The Vacation Gals are three professional travel writers — and moms of children ranging in age from 3 to 18 — who love to share our Adventures Away and Happiness at Home. That is, we cover a whole lot of family travel destinations, as well as kid-free trips, local fun, outdoor escapes, healthy living, favorite gear, comfy clothing, and much more on our award-winning travel and lifestyle website launched in 2009.
If you’re looking for a travel blog about round-the-world journeys, family sabbaticals in France or backpacking with an infant through China, The Vacation Gals isn’t it. We tend to write about our own family vacations, road trips, romantic escapes and girlfriend getaways — the destinations, cities, resorts and hotels that we’ve experienced firsthand. Typically that means we’re covering North America, Western Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean. (That said, Kara spent an entire summer sailing around Europe with her family in 2014. And who knows what the future may bring!)
The Vacation Gals are certainly all about taking regular trips with our families — what better way to unplug from computers, carpools and commitments, and connect with our kids than on a vacation? But as we manage our busy households, we recognize the value of quick jaunts in our local areas, as well, exploring our backyards in between our kids’ sporting events and multitude of extracurricular activities. After all, as time flies and our oldest children grow closer to leaving the nest, more than ever we’re making the most of spending fleeting moments with them while they’re still (making a mess) under our roofs. Here at The Vacation Gals, we write about things that enhance our lives on the road and at home, whether that’s being green, eating well, working out or enjoying nature. We’re excited, moving forward, to continue to share our thoughts on topics that interest us beyond travel, those things that make our lives fuller as a mom/wife/friend/volunteer/homeschooler.
TwinCitiesGal Beth Blair currently lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children (ages 1, 10, and 11). Beth started her travel career as a flight attendant in 1998, but today she prefers to make memories with her family via cruises, theme parks, historic sites, and any other avenue that supports their latest journey of homeschooling. She is excited to announce the publication of her upcoming book The Unofficial Guide to the Mall of America (Unofficial Guides, 2016). She also authored Break into Travel Writing and was the 2013 Shape Magazine Weight Loss Diarist. Follow Beth on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
SoCalGal Jennifer Miner makes her home in Southern California, after spending her childhood and young-adult years on the East Coast. She and her family are no strangers to long-haul travel, with recent trips to Amsterdam, Cambodia and the Galapagos Islands. She strives to raise her two teen daughters (ages 14 and 16) in such a way that they appreciate the natural wonders of the world as much as the amenities of a luxury resort. So far, the upscale accommodations are winning… Follow Jen on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
ColoradoGal Kara Williams lives in the Colorado Rockies with her husband and two children (ages 13 and 15). The fitness enthusiast and her family regularly travel to either U.S. coast, Mexico or Hawaii for their annual “beach fix.” Her vacations often focus on wellness, outdoor pursuits, upscale hotels or mountain resorts, and she counts spa getaways among her all-time favorite kid-free escapes for rest and rejuvenation. Follow Kara on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.