Family Travel
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St. Augustine Shines
Summer travels are running out of time, which makes them all the more precious. Round up the family and head for St. Augustine, the living history lesson, only a half-day's drive up Interstate 95.
Begin by checking into beachside lodgings such as the campground at Anastasia State Park or the small but full-service Castillo Real hotel. Its pool, wide beach and open-kitchen restaurant make for restful nights after days of chasing ghosts and legends on the oldest streets in the nation. A variety of chain hotels, including a Hilton, are found inside the old city and on U.S. Highway 1. Those who prefer a prestige address can book at the swank, historic Casa Monica in the heart of the historic district.
Costa Rica Kaleidoscope
Some in our group had requested "volcano wake-up calls" for the wee hours, when the humid cloud-forming winds from the Caribbean are less prevalent. But they had no luck. Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano had been shrouded in mists, its head in the clouds, since our arrival.
Then on our second night, I happened to wake up at 4:34 a.m., and the skies were clear. I threw on a robe, yelled to my husband to get up and ran to the tiny balcony of our room.
Neat, noisy and new at Universal Orlando Resort
So you think you know Universal Orlando Resort? Spider-Man and Shrek sightings, Dr. Seuss rides that little ones love and the screaming Dueling Dragons and Incredible Hulk coasters that 'tweens and teens can't get enough of. Yes, that's all there. But people buy annual passes for good reason: Universal Orlando Resort's two theme parks, three hotels and CityWalk change constantly.
Tampa: A terrific trip
A family-friendly mix of history, nature and thrills await you across the state
Since the earliest Spanish explorers swashbuckled ashore in the 1500s, Tampa Bay has been a landmark for visitors. Busch Gardens is one of the state's most exciting theme parks, the city's aquarium ranks with the nation's best, and the New York Yankees come to Legends Field for spring training.
Christmas at Colonial Williamsburg
What was life like before Florida was a state and Nintendo was a staple? Take a trip back to America in the 1760s and find out.
Living a language
Family travel can include language-learning in the country of your choice
Armed with a Baby Boomer's desire that my children will be bilingual before they reach double digits, in the winter of 2003 I began researching programs for families to study abroad.
Winter, Mayberry style
Crested butte offers quiet, small-town fun for families -- and skiing, too
Finding a real getaway ski vacation isn't easy. While Park City, Aspen, and Stowe are glorious, they can also seem curiously urban, with bustling streets loaded with shops featuring the latest fashions.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Pirates, Pigtails And Piraguas
Nia, age 12, did something very Puerto Rican on her first day in San Juan. She constructed a kite. On her last day she had her hair braided, Caribbean style, in pigtails full of beads. Alessandro, age 7, crawled astride an ancient cannon while Devon, age 14, hung on every word the guide said about pirates, dungeons and international intrigues that led to the building of massive forts on this tiny island in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Summertime snorkeling success
Tips for enjoying the undersea world with kids
The warm weather and last few weeks of free time before school starts beckon local families to dive into the sea and experience the vast array of life below the surface. Mesmerizing, swaying sea fans, huge coral formations and thousands of beautiful reef fish are all waiting to be discovered. If this is your family's first foray into this remarkable world, there are a few things you need to know. Here are a few tips to make your snorkel adventure more enjoyable.
Kicky Keys resorts for Kids and Their Families
The snowbirds have flocked homeward leaving the Keys to canny Floridians who know that the seas are more settled now, waters clearer and resorts ready for the off-season. Here's a rundown on what's hot for Summer 2006 in the close-to-home Keys.
Can you say Punta Cana?
Dominican Beach resorts offer the best of everything for families
A point of beach-rimmed land in the Dominican Republic is such a small blip on tourism's radar, our stewardess kept stumbling over the name. Yet a fortunate 1.5 million visitors a year, many from Europe, know about this family-friendly, affordable vacation paradise. Whether you're traveling as a two-parent family, several generations or a group of family and friends, Punta Cana (PUHN-ta CAH-na) has a vacation solution for you.
Offbeat Orlando
Places to go when you think you've seen it all
OK, so you've been to Orlando a hundred times and you think you've done it all. You've visited the mouse, seen the whale and rode the movies. While those places are fun, you might be looking for something a little different the next time you come to O-town. Something you haven't done before -- maybe even something strange or weird. And as odd as the attraction may be, it has to be undeniably fun. Guilty pleasure: tourist-style.
Honey, they shrank the circus
The smallest show on earth finds a home at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota
The largest miniature circus in the world chose Florida to be its permanent home. Now kids of all ages can see the smallest show on earth any time of year. New on display at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Arts in Sarasota is a complete circus with eight main tents, 152 circus wagons, 1,500 performers, 700 animals and a 55-car train, all scaled 3/4-inch to the foot. Created by master model builder Howard Tibbals, the new display is part of a massive expansion of the Circus Museum in a complex that also includes the Ringling Museum of Art, Asolo Theater, Ca d'Zan mansion, Mable's Rose Garden and the statuary-filled grounds of what was once the private estate of the Ringling circus family.
California, here we come ...
Enjoy a week in sunny Southern California
Three Generations in Italy
Grandparents, parents and young children all enjoy a trip of a lifetime
Streetcars, Fresh Beignets, Mardi Gras: New Orleans Caters to Kids
Tropical Fish, Magical Sunsets, Conch and Iguanas: Turks and Caicos provides everything for families
