Two and a Half Travelers

Photo Friday: Rain Rain GO AWAY

2012-01-06T03:39:00.000-08:00

Watch as my youngest son wills the rain to stop at the wading pool at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. We had an all-around awesome time at the Lodge over the Christmas holiday but the pools were definitely his favorite! Thankfully we enjoyed mostly sunny days while we were there ;-)

Head over to Delicious Baby to check out more great Photo Friday pics!

Family Favorite in St. Lucia: Windjammer Landing

2012-01-02T04:59:00.000-08:00

Windjammer Landing is one of our absolute favorite family-oriented resorts in beautiful St. Lucia. The decor as well as the terraced villas perched above a sandy beach are distinctly Mediterranean but the vibe is 100% Caribbean!

Interested? Let us send you to this little piece of paradise this Winter.

Photo Friday: Ready to Roll

2011-12-24T03:08:00.000-08:00

We are packed and ready for our first-ever family trip to Disney World!

Note the boys' matching roll aboard carry-ons. Departing in just a few hours.

Head over to Delicious Baby to check out more great Photo Friday pics!

Cotton Bay Village: Efforlessly Elegant St. Lucia Villa Resort

2011-12-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

Just back from a whirlwind scouting trip to St. Lucia - 20 resorts in four days! I loved what I saw and was especially excited to showcase a few of the family-oriented resorts. The first -- Cotton Bay is a quiet and wonderfully secluded villa resort tucked away on a natural beach at the northern tip of the island. The beach faces the Atlantic -- perfect for families who like to splash in a little surf.

One, two, three, and four bedroom villas are all kid-friendly without being over the top. Furnishings are exceptional, kitchens are fully stocked and many of the larger villas have private pools. The well-outfitted Kids Club takes infants and runs package specials from time to time that include several free hours of babysitting.

Sound good? We would be happy to arrange the perfect Cotton Bay villa stay for your family!

Next up? Windjammer Landing

Photo Friday: R&R on St. Lucia!

2011-12-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of taking a peak at The Jalousie Plantation Resort, Sugar Beach's brand new Rainforest Spa.

True to its name, the individual hut-like treatment rooms are integrated into St. Lucia's gorgeous rainforest canopy and connected by a beautiful wooden boardwalks.

Don't let the rustic exterior of the spa fool you - this is truly a world-class operation inside and out!

Head over to Delicious Baby to check out more great Photo Friday pics!

What's Santa Bringing Your Little Traveler This Year?

2011-12-12T16:56:00.000-08:00

Photo from Tea Collection

Don't know yet? You're not alone!

We're not done shopping by a long shot so we thought we'd offer three easy ideas for fellow procrastinators (a.k.a holiday non-heros)

Well-made, quality kids clothing with an international flair from Tea Collection. They even carry those ultra warm and durable SmartWool socks for kids.
FAO Schwartz worthy- Schleich Animal Nursery . I've seen this set up complete with safari animals and I totally want it (for the kids of course!)
Lego Walkie Talkies If you are the parent of a preschooler I don't even need to explain how cool a gift this is. It ranks right up there with night vision glasses.

So... what are you getting your little jet setter this year?

Photo Friday: Teacups

2011-12-02T13:49:00.001-08:00

With all the recent strategizing we've been doing for our upcoming Christmas trip to Disney World, I couldn't resist posting this precious photo.

This was taken at Disneyland in 2009. I can confirm that I enjoyed the teacup ride a lot more than our two year old did!!

Head over to Delicious Baby to check out more great Photo Friday pics!

Our Best Holiday Travel Advice: Don't Be a Hero

2011-11-29T06:42:00.001-08:00

Here's a universal truth -- all the most well-meaning travel advice in the world can not eliminate the hassle of traveling with young children.

Great advice can certainly make it easier but at the very core - traveling with kids is a lot of work. So instead of offering a list of practical holiday travel tips I'm just going to say 'Don't be a Hero' when you travel this holiday season. More specifically, when it comes to getting the family from point A to point B and all the places in between, find the path of least resistance and give yourself permission to take it.

For us this means that our kids will eat more cookies than they should, they will have more 'screen' time than the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, they will be shooed away at holiday parties while the adults are chatting, they will go to bed super early whenever humanly possible. And it means that on almost all of the nights of our multi-generational Christmas trip to Disney World, the boys will dine at Simba's Clubhouse while the adults enjoy a few precious kid-free hours.

What does the path of least resistance mean in your family?

Photo Friday: This Moment

2011-11-18T05:02:00.001-08:00

In less than a week the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving. I know this year I will be especially grateful for this moment in Kerala, India -- March 16, 2011 when after two years of waiting I finally met my youngest son for the very first time.

Swing by Deliciousbaby.com for more awesome Photo Friday moments.

Let Bert and Ernie Guide Your Next Roadtrip

2011-11-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

Ready for a chuckle?

The kids and I thought this You Tube video for TomTom featuring Bert and Ernie was totally adorable. Love that TomTom has a sense of humor about the 'benefits' of their product ... "Go straight for 600 centimeters".

If you could, would you choose to use a Sesame Street character voice as your GPS narrator?

Book Now for Spring Break Savings (no joke)

2011-11-15T02:54:00.001-08:00

Locking in Spring break plans is one of the best feelings in the world. Why? Because it means the kids will not be lazing around the house all week complaining that all their friends are gone.

