do something so rare on a vacation with kids…relax!

Our ship, Disney’s Magic

During my cruise through the Mediterranean, I was accompanied by my husband and then two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. My son was stowing away in my belly too, as we discovered while onboard the ship! Some of my favorite memories as a family of three took place during this vacation.

Here are just some of the reasons I am such a big fan of cruising Disney-style…

Incomparable Service
The service we received aboard Disney’s Magic was beyond belief. Our waitress cheerfully brought us extra dessert when we couldn’t decide on just one and even stopped by to cut up our daughter’s pizza while inquiring about our day. Our room steward made sure our cabins were kept in tip top shape, always greeted us by name, and transformed regular bath towels into bunny rabbits and stingrays each night. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure we had an unforgettable experience!

It was a treat to return from dinner every night to find a different towel creature, like this elephant, waiting for us

Delightful Dining
During our 10-night cruise, most days we chose to eat room service breakfast on our stateroom’s balcony, taking in the view of various picturesque port towns as we nibbled on fresh fruit, yogurt and baked goodies. On our last day at sea, we attended a character breakfast with Lilo and Stitch doing Elvis impersonations and dancing the hula in one of the ship’s restaurants.

Our lunches, for the most part, were eaten onshore. During at sea days, we grabbed quick, easy meals from the ship’s eateries, like Pluto’s Dog House (which serves hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and the like), Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, or Goofy’s Galley (with healthy options like wraps and fresh salads).  

Each evening, we were seated with the same family (a wonderful foursome from Eden Prairie, Minnesota) and we kept the same wait staff for every dinner. However, we rotated through three restaurants: Lumiere’s (with a French ambiance), Animator’s Palate (with walls that start out black and white but which come alive with Disney characters in colorful lights), and Parrot Cay (with a Caribbean theme). The menus on our cruise were themed to the Mediterranean, serving Spanish, Italian, and French meals plus some standard American options and kid favorites. Even the meals onboard a Disney ship are magical - just as our little one would start to get too squirmy, Beauty and the Beast would come waltzing through the dining room!

Dressed up for formal night at Animator’s Palate

Carrying the tradition over from Disney’s Caribbean cruises, one night’s theme was Pirate Night, during which diners sported free pirate-y bandanas or dressed up in more elaborate garb brought from home or purchased on the ship.

The crème de la crème was Palo, an adult-only fine-dining restaurant that requires reservations. We partook of the scrumptious brunch and a to-die-for dinner but didn’t have time enough to book a high tea this time around.

Awesome Kids’ Clubs
A Disney Cruise is paradise, especially for children! Instead of offering a casino like most cruise lines, Disney puts that space to use for its various clubs for kids of all ages. Parents can indulge in a spa treatment, relax by the adult-only pool, or dine at Palo sans kids without guilt, knowing their offspring are having the time of their lives at the onboard kids’ clubs. 

Our tablemates even had a hard time convincing their six-year-old and nine-year-old sons to join us for dinner each night because they wanted to stay at Oceaneer kids’ clubs (for ages three to 12 years) and play, play, play! There is also a teen club on each Disney ship, where kids aged 13 to 17 enjoy dance parties, board and video games, and Karaoke.

Most cruise lines’ childcare programs do not accept children until age two or three, but babies as young as three months are welcomed in the Disney Cruise Line nurseries. We worried when we dropped off our daughter at Flounder’s Reef Nursery the first time and she began to wail. But then we stopped by five minutes later to take a peek at her though a giant one-way window and saw her happily playing with the counselors and a rainbow of toys. This put our minds at ease, allowing us to enjoy our date night free from worry.

On our last night my husband, Phil, told Karissa she was all done with Flounders, which set her off crying and carrying on once more…this time because she wanted one last chance to return to the nursery!

Entertainment
The live shows aboard a Disney Cruise are Broadway caliber and feature favorite characters from movies like Toy Story and Cinderella. Even our wiggly toddler stayed entertained through most of the performances.

Karissa was in awe of Minnie Mouse in her gorgeous gown following the Golden Mickeys live stage show

There’s even a movie theatre aboard the ships in which new-release Disney movies are shown on screen. For example, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was in theatres on land and at sea during our sailing.

There are bars and nightclubs onboard the ship too but we were never up late enough to explore those much. Instead, Phil and I enjoyed a glass of wine or two on our stateroom’s balcony after our daughter was tucked in for the night. I have heard the party scene aboard a Disney ship is much more subdued than other lines though. So, if you’re looking to party-hardy – a Disney Cruise is probably not up your galley!

Family-Friendly Staterooms
Not only are Disney’s staterooms larger than most cruise lines, but also they offer some special amenities that cater to families’ needs. First of all, they offer not one but TWO sinks to make getting ready for the day easier.

Disney is the only line I know of that offers a privacy curtain that can be pulled shut to separate the adult sleeping area (with a queen bed) from the kid sleeping area (which is usually outfitted with a single bed or bunk beds, depending upon which room type you book). This is absolutely fabulous for parents traveling with young children whose bedtimes are much earlier than their own. Rather than turning in before sunset, Phil and I were able to quietly watch television, read in bed, and snuggle up a bit!

Karissa tucked into her single bed in our stateroom with a stuffed Mickey Mouse

Disney’s new ship, Dream, will offer virtual portholes for interior cabins that will display a live view of the scenery, plus animated Nemo characters swimming past every now and then!

Water Fun
Most cruise lines do not allow non-potty-trained children in their pools for sanitary reasons. However, Disney offers a fountain pool with a special filtration system that allows babies and toddlers to have a splashing good time aboard their ships! There are also family pools, an adult-only pool, and even a small staff-only pool!

The new Dream ship will offer a sweet looking waterslide called the AquaDuck that will send riders out over the ocean in a see-through tube slide! Plus, the Dream’s Nemo’s Reef splash area for kids looks like buckets of fun!

Karissa and I splashing in the toddler pool
(See how dedicated I am to you, my fellow Travel Mamas? I’m even willing to post a photo of myself in a swimsuit!)

Shore Activities
During our cruise through the Mediterranean we explored the ruins of Pompeii, perused museums and shops, ate long lunches of pasta and vino, and lazed on sandy beaches. Some days we chose Disney-organized shore excursions while on other days we opted to explore on our own. Even on days filled with lots of grown-up activities, our daughter was content, especially when she was greeted with a big hug from characters like Donald Duck or Minnie Mouse the minute we returned to the ship.

Kids got a chance to roll out foccaccia dough as part of our Sicilian “Day on the Farm” Disney shore excursion
Here’s a little Mickey-shaped dough creation one of the guides made

With Disney, kids aren’t just tolerated on shore excursions, they are catered to! This year, for example, the Highlights of Rome for Families excursion includes a 45-minute puppet show for kids supervised by Disney youth counselors at Villa Borghese while parents have a bit of time to themselves to shop or sightsee. Of course, there are excursions that cater to an older crowd too, like a Cooking Lesson in Tuscany for those aged 21+ in La Spezia, Italy or the Screamin’ Eagle jet boat ride just for teens on the Caribbean cruise to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Disney Does Europe
Disney Cruise Line is sailing through Europe for the second time this summer. The itinerary for the Mediterranean cruise has changed somewhat since we took that cruise, making me drool even more over this year’s schedule! For the first time there will also be cruises through Northern Europe and Scandinavia. (Drool again!)

Join me throughout this summer as I reminisce about my Disney Mediterranean Cruise onshore experiences and dream about this year’s European Disney Cruise itineraries!

Are you dreaming of a Disney Cruise too? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with other Travel Mamas and Travel Daddies in the comments below!

You might also like:

• Carnival Cruise Line’s Onboard Activities for Kids

• Epcot’s Best Rides & Hidden Gems for Kids

• Romance at Disneyland

• Top 10 Disneyland Attractions for Babies & Toddlers

A note from the Travel Mama: My family paid for this cruise and I did not receive any compensation or goodies from Disney related to this story. I will always let you know if I receive any money or products related to a blog post.

Thank you to everyone who entered the LEGOLAND Prize Pack Contest on TravelMamas.com! I enjoyed reading which attractions appealed to you the most.

The winner of the four LEGOLAND California/SEA LIFE Aquarium park hopper tickets plus a copy of The Unauthorized Guide to LEGOLAND is Chacoy, author of the Ma21cuteboy blog.

Here’s what Chacoy said she most wants to experience at LEGOLAND, “My son would love the Build & Test – as would I to see how much fun he is having. He has been wanting to go here for some time now!” Congratulations! I hope you and your son have as much fun exploring this unique amusement park as my family does!

Check back again soon for more fun travel-related giveaways!

Each week I try to squeeze a little me-time into my busy schedule of writing and mommydom by taking time out for Travelers Night In. It’s free, fun, and I don’t even have to leave the house to join the party.

Travelers Night In is the brainchild of the Go-Girls over at ZipSetGo.com, a travel planning website. Every Thursday afternoon from 12:30 – 2:00-ish (PST), people gather via Twitter to talk travel. If you’re already on Twitter, simply follow the hashtag #TNI to join the conversation, learn some tips, and meet lots of travel-loving peeps. Each week there is a different theme, like green travel, European travel, or travel food.

Those of you not on Twitter are probably saying, “Hashtag – what?!” If so, you should Get Tweetin’! Or, you can always read a wrap-up of that week’s Travelers Night In conversation on Adventurous Kate’s blog.

Read past Quick Tips.

