The Federal government's economic stimulus package was a rare bipartisan achievement, and now those rebate checks will soon be dropping into mailboxes across the land. So what's a responsible citizen meant to do? Spend of course—and lift the economy out of its credit-crunched blues. But with gas prices soaring and consumer confidence at its lowest ebb, we bring you ten family vacation ideas that won't break the bank and make Uncle Sam's summer windfall stretch even further. Click on the map above to search an interactive Google Map, or click the links below to read more about each of our selections.
SWEET SPOT: Half Dome, Yosemite National Park (Brand X Pictures)
Away.com has partnered with LIFE Books to bring you an exclusive excerpt from the recently published Dream Destinations, a coffee-table-worthy collection of 100 of the world's ultimate vacations. Enjoy our snapshot of 12 of these inspirational picks, from Yosemite to Hawaii to Rajasthan, each filtered by travel preference and including ideas for families with big travel dreams. Below is a sneak peek of LIFE's lineup for its 12 ultimate family-travel destinations; buy a copy of the book here to read and see more.
1. London, United Kingdom
2. Riviera Maya, Mexico
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Wisconsin Dells
5. The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park
6. New York City
7. The Bahamas
8. Snowmass, Colorado
9. Memphis, Tennessee
10. Cuzco, Peru
11. Montana's Dude Ranches
12. The Impossible Dream: Space
Have you visited any of these dream destinations? Don't agree with selections on this list? Or do you have your own list of places you want to visit with your family? Tell us in the comments section below!
Following the effort of getting our one- and three-year-old to Scotland on our last family vacation, my wife and I swore to dial back our prospective travel radius on our most recent trip this May. Wherever we decided to go, it had to be within two hours by air for us to contemplate taking the kids. That meant Brazil was out (besides, Grandma and Grandpa were too busy to babysit). Living in the Washington, D.C. area, we therefore trained our sights down the Atlantic seaboard, researching beach options in South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida.
Amelia Island, a low-lying barrier island about 35 northeast of Jacksonville, was where we unpacked our beach toys. More specifically, we unloaded at the Amelia Island Plantation—and didn't leave the property for five days (except one brief foraging run to a nearby grocery store; more on that later). This 1,350-acre resort offers a range of different lodging options, several challenging golf courses, a world-renowned resort tennis program, and great access to Amelia Island's gorgeous, near-deserted beach.
May is my favorite time of year to be in my hometown of Boston. The tulips are in bloom and the swans and swan boats back in the Public Garden. Big Papi and Manny are swinging away at Fenway. There's another blockbuster show at the Museum of Fine Arts, this time on El Greco to Velasquez. And 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Trail. Come celebrate by tossing your map in the garbage and following the red line that not only takes you to 16 monumental historic sites, but brings you into some of the city's most cherished neighborhoods—Beacon Hill's century-old brick brownstones and village squares, North End's winding streets and lively Italian community, and Charlestown, once the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill and now home to America's most celebrated ship, the U.S.S. Constitution. Along the way, you'll stop at the home of Paul Revere and the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America, the Union Oyster House. Stay at the Colonnade Hotel, home of the only rooftop pool in Boston. Gleaming after an $18 million renovation to all the rooms, the hotel is located close to Beantown's main attractions in the tony Back Bay neighborhood. -- Steve Jermanok
My older daughter's first word wasn't Mama or Dada. It was Gus. Gus was our cat. Never mind my bruised feelings; there's a profound connection between kids and animals. I'm not just talking little kids; I'm talking teenagers, too. All three of my children put swimming with dolphins in their top ten favorite vacation experiences. They've also held alligators, parrots, and (really big) snakes (not in my top ten); they've met memorable goats, burros, potbelly pigs, and wolves. Kira, who visited Egypt with me when she was eight, still remembers Pepsi Cola the camel but shockingly few historical facts; in Baja, Molly, at six, got close enough to a 40-foot whale to recall vividly that whale breath is really bad, and to yearn to do it again ever since.
We share the planet with many creatures, some four-footed and furry, some finned, some winged. Some are beautiful, some not so much. Without getting preachy, I believe animals have the capacity to teach us something about the universe, about compassion, about ourselves. Even if I'm wrong, that doesn't change the fact that kids and animals are a natural combo, which is why there are so many cool places and programs that bring them together for a can't-miss vacation or activity. Need suggestions?
Through the Looking Glass: Matala Beach, Crete (Nicholas Pitt/Digital Vision)
It's impossible to head to Greece and not show the kids the famous columns of the Parthenon atop the lofty Acropolis, but after that you've earned your ticket out of Greece's dusty, chaotic, and hot capital city. And if you're smart, that ticket should put you on a flight to Crete. This 156-mile-long island offers the quintessential Greek experience, where a lengthy history merges with the mountains and beaches of a glorious landscape.
Stay in Chania, a northern port town nestled between hillsides and the Med. Narrow streets wind from the waterfront to buildings still standing from Venetian times. The Creta Paradise hotel has its own petting zoo, though you won't need one in May and June, when turtles swim back to the beach to lay their eggs. Families with older children should opt for the daylong hike through 11-mile-long Samaria Gorge, the longest gorge in all of Europe.
Visit Away.com's European Family Vacations Guide for more of the best place to visit across the continent, from the outdoor wonders of the Scottish Highlands or Swiss Alps to world-beating cultural capitals like London or Rome.
