great takes on family travel in the U.S.

I live in the San Francisco Bay area. A place where light rain often causes traffic disasters. My vacation home is in North Lake Tahoe where ice and snow typically covers the roads from late November through April or May. I have moved around a lot so I have been exposed to many different road conditions and have learned how to navigate through them. Unfortunately, many of the drivers with whom I share the trek eastbound on Interstate 80 once or twice a month have never seen snow much less driven in it. In fact, many of them don’t even own a car (it is not necessary if you can utilize public transit) so driving in general is a bit foreign. Seven hours into the drive that should normally take four I decided this blog needed to be written.

Tip 1: All wheel drive does not equal four wheel drive

Sliding towards a guardrail that will hopefully keep you from plunging hundreds of feet to your death is no time to discover this truth. Not all “All Wheel Drive” vehicles are created equally. There is a big difference between “full-time all wheel drive” and “automatic all wheel drive”. The manufacturers of automatic all wheel drive vehicles want you to believe that these cars possess the same properties as their four wheel drive counter parts, but this is simply not the case. All four wheels do not have power at the same time. If the front wheels lose traction power is shifted to the rear wheels. This does not always provide enough traction in icy situations, especially on hills. Most four wheel drive vehicles are equipped with snow tires and all wheel drive vehicles typically are not. Additionally, all wheel drive vehicles can not use normal snow chains. If you are renting and have requested a four wheel drive vehicle, don’t let the rental agency sell you an all wheel drive substitute unless it is truly full-time all wheel drive.

Tip 2: Read the manual

The book in the glove box will contain valuable information about how to operate the vehicle in icy weather. It will also contain information about what to do if something goes wrong. For example, going from 2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive on a Jeep doesn’t always work immediately. Sometimes you need to put the car in reverse and then back in drive before the transmission engages. Every make and model is different. It is best to know this in advance before the problem occurs so that you can respond calmly.

Tip 3: Be prepared

You wouldn’t dive into the deep end without a couple of swimming lessons. Why would you put your friends and family (not to mention the other motorists on the road) at risk? If you know you will be vacationing in an area with unfamiliar road conditions, take some time to learn the basics. Many websites offer tips for avoiding problems while driving in ice and snow. Check out Weather.com , the National Safety Council, and Edmunds for more information.

I have spent many months with my fellow Kangos collecting and documenting the best ideas for helping travelers like you plan fun getaways and unforgettable vacations. We have worked very hard to produce a site that is extremely useful and easy to use. Now the time has finally come to see if our hard work has paid off. Take a sneak peak at our site through our Private Beta!

I want your feedback, both positive and constructive to make our site even better. All you have to do is sign up for private beta by clicking the button in the upper right corner or here. My co-Kango, Alex, will send you a password so you can take it for a test drive. We’d love to hear from you!

Elliott, Min and Alex have all given their introductions, so now it is time to tell you a little about me. I was born in Tennessee, a state in the southeast part of the U.S., and home to Al Gore. I now live in California, on the west coast of the U.S., and now also home to Al Gore (detecting a trend?). No… I am not stalking the former vice president. I do share some of his ideas, like improving the environment, and I believe there is no better way to instill a desire to preserve nature than to experience its beauty and wonder first hand. I think traveling outside your familiar surroundings and your comfort zone can be an education as well as an adventure.

Living in San Francisco provides me with a wealth of cultural and historical nourishment, (not to mention amazing views) but it also gives me easy access to completely different settings. Two hours south, I am on the beaches of Santa Cruz; three hours east, I am in the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe. I have also been blessed to live in very different parts of the country such as Florida, Texas and Utah. Moving around a lot has given me an appreciation for different climates and cuisines, but it has also taught me that stereotypes are for the mentally lazy – there is always something to learn or discover.

San Francisco, California — Marina District

I am excited to be building a travel product from the ground up. Having worked in other online start-ups as well as the travel industry, I have an appreciation for the limitless possibilities the web brings to the traveler. Whether it’s a 2 day road trip or 2 weeks abroad, I want to give you the tools to inspire a great experience and prevent any pitfalls.

Planning a beach vacation with the kids? Finding a resort or hotel with good childcare, either in the form of day camps or individual programs, is a good first step toward ensuring the whole family has a great time.

Contact the director of the kids’ programs at your hotel or resort before you go on the trip and ask them any questions you may have. The best tip is to ask the same sort of questions you would ask of a childcare provider at home. The following are a few issues that you may want to discuss.

Day Camps vs. Specialized Programs

Some hotels offer day camps for younger guests, but many all-inclusive resorts offer deeper programs involving day hikes and visits to area attractions. Decide which of these options you and your children are most comfortable with, and select your hotel or resort accordingly. For example, the Club Med Sandpiper in Florida has separate programs and activities for children of different ages. If you’re traveling in Southern California, we’d suggest taking at look at SanDiego.org’s site, which has some great ideas for family-friendly beach hotels, including the La Costa Resort and Spa.

Hours and Flexibility

Find out if your child be allowed to leave and rejoin the kids’ programs as he or she wishes. Some children will want to spend part of their day with you and return to the program later on in the day. Also, find out what the evening childcare options are, in case you want to get away for an romantic evening out.

