WhereverFamily Edition 2022

whereverfamily.com | $4.99 | 2022

BEST FAMILY BEACHES p.12 BUCKET-LIST TRAVEL FOR KIDS p. 46 CRUISES FOR FAMILIES p. 36 CULTURE FOR KIDS p. 28 GENEALOGY TRAVEL p. 16 LIVING HISTORY EXPERIENCES p. 42 TRAVEL PROVIDERS OFFERING KIDAND TEEN-SPECIFIC AMENITIES p. 50 WHAT TO BRING ON A LONG PLANE RIDE p. 32 WHEREVER AWARDS p. 6

WILD WANDERINGS

Plan an animal adventure to connect kids with nature’s wonders. p. 20

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS, THANKS TO YOU We are proud to be repeat winners in five categories from the Leisure Lifestyle Awards, and The Wherever Awards. Celebrating the products and services that stand out as among the best in the skies, we appreciate the recognition and look forward to keeping you satisfied in the skies.

Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America Best Family-Friendly International Airline Best Premium Economy Class Best Airline for Onboard Entertainment Best Airline Onboard Menu – Air Canada Business Class As voted by the readers of Global Traveler at globaltravelerusa.com, and the readers of whereverfamily.com.

Discover more at aircanada.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR ®

EDITORIAL Editor In Chief Kimberly Krol Inlander kim.krol@globaltravelerusa.com Vice President/Digital Director Katie Skrzek katie.skrzek@globaltravelerusa.com Senior Editor Janice Hecht jan.hecht@globaltravelerusa.com Associate Editor/Copy Editor Patricia Vanikiotis patty.vanikiotis@globaltravelerusa.com Social Media & Editorial Coordinator Mary Melnick mary.melnick@globaltravelerusa.com Associate Editor Aoife O’Riordan aoife.oriordan@globaltravelerusa.com ART Art Director Tracey Cullen tracey.cullen@globaltravelerusa.com Staff Photographer Christopher P. Ottaunick christopher@globaltravelerusa.com Special Events Video Editor Vance Piccin

Beach Days: Tracey on vacation this March in Aruba with her daughter, Alli, and husband, Jim PHOTO: ©TRACEY CULLEN

Making Memories

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have fond memories of family trips growing up. Most years we drove to Wildwood, New Jersey, for a summer vacation. We carried all our beach gear for what felt like a mile down the hot sand to splash in the frigid water of the Atlantic Ocean. I enjoyed ride after ride with my dad on the boardwalk pier and spent hours in the arcades, saving up tickets all week to win some cheap stuffed animal and candy at the end of our stay. It wasn’t a far-off place, but it was always fun. Check out some of the best family beaches to visit in Terry Ward’s beach roundup on page 12.

A few times my parents saved up all year to take us on a big trip where we sometimes got to fly on an airplane … and how exciting that was! We visited Florida and discovered the magic of Walt Disney World, Epcot and Sea World.

Our farthest journey took us to California, where we rented a car and drove along the coast from San Francisco to San Diego and even ventured all the way south to Tijuana for a day just to say we were in Mexico. For your own bucket-list trips, get some great ideas from Kelly Magyarics’ article on page 46.

I also recall visiting Colonial Williamsburg, where

we saw actors portray historical characters. There is even a photo of me as an awkward ’tween imprisoned in a pillory, but I opted not to embarrass myself with that one here; instead, you can see someone else’s children having the same enlightening experience today in Barbara Radcliffe Rogers’ article on page 42 about living history experiences.

Whether you’re interested in family cruises, genealogy travel, trips that involve animals or exposing your children to more culture, this issue covers a bit of everything family travel-related. If you need some place to start planning your trip, be sure to read about our Wherever Awards winners on page 6 for the bestof-the-best in family travel options.

I shared my love of travel with my daughter, Alli, and I hope she remembers all the exciting places we went. On our most recent trip to Aruba in March, she snorkeled in crystal-clear blue water, went on fun adventures like driving a Jeep off-road on the desert side of the island, and even won some money on a penny slot machine her first time in a casino. These will become memories of a lifetime. I hope you find this book useful for planning the most memorable trips with your own families.

WRITERS Susan B. Barnes Debra Bokur Eugenia Lazaris Kelly Magyarics Richard Newton Irene Rawlings Holly Riddle Barbara Radcliffe Rogers Terry Ward For complete bios visit globaltravelerusa.com

CIRCULATION Special Projects Manager John Wroblewski Specialist Louie Atsaves Managers Jayhawk Evans, Mark P. Ford, Teresa Jackson, Anthony “Scraps” Dimera Circulation Director Michele Shannon Circulation Manager Anna Pudzianowski Research Consultant Sharon Sterne

ADVISORY BOARD Chairman Michael Donahue COO Michael Kiely President Carlos Cappuccio Deputy Vice President Aviation Edward Jefferson Deputy Vice President Accommodations Stephen Doherty Deputy Director Destinations Wayne Tallman Vice President Special Events/Photography Christopher Ottaunick Secretary Mark Lane Research Director Frank LoVerme Director of Technology Bob Hancock Director of Digital Advancement Jared Torgan Vice President of Corporate Giving Jim Bolger Director of Emerging Markets & New Business Frank Wood

GENERAL COUNSEL Thomas F. Goldman CONTACT US General Inquiries/Issue Requests/Reprints info@globaltravelerusa.com Subscriptions tel 818 286 3134 | gbtcs@magserv.com

Tracey Cullen art director

Public Relations kim.krol@globaltravelerusa.com Letters to the Editor letters@globaltravelerusa.com Global Traveler is published monthly by FXExpress Publications, Inc., 309 Floral Vale Blvd., Yardley, PA 19067. The U.S. subscription rate is $42 for one year, $79.95 for two years, $121.95 for three years.

As of publication, the destinations and venues mentioned in this issue were planning to reopen or are currently operating, but many may have restrictions or limitations in place to address current public health concerns. Always check in advance to confirm current requirements and restrictions.

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to Global Traveler, 309 Floral Vale Blvd., Yardley, PA 19067

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER ®

ADVERTISING Publisher/CEO Francis X. Gallagher tel 215 919 8988 | fran.gallagher@globaltravelerusa.com Director of Sales Alaina Cagliostro tel 215 932 1567 | alaina.cagliostro@globaltravelerusa.com Advertising Manager Haley Fogarty tel 215 932 0284 | haley.fogarty@globaltravelerusa.com Advertising and Production Manager Yasser Ogando tel 267 884 1650 | yasser.ogando@globaltravelerusa.com Account Executive Western Region and Asia Maria Angeles tel 215 932 1621 | maria.angeles@globaltravelerusa.com Account Executive Southern Region and the Caribbean Carrie Cox tel 215 932 0861 | carrie.cox@globaltravelerusa.com Account Executive Mexico Mariana Zenizo tel 52 55 6560 1152 | marzenizo@gmail.com Business Development Executive Christyn Pek tel 215 932 1472 | christyn.pek@globaltravelerusa.com

Island Vibe: Alaina traveling in the Maldives

REPRESENTATIVES Australia Charlton D'Silva tel 61 2 9252 3476 | charlton.dsilva@pubintl.com.au

PHOTO: © ALAINA CAGLIOSTRO

France Géraldine Roger tel 33 1 88 32 62 61 | cell 33 7 81 22 02 36 | groger@asset-media.com

Ready, Set, Go!

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e’ve been vaccinated, boosted, masked, distanced … and now we’re ready to go. Borders are open, masks are off, spring breakers are back, and families are in search of their next adventure. Gone are the days of staycations. Our readers are asking, “Where are we going, and how soon can we go?”

Welcome to our 2022 WhereverFamily digital edition, where the modern family searches for travel information for any budget. Our readers have spoken, and we are thrilled to announce the winners of the world’s best family-friendly brands. Whether it be destinations, airlines, cruises, tours, hotels (including pet-friendly) or credit cards, among other categories, this issue has you covered.

Three months ago, I joined the FXExpress Publications, Inc. team, and it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. The travel industry is up, and remote working allows our audience to enjoy a more flexible schedule, which means more time for travel.

This industry comeback has kept us busy. We’ve created new partnerships across our print and online portfolio of products, featuring new brands and showcasing their offerings. Our events are live again, our attendance is up, and we couldn’t be happier.

As for me, I recently tagged along on my friends’ family vacation with their two kids and nanny, traveling from New York City to Miami. Following that, I rented a car and drove to meet my parents and sister in the Florida Keys. My flight was packed with families, two bachelorette parties and a slew of spring breakers. Based on my firsthand experience, I can say with extreme enthusiasm that people are ready, set and going.

India Vimal Anand tel 91 124 4932020 | cell 91 98100 71000 | vimal@gmnindia.com Indonesia Sarah Hutabarat tel 62 21 29704008 | sarah@mediaman.co.id Japan Yoshinori Ikeda tel 81 3 3661 6138 | yoshinori.ikeda@pacific-business.com Korea Jeff Hwang tel 82 31 702 7782 | cell 82 010 6347 9117 | gng@gngcom.co.kr Malaysia Ester Chai tel 60 3 7722 1968 | esther@fitzgerald.com.my Singapore Peggy Thay tel 65 83768345 | peggy.thay@pubintl.sg Slovak Republic (Eastern Europe) Zorka Sipkova tel 421 948094611 | zorka.sipkova@pubintl.eu South America and the Caribbean (excluding Peru and Colombia) Ana Torres de Navarra tel 305 205 3303 | ana@colibri-media.com Spain Olga Martínez tel 34 91 320 0497 | cell 34 669 10 12 73 olga.martinez@aboutim.es Taiwan Keith Lee tel 886 2 2523 8268 | leekh@ms4.hinet.net Thailand Janya Limmanee tel 66 2 0514694 | janya.l@jpp-thailand.com Turkey Elif Mengu cell 90 532 255 83 24 | elif@catalyzismedia.com United Arab Emirates (UAE) Rosy Kachouh Nawfal cell 971 55 607 8163 | rosy@i-repme.com

Alaina Cagliostro director of sales

United Kingdom Stefanie Stroh-Begg cell 44 0 7798 665 395 | stefanie@mercury-publicity.com CORPORATE OFFICE 309 Floral Vale Blvd., Yardley, PA 19067 info@globaltravelerusa.com

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whereverfamily.com WHEREVERFAMILY 2022

WhereverFamily 2022

CONTENTS

PHOTO: © PETIT ST. VINCENT RESORT

46

on the cover whereverfamily.com | $4.99 | 2022

BEST FAMILY BEACHES p.12 BUCKET-LIST TRAVEL FOR KIDS p. 46 CRUISES FOR FAMILIES p. 36 CULTURE FOR KIDS p. 28 GENEALOGY TRAVEL p. 16 LIVING HISTORY EXPERIENCES p. 42 TRAVEL PROVIDERS OFFERING KIDAND TEEN-SPECIFIC AMENITIES p. 50 WHAT TO BRING ON A LONG PLANE RIDE p. 32 WHEREVER AWARDS p. 6

WILD WANDERINGS

Plan an animal adventure to connect kids with nature’s wonders. p. 20

COVER PHOTO: FAMILY FEEDING GIRAFFES PHOTO: © FAMVELDMAN | DREAMSTIME.COM

features 6

Best in Family Travel Whereverfamily.com announces the winners of the 2022 Wherever Awards.

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To the Beach!

Discover the best seaside spots for family fun around the world.

16

Every Family Tells a Story Follow your ancestors’ journeys with the help of genealogy services and tours.

20

Wild Wanderings Plan an animal adventure to connect kids with nature’s wonders.

28

Cultural Encounters Engage the kids with fascinating opportunities to learn while traveling.

32

Prepare for Takeoff Pack the essentials to make your flight with family comfortable, fun and stress-free.

36

Bon Voyage!

Set sail on cruises that appeal to all ages.

42

Bring History to Life Step into the past with living history experiences around the world.

46

Memories for a Lifetime Add these epic experiences to your family’s travel bucket list.

50

Surprise, Support and Delight Travel providers welcome back families with kid- and teenfriendly amenities and offerings.

FX E X P R E S S

P U B L I C AT I O N S , I N C .

Global Traveler and Globility are registered trademarks of Global Traveler magazine and of its parent company, FXExpress Publications, Inc. Global Traveler is not affiliated with any commercial interests within the travel industry.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor can the publisher accept responsibility for errors or omissions. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited articles, photographs or other material. AAM member 04-0361-2. AAM audited circulation 111,517. ISSN 1551-7187 ©2022 FXExpress Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of text, photographs or illustrations without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

WHEREVERFAMILY 2022 whereverfamily.com

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Best Family-Friendly All-Inclusive Hotel: Club Med PHOTO: © CLUB MED SANDPIPER BAY

Best in Family Travel Whereverfamily.com announces the winners of the 2022 Wherever Awards.

