Maui for the holidays—what could be better? Especially coming from a very snowy Boston. It was just what our family needed the week after Christmas. It took us only a few minutes after we landed to forget about the long flight from Boston. The warm air, sunshine and palm trees made us feel a world away.

This was our biennial family trip with my father, siblings and children, all in, there were 17 of us. We rented a beautiful home right on Kaanapali Beach and were set to relax. What I love about beach vacations is that there are no intense itineraries to worry about. Your decisions are simple: beach or pool. However, I couldn’t help myself and I did plan a few special activities for a week in Maui.

Special Maui Things to Do

Spa: Let’s be clear, the day after Christmas, forget entertaining the kids, the moms needed a break! All the ladies headed to the Grand Wailea Spa. Wow! Hydrotherapy with multiple aromatic baths, followed by massage therapy—that took care of the damage done during holiday retail therapy!

Luau: We wanted some cultural exposure, however, with little kids, we knew that the length of a formal luau would not work for our group. So we booked CJ Catering to do a private luau—one of the best decisions of the week. Not only was the food outstanding, but so was the entertainment. CJ hired a hysterical entertainer who led a talented ensemble that included hula dancers, singers, and a fire dancer. The crew engaged the kids from the beginning with lei making and continued on with dancing, drumming and, of course, a hula lesson. This was the night that marked the trip and it will always be remember with a chuckle.

Under the Sea: Whales, whales and more whales. They were everywhere. Hands down, being so close to the Humpback whales, hearing them breathe and sing was awe-inspiring. We were able to get near them on both the fishing and snorkel trip we booked. I had heard great things about the Captain Steve’s snorkel trips and booked a trip for our family. Because we rented the whole boat (remember there was 17 of us), we were able to bring the 2 year-olds; otherwise, the kids would have to have been 5 and up to participate. Everyone also enjoyed the snorkeling both on the boat and off the beach. We also visited tide poolswhile waiting for delicious breakfast at the Gazebo.

Land Adventures: From beautiful birds to volcanoes, Maui can keep any naturalist busy. My kids loved the trip up to Haleakala, Maui’s famous volcano. This is not for anyone prone to carsickness. At 10,000 feet, the view is beautiful.

We were lucky enough to have a blue moon on New Year’s Eve and watched the moon set over the ocean early in the morning while drinking our coffee on the deck.

Check out Delicious Baby for more Photo Friday posts.

Relevant Links:

Daily Candy Kids article about Maui

My pre-trip book list

Ciao Bambino recommended Hawaii family hotel

Maui with kids – favorite kids activities on Maui

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We’ve been busy bees lately writing custom kid-friendly guides for the NileGuide, a travel planning website where you can research trips and create customized travel guides.  With the help of our travel blogging friends around the world, we created initial guides for London, Hong Kong, Sydney, Rome, Singapore, Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. Orlando, Paris, and more will be coming soon.

What makes these guides especially valuable is that they are portable and can be easily loaded into a PDF and/or optimized for mobile phones.  In addition, the guides include all the basic, practical travel information you need for each destination.  That, combined with reliable, kid-friendly perspective, make these guides a great tool for families on the go!

The NileGuide is a wonderful example of a broad travel planning site that has demonstrated that they are truly committed to providing credible family-friendly content.  A refreshing change of pace from most websites that “say” they have kid-friendly information, but in reality, publish irrelevant details, or worse, trips written by people without children.

Cagney Jarvis, an LA Mom of two girls ages 7 and 10, was interviewed for this post.

With temperate weather and year-round activities, Los Angeles is a perfect vacation destination. Families should know that the LA area is sprawling and the best way to approach sightseeing is to divide and conquer. Rent a car, figure out what you want to do, and plan accordingly. Do you want beach, museums, or nature?

The beauty of Los Angeles is that there are many diverse and interesting experiences and attractions within driving distance for a day trip. Note, traffic and parking are notoriously horrible—plan for just 1-2 activities per day. Disneyland, of course, is a main kid-friendly attraction, but is located in Orange County and subsequently excluded from list.

