Family Trip Planning Blog | Best Family Trips | TripWiser.com

Family RV Road Trip to Colorado

Colorado is located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States.  The region alone already guarantees an absolutely adventurous family RV road trip.  Get yourselves and your cameras ready to see and capture some of the country's most phenomenal sites.

Before we go further, here's some RV links to check out:

• Rent your RV in Denver through Nolan's' RV Rentals. 
• If you own your RV, this supply & service store in Grand Junction might come in handy.
• Enjoy the hot springs at the Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa in Alamosa.
• Many of these hotels have a separate area for your RV where you can avail yourself of the facilities including laundry room, playground, picnic & pool.
• Otherwise, head for the campgrounds dotting Colorado & park your RV amongst the trees!

Colorado has more than 500 mountain peaks throughout the  state. The highest point of the state (and the entire Rocky Mountains for that matter) is Mt. Elbert which has an elevation of 14,440 feet.  Veer east from the southern Rocky Mountains and you'll find the Colorado Eastern Plains. These plains are a section of the Great Plains within Colorado with elevation ranges of more than 3000 feet to 6562 feet. The lands are used primarily for dry land farming or ranching, though you'll find occasional irrigation farming.  The drive to the west takes you to some notable peaks like Longs Peak, Mount Evans, Pikes Peak and the Spanish Peaks.

Continue to the interior of the Rocky Mountains and you'll see several large parks.  One of which is the North Park, east of the Continental Divide.  The North Park is a high basin that surrounds a wide valley in Jackson County.  In its vicinity are the waters of the North Platte River, Michigan River, Illinois River and Canadian River.  On the west side of the Continental Divide is the Middle Park, located in the Grand County.  Then there's South Park, with the South Platte River as its water source.  Driving west to east in Colorado allows your family to see the state's desert-like basins, alpine mountains and the vast Great Plains. You will also get to see Pike's Peak, the mountain in the front range of the Rocky Mountains, and just 10 miles from here is the Colorado Springs.

Be sure to drive by Denver, the capital and the most populous city in Colorado. Take a stop and enjoy its parks and gardens. If you have time, seize the opportunity to isit the Forney Transportation Museum where your family will get to see hundreds of cars and other modes of transportation.  Try to also stop by at the Denver Merchandise Mart. Your kids will love to join in the Denver Kids Expo. Admission to this expo is just $9 for adults and kids are free of charge...and parking is also free!

Your family will enjoy more scenic drives near Denver - Golden, Boulder and Fort Collins.  The drive from Golden to Boulder via Highway 93 will thrill the kids with all its twists and turns.  Colorado really is a really great destination for a family RV Road trip.

Family Adventure in the Olympic National Park Wilderness

At first glance, Road Trip Planners might think that a National Park that was 95% wilderness was probably too wild for a family adventure, but there are actually a number of areas at the Olympic National Park that make it a very kid-friendly place.  If you really want to give your children a taste of primitive Earth yet are still close to amenities (& civilization in general), take them to this unique National Park in Washington.

What sets this park apart from the rest is that Olympic National Park is divided into three distinct regions: The rugged Pacific coastline, the Olympic Mountains, and the lush rainforest.   Three distinctly different biospheres…one fantastic vacation. 

The most popular area is the 9-mile Ozette Loop.  It features 3 miles each of a coastal forest, ocean beaches, and camping at Ozette Lake.  Even though it’s 9 miles and may be too much for children younger than 5, it’s an easy hike with an elevation change from sea level to 100 feet.  You could always do a 3 mile hike in the morning, rest during a lovely picnic on the beach, do another 3 miles before nap and rest time, and the final 3 miles after that.  Dad could always carry a tired one on his shoulders cuz 2 of these 3 stretches are on a level boardwalk.  Since 2 points of this triangular hike end on beaches, you could go up and back on the same boardwalk & hike just for 6 miles.

If you’ve got smaller children, and only want to experience the “wild” during the day, then explore during the day but return each evening to your hotel.  One great resort to add to your road trip planner is the Kalaloch Lodge in Forks, a family-friendly resort that sells kites in their gift shop and has other amenities like a gift shop, dining, and groceries store onsite.  It’s highlighted in this trip:  Family Fun Trip to Olympic National Park.  

Nearby, you’ll find another popular resort, the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, which has 3 mineral pools and 1 freshwater pool.  The Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort has the added attraction of providing RV sites as well as cabins (tent camping is nearby at the Sol Duc Campground with 80 sites). 

