Quebec Carnaval Celebrates Family Fun In Snow And Ice
Carnaval is a wintry, family-friendly wonderland that comes alive when the temperatures drop in the heart of the “world’s snow capital” -- Quebec City in Quebec province, eastern Canada. As North America's only fortified city, the crenellated walls and castle-like structures of the Old Town are a stunning backdrop to the fun. Spanning three weekends, Quebec will host its annual carnival or...
Read More 4 min read
Which One’s Right for You? Industry Experts Rank the Ski Resorts
The ski season has just begun and we already have a few surveys from industry experts to help families customize the choice of best ski resort. According to the Liftopia 2017-18 Best in Snow Awards issued Dec. 18, 2017, which used proprietary algorithms to crunch survey responses and the largest dataset in the industry, ski...
Read More 6 min read
Outside The Gates: Adventures In Jamaica
Jamaica has redefined what it means to have an all-inclusive beach vacation by suggesting that guests explore real island culture outside their resort. It's a great idea to share the wealth that tourism brings to this friendly island, and a fun way to connect with the locals. A Jamaican company -- Island Routes -- is making it easier to do just that, by breaking...
Read More 6 min read
Fairmont San Francisco Does Family Well
At the Fairmont Hotels & Resort's flagship property, the beautiful Fairmont San Francisco, my family was lucky enough to find out what the "Affordable Luxury for Families" concept was all about. The Fairmont, recipient of several historically accurate facelifts since its 1906 opening, boasts its original grandeur without sacrificing any of the modern conveniences one...
Read More 4 min read
Custom Itinerary: San Francisco And Yosemite on Tight Budget
Q. Cathy P. and family of St. Peters, Missouri are visiting San Francisco and Yosemite National Park and want budget hotel and sightseeing ideas along the way. A. Thank you for your note requesting itinerary planning advice for your upcoming trip to California. As we understand it,...
Read More 3 min read
Atlantic Morocco: Beach With Benefits
An Atlantic oceanfront view of north Africa's most intriguing country, Morocco, presents this family with a relaxing and rewarding vacation. We knew a few things from our first trip to Morocco: its ideal location in north Africa, its distinction as one of the most tolerant Muslim societies, the fact that French is universally spoken. We remembered the country's intense markets and devoted artisans,...
Read More 7 min read
St. Petersburg And Clearwater, Florida Attractions
The St. Petersburg/Clearwater area provides so much of what a vacation in Florida should have: some of the nation's finest beaches, facing the calm and shallow Gulf of Mexico, fun eco-adventures in the wild, plus many family-friendly attractions and resorts. This great spot is a 90-minute drive from Orlando's Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios, and just 30 minutes from Tampa's Busch...
Read More 4 min read
Say Bibbidi Bobbidi, Be a Princess or Pirate
In what may have been a first at sea, Disney Cruise Line devoted 94 square meters of real estate on the Disney Fantasy to a venture that promised transformation. Yes, there are costume nights on Nile Cruises when passengers can become pharaohs of ancient Egypt and dance "The Mummy." Yes, there are wellness...
Read More 2 min read
Safari West And Save Yourself A Flight To Africa
Those unexpectedly upside down moments in life, like seeing the Golden Arches among the pagodas of Beijing, can be fun and very reassuring, especially when traveling with kids. But when it's the reverse -- finding the exotic in the familiar -- it can be unsettling. So when we first heard there was an African safari camp outside Santa Rosa, California, we were skeptical... and a bit suspicious. A...
Read More 4 min read
Budget Family Suites Hotels At Universal Orlando Resort
A few years back we reviewed the plans for Universal Orlando Resort's first budget hotel and, during our recent stay at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort, it exceeded all expectations. This fun, 50s or mid-century modern style style hotel grants the same one-hour early park admission to the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" themepark or the new Volcano Bay waterpark as its pricier on-site...
Read More 5 min read