Usually my Disney-loving family flies to sunny Florida every other year to visit Mickey Mouse. This summer, however, I will be driving with my wife and two teenagers from central New Jersey to Orlando. My 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter merely tolerate each other’s company, at best. Right about now I can hear some of you saying, “Are you crazy?”

Well, maybe I am crazy…but we have people and places to see this year during our journey south. We will be traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit close friends and attend their son’s Bar Mitzvah. Rather than make this just a very expensive weekend we decided to turn it into a family vacation. Here’s how we plan to stay sane along the way.

Research Travel Options
I spent considerable time researching all of our travel options. What made the most economic sense was to rent a car for the drive down so that we can then fly home after our adventures. We determined a minivan would be the most desirable vehicle, not only because it provides ample room to separate the kids but also because a van allows us to bring along a lot more STUFF! I scoured the internet for online coupon codes and car rental deals but I was surprised by the lack of available minivans.

I began having nightmares about our journey: I pull out of the driveway and my daughter screams at the top of her lungs that her brother is staring at her. Then my son starts with, “Her foot is on MY SIDE!” It ends with my wife yelling so loud that I can see the veins popping out of her neck as I pull on to the shoulder of the freeway and slam on the brakes.

As the nightmares continued, so did my search for a minivan rental. Persistence pays off!  I finally found a minivan through another car rental agency. An added bonus was the price, which was approximately $100 less than the last-resort SUV I had reserved, just in case.

Preparation is Key
It will take us approximately 12 hours to travel to Charlotte for our two-night stay. Then it should take us roughly 10 hours to reach Walt Disney World. How can we possibly enjoy such a long drive in a confined space without our children killing, or at least, maiming one another?

Even with the kids sufficiently spaced apart in our newly booked minivan, on such a long trip there are bound to be some edgy nerves and arguments. Young or old, kids are still kids. The success of this trip will depend upon how my wife and I manage our expectations (perfect behavior isn’t possible) and our children’s boredom (by providing a multitude of entertainment options).

Over the last couple of weeks I have asked friends, relatives, and co-workers if they have ever driven double digit hours to reach their family vacation destination. I asked in-depth questions of those who had embarked on such a journey to get some tips for success. I got very similar advice from all, regardless of the children’s ages.

Keep Kids Busy
Of course, the most important factor of any long car drive is keeping your children occupied. So, what will we do? We’re going to try family favorites like 20 questions and iSpy. Plus we’ll ply the kids with their favorite snacks and drinks (being careful to limit the amount of liquids so we don’t spend the whole trip seeking out rest stops for bathroom breaks!).

Then there are the toys and electronic gadgets. Suggested items to bring along for teens include: travel versions of board games, a DVD player and plenty of movies, hand held video game players, and iPods.

All of the parents I interviewed said their kids handled the long drive better than they expected with just a few, but very controllable, episodes of impatience. Surprisingly, many parents said traveling with younger children was easier than travel with tweens and teens because the little ones were easier to keep occupied with simple toys or diversions and because they napped longer than big kids might!

Although my wife and I aren’t exactly looking forward to the long drive, we plan on making it a safe and fun-filled family experience. I’m bringing some earplugs along though…just in case!

Travel Daddy Stuart Sternberg and his wife, Michele, live in New Jersey with their two children, Bret and Haley. Their favorite vacation spot is Walt Disney World. Outside of work the only things that distract Stuart from thinking about Disney (besides his family) are Yankee baseball and seeing Bruce Springsteen live in concert. He writes a blog on all things Disney called Disney Geek Dad and he contributes a weekly blog post to the Disney Driven Life, home of the Neurotic Disney People.

What do you think – is a road trip with teens a crazy idea or a fun way to spend time together? Share your thoughts with other Travel Mamas and Travel Daddies below!

You might also like:

• A Road Trip with Children Experiment: Eat While You Drive. Stop to Play.

• How to Plan a Disney World Vacation

• The Best Travel Toys and Activities for Kids, from Babies to Teens

• 20 Things Your Traveling Teen or Tween Wishes You Knew

 

 

a) Mall of America -  Minnesota, USA

b) Dubai Mall – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

c) West Edmonton Mall – Alberta, Canada

d) South China Mall – Dongguan, China

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: d) South China Mall – Dongguan, China

According to Forbes, this massive mall is made up of 7.1 million square feet of leasable space. It includes wind mills, theme parks, a replica of the Arc de Triomphe…oh, and lots and lots of stores! To see the top 10 list of big ol’ malls, click here. I recently attended the San Diego Travel Expo and the representatives from Edmonton, Canada were quite proud to claim the largest mall in North America as their own. I was surprised to see the Mall of America in my former homestate of Minnesota didn’t make the list. That place is HUGE! Read more about that particular mega-mall in my story, Why to Visit Minnesota’s Twin Cities with Kids.

Whenever I visit Minnesota, I am struck by how green, green, green the landscape is. Leafy trees and expanses of lush grass as well as lakes both big and small abound. In the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, a myriad of cultural activities like live music and theatre plus kid-friendly attractions galore can keep any family entertained.

The famous Spoonbridge & Cherry at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Each downtown area has its own feel; hilly St. Paul is filled with charming architecture and historic buildings, while Minneapolis is more modern and has a happening nightlife. Both have an extensive system of skyways for workers and shoppers who want to stay warm during the cities’ snowy winters. Minneapolis’s Uptown neighborhood is youthful and Bohemian, filled with kitschy stores, unique coffee shops, and breakfast joints serving bloody Marys to a somewhat hung-over crowd alongside families munching on eggs and pancakes.

What’s more, a hotel room at a five-star hotel in Downtown Minneapolis, for example, in the middle of summer for a family of four will cost you only about $150 a night! Of course, there are plenty of even more affordable options a little further out or at less fancy-schmancy accommodations.

Minnesota natives Ryan and Trevor (my nephews) paddling a boat
on one of the more than 10,000 lakes in the state

I spent four years of my childhood in Minnesota before we moved away when I was eight. I returned to visit my big sister every summer before moving back for a few years after college. Then I met a Minnesota boy, got engaged and retreated to the West Coast. Now we’re married and live in San Diego but we make annual treks to the Land of 10,000 Lakes to see our families and revisit where we first fell in love.

Here are five of my favorite family-friendly places to visit in the Twin Cities area:

Chain of Lakes (Minneapolis)
For me, no trip to the Twin Cities is complete without a walk around one of the five main lakes near Uptown. Minnesotans love the outdoors and go out of their way to enjoy each and every sunny day their state gives them! As soon as the snow begins to melt, the paths circling the lakes are filled with bicyclists, walkers, skateboarders and roller-bladers. Rent a canoe, paddle boat, bike or other fun stuff from Wheel Fun Rentals. In winter, go here for ice skating fun instead.

Lake Calhoun is probably the most popular (and crowded) but Lake Harriet is my favorite. It’s fun to make a game of choosing which of the gorgeous Victorian mansions that encircle the lake you’d pick as your own. Enjoy free concerts at this lake’s band shell and then grab an ice cream cone from the concession stand June through Labor Day. The best part is the darling Lake Harriet Rose Garden. I always feel like I’ve stumbled across a secret treasure when I find this garden tucked across the street from Lake Harriet. This sweet-smelling park is free to the public and filled with roses of all colors.

Lake Harriet’s band shell is a beautiful place to listen to live music concerts in the summer

Minnesota Zoo (Apple Valley)
As a five-year annual pass holder to the world famous San Diego Zoo, I have pretty high standards for what makes a zoo worthy of a visit. The Minnesota Zoo is one of the best I have ever visited. The verdant exhibits give animals like caribou, moose, and brown bears plenty of space to roam. On a rainy (or snowy) day, stick to the indoor shark and dolphin exhibits or wander through the Tropics Trail.

Splash fountains at the Minnesota Zoo keep kids cool on hot summer days

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Minneapolis)
Children adore the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, a grassy park filled with flowers and unusual, modern sculptures. What kid wouldn’t be enthralled by a giant spoon holding a shiny, red cherry?

A flower-filled walkway at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Mall of America (Bloomington)
I used to work 60+ hours per week as a full-time retail clothing store manager and part-time waitress at this massive mall. Believe me; it’s much more fun coming here to shop and play than it is to work! Wear some comfy shoes and plan to walk A LOT. Know that you will not be able to visit all 400 Mall of America stores in one day! There are two huge food courts plus numerous tasty restaurants to choose from. (My favorite is the Italian eatery, Tucci Benucch, with its wide array of pastas that both adults and kids gobble up!) Nickelodeon Universe is a themed amusement park that fills the center of the mall. Promise the kiddies a ride or two for good behavior after shopping, or make a day of it and purchase a wristband for the best all-day savings.

My daughter, Karissa, with her cousin, Siobhan, aboard a ride
at the Mall of America’s Nickelodeon Universe

Water Parks (Various Locations)
For a place covered in snow nearly half the year, the Twin Cities sure does have its fair share of water parks! Last year we visited Cascade Bay in Eagan with my sister and her family. With three 13-year-olds of varying levels of waterslide bravery, a toddler, a preschooler, and three adults – there were pools, slides, fountains, and a lazy river to keep everyone content. Here’s a list of more than a dozen Minnesota water parks (a few of which are indoors).

Here are Trevor, Siobhan, Leo and Auntie Kay-Kay
floating down Cascade Bay’s lazy river

The Twin Cities is a beautiful, fun-packed, and affordable choice for a summer getaway!

Which of these Minnesota attractions would you most like to visit? Tell us in the comments below!

