Gripping Tales of Family Travel

One of the best things about covering family travel is the breadth of possibilities: I could write 10 stories every day for a lifetime and never run out of fresh stuff to say.

Naturally, with two daughters and a full travel schedule, it’d be virtually impossible for me to write 10 stories every day. That’s why I get so much pleasure out of reading—and sharing—the work of my colleagues on the beat.

And this was a great week for thought-provoking stuff.

In this piece for JustLuxe.com, friend and fellow travel writer Lena Katz spotlighted a bunch of summer camps for kids. Of the ones mentioned in the story, the chocolate-oriented “Camp Cocoa,” a 5-day affair at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte (in North Carolina), sounds like it'd be fun and delicious. I also like the idea behind those academy-style camps from Pali Overnight Adventures; as a 12-year-old, I would have loved a crash-course in what it takes to be a Secret Agent.

Here, Amy Whitley (of Pit Stops for Kids and other great blogs) wrote about family-friendly excursions at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. The park is one of my favorite spots in the Pacific Northwest, and I appreciated Amy’s tips about reserving one of the rustic cabins.

(Her pix from the Trail of 10 Falls are pretty kick-ass, too.)

Having just returned from 30 days with my own family in Hawaii, I enjoyed this story, about the Big Island, from Ann Tatko-Peterson, in The Seattle Times.

Finally, I was intrigued by this piece, from CNN Travel, about a family that has logged more than 7.5 million air miles since 1990. Normally I’d express nothing but respect for parents who are committed to making sure their kids see the world. In this case, however, the fact that the Disberger family has done most of its flying on United has me questioning their sanity.

I also think it’s a little odd that the parents paid their teen-aged kids to sit in coach while Mom and Dad sat in first class; if Mr. and Mrs. D wanted to enjoy a quiet flight by themselves, why didn’t they just leave the kids at home?

What, beside this blog, do you read when you hit the Web to expand your knowledge about family travel? I’m always looking for new and exciting work to follow. Please share your suggestions in the comment field below.