Check out bargains at: Eurocamp "Holiday Parcs", giant Sandestin Resort in northwest Florida, Viva Wyndham value-priced all-inclusives in the Caribbean and Mexico, Hawaii resort with kids program, Atlantis Bahamas... Read more...

"Family Adventures" are a nice niche, in the travel world: small-group escorted tours explore the Great Outdoors, or perhaps castles in France; the itinerary is best-of-the-best, and all details are handled. "Adventures by Disney" entered this biz a few years ago, with itineraries in Europe, the US, Costa Rica, Peru, Australia... Families love the confidence they feel in Disney quality; guests get some little Disney touches, too, such as special pins.

Book by May 31 2008 and you can save up to $650 per adult and $600 per child, on vacations in Spain, Tuscany, Costa Rica, Spirit of America (Philadelphia, Williamsburg VA, Washington DC), and more. Call (877) 728-7282 or contact a travel agent.

more about Family Adventures  | Adventures by Disney  | review of Viva Italia trip  |

^{What's Wordless Wednesday?}

Coming soon to a town near you: a resort with giant indoor water park. At least that's how it seems, these days.

It started in Wisconsin Dells, where a bunch of resorts build water parks; now two brands are colonizing other towns.

Great Wolf Lodge has 10 locations and counting. Signature features -- besides indoor and outdoor water parks -- include Grand Lobby with giant stone fireplace and storytelling, and Howl-o-Ween and Snowland seasons.

The Kalahari Wisconsin Dells has progeny too: its Kalahari Sandusky property claims to have "America's largest indoor water park" at a resort. And now a Kalahari Virginia is being built, in the "Celebrate Virginia" tourism district of Fredericksburg. Expected opening is December 2009.

^{*FlowRider photo courtesy of Kalahari Sandusky.}

| Kalahari Sandusky  | Kalahari Wisconsin Dells  | more resorts with indoor water parks

Another door opens in the Almond Resorts group of all-inclusive resorts in Barbados and St. Lucia: Almond Bay Casuarina Beach Resort is on Dover Beach on the south coast of Barbados. As at other Almond Resorts, families will find a nursery as well as a kids' club. Barbados is known as the "most British" Caribbean isle.

 | Almond Bay Casuarina Beach Resort  | Barbados Family Vacations  | Almond Smugglers Cove St. Lucia

Mother's Day is coming soon, on Sunday May 11 2008. Getaways are always a welcome gift: many family-friendly places have special packages for Mother's Day, with maybe a brunch or spa treatment thrown in. Orlando-philes can have Mother's Day Brunch at Epcot during Flower Festival (right).

Or try a travel gift for mom: a sun hat guaranteed for life, a feather-light silk undershirt... Or the eminently practical Compression Travel Bags: put clothes in a clear plastic bag, seal it, roll it, and voila-- your stuff is flattened about half-size.

By the way, there's much more to Mother's Day history than greeting-card fluff...

 | Mother's Day Getaways  | travel gifts  | Mother's Day's interesting history.

Three hours from NYC, "Chocolate Town USA" is is magnet for families, mainly due to Hersheypark, the amusement park first built by chocolatier Milton Hershey for his employees over 100 years ago. Hersheypark has been picked "No. 1 Amusement Park Outside Orlando" by travel site TripAdvisor.com.

Hersheypark has kiddie rides, 10 roller coasters, and a new Boardwalk waterplay area opened last year. 2008 ramps up the on-site entertainment, with concerts over the opening weekend (May 2 to 4 2008), and a bunch of shows all summer long.

 | more about Hersheypark and Hershey PA  |

^{* Photo courtesy of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.}

A vacation tip, from About.com's Guide for Travel in Germany: have fun and an unusual experience, staying in a barn in the German countryside.

Some of the bonuses, besides low price: fresh air, country settings often with horses and farm animals, great breakfasts, and the chance to meet your German hosts in a personal way that's very different from staying at a city hotel.

Think of it like camping, with some nice amenities. Pick a place with horse-riding or cycling, if that suits your family. (And by the way, rooms and bungalows are available at some "hay hotels", for the less adventurous.)

 | more about Hay Hotels  | more Europe Trip Ideas for families

As if Orlando didn't have enough fun already... giant resort Gaylord Palms is staging a pirate-themed Summer Treasure Hunt Challenge. Families can play from May 2 through Aug. 28 2008; the grand prize is a cool $10,000 cash. There's a Little Pirates Treasure Hunt for kids 10 and under, too. Read more...

As the peak season in the Caribbean and Mexico draws to a close, we're seeing the start of "Summer" promotions which often last right to December. Check the Family Travel Deals page for some "Kids Free" deals at all-inclusive resorts.

^{Photo of Hotel Marina El Cid Riviera Maya © Teresa Plowright}