Ready to hit Vegas for Blog World ’09, my colleague Amy and I were looking forward to our stay at the Trump International Hotel for reasons you normally do not associate  with Vegas. Quiet, no gambling, luxurious amenities, and, best of all? Completely kid-friendly. Not to mention the property was gorgeous, immaculate, and comfortable. We walked in the emblazoned gold doors, met by a floor of marble, crystal columns, and satin curtains lining the walls. After checking in, we were escorted to the elevators, which ushers watchfully guard, checking room keys to keep the hotel secure. A platter of sparkling water, dried fruit, and chocolates were waiting for us in our rooms. We were excited to tour the hotel and see what went into making our stay special.  

Recently, Trump Hotels made kid-friendly stays an option for parents traveling to popular destinations 
such as New York, Chicago, and Las Vegas, with their Trump Kids program, helping to keep kids as entertained and pampered as their parents. As Moms, we know how traveling with kids can present a challenge when we forgo the comforts of home. However, Amy and I saw how Trump aims to make each family’s stay enjoyable and easy for both kids and parents by arming them with important mainstays such as a fridge to keep milk and juices cold, and a small kitchen complete with a sink, stove top, microwave and blender.   And, for those traveling with small children, they offer beautiful cribs with Land of Nod bedding. If you have older kids in tow, the set-up of the rooms gives families more room to spread out as two rooms are assigned to a foyer, to which only those two keys have access. Parents could take one room while the kids take the other without having to worry about them running in the halls between rooms.  

At most Trump Kids properties, services and features such as the restaurant and pool offer specials and programs for kids such as swimming lessons and kid-friendly menus. Toddlers, kids, and teens alike can find something to keep entertained and relaxed whether they spend the night coloring, playing board games or video games, or watching a movie from the kid’s channel. Kids will no longer feel restless as parents can comfortably manage keeping them happy and on a routine, all while enjoying a memorable vacation with the whole family!   For more information on the Trump Kids program and properties, go to http://www.trumphotelcollection.com/Trump_Kids/Trump_Kids.asp.  

Mom Central received a complimentary two-night stay at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas in order to write this review.

Having run a blog tour for Vail Resorts as part of Mom Central Consulting, I got invited to experience their new summer family adventure based out of Keystone Resorts in Colorado. My husband, two kids and I packed duffle bags filled with hiking gear, swimsuits, blue jeans, fleece and sneakers and headed off not quite knowing what to expect as we boarded our flight to Denver. My teens, ages 16 and 15, wrapped themselves in true teen skepticism and complained about wanting a “do-nothing” beach vacation. We grown-ups read all the brochure information soaking up the details as to what awaited us.

Let’s just say that what we experienced blew us all away.

Arrival Day

We arrived in the Denver airport, grabbed a mountain van shuttle to Keystone Resorts and checked into our spacious, lofted-ceiling cedar wood condo at the recently built and gorgeous River Run section of the resort. Our small porch looked out onto the gondola lift, a rippling creek, and bustling town square rife with mountain bikers, hikers, kids, families, and dogs. After quickly unpacking we met up with the other families and our guide, Marty Richardson.  Marty, an outgoing and passionate retired schoolteacher, avid hiker, wildflower guide, and master competitive cross country skier, truly made our vacation remarkable. She shared an endless wealth of information about everything from stories of the founders of the resorts we visited, history and details about the mountain rangers, unique flowers, tundra features, local animals, you name it! It felt like having Smithsonian-level fun insights to all the places we visited. So did the two other delightful and up-for-adventure families who shared our van and experiences that week, the Gowdie family of three from Wilmington Delaware and the Ziudema family of five from outside Chicago. 

Day 2: Keystone and Breckenridge

Our day started with brilliant sunlight streaking in through the Rocky Mountains to the east, and an early morning buffet at the Edgewater Café in Keystone’s Lakeside Village packed with every breakfast treat imaginable. Stuffed to the brim, we headed over to the Keystone Gondola in the brisk morning air. A panoramic ride took us to the very top of the mountain, at almost 12,000 feet and had us Easterners panting for breath with every step we took as we adjusted to the high altitude. Marty led us off on a hike through pine-laden vales and up to lookout out above the tree line, with magnificent views of majestic peaks every direction you turn. We took periodic breaks to both catch our breath and take in sweeping views of the Continental Divide and Ten Mile Range. When we arrived back at the top of the gondola, a gourmet picnic lunch awaited us.

