The best summer vacation destinations vary according to our travel needs and wishes. Top US summer family vacation spots may not be the best for romantic getaways, and vice versa. Nonetheless, travel experts are great resources to look to for the top 10 summer vacation recommendations. The personal experience that informs their recommendations ensures that those 10 best US summer romantic vacations, family travel, and everything in between will be the right choices for any travel planner.

Top 10 Best US Summer Vacation Destinations

California - It’s a huge, huge state, of course, but I’m going to go with Southern California’s Los Angeles area and San Diego County for my own “best” US summer vacation destinations. From the theme parks like Disneyland and Legoland for families with young children, to Malibu, the La Brea Tar Pits and Santa Monica Pier for parents of older, more jaded kids, Los Angeles and San Diego in Southern California hit all the right spots for summer family travel.

Hidden Meadow Ranch, Arizona - TwinCitiesGal Beth Blair knows that much of the southern half of Arizona is too hot for a comfortable family vacation in the summer, but Hidden Meadow Ranch is different. She says, “It’s the perfect getaway for an unplugged vacation. We didn’t think we would make it without cell service or TV but it was the most relaxing vacation we have ever had – and the food was delectably fresh.”

Lake Champlain, Vermont – Suzanne Kelleher suggests Lake Champlain as a top summer family travel spot, and she speaks with real authority; WeJustGotBack is a very well known respected family travel source. She told The Vacation Gals, “The Tyler Place on Lake Champlain offers the best of all worlds — part outdoorsy family camp with an incredible array of fun water- and land-based activities and excursions, part luxury all-inclusive with fabulous food, opportunities for pampering, and staff-to-guest ratios. Not only does TP offer the best kids’ programming I’ve ever run across, but it also offers the best roster of adult activities as well. Every day offers an ideal mix of family time, kid time, alone time, and couple time, so everyone gets their needs met and leaves feeling rejuvenated and restored. We’ll be making our third trip there this summer.”

Madison, Wisconsin - Mother of All Trips’ Mara Gorman is a great friend and a pro at family travel. She recommends Madison, Wisconsin as a top place for summer vacation with kids because of all the options for family fun. Hiking, swimming, bike rides around the city’s four lakes, a wonderful Children’s Museum (reopening in a much larger space August 2010) are all terrific activities. She also notes that the nearby University of Wisconsin Arboretum and Henry Vilas Zoo are best for vacationing children, and are completely free of charge as well.

Nantucket, Massachusetts – Johnny Jet, who somewhat famously visits over 20 countries annually and provides a fantastic weekly travel deals newsletter, casts his vote for Nantucket. Nantucket is a town, an island, and a county — all with the same name. Johnny suggests traveling during the week to Nantucket, as the weekend summer crowds do get formidable. His favorite spot for lunch is a house-turned-sandwich shop called Something Natural at 50 Cliff Road. It’s family-friendly and casual, with huge portions, so Johnny Jet suggests ordering half a sandwich.

North Carolina – Barbara Weibel, who has been fascinating her fans with her Mexico adventures in Hole in the Donut, especially loves Brevard in North Carolina. She told us that the town is music-filled all summer, and is the perfect place to set out for any of the 450 waterfalls in Transylvania County. Beautiful scenery and perfect high altitude temperatures make this part of North Carolina a top US summer vacation destination.

North Dakota – It sounds offbeat, and it’s certainly not on mainstream top summer family travel destination lists, but Linda Kramer knows this part of the US well. She recommends North Dakota for a fun and family-friendly summer vacation spot. Minnemom especially likes Medora, describing museums, shops, and entertainment; if you live in the Upper Midwest, consider Medora for part of a family vacation in the Dakotas.

Olympic National Park, Washington - Gary Arndt, travel expert non plus ultra, suggests this US National Park for summer travel. He told us, “It is driving distance from Seattle and is a great park without all the traffic you get at Yellowstone or Yosemite. Olympic National Park is up in the mountains and gets the cool breezes off the Pacific, so if you want to escape the summer heat, it’s perfect. It also has the only rainforest in North America.”

Seattle, Washington - Seattle is very close to Olympic National Park, and Pam Mandel loves to show off her home town. Her Visitor’s Guide to Seattle includes her favorite sights and experiences in Seattle. Nothing like a hometown recommendation from a travel expert!

