Tips for traveling with Kids Number One Bajillion: Origami!

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 boxes, and jumping frogs. It only took a couple of days for them to master (at least from a novice's perspective) the crane.

Last weekend we had a long drive to help the City of Belfast, Maine celebrate my grandfather's 100th birthday party. Origami was a wonderful way to keep Tom busy in the backseat. As with many back seat activities, one must be aware of motion sickness. When we got to the Hotel room, I tried my hand at origami, making a paper cup. My motivation is to find a design that could be folded using a bigger piece of butcher's paper into a "Horking Cup" which is my funny way of saying barf bag.

Family Travel all about 'Quality Time'

From the Chicago Tribune a while back

Family travel all about 'quality time'
BY ALFRED BORCOVER Special to the Tribune November 18, 2007

It'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 to be catch-as-catch-can. And pretty soon months have rushed by without the family having fun together.That's where family travel comes in. Not just jumping in the van and sightseeing helter-skelter, kids rolling their eyeballs every time you drag them into a museum. But doing things kids want to do, having a shared adventure blended with an educational experience. Or just splashing around together at a lake or ocean beach.

Travel with children has been on a steady climb since 2000, and even more so in the last seven years. According to Washington-based Travel Industry Association figures, the number of leisure vacations with children has risen nearly 14 percent, to 208.3 million trips in 2006 from 183.1 million in 2000. Some of these trips are taken with grandparents.
"From 2001 through 2004, the primary reason [for the growth] was the residual psychological impact of 9/11," said Peter Yesawich, chairman and CEO of Ypartnership, an Orlando-based travel research and marketing firm. "People became far more introspective. Money, which was the focus of the late 1990s, was no longer all important. All-important was quality time with loved ones, a sense of parental guilt.

"Yesawich continued: "We began to see another reason [for family travel]: work habits that have become increasingly frenetic. The workday has gotten longer because of technology -- cell phones, PDAs and ceaseless e-mails. If you look at households where you have mom, dad and kids, 60 percent of those are where mom and dad are both working full time."

Yesawich said a pressure-cooker basically has evolved because mom and dad are struggling to keep up with their work obligations, "which means they feel guilty they don't have time to spend with their kids, which in turn translates into the conclusion, 'well, when we get three or four days to take a vacation, the kids are coming along.'"About those vacations. Yesawich said the No. 1 family getaway involves visiting friends and relatives. Beyond that, he said, priorities include anything that has to do with water -- beach and lake vacations and water parks, followed by theme parks and cruises, increasingly popular with families.

About 80 percent of vacationers in the U.S. take at least one trip a year by car, especially true for families who are cost conscious. Only half of vacationers fly. When you're traveling with kids, you look for the best deals, he said.

But what's truly essential when planning a family vacation is involving the kids. What you don't want are bored children and constant kvetching. When Yesawich conducted his annual National Leisure Monitor survey in January, sampling 1,882 leisure travelers, he found that kids play a significant role in determining where the vacations will be taken, where the family will stay and what they're going to do. "Kids go online and help plan vacations," Yesawich said. "

Kids save part of their allowance to participate in vacations. They are invested emotionally in the trip. One out of every two decisions is influenced by children, which is quite remarkable."For families looking for special shared-experience vacations, package vacations are growing as quickly as the whole travel-with-children boom. While growing, tours and family adventure packages are a "very thin slice" of the family travel market, Yesawich noted. Overwhelmingly, people are packing up the family car for their trips, he said."

Over the last three years alone, the family travel end of our business is up 30 to 40 percent," said Dan Austin, director of Austin-Lehman Adventures, an outdoors adventure-oriented tour operator based in Billings, Mont. "It makes up about 50 to 55 percent of our business." Austin-Lehman's family tour packages focus on the Pacific Coast and Northwest, California, the Rocky Mountains and the Southwestern U.S. A few go to Central and South America, and one to Africa. All have physical components such as biking, hiking, kayaking and rafting as well as cultural activities."It's a way for families to maximize what little time they have," Austin said. "

Whether it be with us or whomever, a package tour, where you've got experts who have vetted the places to stay, the proper trails and routes so you're not taking a lot of misdirections, is going to give you the most bang for your buck."As for kids, Austin said, they're in the outdoors and experiencing new things. "We wear them out a little bit. They may go for four or five days before they realize the place their staying doesn't have TV." (www.austinlehman.com; 800-575-1540)

Paula Weissman, a 44-year-old stay-at-home mom from Long Grove, said she found Austin-Lehman on the Internet while searching for family vacation ideas when her children -- now 15, 13 and 11 -- were too young for such adventure trips. When the time was ripe, Weissman and her husband, Ken, now 47, a businessman, took their kids, who love the outdoors, to Yellowstone. "It integrated physical activity, a diverse itinerary with seeing, learning and doing. We didn't know what to expect. We were exhausted at the end of each day." Undaunted, the following year they went to Alaska and then the Canadian Rockies, trips etched in their family memories.Tauck, a tour company since 1925 and most notably for seniors, jumped into the family travel pool in 2002 with six offerings, said Joanne Gardner, marketing manager for Tauck Bridges, its family brand. The family market has been growing by 15 percent a year, she noted. Starting in 2008, the Norwalk, Conn.-based firm will add four more programs, bringing its portfolio to 13 all-inclusive multigenerational packages on four continents. ( http://www.tauck.com ; 800-788-7885.)

At the high end of the family market is Oak Brook-based Abercrombie & Kent. "We've seen a 22 percent increase in the number of families traveling with us in 2007 compared to 2006," said George Morgan-Granville, president of A&K in the U.S. Its biggest increases have been to the Galapagos and Egypt. But its newest 2008 tour, especially hot for kids, is the Lewis & Clark Montana Adventure, which includes a night in a canvas tepee, and canoeing and hiking in the White Cliffs region with a local Blackfeet historian and guide. ( http://www.abercrombiekent.com ; 800-652-8607.)

Butterfield & Robinson (www.butterfield.com; 866-551-9090), best known for its bicycle tours, and Country Walkers (www.countrywalkers.com; 800-464-9255) now offer a wide variety of family trips geared for children -- with their parents or grandparents, of course.

Kid and Dog friendly lodging in Belfast, ME

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 the bridge over Passagassawaukeg River on Rt 1.

The inn has an indoor pool, a "continental breakfast" and allows dogs for a mere $10 extra. They have suites, king rooms with kitchenettes, and regular rooms.

And there's a great little Thai restaurant across the street.

Planning for Health Emergencies Eases Stress of Family Travel

A pertinent news release from the University of Michigan:

Planning for Health Emergencies Eases Stress of Family Travel

While 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 and communicable diseases at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

"We, as parents, pay a lot of attention to things like packing toys and packing clothes, but sometimes we don't pay as much attention to preparing for potential or anticipated health issues," Park said in a prepared statement.

He offered a number of health-related travel tips.

First, create a travel health kit that includes medicines that are regularly taken by members of the family, as well as medicines for sudden ailments, such as congestion or a rash. He recommended packing a fever reducer, an antihistamine, bandages and a topical antibiotic ointment, but advised against including an anti-diarrhea medicine for traveler's diarrhea. It's better to consult with your doctor to learn about antibiotics that treat bacterial infections that can cause diarrhea.

Parents also should consider specific features of the family's vacation, such as the destination's climate. For example, bring plenty of sunscreen for sunny locales, as well as aloe vera to relieve sunburn pain. If you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, bring insect repellent, mosquito netting and poison ivy treatments.

