Vacationing as a family can be the stuff awesome memories are made of, filled with the possibilities and the thrill of going someplace out of the ordinary, experiencing something new, and living adventures to cherish for a lifetime. Question is, can you survive it? Let us help.
Keywords: budget, family, planning, vacation
By Jeanne Muchnick At the heart of every good vacation is knowing you’re getting what you’ve paid for. Somehow sipping a pina colada poolside while your kids frolic in the pool feels that much more relaxing — and sweeter —...
Comments: 1 Read moreKeywords: all-inclusive, family, vacation, Where to Stay
By Jeanne Muchnick Trying to figure out your vacation plans? Consider an all-inclusive resort where the pros outweigh the cons. Think about it: with a per-person set fee, you can often cut your daily vacation costs by as much as...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: family-friendly, planning, vacation
By Jeanne Muchnick The water is a natural playground for young children, making beach vacations a popular choice for families. However, too much sun can ruin a trip if you’re not careful. The following tips are courtesy of Dr. Beth...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: family, flying, plan ahead
By Jeanne Muchnick It was on a recent flight from New York to Jacksonville, FL that I had an epiphany of sorts. I was watching a mother struggle with her “lap child,” a girl that looked to be about one...
Comments: 1 Read moreKeywords: all-inclusive, planning ahead
Meryl D. Pearlstein Thinking about vacationing at an all-inclusive resort? We surveyed one of our favorite experts in the category, Adrian Whitehead, Hotel Manager of Beaches Turks and Caicos Resorts and Spa, for his tips to a perfect holiday: An...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: family-friendly, travel
By Meryl D. Pearlstein • Avoid travel during peak holiday periods if at all possible • Pack a carry-on bag with (or bring in the car) plenty of diversions, snacks and drinks. Great boredom-busters, in addition to the standard coloring...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: mishaps, Plan Ahead, travel
By Meryl D. Pearlstein Who can forget the advertising tag line “Don’t leave home without it”? If you start your vacation planning with this in mind, you’ll have a better chance of avoiding many common vacation spoilers. Here are some...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, international, travel
By Meryl D. Pearlstein Since 9/11 children traveling with their parents or with other adults must possess a passport or birth certificate just like any adult Review the CDC Web site (www.cdc.gov) to learn about any vaccinations or medications necessary...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff Write out the name and phone number of the person you are visiting or the hotel you are staying at and place it in your child’s coat pocket. —Lauri-Jo Kotzen, mom of Mike, 17, and Rob, 14...
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By Stacy DeBroff Often you cannot tell whether your family will enjoy a vacation until you go there. Accidents, illness, lost reservations or luggage can complicate even the most meticulously planned vacation. No matter how many times you’ve reconfirmed your...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff • Help your child build his own scrap book picture journal with postcards, photographs, drawings, or even treasures collected on outings, such as a leaf or a shell. Have your child glue the items into a journal...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff When my kids were small and we would be staying in the same hotel room for a number of days, I would feed them food from room service in the bathtub to contain all the mess. The...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: sightseeing, travel
By Stacy DeBroff Be careful when traveling that special outings you do are age-appropriate for your kids. When my daughter Sacha was three, we were visiting my husband’s parents in South Africa and decided to take her to see a...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: international, travel
By Stacy DeBroff We went this past summer on a vacation in Italy with our one-year-old. Our strategy was to pack tons of very small toys or household objects that could be twisted or twirled and that he’d never seen...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, international, travel
By Stacy DeBroff Electronic hand held games saved us on the long cross-Atlantic flight. The most successful thing we did was to buy inexpensive cameras for our children to take pictures of whatever they wanted. Shouts of “quick, get me...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: packing, Skiing, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff My husband and I love to ski, but our six- and eight-year-old boys hate ski school. So we came up with the idea of them sharing a two-hour private lesson, which they loved. Then, they can ski...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff • If you plan to do some hiking, teach your older child basic hiking rules, such as staying on the trail at all times, and what to do if he becomes lost. • When camping in the...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Camping, checklists, packing
By Stacy DeBroff Make sure to pack the items you’ll need first on top, starting with the flashlight, tent, and materials to start a fire. Pack food that needs little preparation and travels well. Plan easy meals that need no...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff One way we like to travel is by camping. We have a travel trailer that we pull behind our truck. We can stay twice as long for the same price as a motel. We sleep in our...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Lodging, theme park, Where to Stay
By Stacy DeBroff Consider the following before you book: • How does the on-site hotel’s price compare with other hotels in the area? • Can you get a package deal for the amusement park and the hotel? • Do you...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Amusement park, theme park
By Stacy DeBroff We enjoy taking our boys to Disneyland each year when we visit family in L.A. To make identification easier and eliminate major souvenir shopping, I go to the Disney store in our mall and buy matching brightly...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Beach, boating, safety
By Stacy DeBroff Last April, we visited Brooks and Kyle’s Nana and Papa in Florida. We were enjoying a glorious afternoon at the beach. My children were wading knee deep in azure water, when suddenly Kyle started screaming hysterically. Her...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: activities, Beach
By Stacy DeBroff When going to the beach, fill a couple of empty, clean milk or soda jugs with water and put them in the trunk, along with a couple of clean towels. At the end of the day, you’ll...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: beach, checklists, lake, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff We collect seashells from wherever we go and keep them in special jars around the house. —Amy, mom of Sacha, 8, and Libby, 6 PACKING FOR THE BEACH • If you rent a house or condominium, call...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff My husband is very close to his family, who live about a hundred miles away. He always wanted to be with them on the holidays, and I felt that we needed to start our own family traditions....
