"Growing up in Holland, Ohio, Mel-O-Creme (8144 Airport Highway) was as much a part of my summers as Slip-N-Slides and softball games -- and my family stopped there after both! A no-frills seasonal shack (we joke that "capital improvements" are the new picnic tables out back), Mel-O-Creme's appeal derives from the fudge-y deliciousness of the turtle sundae, kiddie cones with rainbow sprinkles and tiny candy sugar "eyes" (still my favorite) and the huge backyard - a favorite evening gathering place. Recently my family introduced a new generation to Mel-O-Creme when we took my niece Addison there for her first ice cream cone. Based on the way she screamed when we tried to take away the drippy mess, I think she's hooked."
                                                                                                   -Colleen Egan, Associate Web Editor

Last week we posted about Kayak.com's new chart that details different fees for various popular airlines. Today (thanks to Conde Nast Traveler's Perrin Post blog) we came across another great airline-comparison chart, courtesy of FareCompare.com, showing which airlines will pick your pockets for pennies and which still have a semblance of a save-you-money soul. Plus, we're really digging their print-out PDF version of the chart; we'll be keeping it close by the next time we're booking a flight.

"My all-time favorite way to spend a lazy weekend afternoon in San Francisco has to be browsing amazing local produce while savoring a heaping scoop of Ciao Bella's gelato at the bay-side Ferry Building (One Ferry Building). If I'm feeling sassy, the tart key lime gelato with a nutty graham cracker swirl will hit the spot, but it's tough to pass up the silky chocolate gelato made with Scharffen Berger chocolate that's produced across the bay in Berkeley. A little tip: If you love the chocolate gelato, you should really take the tour of the Scharffen Berger factory. It's delicious. "
                                                                                                                -Monica Perry, Web Producer

by Jenny Rosenstrach | Cookie Features Director

We recently rented a cottage on Block Island with a view of Great Salt Pond, which was totally bare bones -- no TV, no DVD player, no phone, no wireless. Other than sleeping, my daughters (ages 4 and 6) were pretty much only inside about one hour a day. We spent the rest of the time sticking to a pretty rigid, but leisurely schedule that went something like this...

by Kelly Alfieri | Cookiemag.com Editor

I've spent my lifetime of summers lolling around Fire Island and am deeply in love with it. It's a barrier island that just one half mile across at its widest, so from most vantage points you can see both the bay and the ocean. It's only an hour's drive and 30-minute ferry ride from New York City, but it feels a million miles away. There are no cars and there hasn't been any new construction since it was designated as a National Seashore in 1964, which lends it a quiet, quirky charm. Riding bikes or walking is the only way to get around, and residents haul around their kids and their stuff in red wagons.

My husband also spent summers in Fire Island as a kid, and this summer, we brought our 2-year-old twins, Clementine and Nathaniel. We rented a slightly musty but charming Ocean Beach cottage built in 1936 by the family who still owns it. It was just a half a block from the ocean. The town--with three ice creams stores, eight restaurants, and a community center that screens movies at night--is Fire Island's booming metropolis. The kids ran free on the paths (no mandatory handholding since there are no cars), spent hours in the outdoor shower (a staple of Fire Island homes), and marveled at the fawn napping in the backyard.

"My family spent several summers at our lake house in New Buffalo, Michigan. Just two hours outside of Chicago and nestled into the shores of Lake Michigan, it's a haven for families looking to leave the hustle of the city. Oink's Dutch Treat (227 W. Buffalo St.) was always our favorite stop. The plethora of Pig paraphernalia (1,144 items!) is hilarious, and the Mackinaw Island fudge ice cream (from local favorite Sherman's dairy) is an incredibly decadent fudge ripple ice cream punctuated with chunks of fudge."
                                                                                                                   - Erin Renzas, Web Assistant

Last week the Eastern Regional Tourism District of Connecticut announced that it had created an official guide, called "Follow the Ice Cream Trail: Sundae Drives,"  to the 35 best ice cream spots in Connecticut. All this talk about sweet frozen treats got us thinking about our absolute favorite ice cream spots, so this week we've decided to bring you "Ice Cream Week." We asked Cookie staffers to tell us about their go-to spots for scoops, cones, and everything in between. Keep checking back all week for our  picks, and tell us about your own!

Get some R&R with three more R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) at Westin's new Element hotel chain, the first of which just opened in Lexington, Massachusetts. Some of Element's green features include carpets made from 100% recycled content, bath products in dispensers (no more mini bottles), and Energy Star-rated appliances. Style hasn't been overlooked, either. The soothing colors and clean lines in the rooms and public spaces create a modern, serene atmosphere. And there's free Wi-Fi access. Twenty-two more locations are slated to open in the U.S. and Canada through 2010--including hotels in Las Vegas and Irving, Texas, later this year. 

Poking around the blogosphere today, we found a great post on kids' activities in Salt Lake City from one of our favorite family travel blogs, Traveling Mamas. With its rising mountains, deep canyons, and cloudless desert skies, Utah is a sight to be witnessed. The southern part of the state boasts Arches, Bryce, Zion, Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks, and is worth a trip by families looking for an outdoor adventure or two (or 20).

But for families with younger children, northern Utah is a great alternative--and it has upped its level of tourist-friendly attractions thanks to the 2002 Olympics. Traveling "DesertMama" (aka Beth Blair) recommends Discovery Gateway, water-ride destination Lagoon Park, and Hogle Zoo. Plus, Park City (less than an hour outside of Salt Lake City) is not only one of the top ski destinations in the nation, but it offers summertime outdoor adventure ranging from hiking to water rafting to lovely strolls along the idyllic main street.

Check out more of Cookie's favorite family vacations.

Now that the end of summer is approaching, it's time to soak up the last few drops of sunshine. Here are some ideas for great weekend getaways close to New York City, Chicago, and L.A.

From New York City:
Explore all things nautical at the quaint coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut, which has a historic seaport and an aquarium where you can actually pet the penguins and whales. Also cool: the colonial-era Olde Mistick Village and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Preserve, which offers eight miles of hiking trails.

More ideas:
Long Beach Island, New Jersey
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Woodstock, Vermont