This Will Make Flying Safer
We really don’t have a way to make flying safer for you in the age of coronavirus, but it's a big topic as leisure air travel increases daily. As of August, passenger numbers have risen to one-third of what they were last year, but that's up from 12% in June. Fortunately, air travel safety measures including contactless...
Read More 6 min read
20 Fall Getaways For 2020
Let’s hear it for fall! The changing colors are guaranteed to lift your spirts. So will the crisp air -- and crisp apples. The pandemic has changed our lives -- and our travel plans. But this fall, we want to focus on what we can do. With so many schools, colleges and universities starting the year with remote learning,...
Read More 17 min read
The 51 Best Virtual Family Vacation Ideas for Staying Safe During this Pandemic
Don’t worry about safety, budget or logistics with our guide to the best virtual vacation and digital family experiences for fall 2020. Virtual travel experiences are all the more important to keep our sanity with work from home (WFH) and remote learning continuing for many this semester.
Read More 25 min read
Apple Picking And Pick Your Own Pumpkins
Whether you're hungry or looking for a cheap staycation, u-pick apple farms and pumpkin picking at a local orchard or farm are among Fall's best family getaways. This year, keep in mind that to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, many U-pick farms require face coverings and advance reservations to limit the crowds and maintain social distancing. Some have...
Read More 3 min read
Autumn Adventures In A Corn Maze
We think visiting a farm -- one with a huge corn maze the kids can puzzle on while enjoying the outdoors -- is a great autumn family getaway. According to the directory at Corn Mazes America, there are approximately 800 to choose from in the U.S. this season, although many have reduced hours to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Read More 4 min read
Leaf Peeker’s Guide To America’s Fall Foliage
Fall foliage tours and affordable leaf peeping road trips are easy to plan if you use this How-To, Where-To Leaf Peeker's Guide plus tips on the best places to see leaf colors changing en route. In this pandemic year, a leaf-peeping road trip is a safe bet as long as you remember to wear masks, keep your distance from others and wash hands frequently. While you're out, you’ll probably find a fall...
Read More 4 min read
Grand Canyon Rafting, This Year’s Bucket List Experience
There’s never been a time like Fall 2020 for a Grand Canyon rafting adventure, this year’s premier bucket list experience. Look ahead to possibly months of remote work and learning. Tap into that wanderlust; you’ll see why there’s no better time for an outdoors adventure...
Read More 3 min read
Ocracoke And The Outer Banks of North Carolina
Majestically tall sand dunes, steady winds and lack of nosy neighbors attracted the Wright Brothers to test their flying machine at the Outer Banks of North Carolina more than a century ago.
Read More 7 min read
Washington Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy
The late summer and early fall is apple picking time at the u-pick apple orchards and farms and pumpkin patches surrounding the city of Seattle. Did you know that Washington State is the country's Apple Capital? It's true, in 2006, a survey found that 56% of all apples consumed in the U.S. were grown in Washington. The state is also well known for...
Read More 4 min read
Exploring Iceland’s South Coast On A Family Road Trip
There’s no better way to appreciate the rugged beauty of nature than a family road trip, especially along Iceland's south coast, one of the world’s most geologically diverse regions. Since Iceland has controlled the spread of the coronavirus, if you plan your getaway with the family carefully,...
Read More 6 min read
Illinois Apple Farms – U-Pick ‘Em And Enjoy
Stick with us while we drive to countryside U-Pick apple farms in Rockford, Caledonia, Winnebago and other regions near Chicago, Illinois then head southwest across the state to Alton to check out the orchards near the Mississippi River and St. Louis, Missouri. This year,...
Read More 3 min read
51 Great Family Summer Vacation Ideas
Summer vacation is the traditional time for families to reconnect, with generations coming together to recreate favorite childhood memories and make new ones. But this year, what a roller coaster. And we’re not talking about this summer’s latest theme park attractions. We’re talking about the havoc the COVID-19...
