One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things -Henry Miller
My husband and I have driven from Nashville to Philadelphia, walked Washington DC during the middle of winter, set up camp in the wilderness surrounding Mammoth Lakes, and hiked in Sedona, Arizona. While these may seem like traditional vacation spots, you might be surprised to learn that each one of those trips included both of our children. In fact, before their first birthdays, each of our kids had already taken their first airplane trip. Traveling with kids is no small feat, but with some planning, patience, and flexibility, a family trip, however big or small, can result in priceless learning experiences and memories no amount of money can buy.
Earlier this week, I introduced you to a family travel planning website called MiniTime. As someone who heavily relies on reviews for accommodations and restaurants, I was intrigued by the community aspect. Not only can I find reviews from other parents, I can get specific and find recommendations from parents who have children the same ages as mine. Moms, like myself, are the key vacation decision makers in a majority of households. Given the sheer number of tasks we’re juggling at any given time, a site that cuts down on the amount of time it takes to plan a vacation is invaluable.
Since we’re headed to Niagara Falls later this summer, I thought I’d use MiniTime’s Trip Planner to find kid-friendly accommodations attractions, and dining venues in the surrounding area. To get started, simply create a free account (If you are on Facebook, you can easily sign up for an account via this social networking site). Select the duration of your trip (you have the option of getting specific with dates) and the number of cities you’ll be visiting, then refer to the right hand side of the site for hotel, attraction, and restaurant suggestions.
If you are stumped and looking for inspiration, check out the Featured Family Trip Plans, created by parents.
Here is the trip we created. You can include as much detail as you’d like, including specific times for attractions. This is by far my favorite feature of the site and allows families to create custom vacation itineraries. If you’re viewing your itinerary on your smart phone, you’ll see a daily map with turn-by-turn directions, a journal, a calendar, and a space for storing photos from the trip. Trips can also be shared with friends and family via Facebook.
Once you’ve created an account, you can select a destination and then find reviews of kid-friendly attractions and hotels, specific to the age of your kids.
The site is filled with family travel resources including original travel articles and expert travel advice.
Be sure to join myself and 6 other family travel bloggers for a Twitter Party as we talk about how to plan, book, and share family travel experiences.
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This sounds like a great resource for those that travel.
Are you going to the Family Travel Conference in Niagara Falls? With or without the kids? We’re also considering it… http://www.tmsfamilytravel.com