FamilyRoadTrippers.com

Checking out a slideshow through Flickr

2009-12-12T14:46:00.006-05:00

Thumb's-Up List for Family Travel

2009-11-14T14:39:00.004-05:00

View Thumbs Up List in a larger map We mentioned in a previous post that we're beginning a map of shame for gas stations who "don't have a bathroom." We figured it was only fair to give a pat on the back to those that do it well for families that are traveling across this great land of ours. So we're starting a Thumbs Up Map. We'll update the Thumbs Up Map whenever we stumble across another

Another Source for Natchez Trace Information

2009-11-14T08:57:00.003-05:00

A Google alert popped up for FamilyRoadTrippers last week -- it seems that the Fun Times Guide to the Natchez Trace Parkway likes our video of driving the Natchez Trace Trail with George Jones playing on the radio (is there any other way to do it?) Lynnette, the editor, lives in TN right near the trace and gives regular updates on it. If you're planninga family road trip down (or up) the Trace

Camera Phone Blog

2009-08-02T14:07:00.002-04:00

And it works. If I blog with my thumbs, is it fair to call it th-logging? It's a whole new day.

Can I Pubish Blogs From My Phone at Camp?

2009-08-02T13:43:00.001-04:00

This is a thumb-written trial post. If it works, I'll try one with a photo. If that works, we'll celebrate with a box of camp wine!

Getting the Itch for a Summer Road Trip

2009-06-01T17:40:00.012-04:00

View Larger Map I need to be in Montana this summer for some video shoots and other job site visits. Was planning to fly the family out to Spokane and rent a car, but we're wondering if maybe we ought to seize the opportunity and drive the whole danged way. This route would take us through Niagara Falls to Chicago where we could pick up Route 66. We could drive 'America's Main Street' to St.

Eat Well and Sleep Cheap in Dallas

2009-05-10T23:32:00.006-04:00

A Dallas mini-trip report I had a building conference to attend this weekend, (the National Green Building Conference). Not a family roadtrip, but a trip worth reporting on nonetheless. In a couple of days, I'll drive to Houston to visit sdome job sites and shoot video. I'll check in with a Houston mini-report too. Hotels.com: an excellent suite for $50 per night Well, not every night; it was

Another Disney World Tip (for Parents)

2009-02-28T08:58:00.003-05:00

Disney days can be looooong. If you go for a week or at least more than one day, they can be really long. One way to shorten the day is to start late and go till the fireworks. But sometimes the parents need a little break in the middle of the day. One way to get some 'me' time is to break away from the kids and enjoy an adult beverage. Now, you can't just abandon the kids, you need to plan

Another Road Trip Word Game: Word Caterpillar

2009-02-26T07:00:00.001-05:00

Here's a cool game I learned on a little drive with some friends when I was visiting San Francisco area a few months back. We were going out to dinner and had a little bit of a drive, so to keep everyone occupied we played this game.It goes like this:Choose a category such as food, animals, machines, etc. The youngest goes first to pick something within the category. The next person has to think

Profile of a Road Trip Family

2009-02-18T14:05:00.005-05:00

Family road trippers enjoy scenic drives and National parks. They don't sweat the gas prices, they prefer road atlases to GPS devices (although many like both), and they have a sense of humor.We've been studiously collecting data from familyroadtripper.com visitors since our site launch three years ago and have recently compiled the date into this interesting blog post. While these data in no way

Is Las Vegas a Family Destination?

2009-02-17T19:46:00.012-05:00

In a word, maybe. In two words, probably not.I've been AWOL from the blog in the last few months. Sorry about that, I've been working nights and weekends to get www.greenbuildingadvisor.com (my day job) launched. It's launched, I'm back. GreenBuildingAdvisor was launched at the International Builder's Show in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. It was my second time to Vegas.In the past twenty or

A Beautiful Quote

2008-11-01T18:29:00.003-04:00

I heard this on NPR the other morning on the way in to work. A reporter was interviewing a group of people in St. Louis and one of them said this:"Rosa sat so Martin could walkMartin walked so Obama could runObama is running so our children can fly"Amen.Isn't it wonderful that the African American candidate is the best Presidential candidate of our lifetime?

Find This Place -- Northeast

2008-09-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

Somewhere in western Massachusetts, close by to the post below (that was a hint) is a great place to tire out the kids, and shoot panorama photos of three states. As always, If you email me with the location of this mystery spot, I'll send you a custom FamilyRoadTrippers barf bag!

Bridge of Flowers -- Shelburne Falls, Mass

2008-09-01T20:17:00.008-04:00

An abandoned street trolley bridge transformed into a Footbridge for your senses. On a trip between Brattleboro, VT and home, I had an extra hour or so to kill, so I followed the sign I've been wondering about for so long: "Bridge of Flowers Next Right." This time I bit: the light was going to be good, and I had a camera with me, so I took the exit to Shelburne Falls. One problem, which I

Our New Puppy Road Tripper!

