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5 Summer Vacation Ideas for Teens

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...

Stress-Free Travel is Right Under Your Nose

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...

Best Advice for Planning Your Summer Vacation

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....

Join In Our Instagram #TMOMphoto Meme

This month we are hosting our first Traveling Moms Instagram meme and we would love to have you join in the fun!

Alaska and the NW Passage: Armchair or on-the-Water Journeys

Family travel when it might mean the demise of all is no figure of speech for two brothers and a sister who maneuvered their 57-foot boat through the Northwest Passage...

A Jersey Girl’s Ode to the Jersey Shore

“’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...

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Family Travel Experts

Family Travel Stories and Ideas

Summer Fun at Midwest Lake Resorts
Midwest TravelingMomSummer Fun at Midwest Lake Resorts

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 can live summer to the fullest, by participating in that wonderful warm weather tradition— a week at the lake. Here are [ ... ]

Luxury Family Stay at the Dan Hotel Tel Aviv
Autism TravelingMomLuxury Family Stay at the Dan Hotel Tel Aviv

Opened in 1953, Dan Hotel Tel Aviv was the first luxury hotel in Israel and has maintained its status as the “Grande Dame” of Tel Aviv hotels ever since. Part of a 14 hotel chain operating in Israel, the Dan Tel Aviv hotel is in a category of its own in service and opulence in the Israeli hospit [ ... ]

Taking the Kids to the Great Wall: Badaling
China TravelingMomTaking the Kids to the Great Wall: Badaling

No family visit to Beijing, or China for that matter, is complete without a visit to the Great Wall. There are many options as to what part of the Great Wall you can visit, depending on whether you prefer rougher terrain, steeper climbs and more run down but quieter areas. However, if taking childre [ ... ]

Captain Your Own Adventure at Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Standby TravelingMomCaptain Your Own Adventure at Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Polished wood, burnished brass, a giant globe of the world and a gentleman Sea Captain in a navy blue blazer greet you as you enter the foyer of Disney Resort’s Yacht Club at Walt Disney World.ou’ve now entered Disney’s version of turn-of-the-century Nantucket complete with a lighthouse and  [ ... ]

3 Summer Travel Ideas for Toddlers
Traveling Mom with Toddlers3 Summer Travel Ideas for Toddlers

Parents of toddlers – stop limiting your vacations to staycations. This is coming from a mom who has raised a ddler into a traveler once, and is doing it all over again. If you have a toddler, you have anarchy on your hands … trust me, I know! But you don’t have to stick close to home if you [ ... ]

Lincoln Lives on in Central Illinois
TravelingMom with TeensLincoln Lives on in Central Illinois

It may not be Daniel Day Lewis walking the streets of Springfield, Illinois, but there’s likely someone who looks a lot like him. OK, it will be someone who looks a lot like Daniel Day Lewis when he looks a lot like Abraham Lincoln.
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Paradise Point Resort- Tropical Island Escape in San Diego
Midwest TravelingMomParadise Point Resort- Tropical Island Escape in San Diego

Looking for the perfect summer vacation? Dreaming of something tropical and exotic, yet Tahiti just isn’t in your budget? San Diego’s dise Point Resort feels like it’s a world away, yet there’s no passport required. Paradise Point sits on a 44-acre island on Mission Bay, just minutes fr [ ... ]

When the Kids Travel for the Weekend

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Kids-Traveling-airportSilence fills the cabin of the car. We've just dropped the kids with Grandma for the weekend and are making the drive back home. This is the first time our toddler and pre-kindergarten kids have stayed with someone else. While we are by no means experts on the topic, we have learned a few tricks along the way.

Make a Packing List
I have all sorts of packing lists, such as my own list for when I travel solo for business and even a list of What to Bring when Flying with a Four- or Five-Year-Old. Packing for the kids – and only the kids – was a different challenge. I wanted to make sure to bring enough clothes, diapers, healthy snacks and other necessities that they wouldn't need anything, yet I didn't want to overpack.

As usual, I thought of a few items that hadn't been packed (and probably wouldn't be crucially important) that I will write down for the next trip.

Learn Family Expectations Before Leaving
Before dropping off the kids, we discussed what expectations the grandparents had for the weekend, as well as the kids' abilities and routines. In addition, we sat down with the kids to talk about how to behave as a guest at someone's house. While they're a bit young for a long talk, it's important at any age to lay down the ground rules before the trip.

Prepare for the Unexpected
Accidents do happen, even on vacation. Because we would be about four hours away from the kids, the grandparents' requested that we draft a letter handing over temporary guardianship to them, which we signed and had notarized. That way, if an accident does happen, they have legal authority to authorize treatment.

Teresa J. Shaw is editor of the Free in 50 States section and writes about traveling as a working mom for Traveling Mom. Visit her website at Working Traveling Mom and follow her on Twitter at @TeresaShaw.

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Author Profile: Working TravelingMom  - Website

Teresa J. Shaw is a Michigan-based journalist, blogger and editor. Her work has been published on Hilton Homewood Suites' SuiteLiving blog, Prevention, Babies Online, and AnnArbor.com, among other sites. Travel, food and lifestyle writing are her specialties.

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#1 China TravelingMom 2012-05-06 21:34
Ah, it's lovely, isn't it? good tips. We also don't just talk about behavior but emphasize Grandma and grandpa are in charge and will discipline as they see fit. Somehow they behave better anyway though without being told!
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Family Freebies

Milwaukee for Free: 14 Ways to Have Fun
Milwaukee for Free: 14 Ways to Have Fun

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 [ ... ]

The Classic Road Trip with a Modern Twist!
The Classic Road Trip with a Modern Twist!

As the price to fly continues to rise, and the inconveniences rise, more and more people, and especially families, are turning back to the good, old-fashioned road trip.

My pa [ ... ]

Vermont Days: Free Family Fun
Vermont Days: Free Family Fun

Get a jump on your summer vacation with free activities all weekend in Vermont June 8 and 9. The Green Mountain State serves up a bevy of free family fun.

Free at parks

All we [ ... ]