Coastline:  The coastal portion of the park is a rugged, sandy beach along with a strip of adjacent forest.  The beach has unbroken stretches of wilderness ranging from 10 to 20 miles. 

Mountain zone:  The Olympic Mountains rise from the center of the park, dominated by the peak of Mount Olympus, which rises to 7,965 feet.  It has several glaciers, the largest of which is the Hoh glacier, nearly five kilometers in length. Looking to the East, the range becomes much drier due to the rain shadow of the western mountains. Here, there are numerous high peaks and craggy ridges. The tallest summit of this area is Mount Deception, at 7,788 feet.

Rainforest:   At the Hoh Rainforest’s Hall of Mosses, you’ll need waterproof shoes. Trees stretch toward the sky while mosses, lichens and mushrooms cover the ground. This hike is easy enough for a family to enjoy.

Scenic Drives:  Catch the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway Loop and drive along till it connects with Upper Hoh Road.  This 18-mile stretch traces the silvery Hoh River and is simply gorgeous to behold. There’s also a 17-mile Hoh River trail that takes you across the flat valley to Mount Olympus's Blue Glacier.

Other points of interest: 

• Hurricane Ridge brings you from the lowlands blanketed with old growth forests to spongy meadows.  A number of trails can be found here, depending on the group’s ability.  Be sure to check out the views of the Olympic Mountains and Strait of Juan de Fuca.
• Lake Crescent is an excellent place to walk along the 12-mile shore of this glacier lake.
• Rialto Beach is more active, with waves crashing on cobblestone beach sections and rocky islands known as seastacks are easily visible from the Beach.  This is a stunning place to photograph during sunset.

Add this NPS link to your road trip planner which highlights a number of day hikes you can go on; choose your favorites and then…have fun exploring!

All Aboard for a Family Fun Train Adventure

An appealing alternative to the standard road trip adventure that road trip planners might consider this summer is to utilize the train system for the long stretches of highway between destination cities and then renting a car to explore the destination cities.  This way, “getting there” becomes its own adventure, especially if your trip includes an overnight stay aboard the train!  Plus you get the added bonus of leaving the bulk of the driving to someone else.

There’s something about a railway road trip that beckons the pioneer spirit within us.  And there’s a certain appeal to letting the rhythmic chug-chug-chug of the tracks lull you to sleep.  Granted, these sleeping cabins aren’t as spacious as hotel rooms, but then again, it allows you to cover a distance while sleeping that you couldn’t have achieved in a car or RV unless you traded driving shifts.  And the sleeping cabins are definitely roomier than airline seats!

Family train trip adventures are growing in popularity.  Dad can play a marathon game of Monopoly instead of being stuck behind the wheel; Mom can watch a movie with you instead of her riding shotgun to keep the driver on track and alert for the duration.  When kids get antsy or hungry, you can round them up for a walk to the dining cab (without losing any traveling mileage).  Explore the train, revel in the changing scenery buzzing by your view, curl up with a good book and maybe take in a catnap.  Trains allow you to slow down and relax…and isn’t that one of the main vacation objectives?  Your road trip planner will still be filled with things to do, hotels, car rental and restaurants once you reach your destination.

Amtraks’s Superliners have sleeping cars that range from Roomettes (1-2 people), special accessible rooms (1-2), and even bedroom suites (4-6) that includes 2 toilets & 2 showers (usually two bedrooms with the partition removed).  Even though you’d be advised to stay the bulk of your trip in hotels surrounding the areas you want to explore, sleeping overnight on a train is an adventure in itself.  Plus, you get the bonus of Sleeper Service, which entitles you to receive all regular meals as part of your accommodations.

Below are a few of the most popular railway destination in the United States.  Amtrak has more than 500 destinations so these are just enough to whet your appetite to fill your road trip planner with a brand new adventure.  Bon appétit!

West Coast Spectacular – Set aside about 10 days for this vacation, starting out with 2 full days/nights in Seattle, an overnight aboard the train heading south to San Francisco, spend 3 nights there exploring city, then aboard the train again to head south to Los Angeles for a 3 night stay there.  

