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Welcome to FamilyTravel.com!
FamilyTravel.com is dedicated to making family travel fun and affordable for the entire family. Find and book all your family vacations and family adventures here. Our family travel experts and partners bring you the best ideas and great rates on everything from family friendly hotels, to reunions to family adventure travel. From Disney World and all inclusive resorts to family ski vacations, family ranch vacations and family whitewater adventures, we have the family vacation ideas for you! Sign up for our newsletter (it's free and easy ) to hear about the latest great travel deals. Tell your friends! We look forward to being partners in family travel.
Lynn O'Rourke Hayes & Pam Plesons
Read on for our Feature Articles, Family Travel News, Family Travel Deals, and Expert Travel Tips!
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THE THRILL ZONE!
Find family fun at one of this country’s many amusement parks. With exciting roller coasters or themed rides as their anchor, these destination fun zones often provide a chance to shop, explore cultural presentations or enjoy top notch music or theatre. Check park web sites for advance purchase discounts or special offers.
Here are five places where families can enter the thrill zone:
1. Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. With the Great Smokey Mountains as a backdrop, Dollywood, country music star Dolly Parton’s 130-acre family amusement park features the usual rides and roller coasters, plus the Splash Country Water Park. Check out the authentic coal locomotive ride, a children’s tree house as well as a 30,000 square foot eagle preserve. Musical presentations and stage shows are popular. If Dolly isn’t on stage during your visit, you can visit a replica of her home within the park. Contact: www.Dollywood.com; 1-800-365-5996. Read more!
Summer Holidays: Where will you be?
With Summer holidays upon us, take advantage of the great deals that are available to explore some new territory. More ideas!
Route 66 : The Mother Road
Whether you know it as the “Main Street of America” or the “Mother Road” as John Steinbeck labeled the byway in his prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, there is no doubt that Route 66 has consistently caught and held the imaginations of intrepid travelers who seek freedom, adventure and a slice of Americana.
More recently, Pixar’s film Cars, introduced the iconic roadway that stretches miles from Chicago, Ill to Santa Monica, CA, to a new generation of road trippers.
The next time your family yearns for the magic of the open road, relive the glory days along Arizona’s continuous stretch of Route 66. Here are a few suggested stops:
Winslow, AZ. While standing on “The Corner” in this quaint, old railroad town you’ll be reminded of the 1972 tune Take It Easy, music that made both the town and the Eagles famous. Check into the historic La Posada hotel and enjoy train watching, outstanding food and a visit to the nearby Petrified Forest. Contact: (928)289-2434; www.winslowarizona.org Find our more!
Road Trips: Politics, Prose and A Little History
When I’m traveling, on my own or with family, I always learn something. That’s part of the thrill for me.
In a season where politics and history are playing an important role, why not fold the notion into your travel planning. Here are a few places where you can learn about some of the people and events that shaped our nation.
Mount Rushmore, SD - Tucked within the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore is among the more famous monuments in the country. The whole family will enjoy seeing the faces of four of the most important presidents -George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln -ever to hold the office, carved into rock for the ages. Hiking, biking, wildlife and other tourist sites are nearby. Contact: www. www.nps.gov/moru/; 1 (800) 732-5682.
Read more!
Arizona Fun With The Family
Clever parents know that the best path to family travel nirvana is to wear them youngins out. Luckily, Arizona provides numerous opportunities for the kids to tire themselves, guaranteeing mom and dad a quiet night. Introduce the wee ones to the desert, meet some animals, have watery fun, soar up high, visit kid-friendly museums – or let everyone play cowboy. Find our more!
Sail Away With Your Fa mily
by Lynn O’Rourke Hayes
Learn to sail or relax and let the wind be your guide. Spending time on the water gives families a chance to reconnect and see the world from a different point of view.
Why not set sail with your family on board? Here are a few outfitters that can help launch your adventure:
- Hop on a Maine Schooner. Uniting their passion for historic windjammers with delectable food and top side fun, this “mom and pop” entrepreneurial pair (mom is the gourmet chef, pop is on deck) will share their love for the Maine coast with you and your family. Book three, four or six day outings. Pitch in or simply relax. Contact: 1-877-300-3377; www.MaineAdventureSails.com. Read more!
Explore The Adventure Log
READ our TRAVEL TALK blog!
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Africa has long been considered an adventure seeker’s paradise. And for the wildlife enthusiast, the chance to see great migratory herds on the open savannah or an abundance of colorful bird life, is nothing short of thrilling.
Whether you are game for a trip to the Kenyan bush or an experience closer to home, here are five ways you and your family can get a taste of life on safari:
Into Africa. Drive by a pride of lions in a safari rig, walk through herds of plains game or observe from the comfort of your lodge veranda as elephants descend on the local watering hole. You and your family will delight in the extraordinary experience of seeing rare and intriguing animals in their natural habitat. Contact: www.Magical Kenya.com. Read More!
