My Family Travels | Latest Articles
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Kauai, Hawaii Hotels And Resorts

Hawaii's so-called "Island of Discovery" Kauai boasts so many natural treasures that families often don't spend much time thinking about the man-made facilities available...

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Los Angeles Hotels: Westside And Santa Monica

Find out the best places to stay west of Hollywood or near the Pacific Coast beach in this California playland.  As you move west across Los Angeles, the real estate values rise and the smog disappears...

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Downtown Los Angeles Hotels And Resorts

Your guide to the personalities and amenities of top value "downtown" hotels in California's largest city.LA's "Downtown" has become one of those commercially rejuvenated neighborhoods that...

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Best Kid-Friendly Hotels In Los Angeles, California

A team of Oyster reporters spent weeks exploring 52 top hotels in and around Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Santa Monica. We slept in the beds, lounged by the pools, ate in the...

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Miami, Florida Hotels And Resorts

After several visits and constant change, we're ready to rate which SoBe hotels and those close to the zone will really put up with -- and put out for -- your kids. Not so many years ago,...

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Boston, Massachusetts Hotels And Resorts

If your family is visiting historic Boston, Massachusetts for its many attractions, or just taking the teens to see local colleges and universities, we know you'll enjoy a centrally located hotel near...

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Hershey, Pennsylvania Hotels And Resorts

If drifting off to sleep to the sweet aroma of chocolate sounds yummy, check out read these reviews of top family hotels in Hershey, a fun central Pennsylvania town. Hershey may be most often...

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St. Louis, Missouri Attractions

Our guide to St. Louis, Missouri attractions shows you where to walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and explore the Gateway Arch which overlooks this exciting city. Many...

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Nashville, Tennessee Attractions

Learn about Music City Nashville's history, visit an 1800's print shop, cruise on a riverboat, and see the Parthenon without ever leaving the South -- and at great prices to boot. When...

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Anaheim – Orange County, California Attractions

With Disneyland and other themeparks, the city of Anaheim in Orange County is a must-stop vacation destination for any family touring souther California. The region also has some great Southern California...

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The All Male Spa Comes of Age

Ladies, did you know that there are six men-only spas in the United States? These include Nickel Spa for Men in New York City, The Grooming...

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Making the Most of Your Familymoon: Marriage with Kids in Tow

According to the Stepfamily Association of America, there are now as many stepfamilies as “intact” families. The Association says a...

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Win Two Free Nights with Embassy Suites Hotels by Sharing Good Guest Tips

Just in time for holiday travel planning, Embassy Suites Hotels,  the brand that brings travelers those great all-suite accommodations,...

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Valley Forge, Pennsylvania: Cradle Of Independence

Discover patriot history in the Valley Forge area, not far from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and you'll be delighted to see how history comes to life for all ages. When I told a friend from college...

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A Brazil Family Vacation For First Time Visitors

Our vacation planning ideas for that first family trip to Brazil provide a 10-day tour of this huge, fascinating country and leave plenty more to do on your second trip. Those...

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Barbados, West Indies Hotels And Resorts

Barbados is a very civilized Caribbean Island that takes its British heritage seriously, offering families beautiful beaches, a proud and well educated citizenry, and quality accommodations at a price...

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New York Hotels Courting Families with Winter Fun and Savings

Fall and winter are magical in New York City, the season when visitors from around the world flock to the Big Apple to dress up for the

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Norwegian Getaway Sets Her Sails For Miami

Norwegian Cruise Line may be leading the race among the majors to win the hearts and minds of novice cruisers. Just as their tag line “Cruise Like a Norwegian” brings to mind intrepid...

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Ski Mammoth And Enjoy Family Fun At Mammoth Lakes

One of our favorite things about a winter or spring vacation in Mammoth Lakes, California is that it's as fun for skiing and riding families as it is for those who just want to get...

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The Unexpected Charms of Rockford, Illinois

We are in a Victorian era, one-room schoolhouse where a costumed interpreter holds up a one-legged wooden stool. "This is for children who can’t sit still," he explains. "They stay here until they...

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Big New Family-Friendly Things Happening In Dallas, Texas

When I think Texas, I think big. It is the largest of the lower 48 states, more vast than any European country.  Billboards with bold slogans such as “Everything’s Bigger...

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SeaWorld Orlando Wraps Injured Manatee in Neoprene Style

SeaWorld is now caring for an adult male manatee that was rescued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission October 10, 2013 near Ponte Vedra, just south of Jacksonville, Florida.  According...

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Going To Gulf Shores, Alabama

Alabama's Gulf Shores promises the pleasures of a sand beach, watersports and fine golf, with the gracious ways, slower pace and lower prices of the Old South. And, while America's...

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Chattanooga, Tennessee

There's more than a choo-choo train in Chattanooga, an example of what the U.S. News and World Reports dubs a "Smart City" -- a city that exemplifies extraordinary...

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History Comes Alive At Mississinewa 1812

History buffs will love the War of 1812 reenactment of the Battle of Mississinewa in Marion, Indiana. This annual reenactment of a major battle from the War of 1812 has been called the...

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Family Travel Forum Announces 2013 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship Winners

(New York, NY - September 22, 2013) Congratulations to all student travel bloggers who earned 2013 Scholarships from Family...

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Boston Strong with the Ryan Family

When you have a young child and travel, your thoughts focus on how to keep them busy by educating and engaging them in activities that please the mind and body and help them to grow. The parents make the...