2008-08-23T20:45:00.007-04:00

To answer the question posed in the long-standing previous post, to dog, or not to dog? The answer, is To Dog! Meet the new puppy roadtripper (name narrowed, but not chosen). We're leaning towards Daisy, Zelda, Moxie, Smarty Jones, and Lucy. What do you think? UPDATE: Moxie won out. She's been one on the greatest dogs we've ever had. An instant classic.

To Dog or Not to Dog?

2008-07-31T07:33:00.005-04:00

.hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:TahomaFamilyroadtrippers are looking for a dog.The following email came to me while I was at work the other day. It was from Tinsley. To put it in context, I should say that we've been contemplating getting a dog. It's been almost three years since Wookie died and we feel like it may be time to fill her shoes,

Eugene Slug Queen Update

2008-07-28T20:39:00.004-04:00

Our roving Oregon reporter, Constance Van Flandern, has updated us with the details of this year's Slug Queen Festival. At the time of her previous post, the details of the coronation hadn't been smoothed out, shall we say. The Festival begins in a little over a couple of weeks on Aug 15, but"Don't worry if you can't make it to Eugene until after Labor Day--you'll be just in time for the new

Dyce Head Lighthouse in Castine, Maine

2008-07-12T10:31:00.006-04:00

Another light house in the quiver of Familyroadtrippers. Me and the kids went for a side trip along with my Dad to Dyce Head Light in Castine, Maine. Tinsley stayed back at Dad's to fix the zipper on our tent (it's what she wanted to do). The drive from Belfast to Castine is beautiful and worth a day trip. Dyce head light house is a private residence but there's an access trail that goes along

Choosing a Family Road Trip Vehicle

2008-07-12T08:41:00.006-04:00

ﾠ The polling at familyroadtrippers.com indicated that SUV edged out station wagons and "children pulling buggy" and all of them beat mini-vans. But the real choice is a little more complicated. When we were looking for a new roadtrip vehicle, it was an interesting choice. There are many choices available, station wagons, mini-vans, SUVs, compact SUVs, cross-over vehicles, and stuff like

City Guide: Belfast, Maine

2008-07-09T21:54:00.010-04:00

A waterfront city with magnificent downtown buildings is experiencing a wonderful renewal. I'm a little prejudiced towards Belfast, Maine. Much of my family lives there, I visit whenever I can, and it feels like home. Home away from home, anyway. We've written about Belfast in the past. My mom wrote about it when she was in elementary school: Belfast is a little city Nestled by the sea. It's

Three Ways to Green Your Family Road Trip

2008-06-27T21:48:00.006-04:00

There are a lot of reasons to do less damage to the environment. There are also a lot of ways to do it. Here are three ways to use less gas and support local economies at the same time. After all, the money you put into your tank doesn't really trickle down to the locals does it?1. Drive fewer miles, spend more time in local placesOften some of the coolest things are right around the corner. The

Summer fun in Eugene: SLUG Queen Festival

2008-06-12T07:47:00.010-04:00

While the garden slug may not be revered in the garden, they are beloved out of that context in the lush garden city of Eugene, Oregon. By Constance Van Flandern No matter how you feel about slugs there's no denying that they leave a trail of sparkling glitz behind. This year's sparkling trail begins in the Ken Kesey Plaza on August 15 with the annual coronation of Eugene's most beloved

Find This Place: Mississippi!

2008-06-07T19:09:00.002-04:00

The ongoing Family Road Trippers geographical scavenger hunt!Find this ruin somewhere in Mississippi. A little off the beaten path, but near the Mississippi River.As always, if you can identify this place, we'll send you a free barf bag!

An Eye-Opening Drive through Mississippi

2008-06-01T07:49:00.009-04:00

How can a state with the richest farm land in the world, in the richest country in the world, be so economically depressed? I had driven through every state in the US except Hawaii, Mississippi, and Alabama. I drove a little bit of the gulf coast of Mississippi last fall, but that was it. Never really explored the state. We did it last week at the end of a roadtrip from Nashville to New Orleans

Let the Weather Choose Travel Routes on Roadtrips

2008-05-24T18:58:00.011-04:00

Sometimes its better to drive west in order to go east; you'll find beautiful weather, new sights, and new adventures. Making our way back from New Orleans to Nashville, the sky turned gray and then black. Then the black clouds started swirling. Black swirling skies are a bad sign in the southeast, usually meaning tornadoes. Rather than drive northeast on the Natchez Trace, and along the storm

Natchez Trace Parkway: Drive This Road! part 3

2008-05-14T22:10:00.005-04:00

Day 2: Clear skies and smooth sailing. Tupelo got hit the night before with a tornado, but it's all blown over now and the sun is out for a beautiful day of driving in Mississippi. We took the Trace to Jackson and cut south to New Orleans. A George Jones video of the Natchez Trace in Mississippi:

Tips for traveling with Kids Number One Bajillion: Origami!