Vail, Colorado - ColoradoGal Kara Williams loves Vail (and it’s not as close to her home as you’d think) for summer vacations. Great skiing in winter, yes, but the mountain town of Vail offers a plethora of fun things to do in the summer as well. Her top picks for a summer trip to Vail include spa treatments, annual festivals, locally grown food in top-notch restaurants, and lots and lots of outdoor activities.

Your favorite US summer vacation spot’s not on the list? Don’t get mad — tell us! It’s a big country, after all, and there’s plenty of room for other great destinations for summer travel.

My family spends every spring break vacation in New York City. It’s the best! My children were born there, and it’s a fun home away from home for us. Spring Break in NYC sure doesn’t have the connotations of Florida and the Caribbean – no drunk girls in bikinis or frat boys behaving badly – and since I’m so comfortable in NYC, I see it as a completely family-friendly place to travel.  Every time my kids come to New York City, they have a few fun things they want to do. These are some of the best things to do in NYC with children.

The Best Things to do with Kids in New York City

American Museum of Natural History - Those of us who grew up going to this museum on family outings all remember running around underneath the life-size blue whale suspended from the ceiling right by Biodiversity Hall in Ocean Life. The Museum of Natural History is incredibly fun for kids. The Discovery Room, for small children, is perfectly hands-on and interactive, and the staff doesn’t let too many kids in at once (it’s a small space). Older kids love exhibits like the Butterfly Conservatory (seasonal) and the famous, iconic Fossil halls. With dinosaurs, of course. Rose Center – formerly the Hayden Planetarium – is one of the best planetariums in the country.  Also: If your kids are older and appreciate art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the best around.

Broadway shows - You can’t beat a live show in NYC, on Broadway or off, for world-class entertainment. If you decide to take your kids to a Broadway show or musical, make sure that it’s one that is appropriate for their ages. Those puppets on Avenue Q look cute, but what they say would make Oscar the Grouch blush. Long-running shows that are better-suited for kids include The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and Wicked, but Broadway is the most sought-after venue in the world – shows are constantly changing. Also: Older kids with a tolerance for lack of narrative – and loud noises – eat up the Blue Man Group and Stomp, both off-Broadway.

Central Park - Spring is the best time of year to visit Central Park, along with, well, autumn. And summer. Okay, and winter, Central Park is awesome! New York City’s backyard has a beautiful, refurbished old-timey carousel (watch for those tourist trap balloon carts, though) that little kids love, and huge 15-acre Sheep Meadow is one of the best spots in the city for little kids to run amok.  Bethesda Fountain, in the Bethesda Terrace by the lake, is probably one of the most photographed points in Central Park. The Great Lawn is where to go to find the Delacorte Theater, which is home to the free Shakespeare in the Park series in the summer. Also: Riverside Park is long and thin, stretching along the Hudson River from 72nd to 158th St. Lots of pick-up games and dog walkers, and the 79th St Boat Basin is a scenic place to relax.

Central Park Zoo – This zoo is a real institution on the east side of Central Park.  My kids love the Central Park Zoo; it’s a small zoo, especially compared to the Bronx Zoo, but the polar bears, the puffins and penguins, and the rainforest exhibit are wonderful. If you go to the rainforest exhibit, be sure to go upstairs – yes, it’s muggy – and look at the brightly colored poison dart frogs. The California Sea Lions, during feeding time, create quite a show (with a little help from their minders). Also: The Bronx Zoo is bigger, with a huge diversity of species. It’s not in Manhattan, though; the subway trip and walk is just under hour.

Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex – Right at 23rd and the Hudson River, this sports complex is a big deal for NYC. There’s rock climbing, soccer, basketball, golf driving range, bowling, and more. Chelsea Piers is incredibly popular with residents and tourists alike, so prepare for crowds. Oh, and parents – did I mention there’s a SPA here? I haven’t experienced a spa treatment there yet, but I may have to during my next vacation in NYC.

Dylan’s Candy Bar – Yes, it’s really just a gigantic candy store. I know. But my kids insist on going to Dylan’s each time we travel to New York City, so I’d be remiss by not including it in a best things for kids list.  Name a candy, and you’ll probably find it here. From old fashioned salt water taffy to Twilight New Moon themed candy hearts, the history of sweet stuff is on display here. The last time we went to Dylan’s I was pretty disappointed in their upstairs ice cream shop; it was understaffed, and those working there were petty apathetic. I’d recommend keeping your children downstairs, that’s where all the candy and fun is.  Also: Serendipity, on the Upper East Side. The frozen hot chocolate and foot-long hot dog will keep your kids full of energy for the rest of the day.