Think about potential issues related to your mode of transportation. For example, air travel can cause ear pain. Feeding a small child during take-off and landing to generate a suck-and-swallow motion can help ease ear pain, while older children can get relief by chewing gum or blowing bubbles. If a child is prone to motion sickness, don't sit in the middle of the plane over the wings.

If you're traveling by car, you can help prevent motion sickness by discouraging your children from reading in the car or looking down. If they start to feel ill, they should focus their eyes on a point in front of them, Park said.

When booking accommodations, parents should research the location of the closest urgent care center, night-time care center and emergency room. Be sure to bring the phone number of your doctor, so you can call to get answers to medical questions.

Park also noted that traveling throws off normal routines, which can cause children to become grumpy and difficult.

"One of the biggest concerns of parents when they are traveling with children is not so much about health but about behavior. Parents need to relax as much as possible and plan ahead. Anticipate that children may be a little off while traveling, so be patient with routines," Park said.

More information

The Nemours Foundation has more about staying healthy while your travel.

Advanced Hotel-Room Fort Making

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 a room with a small desk. Tom wouldn't be able to fit sleeping under and parallel to the desk, he would have to sleep perpendicular to it. And that's not much of an adventure for a seven year old.

The solution? Add a chair. We tucked the bedspread behind the desk (against the wall), and stretched it out to drape it over a chair at the far end. There was still enough room between the bed and the chair to walk by, and with a suitcase acting as ballast, the chair is unlikely to tip over.

Tip: bring an LED headlamp for nightime reading.

Backseat Roadtrip Office

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 manufacturers (see below). The hanging seat back organizer straps around the top and bottom of the seat, has two insulated pockets, one of which is removable (velcro) to reveal a fold-down desk and three net pockets big enough for a water bottle, flashlight, and a point and shoot camera. The mini cooler is accessible to the backseat traveler as a place to store road snacks and juice boxes. The desk helps travelers keep their things from getting lost, or landing on the floor.

As I said, there are many other forms of hanging seat back storage caddies, just Google it or go to Amazon and search. There are even a few custom designed for kids such as this one.

But you don't have to buy a specially made seat back desk, in fact the design can be improved on if you build one yourself. By modifying a metal cookie tray with upturned sides, you can make a fold-down desk that will keep crayons from rolling off the sides. Even better, the metal tray will make magnetic toys games possible, and magnetic toys don't get dropped on the floor as easily, so there will be fewer 'back seat crises'.

If you've got some custom designs for back seat offices, send them in!

Five Family Travel Trends to Look For

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 machines at various Residence Inns (thank you Mr. Marriott).

2. More adventure family travel
"We are finding families requesting different itineraries for different ages, and going for the idea of being reunited at the end of the day around a bonfire, or authentic ‘asado’, to share stories about their day" says Emmanuel Burgio, founder of US-based travel boutique Blue Parallel. "We are getting particular requests for Peru, where there is much to learn about the culture, and natural wonders such as the Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia”.

3. Less adventure family travel
“I predict a growing trend for ‘soft’ family adventures throughout the world" forecasts Andrew Dunn, managing director and founder of Scott Dunn, who says that they're already experiencing this trend. "When the brood have grown bored of the beach, a soft family adventure is just the ticket for injecting fun, excitement, learning and passion for travel and culture into children’s lives. Having children does not mean the end of adventure, if anything it is just the beginning.

4. Reduced carbon footprint
Mandy Ley-Morgan, marketing manager of Luxury Family Hotels:"Over the past six months, we have noticed the average length of stays at our luxury family country hotels double from two nights to four. Our customers are now making the UK either their main or second holiday of the year - instead of previously having their big holidays abroad in France or Spain. Customers are telling us that they wish to reduce their carbon footprint, are fed up with long security airport queues and that there are now more family-friendly holiday options in the UK.”

5. Luggage kids can ride
"I know, having young children myself, that travelling with them can make holidays very stressful" says Justin Cole, general manager of OctopusTravel, "Trunki – the world’s first ride-on suitcase for kids - is a great idea to keep them amused - and it is practical as well!"

Our prediction:
Families will travel lighter in smaller cars while visiting national parks.
Travel destinations should learn to accommodate lighter travel to add value.

What do you see happening on the travel horizon?

Local Flavor is Infused into Local Restaurants

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 Principal. Burlingham writes about a restaurant in Ann Arbor Michigain called Zingerman's Deli and quotes one of the owners, Ari Weinzweig, talking about the relationship between company and community.

"You're talking about something like what that the French call terroir. It has to do with the way the soil and climate in a given region contribute to the flavor of the food. That's because the soil's mineral content, the amount of sun and rainfall it gets, the local vegetation, and so on -- all that is different in each region. So lets say you're going to make cheese or wine using the same recipe in two different places. The animals in one place will be grazing on different vegetation from those in the other, and the grape vines will be growing in different soil and getting different amounts of sun and rain. Because the terroir is different, the cheese will be different, and the wine will be different, even if you follow the same process for making them. It's the same with some businesses. Every community has its own character, which is sort of a spiritual terroir".

The author then explains that the opposite is also true, that when a business is hermetically separated from a community, you can taste that too: "When you mass-produce food, you strive to take the terroir out. The whole idea is to remove any variations due to climate, soil, or season, much as companies that are spread out geographically strive to reduce variation and develop a common culture.

That's why it is so much better to eat at local restaurants than chain restaurants. Yes, we recommend Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel is great for driving because it's close to the highway, there's plenty of parking, the food is fast, family-style, and the atmosphere is kid-friendly (you can eat breakfast any time). And they have great gift shops for after supper (or breakfast as the case may be). We recommend Cracker Barrel as a matter of convenience; it's a predictable experience. As it turns out, there is wonderful regional variation in the food as well -- don't order fried catfish with beans and greens in New England, skip the clam chowder in the south, try the meatloaf in both places).

There must be some Tennessee terroir in the corporate culture at Cracker Barrel.

Make Learning Fun and Memorable

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 pm

We are the parents who always pulled our kids out of school if need be - esp at earlier ages - and when they were your kids ages, here is what I would do: Most of my kids teachers gave them some sort of an assignment and/or some work sheets to do with no problem and were thrilled they were going to visit somewhere new and have some different educational experiences. Just my experience, I know not everyone's.

Each child had a notebook that was their trip journal. If they couldn't write - or write much - they wrote a sentence or two or did it with photos, cut outs from travel guides, ticket stubs, pictures they drew and they would often leave spaces for a photo they would have developed later - I used to give them each a disposable camera so they could also take photos of favorite things.

When they were younger, I took the time to make them a "Find Me" book as I called it. I would make a separate notebook with things we would see along our travel, depending on where we were headed, this booklet might include monuments, museums, a famous painting, a Paris street lamp or bridge, a famous street sign or boulevard, double decker bus, whatever. Even key phrases in another language - like a simple hello, welcome, goodbye, etc - so they had to look and listen for things.

The kids would carry the Find Me book along with them and keep an eye out for these things and check them off when they found them. It became sort of a fun competition but kept their eyes and ears open and aware of their surroundings. No matter their age, each child would get to choose one thing we would absolutely do in each location (younger ones needing my help to choose). This is how we ended up taking a tour of the sewers and the entire underground 'world' under Paris ! Yup, an 8 yr old boy picked that one; my daughter was more apt to choose a store, cafe that served the best hot chocolate, or in later years an opera house or ballet to go to.