Santa Monica beach and pier

Santa Monica and Venice Beach

The Santa Monica Pier is an iconic Los Angeles landmark – it truly appeals to all ages and is a fun outing for the family. Depending on the kids’ ages you can stroll the pier, take a ride on the carousel or the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel, visit the aquarium or play games in the arcade. After you have exhausted your feet or your wallet, grab a bite to eat at one of the pier restaurants and enjoy the view.

If you still have energy, rent a bike and follow the beach trail south to Venice Beach. This is a gorgeous, quintessential California experience; there is a playground on the beach for the little ones and people watching for everyone else

La Brea Tar Pits

The centrally located La Brea Tar Pits are a popular field trip for school children and families. The museum is home to over 3 million fossils from the last Ice Age; think saber-toothed cats, wholly mammoths and giant ground sloths. Peruse the fossils indoors then walk outside to the tar pits and you may find paleontologists at work excavating Pit 91 (summer months only). The outdoor grounds are perfect for a picnic or drive to the landmark Los Angeles Farmers Market and The Grove LA for a variety of good ethnic and American fast food or sit-down options.

Griffith Park

Griffith Park is LA’s Central Park. It’s an oasis for city residents and many visit simply to hike and take in nature. Highlights of the park include the recently renovated Griffith Park Observatory, the Los Angeles Zoo and the very popular Travel Town which is every train-fascinated child’s dream. The park is large and spread out so it’s a good idea to plan your trip ahead of time.

On your way to or from Griffith Park you may want make a detour and visit the renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame and Mann’s (formerly Grauman’s) Chinese Theater, home to many movie premieres. Dressed up characters like Batman and Spiderman are usually strolling the area, available for photo opportunities. Across the street from the Chinese Theater, the Disney-owned El Capitan Theater always features the latest Disney movie, usually with a live show at the beginning.  If the latest first-run movie is not showing, they play the classics.  A little bit of Disney meets Hollywood, plus the theater is old and beautiful.  Note, the Hollywood area takes on an adult feel at night, so it’s best to visit with children during the day.

Exposition Park

Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles is surrounded by the USC campus and is home to the Natural History Museum, the California Science Center (free admission) and IMAX theatre and the Rose Garden – a beautiful spot to picnic and burn off some energy. The Discovery Center in the Natural History museum is good first stop with younger children who will have fun digging for dinosaur bones and touching everything, including on special days, some freaky looking insects and reptiles.

Huntington Gardens

This is the first of a series of posts we’ll publish around Spring Break ideas. The trend these days is that families—like other travelers—tend to book vacation plans last minute, i.e. the time is right for deciding where to go.

Our friends at Trekaroo have a network of Moms across the country that review family-friendly destinations—a fantastic resource for Spring Break ideas!

Can you believe that Spring will be here in just a few short months? I know it’s hard to imagine when most of the country is experiencing severe cold weather. However, what better way to keep warm than by planning your Spring Break vacation now? Here are some recommendations from four moms in the Trekaroo community.

A splashing good time in Hawaii

By Kailani, a Trekaroo and the mom behind An Island Life.

Spring is the perfect time to visit Hawaii. The temperatures are usually in the lower 80s which is perfect beach weather. One of our favorite family beaches is the Ko Olina Beach Park on the leeward coast of Oahu. This man-made beach with outer reef is perfect for kids because the water is always calm and clear. Looking for more exciting water fun? Check out the Wet n Wild Hawaii Water Park in Kapolei. Here you’ll find tons of great rides for all ages including a simulated surfing experience! Now what’s a trip to Hawaii without a little surfing?

And while you’re here, don’t forget to taste all the different flavors of Hawaiian cuisine . . . lau lau, kalua pig, poi, haupia, lomi salmon, sweet potato. The best way to do this is by visiting a luau. One of the best ones on the island is at Paradise Cove where you’ll get an authentic experience of different Polynesian cultures, activities and ono (delicious) food!

A hui hou e malama pono (until we meet again, take care)

More activities for kids in Oahu, Hawaii.

Legoland in Mall of America. Photo Credit TwisterMC on Flickr

BIG fun in Minnesota

By Minnemom, a Trekaroo and the mom behind Travels with Children.

