Traveler Newsletter Archive
2017
Special Edition: October FTA Summit Success!
October 23 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel and Responsible Tourism
August 21 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel and Camping
July 17 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel by Bicycle
June 19 | read more
Special Focus: Off-the-Beaten-Path Family Travel
May 22 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel and Road Tripping
April 17 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel in a (Tricky) New Travel Climate
March 16 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel and River Cruising
February 13 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel and Winter Experiences
January 23 | read more
2016
Special Focus: Family Travel and Dude Ranches
December 12 | read more
Special Edition: 2016 FTA Summit is a Great Success: Here’s the Recap
November 14 | read more
Special Focus: Is Family Travel a Waste of Money?
October 10 | read more
Special Fun: Pick a Family Travel Pic Snapped By Your Kid (#FTAkidpix)
September 12 | read more
Special Report: A Victory for Families that Fly Together
August 8 | read more
Special Focus: Ecotourism and Family Travel in Costa Rica
July 11 | read more
Special Focus: Family Travel and Vacation Rentals
June 6 | read more
Update and Appeal Following the Earthquake in Ecuador
April 27 | read more
2015
Special Focus: Family Safari in Africa
November 23 | read more
Special Edition: 2015 Family Travel Association Summit Recap
October 26 | read more
Special Edition: FTA Summit a Smashing Success!
September 28 | read more
Special Edition: FTA Spotlight – Re/Defining Family Travel
September 14 | read more
Featured Posts
Educational Attractions Inspire Young Travelers
Opportunities for educational travel abound in Minnesota, with museums of all types, historic sites and monuments among the many options.
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USA Today’s 10Best: Readers Rank the Best Family Travel Bloggers
After a four-week voting period, the winners in the 10Best Readers’ Choice New Media Award for Best Family Travel Blogger have been announced.
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89 Percent of Americans Are Stressed Out over Planning Family Vacations
According to a survey commissioned by MasterCard, Americans are stressed out about successfully planning family vacations. Read the specifics.
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Thomson Airways to Launch Family Booths on Planes, Kids Clubs Too
Thomson Airways plans to add family booths on a new fleet of planes, with seats for four to six passengers seated around a table (perfect for games and snacks).
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What’s Really Behind the Ban on Lap Children
Learn about a 2014 petition circulating to ban the practice of lap children on all commercial flights in the United States.
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Europe’s Best Christmas Markets for Families
Give your family a real holiday treat. Turn the children’s fairy tale dreams into reality with visits to these best Christmas markets in Europe.
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5 Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve Celebrations
Looking for family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebrations to ring in the new family-style? Here are five fun ways to party with your kids.
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Family Travel Trending Up and Adventurous for 2015
Family Travel Consulting finds current events, active wellness, and endangered environments are among top motivators for family vacation planners in 2015.
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From Timid in Australia to Solo in Korea: How Traveling Affects Children
A traveling shares stories of hitting the road with her now-adult children and how traveling affects children.
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Preferred Hotel Group Introduces Preferred Residences
Preferred Hotel Group introduces Preferred Residences, a worldwide collection of exceptional villas, bungalows, condominiums, and other idyllic units available at renowned luxury hotels and resorts.
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Hungry Baby on Board: Travel Advice from a Breastfeeding Mum
Travelling with a baby is not easy. It’s not as hard as people would have you think – certainly possible, and in more places than you would think – but not easy. The internet seems full of advice about pumping for breastfeeding moms who have to
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Five Treehouse Holidays
Treehouse holidays are fun for the whole family. Here are five places to consider in the Brazilian Amazon; Canadys, South Carolina; Cave Junction, Oregon; Maui, Hawaii; and Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
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10 Unexpected Family Travel Ideas
In today’s hyperconnected and information-rich world, it’s hard to call many destinations or travel experiences “undiscovered.” Still, here are 10 under-the-radar travel destinations we think will inspire parents and kids to hit the road.
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10 Reasons to Book This Disney Resort and Spa
It’s time to plan your summer vacation. Here are the top 10 reasons to visit Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii.
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In France, a Visit with the In-Laws (Finally) Becomes a Vacation
Montpellier, France, is a lovely place. But it went unnoticed before this author's latest trip there, for Montpellier is the home of her in-laws and visiting them was not a terribly relaxing affair. Until she had a baby.
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Two-Day Itinerary in New York City
There is so much to do and see in New York City that you could go for days, without sleeping and still not see everything. Picking and choosing for a two-day itinerary in New York City is one way to make a trip to NYC manageable, especially when trav
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Sugar and Spice Horse Ranch: Life Lessons for Mothers and Daughters
Mom and daughter alone time is important, but finding quality can be quite difficult. So why not take her to a mother-daughter horse camp?
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50 Best Science Museums Around the World
How do you combine science and travel? Science museums! Visit them whenever we can. To help, here are some of the best science museums around the world.
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Pretend You're a Princess: Stay in the Most Beautiful Palace and Castle Hotels in the World
Some hotels are destinations unto themselves that deserve some time on your sight-seeing agenda. Here are a dozen of the most beautiful hotels ever – all of which are housed in stunning historic castles or palaces.
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Six Insane Cruise Ship Pools
Sometimes, the most inviting waters you’ll see on a cruise are right on board the ship. Cruise-line swimming pools are getting more luxurious and exciting by the day. These are some of the most insane swimming pools at sea.
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Birthday on the Road: Mother-Daughter Spa Trip
Our children grow up faster than we expect. What we sometimes need with them are grownup getaways. For a mother-daughter combination, what better birthday surprise would there be than a trip to a spa?
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Family Vacation Hot Spots in Chicago
Not sure where to take your kids when you're visiting Chicago? Try these family vacation spots in Chicago.
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Togetherness Has a Price When Flying with Family
When flying with family, how can you sit together on a plane without paying sky-high add-on fees? Under airlines' contracts of carriage, you aren't guaranteed a specific seat, just transportation.
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Family Ski Trip: Charming Crested Butte, Colorado
Crested Butte, Colorado, is a favorite place for a family ski trip. There are runs for every level, the snow is light and the quaint town is a National Historic District.
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5 Tips to Save Money on a Caribbean Trip
A family vacation in the Caribbean islands doesn't necessarily have to be expensive. Enjoy all they have to offer without burning a hole through your pocket. Here are five great tips to remember before you jet off to paradise.
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Raising Confident Travelers
Do you strive to raise citizens of the world? Sharing your knowledge, while teaching them to make their own way, will create confidant and compassionate travelers for the future. Here are a five tips for empowering the next generation of explorers.
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Dads, Daughters and Philanthropic Travel
Philanthropic travel is fast becoming a way for families to teach their children the importance of giving back. Read how some dads and daughters learned more about the world through a fundraising and awareness-building trip in Kenya.
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Meet the Unlikely Airbnb Hosts of Japan
Airbnb in Japan: A world-conquering start-up finds itself lost in translation in Tokyo.
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Chocolate in Dexter, Iowa
About half an hour west of Des Moines, Iowa, lies the tiny town of Dexter, famous as the place where Bonnie & Clyde were captured. Lesser known, but nearly as famous, are Drew’s Chocolates.
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Tips for Travel with a Special Needs Child
While travel with a special needs child may require a little more planning and adjustment, it's just a different category of family vacationing.
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10 Dinosaur Attractions Kids Will Dig
Natural history museums are full of dinosaur fossils, but they are not the only way to foster a fascination with them. These 10 places offer many ways to learn about the giants that once ruled the Earth.
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Extreme Skiing with Tweens and Teens
When the groomed runs of resort in-boundary skiing just don't cut it anymore, try cat-accessed terrain. Pacific Northwest skiers of all ages don’t have to travel far to find excellent off-piste terrain.
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Meet America's Newest National Parks
The United States National Park Service is starting 2015 off by establishing seven new national parks in eight different states and the District of Columbia. They include a supervolcano popular with cross-country skiers, a fossil-laden desert on the
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Catching a Little Air in Florida’s “Natural” County
The airboat rides in Florida – a must-do for anyone visiting the Sunshine State’s vast wetlands – are actually less “boat” than “air.” And there’s probably no better way to see Seminole County‘s aquatic gem, Lake Jesup.
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10 Best African Safari Lodges for Families
Planning a family trip to Africa? You'll want to select facilities designed with children in mind. Many lodge offer children's programs with age-appropriate activities so your kids can get the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here are
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9 Best Resorts for Toddlers
Traveling with a toddler can be both a pleasure and a pain. Luckily, some resorts make it easier to travel with a toddler. Here are a few favorites.
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Best Resorts for Your Own 'Dirty Dancing' Vacation
When a 13-year-old travel writer discovered the 1987 movie "Dirty Dancing" for the first time, it changed her life. And it got her thinking about some fun experiences in family resort hotels across the United States.
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15 Unique Vacation Rentals Your Kids Will Love
Most rentals are pretty standard. But if you hunt around a bit, you’ll find some really fun places to stay. Take a look at 15 unique vacation rentals that your kids will love.
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16 Best Places to Go on Vacation with a Baby or Toddler
Believe it or not, now -- while your baby is still a baby -- is a great time to get up and go on a getaway. Not all family vacation spots are created equally, though, if you've got young kids in tow. Here, our tips and picks for the best in baby-frie
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How to Get Your U.S. Passport to Adventure
For Americans, a U. S. passport is a travel essential for any age traveler, especially now that a birth certificate will no longer suffice to cross borders. This look at how to get your U.S. passport will net you more than just a great souvenir of yo
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Find Your Niche: Themed Cruises with Something for Everyone
Themed cruises are a great way to meet like-minded people and enjoy a trip based on your specific interests. These are some ideas to get you started.
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Measles and 6 Other Nasty Travel Diseases You Should Worry About Catching While in the U.S.
Here are the diseases, viruses, infections, and more you should worry about catching during domestic travel – and how to prevent them.
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Must-See Green Museums
We know that museums are dedicated to the preservation of history, art and culture, but what about the environment? The following institutions are hard at work valuing the future state of earth’s delicate climate.
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The Taco That’s Taking the US by Storm
The taco that’s taking the US by storm: The Korean-Mexican mashup took off in Los Angeles thanks to Twitter and a fleet of food trucks. Is the dish a passing fad or here to stay?
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Airplane or Giant Germ-Mobile? 10 Ways to Stay Healthy While Flying
Yes, Ebola has arrived in the U.S. But don’t worry – unless your seatmate is fresh out of Liberia, bleeding from his eyes, and gets sick, it’s unlikely you’re going to contract Ebola on a plane. Here are 10 ways to stay healthy while flying.
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A Warning about Getting the First Passport for Your Child
It can be much harder to get a baby’s first passport than anticipated. In total, it took this couple four attempts and five months to succeed.
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Holidays You Thought You Couldn't Take with Kids
Having children doesn't mean holidays with kids becomes about two-week package trips, self-catering accommodation, and locations near play centers.
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Holiday Bonus: A Beloved Aunt with Cash
Advertisers are increasingly trying to reach single women with nieces and nephews. Called the PANK, or Professional Aunt, No Kids, they are especially targeted during the holiday shopping frenzy.
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Family-friendly Gateway to Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park
Sometimes you just need a retreat to hunker down in after a long day exploring the mountains, and maybe give the kids a pool to splash around in after a long day. Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite National Park has all of that.
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Traveling with Baby: My Essential Gear
When it comes to packing for travel with a baby, pack for convenience. Meaning, if you usually travel with other gear (like a camera and laptop for assignments), pack what you need to make sure baby is comfortable while you work.
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Permission to Travel Letters and Why You Need Them
Adults traveling outside the U.S. with children under 18 should always have Consent or Permission to Travel letters from both of the minors' guardians. This is true whether the child is not their own or is their own but with only one parent.
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Traveling with Toddlers: How I Keep My Sanity
Here's a system that works for one frequent traveler and her daughter who's at that age where she’s no longer a baby (over two years old) but not yet a fully cognitive toddler (three years and above).
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8 Must-Know Tips for Infant and Toddler Air Travel
Protect your baby's health in-flight, as well as the sanity of other passengers (and your own!), with these helpful air travel with baby tips -- good for the holidays and all year round.
