Elkhart Lake: Your Perfect Family Lake Getaway

by Annette BenedettiOctober 22, 2018

A family lake vacation —any time of year—is guaranteed to create beautiful memories that last a lifetime. Chances are, you have a few of your own from your youth. If you are looking for a nostalgic destination that will let you share the glory of lake escapes with your kids, Elkhart Lake is perfect for you. Read on to find out why, and where to eat, play and stay while you are there.

photo: via Elkhart Lake

Vroom! Vroom! Elkhart Lake’s History

In the early 1950’s, motor racing transformed Elkhart Lake from a town that was a prohibition-era haven for gamblers and gangsters into a vibrant vacation location. What started as a gentlemen’s race that took place on the streets of the village and surrounding roads, eventually turned into safety hazard as crowds grew and traffic became uncontrollable. The race was moved to a permanent track on 570 acres of rolling hills southeast of the town. It was the longest natural road-racing track in America, and quickly became a major stop on the international auto-racing circuit.

With thousands of visitors to accommodate during the summer months and race season, Elkhart Lake became a popular vacation destination offering stunning accommodations, a variety array of activities for all ages and exceptional eateries. Today, your family can experience a genuine 1950’s lake escape at Elkhart. Regardless of when or where you stay—or what you choose to do—the area’s timelessness is undeniable and provides the stuff childhood vacation dreams are made of.

photo: via Elkhart Lake

Where to Stay at Elkhart Lake

There are no bad options when it comes to booking a place to stay at the lake. In fact, there are plenty of fantastic options. The gorgeous Osthoff Resort offers expansive one, two and three-bedroom suites as well as guest rooms—all with stunning views. Gaze out the windows at woodlands, the courtyard or even the lake. When the weather is brisk, curl up by the fireplace. Or, stare at the starry-night sky from your private balcony. This smart resort knows how to balance the comfort of home with elegance.

If you want to stay right on the lake, the restored Victorian Village Resort is the perfect option. With charming condos and rooms to choose from, the resort fits families of all sizes. Additionally, guests have onsite dining options including the beloved Barefoot Tiki Bar, which is perfectly situated right between the resort’s pool and the lake.

Finally, the landmark Siebkens Resort should not be overlooked. Owned and operated by the fourth generation of the Seibken family, this Victorian building provides one, two and three bedroom condominium hotel suites with open floor plans, full kitchens, an outdoor pool and so much more. The resort is also home to Sissy’s Coffee Coffee & Ice Cream Shoppe, perfect for beating the heat with its covered outdoor patio. The Cocktail Bar is also attached to the resort and it’s the place to be when races are on as it is a favorite gathering place for famous drivers and fans as indicated by the branded signs, stickers and flags that decorate the place. You can’t go wrong with any of these resorts.

photo: by Annette Benedetti

Family Activities at Elkhart Lake

Water Play
With a multitude of both indoor and outdoor activities, Elkhart Lake is a perfect place to spend your vacation anytime of year. During the warmer months, getting in and on the water is a must. Osthoff rents every kind of watercraft you can imagine wanting for your entertainment. Paddle around in a kayak, canoe or on a paddle board. You can rent a sail boat, hydro-bike or a pedal pontoon. The options are endless. Spend a day on the lake fishing with Jay’ Guiding Service. Jay runs the boat, baits the hooks and you enjoy catching the fish. The experience makes for the perfect day on the lake.

photo: by Annette Benedetti

Race Cars & More
After you are done with water play, grab the race fanatics in the family and head to Road America where over 450 events are held each year. You are likely to catch a race, event or you can sign up for one of their exciting programs. Call for one of their adventure programs including Karting Adventure, Geocaching Adventure and Off Road Adventure. When you get done on the racetrack head over to Throttlestop Car & Cycle Concierge where you can tour their museum which houses a large collections of vintage and rare restored motorcycles. Along with iconic Harley, Indian and Suzuki motorcycles, you are likely to see an incredible array of cars as well.

photo: by Annette Benedetti

History Lessons
Step back in time with a trip to the Wade House Historic Site & Carriage Museum. Take a ride on a horse-drawn wagon and visit the blacksmith in his shop and learn how to shape metal. Stroll over to the sawmill and help the sawmill worker cut wood. Bring your fishing pole and tackle and try to catch a fish in the pond. While your there, don’t forget to head over to the stagecoach hotel where you can receive a tour of its 27 rooms. It will transport you into the past with its costumed guides and reenactments. Before you go, check out the stage coach museum!

photo: by Annette Benedetti

Stretch Your Legs
If you want an activity that includes a whole lot of walking, head to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail where you can hike through the nearby wilderness area. Another great option is catching a game of golf at the Quit Qui Oc Golf Club. This family-owned course has an onsite clubhouse with a pro shop and restaurant. The course is also perfect for a snowshoeing or cross-country skiing adventure during the winter months.

