Eileen Ogintz's newest book "The Kids Guide to New York City" has been published. All of Eileen's Taking the Kids are now available for the NOOK and Kindle. Your kids will love the fun facts, games and puzzles!


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Outdoor Adventures

Into the Costa Rican rainforests

August 4, 2008
A young member of our Costa Rica tour checks out a butterfly
No bored seen-that done-that teens in this crowd. At breakfast, we’ve met the rest of our group from Thomson Family Adventures. We are four families with eight girls aged eight to 16. There are two other moms traveling solo with kids and a family with three girls from Los Altos, CA. The dad, Jeff Purnell jokes that he’s used to being outnumbered by women. more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


TO VERMONT — IN SUMMER

August 3, 2008
On a hiking trail in the Green Mountain State
The steep climb up the slick rocks -- 770 vertical feet -- doesn't phase them, nor scrambling without footholds or squeezing between two boulders. "Hard but fun," a trio of 9-year-old boys declare, as they race ahead. "Definitely worth it," their older sisters add, as they trail close behind them. more →
Destinations, Lodging, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Topics, Weekly Column | 1 Comment


A trip to Costa Rica with two teenagers

August 3, 2008
Eva and Kayla in Costa Rica
JFK was typically a crowded mess at Delta. No one was quite sure which line was which -- baggage drop, check in, security? For some reason, the automated kiosk wouldn’t let us check in so we got on a long line only to discover that was the line for the folks who had already checked in but needed to drop their bags more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Getting There, Lodging, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


To a national park this summer-one of the most budget-smart trips you can take

July 13, 2008
The scenic beauty of Yellowstone National Park. CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Austin-Lehman Adventures
We screeched to a halt along the side of the road in Grand Teton National Park. Reggie, 8, was equally mesmerized but 3-year-old Melanie couldn't quite grasp that we were in the moose's house -- and it wasn't a zoo. I still smile years later when I think about the kids' excitement. Forget the Kodak moments. The chance to share something new together -- something you'd never see or do at home -- is what makes those indelible family vacation memories that last forever. more →
Backyard Vacations, Destinations, Families & Groups, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Topics, Weekly Column | comments


Last day on the Amalfi trails

June 30, 2008
Dinner on our last night on Italy's Amalfi Coast
Steep stone steps that never seem to end. We’re hiking above Positano in the Lattari Mountains -- the trail is less than three miles but the elevation is steep and it’s the toughest hike we’ve attempted on the fifth day of this Backroads hiking trip along the Amalfi Coast more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


A concert in the foggy woods

June 29, 2008
Reggie (left) take in the foggy woods concert
Brigid -- always one of the fastest hikers in the group isn’t there. Her stepson Drew last saw her on the trail and her husband Jim is worried. Even worse, he’s got not only the directions and maps but her water bottle, money and the card with the guides’ phone numbers. more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


To Pontone and Ravello (but are we lost?)

June 28, 2008
On_the_Road_to_Pontone
The views are spectacular, though -- the sea, the boats, the pastel-colored houses looking like layers on a cake marching up the hills, the gardens with olives, lemons, vegetables and of course grapes, some vines growing in trellises above the vegetable to save space. more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


Touring Herculaneum and Pompeii with a kid who appreciates it

June 20, 2008
Reggie visiting Pompeii
Last summer, when I was sailing on a Disney Cruise through here with my 13-year-old niece, she was more concerned about how hot she was than the sites. I’m also convinced touring something like Pompeii with a large group tour as opposed to a private guide can make all the difference. Even if it costs more, it’s well worth it -- and you can cut the tour short if the kids clearly have had enough. more →
Destinations, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


A couple of train rides and a great seafood dinner in Sorrento

June 19, 2008
Waiter_with_fresh_fish
The only bad part of our journey: an uncomfortable hour-long ride on a packed train from Naples to Sorrento -- 34 stops, most of which we spent standing. I see why it’s important to pack light when traveling by train in Europe. The train to Sorrento is local and cheap -- just a few Euros for the two of us -- and reminded me of the NYC subway during rush hour, though it was early afternoon. more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Diary, Travel Topics | comments


To Sea World’s new Aquatica and other water parks this summer

June 15, 2008
Down Under Thunder attraction at Carowind's Boomerang Bay.
There are 36 water slides, six rivers and lagoons, white sandy beaches and two terrific kids' water play areas. Let's not forget the animals -- Commerson's Dolphins (take the "Dolphin Plunge" down 250 feet of clear tubes, through their habitat), Macaws, and colorful African Cichlids, which, for the uninitiated, are colorful fish found in freshwater lakes and rivers in Africa, Central and South America, among other far-flung places.) more →
Destinations, Families & Groups, Lodging, Outdoor Adventures, Travel Topics, Weekly Column | comments





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