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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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My Favorite Tucson Attractions And More

It’s finally time to say good-bye to Tucson. I’ve lived here many years and have enjoyed every moment. There is so much to see and do in Southern Arizona and, let me tell you, there is nothing more breathtaking than a Sonoran Desert sunset (thank the dusty environment for those).  But before I head north to Minnesota  I’d like to share some of my favorite Tucson attractions and what I’ll miss most.

1. Mt. Lemmon. The stunning backdrop of Tucson is more than just scenery. On the east side of Tucson you can drive up Catalina Highway to Mt. Lemmon for  a day or weekend of seasonal activities: hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, sledding and even an upcoming Oktoberfest.

2. Delicious Eats. I dread leaving the marvelous Southwest cuisine. Mexican restaurants are found on every corner, many family owned. Some of my favorites are up near where I live on the northwest side of town: La Parilla Suiza, El Charro Cafe (did someone say margaritas?) and then there are the non-Mexican inspired choices like Zinburger (wine and burgers do pair well) and Harvest (talk about fresh ingredients – and right across from my neighborhood in Oro Valley).

3. The Wild West. Southern Arizona relishes its Wild West history, and there are plenty of places to get your fill. Old Tucson Studios, Tombstone and Trail Dust Town are all fun places to take the family to relive the Old West.

4. Saguaros. When I first moved to the desert I was completely enthralled by the miles of Saguaros – and the novelty never seemed to wear off.  These regal succulents help give Tucson its special ambiance.

5. Finally, what I will miss the most: The People. We’re leaving my stepsons here to continue their high school studies, of course they still have their mom, sister,  family and gazillion friends in Tucson – so they won’t be lonely – but we will miss them. And we can’t wait to welcome them to the Twin Cities and show them our new home.

I’ve made some wonderful friends over the years, from the Tucson Moms playgroup I joined as a new mom to the wonderful teachers and parents at St. Andrews Preschool and Manzanita Elementary to my supportive Toastmasters group and, finally, my wonderful writers group. I will miss them all dearly.

Speaking of Tucson writers… it seems appropirate to introduce you to some of them and their blogs – as they all have something special to share. If you’re looking to see Tucson on a budget, visit Kate Reynolds’ blog Tucson on the Cheap (she is always digging up free and cheap stuff to do). If you’re a pet lover, Edie Jarolim (also a travel writer) has a new book coming out: Am I Boring My Dog? Donna L. Hull writes travel for baby boomers at My Itchy Travel Feet and Vera Marie Badertscher is behind A Traveler’s Library (Love books? Love travel? This site is for you).

I hope you enjoyed hearing about some of my favorite Tucson attractions and the people I adore, there are plenty more I was unable to list.

While it’s difficult to say good-bye to a city I have grown to love, it’s also an exciting time. I’m always up for an adventure and there is certainly one on the horizon: new friends to make, restaurants to check out, attractions to discover and experiences to be had. I guess this also means I will no longer be DesertMama…

Good-bye, Tucson!

Winning Wednesday – SanDisk slotRadio Player

Congrats go out to Bethany, commenter #84, whose number was drawn randomly by Random.org. She won the SanDisk slotRadio Player. I’m not sure if Bethany’s suggestion of “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega is on any of the music discs that SanDisk produces, but I think it’s a great suggestion. Haven’t listened to Suzanne Vega in years… but her songs bring back good memories for me!

The Astor’s Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island

Astor’s Beechwood Mansion is just one of a long stretch of jaw-dropping, meticulously maintained mansions along the Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Convention & Visitors Bureau invited me and my family to come to Newport and look at these mansions – and the Astor’s Beechwood was specifically mentioned as more accessible for children.  The phrase “more accessible” means “less boring,” in this case, as goggling at fancy furniture probably doesn’t rank highly on many kids’ vacation priorities. The Beechwood Theatre Company work here: Several actors in era-appropriate costumes act as actual Astors and their staff (footmen, maids) to give kids an idea of what life was like in the Gilded Age.

I have many more photographs from the Astor’s Beechwood Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. They’re on my digital camera, though, and I forgot to pack the USB port that lets me upload photos (these ones were taken with my Blackberry). A more detailed post about the actors that made an educational tour fun for kids will have to wait for my eventual return home. In the meantime, enjoy the glimpse of life at the upper-crust of a more sophisticated era!

