Susan Van Allen writes about Italian travel and interviewed me for her book, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go.  I finally had time to sit down with her book on vacation this summer.  Wow, what an inspirational resource for all of us who have a love affair with all that is Italian!

Susan writes about Italy’s feminine spirit and describes the places and experiences that transform travelers. Her description of Italy as a place that “brings peace and comfort, a place that stirs that soul” is applicable to both sexes and all ages.

I’m one of those travelers that struggles to read a guide book before arriving in a place.  This book is different. The historical facts presented read like a story—the details are a joy to peruse and Susan communicates the heart and soul of all that she covers.

She categorizes all the various experiences vs. organizing the book by destinations. I love this—saints, villas, gardens, caffes, gelato, shopping, beauty treatments, spas, beaches, culture—glorious suggestions are easy to access and digest.  The presentation is user-friendly with useful tips (including relevant links for reservations) and recommended reading.

This guide doesn’t cover traveling with kids in detail, but this is precisely the beauty of family travel in Italy—many of Italy’s best experiences appeal to all ages and interests in one way or another. For more information visit SusanVanAllen.com.

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Rebecca moved to Italy from Chicago in 1993 and shortly thereafter opened an agriturismo in her husband’s renovated family farmhouse at the foot of Mount Subasio near Assisi, Umbria. When she’s not with her two sons, she spends her time taking care of guests at Brigolante, blogging about the lovely region she now calls home at Rebecca’s Ruminations, and wondering about what strange winds blew an urban vegetarian to a pig farm in Umbria.

Assisi at sunset.  Photo Source Jimmychou

There are certain things we tell ourselves, we promise ourselves, we solemnly vow to ourselves, when we become parents. Our children will never get parked in front of the TV. Our children will never play with war toys. Our children will never eat sugary breakfast cereal, especially not directly out of the box. Our children will never change the way we travel.

All of these are ridiculous, we discover disconcertingly early into the parenting adventure. Sooner or later you need to shower in peace, which is why God created the Disney movie. Sooner or later you realize that even if you nix the water guns, your sons will build pistols out of Legos. Sooner or later you remember that one of the pure joys of childhood is illicitly eating fistfuls of Cocoa Pebbles, especially directly out of the box. And sooner or later your kids change the way you travel.

Sometimes, it’s not a particularly positive change (I once ran out of diapers on a Sunday night on Mykonos.Yes, I can feel you shuddering.), but other times–most times, even—our kids change the way we travel in the same way they change the way we see the world. They slow us down, make us cut out the superfluous, help us live in the moment.

This is one of the benefits of travelling to Umbria with kids. Adjusting your pace and fitting in activities that will make the trip memorable to your entire family gives you the opportunity to experience this beautiful Italian region in a way that running the usual church/museum relay doesn’t.

Here are five suggestions for activities in Umbria that are fun for everyone—and may give you enough bargaining power to get them to tour just one more church!

White water rafting in Umbria. Photo Source Rebecca of Brigolante

Lead them to water

Umbria is known as the green heart of Italy and and its lush vegetation is the result of the ample annual precipitation which falls in this region…so there’s no lack of lakes and rivers to both amuse your kids and cool them off when the temperature starts rising.  You can head to tranquil Lake Trasimeno for a swim from one of the beaches, or take the ferry to tiny Isola Maggiore in the middle of the lake.

Consider visiting the beautiful Marmore Waterfall in the south of Umbria; the trail which skirts the falls is so close that at times you get a refreshing natural spray. Also in the south, you can spend a day white water rafting with outfitters on either the Nera or Corna rivers…the last run we did was with a group of people from 5 to 60 years old, and everyone had a blast.

Make them king or queen for a day

On almost every hilltop in Umbria there is a hill town, and above of almost every hill town there is a castle! Nothing is more fun than exploring a castle for aspiring princes and princesses (and nothing prettier than the views from the strategic vantage-points for their parental kings and queens). The best castle in Umbria for kids to conquer is by far the Rocca Maggiore in Assisi. Only partly restored, this stone fortress has tunnels, towers, and turrets galore. More staid, but still fun to visit, are the Castello del Leone in Castiglione del Lago and the Rocca Albornoziana in Spoleto.

