Growing up on the East Coast I had my pick of summer coastal getaways, and while memories from my pre-parenting days are hazy I can tell you that sun, surf, and seafood were important elements in all of those trips. Memories run together of one town’s attractions and another’s shops and restaurants and certainly all of these destinations teemed with parents and their loud children.

Once I became a parent of loud children my memory certainly didn’t improve, nor did my hearing. But I did discover that when I revisited some of my favorite coastal communities and slipped on the Goggles of Parenthood, sights and activities and other little things like age appropriateness came into focus for the first time. Here now, from North to South, three coastal getaways.

Ocean City, New Jersey. Photo Credit Izik on Flickr

Ocean City, New Jersey: Liquor-free, junk-food heaven. Best for kids 3-11

Before my wife and I had children we thought it was a nuisance that Ocean City was a dry town and honestly it’s still a nuisance (though you can stock up in nearby towns and tipple in your lodging). One aspect of the town’s dryness that we certainly appreciate today is that our young family can walk O.C.’s crowded boardwalk at night without encountering visibly inebriated folks spilling out of restaurants and other establishments. As for restaurants, well, your major food groups down here will be the cheese steaks at Sack O’Subs (926 Asbury Ave), and along the boardwalk, Mack & Manco’s pizza, Johnson’s hot caramel popcorn, and the anytime meal known as Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard. And don’t miss the sweet apple cider donuts baked fresh each morning at Oves Beach Grill at 4^th St. and the Boardwalk.

Your young kids will have their pick of other young kids to befriend, particularly useful when everyone shares their pails and shovels for sandcastle building. As for the water, it’s not excruciatingly cold and is calm enough for wading, though it’s also just frisky enough for kids to boogie board. Through Labor Day each family member 12 and older will need a beach tag — $5 daily, $10 weekly, and $20 for the season. You can do the O.C. as a day trip but I’d recommend several days. The Crossings condo-hotel is more than adequate for long weekends and there are many rental homes available for a week or more.

Annapolis Harbor. Photo Credit KenWiedemann

Annapolis, Maryland: Crabs, boating, and the Navy. Best for kids 12 and older

Annapolis might take umbrage with my slapping an age range on their family vacation potential, but through my goggles I see core activities best enjoyed by parents and mature kids who deserve the opportunity to concentrate on what’s good here. While a getaway in Maryland’s capital city doesn’t center on sandy bathing suits and wolfed-down junk food, Annapolis won’t let you forget for a second that you’re a guest in the shadow of the Chesapeake Bay.

Boating is obligatory while you’re here. Just accept it. You’ll have your pick of sailboats, power boats, and other crafts. Charter them with a captain or go “bareboat” (no captain or crew) and if you’re a capable motorist who can claim to have a bit of prior boating experience, you’ll find it a rare treat to pilot a motorboat on the bay. Another treat – Old Bay Seasoning, named for the Old Bay ship line that used to ply the Chesapeake. The spice adorns nearly every restaurant table in the city and where there’s Old Bay, thankfully, there’s crab. Crab cakes, crab puffs, hot crab dip, she-crab soup, hard shell crabs – forgive my channeling Bubba from “Forrest Gump,” but the crab is that good. And since two of my three kids are allergic to shellfish, I appreciate far more than before that most Annapolis restaurants have plenty of un-crabby choices.

Once your family has its fill of seafaring and seafood the water play still isn’t over. If you happen to be in town this summer on a Sunday you’ll be able to catch musicians and street performances down at the Annapolis City Dock as part of the Summer at City Dock music series. And on any day but Sunday you’ll want to check out the United States Naval Academy, perhaps the most impressive facility you’ll ever see. Guided tours lasting about 75 minutes include glimpses of sample quarters, the Olympic-sized pool, the grounds, and midshipmen going about their business. Needless to say the place radiates discipline and it’s well worth seeing how awestruck and respectful your kids become, at least for the duration of the tour.

Beachcombing on Hatteras Island. Photo Credit Terren in Virginia on Flickr

Hatteras Island, North Carolina: Beaching, birding, fishing, and more seafood. All ages

For the uninitiated, North Carolina’s Outer Banks can intimidate. Many islands and towns will cry out for your business but you could do a lot worse than make Hatteras Island your base for a week. The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau points out that while Hatteras is 50 miles long it’s less than a mile wide in most spots, so it’s easy enough to get to the sand. Plus, parking and beach access are free.

