jillian ryan author at My Family Travels
Kids making funny faces while grandpa drives the car on a fall road trip.
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Favorite Car Games For The Backseat

Kids can become pretty restless while cooped up in the backseat, but our favorite family car games are guaranteed to prevent that. Trust us, they've been road-tested on I-95 North...

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Canoeing on the beautiful freshwater lake at Camp Getaway.
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Connecticut Yankees At The Club Getaway Family Camp

If your family needs a sleepaway break from the hustle and bustle of city life, then Connecticut's Club Getaway family camp may be what you're looking for. Club Getaway is best...

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View off the coast of Thailand to vivide green water and mountains.
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Virginia Beach Resorts For Families On The Virginia Coast

When vacation planning, explore the availability of Virginia Beach resorts for families, among the top hotels along Virginia’s Atlantic coast.  Virginia Beach is one of America’s...

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Fine Food, Fast Cars, A Romantic Daytona Beach Getaway

We were a little upset when we landed at Daytona Beach’s airport in central Florida: it was raining… hard. Not the most ideal scenario for...

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License plates nailed to wall.
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Family Car Games – The License Plate Game

It's back to the future with the License Plate Game, one of our favorite car games -- in printable form -- to make road time and the long miles fly by. We've also got game suggestions...

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Road Trip USA: The Pacific Northwest From Portland To The Olympic Peninsula

With its combination of sophisticated citylife in Seattle and Portland, and the scenic wilderness of the Olympic Peninsula, this road trip satisfies all ages.

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Top 10 Cheap Getaways For Family Travelers 2008

In 2008, FTF's Top 10 Cheap Getaways for Family Travelers were selected for the great value they offered to families who desired to travel on a budget. 

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Professional Editor Shares Essay Writing Tips On What Makes a Great Essay

Roger Rapoport, the publisher of RDR Books, is one of the judges of the 2009 Family Travel...

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Teachers Apply for Grants Supporting Travel Abroad

Teaching is not an easy job, and one of the perks is having the summer off with the rest of the students -- if you have somewhere to go. Since 1988, with the inception of Fund...

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Top Cheap Campground Getaway: Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts

The Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts, previously a winner of FTF's Top Cheap Getaways for Family Travelers award, get...

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New York’s Best Family-Friendly Hotels

Having lived in New York City our entire lives, we have always loved tiny cafes, small movie houses, and those more intimate places to go. Although we prefer some of NYC's smaller hotels to the larger...

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Rekindle Romance In St. Kitts, The Caribbean’s Sexiest Island

More than five years ago, I was lucky enough to find myself vacationing on the island of St. Kitts, a lush, 68-square mile volcanic island in the West Indies. I fell in love with the people, the culture...

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Star Trekking: Vanessa Hudgens Visits Disney World in Orlando

Vanessa Hudgens, the star of Disney’s High School Musical series, spent time in Florida this weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  The actress and singer was doing a press visit...

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Good Golly! Macon, Georgia For Music And History

A mom takes the family back to her old stomping grounds in Macon, known as Middle Georgia, and discovers museums, monuments, music and great eats in the heart of the Peach State. Not long...

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St. Lucia Hotels And Resorts

Find the perfect island hotel or resort, all-inclusive or luxury villa, for your family vacation with our guide to St. Lucia's top family beach resorts. The influence of years as an English...

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Utah’s Park City, Where Family Fun is Not Just for Winter

With all that Park City has to offer, we are sure that your entire family will be surprised at how much this winter community blossoms during the spring and summer months. Numerous ski...

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The Seven Stars Resort, Turks & Caicos

The family-friendly Seven Stars is one of Turks & Caicos' newest luxury oceanfront resorts on Grace Bay Beach. A Caribbean paradise located just south of the Bahamas, Turks...

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Star Trekker: Justin Bieber Celebrates in Luxe Style with Selena Gomez

A few weeks ago, the “Never Say Never” pop sensation and heartthrob, Justin Bieber turned 17 years of age... and he is growing rather fast. Bieber and Disney star, Selena Gomez,...

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Star Trekking: Miley Cyrus in Haiti Lending a Hand

Hannah Montana Disney star, Miley Cyrus, hopped a plane to Haiti last week to do some good for the Caribbean island nation. Haiti suffered horrendous damage...

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Star Trekker: Justin Bieber Wins NBA Celebrity All-Star

While Hollywood's elite watched, the 60th NBA All-Star Game played out Sunday, February 20, 2011 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California....

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Hacienda Tres Rios: An Eco-Luxury Yucatan Adventure

Seeking a luxurious Mexican retreat? Hacienda Tres Rios is where the Mayan heavens meet the earth and the rivers and sea converge before your very eyes.Located just a few miles north of Playa del...

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Star Trekking: Celebrities Flock to Dallas Super Bowl XLV

Football lovers will say that the Super Bowl is about the two best teams in the NFL battling it out for the top spot. Some believe it is about the commercials and others might claim...

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Star Trekking: John Travolta’s Newborn is Already Flying the Skies

Two-month-old Benjamin Travolta is already logging hours towards his pilot’s license.  Following in father’s, John Travolta (now age 56) footsteps, newborn Benjamin is flying the friendly skies....

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Star Trekking: Kate Plus Eight Go Down Under

Ending 2010 with a bang, reality television star and single mom, Kate Gosselin, packed up her eight children, and headed to New Zealand and Australia for a two week get-a-way.  Sources report...

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The Harry Potter Bachelorette Party

Writer, with girlfriends in tow, heads to Universal Orlando to explore the latest addition to the theme park: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.It wasn’t a typical Bachelorette Party with...

