This happens every summer: I get a new pair of cute sandals that fit nicely in the store, and then the first day out - bam! Sore feet and blisters. This may sound familiar to fellow fans of soft adventure travel. Non-stressful hiking, plus walking tours, pretty much make up the kind of summer vacation (non-aquatic) exercise I get. That’s why, for me, the who-knows-what-technology-based stuff that goes into Gore-Tex fabric, makes their shoes a real plus. The Gore-Tex fabric is waterproof and wicks away heat, and feels kind of squishy in the sole (but it’s not a gel-based insert, so the TSA won’t make you surrender you shoes on the airport security line). My Ecco and Clark’s shoes have the Gore-Tex insignia, and Merrell, New Balance, and Timberland brands also use the special patented fabric. The company joined with the Adventure Travel Trade Association to suggest a Top 10 list of Summer Adventure Travel Vacation Destinations.

Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations, via Gore-Tex and the Adventure Travel Trade Association

• Australia - From the walkabouts to the rain forests of Queensland to the Great Barrier Reef, there’s adventure travel of almost all sorts here. If shopping is more your summer vacation speed, spend that cash in Sydney and Melbourne.
• Brazil - The jungles here are disappearing at a rapid clip; tourist dollars may show the government a viable alternate use of this great resource. And the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana are fantastic!
• British Columbia - start at my favorite airport hotel, and have fun in Vancouver, Victoria, and Granville Island for your summer vacation. Migratory marine mammals like whales spend their summers here too; they have the right idea!
• California - Even Los Angeles, with its sad reputation as a faceless city of strip malls, has some challenging hiking trails. I’d also suggest a drive north to Santa Barbara, my favorite spot along the Central Coast. There are also Napa Valley and other less famous “wine countries.”
• France - Can’t beat Paris as a cultural, historic walking city, but you might wear out your shoes trying to see it all. Then there’s Provence, Versailles, biking in the Pyrenees (bordering Spain), and the forests of Fontainebleau. Adventure travel and luxury vacations both fit together perfectly in France!
• Madagascar - The Malagasy, native to Madagasacar, could really use some tourism dollars. The forests of this unique island are disappearing at a pretty rapid clip, and ecotourism may help stem the loss. The lemurs, chameleons, and other interesting critters are endemic to Madagascar, and need their habitat to continue starring in all those nature specials.
• Nepal - Kathmandu is the star here, of course, though getting to Nepal is an adventure in itself. Nepal would be the right fit for someone seeking a special, unique cultural trip; if that’s you, visit Boudhanath Stupa, home to Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.
• New York - New York City is hot, humid, and gross in the summer - I lived through too many summers there to be in denial. But the Hudson Valley, Niagara Falls, and Adirondacks region are all lovely.
• Norway - This one was included on the Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations list, presumably because it’s too dark and cold to vacation there in the winter. The gorgeous waterfalls and fjords can be toured via walking tours, or hiked and splashed in by more intrepid vacationers.
• Switzerland - An outdoor adventure vacation would feature a hike up the Alps, and possibly hang-gliding back down. Leisure travelers can explore Basel, Geneva, and Zurich.

These disparate vacation destinations were chosen by the quality of both adventure and leisure travel options. Factors considered include uniqueness and authenticity, adventure activity resources (bicycling, hiking, etc), need for sustainable tourism, and undiscovered or little known natural and cultural assets. I think this list represents a nice blend of very popular summer travel spots, and some that are less so.

And me? Well, I have 2 weeks of vacation travel in New York planned for this summer, one of which is in the humid stickiness of NYC. In August! Wish me luck.

Oh, sure, CajunMama’s husband won’t acknowledge the term, but “mancations” are really picking up some traction in the travel industry. Now, most men that I know would rather not vacation at all, than spend their vacation days in a luxury spa, getting their nails buffed. But a lot of men are figuring out that time with their friends is time well spent, indeed. This is why mancations have become increasingly popular.

Mancations, or getaways for men only, can range from low rent (10 college buddies crammed in a Vegas hotel room) to ultra high end (father-son trip to Gleneagles Hotel Golf Resort in Scotland) - with a lot of room in between. Personally, I like the idea of mancations. Dudes hanging our together, doing their dude thing (I don’t want to know too much here), getting smelly, scratching…No women allowed? That’s okay! No, really.

Top Recommended Mancation Vacation Travel Gifts, for Father’s Day and Beyond

There are some great mancation gift ideas out there. If you want to treat the guy in your life with a mancation travel gift, it helps if you can arrange time off work for his closest friends as well. Cabo San Lucas has some fishing vacation packages, and the Waterfall Resort in Ketchican, Alaska provides everything guys need for an authentic Alaska fishing vacation. From what I’ve heard, these mancations sound like really fun outdoorsman trips.

Another special gift that a lot of men would really appreciate is a real NASCAR Richard Petty riding experience. NASCAR fans can travel to one of 25 major American cities including, of course, Daytona. There, guys on mancations can opt to ride shotgun in a stock car - or even drive the NASCAR top series top car themselves! Imagine that: Up to 140 miles per hour, no cops ticketing the dude, and a memory to last a lifetime.

For golfers, mancation-type travel packages abound. One top new contender I like is offered by the Half Moon Resort in Jamaica. Just in time for Father’s Day (but good through the rest of the year), the Guys on the Green golf vacation package is a seriously luxurious mancation, for a seriously lucky guy. The travel package includes 5-star dining, drinks, two rounds of golf at Half Moon’s award winning golf course, and an “Up to Par” massage. Oh, and guests are greeted with an ice-cold beer upon arrival. Golf, manly massage, beer…Talk about a mancation.