Rental houses and condos abound throughout Hatteras Village, Frisco, Buxton, Avon, Salvo, Waves, and Rodanthe (yes, of “Nights in Rodanthe” novel and movie fame, where you can see the house that co-starred in the film). If you’re not property-rental minded there are a fair number of hotels in Hatteras Village as well as Buxton, where you and your family will want to pay respects to the zebra-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse on the planet.

Aside from beachcombing and beacon gazing your family can also indulge in bird watching, which may be best to try via the bird observation room at the Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History Center, which also abuts nature trails. If you want to take at least part of your clan fishing you can head out to the Hatteras Island Fishing Pier in Rodanthe, and for those in your family who are least 10 years old and 4ft 8 but under 200 lbs, a two-hour horseback ride that’ll take you along the beach is highly recommended.

One reason the beach is in such fine shape here is that Hatteras Island falls under the protection of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and via the National Park Service participates in a junior ranger program where your kids can learn about local history and preservation from real park rangers.

Visit ShermansTravel.com for more beach vacation ideas and comprehensive listings of current beach travel deals and family travel deals.

My 11-year-old daughter Ellie asked me about travel writing and if she could write a post for the Ciao Bambino blog. She wrote this post on what travel means to her—I’m astounded to read what she’s learned on our family vacations! To think I was wondering if our kids are really learning while we’re traveling …

Ellie in Trafalgar Square, London.  Photo Credit Nancy Solomon

What Travel Means to Me

By Ellie Solomon, Age 11

To me travel means that you get to see how other people live and more about their beliefs. You know the saying the more you look the more you see, well, that’s exactly what it is. Because when you learn about one thing and see it somewhere then you begin to connect it to other things. Like a puzzle. For example, when we went to Rome we saw all these Gothic buildings from around 1400-1600’s.Then in Paris, we saw exactly the same thing. So, I figured that was the architectural style from that time period, the Renaissance. It’s like a never-ending puzzle. Billions of pieces add end up to a picture.

I love to read and I also love to travel, so books about other places are some of my favorites. Earlier I read a book about the Montatumbe Warrior Queen in Africa. Well, because a while ago nobody understood about things that they hadn’t seen yet, so they believed that the gun people took with them (London) were rods that shot lightning.

Before we went to London I read a book about Queen Elisabeth the First and her family before she was queen. Then when we visited that places like the Tower of London, where that story had taken place made it more exciting.

In Italy it was really cool to see how people lived. On the coast they had gardens on the rooftops, clotheslines and delicious home-made pasta. If you ever go to Italy that is the first thing to try. In America we buy all our stuff at the grocery store and we use dryers and dishwashers. I think it’s so cool that they have home gardens because they have fresh herbs and vegetables. So everyone here is eco-friendly, just by their lifestyle. Why not try having a clothing line and growing your own garden. Instead of buying pasta make your own pasta. You save packaging etc.

Paris! Photo Source Nancy Solomon

I also love traveling because it’s family time. I will never forget my brother’s 6^th birthday in Paris. Imagine that, waking up in Paris and knowing it’s your birthday. It was so fun. We went to this awesome carnival with a giant Ferris wheel, bumper cars, be- be guns trapeze trampolines and a miniature Eiffel tower made out of ropes.

I love where I’ve gone and I’d love to see more. I look forward to going to Spain, Poland, Holland, Germany, Mexico, Brazil and Portugal. Maybe even Africa, if I can deal with all the shots.

Relevant Links:

Italy through kids eyes

Volunteer family travel

Ciao Bambino family travel destinations

Terranea Resort

I just put together a list of last minute summer family vacation deals for ParentsAsk.com. Ciao Bambino favorites The Breakers, Affinia Chicago, Riviera Palm Springs, The Gant Aspen, and Terranea Resort are all offering value-oriented pricing and packages right now!  Starting rates range from $167 to $249 per night.

Get the full details here.

Relevant Links:

Best hotel and resort kids’ clubs

Swimming safety at hotel and resort kids’ clubs

Top family-friendly hotel chains (US edition)

Value remains king in 2010

Toddler travel – where you stay matters

Finding family-friendly boutique hotels

Finding the best kids clubs

Finding the best Europe family hotels

How to choose the right ranch vacation

Things to consider before booking mega-resorts

Evaluating all-inclusive beach resorts

We were hiking in Lake Tahoe a few weeks ago on the Rubicon Train (DL Bliss State Park) and came across these teen-agers jumping off big rocks into the lake.  The joy of being young and fearless!

I love how the deep blue color of the lake comes through in these photos.  What you can’t tell, however, is how cold the water is (hint: very).

Contemplating the jump into Lake Tahoe

Take off

Is he crazy or what?

