Expert advice on family trips, girlfriend getaways & romantic escapes, plus travel tips, gear and giveaways.
January 24, 2012 | Author: SoCalGal
January isn't typically thought of as a top month to vacation in Los Angeles (except perhaps for fans of the Rose Bowl Parade). This winter, though, there's such a plethora of whales and dolphins off the coast of Los Angeles, that it's worth the trip for [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel, Travel News | 7 comments
January 18, 2012 | Author: SoCalGal
It's always at least a little breezy at Lapakahi State Historical Park, and the day I was there, it was so windy that my younger daughter almost got blown off her feet. This is on the dry, leeward side of Hawaii's Big Island, up north past all the luxury [Read more]
Posted in: Destinations, Family Travel | 11 comments
January 12, 2012 | Author: SoCalGal
Last year, there was only one Travel & Adventure Show in Los Angeles. This year, the Los Angeles area gets two travel shows. The Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show will be January 14-15 at the Long Beach Convention Center, and the Los Angeles Times [Read more]
Posted in: Travel News | 7 comments
January 9, 2012 | Author: SoCalGal
There are many hotels and resorts to choose from for a vacation on Hawaii's Big Island. The best of the upscale resorts are all north of Kona, along the Kohala Coast. This is because "Kona side" is the most reliably sunny part of the Big Island (also called [Read more]
Posted in: Hotels | 8 comments
January 3, 2012 | Author: SoCalGal
Adventures by Disney takes family travel to the next level. My own family participated in the Southwest Splendors Adventures by Disney travel program several years ago, and my kids still talk warmly about Sedona and Grand Canyon National Park. Now, the new [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel, Interviews | 15 comments
December 27, 2011 | Author: SoCalGal
The Big Island of Hawaii has many nature trails and hiking paths. One hiking path on the Big Island (also called Hawaii Island) is the most child-friendly leg of the Ala Kahakai Trail. This mile-and-a-half part of the trail connects two oceanfront hotels on [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel, Hotels | 3 comments
December 19, 2011 | Author: SoCalGal
This has been a pretty big year in terms of theme park news. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando broke all kinds of attendance records, and added to the significant lift that Orlando as a whole saw in terms of family travel visits. [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel, Travel News | 1 comment
December 9, 2011 | Author: SoCalGal
Contributor Dana Rebmann recently stayed at Kimpton's Hotel Monaco San Francisco, and it was such a delightful holiday family travel experience that she couldn't wait to tell The Vacation Gals about it. Dana writes for the Ciao Bambino family travel website: [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel, Hotels | 56 comments
December 7, 2011 | Author: SoCalGal
One of the great joys of a Hawaii vacation is the opportunity to see magnificent marine mammals in their natural setting. Swimming with wild dolphins and seeing Hawaiian monk seals frolic make for great travel experiences. A pinnacle for many, though, is [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel | 1 comment
November 28, 2011 | Author: SoCalGal
Disney theme parks represent the pinnacle of a certain type of family travel; that which is more child-centered than most, with whimsy, magic and princess sightings. Sure, you won't exactly expose your kids to a cultural experience during a family vacation at [Read more]
Posted in: Family Travel | 8 comments
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