When you live in Minnesota, it seems that all of the fun and warm spring break possibilities are far, far away.  Not all of us can travel far and wide (and warm) during Spring Break, so we Minnesotans sometimes do the next best thing and head to Mall of America.  With an indoor amusement park that includes roller coasters and a flume ride as well as other thrills, you can get a taste of the fun of summer without going outside.

Got an extra day? Just down the road, Waterpark of America in the Radisson hotel is billed as America’s largest indoor waterpark.  It has areas for toddlers on up to surfers, a lazy river, and of course, some pretty great waterslides.  For spring break, you don’t have to head south to find fun.  An adventure in Minnesota might just fit the bill.

More activities in the Twin Cities, Minnesota with kids.

Loads of free things to do in Washington DC

By Beth, a Trekaroo and the mom behind Life in the Bat Cave.

Whether you travel by foot, by bike, by car, by train, or by plane, a must-see spring break destination is our nation’s capital.  Why you ask?  Simply, because there is so much to do and most of it is free of cost.  The fact the kids might actually learn something while on break from school doesn’t hurt either!

Our children ages 8, 7 and 5 at the time of our visit last year, loved it and have declared it their favorite vacation spot.  They have frequently asked when we can return.

The weather was beautiful, perfect for walking around town.  If you time it right, you will be treated to the cherry blossoms in full bloom.  We walked to several of the memorials, our favorite of which was the Lincoln Memorial.   If you plan ahead, you can get tickets for the Washington Monument here.

The museums we visited were the Museum of American History, the Air and Space Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian.  None of these were overly crowded and admission is free.  We took the metro to Arlington Cemetery which was an amazing experience.  I definitely recommend taking the tour.  We also took a tour of the Capital building and you can get tickets from your local Representative in Congress.  We have already begun compiling a list of places to see the next time we visit!

More activities for Kids in DC.

Photo Credit Nancy Solomon

A quintessential Spring Break in San Diego

By Sharlene, a Trekaroo and the mom behind Double the Adventure.

Warm weather, beautiful beaches, and lots of fun. This is what comes mind when I think about Spring Break. Zoos, dinosaurs, and sandcastles—this is what my kids request whenever we make plans for a vacation. Luckily, San Diego provides all of the above in a family friendly atmosphere.

San Diego specializes in wildlife. From its’ world famous zoo to the Wild Animal Park to Sea World, San Diego provides plenty of opportunities to hang with animals. If you are looking for creatures in their natural environment, check out the fabulous tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument or pelicans scooping fish out of the sea at Torrey Pines State Beach. If extinct animals are more your thing, than head on over to Balboa Park and visit the San Diego Natural History Museum. While you are in the park you may also want to check out the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center, the San Diego Museum of Man or even the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. With its abundance of activities and beautiful weather, San Diego is the perfect family Spring Break destination.

Trekaroo is a reviews website dedicated to helping parents explore and travel with kids.

Relevant links on Ciao Bambino:

Hawaii

Maui with kids

Best Hawaii family hotels

Washington DC

Washington DC with kids – favorite online resources

Washington DC with kids – favorite attractions

Best Washington DC family hotels

San Diego

San Diego with kids

San Diego surf camp

Best San Diego family hotels

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Every now and then when you’re on a trip you learn something you really feel like you should have known. Something so obvious, it’s embarrassing you didn’t see it sooner.

Mine goes something like this … traveling children, plus animals of any kind, equals happy children. We were in Nerja, Spain last summer when it finally clicked. There are cats everywhere in this fabulous beach-front city. On the street, on the beach, in front of the great ice cream place. It took us less than a day to learn to factor “cat time” into our travels. Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things. Just planning on a few extra minutes to stop, say hello, and take a hundred pictures. Thank goodness for digital cameras!

Sweaters on Legs

The furry felines got me thinking … about sheep … in Northern Ireland. Better known as “sweaters on legs” in my house. We met them by the beach, at playgrounds and on the road. (More often than not, on the road.) When you’ve got an 8 and 10 year-old in the back seat, passing sheep just isn’t an option. And that’s okay. I wasn’t in any rush to leave the scenic Causeway Coast.