Also, if there are any books for their age about where you are going, reading those beforehand is always fun, as is renting a movie filmed there, or simply showing them some art books or history books with photos of some things you might see. My kids were always excited when in later years they studied many of the things we would have seen and places they actually walked - living history so to speak.

Nothing like family and travel, for us anyway.

Traveling with Tots: A Survival Guide

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 cool.

By Cameron Huddleston, Contributing Editor, Kiplinger.com

About 300 miles into an 800-mile road trip to Florida this summer, I decided to tell my 3-year-old daughter -- in a daze from watching hours of Dora the Explorer -- it was time to turn off the DVD and try to sleep. That's when the meltdown began.

It was 11 p.m., we'd been in the car seven hours (thanks to unexpected traffic jams and numerous pit stops) and we still had about 100 miles to go to the town where we had reserved a hotel room.

But the 3-year-old's crying woke up the 1-year-old, and there was no choice but to stop. We drove from hotel to hotel until we finally found one with a vacant room -- a honeymoon suite with a king-size bed. On the bright side, the in-room hot tub and glow-in-the-dark planets on the ceiling were a big hit with my toddler.

Maybe you've been there, too -- not the cheesy hotel, but in a car or plane with small children, clinging to the last threads of your sanity. And you shudder at the thought of going through it again this holiday travel season. Or maybe you're planning to travel with baby for the first time this year and you're lying awake at night in terror at the thought.

read more...

Vacationing with Your Kids

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 my opinion.


Vacationing with Your Kids
By Istar Schwager, Ph.D.
Vacations with kids are so different from vacations without kids that they may deserve their own name. Kidcations? Anticipating my first vacation after becoming a mother, I imagined sleeping late, taking long quiet walks, spending afternoons reading, and enjoying candlelit dinners with my husband. The reality was that I awoke before 6 A.M., prepared baby food in an ill-equipped cabin, trekked tons of baby paraphernalia to the beach, and sacked out by 8 P.M. We had fun, but in an entirely different way than I'd pictured. Later I laughed at myself for being fooled by the "vacation" word.

Here are some thoughts on making "kidcations" enjoyable for the whole family.

Have Realistic Expectations
Take into consideration your kids' ages, interests, and need for activity as you plan your itinerary. Be realistic. You can still do many of the things that fit your agenda, but don't expect your kids to morph into different beings while on vacation. While a change of location may bring out the camper, historian, or marine biologist in a child, most kids are not turned on by "beautiful scenery" and aren't going to have much tolerance for looking at every last picture in a museum. Make sure that at least some of the activities you plan are oriented to your kids' interests.

Get Kids Involved in Planning
The more kids are involved in planning, the more they will feel like true family-vacation participants. Before taking off, help them look up destinations on maps. Encourage them to plan what to take, discussing what will be needed, what you can do without, and the amount of baggage space allocated. If you have a chance, read with them about where you'll be going and help them become familiar with the names of places and anticipated activities. Share a sense of discovery as you research your plans.

Reassure Kids During Transitions
Kids, especially younger children who have a less-developed understanding of time and distance, may find travel confusing and disruptive. Bringing a favorite stuffed animal or other transitional object can be very comforting. It's also important to help kids anticipate what will happen. Phrases such as "next week," "soon," and "we're almost there" can be translated into more concrete descriptions, such as "by the time we sing three more songs" or "we'll be sleeping at Grandma's seven days." You could even give your kids a calendar that shows where you'll be and what you plan to do each day.

Keep Up Old Routines or Create Some New Ones
Find a balance between old and new. See if it works to read a bedtime story and stick to regular bedtimes while on vacation. You may also want to create special vacation routines--for instance, taking a family walk every morning or playing a board game after dinner each night.

Engage Kids While Traveling
To keep kids engaged and excited about the vacation, help them read maps, watch for road signs, look at changes in topography, and play the kinds of car and travel games that encourage observation and discussion. Kids can also be encouraged to be in charge of their own small travel bag, to have a pre-set amount to spend at a roadside store, and to try new foods and activities.

Be Aware of Pacing
Whether you're traveling by car, plane, or train--kids need time to move around. The "are we there yet?" question isn't just about bathroom stops and boredom. Try to plan your route so that your children have opportunities to stretch their legs. Parks, zoos, and playgrounds along the way provide a chance for kids to let off steam. Providing opportunities for movement will cut down on the whining and acting out that can result from normal, predictable restlessness.

Encourage Kids to Record Their Experiences
To help make the vacation their own, kids can take photos, draw pictures, send postcards to friends back home, and even keep a travel journal. These are great ways for kids to express their reactions to what they are doing and seeing and to keep their skills active during the school break.

Although they take some extra planning and effort, family vacations allow you to share experiences, talk together, tell family stories, sing, play games, and bond in ways that may be hard during the regular year. Whether you're vacationing in Paris, France, or Paris, Texas, camping near a stream or visiting your great-aunt Irma--I hope that you and your kids have a relaxed and memorable vacation this summer.

Istar Schwager, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist, mom, and founder of Creative Parents, Inc., with the website creativeparents.com. She believes that as parents we need all the support we can get.

June 2007

6 family travel headaches — solved!

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 it

By John Frenaye
Travel columnist

When I got into the travel business back in the '90s, I had no idea where it would take me, but over the years, I've come to specialize in a couple of niche markets: family travel and single-parent travel (in that order, thanks to a divorce in 2000). I have done many television and radio interviews on these topics over the years, and the same six questions keep popping up. So if you are getting a headache trying to figure out how to finagle your family travel, start here. I might just have your aspirin.

1. HELP! My husband wants a romantic second honeymoon, but we're taking along our toddler. Where can we go and what can we do?
The best solution is to find a trusted baby sitter or family member to watch your child while you reignite those embers of matrimony. A private two- or three-night getaway can certainly do wonders to restore romance. But if you must take Junior along, look for a destination that has a children's program. Not just a baby-sitting service, but a carefully designed, specially staffed children's program. The Camp Hyatt program (minimum age: 3) is an outstanding example. Their staff is trained in early childhood development and child care. In addition to getting a special kid-friendly menu, you can also learn to hula dance in Hawaii, search for Native American arrowheads in Texas or watch the dolphins in Florida. Another option is to take a cruise. Most cruise lines accept youngsters as young as 2, and their programs are organized into activity groups by age. In either case, you are just a beeper away from your child, and the program usually provides the beeper. In my experience, once the kids are in the program, it's hard to persuade them to leave.

2. We want a big family vacation, but we're on a budget. What should we do?
There are plenty of ways to save money on a family vacation. One is to travel in the off-season. For example, ski resorts are a lot of fun for families in the summer months, especially if you can get hold of some mountain bikes. Or look into a serviced campground; by "serviced" I mean cabins and electricity — certainly not the "roughing-it" camping of Cub Scout days. My family has had a lot of fun at some of the Yogi Bear Campgrounds, which offer TV and phone service in the cabin. Another tip, wherever you go, is to cook your own meals (usually, it is the restaurant meals that kill the family travel budget). Finally, be sure to use any reward points you've accumulated with your airline or credit card company. They can really add up to savings.

