Up until recently, I’d never considered extended stay hotels when planning family travel—I just always assumed they were for briefcase-slinging road warriors.  Then I had the opportunity to check out Homewood Suites, and guess what?  The needs of business travelers and families with children are strikingly similar.

Separate bedrooms and full kitchens? Check.

Since separate bedrooms mean separate bed times, suite-style accommodations can make or break a family vacation.  But in traditional hotels, the room rates can be prohibitive.  Homewood’s got one, and two-bedrooms suites and I found rates to be pleasantly affordable.

The kitchens are real kitchens, not just a corner of the room with a coffeemaker and microwave.  You get a full-sized fridge, a stove and dishwasher, cooking utensils, dishes, and a dining table.  I left a sinkful of dirty dishes one day, and the housekeeper loaded them into the dishwasher and ran it.  Nice.

Amenities like free parking, free wifi, and onsite laundry gave me a warm fuzzy feeling too, and made me feel right at home.

Free breakfast

Complimentary continental breakfast is pretty standard fare these days in suite hotels, and thank goodness for that.  Homewood has all the usual goodies, plus some cooked options (eggs, bacon, sausages, waffles).  Also, I liked the fact the coffee bar offers three speeds: decaf, medium, and strong.  Guess which one I chose?

Free dinner too

No, that is not a typo.  Monday through Thursday evenings, Homewood serves a hot entree, salad, and beverages (usually including beer and wine, subject to state laws).

My daughter and I were there on chicken cacciatore night.  I thought it wasn’t bad, but Avery (who is a little picky) made a lot of mournful faces and ate a lot of dinner rolls.  Our room phone had pizza, chicken, and Chinese restaurants on speed dial, so there’s your Plan B.

Complimentary grocery shopping

You’ll also find a shopping list attached to your fridge with a magnet.  Fill it out, drop it off at the front desk, and get on with your vacation.  When you return, your shopping has been done and delivered.  You’ll be charged for the groceries, but not the service.  This is a huge money, time, and sanity-saver.

Space to play

Finally, most locations have swimming pools and courtyards with barbecues, so you and your kids can unwind and make a little noise after a long day of sightseeing.

During the week, you’ll probably have these spaces to yourself, but things can get a little more festive (and crowded) on the weekends.  Try to arrive early to breakfast too, to beat the 9am rush.

So, what’s the catch?

Usually location.  Since they’re business hotels first, Homewood Suites are often closer to local business parks than tourist attractions.  At the Homewood Suites San Diego-Del Mar, for example, you’ll have to drive 25 minutes to get to Legoland or the San Diego Zoo.  Maybe that works for you.  Maybe not.

There are some notable exceptions.  Homewood has centrally-located hotels in Seattle, Chicago, Washington DC, Orlando, and New Orleans.  Visit www.homewoodsuites.com to find a hotel near your destination.  When in doubt, click on the “Local Guide” tab to learn just how many blocks you’ll be from the subway, aquarium, or White House.

Some families ski.  Others ride bikes.  We walk.  Well, if I want to make it sound more impressive (and I do), I should say that we hike.   I’m not sure exactly what separates the hikers from the walkers.  Location?  The occasional use of a long stick for balance?  Who really knows.

Why hike with your kids?  There are lots of reasons, here are five of them:

1. You can’t beat the price
Normally hiking is free except for the occasional parking or park entrance fee.  Just try to find another family activity with a price tag like that.

2. It’s age appropriate
By this I mean its appropriate for any age. My kids are two so they won’t be rafting the Colorado any time soon, but there is no reason why they can’t walk along a stream with me. Before they were walking, I pushed them in their jogging stroller on accessible trails and when I am old and gray they can push me.

3. Hiking is fun!  No, really
If your kids are anything like mine they will have a blast climbing boulders, throwing stones into lakes and streams, and running down gravel paths. Anything involving rocks seems to make them happy. But if you have a child who isn’t digging dirt (or rocks) then make the hike into a game with a scavenger hunt. Have them look for flowers, wildlife, and insects. Help them realize there is more to nature than dirt and trees.

