05Apr

A Day Trip to Chatsworth House in England’s Peak District with the Kids

In the heart of England's Peak District lies a nearly 500 year-old estate, Chatsworth House.  We spent the day there yesterday and it was a wonderful opportunity to teach my children about English history, which they should know more of having a British father, and take in the House's long-standing love of  art and culture.  It was an education for all of us, as well as a lesson in decadence and opulence.  I am also happy to say that my the house held my 7 and 9 year-old's attention steadfast and we are reached that milestone where we are able to visit Read More

07Feb

Winter Family Travel Idea: Adirondack Winter Festivals

Ice Palace SL Winter Carnival

Carnival season has officially begun in the Adirondacks of Northern New York, and I am making plans for my family to hit the region this winter.  Saturday marked the beginning of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival’s 10 days of revelry. Check out the Ice Palace, snag a front row seat for the Gala Parade and join in a 115 year-old tradition at one of National Geographic Traveler’s Top 10 Winter Carnivals in the world. The Adirondack Region of Northern New York is a six-million-acre wilderness park, offering unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities Read More

23Jul

Two Great London Spots with Kids

London Science Museum

One of the best things about London (there are so many) is that all its museums are free.  So, true, while London is not a cheap city, this is one of the many perks about it (others being its amazing architecture, theater, shopping, parks - shall I go on?).  Not only are the museums are free, but they are some of the finest in the world.  May they continue to be free so that everyone who lives and visits can continue to visit and explore each one.   London's Science Museum is no exception - it is indeed magnificent.It was founded in 1857 as part of the Read More

22Jul

Bella’s Chinese New Year: A Cultural Literary Experience for Your Child

Bella

When my virtual friend, Stacey Zolt Hara, asked me to review her new children's book, I was honored.  Stacey is one of my favorite tweeters, as she's always tweeting about travel, something she clearly lives for and loves as much as I do.  She is constantly retweeting my articles as we clearly have a lot in common, particularly the fact that we are moms with a zest for life who want to show our kids the world and, in turn, we see it through their own eyes. Her book is called, Bella's Chinese New Year, and I suspect it is based on the real life Bella, Read More

22Jul

Our Visit to the London Museum of Jewish Life

Jewish Museum London

I'm very interested in Jewish life around the world, so on our recent visit to London when my kids and had just a few hours to do some exploring, I led them to the city's Jewish Museum called the London Museum of Jewish Life.  Located in one of my favorite London neighborhoods, Camden, it was rather easy for us to get to from our hotel in Belsize Park in an old Victorian building. The museum was founded in 1983 as the Museum of the Jewish East End with the aim of rescuing and preserving the disappearing heritage of London's East End – the heartland of Read More

20Jul

Traveling to Paris with Kids (sans Louvre)

Eiffel Tower

Our recent trip to Paris was just about perfect.  We were taking our children, ages 6 and 8, to a city that we both love.  I had been several times in my 20s, first while backpacking around Europe and back several times with my sisters.  My husband and I were last there in January 2001, the year the euro went into effect.  When we were planning our summer holiday this year, with full knowledge that we were going to England, where my husband was born, I started dreaming about a return to Paris.  We also planned to visit our friends in the South of France, Read More

19Jul

A New Project You Magazine Story: Montreal with Kids

Montreal with Kids

When Beth Feldman, over at Role Mommy and Project You, suggested I write a new article for her Westchester Edition of Project You, I was more than happy.  I loved the way my first piece turned out several months ago that made the Westchester edition, and this piece would be for the national edition. I recently went on a trip to Montreal and can't stop talking about it.  I was so enamored with the city.  Read about my thoughts and recommendations for families traveling with kids here: Open publication - Free publishing - More ann Read More

07Jun

Your First Stop in Montreal with Kids: Pointe-a-Calliere

pointeacalliere

Pointe-a-Calliere is a great first stop to make with kids to introduce them to the history of Montreal. It focuses on the early periods of Montreal's history and shows how the city grew from an Iroquoian village to a missionary colony to the French empire in America to a world-class metropolitan city.  The museum offers a one-of-a-kind experience as it takes you and your children on a thrilling underground archaeological tour. You start with a brilliant 18-minute 3-D multimedia show called Yours Truly, Montreal, that takes visitors to the heart of great Read More

01Jun

Indiana Jones Sweeps Through Montreal

Indiana Jones Montreal

If you are headed to Montreal with the kids this summer, you can't miss out on the latest exhibit at the Montreal Science Center. It's a great experience for kids of all ages - as well as adults - and an opportunity to study an important part of history, both in terms of film-making and archaeology. Who's childhood wasn't affected by the brave, honest Indiana Jones? For me, he was a true hero. I've followed all of Spielberg's film about the meek professor who seemed to save the world from harm over and over again. I'm also a film buff, so I've Read More

25May

Montreal: A Family-Friendly City with European Flare

Montreal with Kids

On my recent trip to Montreal, I was overwhelmed with the city’s European flare.  After a less than 60-minute flight from NYC, I was transported into a world of cafes, croissants, café’ au laits, signs and menus in French and French architecture.  Getting to Montreal is so easy, and the rewards of a weekend away are so abundant.  Plus, there are so many things to do with kids, and what better way to introduce them to French culture without breaking the bank on a trip to Europe? Montreal has so much to offer - it’s a city with so much history.  Situated Read More