The Dordogne is a destination filled with history and cultural riches for many French, and for families with children of all ages.
This land of flowing, winding rivers, forested hills, sweeping farms, deep limestone caves, and medieval cliffside villages and castles in the southwest has a many layered history, from its prehistoric cave art to its array of medieval castles.
Understated Family Pleasures
Families who choose to travel to the Dordogne are richly rewarded with plentiful opportunities for historical and cultural sightseeing as well as excellent walking, bicycling, canoeing and other recreational pursuits. And, of course, along the way the culinary adventure is superb as well.
The beauty of the Dordogne is immense, but so understated; no spectacular mountain precipices here, nor any endless coastlines with frothing seas and magnificent dunes. Instead, the Dordogne offers sparkling and remarkably fast-flowing rivers as they very peacefully coexist with patchwork fields, castles and villages that could re-inspire the medieval lines of Playmobil and Lego.
During days spent wandering by sunflower fields, through walnut groves and on forays to taste truffles and foie gras, there is an insistent and seductive softness to the land and its fragrant breezes. It is a magical land: old and gentle, with soft, cavernous hills of limestone and sandy soil where everything grows. In short, living feels easy in the Dordogne.
So, with land like a caress and food fit for gods, why bother to take the kids, you ask? That’s a legitimate question. The answer lies in the region’s history, because while the scenery may not be jaw-dropping, the historical sites most certainly are. Giving kids a dose of history while on vacation can seem like pedaling a tandem bike up a steep hill while the parent does most of the work. But learning history in the Dordogne is more like coasting downhill. And those pseudo-sophisticated youngsters who have learned to roll their eyeballs at the mere mention of the term ‘museum’ can mostly relax: there are few in this region. (If anything, teens can save the rolling eyes for Romanesque church interiors.)
The two most prominent eras of the Dordogne’s past are its prehistoric age, as evidenced through cave painting and other archeological finds, and the medieval Hundred Years War (1337-1453.) Not only do these eras most lend themselves to cultural touring, but they are also where France’s Ministry of Culture devotes its resources in the region.
Prehistoric Cave Art in the Dordogne
Tens of thousands of years ago, early inhabitants of southwest France made use of the area’s numerous deeply recessed and networked limestone caves. Their purpose was not as underground shelters, but for a more mysterious and possibly religious or prophetic intent. Down along underground corridors, and in intimate caverns, the walls of the caves are covered with engravings, drawings and paintings, mainly depicting abundant animal life.
While anthropologists still can only speculate about the exact purpose of the cave art, it is evident even to ordinary tourists that the art served a clear purpose to those who created it and their communities. Not mere graffiti nor simple decoration, the works reflect compassion for animals and humanity more than barbaric attention to everyday survival.
Most remarkably, the paintings reveal significant skills of both observation and technique by the artists who created them. The natural rock contours are incorporated in order to suggest muscle and mass. The angle of view is accommodated for in the creation of naturalistic horses, bison, mammoth, reindeer, lions and numerous other animals. Flickering light creates the illusion of movement amid a herd of bison. The realism achieved by the cave painters, in fact, is part of what inspires the hushed awe from those tourists lucky enough to be ushered in to view these treasures.
It is well worth the effort for families to plan carefully for a visit to the caves in France, because a good tour of original cave art can provide memories that will last a lifetime. Disappointment is common, since the number of daily visitors to original sites is strictly limited. Of course, the replica of the Lascaux caves and a prehistoric museum are visited by scores of tourists, but they will not leave a lasting impression on either you or your children.
Most of the authentic caves open to the public are centered in the town of Les Eyzies, which makes a good base for a day or two of touring in the area. Make reservations to visit each of the caves well in advance; these can be made by phone and it is a good idea to request a tour in English when possible. The guides also serve as escorts into the caves, and groups are limited in size, but all are especially attentive with children, patiently tracing the lines and features of a cave drawing with their penlights until each child experiences her own ‘Aha!’ moment as the image comes to life.
Plan on two excellent choices, the Font du Gaume and Grotte de Combarelles, within walking distance of the village hotels. For cave reservations at Grotte de Font du Gaume and/or Grotte de Combarelles, call ahead 05.53.06.86.00. The staff speaks limited English, but at our visit, 45-minute tours were offered daily from 9am-12 pm and 2pm-6 pm.
