Baby Friendly Vacations

Yes you can take the kids to Amsterdam. It’s not all about “coffee houses” and Red Light Districts. You can avoid all that stuff and have a blast with the children and your baby. The key to travel with kids and babies is to be organized, yet flexible. Plan some adventures, but also some down time, as children need their rest and will get more out of the trip this way. We think Amsterdam is a must for the family that loves good food, fabulous museums and beautiful scenery. Amsterdam just might be the most walkable city in the world. We have a few suggestions while you find your passport and book your flight to Schiphol Airport.

#1. Get booked into a no fuss, central hotel. Forgo the fancy extras and stay somewhere that offers family size rooms and a hearty continental breakfast. Spend the cash you save on something you really want. Our favorite place to stay while taking in the sights? The minimal yet charming Hotel Jupiter (www.jupiterhotel.nl). Love their breakfast and it’s super clean and comfy.

#2 Plan to see The Anne Frank House and The Van Gogh Museum. These are the two must see museums in Amsterdam hands down. Your children will learn so much. Plan one per day, as seeing both in one day with kids would be too overwhelming. Tip: If your child is old enough, have them read Anne Frank’s Diary before the trip. They’ll get so much more out of the experience.

#3 Rent some bikes, pack a picnic and tour the city with two wheels. Lots of places rent bikes with toddler seats for those of you with wee ones (www.workcycles.com). Amsterdam has bike lanes and is flat enough that a bike ride won’t tire everyone out. For you picnic, just duck into one of the many yummy cheese shops and bakeries. Your kids will discover that not all cheese is orange.

Are you craving the sun sand and some serious relaxation? Want to hear the waves crashing and feel rejuvenated? Then pack your baby, your husband and your itsy bitsy bikini cause your going to CLUB MED. When you have kids your travel days aren’t over, you just have to adjust your way of thinking about travel. Until your babe is out of diapers and can eat solid food, put the trips to Nepal on hold and enjoy the relaxation of the Caribbean. CLUB MED offers tons of programs for babies and children and even has a teen club for your moody 14 year old. Many of their properties have rooms outfitted with cribs, change tables and high chairs (though I still think you should bring your own booster seat for baby as they can save your life if the hotel has run out of highchairs in their rooms and restaurants). The programs for kiddies are phenomenal, with their three groups

• PETIT CLUB MED,
• MINI CLUB MED, and
• JUNIOR/TEEN CLUB MED.

This leaves you time to have a massage, go for a swim and read that book you put down the minute you went into labor. Check out their deals and packages at

www.clubmed.us

Miroslav Sasek has been trying to teach children about exciting travel and fabulous European cities since 1959. His classic stories on the most traveled cities of the world are sought after by parents who want to show their children where they are jetting off to. Elegant and grand, these books show a child the excitement and wonder of amazing cities such as Paris, London and New York. They will light the fire of travel in your little one and most definitely become bedtime favorites for years to come. Why not save the book for the plane ride over so they can see all the great museums they are going to visit and all the fantastic sites they are going to experience. It keeps your kiddie busy and you can bond over the whole travel experience.

Think your ski days are over now that you have a 2 month old baby? Think again new parent. Taking your baby on vacation is manageable and easy nowadays. Hotels and resorts are catering to the most demanding toddler with style and ease. All you need to do is plan a little and accept the unexpected and let the experts do the rest. Taking a vacation after the birth of your baby is probably the most sensible thing to do. When in your life did you ever need to rest and relax more? Changing a dirty diaper is the same no matter where you are. Baby will be happy as long as you are there.

Lake Louise Mountain Resort (www.skilouise.com) offers child carefor infants and children at the TELUS PLAY STATION & DAYCARE for only $59 a day. A great price for piece of mind and lots of runs through some white powder.

SUNSHINE VILLAGE BANFF (www.skibanff.com) offers Tiny Tigers Daycare to its tiniest customers. They offer lots of indoor and outdoor activities and lunch to fill your tots tummy, all for $60 a day.

HEAVENLY MOUNTAIN (www.skiheavenly.com) Lake Tahoe’s premier winter playground, offers daycare and a one on one nanny, depending on your preference. You can relax and let youself unwind while your baby ( as young as 6 weeks) gets the care they need.

Prices do vary, so check these sites out.

After about a year of chasing your little dickens around, it really begins to dawn on you that you will never get another vacation, or so it seems. Maybe its time to take a cruise, have someone else feed you, and see another part of the world. The best part about a cruise is that you can make your room into a home base, somewhere to take your littel fussbudget when she starts to have a meltdown.

On a cruise, while you are settling your wee one to sleep someone else is sailing the ship to your next adventure. How nice is that.

With all the modern amenities that cruise ships offer, there is something for everyone (kids included).

carnival has some infor on their kids cruises, and yes they do take kids under 2 (although they do charge more)

Carnival

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/Toddlers.aspx

Info from royal Caribbean

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do;jsessionid=0000×5vSK9Zx6U_klZNp6eGnejt:10

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pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Staterooms&faqId=2637&faqSubjectId=32

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http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/experiencetypes/experiencetype/experience/home.do;jsessionid

=0000×5vSK9Zx6U_klZNp6eGnejt:10ktmer4a?exCode=113