While our family considered ourselves ready for a nap (which we took dozing off in the van), off we went to our second adventure of the day: exploring an old gold mine and panning for gold! Driving by Lake Dillon to the picturesque ski town of Breckenridge, we arrived at the Country Boy Mine, once the largest gold mine in the area back in the mid-1800s Pike’s Peak Gold Rush. They have reopened the main shaft of the mine, leading 1,000 feet into the stone depths of the mountain where an estimated over $50 million of gold still remains and will do so for a while to come.

Despite the current price of gold being $940 an ounce, it would cost about $75 million to extract the gold from the ore in which it’s vein runs. Country Boy Mine has left things just the way they stood at the time the mine operated, with drips of water splashing from the ceiling, planks to walk on, harsh real air pressure drills to hear, darkness to experience at one point, and an overwhelming sense of what oppressive work mining for gold had been. We got to “brass in” and out just like the miners did, putting brass numbers on hooks so that the head miner knew that we came out of the mine at the end of the day, donned raincoats and hard hats, and had a guide with a booming voice and sense of humor that transported back a century and a half to the days of the gold boom. He also left us soberly contemplating that the average lifespan of a miner in those day once they entered working in the mines proved only four to six years. We emerged to bright sunlight, pools dammed up from the small creek running through the mine, and pans to search the pools and cascading stream for flakes of gold. We learned to pan for gold, with the heavy gold sticking to the bottom wash of the pans, and bought a small glass vial to hold the newly discovered family treasure!

Off we then went to the quaint town of Breckenridge, with overflowing summer flowers, huge rock boulders in a creek bed to jump across for the kids, and a delicious restaurant Relish where our family stopped for cold drinks and appetizers. After wandering the town, we regrouped and off we went in the van to the Keystone Stables.

We all boarded a horse-drawn carriage, replete with its own genuine cowboys, and traversed an old homestead property for several miles until coming to the original house site. Among the preserved log cabins, a modern campsite has been built for old-fashioned horseshoe throwing, learning calf roping, and eating a barbeque cowboy dinner round a fire pit replete with a cowboy guitar sing-along and starry skies.

And this was just Day One! We fell into our condo beds both brimming from the day’s adventures and what we all declared to be “Epic Exhaustion!”

Day 3: Beaver Creek and Mountain Horseback Riding

The next morning arrived far too soon, and after a hearty buffet breakfast, we embarked to the swank ski resort of Beaver Creek and their mountainside stables. The wranglers keep the horses and their areas pristine, hollering out to each horse by name and having sidebars about their hilarious idiosyncrasies. We saw some of these in action on our ride, from my husband Ron’s horse Preacher who wanted to stop and eat every flower in site to our buddy Michelle’s horse Crusty who used gas power to make up every hill. Among the trading of stories and lively tales shared by our terrific guide Cole, we climbed a narrow trail winding through aspen forests (literally pushing off the trees to keep our knees clear) and sage-brush and juniper (berries used to make gin, I learned) fields to reach a summit and return to the ranch. We got to Yee-Haw! another passing group from the stables, and sighed with resignation when the hour and a half ride ended. It simply turned out to be the most amazing horseback ride of my life. And for my son Brooks, it was his very first time up on a horse. With him at 6’2’’ at age 15, he got a huge horse! We found lunch awaiting us on picnic tables upon our return, and got ready to explore Beaver Creek’s summit and town.

We took the main chair lift to the top of the mountain, and found out the recreation center offered free Frisbee golf as an activity. You get one long-distance Frisbee, one short-range Frisbee and have the challenge of playing a golf course counting Frisbee throws as strokes. I could NOT throw the Frisbee straight, which prompted tons of laughter and harassment from my kids. They regaled me “Oh MOM! Use your wrist!” as I trekked through pine trees searching out my way off line shots. As we finished the third hole, the sky suddenly darkened and lightening lit up the far skies. We rushed inside among rain, turned in our disks and got admonished to “Get on the lift going back down the mountain quickly before they close the lift!” Off we rushed. The minute we got seated on the lift, down came hail. Yes…small, hard balls of hail and gusting winds. We lowered our sunglasses to serve as goggles, grabbed fleece from our backpacks, and shivered as the hail and wind cut across the long lift down to the base. As we arrived at the base, the sun down there was out and shining, with temperatures around 75 degrees. People stared us as we wiped away ice and water and found the nearest Starbucks to warm up. Whew! That story definitely has already entered family story telling folklore!

