Melissa Biggs Bradley, Indagare

As a Francophile, I have heard often that I would love Québec because it offers a taste of France without crossing the Atlantic. The beautiful Canadian city (a less-than-two-hour flight from Newark) delivers just that and more: a taste of French culture and cuisine and a gorgeous historic city center. Most compelling to me as a New York mother, though, is that it does so without jet lag--and at a discount, thanks to the current exchange rate. In fact, the Chateau Frontenac, the iconic castle-like hotel perched on the cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence, is currently offering room rates this spring that are less than $200 a night. (Par for the course, bargain rooms don't have river views, but, when you think about it, kids are far less consumed with vistas than they are with hallway races, splashing around in a massive indoor pool, and being greeted by the hotel's canine ambassador.

Right across the way from the Chateau Frontenac is the Musée du Fort, which has a fantastic sound and light show on the history of Québec City. The model ships plying the St. Lawrence and red-coated soldiers charging up the cliffs just outside the museum, make the past feel, well, present. And once the show's done, everyone can clamber down the ramparts (yep, still standing), and kids can climb on the massive cannons.

Elisabeth Lepine, totntow

We recently got back from a week in London.  Unlike our previous adventures in this city, the sun was remarkably shining 6 of our 7 days and the crowds were full of locals instead of tourists.  Since the weather was unbelievably beautiful, we spent most of our days outside exploring parks, playgrounds and visiting the animals at the zoo. Another consequence of blue skies in London? Queues. Here queues, there queues, everywhere queues queues!! Per our previous, drippy visits to London, Charles and I were used to visiting quiet museums and empty playgrounds while the children of London learn their ABC's. This time, we found ourselves elbow to elbow with every jolly family in the UK, it seemed!

Our original intentions were to hit our favorite spots; The Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Aquarium, London Transport Museum and the British Museum, but after a few days of crowds we found new things to do: a Chinese Circus, exploring the entire 4th floor of Harrods (a.k.a. The Land of Stuffed Bears above), visiting Alexandra Palace, and shopping through street markets.  We even joined the tourists on a shiny red double-decker tour bus and boat cruise along the Thames.  We usually see London from the backseat of a car, so sitting on the top tier of the front of a bus was really exciting for Charles.  He saw London from a new, taller perspective and was all smiles as a result.

Sarah Engler, Associate Editor

Greenville's ingenious "Mice on Main" has combines three irresistable-to-kids elements: cute little mice, a scavenger hunt, and Goodnight, Moon. Pick up the clues at most hotels or the Visitor Center (on Main Street), and you can sightsee while the kids hunt for the nine little bronze sculptures--the same number that are pictured in the classic bedtime story. Start the game with Marvin (above), who is perched on the edge of the fountain outside the Hyatt.

Yolanda Edwards, Travel & Lifestyle Editor

We were lucky enough to stay at the Plaza Athenee in Paris. It's a grand hotel, one that they call a 'palace hotel', and yet it's so child friendly that during the fall they bring a carousel into their inner courtyard, and kids can ride on it as many times as they want. From December until February they turn the courtyard into an ice skating rink. It's just that kind of place--they take an ultimate fantasy, and make it a reality.

Which brings me to breakfast at the hotel. It's in the dining room of the Ducasse restaurant, and it is probably one of the most magical rooms ever (see Clara eating and enjoying the room above). There are chandeliers and crystals (12,000 crystals) hanging from the ceiling, sparkling....and the most beautifully illustrated kids menu (read after the jump to see their menu). The pastry basket is divine, and I don't even like pastries. And they serve the food with a silver dome--very impressive especially for our daughter who is obsessed with all things fancy.

On another note, they've just opened up a new spa there, the Dior Institut, and it is such a treat. I had a facial there, and it was so good, especially the way they give an upper body and foot and leg massage. What a great way to beat the jet lag.

Rebecca Etter, Travel Assistant

Lisa Rogak and The Chicago Tribune remind us that the best way to enjoy the open air is to be high up in it, by spending a night in a treehouse. Check out their article from last week showcasing the best hotel treehouses.

If that peaks your interest and you'd like more options, check out our roundup of treesorts.

Frederick Bisaillon, the chef at the White Elephant's Brant Point Grill in Nantucket Island, has introduced a way for us to eat well and still be thrifty. This recession-friendly menu offers a "Stimulus Steak" for $15, a four-course prix fixe for $29, and $1 appetizer special everyday at the bar from 3-11pm.

Saving money never tasted as good...

Yolanda Edwards, Travel & Lifestyle Editor

We just went to Normandy to do a story for the magazine, and spent a day and a half on the front end of the trip in Paris. We took the 9:45 flight out of New York, which landed us into Charles de Gaulle airport at 10am, and we all got around 5 hours sleep, which was so great. The next step was to keep ourselves up all day so we could quickly get ourselves onto French time. After lunch (thank God no more smoking in restaurants!) we headed to the Eiffel Tower (Clara's choice). We walked there and found a part of it we had never seen, which was probably the back approach to it. There were school kids running around, all in their adorable little tunics (black for boys and pink for girls), which I wish I had for myself. We were able to see the tower with a willow tree in front of it, and a pond, and it was all very peaceful and calm, a world away from the reality of it up close, with lines snaking for what seemed like miles. We found a nice enough playground, and then a carousel, all with views of the tower.

And then we walked down the road and stopped in at the Musee du Quai Branly, a museum designed by Jean Nouvel, that features indigenous art, and has a cool garden to walk in, and a nice café. From there we popped over to the Palais de Tokyo, a five minute walk, and looked at their very cool shop, café, and took pictures in their photo booth. We saw a lot in a very small area, stayed awake, and saw some super off the beaten path things to do in a very touristy area.

Yolanda Edwards, Travel & Lifestyle Editor

It seems that bathrooms are either so great, or so bad, in France. Imagine trying to get your 5 year old to go to the bathroom in one that has only a hole in the ground, that you have to squat over. And then on the other end of the spectrum, there are bathrooms in the airports just for kids, with little mini toilets, and super short sinks (this one here is about a foot tall). We of course prefer the ones in the airports.

Jenny Rosenstrach, Features Director

The always fine culinary scene in Charleston, SC has been getting extra fine in the past decades (See Gourmet's lowcountry dispatch in the May 09 issue for the lastest evidence) and it seems that every time I visit, which I do once or twice a year, there's a new discovery to get excited about. The latest is The Wreck a local seafood hang-out in suburban Mt. Pleasant, over the Ravenel bridge from downtown, so named because it sits on a marina where a trawler was upturned and wrecked by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.  (My friend, a professor at College of Charleston who lives in Mt. Pleasant asked "How did you even know about this place?" when we met him there for dinner. The answer: Matt & Ted Lee's Lee Brother's Southern Cookbook of course!) The restaurant was woefully understaffed and we picked the wrong time to go with the kids (prime time, 7:00) which resulted in a loooong wait to be served. But my friend assured me that our experience was unusual. And that usually the greasy spoon is the perfect place for a no-frills night  of savoring the fried (or grilled) scallops, shrimp, flounder, and oysters that seemingly swim right to your plate from the marina you are overlooking at sunset. My daughters, of course, particularly liked the doughnuts...I mean hush puppies.

Elena North-Kelly, Home Assistant

At Faces, in Northampton, you'll find everything from a summer dress to beautiful stationary to hilarious knick knacks at this one-stop wonder. And if somehow that's not enough variety for you, the whole basement level is devoted to home furnishings and decor.

If all that shopping makes you peckish, check out one of our top ice cream picks, Herrell's, located right across street.