Books: Ultimate Book of Family Travel

Making Family Travel Easy

Tested: 2/15/2006 to 3/1/2006

Family Travel

As a kid, my family went on road trips, camping trips, city trips and adventure trips. I know those journeys are the basis for positive family relationships today. I also know that the life lessons I learned while being exposed to different places and people are priceless.

The Ultimate Book of Family Travel by Emily Kaufman provides a lot of reasonable advice for making family travel an enriching experience rather than a parental nightmare. Some of the simple guidance “The Travel Mom” gives in this book includes: Do not over-schedule, Give your kids your presence and veer off the beaten path. She calls these “rules for family travel,” and although many seem to come from common sense, having them outlined in a book really makes me feel like I could tackle a full-fledged family vacation. Unlike Chevy Chase’s family in the infamous “Vacation” movies, I have confidence we will return home rested and reconnected to each other.

The thing that impresses me most about the Ultimate Book of Family Travel is the breadth of information in such a reasonably sized book. Emily Kaufman covers everything from camping and adventure travel to cruises and all-inclusive resorts. She doesn’t leave any form of transportation out and even addresses seasonal travel.

Although it is impossible to list every good family travel spot, the list of destinations and resources that she outlines is more than enough to get you started on planning your own fabulous family vacation. “The Travel Mom” outlines a Must See, Must do and Must Try for many of the vacation spots; it is a great resource.

The last section of the book has a wish list/brainstorming area; you can take your own notes on the lined pages and have everything at hand when you are weighing your options and making decisions about your trip.

Now, where is my suitcase and sunscreen? I am ready to go—just as soon as I find some time in my schedule and some money in my bank account.

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Price range:	$14.95
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Features:	“A thorough and comprehensive guide that not only offers an abundance of fantastic destinations… but also the resources that readers need to customize a vacation that suits their family’s interests and budget.”