These are the Traveling Mamas’ current top recommended mancations for Father’s Day (or any time). But lists are meant to be expanded: Any other favorites out there?

Carmel Mooney is a professional travel writer, but she wears many hats. While she teaches travel writing, and has an AM travel talk radio show as well, Carmel is also very involved in educating the public about autism and biomedical interventions for children on the Autism Spectrum. She also dabbles in real estate, and finds time for leading her daughter’s Brownie troop, gardening, cooking, and parenting her blended family of five kids. Seeing that I can barely make the time to nuke a TV dinner, I’m impressed (and a wee bit tired, just thinking about her schedule). Here’s what Carmel had to say about travel for work, and taking the kids along.

1. Do you get to take your kids with you often?

Yes. My kids are so fortunate to get to see so many things I never got to see as a kid. Our two youngest had both been to over 43 states and three countries before their third birthdays. I keep trying to convey to our 9-year old that it’s not “normal” to go on ten cruises before the age of nine. She even has a “Funship” game she made up, that she plays when the cruise bug is making her itch for another cruise. Up until this year, I homeschooled so my kids could experience the world as their classroom and could have flexibility to travel when opportunities came up.

2. What is your favorite place so far, and why?

I don’t have just one favorite because there are so many magic places. I especially love(d) a historic sailing resort in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. I also adore the Mayan Coast and Tulum, Mexico with its jungles, cenotes, sparkling turquoise waters, wildlife and gracious people.
There are some very special off-the-beaten-path areas around Puerto Vallarta that are special to me for fond memories. And Mendocino and the North Coast of California are majestic with the redwoods and great uncrowded beaches. I really do have many favorites.

3. What special preparations do you do prior to traveling with your family?

Other than the usual like making arrangements for the pets and doing all the other last minute things that everyone does, I always start a packing and “to do” list about a week before we leave. Typically it keeps me really organized and it allows me time to think of and pick up anything else that comes to mind for our particular destination. So, far, I’ve never forgotten anything important this way. But I never seem to sleep much the night before a big trip. I always find myself hopping up out of bed to check the list or add to it.

4. What items do you absolutely need to take with you on a trip?

My kids. No, just kidding. For tropical and warm destinations I always pack a couple of pareos because they make great beach cover ups, blankets for chilly airplanes, and even picnic table clothes or sun shields. Sunblock—lots! And with my radio show I always take a small tape recorder. I encourage my kids to keep trip journals and we have a tradition on plane trips that my kids each get a small activity book of some kind for the plane, so they get excited to see what I’ve picked up for them on the way to the airport and it helps me keep my sanity on the plane. Oh, and my kids always take a small pair of binoculars everywhere we go—we’ve been glad we did so many times for spotting bald eagles or whales or bears or whatever is special to that area.

5. Finally, what are your plans for the future, professionally speaking?

I plan on doing a lot more of the same since it’s all what I love doing, but I have finished an exciting romance novel and will be working on finding an agent and/or getting that published.

Carmel Mooney can be contacted through her website.

Keeping the kids entertained on the road is a lot easier than it used to be, what with portable DVD players and iPods. Plug ‘em in and keep ‘em quiet is sure a popular way to go. But it’s not the ONLY way to go, right? Some parents rightfully don’t want their children to watch that same stultifying Spongebob episode for the thousandth time. For those parents, here is a list of some recommended small toys to help keep your kids occupied on the family vacation road trip.

Recommended Children’s Toys to Help Survive the Road Trip

Hasbro makes The Littlest Pet Shop, which my younger daughter loves. All the little pieces keep her busy, using her imagination (which is great) and repeatedly dropping said little pieces (not so great). The Littlest Pet Shop is easy to pack and carry, though, as it’s self-contained and folds onto itself. And if a mini hairbrush gets lost somehow, there are plenty of other pieces to implement in the ongoing stories that will be created in imaginative play.

Hasbro also makes a pile of Star Wars toys - I guess the whole Star Wars phenomenon is part of the collective North American consciousness by now, since many little kids ask for Darth Vader action figures before they even know there’s a bunch of movies about the guy. Transformers action figures are also popular with the little dudes these days. Anything that helps spur on children’s imaginations is a good thing, in my book.

Tamagotchis are the little beeping doodads you see dangling from many school-age kids’ backpacks. Fortunately, they do come with mute buttons, or every parent would have tossed them in the incinerator by now. Tamagotchis have been around for a while; every few years a new crop of kids discover them and are enchanted. The idea is to raise a little pixelated critter from egg to infirmity, with games to play and points to earn along the way. These things are around 20 bucks, and worth it. Children can “befriend” each others Tamagotchis as well.

My kids get carsick when they read books on road trips. Nausea does NOT a fun car trip make! But, assuming that some children can read in moving vehicles, slim paperbacks are the way to go. They are flat, obviously, and take up less space. Toddlers may enjoy looking through Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things that Go, and slightly older children can work on their reading skills with any of the huge “Little Critter” library and later, the “Magic Tree House” series. My older kid has been reading the Spiderwick Chronicles lately, but really, pack a book in the genre your child likes, and chances are it’ll get read.

Time away with our families is increasingly rare. Make the most of a family road trip by helping your kids stay happy and entertained in the back seat. Happy children help the car ride go much more smoothly, after all.

Sometimes, travel writers take press trips. Also called familiarity trips, these involve a few professional travel journalists being ushered around a particular vacation destination by PR folks in the local community’s travel and tourism business. I, MudslideMama, have been in the midst of a southern California beach town press trip, and just learned a valuable lesson regarding keeping one’s guard up. I carelessly left my PDA in a hotel lobby, and someone walked off with it. Travel tip: Don’t leave your personal digital assistant laying around in hotels. Yes, I know, this is a lesson that should have been learned many years ago, but hey – I’ve been burned, so lesson learned!