4. It gets you closer to nature

Sure you can drive through a National Park and enjoy the scenery, but to truly get a feel for the landscape,  you need to get out of the car. Riding a mountain bike is a great way to see back country but you may whiz right on by a pocket of gorgeous flowers, a nest hidden in a tree or a lizard sunning itself on a boulder. These are the things that get kids excited about.

5. It’s great exercise
Let’s face it: as a nation, we’re fat. A hundred years ago we built muscle by plowing fields and scrubbing laundry. Now the most defined muscle in our body is the mouse clicker (Yes, it’s a real muscle. Look it up).

Personally I would much rather get my exercise enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors than in a gym scowling at the beauty with the rock hard abs on the next elliptical machine who obviously has never experienced the joy that is pregnancy.

Toronto is Canada’s most densely populated city, but it doesn’t feel that way.  From the air it’s all green spaces and endless water.  The impression that holds up upon closer inspection, though the city is cosmopolitan and urban by turns too.

My daughter and I spent four days in and around Toronto in June, and came away very impressed.  The same things that make the city so darn livable make it very visitable too.  Here are five fun things to do there with kids.

1.  Look down on other people

It takes just 58 seconds to travel to the 114th floor of the CN Tower, but try not to hold your breath.  The glass floor on the 113th floor is the main attraction.  Go ahead and stand on it—it’s allegedly strong enough to withstand the weight of 14 hippos and has a view straight down.  After that, journey higher to the Sky Pod (147 stories up), or just grab lunch at Horizons Restaurant.

The CN Tower may not hold the title of “tallest building” (an honor that goes to a skyscraper still under construction in Dubai) or even “tallest freestanding structure” (a mostly-underwater oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico), but it was more than tall enough for us.

2.  Get your science on

The Ontario Science Centre actually convinced me that educational museums can be fun—it’s that good.  In fact, I might still be playing with the amazing hydraulaphone (a cross between a flute, a drinking fountain, and a pipe organ) near the museum’s entrance if duty hadn’t called.

My daughter and I also enjoyed goofing around with the 3-D pin toy in the KidSpark exhibit, reserved for children 8 and under and their caregivers.  Other highlights included an interactive floor, a bobsled simulator, and the electricity show, in which a Van de Graaf electrostatic generator is used to demonstrate static electricity (not to mention really bad hair).

3.  Go back in time

The impressive Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest museum of world cultures and natural history.  Try not to arrive tired, because you’ll run out of energy long before you run out of interest.  With small kids, head straight to the second floor where the Natural History galleries are housed.  The Gallery of Birds is absolutely fascinating with hundreds of diverse species mounted in mid-air in a single flock.

Other hits with kids are the dinosaur and mammal galleries (which feature 60 complete dinosaur skeletons and artifacts such as fossilized birds, insects, and the ever-popular dinosaur poop) and the first peoples gallery (with birch bark canoes, beautiful native North American bead work, and Sioux chief Sitting Bull’s headdress).

If your reserves aren’t tapped out, the Earth’s Treasures should be your final stop.  The ROM’s collection of minerals, gems, meteorites and rocks will knock even the smallest socks off the most tired feet.

4.  Get out of town

Toronto is a pretty leafy place, but if you’ve got an urge for wide open spaces you won’t have to go far.  Just 20 minutes from downtown is the 200-year-old village of Unionville where you can browse the shops, have lunch and stroll down historic Main Street.  Unionville often dresses up as small-town America for films, television, and commercials, and visiting is like stepping back in time.

Just up the road from Unionville are the Forsythe Family Farms (usually open May through October) which have everything kids love: animals, wagon rides, and plenty of room to play.  Spring brings baby animals to feed and hold, and in the fall there are hedge mazes and pumpkins.  Their Enchanted Forest is the antidote to modern life: a 25-minute walk through the woods punctuated by wooden storybook scenes.