Planning Holidays with the Grandkids
by
Lynn O'Rourke Hayes
Intergenerational travel is on the rise. Busy family schedules and geographic distance sometimes prevent regular gatherings. Thus, “grand travel”, as one aspect of this growing trend is known, provides an opportunity for two generations to get to know each, and the world, a little better.
By spending time away, with parents out of the picture, grandchildren and their grandparents can forge their own special bond. Grand travel need not include a fancy holiday in a luxury resort or a visit to a trendy theme park. There are other options. Here are five:
1.Over the river and through the woods. Invite the grandkids to your place and then paint the town. They’ll love getting comfortable in your home and seeing your local sites. Check in with your Chamber of Commerce or Convention and Visitors Bureau for an update on great options for kids. Consult parents from your neighborhood or church for family-tested ideas. See your home town through the fresh eyes of youth.
Read on.
Your National Parks, Your Way
For every family, there is a perfect national park vacation. Choosing the right experience, however, requires a bit of planning and research as well as factoring in family dynamics such as age and fitness level.
“National park vacations are all about making memories, and even young children can have positive experiences they will remember for a long time,” said Judi Lages, a spokesperson for park operator Xanterra Parks & Resorts. “Some park experiences are perfect for families with older children while others call out to families with high-energy youngsters. And within most parks there are a wide variety of experiences from which to choose.”
Xanterra operates lodges, restaurants, gift shops, tours and other activities in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Crater Lake, Death Valley, Zion, Rocky Mountain, Everglades, Petrified Forest and Bryce Canyon National Parks and Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
Here are some suggestions: Read More!
Interested in Yellowstone?
ROAD TRIP TRAVEL TIPS
Five Road Trip Tips You Don’t Want to Miss
Before you hop in the car to begin any road trip - near or far - be sure your vehicle is ready for the open.road. Here's what to do!
Family Strategies
Grand Glacier
It’s a must see: stunning vistas, more than 200 lakes, 175 named mountains and 40 glaciers, tucked within one million acres of natural beauty. That’s Glacier National Park.
Established in 1910, by an act of Congress, this extraordinary recreational playground is also home to more than 350 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
With so much to see, it is important to plan in advance. Here are suggestions to jump start your visit:
Ride the Red Bus. The historic red buses are a symbol of another age, providing a commanding overview of the park’s magnificent history and scenery. The vintage vehicle carries 17 passengers. Tours range from three hours to a full day. Children under 12 are half price. Contact: Glacier Park, Inc. ; www.GlacierParkInc.com; 406.892.2525. Find out more!
A Taste of Freedom: Adventure Cycling Releases Day Trip Maps
Bicycle routes guide day-trippers — from beginners to experienced riders — through landmarks of Underground Railroad
Adventure Cycling has launched three Underground Railroad day trip bicycle routes in the Ripley, Ohio area. As its first foray into creating maps for the day-tripper, Adventure Cycling predicts these routes will appeal to cycling newcomers as well as seasoned cyclists, featuring a short loop for beginners and longer loops for intermediate and advanced riders. Created by a partnership between Brown County Tourism and Adventure Cycling, the three loop routes start and end in downtown Ripley and take in a rich variety of Underground Railroad historic sites along the way. Read More!
Fit Families Cook Healthy, Have Fun
By Julie Mautner
For four days each February, you can’t pop a Champagne cork in Miami without splashing a famous foodie.
Emeril calls it “spring break for chefs.” Find out more.
Guest Ranches Make Roughing It Easy
For nearly a century, travelers have visited guest ranches for an authentic taste of the old West. Today's wranglers are busy welcoming families eager to unplug from the hectic pace of modern life.
Horseback riding lessons, guided trips and individual trail rides are central activities. An experienced crew will match horses to riders of every ability and experience level. For those less comfortable in the saddle, choose from hayrides, singalongs, Western dance lessons, cookouts, hiking and even spa activities.
There are many ranches where you and your family can share a good time.
Nine Quarter Circle Ranch, Gallatin Gateway, Mont. – The Kelsey family has been hosting guests in this secluded valley near Yellowstone National Park for more than 50 years.
Their Appaloosas will carry guests through pine forests, over the trout-laden Taylor Fork stream and across meadows rich in wildflowers. Kiddie wranglers ensure that even the youngest guests enjoy their stay. Contact: 406-995-4276; www.ninequartercircle.com. - Lynn O'Rourke Hayes
Read more about ranch vacations.
Take a Family Hike
by Lynn O'Rourke Hayes
Hitting the trails as a family is a great way to get some exercise and explore an area up close. Find a trail close to home or make a great hike the centerpiece of your family vacation.
Here are five places that blend history, great views and a good time. Read more!
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