I’ve been driving around the United States for about six months now and I’ve covered a good portion of the part that lies to the east of the Mississippi River. Because I write about my trip, I get quite a bit of advice from friends, family, and strangers. I’m grateful for most of it, but I’ve also run across a lot of tips that would be great if I wasn’t traveling with two small children. Checking out the honkey tonks in Nashville, for example, isn’t exactly practical for two parents with a 6 and 11 year old in tow.

All this time traveling with my family has changed the way I view a city and given me a new perspective on what I consider family-friendly. Before I give a city the family-friendly stamp of approval, I look for a few important factors.

Is the nightlife the biggest draw?

A place like Las Vegas is amazing – for adults. But I wouldn’t even want to take my kids out of the hotel room after dark for fear of stumbling into a drunken bachelor party. I was surprised to find that Nashville also had very little to offer families when the sun went down – some of the most popular restaurants in town were bars.

Are there free (or very cheap) things to do?

This is a big one for me. When you’re traveling with a family of four, even low admission prices can become budget busters. A $20 attraction ticket becomes an $80 event for us. This was my biggest beef with Myrtle Beach: lots of things to do, but only one (the beach) came without a hefty price tag. I tend to favor cities with great public park systems, historic districts, or really inexpensive museums. Savannah is great for families looking to travel on a budget.

Are there good learning opportunities?

Sure, you might be on vacation, but if my kids aren’t seeing, doing, or learning something they couldn’t do at home – what’s the point? We don’t have to be in a museum to learn. Cities with rich histories or cultural diversity tend to have learning opportunities intrinsically woven into most experiences. A perfect example? Philadelphia’s Chinatown or Reading Terminal.

What do you look for in a city when planning a family vacation?

Photo: Britt Reints

Wherever your travels take you this afternoon and into the evening, be extra alert for little goblins, aliens and unicorns — especially around the witching hour (just after dinner).

Today is Halloween and families will be out in costumed force. Your friends here at UpTake wish you and yours a Happy Halloween! Have fun and be careful.

And save us a Kit-Kat. We love those.

The view from Mount Royal

Montreal is the most European, cosmopolitan city that I’ve seen in North America but one of the best and most unusual aspects about this stylish metropolis is that it boasts a mountain smack in the middle of the city.  Okay, some people might refer to it as a hill but at 764 feet, Montreal’s Mount Royal offers the best place to grab panoramic views of the city. Read More »

We spend a lot of family time in the car. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t always quality time. However, a quick pit stop can fix that.

While parks are nice, you may not have the time to drive that far off the freeway. Never fear, coffee shops (like Issaquah Coffee pictured above) are great places for kids to sip a hot chocolate and unwind. Please note, espresso in kids may have the opposite effect.

This post is part of UpTake’s Wordless Wednesday Series. If you would like to see your photo featured here please contact us via the link in the sidebar using subject line: WW.

Photo: Whit Honea