There are, of course, many other fun things do with with kids in New York City. These are my children’s favorites; I’ve already promised them that we’ll go back to The Met and take another look at the mummies over spring break. We’re always up for new travel experiences, though. Any suggestions?

]]> http://thevacationgals.com/best-things-to-do-with-kids-in-nyc/feed/ 9 http://thevacationgals.com/bes-minneapolis-stpaul-airport-parking-lo/ http://thevacationgals.com/bes-minneapolis-stpaul-airport-parking-lo/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:01:07 +0000 TwinCitiesGal http://thevacationgals.com/?p=12232

I find it incredibly painful to find and pay for airport parking while traveling. On our most recent trip to Orlando my husband and I were trying to decided which parking lot to leave the car at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport (MSP) for our five days away. We wanted to find the best and hopefully the cheapest. I started to dig for options, starting with the airport itself. Sure, parking in the closest short-term lot seems ideal, after all it’s a short walk. But having been an airport employee with a short-term parking pass, I know those valuable spaces see a lot of action which means the car will see a lot of dings and in the end it will cost – a lot.

This is what I discovered about the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) parking: Short-term cost $36/day, general is $20/day and value is $16/day. If you use your credit card upon entry, the Discount ePark rate will kick in an save you $2 a day. In other words, the best deal is $14/day – much cheaper than parking close to the terminal. If you insist on parking at the airport, the value is certainly a better bet over short-term.

Instead of parking at the airport, we opted for outdoor EZ Air Park which is located in Eagan about six miles east of the airport at the I-494 and 35 Interchange. The parking lot guarantees available spaces, 24-hour continuous service to Lindbergh and Humphrey terminals, automated entry/exit. The lot is lighted and attended 24-hours a day and regular users can earn free parking with the EZ Parker Program. EZ Air Park also assists if customers have car trouble, offering a free jump start and air for flat tires.

We were dropped off right outside of ticketing which was great with our load of car seats. Our drivers were friendly both ways, helping with our luggage and they even gave the kids toy foam shuttles which were great entertainment for the plane. Our cost was cheap: $11/day. I think it’s a bargain, especially if you’re coming from St. Paul or any southern or eastern suburbs. If you’re looking for the best Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Parking I highly recommend EZ Air Park.

]]> http://thevacationgals.com/bes-minneapolis-stpaul-airport-parking-lo/feed/ 2 http://thevacationgals.com/how-to-pick-the-best-airplaneseats-on-a-long-haul-flight/ http://thevacationgals.com/how-to-pick-the-best-airplaneseats-on-a-long-haul-flight/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:19:35 +0000 DownUnderGal http://thevacationgals.com/?p=12069

As an American living in Australia, I’m quite familiar with the 20-hour long-haul flight from Sydney to New York. A direct flight to Los Angeles takes about 14 to 16 hours, depending on headwinds, and then there’s the stopover and then another five hours to JFK. As a poor student, I’m always on the lookout for cheap international flights, so it means I end up with a lot of red eyes and plenty of lengthy stopovers.

For this arduous long-haul journey, finding a good seat is critical. There’s nothing worse than touching down in Los Angeles at 7 am, having not slept a wink and then needing to wait another 8 hours at LAX to board a connecting flight to New York. Funny enough, I’ve never managed to get myself upgraded, except to Economy Plus, which gave me an extra inch of leg room – and a broken entertainment screen.

If you’re making the long haul for the first time, here are a few tips on picking the best seat:

Check in online. If you can pick a seat at the time of booking, go for it as seats fill up fast. Alternatively, many airlines will let you check in online so you can head straight to the gate without needing to queue at the airport. Many carriers also tend to release exit row seats on the day of the flight, so you have a better chance of securing some highly coveted leg room then.

Beware drafty conditions. There is nothing more irritating than not being able to sleep because you’re freezing! Entrances to the galley can create a wind tunnel, so seats right next to these can be quite cold. Ask for an extra blanket.

Watch for babies. Seats located in the front row directly behind the galley are often reserved for families with infants. On many international flights, a baby bassinet can be secured to the galley wall while the plane is in air. It can be exceptionally disappointing to get a great bulkhead seat only to have it come with a burbling baby.

