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Here are a list of guest posts, features, interviews, speaking engagements, and more!
Publications & Guest Posts
Dining in Glasgow: Fun for the Whole Family
Going to a restaurant with kids can send a chill up some parents’ back. The stress of kids getting bored and antsy, while you spend money on a meal that is hard to enjoy will make some parents opt for dinner at home. But when you are traveling, the experience of new restaurants is at least half the fun…
Top 5 Laguna Beach Spots for Dining with an Ocean View
Along California’s coast are oodles of awesome beach towns, but Laguna Beach is a special little piece of paradise. Some think that it is an isolated bubble of rich people and artists, but there is nothing snobby about Laguna Beach, which is great news for those of us traveling with kids…
San Diego with Kids
As Southern California resident, it is safe to say that we are frequent visitors to sunny San Diego. Whether it is a quick day trip to Old Town or a weekend long RV trip to Mission Bay, we always have a great time. However, San Diego is rather large and for first time visitors it can be somewhat overwhelming…
5 Tips for Beach Rving
I love the heat and while many of you out there are desperately trying to survive the blistering cold of winter, I thought I’d send some warm beachy thoughts from Cali your way.Our family has become quite the RVers since purchasing a family RV two years ago. We try to take a trip at least once a month. Although we enjoy everything from the sea to the mountains, our favorite sites tend to be at the beach…
How Summer Travel Helps Promote Outdoor Play
As I watch iridescent orbs float through the sunset sky I think, “Wow.” In the age of iPads, iPhones, and numerous other electronic devices, something as simple as blowing bubbles can still stir up so much excitement. Although we live in a world of over-stimulation, kids really do love the simple things in life and I think deep down, so do adults…
5 Simple Ways to Save on Flights
For potential travelers, airfare is one of the most expensive portions of the trip, especially if you have a big family to haul around.Most people can find ways to cut corners in order to afford a trip by dining at less costly restaurants or staying at budget-friendly hotels, but airfare is what it is. Suck it up and pay up if you want to go, right?…
7 Fun Ways to Travel With Your Kids Through Food
A question that many moms ask themselves daily is, “what the heck am I going to feed my kids?”When you take the kids on the road then the question gets harder to answer. What if the trip is abroad, where the culture and food are more exotic and unfamiliar? Where ever you are, you end up finding that there isn’t Mac ’n Cheese and chicken nuggets on the menu. That’s a scary thought for some parents, especially if their children are picky eaters. However, there is a simple solution that requires no travel…
Ultimate Guide to RVing
For many families RVing is an affordable and convenient way to travel, but how do you know if it is right for your family? If you had asked me three years ago, I would have been doubtful. I was raised as a resort girl. My parents were not into RVing or camping or any style of travel that appeared to be more work than pleasure. Although the thought of hitting the open road in an RV did intrigue me, it was just outside my family’s travel comfort zone of no stress, no mess holidays…
5 Kid-Friendly Things to do in Las Vegas
Las Vegas! Just the word alone invokes images of showgirls, casinos, sexy pool parties, over-the-top cocktails and hot nightclubs. Sin City is the ultimate adult playground. So, it is no surprise that I’m often met with odd looks when people discover I actually enjoy taking my kids to Las Vegas. Can you really have fun in Vegas if you bring the kids?…
10 Mocktail Recipes from Around the World
After many years behind bars, I’ve learned a thing or two. Relax; I’m talking about doing time as a bartender. In addition to making drinks, I also write about them. I’ve combined my passion for spirits and travel as a regular contributor to Cigar & Spirits Magazine and of course my blog. I’ve found that drinks are a great way to learn about history and culture. They not only enhance your travel experience, but can help you create a travel experience at home…
Wild Women of the West
Swinging saloon doors, gunfights, law dogs, outlaws, miners, and cowboys – these are iconic images of the Wild West, popularized by decades of media and culture. The stories we tell about the rough-and-tumble American frontier are chock-full of masculine imagery and male characters. No doubt that the new frontier was rough, but what about the women that lived, loved, and worked there?…
Arts and Food in Idyllwild, California
A quick Google search will yield little results, and chances are you haven’t heard of this little town despite it being the setting of the movie Galahad, starring Elvis Presley. Where am I talking about you ask? I’m talking about Idyllwild, of course! For those unfamiliar, the San Jacinto Mountains are located in Riverside County about 90 minutes east of Orange County. Unlike other Southern California mountain towns such as Big Bear that are geared towards the sporty types, Idyllwild indulges the art lovers and foodies…
A Perfect Day in Glasgow, Scotland
Glasgow is not only the largest city in Scotland, it also one of the friendliest. However, Glasgow hasn’t always had such a positive reputation. Once a major shipping port and industrial center, Glasgow had issues with overcrowding, sanitation, and violence. Since then, Glasgow has gone through major changes and re-branding. Fabulous shopping and restaurants, historical sites, Glasgow University and the School of Art have become major attractions to the city. In fact, in 2008 Glasgow was named UNESCO City of Music. With so much to see and do in this Scottish city, it is hard to have a bad day, but I am going to show you how to have a perfect day in Glasgow…
10 Ways Family Travel Differs from Couple Travel
There is nothing like seeing the world with the one you love. Jet setting around from country to country, trying new foods, exploring new places and sleeping wherever your little budget allows while hand-in-hand with your favorite travel buddy. Sounds lovely doesn’t it? Sure couple travel has its challenges, but for the most part it is can be easy and affordable. What happens when the one you love becomes more than one? No, I am not talking Big Love here. I’m talking about the addition of kids…
Top 10 Things to do in Orange County with Kids
With it being the setting for shows like Real Housewives, Laguna Beach, Arrested Development, The O.C and a host of numerous other popular films and television shows, some may come to the conclusion that Orange County, California is too expensive, too health conscious, too weird and too snobby to have a fun affordable family vacation…
Favorite Children’s Museum Worldwide
I first heard of Pretend City Children’s Museum during my daughter’s field trip and I was completely amazed. The museum looks like a real city inside, complete with 17 interactive exhibits. As the kids run a play through this interconnected pretend city, they learn many aspects of a functioning town…
9 Tips for Road Trips with Kids
Hours trapped in a moving vehicle with kids. No, I am not talking about the new summer horror film. I am talking about a good old fashioned family road trip. Road trips can be an affordable and exciting way for families to travel to many destinations, but kids don’t always get the memo on the fun part. However, there are some ways to ease the pains of family road trips. As we are no strangers to long road trips (in fact we are embarking on a 60 day road trip across the US this summer!) I have some tips to help you get through your next journey on the road…
Features & Interviews
Jetsetters: @Hotmamatravel
Meet our girl Amanda. She’s a lot like us: she travels as much as she can, whether it’s a long weekend or a simple day trip, and her favorite way to explore is by eating and drinking her way around. What makes her infinitely more impressive than us, however, is that she does it with two kids…
30 Days of Grateful Travel
In honor Thanksgiving, Amanda from HotMamatravel.com shared a travel experience that she thankful for this year. This photo was taken at the Rest & Be Thankful in the Scottish Highlands this past June. This trip was special, because it was filled with a bunch of firsts for her and her family…
Family Travel Blogger- HotMamaTravel
If you are planning an overseas holiday one of the best ways to research what to do with kids is to check out a local family travel blogger, like Amanda from Hot Mama Travel. This US-based family travel blog is packed with destination guides, money-saving tips and inspirational stories. Amanda writes about her travels with her husband and two children, aged six and four. Here we have a chat about some of her favourite holidays – and tips for taking the stress out of travelling with young children.