Hikers will love the York Regional Forest, a lovely series of rustic tracts crisscrossed with paths, streams, and very little else.  Owls, fox, deer, and turkeys make their homes here as does poison ivy (so stay on the trails).

5.  Visit the falls

No Toronto itinerary is complete without a visit to Niagara Falls.  It’s a 1 1/2-hour journey by train and about the same by car, so allow almost a full day however you arrive.

By far the best way to see both Bridal Veil Falls (on the American side) and Horseshoe Falls (on the Canadian side) is from aboard the Maid of the Mist boats.  You suit up in blue disposable rain ponchos and cruise past both falls on a 30-minute tour.

There’s a running audio commentary, but we couldn’t really hear it over the shrieks and laughter of the passengers.  The spray as you pass Horseshoe Falls is equivalent to standing under a cold shower, and the sound is a lot like thunder.

If time allows, hit the local IMAX theater (on the Canadian side) for a showing of “Niagara: Legends and Daredevils.”  It’s predictably overwrought, but enjoyable.  As you exit the show, you pass through the Daredevil Gallery which houses a historical collection of scraped and dented barrels that survived the plunge over the falls, though five of their numbskull passengers did not.

Atlanta is known as a great convention city, but it’s also a great family friendly destination.  In addition to the better known Atlanta attractions such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Stone Mountain Park and Six Flags Over Georgia, there are lots of things to do in Atlanta that are easy on the wallet and big on fun. Here is a list of several free things to do in Atlanta.

1. Piedmont Park

Piedmont Park could be a post all its own. This is a wonderful place to bike, rollerblade, walk, or toss a ball. There’s even a dog park for your four legged family members. Free guided walking tours offer a fascinating look at the park’s rich history. Once a month, enjoy guided bird watching hikes. The park has the only playground designed (and recently renovated) by internationally renowned sculptor, designer, and architect Isamu Noguchi. Each Saturday, enjoy the unique, open-air Green Market featuring Georgia-grown produce, fresh cut flowers, baked goods and herbs, along with chef demonstrations and live music. On the first and third Saturdays, kids can make a project to take home as part of the EnviroVentures Saturday Drop By.

2. Center For Puppetry Arts Museum

The Center for Puppetry Arts offers world class puppet shows and a fantastic museum of all kinds of puppets including a recently acquired collection from Jim Henson. The Henson display includes, Big Bird and Bert from Sesame Street, Kermit and the Swedish Chef from the Muppets, and others from various commercials, tv shows and movies done by Henson. The museum is FREE each Thursday from 1 - 3 pm. For a list of puppet shows, visit www.puppet.org.

3. There’s Music in the Air

I love outdoor concerts and there are plenty to choose from in Atlanta. Local musicians play in neighborhood parks during events like the Chastain Chill or East Cobb Playdate. Centennial Park hosts the free Wednesday Winddown and Music @noon. If you want to leave the kids at home, purchase a table and bring your favorite picnic and a bottle of wine to the Chastain Amphitheater. For something a little different, check out the line up at the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Concerts in the Garden. It’s a great place to see a show.

4. Outdoor Movies

Each summer several of the parks around Atlanta host outdoor summer movies. There’s Screen on the Green in Downtown and Flicks on 5th in Midtown Atlanta. Both offer somewhat more mature fare but there is at least a few good kid movies on the list. East Cobb Park offers a more kid friendly line-up. Although it’s not free, you can enjoy a cheap step back in time at the Starlight Drive In Movie Theater. Double features show each night for $7 per adult and $1 per child age 3-9. Come early to get a good spot and bring a picnic.

5. Cool at the Pool

Cool down in the Georgia heat at one of several recently renovated public pools. Chastain Park and Piedmont Park are free weekday mornings and charge a nominal fee of $4 for adults and $2 for children in the afternoon.

Whatever you choose, you’re bound to have a great time visiting Atlanta.