You might also like:

• Discover Des Moines as a Family Vacation Destination

• San Diego Botanic Garden – An Enchanting Place for Children

• 10 Best Family-Friendly Hotel Pools in the World

• The Travel Mama’s Top 3 Hidden Gem Destinations

 

When you think of a family vacation what comes to mind? Orlando, San Diego, Maui…Des Moines? Well, Des Moines may not have quite as much to offer as some of the popular destinations, but you may be surprised by just how much fun a vacation in the heart of Iowa can be.

Now, I have to admit that I’ve lived in Iowa all my life, as has my husband and, obviously, our kids. So I may be a little bit biased about the appeal of the Hawkeye State. However, after growing up around so many great places and events, I sometimes forget just how unique—and fun—they are.

A boy harvesting some pretend veggies at the Iowa State Fair
(Photo Courtesy of the Iowa State Fair Website)

Living History Farms
Another must-see attraction in Des Moines is the Living History Farms, a 500-acres outdoor living museum that will make you feel as though you’ve traveled back in time. Historical interpreters are dressed in authentic clothing while they complete the daily routines of their particular time period. You’ll meet the 1700 Ioway Indians, 1850 pioneers, 1875 townspeople, and 1900 farmers.

A trip to Living History Farms is not only extremely fun, but also it’s eye-opening for kids who experience history not as something they just read about, but something they can “try out” for themselves. Whether it’s helping make biscuits from scratch, feed chickens, grind corn, or run a printing press, the hands-on opportunities will be history lessons they will retain for years to come.

Living History Farms opens for the public on May 1 and remains open through fall. One admission price covers all activities within the museum, including parking and tractor rides.

The Machine Shed Restaurant
After you’re done touring the past at Living History Farms, get a taste of Iowa at The Machine Shed Restaurant right next door. Family-style meals and traditional farming decor make this an entertaining and delicious dining experience. According to their website, this restaurant is not just farm-themed but is “dedicated to the American farmer.” Go here for hearty comfort foods like the Shed’s World Famous Baked Potato Soup and Country Fried Steak or Chicken.

The Iowa State Fair
If you want to get the best slice of Iowa, you’ve got to come during the Iowa State Fair in August. It truly is Iowa’s greatest celebration, drawing in over a million people from all over the world each year. The Iowa State Fair website describes the fair as, “a salute to the state’s best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. It is the true heartbeat of the Midwest, unequaled and unduplicated.”

Two of Paula’s three sons “hamming” it up at the Iowa State Fair

For 10 days in August, thousands of people come together in the 400-acre setting each day to watch young people show sheep that they’ve raised, walk past the famed butter cow (a cow sculpted of butter), and eat the latest concession “on a stick.” Every day there’s something new to experience: watching baby ducklings hatch, participating in contests like “cow chip” throwing, browsing the art exhibits, staring in awe at the biggest boar, eating ice cream made at the Dairy Barn, and attending concerts by some of the country’s top performers. You will really see it all at the Iowa State Fair (including some of the most interesting groups of folks you’ve ever people-watched).

Blank Park Zoo
For a “wild” adventure, spend some time exploring the 22 acres of animal exhibits at the Blank Park Zoo, which houses nearly 1,500 animals and continues to expand each year. What I really enjoy about the zoo is that it’s large enough that you can see a wide variety of animals but small enough that you can get through it in several hours with minimal blisters or shin splints. And much of the grounds is either shaded or indoors, so even if it’s rainy or terribly hot, you can stay relatively comfortable. The food is fairly reasonably priced, or you can pack a picnic lunch to save a little more. Eat at the large playground area and the kids can burn off some energy climbing the rock wall or cool off in the spray-mist features.

Last week my second grader attended a field trip with his class to the zoo, and he had a blast. Except a surprise encounter with a feisty peacock, (“Mom, they’re just loose in there!”) my son most enjoyed the lions and the newest members of the zoo, Cane and Kitar, male and female red pandas.

If you live near another zoo and want to visit the Des Moines zoo, you may want to look into purchasing a Zoo Pass, which could not only get you and your family into the Blank Park Zoo for free, but also can grant you admission into more than 160 other zoos and aquariums as well. But even if you don’t have a Zoo Pass, admission is affordable.

This giraffe is just one of nearly 1,500 animals at the Blank Park Zoo

Where to Stay
Even though we live just a bit north of Des Moines, we’ve treated our family to little hotel “getaways” throughout the years. Over Spring Break last year we visited the Comfort Suites at Living History Farms. This hotel exceeded our expectations with its family-friendly features. The pool area is huge and bright and includes a dining area that is far enough from the water so you won’t get wet but close enough that you can relax with a cup of coffee while watching your kids swim. The spacious lobby includes cozy nooks complete with computers, books, and games for guests to use at their leisure. The hotel also offers a free continental breakfast, which is always a plus when you have (hungry) kids!

If you’d like more of a lodge feel, I recommend the Wildwood Lodge. Although the Northwoods theme is more fitting of Iowa’s northern neighbor, Minnesota, it’s a warm and inviting place to stay, especially for kids. Choose from traditional rooms or family suites with more room to spread out. The beautiful pool area includes an elevated whirlpool that looks like it’s part of a waterfall. The heart of the lobby is a huge fireplace with plenty of comfy seating surrounding it. The Wildwood also includes an expanded continental breakfast.

Getting Here
Located at the intersection of I-35 and I-80, Des Moines is extremely accessible by car. We also have Des Moines International Airport, where rates have become much more comparable to major airports in recent years. The Amtrak train is yet another option, as it stops in Osceola, just 40 minutes south of the state capital.

Des Moines, as well as the entire state of Iowa, has so many incredible attractions and festivals, I wish I could just sit down and share them all with you over an ear of Iowa sweet corn. To learn more visit SeeDesMoines.com and TravelIowa.com to explore all my beloved hometown has to offer. I hope to see you here soon!

Paula Reece started her blog Boogersandburps.com in April 2008 to share her crazy and often humorous life as the only female in a house with three boys, a husband, a male dog, and a bird and fish whom she suspects are both of the male persuasion as well. Paula has a degree in English and works part-time as an editor for an educational publishing company.

Would you consider Des Moines as a family vacation destination? Leave a comment below!

If you like this story, you might also like:

• LEGOLAND for All Ages

• Mother Knows Best: An Old School Road Trip

• Sleepy Kids Welcome at these Family-Friendly Accommodations

• The Travel Mama’s Top 3 Hidden Gem Destinations

Thank you to everyone who posted a travel memory on TravelMamas.com as part of the Lay’s Happiest Travel Memories Giveaway. This contest was so fun for me because I loved reading through all of your stories! A few memories were funny…many were uplifting…others brought tears to my eyes.

To recognize some of the submissions, Lay’s will award a bag of potato chips to the top five best answers (as chosen by moi). I couldn’t narrow it down to just five so I’ve also included five honorable mentions.

Happiest Travel Memories Lay’s Potato Chips Winners:

1. Most Giving Travel Memory
“My happiest memory comes from our recent trip to Walt Disney World. I took my mom for the first time ever and seeing her face light up when we walked in through the International Gateway from our hotel was priceless. Then I told her, “Today, Mom, I get to give you the world!”  She cried and it was a very beautiful and touching moment.”
- Mary Andrews

2. Best Attitude Travel Memory
“My best travel memory was a college road trip to the Rose Bowl from AZ which involved flat tire(s), speeding tickets, football tickets being sucked out of the car window while on route & combing the desert for said tickets, lost wallet, and finally car keys being locked in the car by my girlfriend…it was a great trip!!!”
- Brian E.

3. Wisest Travel Memory
“There’s not just one, but they all seem to involve that hug at the airport when you arrive, or someone you love arrives.”
- geekbearinggifts

4. Funniest Travel Memory
“My happiest travel memory was a koala using the bathroom on me when I was in Australia. Oh wait. . . HAPPIEST — holding a koala right before he decided to use the bathroom on me!”
- Jennifer Short

5. Most Freeing Travel Memory
“My favorite travel memory is one of the times we drove down to Disney World. I was working at a job I hated. The route we were using took us right past the exit that I usually took for work. It was so freeing to just keep driving, and know we were going right on down to Disney World!”
- Maggie @ Tethered Mommy

 Happiest Travel Memories Honorable Mentions:

Most Determined Travel Memory
“I have only traveled once and it was to Disney World in Florida we stayed at the French quarter and did the Disney dining plan we had saved ten years for this trip we went at Christmas time this was four years ago, and if it takes me ten more years to do it again I will collect cans, cut more coupons anything to get the money saved up to go again.”
- Danielle Waldo

Most Romantic Travel Memory
“My happiest travel memory is when my husband surprised me with a trip away for Christmas to a romantic resort including sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and a Christmas tree in our room.”
- Jennifer R.

Best Joy of the Journey Travel Memory
“One of my happiest memories is climbing into sleeping bags in the back of our station wagon in the dead of night and then waking up in Florida on our way to Disney. I remember the sleeping in sleeping bags in the back of the car more than I do the actual Disney part! It was different and exciting.”  
- Emily E.

Memories that Brought Tears to My Eyes
Several contest entries included touching stories about sharing memorable experiences while traveling with people who have since become ill or passed away. I couldn’t possibly choose the best or most touching memory from these. Instead, I will share just a couple of them with you in hopes that their stories will inspire you to book that trip today and live each day to the fullest with those you love. None of us knows what the future will bring! 

