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

Volusia County State Fair

The Space Needle in Seattle, Washington; Disney World in Orlando, Florida; the Empire State Building in New York City – all must-see attractions the first time you visit.  But… then what?

Spending your vacation hopping from one well publicized tourist attraction to another can take a toll on your budget.  It can also keep you from getting a true sense of the local customs and culture; think about where you live and work and how it compares to the area’s most popular “attraction”.

Seasonal street fairs, holiday festivals, local restaurants and dive bars are a great way to experience what life is like for the people who live in the destinations you’re visiting.  How can you find out about these events, which are rarely marketed beyond a local or regional level?

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Few places capture the spirit of California like Hollywood.  It is filled with stars, dreams and lots and lots of cameras.It is also filled with clubs, trash, costumed characters and unpleasant odors.  There’s something for everyone, and that means family fun!

The sidewalks along Hollywood Boulevard are themselves a destination, and make an interesting stop on any vacation.  The walkways are lined with the engraved stars of Hollywood’s biggest names.  However, unless there is a premiere, dedication or award show you’re unlikely to see anyone very famous.

The Kodak Theater, the current home of the Oscars, sits right next to the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater (which has also hosted the Oscars).  The Chinese Theater is known for its collection of cement impressions which permanently display signatures and foot/hand prints of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Most tours of Hollywood sites and homes of the stars start here.It is also the area where you will find a collection of costumed “movie icons” ranging from Yoda to Jack Sparrow and three or four Spidermen.  These street performers will engage you for photo opportunities and they work for tips.

Across the street are the El Capitan Theatre and the home of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel.   The El Capitan is a restored theater operated by Disney and is in itself worth a family trip to Hollywood.  Adjacent to the theater is the Disney Soda Fountain, with an array of tasty ice cream creations (and full menu).

Other venues of interest include the Hollywood Wax Museum,  Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the Guinness World Record Attraction.

The streets in the Hollywood and Highland area tend to be very crowded and in addition to the costumed characters and street performers there are the proverbial prophets of doom and the occasional film crew.  It’s the kind of scene that can make parents, especially those with small children, a bit uncomfortable.  It’s loud and it’s overwhelming, but it is Hollywood and everyone needs that stamp in their passport.

Dining: There are plenty of places to eat.  The shopping area at Hollywood and Highland is the cleanest and has typical food court fare and a few sit down establishments.  The Disney soda fountain mentioned above is good and a blast for the kids, but be warned that it doubles as a store.

The Snow White Cafe (not Disney) is perhaps the worst restaurant I’ve ever been in. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not charming or magical.

Parking:  Parking is available in lots accessible from the street.  I recommend the garage under the H & H (Hollywood and Highland) shopping area, especially at night, as it is well-lit, clean, busy and accepts validation from most establishments within walking distance.

Photos: Hollywood Sign /Disney Soda Fountain by Whit Honea

Kim Kavin is a freelance writer, photographer and published author based out of Long Valley, NJ. She was formerly the Executive Editor of Yachting Magazine. Her writings have appeared in media publications like Elite Traveler and Traveler Overseas. She has visited more than two dozen countries, and she writes prolifically, literally about ‘everything’. Another one of her books – Everything Family Travel Guide to Northern California and Lake Tahoe – is set for a launch in November 2008. So I asked her a few questions about the book and her career as a travel writer.

Question: Would you like to tell us a bit about yourself, and how you got into travel writing?
Ans: I’ve always been good at writing and editing. In first grade, I found some typos in a textbook, and my teacher helped me write a note about them to the publisher. It was a natural that I’d become the high school newspaper editor, a journalism school graduate, and then a professional journalist.
I actually started out professionally as an editor working in newspapers, but decided I wanted to work regular hours and write about more than crime and politics. I answered an ad in Editor & Publisher for an “outdoor magazine editor” near where I lived. It turned out to be Yachting magazine, and I got the job as executive editor. After a few years there, I realized that the writers were having all the fun, so I quit and went freelance. I started out writing about travel onboard yachts, and the books about general travel were a natural outgrowth of all my reporting experiences around the world.