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The 13 Career Break Symptoms That Say “Meet, Plan, Go!”

As the nationwide movement on extended travel and career break -- Meet, Plan, Go! recently took the world by storm on September 14th 2010, inspiring countless travel aspirants to break away from...

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Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort

White sand, blue waters, great service, delicious food... this centrally located Marriott resort is not the largest, but it has it all.One of the first resorts nestled on the south end of Grand...

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How Important is Family Travel for the Soul?

If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug since you were a kid, chances are that passion for travel runs in your family.  You are born to be a traveler when the memories...

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My Family Learns The Secret Of Italian Cuisine

Join us on a heritage tour of Italy as we stop in the pretty town of Parma to experience cheese, ham and balsamic vinegar production at the source. My family spent nearly two weeks touring the...

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Mission Holidays Blog Serves Increasing Number of Volunteer Vacations

Media Only. August 31, 2010. An increase in the number of community service trips and charitable vacations undertaken by young travelers prompts FTF to launch a blog on the topic.Every year,...

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Star Trekking: Ashton Kutcher, World’s Most Famous Stepfather, Explores Israel

On August 7th, he tweeted, “This just in from Israel… It’s hot.”  And that was just the beginning of the journey made by Ashton Kutcher, husband of Demi Moore and star of television series...

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San Juan Marriott Resort And Stellaris Casino

Need a burst of tropical warmth? No passport? No problem, when you contemplate a getaway to this city-style beachfront resort in sunny San Juan, Puerto Rico.By day, the San...

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Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe, Mexico

A newly opened all-inclusive resort in San Jose del Cabo, this luxurious Barcelo resort was designed with the family in mind.One of the newest resort complexes on the pristine sands of San Jose...

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Active Adventures In St. Lucia

In addition to beaches and natural scenery, families should explore the unique allure of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia with an adventurous twist.St. Lucia boasts a rugged landscape that is...

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Family Travel Forum Announces 2010 Young Travel Writers Scholarship Winners

After running the inspirational Teen Travel Writers Scholarship for the past three years, Family Travel Forum decided it was time for travel writers ages 18-26 who shared their tales with the travelBIGO.com...

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The Ultimate Times Square Dining Experience

As a local, I have eaten in a ton of New York City Restaurants, but up until recently, I have never had the pleasure to eat in Times Square.  Okay, yes, I have grabbed a hot dog or quick slice at a...

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Curacao Attractions

A southern Caribbean gem with a Dutch flair that has it all for families: eco-attractions, great beaches, historical culture, friendly locals and more.Just a mere 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela,...

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Star Trekking: New Moon’s Robert Pattinson Spends Time in NYC

Robert Pattinson, the British heartthrob of Twilight fame and glory, recently spent some time in the Big Apple plugging his new movie Remember Me.  New York City, overloaded with...

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Study Abroad on the Rise with Teens

When I was in college, I was lucky enough to spend a summer studying abroad with the American Institute of Foreign Study in Florence, Italy.  It was an amazing and educational life experience as I...

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Punzabo Winner Lends a Helping Hand in Illinois

Congratulations to the February 2010 Punzabo winner, Nathan Fox, author of  “A Very Volunteer Vacation”! On his...

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Star Trekking: Brad and Angelina (Plus Kids) Take Venice by Storm

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spent some time in Venice during the end of February.  And of course, it was a family travel event with 19-month-old twins, Knox and Vivienne,...

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St. Kitts Marriott Resort And The Royal Beach Casino

The St. Kitts Marriott is a sweet luxury resort offering fun in the sun, a relaxing setting and much more, including interesting environmental programs for kids.The local Kittitians call their...

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Star-Trekking: John Travolta Flies Doctors and Medical Supplies to Haiti

On Monday, January 25th, in continuing efforts to send aid to Haiti, a nighttime flight piloted by John Travolta took off from Tampa, Florida carrying 50 doctors and over 7,000 pounds of...

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Writers Comment On A Winner: “The Pennsylvania Hills”

For 2009, the winners of the Family Travel Forum Teen Travel Writing Scholarship were selected by professional writers and editors from the Society of American Travel Writers. They chose Kassandra...

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Unusual Blog “Beautiful Nepal” Generates Controversy Among Writers

Christine Anderson’s essay “Beautiful Nepal” was the Second Place Winner of FTF's 2009 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship, the...

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Breezes Runaway Bay, Jamaica Resort And Golf Club

Newly renovated, this Jamaica resort provides families -- with teens and older -- an all-inclusive vacation that meets all of life's simple requirements for sun, food, drink and fun.Nestled...

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Star Trekking: Justin Bieber Swims with Dolphins at the Atlantis

Justin Bieber, the 15-year old Canadian pop star famous for his hits like “One Less Lonely Girl” and “One Time,” loves the Atlantis...

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Punzabo Winner Shares the History of her Favorite City: Berlin (December 2009)

The winner of the December 2009 travelBIGO Punzabo Award (and $100) is Jennifer Stacewicz! Her essay entitled Berlin, Germany takes...

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Punzabo Winner Shares the History of her Favorite City: Berlin

The winner of the December 2009 travelBIGO Punzabo Award (and $100) is Jennifer Stacewicz! Her essay entitled Berlin, Germany takes...

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Aruba Attractions

Like most Caribbean family beach getaways, Aruba offers visitors opportunities to rest in the sun on a tranquil beach, as beautiful, gentle blue waves lap at the sand.  Conversely,...

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