Consider gambling on the back seats. A really nice flight attendant once pointed me to a row of five empty seats in the last row. Since most people tend to reserve seats in the front, the back rows are the most likely to be empty for you to sprawl out. The drawback of course, is most back seats are narrower so if you don’t get extra room, it can be quite disheartening. Red-eye flights tend to be emptier than other ones, so there’s a fairly good chance you’ll be able to catch some Zs.

Consult SeatGuru. This website has a great guide for picking a great seat for any airline and almost every aircraft. The trick to know what type of plane you’ll be flying in. You need to be on top of this, however, as sometimes airlines will change aircraft without prior notice – and then reassign your carefully picked seat!

Break up the long-haul flight. Another thought to consider, that I personally have come to prefer, is breaking up the long haul flight. Last year, instead of flying direct, I found a cheap flight to New Zealand that then connected to Los Angeles. The process of getting off the plane after the first three hours to stretch my legs and then hopping back on a flight that only lasted 12 hours was actually a lot easier on the knees.

If you have more ideas on how to make a 20-hour flight more pleasant, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have a great flight!

Paige Green is DownUnderGal and she writes and blogs in Australia. Originally from the US, she’s always on the lookout for last-minute holidays and deals to pop back home.

Flagstaff is one of my favorite cities in the Southwest. It’s the best spot to make “home base” during a trip to northern Arizona, with Sedona 30 miles to the south and the Grand Canyon just a 50-odd miles away. American history buffs love Flagstaff for its history – Route 66 being part of the main thoroughfare – the mellow nature of Historic Flagstaff (downtown) is relaxing and fun, and there are enough National Monuments nearby to satisfy any cultural traveler. Here are my Top 10 Best Things to Do In and Around Flagstaff, AZ.

Top 10 Best Things to Do – Flagstaff, Arizona

Grand Canyon National Park - The Grand Canyon is clearly the biggest draw for travelers considering a vacation in Flagstaff; there are many tour and day trip companies around, but Flagstaff is the best place to stay for the trip. If you stay right near the Grand Canyon (at the famous El Tovar Hotel for example), then your vacation will have to be “all Grand Canyon, all the time.” Stay in fun Flagstaff instead, and make a couple of day trips to the Grand Canyon. Check out the Bright Angel trail, especially if traveling with young children. My kids managed part of it quite well.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument - Anyone who’s been to Hawaii’s Big Island will be struck by the physical similarities to much of that tropical isle and the terrain around this part of Arizona.  The ground is largely composed of lava rock, with some hardy trees struggling, here and there, for a toehold. It’s so interesting to consider the ancient volcano here, with the Grand Canyon to the north and the Coconino National Forest nearby; northern Arizona is incredibly diverse. The Lava Flow Trail is an easy one-mile loop walk along the base, 1/4 of which is paved.

Humphreys Peak - The highest point in Arizona, Humphreys Peak is a popular tourist destination for outdoorsy folk. If you’re up for a hike, you can get to the peak along Humphreys Trail; it’s around four and a half miles, uphill (consider yourself warned). From the peak, the vista of Northern Arizona is spectacular – the Grand Canyon, Sedona, even the desert mountains way south in Phoenix are visible on clear days. There’s a lot of snow October through May.

Walnut Canyon National Monument - Walnut Canyon is my favorite of these smaller Flagstaff-area National Monuments. Walnut Canyon dates to the same time period as the Grand Canyon, but is much, much smaller. It’s manageable, and the trail takes visitors around the middle level of the canyon. Here you can see Sinagua cliff homes – and even stand in them, respectfully. These cliff dwellings were part of the small Sinagua civilization in Walnut Canyon, built some time in the 1100′s. It’s quieter here than the Grand Canyon, and absolutely worth the trip.

Wupatki National Monument - This ancient pueblo is preserved well, and tended to by archeologists interested in the Wupatki culture. The Wupatki lived here circa 1100, and later merged with the Hopi. No one knows exactly why, but it was a peaceful integration. A short hike and self-guided stroll around the pueblo easily takes under an hour.

Sedona - Frequent readers know that Sedona is one of my top 10 favorite vacation towns in North America. Flagstaff is a great point between Sedona and the Grand Canyon, and I recommend it for a southwestern vacation covering both destinations. There are some great, fun activities in Sedona for a day trip.

