5 Great Family Winter Vacation Ideas

Winter is a great time to take advantage of the season and get your family into an environment that it’s never experienced before or doesn’t get to experience very often. Wintertime is a great opportunity to use some of those vacation days and spend your time snuggling up with those that are the most important to you as the days get colder and shorter at the same time. Vacation is a blast when you’re making the best of your cold temperatures, and we’ll talk about some of the best ideas for you and your family when you see that it’s starting to get colder out. It’s easier than you might have thought to get a great vacation out of the coldest time of the year!

1. The Cabin in the Woods. Perhaps the most classic winter vacation idea, you can always go with the good, old-fashioned cabin in the woods. There are plenty of locations that will make cabin rentals an easy reality when you and your family want to get out, and a low-tech vacation experience is a great way to bond with those to whom you’re closest. You can go as modern or as rustic as you want — your cabin can be equipped with modern amenities, or you can try and have a screen-free weekend with a deck of cards and a few good books. The possibilities are endless when you’ve got your very own cabin in the snow for a week or so.

2. New York City! The city that never sleeps is a blast during the winter, and the closer you go to Christmas, the more festive and interesting things have a tendency [Read more…]

7 Tips for Hassle Free Car Trips with Kids

Mention the words “road trip” to a parent and they may physically cringe, shudder, or go running
in the opposite direction. The mere idea of a long car ride with children can evoke flashbacks of
screaming, crying kids, thrown shoes, and smashed Cheerios on every horizontal surface of the
vehicle. Nevertheless, sometimes these trips are unavoidable and necessary. If hours of travel
are in your future, fear not, follow these seven tips, and find yourself in road trip bliss.

1. Plan and Pace – Before you even leave the house, admit to yourself that this trip is going
to take longer than it would if you were driving alone. Asking small children to ride in a car
for hours on end without a break is a recipe for disaster. Plan stops along the way. Find a
playground, a restaurant with a ball pit, or even a store where they can walk around. Any
opportunity to let out some energy is going to be beneficial.

2. Be Prepared – Along with planning the itinerary, you should also be prepared with any
supplies you might need. Pack a bag with items like bandages, children’s medicine, extra socks
and underwear, napkins, tissues, and cough drops. If your kids are young, bringing their potty
along can be a good idea too.

3. Bend the Rules – A long car ride isn’t the place for a strict nap schedule or healthy eating
regimen. Let the kids fall asleep when they’re tired; the trip will seem faster to them, and you’ll
have some quiet time. If your family doesn’t usually eat at fast-food restaurants, now may be the
time to let them. The excitement of a special treat will keep the trip [Read more…]

Visiting Europe: An Education The Whole Family

If you’re looking for a family holiday that’s both fun and educational, Europe should be
number one on your list. The continent is bursting with culture, history, and tourist attractions
to suit all interests. With capital cities such as London, Paris, and Rome all within a day’s
travel, you can learn about the pope, the Bastille, and the Beatles all in one trip.

The History
Whatever period in history your child is studying, they can do first hand research in Europe.
If they want to know about the world wars, visits to Belgium or Berlin are recommended, or
if they’re interested in the Vikings or Tudors the English or Swedish countryside beckons.
There are fantastic museums at most of the important historical locations, such as the Anne
Frank Museum in Amsterdam or the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

The Art
A European holiday is a great way to learn about art, as many of the best galleries in the
world are located in European cities. These include the Louvre in Paris, where the Mona Lisa
is kept, and the Tate Modern in London where you can see work by many of the best modern
artists including Monet and Anish Kapoor. But not all the best art works in Europe are in
museums – you can also see great works [Read more…]

Radio Ranger RC Fishing Boat Giveaway

Radio Ranger RC Fishing Boat Giveaway

This post brought to you by Blog With Mom- I personally have never used this product, the opinions are those of the reviewer. Please continue reading for more information as well as how to win the prize.

RcFishingWorld.com is offering an awesome remote control boat worth $79.95 to one lucky reader and it could be you. Do not pass up on the chance to win this RadioRanger Remote Control Boat Giveaway. Bobbie Anne from BlogWithMom.com owns one of these fast remote control boats, listen to what she has to say about it.

