Top 10 Toronto kid-friendly activities for families

We love Toronto kid-friendly activities! Don't let this bustling center for business and commerce intimidate you! Families visiting Toronto will find much to do with kids, and much to love amid the busy streets and lively waterfront. Plus, Toronto public transit is very intuitive and affordable: with only two major subway lines, you won't get lost! Leave your car at the hotel, and ride, boat, or … [Read more...]

Best Beach Towns: Newport, Rhode Island

It's time to start planning beach vacations! Our series of best beach towns for families is constantly building. Our latest addition: Newport, Rhode Island.  For a New England beach feel, plenty of shopping and seafood, and quaint lodging, Newport can't be beat. Its location along Narragansett Bay is ideal during the summer months, but Newport has much to offer families in the 'shoulder seasons of … [Read more...]

Seattle’s Pike Place Market with kids

Any itinerary for Seattle Washington should include a family visit to Pike Place Market. Particularly bustling on weekends, the market is great to visit almost any day of the year, and is open all day, making it perfect to fit into anyone's travel plans. The market is best experienced during the morning, when produce stands (and vendors) are at their freshest. Right after 10 am is great, … [Read more...]

Manzanar National Historic Site

If you're driving along US Highway 395 through California, take an hour or so to stop at the Manzanar National Historic Site, the site of a World War II Japanese-American Internment Camp, outside of Bishop, CA. Built only in 2004, this National Park Service site is wonderfully well run and free for visitors. When you enter the site, you'll be struck by the stunning high desert views and … [Read more...]

Touring Virginia City, Nevada with kids

Located thirty minutes outside of Reno Nevada, Virginia City takes families back in time to an era of unprecedented wealth in silver and gold mining history. The drive to the boomtown from either Reno or Carson City is scenic and dramatic (and kids should be on the look-out for wild horse herds…we were lucky enough to spot one). Virginia City lies over the crest of a hill; the first thing … [Read more...]

Hearst Castle State Park

Families traveling on a California Highway 1 road trip will want to stop at Hearst Castle State Park, especially if their car-load comprises of school-aged kids, tween, and teens. Visible (and impressive!) even from the highway, Hearst Castle is a half-day stop right outside San Simeon, CA. From the visitor's center located near the coastline, guests can choose from several tour options before … [Read more...]

San Francisco Pier 39 attractions for kids

Families touring San Francisco could easily dedicate a full day to the busy, touristy region of Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. And while not to replace visiting other parts of the city, a day here is well spent. We definitely suggest beginning your day with a family tour of Alcatraz Island, but this still leaves you with an afternoon and evening to fill at the wharf. Here's our picks for how to … [Read more...]

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco

An absolute must-do attraction for families with school-aged kids in San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, run by the National Parks Service, is a half-day tour that will wisk families across the bay by boat to the most famed island in the Bay Area. Departing from Pier 33 on the Embarcadero, the tour is self-guided, which makes it flexible for families, and utterly fascinating, which makes it an … [Read more...]

Donner Memorial State Park and Emigrant Trail Museum

As Northern California natives and Oregon residents, we're well-versed in Oregon Trail pioneering history, and specifically, the Donner Party. We've taken the kids to Sutter's Fort State Park in Sacramento, CA, where they first learned about the ill-fated party, and when we found ourselves on Interstate 80 at the beautiful Donner Summit during our Thanksgiving break travels, we just had to make a … [Read more...]

Old Town San Diego

San Diego has so much going for it, by all rights, the rest of Southern California should be burning with jealousy. But there's something about this city's relaxed, unassuming air that makes it beloved...and a natural a choice for traveling families. Visitors are drawn quickly to San Diego's main family-friendly attractions, including its pristine beaches and all that entails Balboa Park, such … [Read more...]