Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre Calgary

There's so much to do with kids in Calgary, and you'll need a great home base! The Coast Plaza Hotel in Calgary is located about 15 minutes from downtown (by car or light rail) and a great home base for families exploring the area. Adjacent to the Trans Canada Highway 1, this full-amenity hotel comes with free parking and plenty of space to spread out. Coast Plaza Calgary review: The lobby … [Read more...]

Winsport Calgary Olympic Park and Sports Hall of Fame

During the winter and summer months, the Calgary Olympic Park is the place to be for outdoor sports and recreation. Winter is the park’s main season with skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing, hockey and skating. Visitors can even try a bobsled ride. In summer, the park transforms into a playground with ropes courses, zip lines, mountain biking, mini golf, and tours from the ski jump … [Read more...]

Calgary with kids: Telus Spark Science review

My kids are always fans of interactive science museums, and Calgary’s Telus Spark is one of the best. Located adjacent to the Calgary Zoo, Spark is a new indoor facility with an additional outdoor facility scheduled to open this summer (of 2014). It includes four large galleries with hands-on exhibits (including an open studio), two theaters (including a digital Dome theater), a lab, and a … [Read more...]

Calgary with kids: Calgary Zoo review

The Calgary Zoo is one of the best we’ve toured (across the US and Canada). Why? It’s large, but not massive, clean, as interactive as possible, and well-laid out. As with all zoos, the best way to tour is to start early; most animals are most active during the morning hours. This zoo is set up with an ‘island’ and a main space, with a bridge across a tributary of the Bow River (which is on the … [Read more...]

Sending your kid on a teen service trip

This July, my 15-year-old son, Nate, will take his first trip out of the country without me. He'll be flying solo to San Jose, Costa Rica, where he'll meet up with a small group of like-minded teens and adult leaders to embark upon a two week teen service trip with Adventures Cross Country. During the trip, Nate will be reporting for Pit Stops for Kids, taking video and recording his … [Read more...]

Top summer attractions in London UK for kids

The following guest post is written by Kaamna Dhawan of Momaboard.  My family of four moved to London a few months ago and I can honestly say that as major cities in the world go, London is probably the most kid-friendly in the world.  As my two and five-year old and I have been exploring our new hometown, we have been delighted to find summer attractions in London ranging from parks, theaters, … [Read more...]

Day trip from Dublin: Driving through the Wicklow Mountains Ireland

Dublin, Ireland is a great city to explore by foot and public transit, but there's so much beauty and history in the Irish countryside, families will definitely want to head out of the city limits at some point. We took the following day trip from Dublin a few years ago without kids, but due to the relatively short driving distances between stops (at least by Western US standards), this itinerary … [Read more...]

A family-friendly road trip through Scotland

It may be small in size. But, what it lacks in stature, Scotland makes up in sheer variety. In just a short space of time, you can see rugged mountains, deep lochs, cosmopolitan cities and remote islands. Here are just a few of the best road trips in Scotland to see some of the most family-friendly attractions this small, but perfectly formed country has to offer. From Berwick to Edinburgh If … [Read more...]

All inclusive Riviera Maya hotels: ClubHotel Riu Tequila

For families looking for all inclusive Riviera Maya hotels, yet want to stay away from the beach hotel zone vibe, ClubHotel Riu Tequila fits the bill at a value price point. Located adjacent to Playa del Carmen and within a few kilometers of cenote excursions and eco theme parks, this family-friendly all inclusive is situated directly across the street from white sand beaches (with beach access), … [Read more...]

Xcaret eco park Mexico: culture, conservation, and adventure

The Riviera Maya boasts three major eco theme park opportunities between Cancun and Tulum, all within easy access to area hotels and resorts. Families will definitely want to experience at least one during a Riviera Maya vacation, but which one? In the most basic terms, Xel Ha focuses on water activities and aquarium life, Xplor offers the most extreme sports, and Xcaret eco park Mexico centers … [Read more...]