Sue Rodman is the author of Field Trips with Sue, a fun blog about inexpensive outings with kids in and around Atlanta.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s demise and the city is popping with all kinds of great deals, events and nightlife.  Despite being known as a hip, clubber’s paradise - the Deutscher youth often go holiday there just to party the nights away - your kid can say “Ich Bin Ein Berliner,” too.  There’s a ton of great family stuff to do in Germany’s capital city.  So much so that it was very difficult for me to narrow it down to five things.  But, hey, if I missed something really, really good, you can just add it in the comments!

1. Zoo Berlin

I’ve already blogged about Chet and my adventures in the Berlin Zoo searching for Knut.  But this zoo has a lot more to offer than just an internationally adored, adolescent polar bear.  There’s a great petting zoo, an adjacent aquarium and, Chet’s favorite, the wild and crazy monkey house.  We spent quite a bit of time there watching the affen swing around, flash big, red butts and fling poop at the glass.  Good times.

2. Checkpoint Charlie

Yes, yes, I know that the checkpoint is only a replica and looks nothing like the actual checkpoint did back in the days of the wall.  Even if it’s not authentic, it’s still fun!  Take your photos alongside a faux Soviet soldier and then make your way to the nearby Museum Haus.  Your kids will be entranced with all of the innovative and, frankly, insane ways that people tried to escape into Western Germany during the days of the Iron Curtain.  I was honestly surprised that some of the exhibits weren’t marked with some type of Darwin Award winning ribbons.

3. The Puppentheater Museum

Both you and your kids will be thrilled and also a little creeped out by the puppets on display at this funky museum.  The museum offers very kid-friendly tours as well as story hours, puppet shows and other events.  But really, the draw will always be those belong-in-Poltergeist-icky-looking marionettes.

4. The Reichstag

The old German Parliament Building is fascinating from a historical perspective - it’s now commonly believed that Hitler had it burnt down (and blamed some poor Dutch guy for it) to vilify the Communists and solidify the Nazi party’s power in the country back in the 1920’s.  Your children may or may not be interested in touring the old part of the building (advance tickets are necessary).  But definitely take the time to climb up to the top and check out the modern, mirrored Reichstag dome.  It offers incredible views of the city even on dreary days and the circular walkway will help your kid burn off a little extra energy.

5. Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

I’m sure that this one will cause some raised eyebrows - I know many parents prefer not to take children to these kinds of memorials.  Germany, of course, has many monuments and museums dedicated to the Holocaust.  And some of them are decidedly NOT kid-friendly.  However, the museum underneath the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a block-wide, concrete-block modern art sculpture, I believe, is one of the most tasteful yet eye-opening exhibits in this vein.  For kids old enough to understand the Holocaust, it is thoughtful and educational without being too overwhelming.  And for kids too young to understand?  They’ll just love running amok along the sloping pathways between the large, concrete block and will then be happy to hang out in the stroller as you explore the museum.

So if you’ve considered visiting Berlin, don’t hesitate.  There is all kinds of great history and activities for the whole family.

Thirty years after their first triumphant world tour, the Pharoah’s treasures are on the road again.  King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs opened this week at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, and has announced engagements in Indianapolis and Toronto next.  Want to take your kids?  Good call.  Here’s what to expect.

Timed entry, long lines, and no strollers

Kids five and older will be fascinated by the objects and legends of King Tut, but parents will have to clear a few hurdles to get to them.

Timed entry tickets keeps the wait times down, but you’ll stand in line for up 30 minutes to enter the exhibit with your group.  Since antsy kids and lines don’t mix, I’d definitely recommend bringing your own entertainment.  If you forget, hit the gift shop which stocks a mind-blowing selection of Egypt-themed merchandise in the Treasures of Ancient Egypt store.  Seriously, who buys this stuff?  Oh right, I do.

Soft front carriers are permitted inside, but strollers and baby backpacks are not.  We saw a few people with toddlers—they looked absolutely miserable (the parents, not the toddlers).