3. I always wind up overpacking — and yet I still forget things. Any advice?
Don't sweat it. It's like the weather: There's not much you can really do about a forgotten item, now is there? But I sympathize. I used to be a victim of my own disorganization, and I was always forgetting something critical (usually sunscreen, which for some reason costs three times as much once you reach your sunny destination). I got tired of all those trips to the gift shop, so I developed a simple and fun packing checklist. Now when we pack (and I make my kids pack themselves), I give the list to my son and put him in charge of keeping his dad and sisters on track. If you want a copy, you can download the list from my agency's Web site.

4. Our flight is nearly six hours long and we have two kids with us! What can we do to make the long trip less stressful?
With the state of air travel today, you will be lucky if the flight takes off at all, much less on time. My advice is to expect the unexpected and come to the airport prepared. Most important: Buy the kids their own seats. (Yes, it's tempting to save money by having that little one ride in your lap, but believe me, it's almost always a bad idea.) Make sure the kids have plenty to drink; good hydration will help them cope with the cabin pressurization. Set the expectations for behavior before you leave for the airport, and for heaven's sake, have plenty for them to do.

Are they old enough to own or borrow an iPod? Do they know how to use one? We downloaded a full-length movie to my son's video iPod for our last trip; a $4 headphone splitter from Radio Shack allowed his sister to listen, too, and they were both entertained for more than two hours. Battery-operated Game Boys and P2Ps are also fantastic time passers. Sudoku, word-find games, crossword puzzles, crayons and coloring books are all outstanding investments for a long trip (also plain old books, if the kids are already reading). If it is an especially long flight, ask your travel professional about the onboard entertainment; there might be a built-in gaming console at the kids' seats. (This was the case on the Cathay Pacific flight I took with my son to China a few years back, and it was a godsend.)

5. Is there a way to make everyone happy on a vacation — two adults, a teenage son, an 8-year-old daughter and our 2-year-old?
Families with a big age range have to work hard in advance of the trip. Make sure everyone is involved in the planning and make no assumptions. (For example, do not assume Gramps is too old for Disney — he may be looking for a good excuse to be a kid again.) Look for a destination that has something for everyone, and be on the lookout for special children's programming so the grownups can have some time to themselves. Most important, don't push the idea that everyone has to spend every waking moment together. "Downtime" and "apart time" are underrated, in my opinion, and I build them into all my family vacations. For example, I took a cruise in August with my kids and their "Grammy." Most of the time, the kids were with me or they hung out with their new friends, but we ate all our dinners with Grammy, and we did a couple of shore excursions together. That way the kids avoided "Grammy overload," and Grammy was able to have a good time without having to be institutionalized when she got off the ship.

6. What are some resources for family deals, trips, advice, etc.?
My best advice is to work with a travel agent who is really interested in family travel. The Internet has many great resources, too, but take the consumer reviews with a grain of salt; after all, no two families are alike in their needs and expectations. For hotels and resorts, I like to check out Trip Advisor. For anything cruise-related, I use Cruise Critic, a wonderful forum-based Web site. Single Parent Travel is indispensable for that constituency, and Tripso has a lot of tell-it-like-it-is information on the travel industry as a whole. If you are headed to the mall, check out Borders or Barnes & Noble for some of the better guidebooks including Frommer's, Rick Steves and Zagat.

My most memorable trips have been family trips, though I'm pretty sure not one of them went off without a hitch. The above tips might help you out a bit, but the best advice, I have saved for last — just roll with the punches and enjoy the ride.

Paris with Kids

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 to the young, and the young at heart. The Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (30 av. Corentin-Cariou), at Parc de la Villette, is an enormous science center. The children's area is divided into two main sections: one for children from three to five years of age; another for those from five to 12. Interactive exhibits allow kids to do everything from build a house and learn about communications systems throughout history, from the tom-tom to the satellite.

The Musée de la Poupée (the Doll Museum) is a cozy museum in the heart of the Marais, with a collection of more than 500 dolls dating back to the 1800s, complete with costumes, furniture, and accessories. Labels might be in French, but they're not really the point anyway. The museum features a "Doll Hospital," where "sick" dolls and plush toys come to be repaired; the doctor is in on Thursday, but free estimates are offered throughout the week.

The Palais de la Découverte (the Palace of Discovery) has high definition, 3-D exhibits covering everything from chemistry, biology, physics, and the weather so there's bound to be some interesting dinner conversation when the day is done. Many of the displays are in French, but that doesn't stop most kids from having a blast; hands down, the choice between this and the Louvre is a no-brainer.

Sites & shows

A zoo is usually a good bet to get the kids' attention, although you might want to keep in mind that most European zoos aren't as spacious as American zoos. The Ménagerie at the Jardin des Plantes, is an urban zoo dating from 1794 and home to more than 240 mammals, 400 birds, 270 reptiles, and a number of insects. The huge Parc Zoologique, in the Bois de Vincennes, is the largest zoo in Paris, although parts are closed for renovation; the bonus of taking the metro out here, though, are the park's two lakes, both with rentable rowboats. When it comes to spectacles, what child would pass up the circus? There are several in the city, and the Cirque de Paris (115 bd. Charles-de-Gaulle, Villeneuve-la-Garenne) has a special feature called a "Day at the Circus" -- your kids (and you) can learn some basics like juggling, then you'll lunch with the artistes and see a performance in the afternoon.

Of course, the best sight in Paris is the city itself, and a boat ride on the Seine is a must for everyone. It's the perfect way to see the sights, rest weary feet, and depending on which option you choose, lunch or dinner may be part of the treat.

Expending Energy

Most kids are thrilled (at least more than the grownups) at the prospect of climbing
innumerable stairs to be rewarded with cool views: the Eiffel Tower is the quintessential Paris climb but Notre-Dame gets extra points for the gargoyles, and the Arc de Triomphe is a good bet, since it's centrally located at the end of the Champs Elysées.

When it comes to open spaces for running around, Paris has lots of park options, with extra attractions in summer when kids can work off steam on the trampolines or ride ponies at the Jardin des Tuileries. The Jardin du Luxembourg has a playground and a pond where kids can rent miniature boats, and the Bois de Boulogne has a zoo, rowboats, bumper cars, and lots of wide-open spaces.

Iceskating is seasonal but always a thrill, and from mid-December through February, several outdoor Paris sites are turned into spectacular ice-skating rinks with Christmas lights, music, and instructors. The rinks are free to the public; skate rental for adults costs £5. The main rink is at place de l'Hotel de Ville (the square in front of City Hall) but the rink on the Eiffel Tower's first level, though small has prime novelty value.

Underground Paris

There's something about exploring underground that seems to fascinate kids, at least the older ones. Les Egouts, the Paris sewer system, has a certain gross factor but isn't actually that disgusting. Keep in mind, though, that the smell is definitely ranker in the summer months. At the Catacombs, in Montparnasse, dark tunnels filled with bones are spookily titillating -- at least for those not prone to nightmares.

For some cheap underground entertainment without the ick factor, the métro itself can be its own sort of adventure, complete with fascinating station art such as the submarine decor at Arts-et-Metiers, the colorful Parisian timeline murals at Tuileries, or the Egyptian statues of the Louvre-Rivoli station.

And for Treats

All that fun will no doubt bring on an appetite and there's no shortage of special places to stop for a snack in Paris. Angelina (226 rue de Rivoli) near the Jardin des Tuileries is world famous for its hot chocolate -- deliciously thick and yummy, unlike what American children are usually used to. Berthillon (31 rue St-Louis-en-L'ille), renowned for their decadent ice cream, has outposts around town, including on the Ile St-Louis -- though the Amarino gelaterias give them a run for their money. And when in need, a patisserie selling chocolate croissants is never hard to find. French children adore the pastel clouds of meringue (which resemble hardened whipped cream puffs) that decorate almost every bakery's window, and there are all sort of cookies to tempt a smile from a tired tot.