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Give It Up: Life Lessons from Family Camping
The plot was an ambitious multi-family camping trip with a handful of our friends and their young kids -- 13 of them, ages three months to seven. Fortunately, Crested Butte, Colorado, delivered.
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Children That Play Outside in All Weather Grow Up Resilient
Imagine children that have grown up playing outside in all manner of challenging conditions, in all seasons of the year. Why are schools keeping kids inside at recess when the temperature gets too cold? What kind of adult will this type of childhood
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Wings Over Willcox: Flying High
Consider a visit to Willcox, Arizona, for the town’s annual celebration of the sandhill cranes’ migration to their southern Arizona winter home.
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Top All-Inclusive Family Vacations in North America
All–inclusive family vacations are a top choice for many parents planning family travel and multigenerational family reunions. Here are 12 leading North American properties for your next family trip.
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Universal Orlando Diagon Alley Survival Guide – Tips and Tricks to Maximize Your Enjoyment
This survival guide of tips and tricks will help you deal with the crowds flocking to the hottest theme park property on the planet: Universal Orlando Diagon Alley.
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10 Best Family Destinations for Learning Vacations
Even though travel itself is a learning adventure, this list of 10 educational vacation destinations (listed alphabetically) may just be the best at engaging kids in a fun way.
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Your Radical Family Sabbatical
How and why one Colorado family left it all behind and found what mattered most on a family sabbatical in Ecuador. All while traveling "Children Class." (There are two classes of travel: first class, and with children.)
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18 Things to Do with Family in Hong Kong
Headed to Hong Kong with your kids? Here are suggestions of things to do with family in Hong Kong, from someone who lived there.
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The Tourist’s Guide to High Speed Trains in China
Tips for taking high speed trains in China, including how to read your ticket, the boarding process, seats, food and more. Also, a business class seat review.
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Being Black in China
Of all the countries they've visited as a family, the hardest, by far, was China. There were things about their family that made people stand in line to get photos with them.
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A Simple Revolution with Yvon Chouinard
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard talks about fly fishing, conservation and getting kids on the river.
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Opals in the Outback: Australia’s Amazing Underground Mining Town
Looking for a really cool place to bring the kids in Australia? Coober Pedy, is a century-old opal mining town known for its underground, homes called "dugouts." Families can even dig for their own opals.
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Italian Food: A Family Affair
If you grew up in Lower Manhattan, 50 years ago, you might have thought you knew the food of southern Italy. But a homemade meal of Italian food in Naples will make you rethink the city’s cuisine.
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Following an 8-year-old to Atlantis on Paradise Island
“We gotta go,” said their young son. And so they did, heading to Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, where they would do everything from feed a dolphin to race remote-control cars.
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Taking Your Teenagers to Kyoto, Japan
One family navigates Kyoto, Japan’s second city, together as two adults and two teenagers, adjusting to the rhythms of a new culture.
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Chicago with Kids
Chicago is surprisingly easy to visit with children, maybe even too easy. There is an array of kid-friendly museums, shops, shows, trolleys and tours, centrally located so that they require little transportation or street smarts.
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The Best Things to Do with Kids in San Diego
There are plenty of things to do in with kids in San Diego. Here are 10 of the best things to do, from Legoland to the zoo and beyond.
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The Best Kid Friendly Hotels in San Diego
Headed to America’s Finest City with kids? Here are the best kid-friendly hotels in San Diego. Fantastic options exist all up and down the coast; here is one in each popular part of town.
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Made in Nashville: 40+ flavors only found in Music City
Thousands of tourists flock to Nashville every year to catch a glimpse of country stars and experience live entertainment. But it's much more than a thriving music scene. These days, it's all about the food.
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18 Tips for Traveling with Baby
Does "vacationing" with your baby sound like an oxymoron? No? With these tips, you can have a fun and stress-free vacation when traveling with baby by navigating on-the-go naps, time differences and cramped hotel rooms.
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Whale Watching in Ireland on Its Newest Coastal Route
Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way -- its new tourist route -- is one of the easiest places on Earth to see whales, porpoises and dolphins in the wild – and no one knows it yet.
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Six Spots for Hot Spring Soaking
Mineral hot springs offer the chance to soak in healing waters and to learn about their ancient origins. Here are six places where you and your family can warm up in the water.
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On Bigfoot’s Trail in Remote Northern California
Visit California Route 96, the “Bigfoot Scenic Byway,” for the mythical North American mega-ape, but stay for the deep gorges, primordial forests, granite-lined lakes, soaring eagles and frolicking river otters that too few people get to enjoy.
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Las Vegas with Kids: How to Manage the Madness
Although you likely can’t get through Las Vegas without some scarring, here are tips for managing the most successful trip to Las Vegas with kids.
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Hit the Slopes: Great Tips for Getting Kids Ready to Ski
For adult skiers, when it's time to delight in skiing again and sharing the experience with your kids, here are some great tips for getting your little ones out on the slopes.
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Route 66 – The Mother Road
The next time your family yearns for the magic of the open road, relive the glory days along Arizona’s continuous stretch of Route 66. Here are a few suggested stops.
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A Guide to Traveling with Pets Overseas
Traveling with pets? Each country has its own regulations. Here and there are some quirky or strict rules that you might not expect. We've picked a random handful to highlight.
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5 Great Water Parks for Families
Sure, any old pool will entertain your kids. But throw in a full-size pirate ship and you've reached kiddie nirvana. Get the lowdown on these primo water parks around the U.S.
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Escaping to Amy’s Farm
Amy’s Farm grows a wide variety of seasonal produce and offers a CSA program for families and individuals interested in eating food that is rich in nutrients and lacking in chemicals.
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Grand Travel Tips
Intergenerational travel is on the rise. And “grand travel” provides an opportunity for two generations (parents out of the picture) to get to know each, and the world, a little better.
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Twilight Movie Road Trip
Mark your teenager's birthday with a “Twilight Movie Road Trip” that's all about finding Twilight movie filming locations like Bella's house, Forks High School, Carver Cafe, the Cullen's house and more
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Travel with Kin’s Kids and Be a Rock Star Relative
Savvy aunties, cool cousins and great grandparents can be dubbed rock star relatives. Here are five family trips that will earn you the honor.
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Polar Express Train Ride: A Grand Canyon Adventure
Always wanted to take your kids on the Polar Express train ride? If your kid is a reader, try a winter road trip to the Grand Canyon for its Polar Express.
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Seven Best Places to Travel This Year
What are the hottest new vacation destinations or must-see, go-now places? Try these seven best places that will send you packing!
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World’s Oldest Christmas Market in Dresden, Germany
Touted as hosting the world’s oldest Christmas market, Dresden, Germany has a mile of Christmas merriment to behold.
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Five Questions about the ‘Every Kid in a Park’ Initiative
The “Every Kid in a Park” initiative is an ambitious plan to provide all fourth-grade students and their families with free admission to U.S. national parks and other federal lands and waters.
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In France, Steampunk Park of Jules Verne’s Dreams
With its combined art installation and amusement park, Nantes has brought the bizarre world of science fiction writer Jules Verne to life, complete with 12m-tall mechanical elephant.
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Travel’s Best Family Adventures
From an Alaskan cruise to an urban adventure in Tokyo, these are the best family adventures with which to pack an amazing vacation.
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Furnace Creek Resort: 12 Ways
The family-friendly and historic Furnace Creek Resort is an ideal vantage point from which to explore Death Valley National Park, a land of striking contrasts.
Continue Reading Story The Best Things to Do with Kids in San Diego
There are plenty of things to do in with kids in San Diego. Here are 10 of the best things to do, from Legoland to the zoo and beyond.
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Coronado Island, a Jewel of San Diego, California
Opposite San Diego, Coronado Island has a rich and honorable history. But it has grown up nicely with terrific contemporary offerings, including its crown jewel, the famous Hotel Del Coronado.
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Why Saving for a Disney Vacation Has Gotten Easier
Looking for an easier way to save up for a Disney vacation? Consider the Disney vacation account, which lets you budget and schedule automatic contributions into a savings fund for a Disney-run holiday.
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10 Questions to Ask Before You Book a Family Trip
A travel writer shares New Year's resolutions about how to book a family trip that enriches the lives of his kids.
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Doolin Hostel: Family Friendly Lodging in Ireland
Been visiting Ireland for years, but never stayed in a hostel? Some of them are great alternative when you're traveling with children. As is the case of Doolin Hostel.
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Ride Review: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
Disney World's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a swingin’, swayin’ family roller coaster that takes guests inside the mountain where “a million diamonds shine.”
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10 Things to Do in Shanghai with Family
Though primarily a cosmopolitan business city full of east-meets-west, there’s plenty to do in Shanghai with kids.
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Europe with Kids: Toddler Travel Tips
Despite the hardship of flights, time changes, and inevitable travel snafus, the vast majority of brave families who embark on a trip to Europe with kids would do it again in a heartbeat. Here's the secret to success?
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3 Ordering Tricks for When There’s No Kid’s Menu
Ordering tricks for when you want to bypass a kid's menu that’s just too junky, and for when at restaurants that don’t have special options for kids.
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10 Ways to Improve Your Family Vacation
Keith Bellows, Emeritus Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Travel, offers 10 experienced-based insights into how to improve your family vacation.
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The Latest and Greatest in Baby and Toddler Travel Gear
The best advice when traveling with young children is to find stuff that does double or triple duty. Focus on simple, smart and healthy gear.
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10 Things to Do with Kids in New Delhi, India
The Indian capital of New Delhi might not be the most relaxing destination for a family holiday. It is, however, a fascinating one. Here’s a top 10 pick of things to do with kids in New Delhi.
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“Free” Airline Seat Assignments for Families? It’s About Time
Airline fees have even hit the pockets of families traveling together, as they have to pay just to be guaranteed seating together. Isn't it time to change that?
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Tips to Make Multigenerational Holiday Travel Fun for All
Literally, our best family memories are from the multigenerational holidays we take each year with grandparents, siblings and cousins. Not only are memories formed, but the lasting bonds between family members who live far away are fortified.
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6 Fun (and Affordable) Summer Trips for Families
If you don’t have plans yet for a vacation, don’t worry. You can still plot a family summer getaway — without breaking your budget.
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51 Weird Museums Across the U.S.
Here’s a weird list of 51 weird museums, one for each state from coast to coast in the U.S.
Continue Reading Story Family Booths, Child-Free Zones and iPad-Enabled Cabin Crew: Is There a Flying Revolution in the Air?
Flying as a family may soon be an experience parents can almost look forward to – at least if the new flying revolution envisioned by Thomson Airways is to be believed.
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10 Best Aquariums for Kids
Based on an exclusive Parents survey, Parents.com scoured the U.S. to find aquariums where kids don't just look at cool things -- they get to take part. Here are the best aquariums for kids, culled from a list of 60-plus.
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10 Tips for Exploring Tide Pools Safely with Kids
There are few better ways to spend a day as a family than to spend a day at the beach building sand castles and exploring some tide pools.
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25 Travel Tips for Savannah, Georgia
Use these 25 travel tips for Savannah, Georgia, to plan your trip and discover all this grand, southern belle has to offer.
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Planning a Family Vacation in France
All about the logistics of a family vacation in France, including most of the things to consider during the planning stages.
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Small Ship Cruises for Families
Small ship cruises allow you to explore more unique destinations while still keeping your kids plenty engaged.
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Give Your Kids a Camera
For your next trip together as a family, try to leave all the kids’ electronic devices at home, but make sure you give your kids a digital camera.
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At Paynes Preserve State Park in Florida Alligators Come with the Territory
Paynes Prairie is Florida's first preserve - a 20,000-plus-acre park filled with wildlife (alligators, bison, wild horses and cattle) - and a designated National Natural Landmark.
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A Perfect Day in Sydney: Travel Like a Local
This is a fond remembrance of Sydney, Australia, written by an expat living there and informed by what he learned from a local who paved the way a deep appreciation of it.
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Everything You Don’t Know About Tipping
Tipping is about making sure you don’t mess up what you’re supposed to do. Here's everything you need to know about tipping, including why and how to do it.