Road Warriors: The Vogels on their 2006-07 trans-America ride (courtesy, Vogel Family)
In our line of work, we get to hear about some amazing travel adventures, and this week's guest blogger, Nancy Sathre-Vogel, is about to undertake one of the most incredible and admirable yet: a 20,000-mile, 30-month bike journey down the Pan-American Highway with her husband and ten-year-old twins. Follow the family's preparations and journey at www.familyonbikes.org.
"Hey, Davy! Get your math book, would ya?" I asked my ten-year-old son as I sat beneath a towering cardón cactus somewhere in Baja California, Mexico. Rummaging through one of my bike panniers, Davy retrieved his math book from its storage place next to our cooking skillet before joining me on our tarp for his lesson on fractions.
His education may not be a traditional one but, we believe, it's the best thing going. Davy and his twin brother, Daryl, spent their entire third grade year (in 2006-07) bicycling 9,300 miles around the U.S. and Mexico, learning from the best teacher there is, Mother Nature herself. And now they are getting ready to head back out to spend Grades 5, 6, and 7 on the road.
My family (including our boys, my husband, me, and our dog) will begin pedaling from the northern terminus of the Pan-American Highway in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, on June 8, and we'll keep our bike tires pointed south for the next 30 months or so until we arrive at the southernmost point on the same road in southern Argentina. If all goes to plan, our boys will become the new Guinness World Record holders as the youngest people to cycle the Pan-American Highway.
Stuck with the vacation-planning blues? Faced with too many options and too little time? Fear not, friends, we've recruited the adventure-travel experts at GORPtravel.com to join our crack team of travel bloggers. Part of a regular series, this column will help you pinpoint that trip of a lifetime, whether it's a supported trek through the Swiss Alps, a multi-day family rafting adventure, or a quick outdoor getaway for next weekend. -- The Away.com Editors
With some parts of the U.S. enjoying record snowfall this past winter, it's now the turn of river rats to rejoice, with heavy spring snowmelt turning rivers from Vermont to California into raging torrents of whitewater. Young families or newcomers to whitewater rafting will want to steer clear of the big waves, but we've already done some of the sorting for you with our top 15 picks for the best whitewater rafting (and some canoeing) for families. Whether you're looking to take in some dramatic mountain scenery, observe otherwise-hard-to-spot wildlife, or bond with the family on a longer multi-day trip, we're pretty sure you'll find something to suit your level of watery action. Check out the map below for details on our top family picks, plus browse GORPtravel.com's 2008 Whitewater Rafting Guide for more river highlights, travel-planning info, and links to the top guided rafting adventures on over 80 of the country's best rafting rivers. -- Linda Long
Book It!: Seattle's new Central Library, designed by Rem Koolhaus (Peyman Oreizy)
Seattle resident and mother of two young kids, Debbie Dubrow is the voice behind DeliciousBaby.com, a blog filled with insights about traveling with kids and featuring numerous family-friendly city guides.Contact us if you'd like to contribute.
Seattle's walkable urban areas, beautiful natural setting, and laid-back atmosphere make it a great vacation destination for anyone regardless of age, but you might be surprised to learn how well it accommodates its youngest visitors. Not only are there lots of activities specifically for kids, but Seattle's major sites (and some of its most popular restaurants) are just as much fun for children as they are adults. Living in Seattle has given me plenty of opportunities to explore the best of the city with my two young children, so here are a few of my favorite locales—some of them well-trod, others more off-the-beaten track!
Pike Place Farmer's Market is the classic Seattle tourist attraction. The colorful market, filled with fresh fruit and flowers, is interesting for all ages, but kids in particular will be drawn in by the live crab displays and the "flying fish" at Pike Place Fish Company. On summer weekends, scheduled kids' activities, including cooking demonstrations, face painting, and games and music, make the bustling market even more fun. After taking in the sights at the market, head across the street to Beecher's Handmade Cheese, where kids can watch as cheese is made, sample fresh cheese curd, and feast on the city's best mac and cheese.
Earth Day 2008 will present thousands of opportunities for people all over the world to put the planet first for a moment, from high-minded calls and concerts agitating for action against global warming to community-minded eco-events to clean up local watersheds or plant more neighborhood trees.
Many of the major events will be happening this weekend, including eight outdoor concerts around the U.S. featuring headline bands like Thievery Corporation, Arrested Development, and The Roots. Venues include the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and Central Park in Manhattan. Admission is free, with more info available at the Green Apple Festival website.
U.S.-based families should also check out the kids-focused National Park Week, including a number of dedicated events on April 26 to mark the second annual Junior Ranger Day. Program highlights in places like Kentucky's Mammoth Cave or Maine's Acadia National Park will include fishing lessons, wildlife walks, evening stargazing parties, scavenger hunts, and hands-on reptile encounters.
The Federal government's economic stimulus package was a rare bipartisan achievement, and now those rebate checks will soon be dropping into mailboxes across the land. So what's a responsible citizen meant to do? Spend of course—and lift the economy out of its credit-crunched blues. But with gas prices soaring and consumer confidence at its lowest ebb, we bring you ten family vacation ideas that won't break the bank and make Uncle Sam's summer windfall stretch even further. Click on the map above to search an interactive Google Map, or click the links below to read more about each of our selections.
In our line of work, we get to hear about some amazing travel adventures, and this week's guest blogger, Nancy Sathre-Vogel, is about to undertake one of the most incredible and admirable yet: a 20,000-mile, 30-month bike journey down the Pan-American Highway with her husband and ten-year-old twins. Follow the family's preparations and journey at 