Top 10 Vacation Loss and Theft Prevention Tips

1. Keep an eye on your stuff. It sounds simple, but the sights and stresses of travel can distract even the most inveterate travelers. For example, I had taken some things out of my purse when I was looking for my sunblock, which it turns out I had left in my room. Apparently, I left my Blackberry on the table in the lobby. When I got back downstairs, it was gone. Someone STOLE my new Blackberry – and all my contact info, photos, and favorite ringtones that were on it.

2. If someone does steal your PDA, or if it’s just plain lost, cancel your service with your service provider. While you may be able to get the police to trace any outgoing calls on it, you’ll be held responsible for any charges anyway. Even if you have unlimited calls, the thief could be downloading songs and videos and whatnot, incurring huge fees.

3. Leave your most valuable jewelry and prized possessions at home. If you must take objects of considerable worth or sentimental value, pack them in your carry-on bag instead of the luggage to be stowed. Luggage gets lost or rifled through more often than you’d think.

4. Put a TSA-approved lock on your checked luggage. These ensure that the TSA won’t have to cut open your lock if someone decides your suitcase needs a closer look. In fact, carry-on is safest, and you don’t have to wait at the baggage carousel after arriving at your vacation destination. When feasible, try to stick with carry-on bags.

5. Prescription medications should be clearly labeled, and in their original containers. The security guy at the airport is still going to need to inspect it, of course, but this makes his or her job easier, which makes your time spent on the security line also easier.

6. Most hotels these days have a safe in the closet. This is where to store your passport, credit cards, cash, and any jewelry you decided to bring on your vacation. It’s the most secure place in the room.

7. Don’t travel to part of any country that is considered dangerous. While “considered dangerous” is open for interpretation, the US State Department issues travel alerts for particularly unsafe parts of the world. It’s a big world with plenty of terrific vacation spots; why ruin a romantic getaway or family vacation in a dangerous travel destination if you don’t have to?

8. Try to scatter your passport, credit cards, cash and I.D. throughout different pockets while out and about, rather than putting them all in your wallet or purse. Use inside pockets if you have them.

9. Be aware of who’s around you. Pickpockets and thieves often have plans, such as working in teams to nudge or distract you. Most people are essentially good, I think, but it only takes a couple of people – sometimes little kids – to lift your wallet, steal your purse, or otherwise ruin a vacation experience.

10. Your personal property or home insurance may cover theft or loss. Check your policy before you go, but it goes without saying that, even if your covered, still keep an eye on your stuff. And me? I wasn’t covered for the loss of my Blackberry. This was my stupid mistake – remember, don’t leave personal items unattended outside your room, even in 4- and 5-star hotels.

Vacations, be they family trips, weekend getaways, or that luxury UK experience you’ve been saving up for, are meant to be enjoyed. Don’t lose your stuff! Please, employ these Top 10 safe travel tips, but don’t get so tense about potential crime that you can’t a great time. You can be smart and still relax for a fun, safe vacation.

Oh man, are the Traveling Mamas big fans of wine writer Natalie Maclean. She’s a funny and informative writer, a four-time winner of the James Beard Journalism Awards, and she also was named the World’s Best Drink Writer at the World Food Media Awards (that’s just about the best name for an award). Natalie Maclean writes hilariously and self-effacingly in her book, Red, White, and Drunk All Over. This is a kind-of travel, kind-of drinking memoir, and I love it. Even better, she kindly answered some of our questions, and - my favorite - has put serious consideration into wine matching with the lowbrow foods typically found in rushed weekday family dinners. What, am I the only one? Don’t tell me the rest of you prepare steak and endive salad every Wednesday night (or as we call it, mac-n-cheese night).

Natalie MacLean’s Top 10 Fun Food and Wine Pairings

1. Popcorn with Chilean Chardonnay
2. Nachos with California Zinfandel
3. Potato Chips with French Champagne
4. Pizza with Italian Chianti
5. Fish and chips with German Riesling
6. Hamburgers with Australian Shiraz
7. Smoked salmon with Canadian or Oregon Pinot Noir
8. Quiche with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
9. Canned brown beans with tawny Port
10. TV dinner steak with French or Washington Cabernet Sauvignon

The last chapter of Red, White, and Drunk All Over, called Wine Meets its Toughest Matches, includes more than just the Top 10 fun food and wine pairings. Does a nice Merlot or Pinot Noir go with red Jello? You’ll have to read the book to find out. (Also see the pairing feature online.) In the meantime, it’s time to crack open a can of pork and beans for dinner. At least now I know to pair it with Port!

The Traveling Mamas really enjoy vacations in Mexico; I know that for me, the Yucatan Peninsula is just heaven. I loved seeing the Mayan ruins like Tulum and Chichen Itza near Cancun. Cancun has many child-friendly all-inclusive resorts with resort day camps for kids - in case the little ones aren’t up for a day trip to see those pyramids. MountainMama loved her travels in the Riviera Maya, too. But Mexico’s a big, diverse country, and not all of it is so trip-worthy.

The US State Department has just put out an extended travel alert for Mexico. Specifically, border areas in the country are considered too dangerous to visit, what with scary increases in gang violence and drug trafficking. These Mexican border states include Chihuahua City, Juarez, and Tijuana. According to the State Department, dozens of US citizens were actually kidnapped or murdered in Tijuana last year. Yikes.

