—http://www.SmarterTravel.com also features an archive of Taking the Kids columns—http://www.smartertravel.com/all/?content_type=column&column_type=taking_the_kids

—Travel news you can use from Peter Greenberg Worldwide http://www.petergreenberg.com

—Ciao Bambino reviews family travel destinations in Italy, England, Spain, and France: http://www.ciaobambino.com

—the Centers for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/travel for the latest information on necessary vaccinations and potential health risks, like Avian Flu

—Clif Bar has posted a blog on family travel tips, including Eileen’s http://www.clifbar.com/blog/detail/road_trippin/

—Looking for day-trips in New England?  Visit http://www.shortdrives.com and find all kinds of attractions—golf, fishing, museums, even lighhouses, within a short drive of your home base.

—The U.S. Department of State website - http://www.state.gov - posts Consular Information Sheets for every country of the world with information on everything from health conditions to entry requirements, warnings, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate

—http://www.kidsflysafe.com - for more info on the new Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES), the first designed specifically for use on planes and just approved by the FAA for use by children 22-44 pounds. CARES is small—it fits into a 6” pouch—and attaches directly to an airplane seat, thus allowing a child to be restrained by a shoulder harness (Price: $74.95)

—http://www.faa.gov - for why the FAA strongly urges parents to use safety seats on planes

—http://www.tsa.gov - the Transportation Security Administration website to see the latest rules on what is and is not permissible through security

—http://www.usa.safekids.org - the website for the National Safe Kids Campaign, with tips on everything from installing your car seat correctly to keeping your kids safe around water

—http://www.luggageconcierge.com - http://www.luggagefree.com - http://www.luggageforward.com - http://www.baggagedirect.com are among the companies now offering to ship your luggage and sports gear when you travel.

—http://www.insuremytrip.com and http://www.quotewright.com - to compare and purchase travel insurance plans, some of which insure kids free including http://www.travelguard.com - http://www.travelex-insurance.com - http://www.accessamerica.com - http://www.travelsafe.com

—http://www.familytravelforum.com - a rich archive on family travel

—http://www.jetsetbabies.com and http://www.babiestravellite.com are sites that let you purchase all kinds of baby gear and have it delivered to where you’re staying on your travels.  Sure beats schlepping those heavy diaper bags!

—http://www.nps.gov to link to the National Park you hope to visit

—AAA’s http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com to see exactly what you’ll spend on your upcoming road trip and if you’d be better off renting a more fuel-efficient vehicle for the trip. http://www.travelpost.com promises to help travelers find the cheapest gas as well as hotels offering special deals to those arriving by car

—http://www.hotels.com and http://www.hotwire.com for discount hotel rooms in cities

—http://www.citypass.com and http://www.gousacard.com to purchase discount coupons for major city attractions around the country

—http://www.site59.com for last-minute trips

—Buy tickets to the production your gang wants to see both for London and New York at http://www.keithprowse.com (another plus using this website if you’re heading to London: You can pay in U.S. dollars)

—http://www.tdf.org to see what discounted Broadway tickets are being offered at the TKTS booth at 47th Street and Broadway and downtown at South Street Seaport

—http://www.harvardsquare.com is a good source of information when touring colleges or sighseeing in Boston, as is http://www.bostonusa.com

—http://www.cruising.org - the website of the Cruise Lines International Association where you can search for a cruise, find a deal and a travel agent in your area who is a cruise specialist. http://www.cruisemates.com is an excellent webzine about cruising, with a special section on family cruises. 

—Disabled Sports USA http://www.dsusa.org to find out more about wilderness and snow-sports programs around the country that cater to those with disabilities.

—websites for adventure companies that I have traveled with and that especially cater to families include the consortium of companies http://www.trustedadventures.com    http://www.familyadventures.com and http://www.oars.com    The Sierra Club (http://www.outings.sierraclub.org)    the Appalachian Mountain CLub (http://www.outdoors.org)    Thomson Family Adventures (http://www.familyadventures.com)

—http://www.familyskiresorts.net/ A one-stop guide to family ski fun. Vacations, lessons, resort reviews, family travel tips.

—http://www.mydriveholiday.com/usa USA RV Rental—Features Motorhome, RV, Campervan Rentals and Hire in the USA

—http://www.FrugalMonkey.com/ FrugalMonkey helps you find cheap travel deals and free country travel guides.