Read More 31 min read
Wet And Wild At Schlitterbahn Waterparks
It wasn’t been voted the “World’s Best Waterpark” for more than 20 years for nothing; Schlitterbahn Waterparks are fun, imaginative, aquatic entertainment centers. However, several things have changed since last season. New in New Braunfels and Galveston Starting with the purchase of the original New Braunfels and Galveston parks by theme park operator Cedar Fair in 2019, there's...
Read More 4 min read
Disney Springs Discount Orlando Rates
It's time to finally take the family to Walt Disney World, and booking one of the seven value Disney Springs Hotels lets you take advantage of specials for stays almost all year long. [Editor's Note: Several of the Disney Springs Hotels: Best Western Lake Buena Vista, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista and Holiday Inn...
Read More 4 min read
Willkommen… New Braunfels Embraces All
New Braunfels embraces all visitors to Texas because it's a relative vacation spot for many people seeking to escape reality for a day, a weekend, or maybe even longer. Quite a few people refer to this town as a tourist town because throughout the year, people from all over the country and all over the world flock here to take advantage of the many fun things New Braunfels...
Read More 3 min read
50 Tips For Car Trips
Here's our pick of the top 50 tried n' true road trip tips, culled from families who've logged enough road miles to circumnavigate the globe. Whether you're driving to the local mall or across the sands to Timbuktu, there's bound to be a tip for soothing the kids that you haven't thought of! Prepare the Car & Family Before Departure 1. Make sure your vehicle or...
Read More 6 min read
Introduce Family Camping To Little Explorers
Is it time to introduce family camping to your little explorers? This year especially, when warm nights beckon cooped-up kids to brave the wilds of the back yard and beyond, you'll have to be ready. Here are some favorite recommendations, resources and vintage children's books about family camping to make you a seasoned pro.
Read More 4 min read
Rental RVs Are Your Portable Safe Zone
Travelers who are timid about leaving their safe zone after emerging from stay-at-home orders should consider RV rentals for a vacation this year. Several companies are making fully sanitized rental RV units with sleeping, cooking and lounging spaces on wheels, available at locations around the U.S.
Read More 7 min read
Mountain Resorts Offer Summer Values
Mountain resorts offer great summer values when you rent a furnished condo at a major ski resort, plus you'll have the security of a home away from home. And given such a long school break for the kids -- and the possible need to quarantine upon arrival in a new region -- families should look for a summer rental in a region with enough activities to occupy all ages for a few weeks. In a surprise move,...
Read More 3 min read
The All American Cruise Lines Small Ship Experience
We’re in an era when made in America and stayed in America travel experiences are what families are looking for and, for the right family, the all American American Cruise Lines delivers. American owned, the company proudly sails three styles of small ships on 35 different itineraries, plus theme and holiday...
Read More 5 min read
Fighting Cattle in Valais, Switzerland
Fighting cattle are an unusual natural attraction and a good enough reason to go to places we've never heard of to experience such a treasure. Since we know that cattle battles are a local sport in parts of Indonesia, the cow fighting season in Switzerland caught our eye.
Read More 3 min read
Expats Living Abroad Are Sheltered During the Pandemic
Americans and other expats living abroad have been sheltered by their adopted communities during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, say correspondents for InternationalLiving.com, the respected resource for global retirement and relocation options. IL correspondents are at home in different countries around the world, so...
Read More 6 min read
11 Driving Tips for Easier Road Trips
Family roadtrips, whether over busy holidays like spring break, the height of summer or for end-of-year festivities, can be made easier with preparation and these handy driving tips for road trips. When it comes to travel, if things can go wrong, they usually do. Do we agree that few things spoil a pleasant journey like car trouble, major congestion, unexpected toll roads or needless fines? What...
Read More 4 min read
Pets on the Road: Car Travel Tips for Your Pet
Keep the family's four-legged best friend healthy during car travel with pets and you'll never hear him barking "Are we there yet?" again. The following road trip tips are compiled from FTF’s community of pet travellers to help you make a long road trip or any car travel with pets (see
Read More 3 min read
How Coronavirus Will Affect Your Travel Plans
Updated Mar. 29, 2020. As Passover, Easter and summer vacations approach, families around the world are very concerned about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and its impact on health, safety and travel plans. The State Department has issued a Level...
