Manarola from the hiking trail

The Cinque Terre region of Italy is one of the most beautiful spots in the country. Cinque Terre means “Five Lands” in Italian and is a collection of five small villages nestled into the cliffs on the Ligurian Sea. The villages were founded on agriculture and fishing, but now survive with the help of tourists dollars.

Cinque Terre is an easy day trip from Florence, Pisa or Milan (Pisa is the closest airport), but you should plan at least two days on the shortest trip, and more like 4-5 if you really want to relax. There’s not a whole lot to do in Cinque Terre really, but that is its charm.

Each of the five villages has its own distinct personality. Monterosso is the most resorty of the towns. It is the only one with full-service hotels and a true beach – though it is a rocky one. Just south of the town is Vernazza, another village popular with tourists and known for its picturesque harbor (it also has a very small beach).

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Mothers' Beach

Today I stumbled upon the perfect family vacation spot in Los Angeles. Surf, sand, beachfront lodging, and a delicious, dependable restaurant right next door. What could be better?

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And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?

With all apologies to the Talking Heads we know where said highway goes – wherever we want.  Eat that train tracks!

I put out a call to our Vacations staff for photos of summer and all that it entails.  The following are their contributions.

Don’t worry, if your favorite writer didn’t submit a photo as they’ve probably got their own story brewing, or they’re just lazy, but probably the story thing.

Ed:

Hatteras, NC

What I did on my summer vacation (in 53 words or less). Read More »

Sunset at Pismo Beach State Park

Bears are the least of your worries.  In fact, they might distract the children long enough to allow you to set up the tent.  So in fact, bears can be helpful!

My husband and I took our two little boys, the textbook Crazy Little Boys that you think of when you see one of those haggard mothers in the supermarket pushing a cart that one boy is using to surf on while the other one is throwing random objects into her hair, to a campground in Pismo Beach last weekend.  I would not have suggested the trip with our children at the dangerous ages of 2 and 4, but my friend was turning 50 and it was her birthday wish to have all of her favorite people around her on this camping trip.  Plus, we bought a new tent, oh, about 2 years ago, and it’s been sitting in the garage waiting for us to test it out for all this time.

I really do want my children to have a love of camping, because I actually do enjoy it.  Before we had them, my husband and I went camping at least twice a year.  When I was growing up I went camping with my family every year.  As I recall, my brother and sister and I had a fabulous time while my mother hated it.  Once we got older and camping was no longer cool, she gave up altogether and we rarely went.  I couldn’t imagine why…until now.

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Beaches at Cape Disappointment

Cape Disappointment. Not exactly a promising name for a place you’re planning to vacation. However, my wife, two-year-old son and I just returned from a long weekend at Cape Disappointment State Park where we vacationed with friends and had a wonderful time.

Located in Washington State’s southwestern most corner, Cape Disappointment is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the mighty Columbia River to the South.  The park offers 27 miles of ocean beach, two lighthouses, an interpretive center and hiking trails.

Cape Disappointment, discovered and named by English fur trader John Meares on July 6th, 1788 was so named because at the time Meares was disappointed that he had not discovered the mouth of the Columbia River. A storm forced him to give up his search just north of the river’s mouth.  I’m sure he was truly disappointed when he later realized precisely how close he was. Sometimes the breaks just don’t fall your way.

It’s one of the foggiest places in the country with the equivalent of 106 days of the misty white stuff hanging around to greet you – not unusual in Washington State.  Fog notwithstanding, this park is a beautiful place.  Majestic vistas abound with views of the vast Pacific Ocean to the west, the mighty Columbia River to the south, and acres of lush green forest to the east and north.  As mentioned the park has multiple hiking trails of varying difficulty.  One such hike led our families to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.  The trail began at the Lewis and Clark interpretive Center, down a ravine past a beautiful hidden cove appropriately named Dead Man’s Cove, and back up the other side to the lighthouse.

Dead Man's Cove From Hiking Trail

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Babble is an online magazine that covers all things kid and parenting. It’s what they do. That means that with the summer suddenly upon us they have devoted a good portion of their time planning how to get away from it all – assuming all does not include the children (but nice try).

Here are a few examples of what they offer:

From “Babies on a Plane” by Hana Schank:

“We’re just checking to make sure you’re not over the limit,” the security officer said when I asked exactly what they were looking for with regards to the baby food.

“What’s the limit?” I asked.

“Just a reasonable amount,” explained the security officer.

Which is what? Enough to feed a baby but not enough to make an exploding applesauce bomb?