Me to my 7-year-old, “You will not be doing this … ever.”

The landing

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

Relevant Links:

Best Lake Tahoe hikes with kids

Favorite kid-friendly things to do in Lake Tahoe

Best family-friendly places to stay in Lake Tahoe

This is a follow up post to last week’s article about our fantastic experience on the Disney Cruise Line.

Welcome aboard with Minnie.  Photo Source Kristi Marcelle

A cruise, like any other vacation, is a different experience for each family. For some it’s all about the service and the food while for others it’s about exploring new destinations and unplugging from the daily grind. No matter what the reason is for your trip, the convenience of having someone else plan it all for you helps to create a stress-free experience.

There are a few tips to make your cruise planning and experience more enjoyable for all.

Pre-Cruise

On-line Forms and Reservations

Once you have reserved your cruise, you can complete pre-departure forms and make reservations for the adult dining (I highly recommend it), the spa and book port excursions on-line at the Disney Cruise Line website. This expedites check-in and also allows you to get your child’s kids’ club wristband before your board the ship.

If you are thinking about reserving a stateroom with a verandah be aware that while rooms are non-smoking, passengers are allowed to smoke on the verandahs. About half of the time we used ours, there was second-hand smoke coming in from next door. If I could change one thing about our cruise it would be to have a non-smoking verandah.

Research and Planning

I found the Walt Disney World Moms Panel after the fact, but this is a great resource for up-to-date information on all things Disney, including cruises—and it is all written from a parent’s perspective.

If you are not booking shore excursions through Disney, research your port destinations before you leave. Internet is slow and expensive on the ship. Disney promotes its own shore excursions and besides retail shopping information, there are no maps or other information available to passengers. Wandering around a city that you do not know well can be fun or extremely frustrating (in 90-degree weather with high humidity and kids-in-tow I do not recommend it).

If you want to go to Walt Disney World think about going before the cruise. Our family went afterwards and while we enjoyed our visit, the kids were just too tired from all of the activities on the cruise to do as much as we had wanted. Fortunately we were staying at a very kid-friendly hotel, The Beach Club Resort, which has a lazy river, waterslide and sand beach – perfect for the relax-time that we needed.

During the Cruise

Activities and Breaks

Each night you receive the next day’s schedule in your stateroom – you cannot get the schedule beforehand. While there are activities throughout the day, there is a concentration of entertainment at night. Taking an afternoon break so kids are fresh for dinner and evening festivities can go a long way to making your trip more enjoyable. It’s not possible to do everything and a rested child (and parent) makes the ones you do choose more fun. We chose to skip Toy Story 3 in the big theater one night and watch it the next afternoon in the smaller venue to give the kids a break to roam around the ship and have an earlier bedtime.

Dining

Snacks, desserts and soda are readily available on the ship and can create a distraction that quickly turns into pleading and whining. Save yourself the headache and set expectations with your kids (and your dining room server) so they know when they can indulge.

Port Activities and Weather

Consider the weather when visiting and booking activities at port destinations. Summer weather in Florida and the Bahamas frequently means overcast skies and rain showers in the afternoon. We experienced this in Nassau and Castaway Cay. Our Stingray Adventure was scheduled at 1:00 pm and by then the skies had darkened and the water was rougher which made feeding the stingrays on the floating platform more challenging.

The Disney Wonder moves to the West Coast in 2011 to begin Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles and Summer Alaskan cruises from Vancouver. Enter the Disney Gamer Getaway Sweepstakes for your chance to win a free Disney Mexican Riviera Cruise.

Disney Cruise Line provided Ciao Bambino with free airfare and cruise accommodations.  They did not ask us to express any particular point of view.

Relevant Links:

Disney Cruise Line vacation review

Cruises for kids, the Bahamas with Disney Cruise Line

Walt Disney World vacation tips, enjoying the park without rides

Walk Disney World tips for all ages

Choosing between Disneyland hotels

Lake Tahoe view from Rubicon Trail in DL Bliss State Park

Hiking is a wonderful all-family activity.  When kids are very young and can fit in a backpack, any hike is fair game as long as you pack food and don’t overestimate your endurance to carry the extra pounds. When kids start walking, selecting kid-friendly hikes is essential, although it’s amazing how far motivated school-age kids can go.

I’ll never forget the Dutch family we ran into in Banff National Park a few years ago with 5-year-old twin boys who were hiking the same 6-mile-loop we were with some serious vertical.  We were winded and quite surprised to find happy little boys hanging out at the top of the trail. Clearly, hikes like this were business as usual for this family. Mind over matter in action.

