After so many trips to Paris, I finally got the courage to venture underneath the city. The Paris Catacombs, in the 14th arrondisement is an underground ossuary that houses a collection of over 6 million burials – skulls and bones that were moved there in 1774 in order to solve the problems of crowded cemeteries and cave-ins. Mass graves at cemeteries like Saints-Innocents in Paris’s Les Halles district were overcrowded with bodies, and the improper disposal of corpses led to unsanitary conditions that contributed to the spread of disease. Hundreds of years of history can be gleaned from the skulls.
Family travel can be tough sometimes – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it! The more often, the better, for experiences, education, memories and personal growth. Our family travels possibly too much, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Over the years we have developed these unique 8 essentials for making family travel easier.
I’m so in love. The 50 shades of blue (you thought I was going to say grey, didn’t you?) of the water, the white sand and above all the service. Where? Beaches Turks and Caicos. Having been to the resort a few times for the Social Media on the Sand conference, I know the resort extremely well. But even so, I learn more every time. Here are some secret travel tips that will help you get even more out of your stay at Beaches.
Victoria, BC is a city some call the “Barbados of Canada” due to its mild temperatures and low rainfall relative to the rest of BC and Canada. It’s also a great city in which to raise a family. Because one of Victoria’s major industries is tourism, there are lots of great family-friendly attractions for children, including the natural wonders of Vancouver Island which are practically at your doorstep. Whether you’re a resident or a tourist yourself, here are the top 12 Family Things To Do in Victoria:
Swamps, alligators, snakes, big cats and lemurs never get old, and if you find yourself in south Florida, tear yourself away from the shopping at Sawgrass Mills for a few hours to do a tour. Not only can you hold a baby alligator and pet some epic snakes, but there are many other rare animals to encounter. As a National Geographic Kids Insider, I have learned a bunch about big cats, but this is certainly the place to see them in person. I was pretty sad seeing them in cages, but hoped they get to roam and run freely as much as possible in order to keep the species healthy.
People have called me a romantic on steroids. Personally, I think they are actually underestimating my tendencies. There are two hoop skirts in the closet, and summer must include multiple picnics with a book of poetry tucked into the basket. You can imagine my glee when we rolled through the flag-draped town of Lake Placid and pulled up to the historic Mirror Lake Inn.
Guess what I did once? I checked all of my baby’s diapers and changes of clothes in our luggage. On a 4 hour flight. Thankfully, a kind gentleman on our Air Canada plane saved the day by buying diapers during the stopover and sending them to me on the plane! Little did I know that Air Canada keeps necessities like this in airports for bad parents like me. (I still recommend taking your own though!) With so many families exploring the world, Air Canada is doing even more to enhance the experience of traveling with kids.
As we sailed away from the skittles-coloured Lunenburg buildings I started humming Stan Rogers tunes. Sailing on the ship that graces our Canadian dime is a treat I hadn’t experienced since I was 8. My boys, avid sailors themselves, had never had the pleasure. On our most recent trip to Nova Scotia, they got to explore the Bluenose II.
Ottawa, our wonderful nation’s capital, is both the political and technological center of Canada. As far as a vacation destination, it has a lot to offer, from shopping and dining to fun things to do with kids in Ottawa. Here are some of the high points!
Late in 2021, my sons were in a sailing regatta in Miami’s Coconut Grove. Two days after Christmas, I was given a special holiday present from one of the coaches.. I tested positive for Covid on the PCR test that was required in order to return to Canada. All 4 other people in our AirBNB were fine but I knew I would be spending 14 nights alone. In the sun. Without any responsibility. Every Mom’s dream until you have to pay for the hotels and are forced away from the kids!