Every once in a while you find that perfect experience that helps everyone, young and old, connect with a place. On our recent trip to Ireland, it was the Falconry at Ashford Castle that delighted our whole group!  We had 16 family members (ranging from 1 to 70 years of age!!), so finding activities that kept both the whole spectrum of relatives engaged was challenging.  With a castle as a backdrop, though--plus gorgeous wooded grounds, thoughtful instruction, and stunning birds--this experience was home run!
 
From the moment that you drive up to the Ashford Castle, you know you’re in a special place.  Dating back to 1228, the castle overlooks a beautiful lake, making it a perfect setting for the sport of kings.  Initially, I was concerned that it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring the little ones (ages 1 & 4 yrs), but it worked out wonderfully.

Visit Ciao Bambino for more on Ashford Castle and Nancy's other family trips.

No trip to Rome would be complete without a trip to the Vatican. Even though it's usually a mob scene, it can be quite manageable with pre-planning and a great tour guide.  Our ace-in-the-hole was Iris Carulli (Tel:+39 3280629990; iris@imcarulli.com), a former New Yorker, an  art historian, and a major foodie.  Iris gets small children and, therefore, made the basics of Art History -- say, the use of light by Caravaggio, or the story of Michelangelo lying on his back for four years to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling--really come to life for them. Two suggestions: Buy your Vatican tickets in advance online and book for 3 p.m. onward to avoids crowds. Iris gave us the abbreviated museum highlights (which is what we needed) and delighted our kids with stories about the Swiss Guards and the separate country that is the Vatican State.
 
Our final day in Rome was spent eating multiple pizze (Da Baffetto near Piazza Navona is always packed but delicious), and following many of Iris' local tips (she's lived in Italy for years), including how not to get ripped off by taxi drivers during the busy summer season by making sure they actually turn on the meter.  Other quick, cultural hits included the Bulgari exhibition -- a candy-colored collection of stones from that jewelry house at the Palazzo delle Esposizoni (through September 13, 2009), and the Castel Sant'Angelo at the edge of the charming Trastevere area.  The sprawling Villa Borghese, with its beautiful green spaces and the hands-on Explora Children's Museum (book ahead), was a hit with children who had grown weary of "boring" grown-up places (it's also a great escape on hot days).

 
Rome is terrific with kids in small doses -- in terms of your length of stay, and also in terms of what you try to accomplish.  For us, two hours a day of museums, churches, and catacombs, etc. was perfect.  We mostly enjoyed watching the way this ancient city functions in the 21st century.  Thankfully Romans haven't given up the long lunch (and many shops still close from 1-4 p.m.), and the best times are often spent in cafes (try Bar Canova on Piazza del Popolo) just watching the world go by.

When you think of Rome, the words "kid-friendly" aren't the first to come to mind.  And while Italians adore children (and ours were welcome everywhere), planning is key for any trip to the Eternal City. We recently spent four days wandering between major tourist attractions (the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and the Pantheon) and tiny cobblestone streets with quaint cafes and gelaterias that were bursting with local color.
 
We stayed at the former villa-turned-sleek Hotel de Russie, which is perfectly situated between the picturesque Piazza del Popolo and the bustling Spanish Steps.  The hotel has a Secret Garden in back which borders the Villa Borghese park where kids can explore among orange trees, lush flowers, and even butterflies.  
 
Our first step was to enlist Fabio Luciani, the primo tour guide for Ancient Rome (Tel:+39 3295795739; Fabiolux73@hotmail.com).  As a former archeologist and father of two, he knew exactly how to make the Colosseum with its' gladiator history, as well as the creepy Catacombs, come to life for jet-lagged 6 and 7 year-olds. Everyone loved just popping into random churches and the Santa Maria Del Popolo is not to be missed, with its mix of Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture.  The churches were like mini museums for the kids: 5 minutes in each and everyone left satisfied.
 

Continue reading Just Back From: Rome (Part 1) »

Travel from now until April 4th and save at six Club Med locations. For just $99 per person per day you and your family can eat, sleep and play (all land and water sports, including their famous flying trapeze, are included) for next to nothing. For locations and more information visit clubmed.us

I was recently invited to check out Club Med's newly redesigned cruise ship, the Club Med 2. They say it's the biggest 5-masted sailing vessel in the world, and with its multiple restaurants and bars, roomy cabins, two pools, spa, and vast stretches of sundecks, I believe them.