Relax
Do not miss your opportunity to spend a morning, afternoon or day at Aspira Spa located inside the Osthoff Resort. They offer a suite of exceptional spa treatments that include massages, facials, and envelopments. When your treatment is done, you don’t have to run off, you can spend the day enjoying the whirlpool, steam room, meditation room and dining in the spa café.

photo: via Elkhart Lake

Dining at Elkhart Lake
There are so many fantastic places to eat at Elkhart Lake; we hardly know where to begin. Back Porch Bistro at the Victorian Village Resort has a tasty array of entrees that include pan-seared scallops with risotto cakes, short rib and pork wiener schnitzel. Head over to Lake Street Café where you can enjoy 30 wines by the glass along with a wide range of dishes that include pizza, scallops, and the popular tenderloin shiraz. Everything on the kids’ menu is $5. Don’t over look the lobster bisque. We are certain you’ll love it.

The Paddock Club isn’t to be missed. This eating establishment has a regular menu that includes fresh pasta and entrees like fillet mignon and lemon tarragon chicken. But we suggest you go on Tuesdays when you can sample small plates! Order a bit of everything to try and get a taste of dishes like grilled hanger steak, pork shoulder nachos and more. Everyone will fall in love with at least one plate.

Finally, make sure you catch a meal at the Osthoff’s Lola’s on the Lake. The atmosphere is stunning, offering fantastic views and incredible menu options. Lola’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and every dish is exceptionally made. From pan roasted duck breast to herb pasta Pomodora, there’s something to satisfy every craving that hits your clan.

—Annette Benedetti

This trip was paid for by Elkhart Lake Tourism, but all opinions expressed here belong to the writer.

Geoffrey the Giraffe Could Come Out of Retirement as Toys”R”Us Stages a Comeback

by Erica LoopOctober 3, 2018

Sorry Geoffrey, we hope you didn’t get too comfortable in retirement, because there’s a chance that Toys”R”Us is coming back. According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, the beloved toy store may not be so dead and gone as we all thought earlier this year. It looks like the Toys”R”Us we grew up with might be reincarnated as something a little different.

If you’re confused, you aren’t alone. The mega-toy retailer famously closed its doors this summer following a downturn in sales, and eventually bankruptcy. Despite this, Toys”R”Us is still poised to make a comeback—we just don’t know all the details of exactly how or when—but we do have some clues.

Photo: Philip Pessar via Flickr

Instead of going ahead with the previously scheduled bankruptcy auction, the controlling lenders decided not to sell off the retailer’s intellectual property assets. This includes the brand names Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us, along with the image and character of Geoffrey the Giraffe and multiple domain names.

The group of private equity funds that currently owns the controlling stake in the now-closed toy retailer has a re-organization plan in the works. So what would that look like? Reportedly, the hedge fund funders want to re-launch the brand as a toy wholesale business.

But there’s also this curious tidbit as the The Toy Association’s annual Fall Toy Preview gets underway in Dallas, Texas. Geoffrey the Giraffe has been spotted on the trade show floor! Note what’s on his cape: “Back from Vacation.”

But he’s not carrying his previous “Toys”R”Us” mantel, instead attached to a company called “Geoffrey’s Toy Box.” According to The Toy Book, a leading toy trade magazine, the company has been restructured as Geoffrey, LLC.

Richard Barry, executive vice president of global merchandising at Geoffrey LLC, told The Toy Book that Geoffrey’s Toy Box is a new initiative for the re-organized company. Per The Toy Box:

Barry told The Toy Book exclusively that the company will launch a “shop-within-a-shop” concept, called Geoffrey’s Toy Box, with a prominent regional midwest retailer this November. The concept will feature a train of branded Geoffrey’s Toy Box displays.