Medieval Castles
What kid doesn’t grow up with a toy castle or two and at least a few knights, if only in painted plastic armor? The Dordogne region is where the fantasy world of medieval splendor, pageantry and battle comes to life with a mere nudge of the imagination. There, standing high on a castle wall, you can survey the surrounding countryside as though it were a chessboard, easily understanding the importance of walled cities, ramparts, and battlements in the shifting loyalties of the great barons of medieval times as knights galloped across the fields.
This is the home of Richard the Lionhearted, son of Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is the source for much of the medieval poetry sung by the troubadors. It even served as the location for the movie ‘Ever After”starring Drew Barrymore.
Two of the most impressive (former rivals) castles along the Dordogne River, built high on the cliffs, are Beynac Castle ( 03.35.53.29.50.40) and Chateau Castelnaud. During the Hundred Years War, Beynac served as headquarters for the four lords of the French Perigord, while the lords of Castelnaud fought for England.
Today Beynac Castle, through extensive restoration, is an intact medieval fortress. Visitors are escorted through by guides, and there are ample interactive demonstrations of medieval life. Castelnaud has been restored to house a museum of medieval siege warfare, including a reconstructed, working catapult. Good-natured French guides, dressed in medieval attire, show youngsters the uses for such weaponry. Both guided and self-guided tours are available in French and in English; no advance reservations are necessary.
Details, Details
I highly recommended some background reading on the Dordogne region. For adults, I liked Freda White’s classic, “Three Rivers of France. The National Geographic Society’s Painters of the Caves by Patricia Lauber is an excellent introduction to cave art for children, teens, and adults.
Getting to the region is easy; it’s about a five-hour train ride from Paris, with stops in Brive or Souillac. Local public transportation is not available, so families will want to rent a car for the duration of their stay. It is also possible to walk between villages and arrange for taxis and luggage transport through tour agencies.
There are many good small hotels in the area, and the restaurants are renowned (phone ahead for reservations.) There are also excellent camping facilities that are heavily used by French vacationers. For extensive local cultural and historic information, including an extraordinary list of annual festivals (note the Fat Bullock and the Omelet Festivals), click on http://www.tourisme-aquitaine.fr/en. For general France information and a list of authorized hotel reservations services, visit www.francetourism.com and click on the Aquitane region. Once you’re set with the practical advice, go to www.info-france-usa.org, the site sponsored by the Embassy of France, for a fun-for-kids area with games about France.
Try to avoid traveling to the area in late July and August when all of France is on vacation. But if that is the only time you can visit, you will still have a wonderful time!
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We vacationed at a dude ranch in Colorado called the Drowsy Water Ranch. We have two kids (9,4) who along with us had the best vacation we have ever had. The ranch offered lots of activities and excellent kids programs and riding instruction.
Our favorite parts of the trip was the evening activities, great staff and ranch owners, learning to ride like cowboys and cowgirls, rafting and most of all watching our kids enjoy their vacation.
We would highly recommend Drowsy Water Ranch to anyone looking for a dude ranch vacation. We are planning on returning to the ranch again this coming summer!
I've heard that this housing development project has made Amsterdam city living more affordable for young families. What a wonderful way to keep a very old urban center alive.
Jessica,
I love your essay. Very descriptive and well written. Thanks for sharing it!
Mrs. Toombs
I love your incorporation of the “Disney” portrayal of Paris. I was also a little disappointed when I actually saw the Moulin Rouge, it was definitely not as romantic as Nicole and Ewan made it seem.
This is really good!
your job sounds so interesting, sort of like a war correspondent with less of the war and more of the correspondence. I look forward to week 2.
Wow… really interesting to hear about Iraq from this non-news oriented perspective. Thanks for sharing and can’t wait for more.
Good luck and be safe!
I’d like to thank the judges, who gave my essay the time of day and even went as far as to award it third place. This event has been really awesome.
There’s an area in Berlin with segments of the Wall still standing, and these are covered with graffiti and really interesting to see. I never heard of this, will definitely check it out next time I’m in Praha. Thanks for sharing.
gee Brandon,
that’s a really heavy thought but a very interesting one. i loved cancun when we went; it’s full of life and very sophisticated. yes, we could see the difference between the glitzy lifestyles of the locals around the tourist hotels, versus the people who lived in the countryside, but they all seemed pretty happy to me.