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Ten Strategies for Traveling with a Child with Autism
Vacations with a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder can be chaotic, nerve rattling and stressful! This booklet is designed to aid you, your family and your autistic child in having a fun, relaxing and enjoyable trip.
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Missing School for a Family Vacation?
Balancing family travel against your child's education can be tricky. The secret: Have a plan. And always let the teacher know that your child will be missing school.
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Kid-Friendly Animal Adventures
If your child loves animals, they'll go wild for these kid-friendly animal adventures that'll let them get close and personal with the critters.
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Kids Guide to San Diego
Savvy traveling parents know the more input kids have in vacation planning, the more fun everyone will have. Here’s a kids’ take on San Diego.
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RV Road Trip: After a Few Mistakes, a Family Revels in the Freedom of the Road
Hitting the road in a 24-foot motorhome offered our road trip-loving family something no other vehicle can: complete freedom. But it wasn’t without its hiccups
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10 Important Tips for Flying with Babies
Here are ten of the most important things we learned about flying with babies along the way. We hope they keep you and your fellow travelers sane
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An Eddy in Time
A mother and son spend the weekend fly fishing under the wide Montana sky as his wedding nears.
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Kids’ Guide to Boston
Boston is a great city for families any time of year. Great sports teams… great museums… great food. And that one place where learning American history might even be fun.
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Travel Ireland: Family-friendly Fun Keeps Kids Happy
Care to travel Ireland with your family? Ten fun spots offer history, space to run free and a craving for a return visit.
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7 Family Activities in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Atlantic Canada is a very family-friendly place. Here are 7 family activities in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
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Can My Child Fly Solo?
Airline rules for unaccompanied minors vary, but most allow children ages 5 through 14 to fly solo domestically on direct flights.
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10 Tips for a Perfect Family Vacation in Paris
Paris is a favorite place people return to again and again. Here are 10 tips to make your family vacation in Paris fun for the kids (and adults) and largely stress-free.
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Family Travel 101: The Best Apps for 3 Year Olds
Here are three picks for the best apps for 3 year olds. They're fun, educational and all Android apps available through GooglePlay.
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All Aboard! Multigenerational Cruising
The key to planning a successful multi-generational trip is an itinerary with something for everyone. That’s precisely what makes cruises such an attractive option.
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Lower Antelope Canyon with Kids
Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, is a spectacular slot canyon, one of the most amazing places for incredible rock formations.
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The Parenting of Everything
Being outdoors and travel ignite curiosity, change us, help us grow. Kyle McCarthy calls this the magic of family travel; it is the parenting of everything.
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The Multigenerational Family Vacation
While some of us travel to escape relatives, many now vacation with their extended families, including children, grandparents and cousins. In an age of special diets and gadget addictions, here's how to make sure your adventure isn’t a road to ruin
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Planning your Family’s Perfect Machu Picchu Trip
Machu Picchu, a bucket list vacation destination for many families, offers the type of experience that aids children’s educations and strengthens family bonds.
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Best All-Inclusive Family Resorts
The all-inclusive concept has gotten a recent makeover - better food, spruced-up décor, more varied activities - and many are perfect for families. Here are 14 of the best all-inclusive family resorts.
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Take Your Homeschool on the Road
Education through travel has become more popular in recent years, with more and more families choosing to homeschool on the road.
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Working Toward “Wild”
In the Pacific Northwest, there isn’t much to dislike. Towering trees, winding roads, and culture lend themselves to positive feelings.
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Tips for Planning a Trip with Kids
Do you think planning a trip with kids is an organizational nightmare? Here are a few strategies a frequent traveling family has picked up along the way.
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50 Reasons to Love the World
Experts share one experience from the last year that truly inspired them – something that, in no uncertain terms, reminded them why they love the world.
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Why We Travel with Children
Why travel with children? It requires more planning and compromise. But the same's true of parenting. And the joys more than make up for the inconveniences.
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The Izaak Walton Inn and Glacier National Park
Discover the joys of a stay at the Izaak Walton Inn on the southern border of Glacier National Park.
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Families Go Wild for South Africa’s Eastern Cape
South Africa's Eastern Cape combines extraordinary wildlife viewing, cultural experiences and relaxation opportunities to make it the family vacation destination of a lifetime.
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National Parks Drawing Fewer Young Visitors
Although America’s national parks drew a record 292.8 million visitors in 2014, the National Park Service (NPS) is having trouble attracting young people.
Continue Reading Story This Jamaica Family Vacation Gives Back
Ocho Rios has become a top destination for Caribbean family vacations. There’s something for everyone here. There are also opportunities to connect with the local community, learn about marine life, and give back as well.
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Freedom Appeals To Cruising Families
Cruising offers families a wide variety of things to see and do, both on land and at sea. Here are 10 features that make the Carnival Freedom a great choice for families and multigenerational groups.
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This is Halloween… on the High Seas Aboard Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line gives new life to new life to Halloween with its “Halloween on the High Seas” sailings aboard all their ships in September and October.
Continue Reading Story 10 Reasons to Vacation in Anguilla
Families heading to the Caribbean often seek out islands with beautiful beaches and superb family-friendly accommodations. Here are 10 great reasons to vacation in Anguilla on your next family vacation.
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5 Ideas for Spring Break Getaways
Spring holidays provide families a chance to rejuvenate and enjoy time together. Here are five spring break getaways to consider.
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Sneak in Some Science on Your Next Trip
Let science lead the way on your next family adventure. Here are five ideas to consider.
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Family Travel Don’t: Fear-Packing
Fear-packing is what happens in that last 24 hours before departure. For families, the fears usually surround what the kids might need. Instead, train yourself to think about packing in a different way.
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Travel Tips from Top Family Bloggers
Here are eight family travel recommendations from parents who embrace it as a lifestyle -- the top family travel bloggers.
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Family Time in Jerusalem
Opportunities abound for outdoor family fun in Jerusalem. You just have to know where to find them. Here are several Jerusalem gems and how to make the most of them.
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Enchanted Isle: Puerto Rico
If Puerto Rico isn’t on your radar, it’s time to readjust. Discover the magic of Puerto Rico with your family.
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App Happy: Family Travel Tools
The right app can keep you and the kids happy during family trips. Here are five to consider.
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Winter Trips with a Side of Culture
While not every museum is suited for families, here are a few favorites, old and new, that add an easy educational upgrade to some of the world’s most popular winter destinations.
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Keep the Learning Going: Summer Travel
School may be out, but that doesn’t mean the learning has to end. Here are three ways to keep the learning going.
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The Importance of Grownup Time When Traveling with Family
The balance of family time and grownup time when traveling is critical. In this family, it benefits everyone. Here are some tips for carving out alone time with your partner the next time you travel with kids.
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7 Reasons Why Your Family Should Travel in Asia
Here are seven solid reasons why you should consider family travel in Asia.
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Teen Travel Tips: With Age, Family Travel Priorities Change
Family travel is an evolving art. As kids grow older, there’s a natural progression to the how, where and when to travel as a family. Trouble is, it’s sometimes hard for parents to grasp until a family trip doesn’t quite go as hoped.
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Kids’ Guide to Colorado Ski Country
Winter is a great time to visit Colorado. Here's what kids have to say about what makes for a successful family ski vacation in Colorado Ski Country.
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At the 9/11 Memorial Museum with Unique Teen Guides
9/11 shaped the lives of a generation, but is hard to understand. It affects all of us and it is important to know what happened. Teen Ambassadors are now trained to work with children who visit the new 9/11 Memorial Museum.
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Lake Placid with Kids
This family decided to spend a few days in Lake Placid, NY… in summer – a destination better known for its winter pursuits than anything else. It now offers year-round activities geared to families and outdoor enthusiasts.
Continue Reading Story Kids’ Guide to Orlando, Florida
Orlando is guaranteed to please the kids. But navigating the parks can be overwhelming. Here's a guide to Orlando from kids who have been there.
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Chandler, Arizona: Itinerary for Families
Whether looking for a true southwest experience, a fun outdoor destination or quality, inexpensive family time, Chandler, Arizona, makes a great family destination! This charming town has something for everyone and will not disappoint.
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4 Reasons Why It’s Good to Travel with a Toddler
Having a toddler can make you enjoy your travels even more. Yes, you miss out on romantic meals and nightlife and you have to deal with meltdowns and way too much luggage. But it can enhances all of your trips too.
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Ten Things to Do in Niagara Falls for Families
Niagara Falls, Canada is bursting with activities for families with kids of all ages. Here's a list of the top 10 things to do in Niagara Falls for families.
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Kid-Tested Ottawa
Want to take your grandkids to Ottawa for a blast of winter? Canada’s capital city gets a good dose of winter every year, and locals celebrate it with gusto.
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How to Make Sophisticated Travel Destinations Fun for the Whole Family
A traveling parent's big challenge is to come up with family vacations sophisticated enough for adults, yet kid-friendly enough for your offspring. Here are a few links.
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Families Make the World a Classroom Through Group Travel
A spotlight on the trend in learning-oriented vacations for family groups in destinations around the world. Travel is a key way to supplement children’s schooling.
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Kids’ Guide to Washington DC
There’s no better place than Washington, DC, to explore current events questions and issues with your children. Here's where to go.
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Family Time: Raising the Bar on Adventure
Having children changes things. Suddenly things feel a lot more risky. But, when they hit a certain age, family time on a round-the-world trip can be full of adventure.
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5 Surprisingly Kid-Friendly European Cities
Forget the beach for spring break this year. Instead think kid-friendly European cities. Spring is the ideal time to explore these spots with your little ones.
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8 Ways to Save Money on Your Next Family Vacation
Planning a family vacation is fun. Budgeting for one can be pure agony. Here are some tried and tested tips to help get you and the kids out of the backyard.
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A Matter of Perspective: Skipping School or Travel as Education?
Heather Greenwood Davis reacts to the recently rekindled debate about whether skipping school should be allowed in order to take advantage of travel as education.
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Hunting for Hidden Treasure, and Summer Lessons with Brain Chase
Through Brain Chase, kids complete age-appropriate online challenges and are rewarded with videos giving clues to the location of an object and, possibly, travel to find it.
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Travel’s Best Amusement and Water Parks 2015
Start planning your summer activities now with this list of the best amusement and water parks of 2015, assembled with help from a panel of experts.
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Kids’ Guide to San Francisco
Kids can’t help but love San Francisco. And since savvy traveling parents know the more input kids have in vacation planning, the more fun everyone will have, here’s a kids’ guide to San Francisco.
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Glamping with the Family
If you’re intrigued by the idea of reconnecting with nature, but cringe at the thought of sleeping on the ground or in a tent, try the hottest new travel trends: glamping with the family!
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In Support of Special-Needs Travel: It’s All About Understanding
An adventurer and special needs advocate reacts to the debate about the removal from a flight of a family that included a child on the autism spectrum.
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Kids’ Guide to New York City
New York City is a top pick for families, attracting millions from around the world each year. Here’s the kids’ take on a guide to New York City.
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Tour Story
Not all tours are created equal. There’s a lot to choose from and, no matter what your preference, there’s probably a travel package that fits your style.
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For Better or Worse, Let Kids Influence Your Holiday Decisions
It's no surprise that a recently released HomeAway Kidfluencer Survey highlights 87% of parents around the world give their children a say in family vacation planning.
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10Best Adventure Camps for the Tiniest Travelers
For kids who active vacations, consider one of these destinations where you can find exciting and educational camps designed especially for young travelers.
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Time to Talk About Kids, Planes and Family Seat Assignments
Parents may find paying to guarantee family seat assignments on planes perplexing, but airlines have another word for it: profitable. For years, there's been a heated debate between families and air carriers.
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Kids’ Guide to Chicago
Chicago is a great place for families to visit, boasting friendly locals, great museums and music, the free Lincoln Park Zoo, sports teams with devoted fans and lots of fun eats.
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Ultimate Midwest Resorts
Midwest resort destinations range from cozy lakeside lodges to indoor water park behemoths. Here's a list of 45 top picks.
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20 Extraordinary Family Vacations Kids Will Actually, Truly Enjoy
A list designed for parents looking for extraordinary family vacations: properties with thoughtful perks and culturally rich activities.