After exploring the chi-chi shops of Beaver Creek and indulging in the free warm chocolate-chip cookies the staff circulates and hands out as a 3:00 afternoon tradition, we bundled into the bus for dinner. Headed to a Mexican restaurant at a nearby town under the Red Cliff Truss Bridge, we got a call from home base telling us the restaurant had lost power. We had dinner as a group at a local Mexican joint in the River Run village and called it a night after day 2 of what we now called “Epic Adventures!”

Day 4: White Water Rafting

The day started brisk and chilly as we put on our bathing suits, shorts and drip-dry shirts and water shoes for a day on the Colorado River. We drove an hour to rafting headquarters to get outfitted with life vests and then to the Colorado River Recreation Area where two guides with two large rafts awaited us. Forest, a guide wearing a Chinese hat, shouted out for all those wanting to get REALLY wet to go with him. All the boys hurried in his direction. The six of us girls opted for Alex, the trip leader, who actually turned out to be the trip downer for his desire for none of us to paddle and rather let him navigate the rushing rapids section without our interference. What? We showed up to paddle, and of course beat the boys down the river! Despite Alex’s dampening the enthusiasm, we all got into the spirit of the rapids as the river wound its way through a deep canyon. We spotted a bald eagle in the wild, perched on a tree right above our heads, searching to waters for fish to eat. And the wild rapids offered tremendous fun and tons of water splashing up the sides as we navigated the twisting path of the rushing river through steep rock ledges of the surrounding towering canyon. Midway along our girl’s boat opted to stop and soak in naturally hot springs, sinking into a whirlpool of lava-heated water. Meanwhile, the boys went to hike up an over 20-foot ledge and jump from the ledge to the icy river waters below- a challenge that my husband announced one of the scariest and most thrilling of his life, and one he never would have done but for the girl’s raft turning the bend to watch and cheer as his turn came up!

We ended with an elaborate picnic of make your own gourmet sandwiches (fresh avocados included!) and drove back to Keystone for our first official few hours of hangout time. One family opted for paddleboats in the lake, while we headed back to the beautiful condo for a welcome hot shower and sack-out in our room. Our family played the card game Hearts we had just taught to our kids and which they loved.

We ate a delicious steak and salmon dinner at the Keystone Lodge steakhouse, and settled into bed to be ready for Day 4 action!

Day 5: Rocky Mountain National Park

Let’s start with just how far this day takes you: an exhausting 257 miles driven from dawn to dusk. Yet it proved worth every single one of those road miles to experience the splendor of this majestic national park up close and personal.

We hit the road early, and in about two hours arrived at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center outside of Grand Lake to the Rocky Mountain National Park’s entrance. Marty told us to be on the lookout for moose and elk, and we used all our eagle eyes to no avail. We did a quick stop in the wet, grassy plains to explore a short hiking path and to challenge each other crossing fallen logs across the creek bed without falling in!

Next stop further up the mountains, a hike above the tree line level among tundra plants, lingering wildflowers, and neighboring snowcapped mountain ranges with a day clear enough to see straight out to Wyoming. This hike turned out to be my favorite, trailing the mountain’s peak, passing a lone elk, and on the way back to the van simply breaking out into a run of sheer elation. And I don’t actually run all that much! It felt straight out of The Sound of Music scene of the family running along the Alps – all that was missing was Julie Andrews, her guitar, and the sweet melodies of “The Hills are Alive.” Yes, it was just that crazy inspirational and had us laughing with glee as we hiked, scampered and outright ran along!

We then climbed up to towards the top peaks at 14,000 feet in elevation, with their massive remaining ice caps, saw three male elk majestically walking about six feet from us alongside a beautiful lake right on the Continental divide, and an entire close-up herd of all the females, teens, and baby elk soaking up the rarity of a hot mountain summer afternoon.  

The summit featured an awesome Alpine Visitor Center, replete with gift center, pinnacle lookout, and snow masses close enough for the boys to have a snowball fight! We then worked our way down the Eastern side of the Continental Divide to hike at the site of a naturally burst dam that flooded the nearby town of Estes Park in the early 1980’s. The burst dam left massive boulders strewn in an avalanche pass on the mountainside with a creek burbling between them. Marty also pointed out special pine trees whose bark when scratched smells of sweet vanilla.