Read More 8 min read
7 Great Destinations Offering Virtual Visits from Home
Whether you’re sheltering in place by choice or command, we hope you’ll enjoy touring seven great destinations offering virtual visits from home.
Read More 5 min read
The Very Best Spring Break Vacation Ideas
Coronavirus - COVID-19 Update - March 23, 2020 : Due to the unprecedented global health crisis caused by the coronavirus COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking
Read More 16 min read
Spa Holidays Are A Family Tradition Across Europe
Did you know that spa holidays are a family tradition in many of Europe’s top destinations? Pack an ETIAS visa waiver to easily travel between several European countries, choose wellness oriented hotels, and you’ll return home with cultural riches, incredible experiences and healthy habits to last a lifetime.
Read More 4 min read
Playa del Carmen Best Places To Stay
Mexico's busy little port Playa del Carmen is a hotbed of small boutique hotels and condos that are the best places to stay for families who want to get away from large all-inclusive resorts. Once just a funky stop for the Cozumel ferry, Playa del Carmen is now the biggest town along the Riviera Maya, that beautiful 100+ mile stretch of gold sand beaches on the Caribbean coast...
Read More 5 min read
Top Family-Accommodating Tennis Resorts
Here's your go-to resource for the top-ranked tennis resorts and tennis training camps in the world which accommodate families and their tennis-playing children. We would like to thank critic Roger Cox and his comprehensive website, TennisResortsOnline for providing us with his readers' selection of the Top...
Read More 2 min read
Time Travel Aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
Time travel aboard Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser requires two days and two nights of vacation, but the magic of outer space has never been so close.
Read More 2 min read
See Istanbul with Free Sightseeing and Stopover Tours
We really appreciate what Turkish Airlines has done to make families feel welcome, by offering free sightseeing and stopover tours in addition to in-flight toys, family entertainment and healthy dining and drink options on their Trans-Atlantic flights.
Read More 2 min read
Our 15 Favorite Mardi Gras Celebrations Outside New Orleans
Here's our top 15 places for party-lovers and Catholics everywhere for Mardi Gras celebrations, Carnival festivities and other pre-Lenten festivals. A traditional period of celebration that begins on 12th Night in January, and culminates on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday (also called Shrove Tuesday), it's always celebrated 47 days before Easter to mark the first...
Read More 9 min read
Playing With Ice – Ice Safety
Whether you're snowboarding, fishing, skating, or just taking a slippery stroll, knowing ice safety could save your life. During the winter season, families from Maine to Siberia will take to frozen lakes and ponds to ice fish, play hockey, or snowmobile. Accidents will happen, but they can be avoided by following these guidelines...
Read More 6 min read
The Best Family Getaways to Light Your Winter
Coronavirus - COVID-19 Update - March 15, 2020 : Due to the unprecedented health crisis faced by communities around the world from the coronavirus COVID-19, travel within, to and from the U.S. has been severely disrupted. Local governments, under the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization, have banned...
Read More 19 min read
The Best Ski and Snow Family Vacations
Coronavirus - COVID-19 Update - March 15, 2020 : Due to the unprecedented health crisis faced by communities around the world from the coronavirus COVID-19, travel within, to and from the U.S. has been severely disrupted. Local governments, under the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization, have banned...
Read More 19 min read
Celebrate First Night On New Years
Archaeologists believe the Babylonians were the first civilization to celebrate "First Night" or the New Year, with an 11-day holiday tied to the vernal (spring) equinox starting with a first-night festivity. Sometime during the Roman era, New Year's was set as January 1st, a custom that was adopted in the Middle Ages by many Western countries. For millions who equate New Year's...
Read More 6 min read
Pennsylvania Ski Resorts Welcome Beginners
January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month and Pennsylvania ski resorts want all the beginners in your family to learn in their state! Did you know that tens of thousands of winter enthusiasts migrate to the slopes in Pennsylvania every week to ski and snowboard on trails that truly offer something for everyone?