Photo credits: (1) Courtesy Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie; (2) Tuileres Garden, ©Istockphoto/brightlady; (3) ©Istockphoto.

7 Mistakes Not to Make When Dining Out with Kids

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 probably finding that the desirable places to eat aren't necessarily clear about whether they're kid friendly. Ultimately, though, showing your kids a good time isn't the restaurant's job -- it's yours. And believe it or not, you can do more than just survive a night out with your kids if you avoid these common blunders.

Mistake #1: Picking a place devoid of other kids
While you're away, pick restaurants based in part on who else is eating there. Look for at least one other family with kids close in age to your own. If the crowd feels cold when you get there, walk. Unless your child's perfectly still and silent (aka unconscious), she'll likely want to go say hello to the other family. One of the easiest things to forget while on vacation is how much your kids miss their friends back home, and watching your daughter and her new friend chatter about tween stars or annoy the fish in the tank up front will remind you how those instant restaurant friendships can create your child's fondest memories of a trip.

Mistake #2: Relying on the kids' menu
A kids' menu is often unimaginative and overpriced and what's worse, its dishes often have no relationship to the good food on your menu. For a better meal, have the waiter halve one of the adult entrees or, better yet, order your child not one but several appetizers. This eliminates the drama of your child saying she doesn't like the taste or smell of her entrée, increases the chances of her hitting upon something she likes, and opens her eyes to new flavors and combinations. The meal will be more satisfying and, potentially, less pricey.

Mistake #3: Trying a totally new food on vacation
While it's tempting to introduce your kids to that regional dish you've been craving, don't be recklessly experimental. For instance, shellfish -- so simple and ubiquitous in New England, the Caribbean, and countless other family destinations, is a good candidate for an allergic reaction if your child has never tried it. If shellfish or some other ingredient is an unknown or a problem, also be mindful of more subtle manifestations. If your waiter's unclear if the fish chowder is prepared with shellfish or if the kitchen fries the shrimp and clams separately from the french fries, insist he ask the chef. An allergic reaction may be limited to a single bout of vomiting, but do you really want your child's defining memory of the trip to be, "Remember when I threw up?"

Mistake #4: Not anticipating meltdowns
Trying to arrest a child's meltdown as it's happening is a lot like taking sea-sickness pills at the first sign of nausea: nice idea, but you're about an hour too late. By no means beat yourself up for letting the day get away from you at that world-famous zoo or great-for-kids beach. But if you go this route, don't mar a perfect day by expecting dinner to unfold calmly: anticipate that your kids might be starving or exhausted and know their time limits, especially if you insist on making every restaurant meal count -- and it can. Just eat strategically. Since appetizers, theoretically, are supposed to be ready quickly, ordering several for all of you in lieu of entrees might be the best plan. And did you ever wonder why you see so many parents drinking coffee with their meals? It's not just to shake off insanity; they already know they won't be around to enjoy it later.

Mistake #5: Having their meals brought out first
Assuming your kids aren't starving or exhausted, don't have their dishes come out before yours. Many waiters will assume that you want the meals staggered and may not even ask your consent; be clear. If your kids dig in before you they'll either be done or bored by the time your food arrives. Coloring books or handheld gaming devices may fill some of the time, but soon the relentless whining about why they shouldn't have to watch you eat will begin to make sense, you'll start to rush, and it'll be your fault. You've earned the right to try your destination's best food without indigestion, and even if having your family eat together at home is torture, they may surprise you and rise to the challenge while dining out. Especially if they ever hope to see that dessert tray arrive at your table.

Mistake #6: Not tasting their food first
This one may seem alarmist. I know I thought it was, at least until a trip to an elegant San Francisco restaurant, where my then four-year-old daughter bit into her kids' meal and began tearing up and fanning her mouth. It seems the chef had mistakenly given her the same red pepper flake-laced meatballs he was serving to adults via the grown-up menu. This was a mistake on the part of the kitchen (they had meant to serve her from a milder batch). Regardless of how mild or uninteresting their food may look, vet it for weird spices, off-tastes, and extreme temperatures, at least until they're ready to leave for college.

Mistake #7: Being a jerk when things go wrong
In the near future a restaurant is going to disappoint you. It might involve a waiter forgetting to put somebody's order in, passing a steaming hot cup of coffee over the head of your infant son, splashing sauce on your sleeve, or exhibiting some other lapse in service, judgment, or coordination. When it happens, take a deep breath and think about what you're going to say. Good restaurants want to make amends for their mistakes (hot pepper girl got a free sundae), and freaking out will only mortify your kids and make the rest of the meal uncomfortable. If your grandstanding is meant to prove to your kids that you're not a pushover, great, we all get it, but consider a more measured approach that sets a good example and doesn't amount to dinner theater for the rest of us. A quiet but firm attitude may not feel as good as outrage, but it might get you more satisfaction in the end. And your kids just may respect you for it.

---Paul Eisenberg

Paul Eisenberg, a Fodor's editorial director and father of three, has overpaid for kids menu meals, failed to anticipate many a meltdown, and given up on the possibility of sipping coffee after dinner. He previously wrote about mistakes to avoid on family road trips.

Photo credits: © Istockphoto/ Jason Lugo

Avoiding the Masses at 4 Great National Parks

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 Canyon National Park
If you're visiting the Grand Canyon in summer, avoid highways AZ 64 and U.S. 180 from Flagstaff like the plague. Take U.S. 89 north from Flagstaff instead, and pick up U.S. 64 to the west, which brings you to the Canyon's South Rim. Arrive well before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the insane lines. Or head to the North Rim where the views are even prettier. The North Rim only gets about 10% of the number of visitors as the South Rim. Why? Because getting there tacks another 215 miles onto your drive from Flagstaff (take U.S. 89 north past Cameron, left onto U.S. 89A at Bitter Springs to Jacob Lake and then AZ 67.) It's a super scenic drive and well worth the effort to avoid the hordes at the South Rim.

When to Visit: The busiest times to visit Grand Canyon National Park are summer and spring. Visiting during these times will mean negotiating crowds. Be patient. Remember that you cannot visit the North Rim in winter due to weather conditions.

The Ranger's Tip: Navigating GCNP is a big task, one made easier by the free shuttle system, says Chuck Wahler, a 16-year employee of the park. Buses stop at 30-some points of interest, and Wahler advocates hopping aboard whenever possible. "You'll spend more time exploring the park and less time looking for a place to park."

Yellowstone National Park
To avoid crowds at Yellowstone, get into the park at or just before sunrise if possible, before 9 a.m. for sure. See Old Faithful erupt during the earliest hours (the geyser spews about every 70 minutes, visitor centers have lists of the anticipated times) and check out the very popular Mammoth Hot Springs and the Norris Geyser Basin either early in the morning or late in the day. Then head to less populated parts of the park -- such as the Lone Star Geyser, Point Sublime, Fairy Falls, and Yellowstone Lake -- between 10-3 when the crowds start building. Don't miss a swim in the Gardner River, two miles north of Mammoth on the North Entrance road. Here, you can paddle about in a warm river fed by the park's hot springs.

