24Aug

Exploring Greater Williamsburg with Kids

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Colonial Williamsburg is a place I've been wanting to take my family for some time.  I have vivid memories of traveling to the historical town as a child and have been waiting for them to be of a certain age to appreciate it. My kids are 7 and 9, maybe a little bit younger than needed to understand about the American Revolution, but its an education in its own rite and gave them a basic understanding of how life in America evolved over two hundred years ago.  But I also didn't remember it being so big and diverse in its history, as this was the first Read More

24Aug

Experiencing Nostalgia on Our Summer Vacation

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When I was younger, summer vacations were really special.  My grandparents and uncle would fly down to my home in Atlanta from Philadelphia and we'd all cram into a large station wagon and drive places. Often it would be Florida, which is the source of most of my childhood vacation memories.  But we also spent several summers visiting Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. My dad used to wake us up early to leave - around 4am - getting us on the road well before rush hour.  We'd always be ready the night before and sleep for a few hours before departure. Read More

20Aug

Charleston Place: Elegant and Cozy Family Travel in Charleston

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On our recent visit to Charleston, South Carolina, we had the most perfect visit at the Charleston Place Hotel.  It was our first visit to the city as a family and we could not have asked for a better location to make as our base.  Built in 1840, the hotel is very elegant yet comfortable, cozy, and the service defines southern hospitality to a tee.  As soon as we walked though the door into the refined lobby with a grand staircase and chandelier shining down from the ceiling, we were enchanted.  We knew we were in for something special.  Something Read More

18Aug

A Day in Savannah with Kids

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We spent some time in Savannah with the kids late last week.  I grew up in Georgia and have fond memories of family visits there as a child so I was eager to return.  Plus, I knew the city's British influence would be of great interest to my English husband.  Savannah is truly one of America's most beautiful and historical cities and after a day spent touring around, I can honestly say that I have to go back.  Maybe without the kids, so I can truly experience as much as I want to see, and it's certainly a romantic city so it might warrant a visit with my Read More

17Aug

Atlanta with Kids: The Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola

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We paid a visit to the remarkable  Georgia Aquariam in Atlanta last week. Being a native Atlantan who now lives in NY, I must admit that I was really really, impressed.  Located in Pemberton Place, right across the way from the World of Coca-Cola , it’s one of the world’s largest aquariums.  With more than 8.5 million U.S. gallons of marine and fresh water fish, it houses more than 100,000 animals of 500 species.  It’s elaborate with moving creatures every which way you look. We saw so many creatures we’ve never seen before in their five incredible Read More

15Aug

A Day at the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC with Kids

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We recently spent a day exploring the Biltmore House in Ashville, North Carolina.  I had visited as a young girl and was eager to take my family.  Home to one of the most famous and wealthy families in the world, the Vanderbilts, it's truly a glimpse into how they lived in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take photos inside, but I can tell you that my kids were just as impressed by the architecture and art as we were.  I was worried that the tour would bore them, but I was wrong. The Biltmore Estate is the realization of George Read More

14Aug

Recharging at the Omni Charlotte

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Our stop at the Omni Charlotte Hotel has been a highlight of our road trip. The location was wonderful - right in the heart of Charlotte's financial district.  We were so excited to explore the area and get to know a city that we didn't know very well.  Linked to 12 city blocks via sky bridge, the Omni Charlotte Hotel is moments away from the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Discovery Place, the Charlotte Convention Center, and the EpiCentre entertainment district.  Given the location, it would appear to be more of a business hotel, but we were Read More

13Aug

Eclectic and Comfortable Family Visit at Hotel Monaco

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We kicked off our two week long road trip from New York to Georgia with an overnight stop in Alexandria, Virginia, a quaint historic town in Northern Virginia.  Located thirty minutes right outside Washington, DC, it was an ideal location for us to stop.  We were able to drive five hours and not have to venture into the hustle and bustle of the city.  Unbeknownst to us, at various points in her past, Alexandria has been part of the District of Columbia, a regional slave trading market, an occupied city, a washed-up post-industrial hamlet, and a hometown Read More

30Jul

A Day in Philadelphia (as Tourists) with the Kids

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Philadelphia is a place I've been to many, many times.  My parents were born and raised in Philly.  We used to travel by plane, train and automobile to get there growing up, and I've covered it from head to toe in my lifetime. Now my dad and sister both live there, and our visits are often and generally entail being with our loved ones and eating (if you know food in Philadelphia, you know what I mean).  So, when we were given the opportunity to be tourists for a day by the folks at Visit Philly, we jumped at the chance. We kicked off our day at the Read More

15Jul

Exploring the Life of Martin Luther King with My Kids in Atlanta, GA

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When I was growing up in Atlanta, GA, I was taught to emulate Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was a man who never backed down fighting against racism and he  dedicated his life to achieving equality and justice for all Americans of all colors.  I was highly aware of who he was and how much he had changed the world I was growing up in. I want my children to have the same knowledge, so on our recent trip to Atlanta, I took them for a visit to the King Center, an amazing museum dedicated to his life and work.  The complex which spreads over a few blocks Read More