Long gone are the days of pick-up-and-go travel, when my belongings fit perfectly into a overnight tote, when the books or magazines in that tote would actually get read. Now, of course, it's entertainment for my toddler that swallows up the space in my carryon—after all, baby's airborne happiness translates into a headache-free journey for me, right? Meet the 10 things that have successfully kept my daughter busy on cross-country flights. They're small and lightweight, so you can pack a lot of them without feeling (and looking) like a mule.

1. Travel-Size Doodle Pro: My daughter loves this thing. Kind of like an Etch-A-Sketch, only it has a stylus to draw with.

2. Animal Toobs: Tubes filled with sets of safari-animal and sea-life figurines.

3. Colorwonder: Mess-free markers by Crayola (color shows up only on Colorwonder paper, clear on everything else.)

4. Colorforms: Remember these from when you were little? Kids still love them. Reusable vinyl geometric shapes that you can stick and restick to any shiny surface—like windows and tray tables.

5. Felt or magnetic boards: There are a ton out there to choose from. We like the Eric Carle Very Hungry Caterpillar magnetic board.

6. Travel-size soft-cover books: Again, there are lots to choose from. We're fans of Lauren Child's Charlie and Lola series.

7. iPhone: I love my iPhone, but, truthfully, my daughter loves it more. I loaded it with a few applications for her, along with kid-friendly movies and podcasts rather than lugging a DVD player with me. Check out apps like Wheels on the Bus and Old MacDonald, and podcasts like Sesame Street.

(OK, here's where the list strays a little. We all know that if you give a toddler a gift, they're likely to spend twice as much time playing with the wrapping paper it came in. That said, some of the things that have engaged my daughter the most on the road are nontoy items from around the house.)

8. Post-it notes: My daughter has spent hours filling them up with drawings, handing them out, and sticking them all over the place.

9. Pipe cleaners: These can be twisted into endless shapes--try making little animals or something wearable. (I promise that turning them into sunglasses will leave you all looking ridiculous but laughing.)

10. Blue painter's tape: We actually haven't tried this one yet, but came across the idea on Delicious Baby.  It can be stuck on anything and removed quickly, and can even be used to outline games like hop scotch on the floor. (If your kid is really acting up and all else fails, you can fashion a straightjacket out of it.)

Visit See Jane Fly for more tips on traveling with kids and additional posts by Kena Frank.

In New York's Adirondacks, Mirror Lake Inn (shown) is offering a Lake Placid Winter Games package throughout the winter that includes a three-night stay, three-day lift tickets to Whiteface Mountain, and breakfast daily. The price for a family of four is $460. 

Through November and December, The Hotel Bel-Ami in Paris is offering 25 percent off adjoining rooms stocked with arts and crafts kits and plush teddy bears. Book two nights and get the third night free at the Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen in Mexico; valid through December 23rd. 

In the countdown to Halloween, every Friday this month we'll be rounding up the best spooky family events across the country here on Going Places:

The town that calls itself the Halloween Capital of the World, Anoka, Minnesota (just outside Minneapolis), celebrates Halloween almost all month long. Check out its schedule of ghost tours, haunted houses, and parades; its production of Little Shop of Horrors is a particularly big hit with families.   

At Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, the Count (who else?) is hosting a  Spooktacular--with hayrides, a Halloween-themed Elmo show, and trick-or-treating through the park--every weekend of this month. Kids are encouraged to come in costume.

On October 17 and 18, the Northern California town of Half Moon Bay hosts its annual Art & Pumpkin Festival: Go for lively pumpkin-carving and pie-eating contests, parades, a kids' talent show, and a pirate-haunted barn (the latter is recommended for kids 5 and up).

Tell us about the frightful goings-on in your area!

If you've ever been to Paris--let alone with one child, two, or even three--you'll deeply appreciate Luisa Perkin's chronicle of traveling to Paris with her husband and all six of their kids (ages 1 to 16). Here's a teaser....

"I've probably made the trip sound too perfect; it wasn't. There were a few whines and short tempers and meltdowns here and there. These things are inevitable when eight people are constantly together for three weeks straight. I fell down some stairs and did something bad to my elbow; I went to the doctor when I got home, and the ulnar nerve is still inflamed. (It's slowly getting better.) There was the quicksand incident. The kids broke a couple of toys. The exchange family's cats threw up on the couch once. We may have killed the hydrangea and a couple of roses through neglect (I never have to water yard plants here in New York because it rains so much, and I fear we did too little, too late in the French yard). But it was as close to perfect as a trip can get."


You can also check out how they prepared for the trip.

The Zune HD went on sale earlier this month, and the solid, thoughtfully designed MP3 player is already giving the iPod a run for its money. Features include a Wi-Fi connection with Web browser, an HD radio, and an easy-to-understand, touch-screen interface that even a 6-year-old could follow. And because it can play 10 hours of HD video right from the palm of your hand or connect and play the videos through your TV, it's handy both for long car rides and hotel rooms. From $219 for a 16GB player. 

Families who travel to Salt Lake City generally do so for one of two reasons: for the skiing or to visit family. For us it's usually to visit family (though the skiing is good and usually less expensive than in Colorado). We make our annual trek in the summertime so we can take advantage of Utah's clear skies, dry air, and cool nights. Nestled at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake City offers spectacular views from just about any spot.

Most of the valley was once occupied by family farms that sold off land little by little to suburban developers. But you can still visit Wheeler Historic Farm (6351 South 900 East), now a park, small educational farm, and museum. We're a city family, so seeing live animals and food growing is especially neat for us. We also visited the goats at Drake Family Farm after I discovered Drakes creamy chevre at a farmers' market.

When Utah's hot, dry summer heat gets oppressive, we take refuge at the Clark Planetarium (where the museum is free). From there, if we can stand the walk, we head over to the Gateway Mall's Olympic Legacy Fountains with its music-synchronized water show (above). The children's library at the fabulous Salt Lake City Public Library, designed by Moshe Safdie, is another good escape from the soaring temps, especially during naptime. There you'll find a play area, sweet reading nooks, gift shops, and a cafe. Continue reading Just Back From ... Salt Lake City »

Over Labor Day weekend, I went to London with my husband, Matthew. We went for our friends Greg and Paula's wedding, and it was our first trip without our kids since they were born, over three years ago. The trip was too short, but I am glad that we finally got away together, and London was the perfect place to go. For the first two nights, we stayed at the Stafford, right off St. James Place. It's a charming little hotel down a sleepy cobblestone street. It's quiet and feels removed, but it's only a five-minute walk to Buckingham Palace, the Cabinet War Rooms (Churchill's headquarters during World War II), Jermyn Street, and St. James Park. And it's a five minute walk to the Wolseley, where in my fantasy life I would dine every morning. Breakfast is always better in a well-appointed room with bespoke tableware and 30 feet of soaring space between your head and the ceiling. And the food is impeccable: The eggs with soldiers, the orange-scented homemade granola, and the pastries are all delicious. It's a very grand room, dating back to the 1920s, but there were lots of kids, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. So if we return to London with our children, we'll be back for high tea.

Continue reading Just Back From ... London »

The Fairmont Orchid on Hawaii's Big Island is offering two rooms for the price of one with full daily breakfast buffet for both rooms, plus two Keiki Aloha Adventure Program passes; the package guarantees connecting rooms. Available through December 20.