BY KIMBERLY KROL INLANDER

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hereverFamily, Global Traveler’s sister web publication, is the trusted source for family travel, bringing readers daily content on all things family travel at a variety of budgets, destinations, familial configurations and much more. Readers from whereverfamily.com selected their favorites in the world of travel during the voting period, and now it’s time for fun and celebration as we announce those winners. Congratulations to all the honorees in the 2022 Wherever Awards, now in its fifth year.

Let’s start with the family-friendly skies. United Airlines wins Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airline for the third year, alongside its MileagePlus program, Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Flyer Program, also three years running. Air Canada again takes home two honors: Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America, fourth year in a row, and Best Family-Friendly

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whereverfamily.com WHEREVERFAMILY 2022

International Airline, third consecutive year. Let’s also take a moment here to acknowledge the winning airports in this year’s survey: For the third year in a row, Chicago Midway Airport is Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airport; its international counterpart is Istanbul Grand Airport, Best Family-Friendly International Airport. Miami International Airport takes home its second nod for Best Family-Friendly Airport Dining, and two-time Best Family-Friendly Airport Shopping winner is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. And whether you fly and drive upon arrival or road trip with the fam to your destination, choose Hertz, Best Family-Friendly Rental Car Company for the second consecutive year.

Where to pick for your family to lay their heads during travel? Choose Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Best Family-Friendly Hotel Chain and Best Family-Friendly Resort Chain. Upsetting

THE PROCESS

Whereverfamily.com conducted a survey of its readers Dec. 14, 2021–March 30, 2022, with open-ended questions for the best in many categories important to the family travel market (including multigenerational families). This survey was conducted online at whereverfamily.com/ wherever-awards and emailed during the period in question.

Only those questionnaires with more than 50 percent of the questions answered were counted. Those with less than 50 percent answered were discarded. Employees of the magazine and individuals associated with the travel industry could not participate in the survey.

Best Family-Friendly Hotel Chain and Best Family-Friendly Resort Chain: Marriott Hotels & Resorts

Wherever Awards 2022

PHOTO: © MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

QUINT STATUS

WINNERS’ CIRCLE Best Family-Friendly Credit Card

UnitedSM Explorer Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airline Card from Chase 1. United Airlines Fifth Consecutive Year 2. Delta Air Lines 3. Alaska Airlines

Best Family-Friendly Airline in North America 1. Air Canada 2. United Airlines 3. Delta Air Lines Best Family-Friendly International Airline 1. Air Canada 2. TAP Air Portugal 3. United Airlines

a three-time winner in this category, Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World earns the title of Best Family-Friendly Individual Hotel. Sonesta Travel Pass makes its first appearance on the winners’ list for Best FamilyFriendly Frequent-Stay Program. Another first-timer on the scene: Club Med, winning Best Family-Friendly AllInclusive Hotel and Best Family-Friendly Hotel Kids Club for its Club Med, Sandpiper Bay, Florida. We have a tie for Best Family-Friendly Pet Hotel: Ascend Collection and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts are both tops when it comes to your four-legged family members.

It’s no surprise Disney makes several appearances on a list of bests in family travel. Its Adventures by Disney takes two honors: Best Family-Friendly Domestic Tour Company and Best Family-Friendly International Tour Company. Disney Vacation Club walks away with the Best Family-Friendly Vacation Club title, while Disney Cruise Line earns a nod for its Oceaneer Club, voted Best FamilyFriendly Cruise Line Kids Club. Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is Best Family-Friendly Amusement Park.

Now is a perfect time to segue into our next category: the family-friendliest cruise lines. Celebrity Cruises is Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line, and Seabourn takes the honor of Best Family-Friendly MultiGen Cruise Line.

It can be expensive to take the whole clan on a first-rate getaway, and earning credit card points toward travel can be a smart decision for family travel. Our two credit card winners this year are also five-year winners — earning their titles for every year of the survey’s life. As such, they receive the honor alongside induction into our Quint

Status list of winners. Chase United Explorer Card is Best Family-Friendly Credit Card, and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase is Best Family-Friendly Credit Card Rewards Program.

We’ve covered how to get there, where to stay and even how to pay, but now let’s look at the all-important where to. Three-time winner Tahiti is Best Family-Friendly International Destination. Domestically, Charleston, South Carolina, is Best Family-Friendly Domestic Destination for the second year in a row. For the third consecutive year, Dominican Republic is Best Family-Friendly Caribbean Island. In the Northeast, Ocean City, Maryland, wins Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, while Virginia Beach takes that honor for the third time as Best Family-Friendly Beach, Southeast. Three Florida cities represent Best Family-Friendly Beach Towns based on location: West Palm Beach, best in the east, with Sanibel Island in the west and Mexico Beach in the panhandle. Dauphin Island, Alabama, is Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Gulf Coast; with other domestic winners including Galveston, Texas, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Texas; Huntington Beach, California, Best FamilyFriendly Beach Town, West Coast; and Lanai City, Lanai, Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Hawai’ian Islands.

Ireland makes a repeat appearance as Best Family-Friendly Multigenerational Destination of the Year. Great Wolf Lodge rounds out our list of the best as Best FamilyFriendly Waterpark.

Congratulations to the 2022 Wherever Awards winners!

Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Flyer Program 1. United MileagePlus 2. Southwest Rapid Rewards 3. Air Canada Aeroplan Best Family-Friendly Hotel Chain 1. Marriott Hotels & Resorts 2. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts 3. Hilton Hotels Best Family-Friendly Resort Chain 1. Marriott Hotels & Resorts 2. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts 3. Sonesta Hotels and Resorts Best Family-Friendly Individual Hotel 1. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World 2. Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas 3. Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Best Family-Friendly Frequent-Stay Program 1. Sonesta Travel Pass 2. Marriott Bonvoy 3. IHG Rewards Club Best Family-Friendly All-Inclusive Hotel 1. Club Med 2. Hyatt Ziva 3. Paradisus WHEREVERFAMILY 2022 whereverfamily.com

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© 2022 United Airlines, Inc. All rights reserved.

Schedule subject to change.

Be the one person you know who’s actually been to Tahiti.

United® flies from San Francisco to paradise 5x weekly.

Family Innovator of the Year, Hotel and Best Family-Friendly Waterpark: Great Wolf Lodge

Wherever Awards 2022

PHOTO: © GREAT WOLF LODGE

QUINT STATUS

Best Family-Friendly WINNERS’ CIRCLE Credit Card

United Explorer Best Family-Friendly Pet Hotel Card from Chase 1. Ascend Collection/InterContinental Fifth Consecutive Year Hotels & Resorts (TIE) 2. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants 3. Sonesta Hotels and Resorts SM

Best Family-Friendly Hotel Kids Club 1. Club Med, Sandpiper Bay, Florida 2. Sea Island, Georgia 3. Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas Best Family-Friendly Vacation Company 1. Disney Vacation Club 2. Marriott Vacation Club 3. Holiday Inn Club Vacations Best Family-Friendly Domestic Tour Company 1. Adventures by Disney 2. REI Adventures 3. National Geographic Family Journeys Best Family-Friendly International Tour Company 1. Adventures by Disney 2. Lindblad Expeditions 3. GOWAY Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line 1. Celebrity Cruises 2. Disney Cruise Line 3. Viking Ocean Cruises Best Family-Friendly MultiGen Cruise Line 1. Seabourn 2. Azamara 3. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Best Family-Friendly Cruise Line Kids Club 1. Disney Cruise Line Oceaneer Club 2. MSC Cruise Line Junior Club 3. Royal Caribbean Adventure Ocean Best Family-Friendly Credit Card 1. United Explorer Card from Chase 2. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase 3. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card

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whereverfamily.com WHEREVERFAMILY 2022

FAMILY INNOVATORS OF THE YEAR

This year, in addition to the Wherever Awards, we are acknowledging family travel providers leading the way in the industry. Our Family Innovators of the Year accolades recognize leaders among airlines, hotels, resorts, rental cars, travel providers and destinations. Congratulations to this year’s honorees!

Southwest Airlines’ flexibility makes it a leader in family travel, as do its two free checked bags per person, kid-friendly amenities, discounted child fares and more. That’s why the airline was named Family Innovator of the Year, Airline.

Great Wolf Lodge consistently delivers thoughtful amenities for kids like WolfDen, KidKamp and KidCabin Suites, earning it the title Family Innovator of the Year, Hotel.

Club Med plans to open 17 new, family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts now through 2024. With so much coming up for families, Club Med is Family Innovator of the Year, Resorts.

With an inventory of premium, family-sized vehicles and large SUVs and minivans perfect for multigenerational or large-family travel, it’s clear Sixt is Family Innovator of the Year, Rental Car. We see Disney again on the list this year, named Family Innovator of the Year, Travel Provider, for Disney Cruise Line, consistently coming out with new technology, ever-evolving ships and new programs and themes that keep families coming back year after year.

Ireland offers a plethora of options for family travelers, from art and history to food and music. Whether your family has Irish ancestry or not, Ireland, Family Innovator of the Year, Destination, offers something for everyone.

Wherever Awards 2022 QUINT STATUS

Family Innovator of the Year, Best Family-Friendly Airline Credit Card SM Southwest Airlines United Explorer Card from Chase Family Innovator of the Year, Fifth Consecutive Year Hotel Great Wolf Lodge

Family Innovator of the Year, Resort Club Med Family Innovator of the Year, Rental Car Sixt Family Innovator of the Year, Travel Provider Disney Cruise Line Family Innovator of the Year, Destination Ireland

Wherever Awards

Family Innovator of the Year, Destination and Best Family-Friendly Multigeneration Destination of the Year: Ireland

2022

WINNERS’ CIRCLE Best Family-Friendly QUINT STATUS

PHOTO: © JENIFOTO406 | DREAMSTIME.COM

Credit Card

Best Family-Friendly Credit Card UnitedSM Explorer Rewards Program Card from Chase 1. Marriott Fifth Bonvoy Boundless Consecutive Year Card from Chase 2. Sonesta Stay Rewarded Bank of America Mastercard 3. Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card Best Family-Friendly International Destination 1. Tahiti 2. Italy 3. Costa Rica Best Family-Friendly Domestic Destination 1. Charleston, South Carolina 2. Savannah, Georgia 3. Arizona Best Family-Friendly Caribbean Island 1. Dominican Republic 2. Aruba 3. Jamaica Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (Maine– Maryland) 1. Ocean City, Maryland 2. Kennebunkport, Maine 3. Boothbay Harbor, Maine Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Southeast (Virginia–Georgia) 1. Virginia Beach, Virginia 2. Savannah, Georgia 3. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida (East) 1. West Palm Beach, Florida 2. Amelia Island, Florida 3. St. Augustine, Florida Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida (West) 1. Sanibel Island, Florida 2. Siesta Key, Florida 3. Marco Island, Florida

Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Florida (Panhandle) 1. Mexico Beach, Florida 2. Fort Walton Beach, Florida 3. Seagrove Beach, Florida

Best Family-Friendly Multigenerational Destination of the Year 1. Ireland 2. Greece 3. Italy

Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Gulf (Alabama/Mississippi/ Louisiana) 1. Dauphin Island, Alabama 2. Orange Beach, Alabama 3. Gulfport, Mississippi

Best Family-Friendly Amusement Park 1. Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Orlando, Florida 2. Sesame Place, Langhorne, Pennsylvania 3. Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Texas 1. Galveston, Texas 2. Corpus Christi, Texas 3. Seabrook, Texas Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, West Coast 1. Huntington Beach, California 2. Laguna Beach, California 3. Monterey, California Best Family-Friendly Beach Town, Hawai’ian Islands 1. Lanai City, Lanai 2. Waikiki, Oahu 3. Kailua-Kona, Big Island

Best Family-Friendly Waterpark 1. Great Wolf Lodge 2. Schlitterbahn Waterparks & Resorts, South Padre Island, Texas 3. Aquatica by SeaWorld Best Family-Friendly Rental Car Company 1. Hertz 2. Sixt 3. National Car Rental

Best Family-Friendly Domestic Airport 1. Chicago Midway Airport 2. Chicago O’Hare International Airport 3. Orlando International Airport Best Family-Friendly International Airport 1. Istanbul Grand Airport 2. Hamad International Airport, Doha 3. Incheon International Airport Best Family-Friendly Airport Dining 1. Miami International Airport 2. Hamad International Airport, Doha 3. Chicago O’Hare International Airport Best Family-Friendly Airport Shopping 1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 2. Orlando International Airport 3. Miami International Airport

WHEREVERFAMILY 2022 whereverfamily.com

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To the Beach!

Discover the best seaside spots for family fun around the world.