As if that’s not bad enough, the type of baby food you bring on board is also subject to inspection. I was once in line in front of a woman who had a jar of Gerber’s Peach Cobbler confiscated because the security officer said it was a dessert, not baby food.

For more Babies on a Plane visit Babble!

From “10 Toddler Vacation Tips” by Merideth Broussard:

Fill up the iPhone or iPod with family photos and videos.

If you have an iPhone, it’s probably already loaded up with kid-friendly apps like MyFirstABC, Poppin’, Doodle Kids, Scribble, and KidArt. When your little one tires of doodling or popping bubble wrap bubbles, pull out the big guns: family photos. I’ve yet to meet a toddler who doesn’t love going through the family digital photo archive. It’s a chance to tell stories, reflect on the past, and remember the good times your family has had. In other words: a perfect way to begin a family vacation! When you tire of explaining who’s who in every photo, it’s time to move on to home movies of your child. Unrepentant narcissists that they are, toddlers looooove seeing movies of themselves and people they know.

Going to a warm place? Don’t forget that afternoon nap conflicts with prime time on the beach.

There are two strategies for dealing with the afternoon nap issue.

Option 1: reserve a room with a balcony, or a first-floor room with outdoor access. It sounds simple, but I can tell you that it made a huge difference in my happiness on our beach vacation. While my little one napped in our first-floor beachfront room, I sat outside in the sun and read my trashy mystery novel or chatted with friends. It was perfection.

Option 2: Avoid hotels and go to a family-friendly B&B or small inn.

Find out why and some other great tips for Traveling with Toddlers at Babble!

From “25 Family Travel Tips” by Annie Bacon:

Always have a couple of small toys in your bag for outings. Avoid toys that have many small pieces: Polly Pockets are perfect to keep a young girl occupied in the hotel room, but you don’t want to have to crawl under the table to find a missing shoe. Also, don’t bring any “beeping” or musical electronic toys: parents have a selective sense of hearing that allows them not to go crazy in the presence of anything from Vtech, but others might not have that skill.
A few good choices…
- Coloring book with washable pencils
- Activity or sticker books
- Etch-a-sketch
- Magnetic play scenes or dress-up dolls
- Anything that comes in a small case

Resist the urge to ask for a child’s plates before yours. It might keep him quiet at first, but then he’ll have nothing to do once it’s your time to eat.

If you travel abroad, keep in mind that some cultures have different meal schedules and that restaurants’ open hours may differ from what you’re used to. Make enquiries before heading out, or you might hit your nose on a “Closed” sign.

Read more Family Travel Tips at Babble!

As you can see, they offer plenty of advice on how to make the most of your family vacation, from airports to passing the hours of a long road trip and all the beaches in between. It’s also a great place to see what the rich and famous are doing over their summer holiday, and who doesn’t want to know that?

Safe travels!

All photos and quoted text are property of Babble.

Encinitas, CA

Famous for its poinsettias and surfers, Encinitas is a seaside community north of San Diego that is a short drive from Los Angeles and a perfect weekend destination.  We ventured down there recently for a wedding and some beach walking, but if we had more time we would have poked around at Legoland, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, or any other of the attractive family activities located in the area.

The drive down from the San Fernando Valley was not bad on a Saturday at noon.  Apart from the blip of preserved nature you see driving through Camp Pendleton, the whole stretch feels like one long extension of Los Angeles.  Sign of the times:  without any pre-planning, we stopped for lunch when we got hungry, looking for the familiar signs of fast food eateries along an industrial stretch of road in Long Beach.  The beacon of a Quizno’s called us, but when we pulled up to the place we found it closed down.  That turned out to be a happy accident, because right across the street was a tiny shack called OK Burger that was deserted, so the cook whipped us up two delicious meals for the road in just a few minutes.

We stayed at the Best Western Encinitas which was the lodging of choice of the wedding party, so the deal was fantastic – $130 for the night for this balconied room with a view:

Balcony room at the Best Western, Encinitas

View of the pacific ocean in Encinitas

With a view like that who cares what the room was like?  Well, it was fine, but a word to the wise:  the coffee maker and cups are hidden in the dresser under the flat screen TV.  And once you lay down, you might not get back up.

Soft bed.

The wedding was held at the breathtaking Quail Botanical Gardens.  If you want to save money on your wedding flower budget, have it here.  I can’t imagine a more breathtaking backdrop for such a momentous and beautiful occasion. 

Quail Botanical Gardens

Wedding backdrop

The gardens were open for visitors while we were there, so we wandered among the different areas and found that everywhere the eye settled, there was something beautiful to photograph.