Read More 3 min read
Christmas Gifts to Surprise Family Travelers
Now that we’ve planned a few short trips with Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday online deals, we are turning our attention to some practical Christmas gifts to surprise family travellers by making their travels more fun. Here’s a quick guide to gifting that may surprise you!
Read More 5 min read
Kids Free Learn To Ski Passes
The amazing Kids Free and Student Learn To Ski Passes which are available to local (and visiting) schoolchildren in several states are a great value for family ski vacations. Their goal is to introduce residents to the winter recreation around them and develop a lifelong love of snow sports. We like to apply the expression “think globally, act locally” to teaching our kids snowsports –-...
Read More 3 min read
Christmas Tree Farms: Where and How to Harvest Your Own Tree
Family excursions make the holidays special, so why not take the kids to a Christmas tree farm this winter? We make it easy with this guide to the U-Pick Christmas Tree Farm nearest you. Did you grow up with a fake Christmas tree? According to the National Christmas Tree Association, about...
Read More 5 min read
Top Holiday Lights Celebrations Across America
We love the festive season, when bright holiday lights, Christmas decorations, menorahs, colorfully wrapped gifts and imaginative retail displays illuminate cities and towns around the world, regardless of whether there is sun or snow outside. For many, ’tis the season to spend time with family, bake and decorate (see our
Read More 16 min read
Holiday At Europe’s Favorite Christmas Markets
Despite chill winds and snowflakes, the holiday cheer radiating from the tents and stalls of European Christmas Markets is enough to make visitors feel welcomed and toasty warm. Here's our pick of the very best places in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Great Britain and Austria to celebrate the season with kids at Europe's great Christmas Markets.
Read More 7 min read
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota’s Shrine of Democracy
I finally scratched it off the list: the very best of South Dakota's Black Hills region including Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and Badlands National Park! Ever since seeing the debonair Cary Grant and the beautiful (but dangerous?) Eva Marie-Saint climb atop the presidents' faces on Mount Rushmore in Hitchcock’s classic movie “North by Northwest,” South Dakota has been on my travel bucket...
Read More 6 min read
Air Travel Tips To Ease Family Vacation Hassles
We're sharing some air travel tips because travel has never been as challenging for families, with road rage taking to the skies, confusion about carry-ons, misinformation on service animals, exorbitant fees for seat reservations, glitches in airport software and less than stellar customer service at most airlines.
Read More 4 min read
Road Trip USA: Great Sights of the West – Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone And The Grand Tetons
Plan a driving trip to experience many national parks and monuments, as well as other interesting Western sights in South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. When Yellowstone, America's first national park, was founded by Congress in 1872, it established a tradition for the preservation of our country's natural resources. Today, we count nearly 400 natural treasures from Acadia to Mt. Zion in our National...
Read More 10 min read
Agri-Tourism Opportunities Around the World
This directory of agri-tourism resources will help you plan a farm stay so your kids can learn where food comes from, and also lists other environmentally-friendly accommodations around the globe. Agri-Tourism hasn't quite caught on in the United States yet the way it has elsewhere, particularly in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. But more and more families are considering agri-vacations for organic,...
Read More 3 min read
Washington DC Family Attractions
There are hundreds of free family attractions in Washington DC, the American capital where presidents and their legacies are celebrated, and now it's also a very cool city to visit, with fresh dining, art and cultural happenings. The only challenge is making time to do them all. What follows is a review of our favorite Washington DC attractions and activities for families. Try...
Read More 9 min read
Rome, Italy Family Attractions
At the heart of Rome’s family attractions is la dolce vita – that easy-going, laidback lifestyle the Italians have perfected. Why not do as the Romans and allow plenty of time to savor each of our top family attractions over a cappuccino or gelato? Anything you don’t get to do on this trip will wait for your next visit to the Eternal City. Great Fun for the Kids (Toddler...