Atlantic Landmark: Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida PHOTO: © SPACE COAST OFFICE OF TOURISM

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BY TERRY WARD

hen it comes to what makes a beach ideal for family fun, the factors to consider depend on what you and your family most enjoy doing. Some crews like to sit under an umbrella and be served beside a body of water as calm as a lake (and with bathtub-temperature waters to splash in), while others prefer exploring tidal pools in more rugged surrounds.

As a mother to two young beach-loving children, I look for places that offer a good mix of things to engage them both on and off the sand. This list is by no means exhaustive — after all, the world abounds with incredible beaches that prove just as much fun to seek as they are to stroll across, barefoot.

Let these suggestions fill your bucket with all the options in the

whereverfamily.com WHEREVERFAMILY 2022

world for beaches that put family fun first … and do it naturally.

COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA

It’s impossible to talk about amazing stretches of sand for families without mentioning a few on Florida’s vast coasts, with more than 825 miles of accessible beaches to explore along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Cocoa Beach remains a perennial favorite for its gentle and consistent surf and long, dune-backed sands. Surfing champion Kelly Slater grew up riding the waves here, and you can get the kids on a similar trajectory with lessons from several local surf shops, including Ron Jon Surf Shop and smaller outfits, too. Visit the nearby Indian River Lagoon to kayak through bioluminescence during the summer months and keep your eye on the sky for commercial rocket

launches, regularly scheduled at nearby Cape Canaveral.

Don’t Miss: Sip something frosty with a lively crowd of locals and visitors and tuck into mahi mahi tacos with ocean views at Coconuts on the Beach, a favorite, no-frills haunt overlooking the sand.

FOLLY BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA Within easy striking distance of downtown Charleston’s great food scene and historical sights (just 20 minutes away), Folly Beach remains a family favorite for a good old-fashioned beach vacation along the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States. You’ll find six miles of mellow beaches to explore with your crew as well as ecotours through the Lowcountry’s marshes and rivers and a long pier from which you can toss out a fishing line.

Don’t Miss: When the kids need a break from the sand, let them run off some energy at one of several playgrounds and parks near the beach, including the surfboard-themed Wave Watch Playground.

JOSÉ IGNACIO, URUGUAY One of the best beach towns in all of South America, the oncesleepy fishing village of José Ignacio offers a more laid-back alternative to flashier Punta del Este, with rustic-chic beach houses and

ranches for rent and miles of sand to explore. You can delve into a back-to-nature vacation with the family during the Southern Hemisphere summer while enjoying the region’s renowned local wines and gourmet gastronomy scene.

Don’t Miss: Head to Parador la Huella, one of the buzziest beachfront restaurants, where you can sample fresh seafood and a glass of vino while the kids rustle about on the sand.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI BEACH, NEW ZEALAND On New Zealand’s North Island, less than three hours southeast of Auckland along a sweeping stretch of the Bay of Plenty, Mount Maunganui is a Kiwi favorite for family fun. With the harbor on one side of the isthmus and the ocean on the other, you can usually find somewhere calm to let the kids splash and play in cobaltcolored waters. Feeling sporty? Embark on a family hike along the two-mile, round-trip Mauao Summit track for wondrous views of the Kaimai Ranges and surrounding waters.

Don’t Miss: Kiwi café culture is in full effect in The Mount, as locals call their beach town. Sit to sip a flat white behind the dunes someplace scene-y, like Tay Street Beach Café.

Unspoiled Beauty: Folly Beach, South Carolina PHOTO: © CVANDYKE | DREAMSTIME.COM

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POIPU BEACH, KAUAI, HAWAI’I Expect almost always perfect weather along Kauai’s sunny south shore, where lifeguards on duty at Poipu Beach make these spectacular sands an island favorite for safe swimming with the family. The semi-sheltered cove at Poipu Beach means the waters are usually calm.

And Brennecke’s Beach Deli, just back from the sand, lets you grab shave ice to enjoy in the sunshine with your entourage, offering scores of tropical flavors daily including coconut, passionfruit and mango.

Don’t Miss: Treat the family to an oceanfront stay at the boutique Ko’a Kea Hotel on Poipu Beach for direct access to these splendid sands.

Rugged Adventure: Big River Beach, California (top); and a man jumping off a cliff into Cenote Cristalino in Mexico PHOTO: © VISIT MENDOCINO COUNTY, © ADAM MELNYK | DREAMSTIME.COM

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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO Along Riviera Maya, south of Cancún, Playa del Carmen’s golden beaches brim with full-service and all-inclusive beach resorts that make it easy to maximize effortless family fun on the sand. When it’s time for a switch-up from the salt water, head south toward Tulum to enjoy a refreshing dip in one of the many freshwater cenotes hidden off the main highway. Cenote Cristalino proves a favorite for snorkeling and swimming, with water as clear as a swimming pool.

Don’t Miss: One of the newest family-friendly, all-inclusive resorts along Riviera Maya, Nickelodeon Hotel & Resorts Riviera Maya fronts a beautiful beach and caters to families with oceanfront swim-up suites, encounters with the Paw Patrol characters and a waterpark with more than 20 slides.

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BIG RIVER BEACH, CALIFORNIA For rugged California beaches where all kinds of discoveries await intrepid families, beeline it to Big River Beach in Mendocino, about three hours north along the coast from San Francisco. The beach on the inland side of the bridge offers a protected place to let the kids splash in the (admittedly chilly) shallows. And just south, at Van Damme State Park, make a scavenger hunt out of spotting anemones and crabs in the tidal pools at low tide.

Don’t Miss: Set on 37 gorgeous cliffside acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Heritage House Resort & Spa in nearby Little River features luxury rooms with views and one of Northern California’s finest spas.

Picture-Perfect: Llafranc, Spain (top); and Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos PHOTO: © OLEH PANASENKO | DREAMSTIME.COM, © BEACHES TURKS & CAICOS

GRACE BAY BEACH, TURKS AND CAICOS Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos sets the standard for postcard beachy perfection with a beach that looks more like a powder-lined lake (it’s that calm!) but with those singular Caribbean hues you’re after.

Kids can enter the warm waters with the same ease as if swimming in a tropical, zero-entry swimming pool. And with no shortage of ultra-luxury hotels lining the sand, rest assured you’ll discover ample options for a comfortable stay in these parts, too.

Don’t Miss: Beaches Turks & Caicos resort offers a paradise for kids and parents alike, with an included kids camp that features autism-focused offerings.

MIRAMAR BEACH, FLORIDA The beaches of South Walton in northwest Florida, known as the state’s Panhandle, come as close as possible to Caribbean sands and waters in the mainland United States. When you’re not building sandcastles and wading into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico at Miramar Beach, just east of Destin, head to nearby coastal dune lakes (found only a few places in the world, including New Zealand, Madagascar and here) for paddling a kayak and exploring miles of biking trails. Did we mention craft breweries and watersports galore? Something for every beachlover in your family, in other words.

Don’t Miss: Luxury gulf-front beach rentals abound in South Walton, making it the perfect place to plan an old-school beach vacation where you can sip your morning coffee on your own private deck overlooking the sand.

LLAFRANC, SPAIN Spanish families would love to keep this idyllic Mediterranean beach on the Costa Brava, about a 1.5-hour drive north of Barcelona, to themselves. But if you find your way to Llafranc, prepare for a truly European family beach experience among the best of them. Calm waters the gentlest shade of turquoise lap against a golden beach backed by pretty whitewashed fishermen’s cottages and boat houses lining the shore. Tapas restaurants, wine bars and ice cream shops all lie within a few steps of the sand.

Don’t Miss: The family-run Hotel Casamar offers spectacular views and an on-site Michelin-starred restaurant featuring seasonal menus that pull from the sea and surrounding agricultural hinterlands.

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Every Family Tells a Story Follow your ancestors’ journeys with the help of genealogy services and tours. BY IRENE RAWLINGS Heritage Help: Lord Mayor's Lounge at The Shelbourne Hotel (left), and the Genealogy Butler, Helen Kelly PHOTOS: © THE SHELBOURNE HOTEL

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y husband’s search for his ancestors started with a virtual consultation with Helen Kelly, one of Ireland’s leading genealogists and the Genealogy Butler at Dublin’s nearly 200-year-old Shelbourne Hotel … and the only one in the world to hold that title. She helped set up a personalized research program and coached him on how to use publicly available online records. With Kelly’s assistance, my husband traced his

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Irish lineage back to the Great Potato Famine of the mid-1800s when his great-great-great-grandfather emigrated to the United States, where he fought in the Civil War before settling down to farm on the plains of eastern Colorado.

When it comes to beginning a journey into your ancestral past, Kelly suggests starting with the most recent known event and systematically working back in time. In my husband’s case, Ellis Island provided a good start, and Civil War records from the National Archives were enlightening. However, at some point it was time to fly to Ireland for some feet-on-the-ground research. We decided our pre-teen grandchildren would benefit from this lesson in history and geography, so we brought them along.

We met Kelly for afternoon tea in the elegant surroundings of the Lord Mayor’s Lounge in The Shelbourne Hotel (a warm and inviting jewel of a hotel built in 1824) overlooking St. Stephen’s Green. The grandkids and I sank into deep plush chairs, sipped tea with milk and consumed scones and smoked-salmon sandwiches from a four-tiered dessert stand while my husband chatted with Kelly, who tapped away at her laptop searching for birth, marriage and death certificates online.

“We are not only descended from our ancestors,” she said, “but greatly influenced by the landscape that cradled and nourished them.”

She added rural Ireland has not really changed that much in the past 100 years, so it is entirely possible to “walk the same paths and lanes as our ancestors walked.”

We rented a car in Dublin and drove four hours across the lush (so many shades of green!) landscape to a small village in Connemara on Ireland’s rugged west coast. There we found the graves of my husband’s ancestors in a postcard-pretty country churchyard. The church records revealed the ancestors’ “marryings and buryings” logged in round, precise, old-school penmanship. The most pleasant surprise of this visit was several people in town with my husband’s same last name — distant relatives, almost certainly — welcomed us into their homes and provided additional tidbits of information and ancient family gossip. When they weren’t speaking directly to us, they spoke Irish among themselves. We spoke only English, but over a pint or two (the kids were served bright-green milk shakes) at the local pub, we sang the same songs, including “Molly Malone,” “The Fields of Athenry” and, of course, “The Gypsy Rover.”

Helen Kelly is available for one-hour or full-day consultations for guests of The Shelbourne Hotel and for one-hour virtual consultations.

America is a nation of immigrants. Many people became interested in their own family’s backstory after watching (for 10 seasons, starting

in 2010 on NBC and then on TLC) as various celebrities — from Sarah Jessica Parker to Spike Lee — discovered often surprising clues to their family tree on the Emmy-winning docuseries Who Do You Think You Are? Sue Hills, veteran producer and director on the BBC version of the series, founded Ancestral Footsteps with the goal of bringing tourists to their ancestral roots in much the same way as the celebrities on the award-winning show.

Where to start your research? Ancestry.com has more than 3 million subscribers and more than 15 million in its subsidiary AncestryDNA network, while 23andMe boasts 10 million subscribers. Both offer popular, direct-to-consumer personal DNA testing. Both require a saliva sample with which they analyze your DNA to determine your family’s origins. Each of them charges about $100 for the test. The analysis can also detect relationships with other subscribers based on a matchup of their and your samples. In addition, the analyses can provide wellness and health reports with information on cancer risks and health predispositions.

While a certain amount of heritage tourism occurs organically as families book travel to “the old country,” Ancestry partnered with Go Ahead Tours for guided travel to Ireland, Scotland, Italy and Germany. The tours include not only accommodations, food and sightseeing but also a pre-trip family history review and an Ancestry

Family Plot: Graveyard in Connemara, Ireland PHOTO: © DEBRA RESCHOFF AHEARN | DREAMSTIME.COM

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Arrivals: Ellis Island display of immigrants' luggage left behind PHOTO: © JERRY COLI | DREAMSTIME.COM

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genealogist-guide who accompanies the trip.

Many countries actively entice their various diasporas back to the homeland. Northern European countries remain the standard-bearers for this trend. Susan Rienitz from German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven said, “Bremerhaven was once the major immigration [sic] port. Between 1830 and 1973 more than 7.2 million Europeans left the continent via the Port of Bremerhaven.” The German Emigration Center, located on one of the harbors where the emigrant ships cast off, opened in 2005 and was awarded European Museum of the Year in 2007. The exhibits take visitors through the stages of emigration through authentic recreations of real biographies of people who once emigrated, so the journey really becomes personal and emotional.

The stages include waiting at the quay, the crossing, the arrival at Ellis Island and a recreation of New York’s Grand Central Terminal. “For the millions of Americans with German heritage, this visit will give you goose bumps,” she said. At the end of the tour, visitors can embark on their personal search for friends and relatives in the ancestry.com and Bremerhaven/Bremen passenger lists available on site.

