Vacation Ideas

Travel with your toddlers and preschoolers. Before you know it, they’ll be knee deep in schoolwork and sports, and your opportunities will be limited. Here are places to enjoy the company of kids younger than 5.

Hit the beach. Build sand castles, watch the sea gulls soar and splash in the waves. Beaches provide a carefree way for families to enjoy the sun and sea without worrying about making too much noise. One of our family favorites, Coronado Island in Southern California, has long, wide stretches of sand and calm waters. The island’s iconic Hotel del Coronado provides easy access to the water and a host of kid-friendly activities.
Contact: 1-800-216-1482; www.beachcalifornia.com/coronado

Stress-free stays. Early-rising toddlers and parental access to refrigerators and cooktops make home rentals a good choice when traveling with the youngest explorers. Check out more than 10,000 vacation rental properties in beach, ski and golf resort destinations. Offerings range from studios to expansive homes.
Contact: 1-800-467-3529; www.resortquest.com [Read more…] about Family Vacations with Preschoolers

Bryce Longton of Black Book Mag wrote this great piece on how to come up with a great travel idea for your whole family. What about the Amazing Race? We keep watching the show thinking, I wish I could do that. Well why not?

For those aching for a little more adventure in your travel, Competitours is right up your alley. The Ohio-based tour company has launched a new kind of European adventure: part backpacker’s paradise, part guided tour, all contest. The deal is this — you sign up for a 14-day adventure (there’re also a 10- and 8-day options) and rendezvous at the JFK airport. Once you’ve received your first assignment, you’re off to a mystery country to start on your first set of challenges.

Teams are pitted against each other in a series of choose-your-own-adventure challenges designed to showcase the city de jour. Each team chooses up to five challenges a day (out of 8-10) and sets about the city videotaping and uploading their progress to the Competitours website. [Read more…] about Your Familys Amazing Race