Read More 6 min read
Family Travel Forum Announces Winners Of 2019 Teen Travel Writing Scholarship
(New York, NY – September 24, 2019) Family Travel Forum (FTF) and its travel industry partners congratulate the winners of the 2019 FTF Teen Travel Writing Scholarship. Completing its 13th year, this annual merit scholarship is hosted by the award-winning vacation guide to promote teen literacy and reward teens’ best travel blogs with cash prizes for college...
Read More 4 min read
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attractions
Take a closer look at spots tourists love and local families' favorites to discover don't-miss attractions when exploring Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the family. To make exploring easier, Philadelphia is a participant in CityPASS, a discount ticket program which lets visitors skip most...
Read More 9 min read
Surviving Halloween Horror Nights
Having survived a night of gleeful terror at Universal Orlando Resort’s annual Halloween Horror Nights, I can report that #HHN is a blast. It's a frightful fest of doom taking place over 39 nights between Sept. 10 and Oct. 31, 2020 in Orlando. Halloween Horror Nights also takes place at Universal Studios Hollywood and at the Singapore and Osaka, Japan theme parks with dates T.B.D....
Read More 4 min read
Autumn Interludes and Fall Family Vacation Ideas
If a uniquely American and slightly eccentric fall festival in North Carolina,Texas, Wisconsin, Maine or Vermont is your idea of a fun fall getaway, read on. Autumn is the time to harvest some of the many free activities and discounted hotel rooms offered in small towns across America. Whether you combine a stay deal with
Read More 4 min read
High Times at Fall Festivals
Fall for a fun festival or free outdoor activity this season, when there are so many options for adult getaways, whether you’re BFFs or couples. For example, on Sept, 14- 15, Altamont, New York celebrates the harvest season with the Capital Region Apple & Wine Festival where they make local specialty beverages....
Read More 3 min read
Our Favorite Vacation Deals and Booking Sites
We are often asked how to save money planning a vacation, so we are sharing our favorite sites for discount travel booking. We really do use them all. You can click on any of these site ads, search for your needs and pay for your bookings through them, knowing they are trustworthy. Through our affiliate relationship with them, we will get a small commission payment. Our commission doesn't...
Read More 2 min read
Las Vegas, Nevada Attractions
We'll roll the dice on this and guarantee fun on your next Nevada vacation -- if you pack our age-appropriate rundown of the best attractions for kids, teens and families in adult-oriented Las Vegas. Great Fun for the Kids (Toddler to Age 8) Circus Circus Adventuredome 2880 Las...
Read More 7 min read
Haunted Houses, Halloween Ideas and Weekend Breaks
Halloween is an estimated $9 billion holiday -- with more than $300 million of that spent to dress up family pets -- so it's no wonder that kids have ghost stories and candy on their minds from the beginning of the school year. When the chill winds blow, a family Halloween weekend away at any of America's haunted houses for kids, an outing to a creepy place, or just a costume shopping spree may restore...
Read More 3 min read
Best Family Plantations Along Louisiana’s Great River Road
The glamorous life of old on display in New Orleans’ Garden District is far surpassed by the many riverfront antebellum mansions and plantations lining the Great River Road. Be sure to allow half a day to tour one, show the family the agricultural heart of the state, and discover how the lives of plantation owners differed from that of their slaves. Preparing for your Plantation Visit If...
Read More 5 min read
Lighthouses For The Night
August 7th is National Lighthouse Day and if you've never thought about staying in one, this is your chance. In 1789, the United States passed an Act in support of all lighthouses, beacons, and public piers. Now 230 years later, several historic beacons offer affordable, family-friendly lodging along the East and West coasts of North America. When compared to hotels, lighthouses...
Read More 5 min read
Required Documents For Travel With Minors
Solo Parents, Grandparents and Guardians can satisfy legal requirements before crossing international borders with minor children by using these Permission to Travel Letter and Children's Consent forms. The Family Travel Forum community has learned the hard way that you need this paperwork: in the special FTF report “
Read More 4 min read