2008-05-11T22:20:00.005-04:00

Tinsley and Tom visited the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts a few weeks ago. They didn't blog about it, but I'll cover it quickly: There was (and will continue to be until mid June) an origami exhibit that they found fascinating. Home they came with origami paper and a booklet. Later that night, the table was covered with i-ching wheels (which are fun to call itching wheels), star

Eat Lunch Here -- French Camp on the aNatchez Trace

2008-05-11T09:40:00.006-04:00

View Larger Map The Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich is America's sandwich. Probably the best version of the BLT is along the Natchez Trace Parkway -- it comes as a triple-decker with home made garlic Tabasco mayo. French Camp on the Natchez Trace Parkway, mile 180.7, Mississippi.

Natchez Trace Parkway: Drive This Road, part 2

2008-05-11T08:12:00.001-04:00

I'm kind of a pushover. I love almost any good road I'm driving on. The Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Route in western Montana is a fantastic road, the Road through Smoky Mountain National Park is a great road, but the Natchez Trace Parkway is really a great road. I don't think I say that because I'm smitten. I think it's the truth. Tinsley will back me up on it. She keeps finding reasons to love it

LL Bean -- A Great Pit Stop

2008-05-10T16:39:00.006-04:00

America's most famous outdoor store makes a great 24 hour destination for family travelers. Fishing, hunting, hiking, and camping gear galore. As well as just about anything else a Maine traveler could need... We're in New Orleans right now. Last week we were in Belfast, Maine helping the city of Belfast celebrate my Grandfather's 100th birthday. They named him Citizen of the Century, which

Natchez Trace Parkway: Drive This Road, part 1

2008-05-10T11:20:00.004-04:00

Smooth, scenic, sparsely populated with traffic, tons of history, interesting educational exhibits, bathrooms everywhere you could even hope for, picnic areas, campgrounds, and one heck of a great place to stop for lunch. Oh yeah, and it rains money when you drive the Trace. Well, not money, but sometimes it rains. This road is one of America’s best backroads, Five stars, four thumbs up

An Amazing Adventure

2008-05-09T00:05:00.006-04:00

We're on the Natchez Trace Parkway today and tomorrow, heading to New Orleans. We stopped at the state line signs between Tennessee and Alabama and met a man taking pictures, just like I was. I guess people that take pictures of state line signs are just naturally drawn to conversation. Turns out he's supporting a bike rider who's going from Baton Rouge, LA to St Paul, MN. How cool is that? (

Buy Ice Cream Here--Derosiers Market

2008-05-06T23:35:00.009-04:00

First Winner of a big Thumbs Up: Derosiers Market in Freeport, Maine. I've been getting ice cream here at Derosiers since I was about five years old. My Dad just kept stopping there. Guess what I'm doing every time I drive through Freeport? Yup, stopping for ice cream at Derosiers. This most recent trip, the gal scooping the scoops was smart enough to downsize the kid's scoop sizes, and nice

This Gas Staion "Doesn't Have a Bathroom"

2008-05-05T22:21:00.006-04:00

View Gas Stations that won't let kids use the bathroom in a larger map Gas stations that won't let little kids use the bathroom have always irritated me. Especially after I fill up the tank with $45 worth of gas. It just seems like a basic hospitality issue. "Restrooms are for customers only" is fine. But after you fill the tank, and unstrap your three year old from the kid seat, and they walk

Thank You for Your Road Trip Support!

2008-05-02T22:11:00.004-04:00

More than 10,000 Page Visits!Wow.I hate these silly kinds of blog posts, but I'm sorry, I can't help it. We hit our ten thousandth page view since we started this blog, a year and a half ago.Right now, we're averaging over a thousand visits per month. More than 1,500 last month, a little over 1,000 in March, and over 800 in both January and February.Thanks for your interest. We've got some great

Is School more Important than a Family Road Trip?

2008-04-24T23:04:00.003-04:00

When you pull a kid from class for a week, you disrupt the lesson plan of the teacher and slow your child 's progress. But travel can develop strong family ties and provide a richer learning environment than any cement building in a kid's home town. If you develop an educational agenda, you can make roadtrips a fun and enriching experience.About a year ago there was a discussion at Fodor's Forum

Family Roadtrip, Comin' Up!

2008-04-20T13:12:00.020-04:00

View Larger Map I have to head to New Orleans for the National Green Building Conference sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders. As it happens, the show is over the Mother's Day weekend (Smart conference planning tip: don't schedule your conference for Mother's Day weekend). Oddly enough, the NAHB's International Builder's Show was in Orlando this year over Valentines Day (is the

Wanted: Guest Bloggers

2008-04-20T11:03:00.003-04:00

We've got some repeat visitors out there in places we don't get to visit often such as California, Minnesota, and Hawaii. But more surprisingly, Australia and Iceland. Surely there are things these folks can contribute to FamilyRoadtrippers.com How do we know this? We recently discovered Google's Analytics tool. Wow. Before a few weeks ago, we'd been relying on the counter to tell us how many

