I’m a big believer in rhythms over schedules. Even as my toddler has dropped naps (send help!) we are still following almost the same rhythms as when they first arrived: Meal—>Play—>Rest. One of the reasons travel can be so challenging is that it naturally throws us off our equilibrium. I…

Having worked as a theme park employee and a cruise ship crew member, I’ve seen my fair share of family vacations. I’ve witnessed cherished trips in the making, as well as family vacations gone horribly awry. I’m a child-free woman and traveler now, but when I explore travel destinations as…

This year is shaping up to be a good one for vacations that don’t require a passport. Small towns and big cities alike are commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The FIFA World Cup is coming to North America. The 100th anniversary of Route…

We tend to romanticize the golden age of air travel with its silver-service trollies and mid-mod-style. Those glory days are long gone, though, and air travel today is utilitarian at best and a royal hassle at its worst. As a partner someone who travels in a wheelchair, it’s painfully obvious…

Charlie and Grandpa Joe sentimentalized the travel trend we now refer to as skip-gen travel when they landed a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate paradise. The idea of grandkids traveling with their grandparents—leaving the parents at home, thus skipping a generation—has since evolved from gallivanting amid fudge fountains and…

I’m a journalist by trade, and one of the things that means is that I’m always curious about how other parents and caregivers do things. (Put another way, I’m very, very nosy.) When I started Travel with Toddlers I knew I didn’t know everything and wanted a way to highlight…

One of the funniest parts of re-reading children’s books as an adult is how relatable the adults are in a very new way. When Mr. Brown says to Paddington Bear, “I appreciate that bear really knows how to find a bargain,” I’m laughing for an entirely different reason than as…

With horses to ride, fish to catch, and hearty cowboy meals to devour, there’s no time for screens on a dude ranch vacation. And for many families, that’s a good thing. Set in breathtaking natural landscapes with all-inclusive convenience, North America’s best dude ranches are perfect for family vacations and…

For a tropical vacation in the Caribbean, you really can’t go wrong no matter which island you choose. But if you’re looking for an escape that’s easy to get to, you’ll want to consider a Caribbean destination with a lot of direct flights from the U.S. If you live on…

First impressions are important. When I check into a hotel, employees who appear genuinely happy to see me are both a litmus test and a harbinger of things to come. As a travel writer who has stayed at hundreds of hotels, you’d be surprised how rare a friendly initial greeting…