Monkey Business

On the Rock of Gibraltar, we expected to see some monkeys. We didn’t expect to be surrounded by them. From the minute we stepped off the cable car at the summit, we couldn’t move without seeing the tailless barbary macaques. For safety reasons, you’re not supposed to touch the monkeys. But they won’t hesitate to touch you, or any of your things. We saw one monkey jump onto a woman’s shoulder and take a piggy back ride down the road. Another stared in vain at his reflection in mirror on a tour bus. Two young ones needed a nap, after pretending a car antenna was a fire pole. There were animal antics at every turn. It was sheer hunger that finally convinced my girls to leave the reserve.

Camel Caravan

Everyone told us, “Go to Morocco.” Just an hour ferry ride from Spain, the difference between the two worlds is amazing. The beautifully decorated doors inspired me. The smell of herbs and vegetables being sold on the narrow streets is still fresh in my mind.Pictures just can’t do the vibrant mosaic tile work justice. Tangier is a feast for your senses.

But, ask my girls what they liked best and they don’t even have to think about it. The camels! Their one minute, one Euro camel ride made Morocco one of the highlights of our trip.

Slimy French Snails

It was straight out of a fairy tale. The Loire Valley, a blushing bride married in a century old cathedral, followed by a reception at Le Chateau de la Bourdaisiere. (Yes, the same one from reality television show Joe Millionaire fame.) We spent four days roaming the 80 acres of amazing scenery and gardens. They grow an amazing 650 varieties of tomatoes. But it wasn’t the tomatoes or the thousands of flowers that caught my girls’ attention. It was the snails. On plants, under stones, behind rock walls. We spent hours corralling the slippery species, building snail houses, a snail hospital and a snail zoo. (The gardener in me really wanted to step on the whole lot.) Not once did anyone complain about the slime. Not once did I hear “ewww” or “gross.” If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d never believe it. Travel magic or temporary insanity, it was just plain fun.

Porky Pandas

When you travel to China, it’s just assumed you’ll see pandas. More likely than not though, you’ll see them at a zoo. Chongqing was the last stop on our Yangtze River cruise and we were spending the morning at the Chongqing Zoo. I’ll admit the thought of a big city zoo was not exactly appealing. I could easily name a list of other places I’d like to explore in the bustling city. It’s just couple of hours I told myself, and the kids will have fun. It was a classic “suck it up and do it for the kids” travel moment.

Wow, am I glad I have kids! My bad attitude disappeared the second I caught my first glimpse of Lingling chewing on a piece of bamboo. My girls were enthralled and so was I. Hours felt like minutes and before we knew it, our morning was gone and it was time to leave.

Lesson Learned

Chalk up another travel lesson learned. The next trip looks like Florida. Move over Mickey, I hear swimming with manatees makes for magical moments too.

For more Photo Friday posts, head over to Delicious Baby.

Other posts by Dana Rebmann:

Touring with kids – Think Outside the Bus

Travel packing tips – The Perfectly Packed Carry-On

Travel packing tips - Packing Smart. Packing Light

Travel Journals for kids - Travelin’ Tales

New York with Kids – Climbing the Crown

Spain with kids – More Paella Por Favor

Spain with kids – Families & Madrid … A Perfect Mix

France with kids – The Delicious Side of Paris

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Puerto Vallarta makes a perfect family destination. With so much to do and see, a vacation in this vibrant and inviting region in Mexico (West Coast) is likely to include cultural and learning opportunities, in addition to the requisite relaxation.

Jungle meets ocean as the lush forests of the Sierra Madre mountain range descend to meet the Pacific at Bahía de Banderas (Bay of Flags), or Banderas Bay. Diverse in its terrain, culture and architecture, the Puerto Vallarta region, also known as Costa Vallarta, encompasses the entire Banderas Bay area and 40 miles of coastline.