Hmmm…curiouser and curiouser! For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what’s next for Geoffrey the Giraffe.

—Erica Loop

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Family Vacations Can Impact Kids’ Life-Long Happiness, Experts Agree

by Shahrzad WarkentinOctober 3, 2018

Cramming all that must-have gear into suitcases and spending 12 hours trapped in a tin can with antsy kids doesn’t exactly sound like a day in paradise. But research shows you should buck up, as those family vacations could be giving your kids the gift of a lifetime. Read on to find out how going on vacation can affect your child’s health and happiness.

According to research conducted by the Family Holiday Association, nearly half of those surveyed said their happiest memory was on vacation with family. A quarter of respondents also said that they rely on those happy memories as a boost when times are tough.

Vacations can also play a part in brain development, explains child psychotherapist and Director of Education and Training at the Center For Child Mental Health, Margot Sunderland. Spending time playing on the beach isn’t just for fun in the sun, it’s also for “attachment play” which is important to bonding.

Spending time connecting not only raises self-esteem says Sunderland, it also advances development in two brain systems known as Play and Seeking. These systems are exercised whenever you spend time playing or exploring with your child. Family vacations activate these systems, triggering well-being neurochemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, which reduce stress and create a feeling of happiness. They can also cause brain growth and maturity in the frontal lobe, which controls things like social intelligence and goal-directed behavior.

No matter how much of a hassle it seems to travel with kids, these amazing benefits and the lifelong memories far outweigh any downsides.

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Disney World Has Not One, but TWO Secret Shops for Huge Deals on Park Souvenirs

by Erica LoopAugust 14, 2018

Oh the joy of a Disney trip—half the fun is trying to find the perfect souvenir (or dozen) to take home with you before the trip is over. Before you spend your entire vacation budget on cute character playsets, tee shirts and everything else the kiddos want, get ready to have your mind blown: There are secret Disney World souvenir shops!

Disney Character Warehouse stores are the fabulous answer to your budget-busting vacation woes. Okay, so technically these aren’t really secret stores, especially to those truly die hard Disney fans in the know. But for many visitors to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, these stores are total diamonds in the rough—and off-Disney Resort and Parks property.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Blnu4VlFzEL/?tagged=disneycharacterwarehouse

The stores, in the Orlando International Premium Outlets and the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets sell official park merch (so don’t worry about getting over-priced knock-offs). If you’re wondering how they can sell Disney stuff for less, most of what you’ll find is out of season or over-stocked items.

Don’t expect to see everything you’d find at Walt Disney World. But you will find an ever-changing line-up of awesome items to choose from. So what can you expect? And how deep are the discounts? There’s really no way to tell. With the constant changes, it’s all up to luck.

If you don’t believe in a “secret” Disney store, check out what these budget-conscious shoppers posted on Instagram. This shopper found Toy Story toys for $1.99.

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A post shared by liz (@lifewithliz3)

Another shopper pulled in a major score at what they estimated was nearly 75 percent off.

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A post shared by AngiekDodson (@angiedodso)

Oh, and if you want a little something for yourself—this shopper found Disney Dooney & Bourke bags for 50 percent off, plus another 20 percent on top of that.

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A post shared by EarToEarMagic.com (@eartoearmagic)

Yep, it certainly looks like this is THE insider’s place to shop when you visit Disney World!

—Erica Loop

Featured Photo: Disney Springs via Instagram

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Family Vacations Gone Hilariously Wrong

by Ayren Jackson-CannadyAugust 6, 2018

In spite of all the careful planning, family vacations can and probably will go wrong at some point in one’s parenting life. So why not laugh about it (later)? If you think your vacay from “H-E-double hockey sticks” couldn’t be topped in the so-bad-it’s-funny-department, keep reading. These true stories of nightmare getaways will have you ROFL-ing.

photo: Alicia Orzechowski

Happy Camper
“As a final vacation to end our year-long fellowship in Germany, we decided to rent a VW campervan for two weeks and take our almost three-year-old and eight-month-old on a road trip through Europe. People told us we were crazy, they said: ‘that is not a vacation!’ But we insisted. We had to see as much as possible and this was the way to do it.