Family Adventure Spots in New England

2008-04-14T21:41:00.005-04:00

From Yankee Magazine recently...Family Adventure Spots in New EnglandWhitewater Rafting Deerfield River, Northwestern Massachusetts>Mountain Biking Kingdom Trails, East Burke, VermontSea KayakingWickford Harbor, Rhode IslandCamping Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, MaineBiking Province Lands, Provincetown, MassachusettsCanoeing Umbagog Lake, New HampshireStephen Jermanok, travel writer

Family Travel all about 'Quality Time'

2008-04-14T20:33:00.001-04:00

From the Chicago Tribune a while backFamily travel all about 'quality time'BY ALFRED BORCOVER Special to the Tribune November 18, 2007It's all about QT. Kids are busy with soccer, basketball, baseball, music lessons, video games and camp, not to mention school. Parents are overburdened at work and equally busy on weekends trying to hold lives together. QT -- quality time -- with children seems

Pet-Friendly New England Travels

2008-04-07T21:46:00.002-04:00

There's a cool guide to pet-friendly travel guide at the Boston Globe's web site, here. Places to roam with Rover, dog-friendly parks in Boston, pet-friendly lodging, pet-friendly attractions, dog parks and trails, and Boston kennels.Also, a photo gallery of travel pals.

Children's Museum, West Hartford, CT

2008-04-06T16:05:00.006-04:00

View Larger Map On a day off from school recently, Tinsley found herself with two kids to entertain and no help from Dad (I had to work, it's good Friday, not great Friday). She decided to spend the day at the Children's Museum in West Hartford. She didn't bring a camera as she already had her hands full, but we did convince Tom to write it up for our blog. Here's Tom's write-up: In the yard of

A Scenic New Hampshire Drive

2008-04-04T18:55:00.005-04:00

View Larger Map Yankee Magazine featured a loop around Mount Monadnock recently. The Many Views of Monadnock: A Driving Tour There's a slower pace and evidence of bygone eras in southwestern New Hampshire. We haven't road tested this route yet, but we will soon enough. Have you road tested this route? Download the directions here

5 Budget-Friendly Hotels in NYC

2008-03-25T20:53:00.003-04:00

Hot deals off the Fodor's TravelWire5 Budget-Friendly Hotels in NYCFinding a budget hotel in New York City isn't easy, but it's not impossible. Here are five comfortable ones, centrally located and chock full of personality. Hotel 41.Bamboo in the window beckons guests to the warmly lit lobby of the Hotel 41. This stylish hotel is not meant for family visits; rooms are tiny. Most standard rooms

More New York City Tips:Food and Lodging

2008-03-23T08:48:00.004-04:00

Excerped from Fodor's Travel Wire An Insider's Guide to NYCTired of Broadway shows and the annual trek to the Met? Try one of these activities on for size on your next trip to the Big Apple. Indulge: Get your Grom onTurin-based gelato importer Grom opened this summer on the Upper West Side to high-decibel hype, small $5 servings, and hour-long waits. Five months on, the small cups are still

Kid and Dog friendly lodging in Belfast, ME

2008-03-22T22:33:00.003-04:00

Rather than trying top zoom straight through from Portland to Acadia -- and miss some of the best parts of coastal Maine -- slow down, spend a night in Camden or Belfast. Belfast is a nice little city in mid-coast Maine. Belfast is a whole lot less crowded in the summer, and it's closer to Acadia. One good place to stay, with a view of Penobscot Bay from every room, is the Comfort Inn, just over

Places to go in The Granite State

2008-03-17T20:02:00.004-04:00

Here's a user-generated map of things to do in New Hampshire from Yankee Magazine's web site.

Planning for Health Emergencies Eases Stress of Family Travel

2008-03-15T17:40:00.002-04:00

A pertinent news release from the University of Michigan:Planning for Health Emergencies Eases Stress of Family TravelWhile family vacations can be fun, they can become extremely stressful if there are unexpected health problems, experts say. Parents need to include preparations for possible health troubles in their holiday planning, says Dr. Stephen Park, an assistant professor of pediatrics

Advanced Hotel-Room Fort Making

2008-03-09T10:05:00.003-04:00

A desk, a bedspread, and a willingness to improvise goes a looooong way.One way to make kids happy in a hotel room while on a road trip is to let them jump on the bed. One way to get them to stop jumping on the bed, is to make a fort. Many hotel rooms have large enough desks to simple drape the bed spread over it for a fast fort with plenty of room for sleeping. On a recent trip we checked in to

Seadog Brewing Company: Best. Sandwich. Ever.