More than 70 million people worldwide and 33 million U.S. citizens identify as Irish. If you are one of those people, the Irish

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Government website provides a good starting point, offering records of births, baptisms, marriages and burials from nearly all the counties.

The National Archives website contains early 20th-century census data, and rootsireland.ie has more than 20 million records from genealogy centers in all of Ireland. To begin the adventure, simply type in your surname. You also have the option to engage the Association of Professional Genealogists in Ireland to help.

If you’re traveling to Ireland, a stop at Epic Ireland in Dublin is a must. This high-tech, interactive experience tells more than 10 million authentic emigration stories. Epic Ireland also contains an Irish Family History Centre, operated by genealogical specialists Eneclann. They’ll not only find your ancestors but also connect you with living relatives.

Getting to meet long-lost cousins in the land of your forefathers can be a real thrill. My Ireland Family Heritage and Irish Emigrant Trails offer personalized, family-friendly, heritage-focused trips.

“Genealogy travel from the U.S. is pretty big for Norway,” said Harald Hansen of Innovation Norway. Between 1860 and 1920, one-third of the Norwegian population left for America, and today 4.5 million people with Norwegian ancestry live in the United States — mostly in the Midwest (Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota)

and in California and Washington. A good place to start tracing your ancestry is the National Archives of Norway. Also connect with the Sons of Norway, an active U.S. organization catering to everything Norwegian.

You can choose from many other ancestry tours, all of them family-friendly. Founded by a family of Polish genealogists, U.S.-based Ancestral Attic offers family heritage tours to all of Poland and Eastern Europe. Polin Travel specializes in Jewish genealogical research, visits to Polish shtetls and tailor-made tours to Holocaust sites, including the Krakow ghetto, Auschwitz and Schindler’s factory.

Henderson Travel Services, the oldest Black-owned travel agency, founded in 1955, organized travel for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and offers customized heritage trips to Africa. To discover your roots in Asia, My China Roots offers a vast archive of records and operates trips that can take you to the village of your ancestors. Japan Deluxe Tours offers Nikkei Japanese Ancestry Tours to retrace your ancestors’ journey to America and an opportunity to overnight in your ancestral village.

Retracing the Journey: German Emigration Center PHOTOS: © GERMAN EMIGRATION CENTER

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Wild Wanderings Plan an animal adventure to connect kids with nature’s wonders.

Into the Wild: (Left to right) Gorilla in Rwanda, view of elephants from a hot air balloon in Serengeti National Park, Australia Beachside Wildlife Adventure sighting of a koala, and quokka on Rottnest Island in Australia PHOTOS: © KELVIN LACK | DREAMSTIME.COM, © ANDREY GUDKOV | DREAMSTIME.COM, © DISCOVER CORPS, © SAPPHEIROSPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM

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BY DEBRA BOKUR

he wide world abounds with remarkable life. For countless traveling families who adore animals, the opportunity to discover and learn about the astounding assortment of species on our small blue planet can be a powerful draw.

Research continues to confirm positive interactions with nature and animals offer a wealth of wellness benefits. Introducing kids to the wonders of the wild can help them develop empathy and awareness, and an enduring connection with the world affords benefits such as lowered stress and an increase in compassion and curiosity.

Marissa Brun, M.S., LMFT, and founder of WildSense Therapy in Colorado, says when we connect with nature and animals, we not only increase our capacity for understanding other species and their mannerisms, but we also foster a sense of connection that takes in the animals’ purpose, their habitats and how we co-exist with one another.

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A wide variety of trips allows families to observe and interact with animals, contribute to conservation efforts and learn about nature.

Gorilla treks organized by United States Tour Operators Association member Alexander + Roberts take participants to Rwanda’s mountains to watch the forest’s resident gorilla families going about their daily activities. In Tanzania, the company’s hot air balloon journey soars above Serengeti National Park to view graceful zebras and gazelles in their natural habitat. Witnessing firsthand the interconnectedness of life in the wild can be a powerful tool in imbuing children with perspective and other positive attributes.

“Often, connection with plants and animals allows children an outlet where they can feel more imaginative and allows for space to slow down and be with their own inner experience without interruption,” said Brun. “A child’s nervous system can be calmed just by being in nature and

tapping into a natural rhythm of harmony and balance. Connecting with animals and nature also boosts the neuroplasticity in the brain, which is particularly essential for children as they are actively growing and pruning synapses during this time. Having new experiences with animals and natural environments also changes a child’s brain by reducing cortisol (our stress hormone) and boosting neurotransmitters such as serotonin and oxytocin, which increase feelings of joy and connection.”

On Rottnest Island in Australia, small, smiling marsupials called quokkas roam free. Because they’re nocturnal, they’re particularly active later in the day. About the size of a large rabbit, they’re friendly and inquisitive (but they are definitely not domesticated and aren’t there to be picked up or touched). SeaLink Rottnest Island offers several familyfriendly tours that include Segways or e-bikes and plenty of opportunities to capture photos of quokkas and to learn from guides about the way they live. When observing animals, Brun reminds parents to always encourage your child to observe first at a safe distance, to ask for permission before coming close and to respect an animal’s natural boundaries and habitat.

“Animals, like children, are emotional creatures and have similar needs including food, play, safety and being a part of a group,” said Brun. “Being around animals can help children learn and read nonverbal cues and to

recognize the needs of others. For example: Why is that animal behaving in this way? Perhaps they are hungry? To see our own experiences reflected in another being is a great way for children to understand their own emotions and feel less alone. This affects our feeling of attachment — not just to our own family but to the greater world around us — and provides context to how we impact other beings and how other beings impact us.”

AAA Club Adventures takes guests on a 12-day exploration of Sri Lankan nature that includes accommodations at an eco-lodge located within the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, where big cats and monkeys live.

During Audley Travel’s 13-day Birdwatching in Costa Rica excursion, families can hike along winding trails through lush tropical forests and the San Gerardo de Dota cloud forest in the company of a naturalist guide while surrounded by the natural wonder of the region’s 448 bird species. Accommodations for this trip include the Rancho Naturalista birding lodge.

Discover Corps offers a worldwide selection of trips. These include the Australia Beachside Wildlife Adventure, where kids get to meet and care for koalas, wallabies and kangaroos while learning from Australia’s Gold Coast rangers, and a Thailand Elephant Conservation Expedition

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Close Encounters: Thailand Elephant Conservation Expedition (top), and wolves at Parc Omega in Québec (bottom) PHOTOS: © DISCOVER CORPS, © FRANCK PALATICKY | DREAMSTIME .COM

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that allows for up-close and hands-on care of elephants while being guided by the conservation center’s skilled caretakers.

If your family’s comfort level tends toward a little more physical space, you can enjoy an up-close — but still safely distanced — experience with fascinating wolves at Parc Omega in Québec. Spend the night in a specially designed Wolf Lodge, where a wall of glass looks directly into the park and allows for spectacular views of a resident wolf pack … and where you can watch to your heart’s content as the

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curious wolves peer back at you through the glass. The cabin sleeps up to four people and has its own fully equipped kitchen, so you can linger over breakfast while still enjoying the company of wolves. Afterward, tour the park in your vehicle to view Arctic foxes, moose, elk, reindeer, bears, ibex and birds of prey. (Hands inside the car, everyone.)

In fact, parks make an excellent choice for discovering animals and learning about their place in Earth’s ecosystem. At Yellowstone, families can participate in one of the park’s Lodging & Learning immersive field education experiences. Led by naturalist educators, choices include the Wolf & Elk Discovery, Yellowstone for Families, Trails Through Yellowstone and Spring Wolf & Bear Discovery.

Even when observing from a distance, you can deepen your child’s experience by encouraging them to consider an animal from multiple perspectives. Brun says to ask questions of your child when meeting a new species or animal: What colors and textures do they see? What characteristics of this new being stand out to your child? What emotion do they see in this creature? How does it move? What does it eat? Where does it live? What does it need to feel safe and at home?

Is it alone or with others? Do they see any of their own experiences reflected in this animal?

“Growing up in an urban environment can limit exposure to the natural world and cause children to feel more isolated from the wonder around them — and can increase stress,” added Brun. “Nature invites access to all of our senses and inspires a deep curiosity that we often feel disconnected from due to living life indoors. Being in nature can offer a break from a child’s routines and stressors by offering more space for

Out for a Ride: Whale-watching excursion in Skjálfandi Bay in Iceland (top); and family on horseback on Sun Mountain near Winthrop, Washington PHOTOS: © ALEXEY STIOP | DREAMSTIME.COM, © GREGORY JOHNSTON | DREAMSTIME.COM

play and creativity.”

Some of the most meaningful travel experiences are the ones that take us out of our comfort zone and plunge us into other worlds. Consider a whale-watching expedition in Iceland aboard a traditional wooden Icelandic sailing vessel with North Sailing’s Whales and Sails journey. Along with the extraordinary experi-

ence of observing the whales and birds of Skjálfandi Bay, you can help hoist the sails and haul in the lines under the supervision of the skilled schooner crew. Hot cocoa and cinnamon buns are part of the experience, and the crew provides expert guides and — if the weather demands — raincoats and warm overalls.

You can enjoy horseback riding trips with family in many areas, including England and the Western United States. The website of the Dude Ranchers’ Association offers a comprehensive guide to finding a guest ranch suited to your family’s horse-related skills, including lessons. Global horseback riding tour agency Equitours offers riding excursions appropriate to all levels in locations throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, Asia, the South Pacific, North America and Central and South America.

A trip embracing the natural world of animals can be a wonderful bonding experience for families. It can also spark the kind of wonder that inspires your child to continue exploring the world around them long after they’ve flown their own family nest.

Being outside and interacting with other life on the planet is good for us, but be aware not all travel experiences that involve animals are ethical or humane. Be sure to travel with a company with a track record that reflects caring, compassion, sustainability and ethical responsibility. Then you and your children can embrace your adventure with curiosity, excitement and gratitude that we share this planet with such an incredible diversity of beautiful life.

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care of your every whim — drinks, snacks, fresh towels, you name it. At The Retreat Lounge, you’ll discover an inviting space where your family can stop by for complimentary drinks and gourmet bites throughout the day. A dedicated concierge is also there to make any arrangements your family needs — on board or off.

The Retreat even offers in-suite babysitting services, so you can enjoy a date night on the ship all to yourselves. Get a table for two at Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud on the breathtaking new Celebrity BeyondSM. It’s the world-renowned chef’s first signature restaurant at sea. Follow it up with after-dinner drinks at Grand Plaza’s Martini Bar, where the talented flair bartenders are always shaking up a good time with their gravity-defying techniques.

Dance the evening away at The Club or watch a live concert at The Rooftop Garden.

The night is all yours, and you can relax knowing your kids are well taken care of in the comfort of your suite.

Every guest of The Retreat will receive a host of amenities, including premium drinks, WiFi, tips, an onboard credit and a shore excursion credit.* Plus, your dedicated Personal Retreat Host will ensure you never have to lift a finger. Celebrity has thought of every detail so you don’t have to

think about a thing — except enjoying your family vacation to the fullest.

NEVER THE SAME CAMP TWICE Celebrity has a one-of-kind program designed not only to keep your kids entertained on vacation but also to enrich their minds and

inspire their creativity. The first fully customizable Camp at Sea program offers a variety of activities that change on every sailing based on kids’ interests. Celebrity designed more than 500 activities across four fun-filled categories — Art, Recreation, Culinary and S.T.E.M. With such a wealth of programming to work with, Celebrity’s Youth Counselors design daily programming that keeps everyone engaged and wanting more.

Budding creators will love Adventures in Cardboard, a unique blend of competitive play and cooperative storytelling. Kids will design and create crowns, treasure chests, helmets, swords and masks — all out of cardboard. Activities then allow kids to explore, role play, strategize with teams, solve mysteries together and much more using their carboard works of art and their imagination.

For active kids, there’s a wide range of games and challenges on board to sharpen their skills and teach them the importance of teamwork. From modern twists on popular camp games to the Challenge Series that engages mind, body and creativity — there’s something for everyone.

Young foodies will savor Camp at Sea’s variety of culinary experiences geared toward developing the tastes of up-and-coming gourmets. They’ll love the kid-friendly cooking

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demonstrations and going behind the scenes to see where our chefs work their magic.

Celebrity also knows the importance of introducing young minds to S.T.E.M., and that’s why they’ve partnered with leading names, like Frost Science Museum and Girls Who Code (on select ships), to create a one-of-a-kind educational experience on board. Celebrity’s S.T.E.M. at Sea program offers exclusive activities and events that will engage, entertain and inform kids on a variety of topics, such as marine wildlife, ecological conservation and nautical exploration.

