Family Travel

Cruising can be the ultimate luxury for vacationing families. With your restaurants and activities just a few steps from your room, everything is at your fingertips. But all cruises are not created equal when it comes to family travel. Some specialize in welcoming families with infants and toddlers, while others are carefully designed for more independent tots. Having just returned from my first cruise (a Disney one at that), I learned there are certain considerations families should keep in mind before booking their own trips. If a cruise is in your future, check out my tips for making your experience one to remember!

Source: Royal Caribbean International

If your ideal Summer travel plans involve breaking free from the lines, gift shops, and gimmicks of many tourist destinations, then a trip to one of the country's 58 national parks may be just what the doctor ordered. The fresh air, natural beauty, and opportunity for adventure are what draw many families to visit the parks, and from coast to coast, there's truly something for everyone.

Before making your travel arrangements, however, consider the reality of taking your family on this kind of vacation: it's probably best suited to kids who can walk a decent distance on their own, have some interest in the outdoors, and aren't yet old enough to whine about boredom or missing their computer and iPhone access. Nothing ruins a great vacation like an unhappy camper, so really think it through before making plans.

Once you've determined that a national park vacation is the right fit for your family, check out our favorite kid-friendly destinations across the country, grab your hiking shoes, and go!

Sure, a beach vacation is fun and relaxing, but there's plenty of opportunity to do more than just build sand castles during your visit to the shore. Lighthouses attract both adults and kids alike, so a visit to one could be a highlight of your lil one's Summer break. Though not intended for the littlest of travelers (many have height and age requirements), we've selected five of the most family-friendly lighthouses to add to your Summer bucket list this year.

Source: Flickr User Bernt Rostad

Don't let your kiddos fall victim to the dreaded "brain drain" this Summer. Remind them how much fun learning can be, even when school is out of session, by incorporating a visit to one of the country's best children's museums into your Summer agenda. If none of our top-ranked destinations are within access for your family, then pay a visit to the Association of Children's Museums for a searchable database of more great museums across the country.

Grab your sea legs, because we're going sailing with Mickey! After making our first journey to Disney World this Winter, the last place I thought I'd find my family was surrounded by Mickey, Minnie, and the gang on a cruise ship. But that's just where we ended up last week after Disney Cruise Line invited us on the Disney Magic's inaugural sailing out of NYC and up the New England coast. Having never cruised before, we found it to be an entirely new adventure for us, and one that had me nervous about being "trapped on a boat" for five days (one day in Halifax, Nova Scotia, one day in St. John, New Brunswick, and two days at sea).

Now that we're back on land, I can see I had little to worry about. In true Disney fashion, there was so much to do that I wished I had another two days to take it all in. We relaxed in hot tubs, played ping-pong and foosball at the bow of the ship, took photos with countless characters, baked cookies in the kids' club, watched The Avengers in 3D in the 278-seat Buena Vista Theatre, joined in a boisterous round of Bingo one evening, saw first-rate live shows every night, danced to pirate rock music on the deck of the ship, and even found time to work out in the gym while overlooking the Atlantic — and this was all before we ever stepped foot off the boat at one of our ports. From the moment the crew gave us personal welcome over the loud speaker when we walked onto the ship (a Disney Cruise Line exclusive), there was never a dull moment.

Keep reading to see my tips for making the most out of your time on a Disney cruise.

If your kiddos are beginning to get the travel bug, or if you're hoping to instill it in them, then National Geographic's Mireya Mayor has the advice that you're looking for to encourage their wanderlust. We were lucky enough to catch up with the two-time Emmy Award nominee, National Geographic Wildlife correspondent, and mother of four about the importance of exposing kids to different cultures and regions, whether it's from the comfort of your own home or en route to an exotic new destination.

Check out Mireya's top five tips to inspire kids' enthusiasm for travel, and get ready to go global!

Sources: National Geographic, Thinkstock

For some families, a lil thing like a new baby isn't enough to change their nomadic ways. With a plane ticket in their hands and a map in front of them, they're ready for their next adventure. Unfortunately, their newborn's gear isn't usually as ready to hit the road as they are. That's where collapsible baby gear comes into play. These new finds are all designed to easily pack up for long journeys to far-off lands — or maybe just Grandma's house across town — but they're also sturdy enough to keep baby sitting in the lap of luxury, wherever the road may take her.

Make your kids' beach days even more meaningful by learning about the complex and varied ecosystems that exist below the sea. While the lil ones are sure to take some new knowledge away from most every aquarium in the country, there are some that truly go above and beyond when it comes to accommodating little landlubbers.

Here, we've selected the country's 10 best aquariums for kids. Some offer sightings of amazing animals that you won't see anywhere else, while others give kids the opportunity to have once-in-a-lifetime adventures. (Who would forget a sleepover among the whales and sharks?) Regardless of where you go and why, you're guaranteed a good time with these 10 underwater experiences.