2008-03-08T18:47:00.004-05:00

Maybe the best pit stop in mid-coast Maine. Nay, the Best. Pit stop. in Mid-coast Maine.Most of the way through an eight hour drive to Belfast, ME we stopped for dinner. Where you get off I-95 for Rt. 1 is Topsam, ME. A little over a mile from the exit is The Seadog -- a comfortable kid-friendly brewpub restaurant offering many yummy local brews, yummy burgers, yummy fish and chips and dining on

25 Things We Love to Do in D.C.

2008-03-08T18:38:00.004-05:00

Fresh off the Fodor's Travel Wire, some stuff that's already on our list, but a bunch (of not really kid-stuff) that's not.Washington, D.C. is the center of everything political in the U.S., and as such has never been short on intrigue and scandal. But beyond all the shenanigans you'll find a rare city, one that balances truly rich history and culture within a dynamic and ever-changing urban

Dinosaur State Park: A Good Pit Stop

2008-03-01T09:37:00.008-05:00

Stop in for a picnic lunch and explore the museum, craft room, and more than two miles of nature trails through the Dinosaur Park State Arboretum.In Rocky Hill, CT, just a wee bit south of Hartford you’ll find a geodesic dome built over an expanse of sedimentary rock with one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America. Inside, you’ll see life-size Jurassic and Triassic period dioramas

Decompress on a Train through the West

2008-02-24T09:01:00.004-05:00

Ride the American Orient Express through the west's most beautiful National Parks.We haven't taken this train ride, but we read about it a while back, and have been dreaming about it ever since. While this could be fun with kids, it seems more like a romantic getaway for parents while the kids are in summer camp. Partly because it's expensive, partly because train rides offer a little less

Backseat Roadtrip Office

2008-02-24T08:34:00.003-05:00

Here's another tip for roadtripping with kids: Set them up with a backseat roadtrip office. We got a Christmas present a few years ago that has worked out to be a great backseat office for kids. As far as I can tell, it's called an insulated seat back organizer, and it's made by Lewis N Clark. They don't seem to make the same product any more, but there are many similar products by other

Five Family Travel Trends to Look For

2008-02-17T19:51:00.004-05:00

According to the UK's Times online we family travelers ought to be on the look out for some new trends in our 2008 travels.1. ‘Parent-Friendly’ will replace ‘child-friendly'Siân Williams, founder of Baby Friendly Bolt Holes expects more stuff for "mum and dad" in addition to the stuff aimed at quieting the kids. We've found this to be at least a little true with the creeping in of espresso

Local Flavor is Infused into Local Restaurants

2008-02-17T18:45:00.003-05:00

I traveled to Orlando this past week for the International Builder's Show. On the flight down, I was reading a book called Small Giants by Bo Burlingham. The subtitle is "Companies that choose to be great instead of big". It's like Good to Great for privately-held companies, like our business, WhistlePig Press. Anyway, I ran across an interesting few paragraphs in a chapter called The Mona Lisa

Getting Ready to Move to Our New Domain

2008-02-12T14:08:00.001-05:00

_uacct = "UA-3634553-1";urchinTracker();We'll be moving to our new home, www.familyroadtrippers.com, soon. In the short term we'll probably just point the blogspot content to our site. In the intermediate term, we'll add extra content to the site, in the long term, we'll re-configure the blog, content, maps, and links. I don't expect to have everything figured out this week as I'm waiting in the

I Love My GPS!

2008-02-07T21:21:00.000-05:00

I never thought I'd say it, but paper maps aren't the best way to travel.There, I said it.I'm a map guy. The bigger the better. In college, I used to tack US Forest Service maps on the wall in my office. They extended up onto the ceiling and down to the floor. After college, I worked as a biologist on a fishing trawler in the Bering Sea in Alaska. We had a Global Positioning System device on

Poll results

2008-01-24T21:37:00.000-05:00

While I'm happy to see that more visitors are voting in the polls (although only 18 out of over 5,000), I'm a little concerned that three of them have chosen "hate you." I suppose it's my own fault for offering it as an option, but I sort of thought it was a funny little joke.I didn't think you'd really click it.Live and learn...

Make Learning Fun and Memorable

2008-01-12T12:17:00.001-05:00

Here's a post from Fodor's forum in a discussion about whether or not to take kids out of school so the family could travel. It's from a year ago and when I read it, I was very impressed with the author's system. I just stumbled accross it again the other day, so here it is:Author: escargotDate: 01/24/2007, 05:20 pmWe are the parents who always pulled our kids out of school if need be - esp at

An Unusual Misspelling Adventure

2008-01-01T12:36:00.000-05:00

I sent a press release to friends and family about a week ago announcing the one year anniversary of the FamilyRoadTrippers blog when one of the recipients wrote back telling me that when she clicked the link for the blog's home page, she was directed to a bible college web site.Huh?I went back to the original email and clicked through. Sure enough, I was directed to this site.As it turns out, I

New York City with Kids

2007-12-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry to be so lame by posting second hand info lately, but hey, it's the holidays and I'm busy making a closet into a bathroom.This one is from Fodor's Travel Wire, also see Our Kid-Friendly Guide to New York CityNew York City with KidsEven though much of New York is focused on the adult pursuits of making money and then spending it, kids can run riot in this city, too. Below are our Top 10

