You really don’t know what it means to get wistful about a destination until you’ve come home from Hawaii. You’ll try to put your finger on what’s triggering such an emotional response, recalling the islands’ perfect amalgam of beauty and warmth and kindness, but that’s only part of it.

Why you’ll yearn is so intangible, in a way almost private, that you’ll end up telling those who’ve never been that they just have to be there to know. The votes have been in for a long time. Hawaii is paradise.

There’s no shortage of things to do on Maui and the best part is that some of the most fun and adventurous outings are FREE. From the numerous beaches, to our hiking trails, to free walking tours of our historic towns, you can have fun and not break the bank. We also have TONS of paid activities from parasailing in the summer, to whale watching in the winter. Yes, being bored on Maui is hard to do.

The weather on Maui is warm year round. Winter brings more rain showers (and rainbows) along with cooler temps while summer is generally hot and dry.

There are many exceptional hotels in Hawaii but there is one in particular that seems to have cult status with families, Kona Village on the Big Island. One of the few inclusive-style accommodations in Hawaii, we’ve had the family-friendly hotel review on Ciao Bambino for a while now. Even though I personally interviewed the family that wrote the review, I didn’t really understand what made the hotel so special.

I do now.

Where else can you take a kid to see a real, erupting volcano?

It’s safe – Kilauea Volcano is sometimes referred to as the “drive-in volcano” – and it’s interesting. Enter the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located near Volcano Village, and take the 11-mile Crater Rim Drive, which circles Kilauea’s summit caldera and craters. You can see the eruption at Halema‘uma‘u Crater, learn about lava at the Jaggar Museum, peer into steam vents, smell sulphur banks, walk through Thurston Lava Tube, and hike Devastation Trail …

Kauai, known as the Garden Isle, is draped with lush tropical rainforests and cascading waterfalls, all surrounded by sapphire seas. But don’t just stand back and look! Dive in and enjoy what the island has to offer: hiking, swimming, and kayaking is plentiful for active families.

There’s a lot of history here, too. You’ll find Hawaiian cultural presentations at various venues around the island, giving you and your ohana (family) the chance to try their hand at dancing the hula or weaving lauhala.

Probably not your first thought for this year’s summer vacation, right? Well – Krakow, Poland is a wonderful place for families, and being just on the edge of Eastern Europe, the value can’t be beat! The city holds a unique place, both geographically and historically, bridging Eastern and Western Europe with delightful results.

Krakow, like any European city, has its challenges for the American visitor. Our family found Polish a hard language to crack, and while most younger people, and practically everyone …

Stowe, the self-proclaimed “Ski Capital of the East” is a fabulous destination for families who love to ski or want to learn to ski. In my opinion it’s the closest thing you’ll find to west coast skiing on the east coast.

Stowe boasts the highest vertical elevation in the state of Vermont. Skiing at Stowe offers the chance to ski two mountains, Spruce Peak and Mt. Mansfield. The services offered are comparable to those you find in some of the tonier ski resorts out west, complimentary lockers, overnight ski storage, a high speed gondola

Traveling with kids gets better with experience. The more you do it, the easier it gets. You develop a system, and refine it with every adventure.

When I plan a trip, I have a very distinct routine. It starts with an empty notebook, a guidebook and a few hours on the Internet. Once armed with the basics, I start trying to lay out a rough day to day itinerary. It serves as a guideline for my family. If something doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world. Maybe we’ll do it tomorrow.

Palm Springs is the perfect long weekend getaway for the winter weary. Steeped in old Hollywood charm, (think Frank Sinatra), this desert oasis located 111 miles east of Los Angeles promises vistas of majestic mountains and miles of incredible bright blue sky year round. Palm Springs also offers families lots of hip house rentals and activities to get outdoors during the winter and soak up the sun.

Before my 2010 ski season came to an abrupt end on Valentine’s Day (no fun sledding accident), my plan was to scout a few new ski venues by following my own advice from my how to find family-friendly ski resorts post. The good news is that I made it to Steamboat, Colorado before my luck changed.

It’s been ski week so far on CB with the best family ski resorts in Europe post and family-friendly recipes for ski weekends by Amanda Haas yesterday.