During its summer travels, the ship docks in Nice, Portofino, St. Tropez, and Cannes, and in the winter, it takes guests around the Caribbean. And because kids under the age of 8 are not allowed (for safety reasons) it's the perfect adults-only getaway--beautiful scenery and the all-inclusive comforts Club Med is known for. Like food and drinks galore, including the fabulous daily tea time shown below.

This particular inaugural cruise was just for media and industry folks from 14 different countries. I was lucky enough to get a few minutes with the ship's designer, Sophie Jacqmin. She said she had a mere 3 weeks to implement her ideas, which came mostly from the writers and explorers who have been inspired by the sea. For example, the televisions in the cabins were installed periscope-style, her color palette came from sailor's uniforms, and you could find quotes from famous books and explorers everywhere--including on the bedding.

I loved learning that the little boy pictured digging in the sand above the beds is Jacqmin's nephew. (Her own 12-year-old son was too shy.)

I cannot say enough great things about this place. Drive a little over an hour south from Los Angeles and you might as well be sitting on a beach in Hawaii. The Montage (where we stayed) is likely the best so-Cal hotel for families. From the rooms to service to amenities to food, it is excellent (making it worth the hefty price). Equally as important, it's a great spot for our kids (ages 3 and 7): They were greeted with a red wagon full of stuffed animals to choose from and a personal tour of the hotel's kids club, Paintbox.


Continue reading Just Back From: Laguna Beach »

A couple of weekends ago, we took our 4-month old Dylan on a road trip to St. Michael's, a quaint little Chesapeake Bay town located on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The occasion? To cheer on my crazy sister as she swam a 4.4 mile race across the bay.

Having taken Dylan on nearly a dozen flights so far, we thought the 4+ hour drive from New York City to St. Michael's would be a piece of cake. About an hour in, though, we learned a new fun traveling-with-baby fact: long car rides are way more intense than flying. If she was hot or tired or hungry (or any other of her less savory infant states), we had two options: 1) pull over at a rest stop or 2) contort myself into a pretzel so i could nurse her while she sat buckled into the car seat (a move that was definitely not covered in any of those prenatal yoga classes.) The trek was well worth the pit stops and body bending, though.


Continue reading Just Back From: St. Michael's, Maryland »

If anyone deserves some R&R, it's our very own Amy Eldridge, the Readers' Choice winner of the 2009 Smart Cookie Awards. When she's not taking care of her own seven children (ages 4 to 22), Eldridge runs Love Without Boundaries, the nonprofit she founded six years ago, which funds lifesaving surgeries as well as nutritional and educational programs for orphans in China. Eldridge averages about three hours of sleep a night, and her travels are generally restricted to Costco, the athletic fields (for her kids' practices and games), and China.

I've wanted to visit Savannah since I read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. Even though Berendt's novel is about a local murder and the trial that follows, no character is more alluring than the city itself. I finally went and was thrilled to discover a metropolis with amazingly authentic culture that's also easy to get to and doesn't cost a bundle once you arrive. Only a two-hour flight from New York, Savannah offers an enchanting mix of southern traditions, historic homes, and gracious residents. (It is known as the Hostess City, after all!) Continue reading Just Back From: Savannah »

Sarah Engler, Associate Editor

I recently went on a behind-the-scenes tour with the creative director of Disney Cruise Lines and a handful of other journalists to see what's in store for families next summer. One new port city will be St. Petersburg, and along with the glitzy onion-domed palaces and ballet, we had lots of Russian cuisine on our agenda.

My favorite dish was this Herring Under Fur Coat (yes, the name alone scored points) that we had at Sadko during our last lunch. Made up of layers of beets, potatoes, herring, egg, and onions, it's like the slightly healthier transatlantic cousin of 7-layer dip. And I have to say, it was surprisingly delicious. Find out how to make it here, and be sure to keep an eye out for more about Disney Cruise's new ports in our December/January 2010 issue.