“One of my greatest vacation memories happened many years ago. My grandparents took my sister and I to Disney World, and we stayed in their 5th wheel camper in a nice RV park outside of Orlando. We had a fun time, many memorable events, and had a few laughs as well. Now my grandfather is suffering from Alzheimer’s and not himself any longer, and my grandmother has to work to support herself, as well as to afford for him to be in full time care. I think that makes my memories from that vacation all the more special.”
- Liz of Lizzydear

“My favorite travel memory was the trip I took with my first son to the beach a month before he died. The pictures of him smiling on the sand just melt my heart and bring tears to my eyes.”
- Kate

Congratulations to Phil Hennigan, who won a $200 Southwest Airlines gift card from Lay’s potato chips for submitting this memory, “One of my happiest memories was driving up the coast of California with my family. The scenery was beautiful and the kids even behaved.” His answer was selected at random using Random.org.

You might also like:

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From themed rides and LEGO brick building stations to musical fountains and roller coasters, LEGOLAND California has something to please everyone. Read on to learn about the best this park has to offer for babies, toddlers, tweens, teens, and grown-ups. Then enter to win a four-pack of LEGOLAND/SEA LIFE 1-Day Hopper passes plus a copy of The Unauthorized Guide to LEGOLAND.

LEGOLAND California’s Miniland Cruise Ride

Last month I spent a day at LEGOLAND California with the woman who literally wrote the book on LEGOLAND. My daughter and I rode rides, explored play areas, and ate apple fries with the author of The Unauthorized Guide to LEGOLAND, Bridget A. Smith, and two of her three kids. It was like having our own personal tour guide to the park! From questions about the best rides for my five-year-old, to where we could find the closest bathroom, Bridget was there to guide the way.

Bridget is a LEGOLAND aficionado and mom to Justin (age 11), Destiny (age six), and Jared (age five). She decided to write this guidebook because, “I live down the street here in Carlsbad. LEGOLAND is a wonderful park but there were things I thought I could share that would help families with children. And there are a lot of undiscovered areas people may have never explored before.” The book helps you navigate varying height and age restrictions; which rides can only be ridden by a solo child; and when to hit certain attractions to avoid long lines. She even lists fun indoor activities for rainy days. You can read Bridget’s blog and purchase her book at FamilyAdventureGuidebooks.com.

Bridget with her daughter, Destiny, at LEGOLAND

While I am not as knowledgeable about this park as Bridget, I have been to LEGOLAND numerous times and I like this amusement park more each time I visit. I asked Bridget to share her thoughts on the LEGOLAND’s best attractions and food. Here are some of her picks with a few of my favorites sprinkled in.

Attraction that Makes You Fall in Love with LEGOLAND
Water Works Magical Fountain (Explore Village: All Ages)
While Bridget and I watched our kids playing at the Water Works Magical Fountain, I said, “This is my favorite attraction at LEGOLAND.”

Bridget said, “Me too!” She bubbled, “This fountain is why I fell in love with LEGOLAND. I came here with the kids and we saw this fountain and I thought, Why haven’t we been here before? This place is awesome!”

The Water Works Magical Fountain is made of musical instruments formed from LEGO bricks. Kids stomp on the circles in front of the drum, trumpet, harp, or other instrument and its musical sound chimes in. It’s just a joyful, unique experience.

My daughter, Karissa, making music at the Water Works Magical Fountain last year

Toddler Time
If you will be visiting LEGOLAND with a baby or toddler be sure to check out What to Do When You Are 2 for ideas to keep young children content.

DUPLO Playtown (Explore Village: All Ages)
This play area is filled with slides, pretend vehicles and buildings, and a crawl-through maze. This is a great place to relax a bit while the kiddies play.

My son, Leo, exploring DUPLO Playtown

LEGOLAND Express (Explore Village: All Ages)
This adorable train ride is tucked into a corner of DUPLO Playtown. Bridget recommends this train even for ride-phobic little ones. In her guidebook she says, “I love the mix of real California crops and LEGO brick produce. Make sure to point out the artichokes and fresh strawberries.”

Preschooler & Kindergartner Play
Volvo Junior Driving School (Fun Town: Kids Ages 3-5)
What kid doesn’t want to drive a miniature car around a track all by himself? To quote the Unauthorized Guide, “This ride is a great rite of passage. At the end of the ride your child will receive an official LEGOLAND driver’s license.” The Volvo Driving School is next door for kids ages 6-12.

The Royal Joust (Castle Hill: Kids Ages 4-12 & Height Restrictions)
This is a favorite of both Bridget’s daughter, Destiny and my daughter, Karissa. Kids straddle pretend horses that trot through a forest dotted with life-sized LEGO knights and other characters.

Destiny aboard a Royal Joust horse

Grade-Schooler Stuff
Build & Test (Imagination Zone: All Ages)
I never really understood the appeal of this attraction until I saw how much Bridget’s son, Jared, loved playing with LEGO bricks at this and other hands-on building stations. The guidebook advised, “At the main desk big kids check out a set of wheels with axles, then build vehicles with a wide assortment of big kid LEGO bricks. There are a number of tracks with timers, and the kids can race their vehicles to see who has the fastest car.”

Bridget’s youngest son, Jared, playing with LEGO bricks at Build & Test

The Dragon (Castle Hill: Height Restrictions)
Karissa and I love this roller coaster! It starts out with a mellow riding tour through a castle filled with humorous LEGO medieval scenes. Then, as the guidebook explains, “Suddenly the roller coaster takes hold and you find yourself outside in a roller coaster that has some zip to it.” I like that it’s fast enough to get your heart pumping a bit, but not so scary to deter brave young children. I also appreciate the details of the funny markers on the gravestones in the make-believe cemetery through which you wind if the line is long.

The Hideaways (Castle Hill: All Ages)
Bridget and I had a grand ol’ time yapping away here while our kids zipped up, down, and through this play area. According to the book, “This is one of the best places to get a lot of energy out. Kids can climb, slide and wiggle through a variety of obstacles…Luckily the entrance to the Hideaways is also the exit so you can stake out a spot nearby and make sure you catch your little one before he or she can escape. Don’t plan to see your kids anytime soon however, this area is so engaging it may be a while before they are willing to leave.”

Teenager Rides
Knight’s Tournament (Castle Hill: Height Restrictions)
This is Bridget’s oldest son, Justin’s all-time favorite ride. The guide says, “It is not for the faint-hearted. I have never seen anything like it at another park. Giant robotic arms like the one used in automotive assembly plants to weld on car doors spin you around and almost dip you into a slimy moat.” Riders can pick the intensity level of the ride.

The Knight’s Tournament is LEGOLAND’s most thrilling ride

Lost Kingdom Adventure (Land of Adventure: Height Restrictions)
This is one of my family’s favorites. It’s like a ride plus a carnival game all rolled into one during which you explore Egyptian ruins made of LEGO bricks. In the Unauthorized Guide Bridget says, “Blast targets with laser guns in order to recover stolen treasure…A computer records every shot, so at the end you can compare scores with your riding companions.”

Family-Time Fun
Fairy Tale Brook (Explore Village – All Ages)
This is a ride all ages can enjoy it together. As described by Bridget’s guidebook, “Take a sweet boat ride through a LEGO world populated by many of your child’s favorite story book characters…This ride provides a quiet break and is good for small children.”

Miniland USA (All Ages)
Bridget says, “This signature attraction of LEGOLAND California is fun for the whole family. Miniland is a collection of American landmarks from seven different geographical regions of the United States constructed with more than 20 million LEGO bricks at a 1:20 scale.”

The U.S. Capital Building in Miniland USA

Tastiest Eats
Granny Apple Fries (Castle Hill)
Bridget describes this unusual sweet treat as, “The fried Granny Apples are dusted with cinnamon and sugar. They are served with a vanilla cream dipping cream. Everyone in our family loves this treat.”

Fun Town Market Restaurant (Fun Town)
My husband always insists we eat at this made-to-order buffet-style restaurant for its outstanding Philly cheese steak sandwiches. You can find something to meet everyone’s needs here from oriental chicken stir fry, to an extensive soup and salad bar, and kids’ meals. We save money (and room in our bellies!) by splitting a sandwich so we can indulge in Granny Apple Fries afterwards.

Best Way to Cool Off
Pirate Shores (Various Age and Height Restrictions)
On a hot day, you will definitely want to bring swimsuits and towels for the kids and head over to Pirate Shores. This area encompasses several splashing attractions. Bridget explains, “This is one of the most fun areas at LEGOLAND and a great place for parents to take a break. There is only one entrance to the area, so you can keep an eye on the kids. Any kid who loves water play will want to stay there for hours.”

SEA LIFE Aquarium
With a LEGOLAND/SEA LIFE Hopper pass you can visit the adjoining SEA LIFE Aquarium during a visit to LEGOLAND California. There are plenty of fish and marine life on display in educational, fun displays. Pop-up bubbles where kids can get a feel for what it would be like to live under the sea make this aquarium stand out from others.

Karissa peering at fish through a plastic pop-up bubble at the SEA LIFE Aquarium

Enter to Win!
Post a comment below about which LEGOLAND feature you would most like to experience and why to win a four-pack of 1-Day LEGOLAND/SEA LIFE Hopper passes plus a copy of The Unauthorized Guide to LEGOLAND. THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Find out who won! 

LEGOLAND will provide the park hopper passes (worth $308) and Bridget A. Smith will provide the guidebook (worth $17.95).

This contest ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Saturday, May 15, 2010. The winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified by email. If no response is received within one week, the first winner will forfeit the prize and another entrant will be selected.

You can enter a maximum of four times, using each method of entry once. The first option is required for entry. For each bonus entry, you must add an additional, separate comment to this blog post.

