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We're Traveling Mamas sharing our adventures with the world. We offer tips on great (and not so great) places to visit with children and how to have the best family vacations -- but it's not all about the kids, of course! Romantic escapes, girlfriend getaways, and solo trips are also important to us. Plus, we cover industry news and review travel gear, and we love to give things away!

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In Gustav’s Path

I just want to send a very public best wishes and “we’re thinking of you” to all our readers who live in or around Hurricane Gustav’s projected path. That includes CajunMama, who makes her home in Louisiana.

I keep checking Weather.com and reading reports on MSN.com and I just feel so helpless. My feelings can’t even compare, I’m sure, to folks who live down South and who have lived through hurricanes before. It seems like just waiting for the darn thing to hit already must be the worst part — just waiting, knowing that bad boy is on his way.

So, hang in there Gulf Coast residents, evacuees, and friends and families of everyone who might be literally touched by Gustav in the coming days. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.

August 31, 2008 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar | Leave a Comment

Traveling Mamas Is Now Listed On Alltop

Traveling Mamas is happy to announce we are now listed on Alltop’s Travel and Moms pages. Alltop is cleverly described as an online magazine rack. Very cool.

We are sharing the spot with many of our industry friends and fellow bloggers such as SoulTravelers3, Travel Savvy Mom, Perceptive Travel, Nerd’s Eye View, Delicious Baby, Family Travel Logue, Perrin Post, What A Trip, Write to Travel, Happy Hotelier, Type-A-Mom and even Anthony Bourdain. Thanks, Alltop!

August 30, 2008 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar | 2 Comments

Colorado’s Tiny Town

A couple of days ago I shared one of my favorite giant Denver attractions, The Big Blue Bear. But today we’re going the other extreme, Tiny Town.

I’ll admit I’m kind of a fanatic about dollhouses, that’s why I love (number one) having a girl and (number two) going to Tiny Town every time I visit Denver. Actually, the town is not really in Denver, it is located west of the city in the foothills between the towns of Morrison and Conifer.

Tiny Town’s history stems back to 1915 when George Turner began building one-sixth-sized dollhouses for his daughter (talk about a young girl’s dream). In 1920 the town was opened to the public and became an extremely popular attraction. The town is more than dollhouses. Many of the structures are replicas of actual Colorado buildings, restaurants, mines, lighthouses and more. By 1939 the Tiny Town Railway was running and giving visitors rides. The train whisks passengers away on a ride through the outskirts of the town and alongside a stream, passing a birdhouse collection, dinosaurs and a hill filled with more mini replicas.

Some of the houses and structures allow the kids to climb in, such as a windmill and jail. Others are filled with Barbie dolls and other typical doll house accessories. The newest house is a replica of the Addams Family home – the “family” is even peeking through the windows. A playground sits at the end of the park where families can bring picnics and the kids can burn off energy.

The town has had its ups and downs and openings and closings but today it looks like it’s here to stay. What makes this attraction special for me is that my mother visited Tiny Town as a child during a family road trip from Omaha. A few weeks ago my mother had the opportunity to make memories with my kids at this classic attraction – and Tiny Town is already a treasured memory, but not a small one.

August 29, 2008 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Family Travel, Romantic Getaways, The Cookie Jar | 11 Comments

Air Travel Gets Worse – The Top 9 Stingiest Airlines

It has probably happened to all of us. We dutifully get to the airport 2 hours early, take off our shoes to pass through security, and watch as the TSA guy throws out our forgotten full-size tube of toothpaste. Watch out, that thing could blow up any minute!

The individual airline companies have little – or nothing – to do with the TSA and other ridiculous homeland security policies that don’t actually make us safer (although these policies have spawned a whole cottage industry of 3 ounce toiletry products). A consumer wouldn’t be out of line to think, however, that airlines would acknowledge the indignities of air travel, and do their very best to assuage this for their customers. Think again. With US Airways now charging for water, and Jet Blue charging for in-flight blankets and pillows, the nickel-and-diming of air travel passengers has hit a new low. In no way does the airline industry indicate that it believes the customer is king, always right, or even worthy of respect.

Time Magazine compiled a list of the stingiest airlines. It’s an interesting read; Southwest and Virgin America are the most passenger-friendly, while United and US Airways the least. Yes, we all know that fuel prices have gone through the roof, and that airlines have to do their best to turn a profit. The ill will generated by added fees is not the way to go, though.

Jet Blue, ranked in the middle of Time’s list of stingiest airlines, still manages to remain relatively unblemished and garner customer loyalty. I have a hard time reconciling my own warm feelings toward the airline with its claims that making passengers buy on-board pillows and blankets is somehow “good for the environment.” You know what’s better for the environment? Not flying at all. And that’s exactly what more and more travelers are going to do, if these stingy, infantilizing policies continue on their downward path.