Grand Canyon Discovery –This 10-day trip includes 2 nights in Chicago, an overnight aboard Amtrak’s Southwest Chief SM as it travels south toward Arizona and an amazing natural wonder, the Grand Canyon. You’ll get 2 days to explore the southwest flavors found in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and on Day 6, you’ll hit Williams, Arizona.  Day 7 brings you to the Grand Canyon and a South Rim Tour while you stay at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel.  Explore Flagstaff on your 8^th day and enjoy a scenic tour of Sedona on your 9^th Day.  From there, you can head back home on the 10^th day or continue your exploration in Phoenix or head further west to Los Angeles.

You can also opt for Railway Day Passes if you want the total freedom of coming and going whenever you please):  15- Day Railway Pass: 15 Days (8 segments) $389.00 – Adults, $194.50 - Child (Ages 2-15). 

So…hop aboard the fun train!  Whichever ticket mode you choose, your road trip planner will still come in handy because it will contain the things to do and restaurants to try at each destination. 

Top 10 Reasons To Go On a Family Campout this Summer

Every road trip planner should build a camping road trip for a memorable “hands on” vacation.  They are especially fun when you go as a family, though I went on 2-3 camping trips annually before I had kids and had wonderful experiences then as well.  Sure, luxury hotels give you the sense of spoiling yourself, certainly a desirable feeling, but being outdoors in natural surroundings rejuvenates the spirit, another sought after vacation objective.   Read on for 10 more reasons why a California Campout should be on your vacation list this summer.

No. 10--You get hands-on experience with California's state symbols. In one campout, you could spot the valley quail perched in a redwood tree while you hike through a field of golden poppies. You could also find evidence that a grizzly bear has visited your campsite: There's the smashed windshield of your car (you left sunflower seeds on the front seat) and the demolished ice chest (you didn't realize bears weren't deterred by flimsy storage locks).

An article in the Yosemite Guide newsletter mentioned that backpackers could protect their food from black bears by renting a bear-proof food canister instead of hanging their food from a tree.   This canister could hold a three-day supply of food and yet weighed only two and a half pounds. I told my husband I couldn't imagine how such a lightweight item could keep bears from getting at the food.   "The canister probably includes a big roll of cellophane wrap," Bill replied. "You wrap your food in it, and the bear goes crazy trying to find the edges."

No. 9--You get to wear all your grungy clothes. You know the ones; those faded T-shirts, torn shorts and baggy jeans that are so comfortable you just can't throw them out yet…even though your spouse has tried on a number of occasions to bury them in the bottom of the household rag bin.

No. 8--Your kids don't have to wash up before dinner. What's the point? Between the bathroom and the campsite are 100 yards of magnetic dirt. Speaking of bathrooms...

No. 7--You appreciate the overlooked luxuries of home. Like having a toilet that flushes. Or taking a shower that doesn't cost a quarter for every five minutes. Once, during a 10-Day California to Colorado Road Trip, Bill and I had only two quarters between us. I finished in time; Bill didn't. He stood there, covered in suds, while I dressed and ran out to try to find someone with change for a $20 bill. The suds nearly dried on him.

No. 6--You're prepared for an emergency. If a moderate earthquake should hit California while you're camping, you won't be inconvenienced because 1) your musty tent is suddenly a safe haven, 2) you've already got all your food on ice and 3) you have a portable radio and a lantern, so you won't miss what most people miss after an earthquake--electricity.

No. 5--You get to have barbecue for every night for dinner. And every morning for breakfast. And every afternoon for lunch. In fact, you can reach your barbecue quota for the entire summer in just one campout.

No. 4--You get to see just how many pores you have on your face. This is a good time to play connect-the-dots or mimic the Orion constellation on your left cheek. It's also the perfect opportunity to have your palm read by a fortuneteller, since all the lines in your hands stand out in stark relief. 

No. 3--You get to commune with nature. Blue jays and squirrels enter your campground daily to clean up your crumbs. At dusk, there are bats flying overhead.  Do you really trust their sonar? Are you sure they won't get tangled in your hair? At Cherry Lake campground, there are the two-inch bomber pine beetles; these, I can tell you from personal experience, do get tangled in your hair.

No. 2--You get to exercise. This can range from trying to reach that mosquito bite in the middle of your back to chasing the raccoon that's absconded with your favorite bag of chips to consenting to a hike because the sign says it's only two miles long (but neglects to tell you that it's two miles straight uphill).

And the No. 1 reason why you should go camping? It's cheaper than staying in a hotel.   