Head to the beach

Beaches in Puerto Vallarta can be sandy or rocky, and each has its own distinct beauty. Bucerias Beach is ideal for families, with a lengthy stretch of golden sand and a gradual sand shelf—although the surf can be rough. Local Vallartans, especially families, frequent Playa Destiladeras. Sunday is a busy day at this wide sandy beach, and many enjoy fresh seafood at any of the oceanfront palapa-shaded restaurants. Mismaloya Beach may look familiar to you – “Night of the Iguana” was filmed here in 1963, and subsequently, Puerto Vallarta became known an international tourist destination.

Go whale watching

Banderas Bay is home to and calving grounds for many whales and dolphins, and multiple companies offer whale watching tours during the Humpback whale season (November through March). Viewing the massive, graceful, and sometimes playful migrating and calving whales is an amazing and unforgettable experience. Be aware that potentially rough water on a boat for three hours without any guarantee that you’ll see whales may be a disaster with young kids.

Puerto Vallarta Whale Watching Forum recommends tour companies that are all run by working scientists, where all of the money paid for the tour goes directly to supporting humpback whale research in Puerto Vallarta.

A sea tour in the off-season can also be fun. Take a day trip aboard the pirate ship Marigalante—kids can play as pirates while parents get to relax and enjoy “pirate punch” on the boat.

Explore local nature

Local tour companies offer a variety of nature excursions.  Waterfall horseback rides are a favorite and older kids will love gliding through the jungle on a zip-line canopy tour. 4-year-olds can swim with dolphins and sea lions, or help baby sea turtles out to sea. We don’t have a specific tour company to recommend, however, the concierge desk at any of our recommended hotels can suggest reliable options.

One of our featured properties, the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, is offering a Sea Lion Snorkel Encounter that is reported to be a hit with their guests (we haven’t done it). This unique program gives guests ages 5 and up the chance to interact closely with playful sea lions in their natural ocean habitat. The experience begins on Las Cuevas beach with a brief lesson about sea lion physiology and behavior. A short snorkel tour led by trainers through Punta Mita’s clear warm waters ends in the open ocean sea lion area, where participants can touch, pet, play and frolic with these endearing animals.

Check out Sayulita

A day trip to the fishing village and surfer haven, Sayulita, can be spent at one of the expansive local beaches watching surfers, exploring the cute shops in town, and eating lunch at one of the many restaurants right on the water. About an hour (25 km) from Puerto Vallarta, locals, ex-patriot residents and visitors alike all revere this special little town.

Join the locals at the Malecón

Sunday evenings are family night in Puerto Vallarta. Head out with the family (and most of Puerto Vallarta – locals, tourists … everybody!) to the Malecón, the sea-side boardwalk in El Centro, the heart of downtown. The festive atmosphere includes street performers, mimes and clowns performing along the boardwalk., sand sculptors who recreate well-known works of art, and local artisans selling their wares. With a little luck, you may catch one of Los Arcos Amphitheater’s frequent free shows.

Children’s menus are available at many of the Malecón restaurants. After dinner, tempt your sweet tooth and indulge in fried bananas, crepes, or one of many other deserts and sweets found along the Malecón. As a finale, just after the sun goes down, a fireworks display is set off over the water from on board the Marigalante—a perfect end to the evening.

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino recommended Puerto Vallarta family resorts

Ciao Bambino recommended Mexico family resorts

Evaluating all inclusive beach resorts

New kid friendly luxury resort in Mexico

Hot chocolate at Café Angelina

I can’t tell you how many times people have told me they can’t wait to take their kids to Europe. “A few more years, and she’ll be able to appreciate Paris,” is how the conversation usually goes. “It would just be a waste to go now.” How Paris could ever be a waste is beyond me. When we travel, we learn, we grow. It doesn’t matter whether we’re 8 or 80.

Traveling with a child is a different, not impossible. Check out my recent post on getting creative when sightseeing with kids.

My young daughters, ages nine and 11, have already done more traveling, than some people will do in a lifetime. Their passports are impressive. France, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, China—the list goes on and on. Ask either to name her favorite places in the world and Paris is a guaranteed a spot on the list.