From there we drove to the quaint town of Estes Park where we wandered the cool artisan shops and from there stopped on the way back to Keystone Resort for a fun family pizza dinner at Beau Jo’s Pizza in Idaho Spring. The surprise there: every table has a squeeze bottle of honey to drizzle on the crust.

The day of Epic Mountains and epic wandering came to an end with amazing pictures, memories, and all of its hiking glory.

Day 6: Vail Resort

While the rest of our group opted to start the day with a hike on Loveland Pass located along the Continental Divide, our family wanted to try mountain biking and see what that adventure had in store. We had a simply incredible fresh biscuit and egg breakfast at the Inkspot cafe in River Run village, and then rented suspension mountain bikes from a rental shop. Up the gondola we went, with special cars outfitted with bike racks, to explore the Green beginner’s trail “Girl Scout” that wound its way down the mountain. We stopped early on to climb up a rock tumble for breath-stopping views of the valley below us and Breckinridge ski resort in the distance.

As to the mountain biking…let’s just say that when it came to the boys of our family, despite their bravado and athletic prowess, the mountain won. The “EASY” root featured narrow winding passages through dense pine trees (imagine expert glade skiing on a bike!), rocks mid-path, roots to cross or jump over, hairpin turns, and steep angled descents through grassy slopes. While the boys opted for the mountain road down, which did nothing to lessen the amount of their falls, my daughter and I took firm grips on the handle for the back break of the bike and decided to tough it out.

When we checked into the gondola, the operator told us to expect about 45 minutes to descend the mountain. We hopefully thought we could get two runs in. Little did we know that it would take us over 3 hours going at what we thought to be a fast clip! With tumbles, scratches, and the thrill of victory, we finally arrived back to the gondola-based high-fiving ourselves as champions before collapsing in an exhausted heap.

With quick restorative showers, Marty swung by at 1:00 to pick us up in the van and head off to the upscale resort of Vail. Everyone split up: some to explore the shopping, others to take the gondola up from Lionshead Village for a mountain hike, and for our family a delicious Mediterranean lunch in Vail Village. We then explored the shops, all got cool sweatshirts, went to a concert in celebration of Lindsey Vonn a local girl turned both Olympic skier and Vail Resort sponsored as she makes her “Epic” run to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

We ended with a wonderful dinner outside on the flower-enclosed patio of the Vail Lodge, and a birthday celebration for one of our Epic Moms, Michelle. Our day ended with hugs, thanks, and a great deal of duffle packing to accomplish before another night of Epic collapse!

Day 7: Departure Day

Where had the time gone? Time to head home already? I woke up to have a cup of coffee with a final porch view of the mist lifting off the mountain in the rising sun peaking up through the ranges to the east, and an unexpected surge of connection and nostalgia about summer in the Rocky Mountains. As we boarded the express van back to the Denver airport, we regaled each other with stories from the gassy hill climbing horse to the mountain biking tumbles to the rock ledge jumping into the Colorado River. We mused about how close we had come to all the wild elk to how much the gold we panned might really be worth and about the sun setting over the remote homestead of our cowboy campfire dinner. We each looked out the window as we descended from the mountain elevations dreaming of coming back next summer to experience the wonders of the West. 

Of note, I received this complementary vacation for our family from Vail Resorts, who covered both our travel and Epic Summer program participation. My teens now have photos from the trip strewn on their Facebook pages, cannot wait to go horseback riding again soon, want to know if anyone in the East has Frisbee golf courses, and consider the beach boring in comparison. For my kids, ages 15 and 16, my husband and myself it turned out to be an adventure of a lifetime. So what caveats would I share? First, you have to be up for adventure! If you’d rather be sitting around, reading and sacking out, this is not the vacation for you. Moreover, activities such as horseback riding require age 9 and up, and I think that’s a great starting age overall for kids to experience this outdoorsy mountain program. Lastly, you do spend a great deal of time together with the other families sharing your van. You’re eating meals together, hiking and exploring, and if you really disliked them, you could feel resentful of having to join up together. That being said, the two other families we spent our week with could not have been more fun or lovelier, and really added wonderful conversation, laughter, stories and camaraderie along the way. I think the very nature of the program attracts fun loving families open to both new experiences and new friendships. And when you go, ask for Marty to be your guide!!

