Family Vacation Inspiration

15 Family Vacation Ideas ~ Your Kids Will Love These!

ByMariel

Tis the season for thinking about family vacations. Can you believe summer is so close?? To my kids, summer means ‘no school’ and ‘family vacations!!’ And, that pretty much sums it up. They love getting in on the planning and they look forward to our vacations all year. This year, Dan and I will be skipping out on the kids, and heading to Alaska. So excited! The kids are feeling a little ripped off, but we planned a couple cabin rentals and we’re hoping in the fall, we can take them to see my brother in Connecticut, and tour the Revolutionary War sites, since that’s what we’ve studied in homeschool this year. But, we’ll see.

Do you have anything fun planned? It can be big or small, far away or right in your hometown… what’s important is the FAMILY part. I love those vacations where it’s just US. Just the fam. My kids have to hang out with each other… the husband has to hang out with me… There’s bickering and eye rolling, but despite all that… GOOD MEMORIES.

http://www.skiutah.com/passes/passports

10 Reasons to plan a Black Hills Vacation (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Hi, it’s Allison from Tips for Family Trips with a fun summer road trip idea for families. We’ve been to Orlando, San Diego, Disneyland, the Oregon Coast and other fun destinations in recent years, but the trip that my children still rave about is our Black Hills vacation in South Dakota. It’s the road trip that rivals Disney World.

The Black Hills offers an unbeatable combination of fun family activities and natural beauty that are equally enjoyable for kids and adults. Here are my Top 10 family attractions in the Black Hills.

what's hot in southern california this summer

What’s Hot in Southern California This Summer (she: Kimberly)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

Hey all, it’s Kimberly from Get Away Today. I know it seems like spring has just sprung, but before you know it, it will be summer! The kids will be out of school and it will be time to hit the road for the all important summer vacation. Southern California is a happenin’ vacation destination year-round and there’s always something new and exciting going on. This year is no exception, so I wanted to share what’s hot in Southern California this summer at what I call the Big Three – the Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. I hope it helps in your summer vacation planning!

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Simple Jolly Rancher Minion Lollipop Tutorial … all you need is 10 minutes! (she: Adelle)

ByAdelle Belnap

One of the cutest little creatures created for the big screen are the Minions from Despicable Me. They are so silly and likable! My kids love them. We are really excited to visit the new Minion Mayhem attraction and Super Silly Fun Land at Universal Studios Hollywood that opens April 10. I hear you get to become a Minion and can play in a carnival made just for Minions! Fun, right? In the meantime, you can bring some Minion Mayhem into your home by making these tasty Jolly Rancher Minion lollipops. This project is so easy – even little kids can do it! And, it only takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.

attractions for families at balboa state park

Top 10 attractions for families at Balboa Park in San Diego (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

It’s Allison again, and I’m here to share with you my family’s love of Balboa Park. It’s one of my family’s favorite destinations in San Diego. It is located near downtown San Diego and is the largest urban cultural park in the United States. It is home to 15 museums as well as performing arts venues, gardens, playgrounds and the San Diego Zoo.

If you’re planning a trip to San Diego, I recommend spending one full day at the zoo and another full day enjoying other attractions in Balboa Park. Here are my top 10 attractions for families at Balboa Park.

taking your baby to disneyland
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Tips for Taking Your Baby to Disneyland (she: Kim)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

We are what you might call a “Disney family.” We have been to Disneyland too many times to count, but this last time was a little different for us – it was our first Disneyland trip with a baby! We had our son, Liam, last May and as crazy as it may sound, we couldn’t wait to take him to Disneyland! At just nine months old, we loved watching him experience so many things for the first time. It was an adventure and tons of fun to see how he would react and interact with the attractions, shows, characters, scenery and people. Since we were traveling with a baby, I was very aware of all of the other babies on vacation – and there were MANY – some as young as a few weeks old. Although I’d been to the Disneyland Resort so many times before, this trip was quite different. Because we’re seasoned Disney travelers, we were pretty well prepared and had an idea of what to expect, but still had a few surprises. I have compiled my best tips and tricks that made our baby’s first Disneyland vacation a stress-free and fun-filled one. Hopefully it’ll make taking your baby to Disneyland a whole lot easier, too!

family reunion planning
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Jump Start Your Family Reunion Planning (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Hello! It’s Allison from Tips for Family Trips. I believe that travel makes families stronger, smarter and happier, and there is no better way to strengthen families than through family reunions. If it has been a few years since your family has come together, this can be the year to make it happen!