Jerome - This town used to be the state capital, and once was the fourth largest city in the Arizona Territory…but that was a long time ago. Once the copper mine closed down (and the “ladies of the evening” moved on), Jerome seemed destined to be an Arizona ghost town. Today, remnants of the Wild West are on display and there is a thriving, lively artist community as well. Like many small towns in America’s Old West, Jerome could have emptied out. As locals like to say, the “hippies” saved Jerome from this fate. Small-town friendliness merge with the progressive attitudes of many artists, creating a welcoming, unsuspicious atmosphere and very interesting art galleries.

Historic Flagstaff - Honestly, I love exploring the town of Historic Flagstaff. Get a map; this is the part of the city where the charming shops, great  restaurants, and upscale chains are. I especially liked finding a “Life is Good” satellite store here, a couple of antique stores with genuine Old West memorabilia, the Flagstaff Brewing Company. and some fantastic southwestern barbeque at Bigfoot BBQ. Brookside Chocolate Company was great; hand-crafted chocolates that vary from delicate to decadent. There are many other places to eat in Historic Flagstaff, of course. What a fun town!

Lowell Observatory - Founded in the 1890′s, this is one of the oldest observatories in the southwest. The staff are very knowledgeable and eager to share their love of the site’s history, collection of old telescopes, and what guests are seeing through more modern telescopes. The Lowell Observatory is open year-round every day except Sunday.

Museum of Northern Arizona/Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum - These two museums are very close to each other, and manageable enough in size that a both can be done together. The Museum of Northern Arizona highlights the biology and ancient history of the Colorado Plateau, along with a fine arts gallery.  The Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum is Arizona’s oldest historical agency (circa 1864). Besides exhibitions – and it has over 3 million objects in rotation – the Arizona Historical Society offers educational outreach and research regarding Arizona’s long history up through today’s development.

These are my “best top 10″ activities in and around Flagstaff, but there are many more. I hardly mentioned Coconino National Forest, for example.  Within an approximately 50-mile radius, what are some of the things you like to do while on vacation in Flagstaff AZ? I’d love to expand this list.

Statue of Liberty (wiki commons)

My family loves Independence Day. Every July 4, there’s a cute old-timey parade in our town, replete with dressed up dogs, homemade amateur “floats (decorated cars, mostly) and our honorary mayor waving gaily from a convertible. But the best place to go for this year’s July 4th may not be small town America. The Statue of Liberty is reopening in New York City on July 4, the first time it will be open to the public since September 11. 2001. If there’s a better reason to go to NYC this July 4, I can’t think of it.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said, “On July 4, we are giving America a special gift. For the first time in nearly eight years, we will once again be able to have one of the most awesome experiences in the world.”  As most of us know, access to the Statue of Liberty was shut down after 9/11/01 due to concerns over security. To address these concerns, limits have been put on this popular tourist activity: 10 people at a time will be able to experience the trek up to the 265-foot high crown. Those 168 steps will again be able to be climbed by New Yorkers and tourists taking a summer vacation in NYC.

We left NYC several years ago, so when we travel there now it’s as tourists. We stay in a variety of hotels. What could make for a fitting hotel stay in New York City for July 4? Well, an upscale Independence Day trip to NYC could include a stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Battery Park: To celebrate the July 4 reopening of the Statue of Liberty, the Ritz-Carton’s hotel package “Liberty for All” includes two ferry tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, some in-room treats and amenities, and the introduction of a martini called “The Libertini.”

Now, I remember taking the subway downtown to the South Street Seaport area and looking out at the Statue of Liberty.  This was around six years ago, right before we moved out of the city. She seemed so remote then, and far away. This summer, on July 4, it would be wonderful to vacation NYC, get down to Fulton Street, and know that the Statue of Liberty is open for visitors once again. Just thinking about it is healing.

Los Angeles is a popular travel destination all year round; there are plenty of things to do and the weather’s never too cruddy (air quality be damned). With the ever-growing list of fantastic restaurants and cultural experiences, LA is no longer just a place to see famous people getting into bar fights, either. The fun child-friendly activities make LA great for a centrally-located family vacation too: Disneyland to the south, Knott’s Berry Farm and Malibu to the north, plus plenty to do right here too. But it’s the best cheap or free activities that help stretch our vacation budgets. What to do when your travel budget is smaller than you’d like? Go cheap, but still have fun. Here are my top five cheap and free things to do in Los Angeles, California.

