My sister refused to join us at Vans US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California. Her husband, an Orange County native, warned that it was going to be a “zoo,” and didn’t think it would be a good environment for their young children. But even he didn’t expect to wake up to headlines about…
I’ve been thinking a lot about why family vacations seem to bring us closer. Developing shared interests and just having time to spend together are big factors, but I think the main reason is that we bond over outdoor adventures with kids. Seven Reasons for Outdoor Adventures with Kids When I first read Extreme Kids: How to…
For three blistering hot and bloody days in 1863 at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, the Civil War could have gone either way. Could General Meade hold the line, or would General Robert E. Lee prevail in bringing the war to the North? It was the Union Army’s dramatic repulsion of the Confederate’s Pickett’s…
The promise of a sweet reward can motivate even the most reluctant young sightseers; and luckily, there are many tempting New York City treats. I asked Larissa Horn, the Teen Concierge at the Omni Berkshire Place on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, to recommend the most popular New York City desserts. She gave me a number of great suggestions…
If you want to know what’s in New York City for teenagers, ask the Teen Concierge at Omni Bershire Place in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. I had a chance to interview Larissa Horn, the the Teen Concierge behind Omni Berkshire’s Teen Connect Program when she was gearing up for the busy summer months. Larissa is from…
I’m not sure if they still do this, but Columbia College used to take the entire Freshman class on a Circle Line cruise of Manhattan during Orientation. Then, as now, the three-hour sightseeing cruise is the best way to get a full view of the New York City skyline, and to begin to get an…
There is no Lincoln Highway marker in New York City. Even in 1913, Times Square was more of a ceremonial origination point rather than the beginning of an actual roadway. And yet it made sense then, as it does now, to begin in New York City. This is where so many of the people who…
It gets easier to come up with a packing list for a summer-long cross-country road trip when you’ve done it a few times. I have a pretty good idea of what I will actually use, and what will clutter up the car. The first time I took the kids on my own across the USA,…
It has been decided. Starting June 24th, thirteen-year-old Alex and I are setting out on a road trip along the Lincoln Highway. “America’s First Highway,” which runs from New York City to San Francisco, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2013. A century which saw a dramatic shift in the very idea of the American vacation…
There’s one good thing about rainy days–waterfalls. New York has many waterfalls, including the spectacular ones found at Niagara Falls. But in New York’s Capital Region, we’re lucky to have the impressive waterfalls of the historic Indian Ladder Trail in Thatcher Park. What a scenic overlook! On a clear day you can see Vermont’s Green…