A family reunion can be as simple as a picnic in the park with your parents, siblings and their children (heaven knows that just getting that group together can be hard enough), or a multi-day vacation that includes second and third cousins. Whatever works for your family is the right way.

If you want to plan a reunion for this summer, now is the time to start. Here are five steps to follow to help you with your family reunion planning:

disneyland treats
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10 of the Sweetest Disneyland Treats (she: Kim)

ByKimberly w/Get Away Today

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and there has been a lot of sweet talk going around. One of the best things about a Disneyland vacation is the sweet treats. So, in honor of the upcoming holiday, I thought it would be fun to share 10 of the Sweetest Disneyland Treats you can find at the Resort.
If you’re looking for some sweet deals for your next Disneyland vacation, Get Away Today is offering Adults at Kids’ Prices on 3-Day and longer Disneyland tickets for travel February, May and September. If you’re traveling during the other months, you still save $5 on each 3-Day and longer Disneyland ticket. Combine that with free night hotel specials and exclusive hotel deals to save the most on your vacation. At Get Away Today all of our agents are Disney Experts. They travel to the Disneyland Resort at least once a year and can give you personalized advice on where to stay, what to do, and my favorite, where to eat! You can book online at www.getawaytoday.com or call 855-GET-AWAY. Be sure to use promocode: OSSS2014 for an extra $10 savings off of your vacation package. We’d LOVE to help!

disneyland vacation countdown chain
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Disneyland Vacation Countdown Chain (she: Adelle)

ByAdelle Belnap

Are you planning a family trip to the Magic Kingdom this year? Well then you’ll love this Disneyland Vacation Countdown Chain tutorial and free download that I created to make the time counting down to your vacation full of magic at home! These magical countdown chains include special activities that you can do before your vacation to help the time fly by. You can make one for your whole family, or one for each child – there’s a Mickey version and a Minnie version, just for fun.

Clearwater Beach

Vacation Inspiration: Clearwater Beach in Florida (she: Allison)

Byallison l.

Happy New Year! It’s great to be back at Or So She Says, writing about favorite travel destinations and ideas. This is the time of year when I dream about beach vacations. So today I’m spotlighting one of the best family beach destinations in the United States – Clearwater, Florida.

Clearwater is a fun and family-friendly beach town located on Florida’s gulf coast. It is a short drive from the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, and about two hours away from Orlando.

what's in the car for your kids?

Favorite Ways to Entertain Kids in the Car (she: Brooke)

ByBrooke

Just let me begin by saying I am in no way, shape, or form above using technology as entertainment in the car. My parents live three hours away, and we pull out every electronic device we own for that trip. I’m talking about what I use for engaging my boys in the car on a daily basis when we’re running here and there around town with errands, school, and activities.

One day while doing our running around in the car, after breaking up one argument after another between my boys, I decided I needed something engaging/distracting (call it what you like) to keep these boys of mine from drawing blood in the car. So, here are few things we’ve come up with to keep our time together in the car a bit more pleasant, and actually enjoyable.

25 Posts to Prepare You for Your Disney Vacation www.oneshetwoshe.com
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25 Posts to Prepare You for Your Disney Vacation

ByMariel

Here at ‘Or so she says…’, we have a love of Disney vacation tips and tricks, to help you prepare for your Disney Vacation. As you’re planning your new year and coming up with potential family vacations, I thought it might be helpful to have this great collection of 25 Posts to Prepare You for Your Disney Vacation handy. You’ll find a million tips, real-life experiences, and fun ways to prepare the family for their vacation.