Family Activities
Best River Floats in Texas
There are so many fun things to do in Austin with kids. And when we visited over spring break, one of the things I was adamant about doing was river tubing, so I wanted to know where the best river floats in Texas were. My research showed me that there are many excellent floating rivers in Texas, each for their own reasons. While we were in Texas, we checked out some of these tubing rivers in Texas. Most of these we did for free on our own, but we also paid to do a Texas Tubes river float down the Comal River so we could do the famous Tube Chute…
Walking Through Stars Hollow: An Exclusive Event for Gilmore Girls Fans
If you’re anything like me, you probably fell in love with the town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, while watching Gilmore Girls. Grabbing a coffee at Luke’s Diner, strolling past Doose’s Market, and wandering through the town square–it all seemed magical. Especially since having grown up in San Diego, the idea of of small town like Stars Hollow truly sounded magical. And I am thrilled to have experienced this magical fictional town, even if for only a few hours. On occasion during the holiday season, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood transforms its iconic Midwest Street backlot into the town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, creating a limited-time, immersive experience that feels like…
The Coolest New Year’s Eve Hotels for Kids in the U.S.
New Year’s Eve looks a lot different for me now that I’m a parent. The sparkly dresses and late-night parties have been swapped for cozy pajamas, sparkling cider, and counting down to the 9 PM East Coast ball drop. And honestly—no complaints here. There’s something sweet about making the night fun and memorable for my kids and waking up on January 1st feeling rested instead of regretting life choices. But the traveler in me does love looking for New Years Eve hotels that go all out with kid festivities over the holiday–and I’ve found some great ones. Whether your idea of the perfect New Year’s Eve involves staying up until…
Gift Experiences For Kids: Gift Guide
Toys are fun. It’s fun to make Christmas lists full of everything we could possibly wish that Santa might bring. But if you’ve been a parent for a few years now, you probably realize that the toys get played with for about 30 minutes (if you’re lucky) before they get left on the floor and forgotten about. That’s why I think that gift experiences for kids are so great. Besides getting the kids out of the house, the memories and lessons that come with these experiences last much longer than the slime that is now stuck to the floor and the doll that has been napping for the past 2…
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The Best Hotels for Kids at Christmastime — Where Holiday Magic Actually Happens
There’s hotel holiday cheer, and then there’s the kind of Christmastime that makes little kids’ eyes go wide and grown-ups whisper, “remember this forever.” If you want more than a tree in the lobby and a hot cocoa cart, look for places that go all-in: Santa visits, horse-drawn sleighs or carriage rides, ice skating rinks, snow tubing or sledding hills, life-size gingerbread displays, and full-on immersive holiday programming. Below are my favorite U.S. hotels that do that extra bit of magic — perfect for families who want a Christmas you can feel. Mohonk Mountain House — New Paltz, New York If you picture an old-school holiday postcard — a Victorian…
Christmas at the Princess Hotel Scottsdale
Christmas is a magical time, and I love finding events that the whole family will love. That’s why I love Christmas at the Princess Hotel Scottsdale. This is one of the most fun hotels for kids and is a great place to stay on your Arizona family vacation no matter what time of year you visit. But Christmastime is especially magical at the Scottsdale Princess resort. If ice skating in the desert, roasting marshmallows on an open fire, photos with Santa and 7.5 million lights doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit, I don’t know what will. But that’s just a glimpse of what Christmas at the Fairmont Princess Scottsdale…
Ultimate Guide to Free and Cheap Fun in San Diego
San Diego is a city that has something for everyone–whether you’re looking to relax on a beach or enjoy some museums, you can do it all. And one of the best things is that there are activities to fit any budget. There are plenty of free and cheap things to do in San Diego. Here are my favorite budget-friendly activities for your next San Diego vacation. Make sure you check out this complete 5-day travel itinerary for your next San Diego trip as well. Go to the Beach San Diego is known for its beaches, and that is perhaps the cheapest thing you can do in San Diego. In fact,…
Exploring Tombstone AZ: Gunfight Reenactments & More
We just got back from our first trip to Tucson, AZ. We’ve been to Arizona plenty of times in the past — Scottsdale, Williams and Flagstaff have made for fun family vacation destinations. But when we chose to go to Tucson this time, we knew we couldn’t miss an opportunity to visit Tombstone. I was a little bit overwhelmed with the different tour options, so I’ve compiled this list of my favorite Tombstone AZ things to do to help you plan your day accordingly. There is so much history in Tombstone, so we had a general idea of what we wanted to see and do while we were there. We…
June Lake Skiing at June Mountain, CA
June Lake is an adorable mountain town not far from the ever-popular Mammoth Mountain. It’s one of my favorite California lakes to camp at. I’ve written about camping at Oh Ridge Campground in June Lake before, but June Lake also has a ton to offer in the winter months like June Lake skiing at June Mountain. I grew up going to June Lake during my childhood, although we never once went skiing. We just never did as a family. So when I got older and wanted to go snowboarding, I never even thought about June Lake. I’d hit up the ski resorts in Big Bear, and when I had the…
Explore Pioneertown: A Wild West Adventure Near Joshua Tree
Did you know that there is an adorable old-timey town just outside of Joshua Tree? Pioneertown Joshua Tree is located in Yucca Valley, just a stone’s throw from the national park and is an easy drive from Palm Springs. From Joshua Tree, it’s about a 20-minute drive to Pioneertown and from Palm Desert, it’s about 50 minutes. When I first heard about this little town, I couldn’t wait to bust out my best wild wild west clothing and head on over for some cute photo ops, delicious food and a Wild West gun fight. What is Pioneertown Joshua Tree? Pioneertown is a 1880’s themed town that was designed as a…