Giveaway: Win a SanDisk slotRadio Player

I’d read the mostly positive (with some caveats) reviews of the SanDisk slotRadio Player on The Practical Travel Gear blog and Go Galavanting, so I was happy to sample one myself this week to figure out whether this was a product I’d recommend to other travelers. Indeed, for a non-music-buff like myself (I never know who sings what song, I prefer silence over background tunes, and I probably spend less than $20/year for new songs for my iPod), I think this music player is great.

The small (2 inches squared) music player comes with a card that’s preloaded with 1,000 songs from Billboard artists, all arranged in playlists by genre and style: Country, Contemporary, R&B/Hip Hop, Alternative, Rock, Workout and Chillout. You cannot see a list of the songs for each playlist — and they are nowhere to be found online — so you never know what song is coming up next. (This is especially fun when you’re listening to a playlist for the first time.) You cannot re-arrange or go backwards to find a song that has previously played — but you can skip ahead as often as you like. As each song is played, like an iPod, the song title and artist is displayed on a small screen.

At $99.99, the slotRadio is not cheap — but you do get 1,000 songs on the disk; that’s only 10 cents per song (of course, if you hate country, the price per song you’ll listen to goes up). The player is also an FM radio. I think it’s overall a great deal, again for someone isn’t particularly particular about her music.

Other slotRadio cards with 1,000 songs each are available in 80s/90s, Oldies, Country, Hip-Hop/R&B, Rock (with more to come) for $50 a piece. Considering I pay 99 cents per song when I download them from Apple, this is a bargain at 5 cents a song. Note, however, that there’s no back-up like iTunes stored on your hard drive — if you lose the disk, you’re out of luck as there’s no replacement.

I’ll keep close watch on my slotRadio when it accompanies me on my plane trip next month. Aircraft cruising at 35,000 feet is one place I do like to have background music — to drown out plane engines and chatty seatmates. Since I’m not a music fanatic, quite frankly, some of these songs are brand new to me. But some oldies but goodies from The Police, Tom Petty and U2 that bring smiles to my face.

I’d love to see a Traveling Mamas reader enjoy the slotRadio, too! Yep, one lucky reader is going to win their very own music player. Just leave a comment below answering this question, “What one song would you like to see on a SanDisk slotRadio playlist?” I’ll generate a random number from Random.org Tuesday night (you have until 10 p.m. EST, August 25 to enter) to select the winner. U.S. residents only; no immediate family members of the Traveling Mamas.

Good luck!

Win a Free Hawaii Vacation with Marriott Resorts Hawaii

The Traveling Mamas love Hawaii, that’s no secret. From the Big island to Kauai, the best tropical island family vacations in the world are here. One of the best social media contests we’ve heard of (for travel lovers) will allow lucky, lucky winners to have amazing, all-expense paid vacations in Hawaii: Marriott Resorts Hawaii along with Hawaiian Airlines, Hertz, and the Hawaii CVB are running a viral campaign to raise awareness of the islands. A whopping 25 trips for two can be won in this contest giveaway! In fact, there are two different ways to enter and win this contest. Really, a chance to win a free vacation in Hawaii – that’s pretty awesome.

Details, details, you’ll be wanting the details. Easy! If you’re reading this, you’re already online.  If you’re on Twitter, it’s easy to enter this “Tweet Your Way to Hawaii” contest. To enter and try to win one of the 25 trips for two to Hawaii, go to MarriottHawaiiTweets and fill in your Twitter handle and/or Facebook name, plus email. Starting August 28, one winner will be randomly selected, with Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in rotation.  Random drawings will continue every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ending on October 21, 2009.  And guess what? Winners will be announced on Twitter (check @MarriottHawaii) and on Marriott Resorts Hawaii’s Facebook page. This IS a social media contest, after all. Winners will also be emailed the good news. What does each winner get in this amazing giveaway? You’ll love it:

• Roundtrip tickets for two on Hawaiian Airlines from any of its eight US West Coast gateway cities.
• Five-night stays at one of the Marriott resorts in Hawaii, such as the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on the Big Island and the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Maui
• $100 daily resort dining credit
• Hertz rental car
• Access to Hawaii attractions and activities
• Trips must be completed by December 20, 2009

