Family Travel Experts

Destinations Southwest

Got a case of wanderlust that won’t quit? Your next Southwest family holiday destination is a click away. Our moms have bounced around the globe testing out family vacation spots from campgrounds to African safaris and they’re dishing the dirt on what works, what doesn’t and what you need to know before you go. Get all the family travel information essentials you need (from a traveling mom's perspective, natch!) to dive into your next Southwest family vacation adventure.

Here you'll find family holiday ideas for Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Oklahoma.

Park City, UT: Getting a Lift from a Family Ski Vacation

Details: Published on Saturday, December 10, 2011 09:11; Written by Midwest TravelingMom

Thinking about a family ski vacation this year? I just enjoyed a ski weekend at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. I couldn’t have found a more family-friendly spot.

Family Christmas – in the Desert

Details: Published on Thursday, December 08, 2011 22:27; Written by Vegetarian TravelingMom

For some families, Christmas means snow. Traveling to warm weather is anathema; they want the white fluffy stuff. But a White Christmas is no guarantee in the northeast; in fact, in the beginning of December, New Yorkers walked coatless while The Boulders Resort, in the Sonoran desert, had snow flurries.

Explore Navajo Interactive Museum

Details: Published on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 09:45; Written by Midwest TravelingMom

Looking for an authentic way to introduce your kids to Native American culture? My family did just that last winter while visiting family in Arizona. Grandma lives in Scottsdale and while we love the art galleries, trendy restaurants and hip shops that populate this section of Arizona, we longed to head out and explore the vast red rock area that makes up Navajoland.

Las Vegas Holiday Events

Details: Published on Saturday, November 12, 2011 18:09; Written by Military TravelingMom

Ethel M._Chocolate_factory_Christmas_Cactus_garden

One of the great things about living in Las Vegas is getting to enjoy the various seasonal family events that take place each year. Christmas time is no exception with a whole assortment of family activities around Las Vegas.

Ethel M. Chocolate factory’s Holiday Cactus Garden tops my list for a reason, it is fabulous and so far my favorite Christmas activity with the family in Vegas. At Christmas time they decorate the cactus garden with thousands of lights. The family can stroll through the paths admiring the lights, meet Santa, indulge in chocolate samples and enjoy the live music. This event kicks off on November 16^th and lasts until January 1^st.

Snow in the Square is a fun event, because it is one of the only opportunities to see snow in Vegas. Everyday from November 18^th – 23^rd it will be snowing in the main area of Town Square shopping center. Monday – Friday at 7 PM and Saturday – Sunday at 7 and 8 PM. We went last year and the kids had a blast running around through the man made snow.

The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village is the most recommended activity in the area during Christmas time. Families can walk around the forest looking at the lights or ride around on the train that weaves through the 2 acres from November 20^th through December 31st. There is a carousel for the kids, a café, and a gift shop.

Las Vegas Speedway’s Glitter Lights is a 2.5 mile drive through light display with 400 animated displays. It will run from November 18^th through January 1^st.

Of course it would not be Vegas with out some shows for the family to enjoy. Here are just a few kid friendly Vegas shows that will be offered.

Santa's Magic Circus is being held at the V Theater inside Planet Hollywood from November 24th - the end of December. Our family went to see this show and we all loved it. It is a kid friendly show that has a wide array of acts including pet tricks and puppets. After the show Santa came out and posed for pictures.

A Christmas Carol will be preformed this year from December 2^nd – 17^th on select dates at UNLV’s Judy Bayley Theatre.

Neil Berg’s Broadway Holiday concert will be on December 3^rd at Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV.

The Elves and The Shoemaker performance will be on December 8th at Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV.
Pops II: A Holiday Celebration performed by the Las Vegas Philharmonic will be on December 17th at Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV.

Meagan is the Military Traveling Mom. You can also find her blogging at Mommy Travels. She has a passion for family travel, including maximizing military travel options. For more of Meagan’s adventures find her on facebookMommy Travels, or follow her on twitter @MommyTravels.

Celebrate Fall in Texas

Details: Published on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 13:09; Written by TravelingMom with Teens

With the onset of cooler temperatures and changing colors, autumn is a beautiful time for a family vacation in the Lone Star State. Celebrate fall in Texas with festivals, foliage, fired foods and more.

Family Travel to San Antonio: SeaWorld

Details: Published on Sunday, August 14, 2011 22:15; Written by China TravelingMom

seaworldcoaster San Antonio may be most known for its Riverwalk and the Alamo, but it has many other attractions that draw families from far and wide and one of the biggest is SeaWorld.

Don’t be fooled by the apparent simplicity of the park map – it could easily take two days to fully explore all SeaWorld San Antonio has to offer. There was plenty to entertain our whole family ranging in ages from almost 2 to 60+.