When my father-in-law moved to Las Vegas in 2017, we knew trips out there with our kids were going to be our new normal. So began the task of finding child friendly activities in Sin City. Spoiler alert: They DO exist!!
Read MoreThe secret is long out on Hudson. Though this little city in Colombia County is further from the BIG CITY than most of its other Hudson Valley companions, Hudson, NY really mirrors a lot of the best things about NYC. It’s got great culture, great shopping, great progressive community feelings and a whole lot of hipness. Things move slower in Hudson, though, so if you come for a weekend getaway from downstate, prepare to relax. Read on for my favorite spots in and around town.
Read MoreWe just got back from a week in London and it was bloody lovely. I’m no expert on the city (my time studying abroad there in college was mostly spent drinking with other Americans), but I clocked in loads of hours putting together our family’s itinerary for this trip. And it went smashingly so read on for deets!
Read MoreA lot of people think Miami is just South Beach. And probably a lot of those same people think that Miami is just about hot bods and obnoxious club scenes. Yes those things exist in Miami. But there is SO much more to the 305.
First of all, the City of Miami is a completely different municipality from Miami Beach. And more than just Biscayne Bay separates them - IMHO the City is far cooler than Miami Beach. It’s where a lot of the gorgeous art, delicious food and culture of Miami can be found. We love the City of Miami and spend most of our time on that side of the Bay when we’re down there - but Miami Beach IS just a quick drive away and you gotta at least do a day or so over there soaking up the beach vibes.
We LOVE the 305 so much. Read on for some tips on how to do Miami well with kids (or if you’re a group of adults that don’t want to do any of this).
Read MoreWe have now taken our girls to Disney World twice - once in 2018 as youngins’ and once this past April 2022 as older, school aged kids.
It truly is magical to take your family to Disney. It’s also truly stressful. You will set alarms. You will wait on lines. You will push through crowds to get places. You will battle your cranky, overtired kids. You will probably also cry yourself. And yet there are many reasons why millions of guests come back year after year.
No matter what type of Disney guest you are, there is a lot to know before you head to Disney. I would NOT advise anyone, even the largest of procrastinators, to just “wing it” at Disney. There are many Disney oriented blogs and I am not one of those. But hopefully the below tips and personal favorites will help folks parse through the Black Hole that is Disney trip planning.
Read MoreWe just got back from our first ever family visit to the mountainous West!
While our kids are still not naturalists or cowgirls, this was such a wonderful way to expose them to the natural diversity of our country and to West culture. And as a lifetime Northeasterner, I was truly blown away by so much that we saw.
Read MoreCosta Rica is such a beautiful, safe and easy to access country. Visitors flock there to experience its lush greenery, volcanoes and wildlife, and to partake in adventures like zip lines, natural hot springs and ATV tours.
Years ago, my husband and I visited Arenal and Manuel Antonio and took part in the typical Costa Rican adventures. On this recent family trip back to CR, we had one objective in mind: to relax in a jungle.
The living is easy and beautiful at the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica. It’s a perfect warm weather escape for a family.
Read MoreLast year I wrote a long post about our annual summer visit to southern Maine. And I mentioned then that Maine has been a long-time special state to both my husband and me. Getting to share our mutual love of Maine with our girls now is a real treat. While we didn’t veer far off the course this time, next summer we’ve vowed to take on new and more northern parts of Maine.
For now, here’s a quick little supplement to last year’s post to shout out some of the spots we visited for the first time this year in the Portland and Ogunquit areas.
Read MoreYou’ve probably been to Cancun. Maybe you’ve even been to Tulum. But Mexico City is where all the action is. From killer street tacos to fine dining and fancy craft cocktail bars. From anthropology to contemporary art. From Aztec history and centuries old markets to hipster coffee bars. CDMX is a humongous city overflowing with culture, deliciousness and hipness. We had such a blast celebrating our anniversary there. Get a sitter (you DO want to hit those cocktail bars, don’t you?) and GO to Mexico City.
Read MoreHawaii is quite far from the east coast, so you don’t often hear about east coasters visiting outside of a honeymoon. But I turned 40 this year and YOLO - so we took the kids and did it. I’m so very glad we did. Hawaii is pure magic and is NOT “just like the Caribbean but farther.”
If you are looking for relaxation, world class resorts, slow paced island living and gorgeous beaches, with some breathtaking vistas, lush vegetation and volcanic craters thrown in, then Maui is your spot.
Maui was the second island we visited on our trip. After five nights in Oahu, we took a quick 30 minute flight over to Maui- piece of cake. To read about our time in Oahu, check Part One.
Read MoreHawaii is quite far from the east coast, so you don’t often hear about east coasters visiting outside of a honeymoon. But I turned 40 this year and YOLO - so we took the kids and did it. I’m so very glad we did. Hawaii is pure magic and is NOT “just like the Caribbean but farther.”
Some folks will tell you to skip Oahu - that it’s crowded and urban and not as pretty as the other islands. Ignore those people. In Oahu, you get Honolulu, a crazy fun and exciting city, and its infamous Waikiki Beach neighborhood, you get beaches and lush greenery that will take your breath away and you even get a surfer culture nothing like you’ve ever seen before, at least on the east coast.
Read on for all that we loved and did in Oahu. And then check Part Two detailing our time in Maui.
Read MoreLast weekend we made our first visit to Kalahari Resorts in the Poconos. Previously knowing nothing about the world of indoor water parks, I am happy to report that I came back as a fan. You only need or want one night at Kalahari. And if you go with a low key attitude and with your kids’ interests at heart (and my below tips in mind), I promise you, that one night at Kalahari will actually be a lot of fun.
Read MoreI’m a mom. I’m a corporate lawyer. I really like to explore, eat and travel and I also like to plan where I’m going to eat, where I’m going to explore and where I’m going to travel. I hate the gym but also hate sitting still. I love NYC and try to get there often. My kids see me on my phone a lot looking at pictures of food, pop ups and dogs.
I started this blog because I was sending too many one-off emails to friends with suggestions on what to do and where to go. My posts are not intended to be full fledged reviews, but rather quick glimpses of what I've been up to. Hopefully posts will inspire you to check out some of those same things.