Seriously though, camping is one vacation any budget can handle.  And truthfully?  My best vacation memories revolve around campfires, nights spent star gazing and counting falling stars, family hikes to the top of Mt. Hoffman, Lassen Peak, Mt. Tallac, Moro Rock.  Highlights include stumbling upon fern-bordered swimming holes or nearly-hidden from view waterfalls. 

The great thing about camping in California is that there are always more campgrounds to be explored.  I’ve camped for nearly 5 decades and yet, my latest Road Trip Planner is being filled with a destination I’ve never been to before; Hope Valley. 

Ingrid McCleary (portions of this article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun and the Cupertino Courier).

Family Travel Tech Tips

I can remember the good old days when staying occupied during long car rides consisted of my brother and me punching each other.  My, how times have changed. Kids today still revert to the age old practice of tormenting their siblings, but at least nowadays there are plenty of distractions to keep them from making a road trip a living nightmare. IPod's, PSP's, DVD players, and the like have made travel quite a bit easier on parents. I have to say that my wife and I have fully embraced the new tech-age and our travels honestly are better off for it. But, at the same time, we don't want our little darlings to turn into drooling zombies from staring at screens for hours on end.

 

How do we do that? Well, it's not easy. Once the media gets its hooks in, it's hard to get them out. The key is moderation and regulation. Keep time limits and make sure there are ample breaks in between. You know your children best of all, so you’ll know their threshold before becoming over stimulated by games and movies. You’ll also know how long a media break to take before they start to turn on each other. For long road trips, this is an absolute necessity. For shorter road trips, it may not be necessary at all. It really depends on your situation. For example, if the road trip is any less than 2 hours, the DVD player doesn’t get any use. Likewise on long trips, when the DVD player is in use, take a break between movies before allowing the next one to be played. We’ve been guilty of not following this rule more than a few times, but it’s a sound rule.

Have chargers and/or batteries on standby as well. Portable media devices gobble energy like PacMan and you don’t want to be three hours into an eight-hour drive with the red light blinking.

Most of all, make sure your kids take notice of any special scenery that comes to pass, such as beautiful mountain views, the coastline, a 30-foot tall donut, or even a rare license plate. It’s still a family trip, so include them and make them feel like it is. Portable media can be a great thing for long trips, but if unchecked, they can also be a major detractor from your trip. Find the happy medium and your travels will be smooth.

Now, if there was only something we could do about the traffic.

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Ted Hardy also covers his family's travel escapades at Have Family, Will Travel.

Rev up your RV for Family Summer Adventures

Spring is in full bloom with summer just around the corner and that means Road Trip Planners across the USA are airing out their RVs for some highly anticipated road trip adventures.  Even if you aren’t an RV owner but want comfort of a hotel without having to pack and unpack your suitcases at each destination, there are many RV rentals available.

Nolan’s RV Rentals in Colorado offers another plus for traveling in an RV:  Tour in a bathrobe.  Imagine driving up Pike's Peak, dressed in pajamas with pillow creases still indented in your left cheek and you can imagine the convenient beauty of Nolan's RV Rentals.  

Going on an RV road trip with the family offers another huge advantage.  The dining out costs for a family of 5 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner runs conservatively $250/day.  You can cut that expense by 60% by utilizing the kitchen in the RV.  Not to mention the comfort of not having to dress for dinner (or wait for everyone else to dress).  And the road trip planner in the family saves time by not having to search for kid-friendly restaurants at each destination.

So where can you “hang your hat” when traveling in an RV?  Because of the increasing popularity of RV traveling, you’ll find many parks and campgrounds all over the United State.  Here are a few samples:

• Rivers End Campground and RV Park on Tybee Island (near Savannah, Georgia).  One of the Good Sam Parks, 150 sites are available and all are within blocks of the beach and the river .
• Southern Comfort RV Resort in Florida for the full resort treatment including 24-hour security, a swimming pool, bingo nights and musical performances.
  
• Lake Havasu RV Park in Arizona is right by the lake and makes for a wonderful RV vacation if you stayed there for the duration but you’re also close enough for some great day jaunts to the Joshua Tree National Park, the Mojave National Preserve or Phoenix.

Before you head off, check out these RV fire safety tips from Nationwide Insurance:

1.       Check extinguishers. Before traveling, be sure your fire extinguisher is functional and contains proper pressurization. You should keep multiple extinguishers on hand throughout the vehicle and understand which extinguisher is effective on different types of fires. Also, be sure to verify that your smoke detectors are in working order.

