The Paper Airplane Wars
A week. That’s all I had: a week to experience a new culture, a new world, a new perspective. I assumed that the geography, culture, and people of other countries would be wildly different. What else...
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An Unexpected Present
As we approach our destination of Lake Tahoe, California, a drastic shift from our home town gradually emerges. The tall buildings which ruled the city are replaced with densely packed fir trees, stretched...
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Like a Scooby-Doo Cartoon
I half expected a monster with matted green fur wearing a sombrero to scare me just like out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon. Perched on a two-foot wide stone ledge with no guardrail, I gazed at ancient carvings...
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The Korean Summer Sun
The smell; that’s the first thing I noticed when my plane touched down in South Korea on July 17, 2016. The smell was nothing like I’d ever experienced before,...
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Adventures in Aspen
I'd say that nothing can really change you like travel can. I was sixteen years old, teetering on the edge of elated freedom and terrifying reality. I had never flown without my parents before,...
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Roadtrip to Friendship
On June 30 of 2016, I left my home in Washington State to go on a two-week adventure with my grandparents. For me, the main goal of the trip was to meet my best friend in person, for the first time...
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Why Tourists Shouldn’t Be Tourists
I knew from the beginning that my itinerary would not consist of sunny days spent lounging by the pool, coconut slushy in hand and sunscreen smeared sunglasses perched on my head. Despite my frequent...
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A Muggy, Mesmerizing Madness: Airports
I am not an avid traveler. I fly occasionally--once or twice a year, sometimes not at all. I wish it was more. My family always drove wherever we went, enduring the cramped car trips to cut expenses....
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Best Family Activities in Victoria, British Columbia
Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria hits scenic and culinary sweet spots, balancing leisurely outdoor activities like whale watching with cultural offerings such...
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The Touch of Magic
As soon as I walked in, I immediately regretted it. Cobwebs were dangling off broken chandeliers and spooky music hummed in the background. Dim lights gave the room an orange glow, and everything looked...
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The Sovereign Joy
I couldn’t daydream in Kampala. Getting somewhere required all my concentration, patience, and if I failed to stay watchful, too much money! The clammy streets of Uganda’s capital city were ringing...
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Where To Find Me
The most free twenty four hours I ever experienced in my life were spent on a cramped train barreling along the coast of Vietnam. I, and fourteen other teenagers, slept 4 to a car with our luggage as...
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Baby Equipment Rental on Arrival
By serving tiny travelers and their parents from coast to coast, baby gear rental companies know what babies and toddlers need to travel in comfort and style, so take advantage of them and save on checked...
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Mockingbird’s Call to Humanity
It was blasted cold, and being the Texas girl I am, I was bundled in layers of thick jackets and mittens. After having waited in a long line outside and then confronted by a picky squad of security, I...
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Weekends Far Away In Abingdon, Virginia
How does Abingdon, Virginia make you feel both a thousand miles away and at home at the same time? Maybe it was the blind...
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Cleveland!
As we traveled across the sleepy Ohio landscape, no one imagined the history we were about to encounter. We made our way through the tree lined streets till we were greeted by Alan Canfora, a self proclaimed...
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Shoebox Campout – The Things A Person Will Do When They Are Hungry
There is an annual boy scout campout my troop does every year called Shoebox Campout. Of all the trips that our troops does in the year, this is one of the most challenging. For one weekend,...
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Lost in Iceland
One year ago I had the opportunity to journey to Iceland with my father in hopes of finding an adventure. Beside the island’s infamous volcanic eruptions and music from Bjork, Iceland is home to a...
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We Are the Lucky Ones
Growing up in an indian family, traveling the almost 20 hour journey to India, was always sought out as a long and tiring one. As a child, my sister and I would dread the journey to the motherland because...
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A Chihuly Summer in Gardens of Glass
Through October 29, the New York Botanical Garden will be showcasing more than 20 beautiful installations by world-renowned glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. Chihuly, sponsored...
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Tips for Family Travel in Japan
I have traveled with my children to this far-off country on two occasions and want to share tips for family travel in Japan. Specifically, I took my daughter, Brianna (at age 6 and 8) to Japan twice, and...
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Tech Infused Holiday Presents for Travelers
With luggage being rethought by crowd-funded entrepreneurs, and technology infusing all aspects of travelers' essentials, we surfed around and tested some of the latest products to bring you fresh picks...
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Solace on a Roller Coaster
Here I was. The moment I had always dreaded, but simultaneously looked forward to - riding a roller coaster. Before me was Expedition Everest, Disney’s behemoth of a coaster, situated in a mountain modeled...
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Outstanding Family Vacations at Martinhal’s Portuguese Resorts
The proverb “Necessity is the mother of invention” came to my mind when I met Chitra Stern, the founder, along with her husband, Roman, of the Martinhal...
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The Blessed and The Ravaged
As an American, I am extravagantly blessed with comforts most of the world cannot even imagine. I often find myself hiding from this world inside an impenetrable bubble, a bubble...