Traveling with Tots: A Survival Guide

2007-12-19T09:31:00.000-05:00

Another article that backs up what we've said for a long time now: skip the dvd player, remain flexible, and lower your expectations. For more tips, read out 10 Tips for Road Tripping with Kids This one is from Kiplinger's :Traveling With Tots: A Survival Guide Whether flying or driving with a young one, a little preparation can go a long way toward saving you money -- and keeping your

Vermont Ski Getaway: Okemo Mt

2007-12-17T19:41:00.000-05:00

If you want great skiing, good food, shopping opportunities and general friendly fun, don't bother with the Killington crowds, head to Ludlow instead. We go to Ludlow each year for early Christmas with one chunk of our rather extended family. Most of the time we spend a day skiing. There are lots of great things about Ludlow, Okemo, and Vermont in general, but it's hard to not start with the

We're One!!

2007-12-02T08:50:00.000-05:00

John Prine says he writes songs to get them out of his head. "If I didn't write them down, they'd keep clanging around inside my head drivin' me crazy."A year ago, we started getting our roadtrip tips, techniques, and tactical advice out of our heads so that we could get on with the important stuff. Like making shadow puppets. The initial post was Three Tips for Road Tripping with Kids, number

Cheap Kicks in Boston: 25 Things to do for Under $25

2007-12-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

Here's one from the The Boston Globe, not all of them are kid-type activities, but maybe the parents can split up and enjoy a little "Mommy time" (Dad can do #1 with the kids while Mom does #10...)25 Things to do for $25 or Less1. Cheer along at a Celtics game2. Skate along Boston Common's Frog Pond3. Enjoy the fine art at Boston’s International Fine Art Show4. Grab a cup of tea5. Savor a

A New Thanksgiving Road Trip Tradition

2007-11-26T20:50:00.000-05:00

Wile away the miles with notes of thanks.Tommy read about a wonderful idea in Highlights Magazine, which we tried at the FamilyRoadTripper household this year: The Thankful Jar. The idea is to put a label a jar that says something like "Our Thankful Jar" at the beginning of November. Place a little pad of paper and a pencil nearby. Whenever you think of something that you're thankful for, write a

Thanksgiving Memories

2007-11-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

The Familyroadtrippers blog was featured a couple of days ago in a Portland Press Herald article about Thanksgiving road trip memories. Tom Bell, the author of the article, stumbled across this post about my most memorable Thanksgiving, a road trip to Maine through a snow storm to have a wonderful diner at my Grandparent's house.Carved into memories The excitement of travel and traditions of

Upper Penobscott Bay, part 2: Bucksport, Maine

2007-11-17T22:49:00.004-05:00

Bucksport has great attractions: A haunted, spooky grave, a huge granite and grass fort, and an observatory that's 42 stories highNorth of Belfast and Searsport is a little town called Bucksport on the Penobscott River which is guarded by Fort Knox. The fort was built in the middle if the 19th century to deter British invasion (the Redcoats closed off the river twice -- during the Revolution and

Upper Penobscott Bay: Belfast and Bayside, Maine

2007-11-17T21:36:00.002-05:00

Belfast and Bayside have everything except crowds. Camden, Rockport, and Rockland area are nice, but let's face it -- they're crowded. Sometimes they're very crowded (usually). Among the best sailing, but also great places to explore, eat, shop, and drive around. There is even a lighthouse to visit.As a kid, I spent summers in the cottage we bought from my great Aunt Alice in Northport. In a

Shadow Puppets: Dog

2007-11-11T20:47:00.000-05:00

Tom shows us how to make a dog shadow puppet. The video is a little dark, but I think you'll get the process if you watch it a couple of times...

Barf Bag from Family Road Trippers

2007-11-11T20:31:00.000-05:00

Name the place in the Find this Place posts and you can win a custom made barf bag from FamilyRoadTrippers. They're sure to become collector's items.If you'd like to win a custom Ralf Pack, just identify the location of one of the Find This Place photos. Stephen, from airsicknessbags.com, asked for a sample barf bag even though he didn't know where the monster rock is, nor did he even vote in any

A Little Chunk of the Natchez Trace Trail

2007-10-27T11:34:00.011-04:00

This 445 mile scenic drive through the heart of the south is quick and beautiful with lot's of side loops to explore. Many places to jump on and jump off means easy access too. I went to New Orleans last week for the Traditional Building Show and Convention. While I was there, I took a few extra days to explore the wreckage of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In heading to Mississippi’s Gulf coast,

A Lighthouse That's Worth the Climb

2007-10-15T20:32:00.000-04:00

Owl's Head Light offers an amazing view of Penobscot Bay.Located just south of Rockland, ME atop a long stretch of stairs, perched on a rock outcrop sits Owl's Head Light. This side trip makes a great after-dinner activity. The stairs tire out the kids and offer a wonderful reward for very little effort. Get up there an hour before sunset and you might capture some magical light.This could be a

Vacationing with Your Kids

2007-10-08T20:23:00.000-04:00

I stumbled on to this article at HighlightsParents.com. It's by an educational psychologist, mom, and entrepreneur who believes that as parents we need all the support we can get.Amen to that Dr. Schwager.The advice is similar to our Tips for Traveling with Kids series. Although I must draw the line at making up a new word unless it's both useful and fun to say. Kidcation isn't really either, in

6 family travel headaches — solved!