The Holland America ships sailing on a 7-day itinerary only have time for a day in port at Quebec City. However, they have a few 13 day itineraries that spend 2 days in this fun port of call. Mid September-October is a great time to go.
I was able to get the docs, cancel the request. If all else fails, read the directions, right? Thanks
For a unique, exhilerating and unforgettable experience in Wales, try an “adventure weekend” at Preseli Venture. My weekend there included learning how to surf and hiking for 7 miles along the gorgeous coast. Other activities were kayacking and, my personal favorite, coasteering – a combination of swimming, rock climbing and cliff jumping that will leave you sore, tired and smiling. The rest of our time there was spent hanging out around a bonfire, eating delicious food and having drinks with friends. Your body will be challenged and your soul will be rejuvinated after a weekend here!
Norway is an absolutely magical country where you can see tiny grass-roof houses occasionally dotting the countryside and some of the bluest waters you can imagine. My family has an incredible trip to Norway a few years ago. All of us would definitely recommend that you try the strawberries at the open-air market in Bergen. They were the best we’ve ever had. However, don’t be tempted to try the chain pizza restaurant, Pippin’s. Their idea of pizza is not quite what most Americans are used to and its very expensive. After a disastrous experience with Norwegian pizza, we ventured toward the less touristy eateries and discovered that tiny restaurants that sell delicious rotisserie chicken platters were everywhere and quite affordable. We were so proud of ourselves for making this little discovery that I though I’d share it with anyone considering a trip to this amazing place!
Big Sur, the National Park along Highway 1, just south of Monterey is also worth a visit. I spent many summers there as a child and it’s always a pleasure to go back. You’ll be camping(but there are cabins and hotels available) among the giant redwoods, with the beach right beside the forest. Some of the scenery just driving through the park are the best, in my opinion of the entire Highway 1 experience and definitely worth at least a day trip while in the area.
The Bellagio has an amazing nightly water show. The fountains make the water seem to dance to classical music. The show only lasts about 5-10 minutes, but it runs every half hour during the week and every 15 minutes on the weekends. You can tell when the show is about to start as soon as the area around the Bellagio’s entrance gets packed, so be sure to beat the rush and get a comfortable viewing area.
I’ve made two requests for permission travel letters and have not received an email. I have a mac…is that a problem?
The Lake George region is one my favorites to vacation in upstate New York. The town is beautiful and an evening walk along the water after a nice meal makes for an enjoyable evening.
When I vacationed with my family a few years ago we stayed at the Lake George Escape Camp Ground. My family is not one for roughing it, so even though there were families on the grounds living out their tents and RVs, we were able to rent one of the log cabins, with all the modern “luxuries” that I deem necessary (shower, bed, kitchen). The huge grounds has a baseball field, an outdoor pool and a rec room with a tons of games for the kids to play. There is nightly entertainment and the atmosphere is very friendly with families grilling on their own BBQs and offering hotdogs to other guests walking by.
While in town, we found the time to explore the area and two of the things I highly recommend are Six Flags Great Escape Park and just a half-mile down the road from that is the Glen Falls Drive-In movie theater. The theme park has a bobsled rollercoaster and the drive-in has double features (for the price of one) every night during the summer!
Our teen son has been to the New Orleans Jazz Festival twice and he just loves it. There is something magical about listening to music out of doors that keeps kids involved. If we put on some of the music he loved at NoLa at home, he would scoff at it! But there, sitting on the lawn, his musical horizons were much broader. This festival sounds just great.
Hello Steve~ I’m hoping your still active on this site and my post reaches you soon. It was a wonderful sight for me to stumble upon this site and find your name and some photos. Please try to contact me so that we can catch up. You may email me erinmbrice on yahoo.
Everyone should go to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most amazing things I did in Ireland!
During Christmas of 2006, I went down to the Caribbean for the first time with my family. It was me, my younger brother and sister (who were in their mid to late teenage years at the time) and our parents.
I was a little apprehensive since I have never been on vacation during the holidays before, but like Kristen, we stayed at the Barcelo Capella and it was a GREAT TIME. There was a huge tree in the middle of the resort decorated with lights and they even had parties for all the guests on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The staff is comical, welcoming and entertaining. My favorite part of each night was after dinner when the performers took a break from their music and dancing and put on what the resort calls, “Ice Breakers.” Basically, they pull out random guests and members of the audience to come on stage and participate in embarrassing, but incredibly funny activities. You may have to dance the tango with a stranger, pop balloons with your butt, or make animals noises. It keeps the crowd pleased and certainly does break the ice.