2.      Avoid transmission fires. Many fires are caused by fluid leaking from the transmission, which can be ignited if it comes in contact with the exhaust system. Complete a thorough check of the underside of your RV as part of your pre-trip inspection.

3.      Inspect electrical systems. A common cause of fire is a short in the 12-volt electrical system. Check the engine compartment wiring as another part of your pre-trip inspection. Replace any damaged or frayed wires and make sure the connections are secure.

4.      Have an evacuation plan. While it may seem simple, a key step to fire safety is ensuring that everyone traveling knows how to operate the latches of doors and windows, allowing for a quick exit in an emergency situation.

5.      Stay kitchen savvy. Be sure to keep clothes, linens and other combustibles far from the kitchen area. Stay alert while cooking as items such paper towels and curtains are likely to be close to the stove, creating a fire hazard.

 

Okay, where should you head with your RV?  Where ever you want!  However, for the cream of the crop, read a few of our past blogs on two Top RV Road Trip Destinations to add to your road trip planner.  Both are tremendously fun and both are in spots where you’ll see some of nature’s finest offerings. 

Colorado Family Road Trip: Colorado is located in the Rocky Mountains.  This area offers a fabulous family adventure road trip with activities like a Dinosaur Museum in Fruita, rafting in Durango, the gorgeous Estes Park, and two National Parks:  The Mesa Verde National Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Going Wild with a Alaskan Road Trip:  Alaska offers vast mountains, colossal blue-white glaciers and an abundance of wildlife with activities unique to the state.  This combination earns an Alaskan Road Trip top honors in travelers’ memory books.

There’s no doubt about it, Road trip planners are finding RV travel make sense for couples, friends, families, even a caravan of families for a truly unique family reunion.

Family Fun with Winter Boat Parades in Southern California

Use your road trip planner to take your family to where the road ends… and where boats reign with pomp and circumstance (ie fancy fun!).  Floating light parades are a cherished holiday tradition along the West Coast, especially in Southern California.   Other states have their White Winter Wonderland, California, a state of seemingly perpetual sunshine, has to create a different kind of Winter Wonderland.  Here, the glints and glitters reflect off the water rather than off snow-covered hillsides.  But the twinkling lights are familiar everywhere.  So either hop aboard a decorated boat or line up along the waterfront and join the merriment.

Most waterfront restaurants take reservations months in advance so diners get the extra enjoyment of watching the parade sail by while enjoying a meal (add the reservation number to your road trip planner and print out the itinerary to have a copy handy in the car).  For others, the goal is to park as close to the waterfront as possible and stake out a spot.  Traffic increases significantly as parade time approaches so sometimes the best choice is to “park & walk”, especially if you’re going on a road trip that takes you more than four hours from home-base and you’re not familiar with the side-streets.

• Dana Point - Boat Parade of Lights  - Dana Point is a delightful harbor city.  Clean and picturesque, there are a number of nice, waterfront restaurants to enjoy before strolling out to the harbor to watch the flotilla of lights. DATES:  December 5-6 and 12-13, 7:30 p.m. FAMILY BONUS:  Enjoy a breakfast with Santa at the Jolly Roger Restaurant on December 13th.
• Long Beach Parade of 1000 Lights in the Downtown Shoreline Marina.  Some of the best views can be found along the boardwalk at Shoreline Village.  Most of the parking in and around this area will be paid parking.  DATES:  December 13, 2008, 7 p.m.  BONUS TIP:  Make Long Beach the center of your road trip planning because there are lots of other cool water-themed activities you can enjoy like hopping aboard the Queen Mary or visiting the Aquarium of the Pacific.
• Los Angeles Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade – This parade shows off the boats as they glide along the Port of Los Angeles main channel.  You can view the boats from a number of locations like the Banning Landing Community Center or the Port of Los Angeles Cruise Ship Promenade on Harbor Boulevard in San Pedro.  Another popular viewing spot is at the Ports O' Call Village at 1100 Nagoya Way in San Pedro as well as the Cabrillo Marina at 200 Whaler's Walk, also in San Pedro.  DATES:  December 6, 2008, 6-7:30 p.m. BONUS TIP:  You might consider staying at the Hilton Port of Los Angeles/San Pedro because then it’s a mere ¼ mile stroll from the hotel to the Cabrillo Marina.
• Marina del Rey Boat Parade – The nearby Fisherman's Village would be an excellent viewing area for this parade.  Include fireworks and boat judging.  Click here to see last year’s winners. DATES:   December 13th.
• Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade - This annual Christmas event is one to  definitely add to your road trip planner. Join nearly one million other spectators as you watch beautifully decorated yachts, boats, kayaks, and canoes sail along Newport Harbor. People from as far as Arizona and San Francisco have been known to make the trip to partake in this holiday custom. Viewing is free, provided you can find a vantage point. DATES:  December 17 - December 21, 2008, celebrating its 100th year! The parade starts off Bay Island at 6:30 p.m. and finishes at the same site at approximately 9:00 p.m. each evening. Fireworks will start at 6:25 p.m. from the Balboa Pier just before the start of the parade at 6:30 p.m.