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One Thing You Must Do with Kids in Every U.S. State
A bucket list of the one must-do experience to have with your kids in each state of the U.S. if you can only do one thing or spend time in one city.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > The Changing Faces of Family Travel
The face of families has changed enormously since Norman Rockwell's days. And with those changes has come a major metamorphosis in the faces of family travel. (This is the first of our 12 FTA Spotligh
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10 Myths of Family Travel, Debunked
Venturing into the unknown can radically up the amount of quality time in your family. As long as you don't believe the hype. Let’s dispel the ugly myths about family travel.
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Focus on LGBT Family Travel
There could be an upswing in LGBT family travel as more LGBT couples ponder whether children should be the next step in their relationships.
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Yes, Vacation Travel is Extraordinarily Good for You: Experts Show How and Why
Americans are often reluctant to take travel time, even when it’s due them. Yet nearly half of Americans agree that travel isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. Here are some reasons they're right.
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Why You Should Travel with Your Parents Right Now
One of the best ways to reap the benefits of a changing relationship with one's parents is to spend time with them, and for some that means travel with your parents.
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Family Time in Charleston, South Carolina
South Carolina’s Charleston offers a kid-pleasing combination of history and fun. Here’s a look at four ways to enjoy quality family time in Charleston.
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Child Safety: Keep Your Little Ones Safe When You Fly
For maximum in-flight child safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urges you to secure your child. Here's the info to make informed decisions.
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The Perfect Adventurous (But-Not-Too-Much) Family Vacation
Most families aren’t ready to hike the Himalayas, take toddlers to Thailand or sacrifice a hot shower. But many are seeking memorable and educational time with their children
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Family Travel Commandments: Resorts
Good family-friendly resorts know exactly what families needed, and take steps to help parents unwind. Here's a list of family travel commandments for resorts.
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A New Family Tradition: the 24-Hour Layover
Forget about making the trip in one day and embrace the inconvenience by spending a 24-hour layover somewhere en route, like Barcelona, Spain.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > How to Use Travel as a Learning Tool
Why do public schools unfailingly fail our kids by believing that more learning occurs in a classroom than in the world beyond it? Let's let family travel. (This is the second of our 12 FTA Spotlight:
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Why I Don't Need My Own Kids to Be a Family Traveler
This writer believes there's nothing wrong with a childless family travel blogger because the definition of family is evolving in non-traditional ways.
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9 Major Trends in Family Travel
Family travel experts from the Family Travel Association and top resorts offer their take on the major trends in family travel.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Keeping Kids Safe and Healthy While Traveling
It's healthier to face our fears than to allow them to rule our lives. Let's apply that to vacation planning, all while keeping safe and healthy. (This is the fourth of our 12 FTA Spotlight: Re/Defini
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Ever Imagine Taking a Year-Long Family Vacation? For Some, It’s Not a Daydream
Traveling the world is a merely a wish for most individuals. But for some, a year-long family vacation is a serious goal that can be accomplished.
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Best Family Destinations in Costa Rica
The land of Pura Vida has a little something for everyone. Here are some of the best family destinations in Costa Rica in which to spend time with the ones you love.
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How to Help Your Kids Be Better Travelers This Summer
Travel is a great way for families to bond—and for kids to learn about the world, and themselves. How can you start conversations to help how to help your kids be better travelers?
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Why Does the $7.6T Global Travel Industry Ignore Single Parents?
More than a third of children in the U.S. grow up in single-parent homes. Why doesn't the global tourism industry market more to single parents.
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'Only' Planet: Tips for Travel with Your Solo Child
Parents who holiday with an 'only child' face different challenges. Her are some tried and tested tips if you’re planning travel with your solo child.
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Are We There Yet? Vacations with the Kids: The Best Kid-Friendly European Travel Destinations
It’s not as difficult as you might think to balance the needs of both adults and children on a holiday. Here are some ideal European destinations ideal for traveling with kids.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Technology’s Impact on Family Travel
Technology's impact on family travel is undeniable. The question is: how can we use it to enable and elevate the making of memories, not compete with it? (This is the fifth of our 12 FTA Spotlight: Re
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Debunking Family Travel Myths: You Can Travel with a Baby
An attempt to debunk common misconceptions about traveling with kids. Family travel myth #1: You can't travel with a baby.
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Debunking Family Travel Myths: The Picky Eater Won’t Starve
An attempt to debunk common misconceptions about traveling with kids. Family travel myth #3: The picky eater will starve.
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Living History in Athens
Visit Athens with kids for a living history lesson. Discover how modern is juxtaposed with ancient, and art is featured throughout the city.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Traveling for Families with Special Needs
Most children with special needs "learn by doing." Travel supports this type of learning. Families with special needs children should be afforded this opportunity. (This is the sixth of our 12 FTA Spo
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Three Generations of Travel
If you’re lucky, you’ll have the chance to travel with your kids when they’ve turned the corner into adulthood. If you’re luckier still, you’ll get to do it with your own parents too.
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The Horrors of Breastfeeding and Pumping While Traveling
For traveling moms, breastfeeding means finding creative places to both nurse and pump in public spaces. Yahoo's Laura Begley Bloom shares her story.
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City Tours Becoming More Children-Friendly
City tours can be yawn-inducing for kids. Fortunately, companies are creating interactive and entertaining versions for those between the ages of 6 and 12.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Philanthropic and Volunteer Travel Opportunities for Families
One excellent way to prime children for tomorrow is through the potentially powerful combination of travel and service: transformational learning experiences for the entire family. (This is the seventh of our 12 Continue Reading Story
Adventure Travel Taps into the Family Market
A niche no longer reserved just for adrenaline junkies, adventure travel is attracting families.
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10 of the Best Active Family Sports Holidays
Whether you saddle up in Portugal, ride the waves in Morocco or play tennis in the Caribbean, don't be without this guide to family sports holidays.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Family Travel and Nature’s Nurture
Sadly, for today's technology-focused children, the natural world feels a little "unnatural." All the more reason to make a nature-based family holiday a top priority. (This is the eighth of our 12 FT
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Making Family Travel Affordable
Ask average parents why they don’t travel more (or at all) and the word you often hear is: money. Are there ways for to make family travel more affordable? We think so! (This is the ninth of our 12
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Remembering Keith Bellows, Our Inspiration and Friend
Today we share in the outpouring of grief and remembrance after the untimely passing of Keith Bellows, our director of consumer engagement.
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > The Impact of the Sharing Economy on Family Travel
The Sharing Economy allows families to travel more efficiently, comfortably, cost-effectively and socially. Do you buy into its merits or view it as hype? (This is the 10th of our 12 FTA Spotlight: Re
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > How Travel Can Change a Family
In our daily lives, we settle into our roles. That's one reason why traveling is so important, especially when you think how travel can change a family - expanding our worldviews, global knowledge and experience, and offering unlimited learning oppor
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > Easing the Anxiety of Flying with Children
Travel may be more affordable than ever, but it's also littered with fees, many of them aimed squarely parents flying with children. So where does it stop? (This is the third of our 12 FTA Spotlight:
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FTA Spotlight: Re/Defining Family Travel > The Future of Family Travel
What do we know today about the future of family travel? One thing we reliably understand is that family/multigenerational travel is growing. A lot. But there's plenty more to think about! (This is the last of our 12 Continue Reading Story
Family Travel with Special Needs Children
Travel can change a special-needs child’s outlook on the world and transform the child forever. From a logistical perspective, however, travel is a lot more challenging. That’s where experts such as Ida Keiper and Jesemine Jones can help.
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10 Rules for Flying with Small Children
Here is a set of 10 rules that you should consider following if you want to survive flying with your small children.
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5 Family-Friendly Winter Escapes in the Pacific Northwest
Hit the slopes and enjoy quality time together at these relaxing family-friendly winter escapes within easy driving distance of major Pacific Northwest cities.
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Top 5 Multigenerational Vacations for Every Budget
Here are five top multigenerational vacations suited for a wide range of budgets, interests and traveler types.
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Aussie Family Saving 60% of Its Income Traveling the World
The Bender family are traveling the world with their kids and saving a lot of money along the way.
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Family Holidays: 10 Places You Wouldn’t Think to Take Your Family
Offbeat and unusual destinations for a family holidays, from beach breaks in Colombia and Zimbabwe, to museums in Manchester.
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Family Safari in Africa
If you have ever thought of a family safari in African safari, or been intimidated by it, read about these companies that have changed the way everyone should think about it.
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5 Extraordinary Dude Ranches for Families
Here are five fantastic dude ranches for families, where you're in it for the riding or active, outdoor, multi-sport fun.
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Experiential Family Travel: A Ticket to Fond Memories
People who give a trip with a theme can make a getaway gift particularly memorable, especially when it involves experiential family travel.
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Central America is a Family Vacation Paradise
Expanding your horizons beyond the more popular destinations and into Central America could lead to unexpected adventures in a family vacation paradise.
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Family-Friendly Activities in Las Vegas
It might surprise you to learn that there are almost as many fun family-friendly activities in Las Vegas as there are fun things only for adults.
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8 Christmas-Themed Railroad Excursions Rolling This Holiday Season
Here is a brief breakdown of Christmas-themed railroad excursions departing during the holiday seasons and sure to leave families in a jolly good mood.
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25 Travel Books to Inspire Kids of All Ages
Here are 25 travel books (or series) about the big blue marble and the people who live here for kids of all ages.
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The Latest and Greatest in Family Travel Gear
As every parent knows, packing for a family trip can be a serious challenge. Here some family travel gear that will deepen a parent’s travel toolbox, as well as some top picks by fellow moms and dads who work in the travel industry.
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Kid Safety on Vacation – 50 Things You Must Know Before Traveling
The last thing any parent wants to think about is the worse case scenario, but it is direly important to consider kid safety in advance.
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Single Parent Travel – Emergency Plans & Preparations
What if something happens if you and you become incapacitated, unconscious or missing? Is your child ready? It’s not a pleasant topic for single parent travel, but it should be discussed.
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Travel Safety Tips
Traveling with children can be a delight and a challenge. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has the following travel safety tips for stress-free family travel.
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10 Best Ski Resorts for Families in 2015/2016
More ski resorts have begun to offer additional activities for families, both on and off the mountain. These are our top picks for the 10 best ski resorts for families in 2015/2016.
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Citizen Science Programs for Families in Mexico’s Baja California Sur
A vacation with education at its core can sometimes seem like a pretty tough sell. These are just three examples of the terrific citizen science programs for families in Mexico's Baja California Sur.
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A Stress-Free, Family Vacation? It's Possible!
Planning a family vacation for members with a range of ages, personalities and interests can involve a bit of tension. These are Samantha Brown's secrets on how to plan a trip that’s enjoyable for all.
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How to Keep Your Multigenerational Vacation from Becoming the Griswolds on Steroids
A solid mix of exasperation and exhilaration, a multigenerational vacation isn’t easy to plan or execute. These tips will help you reduce the bumps of an intergenerational trip.
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8 Road Trip Tips for Traveling with Young Children
Road trips are trying, especially for small children. The road trip tips covered in this piece are about the journey and what to do at the stops along the way that will minimize meltdowns and frustration.
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The Worst Travel Advice for Families
No matter how you travel, sometimes you need a little advice. But that travel advice for families can be subjective… not to mention bordering on the ridiculous.
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Does My Child Need a Passport?
If you plan to visit another country, your child needs a passport, no matter how young he or she is.
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Why Asian-American Families Don’t Travel Abroad More, But Should
Why aren’t Asian-American families traveling abroad more? Perception of too many opportunity costs, parents’ focus on kids’ schooling, and fear of the unknown.
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Travel Can Change Your Child’s Life: Here’s How
There are few organized resources specifically for families or parents interested in planning travel that includes children or is specifically geared toward children.
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Traveling as a Single Parent: Not Always a Smooth Ride
Is it difficult to travel as a single mom? Not for the reasons most people think. Here are some ways the travel industry can help.
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A Special Flight Program for Special Kids
Kids with autism have difficulties with an overload of the senses. Imagine what a flight is like. So here’s a special flight program that introduces the flight experience to kids with special needs.
