All posts filed under: Travel

Travel

Paris Gets a Floating Gym

A 65-foot floating gym, powered by its occupants, may soon be traveling up and down the Seine in Paris. The Human Powered Gym is a transportation concept by Carlo Ratti Associati aiming to portray how human energy has the potential to power vehicles in the future.

Explore Paris With Your Toddler

WHERE TO GO? WHAT TO DO? WHERE TO STAY?   ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS Art and culture come to life for children in Paris, and not just because it is the storybook setting for Madeline and Babar. There is so much for curious minds to take in, such as the many artists painting on the banks of the Seine and the jugglers performing in Montmartre. Children are welcome everywhere in Paris. MUSEUMS: With so many museums in Paris, and so little time (especially with children), get a museum pass (www.parismuseumpass.fr). It allows parents to skip the ticket line (children under 18 are free at most museums) and saves money at the nearly 70 participating museums and monuments. Young imaginations love the Musée d’Orsay, a former railway station completed in 1900 for the World’s Fair, which presents works of art (photography, design, sculpture and painting) from 1848 to 1914. The Rodin Museum has a beautiful outdoor sculpture garden that is great for children. Parisian families frequent this gated green art gallery, with two sandboxes …

Top Educational Vacations

Here is our selection of vacations (with an educational purpose) that your entire family can enjoy.   THE BROADMOOR for tennis One of the nation’s best tennis programs can be found at The Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs. Little ones, as young as 4 can get lessons in pint-size courts. Families can also receive private lessons.   TOUCHSTONE CENTER FOR CRAFTS  This creative camp school, located in the woods of Pennsylvania, attracts kids of all ages. The focus is on drawing, ceramics, sculpture and blacksmithing. Families stay in dorms, cabins or tents.     EPITOUREAN for cooking This company can design a custom trip to suit your family’s interests. You can visit farmers’ markets and learn to make cheese in Tuscany or hone your culinary expertise in Napa Valley.   CHILCOTIN HOLIDAYS for outdoor skills Along with teaching horse-back-riding, this dude ranch offers fly-fishing excusrions and four-day horse-pack camping trips for the whole family. Kids should be at least 6 years old for most excursions.     SUNSAIL for sailing This company offers weeklong sailing …

Top Kids’ Clubs

Not all destinations are kid-friendly, but here are a few resorts with the ultimate amenity for families: Kids’ Clubs. Kids’ club at The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach   SHERATON ALGARVE, Portugal Set in Portugal, kids indulge in private kid pools, mini golf, pirate ships — all perched atop stunning cliffs.   MAGESTIC RESORTS HOTELS PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic This resort is beautifully situated in the Dominican Republic. Kids enjoy a castel with ball pits, wall climbing, and a pool moat.   THE RITZ-CARLTON PALM BEACH This resort offers teens a lounge that comes with a DJ booth, a pool table and a salon.   ROSEWEEL MAYAKOBA, Mexico At this incredible resort with all amenties, kids can make pinatas poolside.   LA COSTA RESORT & SPA, California Set in sunny San Diego, the Kids’ Club at this resort gives access to a tree house, an aquarium, and floors that light up when you dance.   CLUB MED OPIO EN PROVENCE, France The young guests at this resort enjoy herb-themed adventures, beginning with the climbable stalks to the …

Top Hotel Chains

Traveling with kids takes a lot of planning. Get the most out of your vacation stay by booking a room at one of these great hotels. THE FOUR SEASONS The Four Seasons is amazing in all of its comforts. They carefully track all guests’ preferences and give kids behind-the-scenes tours and their very own VIK (“very important kid”) check-in, which includes a gift.   LOEWS   Although large in scale, the Loews Hotels promptly deliver fanciful requests to their young guests. The hotel offers all kinds of amenities for families traveling with kids. It is also one of the greenest chains around. EMBASSY SUITES   The Embassy Suites offer apartment-like accommodations, with separate rooms for parents and kids, plus a kitchen. The welcoming packet offers kids a list of activities in the visiting neighborhood. THE RITZ-CARLTON  The Ritz-Carlton’s club lounges offer incredible spreads of food all day long – allowing families to feast for one daily fee. The kids’ club offers a variety of activities to keep all happily entertained. ALOFT   With its sleek and simple design, this hotel …

Top Family Hotels

Here are our favorite hotels to bring the whole family to bond, share new experiences and to learn about other cultures. MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE, New Palz, NY This Victorian castle, owned by the same family for 140 years, overlooks a glacier-formed lake and thousands of acres of unspoiled forest in the Shawangunk Mountains. Choose among hiking trails, swimming, canoeing — plus snowshoeing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing in the winter.   THE INN AT SERENBE, Palmetto, Georgia This B&B offers 700 acres of farmland and woods in the eco-minded community of Serenbe. Aside from the scheduled hay rides and scavenger hunts, guests, including children, can bottle-feed baby goats and pick blueberries. Kids can also play in a tree house in the woods or take a dive in the pool.   ARDOER ART CAMP, Garderen, The Netherlands Located just outside of Amsterdam, Ardoer Art Camp is about experiencing art.   THE ST. REGIS, Bora Bora Considered by many a dream location, The St. Regis in Bora Bora is a place for the family to enjoy nature’s …

Top Farms in the U.S.

Visit a farm with your family this Fall (or any other time of year) and enjoy a great experience! Take a look at our guide to the best farms in the country. Alabama Aplin Farms, Slocomb, (334) 792-6362 This farm is known for tomatoes, pumpkins, melons, hens, wagon rides, and a petting zoo. Best time to go: June through October. Mountain Fork Farm, New Market, (256) 379-4762 This farm is known for its turkeys, broilers, and eggs, alongside heirloom tomatoes and fresh leaf lettuce. Best time to go: April to November. Alaska Calypso Farm and Ecology Center, Ester, (907) 451-0691 This farm is known for vegetables—learn about 30 to 40 different varieties on a nonprofit educational farm on the road to Denali National Park. Best time to visit: June to September. Arizona Brown’s Apple and Pear Orchard and Cider Mill, Wilcox, (520) 384-3671 This farm is known for apples and pears. Best time to go: August through October. Date Creek Ranch, Wickenburg, (928) 231-0704 This farm is known for grass-fed beef, plus Golden Delicious apples, …