Off the Beaten Path is a fun book to look through with its state maps and glossy, full color pictures. It covers everything from museums to national forests and state parks. Here in Colorado my family regularly visits the Routt National Forest, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden – all listed in the book. And I’m sure my husband has visited several others during hunting season.

Still, there is much to be discovered: secret destinations, overlooked natural wonders, and out of the way museums. For example, did you know that Mount Airy, NC was the inspiration for Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show? You can tour the town and have a pork chop sandwich (!) at The Snappy Lunch. There’s even a bronze statue of Andy and Opie at the Andy Griffith Playhouse. As a fan of the show, if I’m ever in North Carolina, that’s a day trip I’ll have to take.

Off the Beaten Path also features a list of seasonal events for every state, and 16 icons highlight each site's activities and features including wi-fi access, if it’s pet friendly, or if it has wheelchair accessible facilities.

California section excerpt

For those of you in northern California, here’s an excerpt of covering the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Museum at Hyde St. Pier in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf:

For avid sailors and vicarious seafaring adventurers the Hyde Street Pier offers a fascinating sail back through time. On the Hyde Street Pier landlubbers can tour an impressive fleet of historic vessels, including the 1886 square-rigger Balclutha, the 1890 steam ferry Eureka, the 1907 steam tugboat Hercules, and the 1895 lumber schooner CA Thayer.

Visitors can also experience what life was like for submariners during World War II when they step aboard the USS Pampanito, a fully restored floating exhibit, now a national landmark, at Pier 45.

Continuing the journey, the park’s collection of small craft, both traditional and trailblazing, provide a lively introduction to boat building and the maritime trades.

Built as a project of the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, the Aquatic Park Bathhouse is a work of art in itself. The  museum inside includes mast sections, jutting spars, and authentic ship figureheads are arranged among the colorful fish and gleaming tiles of renowned muralist Hilaire Hiler’s expressionist vision of Atlantis. Also, Mermaid, the one man sailboat that transported a daring solo adventurer cross the Pacific Ocean from Japan in 94 days, is displayed on the balcony.

Along with detailed ship models,intricate works of scrimshaw, and whaling guns, the museum features video presentations and interactive exhibits.

In addition, the park offers frequent historical re-creations, interpretive programs, and a visitors center with exhibits, including a “First Order” fresnel lighthouse lens. Visitors might catch a demonstration of rigging, a class in navigation or woodworking, or a rousing concert of sea chanteys.
There are also activities designed especially for kids. The voyage culminates at the Maritime Store, managed by the non-profit San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, offering a range of maritime-related books, games, and videos, ship plans and models, and a selection of maritime folk music.

Open year-round. Entrance fee for historic vessels.
www.nps.gov/safr
(415) 447-5000

Off the Beaten Path along with a GPS unit would make a great Father’s Day gift, too. Check it out!

For more information on Off the Beaten Path, go to the Reader's Digest site. 

I just came across the "The Little Travelers" and I am blown away by the amazing images.  The author, Angelina Hart, travels the world with her two children and strives to help them become "globally minded" through their experiences in the countries they visit as a family.

What you'll find:

Kids craft ideas
Travel diaries including Bali with kids
In the kitchen
A blog through the children's eyes

Angelina has produced three DVDs on her family's experiences and you try and win one by entering Mom Most Traveled current contest.

Happy travels!

Adrienne

(Photo courtesy The Little Travelers)

According to the 2006 Statistics for the Travel & Tourism Industry, 43% of weekend trips are taken by couples without their children. In addition, children are now more likely to travel with family members other than their parents:

• 20% of grandparents have been on a trip with their grandchildren in the past year and,
• 15 % of singles have been on a vacation with their nieces, nephews or other young relatives in the past year

So how do you ensure that your children remain safe and protected while traveling without you? Forms4Parents.com. They've got a form for everything: travel consents, temporary custodial authority and medical authorizations. No lawyers. No excruciating mounds of paperwork. In fact, the forms are prepared online and downloaded in a matter of minutes!

