Trends: Halal Tourism, By and For Muslims
Travel by Muslims, whether or not they are actively religious or following Islamic social laws, is a market segment known as Halal Tourism. (Halal means a code of dietary laws, similar to the kosher dietary...
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Sustainable Fun Makes Pittsburgh Kidsburgh
By cleaning up its act and investing in the quality of life of their city, the Pittsburgh you may remember has evolved into a "Kidsburgh" that attracts families to live and visit....
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Coping With Gluten Free, Food Allergies And Special Diets At Theme Parks
Today, theme park restaurants are offering gluten-free, vegetarian, and food allergy sensitive menu choices for those with special diets, as well as anyone watching their weight. In 2016, the Centers for...
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A Night at the Shack
Last July, my Mother, Grandmother, and Aunty Tracey had excitedly made plans to sleep in a log cabin before rafting down the Lehigh River along the lofty peaks of the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania. For...
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Istanbul, Turkey: City of Ages
Turkey's capital city of Istanbul is not only full of family attractions, this classic stopover of world travelers has become one of Europe's hottest destinations.
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Family Travel Forum Announces Winners of 2018 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship
(New York, NY – September 18, 2018) Family Travel Forum (FTF) and its travel industry partners congratulate the winners of the 2018 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship. Completing its 12th year, this...
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Yoga Tourism: The Mind Body Vacation
In this stressful age, the subject of yoga retreats as "vacation" comes up often. Travelers may ask, are they a good option for a parent-child or three generation getaway? The answer is yes,...
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Berlin, Germany Attractions
As one of Europe's hottest cities, Berlin, Germany is teeming with the latest shops, restaurants, galleries, clubs and boutique hotels. But it's also a city with a rich history and a lively art center,...
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International Mafia
We sat around a table in the lobby of the “President” hotel, 20 accented voices in chorus arguing about the proper way to play the card game “mafia”. Argentina asserted it was played with two people...
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Niagara: A Trancendental Experience
Awe. The sense of being in the presence of forces far beyond our comprehension and control. The sudden clarity of knowing that no matter how powerful we become, there are some things in this world that...
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Precipice of the Unknown
Crack! The sound of thunder brought me to my senses, standing at the peak of the second highest mountain in the northeast. Cadillac Mountain was shrouded by heavy white clouds, illuminated only by the...
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The Joys of Bar-Hopping in Valladolid, Spain
When I reflect on my adventures in Spain, and on subsequent conversations with friends who have also been fortunate enough to make the trip, I find that the first words in recounting our respective experiences...
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Lost
I couldn’t see the ground in front of me, much less my two hands grasping at the path ahead. The sky was dark, filled with thin clouds blotching the moons helpful rays. As I hiked up the cliff, I stopped...
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The Moment I Was Aware of A Cruel World
I tend to confuse myself and others. I am an extreme pessimist, I expect the worst. Yet I have an upbeat attitude, and have the willingness to hope for things. I think global warming will depleat the planet,...
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Fueled by Fire: Remembering the Spark that Started it All
At the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains, a dull cluster of houses, mud-yellow fields, and indoor shopping centers make up my mother’s new home away from home. A year ago, she reluctantly abandoned...
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Grandmother and Granddaughter Bond over Roman Infrastructure (Literally!)
"50 YEARS OF ADVENTURES" advertised the world map in my grandparents' family room. It was covered with colorful pins stuck in exotic places that some may never have even heard of. My grandparents were...
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Club Meds Of Morocco
Combine an exotic locale, millenia of history, and a comfortable resort atmosphere populated by like-minded families and voila! You have the three Club Meds in Morocco, each an all-inclusive and family-welcoming...
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A Leap Into the Past
The bitter wind cut into the sizable group of Floridians that huddled in the city center platz of the medieval city of Rothenburg, Germany. Snowballs soared through the air like cannonballs and smoke escaped...
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Blizzard Beach, Orlando’s Cheap Theme Park
Blizzard Beach, a Disney water park, is one my favorite places to take my sons Wyatt, age 10, and Joseph, age 12, as well as my husband. Done up only as Disney can do, a day at Blizzard Beach is all about...
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Helpful Tips For Holidays And Safe Travel With Pets
I love my four-footed friends and want to ensure safe holiday travel with pets and help you make your adventures more pet-friendly.
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A Natural Revelation
A short year ago, a city of great feats stood before me as my feet lifted from the grey steps of the airplane’s rickety ladder, and landed on the concrete below me. This tentative step marked the first...
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From Ten to Twenty – Lessons learned Ecuador
As our large bus wheeled up the narrow path along Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, I was distracted from the likelihood of death by the breathtaking view. Flowers I’ve never seen before, livestock, and people...
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Discovering the Natural World in Norway
My sister Hanna and I sprinted down the dirt path, with our parents lagging behind. Ahead of us was one of the many stunning mountains that line Norway’s fjords. Waterfalls spewed from its cliffs. At...
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Bear-ly Up the Mountain
The trail, meandering below the canopy as hardly a trickle of dust, seemed nondescript. We stood at the edge of its start, our backpacks hanging from our sweaty backs as mosquitos buzzed our ears. “Ten...