I went down with my family, but left the resort with a ton of friends. The Barcelo Capella definitely enhances the typical family vacation. PLUS- It is ALL INCLUSIVE and beach front. You really cannot go wrong here.
Oahu can be congested sometimes, but it’s too beautiful to pass up. Another great thing to do is visit The Contemporary Museum on Makiki Heights Drive. It’s small and intimate and full of interesting exhibits. It’s a great place to beat the heat and get away from crowds.
Absolutely beautiful, in summer and winter. Lake Louise holds a special place in my heart! Although I would suggest during winter bundle up. Seriously, I spent the winter holidays skiing here and it was -40 degrees, hand warmers are a must!
I loved going to Lugu Lake. It took a six hour bus ride to get there from Lijiang, which is a short flight away from Kunming. The trip was definitely worth it though, the lake is gorgeous! If you have time, get tickets for the Mosuo performance. The Mosuo people are a matriarchal society who lives near Lugu Lake and the show teaches you all about their customs through singing and dancing.
I go back to Grand Targhee every winter with my dad for so many reasons. I love it! The lift lines are never long, the food is cheap and with my college I.D I was able to ski for $35 over spring break 2008. I was even able to go skiing with my friends who had never skied before.
If you’re looking to visit pandas without leaving the city, just head over to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The research base is just a short taxi ride away from the heart of the city and a perfect day trip. I spent three hours there before my evening flight, just enough time to visit everything from the Baby Panda Nursery to Giant Panda Kindergarten. The pandas are adorable and although they didn’t do much (mostly sleeping and eating), none of the visitors, including me, could take their eyes off the slow-moving animals. For 400 RMB (about 53 US dollars), visitors can stand next to and take a picture with a baby panda, but if you want to hold one, be prepared for sticker shock. It costs 1000 RMB, or about 133 US dollars!
I also recommend stopping and watching the video about the giant panda and the center’s breeding efforts. Visit the less popular red pandas as well. They’re much more energetic than their large black and white counterparts and the kids were excited to see them leaping around and wrestling with one another. Like most other tourist destinations, the breeding center has a souvenir shop near the exit. Stop by and take a look at the cuddly stuffed pandas and t-shirts, but you may want to buy the items at the stands across the street from the breeding center where you can bargain. Be careful when getting on one of the taxis waiting outside. They know that most of the visitors are tourists and will try to rip you off so make sure they start the meter once you get on.
While in Chengdu, I stayed at Universal House Golden Hotel, a four star hotel not far from the city center. It was inexpensive (I paid around 60 US dollars per night) and the service was wonderful. The front desk was eager to help and recommended two wonderful restaurants, including Huang Cheng Lao Ma which specializes in Sichuan-style hotpot.
The Giant’s Causeway is definitely worth the trip from Belfast, which by bus tour took a couple hours for us. There is a particular rock out near the water that is rumored to be magical and is considered Finn’s chair. Supposedly anyone who sits on that particular step stone can wish for any one thing and Finn will grant that wish.
I also highly recommend the Crown’s Liquor Saloon. The Farmer’s Chicken was excellent and keeping with the wonderful pub atmosphere. Now that there is a smoking ban in Northern Ireland, I bet it’s even more pleasant without the cloud of smoke.
A couple other things that to think about doing is visiting Queen’s University, just to see how like good wine, universities are better with age and a stroll through the Botanical Gardens is nice when weather permits, but if showers occur, seek shelter in the Palm House, a glass greenhouse with a huge variety of tropical flowers and plants. Admission is free to both.
Another way to travel through Belfast is with the Black Cab tours, which offers private tours in those classic cab cars that look old fashioned compared to the sedan Yellow Taxis of New York City. These personalized tours allow up to four people to pick and choose which sites ranging from within Belfast City to as far as Antrim to the Giant’s Causeway. They also have tours to the Shankill Murals and Falls Murals, which are always viewed better with a local guide to explain what these paintings represent, along with the history.