Waterslide fun at Resort at Squaw Creek

Lake Tahoe is one of my all-time favorite summer destinations with kids. The Resort at Squaw Creek makes a great home-base for families visiting this area this time of year. Although Squaw Valley is a 15-minute drive from the lake, the setting is spectacular. Condo-style rooms have kitchenette facilities and comfortable living space. The highlight for kids is the pool with a waterslide that entertains for hours. Babies and toddlers have their own kiddie pool and sandbox.  Hiking, golf, tennis, horseback riding, and biking are all accessible without getting in your car. There are a few onsite dining options and a spa, plus the Mountain Buddies kids club is available for ages 4-12.  This property is a great choice for families that want a complete resort experience.

Over our recent stay, I chatted with the Marketing/PR Manager, Marc Sapoznik, about his recommendations for kid-friendly hikes in the area.  He put together a great list of options.  Thanks Marc!

Best Kid-Friendly Lake Tahoe Trails

Tahoe Meadows Whole Access Trail on Mt. Rose Highway

The Tahoe Meadows Whole Access Trail is a wheelchair-accessible trail providing a fine opportunity to experience a part of verdant, subalpine Tahoe Meadows. Not only will the wheelchair-bound enjoy this loop, but families with small children will appreciate the wide, gently graded, 1.3-mile long path as well. The trail loops around the northeast finger of 8700-foot Tahoe Meadows, exposing hikers to a lush meadowland environment full of plants, wildflowers, and trickling streams, bordered by a light forest of lodgepole pines. Slide Mountain and Mt. Rose provide a fine backdrop to the scenery-rich meadows. Snow usually clears out of Tahoe Meadows by the end of June, allowing vivid wildflower displays from mid-July through August. Without the flowers, the hiking season still continues until the first significant snowfall, usually in early November.

Recommended for all ages.

Eagle Lake

The Eagle Lake Trail is one of the most popular at Lake Tahoe.  It has everything: stunning lake views, waterfalls, river, a bridge, a climb, spectacular forest and mountain views, and a gem of a lake at the end of the trail.  Because this trail does have a vertical climb to it, younger children are not recommended.  During summer, you will definitely find other people on the trail. Pack a lunch, there is definitely room to spread out out at the lake and this is a wonderful place to relax for a few or more hours.

Recommended for ages 5 and up.

Spooner Lake Loop

A scenic 2-mile loop around Spooner Lake offers a relatively level trail with enough diversity to keep kids entertained.  The west and south shore portions of the trail takes hikers through pines and aspens (a shady relief during warm summer days).  Fishermen often dot the edges of the lake, sometimes floating in inflatable boats.  Several places along the lake shore are suitable for a picnic or rest stop.  Keep in mind, at the beginning or end of the hike there is a nice picnic area with tables, grills and restrooms.   You’ll also find many mountain bikers heading up the nearby Marlette Lake Trail to tackle the famous Flume Trail (but they will not be riding the loop trail).

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Taylor Creek Rainbow Trail and Stream Profile Chamber

This leisurely 1-mile loop meanders through meadow and marsh areas, with pines and aspens along the route.  A portion of this trail runs adjacent to Taylor Creek and offers the unique stream profile chamber.  Kids love the chamber, which offers an “underwater” view through a glass window of the river replete with trout and Kokanee salmon.  Other “educational” fun spots are offered along the trail.  Bald eagles sometimes frequent the area.  During fall, the Kokanee salmon return to the river to spawn, turn the clear waters to a sea of red hues.  It’s a sight to behold.  With the aspens in the area, autumn is a great time to enjoy fall colors too.  After your hike head to nearby Kiva Beach or the historic Valhalla area for a picnic on the beach.  Note: the stream profile chamber is only open during the summer months.

Recommended for all ages.

Shirley Canyon in Squaw Valley

Shirley Canyon

You don’t need to go far up the trail to feel like you are a world away from the Squaw Valley ski area in Shirley Canyon. There are wonderful swimming holes for older kids and big boulders to climb. Note that there are steep sections higher up that aren’t kid-appropriate, but lower down the creek, when it’s flowing, is perfect for a family excursion (young kids need constant supervision here).

Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Rubicon Trail in DL Bliss State Park

The Rubicon Trail hugs one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in all of Lake Tahoe.  You can park at Calawee Cove Beach in DL Bliss State Park (a fantastic sandy beach) and walk down a moderately graded trail with incredible views of the water and mountain scenery.  You can walk all the way to Emerald Bay from here which is too long for young kids, but a timed jaunt down the trail and back to the beach will be fun for all. Note that there are very steep drops on this trail; there are safety ropes but this is not a good place for toddlers.

