Like clockwork it sets in every June: an overwhelming desire to grab our things, jump in the car, and head out on the road. The last three summers since our move to the Carolinas have been all about adventure and exploring our {not so} new area with the kids and I’ve loved every single second of it. Family travel was one of our biggest priorities when selecting which city we wanted to relocate to and make our new home....

Looking to pass the time on a long drive? Nothing beats laughing your head off for making time fly! These absolutely hysterically funny audiobooks for road trips are perfect whether you’re driving alone or with a friend. Some of the books have salty language that’s more appropriate for grown-ups in the car, but some would still be appropriate for a family with teens. There’s a little something for everyone on the list, no matter what tickles your funny bone!...

If you’re planning a family vacation to New York City this summer, one of the best ways to prepare your kids for the trip is to pick up a few of these children’s books about New York City from your library. I found an excellent assortment of picture books and a few chapter books that will introduce your kids to: Major New York City landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, and the Met Museum New York geography and an understanding of the five boroughs of NYC Interesting historical figures from New York City Classic children’s stories set in New York...

One of the greatest joys of having two daughters is getting to know each of their very different personalities and figuring out what makes their hearts flutter. Paying attention to their interests and preferences so that I can surprise them with exactly the right gift, or in this case, exactly the right adventure. Part of our family birthday traditions for the girls include a Mommy Date and a Daddy Date during their birthday month....

But our day trip from London to Paris was such a special part of our 6 days in London, I would absolutely do this again. If you’re looking to book your first trip aboard the Eurostar, here is everything you need to know for picking your seats, saving money, and what you need to purchase your tickets. The reasons for this are: You get the biggest bang for your upgrade buck by sticking with Standard Premier....

In 2001, Tim and I were still newly married and took a trip to New York City to see the Christmas decorations. Rather than head to Rockefeller Center to see the tree, my sweet husband stood with me in the pouring rain in a line outside of a Barnes & Noble as I waited to get my hands on a copy of the latest Harry Potter book. The plan was to get my copy and head back out for sightseeing but Tim took one look at my expression as I held it in my hands and he knew our evening would be spent holed up in our hotel as I plowed through the first few chapters....

Choosing the right Disney resort to stay at can be such a stressful decision, especially if you’ve narrowed it down to just two places. If you’re currently debating whether to stay at Fort Wilderness vs. Art of Animation, it is a touch choice! Real all the guide books and blog posts you want, the best way to get Disney advice is from a family who has recently experienced the Disney magic themselves....

When you’re getting ready for a trip, it is so hard to not worry about what to pack! I keep a running list in the days leading up to my departure, but there’s always a nagging feeling that something is getting forgotten. This list of things to pack for your hotel room will be perfect whether you’re traveling alone or with your kids. Some items are better for a road trip, some are more flight-friendly....

My husband comes from a very large, very awesome, extended family. His dad was one of seven siblings who all got married and brought grandkids to the family. Once every two years they gather at a sentimental Minnesota cabin for a huge extended family reunion. All the siblings and the grandkids and the great-grandkids hunker down for a week of fishing, swimming, canoeing, biking, and boating together. But my favorite part is how all the families come together for a big family dinner at the end of each day....

You know what makes a new town feel like home? Discovering you have built traditions that feel special and important. This is our third fall in Charlotte, NC and every year since our move we have made a pilgrimage out to the mountain high Sky Top Orchard in Flat Rock, NC for a pick our own apple adventure. Every year for the last 3 falls I have taken a photo of my girls in front of their annual apple and the “Honeycrisp” sign: We partake of their heavenly apple cider donuts–hot and fresh out of the fryer–and their freshly pressed and chilled apple cider: And we marvel at the mountain backdrop of this orchard: As we filled our picking baskets to the brim, I was struck how normal it felt this year....

When we enjoy a family game night at home, we trade off between games that the kids love and ones that we enjoy a little more. We take turns catering to everyone’s interest. But when we want to take travel games on the go to enjoy during our weeklong stay at the beach condo, we look for games that have a wider appeal. Our family reunion beach trips will find my kids sitting at the table with adults of varying ages: their grandparents, aunt, and my husband and myself....

Since our family word for the year is “Outdoors” when we get the opportunity to do something fun as a family on the weekends, we are always on the lookout for things to do that keep us outside. Recently, we decided to head out to the Carolina Raptor Center on a Sunday afternoon. We had a brief visit last summer that was cut short buy a sudden thunder storm and we’ve been meaning to head back ever since....

Packing for a big family vacation can be daunting. I remember when going away for a week meant simply worrying about my own bag and wardrobe. Now I know I’m not alone in saying that when the family travels, I’m responsible for every last person’s entire wardrobe. Any other moms want to raise their hands?? When we traveled to Disney World with two young girls (ages 5 and 2 at the time) I got sucked into buying all kinds of adorable vacation gear and accessories....

I’ve been photographing my kids at the beach every summer since we moved to the East coast almost a decade ago. What started with tiny toddler sessions testing out the waters of the tide pools is now capturing my teens on their boogie boards at surf camp! From family reunion beach trips to short weekend getaways for our anniversary, the beach is a gorgeous place we absolutely love to spend our summer days absorbing the views....

One of the best options we have given our kids is to choose between a traditional birthday party with friends or a family travel adventure. Over the years, our kids have gone back and forth between the two options but when they choose travel it is often for a waterpark hotel. One of our favorite waterpark hotel options here in the south is the Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, TN....

The first thing we did in Pigeon Forge was to take the kids over to The Track — an easy walk from our stay at The Inn at Christmas Place. What is the The Track? The Track is a classic go-kart and bumper car attraction in Pigeon Forge. They have bumper boats, an arcade, and mini golf on site, too. Must-See Spot for Dads At ages 9 & 12, my girls had never been on go-karts before....

Bear and Blankie do NOT leave the house. They don’t come on car trips. They never visit restaurants. They aren’t even allowed to travel to Grandma’s house after 1 single time we broke the rule and they were accidentally left behind. (Yes, Grandma drove them 45 minutes our way so we wouldn’t have to face a night without them.) So when we were planning our week to Orlando last year, the Peanut started to fret and repeatedly ask me, “But do Bear and Blankie get to come to Disney World, too?...

As an East Coast resident who frequents the Florida’s Walt Disney World, flying clear across the country to experience Disneyland for the first time in my life as part of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I had never really stopped to think about how the two parks differed before our trip. I couldn’t imagine that things would be so unique to Disneyland that the expense of buying pricey plane tickets, dealing with an intense time zone change for my family, and investing all the extra effort would be worth it when Walt Disney World is just a simple drive away from our house....

Who are you planning your Disney trip for: You or the Kids? If you’re really honest with yourself, I can guarantee the answer is both. As parents we want our kids to have so much fun and give them a vacation they’ll remember forever. But a strong part of us wants to share those nostalgic memories we have from our own childhood visits to the Disney Parks and relive them for ourselves, too....

When we travel as a family, everyone gets to claim their One Thing that they must do during the trip. My own one thing during our London trip was to experience a traditional afternoon tea party with my girls. My older daughter immediately suggested we try Peggy Porschen’s because of the lovely photos she spotted over on Instagram. We booked our tea table in advance of the trip but now that we’ve done it, I wanted to share some tips on how to make your tea experience even better....