Eat, drink, and be merry

If you really want a fun window into Umbria, hit the nearest sagra for dinner. A sagra is a festival organized by a community which centers around a specific food or dish–generally local specialties, e.g. truffles or wild boar or torta al testo (a type of flat bread) and is publicized primarily with the big posters plastered along the roads and in the main squares. A benign pandemonium reigns at these festivals, where you’ll find a booth where you order your food, a big tent where you sit at long tables to eat, a couple of carnival type games where you can shoot cans or play the lottery for prizes, and a dance floor.

It’s the kind of event where anything goes, so until the band starts up let your kids run completely wild with the other roughly hundred children tearing around the dance floor, give them some money to win kitschy crap at the lottery booth, sell your soul to the devil and buy them something God-awful at the confectionary truck, let them ride the two or three rickety carnival rides set up behind the dance floor. Your most memorable experience in Italy will doubtless have to do with art, culture, or food. Theirs will be the night you took them to the sagra.

Go green

Kids can only take so many museums, churches, and historical monuments. Now that I think about it, most of us can only take so many museums, churches, and historical monuments. So as long as you’re in one of the most beautifully green places in Italy, skip the culture for a day and instead head to one of the many parks in the region. You can walk or hike, picnic, swim, enjoy a scenic drive, or just simply relax and enjoy the view while the kids are able to blow off some vacation steam.  Some of my favorite places in Umbria are the Piano Grande in the Mount Sibilline National Park (where there are horse and donkey riding excursions), and the Mount Subasio and Mount Cucco Regional Parks. If your kids really have some steam to blow off, you can treat them to a day at ActivoPark near Terni which offers tubing, donkey rides, climbing routes and mounting biking rails, go-karts and rollerblading.

Back to school

Yikes! Not that school—I mean the fun kind. There are lots of opportunities to take day courses in Umbria which can be customized for family groups. Try learning how to make ravioli and tiramisù with a local cook who knows how to get even the young ones rolling out dough. Enroll your family in Perugina’s School of Chocolate (see, I told you I meant the fun kind) for a day of making delectable desserts. Head out with a guide and dog to sniff out truffles in the Umbrian woods. Bring out the artist in everyone by creating your own majolica pieces with a master in Deruta.

With a little creativity, research, and advance planning, in Umbria you can experience one of your memorable—and fun–family trips. Come and discover what Italy’s Green Heart has to offer!

Relevant Links:

Nancy enjoying a Boston pedicab with her 4 kids. Photo Source Nancy Solomon

If your kids have already marched the Freedom Trail or you are simply looking for something a little different than the typical “Top 5 Family Activities in Boston”, this list was created for you. Don’t get me wrong, Boston’s popular sights are excellent, but between school trips and family visits, we’re always looking for something fresh to draw us into town.

A list of our favorite off-the-beaten path things to do in Boston with kids of all ages

Boston Marine Life:

Explore the Harbor Islands - Take a short ferry ride over and explore the various islands just off Boston’s coast. On Spectacle Island, there is a small snack stand, The Summer Shack, by famous chef Jasper White, but from what I’ve heard, George’s island is better for kids. There’s and old fort to explore and more open space. Bring a picnic lunch and a kite; the island breeze makes it a perfect for kite flying.

Board Codzilla - The name says it all. The brochure for Codzilla takes a bravado tone informing you that whimps need not board, so bring you sense of adventure and a change of clothes, as you’re “guaranteed” to get soaked.

Enjoy Whale Watching - Let the experts from the New England Aquarium take you to the whale feeding grounds 30 minutes out to sea. It’s a beautiful ride and you will see plenty of whales. This is a big hit with my kids. It boards right next to the aquarium and is very convenient to the other harbor area activities.

Pop-up fountains on Boston Harbor walk

Boston Harbor Area Activities:

Newly redeveloped, the Harbor Walk and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway connect the Institute of Modern Art to the North End. This is my favorite area to walk around with kids. There is plenty of space to run and pop-up water fountain that get everyone pleasantly soaked on hot days (bring a change of clothes!).

This walk also links to Faneuil Hall, a historic market place with fun little shops, outdoor entertainers, it’s Boston’s version of Convent Garden. Faneuil Hall’s food court offers a little of everything, even Wagamama, our favorite family noodle house from London recently opened here.