Recommended for ages 5 and up.

Angora Lakes

You reach Angora Lakes via a short trail, just .5 miles.  This is one of the region’s best swimming lakes and the drive into this area is scenic as well.

Recommended for all ages.

Relevant Links:

Favorite kid-friendly things to do in Lake Tahoe

Best family-friendly places to stay in Lake Tahoe

Things to do in Lake Tahoe on Uptake.com

Disney Wonder departure celebration. Photo Source Kristi Marcelle

This was my first Disney Cruise Line vacation and besides thinking I’d see plenty of Mickey and Minnie, I wasn’t sure what to expect. By the end of the cruise, I realized that in subtle and not so subtle ways, the mission of the Disney staff is to make every passenger’s vacation as stress-free as possible.

The service level was extraordinary—this vacation helped us understand why families like cruising so much and return over and over again.

Disney Wonder slide

Disney Cruise Highlights

There were many activities that we would have liked to do but just couldn’t fit in. It’s very easy to over schedule yourself with activities and half-way through the cruise realize that kids need an afternoon break of rest or reading in order to enjoy dinner and the nighttime entertainment.

Kids’ Clubs

The kids’ clubs are divided by age groups but a helpful feature for families with multiple children is that the kids can “float” between the clubs so that our 4-year-old could be in the same club with our 7-year-old. They chose to participate in different activities but the comfort level for daughter of having her brother in the same place allowed us to enjoy our adult time.

The entire process—including a beeper for parents, electronic sign-in/out, and the ability to drop the kids as needed—is convenient and easy. Tweens and teens are in separate groups. All of the kids’ clubs are complementary except the nursery.

Making “flubber”

Family Cruise Activities

The sheer number of activities offered for kids and families is overwhelming. In addition to the kids’ clubs offering classes like making “flubber” and cooking, parents and kids can participate in towel folding (the orangutan towels were the winner in our book), board game contests, karaoke nights, and there is always a movie showing in the theater. In short, there are so many things to choose from for families with children of all ages that we never heard an “I’m bored” on the entire trip!

Cruise Entertainment

Each evening, the cruise features a show, musical or movie. We had heard great things about the entertainment on the Disney cruises and the hype is well-deserved. The hour-long musicals are Broadway quality with characters that the kids already know and can relate to. Toy Story 3 in 3D was the featured movie and a hit with the kids.

Disney characters roam the ship and are very popular with many families. We chose not to wait in lines to get pictures or autographs but enjoyed just “running” into characters on the deck or wherever they might show up.

Disney Dining

The dining experience was the star of our cruise. We loved that we had the same servers each night at dinner (passengers follow a rotational dining program with the same dining staff). Our kids looked forward to dinner each night because they received so much personal attention from our servers.

Our adult dining experience was utterly enjoyable too—when our kids’ food arrived at the table, the server cut it up for them—there was really nothing that they would not do to accommodate their guests.

We did have an opportunity to try out the adult-only restaurant on a couple of occasions and thought this was worth the additional $15 per person charge. The food and view were great and it was relaxing to have a lunch or dinner by ourselves.

Castaway Cay Stingray Adventure

Castaway Cay

Castaway Cay was our favorite shore excursion. It is a slice of Disney World in the Bahamas—clean, organized with lots to do. Favorites here are the new Pelican Plunge waterslide and the Stingray Adventure. While the barbs have been clipped from the sting rays on Castaway Cay so you cannot be stung, we did learn how to do the “stingray shuffle” for protection as we hand-fed the rays and swam with them in the lagoon afterwards—a unique experience for all of us.

Pelican Plunge waterslide on Castaway Cay

Things to Note

While our family truly enjoyed this cruise, there were a few things that just “come with the territory” when cruising with 3,000 people—including many kids—to the Bahamas in the summer. The ship has plenty of room to explore, but popular areas like the pool were always crowded so we tried to go first thing in the morning or later at night.

Our port destinations were Key West, Nassau and Castaway Cay but the 90-degree heat and high humidity made it tough for walking around.  The downside of a cruise in this part of world in July …

Finally, as mentioned, our dining experience was incredible but there were many tired kids which created a considerable amount of noise at certain points during dinner. We also struggled with the readily available and viewable sweets and desserts at meals; we managed this by deciding that each child could have one treat a day—it’s tough to turn down a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar dipped in sprinkles with marshmallows on the side.