See the Santa Monica Pier During Your Los Angeles Vacation

Top 5 Best Free or Cheap Activities in LA, California

The Santa Monica Pier has a fun, old-timey carousel and small amusement park, making it a great spot for families to take their young kids. An all-day wristband for the Pacific Park on the pier is available there or cheaper online, though you can walk around the amusement park without going on any rides (yeah, right!) for free. Under the Santa Monica Pier is a no-frills touch tank style aquarium, run by the nonprofit Heal the Bay. Local marine life are featured here, and donations are appreciated.

The beach is, needless to say, really crowed in the summer right around the pier, but walk a little bit north or south of it, and the crowds thin out quickly. Parking is free on some streets, and there’s a fee (varies, but around 10 bucks) for beach lot parking. Venice Beach is a healthy walk south, and the best for people-watching. The Will Rogers State Beach is just a couple miles north of Santa Monica, and a lot less crowded. Drive north a few more miles, and you’re in Malibu. Goggling at surfers is free, though the beach equipment rentals will cost you a few bucks.

He's Sure an Iconic Hollywood Star

Hollywood Walk of Fame is free to walk around, and plenty of those stores have cheap touristy stuff for sale too. There are over 2,300 stars’ names inlaid along the walk here, and all sorts of characters strolling around for photo ops. (If you pose with one of them, it’s nice to give a tip.) The Walk of Fame is along Hollywood and Vine, itself an iconic intersection. There are fictional stars with stars on the Walk of Fame too; my kids got a kick out of finding The Simpsons’ star.

Grauman’s Chinese Theater is a landmark that tourists like to see; it’s right on the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. The large red pagoda, Chinese dragon across the front, makes this an unmistakable spot: The footprints and handprints in front of Grauman’s are a fun place to take photos too. The oldest handprints include Mary Pickford’s in 1927, and more recent ones include Will Smith and Hugh Jackman. Anyone who wants to see a movie while on a Southern California vacation can see one here, though many grouse that ticket prices aren’t so cheap!

Television show tapings often need people to fill up the seats, especially talk shows and game shows. Grauman’s Theater is a good place to get free tickets to TV shows; other places to score free tickets to TV shows are the Glendale Galleria and Universal Studios Hollywood. Where else, besides New York City, can people on vacation have a chance to see some of their favorite TV personalities live at work? If you’re planning a trip to LA and really don’t want to leave this to chance, call Paramount Television Audience Show Guest Relations (323) 956-1777, Audience Associates (323) 467-4697, or Fox Television’s Audience Unlimited (818) 506-0043.

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Park is the biggest city park in the United States. It’s probably most famous for the Griffith Observatory, and admission to the Observatory is free. There’s a fee to get into the planetarium, but this is also pretty cheap. Griffith Park as a whole is over 4,000 acres of trails and parkland, so obviously there’s lots to do. There are hiking paths and bridle trails, picnic areas and canyons. It’s a great place to take kids during a family vacation; the LA Zoo is here, as well as the Autry Center (for cowboy lovin’ kids), pony rides and “Travel Town.” The Greek Theater is also right in Griffith Park – this outdoor theater hosts year-round concerts.

Needless to say, these are just my picks for the top 5 free or cheap things to do in Los Angeles, California. What’s best for one vacationing couple or family may not be the top activity chosen by another. Have your own favorite cheap or free Los Angeles activities? I’d love to hear them – leave your comments below.

Frequent readers of this travel blog know that The Vacation Gals absolutely love Hawaii. From great hikes on Kauai and somewhat treacherous ones on Maui, to fun in Oahu and multigenerational musing on the Big Island, well, we rave about it all. When it comes to luxury family travel, Hawaii just can’t be beat. Maui, in particular, wins award after award for its child-friendly beaches and resorts. One luxury resort there also just won recognition for its family-friendly beach. This is the Fairmont Kea Lani.

Ah…Just saying “kea lani” is transportive. The Fairmont Kea Lani is one of my favorite child-friendly luxury resorts in the world. It’s right on the beach in upscale Wailea, noted as one of the best stretches of beach in Hawaii. Every room is a suite in the Fairmont Kea Lani, and the curve of the coastline here makes for easy waves – not exactly for surfers, but perfect for little kids. The sand is soft and powdery, a far cry from the a’a lava rock that bedevils the beaches on the Big Island.