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Creating Special Connections: Travel as One Parent and One Child
Travel as one parent and one child lets you build a special one-on-one relationship that can be hard to establish in a mix with more family members.
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Family Travel Association Helps Congress Push for Families Flying Together Act
The Family Travel Association has thrown its weight behind a congressional effort to pass language from the Families Flying Together Act.
Continue Reading Story We Didn’t Get All the Way (Yet!) to Helping Families Flying Together
Last week saw only partial success after the push to support family-friendly language to help families flying together sit together.
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Bike Tours for Families
Bike tours for families are a great way to explore a region or country and get a feel for it in a way not always possible from a train or rental car.
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5 Family Travel Trends for 2016
What are the latest family travel trends? "Vacations can increasingly happen at any time, with any size group, for any number of days, with any amount of notice," travel expert says.
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Seven Lessons You Learn After Traveling With Kids
After five years of travels with her young children, here’s one mom’s seven lessons learned from traveling with kids.
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Five Perfect Ski Resorts for Families
Given all the considerations, finding the best ski resorts for families can be a real challenge. Here's Travel + Leisure's cherry picks of the best destinations that fold in all the key ingredients
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15 Things to Do with Your Family Vacation Photos
Look at this list of 15 things to do with your family vacation photos. From business cards and postage stamps to holiday photo cards and digital photo albums, there are lots of great ways to put your photos to good use.
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Some of the Best Family-Friendly Museums Around the World
Museums aren’t what they used to be. Today’s are designed for little ones to explore as much as for adults to enjoy. Here is HomeExchange’s selection of some of the best family-friendly museums in the world.
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5 Best Dolomite Ski Runs for Kids
If you’re planning a trip to the Dolomites of Italy with the whole clan in tow, here are five of the best ski areas for children
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Staying Healthy While Traveling the Globe
Staying healthy while traveling is critical. Here’s what one person did on a recent trip to Tanzania with her four grandsons. No one got sick.
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Family Safari in Africa: Educational and Exciting
Many families are taking their kids out of school for travel to Africa during off-peak times. Here are three ways to work education into a family safari in Africa.
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Top 5 Things to Do During Family Travel in Kenya
Kenya is packed with excitement that is great for family safari. From hand-feeding a giraffe to jumping with the Maasai, here is a list of five must-do activities when you plan a family travel in Kenya.
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What I’ve Learned from Designing Family Safaris for 20 Years – John Spence, Aardvark Safaris
Safaris are on most travelers’ bucket lists. Family safaris too! The key to making them happen: find a safari operator who knows how to cater to family needs. Here’s one!
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The Benefits of Traveling with Kids
If you see the world as a rich learning environment, here are nine key benefits to brood on when pondering the benefits of traveling with kids.
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Best Ways to Make Family Travel Meaningful
Having fun is not the same as experiencing something meaningful. Here are 10 fun, but challenging, life-changing activities that reliably make family travel meaningful and uplifting for everyone.
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Why Fathers Should Bring Toddlers on a Family Mini Adventure
When mum was busy with work, this father and toddler daughter had a great excuse for a family mini adventure.
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When Travel Is Different, Understanding Gets You There
Travel is different with MJ. He is 22 and until recently had been in residential treatment for a laundry list of developmental and mental health issues. And now he and his family are figuring out how to establish a traveling relationship.
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Autism-Friendly Travel
Autism-friendly travel for families can be difficult. Here are organizations that aid families traveling with children on the spectrum or with other special needs.
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A Travel Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs
All children benefit from traveling. Travel is full of teachable moments. Children with special needs are no different. Travel provides opportunities to practice and improve social and communication skill and promotes cognitive growth.
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Join Us in Supporting the Every Kid in a Park Campaign
The Family Travel Association is proud to partner with and pledge its support to the White House's Every Kid in a Park campaign. Join us!
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Update and Appeal Following the Earthquake in Ecuador
After the earthquake in Ecuador the staff, family and guests of our four Ecuador-based members are OK... and busy contributing to relief and tourism efforts.
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Healthier Holiday Food for Kids: A Family Travel Priority
Wouldn't it be great if there was healthier food for kids in hotels, resorts and theme parks? Well, it's beginning to happen as more and more people see the value in combatting childhood obesity and encouraging healthier lifestyles.
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Is Millennial Family Travel Different?
Millennials are reshaping the highly lucrative family travel landscape, whether they are driving an RV, sharing a local's apartment or taking an exotic adventure trip.
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Beyond Family Cruises: 10 New Multigenerational Vacation Ideas
A multigenerational vacation is more popular than ever, but how about something other than a cruise? Here are 10 outside-the-box ideas to consider as a family.
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Family Travel Must Stand Up for Families and #StopOrphanTrips
Nobody likes to be played for a fool, but that’s what’s often the case when you visit, volunteer at or contribute to an overseas “orphanage.” Perhaps traveling families should take a stand and call for an end to orphanage tourism.
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Top Considerations for Volunteering Overseas… with Your Kids
More and more parents are considering volunteering overseas with their kids to see beyond typical tourist attractions and act as global citizens.
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Family Ties: A My PADI Story
My PADI Story: When I learned that you can be as young as 10 and get PADI certified as a diver, we found ourselves on a plane heading to Palau! as a family!
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8 Indispensable Family Travel Websites (Plus 4 Amazing Apps to Download Now!)
Ready for an unforgettable family vacation? Combining their know-how with intel from the founder of the FTA, Budget Travel chose eight great family travel websites.
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5 Tips for Family Adventure Travel
Backed up by a webinar, here are our five top tips for getting started on your family adventure travel trip.
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Family Travel and Vacation Rentals
“Vacation rentals are exploding because family travel is exploding.” This comes as no surprise to anyone helping the new generation of traveling families. Here's what the experts have to say.
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Ecotourism and Family Travel in Costa Rica
Costa Rica offers amazing product and program diversity at cross-section of ecotourism and family travel in Costa Rica. “A family vacation in Costa Rica is a way to raise awareness about sustainability for the whole family.”
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7 Cruise Safety Tips
In light of the recent drowning death of an 8-year-old boy in a swimming pool on a cruise ship, cruise safety is in the spotlight, and travel industry experts are offering cruise safety tips to passengers.
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To Keep Families Flying Together, U.S. Congress Passes New Law
The hard work has paid off! Within a year, airlines will be required to keep families flying together thanks to a new law passed by the U.S. Congress.
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The Alaska Experience: Risk or Real Life?
Any wilderness experience includes some risk, especially an Alaska experience. But how far is too far for visitors not accustomed to wildlife or weather, mountains or machines?
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Traveling with Voluntary Kin: “She’s Like a Sister to Me”
Voluntary kin are an often-overlooked type of family relationship that should be taken into consideration: people we think of as family but who are not related to us by biology or law.
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Children/Adventure Travel: How Safe? How Beneficial?
Modern travel has enabled parents to take ever younger children on adventure travel. Is it reasonable to do so? Here are some thoughts.
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Making Time for Multigenerational Vacations
Planning a multigenerational vacation may sound like a logistical nightmare, but service providers are making it easier for groups to come together.
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Family Travel: Creating Nature’s Caretakers
For some species, family travel is instinctive or a matter of survival. For others it is a yearning for adventure and discovery. The places where they cross paths – places like Baja, where humans and gray whales can today interact freely and withou
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Family Travel Association Sponsors First-Ever New York Times Travel Show’s Family Travel Pavilion
At the 2017 New York Times Travel Show, scheduled for January 27 to 29, 2017, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, one of the newest developments will be the Family Travel Pavilion.
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Galapagos: Close Encounters of the Wild Kind
A Thomson Family Adventures trip to the Galapagos Islands offers families a wealth of up-close wildlife viewing and more.
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Is Family Travel a Waste of Money?
A recent article asserts that family travel is a waste of money. We at the FTA disagree and so do our members. In the strongest terms.
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Event Summary: FTA Summit, Day 1
The second annual FTA Summit kicked off in grand fashion today, with three keynote speakers and original research data headlining the Family Travel Association festivities.
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New Study Finds Significant Growth Ahead for Family Travel Market
The family travel market is poised for significant growth, according to a new study from the Family Travel Association.
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Event Summary: FTA Summit, Days 2 and 3
Learning and living. That's how attendees of the second-annual FTA Summit spent the last two days at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona.
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Successful Family Travel Advisor Forum Connects Sellers and Suppliers
The debut Family Travel Advisor Forum, an exclusive hosted program for top-performing travel agents, recently concluded and by all accounts was a great success.
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Understanding the Full-Time Family Travel Trend
The future of family travel includes a popular trend of leaving normal life behind to experience full-time family travel. One primary motivator is desire to build stronger family bonds.
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Family Travel and Dude Ranches
Why family travel and dude ranches? Because they reconnect adults to innocent parts of their childhood and introduce their kids to these same experiences.
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Schussing the Far North: Alaska’s Best Skiing and Riding for Families
Eager to experience the activities for which Alaska is famous? Try these options for Alaska's best skiing and wintery family fun, the way the locals do.
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Planning a Family Vacation – without the Parents
There’s something very special about planning a family vacation without a kid's parents. Sure, it’s a lot of responsibility, but it's a bonding opportunity like no other.
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Family Travel and Winter Experiences
No matter what anyone might say, what truly underpins any parent’s love of family travel and winter is the laughter of a kid dashing through the snow.
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Vacation Rentals Provide All the Comforts of Home
A look at how vacation rentals offer families more space and more amenities (like a kitchen!) than traditional vacation lodging.
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Discovering South America with a Socially Responsible and Sustainable Partner
More families are aware of the importance of arranging vacations with a socially responsible and sustainable company (like Pure! Ecuador).
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Family Travel and River Cruising
More and more river cruise lines are offering special family-focused sailings and ships designed to meet the needs of vacationers of all ages and interests.
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Who’s Traveling? Virtual School Families!
Families whose children attend virtual school, and they’re a growing niche that the travel industry is just beginning to notice.
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5 Volunteer Vacations for Families
Give your kids the chance to lend a hand during volunteer vacations and leave a meaningful impact on the communities they visit.
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How to Set Up Your Family Campsite
A family campsite can be stressful if you don't know how to be organized. Here’s how to efficiently pack and set up all your gear.
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Family Vacations Serve Are ‘Happiness Anchors’ for Kids Until They Grow Up
Not-so-typical reasons from experts on why family vacations are ‘happiness anchors’ (so pack your bags and get out of the house).
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Baby on Board: Traveling with Infants
It's a polarizing issues among travelers, and yet more families than ever are traveling with infants and toddlers on vacations near and far.
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Finding the Best Ski Deals for Kids
When ski season hits in Utah, it's time to find the best ski deals for kids and get your family on the slopes. Check these ones out.
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Family Road Trips You Can Take in a Week
Family road trips are a great way to vacation, bond, and see spectacular sights. Weeklong road trips are best. Here are a few worth considering.
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Family Travel in a (Tricky) New Travel Climate
What are traveling families doing in today's new travel climate of travel obstacles and overarching negativity that is making people stay home?
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Special Needs Travel: 5 Great Ideas for a Memorable Family Vacation
Every family deserves a vacation. Fortunately, more and more operators are offering special needs travel for families of all abilities.
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Traveling with Autism
This a family traveling with autism. Family travel is so important to them that the only way for their son with autism to get better at travel was to actually go somewhere.
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Royal Caribbean International’s Autism-Friendly Sailings: A Family’s Story
How successful was Royal Caribbean International's autism-friendly sailing? This family finally decided to test it out. Here’s their story.
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Bound Round Seeks Families of Australia to Share Their Favorite Attractions and Destinations
Bound Round's Families of Australia initiative will see a group of Australian families become the faces of their local regions.
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7 Ways to Save For and Plan an Affordable Family Vacation
An affordable family vacation doesn't have to be a fairytale. If it’s important, you can make it work. Here are some tips.
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Airlines Need to Think More About How Families Fly
Airlines will need to reconsider the solitary seating and refined cuisine that cater to adult passengers. To win over parents who travel with their little ones in tow they will need to review how families fly.