Stay tuned for for more tips on creating an optimal Disney cruise experience next week.  This is an early edition of Photo Friday. Check out Delicious Baby for more of this week’s travel photos.

Disney Cruise Line provided Ciao Bambino with free airfare and cruise accommodations.  They did not ask us to express any particular point of view.

Relevant Links:

Cruises for kids, the Bahamas with Disney Cruise Line

Walt Disney World vacation tips, enjoying the park without rides

Walk Disney World tips for all ages

Choosing between Disneyland hotels

New Hampshire summer fun. Photo Source Nancy Solomon

Something about summer, possibly the 95-degree weather, inspires us to run to the beaches and woods. Given that we live in Boston, we are lucky that the Northeast is full of lovely escapes.

The past few weekends have been spent in New Hampshire where ski areas are an ideal playground for summer pursuits. During our drives, I’m always shocked to see the vast expanse of towering pines—these northern woods have been a favorite destination for generations of families. It feels like summer camp and there are activities for all ages.

Moose safari

Things to do in New Hampshire with young kids:

Storyland

A smaller, gentler amusement park that plays on storybook themes. My kids were loved this until they were around 8 and older. Now they want bigger parks.

Moose Safari

My 7-year-old asked to see a moose so I found this tour which heads out each evening to find these enormous animals. We rode in comfortable van with silly moose toons playing. The spotlights along the side of the van work wonders for finding the moose—goal achieved! A trip highlight for all of us.

Cog Railway

For train lovers, this railway climbs great heights and offers amazing views of the White Mountains.

Santa’s Village

A smaller amusement park with rides and a water area for warmer days.

Things to do in New Hampshire with older kids:

Attitash

This ski resort has turned their mountain into a playground for the summer. With a Mountain Coaster (one of the longest Alpine Slides) scheduled to open in August, Euro Bungy trampolines, horseback riding and mountain biking, kids will be active for hours. Note, that there is a pool and pony rides for little kids, but many activities have a height minimum of 48 inches.

Franconia Notch State Park

The Franconia State Park is vast and stunning. Favorite hikes include “Old Man of the Mountains” (a mountain side that looks like a face) and Flume Gorge.

Zip-line preparation

Bretton Woods Canopy Tour

For the thrill seeker, this is the longest zip-line in the area. Kids must be over 12 to participate.

Lake Sunapee

The crystal clear waters surrounded with pines makes this setting fabulous for a summer’s day. Anchor in a cove for lunch and a swim or water ski and tube all day. You can rent boats and equipment at Sargent’s Marina.

Lake Winnipesaukee

This is the largest lake in the area and closer to the Conway area than Sunapee. You can rent your own boat for the day or if you are not comfortable in the captain’s hat, hire a crew take you out for a private cruise. If fishing is what you are looking for, check out Angling Adventures.

Mountain Climbing

For the more adventurous families, private mountain climbing excursions are available.

‘Meet the Farmer’ at the Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa

New Hampshire family-friendly hotels:

After the day is done, you’ll be ready to rest. The area has two historic hotels in glorious settings—both properties are sure to take your breath away.

The Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa was recommended to us with rave reviews. We were not disappointed. Impeccably restored, this fantastic family getaway offers large rooms, gorgeous grounds, delicious food, and thoughtful activities for families. We started our day off with “Meet the Farmer”, where we learned about the barn animals. Later, we did pony rides, swam and even watched Kung Fu Panda in the private theatre. Be sure hit the campfire with kids. We loved this hotel and will definitely visit again.

The Mount Washington Resort captures old-world grandeur and is set beautifully in the valley of Bretton Woods. Recently taken over by Omni Resorts, the hotel is top-notch. With many different accommodation options and unlimited activities—this hotel is a great home-base for families.

Relevant Links:

Things to do in New Hampshire on Uptake.com

Soaking in the view at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. Photo Source the Whalen family

One of the best aspects of living in the San Francisco Bay Area is the abundance of weekend getaways within a 1-2 hour drive. A favorite option that is easy to access yet a world away is Half Moon Bay, a seaside town in San Mateo County.

The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay is new to our luxury hotel portfolio. It’s not one of those properties that scream family with an endless list of onsite activities for kids; however, there are just enough things to do that parents and kids alike love spending time here.

We stayed at hotel last spring but we didn’t get the opportunity to experience the Ritz Kids program (ages 5-12). Given our move to Switzerland in a few weeks, I didn’t have time to get back there this month so I asked the property to host a local family for an overnight to further investigate this part of their program.

The Whalens—mom, dad, and 2 kids ages 5 and 7—celebrated Father’s Day at the Ritz. I interviewed them after the trip for feedback.

