Just a few short hours from Miami is a place where palm trees sway in the breeze, restaurants and tiki bars pop up along the blue-green water, and colorful signs greet you at many of the local shops. It’s the Florida Keys, a chain of islands connected from Key Largo to Key West by the Overseas Highway. Often people ask: Is the Florida Keys kid friendly? With state parks like Fort Zachary Taylor and Bahia Honda for swimming and snorkeling, the Key West Aquarium and colorful Mallory Square, and accommodations like the family friendly Hawks Cay Resort, there are plenty of things to do throughout the Keys. We found it to be the perfect place for a tropical summer family vacation. Our kids who were teens at the time enjoyed a variety of activities, from snorkeling to a ghost tour. Here are 10 things you should put on your list when visiting the Florida Keys with teens.
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Since I was a little girl, I have visited Rehoboth Beach, Delaware almost every summer. We would spend at least a week or two at the beach during the summer, along with weekends in the spring and fall, staying at our family cottage in nearby Dewey Beach. My childhood memories are filled with days on the beach, sailing in Rehoboth Bay, and nights roaming the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk. I continued this tradition with my own kids, creating new memories along the way. Although I have been to other beaches over the years, I am always drawn back to the Delaware beaches. Rehoboth Beach is located within easy driving distance from the Washington, DC area, and over the years has earned its nickname as the “Nation’s Summer Capital.” If you are looking for a great East Coast beach vacation spot, here are three good reasons why you should consider a warm-weather vacation at Rehoboth Beach. Plus keep reading for more activities in the area and a few tips from our many trips to Rehoboth over the years to help make the most of your visit.
Are you looking for a laid back, small town destination with beaches, wild ponies, and an ice cream shop that is often ranked with some of the best in the country? Then head to Chincoteague Island, Virginia, the town where in 1947 Marguerite Henry wrote the popular book Misty of Chincoteague. This town on Virginia’s Eastern Shore offers enough to keep families entertained, with easy access to the Virginia portion of Assateague Island. Our first family visit was several years ago during spring break, and I recently returned for a mid-week summer getaway. It’s about a 3 1/2 drive from the DC area, so perfect for a long weekend or mid-week escape. Here’s a few things to do when you visit Chincoteague and what to know as you plan your getaway.
Travel just under three hours by car from the Washington DC area to find the quaint beach town of Lewes, Delaware. It’s often overshadowed by nearby Rehoboth Beach but don’t be mistaken, Lewes has a surprising number of fun things to do packed in its small footprint. It’s known as “The First Town in the First State,” with a history dating back over 400 years. Over the years, we have discovered that this beach town not only offers plenty of family-friendly fun, it makes for a great couples getaway, especially in late spring and early fall. Explore Cape Henlopen State Park by foot or bike, try a cruise to see dolphins or watch the sunset, grab pastries, ice cream or a local brew, or just hang out on the beach. Keep in mind that Lewes is busiest during the peak summer months, and some of the shops and restaurants may have limited hours or be closed during the middle of winter. Read on to explore our list of 10 things to do in Lewes, Delaware.
If you are a dog owner, you probably are familiar with that look—the sad eyes when your dog sees your suitcase and waits patiently to see if you are going to invite them to go along. Our 10 year old dog Hallie goes on many day trips and hiking adventures with us, so she’s always hopeful when she sees a suitcase. And once or twice a year her wish comes true when we take her with us on an overnight adventure. Recently, we decided to combine a visit to see family with a stay at the dog-friendly Lazy L at Willow Creek in Lewes, Delaware. Just a few hours from the DC area, the Lazy L at Willow Creek is truly a hidden gem near the popular beach towns of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. This was our third visit, and I’m already thinking about a return in the spring. If you are looking for a dog-friendly bed and breakfast not far from the DC area, or just a relaxing weekend getaway in Delaware, read on to see why we love the Lazy L at Willow Creek. Plus find a few things that we've learned from traveling with our dog.
*This post was updated August, 2022 
Sometimes you just need a few days to recharge and spending an extended weekend in Hilton Head, South Carolina was just the thing after a busy summer. If you have not been to Hilton Head Island, you might be interested to know that the island has earned the top spot for islands in the continental US by Travel + Leisure Magazine for four years in a row! It’s the type of place where families come back year after year, and after my recent visit for the first time in over 25 years, I see why. There are so many fun things to do on Hilton Head Island that a weekend is definitely not long enough, but it was certainly a fun way to get a flavor for many of the activities the island has to offer.
We recently got back from a very relaxing family vacation on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a Caribbean island filled with spectacular natural beauty. You may remember hearing that St. John was one of the islands hard hit during the devastating 2017 hurricane season. Since then, a great deal of hard work by locals and business owners has gone into bringing the island back to normal. If you aren't familiar with the island, St. John is the smallest of the 3 main islands that make up what's known as the USVI (along with St. Thomas and St. Croix), and over half of the island is protected as a part of Virgin Islands National Park. Although there are still some businesses across all 3 islands that have not reopened post-hurricane, St. John and its residents are hoping that tourism will continue to rebound, as it plays a crucial role in the island’s economy. So if you are looking for a special place to make vacation memories in the Caribbean, here are some things to know about taking a vacation on family-friendly St. John.
I love exploring new places whenever I get the chance, so when the opportunity presented itself to explore the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina for a quick trip, I took it. If you haven’t visited Charleston, it’s one of those places filled with colorful historic homes, palmetto trees and waterfront views. There’s an almost endless selection of ways to explore the historic downtown area, several nearby family-friendly beaches, and enough restaurants for eating your way around town. Definitely too much to see and do in a short visit, but here’s some of colorful photos from my weekend in the Charleston area. I hope you get inspired to plan a trip to this historic and beautiful slice of the south.
*Updated September, 2023 
Travelers to Hawaii always face a tough question - which island should I visit? For us, it was a tough choice to decide how we wanted to spend our first family vacation in paradise. While we ended up with Maui being our primary destination, I knew we couldn’t travel all the way to Hawaii without spending a few days on iconic Oahu. Island hopping is relatively cheap and easy, but with five of us, a one way trip to Oahu on the last 3 days of our vacation seemed like the best option. We knew that Waikiki would be a bit crowded in early July, so we decided to stay in a vacation rental in laid back Kailua. The location, just 3 miles from a beautiful beach, gave us easy access to all the popular sites, and we found the highways to be pretty straightforward. It was an action packed few days, ending with fireworks on the beach in Kailua on the 4th of July. Check out some of our favorite spots that we enjoyed during our visit, and get inspired for your next trip to Hawaii!
*This post was updated October, 2022  Hawaii has always been on my travel bucket list. But with a family of five and the long distance from the DC area, there were many reasons to put off the trip. Several months ago, I realized that time for our family vacations together was dwindling, so my husband and I made the decision that this was going to be the summer of Hawaii! As I began searching for accommodations in late March, I quickly realized how popular Maui is during the summer, particularly near the 4th of July. To make it more difficult, many of the more affordable, larger accommodations were already booked. So I was excited when I came across Kihei Sands Condominiums, and now that we have returned from our trip, I have to say that it made for the perfect first vacation to Maui.
*This post was updated October, 2022 |
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