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff • Book well in advance. Many trains offer a limited number of sleeper cars or family cabins that you can book for overnight or cross-country travel. • Find out details about the various accommodations offered on the...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: car, sickness, travel
By Stacy DeBroff If possible, travel at night to avoid car sickness. It helps to have a booster seat, so your child can see out the front window. The kids are worse in bad traffic and bad weather: stops and...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: car, entertainment, travel
By Stacy DeBroff A favorite family travel game that Ron introduced to me and the kids was to be on the lookout for Volkswagen Bugs, and upon spotting one exclaim, “Slug Bug, No Returns!” (or “Punch Buggy, No Punch Backs”)...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: car, planning ahead, travel
By Stacy DeBroff PREPARING & PACKING Well ahead of time, plan a trip to the toy store without the children. If possible, visit a smaller, neighborhood “educational” toy store, as they seem to have more of a variety of quiet,...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: flying, jet lag, Travel
By Stacy DeBroff • Begin adjusting your child to the new time zone before you leave for vacation, changing his bedtime by fifteen minutes every day. • Have everyone in your family drink plenty of liquids on the plane. •...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Flying
By Stacy DeBroff • Not only will the snacks you bring keep your child occupied, they may be a lifesaver when your child refuses to eat airline food, or if the meal is delayed. • Bring juice boxes or non-spill...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff When Brooks was just over eighteen months old, we took our first cross-country flight. We thought we were in good shape when Brooks fell asleep just half an hour into the flight. But forty-five minutes later he...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Flying
By Stacy DeBroff I’ve found that nothing works better to help pop children’s ears than lollipops, which keep them continually swallowing. I even bring extras along, and more than once have rescued a nearby mom with a screaming child on...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff I have my husband board the plane first with the car seat. Meanwhile, I let Jake run around like a crazy man and we go on with last boarding call. Otherwise we spend a half hour sitting...
Comments: 0 Read moreBy Stacy DeBroff I just had to do this last weekend for two hours with my five-year-old. Watching the planes arrive and depart used up maybe ten minutes. But we brought one of those sewing/lacing kits (he told me he...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: airport, flying, travel
By Stacy DeBroff The worst time was when I gate-checked our stroller since we were going to be changing flights, and the gate agent checked it all the way through to our destination. My husband rushed ahead to tell our...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, flying, packing, travel
By Stacy DeBroff When I flew with the kids for the first time, I packed a small duffel bag full of toys and everything I could possibly think of for each child. My boys slept the whole time. I was...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: airports, flying, travel
By Stacy DeBroff BOOKING TICKETS I found it was ultimately worth the extra cost of a second seat after spending the most uncomfortable two-hour flight with a fifteen-month-old writhing and twisting on my lap. —Amy, mom of Sacha, 8, and...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, home, planning ahead, travel
By Stacy DeBroff Remember to turn off your water—shut off valves to your washing machine before leaving for long periods of time. I had the hose break on me—the water just poured out. Fortunately, I was home at the time....