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Family Travel Forum Hosts Major Media at TMS Family Travel Conference

A Select Group of Media Outlets Invited to Contribute to Improving the Family Vacation Experience Networks with Travel, Tourism and Parenting Thought Leaders   NIAGARA FALLS,...

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Student Article
The Untouched Magic of Kaua’i: The Garden Island

When you wake up to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, it's nearly impossible to "wake up on the wrong side of the bed". That is reality on the little island of Kaua'i,...

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Student Article
Running Saved my Life!

Numerous bullets ring through the air like deadly fireworks across the dark sky. Two figures scramble behind cars as chaos once again fills the streets. While my mother and her friend were caught in the...

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Student Article
Forest, Farm, and Southern Charm: Why Hayden, Alabama Is the Best Southern Travel Destination You’ve Never Heard Of

Never heard of Hayden, Alabama? No surprises there. According to the 2010 U.S. census, Hayden had a population of 444 and no stoplights. Some of its attractions include two lovely...

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Student Article
Rural Japan – A Vacation for Those in Need of More

Owase is a serene fishing town nestled comfortably in southern Mie prefecture on Japan’s eastern coast, surrounded by towering mountains and twisting rivers. Although Owase is the rainiest place in all...

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Student Article
Small-Town Delight in a Big-City World: Discovering Baldwinsville, NY

You probably wouldn’t think of Baldwinsville, New York as a conventional trip destination. Most people have never even heard of it! It’s true that we don’t have palm trees, white sandy beaches, or...

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Student Article
Wild Wonders of the Himalayas

As you step out of the train, you quickly notice the crisper, cooler air of the Indian town of Kathgodam compared to that of populated cities like Delhi. The Himalayan Mountains stand tall in the backdrop,...

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Student Article
The Town Where Art Lives: Saugatuck

The town...

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Student Article
Second to None: Why Chicago is America’s Heart

Gritty, blue-collar town, City of Broad Shoulders. Hm. Strolling along the breezy blue lakefront, among the joggers, jugglers, bikers, chess players, volleyballers,...

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Student Article
We’re Still in Kansas, Toto

“Where are you from?” “Kansas City.” “Oh...so you live on a farm, right?” I cannot even count the number of times I have received this response after informing someone of my place...

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Student Article
What a Desert Oasis Really Looks Like

Tucson, Arizona offers a unique experience for any traveler. It is modern and historic, Mexican, Native American, and American, natural and man-made. It is as wild as its desert and as calm as its endless...

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Student Article
A Panorama of Life: Poughkeepsie, NY

The breeze sifts through my hair like a million playful butterflies; the sky is a singular swath of blue above my head; 160 feet below is the splendor of the Hudson River. I am walking on the longest pedestrian...

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Student Article
Grab a Bike and Explore Wassenaar, NL

Welkom bij Wassenaar!  Welcome to Wassenaar!  Wassenaar is a quaint Dutch town which lies between The Hague and Leiden, two major cities along the Netherlands North Sea Coast. Wassenaar is more...

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Student Article
Star of Bavaria: Rosenheim

Southern Germany’s patchwork landscape, dotted with orderly squares of emerald and mustard, plays peek-a-boo with me through the clouds. Below, the familiar Bavarian charm of Rosenheim acts magnetic,...

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Student Article
Good Things Come in Small Packages

When you come from a small, rural town (technically a village) it is rather tempting to imagine yourself living anywhere else. I often imagine myself walking the crowded streets of New York City, surfing...

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Student Article
Cows, Colleges, and Contentment

Telling people I’m from Northfield, MN usually elicits one of three responses.  They haven’t heard of it, they know it as “that college town”, or, my personal favorite, a chuckle, followed by...

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Student Article
The Normal and Extraordinary Places of Bangladesh

Crowded streets. Cars honking. Burning sun. Tall buildings block much of the sky. Dhaka City, Bangladesh. This may be a typical city. But furthermore, Bangladesh is known as a developing country to much...

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Student Article
Vancouver. (No, not BC.) Washington. (No, not DC.)

Most likely all you know of Washington is that it is home to vampires and werewolves, that is somewhere up north next to Canada, that is caught up in a never-ending torrential downpour. There is something...

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Student Article
The City of Sawdust “Claws” its Way into Top Tourist Destination

A group of teenagers, with their hipster hats touching their eyebrows, and TOMS shoes treading lightly across the path, open the door to New Moon Café. Once inside, they are barraged by the sound of acoustic...

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Student Article
Colors in the Air

The sharp smack of a slippery body being slammed down. Fishmongers yelling out orders in unison like a pirate crew out on sea. Standing up on your tip toes trying to get a better look at the spectacle,...

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Student Article
Life Under the Big Sky – Bozeman, Montana

Being a girl from Montana, it’s not uncommon for me to be asked by tourists if I ride a horse to school or if I own a billion pairs of cowboy boots. However, my all-time favorite question is "So do you...

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Student Article
Sunshine. Simplicity. Ssenga.

Early morning rays shine on mud-brick houses and the dirt road which weaves between them. Tin roofs glitter beneath pink and orange clouds, and green gardens are covered with droplets of dew. Everything...

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Tagggerts mint chocolate cookie ice cream.
Student Article
The Hidden Gems of Canton

So -- you want to come to Canton, Ohio? My hometown. Umm, you could…

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