And wait, there’s more: The New York Times reports (April 29, 2008 ) that besides the enormous threat of kidnappings that are practically a business model in Mexico City, FAKE kidnapping rates are skyrocketing too. These so-called “virtual kidnappings” sound horrifying; one US citizen living in Mexico received a call from a young women purporting to be her daughter, and other parents get calls with the sounds of little children crying out for them (these are not their kids, in fact, but just imagine the panic). There’s no sign that US tourists are being targeted in and of themselves, but with very few arrests so far, the problem will only continue.

Fancy luxury resort hotels in and around popular tourist destinations have heightened security, of course, and there’s almost no chance of gang members barging into the Ritz-Carton in Cancun. On the flip side, staying in an all-inclusive and not venturing outside of the hotel property doesn’t give travelers any real sense of the culture and history of the host country – you could be anywhere balmy if you don’t leave the resort grounds.

This is a tough issue. The travel and tourism industry definitely helps boost local and state economies of otherwise poor countries, and the experience of a family vacation somewhere outside of our own neighborhood (and mental safety zone) is mind-expanding. However, as with practically any family, us mamas’ and papas’ priorities are the health and safety of our children. Without travel package deals, the cost of many inclusive resorts is out of reach for a lot of us, too. Is the answer to simply take our family vacations in the safest parts of the world? Or is the answer to travel to faraway lands, but refuse to venture out of the safety of hotel grounds? What do you think?

Having the travel bug, yet living in a tourist destination, can be a weird phenomenon. For example, a few weeks ago my family and I took a road trip north of Los Angeles, and stayed at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito (well, its mailing address is Santa Barbara, but it’s really just south of that town, in Montecito - nothing to be ashamed of). I love hiking in the region, and on one of several hikes there, I noticed my spouse was cracking up. What? What’d I do this time?

He explained that I was amusing him because all the flowers and plants (and lizards) I was carefully photographing - as if they were rare specimens, rarely seen - were exactly the same types of flowers and plants that live back home in our neighborhood. It was only the act of being on vacation that made them seem special. And you know? He was right.

I just came back from a morning hike with two other moms, good friends of mine, and this hike is practically in our own backyard. It’s a solid trail called the Temescal Canyon loop trail, in Los Angeles, and it is a pretty scenic route through part of the Santa Monica Mountain Range. I drive right by the entranceway almost daily, seeing tourists and travelers with their maps and cameras, but my friends and I have hardly ever availed of it personally…I guess that this is because it’s just part of the background scenery of our lives. It’s an easy, child-friendly hike with only moderate climbs and a well-defined path with trail markers. I recommend it for any able-bodied person ages 6 and up.

The trail head is in Temescal Canyon: Take the Pacific Coast Highway to Temescal Canyon Road, or Sunset Blvd. to where Sunset intersects with Temescal. Parking is free on Temescal Canyon Road, or five dollars in the state park. The Temescal Canyon ranger station of Topanga State Park provides trail maps. While the Temescal Canyon loop hike is not a special challenge, there are some other trails for experienced hikers who want a workout. After a slow climb, the views start to get pretty fantastic; mountain range on one side, Pacific Ocean on the other. Not to mention all the flowers, plants, and lizards that seemed so fascinating up in Montecito! We cut out early on this loop hike because a smaller, scrubby and underused trail (Rivas Canon) leads almost directly to our homes, but hikers who continue on the main path will loop around and end up back in Temescal Canyon. An well-defined alternate on your map will be to continue on to the Will Rogers State Park; this is a 2.8 mile hike, start to finish.

When people think of Los Angeles geography, they usually get images of smog, miles of ugly strip miles, and untrammeled urban sprawl. Well, those things are here. But wide open spaces, state parks and mountain ranges are right here too; it’s nice to be reminded of that once in a while. A well-rounded family vacation in LA, California would be enhanced by a morning of easy hiking in this part of the Topanga State Park.

It’s an unfortunately familiar scene: A family vacation on a cruise ship, ruined (or aggravated) by other passengers’ decidedly un-family friendly behavior. It’s probably happened to a bunch of us, and booking a Disney cruise offers only some protection. I’d wager that bad behavior on cruise ships can affect the quality of other peoples’ vacations more than on most other types of travel. We’re basically trapped with these people, after all.

Three Basic Cruise Ship Rules for Family Vacations

Watch Your Teenagers: Sure, teens may want to be left to their own devices, and will beg, plead, sulk and scream to be allowed to do their own thing. But this is a family vacation; they’re still our responsibility. There are many complaints about out of control teenagers on cruise trips, including at least one situation wherein the kids were drunk and urinating in the hallways (CruiseBruise, 2006). These teens were kicked off the ship, thus ending their travels - but imagine the affect all those loud, peeing, drunk kids had on other passengers. Not to mention how embarrassing it must be for the parents!

Watch Your Younger Kids, Too: Aw, isn’t it cute that little Timmy splashed that sunblock-covered napping lady by the side of the pool? Well, no, it isn’t. No matter how truly adorable we believe our children to be, other cruise passengers may disagree. This especially holds true when our little angel is running up and down the buffet line, or pushing all the elevator buttons, or any other behavior that normally would result in some discipline. Just because we’re on vacation WITH our children, doesn’t mean we’re on vacation FROM our children. Rules regarding respecting others and their personal space still apply. There’s a separate children’s pool on many cruise ships; let the chaos reign over there.