Harder-to-please teens will be all in when it comes to Celebrity’s Teen Club, where they can connect with other teens at fun events like teen-only silent disco parties, gaming tournaments and sports competitions. Unlike the younger kids, teens can have the freedom to come and go as they please at the Teen Club. They might enjoy some pool time, try out the sports facilities or simply sit in the sun on deck with their new friends, bonding over burgers.

And while your kids are living their best lives, you can enjoy a little R&R, too. Escape for a soothing treatment at The Spa, get your endorphins flowing with a high-intensity interval training session, or just lounge away the day at the adults-only Solarium pool.

EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES ABOARD AND ASHORE The Retreat and Camp at Sea are just the beginning of what makes Celebrity such a perfect choice for your family vacation. Its award-winning ships are filled with even more unforgettable experiences you can all enjoy together. Discover Le Petit Chef, a unique dining concept where animated chefs prepare each course right before your eyes using stateof-the-art 3-D projection that brings your tabletop to life. Team up for a game of bocce or croquet at the Lawn Club, featuring real live grass at sea. Play a game of life-sized chess at The Rooftop Garden, or curl up under the stars and watch a movie on the big screen. Learn the art of glassblowing at the interactive hot glass class. Get into a little friendly dance

competition at one of Celebrity’s popular silent disco parties. There’s so much for everyone to do you’ll wish there were more hours in the day.

When it comes to exploring ashore, Celebrity has your family covered, too. They offer an array of family-friendly shore excursions in every port they visit. With activities ranging from cultural tours to thrilling water sports, you’ll have no trouble finding a number of exciting excursions to make your vacation complete. Snorkel with sea turtles, zip line through tropical jungles and hike up volcanoes in the Caribbean. Set foot on active glaciers, meet champion sled dogs in training and go river rafting in Alaska. Explore the ruins of ancient cities, sample incredible local flavors and tour some of the world’s most fascinating museums in the Mediterranean.

Celebrity also offers exclusive excursions that will make your time ashore extra special.

Its intimate Small Group Discoveries get you off the beaten path and deeper into your destinations with a knowledgeable guide at your side. Want to go VIP all the way? You’ll feel like you have the place to yourselves on

Celebrity’s Private Journeys, which you can customize completely to your family’s wants and needs. You dream it up, and Celebrity’s Destination Insiders will make it happen.

START PLANNING YOUR FAMILY’S NEXT JOURNEY TODAY There’s no greater gift you can give your family than traveling the world together, and there’s no better way to do it than Celebrity Cruises. Whether you’re planning the ultimate summer vacation, turning your holiday get-together into a family getaway, or looking for a spring break like no other, Celebrity has the escape you all want and deserve. To start planning your family vacation, call Celebrity Cruises at 1-888245-4254, contact your travel advisor or visit celebrity.com today.

*Visit celebrity.com for full terms and conditions. All guests who book The Retreat® on or after November 17, 2020 will receive the Indulge Package at no additional charge. The Indulge Package provides a Premium Beverage Package, Unlimited Stream Internet Package, prepaid tips, and an onboard credit (“OBC”) for all guests in the stateroom. OBC amount varies by length of sailing: $200 per person for sailings 1 – 5 nights, $300 per person for sailings 6 – 9 nights, and $400 per person for sailings 10 nights or longer. OBC has no cash value, is applicable to cruise only, is non-transferable, is not redeemable for cash, and will expire if not used by 10:00 p.m. on the final night of the cruise. Prepaid tips provide tips for butler, headwaiter, waiter, and assistant waiter in the amount suggested by Celebrity’s guidelines. Imagery and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, or itineraries. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice. ©2022 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta and Ecuador.

Cultural Encounters Engage kids with fascinating opportunities to learn while traveling. BY RICHARD NEWTON

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Grand Greenhouse: Palacio de Cristal in Buen Retiro Park, Madrid PHOTO: © SAIKO3P | DREAMSTIME.COM

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visit to a museum or gallery as part of a family holiday sounds great in theory. The reality can be a nightmare of boredom and tantrums. We’ve struggled with our own kids and can probably recall our own childhood traumas when confronted with room after tedious room of culture.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Few museums prove as daunting as the Prado in central Madrid.

This vast complex, housing one of the world’s greatest collections of European art, proves a hard sell to the average kid. Fortunately, private tour companies such as Across Madrid offer tours specifically designed to bring the fusty museum to life for younger visitors.

Across Madrid’s tour lasts 2.5 hours and is structured as a treasure

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hunt, guided by Dr. Almudena Cros, an art history professor who previously worked as an elementary school assistant. By focusing on themes of universal interest to kids (monsters and heroes, animals, fashion), the tour aims to stimulate and entertain. Dr. Cros also offers tours of the wider city specifically for kids, helping to decipher Madrid’s long history and explaining some of the quirks of Spanish tradition and lifestyle.

Kids don’t need a tour guide to get the most out of El Retiro, the 350-acre park situated immediately east of the Prado. In summer it attracts local families, strolling the shaded paths and rowing rented boats on the large central lake. A giant greenhouse within the park, Palacio de Cristal, displays free art exhibitions

featuring pieces from Reina Sofia Museum. Street artists, musicians, magicians and living statues perform throughout the park. On Saturdays and Sundays, Teatro de Titeres del Retiro stages free puppet shows. Although the shows are in Spanish, there’s plenty of slapstick and music to keep kids amused even if they don’t understand the language.

At National Palace Museum in Taipei, both the spoken and written language can present a challenge for English-speaking kids.

Nonetheless, in addition to housing a peerless collection of Chinese art and artifacts, with more than 700,000 items, the museum also boasts a basement children’s gallery. Here kids of all ages and nationalities take part in interactive activities from drawing to learning to play Chinese drums.

Exposure to different languages and cultures remains one of the rewards of international travel with kids, and it can have a lifelong benefit. My own life owes much to the childhood visits I made to African game parks, and on every subsequent visit I’ve found it gratifying to see other children falling under the spell of the African wilds. One of the most kid-friendly parks is Kruger National Park in South Africa, a vast protected area scattered with safari camps. Letaba Rest Camp, roughly in the center of the park, features an interactive

Entertainment in the Park: Giraffe in the Letaba part of Kruger National Park, South Africa (left); and performers at Teatro de Títeres in Buen Retiro Park (below) PHOTOS: © KARELGALLAS | DREAMSTIME.COM, © GUILLERMO GIL VILLANUEVA

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Art and Nature: Native sculpture at the Canadian Museum of History (left), and girl holding a spiny lizard in the Australian Outback (below) PHOTOS: © MIRJANA SIMEUNOVICH | DREAMSTIME.COM, © RAFAEL BEN ARI | DREAMSTIME.COM

museum and education center where kids can measure themselves against elephant skeletons and some of the largest tusks ever recorded. Many of the camps feature tribal dancing in the evenings and also sell a wide variety of local carvings, beadwork and pictures … pieces of Africa to take home.

In Australia’s Outback, five miles from downtown Alice Springs, Alice Springs Desert Park provides a wonderful place to encounter a variety of wildlife including kangaroos, bilbies and quolls (types of marsupials); dingoes (wild dogs); and thorny devils (spiny lizards). But every April the park transforms into the main venue of an incredible cultural festival. A 10-day free event, Parrtjima (pronounced PAR-chee-ma) celebrates Aboriginal culture with light installations, artwork, performances and interactive workshops. After dark, the 300-millionyear-old MacDonnell Mountain Range serves as the canvas for a spectacular light show, and kids can cavort on illuminated ground displays of Aboriginal art. It’s a magical experience.

Indigenous culture also holds a prominent position at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa. From May until October the riverside park behind the museum — once an ancient trading post — houses a reconstructed indigenous village. Visitors can book guided tours for craft and music workshops, canoe trips and storytelling sessions, all reflecting the more than 15,000 years of history of Canada’s indigenous peoples. Since 2021 the same initiative broadened to include the dedicated 164-acre Mādahòkì Farm in Ottawa’s greenbelt, where seasonal indigenous festivals take place and where kids can experience hands-on activities such as making a dreamcatcher. Don’t miss the opportunity to meet the farm’s five Ojibwe Spirit Horses, descendants of the unique horses bred by the Ojibwe people in the five centuries since the Spanish first introduced horses to North America. The Museum of History also incorporates the Canadian Children’s Museum, closed during the pandemic due to the hands-on nature of its exhibits but slated to reopen soon.

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Celebrating Culture: Moros y Cristianos fiesta in Javea, Spain (top); and New York's Guggenheim Museum PHOTO: © JOSIEELIAS | DREAMSTIME.COM, © NADINE VOUSTEN | DREAMSTIME.COM

COVID-19 changed the world. Museums and cultural groups endured a particularly severe impact. But new opportunities emerged out of adversity — not least, new ways of reaching kids in their own homes. New York’s Guggenheim Museum, for instance, initiated virtual programs to teach children about the Guggenheim collection and to encourage them to create their own artwork. The museum website continues to offer downloadable art kits and audio guides examining selected paintings. A regular online event, Sketch with Jeff, helps kids learn to draw under the guidance of artist Jeff Hopkins. With the lifting of pandemic restrictions, the Guggenheim

once again offers a full calendar of in-person events as well as a special program for children on the autism spectrum. (With increasing awareness of special needs, many museums around the world feature similar programs.)

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation boasts a proud track record of utilizing the city’s open spaces for cultural activities, many aimed at kids. Activities include dance classes, drawing and painting, and after-school programs. Check the department’s website for upcoming events.

At less than 1.5 acres, Unity Park is not one of Chicago’s largest green spaces, but with community support it has become a vital neighborhood facility. Every summer it stages Art in the Park, during which local kids and many visitors create art based on a unique theme each year.

For two memorable years, my own neighborhood was the Spanish town of Javea on the Mediterranean coast. There the years are measured in annual fiestas, and we learned to adjust our lives around them. Periodically, lively crowds thronged the streets and the nights echoed with fireworks and firecrackers. One of the largest and most colorful of these fiestas, Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians) marks the reconquest of Spain by Christians and the ultimate expulsion of the Muslim Moors, who ruled the country for 700 years. The fiesta includes reenactments of the battles and culminates with a large parade. The festivities involve everyone, from the youngest children to old pensioners. For outsiders it offers an incredible spectacle, a living legacy of Spanish history. For local children it remains an annual milestone in a calendar full of annual milestones. While it is fun to experience new, exotic cultures, ultimately, culture begins at home.

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Prepare for Takeoff Pack the essentials to make your flight with family comfortable, fun and stress-free.

Keeping Busy: Bring plenty of entertaining toys like puzzles or coloring books.

PHOTO: © FAMVELDMAN | DREAMSTIME.COM

P

acking for a trip can prove a bit challenging, especially when packing for a family. Making sure you have everything everyone may need proves a monumental task, especially when it comes to the flight. To make sure you’re prepared for whatever may arise, follow our helpful guide so you can get the hard work out of the way and sit back and enjoy the trip.

PERSONAL INFECTION CONTROL KIT

COVID-19 changed the way we travel; and while airlines do a lot to ensure your safety, don’t rely on someone else to keep you and your family protected during the entire trip. By arming each member of the family with kits packed with masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, you

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BY EUGENIA LAZARIS

can ensure they have the necessities if and when they need them.

And don’t forget the disinfectant wipes! Cleaning crews will give the cabin a cleaning before the flight, but it’s a good idea to give high-touch surfaces like tray tables an extra wipe-down.

WATER

Bring along some environmentally friendly, reusable water bottles you can fill in the airport prior to takeoff. This cuts down on plastic waste and ensures everyone stays hydrated during the flight. The drying effects of cabin air do a number on the body, so have everyone drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and fatigue.

NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES

A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones prove especially important on longhaul flights. Sleep doesn’t come easily on an airplane; but with a lot of hours to pass as you cross time zones, it may be in your family’s best interest if everyone gets some sleep during the flight. A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones will help block out the sounds of other passengers and the background hum of the engine during a flight, leaving everyone relaxed and able to sleep peacefully.

COMFORTABLE SLEEP MASKS AND NECK PILLOWS

Paired with your headphones, a comfortable eye mask and neck pillow will make the elusive sleep much more attainable during a long flight. Try out a variety of neck pillows before the flight to make sure each member of the family finds one comfortable for them. Fun options for kids include playful colors and animal designs that help take the stress out of sleeping in an unfamiliar environment.

Sleep masks for kids available in fun designs like plush unicorns and googly eyes also make the experience more fun for little ones. Opt for thicker, softer masks that will be more comfortable and keep out light better than the ones offered by airlines. For extra relaxation, consider masks infused with lavender to ease you along the way to restful sleep.