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Flying with Kids: the Good, the Bad, the Body Fluids
Kids don’t understand that plane’s gotta fly and cars gotta drive and that means they must be still or quiet. Here are a few stories of what it’s actually like to when you’re flying with kids.
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Family Travel and Road Tripping
An in-depth examination of both the magic and mystery of family travel and road tripping, including testimonials and suggestions from experts.
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The Many Reasons Why I’m Thankful I Travel with Family
There will come a time when this writer and her husband will travel on their own again, but for now, they travel with family because they want to remember how they became a family.
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Why Your Next Family Vacation Should Be on a Train
For children, trains are not simply a mode of transport, they’re an experience. Factor in a sleepover and you’ve got magic, part Hogwart’s with a side of Polar Express. Here are five family travel train journey favorites.
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Family Travel in Ladakh, India, the Land of the Broken Moon
Starting in the summer of 2017, Global Family Travels is inviting traveling families to a unique learning and volunteering experience in India’s Ladakh region
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Off-the-Beaten-Path Family Travel
Off-the-beaten-path family travel — is it appropriate as more and more parents travel with their kids in search of powerful learning experiences?
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Active Family Travel Demand Continues to Rise… and Travel Operators Respond
The trend of immediate and extended families pursuing active family travel together continues to grow. Backroads is rising to the challenge.
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The FTA Taps Top Family Travel Agents for Industry Intel
The Family Travel Association successfully completed its first-ever FTA Travel Agent Council Forum of the industry's leading family travel agents.
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Busted! 7 Lame Excuses for Not Traveling with Your Kids
With a little bit of creativity, flexibility and planning, travel with kids can be a rewarding adventure for the whole family.
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Diving Back into Life (with Family)
Although missing part of a limb, Paul Zanelli — a husband, father and traveler, is diving back into life with the help of a family dive vacation.
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Top 10 Tips for Traveling with Teenagers
Here are some top tips about traveling with teenagers: where to take them, how to keep them happy and how to make the holiday one to remember.
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Family Vacation Critic Names the Best Hotels for Families in 2017
Family Vacation Critic has released its annual list of the best hotels for families in 2017, including a handful of FTA members.
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Family Travel by Bicycle
Growing numbers of people take off each year for family travel by bike. Here’s what our family travel experts have to say about it.
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7 Questions to Ask When Deciding on a Family Bicycle Tour
Here are seven of the top questions to ask yourself when you're deciding on whether and how to enjoy a family bicycle tour.
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Discover Lisbon as a Family with Martinhal Chiado Family Suites
Set in the center of Lisbon’s historic and fashionable district of Chiado, Martinhal Chiado Family Suites is the world’s first elegant city-centre family hotel.
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Making Hotels Friendlier for Families: 1+1=3
An expert analysis at the types of amenities that make a hotel stand out to family travelers looking for family-friendly hotels.
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The Importance of a Family Digital Detox
The family digital detox vacation, during which electronic devices are not allowed and there’s no wi-fi access or cellular service, is a new, popular option.
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8 Family Travel Safety Tips for a Hassle-Free Vacation
To ensure the best holiday possible, it’s important to plan for different eventualities. Here are some family travel safety tips for hassle-free trips.
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Family Travel and Camping
Family travel and camping go together like summer and vacation! Here are a few important reasons why everyone should do it.
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Vacation Trend: Slow Travel for Families Living in the Fast Lane
Living in the fast lane? Slow travel for families is highly recommended. Fortunately, slow travel family destinations are on the rise.
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Why Agents Should Embrace Cost-Conscious Family Travel
Regardless of budget, all families deserve great vacations. To help, travel agents must embrace cost-conscious family travel.
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Family-Friendly Iceland
Travelling to a new country with your family is an exciting adventure, but sometimes you don’t know where to look to find the family-friendly side to a foreign place. Iceland‘s close-knit family culture and emphasis on outdoor activity is tailor-
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Celebrating the Bicycle’s Bicentennial in Germany (with Family)
A bicycle tour of SouthWest Germany is a fun, eco-friendly family adventure with teens.
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An Eye-Opening Family Visit to a Chinese Migrant Workers’ School
An eye-opening account of the complex context and experience of an American family’s visit to a Chinese migrant workers' school.
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How to Be a Responsible Family Travel Champion: Top Tips
We asked our members to share their top tips about making responsible family travel decisions. Here’s what they had to say.
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Family Travel and Responsible Tourism
A comprehensive collection of reasons and arguments why everyone should engage in more family travel and responsible tourism.
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One Adventure to Have with Kids in Every State… Before They Grow Up!
There's a ton to see and do across America. Road-tripping is the best way to see and do it all. Here are some favorite family RV adventures to have in each state.
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FTA Summit – Register Now
The cabin block for the Family Travel Association (FTA) Summit is filling fast. So register now to ensure your ability to network with the best of the family travel industry (including media and agents)! The event is October 23-27 on Royal Caribbea
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Use Us! – And Get the Most out of your FTA Membership
The FTA exists to serve its members. After all, if there are no members – there is no FTA, right? To that end, we’d love to have you use us. Seriously. Did you join to connect with the 80+ vetted freelancers and bloggers in our Media Center? Want
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Family Traveller Launches in U.S. with FTA Partnership
Family Traveller, a fast-growing global media brand, announced the arrival of its U.S. edition, launching its website this week, with a print magazine debuting in January 2018.
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Why Family Travel Insurance is More Important Than Ever
Each day’s news cycle seems scarier than the day before, whether that is due to hurricanes, forest fires, earthquakes, terrorism, or political unrest. It can feel far too daunting to book travel months in advance given the unpredictable nature of o
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Spring Getaway to Europe’s “West Coast” at Martinhal Sagres Family Beach Resort
With over 300 days of sunshine, warm temperatures year-round and known as a water sports haven, Portugal’s Algarve coast is already a firm favorite beach destination for travelers in the know. For spring getaway far from the crowds, a stay at Marti
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FTA Has Strong Presence at NY Times Travel Show
The New York Times has announced that its annual Travel Show reached a new record of 32,398 participants—the highest attendance in the Show’s history. Attendance included 10,268 travel trade and 22,130 consumer attendees during the three-day even
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FTA Summit 2018
The annual FTA Summit is a trade-only, conference-style event that brings together the leading players and key influencers in family travel, including top suppliers, A-list media and travel agents who specialize in this important market segment. Co
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New Growth Potential in Family Travel Market
Travel agents definitely have an opportunity when it comes to selling to families who are craving information and price transparency. According to a new study by the Family Travel Association (FTA) and the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS)
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DOT studies pricing models that split up families flying together
Over the past decade, as most U.S. airlines have begun charging extra for choice economy seats, it has become more complicated for those traveling as a party to secure seats together without paying an up-charge. It was for that reason that in July 20
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The Most Annoying Things About Family Travel
The thrills (and spills!) of parenting seem to be amplified when you’re on vacation. Like, your kid isn’t just crying because she’s tired—she’s crying because she’s jet-lagged and thinks day is night. And she has an audience of 250 people
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Heed call to help make family holidays safer
More than 20 holiday operators have signalled their commitment to improving safety on holidays by signing up to contribute their accident and fatality data to the Safer Tourism Foundation (STF). Last week Telegraph Travel launched its campaign for sa
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Longwoods International and the Family Travel Association join forces to promote family travel in the U.S.
Longwoods International, a leader in tourism market research, and the Family Travel Association, the leading coalition of the family travel industry, have teamed up to produce a new profile of family travel in the United States. Their study, released
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Traveling with Children is Easier and More Valued Than Ever
Parents report traveling with children is easier today than it’s been for past generations, according to new research by Lonely Planet in conjunction with Lonely Planet Kids. The travel media company surveyed 1,800 parents with children under 18 ab
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FTA Unveils “FTA Academy”: Industry’s First Family Travel Certification Course
The Family Travel Association is proud to announce the launch of the FTA Certification program for travel agents that specialize in family travel. This certification course is the first of it’s kind in the travel industry.
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Family Vacations Still Possible Despite Inflation Increase
More than a third of Americans were planning to take a vacation more than 50 miles away from home involving more than 2 immediate family members.
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Virtuoso: Absolute Trends In American Family Travel in 2018
As the busy summer travel season approaches, global luxury travel network unveils that families are roaming the world in search of experiences that create closer bonds and lasting memories.
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Thomson Family Adventures Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Thomson Family Adventures introduces exclusive 20th Anniversary offers to benefit families. Watertown, MA- Thomson Family Adventures, a leader in the family adventure travel industry, is proud to announce that it is celebrating its 20th year in adven
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5 Ways To Help Nurture Your Child’s Love of Animals – At Home and Away!
Animals hold a special place in our hearts – and anyone with children knows this love starts at a young age. Some of our first words are the sounds made by favorite animals.
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US family travel experts share their best trips
When you live in a country as vast and varied as the US, it’s hard to decide where to spend that oh-so-precious family vacation. And the answer also depends on your point of origin and how far you’re prepared to go.
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Beyond the Beach: Unexpected Travel Destinations for Families with Fun and Learning in Mind
Luxury travel agents from Tzell Travel share their tips for unforgettable experiences for families around the world Experiential travel is hot and it’s not just for grownups. Travel Leaders Group’s recent Travel Trends survey revealed that luxury
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Life Travel Map by Global CommUnity
Raising a global citizen takes planning The key years for travel with your child are ages 5 to 18. During those 13 years, families are also juggling extracurricular activities and life road bumps that will further limit your travel time options.
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Kids have their say with Big Five Tours & Expeditions
Big Five Tours & Expeditions has been evolving its approach to family travel over several years, with the belief that the creativity and ideas of children combined with the power of travel can transform the world. We began our first serious steps
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Under Construction: FTA Travel Agent Resource Center
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be reaching out to FTA members to gather assets for the soon-to-be-launched FTA Resource Center for Travel Agents. We want to hear from you about what tools and information would help you better connect with your FTA
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On the Air: Announcing Family Travel Radio
On October 1st, The Family Travel Association (FTA) will launch Family Travel Radio, a podcast designed to help parents discover what’s possible when it comes to traveling with their children. Family Travel Radio will be hosted by podcasting vetera
Continue Reading Story Reaching the Summit
More than 150 travel industry members will be meeting at the Fairmont Southampton Princess in less than two weeks, for the FTA’s 2018 Summit. Hosted by the Bermuda Tourism Authority, this year’s summit will focus on “Innovation,” as we gather
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AmaWaterways’ Kristin Karst Named the 2018 Family Travel Association’s “Person of the Year”
Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner, has been chosen as the 2018 Family Travel Association’s “Person of the Year.”
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15 Best Dude Ranches for Families
The ultimate family vacation has grown exponentially in terms of options and accommodations — and dude ranch vacations are no exception. In fact, there are very few resorts that emulate the offerings of the dude ranch community. “Activity options
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Global CommUnity Seeks to Change the Way Families Travel
The 2018 U.S. Family Travel Survey shows that the number one motivation for parents to invest in vacations is “To have my children discover new places and have new experiences.
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2018 Family Travel Survey Reveals the Deepest Wants and Needs of Families
FTA members dug deep into insights about the family travel market during a Monday morning session highlighted by Peter Bopp, FTA Director of Strategy.
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FTA Honors: Celebrating Innovation, Excellence, and Person-of-the-Year
It was a night unlike any other, many travel veterans said. Monday evening, at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, the FTA unveiled FTA Honors.
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FTA Summit 2018 Serves Up Passion, Innovation and Insights
The 150 delegates who attended left Bermuda with a renewed sense of excitement and resolution about the opportunities the family travel market offers their businesses.
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Day 2: The Momentum Continues
Still glowing from an evening of awards and networking, attendees reconvened on Day 2, Tuesday, focused on supporting families whose special needs aren’t always being met by the travel industry. Tuesday morning also included an eye-opening main ses
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Save the Date: South Dakota, Summit 2019
The South Dakota Department of Tourism will host the Family Travel Association 2019 Summit, Oct. 20-24.