Watch Yourself: It’s tempting to just let it all out on a cruise vacation. We’re not getting in a car and driving anywhere anytime soon, so we’d think we don’t have to watch ourselves with all those delicious mixed drinks (and imported beer). However, the heady mix of sun and alcohol has led to parents engaging in rather unparentlike behavior in the past. I’ve seen tipsy dads brazenly flirting with and making serious passes at young women on trips. I’ve also seen moms get much louder than they usually are, saying pretty mean things to their confused children. Paternal embarrassment and maternal guilt trump the hangover in dictating the mood the next day.

This all adds up to personal and parental responsibility, of course. Unless we’re leaving the kids with grandma and booking a vacation on a Hedonism Nude Cruise, we can’t leave the fact that we’re grown-ups on the docks.

Poor San Mateo County. Once a year, it’s home to the Maverick’s Surf Contest in Half Moon Bay, but other than that, it’s just not a hugely popular California tourist destination. Maybe the folk there prefer it that way – a sizable chunk of the county is still pretty agrarian – but the hotels and inns are relatively inexpensive, the food is often fresh and locally grown (agrarian, remember?), and kids can have a great time on an unscheduled, mellow vacation.

San Mateo County is actually a frequent travel spot, but most often for people traveling through it, not to it. The San Francisco Airport is here, so plenty of venture capitalists looking to invest in the latest web tech land here, rent a Mercedes, and drive right to Silicon Valley/Palo Alto. Honeymooners and couples celebrating other special occasions rent their cars, and make the trip to Napa Valley. This Traveling Mama got to San Mateo County, and stayed a while. Of course wine tours are great, you’ll get no argument from me there; sometimes, though, a quiet vacation in a small town makes for a perfect respite.

Children have a great time with hours of unstructured play on the beaches. The many independent, family owned restaurants in San Mateo County are a nice break from the standardized fare of fast food chains. There’s not much in terms of excitement around here, save the annual Maverick’s Surf Contest, but the small town, friendly attitude of its residents feels like a throwback to a more innocent age.

Once you get your kids off the beach, there are some year-round activities that – while not exactly thrilling or momentous – can entertain both children and adults.

Here’s my list of the top 5 child friendly activities and museums for families in San Mateo County:

• The San Mateo County History Museum - This museum, and its docents, proudly showcase exhibits spanning the major historical eras of the San Francisco Peninsula. From the gold rush and whaling ships, to modern technology and internet businesses (like Electronic Arts) in Palo Alto, the exhibits are interesting and well done.
• The Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia - It’s exactly what it sounds like; a whole museum dedicated to the joys of Pez. It’s funny to see this, and with over 500 Pez dispensers on top of Pez toys and books, kids end up surprisingly fascinated. Not all children enjoy museums, of course, but they sure seem to get a kick out of this one!
• The Hiller Aviation Museum - This museum is great of fans of the history of air travel, with many models of early planes hanging from the ceiling like mobiles. The interactive displays are especially popular, but my favorite part of this large warehouse-style museum is the displays of man’s earliest attempts at flight.
• The Filoli Estate - Filoli stands for “fight, love, live,” and this grand mansion and gardens estate was built with lofty ideals in mind. It’s a Georgian Revival house, sitting on over 650 acres of well-loved and manicured gardens.
• Pigeon Point Lighthouse - This is one of the tallest lighthouses in North America. At 115 feet, it makes for a great “photo opportunity” as well. Right now, the interior is closed to the public (it’s considered hazardous), but the grounds are just gorgeous, with sea lions lazing around on offshore rocks, the waves crashing, and views of the surrounding area’s mountains, beaches, and ocean.

There are some other places to take your kids in San Mateo County; Farmer John’s Pumpkin Patch comes to mind, but this farm of gigantic pumpkins mainly shines in late Fall. Main Street at Half Moon Bay, with its mix of small independently owned stores, bed and breakfasts, and art galleries, is beyond charming. The people that work here are happy to talk with visitors and describe their wares. Main Street isn’t very big; you can almost miss it if you’re not careful. Got a babysitter? If so, I’d recommend checking out La Nebbia Winery. This winery in Half Moon Bay has several yearly “bottle and cork your own wine” events. If you’re lucky to vacation in Half Moon Bay (in my opinion, the loveliest part of San Mateo County) during one of these events, don’t miss it! It’s fun to bottle your own wine, and designing the label is quite an experience as well. No matter the time of year, California’s San Mateo County makes for a quiet, slow paced family vacation.

Welcome to Winning Wednesday! A wonderful weekday wherein we wrangle winners and warmly wish them well.

This week’s contest giveaway relates to our anthology submissions call-out: A hefty assortment of five McSweeney’s anthologies. One lucky winner gets this instant anthology collection (I collect seashells, myself). And who is this person? Who gets to find a 15-pound package from Mailboxes Etc waiting at their doorstep? Well, Gretchen Taylor, it is you! Congratulations! We really hope you like the offbeat humor of many of the contributors.

The giveaway contest asked readers to leave a comment describing what kind of books they take on vacations, and Gretchen answered, “A good ‘beach’ book and a couple of mysteries. Always more than one!” Well, the anthology books are: The Better of McSweeney’s, Timothy McSweeney’s at War for the Foreseeable Future and He’s Never Been So Scared, McSweeney’s 25 (the only hardcover book of the lot), Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans, and finally Comedy by Numbers. Our winner is clearly a voracious reader; these ought to keep you busy for a while.

So, here’s the deal - email me at MudslideMama at TravelingMamas dot com, and once I have your shipping address, these McSweeney’s anthologies will be on their way to you. Happy reading!