ENTERTAINMENT

Plane rides, especially long international flights, give you a lot of unoccupied time. In-flight entertainment helps, but there is no guarantee it will suit everyone’s varied interests. This creates a recipe for disaster when traveling with children, so bring along books, magazines, comics and fully charged devices loaded with plenty of movies and games for the whole family. Coloring books and activity sets for little ones keep their young minds occupied and entertained, while card games and travel-sized games like magnetic chess and

Flight Essentials: Reusable water bottle (top), noise-cancelling headphones (bottom left), and neck pillow (bottom right) PHOTOS: © ANDREI FEDCO | DREAMSTIME.COM, © JULIADESIGNER1 | DREAMSTIME.COM, © OZGUR COSKUN | DREAMSTIME.COM

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teaching small children the importance of oral hygiene. A little primping during the flight leaves everyone feeling refreshed and ready to go when the plane lands at your vacation destination.

COMFY CLOTHES FOR LAYERING

Packing a few extra clothing items in your carry-on helps everyone maintain a desirable level of comfort. Aircraft cabins, though temperature-controlled, may not be set at a temperature ideal for everyone.

No longer does every seat on the plane get its own blanket and pillow for warmth and comfort. These days those luxury items are hard to come by and not always a model of comfort even when available.

To ensure everyone in the family has the best chance of being comfortable, pack a lightweight shawl, scarf or sweater that can come on and off easily.

COMFORT ITEMS FOR LITTLE ONES

Traveling can be stressful, especially for little ones out of their comfort zones and thrown off their normal routines. Being confined to a small, cramped space with a bunch of strangers for an extended time isn’t easy for anyone, but to help your little ones cope, bring along a few items from home to put them at ease, such as a favorite stuffed animal or blanket.

MEDICATIONS

Comfort Zone: Bring plenty of snacks as well as clothing layers, as the cabin temperature can fluctuate.

PHOTO: © MARYSMN | DREAMSTIME.COM

checkers let you add variety to your entertainment plans and get the family to interact during the flight.

CHARGERS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

With a wide range of electronics and tech devices that go with us everywhere, chargers and cables for each device prove a must. A handy pouch keeps them all organized and easy to access when you need them.

HEALTHY SNACKS

Long flights generally include meals with a few snacks, but short flights don’t — and what happens when you get a craving in between meal service? And what to do about allergies, picky palates and sensitive tummies? To stave off hangry cravings, pack plenty of healthy snacks to tempt the whole family’s taste buds. It saves on buying expensive airport food and ensures your family doesn’t overload on sugar.

TOILETRIES

Plane rides have the unfortunate side effect of leaving you feeling grubby and in need of some pampering. Bring along a kit of travelsized toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant to freshen up in flight and before your plane lands. This helps you keep up with routine hygiene like brushing after meals, especially important when

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Keep your prescription medications with you in your carry-on while traveling so you don’t risk losing them, but also bring along a few basics that may come in handy during a flight. At 30,000 feet you won’t have access to a drugstore; if something like a headache, fever or motion sickness arises, you’ll want to treat it right away.

DON’T FORGET THE INCIDENTALS

If you have an international destination, you might have to fill out customs forms at some point during your trip. While the flight crew will hand out the necessary forms during your flight, they seldom have pens to pass out with them. Don’t get caught off guard; slip a pen into your bag before leaving the house.

Last but not least, don’t forget a pack of sugar-free gum.

Chewing gum provides a great way to help combat the effects of cabin pressure changes on the eardrums, which can leave everyone — especially little ones — uncomfortable and miserable until the pressure in their ears stabilizes.

Armed with all the necessities to make the flight comfortable, fun and hassle-free, you and your family will arrive at your destination well-rested and ready to go. Well-stocked carry-on bags let you and your family focus on enjoying the trip and your time together instead of letting the long, uncomfortable hours on an airplane derail your fun.

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Set sail on cruises that appeal to all ages. BY SUSAN B. BARNES

M

y nephew and I could hear him before we could see him, his familiar breathing — long, steady inhale; long, steady exhale — sending chills down my spine. All of a sudden, I was a little girl again, steeling myself to meet the ruler of the dark side. With a flip of his cloak, we came face to face — or, more realistically, face to armor — with none other than Darth Vader. Just where did we encounter the Sith Lord, not to mention his stormtroopers and good guys like R2-D2, C-3PO and Chewbacca? None other than on a Star Wars Day at Sea cruise aboard Disney Fantasy.

Cruising has long been a popular way to travel for people of all ages, including families. According to the Cruise Lines International Association, 29.7 million passengers set sail in 2019.

Though cruising paused at the onset of the global pandemic,

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numbers are rising again, and CLIA reports 6 million passengers embarked since cruising resumed in July 2020. The association forecasts nearly 100 percent of cruise lines will be in operation by August 2022.

When it comes to the best cruises for families, Disney Cruise Line naturally takes center stage. Though the line’s Star Wars Day at Sea remains on hiatus for the time being, other special sailings this year and next include Marvel Day at Sea,

Go for a Ride: Carnival Cruise Line's WaterWorks (top) and BOLT (bottom) PHOTOS: © CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Chills and Thrills: UnCruise Adventure's Polar Plunge in Glacier Bay (top), family on skiff ride (bottom left), and family on ice in front of glacier (bottom right) PHOTOS: © UNCRUISE ADVENTURES

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Playground at Sea: Royal Caribbean International’s Odyssey of the Seas PHOTO: © ROYAL CARIBBEAN

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Pixar Day at Sea, Halloween on the High Seas and Very Merrytime around the holidays. Whether on a themed voyage or not, all guests can be assured they’ll receive the highest level of service Disney is known for, as well as onboard activities that will keep kids and kids-at-heart, no matter the age, entertained around the clock. Character experiences, pirate nights, Broadway-style shows highlighting favorite Disney stories, age-specific kids’ clubs, pools with waterslides and top-deck dance parties complete with fireworks offer just a sampling of what’s in store on a Disney Cruise Line cruise. Now is a terrific time to book a Disney cruise: Save up to 35 percent on select sailings from Miami and up to 25 percent on select sailings from San Diego and Port Canaveral.

Speaking of waterslides, Carnival’s fleet of ships makes quite a splash with its WaterWorks. The Twister Waterslide soars hundreds of feet in the air and plunges down for one of the fastest rides at sea. Speedway Splash celebrates the fastest sliders with special lighting effects, and the DrainPipe swirls to the finish.

Some of Carnival’s ships feature side-by-side racing slides so your family can have its own competition to see who’s the fastest … maybe the loser has to stand under the PowerDrencher, a huge bucket of water that rains down from above. Aside from all the wet fun available on Carnival, the first-ever roller coaster at sea is on board, too. Strap in for a thrilling ride on BOLT, a motorcyclestyle machine that swerves around the ship high above sea level.

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Not too sure about speed? Not to worry: You control how fast — or slow — you go. Onboard games, theaters, dive-in movies, mini golf, a spa and age-specific kids’ clubs will make everyone happy, and all of this can even take place before your first port of call!

Carnival offers a number of limited-time offers, so check the website when booking to see what’s on offer when you’re ready to set sail.

Royal Caribbean International’s brand-new Odyssey of the Seas set sail from Fort Lauderdale in March and crosses the pond for voyages from Rome beginning this May. On board, challenge your family to a game of laser tag or ride around in bumper cars in SeaPlex on the top deck, hang 10 on FlowRider, or watch a live show in the Music Hall. Of course, this is but one of the 26 ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet; there’s definitely a ship for everyone.

And if you’ve only got a few days to sail away, Royal Caribbean’s Weekend Getaways prove ideal, sailing from Los Angeles, Miami, Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale. Check the cruise line’s specials to find the best fare, like five nights in Alaska for $390, seven-night Mediterranean itineraries from $406, and weekend getaways from $139, all per passenger.

With sailings all around the world and nearly 150 years in the cruising industry, Holland America Line knows how to meet families’ needs while showing them places they may never have dreamed of seeing. Age-appropriate onboard activities will

PHOTO: © MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES | DREAMSTIME.COM

Ready to plan your next family vacation?

Whereverfamily.com is the trusted source for the modern family written by award-winning journalists connected closely to family travel. Updated daily with content unique to today’s traveling families, the website features need-to-know information on planning family trips at any budget for any age group.

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Self Discovery: Avalon Waterways' kayak excursion PHOTO: © AVALON WATERWAYS

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keep kids of all ages entertained, and the entire family can learn to cook together at a live cooking show or be entertained at BBC Earth’s Planet Earth II in Concert. On land, family-friendly shore excursions introduce cultures, natural wonders and enticing soft adventures that appeal to all ages. For example, time travel through Rome, play I Spy with monkeys in Dominica, or walk on a glacier and go whale-spotting in Alaska. Holland America’s Have It All fare offers savings on its most popular amenities, including shore excursions, a signature beverage package, specialty dining and onboard WiFi — all in one premium cruise package.

If adventure is your family’s middle name, UnCruise Adventures may be right up your alley. The small-ship cruise line gears its Family Discoveries program to families with kids ages 8 and up, designed to celebrate the curiosity and wonderment of kids-at-heart of every age to help them reconnect and discover the world around them. With destinations varying from Hawai’i, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize — and even the Galápagos — you’ll find a sailing to pique everyone’s interest. On each voyage, onboard and land-side activities will keep your family engaged, from polar plunges and paddleboard races to face

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painting with glacial mud and tide pool treasure hunts, from skiff expedition explorations to hiking and snorkeling with sea creatures … and plenty more! Invite the extended family and all of your cousins and save 25 percent on group bookings of eight or more sailing aboard the Wilderness Legacy.

Older children traveling with their families may enjoy sailing on one of Avalon Waterways’ fleet of small riverboat ships that sail through Europe. Though Avalon does not offer child-specific programming, the intimate cruising style proves a terrific approach for families to bond and reconnect with each other while discovering different parts of the world. Avalon’s Active & Discovery itineraries make a fun and unexpected way to experience destinations. Explore an ice cave on a cruise along the Danube; reenact the Roman Games in Roman garb; conduct an orchestra in Vienna; take a painting class à la Van Gogh in Arles, France; or try to spot Dracula in Transylvania. Avalon runs specials throughout the year, so check what’s available for the cruise of your dreams.

Whichever cruise line and destination you choose, in the end the best cruise for your family brings you all together to make memories that will last for years to come.

2022 GT Tested Reader Survey Awards Ballot Please write in your personal favorites, based on your own experience, on the line next to each of the following categories.

HOTEL BEST

AIRLINE BEST

Overall Best Airline in the World ____________________________________________________ Airline Alliance _______________________________________________________________________ Aircraft Type ________________________________________________________________________ Airline Website ______________________________________________________________________ Fastest-Growing Airline – Trans-Pacific _____________________________________________ Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers _________________________________ Best Airline for . . .

Business Class __________________________________________________________________ International First Class ________________________________________________________ Domestic First Class ____________________________________________________________ Onboard Service _______________________________________________________________ Lounges ________________________________________________________________________ Flight Attendants _______________________________________________________________ Flight Attendant Uniforms _____________________________________________________ Airline Cuisine __________________________________________________________________ First-Class Seat Design _________________________________________________________ Business-Class Seat Design ___________________________________________________ Airline Cabin Cleanliness ______________________________________________________ Best Frequent-Flyer Programs Overall Best Frequent-Flyer Program __________________________________________ Elite-Level Program _____________________________________________________________ Bonus Promotion ______________________________________________________________ Award Redemption _____________________________________________________________ Customer Service ______________________________________________________________

BEST AIRLINE BY LOCATION Best Airline in . . .

Africa____________________________________________________________________________ Australia and New Zealand_____________________________________________________ Central/South Asia and India _________________________________________________ China ___________________________________________________________________________ Eastern Europe _________________________________________________________________ Europe __________________________________________________________________________ Mexico __________________________________________________________________________ The Middle East ________________________________________________________________ North America __________________________________________________________________ North Asia (excluding China) ___________________________________________________ The South Pacific _______________________________________________________________ To South America and Central America ____________________________________________ To Japan _____________________________________________________________________________ Trans-Atlantic Airline ________________________________________________________________ Trans-Pacific Airline _________________________________________________________________

AIRPORT BEST Overall Best Airport in the World ___________________________________________________ Overall Best Duty-Free Shop in the World __________________________________________ Airport Staff/Gate Agents ___________________________________________________________ Airport Dining _______________________________________________________________________ Airport Parking ______________________________________________________________________ Airport Shopping ___________________________________________________________________ Fastest-Growing U.S. Airport ________________________________________________________ Best Duty-Free Shops in . . .

Asia _____________________________________________________________________________ Africa____________________________________________________________________________ Europe __________________________________________________________________________ The Middle East ________________________________________________________________ Best Airport in . . .