Once you are out on the road, Trusted ID has made it their business to protect your valuable information. According to their information, every two seconds someone fall prey to ID theft. Lyn Chitow Oaks from TrustedID shared some valuable tips:

1. What should parents pack in their wallet for travel?  As you head out on vacation, you should limit the information you carry. Empty your wallet of any credit cards, identification cards or personal information you don’t absolutely need with you. We suggest you identify one credit card you would like to use for your expenses (leave your debit card at home). If someone was able to access your debit card, they then would have access to your bank account and all the assets in that account. With a credit card you are limited to the funds available to you by the credit card company and if you report it missing or stolen right away in most cases you will be liable for only the first $50.00.

2. What are some common mistakes parents make that lead to identity theft?  Identity theft can happen to anyone even when you are careful, but here are a few tips to help.

• Keep your personal information in your home locked up and inaccessible to those who do not need the information.
• Provide your children’s information only to those who need to know and ask them why they need it. School records, sports league paperwork, are examples of places where your children’s personal information is kept and they may not need all the information requested.
• Encourage your children not to share information with anyone who doesn’t need it. Even a casual conversation can provide information to an identity theft about where they live, what they like to do, where they were born, etc.

3. What are your other travel tips for parents?  Keep your information safe by:

• Paying your bills before you leave –don’t try to pay them on the road.
• Avoid using public internet spots and if you need to use them beware of shoulder surfers who are watching you type information on websites—have someone stand behind you and shield yourself from prying eyes.
• Leave the checkbook at home and carry only the cash you need.
• Use your in-room safe rather than the hotel safe, only you will know the password to access it.

Thanks Lyn!  Now we want to know what you are up to this summer?

Summer Trip:  I have just come back from one of the most amazing travel experiences of my life-  Africa.
Dream vacation:   My dream vacation is a trip around the world, I love meeting new people and immersing myself in new cultures.
Won't leave home without:  Besides, my husband?  Something really comfortable to wear on long flights or other transport vehicles.

Nicole Feliciano is a freelance writer and mother of two girls based in Brooklyn, New York. Admittedly style-obsessed, she spent seven years in women’s fashion with Polo Ralph Lauren before taking on the world of parenting. Now she uses her keen eye to spot trends for hip families and shares her picks on her Momtrends blog as well as national print and online publications. For more, you can find Momtrends here.

This summer our trips took us to Spain, Paris (more on that to come) and Nantucket.  Spain was doable thanks to our Chicco C6 Stroller. This lightweight stroller (see picture) let me zip in and out of airports, shops, and restaurants.  It folds up compactly and is a breeze to unfold.  In fact, I'm so thrilled with Chicco, we're going to offer a special July contest to be announced soon!

What did I love about Spain?  Well, the weather was sublime.  It's also easy to skip the car seat.  Madrid has an excellent Metro that will take you from the airport right into Madrid.  There are tons of parks (I recommend the large Parque del Buen Retiro--it's got a fun lake where you can rent little boats, plus playgrounds and lots of open space).

We had a great time visiting friends on our short stay (thanks for the Jamon!) One stop I'd recommend is the Baby Deli. This children's shop has a top-notch assortment of: orgnanic baby food and snacks, natural skincare products, wooden toys and other carefully selected goodies. The cafe is stocked with yummy salads and sandwiches. We sat outside in the spacious garden near the play tepee. Baby Deli also offers classes (drop in and scheduled). I hadn't been to Spain since I was 17, and sadly this second visit lasted less than 36 hours, next time I'm going to relax a bit more and see the sights.

What made this whirlwind trip easier? I was glad to have stashed my Plush Pad (shop at  Anna Bean). Baby had a few MDS' (Messy Diaper Situations) that would have brought new meaning the the phrase "ugly American tourist" if we hadn't been prepared. I rolled out the roomy (2' x 2') mat at the park, took care of business, wrapped the stinkeroo diaper in a Sassy Earth Smart Diaper Sack Dispenser and went on my way without getting flustered.  Next stop Paris!

Before we get to France, let's tale a look at where other folks are going this summer. Karen Telegadis from Plush Pad shared her thoughts.

Vacation spot: Connecticut
Dream trip: A full month in Greece staying with her husband's relatives.
Can't leave home without: sunblock on a stick, printing out favorite coloring pages for her girls, I Spy books...and of course the Plush Pad!

Nicole Feliciano is a freelance writer and mother of two girls based in Brooklyn, New York. Admittedly style-obsessed, she spent seven years in women’s fashion with Polo Ralph Lauren before taking on the world of parenting. Now she uses her keen eye to spot trends for hip families and shares her picks on her Momtrends blog as well as national print and online publications. For more, you can find Momtrends here.