I have a soft spot for the Fairmont brand, and the Kea Lani in Maui, particularly, because that’s where we stayed the first time I took my kids to Hawaii. They learned to snorkel right off the beach, and spotted many species of tropical fish lazing around. My children loved the Keiki Kids camp, the food (pricey!) and the playtime with other kids their ages. Parents love having a safe place to essentially dump their kids, making a hike around Haleakala National Park feasible. Or just a visit to the spa, whatever.

The Professional Travel Guide website has named the Fairmont Kea Lani, in Maui, as one of the the Top 10 Beach Resorts for Families, and I have to agree. My kids have stayed at around five resorts on the Hawaiian islands now, and the Kea Lani gave them their best camp experience. Yes, we still have the coconut turtle-shell craft projects they made there…somewhere…and I still have great memories of watching them splash around in the pool (with waterslide) while I enjoyed the swim-up bar. The beach is so pristine, despite the steady influx of tourists, that it’s easy to spot the sea turtles that hang out at the edge of the resort property.

These Top 10 lists abound in the travel industry, and let’s face it, some are pretty questionable. But the Professional Travel Guide site certainly got this one right. The Fairmont Kea Lani is one of the world’s best luxury family-friendly beachside resorts. Oh, and some proof? The view of the ocean from a Kea Lani pathway is my Twitter wallpaper. See for yourself!

We go to New York City several times a year, but we try to make these vacations during the warmer months. Once, a cold rain turned to hail in April, and my California daughter said, “This rain hurts my nose!” That’s when it really hit home for me that my kids really aren’t being raised in the same climate zone as were their parents. That surprising weather led us to spend a lot of times in the great museums in NYC (hey, they’re indoors, aren’t they?) and my children enjoyed all of them, albeit in different ways.

The Best Museums for Children in New York City

American Museum of Natural History, 79th St and Central Park West – It goes without saying that the Hall of Biodiversity is a big hit with kids of all ages. The giant blue whale hanging from the ceiling practically compels younger children to run in maniac circles underneath it, and the walk-through diorama of a rainforest is really interesting for older kids (it looks accurate, but lacks the humidity, buzzing insects, and soft squishy ground of the real deal). Time it right, and the Butterfly Conservatory will be open, too. I credit an early visit to the Butterfly Conservatory with my older daughter’s long-standing interest in entomology. The small Children’s Discovery Room is only appropriate for younger kids.

The Hayden Planetarium, 81st St and Central Park West – Renamed the Rose Center for Earth and Space several years back, this is part of the AMNH, but with a separate entrance. Younger children may get scared at the Big Bang Theater – mine freaked out – but older kids will love it. The narrators of the Hayden Planetarium shows are Tom Hanks and Jodie Foster. The Space Theater’s Field Trip to the Moon is beyond cool for kids (and, admittedly, plenty of adults) who are interested in outer space.

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 W. 83rd St – This one is best for the younger set. Even my freaked-out-by-the-Big-Bang 6 year old was bored here after a few minutes. But preschoolers have lots of fun running around this museum, playing with balls, on tables with water, and the like. On a cold or rainy day, simply giving kids the physical space to run amok is worth the price of admission. Hotel rooms (and apartments) are too small!

New York Transit Museum, corner of Schermerhorn St and Boerum Place – My children don’t fall in this category, but I know plenty of little boys who are endlessly fascinated with all things transportation-themed. For kids who love trains, subways, and the like, this museum is worth a trip out to Brooklyn. The New York Transit Museum is based in a real station from the 1930′s.

The South Street Seaport Museum, 207 Front St – If your kids enjoy modes of transportation, they’ll probably also like looking at examples of New York’s maritime history. Most tourists visiting NYC plan on getting a good view of the Statue of Liberty, which is easily seen from the South Street Seaport. The city feels different down here – more open, with the smell of sea in the air. There’s still plenty of bustle of course – this is New York City we’re talking about – but the whole area is a living testament to New York’s shipping past. The actual museum is an exhibit on board on board one of the two tall ships permanently docked here – the Peking, to be exact. Kids can examine what it was like during the heyday of NYC’s prominence as a shipping port, and what life was like on the ship. There are two onshore galleries as well.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, 5th Ave and 82nd St, and Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St – These are two world-class art museums in NYC, and no museum-loving, art-appreciating adult should miss them. However, taking the kids to these museums can be a chore. Some children may be fascinated by the mummy exhibit at the Met, while others’ attention may momentarily be held by MoMA’s Jasper Johns retrospective. But kids are kids, and we can’t expect them to have the same tolerance for long, studied strolls through what seem to them to be an endless parade of portraits and the like. Leaving these famous museums off the list seemed remiss; please make sure your children know that there are behavioral expectations at these stolid old museums, and if need be, a reward for good behavior at the end.

