I should start by saying that we live in Pennsylvania.  In Pennsylvania, pretty much anywhere you go, you will see people walking around in traditional Amish dress and driving buggies.  And if you have kids in elementary school (as I do), eventually they will come home and beg to go to Lancaster to see where all of the Amish action is.

Read More >

We can talk until we’re blue in the face, but we still can’t convince our children that the Disney theme parks are too crowded to be completely enjoyable during Spring Break. It’s a rite of passage, of sorts, to stand on a 90-minute line for a 4-minute ride with bored, impatient children by our side. Once this unbridled joy has been experiences, though, we can move on to more relaxed Spring Break family destinations. Here are a few recommendations in the American Southwest and Southern California. Read More >

Checking a bag for your flight is always a risky move. It’s true that airlines have been making broad, excellent progress in reducing mishandled bags (only 0.52% of bags were lost in December of 2009 compared to 0.70% in December of ‘08) but the system isn’t perfect, and if you’re a frequent traveler, a lost bag is near inevitable. Read More >

The generational lines in my family crisscross and blur together into a mind-bending complexity even I can’t sometimes fathom. The age ranges mix and mingle, and cousins and uncles and siblings and grandparents all intertwine into a mass of pop-culture references, music obscurities, and vogue etiquette.  We’ve got babies to baby boomers, but somehow we all love to vacation together despite wildly ranging interests and abilities. The baby can’t snowboard yet…but he will. Read More >