Why the love for Paris? It’s not the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre or the Champs-Elysees. They fell in love with the delicious Paris. And who can blame them?

One of our first mornings in the City of Light, we stopped in Café Angelina. Not far from the Louvre, this café is the perfect reward (or bribe) for any kid (or adult) who’s just finished a required stretch in the expansive museum. One look in the stunning glass display filled with perfectly prepared pastries and macaroons and your mouth will be watering. But if you ask me, and my kids, it’s all about the hot chocolate. The best we’ve ever had. So thick, it’s hard to pour. Think a melted chocolate bar in a cup. It comes with its own side cup of freshly whipped cream. Expensive? Incredibly. But the smiles will get bigger with every sip. At about $8-$9 a cup, it’s worth every euro.

Endless treats in Paris

Besides you can save money on the next meal. There’s no shortage of fabulous restaurants to satisfy an appetite in Paris. But some of our best meals were on a blanket, lying in the grass. Neighborhood markets abound in France. I was once told, that by law, every arrondissement or neighborhood in Paris, is required to have a neighborhood market. Streets lined with everything you need and more. Wine, cheese, bread, some of the most incredible fruits and vegetables I’ve ever tasted, and chocolate. You can’t forget the chocolate. With dinner in our backpack, we’d find a park and spread out. We had the best table in town. Our favorite spot had a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower and a playground just yards away.

As much as we enjoyed our Parisian picnics, part of seeing Paris is enjoying its restaurants. On the advice of British friends we headed to Relais de Venise L’Entrecote. The unique restaurant has a history that goes back 50 years in Paris. No menu. They serve only one dish. A green salad with walnuts, topped with a mustard vinaigrette followed by steak frites, served with the restaurant’s secret recipe sauce. All you do is tell your waitress how you would like your steak cooked. Your steak is delivered to the table in two trips. You start with half, they hold onto the rest to keep it warm. Servers circle the restaurant with tongs and huge containers of freshly made frites constantly refilling empty plates. It’s a kids’ dream. L’ Entrecote is one of those comfortable restaurants. Once you sit down, you can relax. My youngest daughter was bragging about how comfy her padded booth seat was. The next thing you know, she was sound asleep. (We enjoyed the moment, but woke her for dinner.) After 50 years, the place has a following. They don’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait for a table.

Not ready to go to bed? Go for a ride on the metro. The mostly underground, public transit system offers tired legs another option of getting around town. If you just happen to get off at the Pont Marie station, you can end a perfect day with an indulgent visit to Berthillion. With flavors like white chocolate, coconut, caramel and cinnamon, the French landmark is renowned for its all natural ice cream and sorbet. I have to confess, we did this more than once! The ice cream is available at select cafes in Paris, but consider yourself warned, the main location closes for a stretch in the summer for vacation.

Bike tour of Paris

But we burned off all the calories as we biked our way through Paris. Fat Tire Bike Tours is an incredible family find. One day we pedaled seven flat, fun-filled miles in four hours. We liked it so much, we reserved a different ride the next day. We covered an incredible amount of ground. More than we ever could walking. No one complained about being tired. We were having too much fun. Our rides took us to all the “must-sees,” but it was the surprises that really made our trip.

On a break in the Tuileries Garden we discovered a summer carnival. Imagine the sounds and smells of a carnival, complete with Ferris wheel.. then drop it in Paris. Curious, huh? What parent could say no? I couldn’t. After indulging in the world’s biggest cotton candy, my girls discovered a candy truck that made our mouths water. Sugar rush aside, the candy combination formed a stunning burst of color. Food for the mouth and eyes.

Travel Magic at the Louvre Pyramid

Wandering while we munched, we met an older French gentleman out for what we later learned was obviously a routine afternoon stroll. He was getting ready to feed the birds. What happened next was absolutely enchanting. As if on cue, the birds arrived. Not on the ground. Not on a bench. They landed in groups of four and five on his hand to have lunch. He didn’t speak English, and my daughters do not speak French, but it did not stop him from teaching them how to make a few new feathered friends. For the next hour our world stopped so we could feed the birds. The Louvre Pyramid in the background, it was what I call “travel magic.” The moment is etched in my mind. And maybe more importantly, it’s etched in my girls’ minds.