Your car and road trip planner can get you there, but once there, the “king of the road” can be found along the waterfront, so sit back and enjoy the glide.

Winter Festivals Light Up the Nights

One of the best reasons for pulling out your Road Trip Planner during Winter is when your road trip includes a Winter Festival.  Enjoying the spectacle of a Winter Festival is something that appeals to people of all ages so it makes a particularly easy one to plan.  Couples, families, a group of friends…all will find the trip a highlight of their winter fun.

The following Festivals (listed alphabetically by state/province) stretch from East to West and from November through February so you're bound to find a festival close to your home for your road trip.

Calgary Winter Festival in Calgary, Alberta
Curing the February blahs - Originally conceived in February 1989 as relief to the year-long hangover Calgarians were suffering after hosting the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, this 11-day festival has grown into one of Calgary's favorite events. This celebration of everything snowy, frosty and cold, includes ice sculpture contests, human curling championships, music, clowns, winter crafts, snowboarding demonstrations and more. Most events are free and take place in various venues throughout the city. And in spite of the theme of the festival, many are held indoors or in heated tents. It is February, after all.

Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California
Sparkling Harbor Lights - This annual Christmas event is a unique activity to add to your road trip planner.  Join nearly one million other spectators as you watch beautifully decorated yachts, boats, kayaks, and canoes sail along Newport Harbor. For around a century, the parade has begun on the second Wednesday in December and continued for five nights. People from as far as Arizona and San Francisco have been known to make the trip to partake in this holiday custom. Viewing is free, provided you can find a vantage point. Alternatively, you can enter your own boat in the parade or your business or organization can sponsor another. See website for parade route, entry forms and more

Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls, Canada
Making Light of Family Fun - Touted as Canada's largest light festival, this annual event combines incredible landscape lighting with live concerts, parades, fireworks, and a spectacular New Year's Eve celebration shown live around the world all with the Falls as a backdrop. The festival kicks off with several weekend Disney shows, making this event a perfect family outing. As well, there's the Annual Niagara Talent Showcase, Candles in the Park, and a Tribute to Elvis. All events are free November through January.

Winter Festival & Parade of Lights in Grand Junction, Colorado
This annual December parade features floats, music, holiday fun and events, and thousands of sparkling holiday lights.

Ely Winter Festival in Ely, Minnesota
This annual festival is held in February and offers ten days of fun-filled activities, including snow sculpturing, dog sled rides, snowmobile rides, exhibits, the Mukluk Ball, a variety of great food, and a craft fair.

Christmas Light Show in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Since 1956, there has been a sort of "multi-media" show at Lord & Taylor's (formerly Wanamaker's). Dancing water fountains, organ music, lights, moving figures and narrative present a Christmas story that no one can remember afterwards, though it's wonderful to watch. Children sit on the floor of the Grand Court and watch the story played out on the four-story-high velvet curtain of the Grand Court atrium. Free admission.

Newport Winter Festival in Newport, Rhode Island
Ten-day festival - Named by the American Bus Association as one of the Top 100 Events in North America so you know this would be a great activity to add to your road trip planner.  The Newport Winter Festival offers 10 days of fun, food, music and entertainment for the whole family. The festival features horse-drawn hayrides, sand sculptures, a chili and pizza cook-off, scavenger hunt, an ice sculpting competition, a children's fair and the Annual Frosty 5K Run.  Musical entertainment includes swing, pop and blues bands, as well as the United States Air Force Band, Liberty. Activities are held at various venues throughout the city.