Question: You have written books about everything from cruise vacations to a kid’s guide and timeshares, not to mention about writing for magazines itself. For 2008, you have two books, one which is a travel guide for the New York area, while the second one is a guide for Northern California and Lake Tahoe. I understand you live in New Jersey, so the first book would come naturally to you. How about the California guide? Why choose Northern California? How long did it take you to go around this area?
Ans: The Northern California idea actually came from the publisher. My editor at Adams Media asked me if I’d done any traveling there, and I had, because my husband and I have good friends who lived in Santa Cruz at the time. So I knew a fair amount about the area before even beginning the research for that book.
I don’t think a travel writer’s home base has anything to do with the areas she can cover. I travel so much for assignments that I know some Caribbean islands and Mediterranean ports better than the towns a few miles away from my own bedroom.

Question: Related question – Could you describe the California guide for our readers? I understand it has 432 pages. What is it about? Which are the major locations, what kind of travel tips? Is it a travelogue with restaurants and shops and stuff or do you focus on the natural beauty of the region, or both, or something else?
Ans: The Northern California book follows the standard Everything Guide format, which means straight how-to and general information that will help with planning a vacation. There are chapters on everything from San Francisco to Wine Country to Gold Country, as well as tips for places to visit whether you’re traveling as a couple or with children. There are extensive listings of restaurants and hotels in each chapter, too, so that no matter which part of Northern California interests you, you will be able to plan your vacation soup to nuts.

Question: The title of your book contains San Francisco, Yosemite, Monterey and Lake Tahoe. Which part of Northern California do you like the best?
Ans: I’m personally a fan of Napa and Sonoma, which is California Wine Country. My husband and I love wine and food, and Northern California labels are a big part of our life out in New Jersey. I think anyone who drinks California chardonnays or pinot noirs regularly would enjoy touring the wineries, learning about food pairings, and such.

Question: People in Socal might feel a bit depressed that you chose to ignore them. Any plans to do Southern California? And how does California compare with the East Coast?Ans: If the Everything Guide editors want a book about Southern California, I’d be happy to write it. I have friends and family from Los Angeles to San Diego, and it’s beautiful out there.
As for California versus the East Coast, I would simply say that they’re different. They’re both great in their own way. I live out East because that’s where most of my family is located. If somebody told me we were all up and moving to San Francisco, I’d go along without a single complaint.

Question: You were a copy editor and have been in other editorial positions for mainstream magazines before you got into the travel sector. Is it any different, or do you just do the same thing?
Ans: I get to leave my desk now. That’s certainly a lot more fun. And instead of interviewing police officers and politicians in fluorescent-lighted offices, I get to hang out with tour guides and restaurant owners on beaches and mountainsides.
Being a full-time freelancer also means I get to pick and choose my projects instead of doing whatever the new corporate boss wants on any given day. I must say that’s pretty great, too.

Question: You have any other passions or hobbies, other than writing?
Ans: I like to hike, which I do most every day with our two dogs. They’re probably my biggest passion. I’m one of those weirdos who treats the dogs like kids. They sit on the couch and eat better food than most people.
I’m also a fan of scuba diving, which I do every chance I get. And my husband and I both like to cook, so that’s a bit of a hobby as well.

Question: Are you currently writing any new books, or have plans for one? If so, what is it about?
Ans: I’m currently finishing the Everything Guide to Las Vegas, after which I will immediately start writing the Everything Guide to Italy.

Question: Any advice, tips or suggestions for travel writers?
Ans: Fill up your notebook and take lots of pictures. I find that I always return home from an assignment with vastly more information than I need for whatever book or article I was sent there to collect. I can almost always use the “leftover” content in other magazines, on websites, or as the basis for new book proposals.