The Croc store is fun and looks more like a candy shop becuae they have crocs in every color. Our favorite loop includes a stop at the aquarium to see the seals out front, then Faneuil Hall via Pedicab (a bike pedaled cab), and finally a trip into an Italian grocery shop like, Depasquale’s, to buy picnic supplies or dinner to take home. For evening entertainment, Boston Harbor Hotel has the Summer Series where they play live music and show movies outside—a real summer treat!

Land Adventures:

Full of Hot Air - Glass blowing will take care of that. Check the calendar for the family demonstrations and hands on fusing. Diablo Glass also offers longer programs through The Museum of Fine Art.

Snack on a Food Tour - This is always hit with my kids. When traveling with mini-foodies, a little learning, a little eating keeps everyone is happy. Although these tours are not specifically designed for kids, if yours have a culinary flair, they will be warmly welcomed. There are a few options in the Boston area, but these are the ones that we’ll be going on: North End Tour and Brookline Jewish Food Tour.

Stir it up - While we are in the culinary venue, if you are looking to get some hands on experience, try playing cook for the day at Create-a-cook, located 15 minutes outside of Boston in Newton. They offer great workshops ranging from sushi making to knife skills.

Tour Along- Of course there is the Little Feet Freedom Trail tour, but if you want something a little different, add wheels! Urban Adventures offers a wide selection of bike tours to accommodate any family. Options include a ride to Fenway or Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride. Get more adventurous if your kids are over 100 lbs and tour Boston on Segways.

Canobie Lake amusement park

Be Amused:

Kids in our area flock to two amusement parks, Canobie Lake and Six Flags New England. Canobie had become a quick favorite of mine because it’s close (45 minutes), clean, and smaller. The manageable size makes it very easy to keep an eye on my kids if I don’t ride with them.

Also, at each “big kid” ride, there is a a “little kid” option. So, while my 11, 10 and 7 year old ride the over 48”/52” rides, my 2-year-old is has something to do.

Six Flags is the real deal—huge rides, a huge water park and huge lines. This park is located in Springfield, MA along with the Basketball Hall of Fame. It’s about a two-hour drive from Boston.The height requirements range per ride, so be sure to check the website.

Relevant Links:

Ciao Bambino recommended Boston family hotels

Boston activities with kids

Summer things to do in Boston with kids

Spring things to do in Boston with kids

Boston with kids - top attractions

Things to do in Boston on Uptake.com

Photo Source Dana Rebmann

My husband and I are not the biggest Disney fans. When it comes to a vacation, there are a lot of other places we’d rather take the family. That said, we understand why it would rank high on our kids’ list of places to go.

Our story goes like this. We were headed to Southwest Florida to visit family. My girls had seen Disney’s “Give a day. Get a Disney Day.” advertisement. Basically, anyone who volunteered for a day, got a free ticket to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. My computer savvy 11-year-old took the initiative, got online and found a great local volunteer opportunity. The whole family volunteered, (It was fabulous!) and Disney emailed us our ticket vouchers. The problem, due to all the restrictions and blackout dates, we couldn’t use them.

My girls’ disappointment was obvious. So we did what most parents would do, told them we’d take them to Disney anyway. And long before we knew the reward tickets wouldn’t be useable, we’d made hotel reservations and contacted friends. There was no backing out. When it comes down to it, the only difference was the extra $400 we had hoped not to pay at the gate.

Rise and Shine

When the day finally arrived, we were ready. My girls had their fanny packs loaded with snacks, water and sunscreen. No one had trouble getting up early. The kids were so excited; I’ll admit it was contagious. The park opened and we poured in with thousands of others. We met up with friends (who have similar aged children) and we were off!

I knew my 9-year-old would love everything about the park. She has no fear and loves rides, even the ones I won’t go on. She still has that special place in her heart for princesses. Though the Cinderella backpack may be gone, she squealed when she saw the castle.

It was my older daughter I was concerned about. At 11, she’s a full-fledged tween. She likes rides, but is a little pickier with her choices. Princesses are no longer part of her daily vocabulary. And having been lucky enough to see things like the Matterhorn and the Eiffel Tower, I didn’t think Cinderella’s castle would take her breathe away.

Tween Control

With a smidgen of suggestions, we let the two tweens pretty much lead the way. We started in Tomorrowland, and much to our surprise, did a lot of riding with very little waiting. We had just come off the Carousel of Progress when we realized the Parade of Characters was about to begin.