The second Hawaii vacation contest giveaway is a bit more involved. This “Tweetup for Twelve” has one winner, but he or she gets to invite eleven friends and/or family members to come, too. Imagine 12 friends on a free vacation in Hawaii! To enter this contest, create and submit a YouTube video to MarriottHawaiiTweets by December 20, 2009. The video should basically be a fan video showing why you love Hawaii (see the website for more details), and the winner will be chosen by public voting. The highest vote-getter will be announced in January, 2010. Here’s what you get if you win:

• Roundtrip tickets for 12 on Hawaiian Airlines from any of it’s eight US West Coast gateway cities.
• Seven-night stay at any two Marriott resorts in Hawaii
• Professional group photo – talk about memories!
• Luau dinner and show
• Commemorative Hawaii state quarter (this is the 50th anniversary of statehood)
• 25,000 Marriott Rewards Points for the winner

Now, these contests are not sponsored, approved or endorsed by YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook, but the Traveling Mamas sure approves of them. Anything that gets people to be able to experience the magic of a vacation in Hawaii is worth promoting, after all. Proof? My own Twitter profile page shows a photo I took of Wailea in Maui. It really is one of my most favorite places in the world for family travel.  Please follow @MarriottHawaii for updates.

Epic Summer All-Inclusive Family Adventure in the Colorado Mountains

My family indeed had an epic summer filled with all sorts of amazing vacation experiences, from our first (awesome!) stay at a dude ranch to a lengthy, activity-filled trip to New Hampshire. We took short getaways to luxury properties not far from home and spent five nights camping at Utah’s Lake Powell. But that’s not all! Smack dab in the middle of the kids’ summer break from school, we sampled a brand-new type of family adventure from Vail Resorts that’s called, appropriately, Epic Summer.

These 3- or 6-night trips are all-inclusive vacations that introduce families to all of the incredible outdoor activities and the amazing mountain scenery that are associated with some of my state’s best resort areas. Because all of your meals, accommodations, activities and transportation are included, you know the price of your family vacation up front. The value is incredible — if you arranged all of the logistics yourself you’d pay about twice as much as the packaged Epic Summer trips.

And that’s the other great benefit: the daily itinerary is all planned for you! No arguing about who wants to do what that day, no fighting over which restaurant to eat at. Plus, you don’t have to negotiate unfamiliar roads and high mountain passes in a rental car; Epic Summer guests travel between resorts and activities in a comfortable 10-passenger van. Your driver also serves as your tour guide, and the Epic Summer guides are fantastic. These are outdoor enthusiasts who live, work and play in the mountains, and they’re so eager to share their slice of paradise with visitors. They are ultra-friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating folks.

My family participated in the 3-night Epic Summer trip, as I had an assignment to cover the vacation for Vail Resorts’ PEAKS magazine. Our home base was at the Keystone Lodge & Spa, in a comfortable and spacious 2-bedroom condominium. This is where we rested our weary heads each night and enjoyed breakfast (a generous buffet spread) each morning.

Highlights of the 4-day itinerary were driving up to the Continental Divide (Loveland Pass) for some photo ops and a short high-alpine stroll; riding the gondola up to the top of Keystone Mountain for a hike and picnic; touring the Country Boy Mine in Breckenridge; whitewater rafting on the Upper Colorado River; and horseback riding in the aspen groves around Keystone Stables. My 7- and 9-year-olds were the perfect ages to enjoy these active adventures (minimum age for kids is 6); my young son is still raving about how much fun he had engaging other rafts in a water fight on the river.

We had some free time to browse the shops (or grab a beer) in the mountain towns of Breckenridge and Vail, and two of our evening meals were at local town restaurants — again, all of our food was included in the package price.

Truly, our family had a ball on this activity-centric trip. We’re a family who like to explore the outdoors and try new things and do stuff, as opposed to simply visit museums, tour attractions or shop. It was fun for us to get to know other ski resorts in the summertime, and the other participants on our trip (from Texas and New Jersey) were blown away by Colorado’s beauty, climate and opportunities for outdoor fun in the summertime.

This was the first season for Epic Summer, and like any new product, it will likely be tweaked a bit before the adventures are rolled out in 2010. In my post-trip feedback, I recommended that planners alter the itinerary a bit to include more time, if possible, at the Keystone Lodge. This is a fabulous hotel for families in the summertime, with its two pools, its location on a lake with paddleboats and canoe rentals, as well as a paved bike path that weaves past the resort. We actually arranged for a late check-out just so we could enjoy some of the resort’s amenities before we had to pack up and head home. The days were fairlyregimented, and if families could enjoy some “down time” just to chill out at the hotel, I think everyone would feel more refreshed. (Free time chilling out in the middle of Vail Village is not the same as lying down for a quick cat nap on your hotel bed.)