Sony Wonder Technology Lab, on 56th St between Fifth and Madison – Older kids (I’d estimate ages 8 and up) will be totally thrilled here – there’s a robotics lab, an interactive design lab – this means creating video games – and a very, very cool nanotechnology center, using forced perspective. Exploring the Sony Wonder Technology Lab easily brings out the kid in many grown-ups too… Please, mom and dad, remember to take turns! Other interactive exhibits here include a Virtual Surgery room, a Timeline of the evolution of technology through the ages, a Motion Capture room, and more.

Yellow Tangs at Kealakekua Bay, Best Marine Sanctuary Snorkel Spot in Hawaii

The Big Island of Hawaii has several terrific snorkel spots, including both coral reefs and rock outcroppings. The Mudslide Family wanted to try a half-day sail and snorkel trip to somewhere special, somewhere unique and unforgettable – yet above all, child-friendly. Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides had the answer: The Captain Cook Monument snorkel site in Kealakekua Bay. This is definitely one of Hawaii’s best coral reefs for snorkeling.

Anyone been on day-long sail/snorkel trips on vacation? I sure have, and one aspect about them that I’ve noticed to be pretty consistent is this: After the snorkelers clamber back on the sailboat or catamaran, the captain cranks up the Jimmy Buffet and breaks out the rum. The second half of chartered sail and snorkel trips, in other words, nearly always seem to devolve into some sort of booze cruise. The Fair Wind II snorkel cruise to Kealakekua Bay, on the other hand, had many families with young children, and while there was some mixed drinks after the snorkel portion, the bottles were kept out of sight and needed to be requested. But first, of course, were the sail trip and snorkel.

My younger daughter hadn’t snorkeled in the “real” water before (just pools), and she hesitantly swam next to me the whole time. Our older kid, who’s more experienced, swam off and reported seeing “20 billion puffer fish.” …I question her judgment, but her enthusiasm and excitement were undeniable. The highlight, however, was when someone spotted a big moray eel; a large female whitemouth moray, to be precise! Now, she didn’t leave her bit of coral – probably her home – but she did put on quite a show.

The moray eel rared up a few feet, opening and closing her mouth. She looked all the world like a grumpy old lady yelling “get off my lawn!” Everyone enjoyed seeing the eel. The yellow tangs, convict tangs, parrot fish butterfly fish, trigger fish, big lazy groupers, and a very shy trumpet fish all made appearances. It was a GREAT snorkel trip at an A+ location. We saw so many varieties of tropical fish, it was truly astounding. The famous humuhumunukunukuapua’a even made several appearances (though my photos of them are, sadly, just of their tail ends. No pun intended).

The Captain Cook snorkel site in Kealakekua is a healthy reef, protected and cared for. It can only be accessed by boaters or kayakers, or by the intrepid hiker (no roads) and because it’s a marine sanctuary, it shall remain so for the foreseeable future. The Fair Wind company understands and respects the importance of coral reef preservation, and shows a video on the return trip (along with serving hot off the grill burgers and hot dogs). The video includes shots of animals we may have missed – no dolphins this day – and some light information about the dangers of water pollution in such a delicate environment. This was not polemic, though, and always presented in an entertaining, child-friendly way.

Before we left Kealakekua Bay and the Captain Cook Monument, lots of kids had great fun on the two giant water slides. One of these “kids,” as always, was my hubby.  He sure was glad that the tourism board invited us to experience this snorkel trip. Fair Wind’s morning half-day snorkel trip goes from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM, and includes both breakfast and lunch. The ease of snorkeling, the 15-foot water slides and inner tubes, the food, snorkel instruction as needed and the video all add up to the best family-friendly snorkel trip on the Big Island, and a real highlight of a Hawaiian vacation. Fair Wind Big Island Ocean Guides is highly recommended for a terrific family vacation experience in Hawaii.