The following is Part 2 in a two-part series on small ship cruising with AdventureSmith Expeditions' founder Todd Smith. Last week, I asked AdventureSmith Expeditions founder Todd Smith to explain the philosophy of small ship cruising, reinforcing my belief that a lasting travel impact is made through personal, intimate experiences with the culture and environs of a destination. But is small … [Read more...]
Small ship cruising: a travel philosophy that holds water
November 28, 2011 By
The following is the first in a two-part interview with AdventureSmith Explorations founder and president Todd Smith. In the past decade, cruising has morphed from a dowdy vacation your grandparents took to one of the most popular family options on the travel market. It's not hard to see the appeal: the ease, all-inclusiveness, and high entertainment value of cruising makes it a tempting … [Read more...]
Exploring Portland Oregon with a baby
November 18, 2011 By
As a newcomer to the Portland area, I’ve been doing plenty of exploring. After relocating from Las Vegas with my husband and two-month-old son, it was a challenge to find fun things for all of us to do. While there are many fantastic activities and local events geared toward children, a baby under six months isn’t quite ready for some of those activities! The following area attractions and … [Read more...]
Aulani, a Disney’s Resort and Spa: what’s included in the Aulani value
September 28, 2011 By
There's no doubt about it: Aulani, Disney's new Hawaiian resort on the leeward side of Oahu, is jaw-droppingly fabulous. Throughout my stay, I experienced first class service, amenities, and activities across the board. For the average traveling family, however, it's also jaw-droppingly expensive. Utilizing a quick room rate and availability search on Aulani's reservations page, I was hard pressed … [Read more...]
One Tank Wonders: where to travel after school starts
September 12, 2011 By
Our family vacations extensively during the summer months, but by autumn, school and sport schedules once again reign. Do we stop traveling? Never! But our adventures do take place closer to home. In fact, some of our favorite trips have taken place less than one tank of gas away from our hometown. Shorter trips are less stressful, usually less expensive, and easier to plan. You can be in the car … [Read more...]
Disney done right: how to survive (and thrive!) in summer crowds
August 12, 2011 By
The first advice I offer any family asking how to get the most from their Disney theme park experience is to visit in the off-season. Of course, such a plan isn’t always realistic. If your only option is to visit Walt Disney World or the Disneyland Resort in the summer season, take heart! It is possible to best the crowds and the heat and have a fabulous time. During our three-day visit to … [Read more...]
Disney done right: a stay at the Disneyland Hotel
August 11, 2011 By
Until last week, my family and I had never stayed on-site at the Disneyland Resort, despite numerous trips to the theme parks. After last week’s stay, I may never visit Disney any other way. Our night at the newly improved Disneyland Hotel granted both tangible and intangible perks I don’t think I could do without! We arrived at the hotel in the morning before park opening, and the front … [Read more...]
Road-trip troubleshooting: when things go wrong on the road
July 25, 2011 By
I'll admit it: I've run out of gas on the road during a family vacation. (I've also had a U-Haul trailer break down on me in the middle of the night in the middle of Washington State, but that's another story.) It wasn't much fun, and I'll tell you what I wish I'd had at the time (both times): Allstate's Good Hands Roadside Assistance. Now I do (which as the laws of the universe dictate, … [Read more...]
NYC with kids: making sense of subways, taxis, and trains
July 10, 2011 By
During our four days in New York City this past June, we relied exclusively on subway trains, taxi cabs, and our own feet to get us where we needed to go. Despite being accustomed to using public transportation in other cities, I will admit we found the NYC subway system to be overwhelming with kids...at first. By the time we were ready to leave, we (almost) felt we had it figured out, but to help … [Read more...]
Why I travel with kids
July 8, 2011 By
With fair regularity, I get asked why I travel so much with my kids. Isn’t it exhausting? Will they even remember it? How do you make the time to get away? I could give the stock answers, and I sometimes do: I travel with my kids because I want them to have first-hand knowledge of their country and world. I travel with them because I hope that in so doing, I will create life-long learners of them. … [Read more...]
