great takes on family travel in the U.S.

Even before we had kids, my husband and I agreed that water and sun vacations were our preference. Both of us are swimmers, he was a college water polo player, and we love spending time at the beach and in the water. Therefore, when our son (also our firstborn) was old enough to let us know that he hated the water, we were shocked. What was this going to do to our beach vacations?

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Every now and then women just need to get away from everything, and there is no finer medicine than a trip to South Padre Island. Even though this island is only a few miles wide, it is packed with beautiful beaches, every kind of water sport you can imagine, shopping, restaurants, and charters.

Before you go, it’s a good idea to do a bit of research. First of all you’ll need a place to stay! I recommend Suntide III Condominiums but for a full listing of what is available you can check Trip Advisor, just put in South Padre Island and you’ll have a multitude of choices.

What you do next depends on how you like to travel, whether you like to have everything planned and plotted out in advance or kind of just fly by the seat of your pants and leave it all to chance. Personally I do a bit of both, I do just enough research ahead of time to have an idea of what there is to do but I don’t set specific times or goals or plan an itinerary.

South Padre offers something for whatever mood you’re in, whether it’s lying on the beach sunning, sitting in the shade watching the ocean, learning to surf or snorkel, or chartering a boat for some deep sea fishing. That last one sounded kind of “manly”, didn’t it? You’d be surprised how much fun it is to go fishing – you never have any idea what you will catch. It could be a puffer fish, a shark, a swordfish, you just never know. And you haven’t lived until you’ve tried surfing! We used South Padre Surf Company and it was worth every penny – they are just great. However there are a ton of companies to choose from and you can find them as well as other activities and events at the South Padre Parade website.

I also recommend taking the time to read some warnings from those who have visited the area before; there are some very helpful tips at the Virtual Tourist site.

You really can’t go wrong by taking a trip to South Padre Island, even in the winter it is a beautiful area and the temperatures are mild enough to make it enjoyable. Do you have any tips or recommendations for someone wanting to visit South Padre?

Until next time . . .

Paige aka PJsTravelinTexas

Since our school is closed this week, we decided it was time for a quick trip south to San Diego. Our son is almost at the age when Legoland will not longer be interesting, and both my husband and I went to college at the University of California, San Diego. That, and the generally good weather in San Diego year-round, helped us decide on this quick family vacation.

We drove down from the Bay Area (a wonderful 9 hour trip in the car with two small kids!) and stayed at the Pacific Terrace Inn in Pacific Beach, and visited Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. Both places are excellent for families, and the American Automobile Association (AAA) is even running a special for Sea World! My kids loved Sea World, my daughter commenting to me that she was surprised that Shamu could jump so high.

After a day of visiting Sea World, and another day spent on the beach (we could see the Pacific Ocean from our hotel room), we drove north, visiting UCSD on our way to Legoland. U.S. News and World Report ranks UCSD as the 7th best public university in the nation, and 32nd among the nation’s top 50 universities. Clearly, this all happened after I graduated, but I still looked forward to visiting the place where participation in the Overseas Travel Program in my junior year helped me discover my desire to explore the world through travel.

Following our morning visit, we headed up to Legoland in Carlsbad. Our friends have told us great things about this park, and my 7 year old son and 5 year old daughter certainly found much to entertain them. My daughter loved the fact that she was tall enough to ride any ride she wanted. My son, of course, wanted to spend all his time on the Knights Joust. However, both kids were slightly disappointed in Legoland, after our action packed Disneyland experiences. Legoland is great for a first-time amusement park visit and is also perfect for the toddler set, as many areas of the park are specifically designed for the experience of little kids. That night, we stayed at the West Inn & Suites, which offers a double king room and complimentary breakfast, great for our family of four. And, they provided complimentary shuttle service to the park!

After a second half day at Legoland, we headed back home, taking an easy drive up the coast. All in all, a pleasant trip to San Diego for our family!

I don’t surf. I just wish I did. I grew up on Puget Sound and any surf above my head intimidates me. That may explain my fascination with Mavericks, a world famous big wave surf contest, where the waves really are killer. Mavericks is taking place again this weekend in Half Moon Bay, Ca. As one surfer said, it is the ultimate rush. Media is given notice 24 hours prior to the event. It is all based on when the waves are ready. The science behind wave prediction is amazing, starts with Arctic storms traced across the Pacific Ocean. For awesome photos, click here. see more »

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