Relaxing at the Ritz

Kid-Friendly Experience

The Whalen family raved about their kid-friendly experience at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. I love hearing this given that Ritz-Carlton as a brand is not best known for catering to families. Making kids feel welcome is particularly challenging at properties like this one that also attract corporate guests, serious golfers, and couples seeking romance.

Bravo that everyone from the bellman to the concierge went out of their way to engage the kids and ensure they were excited about their stay.

Ritz Kids Program

Ritz Kids is not a camp-style hotel kids club with a long list of structured activities that attracts large numbers of kids of all ages. However, it is a nice perk to be have the opportunity to drop kids off in a safe and fun environment so parents can get downtime to hit the spa, fitness center, golf course, or just relax in the gorgeous coastal setting.

The Whalens participated in a half-day session where there kids visited the beach for sandcastles and games. Everyone was comfortable with the set up—particularly since the Director of Recreation took the time to call them and chat about the plan. The kids enjoyed themselves and so did the parents. Weekend getaway goal achieved!

Note, this property offers an additional kids camp over the summer months run by an outside organization. We don’t have any first hand feedback on this program at this time.

Indoor Swimming Pool

The indoor swimming pool is a big part of enjoying Half Moon Bay with kids. This area can be foggy and cold so it’s nice to have a warm space where kids can burn off some energy. Note, there are adult-only swim hours and family hours. Be sure and ask for the schedule at check-in.

Snack at the putting green

World-Class Golf

The golf course draws many people to The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay; when you see the course, it’s obvious why. There are few golf courses I’ve seen that are more spectacular than this one with rugged bluffs and ocean views. Moon Mullins Golf Academy offers lessons for ages 6-16.

There is also a putting green where families with kids of all ages can hit balls together. Putters and balls are provided for free.

S’more time

Sunset and S’mores

Sunset is the highlight here when everyone gathers around the fire pits to watch the sun go down. S’more kits are available. A fun a social setting for all.

Things to Know

It’s a Ritz and things like room service add up. If you’re going to splurge on a weekend away, expect sticker shock and budget accordingly—part of enjoying the property is taking advantage of all the onsite amenities.

The hotel does not consistently offer a kids menu at the restaurants. Be sure and ask for kid-friendly dining options and pricing if a menu is not presented.

The Whalen family received complimentary lodging but paid for all other amenities and services. The Ritz-Carlton did not ask us to express a particular opinion about the stay.

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino review of Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay

California Coast with kids

Angel Island San Francisco

San Francisco Bay Area Summer Camps

Things to do in San Francisco with kids

Favorite San Francisco attractions with kids

Favorite San Francisco Spring activities with kids

Visiting Mount Diablo with kids

San Francisco with kids – Ciao Bambino guest post on Two Kids and a Map

Things to do in Half Moon Bay on Uptake.com

One of the big reasons we love to travel internationally is the opportunity to experience how people around the world live differently than we do.

Many families don’t have the resources to travel abroad with kids yet still want to expose kids to different people, places, and cultures in an impactful way.  Textbooks are a start but multimedia is a far richer way to share information.

Kristi Marcelle recently interviewed Jenny M. Buccos, the Director, Producer, and Founder of ProjectExplorer.org.  In 2003, Jenny founded this organization as a way to educate youth about the world’s cultures, histories, and people through films, photos, blogs, and other multimedia. In 2005, she directed/produced ProjectExplorer.org’s first program, Shakespeare’s England. In 2009, Jenny received a GOLD Parents’ Choice Award for Excellence in Educational Programming.

Jenny in Jordan.  Photo Source ProjectExplorer.org

What inspired you to start ProjectExplorer.org?

I was personally inspired by Michael Palin’s Travel Adventures, which frequently aired on PBS during my college years. I wanted to work for Michael Palin and travel the world as part of his film crew.

But it was in 1999, while I was working at a large investment bank, that the idea for ProjectExplorer.org began to brew. During that time, I had the opportunity to work briefly in Hong Kong and Tokyo – a total eye opening, educational experience for me!

My time in Asia made me think about how developing a global awareness from a young age could change students’ interest in education by making what they learnt in school more relevant. Learning about different people and places helps to raise awareness of social issues, arming youth with information so that they have the power to make a difference in the world.

So, in 2003, I began ProjectExplorer.org to provide “virtual passports,” especially to those for whom travel is simply not possible. This is done in the form of close to 200 short videos, photos, world music clips, and travel blogs all of which are provided at NO cost.

