Finding Family-Friendly Activities on Vacation

Woo-hoo! Time to explore someplace new. I love traveling to new places, but traveling with kids is a whole different kind of adventure. What places are best to explore and dine at with families? Yelp reviews are great but don't always mention if the top restaurant is good for kids. And although everyone suggests you visit the art museum, you need to if you are going to be given rotten looks for bringing your children. Read on to find out how to find the best family-friendly activities and restaurants on vacation.

Lake Tahoe-Summer 2014

There are some great websites for family travel. My favorite, and the top family-travel community in the US, is Trekaroo.com. Here you can read parent-written reviews about activities, events, restaurants, and hotels. You can also ask for advice from traveling experts and read tips and blog articles specific to your traveling destination. Be sure to write your own reviews after visiting places so other parents can benefit for your experience.

Green Acres Dairy Farm in Ogden, Utah

Use the tips for finding field trips and local events, specifically the following:

• Do an internet search for factory tours & field trips near your destination. 
• Check your destination's tourism website for family-friendly events going on during your stay
• Find the local Macaroni Kid community online and see what events they're promoting

You know those displays with all the brochures in hotel lobbies? Besides being collectors items and souvenirs for my kids, these brochures are a great source of information. Sometimes an activity looks much more enjoyable than it sounded once you add pictures. These pamphlets also sometimes contain coupons, so don't ignore the ones for locations you were planning to visit already. Also, be on the lookout for free recreation magazines when you visit children's museums or local libraries. 

Eastmark Great Park in Mesa, Arizona

Talk to the locals and hotel employees. They live there. They know the town's secret hot spots. Most of the time, they love to share the best places for families, especially when they've seen your cute kids. If you have someplace you want to try but aren't sure if it's family-friendly, these are the people to ask. I've found some unique parks and restaurants on the advice of other parents.