When to Visit: You'll find the big crowds from mid-July to mid-August. There are fewer people here the month or two before and after this peak season, though you'll also find fewer dining and lodging facilities open. Most of the park closes from October to mid-December and again from March to late April or early May.

The Ranger's Tip: Park Ranger Mary Wilson recommends packing for all types of weather no matter what time of year it is, remaining at least 75 feet away from wildlife (300 feet for bears), and staying on geyser basin boardwalks to prevent serious thermal burns.

Yosemite National Park
To beat the crowds to Yosemite you've got to get up before sunrise and into the park before dawn. Yosemite has four entrances, and traffic moves about as quickly (or sometimes just as slowly) through all of them. Once you're in the park, head to wildly popular Yosemite Falls for a spectacular sunrise, then escape to Tuolumne Meadows (on the east side of the park) to explore its many hiking trails and have a picnic lunch. Or head to Hetch Hetchy Valley, 40 miles from Yosemite Valley, to enjoy a quiet afternoon amid spectacular scenery and waterfalls.

When to Visit: Mid-April through Memorial Day and from mid-September through October are good times. During extremely busy periods -- like the 4th of July -- you may experience delays at the entrance gates. If you can only go during the warmest months, try to visit midweek.

The Ranger's Tip: Park Ranger Scott Gediman loves to hike Yosemite's trails. His favorite is the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls. "I've done it literally hundreds of times. If you can only take one hike in Yosemite, do this one, especially in spring and summer."

Zion National Park
Zion is the most heavily visited national park in Utah, and most of its guests arrive through the South Gate. To avoid the bottlenecks, take Utah 9 to the east entrance. You can see all the highlights of the park on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive shuttle ride, but go as early in the morning as possible. Once the crowds pick up, most of them will be milling around Zion Canyon. If you're in the mood for a little adventure, get off at the shuttle's last stop (Temple of Sinawava) for a riverside walk to The Narrows, one of the prettiest parts of the park. The first mile of the walk, between cliffs and alongside the Virgin River, is easy and wheelchair accessible. If you want to continue on, the going gets rougher -- be prepared to walk through water that is occasionally a few feet deep on some parts of the trail. For a great short easy hike, wander up to Weeping Rock, a cool damp alcove that's often filled with wildflowers. Or take the 10-mile-round trip Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive to check out the colorful sandstone cliffs and deep gorges.

When to Visit: Between April and October, Zion is visited by a staggering 2.5. million people. Winters are mild at lower elevations here, so consider planning your visit for some time other than peak season. You can expect winter driving conditions November through March, and though many park programs are suspended at this time, winter is a wonderful and solitary time to see the canyons.

The Ranger's Tip: "Menu Falls, hidden in a lush and tranquil ravine along the Virgin River, is a little-known waterfall bypassed by thousands of visitors each day," says Ron Terry, Chief of Visitor Services at Zion National Park. "It got its name because a picture of it was on the original Zion Lodge menu. The falls are about a half-mile walk north of the Big Bend shuttle stop."

National Parks Basics
Your first stop in the park should be the visitors center, where you can get up-to-the minute information on park conditions and purchase permits if you'll be hiking in the backcountry or camping.

If you lead a sedentary city life, don't let your holiday-induced enthusiasm for the outdoors convince you to tackle activities that might be too challenging. Vacations should not be an endurance contest -- you can have just as much fun on the easy trails. And make sure you have a hat, sunscreen and water when you're heading off for anything but the shortest walks.

If you're 62 years of age or older, get a Senior Pass at the admission gate of any park. The pass, which costs $10, is good for the owner's lifetime and allows the pass owner and three adults traveling in the same car free admission to the park, plus deep discounts on other activities. Find out more here. Under the age limit? Buy a year-long pass for $80 or take a senior citizen on your trip.

Bring a cooler and pack a picnic lunch foraged from a local grocery store. Fast food is overpriced in the parks, and the better restaurants are always crowded in the summer.

See the Fodor's National Parks page for more helpful advice on visiting the national parks of the west.

--Michelle Delio

The Wrong Way to Do Family Roadtrips

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 magazine to me muttering something like "I think you'll find this interesting".

The irony didn't stop at the front desk. The article 's lead photo (below, right) is similar to one I took recently on our way down to Philly: a wide angle view of the family from the front of a minivan (above right). The main difference in the two photos though, was that in my photo, the family is happy and unplugged, whereas in the Newsweek photo, the family is miserable, plugged in, and uninterested in each other. Granted, our children are not teenagers and the essayist's are, but I think her problems run a lot deeper than that. Here are some of the things that it looks like they did wrong:

They didn't start the kids young on road tripping. They started with teenagers on a 1,200 mile journey from New Jersey to Florida. We started our kids the minute they were born. Well, the month they were born. Tommy is now a true Knight of the Road. He sits back there in his happy road trip world grooving on the sights, yapping at us, and looking at his kid's atlas and other books. Lilly, (2 yrs old) is still going through the boot camp phase, sometimes she'll scream at us for an hour or two (as Tommy did), but she's developing her little road trip routine. Tommy used to scream at us too, but now he's a champ. The key is to do a lot of short trips with the youngsters to get them used to the routine.

They avoided America by sticking to I-95, no Scenic American Backroads, no local restaurants, no history lessons about the country they live in. Getting there is the best part. They didn't know this. They were looking for a way to get through the drive rather than looking for ways to make the drive great. If you take a different return route, getting back is just as cool.

They distanced themselves with electronic gear rather than interacting with each other. When Tommy got a DVD player for Christmas a couple of years ago, we thought that it was going to be a great addition the the family road trip gear pile. And for a while, it seemed like it was. While Tommy was wrapped up in Toy Story, March of the Penguins, or some crazy Superhero comic movie, Tinsley and I had the most wonderful conversations (note that the passenger parent wasn't watching a movie or tapping on a computer). But when we arrived at the hotel, or restaurant, Tommy was like a zombie. When we took away the DVD player, we got our son back.

She was too uptight about what her vision of the trip would be vs. the reality of it. Our rule #3 Don't Sweat the Schedule goes right along with Take What They Give You, Don't Try to do Too Much, and Let Sleeping Dogs Lay.

They severed the seat belt of their daughter. And then the author pats herself on the back for it because she used a low-tech tool (scissors) to do it. I can't believe this one, somehow the daughter got "inexplicably tangled in her seat belt. She was uncomfortable and started to panic." So they cut the seat belt. Nice move. Why not tell the girl to calm down, pull over at the next exit, and get her untangled?

In our Tips for Road Tripping with Kids series, we lay out a bunch of ways we've found success. I hope that these tips can help others avoid road trip hell as chronicled in Newsweek.

What do you think of this story?

More Family Road Trip Tips: 7 Dont's

Another pertinant item form Fodor's Travel Wire (4/26/07).

7 Mistakes Not to Make on Your Next Family Road Trip
You've no doubt thought of everything. The enormous suitcase that brained you when it slid from the closet is now nestled in the trunk, well-packed with your family's wardrobe for the week. Your kids have enough snacks to forestall whining for days if necessary. You spent the morning neatly stapling computer-generated directions for each leg of your trip. And if you drive at high speeds -- with the flow of traffic, of course -- you'll make the eight-hour drive in excellent time. So what are you missing? Well, for starters, you've already made several mistakes that could turn your family car trip into a disaster.