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, first aid, packing, travel
By Stacy DeBroff Buy one prepackaged, or make your own. Pack it for every vacation, omitting items like aloe vera and bug spray for ski vacations, and swapping baby medicine for children’s as your child grows. • Adhesive bandages •...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: planning ahead, snacks, travel
By Stacy DeBroff When traveling with my guys (one and three), I pack a Gladware dinner sized box with snack-sized Ziplocs with individual servings of snacks (two of each kind, a baggie for each boy). For each serving I also...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: entertainment, games, toys, travel, video games
By Stacy DeBroff I have found one of the best things for my boys when we travel is to have the handheld video games and electronic games magically disappear about three days before we go on a trip. Then when...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: baby, checklists, packing, toddler, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff When traveling with a tot, always pack an extra change of clothing for your child, yourself, and your spouse, diapers and more diapers (who knows when you’ll be held at the tarmac!). —Grace, mom of Emma, 2...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, packing, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff Here’s a little something I do in advance to make daily dressing less of a chore while we’re traveling. A few days ahead, I pack an entire outfit (socks, accessories, pants, shirt, undies, whatever) in a plastic...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, packing, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff Well before packing time for a vacation, camping trip, or long weekend, I allocate a “stuff bag” to each child. This will hold all the stuff they can bring—nothing more, so the size may vary depending on...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: friends, relatives, travel
By Stacy DeBroff For the past two summers, our family has vacationed in Nantucket with our good friends Janine and Scott and their two sons, Ben and Andrew. Since they moved to a distant city, we’ve made vacations our time...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: exchange, home swap, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff Trading your home with a family from another country or region is an extremely economical travel option. Not only do you save the expense of a hotel, you also have the comforts of a home and often...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Camping, vacation, Where to Stay
By Stacy DeBroff Camping is great because you actually spend time with each other. You’re away from the house. You don’t have to think about the pile of laundry on the floor or the dishes. Things that need to get...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: all-inclusive, Cruise, Resort, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff We have taken a family cruise a few times. We enjoyed the experience because the kid programs were very organized. Our son met a few kids and had a great time. We also brought our two-way family...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Cabin, Condominium, House, Where to Stay
By Stacy DeBroff It’s not a vacation for me unless the house has a dishwasher, washer, and dryer, especially with young kids. Location is also so important with young children: conveniently located next to the beach, water, or other activities,...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: Hotel, resort, vacation, Where to Stay
By Stacy DeBroff When we will be staying at a hotel, I call ahead and ask that they empty out the minibar or give us a small fridge, and stock it with milk. I also always ask for a ground...
Comments: 1 Read moreKeywords: family, planning ahead, travel, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff Since our trips take us through many states, I look up the ones we are going through on the internet (almost every state has a website, but you can always look up things in a US atlas...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: itinerary, travel, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff Don’t underestimate what kids can handle or make assumptions about what they might like. My kids love zoos. So when I read about Rome having a zoo, I figured that we could go to the zoo each...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: kids, planning ahead, travel, vacation
By Stacy DeBroff Vacations ideally offer everyone in your family a chance to rejuvenate. Make family vacations a time for everyone to relax and enjoy—and that includes you. When your child comes home happy and smiling, it should not be...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: airports, routine, rules, safety, x-ray
By Stacy DeBroff • Warn your child that there will be many officials and police at the airport, some who may have guns. Explain that they are there to keep you safe, not to scare you or cause harm. There...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: feet, rocky falls, sand
These are perfect for the beach, walking on the sand or climbing rocky falls. They protect your feet and give you good grip along the way....
Comments: 1 Read moreKeywords: all-inclusive, family-friendly, planning
Traveling with kids is challenging enough. Now traveling as a single parent with kids - that’s the stuff of bravery and sheer, undaunted familial love. If the potentially rich rewards of spending quality time alone with your kids in a...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: airport, kids, security
There’s a funny tee shirt that says, “If I ignore you, will you go away?” In fact, the key to successfully traveling with kids is to not make the difficulty of it a big deal or an obstacle. Rather, just...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: activities, kids, planning
Do you wonder what kinds of things would make your kids happy while they’re on vacation with you? If your kids are old enough, asking them to come up with a list of activities they’d enjoy can be an entertaining...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: beach, family-friendly, relaxing
Just about everybody loves a vacation by the sea. Building sandcastles on the beach. Snorkeling crystal clear waters and seeing underwater life for the very first time. Trying out a new sport, such as windsurfing, kayaking, scuba diving or waterskiing....
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: airfare, all-inclusive, budget
Accommodations Once you’ve decided a budget you’re comfortable with for your vacation, the next step is to start making reservations and arrangements. You can opt to vacation ala carte style, which gives you total control — and all the responsibility...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: documents, passports
“Papers, please…” This is a phrase you’ll here regularly when traveling in and out of the U.S., even to Mexico, Bermuda, and other Caribbean destinations which previously required only proof of U.S. citizenship. Passports are required to enter and leave...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: airline, luggage, weather
So you’ve decided on when and where, and you’re psyched to go. Now it’s time to start making a list of what to bring. Spouse? If applicable, yes. Kids? Yup. A pair of shoes for each outfit? So not. When...
Comments: 0 Read moreKeywords: checklists, packing
Nearly everyone is familiar with the experience of going on vacation and forgetting to pack or do something essential. One good way to avoid this happening is to make a checklist of what you’ll need, want to bring along with...
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