Women and wine: Mother’s Day wineries to visit in Oregon

The best Mother's Day I ever spent wasn't during an expensive vacation or at a fancy spa or restaurant. It was at a winery a few miles from our home. We packed up the whole family, and drove along the Applegate Wine Trail from Jacksonville, Oregon, stopping along the way to taste Southern Oregon wines, enjoy the spring temperatures, and let the kids play near the inviting Applegate River and in … [Read more...]

Tahoe with kids: Granlibakken Ski and Sledding Hill

Looking to explore off the beaten tourist path in Tahoe with kids? Granlibakken is traditional Tahoe at its most authentic: this old-school resort boosts lodge rooms, condos, sledding, a day spa, and ski learning on poma bar and rope tow-accessed terrain. In the summer, there's a large treetop rope course and easy access to hiking trails and the lake shore. Keep this lesser known resort … [Read more...]

Family Apres Ski at Whistler Village

After a full day of skiing or boarding, nothing is so satisfying as unbuckling your boots and shedding your coat to warm up amid the lively ambiance of fellow skiers and perhaps a live band. Add a cold brew or warm beverage, and you just might be in heaven. We've already told you where to eat on a budget at Whistler, but you don't have to pass up the fun of apres ski drinks and appetizers, even if … [Read more...]

Best ski towns: Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain

Ready to plan Lake Placid skiing with kids? Whiteface Mountain boasts the biggest vertical drop east of the Rockies, it hosted the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, and it has an impressive (or intimidating, depending on your skiing ability) 38% expert runs. But what you might not expect is that Whiteface is also a great place for families with young kids just starting out on the slopes. One of my … [Read more...]

The MaiZe at the Pumpkin Patch

A fun outing for kids of all ages, the MaiZe at The Pumpkin Patch consists of acres of twisting, turning stalks that kept our group of kids entertained (and lost!) for nearly an hour. Located on picturesque Sauvie Island about 10 minutes from downtown Portland, The Pumpkin Patch is just one of many area farms and organic produce markets that give this beautiful location its fall festival … [Read more...]

A Boston 4th of July: Tips for Celebrating on the Esplanade

All people want to spend the Fourth of July in special fashion. If you’ve never been to Boston, heading there in the beginning of July is as good a time as any. Below, you’ll find tips regarding how to spend it right during the Esplanade celebration. Weather: New England weather is fickle, and natives know weather patterns change on a dime. In July, temperatures can range from the 60s and … [Read more...]

Florida Caverns State Park

State parks make some of the very best pit stops, as fans of Florida Caverns State Park well know! One of the few state parks with dry (air-filled) caves, Florida Caverns is the only Florida state park to offer cave tours to the public. Accessible to all ages, the cave has dazzling formations of limestone stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flowstones, and draperies. The park is also popular … [Read more...]

Russian Tea at the Heathman Hotel Portland

The historic Heathman Hotel in Portland has offered a holiday tea service for decades. New in 2016, chef Vitaly Paley brought Russian flare to the service with his festive, elegant Russian Tea. Within days, all available reservations for the service, offered between November 25 and January 1, were filled. Due to the popularity of the holiday tea service, there will be two seatings on Saturdays … [Read more...]

Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort: what not to miss with kids

Twenty minutes before lifts stopped turning on a perfect Whistler ski trip, we were still finding fresh powder. Whistler Blackcomb is just that big. Everywhere we skied at Whistler Blackcomb, the kids discovered new routes, new glades, and new jumps. After spending two full ski days exploring the duel mountains, we could only say we'd had a 'sampler' of what this resort offers to … [Read more...]

Florence Italy at Christmas

Last holiday season, we made a last minute decision to add Florence, Italy to our European family vacation. We arrived in Florence on December 24, Christmas Eve, and left December 27. While planning, I worried that perhaps, spending Christmas in Florence wouldn't feel festive...after all, their seasonal Christmas markets close before Christmas Day. However, I couldn't have been more wrong. … [Read more...]