Have you heard of Fort Myers Beach? I hadn’t. At least, not until my parents asked me to join them there, in 2004, between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. They were retired and, like many other retirees, had started spending some of their winter months golfing in southwest Florida. Fort Myers Beach, a town on Estero Island, was their latest …
I’ve always been a big proponent of exposing my kids to adventure activities as early as possible. I think it builds confidence and teaches them important life skills like resilience, problem solving, creative thinking and communication. In my experience, when children are really little, adventures can be as simple as navigating man-made lily pads across a pond at a local …
Before I get into Oahu, I want to set the scene. The first time I visited Hawaii, I was 16. At the time, I was living in Japan with my parents and sister, and Hawaii was any easy destination to visit over school break. I remember we stayed in a gorgeous little rental on the island of Maui. The house …
North Lake Tahoe has been my “happy place” ever since I moved to San Francisco 20 years ago. I call it my happy place because I quite literally feel a sense of calm, peace, and happiness every time I reach the edge of the Tahoe National Forest. Not even my children, on their most mischievous of days, can dampen my …
Just when it seemed that the fallout from coronavirus couldn’t get any worse, a new idea is trending that could potentially derail summer vacation plans for families. And President Biden has echoed the sentiment, and given it life. I am, of course, talking about how the school year may be extended into summer break. I quite literally gasped when I …
In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I would write about Bora Bora. A destination that is (arguably) one of the most romantic places to visit in the world. Specifically I want to address why Bora Bora is a good destination for kids. I’ve been lucky to have traveled to this little South Pacific island in French Polynesia twice. The …
Last month, a very dear friend of mine bit the bullet and took her family on a plane so that they could continue to enjoy an annual ski trip. It was a much-needed vacation, and a step toward normalcy after many months of anything but normal. At the time, she admitted that she was extremely anxious about her travel decision. …
The desire and ability to escape to a far-flung destination is a constantly moving target in today’s global pandemic environment. As much as some of us want to get away, there is a myriad of rules to consider, in addition to concerns about safety. And, with new coronavirus variants starting to gain traction, these rules are likely to continue to …
Rome is an amazing city to visit with children, so long as they are old enough to cover some ground. I found that my boys, aged nine and six, had absolutely no problem walking from our hotel to various historical sites each day. In fact, they were easily able to handle both Rome and our larger tour of the Italian …
The Amalfi Coast has been a popular playground for the rich and famous ever since the days of the Roman Empire. Today, the coastal towns along this beautiful stretch of the Italian peninsula play host to glamourous yachts and honeymooners from all over the world. But is the Amalfi Coast family friendly, or is it just for romantic souls and …
