Llama
Adventures, Taos New Mexico
Betcha haven't thought of this one... Taos
New Mexico is a wonderful place to visit: a beautiful smaller town about an
hours drive from Santa Fe. Family-friendly activities in the area include
white-water rafting, hot-air ballooning, and a visit to the Taos Pueblo. (Read
more about
Taos, with families) As for the llamas: for a short
hike you can "take a llama to lunch"; overnight trips are offered too.
Family
Adventure in Yellowstone
"Family Adventures" are a new buzzword in family travel, and the
term usually means a multisport vacation in the Great Outdoors, with all
details handled-- hassle-free. Ours fit the bill: we hiked, rode
horses, and rafted, and stayed in historic inns in one of the planets most
magnificent places. Yellowstone's splendors go far beyond herds of bison,
and the Old Faithful geyser-- though those are pretty wonderful, too.
Paris--
and other Europe ideas
There is only one Paris, and perhaps this is your year for an unforgettable
summer vacation in Europe with your kids. Take the elevator to the top of
the Eiffel Tour, climb the 386 steps to the bell tower of Notre Dame; or
simply stroll (or stroller) along the Seine. Visiting Paris with my
three kids was one of our all-time best weeks, ever. (See
photos
and tips.) Museums are free for kids under 18, and many charming
smaller hotels welcome kids and are affordable.
It's not that
hard -- or expensive-- to take kids to Europe! Many families spend more for a week at a Caribbean
all-inclusive than the cost of a trip to Europe. There are many ways to save money on Europe trips.
See more about
Europe
Trips with Kids.
On the other hand, you may prefer to pay a little more
and go no-hassle: either on a
Family
Adventure, or -- new in 2007-- be letting Mickey handle all the details...
read about the really, really easy way to visit Europe: on a
Disney Meditteranean Cruise.
Car
Trips
Always a popular choice for summer vacations, the good ol'-fashioned family car trip is
hard to beat for affordability; and the Web can be a great
resource in planning your trip. Not only can you printout detailed driving
directions if you want to get from point A to B, but also many sites
highlight Great Car Trips. See
Road Trips 101 to plan your route, prep your car, find out where Kids Eat
Free, and get
Tips for Surviving Long Car Trips with Kids!
Canada
It's true that the days of the fabulous exchange rates-- as much as $1.50
CDN for each US dollar-- are no longer with us; but (a) the exchange
rate still favors US dollars and (b) often, prices in Canada are very
reasonable. About's guide for Canada
for Visitors covers the country, with family friendly ideas from coast-to-coast. And by the way,
temperatures are
hot in during summer vacation months, and the extra hours of daylight are
extra-nice: Vancouver BC, for example, has sunsets around 9:30 pm.
Speaking of BC: the Whistler
ski resort has reinvented itself as a great family destination in summer,
with a trapeze (with safety net!), climbing wall, "Kiss the Sky"
trampoline, (part bungee, part tramp), and more at an Adventure Zone.
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