That said, I’d highly recommend Epic Summer for any out-of-state visitors who are interested in getting to know some of Colorado’s top mountain resort areas — and have a lot of fun and adventures along the way.

Legally Blonde in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is a very popular vacation town year-round, but in summer it especially seems to be crawling with tourists from all over the world. For all those August family travelers to Southern California who are wondering what else to do besides go to the beach and Disneyland, here’s a pretty good tidbit. Legally Blonde The Musical is playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, from August 12 to September 6th. This end-of-summer limited run show is plenty of fun (remember the movie?) and adds a bit of culture to a Los Angeles family vacation. Hey, it’s the theater! Sounds cultural to me, anyway.

If you’re in Los Angeles now, and thinking about going, Broadway LA is offering $20 savings on selected seats until August 22. Are you here? Enjoy the rest of your Southern California summer vacation!

Top Evening Entertainment in Glenwood Springs, Colorado: Glenwood Vaudeville Revue

Don’t you love it when you find a treasure in your own backyard?

Glenwood Springs, about a half-hour from my mountain home, draws visitors with its fabulous opportunities for hiking (a favorite is Hanging Lake), biking along the recreation path in Glenwood Canyon, the new whitewater kayaking park, the world’s largest hot springs pool and Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. But it’s never been known for its evening entertainment. Until now.

The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue brings together some of the most talented performers in the Roaring Fork Valley for song-and-dance routines and silly skits that had me crying I was laughing so hard. Last night the audience guffawed and giggled through nearly two hours of funny, totally original routines, including a current-day riff on “Who’s On First,” a rap about black bears rifling through downtown restaurant dumpsters (relevant to me, with a recent bear-in-my-garage incident), a hilarious tap-dance number about 1930’s movie production “code” (on-screen kisses can last no more than 6 seconds) and many, many more. The audience gets into the act by guessing lines from popular movies. I won a free drink by shouting out “Steel Magnolias!” (She had me at “M’Lynn”).

I was impressed not only at the number of different skits, but also how many quick costume changes occurred and simply how busy the five actors and actresses were (plus the talented pianist who also hopped up on stage a few times). Not only are the five vaudevillians performing, but they also tend bar and wait tables before and during the show. The “pub style” menu (with full bar) features sandwiches, salads and appetizers like chicken wings and quesadillas. No menu item costs more than $9.

And that’s the beauty of the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue — it’s a cheap night out. Ticket prices are only $18 per adult, $15 per child. While some of the routines included, er, some adult references, nothing was too bawdy for my nine-year-old daughter (no foul language at all). She didn’t fully understand some of the jokes but it didn’t really matter. The performers did such a great job of creating exaggerated characters, just watching their body movements and facial expressions was a hoot. For example, a Masterpiece Theatre-like reading of The Beatles’ “I Am the Eggman” lyrics brought down the house. My daughter didn’t know it was a Beatles song, but thought the silly actor was hysterical.

The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue only runs weekends through September, with Friday and Saturday night and Sunday afternoon performances. Organizers are planning a repeat season next summer, but would like to expand the theater year-round. If you’re in the Glenwood Springs area — even vacationing in Aspen (about 50 minutes away) –  do not miss this top-notch, family-friendly, affordable entertainment. Your funny bone will thank you.

Your Questions Answered: What to See and Do in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a Romantic Vacation

Seems as if our readers are keen on traveling to Florida this fall. First, we answered a question about where to stay and what to do in the Florida Keys with kids, then a query about how to buy cheap tickets to Disney World and Universal Orlando. Now, reader Amy Draper writes: “My husband and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary in September and we’re going to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Can you give us some ideas about places to visit and dine?”

First, Amy, congrats on your wedding anniversary! The Florida coast sounds like a great place to enjoy a romantic weekend (or do you get to stay longer?).