Long story short, we visited 12 countries in 14 days of driving. We covered over 7000 kilometers and crossed three mountain ranges. We visited cities like Paris and Rome, Cannes, Marseille, Zürich … But did we see the Mona Lisa? The Sistine Chapel? No. If our toddler couldn’t scream through it, throw things at it, or destroy it, we didn’t see it. Our glorious tour of Europe included every playground between Berlin and Barcelona, every McDonalds between Zürich and Paris. There are no Michelin starred restaurants that cater to toddlers. Do we regret it? No. Would we do it again? Absolutely not.” —Alicia Orzechowski, Washington, DC

When Ya Gotta Go …
“Before I knew how swim diapers worked, I put one on my toddler before heading to a restaurant. I was sitting at a fancy champagne brunch with my toddler when all of a sudden the kids at the table next to us starting yelling, ‘Ew! That baby is leaking pee!’ Sure enough, a stream of pee was flowing under her high chair.” —Malisa Payne, Arlington, VA

There Are no Tears … in Hawaii
“Last Christmas, we gave our kids a family trip to Hawaii. Two of them were happy and one started to cry because it was so far away and it was at the beach. ‘We already live near a beach,’ she said. It was the first person I have ever heard complain about going to Hawaii.” —Theresa Woollard, Jacksonville, NC

photo: Jason via Flickr

Everything but the Kitchen Sink
“We recently went on a family vacation, and we completely overpacked. But when we went to bathe our girls we realized we didn’t pack ANY of the essentials (ie toothpaste, toothbrushes, brushes, diapers, underwear). Who does that?”—Rebecca Levy-Levitt, Virginia Beach, VA

California Dreaming
“Our first trip back to California after we moved from Texas, our flight was delayed, then canceled, so we had to hop on a different flight. By the time we arrived in San Francisco, the rental car offices were closed, so we had to get a hotel. In the morning, on our way to see friends, we were rear-ended in the rental car. Then, a day later, my daughter knocked her front tooth out at our favorite children’s museum in Sausalito. If THAT wasn’t enough, my husband got the flu so bad, he was down and out for almost 10 days, most of which was during the Christmas holiday. And, for the final topper? My daughter had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics she was taking for her accident, and she had to fly home covered in spots. Needless to say, we were a hot mess on that trip.” —Gabby Cullen, Rockwall, TX

Chill Factor
“When my kids were little we took a bus to Edmonton, Canada from our home in Montana. We wanted to go to the West Edmonton Mall (aka the biggest mall on the planet that has a roller coaster inside). When we arrived, we quickly noticed that our hotel room had recently been painted and reeked of chemicals. In fact, the hotel was still under construction. When we were leaving to go home, the bus was 12 hours late, as they were trying to fix the heating. It was negative 6 degrees in Canada so we gave our coats to our kids, while we froze.” —Sabina Malva, Seattle WA

It’s Getting Hot in Here
“When I was a kid, we went to Washington, D.C. for a vacation and we were staying on the 12th floor in a high rise hotel with an underground parking garage. There was a huge storm, and the garage flooded. Back then, they also had the laundry room down there, so one of the dryers short-circuited and the electricity went out. My dad walked 12 floors down to see what was going on and then 12 floors back up. And then the hotel caught on fire. I remember my mom in her PJs, she grabbed my sister and I so we had to walk down all of these stairs. We had to evacuate the hotel with no clothes, just in our PJs. My dad’s uncle in Baltimore heard about the fire on the news and took us in for the rest of our trip. —Daphne LaSalle, Montgomery, AL

photo: Aikawa Ke via Flickr

Zootopia
“During a trip to the zoo while visiting family in Cali, my mom swore it was fine to upend my son’s naptime. He screamed for an entire hour on the way home. In traffic.” —Hilary Crosley Coker, Brooklyn, NY

Comedy of Errors
“One year when my kids were three, two and five months old, I planned a road trip to a farm stay a couple of hours away. The three-year-old got carsick all over herself on the way there and the two-year-old barfed on me as soon as we arrived. On the second day, the two-year-old burned his hand on our cooktop and spent most of the weekend clutching a cold beer. The temp went from 95 degrees to pouring rain over the course of three days (and we were sleeping in a canvas safari tent). BUT we still reminisce about how fun that trip was! And now when we are planning other road trips we think, it couldn’t get much worse than that, and we still had a great time!” —Kate Loweth, San Francisco

Top flight
We flew to Jamaica during nap time, hoping our son would, you know…sleep. Instead, he decides that it is not his naptime and maybe he doesn’t actually need a nap at all. When we landed in Jamaica I had a wired one-year-old telling the immigration officials about the ‘airpwane,’ ready to meltdown if they didn’t do airplane hands with him … —Aimee Peoples, Washington, D.C.