YES Essentials® fabrics and carpets are engineered with a unique combination of three patented polymer technologies:

1. StainSmart® for repelling and releasing stains
2. AlphaSan® for resisting odors
3. ShockShield™ for reducing static shock

This combination makes YES Essentials factory installed and custom car products resilient and stain proof and easy to clean.

I currently have 2 kiddos in toddler booster seats and 2 in 5-point harnesses. Fortunately we have a pretty good system for preparing to pull out the driveway... The twins are a big help. Imagine the time it would take if I had to buckle up all four of the younger kiddos myself!

The Clek booster seats are super easy to install and since it has the LATCH system, I can rest easy knowing that is is super safe! The clek booster seats are designed with an integrated rigid LATCH system to deliver both the safety of LATCH and the convenience of uncomplicated installation, features typically at odds with one another.

Wet Ones go with us everywhere! These handy wipes are perfect for wiping off every thing from ice cream smudged faces to cheeto stained fingers. I keep a package in my purse, a cannister in my car's front console, and several individually packed Wet Ones in my glove box... With six kids you never know when you may need to clean up a mess!


A good stroller is a must for any time we leave the house. Noah doesn't generally like to be in a stroller for long periods of time, so for long days out I usually wrap him on to me and stroll Ben and Josh along. I just got a lime green Phil & Ted's Sport with the double kit and have fallen in love with it! It is wonderfully lightweight and maneuverable and allows two of my kiddos to ride comfortably with plenty of room.

The Phil and Ted’s company is an incredibly innovative and parent-centered company and were actually the pioneers who first featured a three wheeler with a swivel-front wheel. They certainly know what parents want and need in a stroller!

Some of the features that make this stroller my newest favorite is the large basket for storage, the sleek style, smooth and easy ride, and the fact that the fabric is tough, washable and waterproof.

Visit Let's Go Strolling for tons of information on the greatest items to make outings easy, from strollers to diaper bags. There you will find the best products for on the go, as well as superb customer service to walk you through the selection process.

For more tips for on the go, check out Mamanista's post Travel Tips: Best Gear for Traveling with Babies and Children

To hear more from Christine, visit From Dates to Diapers and Beyond! 

A long car ride can be difficult for everyone. Hours spent on the road with little to keep your kids entertained, constant distractions from the backseat, and frequent stops can get any vacation off to a rocky start. This is especially true if your child gets carsick. In order to help, Nicole Feliciano of Momtrends found some great tips for moms traveling by car with kids.

Skip the barf bag.  I've got great tips for kids who hurl in the car. The  July issue of ShopSmart says:

• DON’T let carsickness-prone kids read, color, play handheld games, or watch videos. Have them listen to music or audiobooks and play games such as I Spy that involve looking out the window.
• DO plan frequent stops for fresh air. Wear the kids out at a park or fast-food play area. Sleeping children don’t get carsick.
• DON’T give susceptible kids an untried over-the-counter antihistamine. Try a test dose at home. These drugs make most people drowsy, but some kids have the opposite reaction. And you don’t want to be stuck in a moving vehicle with a hyper child.
• DO be prepared with a waterproof bag and a cleanup kit. Include a change of clothes, paper towels, an enzyme-based pet-spot remover (good for cleaning and deodorizing after human accidents too), and a towel.

Next I visited an online forum to get some additional road tunes for the car. Here's what my pals came up with:

Snack Time BareNaked Ladies "hilarious"
In My Hometown by Tom Chapin "Simplicity in melody here...never cheats the rich instrumentation or complex"
Not for Kids Only by Jerry Garcia & David Grisam "ironic approach make twelve traditional cuts extraordinary"
Songs for the Young at Heart by Taj Mahal "a spirited collection of blues and world tunes"

What else will you need in the car.  For wee ones I think a Protect-A-Bub UPF+50 Car Seat Sunshade works much better than those silly shades that suction to the window of your car.

