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Summertime's almost here – time to start planning your summer travels! We've taken the guesswork out of your planning by seeking out advice from top family travel writers from across...
Summer vacations for some families mean active adventures, while for others the summer is a perfect time to start exploring college campuses. Imagine being able to do both in one...
“’Cause down the shore everything’s all right.” ---Tom Waits, JERSEY GIRL Some see the Jersey Shore as a travel destination, a place to take the family for a couple of...
This month we are hosting our first Traveling Moms Instagram meme and we would love to have you join in the fun!
Teens sometimes get a bad rap. People think they’re hard to please and harder to travel with. But the key to traveling with teens—and keeping the whole family happy—is to...
Planning your family vacation can be overwhelming--where to go, what to do, how to get there, you name it. There are a lot of details to planning a summer vacation....
Air travel can be stressful nowadays with long lines, flight delays and cramped seating. Add luggage, children, strollers and even pets to the mix and you have a veritable powder...
Midwest winters can seem endless. The payoff? Perfect summer temperatures! Each year I vow to savor every minute of the warm weather. Although I can’t put everything on hold, I...
Thomas Jefferson advised the we should have a revolution every 20 years. He meant government, but the idea applies to anything: If we don’t continually rethink how we do what...
There’s a reason “Follow the Honey,” in Cambridge, Massachusetts is not just a simple honey store. For founder and owner, anning, traveling the world on her personal journey led her to open a shop filled with honey stories to tell, and products with a conscience.
In Search of Healing an [ ... ]
Must we trade brunch dates and Bloody Mary’s for barely edible pancakes and sippy cups once we have kids? Hardly. Chicago restaurateurs, many of whom now claim the title of parents themselves, know how to host a good brunch which welcomes us and our progeny. Unlike some downtown areas which only [ ... ]
For those living in the middle of Missouri, there are only a few options for hitting the "big city" -- St. Louis, Mo., or Memphis, Tenn. Last spring, my gal pal Jessie and I chose to visit Memphis for the first time.
Our trip to Memphis might be one of the most unorganized trips I've ever take [ ... ]
I’m a sucker for an old-fashioned candy shop. I just love the candy-filled bins, the drugstore-feel complete with a bar and soda jerk…it makes everyone feel like a kid. With unique treats like Elvis Bark and chocolate-covered bacon, the Big Top Candy Shop in Austin, Texas is a fun treat for any [ ... ]
When planning out your summer road trip don't overlook Devil's Tower, Wyoming. It is one of my favorite side trips and possibly one of the most overlooked National Parks.
The first time I drove through Wyoming was in the summer of 1981 on a road trip with my my Mom. Somehow, in a pre-Internet [ ... ]
Vegetarian travel gets easier in the summer, when farmers markets and their bounteous produce draw tourists and local chefs. Summer is also know for outdoor eating, and New York City has one of the best (I’m slightly biased) eating extravagnzas, orgasburg. Actually, make that two. Smorgasburg ha [ ... ]
You could visit South Florida without paying homage to the Everglades, but why would you want to? And paying proper homage to the Florida Everglades requires an airboat ride.
When my daughter was little, her lovie was a brown dog she called Puppa that went EVERYWHERE with her. I lived in constant fear of her losing it, knowing it that was truly irreplaceable. We even bought Puppa look-alikes from time to time, hoping she might at least develop a second favorite in the event Puppa somehow disappeared. No dice.
When it came time for a family holiday, there was always a dilemma: Do we let her take Puppa along and keep an eagle eye on him? Or should he stay behind to greet her upon our return home?
My preference was the stay-home-and-greet-her option. Again, no dice. She simply wasn't interested in traveling if it meant traveling without Puppa. We ultimately arrived at a compromise: She could take Puppa on the family holiday, but he was required to stay in the hotel room while we did the touristy stuff.
This worked mostly because there was similar rule for Puppa at home. He was allowed to travel with us in the car as far as our destination, but he couldn't go inside. The point, of course, was to ensure that if Puppa got lost, he likely was lost somewhere in the car, rather than somewhere in the shopping mall. So Puppa would dutifully wait for us in the car, where she would joyfully greet him as though they had been apart for days rather than minutes.
Of course, she promptly forgot the deal the minute we checked into our first hotel. What if Puppa gets scared in a place he's never been? What if the maid comes in and takes him? What if… I was shocked by the array of "what ifs" a 4-year-old could conjure up.
After much discussion, we agreed to put Puppa to bed in one of the dresser drawers, complete with blanket and pillow, so he could be safe and secure no matter who came into the room.
I was reminded of that moment after I watched "Open Season 3" and laughed at Boog's belief that the guys' trip was a "sacred trust" that Elliot was breaking by choosing instead to tend to his family obligations.
Caring for Puppa was certainly a sacred trust, one that my daughter took every bit as seriously as I did. To this day, Puppa lives in a dresser drawer in her room. I doubt she ever takes him out any more now that she's a wise and worldly 14-year-old. But sometimes, when I'm putting things away in her room (or trying to retrieve a piece of my clothing that she has "borrowed" and never returned), I run across Puppa and take him out for a quick cuddle.
Sony's Open Season 3 will be released on DVD Jan. 25. I able to review the movie early for this TravelingMom.com-sponsored post. We'll be talking about sweet family travel memories and giving away prizes during our Jan. 24 TravelingMom Monday Twitter party. If you'd like a chance to win, please click here to get the details on how to enter. And, if you've still got little ones, they can get a taste of the Open Season characters Boog and his friends with online games Cannonball and Jamboree.
yahoo.com :)@BeautifulBP
Police, Fire and EMS Appreciation Days return in May. Police officers, fire fighters and EMS employees can receive a free single day admission to LEGOLAND Florida, along with [ ... ]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin has big city attractions and a friendly Midwestern vibe. Families can take in a Brewers game, or tour a brewery (with soft drinks for the kids). There are [ ... ]
One glimpse of Skagway and it’s easy to see why this quaint Alaskan town is a popular port for cruise ships sailing along Alaska’s Inside Passage. Skagway offers beautiful [ ... ]