Edinburgh has a great haunted tour. A lot of it is more about the ‘gore’ of hanging days, but they take you down into their underground vaults, which was voted as one of the most haunted places on earth. It’s not all that scary, but definitely for older kids (and grown-ups) who love to be spooked.
I love Portland! Try out the Rose Gardens, it’s a nice place for the kids to run around while the parents enjoy the flowers.
I stayed at the Embassy Hotel while there and we ended up with a suite, very spacious, clean, great staff.
Little Italy is a great spot for gelato and family-style Italian food. And the suburb of Westlake (about 15 minutes from Cleveland) has a huge pedestrian area and shopping village called Crocker Park with tons of shops, eateries, and kid-friendly stops.
I stayed at the Hix House, designed by environmentalist architect John Hix. We absolutely loved it, though it is very rustic and run on solar power, no TV, AC, etc. They require children be 16 and older, so this is only a good option for older kids who love the outdoors and want to explore unique environmental lodging options.
I like free kayaking in Hudson Park through Downtown Boat House. They provide free kayaks to venture out solo or tandem for about 20-minutes along the Hudson. Kids under the age of 16 have to go tandem with a guardian. While 16-18 year olds can go solo, but their guardian has to sign a waiver and be present the whole time. Makes for a fun and inexpensive family activity.
Hudson Park also has a summer trapeze school, batting cages, bike rentals, rock climbing, play areas, and free movie programs during summer.
St. Thomas isn’t the island for me. Personally, the last thing I want to see when entering a Caribbean port is an oversized Rolex store, a local market overflowing with cheap goods from China, and a misplaced McDonald’s.
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort is well-kept, but has some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced. If you’re not there on an all-inclusive, they’ll nickel and dime you to death with $20 to $50 to check your email, or even more to get online from your room. My room’s internet connection did not work and when alerted to the problem, the cranky staff did nothing beyond making false promises and passing the buck and I left having never been able to connect.
The beach is rocky and uninviting and so far from the rooms as to almost make it not worth the visit. Snorkeling gear is free to guests, but they make you pay $5 for life vest’s for your little ones. I had to leave my credit card as a deposit when they wouldn’t take my room number instead.
I don’t recommend the Wyndham…
Hi
Stay in what Hans Christian Andersen called “Denmarks Garden” at this magnificent Manor House, http://www.skrobelevgods.dk
Huge and bright suites with en-suite bathrooms, winecellar, lounces with open fireplaces etc.
Hi
Another fantastic French castle is Hattonchatel Chateau in Lorraine – the view is fabulous and the listed knights hall “la Salle de Burgraves” is one of the few wonders of this world.
Mention the night skiing at Squaw Valley. It has one of the longest night-lit runs I’ve ever skied — 3.2 miles from top to bottom. Plus the terrain park is lit at night and that includes a half-pipe. Really fun.
Susan F.
Northstar at Taoe is a great place for teens because all of the housing on the resort site is served by a bus. That means they can sleep in and get themselves to the slopes. It also has really fun terrain park features for both skiers and snowboarders. It would be nice to see daycare for infants, though.
– Laura S.
Wow, you sound like a disgruntled Yankee Fan!
Having personally vacationed at Point Sebago with my family for a week at least 7 years so we speak from first hand experience. Most years we never leave the resort and check-out feeling we participated in a small fraction of the resorts multitude of offerings. You make no mention of the family camaraderie we find so refreshing around the campfire each evening. Did you ever start a camp fire? Probably not as it sounds like you spent very little time at the resort (5 days vacation and 5 Maine excursions).
Obviously your teens do not enjoy tennis, canoeing, kayaking, golf, driving range, miniature golf, sailing, volleyball, shuffleboard, hanging out on the beach, or going on a teen cruise or teen dance.
You make the “Park Homes” sound small. And, when compared to a house – this point can not be argued. However many families vacation and share a single motel/hotel room with 2 double beds. Compared to that, our 2-bedroom Park Home every year feels quite spacious.
You also mention the 10 minute walk from your unit to the water. You do not mention the dozens of homes directly on the water (given the resort popularity, we do reserve months in advance to get a waterfront Park Home).
Point Sebago Resort has over a 80 percent repeat guest and referral rate. Families who love Point Sebago are loyal, return year after year (some for generations) and tell their friends. We have refered dozens of families and all have loved it! Thousands find this to be a real “Maine woods” experience.