Asia _____________________________________________________________________________ Africa____________________________________________________________________________ Europe __________________________________________________________________________ The Middle East ________________________________________________________________ North America __________________________________________________________________ South America __________________________________________________________________ * Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions

Best Individual Hotel in the World ________________________________________________ International Hotel Chain _________________________________________________________ Domestic Hotel Chain _____________________________________________________________ Lifestyle Hotel _____________________________________________________________________ MICE* Hotel ______________________________________________________________________ Hotel Website _____________________________________________________________________ Best Frequent-Stay Programs Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World __________________________________ Elite-Level Program ___________________________________________________________ Bonus Promotion ____________________________________________________________ Award Redemption ___________________________________________________________ Customer Service_____________________________________________________________

HOTEL BEST BY LOCATION Best Hotel in . . .

Asia ___________________________________________________________________________ Europe ________________________________________________________________________ South Korea __________________________________________________________________ The Middle East ______________________________________________________________ The United States ____________________________________________________________ Japan __________________________________________________________________________ Singapore _____________________________________________________________________ Best Hotel Chain in . . .

Asia ___________________________________________________________________________ Europe ________________________________________________________________________ Latin America _________________________________________________________________ Mexico ________________________________________________________________________ The Middle East ______________________________________________________________

OTHER BEST Overseas Delivery Program ______________________________________________________ Rental Car Company ______________________________________________________________ Tourism Destination ______________________________________________________________ MICE* City ________________________________________________________________________ WiFi Service ________________________________________________________________________ Luggage Brand ____________________________________________________________________ Hotel App __________________________________________________________________________ Airline App _________________________________________________________________________ Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program _____________________________________ Best Offshore Business Location _________________________________________________ Travel Insurance Company _______________________________________________________ Best Rail Service/Provider ________________________________________________________ Best Credit Cards Overall Credit Card ________________________________________________________________ Small-Business Credit Card _______________________________________________________ Credit Card Special Events _______________________________________________________ Credit Card Rewards Program ____________________________________________________ Credit Card Design _______________________________________________________________ New Credit Card Launch __________________________________________________________ Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card ________________________________________________ Promotions ___________________________________________________________________ Benefits _______________________________________________________________________ Redemptions _________________________________________________________________ Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card________________________________________________ Promotions ___________________________________________________________________ Benefits _______________________________________________________________________ Redemptions _________________________________________________________________ Cruise Line Affinity Credit Card ___________________________________________________

PLEASE MAIL THE COMPLETED SURVEY TO: Kevin Ryan, Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP, 1800 JFK Blvd., 20th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | Or FAX to 215 545 4810 Or vote online at globaltravelerusa.com/gt-tested-awards-ballot Name Street Address City Home Phone

State

ZIP Code Email

Bring History to Life Step into the past with living history experiences around the world. BY BARBARA RADCLIFFE ROGERS

Colonial Times: In Colonial Williamsburg, the red-coated Fifes and Drums regiment marches in the Illumination of the Taverns parade (top); and two youngsters try out the old-fashioned wooden pillories on the Village Green, once used to punish people for their misdeeds (bottom).

PHOTOS: © STEVEHEAP | DREAMSTIME.COM, © LEI XU | DREAMSTIME.COM

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hurning butter, grinding corn, learning to tie sailors’ knots, hollowing out a log for a canoe — these experiences invite children into past ages, immersing them into times and cultures different from their own. The sights, sounds and activities of an earlier time bring history to life for kids in ways a classroom can never duplicate.

At authentically restored villages and living history museums across America, families can step into the past and become part of another era.

These are so engaging, children may not even realize they are learning about their country’s history.

The world’s largest living history museum is Colonial Williamsburg, in Virginia. Stepping into the meticulously restored capital of the British Empire’s American colonies is like stepping back to the 18th century. Visiting shops and homes, children can watch the printer turn out the daily broadsheet (and maybe take home a copy) and see how shoes are made by hand, how thread is spun and how books are bound.

In some, children can try their hand at early skills or help prepare

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foods to cook on an open hearth. They can join the fife and drum parade, and the whole family can ride in a horse-drawn carriage.

In nearby Jamestown Settlement, visitors meet three cultures living there a century earlier: the English settlers, the enslaved Africans and the native Powhatan people. Children can board one of the replica ships to imagine life as the settlers crossed the Atlantic; in the Powhatan village they can join everyday activities of making rope or grinding corn.

Two different eras of American history come to life in Massachusetts: the early 1600s and early 1800s. In the 17th-century English Village at Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly called Plimoth Plantation), costumed interpreters inhabit authentically built homes and use period tools and methods to recreate the Pilgrims’ daily lives. They even speak 17th-century English as they engage with visitors.

The adjacent Historic Patuxet recreates a Wampanoag village, showing the lives and culture of Native Americans. Children can participate in activities and explore the large wetu house as they learn about the people the Pilgrims met on arrival. At Plymouth Harbor, visitors board a replica of the Mayflower to experience the cramped quarters of the Pilgrims’ crossing and learn about navigation and sailors’ skills.

In Old Sturbridge Village, families experience the life of a small New England village in the 1830s. While adults admire the homes and antique furnishings, children can join a class in the schoolhouse, play period games or make dipped candles to take home. During school vacations, Discovery Adventures may be a two-day experience in printing that includes learning to set type, making walnut-shell ink, marbling paper and sewing a notebook.

Families can experience some of the world of Little House on the Prairie at the Connor Prairie Living History Museum in Fishers, Indiana. Various areas recreate different periods and inhabitants, from an 1830s pioneer village to a “modern” rural town of the 1880s and a Native American village. Children can play historic games and milk a cow, while hands-on programs teach them to make soap, weave, make a quilt square or operate an old-style printing press.

Old World Wisconsin, in Eagle, offers an outdoor museum dedicated to rural life, created from more than 60 historic farmhouses, barns and buildings brought from small towns across the state. The farms and village recreate the world seen by pioneers moving westward across the prairies in the late 19th century.

In the houses and shops, children meet costumed actors portraying historical figures and demonstrating old-time rural skills. Kids can try scrubbing clothes on a washboard, pitching hay, churning butter and spinning wool; or they can meet farm animals and take a lesson in a prairie schoolhouse.

Experience some of the excitement of the gold rush era at Montana’s Nevada City Living History Museum, where hands-on activities include preparing a period recipe in one of the cabins, playing 1860s saloon games in one of the three restored mining towns or riding in a stagecoach.

Living history experiences are not unique to the United States. In New Brunswick, Canada, Kings Landing recreates a village settled by Loyalists escaping to Canada during the American Revolution. Costumed docents work fields with horses or oxen, weave, sew, cook meals and engage in daily tasks. Hands-on workshops include activities such as spinning, rug hooking, candle making, paper crafts and woodworking.

Europe, too, has its share of living history museums. The most visited in Germany lies south of Stuttgart, the Black Forest Open Air Museum.

Traditional multistoried Black Forest farmhouses with giant sloping roofs form a typical farming hamlet, with a self-contained farmstead dating from the 17th century. Watch activities such as roof thatching, cheese making, cooking on wood fires and weaving. Several hands-on experiences are geared

Re-enacting the Past: A tour guide at Jamestown Settlement aboard the historic reconstructed ship Susan Constant (top), and two women in period costume with a homemade hot air balloon in an antique toy demonstration at Old Sturbridge Village (bottom) PHOTOS: © LINDA ETHERIDGE | DREAMSTIME.COM, © SANDRA FOYT | DREAMSTIME.COM

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Early Skills: (Above, left to right) A blacksmith hammering hot iron in his shop, Girl Scouts learning to shear wool, and a boy carding wool at a sheep shearing at Old World Wisconsin; and (below) a boy putting his nose against a blackboard in a one-room schoolhouse as a demonstration of punishment at Old World Wisconsin PHOTOS: © HANNAH BABIAK | DREAMSTIME.COM © HANNAH BABIAK | DREAMSTIME.COM

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to children, and most of the docents speak English. The café serves the famous Black Forest cherry cake.

Near Interlaken, Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg consists of a series of hamlets and farmsteads brought from across Switzerland to show traditional rural and village life. Observe demonstrations of revived old crafts such as woodcarving; silk ribbon weaving; and making barrels, rope, lace, straw hats and cheese. Seeing all the buildings and exhibits in this 124-acre museum could easily take an entire day.

Several living history museums reside in Norway, including Old Bergen Museum, an entire neighborhood of 55 wooden houses. Costumed characters share Bergen’s history, while performances enliven the town square several times daily. The Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo exhibits life from the Middle Ages to the present. Along with an astonishing stave church built in 1212, the village offers experiences for children from washing laundry in an old-fashioned tub to trying their hand at simple carpentry.

Skansen, in Stockholm, preserves more than 150 pre-1900 houses and buildings from all parts of Sweden.

Craftspeople demonstrate glassblowing, basketmaking, metal working, weaving and wood carving; and colorfully costumed folk dancers and musicians entertain throughout the day. Children can meet live reindeer along with moose, brown bears and seals at the zoo.

Throughout summer and fall, Europe abounds with Medieval and Renaissance festivals, re-enactments and events, complete with jousting matches, period costumes, traditional foods and craftspeople demonstrating skills from the Middle Ages. Several castles, such as Warwick and Leeds in England, have regular displays of jousting and historic activities children can participate in.

Or take the kids back even further to the days of Ancient Rome, with gladiator classes at the Colosseum or workshops on how to be a Roman soldier at Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England.

In Chester, England, the newly opened Deva Roman Discovery Centre is set in the ruins of a Roman fort and filled with activities that include firing a catapult, trying on Roman armor and creating mosaics.

Look for interactive and open-air museums wherever you go. On Japan’s island of Shikoku, Shikoku-Mura collects more than 30 traditional Japanese buildings, from humble cabins to elegant homes and a historic Kabuki theater. A highlight for kids is the replica of an Iya Valley vine bridge. (Reinforced with cables, it is quite safe.)

In Namibia, in southern Africa, the Living Museum of the Mbunza offers both an authentic insight into the pre-colonial culture of the Kavango people and a sustainable project to preserve those traditions. The museum is built entirely from natural materials and is staffed by local actors dressed in clothes made from leather tanned with Mangetti nut oil. The interactive programs include demonstrations of fishing, land cultivation, traditional cuisine and pottery, fire building, basket weaving and drum making.

Through the Ages: Hat shop display in Swiss Ballenberg Open-Air Museum (top), Norsk Folkemuseum (middle), and jousting at Warwick Castle (bottom) PHOTOS: © NUVISAGE | DREAMSTIME.COM, © MAREKPILAR | DREAMSTIME.COM, © WIRESTOCK | DREAMSTIME.COM

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Memories for a Lifetime Add these epic experiences to your family’s travel bucket list. BY KELLY MAGYARICS

Tropical Trek: Hiking through Petit St. Vincent PHOTO: © PETIT ST. VINCENT RESORT

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f your brood subscribes to the philosophy of “collect moments, not things,” you’ve probably gleefully anticipated your next over-the-top vacation, especially after two years of being grounded. From a private island paradise worthy of Robinson Crusoe to a glacier walk and black-bear spotting in the remote stretches of snow-capped Alaska, here are five incredible places in the world that will make for unforgettable memories, indeed.

PETIT ST. VINCENT

What kid doesn’t dream about escaping to a deserted tropical island?

It’s not the stuff of fantasies on this 115-acre all-inclusive private island resort in the Grenadines. Access Petit St. Vincent via charter flight

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from Barbados to Union Island — you can easily spot its whale-like shape during the approach — followed by a short boat ride. The property offers just 22 one- and two-bedroom cottages and villas; some have patios and private pools while others open directly onto the sand and surf. Families will find barefoot luxury, not to mention lots of room for exploring.

Camp out on your own beach, then raise the yellow flag to have lunch delivered to your lounge chairs. (The ingenious flag system is PSV’s unobtrusive way for guests to order room service or request housekeeping.) Grab racquets and balls for a tennis game, take a yoga class at the open-air pavilion or hike to the summit of Marni Hill for a view of the surrounding islands. Keep an eye out for the locals — mean-

dering turtles — crossing your path or a flock of sheep napping in the shade. The resort’s water center offers standup paddle boards, kayaks, Hobie Cats, Sunfishes, windsurfing equipment and snorkeling gear. Meanwhile, the dive center, owned by Jean-Michel Cousteau and his colleague Don Santee, offers both introductory and advanced scuba courses and dives for ambitious amphibians and their parents. Don’t miss the chance to shuttle via boat to Sandy Island, a tiny spot off the coast just large enough for a thatched palapa and 360-degree beach, where staff will set up a picnic. And family time is all but assured on the island, as cottages have neither a TV nor WiFi, and phones only ring out.