Now, no one honestly believes that we can bring back the days of air travel as a luxury event. Those days are gone. However, there must be some middle ground between having airline tickets costing so much that only the upper crust of society can afford to fly, and the cattle car experience that it is today. Any ideas? I’d like to think that managers in the airline industry would be open to them.

August 28, 2008 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Family Travel, Flying High, Luxury Travel, The Cookie Jar, Travel News | 6 Comments

Winning Wednesday: Busch Gardens Williamsburg Getaway

Wow! We had such an awesome response to our Busch Gardens Williamsburg Giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered and even to those of you who just came by to visit TravelingMamas.com.

It looks like a good number of you are still out there traveling which is a good thing.

We told you we had a few surprises during our Boycott, so we are adding a few random items to this awesome giveaway. So, congratulations to our winner, Kayce C., who boycotted the Staycation by visiting Atlanta. You’ve won:

2 nights lodging at Embassy Suites Williamsburg
2 Season Pass vouchers to Busch Gardens Williamsburg
2 $25 Exxon Mobile Cards
2 T-shirts
2 Watercountry USA Visors

And as a special bonus

1 Gift Certificate for dinner for 2 at any Cracker Barrel Restaurant
1 GetRoadReady.com Pack from Prestone to help you get better gas mileage on your road trip
4 Cds to help you enjoy the ride, compliments of Kirt Webster and Associates

Be sure to check your email for how to claim this fantastic getaway and again, thanks to all our readers. If any of you get a chance to visit Busch Gardens for Howl-O-Scream, send us your pics and you just might see yourself on TravelingMamas.com.

Keep checking back at TravelingMamas.com for more tips and information to get you inspired to travel.

August 27, 2008 | Filed Under Travel News | 2 Comments

Denver’s Big Blue Bear

A few weeks ago during our trip to Denver my parents took my kiddos and I on a tour through the city to see several pieces of Denver’s over-sized art collection.

The first piece we saw was as we were driving down Pena Boulevard leaving DIA – a giant blue mustang with fiery red eyes. Although, we didn’t see the eyes until we returned to the airport a week later since it faces incoming traffic. (New Mexico artist Luis Jimene was actually killed when a piece of the sculpture fell on him as he was assembling it in his home. What a shame.)

My parents kept telling the kids the real excitement is downtown’s Big Blue Bear (actually called “I See What You Mean”). You could even consider it a road-side attraction. The giant bear is “peeking” through the windows of the Denver Convention Center on 14th Street in downtown and what a fun attraction it is (can you see how tiny the kids look next to him?). He really is darling. When the bear was first erected so many people wanted to be photographed next to him that the groundskeepers couldn’t keep the grass alive. The area is now newly paved and has been recently landscaped. The yard will look really nice and lush after a little growth.

August 27, 2008 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, The Cookie Jar | 8 Comments

On the Move Approved: Flip Ultra Video

A while back I was searching for something small and easy to use that could record snippets to provide content for our TravelingMamas YouTube page. A wise family travel blogger I know, Sheila of BootsNAll’s Family Travel Logue, mentioned that I should try the Flip Ultra Video. She claimed it was so easy and simple that a kindergartener could use it. So, the research began.

I found the Flip Ultra Corporate Site that listed its predecessor and also a newer model, the Flip Mino. I compared all of them, including available accessories, such as a mini tripod and even an action mount for catching those skydiving trips. Both the Ultra and the Mino looked really cool with just a few differences. The Mino is a little smaller and has a rechargeable battery, whereas the Ultra can still fit in a pocket and uses two AA batteries. The Mino is also more expensive at $179.99US MSRP and only comes in black or white. The Ultra is listed at $149.99 and comes in a variety of cool colors.

So, I searched on eBay. I checked out Amazon. I even went to Target and Walmart searching for this elusive gadget. I wanted to see it in person before I purchased it. I had given up my quest that day and continued on to Sam’s Wholesale Club to satisfy my inner bulkaholic before calling it a day. Imagine my delight when I saw, illuminated under fluorescent lighting, a large pyramid stack of Flip Ultra Videos for $124.99 each. What a steal! Of course, I added it to the grocery bill.

I couldn’t wait to check out and open my treasure in RedBugg. My son was so excited, he tore at the plastic casing with his teeth like a puppy with a new peanut butter filled Kong. He placed the batteries in it and began recording with one touch. When we arrived home, we popped out the USB arm and plugged it into the computer. The easy to load software comes pre-loaded in the camera and is super easy to use.

So far, we’ve taken that little find and filmed numerous travel memories which will soon be available for viewing. This fun, easy, and affordable little gadget definitely gets the On the Move Approved seal from me. Thanks for the tip, Sheila!

August 26, 2008 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar, Travel Gear, Videos | 9 Comments

Odd Roadside Attractions

Road trips can be a fun time to reconnect with the family, play cheesy road games, or even make random stops along the way. When I hit the road in RedBugg, I always like to seek out the bizarre and kooky roadside attractions that can still be found along America’s highways and byways.