— Ayren Jackson-Cannady

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This New Travel Site Lets You Buy Someone Else’s Vacation

by Shahrzad WarkentinJuly 9, 2018

Want an awesome family vacation without having to do any planning? Why not buy someone else’s? Transfer Travel is like eBay for vacations and it lets you buy someone else’s already booked travel tickets and accommodations they no longer need.

Simon Powell founded Transfer Travel after he was stuck with his own fully-booked trip to Dubai thanks to an unplanned split from his partner. It was the receptionist at Powell’s hotel that prompted the idea when she asked if he could find someone to take his hotel room and pay him back for it.

This week Founder, Simon talked with from Hugh Morris, the Travel News Editor at the Telegraph whether thrifty holidaymakers should feel guilty about snapping up a bargain from our site. The answer was no!
–#travel #travelling #cancellation #hotel
–https://t.co/i92l9F4LGy

— transfertravel (@_transfertravel) July 2, 2018

Just like eBay, sellers can list their tickets or hotel rooms at full cost (the Buy It Now price), but there’s also plenty of room to score a deal as buyers can make lower offers. Any additional fees, like the cost of changing names on a booking, falls on the seller. Transfer Travel confirms each listing to make sure it’s a genuine booking. To protect buyers, the site also waits to release the money to sellers until after the booking is used.

On the flip side, if you’ve ever had to give up that family trip because of sick kids, this service can ensure you won’t lose your vacation and your money. According to research from Transfer Travel, illness is the number one reason vacations get canceled and around 220,000 booked and paid hotel rooms go unused in the United States each year. Currently, you can find around 1,000 open listings at Transfer Travel.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured Photo: Free-Photos via Pixabay

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The “Skip-Gen” Travel Trend Is Reinventing the Meaning of Family Vacation

by Shahrzad WarkentinJuly 7, 2018

Planning your summer vacation could mean enjoying a staycation while your kids are away thanks to a new family travel trend. Skip-gen travel, as the trend has been nicknamed, is when grandparents whisk the kids off as their travel companions and leave mom and dad behind.

With hectic work schedules, it can be hard to find enough time off to enjoy an extended family vacation, which could explain the growing popularity of skip-gen travel. Grandparents who are either working less or are fully retired are freer to take vacations than their millennial kids.

'Skip-gen travel' is the new trend where grandparents are taking their grandkids on holiday with them rather than their kids. How would that work for your family? #familytravel #travel #travelingwithkids https://t.co/Pqy9k4iMoz pic.twitter.com/5HeBU88f86

— My Icon Story (@myiconstory) June 28, 2018

While traveling together as a family is an incredibly beneficial experience, these multigenerational vacations have their own set of perks. Parents might be left behind, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have some fun of their own. Getting a little alone time can help reinforce your relationship with your spouse, and it’s completely guilt-free because the kids will be having a blast too. It also means that the youngest and oldest family members get some special bonding time and memory making your kids will cherish forever.

The only thing that can be tricky about skip-gen travel is finding a destination that is the right fit for both energetic kids and less-active grandparents. Theme parks, guided tours and cruises have become popular choices as they provide planned activities and meals, putting less pressure on grandparents.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Pexels

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5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat with Your Kids

By Laura Nau

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

June 25, 2018

Summer vacation is here! Depending on where you live, that means scorching hot and humid days. Knowing how to beat the heat and survive the hot summer days with kids is definitely something you need to know.

Water Games

What is summer vacation without water games? There are a ton of options to keep the kiddos entertained outside. Even if you don’t have access to a pool, there are other equally fun water-based things to do, such as running through the sprinklers, fill up and tossing around water balloons or playing in an inflatable pool, with a slip and slide or a water activity table. Summer is all about having a blast outside and water games are a childhood necessity to keep the kids entertained for hours.

