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.
Town With a Mission: San Antonio's historic Alamo (PhotoDisc)
San Antonio knows how to throw a party, especially when it comes to its ten-day
extravaganza called Fiesta San Antonio. Held April 18-27, 2008, the celebration features more than 100 events including parades, concerts, art fairs, and sporting events. Yet, if you can't make it to town during Fiesta, don't sweat it. This is Texas, after all, and
San Antonia features Texas-sized fun for the family. Home to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld, and several water parks like Splashtown, kids will have a blast. If you need a dose of history, don't forget the Alamo or Mariachi Mass every Sunday at Mission San Jose. The church was built in 1778 and is part of San Antonio Missions National Historic Park. Close to Six Flags, the Westin La Cantera has a decent kids' club and two pools for children only.
For more super-sized vacationing fun in the Lone Star State, follow Away.com's weeklong Tex-Mex Americana road-trip itinerary. More family-centric, asphalt-based adventuring can be found in the Away.com Family Road Trip Guide.
Make your children's dreams come true and introduce them to their favorite ballplayers during Major League Baseball's Spring Training. March is the month to meet professional baseball players in their gregarious pre-season state, signing autographs and greeting fans before and after the games. Most baseball lovers know about Florida's 18-team Grapefruit League, but few parents realize the long distance between stadiums around the state. In Arizona's Cactus League, there are 12 professional teams playing games at nine stadiums within an hour's drive from your hotel room in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Mesa. All of the stadiums, like the Giants stadium in Scottsdale and the Angels stadium in Tempe, are intimate, single-tier parks with the best seats just a few feet from the baseline. To get even closer to the players, stay at Tempe's Dobson Ranch Inn, pre-season home base for the Chicago Cubs' players and training staff. Next door is Golfland/Sunsplash, Arizona's largest family theme park, with three miniature golf courses, a 15,000-square-foot castle, and a large water park. -- Steve Jermanok
Don't say you haven't been warned: tougher regulations at all U.S. land border crossings went into effect yesterday, which require both U.S. and Canadian citizens to present valid proof of citizenship instead of skipping by with a smile and a verbal affirmation of citizenship. Documents that establish citizenship include a passport or a "trusted traveler" card issued to frequent border crossers. Driver's licenses must be accompanied by proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. These new rules follow on the heels of last year's requirement that all air travelers between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean present a passport or other valid travel document for entry or re-entry into the U.S.
In other passport-related news, the U.S. State Department started accepting applications for its new passport cards today. It is expected the wallet-sized cards will be available in spring 2008. Carrying the same rights as traditional passport books, the cards are intended to expedite the entry process at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. However, they will not be valid for travel by air. Visit the State Department website for more information. Standard application and professing fees are about half those of traditional passport books ($45 versus $100 for a ten-year card or book, respectively, for adults over 16; $85 versus $35 for under 16's). Keep in mind that you'll still need a passport book if you plan on flying anywhere at any point down the road. Speaking personally, we haven't quite yet agreed among ourselves on that Stalinist ten-year vacation plan.
Yup, it's that time of year when the media goes wild over footage of beads and partygoers at New Orleans' Mardi Gras festivities. But just like Daytona Beach during spring break, New Awlins in February is probably not one for the stroller-pushing, crayon-wielding crowd. Now, we're no tut-tutting Calvinists here, but head on over to travel-blogging site Gadling.com for this post about the more family-friendly celebrations in Houma, Louisiana, a town that's one hour south of the Big Easy. As Gadling blogger Erik McLaughlin notes, here families can enjoy the same Mardi Gras parades, Cajun-style food, and swamp tours (not to mention, cheaper accommodation) without having to worry about "the parking problems, public urination, and expensive drinks of Mardi Gras in New Orleans."
Following on from our recent post about Aer Lingus' excellent family-friendly service, here's a useful update from the foXnoMad travel blog, which alerted us to the release of an airline survey from Zagat. Get the lowdown on carriers from AirTran to Virgin America, as well as the best and worst U.S. and international airports (no surprises here: New York LaGuardia and Paris Charles de Gaulle anchor their respective piles). Our only suggestion for the next edition? A family-friendliness category taking into account cabin crews' tolerance for hyperactive toddlers and their willingness to dish out warm milk (with a sympathetic smile).
Do you have a favorite (or least-favorite) airline when it comes to flying with kids? Any horror stories or funny moments to share? Tell us in the comments section below.
Northeast ski resorts were dumped on this weekend, all but four of Utah's 13 resorts are open for business (with two of those scheduled to open this weekend), Colorado's Purgatory is already buried under three feet and more snow's coming… yes, folks, winter has arrived with a happy vengeance. That might mean misery if you're in the flooded Pacific Northwest or stuck in a jam on the Jersey Turnpike, but it spells pure manna from heaven for winter-sport aficionados.
Getting out onto the slopes with the kids is one of parenting's biggest thrills, and can build a lifetime love affair with the sport. But before you go, we recommend you learn the basics, including the right gear, options for ski lessons, and ways to save money on what can be a very expensive undertaking. To help you get started, read "Chill Out!", a new article by veteran skier and travel writer Nancy Prichard Bouchard that's packed with essential winter-ready tips. Also, check out her review of the year's best ski and snowboard apparel.
Planning a family ski vacation this winter? Then check out Away.com's guide to the best family ski resorts in North America, as well as our top picks for snowboarding, terrain parks, grommers, and more. Got some family ski tips of your own? Share them in our comments section.
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.