“Taking the Radio Ranger RC Boat to the lake is a great family activity. My kids and I took our boat out this past weekend and had a blast. It runs so fast across the lake that it leaves waves behind it. This remote control boat can also be connected to your fishing line and used to catch a fish. Can you imagine catching a fish and then bringing it in to shore with a remote control boat? This RC Radio Ranger is also great for the fisherman who want to get their bait to the perfect spot, but cannot get [Read more…]

Big Apple Circus

Big Apple Circus has it’s ALL NEW SHOW coming to the Lincoln Center 10/20 – 1/13 Get your tickets today! http://bigapplecircus.org/ In honor of the momentous 35th season, the Big Apple Circus is proud to present a brand new show: LEGENDARIUM! Enter the intimate Big Top circus of years gone by, where the World’s Greatest Circus Artists perform spectacular feats and no one sits more than 50 feet from the ring! See the hijinks of hilarious clowns, [Read more…]

5 Ways To Vacation on the Cheap

Being broke (or just thrifty) shouldn’t keep you from heading out on a well-deserved vacation. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or a month-long adventure, here are 5 ways to help you save cash on your next holiday.

Sleep Cheap

For most travelers, the bulk of their vacation budget goes towards their accommodation. Find a cheap (or better yet, free) place to crash for the night, and you’ll save a ton of cash. Before you set out on your next holiday, send a shout-out to your social media contacts letting them know you’re looking for a low-cost place to lay your head – you just might get lucky and score an invite to stay in a spare room or an unused cottage.

If you’re ok with sleeping on a stranger’s couch, check out CouchSurfing. It’s a thriving online community where travelers and hospitable people connect, matching up couchsurfers with hosts who are willing to put up a traveler for the night (or two) in a spare room, on an air mattress, or on the couch. Best of all, it’s free – the idea is to promote goodwill, friendships and cultural exchange through the simple act of letting a stranger crash on your couch for the night. And yes, there’s an app for that.

Eat Cheap

Next to the cost of hotels, dining out while on vacation can literally take a bite out of your travel budget. Skip the fancy restaurants and check out some authentic local food – independent diners and food trucks are usually much cheaper than chain restaurants, and the food tastes a whole lot better. Remember to check for online coupons to score discounts and 2 for 1 deals on everything from coffee to dinner theatre tickets.

Drive Someone Else’s Car

No, we’re not suggesting you ‘borrow’ your mom’s minivan or hot wire your neighbors’ car to use on your next road trip – there’s legit companies that actually connect willing long-distance [Read more…]

We are in the 100,000 Mile Club

Me and my baby! Yes, Little Man- but right now I am talking about my 2003 Mazda Protege 3, which has taken me all over the country (and out of it), on more trips then I can count, driven me to to my wedding, to the hospital to have my son, on his car ride home- and anywhere else [Read more…]

Barcelona: a Rich Cultural Discovery

With neighborhoods like Ribera and Barrio Gotico, Barcelona is a destination of choice
for all those who want to have a sample of the whole country be means of a city break.
Simply by walking down the steep streets of Catalonia’s capital city, you can discover the
Spanish culture’s authenticity.

Palau de la Musica Catalana

An iconic landmark for the city’s modernity of the city, the Palace of Catalan Music is
a visit that imposes itself. The distinguished building has a magnificent façade adorned
by floral marquees and colorful mosaics. The visit goes through a splendid auditorium
decorated with a canopy and a painted ceiling. Another great thing about the Music
Palace is its great bar where you can taste the Spanish tapas accompanied by a good local
wine throughout the day.

Picasso Museum

This set of five medieval buildings is one of the most remarkable landmarks of the Gothic
Quarter. Included in any artistic tour of Barcelona, Picasso Museum is an interesting
way to discover some of the most important treasures of the Spanish culture. With a
permanent collection dedicated to Pablo Ruiz Picasso’s first sketches and a total amount
of over 3500 paintings, Picasso Museum plunges its visitors into the [Read more…]