• REQUIRED ENTRY: Leave a comment below about which LEGOLAND feature mentioned in the post you would most like to experience and why. Please be specific! General comments like, “Thanks for the contest” or “I want to go to LEGOLAND” will be disqualified.

• BONUS ENTRY: Follow @TravelMamas on Twitter and tweet this contest. Be sure to add a link to your tweet below! Copy  the following phrase into Twitter:

Win a 4-pack of @LEGOLAND_CA park hopper passes on @TravelMamas http://bit.ly/cemnsU

• BONUS ENTRY: “Like” Travel Mamas on Facebook and add a comment. Copy and paste the following phrase (filling in your answer) on the Travel Mamas Facebook Page. Be sure to come back here and repeat the phrase in a separate comment on this blog post!

I want to win tickets to LEGOLAND on TravelMamas.com because________________.

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Travel Mama to receive bimonthly e-newsletter updates. If you already receive the e-newsletter, that counts! Just be sure to make a comment below saying that you are on the distribution list!

You might also like:

• Epcot’s Best Rides & Hidden Treasures for Kids

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• Top 10 Disneyland Rides & Attractions for Babies and Toddlers

A note from the Travel Mama: My family recently received free 1-Day LEGOLAND/SEA LIFE Hopper passes to LEGOLAND California. We have visited many times on our own dime too. In fact, we have purchased two years worth of annual passes in the past. I also received a PDF version of The Unauthorized Guide to LEGOLAND from Bridget A. Smith for purposes of this blog post.

One of the things I love most about living in California is being in such close proximity to some of the most amazing beaches in the world. Even after 32 years of life near the coast, my breath is still taken away every time I round a bend and get that first glimpse of the ocean. As I have lived in and explored both Northern and Southern California, I have grown to especially love the diversity that our coast holds. Here are five very different but very spectacular California Beaches.

Ultimate Southern California Beach – Santa Monica Beach & Pier
This is the prototypical Southern California beach: palm trees swaying, wide expanses of sand, and surfers searching for the perfect wave. Santa Monica ups the ante and includes a picture perfect pier complete with Ferris wheel, surfside dining, and sunglass-sporting salesmen hawking photo opps with a cutout version of your favorite star. It’s the perfect beach to get active whether you rent a bike and go for a ride or bring a volley ball and hit the courts. Feeling lazy? Pick your preferred parcel of sand and catch some rays while the little ones perfect their castle-making skills.

Most Majestic Beach – Gold Bluffs Beach in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
This scenic beach is not what comes to mind when people think of California. Way up in Humbolt County, California takes on a new identity. One of my favorite beaches here is Gold Bluffs. The beach itself is wide and sandy, but it is often shrouded by fog and its waters can be described as bone-chilling at best. Elk can be spotted on the beach and there is an amazing fern and Redwood filled hike right near the shore.

Best Beaches for Spotting Wildlife – Beaches of Point Reyes
The beaches on Point Reyes are so rugged and remote, it’s hard to believe they are less than thirty miles from San Francisco. Kayaking, hiking, and wildlife-viewing are just some of the activities families can enjoy while on this incredible stretch of beach. On our last visit we saw both elephant seals and Tule elk. On one side of the point, thunderous waves crash down onto the sandy shores while on the other, the calm water of Tomales Bay provide the perfect place to get out and paddle.

Best Old School Beach – Crystal Cove State Park
Crystal Cove is a great place to get a glimpse of what Southern California beaches looked like nearly a century ago. Most of the park is still wild and there isn’t a single multi-million dollar home occupying the bluffs above the ocean. There are only a few beach bungalows on one section of the beach. These are historic properties from the 1930s and ‘40s, which are available for rent through the State Park system at a very reasonable rate. There is also a fun restaurant right on the sand and a shake shack at the top of the hill so you don’t have to leave the beach or pack a meal while you are there. There is no surfing at Crystal Cove but there is plenty of scuba diving, water play, and tide pooling. My kids love searching for sea stars and hermit crabs in the pools that gather around the rocks.

Best Beach for a Sunset Stroll - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Magic happens on a point near where Monterey Bay ends and Big Sur begins. Cypress trees reveal their enchanting, twisted beauty as they cling to rocky cliffs above the sea. The ocean produces the most amazing blues and greens before it rears back and crashes into the shore. Children will love spotting the seals, sea lions, sea otters, and countless birds that call this area home. There are fantastic coastal walks that lead you along some of the most breathtaking coast California has to offer. It is said that Point Lobos is the “greatest meeting of land and water in the world.” After spending the day at this beach, it’s hard to disagree.

Sharlene Earnshaw is an Orange County, CA based writer who loves nothing more than to travel with her husband and three-year-old twins and then share their adventures on her blog,  Double The Adventure. She has written about everything from a three-week summer road trip across the Western U.S. and Canada to local hikes and day trips. You can also find her on Trekaroo where she has recently taken on the role as Blog Editor in Chief.

What is your favorite beach? Leave a comment below!

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Check out the Traveler IQ Challenge, an online travel game by TravelPod on tripadvisor.com. It’s a fun way to test how well you know world geography. You are given the names of locations (like world cities, famous places, and world capitals) and you must try to point to its location on a world map as quickly as possible.

Sometimes I was very impressed with how accurately I targeted a specific spot on the map, and other times I was astounded by how off my answer was! You need to score high enough to move onto each subsequent round.

Warning: This game is addictive!

After you play a round or two, leave a comment below with your highest score!

Check out past Quick Tips.

Got an idea for a Quick Tip I should share with other Travel Mamas! Send it my way!

a) Frank Sinatra

b) Liza Minelli

c) John Kander

d) Dean Martin

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: b) Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli was the original singer of New York, New York. It was the theme song for Martin Scorcese’s film, New York, New York. It was performed by Liza Minnelli in the film. Read more about the song and the movie on Wikipedia.

Want to take the family to the Big Apple? Check out New York City’s Best Sites, Activities, and Restaurants for Kids!

See past Travel Trivia Questions.

Do you have a suggestion for a Travel Trivia question? Send it my way!

Our family loves to visit botanical gardens when we travel. It allows us to spend time outdoors and we get a feel for the personality and natural beauty of our destination. Plus it gives the kids a chance to run around and get some of their wiggles out!

A plant sculpture at the San Diego Botanic Garden

In our hometown, we are members of the San Diego Botanic Garden (formerly named Quail Botanical Gardens). This is one of San Diego’s best hidden gems. It contains not one but TWO children’s gardens full of hands-on activities. Plus there are plenty of walking paths lined with beautiful plants and flowers from around the world. In total, there are 27 themed gardens to choose from.

The  Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden miniature train
is always a hit with kids

Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden
This garden is all about simple pleasures for toddlers and preschoolers. There are buckets of soapy water with tons of wands for blowing bubbles. A sand pit hides small plastic dinosaurs perfect for little hands to dig up. Kids can pretend to be mommy or daddy in a child-sized wooden house outfitted with a kitchen and utensils. Children can get their hands dirty doing a bit of gardening by transplanting tiny succulents from one container to a take-home plastic pot, filling it up with a wee bit of soil and then spraying their new treasure with a spritz of water. My train-loving toddler’s favorite part of the Seeds of Wonder Children’s Garden is the miniature train that chugs through the garden.

My son, Leo, digging for dinosaurs last year

Hamilton Children’s Garden
This newer children’s garden is much bigger than the cozy original and is geared for a slightly older audience of school-aged children. The Hamilton Children’s Garden has less greenery and shade, but it is ever-so-fun nonetheless. The centerpiece is Toni’s Tree House, complete with rope bridges, tunnels, and a spiral staircase for exploring.

Leo climbing Toni’s Tree House

The Incredible Edibles teaches children about the plants and herbs we eat. The Pencil Arbor and Bonsai Sketching Area is equipped with coloring sheets and a trellis on which children can hang their creations. Garden Rhythms encourages children to make music with instruments made from items found in nature, like rocks, sticks and water. There’s a labyrinth, a sundial, a giant tic-tac-toe board, and more to discover in this sprawling garden.

The Spell & Smell Garden is filled with labeled potted plants, each of which starts with a different letter of the alphabet.

Tropical Rain Forest
After visiting one or both of the children’s gardens, you can meander through the rest of the gardens. All are beautiful, but one of my personal favorites is the Tropical Rain Forest. I love Hawaii and this feels like a wee slice of Polynesia in San Diego. This is a great place to sit on a bench to listen to the sound of waterfalls and breathe in the sweet scent of over-sized flowers in a lush landscape…for as long as your children will let you.

A waterfall in the Tropical Rain Forest Garden

Subtropical Fruit Garden
A visit to the Subtropical Fruit Garden is fun and educational because children can see with their own eyes how some of their favorite fruits, like bananas and oranges, actually grow on trees; they are not manufactured in a factory and delivered to grocery stores just so people can eat them!

A bunch of bananas growing in the Subtropical Fruit Garden

Mexican Garden
The Mexican Garden is a darling spot filled with plants in a fiesta of colors. There is also a fountain decorated with painted Mexican tiles and sculptures of a mariachi band and a flamenco dancer formed from greenery.

The fountain in the Mexican Garden

Bamboo Garden & Bamboo Pond
A walk through the giant stalks of bamboo feels otherworldly. Read the signs aloud to the kids so they can learn that Bamboo is actually a grass that can grow up to 30 feet in one season! The Bamboo Pond is filled with lilly pads and a hoppy frog or two.

