The dream of a family African Safari takes a tremendous amount of work and planning. If you’re one of the many families like mine, who dream of an family safari in Africa like Amie’s, keep planning and saving. If you find you need a little inspiration along the way, consider an easily arranged safari adventure in the open space of Monterey County, California.

amous for its world class aquarium, there’s a wilder side to Monterey that many don’t know exists. Wild Things was created in 1983. At first the animals …

An approachable, easygoing city with plenty to see and do, Portland makes a great family getaway. A fun fact for wine-loving parents is that the Willamette Valley, one of the nation’s fast growing high-quality wine regions with over 200 wineries, lies just outside Portland and makes a perfect day trip, with or without kids.

Best known for its award-winning Pinot Noir, the Willamette Valley is leading the charge around sustainable farming and that goes hand-in-and with incredible dining opportunities …

I am a huge Disney fan. The Disney brand consistently delivers high quality entertainment whether it’s a Disneyland vacation with kids or a Disney Cruise with grandparents. I have yet to meet a Disney experience that I don’t like – except Space Mountain which I ride only to be brave in front of my kids.

I was speechless however when I was shown to my “room” at the Disneyland Hotel a few weeks ago. When the Disneyland Hotel …

Need summer travel inspiration? Look no further … I got together with fellow luxury travel experts Poshbrood and Luxury Travel Mom and put together a list of worldwide luxury family travel favorites for summer 2013.

From Africa to Hawaii to Paris to Cape Cod, our list offers something for every age and interest, and lets families be as laid back or as active as they want!

Ski school is one of the biggest differentiators for the best family-friendly ski resorts. For our new 2013 Ski School Spotlight series, I interviewed Ski School Directors from top family resorts to highlight need-to-know program details. I’ve covered Park City Mountain Resort and Keystone Resort so far; today’s featured ski area, Sun Valley Resort in Idaho, will be our last spotlight of the season.

See my comprehensive review of Sun Valley for families for details, but I love this destination ski resort for kids of all ages.

The Kimpton brand offers a consistently reliable, value-oriented accommodations for families seeking kid-friendly hotels in cities across the United States. I recently stayed at one of their Portland properties, RiverPlace Hotel, and recommend the experience. The prime location, warm service, and Kimpton’s special perks make RiverPlace the perfect base for exploring Portland with kids.

One thing I love about trip planning is finding the unexpected. While researching my first vacation to Yosemite with kids this past summer, I discovered California’s Gold Country. It’s the region made famous by the California Gold Rush which began in 1848 with the discovery of gold in Sutter’s Mill and lured thousands of fortune seekers west to California.

The area is a California gem; rarely do you find an off-the-beaten-path destination that has so much to offer in terms of historical significance, culinary diversions and active adventures.

We had a tremendous family ski trip to Keystone this winter. This award-winning Colorado ski resort offers families optimal terrain and accommodations, an exceptional Keystone kids’ ski school program, as well as off-mountain fun for all ages.

Keystone also offers fantastic parents-only perks including the spa at the Keystone Lodge and a dinner worthy of a very special date night at the historic Ski Tip Lodge.

Spring is coming. This is about the time of year many families start replacing trips to the snow with trips to the beach. If you’re ready to reach into the closet for flip flops instead of ski boots, think about a family vacation in Santa Cruz.

There’s plenty of great things to do with kids of all ages in Santa Cruz, but its location sets it apart from other Northern California beachside areas.

In many families, a typical visit to Disneyland with kids is about packing in the most rides and attractions in a day and not wasting one precious moment of park time. By the end of the day the family is exhausted; the race is over and everyone is content but no one has seen much of the scenery along the way. Sound familiar?

The “one day and done” visit to Disneyland is challenging now that Cars Land and Buena Vista Street have arrived at California Adventure.