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Emerging Destinations are the Perfect Destinations for Discovery
In a discussion that was recorded for an episode of the recently launched Family Travel Radio, three experts at our 2018 Summit discussed the benefits of families visiting emerging destinations. According to the 2018 Family Travel Survey, only 22 per
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2018 Summit: Exceeding Expectations
From everything we saw, heard and experienced during the FTA 2018 Summit in Bermuda (Oct. 7-9), it can only be called a rousing success. The information and insights shared and connections made, contributed to what most felt was our best Summit yet.
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Tapsy Tours Educates and Entertains Children and Adults
Parents are increasingly seeking travel experiences for their children that help educate them and broaden their minds, something FTA Member Tapsy Tours has focused on for over the last three years. In the recently released 2018 U.S. Family Travel Sur
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Canadian Families Have a Passion For Travel
Canadians prioritize visiting new places and exploring with their children, according to a survey recently presented at the 2018 Family Travel Association Summit. Canadian families have a tremendous passion for getting away together, as evidenced by
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Diverse Family Offerings Mean Saint Lucia Isn’t Just for Romance Travel
Saint Lucia consistently ranks at the top of romantic Caribbean islands, but what many families and travel agents might not be aware of is that it is also a very kid-friendly destination. For any agent whose clients are looking for a lush getaway, wi
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Recommend Magazine Survey: How travel agents are booking family travel
Recommend Magazine is interested in learning how travel agents are booking family travel, how it has changed and grown over the last few years, and how niches within the general segment are changing how travel advisors sell this particular demographi
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FTA Developing Travel Agent Resource Center
The FTA has started working with members on a Travel Agent Resource Center designed to help travel advisors better understand what our suppliers offer families and how to sell to their products and services more effectively.
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Celebrity Cruises earns Special Needs Group award
Celebrity Cruises recently was named the 2018 Power Partner by the Special Needs Group (SNG), an organization that seeks to educate travel industry professionals about the issues faced by some travelers with accessibility challenges. Celebrity Cruise
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Costa Rica Hosts FTA Media
Il Viaggio Travel, a San José, Costa Rica, ground operator, recently took advantage of one of the greatest FTA member benefits – the ability to connect with other members, create meaningful business relationships, and help parents discover what ou
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Tauck Tours Offers New “Great Migration” Safari Tour
The annual “Great Migration” is considered one of the grandest wildlife spectacles on earth, when millions of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles travel a circular route through eastern Africa in search of fresh grazing lands. The annual procession i
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FTA Join Forces with Northstar Media To Help Agents Sell To Families
The FTA collaborated with Family Getaways and the Northstar Travel Group to further their efforts to educate travel professionals on selling family travel.
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Parents Say They Would Cancel Christmas To Travel Instead
Over half of parents (66%) say they would cancel Christmas this year to travel instead, with majority (78%) noting they would rather spend their money on a vacation instead of holiday gifts.
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Can a Dude Ranch Change Your Client’s Life?
Many travel advisors and consumers have misconceptions about what a dude ranch experience will be like, and some may be either skeptical or worried about whether it would be fulfilling for them. In this episode, podcaster Aaron Schlein breaks down th
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Take Over Our FTA Social Media in 2019
Social media is one of the key ways FTA members stay in touch with each other and their followers. In 2019, we will continue to expand platforms on Facebook and Instagram for our members, so you can demonstrate your talent and offerings.
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6 Myths About Dude Ranch Vacations that Simply Aren’t True
This past summer our family decided to try a dude ranch vacation, and I have to admit I was apprehensive at first. When my husband was a child, his family visited a dude ranch in Colorado and he said it was the best vacation ever.
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New Year, New Opportunities to Grow Your Family Travel Business
Happy New Year! As we step into 2019, we want to remind you of all the ways that you can communicate with your fellow FTA members and gain the added reach of families who engage with the FTA through our full complement of communications and events.
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FTA Launches First Travel Agent Industry Guide
The Family Travel Association is proud to announce the launch of our FTA Dude Ranch Guide, the first in a series of industry category tools that will be published in our new Travel Agent Resource Center. These tools help the FTA’s travel agency mem
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Family Travel Radio – Affordable Vacations are as Simple as a Mindset Shift
Author and freelance writer Erin Kirkland talks with Family Travel Radio’s Aaron Schlein about how travel is more affordable when parents shift their perspective. Budget travel has “negative connotations,” Kirkland tells Schlein. “We need to
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Intrepid Travel Product Managers Are Parents Too
The itineraries and experiences empowering families traveling with adventure tour operator and FTA Member Intrepid Travel, often result from the personal experiences of employees like Family Brand and Product Manager, Dyan McKie. Based in Melbourne,
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Family Travel Opens Children to More Possibilities
For so many families, prioritizing the time and financial investment to travel together is difficult, as evidenced by some of the results from the FTA’s 2018 Family Travel Survey. When we asked those respondents with vacation days what share of the
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New FTA Board Members Announced
To kick off the new year, the President of the FTA, Rainer Jenss, announced the addition of four new members to the Advisory Board: Mike Janes, Ben Perlo, Peter Ross, Ashish Sanghrajka. The Advisory Board is comprised of a variety of industry lum
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Why Moms Choose a Dude Ranch for a Great Family Vacation
Dude ranches make an incredibly memorable and enjoyable family vacation – for moms especially. With a sense of togetherness and shared experiences moms and the whole family are sure to love their time in the great outdoors, horseback riding and
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6 Extraordinary Family Vacation Ideas for 2019 – Dude Ranches Out West
Are you looking for exciting family vacation ideas? Think outside the box and perhaps consider a dude ranch vacation in the west! For more than 100 years dude ranches and guest ranch vacations have provided limitless fun and engaging things to do for
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4 Common Misconceptions Your Customers Have of Volunteer Travel
Let’s be honest, when your potential customers hear the term “volunteer travel,” what’s their gut reaction? There’s a good chance they picture a group of college-age kids in a third world country. By day the agenda calls for physically dema
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How Do Queer Families Choose a Destination?
PHOTO: Gay couple walking through fall woodland with daughter. (Photo via monkeybusinessimages / iStock / Getty Images Plus) Choosing a family vacation destination is tough enough, with sometimes vastly different ideas of what would be cool to kids o
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Britain: A Practically Perfect Family Vacation
From the first time my son watched Mary Poppins, he has wanted to see London. Prior to last August, my wife and I had planned to wait at least a couple of more years before venturing overseas with our kids. That all went out the window when we saw No
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FTA and Recommend Magazine Help Educate Travel Advisors
The FTA recently collaborated with Media Partner Recommend Magazine to bring insights and best practices for professional travel advisors seeking to focus on the family travel market. Recommend Magazine Editor-in-Chief Paloma Villaverde de Rico moder
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CEO Q&A With Nora Livingstone, Of Animal Experience International
FTA sat down with Nora Livingstone, CEO and Founder of Animal Experience International, one of our newest members, to understand how she built her company’s itineraries and brand promise based on her personal family travel experiences. Describe wha
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FTA’s Rainer Jenss Speaks at Signature Travel Network’s Inaugural Luxury Forum in Dallas
Signature Travel Network held its first Luxury Summit in Dallas, Texas on April 10th. The sold-out event featured senior representatives from a variety of industries and organizations within the luxury segment, as well as over 250 Signature members.
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Why I left Wall Street to launch a Cuba travel business
Who knew that building a business in an emerging market would be such a gut-wrenching experience? Yet, as a 30-year old Harvard Business School graduate, I set out to pursue my dream of launching a socially conscious travel company.
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FTA Launches #TakeFamilyTime Campaign
#TakeFamilyTime is an advocacy campaign meant to rally its membership around the alarming trend of American parents not using all their vacation days and raise the awareness of the importance of traveling together as a family.
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“FTA Honors” Dinner Set for Mt. Rushmore
Mt. Rushmore at night with be the venue for the 2019 FTA Summit Honors Award Dinner & Reception.
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Taking Family Time: With Media Member Kirsten Maxwell
Back in 2015, the US Travel Association (USTA) launched Project: Time Off, to change the culture surrounding the use of personal time off. For the next three years, the USTA invested in groundbreaking research, publicizing the benefits of using vacat
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Wyoming Encourages Families to Celebrate and Educate During Women’s Suffrage 150th Anniversary
Nothing educates like travel does. Learning history from a textbook, or even through video, can’t match the opportunity for a child to be immersed in an environment where they can experience history firsthand. That’s why the Wyoming Office of Tou
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What can we do to help America #TakeFamilyTime more?
On another page, we presented some of the obstacles preventing parents from taking more vacations. Since then, eight of our members provided their input. THANK YOU for your engagement. THIS is why we launched #TakeFamilyTime. The practical side of u
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Rainer Jenss Honored as Traveler of the Year
At the second annual WhereverFamily.com Wherever Awards Ceremony, held at the City Vineyard in lower Manhattan, FTA president & founder, Rainer Jenss, received the Traveler of the Year Award in recognition for his work in helping the travel indus
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AirTreks Featured In 5-Day Family Travel Radio Series
Family Travel Radio has partnered with FTA Member Air Treks on a five-episode series that not only focuses on the life-changing aspects of around-the-world travel, but also deals with some of the biggest issues parents face when deciding to prioritiz
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Travel Advisors Help Families Plan Ahead
One of the greatest challenges families face taking more vacations is the planning process. Busy with various commitments and overwhelmed with the volume of information they have to sift through, many parents simply never get around to planning ahead
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CEO Q&A with Inkaterra’s José Koechlin von Stein
Established in 1975, Inkaterra has been at the forefront of ecotourism and sustainable development in Peru. creating authentic travel experiences, while preserving the region’s biodiversity and local cultures. Its sustainability efforts have ga
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Celebrating Five Amazing Years at FTA Summit 2019
This year’s FTA Summit is extra special as it marks the 5–year anniversary of our official launch — back in October of 2014. To mark the occasion, we will celebrate some of our past successes and programs. But more importantl
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FTA Announces It Will Become A Non-Profit
Celebrating its fifth year of continuing growth, the Family Travel Association (FTA) announced it plans to become a non-profit 501 (c) (6) organization in 2020, to help it grow the size and scale of the organization and help it create more value for
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FTA 2019 Honors Were ‘Monumental’
Under the glow of a spot lit Mount Rushmore, the Family Travel Association honored six members for their outstanding contributions to our industry and to our communities on the final night of the Summit. Dining at the National Memorial’s Carver
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FTA Celebrates Five Years With 2019 Summit At Custer State Park Resort
This year’s Family Travel Association Summit was rich in information, networking and hospitality, as the leading industry executives and experts convened at Custer State Park Resort in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
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Don’t Let These 9 Obstacles Stand in Your Way to an International Family Vacation
Guest Post by Nicci O’Mara, FTA Member and Founder of TripChiefs.com Many parents believe you need a bucketload of cash, a flexible job, and kids of a certain age to be able to head off on an amazing vacation abroad. What I’ve discovered over
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We Need To Stick Together, To Help Families Do The Same On Airline Flights
An Open Letter from FTA Founder Rainer Jenss to all FTA Members It’s discouraging to see more and more stories in the mainstream media these days about parents who end up being separated from children on board flights on U.S. carriers. According to
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Come Join us at the New York Times Travel Show
As we have in years past, the Family Travel Association will have an extensive presence at the 2020 New York Times Travel Show, Friday, January 24 through Sunday, January 26, affording our members several opportunities to raise their visibility withi
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Looking for that special family Christmas gift? 5 reasons to give the gift of time with a family vacation (plus booking tips)
We look for gift ideas that are meaningful, create joy, build lasting memories, build us to be better people, and make us stronger as a family.
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Taking Family Time is Taking Off!
