I’m like most parents in the sense that it’s rare I get good stretches of quality one-on-one time with my girls. Could I do a better job of making it happen? Absolutely, but it seems as though something always gets in the way.

When I was invited to take my teen on the Chevrolet Volt Sunshine Road Trip, I cleared the calendar, no excuses.

It’s a shame Omni Hotels aren’t in every city in the US as the staff are always courteous, the rooms are consistently lovely and the level of kid-friendliness has my girls anticipating every visit.

During a recent trip to the Dallas area we were privileged to stay in the Kid’s Fanatasy Suite at the Omni Mandalay at Los Colinas. This 2 room suite on the 23rd floor can be described only as incredible.

You could easily pass the Surf & Sand Resort as you drive down the Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach and think it was just another nicely renovated hotel. And when you step inside you might think it’s a hip hotel, perfect for that girls’ night out or romantic weekend. And it is.

So what about the kids?

When you step inside with kids you receive the same great service as everyone else and knowledgeable concierges who know exactly what families need.

You can spend months planning a family vacation only to find when you actually hit the road that it’s the unexpected stuff that steals the show. Case in point, critters. Animal meetings on family adventures are often surprises that tend to lead to success.

I did more traveling than I’ll admit to before it clicked that Kids & Kritters are a great traveling combination.

A Disney family vacation is on many wish lists this season. For good reason, Disney is guaranteed entertainment for every age.

When you enter Disneyland during the holiday period, you’re effortlessly transported into your own little winter wonderland. It looks like a classic Christmas card with garland-wrapped lamp posts tied with big red ribbons. The bows are tied just right and for some reason, there never seem to be any strings of lights out.

Carmel is one of my favorite family getaways. If I didn’t call Northern California Wine Country home, I could easily see myself having a Carmel area code. Locals are lucky. They have mountains and the sea and everything in between. So do visitors who hang their hat at Carmel Valley Ranch.

Readers have been gushing about Carmel Valley Ranch since it got its $35 million makeover. When my family was offered the opportunity to explore the property, I jumped at the chance. Now I can’t wait to go back.

The elves at Trekaroo have decided that we’ve been such parents this year that we deserve a big present before Christmas arrives. They’re giving away a 2-night stay with airfare and lift tickets to Mammoth Mountain in California.

If you’ve ever driven to Mammoth with kids you know how very long that drive can be and how sweet it would be to hop on a plane instead!

Paradise Point is located on Mission Bay in San Diego, within walking distance to Sea World and close proximity to many of San Diego’s family-friendly attractions. After only a few minutes at the resort, we watched bicycle surreys carrying several generations of families cruise by us.

Paradise Point has two key factors that make it great for family reunions: a beach with calm waters and loads of activities for families.

Since we’ve been highlighting multiple ways to explore DC through Dana’s posts about Touring the White House, Choosing Kid-Friendly DC Tours, and DC Kid-Friendly Museums (to name a few) — I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon.

Last spring, I tried to hunt down some new ways to explore Washington DC with my kids as they’ve been there many times. This is the follow …

The great state of Colorado is a skier’s dream with epic conditions, varied terrain, and a long list of ski resort options for all abilities and interests. Selecting the right ski resort for a winter family vacation takes a bit of legwork to ensure it will meet the needs of every person in the family (see How to Find the Best Family-Friendly Ski Resort for my list of critical things to consider).

I visited Keystone, Colorado this month and although it’s still pre-season, I can see why so many families …