ProjectExplorer in Malaysia

What is the goal of ProjectExplorer.org?

Through ProjectExplorer.org’s FREE videos and multimedia materials, I strive to create an accurate and broad depiction of the countries, people, and regions covered while dispelling inaccurate stereotypes. In creating films that are multicultural and educational, I hope that our videos help contribute to a community of socially responsible individuals equipped to become the next generation of global citizens.

How do you choose the destinations?

ProjectExplorer.org selects projects that give subjects and regions that are often overlooked in schools new attention and depth. We ask for input from parents and teachers on what locations or topics they would like covered. We are currently planning our next series for this spring in Malaysia/Malaysian Borneo and I am in post-production on our Mexico series. (Mexico is scheduled to launch this fall.) If you have ideas for a future location, please let us know via our blog.

ProjectExplorer in Soweto

How can parents and teachers use your lessons plans and videos to get kids interested in other cultures?

ProjectExplorer.org is all about about the user experience. With our virtual fieldtrips we are trying to offer as many students the opportunity to meet people, explore museums, landmarks, and historical sites and experience live performance. Our film, photo, and travel journals are designed to “invite” our audience with us on our journey. This is done in the form of short (under 3 minute) videos with fast cuts, multiple angles, and lots of music — a new style in educational programming that will appeal to most students.

Under our educator section, we offer lesson plan suggestions that encourage in class discussion and written or creative exercise that challenge students to analyze and interpret the materials they have seen. Many of our lessons ask students to compare and contrast past historical events with current global issues, and encourage classroom dialogues that explore ways to resolve conflict, environmental, and racial issues.

Our daily lessons and “fieldtrips” offer an overview of locations, subjects, and performances. Each video and written item has been carefully constructed to provide a basic understanding of materials and topics that may be new to most students. They are designed to provide the groundwork and spark an interest in further independent exploration of the topics and destinations we have covered.

How can kids participate in ProjectExplorer.org beyond the lesson plans?

In 2008, I started a companion project that allows kids to take an active role our video series. The Good Global Citizen project builds on ProjectExplorer.org’s mission to foster the next generation of global citizens. The project was inspired by our interview with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a frequent ProjectExplorer.org interview question:

What does being a good global citizen mean to you?

This project gives our global audience – both kids and adults – the opportunity to take part in our work by creating their own video response for our sister website. In just a one year’s time we’ve gathered more than 100 video commentaries from some inspiring young people as well as lots of celebrity voices.

ProjectExplorer in South Africa

Do you have a particular success story from one of your destinations?

Each location and series offers its own rewards. I have the unique opportunity to be a global ambassador by sharing stories and answering questions about my travel experiences with students in America (and abroad). This is, without a doubt, is the most rewarding part of my work.

To date, our most successful series is South Africa. The people in South Africa were incredibly welcoming and willing to share their stories. For this series I worked with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Pulitzer prize recipient Greg Marinovich, and some of the country most respected artists, leaders, and musicians. In June 2008, I was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine for my work in South Africa.

A couple of the destinations, Mexico City and Jordan, are not typical family tourist destinations – do you have a travel tip for families traveling to exotic locations?

I believe that Mexico City and Jordan are excellent family destinations that have, unfortunately, received some negative media attention. No matter the destination, I think that it all comes down to research. There are many treasures that exotic destination hold that would appeal to kids and family. Jordan, for instance, has the Dead Sea, the Bedouin of Wadi Rum, and the chance to follow in the footsteps of Indiana Jones at Petra. It is simply a matter of educating oneself on what a particular country has to offer and how to go about being safe in the destination you choose.

Additional notes from Jenny:

Stay tuned for ProjectExplorer.org’s 4th series in September 2010, Mucho Mexico!

Spreading the word is one of our biggest challenges. When I speak with educators and administrators there is an initial skepticism. They find it difficult to believe that our educational programming is free. However, the schools and students that need our programs and new educational materials the most cannot afford resources.

Of course, keeping it free presents another challenge. Identifying corporate sponsors and getting support from foundations and individuals is no small tast. It would be wonderful if everyone who used our site made a small contribution.  Simply put, the faster we are able to raise funds for our programs the more locations and subjects we are able to cover, thus expanding our catalogue of programming.

More Ciao Bambino Interviews:

Meet Eileen Ogintz

Meet Erica Dublin of See Jane Fly

Meet Erica Ehm of Yummy Mummy Club

Meet @TravelSavvyKayt

Meet Melissa Biggs Bradley

Meet Wendy Perrin

Meet Yolanda Edwards of Cookie Magazine Travel