Isn’t it nice when we can justify your egregious spending habits by noting that a portion of our money goes to some kind of good cause? I know that tip helps me, anyway: I rationalize my frequent pit stops at Starbucks with thoughts like, “Hey, Starbucks supports nonprofits,” or “Look, that Ethos water helps some kids get clean drinking water.” It would be more honest for me to think, “I can kiss this 4 bucks goodbye” as I sate my morning jones for caffeine, but that’s just not how we addicts roll.

So imagine my joy when I read about how easy it is to find a Starbucks on the road? Oh, I was happy, plenty happy. And to round out my coffee-themed day, this afternoon I picked up this tidbit: Sign up for a registered Starbucks card (it works like a debit card, and as long as you don’t lose it, it will automatically maintain a minimum balance), and get free refills, free syrup added in, and a free tall - that means small, newbies - cup of joe when you buy a bag of coffee beans for home. Awesome! Starbucks is a good dealer; they know just how to keep us coming back for more.

Now, I don’t know if this is a limited-time offer or not - I just picked up the pamphlet today - but I do know that 1) free is good and 2) I’m not the only one who seeks out Starbucks even when I’m away from home. Forget the maps and sunblock; this registered Starbucks card is a pretty good item to take on vacation. And unless your vacation is in the middle of a jungle (Starbucks stores are everywhere else, it seems), that’s a pretty good tip.

My fellow traveling mamas and I not only love to travel and write (and oh yeah, our kids. We love our kids, can’t forget that bit), but we also love to read about other peoples’ travel tales. Reading about other places isn’t the same as experiencing them personally, of course, but a well-crafted story can come close; that’s one reason that collecting submissions for our anthology is so fun. Another reason is simply the joy of discovering great short stories, which are essentially what any collection of tales are, no matter the theme. A favorite anthology for many is the whole Chicken Soup for the (fill in the blank) series, while I especially enjoy McSweeney’s anthologies.

A lot of new writers get their first break in Dave Egger’s publishing house, and well-established authors have contributed to his anthologies as well. Dave Eggers is probably a pretty good guy. Besides assisting new writers launch their professional careers, he teaches writing at a nonprofit tutoring center called 826 Valencia (he’s in San Francisco, but there are others under the 826 mantle in Seattle, Chicago, LA and New York). This week, we have a great contest giveaway in the form of five McSweeney’s books. Yeah, FIVE! And before you ask, yes, they’re new. I pinky-swear I didn’t read them first.

The McSweeney’s Anthology Books Giveaway Contest includes:

1) The Better of McSweeney’s, an anthology that includes short tales by David Foster Wallace, Zadie Smith, Ian Smith, and many others.

2) Timothy McSweeney’s at War for the Foreseeable Future and He’s Never Been so Scared, an anthology including contributions by T.C. Boyle, Wells Tower and more.

3) McSweeney’s 25, a classy hardcover book with short stories by Joyce Carole Oates, Steven Millhauser, Padget Powell and other writers.

4) Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category, which includes contributions by Tim Carvell, Jon Hodgman, Michael Ian Black, and many other hilarious authors.

5) Comedy by the Numbers, a collection subtitled “The 169 Secrets of Humor and Popularity.”

That’s quite a celebration of the written word! Anyone who has thought about starting a collection of anthologies would do well to start with these quintessentially 21st century post-modern short stories. Like all short story collections, they’re great to bring on road trips or vacations, since they can be read in short bursts. How do you win this great collection of anthologies? It’s easy: Just leave a comment below telling us what kind of books you like to take on vacations with you - genre, author, whatever. The contest is open to US residents only, and no relatives of the Traveling Mamas should enter. Contest will close at Tuesday night at 12:01 AM, April 15, 2008. We’ll announce the winner Wednesday, April 16. Have fun!

Anybody who lives in a popular travel destination can tell you that there are always two sides to the place. People raise children in Los Angeles, people live out their lives in New Orleans and Santa Barbara. Hawaii is no different. And Maui, which has consistently been named the top vacation island in the world (Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure) has its share of wonderful upscale restaurants for luxury vacations. A lot of people who live on Maui can’t often go to Nick’s Fishmarket or Ferraro’s - at the Fairmont Kea Lani and Four Seasons, respectively - but that doesn’t mean they have to settle for McDonalds. And a family vacation on this best island in the world can’t all be four-star restaurants, either. My favorite Hawaii-specific chain restaurant for lunch, hands down, is Maui Tacos.

Now, Maui Taco is no sit down and get served restaurant. It’s the real fast food deal - pick up your food, fill up your own cup with soda, and try to find a seat. But you won’t find at Ferraro’s what you’ll find at Maui Taco: Real Hawaii culture, circa the 21st century. I’ve been to two Maui Tacos, one in Kihei and one in Lahaina, and both were located right off the beach, packed with a lunchtime crowd. There are soups, salads, burritos, enchiladas and more, all with a Hawaiian twist. The fish tacos are what to get here, in my opinion, and all the plastic cutlery is made of recycled and recyclable materials. It’s a quick meal for most, perching on stools with Hawaiians in t-shirt and shorts (sometimes shoes) before returning to the beach or work.

Now, many Hawaiian vacations are spent in resorts like the aforementioned Four Seasons and Kea Lani. You can see a staged luau there, with the Polynesian dancing and the torches and all, but at Maui Taco you can hang out with some really friendly folk and soak up a different side to Hawaii life. The closest I’ve seen movies come to capturing this is in 50 First Dates, an otherwise forgettable move (if you’ve seen it, you’ll get the pun) starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler. For me, a passionate lover of the island chain, the real star of the movie is Hawaii. The scenes set in a restaurant with the friendly needling of customers, and the relaxed camaraderie among friends, are spot-on.