My daughter, Karissa, in front of some of the smaller stalks of bamboo

Old World Desert Garden
Those unfamiliar with the desert landscape should walk through the Old World Desert Garden to get a peek at cacti, succulents and bright desert flowers. Just be sure to keep toddlers in their strollers in case they want to pet the prickly plants!

A splash of vibrant desert flowers amongst succulents and cacti

What Else You Should Know
The San Diego Botanic Garden is located in Encinitas, a little over a half-hour drive north from downtown. If you are on a tight budget, visit on the first Tuesday of the month when entrance is free. Plan to do a lot of walking up and down hills here – your glutes will definitely get a good workout, especially if you’re pushing a stroller!

The San Diego Botanic Garden holds special events throughout the year, like a children’s Fairy Festival in the summer and a Garden of Lights holiday celebration in December. 

The Gift Shop and Nursery sells gardening tools, plants, wind chimes, and gardening books. The bad news (or the good news?!) is that there are very few toys or souvenirs for the kiddies here.

The Kona Koffee Hut sells coffee drinks, sodas and juices as well as simple snacks like string cheese, Goldfish crackers, and ice cream treats. On the counter, a tongue-in-cheek sign states, “Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy.” Go here if you’ve got a bit of the munchies, but if you want to have a picnic in the gardens, you should pack own lunch.

San Diego is so stuffed with fun things to do that this family-friendly attraction often gets overlooked. If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of a theme-park-packed vacation, a visit here gives the whole family a chance to slow down and connect with nature.

Do you have a favorite botanical garden? Please tell us about it in the comments below!

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“Jetiquette” was once only used to describe acceptable guest behavior when hitching a ride on someone else’s private jet. However, the term has come to mean so much more. Travel Jetiquette is a concept that represents traveling with ease while showing courtesy and consideration to others. The definition has expanded to include virtually every aspect of travel from the flight to the hotel room.

As a flight attendant for 23 years I have to say that most (but not all) of the children I’ve met during my two decades of walking the aisles have displayed excellent Jetiquette. While I do not have kids, I have great respect for the parents whom I regularly see skillfully serving as “travel coordinators” during air travel with children.

TSA Jetiquette Tip
I’m sure we can all agree that one of the most dreaded aspects of air travel can be the period spent at the TSA security checkpoint. Marsha, a reader of my blog, recently offered of this gem of advice: 

“Bring a large shopping bag, like the recyclable ones sold at the grocery store, and take it out of your roll aboard just prior to having your boarding passes examined by security. Have everyone put all of their shoes, belts, cell phones, etc into the bag so that they can all go through the x-ray machine at the same time. There goes the stress and things just speed right along.”

In-flight Jetiquette Rules to Share with Children
Here are a few suggestions for rules to share with kids to help make your flight as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

1. Use an inside voice
“Going on an airplane is an adventure! We are going to have lots of fun doing games, reading books, playing with toys, and eating snacks while we fly through the air. But, we need to be sure to play and talk quietly so we don’t disturb the other passengers.”

Tip: Practice whispering and talking quietly at home using an inside “airplane” voice before the trip.

2. Keep your home in the sky clean
“You have a very important job to do before we leave the airplane. It is up to you to make sure our seats are neat and tidy. If you do a really good job of cleaning up your toys and snacks, we can show off your good work to the flight attendant. When we get off the plane, sometimes the pilot stands at the door to say good-bye to passengers. If you do an extra-special good job, maybe we can even tell the pilot about your good work!”

Tip: Bringing a plastic grocery bag from home helps make clean-up easy!

 3. Feet are for walking, not kicking
“I know it is exciting to be on an airplane, but it is very important not to kick the seat in front of you! Kicking could make the person sitting there angry or you could hurt someone. If you do kick, you will need to apologize to that person yourself.”

Tip: Request a bulkhead seat if possible. I am 43, I but can still remember the urge to kick!

The Jetiquette Pledge
Before departure, you can prepare for success by asking all family members (well, everyone who can talk!) to take The Jetiquette Pledge: 

“I am committed to making travel a more civilized experience for myself and others by exhibiting polite, courteous and considerate behavior to all I encounter when traveling.”

I hope all of your family travels are filled with courtesy, joy, and laughter!

Gailen David, aka The Sky Steward® serves as a resource for frequent travelers along with various national media outlets, including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, NPR, Travel Weekly Magazine and Fox News.

What jetiquette tips do you have for fellow travelers? Please add a comment below!

You might also like:

• Airplane Carry-On Kit for Babies & Toddlers

• Air Travel Tips

• Listen Up & Weigh In Travel Mamas! (The Travel Mama’s appearance on the Sky Steward’s podcast)

• The Bright Side of Flying with Kids

Here are ten reasons to consider renting gear when traveling with your baby or toddler:

1. When flying with a baby, lugging less stuff through the airport means less stress and baggage fees for you.

2. Many babies and toddlers sleep better in a big crib than in a portable pack n’ play. This especially makes sense when you are staying in a loved one’s home or rental property where you have room to spread out.

3. Air travel is easier with a compact one-pound CARES safety restraint than with a cumbersome toddler seat, but you will still need a car seat to keep your child safe in on the road at your destination.

4. If you reserve a car seat from a car rental company, you might be disappointed to find there are none available upon arrival.

5. From my personal experience, the car seats are much cleaner and better maintained from a gear rental specialist than those you might get from a car rental company.

6. If you’re going on a road trip with a baby in a smaller car, you just might not have room for that stroller once you cram all of your suitcases and paraphernalia into the trunk.

7. Some babies simply can’t part with a bouncy seat or baby swing!

8. A full-sized crib with wooden slats is more easily disinfected than the portable crib with cloth sides that will likely be provided at a hotel.

9. If traveling with more than one little one, you just might  have too much stuff to bring along.

10. If you’ll be eating-in quite a bit at your destination, a high chair will make meals easier, particularly on longer trips.

Check out the list of Baby Gear Rental Companies on TravelMamas.com for your next trip!

Have you ever rented baby or toddler gear for your travels? How’d it go? Leave a comment below!

I was asked to share a few of my happiest travel memories to coincide with Lay’s potato chips’ Happiness Exhibit, a campaign that showcases the moments of simple happiness that people treasure most. Share one of your happiest travel memories in the comments below for a chance to win a $200 gift card to Southwest Airlines, provided by Lay’s potato chips!

Happiness is Family
When we travel with family, the focus isn’t on work, school, and never-ending to-do lists. Family vacations allow us to spend quality time with people we love, live more fully in the present moment, take notice of our surroundings, and enjoy life. This must be why my daughter often cries at the end of a vacation, “But I don’t wanna go home!”

And, it must be why so many of my happiest childhood memories took place while on a family vacation…swimming in indoor hotel pools with the gleeful calls of “Marco! Polo!” echoing against the walls…playing 20 questions in the backseat of our spitfire orange station wagon…or knowing I was safe on Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride because my dad told me my green Mickey Mouse ears would protect me. I am pictured above at age four (sporting my magical green mouse ears) with my brother and Pluto at Walt Disney World in Florida.

Happiness is Getting Away from it All
One of the happiest moments of any trip for me is after I arrive at my destination and I realize, “Hey, I’m on vacation!” Here I am pictured with my son, Leo, with my hometown San Diego in the background on a Carnival Cruise to Mexico. A sweet thing about a cruise is, the minute you step onboard, your vacation starts!

Happiness is Being Together
Since my two siblings and I live in three different states and we each have families of our own, it is a very rare occasion when we, our children, and our parents are all able to meet in one place. We made a point to get together in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a few days of family fun in the sun before my brother, a naval officer, was deployed to Iraq for six months.

While it was thrilling to swim with dolphins in The Bahamas and to climb a waterfall in Jamaica, most of my happiest travel memories take place when doing simple things with people I love. By far my favorite memory of this trip was simply splashing around in one of the hotel’s pools with the whole family.

In total, there were fourteen family members who went on this multi-generation vacation. From left to right, pictured above are my niece Siobhan, husband Phil, nephew Trevor, and sister Karen hamming it up at the pool at Solmar Resort.

Happiness is Relaxation
It is a happy moment indeed when children successfully take a nap while on vacation! This is especially true when such a nap takes place poolside at a beautiful resort, allowing for a mid-day snooze or dip in the pool for the Travel Mama and Travel Daddy! Here’s a photo of my daughter, Karissa, asleep in her stroller at the Kauai Marriott Resort in Kauai, Hawaii.

Happiness is Dreaming
I spent a lot of time visualizing taking my baby to Disneyland to distract myself from contractions during a very, very, very long labor with my firstborn. I couldn’t think of a happier place to be. It is, after all, The Happiest Place on Earth!

So, for my daughter’s first birthday rather than throwing her a birthday party, we took a three-day trip to Disneyland. Did the trip live up to my expectations? I think this picture of Karissa clapping with joy on her inaugural Disney ride aboard Dumbo’s back says it all!

Happiness is Simple
The message of the Lay’s potato chips’ Happiness Exhibit is that the happiest moments in our lives are truly the simple ones. From the online exhibit, select photos will be chosen to be featured on millions of Lay’s potato chip bags. You can submit photos that showcase simple, happy moments to Lays.com. Submitting photos on the Lay’s site does not affect your chance of winning the Happiest Travel Memories Contest on TravelMamas.com but it sure would be fun to see your photo on a bag of Lay’s potato chips! 

Happiest Travel Memories Contest Sponsored by Lay’s Potato Chips
I shared just a few of my happiest travel memories with you. Now it’s your turn! Leave a comment below describing one of your happiest travel memories for a chance to win a $200 Southwest Airlines gift card. Lay’s potato chips will provide the prize to the winner.

