Family Travel

Family Travel

Tori Spelling Talks Family Vacations: Have We Made Our Lives Too Kid-Friendly?

We're excited to bring you a new post from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships.

We're excited to bring you a new post from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares her thoughts on American vs. European vacation styles.

Mamas, I want your take on something. Dean and I have been going back and forth on whether or not we should go on a vacation alone — he wants to, and I refuse to go on any trips without the kids. I’m wondering, do you always bring the family, or do you ever go on vacations without the kids?

Related: Stella's Style, Palm Springs

Our conversation made me reflect back to a trip I took to Europe years ago. It seemed like Europeans did everything with their kids, and their children were also much more cultured than American children. Unlike American kids, they really engaged in conversations with adults and had no need for Game Boys or iPads. In Sardinia, I saw two kids playing chess on the beach next to their parents who were reading!

European kids are treated more like little adults: no kids menus, no kids pools. It makes me wonder, why do we, as Americans, seem to create a separate culture for our kids? Have we made our vacations family-friendly at the cost of being relaxing for the adults?

It seems like Europeans bring their kids everywhere so effortlessly. Is there a way to blend a family vacation while still feeling like you’ve had your adult time?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic below!

More great articles from Tori Spelling:
Foodista: Pudding Parade
Ski Trip PicTORIal
Bring It Back: Vintage Lunch Boxes
Reinventing Traditions: Shabbat Dinner
Fashion Forward: NY Fashion Week Street Style

Family Travel

LilSugar's Must Haves For March

If there's a spring in your step, it's for a good reason this month — warmer weather is just around the corner!

If there's a spring in your step, it's for a good reason this month — warmer weather is just around the corner! You've survived the dark, gray days of Winter, but before Spring actually arrives, it's a great time to pack in a quickie vacation to celebrate the end of the season — because Spring break isn't just for the college kids these days! Check out our must-have items for traveling tots and don't forget to save some extra room in your suitcase for some souvenirs!

Family Travel

10 Tips For Entertaining Kids on Road Trips

Does your next family trip involves hours on the road?

Does your next family trip involves hours on the road? Does getting to grandma's house for the weekend take just a little longer than you'd like? Well, get excited because we've got the best tips and tricks for keeping lil ones busy (and happy) in the car. From games and gizmos to good old-fashioned fun, these 10 ideas are ready to add to your arsenal.


Source: Thinkstock

Family Travel

Behind The Wheel: The Best Cars for Families

As parents, we all want the safest, most secure way of transporting our families from point A to point B.
2012 Best Cars For Families

As parents, we all want the safest, most secure way of transporting our families from point A to point B. If the car is good-looking, well that's just a bonus. So when U.S. News Best Cars released its 2012 Best Cars for Families Awards earlier today, we couldn't wait to share the results.

Check out the highlights, and let us know — how does your family get around? Do you agree with these rankings?

Editor's Pick

Junior Jetset: 10 Travel Worthy Children's Museums

Day at the museum!

Day at the museum! Among the awesome kid-friendly sites to visit around the US are some truly incredible children's museums. Though they've been designed to please tots, these exciting places can be a lot of fun for mom and dad too — who doesn't enjoy touching a starfish every now and then? Keep reading for ten exciting children's museums to put on your "Before They Grow Up Too Fast" bucket list.

kid gear

5 Items For Easy Traveling With Toddlers

Expect the unexpected! This seems to be the motto for moms traveling with tots.

Expect the unexpected! This seems to be the motto for moms traveling with tots. From hand sanitizer and baby wipes to baby's favorite lovey, mamas know that when traveling with a toddler, it's always better to be overprepared.

Check out these five helpful items for easy traveling with tots and set out on your next vacation care-free!

Family Travel

Do You Drug Your Kids For Airplane Travel?

The holiday travel season has officially begun, with many schools beginning their Winter breaks at the end of this week.

The holiday travel season has officially begun, with many schools beginning their Winter breaks at the end of this week. The bags are packed and boarding passes are printed, but is Mama going to throw in one extra item to help ensure a smooth journey?

For some, giving lil ones a single dose of medication like Benadryl or Dimetapp is like buying trip insurance — it's a lil safeguard against a midtrip disaster. The sleep-inducing elixirs can be just the ticket to a peaceful — meltdown-free — flight across the country or to grandma's house. What do you think?

Family Travel

How Far Would You Go to Get the Hottest Toys of the Season?

We hate to say we told you so, but we warned you that they'd be the hot toys of the season.


We hate to say we told you so, but we warned you that they'd be the hot toys of the season. It's beginning to look like the Zhu Zhu pet crisis of 2009 all over again as desperate parents try to get their hands on the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer and Let's Rock Elmo. Amazon and the traditional brick and mortar toy stores are sold out of both, and parents are doing just about anything to secure them in time for the holidays.

Those with a desire to travel and an extra $780 on hand now have a new option. New York's posh Carlyle hotel (Suri Cruise has spent many nights in its luxe rooms) just introduced a special Santa’s Shopper package that guarantees the kiddos will wake up to either a Let's Rock Elmo or Leapfrog LeapPad on Christmas morning. The package includes a choice of toys, overnight accommodations, two drinks at the hotel's famous Bemelmans Bar, breakfast at the hotel restaurant, complimentary gift wrap (!), and shipping the gifts home (for an additional fee). Extreme, yes, but a mama's got to do what a mama's got to do, right?

Family Travel

5 Kid-Friendly Winter Getaways (and 1 Summer Trip to Book Now)!

Winter may be holding off on unleashing its fury, but if last year was any indication of what's to come, we have a long season ahead of us!

Winter may be holding off on unleashing its fury, but if last year was any indication of what's to come, we have a long season ahead of us! If thoughts of snow, sleet, and subzero temperatures have mama dreaming of a break from reality, it's never too soon to start planning a family getaway. I spoke with Elizabeth Thorp, founder of Poshbrood.com about some under-the-radar resorts and hotels that cater to kids — and we're not talking about any with cartoon characters in their logos! According to Thorp, "Some luxury brands are bending over backwards to offer families amenities and comforts to ensure everybody has a great stay."

Dust off the suitcase, and check out five picks that the family will be raving about for years to come!

Family Travel

12 Super Amazing Playgrounds From Around the World

Get your passports ready and let's go play!

Get your passports ready and let's go play! For young parents, the local playground is a gathering place, a community, and, above all, a place for energetic tots to run run run. While most communities have some sort of playspace, some have taken the concept of playground to awesome new levels.

Click through for 12 of the most exciting playgrounds from around the world, sure to stir up a little wanderlust. How does your local playground compare?