I have loved Washington D.C. ever since my first visit in the early 2000s. For travelers, the city offers that perfect blend of vibrancy, accessibility, culture, and history. Moreover, the distinct neighborhoods and friendly people remind me of San Francisco. Over the years, as work continued to bring me back to America’s capital, my love affair with D.C. continued. I …
How to do a PCH Road Trip with Kids in Southern California
This is the final installment of a three-part series about California’s Highway 1. As you’ll have read in my Northern California edition, Highway 1 (otherwise known as the Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH) has played a prominent role in my family’s recreational activities for the last 14 years. In this last post I’m going to cover all the great places …
Cool Places to Stop Along the California Central Coast with Kids
Okay, so you’ve already learned about Highway 1 and what it can offer vacationing families in Northern California. It’s time to work our way down the map, beyond San Francisco, and showcase what appeals to kids along the California Central Coast. This is arguably the most picturesque part of a Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) drive. However, that’s not to say …
Family Adventure Activities: When is the Right Age?
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 …
10 Places to Visit on Oahu with Kids
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: Winter Fun for All Ages
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 …
Don’t Book Summer Travel Just Yet: We May Have an Extended School Year
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 …
Is Bora Bora a Good Destination for Kids?
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 …
Face Masks and Family Travel in the U.S.
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. …
Safest International Destinations for American Families
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 …