Winter Festival of Lights in Wheeling, West Virginia
Lasting from November to January, this event has grown into the nation's largest holiday light show and it attracts over a million visitors per year. This festival of lights covers more than 300 acres over a six mile drive throughout the resort and includes over 50 displays and over one million lights.

So go ahead, bundle up the baby, put ear-muffs on your little ones, pull your teenagers from their iPods and your partner from his/her laptop and with your Road Trip Planner in hand, prepare to light up the night with some winter festival fun.

USA: Best Rated Fall Festivals & Corn Mazes

QUICK FAMILY ROAD TRIP GETAWAYS WITH HIGH FUN FACTOR. 

Looking for the fun stuff this fall?  TheFamilyTravelFiles.com and TripWiser.com have been collaborating on ways to make each season more fun.  Each fall, winter, spring, and summer, they will be identifying best rated places, activities, and events with unique family vacation value. The first in the series includes Best for Families - Fall Festivals & Corn Mazes – Quick Family Road Trip Getaways Across America.

Best Fall Festivals & Corn Mazes – Quick Family Road Trip Getaways Across America. Fun, quick, and easy is the magic phrase for families; pint-sized fun is better than no fun at all, whether it’s a getaway for a day or an escape for a weekend.  What matters is enjoying time together and making memories. 

Spanning seven distinct USA geographic regions: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Heartland, Southwest, Mountains West, and Western Edge, the collection of festivals and events spans the gamut from whale watching along the Atlantic Coast and attending Shakespeare Under The Stars to horse archery, living history, and most American of all, corn mazes and harvest festivals.  This year’s lists of Best Fall Festivals & Corn Mazes for Families reveal a plethora of opportunities to have fun with kids.  Review the best for 2008 and make plans to get away before the snow flies.

The expanded list of family friendly Fall Festivals & Corn Mazes may be viewed at www.theFamilyTravelFiles.com by clicking on the special folder dedicated to Events and Festivals or selecting a region of the country and viewing the e-zine features. To expand the list for the future, parents are encouraged to “Tell Mom” about their own favorite family festival.

At the Family.TripWiser Blog at http://blog.tripwiser.com/familytrip/ , it is possible to view the expanded list of Fall Festivals & Corn Mazes where readers can add their own favorite seasonal festival, contribute photos, view comments from others and  plan great fall road trip getaways for their families.

About FamilyTravelFiles.com

FamilyTravelFiles.com is one of America's top-rated online family travel resources offering more than 1000 pages of timely family vacation ideas. The user-friendly website specializes in displaying family vacation experiences, road trip getaways, destination information, ideas and advice about family travel. Unique lifestyle focus folders contain articles and vacation ideas highlighting Family Tours, Reunions, Beaches, Soft Adventures, Mountain Tops, Cruises, Theme Parks, Snow Places, Green Spots, City Takes, and Secret Places.

About Family.TripWiser.com

The Family Vacation Planning Blog at Family.TripWiser.com embraces diversity and offers a rich menu of family vacation ideas knowing that one size does not fit all when it comes to a family road trip. The family trip collection is open 24/7, making online family trip planning easy. The contemporary Family Vacation Planning Blog features a community atmosphere for family vacation online planning, making it easy to get customized information based on destinations, things to do, vacation budget and your kids' ages.  They present advice from family travel experts and include feedback from parents sharing their first-hand experiences.

Contact

Lisa A Duac, Publisher, (813) 968-4799 or publisher@theFamilyTravelFiles.com

David Reichman, Founder & CEO, (650)353-5016 or editor@tripwiser.com

Plan a Family Trip: Northeast Corn Mazes

USA: Northeast, Best Corn Mazes and Fall Festivals for Families 2008. From Pennsylvania and Vermont to Rhode Island and New York, the idea is simple, enjoy the season. Select the perfect pumpkin, time travel, preview a film, or hike a mountain trail. We've managed to obtain a bird's eye view of Vermont's Apple Barn Maze to give you a sense of the season.  Play flashlight tag or chase the kids through the corn stalks; ride on a wagon full of hay or bob for apples, make time for fun.

