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...
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...
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....
“’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...
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...
This month we are hosting our first Traveling Moms Instagram meme and we would love to have you join in the fun!
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 [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
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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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 [ ... ]
Great summer vacations start with planning. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to stay? For my kids one of their all time favorite trips was a road trip through South Dakota.
Our first trip to South Dakota was going to be a quick drive through on our way to somewhere else. Fortunately, we [ ... ]
It's always refreshing to see a new choice of hotel property near the San Francisco Airport -- and the options have gotten even better recently. Just a half mile from the airport, the hip and ultra modern new Aloft hotel is a great choice for a comfortable stay before or after flying or when vi [ ... ]
The village of Avalon is only one square mile in size, making it easy to get around, and the picturesque harbor provides a good excuse to slow down and enjoy the view.
If You Go
Getting There
There are two boat companies that service the Island with daily departures from Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach and Dana Point.
Catalina Express
(800) 618-5533
www.CatalinaExpress.com
Catalina Passenger Service
(800) 830-7744
www.catalinainfo.com
Helicopter service is also available year-round with daily departures from San Pedro and Long Beach.
Island Express Helicopter Service
(800) 2-AVALON
www.IslandExpress.com
Where to Stay
While some hotels on Catalina Island cater to couples only, most are family-friendly. Here are a few top picks.
Catalina Canyon Resort & Spa
(800) 253-9361
www.CatalinaCanyonResort.com
Catalina Island Vacation Rentals
(800) 631-5280 or (310) 510-2276
www.CatalinaVacations.com
Hotel Metropole
(800) 300-8528 or (310) 510-1884
www.hotel-metropole.com
Pavilion Lodge
(800) 414-2754 or (310) 510-2500
www.VisitCatalinaIsland.com
Where to Eat
Cuisine on Catalina Island ranges from hot dogs on the pier to exclusive Country Club dining. Here are some suggestions for eating out with kids that won’t bust your budget.
Antonio’s Pizzeria & Cabaret
(310) 510-0008
www.catalinahotspots.com
Buffalo Nickel Restaurant
(310) 510-1323
Channel House Restaurant
(310) 510-1617
Descanso Beach Club
(310) 510-7410
www.VisitCatalinaIsland.com
Sally’s Waffle Shop
(310) 510-0355
Activities
Brown’s Bikes
(310) 510-0986
www.catalinabiking.com
Catalina Adventure Tours
(310) 510-2888
www.CatalinaAdventureTours.com
Catalina Island Museum
(310) 510-2414
www.catalinamuseum.org
Cartopia Golf Cart Rentals
(310) 510-2493
Descanso Beach Ocean Sports
(310) 510-1226
www.KayakCatalinaIsland.com
Discovery Tours
(310) 510-TOUR
www.VisitCatalinaIsland.com
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 [ ... ]
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 [ ... ]
Rhode Island may be a small state, but it celebrates summer in a huge, family-friendly way.
One of the best known free warm weather events is the annual Waterfire celebration, [ ... ]