I queried some friends on Facebook and Twitter — since none of the Mamas are intimately familiar with Fort Lauderdale — and found out from an old high school friend who spent a couple months there earlier this year that the “Las Olas” area has lots of quaint bistros and high-end shopping boutiques. You’ll find countless seaside restaurants between Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, all on route A1A (a.k.a. Ocean Boulvevard).

@TravelZoo on Twitter chimed in with these tips: Stroll along 25 miles of beach, tour historic Bonnet House, cruise on the riverfront; had great meal at Chima once

The  Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau is a wealth of information. (You gotta love the website address: www.sunny.org.) Peruse the site for all sorts of suggestions on things to do and places to eat. If you’re into culture, consider the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District. I think an Everglades airboat ride sounds fun, too.

Francine Mason, VP of Communications at the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB and who is the Tweeter behind the @VisitLauderdale account, suggests Pillars for a romantic inn on the Intracoastal Highway, a few blocks from the beach. If you’ve got money to burn, consider the Ritz Carlton or the Atlantic Hotel “for a luxe retreat.” W is a property for the young and hip (or young at heart, I think).

Depending on your activity level, Francine suggests a moonlit kayak tour; scuba diving or snorkeling; paddle boarding or surfing lessons. But one popular romantic activity, she says, is a gondola ride in the “Venice of America,” gliding past the mega-yachts and waterfront mansions.

For dining and drinking, Francine highlights Johnny V, YOLO or Bova on Las Olas; also consider wine tasting at the Ritz wine room ($25 per person). Finally, two restaurants that get big thumbs’ up on Trip Advisor are the Capital Grille and the Casablanca Cafe. Again, the Mamas haven’t eaten there, but both are recommended for romantic dining, according to the user reviews.

We hope you enjoy your Fort Lauderdale vacation, Amy!

Your Questions Answered: How to Get Cheap Disney and Universal Tickets

We’ve been inundated with questions from our readers lately — which is GREAT! We’re happy to help you with your queries about saving money on vacation or the best things to do in favorite destinations. We love it when the Traveling Mamas community chimes in with comments offering even more tips and advice.  So, keep those questions (and answers) coming!

One of our latest emails concerns Disney and  Universal Orlando in Florida:

My husband and I (both retired) are looking for tickets to Disney and Universal. I’ve looked online and they are so expensive! Any suggestions for less expensive admission tickets would be appreciated! Thanks, Donna

I feel your pain, Donna. A one-day Magic Your Way ticket (admission to just one of the Disney’s four theme parks) is $79 on the online Walt Disney World Ticket Store. That said, if you buy multiple days worth of Magic Your Way or ParkHopper (allowing you to go to multiple parks in one day) tickets, the daily price drops up to 50% when you plan a week’s worth theme park visits. (But, frankly, do you really want to spend 7 days at Disney World? I doubt it!)

Here are some Disney ticket tips I gathered from a little online research and some posts on the Traveling Mamas Twitter account and my personal Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who offered advice!

A high-school classmate who lives in Florida noted that for the remainder of 2009,  you can register online and visit Disney World (or Disneyland) for FREE on your birthday. (Very cool – I hadn’t heard of this.)

She also suggested you find a hotel you’d like to stay at and ask if they have room packages that include discounted park tickets

DeliciousBaby’s Debbie Dubrow recommended checking for tickets through your membership at Costco.

One warning: do not buy park tickets from a third party on eBay. Apparently you cannot confirm how many days are left at the park on the ticket AND there is some sort of high-tech fingerprinting scan (!) used to determine if the ticket has been transferred (which is verboten). Just sounds too risky to me. (Thanks, Suzanne Rowan Kelleher of WeJustGotBack.com, for chiming in on that!)

Writing Travel’s Lanora Mueller says her go-to resource for anything Disney is Mary Waring’s Mousesavers.com. “It’s been my bible for Disney travel for nearly 10 years.” Indeed, Mary’s section on Disney World Tickets & Passes is chock full of advice, tips and tricks.

Lanora also recommends wdwinfo.com, passporter.com and allears.net for more Disney advice.

Regarding Universal Orlando (comprised of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure), @tsekuech on Twitter says that auto association members can get discounts at the ticket window, so pack your AAA card. According to the ticket page on the official Universal Orlando site, you can save a few bucks by purchasing in advance online and printing tickets at home. And, like Disney, the more you commit — here, to a two-park pass that can be used for up to a week’s time — the more you save.

Good luck, Donna. We hope you have a GREAT vacation!

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