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.

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 »

My family and I just got back from Chateau de Beynac in the Dordogne region of France. This was my second visit to this village, and I have to say it's one of my favorite castle experiences in Europe.  Some castles seems so staged and fake. Not here. Chateau de Beynac's facade has been perfectly preserved, and the furniture and decoration inside gives visitors a chilling if-walls-could-talk sense of what life in the castle was like 800 years ago.
 
The kids were enthralled by the time-machine quality of the estate and even took the time to appreciate the insane view of the river valley below.

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 a 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 and 4 years), 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 advance planning and a great tour guide. Our ace in the hole was Iris Carulli (+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 your trip for after 3 p.m. to avoid the 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 the food is delicious) and following many of Iris's tips (she's lived in Italy for years); for instance, avoid getting ripped off by taxi drivers 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 seeing 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 to 4 p.m.), and the best times are often spent in cafés (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 cafés and gelaterias that were bursting with local color.
 
We stayed at a 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 (call him at +39 3295795739 or send an e-mail to fabiolux73@hotmail.com). As a former archeologist and father of two, he knew exactly how to make the Colosseum, with its gladiator history, and 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: Five minutes in each, and everyone left satisfied.
 
Continue reading Just Back From ... Rome (Part 1) »

I was recently invited to check out Club Med's newly redesigned cruise ship, the Club Med 2. They say it's the biggest five-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 teatime 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 three 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.)

Sativa Peterson, contributor

When I was pregnant with my daughter, my husband and I booked a two-week trip to Italy (Rome and Tuscany) several months ahead of time, so that by the time we actually traveled, our baby five months old. How daring and naive that we weren't even parents yet and there we were planning our first "family" vacation. Who knew what it would be like to travel with an infant? Not us, that's for sure.

The weeks prior to the trip--long after the baby had arrived--we had an inkling as to the chaos we were in for, and we were filled with apprehension. You can imagine our delight, then, when we discovered that a carrying around a cute little baby in Italy is like having a special hall pass; you can tour the country as no regular tourist can.

Continue reading baby love in italy »