Getting the most out of the tour

Definitely spend the $7 for the audio tour.  A lot of it will go over your kids’ heads, but a lot of it won’t.  Of the 80 objects in the exhibit, about 20 have short narrations (by Omar Sharif) complete with music and interviews.  Our 7 and 9-year-old kids listened intently to the entire thing.

If you read up on King Tut, Howard Carter (the archaeologist who discovered his tomb), and Lord Carnarvon (the guy who bankrolled the search and excavation) before you go, your kids will enjoy their visit exponentially more.  Books that cover the so-called “curse of King Tut’s tomb” seem to go down particularly well.

Videos and wall-sized excavation photos add a lot of drama to the exhibit and put the artifacts in perspective, so take the time to check them out too.

Highlights for kids

In a story tailor-made for children, Tutankhamun ascended the throne 3,300 years ago at the age of nine, ruled for ten turbulent years, and died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 19.  The exhibit includes many of the boy king’s personal items as well as treasures meant to insure his divine immortality.

Our kids were deeply impressed by the huge stone head of Amenhotep IV, the wooden bust of Tut as a boy, and a ceremonial gold dagger found tucked into the mummified monarch’s belt.

The most fascinating piece is a tiny, but perfect coffinette used to preserve the viscera of Tutankhamun (or as we like to call them, “Tut’s guts”) during the mummification process.  On it, the boy king is depicted in gold, obsidian, crystal, and glass wearing his trademark striped headdress.  My 7-year-old son said it best: “Whoa.”

There are two other small coffins that are new to the exhibit which were found to contain tiny mummified female fetuses (currently undergoing DNA testing to determine their relationship to King Tut).  Interesting for adults, but a little grisly for kids.

Unfortunately the iconic golden Death Mask which was the highlight of the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibit in 1979 no longer travels—the Egyptian government has deemed it too fragile.  Tut’s mummy and inner sarcophagus aren’t touring either.  They are still in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs will be at the de Young Museum in San Francisco through March, 2010.  Tickets are available at www.tutsanfrancisco.org.

Traveling moms tend to be polarized on the topic of in-car DVD systems: some think that looking out the window and talking builds character, others believe that car time is down time.

Children’s audiobooks are less controversial.  When you find a good one, the miles just seem to fly by for everyone.

Your local library is a great source for free audiobooks, but you can also buy them on amazon.com (or directly from the publishers), download them from audible.com (or from the iTunes store, though their selection is limited), and even swap them at www.paperbackswap.com.

Here are ten of my family’s favorites to get you started:

1. Brown Bear and Friends (ages 2-5)

I know what you’re thinking: this book doesn’t even really have a plot!  Bear with me though, this is the very, very shallow end of the audiobook pool and it’s where your kids should start.  You’ve got to crawl before you can walk, after all.   Academy Award winner (and mom) Gwyneth Paltrow does voices for all the different characters, and there is fun background music too.  At just an hour long, it’s perfect for the youngest listeners.  The stories are read in English and in Spanish, for your bilingual pleasure.

2. Love You Forever, the Best of Robert Munsch (ages 3-adult)

The gentle, silly repetition in these stories are a delight for all ages.  Robert Munsch’s characters are plucky, independent, and confident.  Very young children will be happy to listen to this one over and over.  Highlights include the Paperbag Princess (who rescues her shallow boyfriend, then dumps him when he criticizes her dirty clothes and messy hair) and Stephanie’s Ponytail (all about a girl who keeps changing her look when others copy it).

3. Animal Tales (ages: 3-adult)

Jim Weiss has a wonderfully soothing voice that’s a pleasure to listen to.  Many of his stories are geared for older children, but this one is perfect for first time listeners.  His interpretations of these classic tales steer clear of scary elements, and have gentle morals.  Anyone who can make the Tortoise and the Hare interesting to grown-ups is obviously a major talent.