After evaluating several great options for our own Spring Break we decided to cap off our first year as a family of four with a trip Beaches Negril. Our little guys (3 and 4) will really enjoy the resort and the kids club while Mom and Dad get a little rest and relaxation.

I admit that planning Spring Break before Thanksgiving is a little type A but there's nothing that bugs me more than waiting to find a 'last-minute' hotel deal only to discover that airfares to the destination are out of reach for a family of 4. I'll also be checking back on the Beaches web site periodically this winter to see if they are offering any promotions for our travel dates. The vast majority of hotels and resorts will gladly match any lower rates that come along.

Now that we've got our Spring break worked out, let us know where you want to go this year!

Coincidence? Camel Photo Follow Up

2011-11-12T12:50:00.001-08:00

This photo is not even close to worthy but given the subject of yesterday's Photo Friday post, I couldn't resist sharing what I learned today at The National Geographic Museum in Washington DC.

Fittingly, this poster is part of the museum's Animal Grossology exhibit which is highly-interactive and super-popular with my 3 and 4 year old boys. Warning: if you're desperately trying to get the kids to say poop less often this is not the exhibit for you.

Now I'm back at the Fairmont Washington DC supervising nap time. The rooms are lovely and the location is ideal with a ton of high-quality family-friendly restaurants within walking distance. Last night we grabbed dinner around the corner at Grillfish - great selection of kids entrees and a wonderful wine list for Mom and Dad.

Photo Friday: Camel Fun in Wadi Rum

2011-11-11T04:29:00.001-08:00

This week's Photo Friday is vintage -- all the way back to 2006 (aka pre-kid days).

If my memory can still be trusted this photo, which for obvious reasons is one of my boys' favorites, was taken at a Bedouin camp in Jordan.

Head over to Delicious Baby to check out more great travel photos.

It's All in the Bag

2011-11-07T17:21:00.000-08:00

The last time I wrote about a bag for traveling families was back in November, 2008. Three years later my roomy, ultra-insulated Mr. B's has served us equally well around town and on TWO family trips to India. But my kids are no longer babies so when the folks at Appalachian Outdoors offered up the chance to try out one of their popular Life Is Good products I decided it was high time to road test a new bag.

The bag I chose (shown at left) is a classic canvas bucket bag in navy with a floral print. I received the bag in mid-October and have subsequently toted it back and forth to school countless times, to two different Pumpkin patches and a girl's getaway to Turks & Caicos. The bag itself is light-weight but still roomy enough room to stow a spare pumpkin. I can also easily fit the boys' extra pants, snacks, a water bottle and my lap top. My only hesitation about this bag is that the only separate zipper compartment is really only big enough to fit a set of keys. Of course if you're better organized than I am that's probably not an issue ;-)

Photo Friday: A Well-Designed Tribute

2011-11-04T03:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most fascinating tourist attractions are in our own back yard. On a recent family trip to Liberty State Park in Jersey City I got my glimpse of New Jersey's 9-11 Memorial. The design which highlights the empty space where the World Trade Center Towers once stood is simple and powerful.

Head over to Delicious Baby to check out more great travel photos.

Three Off-Season Post-Holiday Jaunts

2011-11-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

The site of last year's post holiday trip

Looking for an airfare-friendly deal for those lazy post-Christmas days? Take a look at these three road-tested off-season family adventures.

1. London - Look kids, it's Big Ben. Compared to the height of the season airfares which can easily exceed $1000 per person , there are some downright reasonable UK airfares floating around right now. We spied a Virgin America flight from New York to London priced at $675 (Travel dates: Dec. 30, 2011 - Jan. 3, 2012).
2. Milan - Okay, so maybe this world fashion center is not the ideal place to take your toddler but think of the places you can go from here. Last winter we took advantage of an excellent direct rate from Newark to Milan on Continental. We left New York on December 30 caught the train to Switzerland arriving in plenty of time to celebrate New Year's in Saas-Fee then swung back through Milan on our way to Venice. Although we covered a lot of ground we did it all by train which thrilled our then three-year old son.
3. California Coast - We're always up for a trip to our favorite state. When our older son was just one month shy of two we spent the New Year traveling the coastal route between Los Angeles to San Francisco. If you're flexible on dates, you can find some great airfares at this time of year and hotels like Cambria Pines Lodge along the route usually offer discounts.

What's next for us during the holiday season? We're going to Disney World. What better way to celebrate our first Christmas as a family of four?

Photo Friday: Dawn at Grace Bay Beach, Turks & Caicos

2011-10-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Posting live from Beaches Turks & Caicos ... a wonderful place to start the day.

This photo is part of Photo Friday hosted by Delicious Baby. Head on over there to check out more great travel photos.

Why Ziploc Bags Are a Critical Family Travel Tool

2011-10-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

Read our interview at Circle of Moms Top 25 Family Travel Blogs listing to find out!

While you're there check out the full list of awesome Traveling Family blogs.

Photo Friday: All Points West

2011-10-21T02:25:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Ken Lager

This photo of our family was taken by one of our JC photog friends last weekend at the Jersey City's former train terminal in Liberty State Park. Less than a century ago this terminal greeted newly processed immigrants heading West from Ellis Island to their new homes.

The main terminal building is beautifully restored but the endless unused track area is eerily overgrown. It's a very cool spot for photos and it's also a great place to board the ferry to Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty - much shorter wait than the ferry at Battery Park.

This photo is part of Photo Friday hosted by Delicious Baby. Head on over there to check out more great travel photos.