Mistake #1: Packing the wrong bag
When you're driving, there's no advantage to consolidating your family's clothes in that indestructible bag you use for flying. Think nylon or canvas duffel bags -- 24 to 30 inches long -- one for each person's things. You'll be carting more bags around, but you'll be able to put your hands on everything more quickly. Plus, repacking the trunk will be easier, especially if you're fitting small bags around a stroller and all those jugs of laundry detergent you bought.

Mistake #2: Altering meal times
A common road-trip blunder is disrupting your family's normal meal schedule. If you don't hit the road until late morning, there's a temptation to drive through lunch and snack your way to dinner. You know your kids will have no restraint when it comes to snacks, and neither will you. Plus, if after hours of gorging you make a spontaneous lunch stop, you'll be wolfing down food while your kids complain about not being hungry. And if lunch is thrown off, you'll all be out of synch by dinner. By evening, your kids will be starving after both refusing to eat lunch and losing interest in the car snacks, and if it's later than you usually eat, dinner will be a miserable whinefest. Solution: Keep it simple and eat all your meals at the usual times.

Mistake #3: Pacing the day badly
Nothing will sour a car trip faster than hitting the road at the wrong time. It's all-too-tempting to leave work at 4 or 5 p.m. on a Friday to get on the road for a weekend getaway. The good thing about this is that, regardless of their ages, your kids will immediately slide into comatose naps. The bad thing is that when you pull into your destination at 8 p.m. they'll be up, all night. A different tactic, hitting the road after 9 p.m. so that your kids will fall asleep and stay asleep works wonderfully -- until you stop a few hours later. If they don't come to immediately, chances are they'll be wide awake by the time you've carried them inside. Best bet: Sacrifice the evening escape and leave the following morning (or early enough the next afternoon so that a nap won't be disruptive) and ensure you're off the road for the day by dinnertime.

Mistake #4: Denying you could get lost
Computer-generated directions are nifty, but accurate to a fault; one wrong turn and they're next to useless. Bring a real road map. Also, invest in a portable GPS device or request one for your rental ($10 or less daily fee) -- Hertz and Avis fleets are well-equipped with them. The first time a GPS generates an accurate course correction is the first time it pays for itself. Still, GPS isn't perfect. Like computer algorithms and your well-meaning friend's husband, they can overcomplicate directions and, at times, fail to identify streets. So pack the map no matter what.

Mistake #5: Driving like an idiot
We do stupid things on vacation that we don't do at home: skydiving, paying retail, eating organ meat we can't identify, and, curiously, driving more cavalierly than we normally do. This is a mistake no matter who's in the car, but the fact that the stakes are higher when you're driving with your family can't be overstated. One of the more perplexing things we do on the road is break traffic laws, making illegal turns or speeding down the highway because we're keeping up with the flow of traffic. Sure, you can get away with it, and if you're a good driver you might rationalize the risk to your family. But don't underestimate the risk of being pulled over. Any leniency you might have been hoping for from that approaching highway patrolman will evaporate when he sees you have kids in the back.

Mistake #6: Not setting a budget for the little things
It's puzzling that many of us tirelessly research airfares, hotels, car rentals, and online coupon codes with the hope of saving a few dollars, yet when it comes to buying incidentals on the road, we're essentially careless. You wouldn't dream of giving your second grader a $50 weekly allowance at home. But for a week on the road, if you dare consider the sum of a pack of sour candies here, a souvenir pen there, a keychain for her BFF over in that store, and the other little things for which you're constantly breaking $5 bills, giving each kid a $50 allowance with a "once you spend it it's gone" proviso can end up being a good deal. A debit scenario works equally well for grown-ups, too.

Mistake #7: Forgetting that the journey is the destination
If your goal is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, you probably shouldn't be traveling by car. One of the benefits of road trips is that you can pull over at the farm rather than give the kids a blurry glimpse of a cow; eat the best steak and eggs of your life at that nondescript roadside diner; and take that throwaway snapshot over by the guardrail that ends up being the quintessential photo of you and your daughter. Hundreds of potentially undiscovered moments are around the next corner, which is why treating a drive as a means to an end rather than as part of your journey is the biggest mistake of all.

--Paul Eisenberg, a Fodor's editorial director and father of three, has packed the wrong bag, hit the road at all the wrong times, overspent on needless souvenirs and, certainly, driven like an idiot.

Family Travel: Leading Resort Chains Reach Out to Families

This came in my email box from Fodor's travel wire:

Family Travel: Leading Resort Chains Reach Out to Families
4.10.07

In recent years, hoteliers have been working overtime building new resorts and refurbishing old ones to lure the lucrative family market. Here's the 411 on two leading chains that are rolling out the welcome mat.

Club Med
Club Med is the master of re-invention. After a dry spell that saw guest numbers dwindle and properties close, a building spree is making the venerable chain buzz-worthy again. In fact, Club Med hasn't garnered this much attention since the 1970s, when it was synonymous with bar beads and body paint. Today, it's aiming to create a more up-market, all-inclusive experience -- and that's good news for families.

Admittedly, Club Med began capitalizing on the family travel trend years ago: it popularized the concept of kids clubs and has a record of introducing cool activities (like circus schools and hip-hop classes) to keep kids happy. Yet it seems to have recognized that a higher "wow" factor is now expected, and upping the number of pool noodles just won't cut it. That's why its Punta Cana site opened The Ramp (a multi-level lounge for hard-to-please teens) in 2004 and why La Caravelle (already a family favorite in Guadeloupe) got a $29 million facelift in 2006.

Nowhere, however, is the new kid-friendly emphasis more apparent that Club Med Cancún Yucatán. For almost 30 years the resort was a magnet for hormonally challenged adults. But when it debuted its "family format" last November, party animals were replaced by stuffed ones and beach babies of both the bikinied and diapered variety began checking in.

To accommodate them, the old campus-style rooms have been scrapped in favor of redesigned lodgings that offer larger rooms and upgraded services. (One new option is a luxury villa with a private bar and beach!) Similarly, the raucous all-night conga lines have given way to family-oriented cultural activities, including 17 different excursions to archaeological sites and eco-destinations led by members of the local Mayan community.

Overall, Club Med has invested some $160 million in resorts in the Caribbean and the Americas since 2002. Moreover, as a global brand established in 40 countries, it has also been busy refreshing resorts in other parts of the world. In the past few years, for instance, family villages in exotic sun destinations like Agadir (Morocco), Bali (Indonesia), and Phuket (Thailand) have all been overhauled.

Great Wolf Lodges
Of course, the prospect of flying off to a hot spot is cold comfort for travellers who don't have time for a foreign holiday. Fortunately another chain, Great Wolf Lodges, comes to the rescue by offering "weather proof" resorts on native soil.

Great Wolf first made a name for itself a decade ago in Wisconsin Dells, when it built rooms around an over-the-top pool complex where the mercury held steady at a balmy 84 degrees every day of the year. But oh-so-cold Midwesterners clearly weren't the only ones who like soaking up heat in the depths of winter. So the chain has since expanded, opening seven more resorts in five states and -- most recently -- one Canadian province.

Unlike Club Med (which showcases gorgeous natural settings), Great Wolf specializes in artificial environments, adding a level of theming that could make a Disney Imagineer blush. Take the year-old, 401-room, $92 million Poconos resort in Pennsylvania. Fashioned like a giant log lodge, it features a "living room" lobby complete with massive fireplace, antler chandeliers and rough-hewn pine furnishings; a Camp Critter restaurant boasting private dining tents; plus suites that can include cabin-like sleeping areas for kids.