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A Volunteer Trip I’ll Never Forget
Over the last six years, I have amassed over a thousand community service hours, volunteering at a variety of different events and organizations. I’ve worked at trash pick-ups, tutoring clubs, golf tournaments,...
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The Bahamas
From the bright blue sky above, the sun beat down, casting its rays of warmth across the Bahamian sand. I felt warmed from the inside out, while a light misting from the ocean kept me cool. The soft breeze...
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The Magic of Lost Lake
During the summer of 2018 my wanderlust was still going strong and we were visiting my family in Grand Junction, Colorado. My only goal for our one free day was to see some big pine trees. My mother suggested...
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Lessons From Whales
Everyone anxiously stood still, holding their breath. Excitement exuded from everyone on board as we all waited to see what we journeyed so far for. Then we heard it: the whooshing sound of a whale exhaling....
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Here Lies a World Down Under
Finally, after about a twenty-four hour plane ride from Brooklyn, New York to Cairns, Australia, my father and I made it. We wobbled off the plane with water retention in our legs, brimming with excitement...
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My Quick Forest Getaway
As I rounded the corner I felt my breath escape my lungs with a loud push, my jaw dropping to the ground in awe. What was in front of me was so magnificent in beauty and size I couldn’t quite believe...
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A Lighthouse, Fish, and St. Patricks Day…Oh My!
¡Bienvenidas to La Coruña, Spain! Nestled in the northwest corner of Spain, right above neighboring Portugal sits the autonomous community of Galicia. Located on the edge of the Atlantic lays one...
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Kauai: Just Around the River Bend
As my family and I drive through the lush green roads of Kauai, I can't help but gasp at what surrounds me. The winding roads cut through meadows of tall grasses that are framed by massive mountains. While...
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The Secret of Salinas
A quaint city located in the Andes mountains of Ecuador at about 11,600 feet above sea level, Salinas de Guaranda is small, but from them I have learned that even the smallest things can push the biggest...
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Fraternité in France
Stepping out of the Charles de Gaulle Etoile subway stop and being greeted by the Arc de Triomphe as snow-peppered wind kissed my nose was the most magical moment of my life. Knowing that Napoleon’s...
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Hau’oli in Hawaii
I eagerly stepped onto land I had never been on before, but to my surprise, it felt like home. In July of last summer, our nine day adventure began in the beautiful island of Oahu. Happiness comes in many...
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Visit to Denali National Park
When most people think “vacation,” they think shopping, beaches, lots of sun. When I think vacation, I imagine the wilderness, scenic landscapes and wildlife. Alaska fit my idea of vacation perfectly. A...
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Mosquito Beach
Mosquito Beach, MI is a very deceiving name, for the beach itself is anything but deterring. We began the day by hiking through dense woods, past trickling streams, and over rolling sand dunes. We trudged...
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Blueberries in Belarus
When I look back, my fondest memory is small, round, and blue. One might expect that a different object would surface in my memory, but my mind always circles back to the blueberry, or chernika, in Russian....
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Living the Imperial Life in Vienna
There are few European cities associated with imperial style like Vienna, where hundreds of palaces, gilded monuments and museums attest to a grand past. Today, visitors to the capital of the Austro-Hungarian...
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Cancun’s Beautiful Neighbor
The strong wind and obnoxiously blinding sun had me squinting for the entire twenty-minute ride. It was a good thing we were at the top of the double decker tour boat, or I would be squinting purely to...
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The Best Way to Get Lost in the French Riviera
After walking through the gorgeous checkerboard-covered square Place Massena, we reached the bustling main street that hugs the pebbly beaches of the Mediterranean. Our tour guide led us to an unending...
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Underwater: A Different Dimension of Paradise
When the last snorkel bag is jammed into the back of the rental car, my family piles in. Our crew, a group of thirteen, consists of snorkelers ranging in age from 8 to 73. We drive up the coast of West...
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Destination: Great Wall of China
I once was under the impression that seeing something in a picture was the same thing as being in that place. As a result, I never saw the need to travel to discover anything. I was happy at home with...
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A New York State of Mind
What I remember the most was having to pee. The line was long, almost a 2-hour wait, but we finally made it...to another line, which leads to an elevator that went up 80 floors, to another line for another...
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Embracing the Beauty of India
Happiness thrives in the most unexpected places. Traveling to India this past May with fifteen of my classmates, I found that to be true more times than I ever would have thought imaginable. We spent...
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These Mountains Will Change You
I was recently traveling through California with my brother Jonah. We stayed at reserves and parks and a couple friends’ houses. Our trip was to end in the heart of Yosemite, a place neither of us brothers...
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Surprises at High Elevations
2:45 Thursday, 14th Mid Flight Clouds just beginning to touch the edge of the land Reflecting the oceans tide Before the marine layer becomes opaque Before grey skies cloud the countryside 5:45...
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A Journey Home – My Trip to Ireland
In April of 2017, my family and I embarked on a journey to visit my brother who was studying abroad in Ireland. After our plane landed, my brother greeted us between the green walls of the Dublin Airport....
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Philly (Ph)anatic
After traveling across the country from Florida to New York to my home of Shawnee, KS, I can confidently say there is no place more memorable than the city that has broadened my outlook on community and...
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