Tips for Traveling with Toddlers

Travel can be stressful at times – especially for Toddlers. Most, if not all, toddlers feel most comfortable with a predictable schedule. Vacation travel typically doesn’t offer that stability. This means that parents will need a strategy. Here are some tips for traveling with toddlers. Schedule in Down Time Toddlers, as a group, don’t tend to do very well when expected to sit still for long periods of time. Parents need to schedule in some down time where their toddler can move around and burn off some energy and frustration. Plan ahead so you can easily find a local park … Continue reading →

Summer LEGO Mania

My 8-year-old is a LEGO Friends fanatic. My dishwasher is not. I know this because of the horrible sounds it’s been making since swallowing one of the tiny plastic bricks meant to stabilize the slide on my daughter’s Heartlake City Pool set. I’m this close to tossing out the rest of the set and booking a trip to New York City. That’s where Nathan Sawaya’s massive LEGO display is being showcased for kids of all ages to enjoy. Perhaps, immersing my child in another LEGO lover’s colorful brick designs will take her mind off her mother’s moratorium on LEGO play. … Continue reading →

Save on Theme Park Admission

Experiencing the thrills and chills of a major theme park isn’t cheap. In fact, paying for a family of four to visit kid-friendly vacation destinations like Six Flags Great America or Universal Studios can really put a dent in your bank account. Still, taking a spin on the latest and greatest amusement park rides is what makes summer so memorable. If you are an adrenaline junkie, but are short on cash, consider the following money-saving tips that will allow you to get your theme park fix this summer without going bankrupt: SIX FLAGS Coke Cans: Coke can discounts are a … Continue reading →

Finding the Christmas Spirit

Sitting on Santa’s lap is not the only way to get into the Christmas spirit. There are dozens of affordable travel opportunities that will help you get into the holiday mood, including: Indiana: Gather the kids and head to Santa Claus, Indiana. The town celebrates Christmas all year long, but during the month of December things really hit a fever pitch. In addition to snapping photos of your kids with St. Nick, your entire clan can tour a Santa Claus museum, shop at Santa’s Candy Castle or enroll in Santa Claus training workshops to learn the find art of … Continue reading →

The Gift of a Season Pass

Forget about racking your brain trying to find cousin Al the perfect holiday gift. Never mind giving Uncle Jim and Aunt Irene the same fruitcake-of-the-month subscription for Christmas. This year, give your hard-to-buy-for loved ones the gift of a season pass. It doesn’t matter if your gift recipient is a seasoned traveler or one who only hits the road twice a year, a season pass to a ski resort or amusement park is a practical present which can be used throughout the year. For decades, season passes were marketed exclusively to locals, but now the tide is changing. Several popular … Continue reading →

The More the Merrier

One way you can save a substantial amount of money on a dream vacation is to travel with another family or gather your friends and escape as a group. Discounts for larger groups are available for lodging, airfare and popular tourist attractions. The trick to making this money saver work for your clan is to select your travel companions carefully. Finding a destination that will appeal to a wide range of age groups can also be challenging. In addition, you have to consider other people’s preferences, as well as safety concerns. Would you feel more comfortable vacationing with your group … Continue reading →

Are We There Yet?

“Are we there yet?” Those four little words can result in major anxiety for parents traveling with children. The dreaded chorus emanating from the backseat of the family vehicle is far from music to parents’ ears. Fortunately, if you are planning to hit the road with your pint-sized clan this summer, there are ways to keep the “Are we there yet” blues at bay. While music is a quintessential part of a family road trip, rather than have your kids sing a melancholy melody, turn them on to classic travel tunes. Sure, “99 Bottles of Root Beer,” may keep the … Continue reading →

Tips for the Teen Road Trip Challenge

For many parents, taking teens on a summer road trip is not exactly a relaxing vacation option. In fact, for some moms and dads, the idea of being trapped in a cramped vehicle with moody kids could be categorized as downright torture. The mere act of persuading a teen to enthusiastically partake in a family road trip is a challenge in itself. However, once you hurdle that initial obstacle there are ways to make the rest of the trip run a bit smoother. And who knows; you may even strengthen the family bond in the process. Choice of Vehicle: Embarking … Continue reading →

The High Price of Summer Vacation

Can you really afford to take a dream vacation this summer? In some parts of the country, kids are still in school and parents are busy crunching numbers to see if a family escape to the beach, mountains or theme park is financially feasible. Unfortunately, it seems the travel industry is working against frugal families this summer. Especially the ones who enjoy the mega thrills and chills found at popular amusement parks. Look at Universal Orlando. The Florida theme park just raised its single-day, single-park ticket price to $88. The park’s attractions may be friendly, but the price of admission … Continue reading →

Airlines Making it Harder for Families to Fly

Why do some people insist on making life harder for others? Lack of humility, selfishness, greed, egotism, arrogance? All of the above? Is it really asking too much for the folks that run commercial airlines to allow families to sit together on a flight without charging them extra for the “privilege?” The insanity behind the steep fees has even prompted lawmakers to get involved. Last week, New York Senator Charles Schumer went public urging airlines to give flying families a break by eliminating fees that can add up to hundreds of dollars over original ticket prices. “Children need access to … Continue reading →