Maui Tacos is successful because it is an inexpensive, relatively healthy (trans-fat free) fast food Besides in Kihei and Lahaina, other locations in Maui are Napili and Kahului. There is one in Hilo on the Big Island, and two in Oahu (Mililani and Kailua). There are a few Maui Tacos restaurants scattered through the mainland United States, but they just can’t be nearly as good, and surely lack the atmosphere and authenticity. They say Maui Tacos has “Mexican Food with Mauitude,” and I wholeheartedly agree. Be it a budget or luxury vacation in Hawaii, anyone would have fun making time for lunch at Maui Tacos.

It’s been a sad week for Hawaii travel authorities; Aloha Airlines has declared bankruptcy, and ceased passenger transportation. Some people taking vacations in Hawaii were temporarily inconvenienced, since their round-trip Aloha tickets obviously became one-ways. But airlines serving Hawaii moved quickly to fill the gap, and affected travelers shouldn’t have (or have had, already) much trouble finding seats on outgoing flights.

According to John Monahan, the president of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, the “airline community serving Hawaii anticipated that this might happen and has been quick to fill the void left by Aloha’s closing.”Aloha reps cited increased fuel costs (boy, these affect us all!) and heightened competition for interisland flights - specifically, low-cost carrier Go! Airlines, which offered much lower priced tickets for Hawaii island hopping. This affects Hawaii’s state economy as well, what with around 1,900 people losing their jobs.

I’ve been feeling wistful about Aloha Airlines closing up shop. Every time I landed at a Hawaiian airport, I’d see their planes, with distinctive bird-of-paradise flowers on the tails; the sight instantly helped me relax and know I’d arrived at my favorite island chain. Now, Hawaiian Airlines has a similarly iconic lady-with-hibiscus-flower design. Hopefully, after the appropriate period of mourning, I’ll be able to transfer my feelings over to Hawaiian Airlines fleets’ tails. Even more hopefully, the former employees of Aloha Airlines will find solid replacement jobs, and Hawaii’s tourism-based economy will thrive.

How’s this for piling on the luxury? The Fairmont Miramar, in Santa Monica California, has a new package that includes use of a Mercedes Benz, Lexus, or a BMW. Now, I drive by the Fairmont Miramar approximately three or four times a week - albeit not in a high-end luxury vehicle - and while I’ve never stayed in the 5-star hotel, it sure looks heavenly from the outside. The Fairmont chain in general is a more affordable luxury hotel brand, with accommodations and amenities that are right up there with upscale brands of more renown. The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, for example, is the nicest hotel airport I’ve ever stayed in (and I’ve been in a lot), and the Fairmont Kea Lani is one of the four best luxury hotels in all of Maui.

But back to the Fairmont Miramar: This “Two Keys Bungalow” travel package includes, obviously, two keys. One key is to a luxury bungalow, the other is for the car rental - and daily valet parking also comes with the package. The specifics on the luxury vehicles? Well, lucky guests get to elect from a Mercedes C-Class, Lexus ES350, or BMW 3-Series. Bump it up a notch to the two level bungalow, and you can choose from the more powerful and elegant Mercedes Benz SLK350 or BMW Z4 (these are sporty roadsters, with more horsepower). The Fairmont Miramar is literally right across the street from the Pacific Ocean, and the shopping paradise that is 3rd Street Promenade is a mere walk away as well. However, Los Angeles is famously not a pedestrian-friendly city. A luxury vacation in LA is going to require a car, and if you reserve this travel package, why not toot around town in style?

Meanwhile, I have a new game during my bi-weekly trips to Santa Monica: Driving by the Fairmont Miramar in my dusty, detritus-filled family station wagon, peering in through the well-tended hedges for a glance at one of these luxury rentals. Hey - we get our kicks where we can.

I’ve written about the amazing, award-winning golf courses on Kauai before; now, the Kauai Golf Challenge and Kauai Ultimate Golf Challenge cooperative allow golfers to play on several of the island’s top greens in one day. Those award winners are Princeville’s Prince and Makai courses, Poipu Bay’s golf course, Kauai Lagoon’s Kiele and Mokihana courses, and the Puakea golf course.

A new destination golf course has just been added to the Ultimate Island Green cooperative. The Kiahuna Golf Club, designed by golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Jr., is is a perfect fit with the others. In fact, Robert Trent Jones Jr designed both Princeville and Poipu Bay’s courses, creatively matching the need for challenging games with the desire for scenic vistas. Kiahuna is no exception: The par 70 championship course takes golfers around still-standing relics of ancient Hawaii, adding a sense of history and spirituality to the fairway. Sounds like the Kauai golf cooperative just got even better!

NativeEnergy helps travelers purchase legitimate carbon offsets, to make vacations more carbon neutral. Community based, Native American, farmer-owned renewable energy projects are supported through NativeEnergy. The benefits are not just environmental, but economic and social as well. With sponsors like Ben & Jerry’s, Aveda and Clif Bars, Native Energy works to both end global warming and build positive businesses for family farmers and Native Americans.

The Untied Nations World Tourism Organization reports that the travel industry alone produces 5% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Megan Epler Wood, a partner at NativeEnergy, says that travel-related carbon dioxide emissions will grow by 75% in the next decade unless people do something about it. And really, with the ice caps melting, droughts, and new record high temperatures every summer, how much more global warming can we responsibly allow to happen? On the other hand, vacations and travel are one of life’s joys.

NativeEnergy’s “10 Reasons to Go Green” for the travel industry are interesting. Not every reason is feasible. I agree with the philosophy behind this list, at least!