Program Size and Age Groups

How many kids will be participating in the day camp or program? If only a few children show up, will the program still take place? What are the ages of the kids participating and will the children be divided into groups accordingly?

Variety of Activities

Ask if your kids be interacting with other kids their age inside a designated playroom or will they be out exploring, swimming, and having adventures. The best kid-friendly beach resorts provide a variety of interesting programs for youngsters which go far beyond simply babysitting your children. Your kids should have their own special vacation memories to take home with them.

Ratio of Kids to Caregivers

Are you concerned about the safety of leaving your child alone with other adult supervision? Ensuring that your child receives ample adult supervision is very important. As Babycenter.com reports, an adult-to-child ratio of 1-to-4 is necessary for infants, while the ratio is 1-to-6 for two- to six-year-olds. Be sure to ask hard questions of the resort or hotel that you choose.

Other Helpful Resources:

• About.com: Top 10 Hotels and Resorts for Family Vacations
• TinyTravelers.net

The “terrible twos” can make traveling with a two-year-old a challenge. Full of energy, these toddlers are sometimes too young for activities which could entertain and distract slightly older kids. Luckily, we’ve collected plenty of tips and tricks to make traveling with your two-year-old easier and more fun. Try out some of these simple suggestions to improve your travel experience.

Snacks

Make sure to pack plenty of your two-year-old’s favorite snacks, and keep them coming! Fruit, crackers and juice are all easy to pack and don’t necessarily need to be served cold.

Toys Galore

Don’t forget to bring along your child’s favorite toys and books! Doing so will help them feel at home while on the road and will give you and your toddler the opportunity to spend some quiet, relaxed time together. Toys and books are also great for entertaining a fussy toddler. Amazon.com has a good selection of toys perfectly suited to your two-year-old.

Take Lots of Breaks

It’s important to take every opportunity to stretch and to eat. Your two-year-old won’t be able to sit still for long periods of time, so it’s best to take a break every two hours or so. Pull over to have lunch or a snack at a safe location where your toddler can run around and play a bit before you get back on the road.

Sanitizing Hand Wipes

Your two-year-old is likely to be a professional at making messes, so you won’t be able to buy enough of these! They’re great for cleaning up messes on and around your toddler as well as for sanitizing everything their little hands come into contact with.

Break up the Drive with a Fun Stop

In addition to taking lots of eating and stretching breaks, we also suggest that you schedule a fun destination, such as a zoo or aquarium visit, in the middle of your long drive. This idea comes from an article at AllExperts.com, which contains a number of other excellent ideas for traveling with your two-year-old.

Audio Books

Pop in a toddler-friendly audio book every so often to keep your two-year-old smiling. The Little Bear books and virtually any book by Jim Weiss are great selections to entertain you and your child. You can find these types of audio books at your local library, at a bookstore or online.

Invest in a Child-Carrying Backpack and Lightweight Stroller

Depending upon where you go, traveling with your two-year-old could involve some walking. It’s not always convenient to have a stroller, and carrying a two-year-old for more than 30 minutes at a time can be hard on the back. FamilyTravelGuides.com suggests a solution for this problem – a child-carrying backpack. Lightweight and easily packed, a backpack allows your toddler to see everything around her while not having to walk on her own tired legs. A very lightweight stroller is another good option, and one of these can easily be placed in airlines’ overhead compartments or stored as checked baggage.

When it comes to pet friendly lodging, it pays to find the right place. Sure, a lot of hotels say they’re pet friendly, but when you show up with your canine or feline family member – does the front desk actually give you a warm welcome? With just a little up-front effort (mostly, asking the right questions), you can select a hotel that is truly pet friendly.

1. Know that you have more chain options than ever
Luxury trends in pet friendly lodging and hotels have trickled down into chain establishments. There are many hotel chains across the nation – from economy to upscale – that are pet friendly and worry free.

2. Non-chain? Look for a proprietor who’s also a pet owner
Your best bet here is a bed-and-breakfast where it’s made explicit that the owner loves pets. If treats are provided, the owners show photos of their cats, or mention is made of “fenced acreage for your dog to run,” you’ve hit gold.

3. Check the number of pets allowed
Some pet friendly hotels will only allow you to bring one pet inside – but what if you’re traveling with two? “Pet friendly” doesn’t always means “friendly to multiple pets.”

4. “Pet friendly” is a variable term
Dogs are the pets most often welcomed, but only under certain weight limits. Some hotels aren’t quite as happy to host cats, rabbits and other small animals.

5. “Pet friendly” may actually mean “a few rooms only”
Some hotels only dedicate a few rooms, or smoking rooms, to people traveling with pets. This is why it’s so important to find a sincerely pet friendly hotel!

6. Ask if there’s a pet fee, and how it works
Some places will allow your pet to stay for free, but others will charge a per-night, per-pet or per-stay basis. Is it a fee, or a refundable deposit?

7. Double-check all policies and fees before checking in
The rates or rules may have changed since you booked the reservation. Perhaps there’s a cleaning fee, or a deposit. Make sure that everything is mutually understood.