2007-10-05T21:34:00.000-04:00

So here's an article from MSNBC about how to survive a trip with your kids. It seems that the author seeks to survive rather than make it fun, interesting, or educational. And while the questions seem quite contrived, there's some info in there.6 family travel headaches — solved!Kids change the whole dynamic of a vacation, but they don't have to ruin itBy John FrenayeTravel columnist When I got

Road trip ipod revisited

2007-10-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

A discussion at Fodor's Forum about road trip songs.

The Colors of Autumn

2007-10-02T21:49:00.000-04:00

It's coming on here in Northwest CT, should be nice for a while.Here's more from the Fodor's travel wire on foliage following in New England:New England park rangers and other outdoors-y types are predicting an outstanding fall foliage season this year, though the foliage peak might be a few days later than usual due to the still-lingering traces of summer. The last weeks of September and early

Tips for Leaf Peepers

2007-10-01T21:49:00.000-04:00

This in from the Fodor's Travel wire: Helpful hints on seeing the best of autumn's colors.... 1: Don't head to New England on a whim, blithely assuming you'll be able to find a place to stay. Everyone visits New England in autumn, so make your lodging reservations well in advance. 2: If all the country inns are full, it's best to book a hotel in a larger city and use

More Leaf-Peeper Drives in New England

2007-09-26T18:53:00.000-04:00

New England's fall foliage is the best in the country. And it's just starting to pop. Usually the peak is around early to mid October, but if you miss it in one area, just drive a bit south and look there.Try this 85 mile loop beginning in Torrington, CT:Don't miss the covered bridge in Cornwall.View Larger MapAnd a 185 mile loop in northern Maine, beginning and ending in Skowhegan (You'll

Fall Foliage Drives in Vermont

2007-09-23T15:13:00.000-04:00

From Yankee Magazine. here are a couple of American Backroads that offer nice foliage. Both up in the north west corner.a southern loop, about 42 miles, which takes you through Smuggler's Notch:View Larger Mapand a connected northern loop, about 46 miles:View Larger MapYankee Magazines suggests these places to stay:Edson Hill Manor, Stowe, VTFrom $199 including breakfastThe Governor's House, Hyde

A Tale of Two Cities: Big and Small

2007-09-22T18:10:00.000-04:00

Unfriendly Police Officers can Ruin a Town's EconomyI don't get a lot of speeding tickets. I drive a lot of miles each year with all of the travel for work and the family road trips, so I get some speeding tickets. But I'm not a chronic offender by any means. Especially if you divide my number of tickets per mile.Hartford, ConnecticutI had an interesting trip last month to photograph Montpelier;

Omaha, Nebraska is O! So Great

2007-09-22T08:32:00.000-04:00

I went to Omaha a couple of weeks ago for a quick photo shoot (1 full day, 2 half days) of the PATH concept house. I really didn't expect much more than great sunsets, sunrises, and steaks. But as soon as I got out of the airport, I could tell the city is vibrant. Lot's of public sculpture (including the O! Public Art Project), lots of parks, many new buildings and old buildings is great shape.

American Backroads: Bridgeport, CT to Camden ME

2007-08-26T16:18:00.000-04:00

Back roads through Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. During the summer, it's almost always wise to avoid Interstate 95 in New England. The Maine Turnpike, the Mass Pike are two more to skip. These back roads may take longer if there's no traffic on the interstates, but they'll be quicker on the week ends during summer. And there are more hometown places to stop for a bite to

Paris with Kids

2007-08-04T20:30:00.001-04:00

An article in Fodor's Newsletter If you're going to Europe,Paris is often promoted as an adult destination, but there's no shortage of children's activities to keep the young 'uns busy. If you venture here with children in tow, make sure to buy a Pariscope (found at most newsstands) and check the enfants section for current children's events. Museums Paris has a number of museums that cater

Find This Place! Deep South

2007-07-30T21:18:00.001-04:00

The ongoing Family Road Trippers geographical scavenger hunt!Find this ruin somewhere in the deep south, either Alabama, Mississippi, or Louisiana. A little off the beaten path, but near the alma matter of "Air McNair".As always, if you can identify this place, we'll send you a free barf bag!(Please don't play too closely to the columns -- they may fall over)

7 Mistakes Not to Make When Dining Out with Kids

2007-07-30T21:09:00.000-04:00

A good article off the Fodor's Travel Wire. If a restaurant dispenses tiny packets of crayons enrobed in whimsical paper placemats, you've likely discovered a place that considers itself kid friendly. But is it a place you want to go? Deep in your heart you know it isn't. And wherever you travel, you're