A pathway beckons at Quail Botanical Gardens

Quail Botanical Gardens is open every day from 9 to 5, and if you come with 4 people in your car they’ll waive the $10 parking fee.

I’ve been scolded in the past for not including local restaurants in my travel posts, and that will happen again;  if you have been out to eat in Encinitas please leave a comment with your favorite spots.  Like I said, we only had 24 hours for this little trip so we took part in the hotel’s continental breakfast – which, I might add, was actually quite good and included delicious breakfast burritos – before heading out to the beach.

The beach at Encinitas

"No having fun"

Long way down

There were surfers in the water as far as the eye could see, due to the incredibly long waves and seemingly polite nature of the crowds.  My husband, who is a surfer in Los Angeles, was surprised that multiple surfers could catch a single wave without getting in a fight.  Maybe it’s the local vibe, maybe it was the beautiful day, or maybe Los Angeles just needs some self-realization, Encinitas style.

Self-Realization Fellowship Temple

The clock was ticking on our daycare meter, so we had to settle for a morning walk and then head back north.  For parents of two young boys, we get our relaxation when we can, and Encinitas delivered nicely in even a small dose.

Relaxed mom.

There’s something special about an island.  Surrounded by water and often only accessible by one causeway road across a bridge, the remoteness adds a feeling of isolation that is hard to come by in today’s super connected, WiFi world.

While some of the world’s most exotic islands will require a long plane ride and a passport for US travelers, there are plenty of islands waiting to be discovered just off the Florida coastline.

Florida Islands

Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island offers a private island feel.  Located about 20 minutes west of Bradenton, Florida off the Gulf Coast, you won’t find a plethora of convenience stores or chain restaurants on Anna Maria Island.  You also won’t find – and probably won’t miss – the lines and crowds often associated with Florida tourism.

Marco Island

Marco Island is located about 30 minutes south of Naples, Florida.  This is the largest of Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands.  You’ll find white sandy beaches, beautiful waters, and world class resorts eager to cater to your every need for the duration of your vacation.

Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is one of the few islands that lies east and west, instead of north and south.  This is what accounts for it’s infamous sea shell laden beaches.  Tourists come from all over the world to hunt for unique shells along these beaches.  Sanibel Island is also a favorite destination for beach weddings and honeymooners.

Amelia Island

Amelia Island can be found on Florida’s northeast coast, about an hour north of Jacksonville.  It’s a 13 mile barrier island favored by Florida residents for weekend getaways.  Amelia Island was ranked #6 among Top 10 North American Islands by Conde Nast Traveler’s 2008 Reader’s Choice Awards, making it the highest ranked island destination in Florida for two consecutive years.

Islamorada

Islamorada is part of the Florida Keys.  It’s actually a chain of six islands including Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key and the offshore islands of Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key.  Islamorada offers first class fishing – and of course excellent seafood at the local restaurants.

Key Largo

Key Largo is the northernmost island in the Florida Keys.  This island is best known for it’s excellent diving opportunities and sport fishing.  It’s also a favorite destination for film producers!

Singer Island

Singer Island is named for the founder of the Singer Sewing machine, who is rumored to have purchased the island originally as a gift for his mistress.  Today, it provides an upscale vacation experience for celebrities, socialites and travelers looking for a taste of the good life.

Fisher Island

Fisher Island lies 3 miles off the Miami, Florida shore and is only accessible by boat or ferry.  It’s home to an exclusive, wealth community.  In fact, it is believed that Fisher Island has the highest per capita income of any location in the United States.  Visitors to the island can stay at the exclusive Fisher Island Hotel and Resort.

Captiva Island

Captiva Island considers itself a “sister island” to the larger Sanibel Island near by.  It boasts a mysterious history filled with pirates, conquistadors and Calusa indians.

Big Talbot Island State Park

Big Talbot Island State Park is an island you visit for a day rather than sleep on for a week.  It’s just 23 miles from Jacksonville and offers the natural experience you’d expect from an undeveloped island that’s been conserved as a state park.  Think drift wood and empty expanses of sand as opposed to luxury resorts and gift shops.

St. George Island State Park

The last island on the list, St. George Island, is another Florida State Park.  This park provides 9 miles of beach that is still untouched by resort developers.  Visitors to the park can swim in the Gulf of Mexico, lay on the white sand, hike, or fish.  Even camping is allowed on the island in the designated campground.

Remember that while The Travel Channel will amaze you with exotic locations in far away lands, a genuine island experience is as close as the Florida coastline!