4. The Hank the Cowdog series (ages: 4-adult)

Before he was an award-winning author and performer, John Erickson was a west Texas cowboy and ranch manager.  Hank, the star of his The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog series, is a self-aggrandizing ranch dog who thinks of himself as “the head of ranch security.”  Hank’s misadventures, dim sidekicks, and wry tone will have your entire family laughing all the way to your destination.

5. Flat Stanley Audio Collection (ages 4-adult)

The Flat Stanley stories are read by the incomparable Daniel Pinkwater (the author of The Hoboken Chicken Emergency and a children’s literature heavyweight in his own right).  Pinkwater sounds sort of like Dustin Hoffman with a bad head cold, which is inexplicably wonderful.  Flat Stanley’s parents’ matter of fact attitude when they’re son loses his third dimension, goes to space, and meets the President is as funny as the stories themselves.

6. Blah Blah Blah (ages 5-adult)

The best children’s authors are the ones who never, you know, quite grew up themselves.  Bill Harley is just such an author (and I mean that as a very high compliment).  He is still very much in touch with his fear of monsters, sibling rivalry, and disdain for adult logic.  We’ve listened to this one at least 15 times so far, and “Joey, Chloe and the Swamp Monsters” holds a special place in our hearts.

7. The Giants and the Joneses (ages 5-adult)

From the acclaimed author of such family favorites as The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale, comes a Giant story with a twist.  Told partly in Groilish (the language of the giants), this story features a “bimplestonk” (beanstalk), “iggly plops” (little people), a “spratchkin” (kitten), and Jumbeelia (the giant girl who holds the fate of the Joneses in her oversized hands).  Reassure very young children that the sheep that seems to have died early in the story has only fainted and will be just fine.

8. The City under the Back Steps (ages: 6-adult)

If you had told me that I would listen in rapt fascination to a story about ants for six hours, I would have been more than a little dubious.  But I did.  Craig and Jill (who aren’t very nice to ants) suddenly shrink and find themselves living under their back steps.  Between the dramatic story and the stranger-than-fiction scientific information about life in an anthill, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.  So were my kids.

9. The Harry Potter series (ages: 9-adult)

We’ve rated this one 9 and up, but the first book (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) is probably okay for children as young as 7.  Use your own judgment.  The best thing about these stories is that they are really, really, really long.  So if you’re driving from San Francisco to LA or New York to Florida, these are perfect.  Don’t worry if your kids have already read them, they’re just as good the second time around.

10. Evermore (ages: 12-adult)

We know you’re sick of handsome immortals, but trust us: your tweens and teens aren’t.  You might be able to tempt them into turning off their iPods and listening as a family if you put on this story.  A beautiful outcast is befriended by a strange (and strangely perfect) boy at her new school.  Sound familiar?  Of course it does.  Go with it, it’s fun.

Have you gotten your hands on a Flip Video Ultra yet?  I’m not even a gadget geek, and I love mine.  It’s pocket-sized, lightweight, and easy enough for a child to use (as mine often do, though I’ll spare you the results).  It’s got other niceties too, like 60 minutes of recording time, a built in USB connector,  and digital zoom.

And one lucky mom is going to win one right here, right now (sorry fellas—it’s pink).

Here at Travel Savvy Mom, we don’t go anywhere without our Flip Ultras, and neither should you.  Here’s an unedited 30-second video I shot a couple months ago on a private island called Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas on my cruise aboard the Norwegian Gem to give you a sense of the color, sound, and clarity the Flip Ultra delivers:

Flip Giveaway from TravelSavvyMom on Vimeo.

Pretty nice for a device the size and weight of a pack of playing cards, I think.

Not to be sneaky or anything, but only subscribers to our quarterly newsletter are eligible to win this sucker (U.S. only please).  If you’re already a subscriber, you’re all set.  If not, sign up by midnight, July 10th, leave a comment here, and keep your fingers crossed.

One of the great selling points of the community which I call home is its proximity to New York City. The opportunity to live in suburban bliss but still pop into the city in no time flat sounds so great, doesn’t it?  And it would be, if we actually took advantage of it more often.  We’re always planning to enjoy all that the city has to offer, of course.  You know… soon.