We had just enough time to get to the Castle, figuring we’d hoist the little ones up over the crowds to watch and let the older girls relax or have some time to themselves. Incredibly, we snagged front- row, parade-watching real estate. Everyone sat down, and by the time we had re-applied sunscreen, every kid (and adult) had ice cream in their hand. As I took a bite of a chocolate Mickey ear, it hit me. The older girls were just as excited as the younger kids, asking when the parade would start and who would be in it. Everyone was smiling. It was a travel moment that will be forever etched in my motherly mind. I had greatly under-estimated the magic of Disney.

At school, tweens don’t talk about princesses. They don’t talk about how cute Pooh is. It’s too embarrassing. But at Disney, it was ok to like princesses and balloons. It was fun to yell when Snow White and Cinderella came strolling down Main Street. It was fun to be a kid, and fun to be a parent. I realized my daughter isn’t as “old” as I think she is.

The parade set the tone for the entire day. (Entire trip actually.) The tweens continued to lead as we worked our way through the happiest place on Earth.

Keeping the Peace

Ride selection was much easier than anticipated. A good week before our arrival at the Magic Kingdom, everyone in our group singled out four “must do” items. There were eight in our group, so that meant 32 must do’s as the day went on. If “it” was on the list, there wasn’t any debate. Turns out, pretty much everything was on the list. The only get out of going on this ride pass given was when someone was scared. And interestingly enough, even though we had as old as 11 and as young as 7, that only happened once, when we reached Pirates of the Carribean. By the end of the evening, hours of persuasion reigned supreme and the Pirates were overtaken!

The Rules

*There were some parent rules, but they were the type of things no one seemed to mind.

*Lunch required sitting down. No eating in line or on the move. Everyone ate something. Protein was encouraged.

*Drinking water, juice, lemonade — whatever was the hydration of choice — was strictly enforced.

*Sugar consumption was also encouraged. After exploring Tom Sawyer Island, everyone was required to sit a spell in the shade. One thing lead to another and before we knew it a new guessing game of sorts had been created. Lacking poker chips, M&M’s were thrown into the pot. Once the pot was eaten, we were ready to move again.

*Who says it’s time to leave

Another fabulous parade, fireworks and a fluke no wait on the log flume finished off the day. The park had officially been closed for almost an hour as we made our way down Main Street to the park exit. Shopping, singing, dancing. There is a reason they call it the “Happiest Place on Earth.” The energy finally disappeared the second the kids hit the backseat of the rental car, but the magic is still going strong.

Relevant Links:

Disney Cruise Line tips

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

Things to do in Orlando on Uptake.com

Hiking the Chemin de Narcisses near Montreux. Photo Source Amie O’Shaughnessy

Hooray, our relocation to Switzerland is complete! Let’s just say that the relocation logistics were not fun (stay tuned for a post about lessons learned), but we (all four of us—including our dog) are exceptionally happy to be here.

We are living in the wine producing area of Lavaux on Lake Geneva.  Making friends will take some time but we’re already amazed at how welcoming the French-speaking locals are in the villages around us.

Terraced vineyards dominate this area on the lake between Lausanne and Vevey.  There are small roads through the vineyards that make wonderful walking paths and well-known cycling routes. Put Lavaux on your must-see list—it’s truly spectacular.

Kid-friendly things to do on Lake Geneva

We have yet to explore all the kid-friendly things to do on Lake Geneva but they are clearly plentiful and I’ll cover them as we discover a “best of” list.

Hiking is one of our favorite family activities—unquestionably, the challenge will be deciding between the endless options.

We decided to start with a route that was described as family-friendly, the Chemin de Narcisses, outside of Montreux.  You can use the funicular train in Les Avants as the starting point to avoid a significant climb. The hike was enjoyable through a mixture of forest and open hillsides with stunning views.

That said, we learned two important lessons in today’s adventure:

1.  Beware of what is described as an “easy family hiking tour” in Switzerland.  It was a great trail for our 7-year-old but it still had a number of steep ascents and descents—and, we’re not even in the Alps yet.  I definitely wouldn’t bring ages 4 and under on this trail unless they are “experienced” hikers.

2. Wine is an essential part of any hiking pit stop.  This set up on a bench along the way made us laugh.  I love that they use real wine glasses too.

Clearly, we have some things to learn from our hosts!

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.

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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