One site I use to help me find those crazy places is Roadside America, a guide to uniquely odd tourist attractions. Travelers can find sights by state or city and can then read updates by recent visitors. Here are a few of my favorite roadside attractions.

Rock City -This is a classic stop in Chattanooga, TN that has also been a favorite of my family for generations.

The Cadillac Ranch - Who knew that colorful Cadillacs could be found sticking out the ground in the middle of a field near Amarillo, TX.

Mammy's Cupboard copyright 2008 Shannon Hurst Lane Mammy’s Cupboard – This place is sooo not politically correct, but this Natchez, MS stop has been featured on the Travel Channel and also dishes up lunch Monday through Friday.

Museum of Appalachia - Yup. We spent hours at this Clinton, TN stop and couldn’t seem to stop looking at things such as a Ukeweewee (Banjo made out of a bed pan) or the morbid collection of death items.

The International UFO Museum and Research Center – We made a stop in Roswell on a road trip and ate at the space ship shaped McDonalds. The street lights have alien heads on top that lead to the museum. This place is for hard-core UFO researchers and doesn’t offer too much for kids, except a really big gift shop with a lot of alien paraphernalia.

Old Sparky – The Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) has a museum just outside the prison gates where visitors can see “Old Sparky”, which is a decommissioned electric chair. The museum is free and also showcases homemade prison weapons confiscated over the years. If you want to scare the you-know-what out of your kids to keep them in line, this wouldn’t be a bad stop to consider. I wouldn’t bring little kids, though, as there are some pretty gruesome photos inside.

Hole N’ The Rock – This Moab, UT cliff dwelling took 12 years to complete. A couple operated a diner out this 5,000 square foot home. It is now a gift shop and museum. Don’t forget to check out the two story outhouse while you’re there.

This list could go on and on, but shows what crazy things one can discover in the USA on a road trip. So, what are some of the kooky places you’ve seen along your travels?

August 25, 2008 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, The Cookie Jar | 3 Comments

Kauai Captured

If I had only one item to bring with me on a trip, it would be my camera (besides clothes of course, I obviously don’t care to get arrested). Days, months, years later I can easily sit for hours flipping though photo books filled with shots from my trips, adventures and fabulous memories. Today I was clicking rather than flipping and thought I’d share some of my favorite Kauai photos from my Hawaii trip this summer, courtesy of the Hawaii Convention & Visitors Bureau.

I stayed at Castle Kaha Lani Resort, an oceanfront property. My third-floor condo had a perfect view of the ocean. In the evenings I sat outside on my patio and enjoyed a glass of pineapple wine from Maui’s Tedeschi Vineyards and in the mornings I crossed the resort’s spread of grass to the beach to watch the sunrise. That’s the first photo. The second photo is Tree Tunnel. There is a little pullout where you can park the car and snap a few photos, but watch out for traffic behind you.

I took the third photo of the surfer while sitting at a stoplight somewhere near Lihue Airport. Forget the memories, I’m ready to go back today.

For more on Kauai visit Kauai Visitors Bureau.

August 24, 2008 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar | 3 Comments

Celebration, Florida: Freaky Fake Town or Slice of Paradise?

Are any of our readers familiar with Celebration, Florida? This is the Disney-planned community in Osceola County, Florida (2.5 miles from Walt Disney World Resort). About 3,500 people live in the town that’s modeled after a “southern American village from the 1930s.”

I visited Celebration a couple years ago with some friends who live in Orlando. We brought our kids to the Oktoberfest celebration, where giant fans blew colorful paper “leaves” into the air and onto the meticulously clean streets below. Another popular celebration takes place in the seasons-challenged town around the holidays, when fake snow is blown all over the streets — enough for making soap-bubble snowballs.

I felt like I was at a Disney theme park, frankly. Or a movie set. It was all too Stepford-Wives perfect for me. The entire town was built out of open space in 1994, so all the buildings, shops and homes are brand new. Its set on a pretty lake, with well-manicured parks and lawns. I was like, “Where’s the grit? Where are the stories? The history? The authentic charm?” I don’t think there is any other town in America that looks or feels like Celebration.

But, maybe I’m just envious about this picture-perfect community, where residents walk or use “neighborhood electric vehicles” (these sound to me like Segways, but they are speed-limited little cars or carts), to their town-center shops and cafes, and where crime is virtually nil, and everything looks so clean and crisp.

My take on Celebration, though, definitely leans toward the “This is just weird” variety. I’d love to hear from folks who actually live in the town to give me the down and dirty (or does Celebration not do dirty?). Perhaps folks are looking at real estate listings here? (I saw MLS listing for a 3 bed, 2 bath home at $415,000.) And if anyone has plans to stay in Celebration’s new Mona Lisa Suite Hotel, let me know! I’d love to hear your take on the town.