Avoiding the Masses at 4 Great National Parks

2007-07-30T20:57:00.000-04:00

This is fresh off the Fodor's Travel Wire: What could be better than a summer vacation spent communing with nature in one of our national parks? Unfortunately millions of others will be doing the same thing. But that doesn't mean your holiday has to be spent dodging video cameras and screeching kids. Follow our tips below to escape the hordes and make the most of your time in the park. Grand

Wacky Summer Festivals in America

2007-07-21T23:33:00.000-04:00

America is full of festivals, contests, and competitions. Some are earnest, others completely wacky. Here are 12 that register high on our Outlandish Meter.(Edited from Fodor’s wire)International Cherry Pit Spitting Contest When: July 7Where: Eau Claire, in Southwest MichiganHow many times did your mother tell you not to play with your food? Well now you can show her who's boss when you bring

Find This Place! New England

2007-07-17T16:58:00.000-04:00

The Family Road Trippers Scavenger Hunt! (Part 1)This cattle pen is somewhere in New England. It was build in 1828 for $28.The granite river rock walls are seven feet tall and 2-1/2 feet thick at the base. The circumference is 40 feet.If you can find this place, email us a photo o0f your family standing in front of it and we'll mail you an official Family Road Tripper Barf Bag!

City Guide: Camden, Maine

2007-06-29T16:25:00.001-04:00

Mid-coast Maine (Penobscot Bay in particular) is the most beautiful part of the state. Camden is family friendly town with loads of recrfeational and photo opportunities within a short drive.Where the mountains seet the sea, Camden is a popular destination. The harbor, the architecture, the landscape, and recreational features are vast and varied; and the food is pretty darned good too (hint:

The Wrong Way to Do Family Roadtrips

2007-06-28T21:44:00.000-04:00

A veritable How-Not To plan and execute a family road trip.There's a stunning essay in the current issue of Newsweek: The Family Road Trip: Strangers in a Minivan It's ironic that we picked up the Newsweek at the front desk of the Residence Inn in Scarborough, ME in the middle of our annual early-summer family road trip across northern New England.Tinsley read it first, and then handed the

9 Classic Northeastern Shore Towns

2007-06-19T21:06:00.000-04:00

This just in from Fodor's Travel Wire The towns chosen by Fodor's are the more upscale ones. Also check out Belfast, Maine (north of Camden), Old Orchard Beach, Maine for family fun, Mystic, CT, and The Cape Cod National Seashore. And the Moxie Festival in Lisbon Falls, ME July 13-157th or so...9 Classic Northeastern Shore

Take Great Pictures of Kids, part 4

2007-06-19T21:04:00.000-04:00

New tip about taking great pictures of kids here.

Weekend Philly Trip

2007-06-09T09:47:00.001-04:00

Philly is a very walkable city with great architecture, food, and nice folks. In short, Philly is Phantastic! (sorry, I couldn't resist)I wanted to drop in on the Congress for New Urbanism conference in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to meet some of people who were speaking there, so I really only needed to take a couple of hours on Saturday and again on Sunday to listen to their

Three More Road Trip Word Games

2007-05-17T21:46:00.001-04:00

The miles go faster and familes are happier when the kids are having fun (besides, word games are free and they don't have little plastic pieces to lose)When you're spending more than a few hours in the car, your kids are bound to get tired of the activity books you've packed for them. A road atlas of their own helps, but when it gets dark, those activities are out of the question. Word games

Me, Tom, and Manny

2007-05-15T22:41:00.000-04:00

r />//Etching the earliest memories, one drive at a time.My earliest road trip memory is that of a Thanksgiving drive to Maine. Another one that's especially fond to me is my son’s earliest road trip memory: just he and I

Early Road Trip Memories: Relative Prosperity

2007-05-12T09:21:00.000-04:00

Little things can polish the luster of a family trip. Interesting thread at Fodor’s this morning about earliest childhood travel memories. A couple of things surface: It doesn’t take much to make a great memory, and the kids are usually quite oblivious to the nightmares that their parents may be experiencing.I guess my earliest road trip memory is driving to Belfast, Maine for Thanksgiving with

Washington DC Restaraunt Guide

2007-05-05T00:17:00.000-04:00

From Fodor's Travel Wire:D.C.'s a Dish: Savoring and Saving in the Capital CityVisiting dignitaries may find dining in Washington D.C. to be a staid and stiff affair, but the Beltway's best restaurants come in all sizes, styles, and budgets. From the Hill to Chinatown, here are a few of our favorite eats in the capital city. Local Favorites for the FamilyA day of culture-hopping in museums is

Take A Drive With Janis Joplin's Ghost

2007-04-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

I saw this in the Hartford Courant April 29, 2007 from the wires. Maybe when I travel down to the gulf coast I'll add this in and report back.Head down to Port Arthur, Texas - in a Mercedes-Benz, if possible - for a new self-guided Janis Joplin driving tour. The 15 stops include her childhood home, churches, schools and the Museum of the Gulf Coast, which has an exhibit devoted to the rock and