But every week there seems to be a reason to put off the (embarrassingly short) trip.  Bad weather.  A sick kid.  A party.  Visitors.  General lethargy.  Clearly our best intentions are never going to be enough.  And so last month, I took a slightly radical step.  Spurred on by a great hotel opportunity, I picked a random weekend on the calendar and wrote “New York” on it in indelible ink.

As the weekend approached, the conflicts began to roll in.  First a birthday party invitation.  Then a second.  A major fundraiser at my son’s school.  Friends who wanted to get together.  But the weekend was marked off on our calendar.  To my kids’ endless chagrin, I sent our regrets to all. “We could go to New York any old weekend…” they whined.  But I held firm.  We had plans.

There was more whining on the way to the city as Julia counted down the hours to the first party she would be missing.  But she had to admit that South Street Seaport was pretty cool, and the sight of the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park wasn’t half bad either.

Evan was still disappointed about missing the big concert at his school… until we escorted him into Times Square’s ESPN Zone just in time for a Stanley Cup playoff game.  By the time we’d done the NY Skyride, ascended to the top of the Empire State Building, caught a show at the Central Park Marionette Theater and gorged ourselves at Patsy’s Pizzeria, no one was whining anymore.

The staycation is a greatly hyped concept in this summer of cutting back.  The problem with the scheme, however (at least for people like me), has always been that local trips can so easily be put off for a “better” day.  But our New York City weekend taught me that it might all be easier than I’d ever realized.  If I want to sightsee locally, maybe all that I really need is a good indelible pen.

Need a family friendly hotel in New York?  Rebecca and family stayed at the Affinia Manhattan.

I’ll admit it: when I got invited to tour the Olympic Peninsula,  my first thought was not about exploring this emerald Shangri-La. That was my second thought.

My mind initially turned to a certain vampire named Edward who has turned a nondescript logging community in the heart of the Olympic Peninsula into an international destination. I was thrilled when I heard his hometown Forks was a part of the trip. An even bigger bonus was the opportunity to explore this land that boasts the best of both worlds-where mountains and sea collide to form an idyllic recreational playground for families.

A special shout-out to Twilight author Stephanie Meyer for not choosing to set her best-selling books in Kansas.

I relish any chance to travel solo but during my trip to the Olympic Peninsula, I longed for my children. How they would love playing with life-sized Harry (from the Hendersons) at the Rain Drop Café after rafting in the Hoh Rainforest. How they would dance in the gazebo at Kalaloch Lodge overlooking the Pacific Ocean. And I envisioned them squealing with glee as our boat took flight, seemingly soaring across Quinault Lake.

Cradled between the Pacific Ocean, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Hood Canal, the Olympic Peninsula is a fantastic haven for families and I certainly missed mine.

Twilight Tourin’

Before Twilight (B.T.), Forks was a one-light town most would have overlooked. After Twilight (A.T.), tourism has increased 100-fold as Forks has become host to vampire- and werewolf-loving fans of all ages.

Annette Root recognized this need and opened Dazzled by Twilight, a store with every Twilight card, shirt and souvenir imaginable. This summer, it will move to a new location with a rainforest setting that was created by a Hollywood set designer.

Dazzled by Twilight also offers an area tour that I may-or-may-not confess to loving. I just may have taken loads of pictures as we cruised by Bella’s, Jacob’s and the Cullins’ houses. Surely I was not tempted to order a Vampire Shake at Three Rivers Resort, also known as “The Treaty Line.”

And when we visited La Push beach–home to a gray whale migration route and innumerable bald eagles–I definitely did not catch myself looking for Jacob among the local Quileute Indians. Special thanks to my tour guide Travis who made me proud to be a middle-aged fan of Twilight.

Whether I publicly admit to it or not.

Though entertaining, Forks was not the highlight of my trip. The Olympic Peninsula is the home of Olympic National Park, which boasts three eco-systems: an old-growth rainforest, glacier-capped mountains and the pristine Pacific Ocean. ARAMARK manages three of the area’s most family-friendly and affordable lodging properties.