The backwoods theme carries into a 78,000-square foot water park called Bear Track Landing. There'll you'll find Great Wolf's signature attraction, Fort Mackenzie (a 12-level faux treehouse); as well as six pools and 11 waterslides ranging from four-storey indoor-outdoor slides to suitably-tame kiddy versions. This location, like its sister resorts, has other perks too, such as a Cub Club for kids.

Perhaps the best bonus, though, with all the Great Wolf Lodges is their accessibility. After all, they're designed as drive-to destinations. Existing resorts lie within 150 miles of NYC, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, and Toronto; and three more are currently in the works near Cincinnati, Dallas and Seattle -- which means it's easy to pile the kids into the car for a mini-break that won't break the bank.

The Fine Print: A seven night, all-inclusive stay at Club Med Cancún Yucatán this winter started at $1,350 per adult, $675 per child for ages 4-15, and $405 for ages ages 2-3. Because it is a "club," an annual membership fee ($60 for adults, $30 for kids) applies. At Great Wolf, rates range from $169 to $699 depending on your location, dates and room category. In the Poconos, January prices started at $194 per room.

---Susan MacCallum-Whitcomb

Family Vacation to Disney World's Magic Kingdom

This time, it's about air travel.

The itinerary was pretty laid back: Fly to Orlando Monday evening (with Lilly in her jammies), arrive around 10:30pm. Spend Tuesday at Magic Kingdom, and the rest of the week at Grammy's playing in the pool. Fly home the following Tuesday, skip work Wednesday and roll back into the office Thursday for a two-day week. Here's how it shook out:

Day 1: Left Rainy Connecticut only 1/2 hour late at the tail end of the worst nor'easter in April in the history of nor’easters in April in the northeast. Whatever that means. Tommy killed time in the airport staring at a Magic Kingdom Map and plotting his strategy (see tip # 2 below). Lilly spent her time running ("I win!") and climbing over the endless rows of seats. We landed in Orlando a little after 11:00 and caught a cab to the hotel ($47 + tip). Too late to get a cold bottle of beer at the lounge (further support for tip #5 for traveling with kids).

Day 2: Arrive Magic Kingdom around 11:00. Most advice we had read said to arrive before the gates open. This just doesn't sound realistic for younsters. The next thing they tell you is to take a nap in the afternoon. That's maybe a good idea if your hotel is inside the park, but ours wasn't. And a fourteen-hour day anywhere sort of sounds too long. Twelve hours seemed realistic. Our whole objective in this excursion was to give Tommy a fantastic day, so we took the same approach as we would for a kid-friendly city visit: Don't try to do too much, do be flexible, and don't forget the snacks.

We knew that we wanted to end the day with fireworks, (starting at 10:00 pm) so we worked back from then. Why drag the family out of bed early, rush through breakfast, and get worked up into the rush, rush, rush mentality if the point is to be flexible and have fun? And here's another point: if the kids are tired after twelve hours of stimulation and you arrived early, isn't it going to be difficult to convince then around 8 or 8:30 pm that it's time to go? Isn't that one of those critical times in a family excursion where meltdowns occur? Why create haste in the morning when you can end the day with fireworks and Tinkerbelle? It's a pretty magical ending, and when the fireworks are over, everyone starts walking out of the park. "Sorry buddy, the park's closed. Sure was fun though huh"?

Rather than rush, we ate a big, leisurely breakfast in the hotel lobby, goofed around in the playground in the hotel courtyard. Around 10:30 we left Lilly with Grammy and caught the shuttle to the monorail at Epcot Center and then caught the boat over to the Magic Kingdom.

Disney World Tips and Observations:
Observation #1: People with young kids (under 6) weren't having much fun. And the youngsters weren't having fun either. It was a good idea to leave Lilly with Grammy, and to let Tommy explore, because if Lilly ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Besides, all they can go on are the kiddy rides, and you can ride the kiddy rides for a lot less the $70 at most amusement parks. Save the $70 for making magic with. Six years old is a great starting age because the Haunted mansion scares the hell out of them, as does Space Mountain.

Tip #1: Bring bottled water. Refill the bottles at the drinking fountains and flavor them with flavor crystals (Gatorade, lemonade, whatever). This is a good idea because the drinking water at the fountains doesn't taste so good. Single serve crystal pouches are really, really convenient. Good fountains: the lower one by Jungle Safari River Ride in Adventure Land and the one near the steamboat ride in Liberty Village. I wish I took better notes on which ones dribble, but I was a little busy having a blast. But I do remember that the fountain near Pirates of the Carribbean was a dribbler.

Observation #2: The boat ride seemed quicker than the monorail. You get to and from the Magic kingdom either by boat or monorail. Getting in isn't such a mob scene (at least at some times of the year), but escaping after the fireworks can get crowded. Most of the herd seemed to flock to the monorail; we went to the boat. It was less crowded and quick.

Tip #2: Print a map. Have the kids study the park beforehand, and list the rides they want to go on. It'll keep them busy planning their strategy in the days leading up. If you print the map real small, it'll take them twice as long to figure it out.

Tip#3: Don't go during the summer. It's too hot! New England has school breaks in Feb and April, where the rest of the country seems to have spring break in March (that may explain why there were so many Red Sox hats roaming around). Mid to late April is an excellent time to visit because the weather is fantastic and the crowds are manageable.

Days 3-7: Goof around by the pool. Tommy and Lilly were wanting to be in the pool at Grammy's house by 10 each morning, and they didn't get out until suppertime. We visited Homosassa Wildlife Park one day (tip: stay away from the hippo's butt), but other than that it was swimming with the kids or reading the paper. And it was quite nice. We flew home without a hitch: the car wasn't stolen, and the house hadn't burned down. Best of all though there had been a springtime transformation when we got home. Daffodills, crab apple, and dogwoods were flowering, and the grass was actually green and growing.

What are your tips and observations about visiting Disney World?

Make Learning Fun on a Family Road Trip

The best way to learn about American history is to experience it first hand. If you drive through the countryside, walk in the woods, taste the local food, and listen to the music, you'll see that they're all related.

History is steeped in the stuff you can see out the side windows of a minivan. Cultural history happens in response to natural history: the Mississippi river cuts a new course daily, creating extremely fertile, but unstable farmland. The fish in the river and crops in the fields are what end up in the cook pot. And the seasonings reflect the climate. The music evolves in response to the daily life. Simply put, when you feel the humidity, taste the gumbo, and listen to the Dixieland Jazz, the natural history and cultural essence of New Orleans makes sense. Geology and biology dictate cultural evolution, and when you see what's happening on a big scale, the little stuff is even cooler. The shape of the barns makes sense.

And all that stuff, put into perspective, gives kids things to look at and think about as you drive through the countryside.

Before and during your road trip, learn about how the place was formed. Discover how that form influenced the local history and heroes. Who were the folk legends and what songs that grew out of those legends?

How did the Rocky Mountains form?
Why are lobsters so grumpy?
How does water get from the ground all the way to the top of a Redwood tree?
Can sink holes eat cars? How?
How about the Appalachian Mountains, how did they form, how did they influence the way the civil war was fought? How did they influence the way of life in Appalachia, and the evolution of southern music, cuisine, and whisky-running (and therefore, muscle cars)?

The answers may just make road trips more fun.
And you may notice the level of conversation with your kids kicking up a notch (Bam! Bam!)