Travel’s 12-day Thailand Family Holiday starts in the vibrant capital of Bangkok, where you’ll whiz down the Chao Phraya River to explore the city’s canals and visit Thailand’s largest

Asian Sojourn: Intrepid Travel Thailand tour of Kanchanaburi temples (top) and elephant sanctuary (bottom) PHOTOS: © INTREPID TRAVEL

THAILAND

Forget that old adage about not being able to please everyone all of the time; when it comes to the perfect family destination, the Land of Smiles might just have it all. History and culture dating back millennia? Check. Social media photo-worthy statues, temples and landmarks? Check. Tropical beaches aplenty?

Check. Bustling markets for rabid souvenir shopping? Check.

The most aromatic, colorful and flavorful cuisine including addictively crushable street food? Check.

It may sound daunting to take on this Southeastern Asian country on your own, but luckily you don’t have to. Intrepid

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Volcanic Expedition: Austin Adventures Galápagos tour PHOTO: © AUSTIN ADVENTURES

reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. In Kanchanaburi, swim in or relax by Erawan Falls in a national park, then take an overnight train to Chiang Mai, the most beloved city in the northern part of the country. Tackle the 300 steps up to Buddhist temple Doi Suthep; spend some time strolling the night market; and tuck into a bowl of khao soi, the city’s famous dish of wheat noodles in simmering curry broth with meat and vegetables. After another overnight train ride back to Bangkok — a most unique experience for the fam — you’ll get to relax for a few days in Hua Hin, the beachy resort town made famous in the 1920s when Thai royalty started using it as a weekend escape. (Order a steaming bowl of tom kha, the spicy seafood soup all over menus here.) The journey ends where it began, leaving you some free time to soak in more of Bangkok’s beguiling charm (and maybe take in one last foot massage) before the flight home.

GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

Blue-footed boobies, sea lions, penguins, giant tortoises and other exotic creatures step off the pages of a children’s storybook and into their native habitat during an Austin Adventures Galápagos Family Vacation. The epic seven-day adventure starts in Quito before embarking on three of the volcanic islands that make up the archipelago off the Ecuadorian coast. Families partake in unique experiences: Take a wildlife walk on the pedestrian-only Tortuga Bay, hike to active

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volcano Sierra Negra, forest bike ride on San Cristóbal Island, kayak on the calm bay of Puerto Villamil and peer at colorful species while snorkeling the remains of Kicker Rock’s underwater volcano. Visitors also enjoy the opportunity to learn about the Galápagos’ breeding initiatives to save the vulnerable tortoises and iguanas at Charles Darwin Research Station. Accommodations include Posada del Mar, close to the pier in Puerto Ayora; the boutique-y Hotel Albemarle situated on the white sands in Puerto Villamil; and the small, eclectic, seaside Casa Blanca Bed and Breakfast. Local guides are on hand to pass on their knowledge, culture and anecdotes of their incredible home.

DARWIN RANCH

If the kids have been jockeying to live out their inner cowboy on a dude ranch out West but you are a little skittish about roughing it for a week, Darwin Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming, in the heart of Big Sky Country, checks off both their sense of rugged adventure and your need for niceties (including high-thread-count sheets). The most remote ranch in the lower 48 states — surrounded by 2.5 million acres of Bridger Teton National Forest and Gros Ventre Wilderness — draws inspiration from the safari lodges of East Africa. Accommodations include 100-year-old hand-built log cabins that meld classic style with modern amenities like wood-burning stoves and wood-fired hot tubs. Spend the days bird-watching, fishing, hiking, river rafting or trail riding; or

just sit on your porch with a good book and a view of that endless sky. The ranch serves fresh, organic, sustainable and locally sourced cuisine, highlighting the best of Greater Yellowstone’s bounty. Think spit-roasted leg of lamb that arrived by bush plane from sister property Ishawooa Mesa Ranch or the makings of the freshest salad with leafy greens from Shoshone River Farm. Its unparalleled service, stunning setting, endless outdoor pursuits and casual yet gourmet dining make for an unforgettable family vacation.

ALASKA

It might be considered a domestic trip, but The Last Frontier sure feels like a world away — and that’s a good thing. This eight-day family itinerary from upscale tour operator Abercrombie & Kent starts in Anchorage and is designed with families in mind. On Kenai Peninsula catch the sweeping views during a family float trip down Portage River, enjoy a lunchtime salmon bake and visit a nonprofit organization that rehabilitates injured and orphaned animals and returns them to the wild. Board a private boat for a cruise amid the glaciers of Prince William Sound, during which you may see humpback whales and harbor seals. A guided beach walk along Redoubt Bay affords some of the best chances for spotting black and brown bears, and your room at a rustic-modern lodge overlooks Denali, North America’s tallest peak. In Talkeetna, the base camp for those climbing Denali, kids will thrill to see the dogs of an Iditarod racer, try their hand at dryland mushing, and taste homemade birch candy and ice cream at a family-run operation nearby. But the day’s high point — literally and figuratively — is flying over the mountain’s peaks and glaciers. A deluxe domed car on the Alaska Railroad bound for Denali National Park gets you even closer to the majestic peak, as will an all-ages kayak trip on calm Byers Lake. Once safely back in Anchorage, a chef ’s table dinner experience caps off your thrilling expedition in this great land.

Wild West: Wyoming's Darwin Ranch (top); and harbor seals in an icy bay near Surprise Glacier in Prince William Sound, Alaska (bottom) PHOTOS: © DELLA FREDERICKSON, © STEVEN PRORAK | DREAMSTIME.COM

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Surprise, Support and Delight Travel providers welcome back families with kid- and teen-friendly amenities and offerings. BY HOLLY RIDDLE

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ith travel restrictions lifting and COVID-19 vaccines becoming available for younger children, family travel is back — and providers anticipate demand will only increase as time goes on.

“Families are ready to travel,” said Jen Campbell Boles, founder, Explore More Family Travel, an independent affiliate of GTN, a Virtuoso member agency. “The uptick in booking requests began in fall 2021, with the approval of the vaccine for children 5–12, but slowed down during the Omicron spike. However, bookings have skyrocketed in the first two months of 2022. Until this pandemic, we’ve

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never had travel taken away from our society. Not only are people stir-crazy and ready to go, but there is also the realization that they need to go when they can because we never know what tomorrow can bring.”

When families do take that long-awaited trip, they’ll find offerings and amenities evolved over the last few years, and more travel providers than ever now cater to their sometimes most discerning audiences: children.

Air travel proves a challenge for parents with young children, but two international airlines might make the process a little smoother, thanks to new kid-geared amenities. At the airport, Emirates’ new offerings specifically cater to unaccompanied minors; the airline allows children as young as 5 to fly solo. A newly upgraded unaccompanied minors lounge at Dubai International Airport provides video games, snacks, free WiFi and even kid-friendly restrooms. On board, Emirates now offers young flyers complimentary take-home toys and bags commemorating the recent Expo 2020 Dubai event.

Etihad Airways likewise launched a new Little VIP program in partnership with Warner Bros. World Abu

Dhabi that introduces in-flight amenities to its smallest passengers.

The program provides complimentary children’s gifts to infants and children up to 13 years old, with items ranging from fleece blankets to backpacks and board games, all with designs inspired by the Warner Bros. family of characters. In addition, an enhanced in-flight menu features kid-friendly favorites like pasta and meatballs, waffles and pancakes.

Warner Bros. has made a splash across the travel industry in general recently, with new kid-friendly offerings. Beyond the new partnership with Etihad Airways, the world’s first Warner Bros. hotel, WB Abu Dhabi, a Curio Collection by Hilton, opened in late 2021. Kids will get a kick out of ordering room service from their favorite cartoon characters, and they’ll be even more delighted when breakfast in bed is delivered via none other than Bugs Bunny.

The whimsy continues at properties like Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort, now boasting the first and only dive center in the Maldives to offer official Professional Association of Diving Instructors mermaid courses — a new program from PADI available to children as young as 6 at properties all over the world.

“Becoming a PADI mermaid is something that anyone as young as 6 years old can do. It is also a program that requires no previous

experience whatsoever. Families can go on an amazing holiday in nearly every corner of the world and literally come back as certified mermaids. Learning new skills together, exploring the underwater world together and saving our blue planet together — these are oncein-a-lifetime family experiences that will never be forgotten,” said Julie Andersen, global director of brand, PADI Worldwide.

However, for children who may want a hotel experience that’s slightly more challenging and a little less mythical, Mantis Founders Lodge in South Africa recently introduced its Bear Grylls Survival Academy Experience for Kids, part of the Founders Lodge Kids Conservation Warriors program. Children learn how to collect water, build a shelter, start a fire, tie knots, what they can and can’t eat in the wild and more — all while parents enjoy a little alone time.

Whatever kid-friendly experiences parents seek when booking their next stay, though, adventure travel opportunities are a safe bet for a fun time for the entire family, as Kasey Morrissey, president and head of operations, Austin Adventures, can attest.

“There’s real excitement in experiencing new things together,” she said. “With adventure travel, you get to enjoy a bit of the unknown — what’s around the next corner, what’s the difference between a black bear and a grizzly — and the ‘rush’ of pushing your personal limits with

Catering to Kids: (Left to right) Games and TVs at Emirates' unaccompanied minors lounge at Dubai International Airport; Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort's mermaid lessons; guestroom at WB Abu Dhabi, a Curio Collection by Hilton; and children learning to start a fire and encountering nature as part of the Founders Lodge Kids Conservation Warriors program at Mantis Founders Lodge PHOTOS: © EMIRATES AIRWAYS, © ANNIE MACKANESS, © DCT ABU DHABI, © MANTIS COLLECTION

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Wild Times: Austin Adventures' Yellowstone & Grand Teton (above) and Grand Canyon (right) family vacations PHOTOS: © AUSTIN ADVENTURES

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the people you care about the most. From rafting the Yellowstone River to hiking a mountain to bike riding in the backcountry, adventure travel really is about everyone experiencing the new together.”

As travel brands, including Austin Adventures, look to meet the demands of family travelers this year and in the future, Morrissey noted “going the extra mile is no longer just a bonus, it’s a must.”

She said, “Surprising, supporting and delighting each member of the family helps provide a uniquely memorable experience for everyone.

[Austin Adventures] has an extensive and selective guide onboarding process that ensures our guides are not only well-versed in all things adventure travel but are prepared to wow at every opportunity.”

Beyond amenities and programming, how can hotels better serve families and, more specifically, children to, as Morrissey said, “surprise, support and delight”? Some are revamping guestrooms.

At JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida, for example, a new family suite offers children their own private space away from a parents’ king room, outfitted with bunk beds, chalkboards, games and sound machines. Guests in the suite also enjoy access to a kidfriendly, sleepy-time, in-room dining menu filled with sleep-promoting snacks.

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AN OPEN INVITATION TO In Virginia Beach, our locals are ready to welcome you and your family to experience the coastal city they call home.

A vacation here is just different: less a destination to visit and more a community to join. We couldn’t be more excited to invite you to see for yourselves. When you’re ready, our doors are open. Come relax, recharge, and enjoy everything a trip to Virginia Beach has to offer.

The invitation is open. We’ll see you when you get here.

visitvirginiabeach.com/open-invitation

But not only hotels reimagine a more kid-friendly guestroom. Royal Caribbean International’s newest vessel, Wonder of the Seas, boasts the cruise line’s largest Ultimate Family Suite yet, large enough to fit a family of 10. The two-level Ultimate Family Suite concept first debuted in 2018 aboard Symphony of the Seas and comes outfitted with an in-suite slide, in-suite cinema and private game room with the latest video games.

While the kids play, the adults can hide away in a separate master suite.

Divisions of space like those offered in the Ultimate Family Suite and at JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa could be just the thing families are craving after a few years cooped up together.

“After spending more time than usual under one roof during the pandemic, today’s family is looking for more than the traditional hotel room with two beds. Parents need to put the kids to bed and still have space to connect as a couple. However, these families also want the service provided by staying at a hotel or resort that staying at a vacation rental does not provide,” said Campbell Boles.

Jessica Griscavage, board member, Family Travel Association, and director of marketing, McCabe World Travel, agreed. She notes families want space and to spread out, away from crowds. “As the villa and the home rental market have increased, I think we will also see a more significant demand for suites and connecting rooms in hotels, for added space and comfort. I have also seen an increase in the demand for cabanas, for families to have their own space at resort pools and beaches,” she said.

Travel has long provided a way for many families to connect and bond. Now, more than ever, those connections and bonds are necessary as families rediscover their love for travel after what could have been a two-year hiatus for some. Luckily, favorite travel providers remain as ready as ever to cater to family travelers’ unique needs — especially when it comes to their youngest customers.

Designed to Delight: Royal Caribbean International’s Ultimate Family Suite on Wonder of the Seas (top), and JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa's loft family suite (bottom) PHOTOS: © ROYAL CARIBBEAN, © JW MARRIOTT ORLANDO BONNET CREEK RESORT & SPA

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