Sol Duc - The Hot Springs in the Rainforest

Our first stopover was at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, an excellent hub for hiking and fishing in the Hoh Rainforest. The rustic cabins are spacious and the hot springs provide a memorable respite. My dinner at The Springs Restaurant was delicious but dessert was the highlight: marionberry crisp with lavender ice cream.

The lowlight was sharing it with my travel companions.

There are oodles of great hikes for families and not to be missed is the nearby 0.8-mile trek to Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park. This easy trail winds through emerald-green splendor to the thundering falls–the area’s crown jewel.

I was so entranced that I recruited a few others to hike “Lover’s Lane,” a 3-mile trail that lead back to the resort. Aptly named, we wove through a forest of swooning flowers, sparkling greenery and the embrace of Vine Maples, Hemlock Spruce and Cedars.

Kalaloch - The Lodge on the Ocean

Whether you stay in a cabin with a wood-fueled fireplace or a guest room in the Main Lodge, you will have one thing in common: breathtaking views. Kalaloch Lodge is perched on a bluff mere steps away from the ocean’s balm and connects the Pacific breakers to the towering coastal firs.

While the scenery may be distinctive, the local nomenclature is not. Our day was spent a few miles away exploring the tide pools at Beach Trail #4.

This is not to be confused with Beach Trails #1, 2, or 3.

Ranger Pat Shields gave a fun and interactive tour of the area’s sea creatures that included delicate sea stars, predatory anemones and miniature crabs. My group later stopped at Ruby Beach, a magical stretch of shore with views of Destruction Island’s lonely lighthouse, towering sea stands and epic beachcombing explorations.

That evening after dinner at Kalaloch Lodge, I walked down the weathered stairs to watch children play in the surf. As the sun slipped behind the ocean in electric steaks of neon color, they appeared to be in slow motion. Their squeals of delight were the only reminder that time had not stood still.

Though in those precious, fleeting moments I almost wish it had.

Quinault Lodge - The Lady on the Lake

Built in 53 days back in 1926, Quinault Lodge is located in the wettest place in the Continental U.S. and receives an average 12 feet of rainfall per year. It also stands sentry over glacier-fed Quinault Lake, a 5-mile-long turquoise jewel in the Olympic National Forest. I uttered only one word when I walked onto the picturesque grounds: “Whoa.”

And yes, I am the epitome of profundity when faced with postcard-perfect panoramas.

Family activities abound and include kayak and paddleboat rentals, numerous hikes that could include a stroll along the lake, or simply kicking back in one of the many Adirondack chairs to admire the view (and believe me, it was that great.) To cool down on a hot summer afternoon, head across the street to The Mercantile and order a mango sorbet ice cream cone.

The lodge offers two area tours (boat or land) by Roger Blain, a retired ranger and wealth of knowledge. His family-friendly excursions provide fascinating insights into the Quinault Valley, also known as the “Valley of the Giants.” We took a short hike to the world’s largest Sitka Spruce tree and noted other nationally recognized Hemlock, Douglas Fir, and Western Red Cedar giants.

During our 30-mile drive around the lake, Roger also pointed out a few waterfalls that were included in the Olympic Peninsula’s new Waterfall Trail. He let us silently marvel at the moss that dripped off the trees like icicles and mocked me for photographing Bunch Creek Falls from the car.

In my defense, it had started to rain.

Not that I can complain. That was the only time it rained during my five-day visit to the notoriously wet Olympic Peninsula. It made me suspicious of all the complaints about the sky’s near-constant deluge. I concluded these claims are a conspiracy to keep the rest of us away from this emerald treasure.

Unfortunately for them, I already caught a glimpse of the secret cache.

Amber Johnson is an adventure-travel writer turned adventurous unraveling mother. She is the editor of The Denver Post’s Mile High Mamas and blogs at CrazyBlogginCanuck.com.