Family Vacations

TRYP by Wyndham is a small brand within the giant Wyndham Hotel Group: there are about 90 TRYP by Wyndham hotels, mainly in Europe. Emphasis is on cool urban settings and friendly prices. North American family travelers will be most interested in three properties, in NYC, Costa Rica, and in Quebec City, where the TRYP Quebec Hotel PUR is located in the trendy St. Roch ("Saint Rock") neighborhood.

Read about the TRYP Quebec Hotel PUR-- located just steps from Benjo's, an "entertainment toy store" with a train to ride on, a restaurant, craft activities, and all kinds of toys on sale.

Quebec City is a great place to visit with kids, with its historic old town and fun sightseeing, Winter Carnival, summer festivals, free performances by Cirque du Soleil in summer months -- and poutine and delicious Beavertails to try.

In a number of cities in the US and Canada, May brings children's festivals where families can find colorful performances, clowns, crafts, and general good times for kids. Read about Children's Festivals.

And let's not forget about Memorial Day Weekend, coming up soon in May...

It's the Eternal City, with two and a half thousand years of history that includes the era of the Roman Empire and also the Italian Renaissance -- just being amidst Rome's beautiful fountains and statues and architecture is an unforgettable experience.

Rome, however, is also a very hot place during the summer months when most families visit -- a hot place where you'll be doing a lot of walking. Read tips about getting around with kids, finding rest spots and restrooms, using public transport, and helping yourself to free cold water throughout the city.

• Tips about Visiting Rome with Kids

See also:

• Venice with Kids
• Visiting Hill Towns in Tuscany and Umbria
• Adventures by Disney Viva Italia! Trip
• More about Visiting Italy with Kids

Recently I had a great trip to Disney World -- a media trip combined with family trip-- which included a sneak peek at Fantasyland, and a preview of the new Value resort, The Art of Animation which is opening in May. More about this resort, to come -- it has suites! -- but I thought I'd share a few trends for now. Read More...

Check out six strategies for going easy on the budget, such as splitting costs with another family and renting a vacation home...

You might also want a look at these Affordable Summer Vacation Ideas, including family camps with lodgings, meals, and many fun activities included, affordable vacation towns, and more.

Vacation Home Rental - Photo courtesy of Hotpads.com.

LEGOLAND California -- located between LA and San Diego -- is a 128-acre amusement park designed for ages 2 through 12. This summer the 5.5 acre LEGOLAND Water Park gets a new attraction called Pirate Reef: guests board boats and plunge down a chute between two pirate ships. Other attractions include Build-A-Raft River (kids float down a lazy river, after customizing their raft made of soft LEGO bricks) , a lazy river for younger kids, a family tube slide, and more. Price for the water park is extra, but a Hopper ticket include both parks.

LEGOLAND California has over 50 attractions, including rides, live shows, play-zones, “mini-lands” made from millions of LEGO blocks.

• More about LEGOLAND California
• LEGOLAND Florida
• LEGOLAND Windsor, a great day trip from London

Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND California.

Just had a great stay at this beautiful resort, on a media + family trip. The architecture, design and especially the amazing five-storey lobby are stunning, but this gorgeousness isn't even the most remarkable thing about the resort: that prize goes to the African savannas that are right on the property, where giraffes, zebras, and many other animals live.

Check out this and other photos of Animal Kingdom Lodge...

And see also:

• Disney World Resorts - by Location
• Disney World Resorts - by Type
• Benefits of staying at a Disney World resort
• More about Disney World vacations

Ohio has several state parks that are driving distance from PA and MI as well as from Ohio towns. Salt Fork State Park, for example, is an easy drive from Pittsburgh, and has 20,000 acres, two marinas, historic Kennedy Stone House, and the Salt Fork Lodge.

Salt Fork Lodge has private balconies overlooking rolling hills; cabins with lake views; indoor/outdoor pools, game room, family programs, basketball, volleyball, tennis, golf, and paintballing, geocaching...

This summer, five State Park Lodges are offering a "AAA Gas and Go" package, available to AAA members, that includes a $25 gas card, two nights lodging, breakfast, and a choice of a park or a regional activity. For example, at Mohican State Park Lodge -- two hours from Columbus-- activities include a one-hour horseback ride or an adventure combo with canoeing, miniature golf, go-karts, and more. The Lodges have other family-friendly packages also...

• Read more about Ohio State Park Lodges
• Check for packages
• More summer vacation ideas

Photo courtesy of Salt Fork Lodge.

The Palace Resorts brand has several family-friendly all inclusive resorts in Mexico, including the Moon Palace, Beach, Cozumel and Playacar Palace, and is adding a couple of features for families at these resorts.

• "Connection Zone" kids clubs now have extra amenities and services, such as walkie-talkies that let parents speak with their kids at any time. Kids club activities include tennis lessons, minigolf, beach soccer treasure hunts, crafts, cookie-making, sea turtle release (in the right time and place), and more.

• Also, families can book "Family Connections" luxury suites with additional amenities, connecting guestroom, and nanny service.
  
  Read more about the Moon Palace resort.
  
  Moon Palace Resort, photo © Teresa Plowright.

Apple Vacations is one of the biggest packagers of family vacations, with hundreds of getaways in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii... Apple's pulled together a list of "Eco Friendly Resorts" in popular areas: some resorts have certifications or Green Business Awards, some have made impressive efforts to reduce energy... Interesting list!

The Iberostar Cozumel, for instance, has the island's first Green Globe certification for sustainable operations. At the Grand Hyatt Kauai, 100% of green waste is used for compost and waste cooking oil is processed into biodiesel fuel.

Have a look at Apple's Eco Friendly Resorts.

Photo courtesy of the Grand Hyatt Kauai.