Make Your Own (Healthy) Popsicles

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ICE CREAM!

Who doesn’t love ice cream and popsicles on a hot, summer day? If you are trying to feed your family more healthy options or at least limit their sugar intake, you can totally make your own cool treats.

For popsicles, mix together Greek yogurt and fruit in a bowl and then pour into popsicle molds. If you want a sorbet, blend frozen strawberries with some honey in a blender for a delicious strawberry sorbet.

Have Your Groceries Delivered

Depending on where you live, this may not be an option, but if it is, take advantage! Having your groceries delivered to your door saves you from having to load up all the kids in the car and go to the store. This is a sanity (and time) saver!

Make Sure Your Air Conditioner Is in Working Order

We learned this the hard (and expensive) way. This is probably a no-brainer for most people, but someone we have neglected it. Having your air conditioner serviced can ensure that it’s working properly. No one wants sweaty, cranky kids complaining about how hot it is when the air conditioner goes out. Trust me. It’s not pretty.

Find Fun Activities in Your Town

Search your town for fun, family activities. This may be weekly camps, a swim team, or activities at your local library. There are probably tons of activities that you don’t even know about. Make plans to get out of the house regularly throughout the week to keep you and the kiddos from going stir crazy. Check out your local Farmer’s Market for a great Saturday morning outing. Grab some food and cook dinner together.

You Can Survive the Summer with Your Kids

Summer can be a stressful time, but it can also be so fun! Finding ways to survive the hot summer days will make Mom very happy. And let’s be honest, we all know that if Mom is happy, everyone is happy!

Featured Photo Courtesy: Laura via Nau & Forever

Laura Nau

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I'm Laura and I am a wife and mom living in Evansville, Indiana. I have a nine-year-old stepdaughter, three-year-old twin girls and an eight-month-old baby girl. Bless my husband with all these girls! I love sharing the humor in mommyhood as well as tips on health/wellness and fitness.

Disney Cruise Line’s 2019 Destinations Are Perfect for Your Next Family Voyage

by Shahrzad WarkentinMay 30, 2018

Looking to hit the open seas with the family? Make it a magical voyage with a trip aboard a Disney cruise ship. Disney Cruise Line’s 2019 itinerary lineup has been released and there are some spectacular destinations departing from both coasts.

Disney Cruise Line has just revealed its destinations and itineraries for the Fall 2019 season. Cruises begin setting sail in September and run throughout January 2020. The itineraries include ships leaving port from Florida and Texas to the islands of the Caribbean and the Bahamas, both of which give guests a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Further north along the east coast, are cruises from New York to Bermuda and the Canadian coast.

Voyages fill up fast so now’s the time to discover a magical season full of unforgettable memories. #DisneyCruise pic.twitter.com/dI6S04Fw4q

— Disney Cruise Line (@DisneyCruise) May 24, 2018

On the other side of the map, travelers have several options to set sail from the west coast as well. Trips headed south from California will take you to Baja and the Mexican Riviera, or you can start further north in Vancouver and work your way down along the Pacific coastline to sunny San Diego. You can also experience something really unique with a 2-week journey from California to Texas that crosses the Panama Canal.

If you’re looking to get a little further away, Disney Cruise Line is also offering a ten-night transatlantic cruise that departs from Dover, England on September 15 and lands in New York.

A Disney Cruise vacation is unlike any other cruise with amenities like character experiences, kids clubs, Disney-themed live shows and special events, like Star Wars Day at Sea, Pirate Night and Halloween on the High Seas.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured Photo: Disney Parks

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All the Packing Hacks You Need for Your Family Vacation

By Sara Mercer

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

May 18, 2018

Whether you are headed to visit grandparents, to the beach or to the mountains you have to pack. And let’s be honest, packing for yourself and your kids isn’t usually easy nor fun. With multiple people’s needs to manage I find myself overwhelmed in the weeks leading up to a trip trying to make sure we have everything we need. Here are a few packing hacks I figured out along the way that can help make things easier.

Kids Carry On

Preschool-aged children and upwards should each have their own backpack filled with what they will need for the flight to keep them occupied. New crayons and a few pads of paper are both good on the plane and also useful if your child needs a break from the pool or something to occupy them at restaurants. Dot to Dot books or age-appropriate workbooks are also useful. Wrapping a few little surprise presents is always a good idea for potential meltdowns and when nothing else seems to be working. The blind packaging toys you can find at most pharmacies are great for this!