The #TakeFamilyTime advocacy campaign has clearly struck a nerve with families, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
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FTA February Transition Update
The Family Travel Association board and leadership team have been diligently working on the transition of the organization to a non-profit, and we wanted to provide you with a few updates. Firstly, I am delighted to officially announce that Colleen H
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2020 Summit and COVID-19 update
Dear FTA Members, I love the travel industry. We all do. We love the destinations we help families discover, the experiences we create that changes children’s lives, and the people we work with that make it all possible. As Jack Ezon recentl
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Consumer Reports Joins Fight To Ensure Families Sit Together
In letters sent to American, Delta, and United Airlines, Consumer Reports called on these companies to ensure children are seated with their families on planes at no additional cost. More than 130,000 people have signed Consumer Reports’ petition
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Ken Shapiro Heads New FTA Board of Directors
As the transition from an independently owned LLC to a non-for-profit organization continues to progress, the Family Travel Association formed its first official Board of Directors, headed by Travel Age West’s Vice President, Publisher and Editor i
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#FTAClassroom Launches with the Kids in Mind
The FTA Classroom initiative, headed by FTA Board member, Claire Zlobin, is showcasing the creative ways our members are bringing fun and educational activities to families who are homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge everyone to check the
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Traveling In A post-pandemic World – New instabook by Bruce Poon Tip Challenges Us To Do Better
An ode to lovers of travel, by G Adventures Bruce Poon Tip: While reflecting on how this interruption would impact the future of tourism, author, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bruce Poon Tip has concluded that despite the hardships being presented
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South Dakota Tourism Launches New Campaign
In response to COVID-19, South Dakota Tourism launched in March the “Great Places Are Waiting” campaign, a three-phase plan that will run through the summer across all media channels. They recently entered our second phase, one that sees
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iWorld Travel adds Alida Paljevic to Leadership Team
As the travel industry reawakens following a period of historic retrenchment, IWorld of Travel anticipates renewed growth spurred by pent-up demand. Poised for success in the changing environment, the company is adding a dynamic personality to its le
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South African-based Jumbari Family Safaris hosted a family travel webinar to explore the challenges and opportunities which await the industry in a post-COVID-19 world
The webinar was facilitated by the CEO of the Ker & Downey® Africa Group, Lee Kelsall, who represented Jumbari Family Safaris, a division launched by the group in early 2019 to cater to the family traveler. “I think that this period has force
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Americans Look Forward to Travel, Especially to Reunite with Family and Friends
As parts of the country begin the process of opening up, travelers are looking forward to getting back on the road and in the skies according to the most recent Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers. (Link to rest of story
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Kid’s Kouncil™ Tests New Big Five Initiative
Stuart, FL June 24 2020 – Big Five Tours & Expeditions’ Live with Five Jr allows children the opportunity to ride along in real time with one of its in-country partners. The idea behind Live with Five Jr is to provide an interactive experienc
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The ATJ Foundation Donates $10,000 to Elephant Conservation and Care in India
While the COVID-19 era has introduced specific challenges for all of us, the animals and staff at the center in India that we work with are also in need of emergency additional medicinal supplies, food, first aid, and support with staffing and care d
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Austin Adventures launches contest to acknowledge and honor America’s essential workers
Award-winning active tour company Austin Adventures is celebrating the essential workers who have kept America going throughout the COVID-19 pandemic through their first-ever America’s Essential Workers Contest. “We are recognizing those who neve
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FTA Supports Senators to Ensure Families Can Safely Fly Together
The new bill will guarantee that children can sit with their parents on flights at no additional cost, an important safety measure during the coronavirus pandemic.
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FTA Board of Director Interviews
Produced by Aaron Schlein, creator of the FTA’s podcast: Family Travel Radio, we’re kicking off a series of recorded interviews with our newly formed Board of Directors. View all interviews here
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Seeking Stories of FTA Members Supporting Communities
The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged many local economies that depend on tourism. The Family Travel Association would like to highlight what our members are doing to support their communities, both at home and around the world.
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FTA Active on Virtual Industry Conferences
With virtual conferences becoming the new norm for how we gather together to learn, network, and stay connected, the Family Travel Association has been busy spreading the word on how family travel could lead the way in our industry’s recovery once
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Celebrity Becomes First Official FTA Alliance Partner
Despite the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the cruise line industry, Celebrity Cruises is onboard as the FTA’s first official Alliance Partner. To broaden their involvement with the FTA, Celebrity will sponsor the next research report c
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AAA Club Alliance Joins FTA to Certify Their Advisors
With a plan to better educate their over 300 travel advisors about the opportunities the family travel market offers their businesses, the AAA Club Alliance has signed a membership agreement with the Family Travel Association giving their entire advi
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FTA Hires Serendipity Media
The FTA is thrilled to announce the hiring of Serendipity Media to handle its membership services and communications efforts. In a year that has already seen the FTA transition to a not-for-profit, the association took another big step in its restruc
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FTA To Host Virtual Event November 30!
In the spirit of its uniquely popular annual Summit, the FTA is bringing together the industry’s leading authorities on family travel and shining a spotlight on the people, places and events shaping Family Travel for 2021.
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Help Select This Year’s FTA Honors
Those attending this year’s FTA Virtual Family Travel Spotlight on November 30th will be treated to a special presentation honoring those persons and organizations who are advancing the FTA’s mission in unique and innovative ways. And to continue
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FTA Spotlight’s A-List Speakers Announced
With just over two weeks to go until the curtain lifts on its first-ever virtual Spotlight event happening on Monday, November 30, 2020, the FTA has announced its lineup of speakers and official agenda on its website, FamilyTravel.org. Open to everyo
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Founder Q&A With Roni Weiss, Exec Dir, Travel Unity
Founded in 2016, Travel Unity is focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel through individual and community empowerment. We are hoping this interview with its Founder Roni Weiss, will make our membership more aware of and supportive of t
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FTA Hosts Virtual Event and Announces Important New Initiatives
Like so many industry conferences this year, the FTA was forced to cancel its annual “live” Summit and pivot to producing a virtual event that would once again bring together the industry’s leading authorities on family travel and shine a spotl
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2020 FTA Honorees Awarded
Those who attended this year’s FTA Virtual Family Travel Spotlight on November 30th were treated to a special presentation honoring those persons and organizations who are advancing the FTA’s mission in unique and innovative ways.
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Peter Greenberg Gives It to Us Straight
The Travel Detective and Travel Editor at CBS News started things off by giving us his professional take on what the next 5-6 months might look like for travelers.
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Heather Greenwood-Davis Keynote: The Future Is Family Travel
Heather’s “The Future Is Family Travel” keynote address was so well done, a written script would not do it justice so we urge you to check it out yourself.
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FTA Roundtable: Responding and Recovering from Covid-19
The FTA Spotlight, despite being virtual, managed to bring together a group of top industry executives from some of the leading brands in family travel.
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Heather Greenwood Davis Named 2020 FTA Person-of-the-Year; Travel Advisors Named FTA People of the Year
Continuing its annual tradition of honoring the late Keith Bellows, who helped pioneer the start of the organization in 2014, the FTA awarded its 2020 Person of the Year to Heather Greenwood Davis.
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The Psychology of Planning Family Travel with Dr. Jen
This year’s Spotlight audience was treated to a presentation from Dr. Jen Hartstein, a family psychologist, author, and television personality who leads a family psychotherapy practice.
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Family Travel Trends and Research
One of FTA’s newest members, JP Morgan Chase, sent Greg Stranz, Director of their Marriott Bonvoy Bold Family Travel program shared their research and how families will be planning their travels in the year ahead.
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Happy Holidays From the FTA
If you’re like me, you’re very happy to see a new year on the horizon. We’re finally at the end of what was, without a doubt, one of the strangest and most difficult years most of us have experienced. And 2021 can’t come fast enough! We have
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Alisal: The Perfect California Getaway
Rule # 1 of family travel. You never outgrow traveling with your family no matter how old the kids are. Sure, the destinations may change and the experiences you seek become more ambitious, but no matter what their ages, there’ll always be a good r
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FTA Q&A With Destination Sitters founder Yvonne Lane
Finding safe, trustworthy babysitting services while on vacation or away at a convention, conference, or wedding, is not always something travelers think is available. And in some cases, children are not brought along on a trip at all, specifically b
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Q&A With Jeremy Palmer, SVP Worldwide Operations; Brand Management & Strategic Planning, Tauck
Founded in 1925, by Arthur Tauck, Sr., the Tauck brand is legendary. Over three generations Tauck has grown to include a diverse range of guided tours and river cruises designed to be transformative and re-energizing. Today Tauck offers more than 140
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FTA Launches New Travel Insights Webinar Series
The FTA Board of Directors is excited to kick off a new monthly Travel Insights webinar series in coordination with TravelAge West. These informative and engaging virtual events are scheduled to begin on March 16 with Forecasting Summer Travel ̵
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A Q&A with Jennifer Spatz, Global Family Travels’ Founder & CEO
Global Family Travels' Founder & CEO; Chapter Lead of Impact Travel Alliance for Greater Seattle, and Travel Designer for Transformational Travel Council
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Q&A with Chris Tomseth, co-founder and chief marketing officer for Sky Squad
Established in 2012, SkySquad was developed in response to founder Julie Melnick’s need for an extra set of hands when traveling coast to coast with her toddlers.
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Q&A With Royal Caribbean’s Laurie Bohn-Isaure, CTIE, Director, National Accounts, Training & Trade Associations | Sales
It’s hardly any secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the cruise industry. Cruising contributed $55 billion to the U.S. economy in 2019 up 5.3% from 2018, according to Cruise Lines International Association. By 2020, h
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Q&A With Ryan Connolly, marketing & environmental Manager and co-owner of Hidden Iceland
As the world slowly emerges from its yearlong COVID-19 shutdown, destinations around the globe are beginning to reopen and welcome visitors once again. One of the most notable announcements on this front came in mid-March when Iceland revealed that v
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An Inspirational Partnership Designed to Facilitate Accessible Family Travel for Those with Disabilities
As the mother of three boys, one with Autism and one with Sensory Processing Disorder, travel agent Nicole Thibault, of Magical Storybook Travels, knows just how intimidating it can seem to travel with children who have disabilities or who are on the
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Family Travel Association Q&A with Gavin Landry, executive vice president for the Americas, VisitBritain
As the national tourism organization for Great Britain, VisitBritain is focused on marketing one of the world’s most popular and beloved destinations. But even destinations with a well-established fan base have had to carefully navigate the challen
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A Q&A with Jessica Burtnick, manager of marketing and communications for Frontiers North Adventures
A family-owned and operated company since 1987, Frontiers North Adventures has a long history of offering fascinating and immersive trips in Canada’s iconic northernmost regions. Through trips to the subarctic community of Churchill, Manitoba, gues
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Q&A with Yvonne Lane, Founder & Managing Director of Destination Sitters
Destination Sitters provides fully vetted, strictly screened, and highly experienced sitters for your travel experiences. Whether you want a night out on the town without the kids, desire extra assistance in an amusement park, or have special
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Q&A with Chitra Stern, CEO of Martinhal
Owner and founding board member of Martinhal Family Hotels & Resorts, Chitra is a passionate entrepreneur and real-estate & hotel developer, working alongside her business-partner and husband, Roman, on their projects in Portugal. They have h
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Q&A With David Gilmore, Director Strategic Partnerships for Panorama Travel Solutions
Working with Panorama, a Travel and Leisure Co. brand, David Gilmore’s goal is to help travel businesses bring convenience, information, inspiration and value to their customers. Panorama is delivering a full suite of travel solutions and B2B partn
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Q&A: Eric Lutey, Business Development Manager for Family Travel Association
FTA is proud to announce our new business development manager, Eric Lutey; who brings many years of tour and travel industry experience to the role. Lutey started his career a little over 20 years ago, working as a student tour operator in Michigan,
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Q&A with Jessica Griscavage, Founder of Runway Travel
As a Family Travel Association board member for the last three years and new chair of the association’s Travel Advisor committee, Jessica Griscavage cares deeply about making family travel unforgettable. After many years working for McCabe World Tr
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Q&A: Mariana Watson, Commercial Director of Coltur Peru
Coltur Peru has spent 65 years spreading a love for Peru and creating positive impact through travel. The travel company has roots in a family history of adventure and travel, “deeply engrained ethics, extensive knowledge of our country and unwaver
Continue Reading StoryClub Med
Club Med – the world’s leading all-inclusive brand with 68 resorts worldwide – has welcomed guests of all ages for over 66 years with families being an integral part of the legendary brand’s vacation concept. With stunning locations around the world including the United States, Caribbean, Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, the Indian Ocean and […]
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