Travel With Teens and Tweens

DoubleTree by Hilton’s DTour of a Lifetime Contest Takes Travel Social Media to a New Level

Posted by Mary Turner on May 21, 2013 Comments Off

May 212013

DoubleTree by Hilton is one our favorite family friendly full-service hotel brands. From our recent getaway at the Boston North Shore property that features the CoCo Key water resort, to stays during family vacations and college tours in Washington DC, the Jersey Shore, and the New York City, DoubleTree by Hilton delivers a quality experience for the whole family—and don’t forget the cookies! Starting this month, DoubleTree by Hilton is introducing a new way to plan and share trip ideas with the launch of DTour, a YouTube channel for the hotel industry created in collaboration with Google. DTour is an online destination for travelers eager to ‘take a DTour’ – and share their experiences with like-minded adventure-seekers around the world. The website integrates all the major social media networks in [...]

UK Entertainment Ideas for Family Summer Holidays

Posted by Mary Turner on May 20, 2013 Comments Off

May 202013

UK Entertainment Ideas for Family Summer Holidays

Whether you are natives of Europe or visiting the United Kingdom from other regions, summer is a great time for family holidays. The summer holidays give parents the opportunity to spend much more time with their children, but the long time off requires a lot more planning and imagination than a quick weekend or even mid-school break. Whether you are looking for a weekend in the city, time at the beach, or a world class theme park, our UK travel partners tell us that families visiting the UK will never run out of ideas for entertaining the kids on summer holiday. Here are some of their top recommendations: See a Show in London’s West End London’s West End is world famous and is currently hosting a number of child-friendly shows [...]

Family Travel Ideas: A Short Stay in The Historic City Of Exeter

Posted by Mary Turner on April 18, 2013 Comments Off

Apr 182013

Family Travel Ideas: A Short Stay in The Historic City Of Exeter

Our travel friends and partners around the world continue to send us great ideas for all types of family getaways. One of the most recent recommendations we’ve received is the historic city of Exeter in South West England. The city itself dates back over two thousand years and the surrounding area can be traced back as far as the Jurassic period. Exeter has had a tumultuous past: over thrown and invaded several times since its founding; it tells a fascinating tale for the inquisitive visitor. Exeter’s Rougemont Castle is an essential attraction. Although limited areas of the castle remain, it paints an intriguing picture of the city’s history. Originally started in the 11th century, after Exeter rebelled against William the Conqueror, it was built into the Roman city walls. It [...]

Enter the Cooper Tire “My Every Day Road Trip” Sweepstakes to Win a Year’s Worth of Gas to Fuel Your Ride

Posted by Mary Turner on March 22, 2013 Comments Off

Mar 222013

This post brought to you by Cooper Tire. All opinions are 100% mine. Our readers know we love good road trips and fun travel contests, so we couldn’t resist when Cooper Tire asked us to share the news about their “My Every Day Road Trip” sweepstakes. Whether its taking the kids to school or teaching the teen how to drive, Cooper Tire is commemorating life’s every day road trips and offering Facebook fans the chance to earn an entire year of free gas plus other great prizes like a $100 Cooper Tire auto service voucher, a $50 gas card, a $50 iTunes gift card and Cooper gear. From March 1 through March 29, fans of Cooper Tire’s Facebook page can share their every day road trip stories by submitting videos, [...]

Get Outdoors with a Family Vacation to the Sunny Mississippi Gulf Coast

Posted by Mary Turner on March 18, 2013 Comments Off

Mar 182013

Get Outdoors with a Family Vacation to the Sunny Mississippi Gulf Coast

Families planning spring break and summer vacations with active kids, teens and tweens are always looking for affordable destinations that mix sun and surf with opportunities for family fun. With 62 miles of shoreline and warm Gulf of Mexico waters, the sunny beaches of the Mississippi Gulf Coast are clean and sparkling and ready to host family outdoor vacations during spring break and throughout the summer. With daytime temperatures regularly in the 70s or higher, a Spring break vacation to the area is a great time to break out the fishing gear, rent a kayak, visit a waterpark or work on your tan at the beach. Visitors from northern climates will really appreciate the opportunity to get an early start on summer. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is also a great [...]

Teen Summer Camp Choices: When Did This Become A High Stakes Decision?

Posted by Mary Turner on February 14, 2013 Comments Off

Feb 142013

For better or worse, the ways that older teens spend summer vacations have become just as important to the college application process as grades, essays, recommendations and SAT scores. Whether its volunteer service, family travel, a summer job or a summer camp program, these experiences demonstrate what is important to the teen and are likely to became fodder for the all important common application college essay, which this year will ask students to bare their souls to admission staff, in 650 words or less, by crafting a highly personal and insightful response to one of the following questions: Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your [...]

Ideas for February Vacation and Spring Break Family Fun in Blackpool, England

Posted by Mary Turner on January 22, 2013 Comments Off

Jan 222013

Ideas for February Vacation and Spring Break Family Fun in Blackpool, England

We’re always looking for great ideas for family fun during school spring vacations and February half term breaks. Although we haven’t had the chance to visit ourselves, our British travel partners in the seaside resort town of Blackpool, England recently suggested we consider spotlighting this ageless family vacation spot for our readers. Located on the Lancashire coast in the North West of England, Blackpool has drawn families to enjoy it beaches, rides and attractions for more than a century. Over the years it has undergone some impressive renovations including the addition of a chic promenade, shopping and many entertainment facilities operated by Merlin Entertainments Group, one of the UK’s leaders in the design and operation of family entertainment destinations. Although Blackpool is predominantly a seaside based resort, many of the attractions are open all [...]

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