Surviving Your Kid’s Spring Break

Not your little guy’s break from school, your older one. You know, the one who begged you to let him head down to Cabo with a bunch of friends for spring break, and now you are sitting at home praying that the next call you get isn’t from a Mexican prison. Keeping children safe is the utmost priority for most parents, but you can’t expect your college-age kid to want to spend every school break at home so you can monitor his every move. Sure, viewing Facebook photos of your son at the bottom of a beer bong and your … Continue reading

Spring Fling in Kentucky

College basketball survived Kentucky, but can you survive spending spring break in the “Bluegrass State”? Popular to contrary belief, Kentucky is not only for sports fans. The state is filled with natural wonders, historical landmarks and quirky travel attractions. Exploring all of Kentucky’s recreational opportunities may be a bit much if you are planning to stay for just a week; however, that shouldn’t stop you from soaking up as much of the surroundings as possible. Don’t miss: Mammoth Cave National Park: Even if you are not a nature lover, you will be duly impressed with Mammoth Cave National Park. Categorized … Continue reading

Traditional Spring Break

Sun, surf and half-naked college coeds are quintessential elements of spring break. However, if you are traveling solo or have a gaggle of little ones to entertain, you might not want to share sand with a bunch of drunken college kids. If you are looking for spring break destinations that don’t attract the “Girls Gone Wild” crowd, consider the following: Bermuda: The picturesque island is located roughly 650 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Known for its luxurious pink sand beaches, the popular vacation destination offers families a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Its … Continue reading

Saving on a Student Spring Fling

Next week, the colleges in our area begin spring break. When I was attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I was fortunate enough to partake in four incredible spring breaks, including an especially memorable road trip to California where my then-boyfriend and I skied in Tahoe during the first half of the week and sunned ourselves on the shores of Pebble Beach the next half. Ah, sweet, innocent youth. These days college co-eds have access to a plethora of money-saving spring break options, thanks in large part to the explosion of social media. In the world of Facebook, Twitter and other … Continue reading

Playing it Safe During Spring Break

This morning the Today show ran a piece on college co-eds prepping to go crazy on Spring Break in Cancun, Mexico. The report focused on an American student who was brutally attacked while he lounged poolside at his Mexican hotel. Basically, it raised the issue of spring break, foreign travel and safety. Personally, Mexico is not exactly at the top of my family’s spring break destination list. You know, drug cartels and all. Of course, if you are not careful you can get hurt visiting your local children’s museum, though I doubt the injuries would be caused by masked men … Continue reading

Spring Getaway at Sea

Watching video of the doomed Costa Concordia after the ship ran aground off the coast of Italy doesn’t exactly make one want to rush out and book a spring cruise. The maritime disaster has resulted in 16 confirmed deaths. In addition, 16 other crew members and passengers are still missing. Despite the horrific tragedy, cruise experts maintain that setting sail on an upcoming spring or summer voyage is perfectly safe. What’s more, they point to a number of enticing benefits you can enjoy on a floating resort, including: Amenities: Modern-day cruise ships are akin to floating cities. They include everything … Continue reading

Spring Break Through Your Camera’s Lens

After the 19.8 inches of new snow that fell on our city yesterday I’m not surprised that there is a mass exodus going on right now. Who wants to spend spring break digging out from nearly two feet of wet, heavy, sloppy snow? Many of our friends are heading to sunny destinations this weekend. Two families are driving to Florida where they plan to scuba dive and swim with dolphins. I begged them to take photos of their underwater adventures. They laughed and said they’d pay for the resort’s staff to snap their pics. Not for nothing, but it doesn’t … Continue reading

Outdoor Spring Adventures

My daughter is dying to head outdoors and break in her new Razor scooter. She was fortunate to spend the month of January in Hawaii where she could scoot outside to her heart’s content (while giving my dad a heart attack in the process), but now she’s back to reality, dealing with the snow and cold that blankets the state of Wisconsin from October to June. Spring is officially here, though you’d never know it by stepping outside and feeling the chokehold Mother Nature has on our state. Still, if you are looking for ways to make the most of … Continue reading

Hands-On Spring Break

If your teen is headed off to his first college spring break in sunny Cancun, Daytona Beach or South Padre Island, then you are probably hoping that he has a hands-off vacation. However, if you are spending your kid’s spring recess with him at the following educational vacation destinations, then the look but don’t touch rule doesn’t apply: Monticello: This Virginia hot spot is a haven for families looking to take an educational vacation. If you visit Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate be sure to give yourself extra time at the Griffin Discovery Room where nothing is off-limits. Kids can touch … Continue reading

More Family-Friendly Spring Break Vacation Hot Spots

There’s nothing like including your kids in your bucket list. I do it all the time. I have a list of places I want to travel to and explore before I die and I’d like to take my daughter with me to as many of them as possible. With spring break just around the corner, now is the time for us to start crossing items off the list, including visiting some of the world’s most family-friendly travel destinations: Washington, D.C.: Ideally, I would love to visit the tourist hot spot during the cherry blossom festival, but with so much to … Continue reading