Snacks, snacks and more snacks are key on any trip. Pack your child’s favorites in their backpack for when hunger strikes. To keep things clean on the plane think non-messy snacks like cut up fruit, pretzels, granola bars etc. Save anything that could cause a spill or a mess for your destination.

Tablet or iPad use is a personal parenting choice but if your kids have them make sure they are fully charged and loaded with their current (this week’s not last weeks!) favorite movies and shows before you put them in their backpacks. Don’t forget headphones as no one on the plane wants to listen to your child watch Trolls on repeat!

Mom’s Carry On

If you have a baby or child too young to carry their own backpack pack their things inside your own large tote or backpack to carry on. If you are going on a beach vacation you can use your large beach bag as a carry on so you don’t have to pack it in your suitcase. Going on a city trip? Carry on a backpack loaded with everything you need for the plane and then use it as you explore your destination.

To keep your carry on organized use zipper pouches divided by “event” such as plane time, arrival etc. If you have a baby or toddler in diapers make sure to pack one pouch with at two more diapers than you think you need and a full pack of baby wipes. You don’t want to be stuck rationing diapers if you run into a flight delay! Baby wipes are not only useful for diaper changes but can clean up sticky hands and faces, and are also great for wiping down germ filled airplane seats and tray tables.

In a second pouch pack a full change of clothes for each child as well as a clean top for yourself. You never know when a baby or child will get messy!

In a third pouch pack a full day’s change of clothes for you and each child in case you get stuck with lost luggage. If you are traveling somewhere warm this is also a good place to pack bathing suits and coverups so you don’t have to root around in your luggage to find beach or pool attire. Most kids are anxious to swim after a long flight!

Checked Luggage

Pack one suitcase for your children to share. Inside the suitcase pack each child’s clothes in their own packing cube to make unpacking easier and to help keep those little outfits organized. Roll clothes before putting them in the packing cube to increase space and decrease wrinkles. Unless you will have access to laundry pack two outfits (including underwear) per day per child and a few pairs of pajamas.

Make sure to pack any special bedtimes lovies or sound machines your child may need to help them sleep in a new place. The night before you leave, place a sticky note on the suitcase with a list of last minute items to be packed in the morning. This way you won’t forget that special bedtime friend or toothbrush in the morning rush!

In your own suitcase use packing cubes to divide shoes, underwear and clothes. On vacation, the last thing you want to think about is putting together outfits or lamenting that you have the right shoes to wear. Try packing in a specific color story to avoid wardrobe drama and to make getting dressed each day super easy! Also, make sure to only pack comfortable shoes that you can walk in and work well both day and night.

Featured Photo Courtesy: Mia McDonald

Sara Mercer

Tinybeans Voices Contributor

I am a born and bred New Yorker trying to balance life as a mom of two, writer, wellness coach and fitness enthusiast. If I'm not chasing my girls at the playground, you’ll find me shopping the farmer’s market, checking out the latest boutique fiitness craze or blogging for mercer+green.

ML Interest Tag: vacation

Geoffrey the Giraffe Could Come Out of Retirement as Toys”R”Us Stages a Comeback

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Family Vacations Can Impact Kids’ Life-Long Happiness, Experts Agree

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Disney World Has Not One, but TWO Secret Shops for Huge Deals on Park Souvenirs

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Family Vacations Gone Hilariously Wrong

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This New Travel Site Lets You Buy Someone Else’s Vacation

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The “Skip-Gen” Travel Trend Is Reinventing the Meaning of Family Vacation

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5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat with Your Kids

By Laura Nau

Water Games

Make Your Own (Healthy) Popsicles

Have Your Groceries Delivered

Make Sure Your Air Conditioner Is in Working Order

Find Fun Activities in Your Town

You Can Survive the Summer with Your Kids

Laura Nau

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Disney Cruise Line’s 2019 Destinations Are Perfect for Your Next Family Voyage

Featured Photo: Disney Parks

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All the Packing Hacks You Need for Your Family Vacation

By Sara Mercer

Kids Carry On

Mom’s Carry On

Checked Luggage

Sara Mercer

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