It’s why I travel with my kids. Summer’s coming. I need to start planning another trip.  For more of this week’s Photo Friday posts, check out Delicious Baby.

Relevant Links:

Paris with kids – savoring the simple pleasures of Paris

Paris with kids – favorite online resources

Paris with kids – 10 off-the-track places to take kids

Paris with kids – tips on kid-friendly events and places

Paris with kids – favorite activities with toddlers

Paris with kids – favorite parks with toddlers

Paris with kids – favorite kid-friendly restaurant

Ciao Bambino recommended Paris family hotels

Winter in Paris with kids

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Let me first say that of all the cities that we’ve visited with our kids, Paris is my favorite and the easiest to explore. Yes, I love Rome and London, and the many other cities for that matter, but Paris is what I always recommend to families looking to go to Europe.

Because Paris is better known as a romantic adult destination, it shouldn’t be dismissed as a family vacation venue. Actually, Parisian families have quite a nice thing going.

What makes Paris great with kids? There are parks everywhere with plenty of space for kids to run around. Afternoon picnics watching Parisians being Parisians are delightful—everyone slows down and enjoys their food and family. Second, there is a long list of excellent kid-friendly activities. Between the fair at the Tuileries and the Jardin d’Acclimation (amusement park), my kids could not have been happier. Meanwhile, my husband and I were able to slow down to enjoy great food, soak in the stunning architecture, and appreciate the local atmosphere. Finally, I know Parisians sometimes get a bad rap for being unfriendly, but the people we’ve experienced were always more than helpful.

Just writing this story make me want to find a way to get back to Paris. I can hear the beautiful sing-song language in my ear and smell the fresh croissants. Here’s the list of my favorite online resources for trip planning to Paris.

Family-focused guides and tips on traveling with kids in Paris:

Cookie Magazine always took a unique but thorough approach to family travel city guides. Their Paris Guide is excellent (although I’m not sure how long it will continue to be online now that the magazine is no longer published).

Delicious Baby has extensive coverage about Paris.

Travel for Kids guide to Paris.

Paris overview by Take the Family.

Tips on Museums by KidsCanTravel.com.

General tips about getting around Paris with children and an updated list of kids activities on France for Visitors.

Activities for Children in Paris covers all types of family-friendly activities.

Tours for families:

We love Paris Muse.

Context Travel is consistently excellent.

High pricing, but good for idea generation: French Adventures.

Viator offers both general and unique tours and activities.

Family blogs with articles about Paris:

Ciao Bambino features kid friendly hotel reviews and top Paris attractions with kids on our blog.

Babyccino’s Paris writer highlights shops and cafes that are kid-friendly.

Travel Savvy Mom has a fun video about the Musee D’Orsay with kids.

Favorite articles:

NYT Travel Paris with the “Babar Bunch”.

Boston Globe on Children in Paris.

General city websites:

GOOP features interesting recommendations from Gwyneth Paltrow.

Send Me Your List has a unique collection of Paris recommendations.

Europe Up Close Paris-related blog posts.

Paris Logue by Why Go offers good tips

Apartment rental websites:

We focus on hotels and apart-hotels on Ciao Bambino vs. independent apartments. Here are a few  apartment rental agencies with a variety of good options in Paris.

Paris Perfect is a big hit with families looking to go the apartment route (tried and tested).

Chez Vous is a well-known, reputable agency with many options (tried and tested).

Just France has a nice selection of luxury options (tried and tested).

Paris Luxe Apartments seems to have a nice selection (we’ve never used them).

Relevant Links on Ciao Bambino:

Paris with kids – 10 off-the-track places to take kids

Paris with kids – tips on kid-friendly events and places

Paris with kids – favorite activities with toddlers

Paris with kids – favorite parks with toddlers

Paris with kids – favorite kid-friendly restaurant

Ciao Bambino recommended Paris family hotels

Winter in Paris with kids

Find great deals on airfare to Paris at Cheapoair.com

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