1. Green companies save money by reducing their energy outputs.
2. Global warming is threatening travel destinations all over the world.
3. Over 50% of potential customers are more likely to choose travel packages that show a commitment to environmental responsibility.
4. Preparing reports that include carbon footprints (and reductions thereof) and click-through carbon offset purchase options online can position travel companies as being innovative leaders.
5. Green designs are cost efficient and will attract more environmentally aware customers.
6. Providing more responsible transportation options will also attract travelers who are concerned about the carbon impact of their vacations.
7. Plans for more environmentally responsible transportation and lodging are in the works, and will become essential in the future for green travel.
8. The travel industry must prepare to report on industry-wide green policies and how it’s responding to environmental issues as legislative efforts become more common.
9. Finding strategic environmental partners will help the travel industry respond to global warming.
10. An environmentally responsible travel policy for the industry shows concern for the world as a whole, and the people most affected by the climate crisis.

The Specialty Travel Agents Association (STAA) has its 2008 Best Destinations travel trend destinations selections up. This “Top 10″ type list obviously has to leave out a lot of great vacation spots, and includes none in the United States’ Lower 48. However, there is much to commend about this list of interesting international destinations. Take a look: I’ll give my opinion on the travel spots, and you tell me what you think, too.

In no particular order, the STAA Best Destinations for Travel in 2008:

Quebec City, in Canada: July 3rd marks Quebec City’s 400th anniversary, and the celebration will not only be festive, but also will recognize all the outdoor activities, festivals, culture and history that makes Quebec City a top vacation destination. This will be an eight month long celebration (you read that right - what a party!) with genuine French Canadian flavor.
Australia: Europeans are increasingly taking their holidays in Australia (the favorable exchange rate may have something to do with this), and resort hotels are correspondingly becoming more luxurious. But it’s not all luxury travel of course - there’s plenty of budget lodgings and eco travel opportunities in the Land Down Under. It ranks as one of my top places I’d like to see, as well.
Hawaii: Hawaii, and Maui in particular, is consistently voted the most popular tropical vacation island by those in the know (Conde Naste, Travel & Leisure, etc). It’s also the top honeymoon vacation state in the U.S., with each island offering its own unique take on what it means to be in Hawaii. Another plus: I’ve never had bad weather for more than an hour or two there. The weather is perfect.
China: The Specialty Travel Agents Association has chosen China as a best destination largely because of the upcoming Beijing Sumer Olympics games. However, more recently there have been some seriously disturbing issues - those that even make the news - regarding exactly how China is preparing for the games (prettifying a large, polluted urban area seems to mean dislocating a lot of long-time residents), and the country’s sanctioning of murdering monks in Tibet has led at least one country (France) to consider boycotting the Olympics. No country’s politics are perfect, of course, but with all the other great places to visit in the world, I know I have no travel plans for China in the immediate future.
The US Virgin Islands: Okay, I’m biased - my honeymoon was in St John, and in as such it remains one of my most favorite tropical vacation isles. St. John is 2/3 National Park land, and is the least developed of the three US Virgin Islands. St. Thomas has the most hotels and resorts, as well as the best shopping, whereas St Croix has tourism opportunities and what is considered the Easternmost part of the United States. The local saying goes, “Vacation on St. John, Shop on St. Thomas, and Live on St. Croix,” and that pretty much holds true.
India: It’s a large, geographically diverse country, so it would probably take more than one trip to truly get to know India. STAA recommends India for ecotravel - Bengal tigers are an endangered species, and there’s not much time left to see them in their natural state. And the Taj Mahal, needless to say, is also a huge draw.
Argentina: STAA recommends Argentina for those of us travel lovers who have been struggling with the dropping value of the American dollar. Rather than not travel at all, its suggested that Argentina’s bang for the buck combines well with many tourist friendly activities, top-notch restaurants, and boutique hotels.
Vietnam: STAA suggests that Vietnam is the Next Best Thing in terms of luxury golf vacations, calling it the “next premier golf destination.” Really? Well, I’m not sure that golf travel packages in Vietnam will ever be on the same level as Scotland or Hawaii, but it has many other tourist friendly attractions. It’s a very affordable country to visit, for one, and two, the Vietnamese people are among the world’s nicest, most optimistic - Buddhism teaches kindness and forgiveness, and most people in Vietnam are Buddhist.
France: Ah, France! A Top 10 Travel list just wouldn’t seem legit without La Belle France. It’s the most popular country in the world for travel, and has everything any vacation lover could want. Luxury travel is practically defined by the French Riviera, and those of us who appreciate the fine arts go gaga over the Louvre and Orsay in Paris. 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to a French peasant girl in Lourdes, and seeing that six million people make a religious pilgrimage there already, Lourdes is sure to be a top travel destination this year.
Alaska: Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations (with a pit stop in Vancouver, BC). Just as India’s Bengal tiger population is shrinking, so are those glaciers. Environmentally aware tourists are wanting to see the melting ice before it’s too late. The cruise ship vacations to Alaska are, of course, most popular in the spring and summer; it’s too cold for most travelers to come out of their cabins in the winter! The gorgeous scenery, combined with the summer home of many migratory species, makes cruising here an enormous draw.

While I don’t agree with all the destinations on this list being the top 10, shortlists are hard. Winnowing down all the terrific places to see in the world to 10 is never going to please everyone, after all! I give STAA credit for their obviously well thought-out list, but I’d switch out China for a less controversial country, and perhaps replace Argentina with Belize, Costa Rica, or another Latin American country with a stronger emphasis on eco travel and environmentally responsible tourism. But that’s just me - what’s on your Top 10 travel destinations list? I’d really like to know; there’s a comments section below.