Eileen Ogintz
(click image to enlarge)

Eileen Ogintz was a national correspondent for the Chicago Tribune then (1987), covering news stories around the country. The travel editor, hearing her tale of woe about the cat and the goldfish pond, encouraged her to write a story about the trials of traveling with children. That story led to others. “We realized there were a lot of people like me, parents who wanted help planning trips now that they had kids.” The award-winning syndicated column Taking the Kids grew out of those stories. Ogintz left the Tribune in 1992, after 14 years as a reporter, national correspondent and feature writer, to spend more time with her three young children and to launch the column nationally. The Taking the Kids series of travel guides for children, published by HarperCollins West, followed as did The Kid’s Guide: Cruising Alaska and The Kids Guide: NYC, published by Globe Pequot.  Ogintz was the recipient of a Parents’ Choice honor for the Taking the Kids series, which highlights the Southwest, Southern California, Northern California, the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies.

Andy, Eileen, Matt, Reggie, and Melanie at Glacier National Park in 1994
(click image to enlarge)“More people than ever are taking their kids places, whether they’re going to Grandma’s or a museum, to Disney World or on a business trip,” Ogintz said. “Their time and budgets are tight, especially with gas prices so high. I give them the help they need to make the most of their family time.” “Planning with the kids’ interests in mind can make the difference between a great trip and one that’s a disaster,” she added.

Taking the Kids now appears on websites like http://www.cnn.com, http://www.smartertravel.com, and http://www.southwest.com and in major newspapers including the New York Daily News.  Newsday, Boston Herald, Miami Herald and Dallas Morning News as well as on newspaper websites. The award winning column has millions of readers and increasingly is noted on parenting blogs.

Eileen with daughter Reggie Yemma. Reggie had just taken part in a ski race.Ogintz is considered a leading national expert on family travel and is often is quoted in major publications from USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and parenting and women’s and parents’ magazines on family travel. She has appeared on such television programs as “48 Hours,” “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America” and “Oprah,” as well as dozens of local radio and television news programs.

Ogintz, who holds a master’s in journalism from the University of Missouri, is a 20-year veteran of the newspaper business, reporting for The Anniston Star, The Record in Hackensack, N.J., and Des Moines Register as well as the Chicago Tribune, where she created the paper’s family-issues beat. Today, she is regular contributor to numerous national publications, and has appeared on such television programs as “48 Hours,” “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America” and “Oprah.” She created a course on the changing American family at Northwestern University and consults on work/family issues.

Eileen with son Matt at his graduation in 2006 (click image to enlarge)From their home in Westport, Connecticut, Ogintz travels with her husband, their three children, Matt, Reggie and Melanie, and other young children in the extended family who serve—not always graciously—as Taking the Kids’ special team of experts. 

The Kid’s Guide to New York City by Eileen Ogintz explores the Big Apple by neighborhood, supplying kid-tested tips on where to go and what to see. Fun facts and tips on the area’s best snacks and souvenirs are also included.

From the back cover: So you’re headed for the Big Apple. Now what?! Grab The Kid’s Guide to New York City and turn your family vacation into a mega-fun adventure. Be prepared for new experiences, different cultures, good food, and great shopping! You just might learn something while you’re at it.

This guidebook, written just for you, offers:

• Tips on what to see and what to do
• Where to hear all kinds of music, from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to MTV studios in Times Square
• Ice skating rinks, parks, and other places to have fun
• Where to shop for just about anything
• Kid-friendly places to eat
• Where to see all sorts of art, and even make your own
• Fun facts about landmarks like the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty
• A look around New York’s many different neighborhoods
• Input and advice from kids that live in New York City and from visiting kids, too
• Pages to write your thoughts and paste in pictures
• And much more!

Thank you!

My two oldest children 10 years ago on a fall outing in Wisconsin (click image to enlarge)

Tribune Media Services

You are so lucky.

Sure you have to drag a diaper bag (not to mention stroller, car seat and a generous supply of Goldfish) everywhere you go, you haven’t had a full night’s sleep in you can’t remember when and the dire economic news makes you wonder how you’ll ever pay for preschool, much less college, but then there’s the bright side—travel-wise, anyway. While everyone else is up to their ears in carpools, homework and soccer games, you’re free to get out of town.