But when you visit a resort with so much to offer and the 6 highlights of your visit are 5 off-sight visits (you were only there for 5 days) and the sixth highlight was teaching your son to drive. Well, as you say, clearly your family “did not click with it” – but did you even try?
Does not sound like you will, but if you were to visit again, try actually participating in some of the resorts activities and events. They are numerous, they are fun! You make new friends and you reconnect as friends with your family – surprisingly this happens over mini golf or s’mores. We find this is what really makes the true Point Sebago experience!
-Greg Burke
This author is amazing! This article was very informative and makes me want to go to Seefeld right now!!!Keep up the good work!!!
Our family visited Columbus in July one year and attended the Ohio State Fair. What a great time we had – our 2 year old loved petting the animals in the 4H tent where many older kids were gathered with the younger “siblings” of the cows, sheep and goats who were in competition. The Ohioans are so friendly too, that made it extra fun. Highly recommended, especially with little ones.
I was at this ski resort in March one year and it was awesome. There’s an outdoor cafe halfway up the mountain, near the open air skating rink built for the Olympics — both are a great place to hang out in the noon day sun. really neat.
This sounds like such a fun trip, but do you think it would be hard to drive a minivan full of kids for us, since it’s on the “wrong” side of the street in Ireland?
I wonder how much traffic there is and how stressful this would be, with parking, filling up the gas tank, etc.
Don’t miss “Gum Alley” in downtown San Luis Obispo, where visitors have left their artistic mark in gum. You’ll see gum initials, gum hearts, gum peace symbols, and thousands and thousands of pieces of ABC (already been chewed) gum. Found objects such as old 45 rpm records and charms are often stuck onto the wall and there’s always room for more. The wall is located off Higuera between Chorro and Broad Streets.
I haven’t, but I found a nice site at http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/- It’s AutoEurope, the car rental company, and they have lots of fly-drive offers for families interested in visiting the Christmas markets in Munich, Dresden, Nuremberg, Salzburg, Vienna, Zurich and Strasbourg. maybe it will have some good ideas for your next Christmas market adventure.
A few things to do iin Moscow include the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier’s changing of the guard ceremony, a Kremlin tour, Lenin’s Mausoleum, Armory and Diamond Fund Tours.
You can explore central Moscow on foot. Kids may like the shopping mall with the food court under Red Square.
Other possiblities include the Izmalova flea market, the KGB Museum and Park Pobedy (Victory Park).
The Bolshoi ballet is a treat and you’ll need to book tickets quite a ways in advance.
You should have plenty of excellent ideas for St. Petersburg in this article!
I am interested in a family trip in July for my two children and myself to include at least Moscow and St Petersburg. I am a member. Help! Christi Bourne
I just didn’t want FamilyTravelForum.com to be hit by nasty emails from parents with young kids curious to know just what Bomba and the women are doing in all those photos and why.
The Bomba Shack is a tourist attraction — trap may be more like it. It’s a really gross place.
Candyce Stapen
Anyone who has ever been to Tortola knows that this is just an absurd landmark… a taste of local color… that people actually ask to stop at. It is definitely just a place to take a photo as they have the strangest things hanging there. We saw lots and lots of license plates, etc… and did not take note of bras and panties, etc. We did not recommend that anyone “hang out” there.
Nonetheless, we feel that if anyone is offended… then this item definitely has to be eliminated from our article about the island.
Mel and Ronnie Greenberg, authors
You really should delete the reference to “Bamba Shack.” First of all, it’s the “Bomba Shack” and secondly, it appeals to drunken college students and twenthysomethings. It’s not family-friendly.
Women’s panties and naked, explicit — very explicit photos — of Bomba feeling up and doing all kinds of X-rated activities with visiting women are on the walls and hang from the rafters.
I wouldn’t even want my daughter going there when she was in college, let alone when she was younger.
Candyce Stapen
[Editor’s Note: Travel expert Candyce H. Stapen is a contributing editor and columnist for Family Fun, Vacations, the Washington Times, and National Geographic Traveler. She is also the author of the four “Great Family Vacations” guides (Prima Publishing): Northeast, South, Midwest & Rocky Mountain Region, and West, as well as “Cruise Vacations With Kids” and “Fun With the Family in Virginia” (Globe Pequot Press). Stapen has two children and lives in Washington, DC.]