This contest ends at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified by email. If no response is received within one week, the first winner will forfeit the prize and another entrant will be selected. THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. To find out who won and to read my favorite entries, read Thanks for Sharing the Memories.

You can enter a maximum of four times, using each method of entry once. The first option is required for entry. For each bonus entry, you must add an additional, separate comment to this blog post.

• REQUIRED ENTRY: Leave a comment below about your happiest travel memory. Please be specific! General comments like, “I love to travel” or “I have many happy travel memories” will be disqualified.

• BONUS ENTRY: Follow @TravelMamas on Twitter and tweet this contest. Be sure to add a link to your tweet below! Copy and paste the following phrase into Twitter:

Share a happy travel memory on @TravelMamas to WIN $200 for AIRLINE TIX from Lay’s potato chips http://bit.ly/arRHw7  #giveaway

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Fan of Travel Mamas on Facebook. Then submit a comment like the one below, filling in the blanks, on the Travel Mamas Fan Page wall. Be sure to come back here and repeat the phrase in a separate comment on this blog post!

If I win the Happiest Travel Memories Contest on TravelMamas.com I will go to ___________ because _______________.

• BONUS ENTRY: Become a Travel Mama to receive bimonthly e-newsletter updates. If you already receive the e-newsletter, that counts! Just be sure to make a comment below saying that you are on the distribution list!

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• Why We Travel with Children

Australia continues to top the travel wish list of many people around the world. When you consider the country’s fabulous mix of stunning coastal cities, friendly people, and intriguing animals; it’s no surprise.  Don’t let the long haul flight deter you from taking the time to explore this incredible country with your children!

My boys and I in the Shark Tunnel at Sydney’s Oceanworld Aquarium

Having lived in Sydney for five years, I was able to indulge my tacky tourist leanings as well as discover the best parts of the city as a local. While it’s difficult to narrow down my personal top spots of this sparkling harbor-side city, the following areas are fun for all members of the family.

The Rocks
This small area of the city is where the first European settlers landed in 1788. Back then the convicts and their guards set up camp on the outcrop of bare sandstone rocks, hence the name. The Rocks is essentially the site around which the rest of the city expanded. This is the perfect place to introduce your children to the history of Sydney – from its earliest Aboriginal inhabitants, to the first settlement of British convicts.

The sandstone buildings and cobblestone walkways are hard to resist. My son loved being bounced to sleep in his stroller as we strolled along the narrow streets. On weekends you can take advantage of the popular open air markets which have a mix of local art, tourist tchotchkes, and homemade food items.

Circular Quay
Arguably the busiest area for tourists and locals alike, Circular Quay is the hub where you can take that quintessential Sydney picture postcard snap. The Quay itself is the central docking point for the harbor’s extensive ferry system. When the sun is out, there is electricity in the air here that can’t be beat. On one side of the quay you can frame yourself for a photo in front of the Sydney Opera House and, as you make your way to the opposite end, you can take another with the iconic Harbor Bridge as your backdrop.

My husband and I on at one end of Circular Quay with the famous Sydney Opera House behind us

Unlike The Rocks, Circular Quay couldn’t be more modern, but it is no less fascinating. If your kids are up for a break, take advantage of the bar area underneath the Opera House and relax with a glass of Australian wine (and a cup of juice).

The Royal Botanic Gardens
A trip to the park is always a hit with the children but at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens, the adults can have a bit of fun, too! The expansive green lawn next the water is perfect for picnics. The meandering paths lead to the gardens, which are dense with over 7,000 types of plants from around the world. 

You can take a guided tour, but our family loves simply wandering through, following whichever path strikes our fancy. Be sure to take along some bread to feed the ducks and Ibis around the central pond. Look up and you might even spot a tree virtually dripping with flying foxes (Aussie speak for bats).

Taronga Zoo
A visit to Australia is not complete without an introduction to the Taronga Zoo. Its hillside harbor location enhances your animal encounter. The best way to get there, or at least the most enjoyable, is via ferry, which takes less than 15 minutes. Obvious must-see exhibits for non-natives are the koalas, Tasmanian devils, and platypuses;  meanwhile the Asian elephant sanctuary is popular amongst locals.

Manly Beach
My personal top-spot-to-beat-all-others is this popular suburb in the Northern Beaches. It’s worth taking an entire day to explore Manly Beach with the whole family. Another ferry ride awaits; this time you’ll take a 30-minute mini cruise from the downtown area to the far corner of the harbor.

Manly Beach on a typical stunning Sydney day

Only a few meters walk from the Ferry Wharf, you’ll discover Oceanworld, an aquarium with interactive exhibits and Shark Tunnel. Opposite the wharf, you’ll find The Corso, a wide pedestrian-only strip that stretches from the harbor to the beach. Strolling along here, you can soak up the laid back vibe of this beachside and browse a tempting array of restaurants and shops.

The main beach itself is clean and very family-friendly with safe swim areas marked off with red and yellow flags.  If you’re looking to escape to an area for even your youngest traveler to delight in the waves, there is a beautiful paved walk from the southern end of the beach to Shelly Beach, which rewards you with a flat grassy area next to soft sand and mini-waves.

Whatever you decide to do during your visit, you’re sure to leave wanting more time in Sydney!

Anjanette Morton is a passionate traveler who has lived and worked in the U.S., Italy, U.K., and Australia.  She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband, Kelvin, and two little boys, Max (age five) and Milo (age three). She is (im)patiently biding her time until they move back to Australia permanently. She is a freelance writer and blogger concentrating on travel, parenting, relationships, personal development, and more. You can check out some of her other work at AnjWritesAbout.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter at @anjwrites.

What’s on your Australian travel wish list? Leave a comment below!

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Kiva is a non-profit organization that provides micro loans to women and men in developing countries. In this difficult economy, it can be hard to make donations to any charity, no matter the cause. What’s great about Kiva is that your money helps others but then you can be paid back. The small donation I made a few years ago is still helping people today because each time I am repaid, I reinvest in someone new.

Sponsoring individuals from another country can be a great experience to share with your children too. Have your kids help you choose whom to sponsor by visiting the website together to read about and view photos of those seeking funds. Kids experience the power of giving while learning about other cultures!

Have you ever donated to Kiva? Or do you have another charity that you would recommed to help teach children about other countries? Please leave a comment below!

a) Minnesota

b) Wisconsin

c) North Dakota

d) Illinois

e) None of the above – the Mississippi River starts in Canada

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: a) Minnesota

The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itaska in Clearwater County in Minnesota. The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world. The river crosses ten states and got its name from the Native American Ojibwe word “misi-ziibi,” meaning great river. Learn about traveling along the Mississippi River on ExperienceMississippiRiver.com.

Today’s question was suggested in the Travel Mamas Anniversary Prize A Day Giveaway by Debbie Ferm, author of TravelDither.com, a blog about how to travel with teens and tweens.

See past Travel Trivia Questions or send a Travel Trivia Suggestion now!

Everyone’s looking for ways to save money during these tough economic times. If you or your spouse has a job that requires travel, why not have the family tagalong on the next business trip? You save money on airfare for one family member and score free accommodations for all.

Even President Obama has brought his family along on business trips! The kids and I have joined my husband on a business trip or two, like when we all drove to Las Vegas to make a long weekend out of his one-day trip. Read this Wall Street Journal Blog article for more on the topic: Is it Appropriate to Bring the Kids Along on Business Trips?

Would you ever bring the kids along on a business trip? Why or why not? Leave a comment below!

For one day only, you can get into LEGOLAND California for just $15. On May 1, you can visit this fun amusement park at a bargain price while benefiting schools. Find out how on Family Adventure Guidebooks, a blog by the author of the Unauthorized LEGOLAND Guidebook.

Check out more Quick Tips.

There weren’t nearly as many fun attractions for families to explore in Phoenix when I was growing up there as compared to what exists today. When I return with my two kids to visit family each year, I love discovering the newer child-friendly Phoenix-area attractions as well as revisiting old-school favorites. Here are four family-friendly spots that are sure to please kids.

My daughter, Karissa, putting her mind to work at the Arizona Science Center

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
I don’t know what it is, but most young children are down-right enthralled by trains of all sizes! My toddler son, Leo, is particularly loco for locomotives, so the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park was a must-see during our visit to Phoenix last fall.

This Scottsdale park is a great place to just let the kids get their wiggles out during a short visit. Or, you can make a day of it by grabbing hotdogs and hamburgers at the Snackstop or packing a lunch to enjoy at a picnic table while watching the choo-choo chug past.

That’s me with my boy at one of the playgrounds at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

The highlight of a visit here is climbing aboard the park’s miniature steam train for a winding ride through the grassy park. Afterwards, kids can frolic about at the park’s elaborate playgrounds before taking a spin on the Charros Carousel.

My kids loved Hartley’s General Store, which sells hand-dipped ice cream and an array of train toys. It houses a Thomas the Tank Engine table stocked with wooden trains and tracks for hands-on playing. A model train that encircles the store adds to the fun.

Kids love to sit in the enclosed train car for some odd reason…Don’t worry, there are plenty of open-air cars to choose from too!

Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum
The Hall of Flame Firefighting Museum boasts the world’s largest collection of vintage fire trucks, ranging from a 1725 English hand pumper to more modern engine-powered models. This attraction will probably take about one hour to explore with young children and up to two hours with older kids who have more patience for reading the displays. You could combine a visit here with a day at the Phoenix Zoo, which is located just across the street.