New York: Greene County, Massacre Mansion - Haunted House (10/17/2008 – 10/31/2008).  Located between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains two hours north of New York City, Greene County has embraced family vacationers for more than a century.  Take a frightful guided tour in the scariest haunted house in the Catskills.  Explore the house, dark maze and wolf hollow trail.  (Blackthorne Resort, 348 Sunside Rd., East Durham.  (518) 634-2541 or www.blackthorneresort.com) Bonus point: Checkout the Mountaintop Pumpkin Festival (October 18 (rain date 19) featuring dozens of quality craft and gift vendors, hay rides, and pumpkin painting.  Bear Creek Restaurant & Recreational Park, (518) 263-3839 or www.bearcreekrestaurant.com For more getaway options go to www.discovergreene.com

Vermont: Danville, the Great Maze. (8/1/2008- 10/19/2008) The maze and farm adventure includes a flower garden, perplexing puzzles, 50' of bridges, trails and paths plus Miney's Korny Kid Korn Maze - a smaller version of the maze.  There is also barnyard golf - definitely something different and the Barnyard Nature Center where farm life experiences become a reality and visitors enjoy the animal petting area, pedal tractors, and good old fashioned fun comes easy. The maze includes not just corn alley ways but also 100' of underground tunnels. On selected nights you can even enjoy the maze with Starlight Maze nights.  Bonus points: For a more thrilling experience older kids will enjoy “Dead North”.  This year’s haunt will include wagon rides, a ½ mile walk of terror through a haunted cornfield and buildings including animatronics, special effects and three new buildings. There is also an ultimate laser tag with 2-acre playing fields which will open this year and is fun for the whole family, 9 to 90. (The Great Vermont Corn MAZE, 3260 Tampico Road, Danville, VT 05828. 1(802) 748–1399 or www.vermontcornmaze.com)

New York: Critz Farms Harvest Celebration . (9/15/2008-10/21/2008) From a petting zoo with more than twenty animals to pony rides for tykes this is a family adventure for all generations. They have a 10-acre corn maze as well as a hay bale maze. On Sunday afternoons there is live musical entertainment to compliment the country gourmet café. Wagons loaded with hay take visitors to the pumpkin field. Special events include a children's pedal tractor-pull, a haunted barn for little monsters and magic shows. The Kiddie Corral children's play area has a 45-foot wooden train. Bonus points: This farm also has a cut-your-own Christmas tree family adventure and they mail fresh wreaths almost anywhere. (Critz Farms 3232 Rippleton Road, Cazenovia, NY 13035. Toll-free 1-800-442-3225 or www.critzfarms.com)

Maine: Oguinquit, OgunquitFest (10/24/2008 – 10/26/2008). The fifth annual OgunquitFest is a marvelously fun weekend festival with a scarecrow contest, a kids’ carnival, pumpkin decorating, a spooky scavenger hunt, costume parade, ghost stories galore, ghost tours, a Monster Mall market place and more. There’s even a nine-hole Graveyard Golf course along the beach for the grown kids. (All through the town of Ogunquit. 1(07) 646-2939 or www.ogunquit.com)

Massachusetts: Wareham, 5th Annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration (10/11/2008 – 10/12/2008). The Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association invites families to enjoy “two big days for a little berry” at the 5th annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration this Fall. Festival activities will include cranberry harvest tours, wagon and pony rides, games and crafts for kids, juried crafters and artisans, musical performances, cooking demonstrations, helicopter rides and more. Bonus: Children under 6 are admitted free, but the ticket price is only $2 per person. (A.D. Makepeace Company Headquarters at Tihonet Village, 158 Tihonet Road, Wareham. 1(508) 322-4000, 1(508) 759-1041 or www.cranberries.org/festival/festival.html)

New Hampshire: Hampton Falls, Harvest Festival (09/06/2008 – 10/26/2008). Now in its 34th year, the Applecrest Farm Harvest Festival is memorable and guaranteed to please the young and the young-at-heart. Starting the first weekend in September, the festival features free live folk and bluegrass music, “pick-your-own” apple and pumpkins, horse-drawn orchard hayrides, a children’s petting zoo, face painting, a pie eating contest, apple pie and ice cream, old-fashioned hot cider donut, make-your-own scarecrow and the world famous corn roast. (133 Exeter Road – along Route 88, Hampton Falls 03844. 1(603) 926-3721 or www.applecrest.com)

Information compiled from theFamilyTravelFiles.com database as of July 2008. Images provided by Adams Farm in Vermont and Emma Krumbies in Minnesota. Sometimes things change, so please confirm details before making plans. Copyright 2008.