When you get tired of herding your little ones to and fro, you can practice those skills during a special getaway on a ranch, with horses and cows that may actually prove to be more pliable than your own offspring. Rancho de los Caballeros is located northwest of Phoenix, a drive of approximately 1.5 hours. Open from October to May, the ranch is spread out over 20,000 acres, with 100 horses to explore the trails and a golf course to provide non-equine related activity. Relaxation is offered in the form of a labyrinth walk and a multitude of treatments offered by the spa. (more…)

As if you didn’t know this…

Well, maybe you didn’t, which is part of why you visit us - hopefully frequently - to dig up deals and more importantly, news, on where you can best plan your family vacation.

Forbes Traveler has done a piece that you should check out on the 10 best family-friendly hotels in the US.  Just as important, they’ve noted that catering to families is on the rise, as more and more adults are bringing their youngsters along on luxury trips.  According to sources quoted in the article, September 11 and the fact that marketing professionals in charge of recreation are themselves becoming parents are two huge factors in why hotels are becoming more sophisticated in their approach to attracting families.

The top 10 hotels are (listed here in no particular order):

• The Broadmoor, Colorado
• The Breakers, Florida
• Enchantment Resort, Arizona
• The Homestead, Virginia
• The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Hawaii
• The Peninsula, New York
• The Resort at Paws Up, Montana
• Topnotch Resort & Spa, Vermont
• Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, Hawaii
• The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, New Hampshire

All resorts and hotels with some concept of pampering and luxury for both adults and children.  We love it.

The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, copyright DNC Parks & Resorts at THE BALSAMS, LLC

Happy Monday! It’s the beginning of the week and you’re probably already looking forward eagerly to the end of it, and the 3-day holiday weekend to come. We did promise you that we’d be offering you a series of romantic getaways for you and your (maybe-not-so-) better half to recharge those batteries that the children wear down with lightning speed. While you probably already have family vacation plans for the upcoming weekend, there’s a whole summer ahead of you. Just remember - it tends to go by fast. (Of course, we’ll be showcasing these romantic getaways every week, so if you don’t make your escape this summer, there’s fall, winter, next spring…  but you don’t really want to wait that long, do you?) (more…)