Gone with the Family

Old-Fashioned Fun at Avonlea Village

 

We have been traveling to Prince Edward Island as a family for many years and one of the things that we love most about the island is the Anne of Green Gables connection. Both of my girls have grown up with Anne stories and some of our best family memories revolve around PEI and the red-headed orphan.

Trekaroo Expands into Canada

 

I'm sure that many of you are already familiar with Trekaroo, the community driven guide with thousands of reviews of hotels, restaurants and activities written by traveling parents, but I have only become involved with the website in the last few weeks and I'm finding it to be an incredible resource for parents searching for family-friendly destinations.

The Man With Two Hats - A Monument to Peace

The annual Canadian Tulip Festival is underway in Ottawa which has me reminiscing about our visit to the festival last year. Tulips were originally gifted to Canada by the Netherlands as a thank you for providing a safe haven to the Dutch Royal Family during World War II and in 1953 a festival was established to occur at the time that the flowers bloomed each spring. It has continued to expand each year and now features more than 1 million tulips in Canada's Capital Region.

Ottawa With Kids - Fun in Canada's Capital Region

The Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario is one of the most family-friendly destinations in the country. No matter the season, families will discover a city which boasts world-class museums and other attractions, encourages outdoor activity and is home to several outstanding festivals. 

Shopping in New York City: Emma Style

 

My 9 year old daughter, Emma, loves to shop so it's no surprise that she is completely in her element in New York City. We had quite a bit of fun on a recent weekend checking out all of the shops that she thought were really cool.

My Goldilocks Weekend at the JW Marriott Essex House

A weekend in New York earlier this month was my fourth trip to the city in the last few years and each time I stayed at a different hotel. Four visits and four hotels. I was beginning to feel like I might be suffering from Goldilocks syndrome. I didn't dislike any of the hotels that we had stayed at but not one of them had been just right. So with some trepidation, I booked the J.W. Marriott Essex House and hoped that, in my case, the fourth time would be the charm. 

A Walk in Central Park

I finally had the opportunity to explore Central Park on a recent weekend in New York City. This was my fourth visit to the city but previous trips had taken place in the winter when the weather was miserable and cold and that had discouraged us from seeing the park on foot. This time we visited on the first weekend of April and were treated to lovely spring weather.

Book Review: Have Mother, Will Travel

I have just finished reading Have Mother, Will Travel by Claire and Mia Fontaine as part of a TLC Book Tour and I can say without reservation that it is one of the most enjoyable and moving travel memoirs that I have read in quite some time. Traveling along with Claire and Mia as they experienced new places appealed to the traveler in me but I think it was witnessing the transformation in the two women and their relationship as they got to know each other and themselves better that made the book impossible to put down.

Viva Las Vegas (With Kids)

 

Las Vegas may exist primarily as a playground for adults but that doesn't mean that families can't enjoy a visit as well. I have no real interest in gambling but I was interested in seeing the city for myself so I thought that it could be fun for a few days during my 9 year old daughter's spring break.

Starbucks Around the World

My 9 year old daughter, Emma, and I love Starbucks! Now the fact that I love my lattes won't come as a surprise to most but Emma's attachment might. I think it started when she was just a wee baby and I carted her along to coffee dates with a friend at our local Starbucks. Before she was able to talk she would take my empty coffee cup and inhale the aroma of coffee. To this day she will walk into Starbucks, take a deep breath and announce "it smells so good in here". So yes, I may have created a coffee addict long before she's old enough to actually drink it.