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Bryce Canyon And Zion National Parks
Bryce Canyon and Zion: their names are known by every family contemplating a national parks road trip because of their unusual geological formations. Along the far West edge of the Colorado...
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Small Ship Cruising with Families
I have been on three cruises: one with a traditional, large cruise line and two with small ship companies. Yes, big ships offer swimming pools, rock climbing walls, and teen lounges. But...
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June Values for Babies and Dads at Smugglers Notch Vermont
Parents with infants and toddlers should take advantage of June savings at Vermont's Smugglers' Notch Resort to renew romance and get some outdoors activity into their relationship....
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The Big Island, Hawaii Attractions
Bring the family to Hawai'i, the biggest of the Hawaiian Islands, for a taste of volcanoes, some outdoor adventures, history, pure culture and just to have great fun. Also known as the "Island of Adventure,"...
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Outdoor Adventure At Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska welcomes more than 400,000 visitors every year, even though the park cannot be accessed by car. This UNESCO World Heritage Site -- a body of water and coastline crusted...
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Introducing Rocky Mountain National Park
More than 415 square-miles of rock-ribbed wilderness draws nearly three million visitors to Rocky Mountain...
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Alaska Overland At Denali National Park
Since its discovery over a century ago, Denali has seen many hopeful explorers braving its hard terrain. From the early miners who dug through tough rock to gold seekers during the Gold Rush and mountaineers...
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Make It the Summer of Love Not War
The Bay Area around San Francisco is partying all year to the tune of #SummerofLove50, the 50th anniversary celebration of the counterculture’s meteoric rise to prominence in 1967. Like...
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Step Back in Time to Old Florida at Coconut Grove
If you ventured south of downtown Miami just a century ago, you would have found a wilderness instead of skyscrapers, beachside homes and boutiques. Miami was once a Dating back to 1919,
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Oahu, Hawaii Hotels and Resorts
Home to Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor and the world's most famous surfing culture, the island of O'ahu is rich with natural beauty and history. Families will find it safe and...
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At Family Travel Forum, Teen Travel Bloggers Earn Scholarships For College
Media Alert: FTF Awards Scholarships of up to $1,000 to Teen Writers for their Stories Students Earn College Grants for their Writing on Travel Experiences (New York, NY- May...
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A Family Reunion On Lake Powell, Arizona
This is the story of my family reunion aboard a houseboat on Lake Powell, and the power of natural beauty to keep us all entertained in Arizona's Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Back...
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Why You’ll Be Charmed By Hilton Head Island
If your family is seeking a classic seaside vacation with a bonus dash of Lowcountry Southern charm, South Carolina’s Hilton Head is a fine choice. Located on a barrier island of...
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Ennis Texas Polkas On
Start practicing your steps for the National Polka Festival and decide what traditional cotton frocks to wear to the tiny Czech town of Ennis, Texas. The annual dance festival is a great party, packed...
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Secure Tourism Summit Reveals What’s Next in Airport Security
The first Secure Tourism Summit was held in New York City on April 9,2017. It was sponsored by the industry trade organization, US...
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The Travel #Ripoff – Legal Maybe, But Ethical?
This week, I found a $20.42 charge on my credit card bill from American Traffic Solution in Arizona. Wondering what in the world it was for, I called their phone operator and learned that on a recent...
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Specialty Sleepaway Camps for Insta-Stars
Have an unusual kid between the ages of 8 and 16 who hould be the next Insta-star? has unusual interests? Don't we all? Well, there's now an unusual sleep away camp with short (1 or...
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Lake Arrowhead Resort, Lake Arrowhead, California
Lake Arrowhead, at an elevation of more than 5,200 feet in the San Bernardino National Forest, has attracted generations of southern California families with its cool climate, mountain breezes and pristine...
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Legoland Florida Resort: Is the Hotel or Beach Retreat Better?
When we opened up the door to the LEGOLAND Florida Hotel room, I knew whoever had designed it must have had children of their own. The...
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Mt. Washington Cog Railway to Build Summit Hotel – True or False?
"At age 147, the only cog railway in America east of the Rocky Mountains is getting a makeover." That statement was made in January 2017 based on news we received about one of our favorite...
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Snowsports In Lapland, Finland
Visit Rovaniemi, tour on snowmobiles, trek to Santa's Village, cruise on an icebreaker, and stay at a hotel made of ice, in Finland's Lapland. Friends heading to Florida for the...
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A Dozen Fun Things For Kids to Do In Downtown Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Strip is renown for its casinos and adult-sized entertainment, but there's plenty for kids to do, too, that the whole family can enjoy. Downtown Vegas is far from average and is full of...
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9 Questions to Ask Before Planning a Theme Park Vacation
Should you really be schlepping that baby to Disney World for a family themepark vacation? Parents inevitably reach a stage in their lives when they ask themselves: why are we planning a trip...
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