Finally I called on a pal from my writing gig at Babble.com. Kate Bayless is a wealth of information and she didn't let me down:

"We frequently make the 6-hour trip up the coast to see my extended family in Northern California...with a 2-year old and a 6-month old, our trips have become quite different (think Thomas the Train marathons and Old McDonald choruses). I've had some luck relying on FindLocalParks.com for locating local grassy areas to run around and Yelp.com for finding kid-friendly restaurants and other activities (zoo, hikes, etc.) to help break up the drive.   And never underestimate the power of being silly. With an hour left to go in the 6-hour car ride and everyone a bit antsy, my husband and I can do some wicked renditions of Disney movies, nursery rhyme songs and character voices that keep the whole car entertained. Momentary stares from neighboring cars are not nearly as bad as 60-minutes of toddler whining."

I'd love to see this in person some time Kate.  Are Dory and Nemo in your repertoire?

Nicole Feliciano is a freelance writer and mother of two girls based in Brooklyn, New York. Admittedly style-obsessed, she spent seven years in women’s fashion with Polo Ralph Lauren before taking on the world of parenting. Now she uses her keen eye to spot trends for hip families and shares her picks on her Momtrends blog as well as national print and online publications. For more, you can find Momtrends here.

Cool Hotels Family & Kids is a gorgeous paperback travel guide jam-packed with vivid color photos. The author has picked all the hippest spots around the globe to travel with family in tow. The book targets "cutting-edge parents" who "don't want to slow down or sacrifice style for practicality."

My globetrotting friends will adore the shots of the Vienna Dream Castle Hotel to the Chedi Phuket in Thailand all the way to the Voyages Dunk Island in Australia.  If high-style and adventure are your thing this book is for you!  From $18.91 and up on Amazon.

If you need more help planning your next jaunt consider TravelMuse. TravelMuse is the online travel destination for inspiring, planning and booking vacations—giving useful tips and insights to make traveling with children the best it can be. I asked TM's Director of Marketing, Fiona Ashley to share three tips for planning a vacation when bring children aged 0-6:

1) Aside from cleanliness—which is a universal requirement, regardless of the traveler’s age—make sure the hotel you select has three things:

• A kitchen or kitchenette. Being able to make your own food, or to at least store snacks, medicine, breast milk, formula, etc., saves time, money and helps with peace of mind.
• Access to a yard or nearby park. Having a park on site or nearby gives young kids a place to run around, as well as potentially meet other young temporary playmates.
• A swimming pool shallow enough for the littlest kids. A pool? Well, what kid doesn’t like to splash around in water? Kids clubs and babysitting services are nice extras, but not every kids club is necessarily a good club, and not every parent wants to leave their kids with strangers.

2) If you waited to take your kids on trips until they were 2 or 3 or older, ease them into travel by selecting destinations that are closer to home. Four or five hours in a car or plane for the first time can be frustratingly restrictive for young kids, especially if they’re used to being active.

3) Make sure you select activities that the entire family can enjoy. If visiting an amusement park and you have both young children (under 6) and older kids, check the height requirements for the rides to make sure there are enough attractions available for the littlest ones to enjoy their day too.

BONUS: Find out ahead of time where the nearest “in-network” urgent-care facility is located, as well as where you can run out in the middle of the night for diapers, formula or medicine, should you and the hotel run out of emergency supplies.

Excellent ideas Fiona. Now we want to know your plans:

Where are you going this summer? I just got back from a five-day mountain biking and hiking trip to Mammoth and Yosemite, Calif., over the Fourth of July weekend and had brought our 2-year-old daughter. We hired a babysitter for three hours on a couple of mornings while my husband and I headed up the gondola and down the trails on our own—it was amazing! We hiked Lambert Dome at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite on the way back home, and our daughter did great at sitting in our Macpac backpack and trotting down the trails.

Dream vacation:Trekking in Torres del Paine, Patagonia, and exploring the South Island, New Zealand, are high on my list of places to visit.

Item you won't leave home without: Crayons. Yes, throw out the moisturizer and the lip gloss; I’d rather have an amused 2-year-old. So in any one of my purses you could currently find a half dozen multi-colored crayons in a small Ziploc bag. Whether we’re at a restaurant or the hair salon peace reigns—well at least for a little while…

Nicole Feliciano is a freelance writer and mother of two girls based in Brooklyn, New York. Admittedly style-obsessed, she spent seven years in women’s fashion with Polo Ralph Lauren before taking on the world of parenting. Now she uses her keen eye to spot trends for hip families and shares her picks on her Momtrends blog as well as national print and online publications. For more, you can find Momtrends here.