All-American pit stop: shopping at American Girl Place Chicago

Francesca Mazurkiewicz is a Chicago-based travel blogger and working mom of two young children. Along with her family, Francesca is out to prove that she can have it all - a family, a career, and a travel lifestyle. I’m not a girly-girl and never have been. I never played with dolls as a little girl but there is something about American Girl dolls… As a traveler and a history enthusiast, I was … [Read more...]

Packing for a Family: Tips and Tricks to Ease the Load

Packing for an entire family can be daunting (not to mention time consuming). First there's the pre-trip laundry, sorting, and folding. Then there's the piling of bags in the car or airport security drop-off. And even after that, there's all the time wasted digging through suitcases trying to find that toothbrush or pair of shoes or jacket you just know is in there...somewhere. I don't know … [Read more...]

How to Choose the Right Backpack for Family Travel

I can't travel without a trusty backpack, so while on our most recent road trip, I paid close attention to the types of bags and packs other families carried in and out of restaurants, museums, picnic areas, and on hikes and tours. As you'd guess, I saw a vast assortment of styles and solutions ranging from fanny packs to Camelbaks to messenger bags, and for good reason: the family pack is an … [Read more...]

Cady Cheese Factory

126 State Road 128 Wilson, WI Quick: what's the first thing you think of when I say 'Wisconsin'? If you said 'cheese' and have plans to drive down I-94, then you're in luck! Make a pit stop at The Cady Cheese Shop and Factory to samples of over 20 varieties and flavors of real Wisconsin longhorn cheese, shop in their store, and learn about how cheese is made. Located a stone's throw of I-94, … [Read more...]