Here’s just one of the shiny, beautifully-restored fire trucks on display

My family made a game of our visit by having everyone select his or her very favorite fire truck from among the museum’s more than 90 vehicles. Most of the trucks are strictly hands-off, which made wrangling two curious youngsters a wee bit nerve-wracking. There is one climb-aboard fire engine for make-believe, albeit stationary, rescue missions.

Browse the display of wacky fire helmets from various countries and time periods, including some with fancy, unnecessary decorations

There is also a touching memorial to fallen fire rescue heroes, with a special display for those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Towers in New York.

Arizona Science Center
I have been to my fair share of science museums, and let me tell you, the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix rocks! With hands-on experiments complete with nobs to crank and buttons to push, children are too busy having fun to realize they’re learning something too! You definitely could (and should!) spend a whole day exploring the center.

Leo trying to figure out one of a multitude of the center’s interactive displays

The coolest part is the Forces of Nature exhibit, which simulates natural phenomena for those brave enough to step aboard the “stage” to experience the five-minute show (which repeats every 15 minutes). It was too scary for my toddler and preschooler, but I saw lots of school-aged kids, teenagers, and adults nervously laughing as they experienced a (mild) earthquake, wind storms, thunder, lightning, and more.

My friend, Erin, and her daughter, Hannah exploring another exhibit

Arizona Museum of Natural History
If pressed, I would say the Arizona Museum of Natural History is my favorite of these four attractions. This museum, located in Mesa, will probably take about half a day for your family to enjoy.

Kids and grown-ups alike are drawn to the museum’s Dinosaur Mountain

Most impressive is Dinosaur Mountain, a display of life-sized animated dinosaurs on a cliff with booming “flash floods” that send water gushing down the display every 23 minutes.

Be sure to head outside to participate in Karissa’s favorite activity at this museum – panning for gold

At this museum, you can wander through the Lost Dutchman Mine exhibit and “lock up” your family members in its jail cells. Then explore a Hohokam village, stopping to grind some maize with stone tools and put together giant puzzle pieces to form pictures of Native American pottery.

As you can see, Phoenix isn’t just about shopping and golf. There are plenty of fun, educational attractions for families to enjoy during a visit to the Valley of the Sun!

What is your favorite Phoenix-area family attraction? Leave a comment below!

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A note from the Travel Mama: My family and I received complimentary passes to the Arizona Science Center and the Arizona Museum of Natural History.

Many parents who have a child with severe food allergies opt not to travel because they fear a negative allergic reaction away from home. Our lives changed forever when we discovered our daughter, Chloe, has severe allergies to milk, egg, wheat, and peanut. My husband and I have always loved to travel and we can’t imagine giving up visiting faraway friends and family and seeing the world with our two children. Travel with a food-allergic child is possible. It just takes preparation, communication, and vigilance!

At home, we prepare safe food for Chloe and we control her environment to avoid accidental reactions. Travelers, however, are at the mercy of uncontrolled surroundings, especially when it comes to food. In restaurants, on airplanes, and at stops along the highway it can be a tricky game to find safe food. Here’s what we do to make sure our daughter stays safe on the go.

Kate and Chloe posing beside a statue of Sacagawea and Jean Baptiste at Fort Clatsop, Oregon in 2009

Road Trips
Before long road trips, I pack a bag full of “Chloe-safe” snacks such as fruit, safe store-bought pretzels, juice boxes, raisins, and homemade muffins. I also pack a “Non-safe” bag of travel snacks because, let’s face it, it’s not always possible to please everyone with Chloe-safe choices.

On the road, we have learned which convenience foods and fast-food items are safe. Cross-contamination is also an issue – we can’t just pull ham out of a sandwich. Usually, safe snacks are of the “potatoes fried in oil” variety, such as plain potato chips or french fries. These aren’t the healthiest options, but if it comes down to unsafe but healthy, or unhealthy but safe, I’ll take the second choice!

Dining Out
In restaurants, I communicate with the server extensively and politely. Often the chef will make something special, especially in fancier places.

If traveling to a foreign country, you can purchase Select Wisely food and travel translation cards. These handy cards are available in a numerous languages to make it easy to tell wait staff about food allergies or other dietary restrictions.

Air Travel
The food allergy community is very concerned about airlines serving peanuts on flights, and rightly-so! Some people are so allergic to peanuts they will go into anaphylaxis just by breathing in or making skin contact with peanut dust. Thankfully Chloe is not that allergic but she still cannot eat the pretzels or other airline snacks. Therefore we are sure to bring our own snacks onboard.

Airline travel presents families with food allergies another challenge: getting through security with medicines. In a sturdy zippered pouch that lives in my purse are Chloe’s Benadryl and Epi-Pens in original packaging, along with a copy of the food allergy treatment plan signed by her physician. I remove all of these and show them to the agents as we move through the security line. Only once have we been stopped so the officials could test a partially-used bottle of Benadryl.

On our recent trip to Europe, what concerned me most was the long flight. What if something happened in the air over the Atlantic? That was the only time I felt the need to inform the flight attendant of Chloe’s allergies. On domestic flights we don’t bother. The flight attendant appreciated our preparation and communication. She said, “You would not believe how many parents expect us to come to the rescue when their kid has a reaction!” 

Explore the World!
Our travel experiences with Chloe have been very positive because we are proactive. We understand the nature of her allergies and make careful choices based on this information. Traveling with a child who has food allergies requires some extra planning, but the rewards of seeing loved ones and exploring the world together as a family is well worth it!

Kate Newmyer is the author of Chloe’s Food Allergies, a blog about dealing with the emotional and logistical aspects of parenting a food allergic child. Kate and her husband, Daniel, love to travel with their two children, Andrew (age four), Chloe (age two) and their nephew, Morgan Hart (age 16). Chloe had her first anaphylactic reaction and was diagnosed with severe food allergies at eight-months-old.

Do you have any tips for traveling with food allergies? Leave a comment below!

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a) Japan

b) Canada

c) The Philippines

d) Finland

e) Indonesia

(Scroll down for the answer…)

Answer: d) Finland

There is some debate about which country has more islands, Indonesia or Finland. The CIA World Factbook states that Indonesia has 17,508 islands. Meanwhile, Finland’s Official Tourism Board boasts 180,000 islands. I did a bunch of research on this (because I am a crazy person) and it looks like Finland is the winner according to most sources.

This travel trivia was submitted by Rachel of ZipSetGo.com, the winner last week’s Travel Trivia Thursday Giveaway. See the Travel Mamas Anniversary Round Up of posts and winners.

I suppose people get a chance to say a final goodbye to a parent but I never pictured it happening for me. When my father died I was two thousand miles away.

My mother died yesterday and although I hadn’t seen her for almost three months I do recall clearly the last things we said to each other. I would like to think that my mother also remembered that last visit. Dementia had taken much of my mother’s memory and characteristic feistiness. She often checked during visits, saying, “Now who are you?”

When we walked into my mother’s room at Walker Methodist Health Center in Minneapolis on a seasonably cold January morning she was sleeping. The head of her bed had been raised as though she was going to read a book. She looked gaunt and had shrunken noticeably. I became uncomfortable, thinking I would never be able to communicate with her but knowing I had to spend time with her. My wife, Ellen, immediately sat down next to the bed and said “Hello Kate, it’s Tom and Ellen.” My mom stirred and struggled to open her eyes.

After a few moments Mom said, “Oh, hi…”

Ellen warmly chatted about things from my mother’s distant past and Mom seemed to grasp much of what she said. She acknowledged knowing that her father’s name was Isak and offered that her mother’s name was Helma. This seemed remarkable given her physical condition and the ever advancing dementia. As I stood back, my eyes were drawn to poetry books she had in a small bookcase. I reached for a Robert Frost book and also grabbed a poetry anthology.

I took these books to my mother’s bedside and began to read Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Mom turned her head to listen. I could see her mouthing the words as I was reading them. I read another Frost poem then picked up the other book noticing an inscription on the inside front cover. My mother had written it for someone else identifying two specific poems that were special. I read those two poems. She remained attentive throughout.

It was time to leave for the airport and I bent over to kiss my mom goodbye. As I pulled away she reached out and grasped my hand. She strained to lift herself a little closer and said clearly, “That was a great thing. That was a great thing.”

This post was written by my dad, Thomas Lanin. He wrote this a couple of weeks ago when his mom, my grandma, died at age 94. My dad is not a writer by trade but he edits a lot of my work and believes in me and my writing, even when I don’t. He has over 25 years of experience in finance and business management. He coaches business executives at his company, Lanin Consulting, ltd.

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You might think of Disneyland as purely a playground for children, but there is plenty of grown-up Disney fun to be had too!

The Fifth Annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival will take place April 16 through May 31 this year. This sounds like the perfect event for foodies, wine afficianados, and those looking for a creative way to celebrate a birthday or anniversary.

Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri doing a cooking demonstration at the festival
 

Participants can watch culinary demonstrations by celebrity chefs like Guy Fieri, Cat Cora and David Irvine. There will be wine, beer, and spirit seminars and tastings as well as opportunities to sample tasty creations by Disney chefs.

Napa Rose’s Executive Chef Andrew Sutton teaching a cooking class

You could even take cooking class taught by the Napa Rose’s Chef Andrew Sutton. Last year my husband and I savored a tasting menu prepared by Chef Sutton himself for our wedding anniversary dinner. Believe me, that man knows how to cook! Read about our delectable meal in my story, Romance at Disneyland.

Watch this little video to get a feel for the event.