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.

My kids and I love Klutz products. The irreverent activity books, nifty crafts and entertaining games come in compact kits or books that are ideal for travel.

Many Klutz items have accompanied us on road trips and plane rides. In particular, Kids Travel: A Backseat Survival Kit is chock full of games, puzzles, mysteries, quizzes, trivia and art projects for ages 6 and up. My daughter has mastered all of the moves illustrated in Cat’s Cradle, a board book that comes with a colorful string for making the figures. Both kids have made pictures with the portable book Hand Art, from Klutz’s Chicken Socks imprint for ages 4 and up. And the Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes makes an awesome birthday gift.

I always look forward to spring when Klutz releases its new products. Even though Short Stuffs: Create Your Own No-Sew Stuffed Animals is designed for kids as young as 4, my 8-year-old daughter got such a kick out of it. She spent at least a half hour stuffing little tiny pillows into the two “animal bodies” and attaching different felt arms, legs, ears and tails with Velcro to create colorful animals, like “Munchie Mouse,” “Chirpy Birdie” and “Playful Pup.” She enjoyed the activity so much, she brought the Short Stuffs kit to school for show and tell!

The instructions are all pictorials, no reading required. I can see how preschoolers would enjoy making animals for pretend play on an airplane or while strapped in the car.

My only caveat is that the pieces are small, and could easily get lost in the seat of an airplane or car backseat. You’ll just need to do a reconnaissance of all the parts and pieces after when it’s time to pack them away in the handy packaging. But there’s a lesson in responsibility and counting — 2 animal bodies, 13 felt pieces and 7 stuffing pillows in all!

Wow! What a response for the Tots on the Go Giveaway!

We had two hundred entries and almost a thousand lurkers. The TrendyKid Trunkie TwoGo and The Go-Go Babyz Infant Cruizer were two of the top picks, but the number one choice for the prize ended up being KidCo’s PeaPod Plus.

There were some great entries, such as Cindy Beckman who commented, “Sit n Stroll by TriplePlay is absolutely wonderful. I wish it were around when I had my first child. Thanks for a great giveaway!”

Erin Daly said, “The Ultimate Toy & Travel Bag looks great for those long car rides this summer.” The Traveling Mamas couldn’t agree more.

Our winner for the Tots on the Go Giveaway is Elizabeth M, who stated, “I think the KidCo’s Pea Pod would be fantastic for traveling!” Congratulations Elizabeth. Tots on the Go will be contacting you to find out where to send your KidCo PeaPod Plus.

Thanks to everyone who entered and a special thanks to Tots on the Go for helping us with this great giveaway.

From the moment my kids hear we’re going on a trip they begin packing everything in sight: books, toys, pillows, favorite blankets, and three or four stuffed animals each.

When I heard about Zoobies Pets I knew there was a good chance a huge portion of my problem had been solved. And I was right. What exactly are Zoobie Pets? Zoobies are a brilliant three-in-one stuffed animal, pillow and blanket.

The new Zoo Line came out this year and let me tell you, they are adorable. My daughter is in love with her pink Hada the Hippo (in photos) and my son thinks his furry Bobo the Baboon is the coolest (he even has a pink bottom!). Some of the others are: Jafaru the Giraffe, Winda the Wildebeest, Cheche the Cheetah, Mashaka the Monkey, Kojo the Croc (I love this one), Gogo the Gorilla, Rhaxma the Rhino, and my personal favorite, Tama the Tortoise.

Are you curious how this fabulous innovation works? Let me explain:

The stuffed animal keeps its shape via two Velcro straps. When you undo the straps the animal transforms into to a pillow. On one side of the pillow there is a zipper opening where inside you will find the softest fleece blanket you have ever felt. The blanket attaches to the animal with a zipper. This makes for super easy washing. The best part: the blanket is huge!

I am seriously considering snagging one of my kids’ Zoobies for my long flights to and from Hawai’i with my fellow Traveling Mamas later this month. Seriously, the blanket really is big enough for an adult and oh so soft.

If you are traveling this summer this is one Traveling Mamas On The Move Approved item I highly recommend.

1. Because Zoobie Pets are all in one you won’t have to keep track of several items.

2. Did I mention the blanket is super soft?

3. Zoobies are easy to use. When my children are ready to pull out the blanket they can do it themselves. Hada and Bobo even helped make a successful road trip.

4. No more airplane pillows and blankets. In fact, the last plane I was on didn’t have blankets and it was freezing.

5. There is a wide assortment of Zoobies to match every child’s (and adult’s) personality.

6. On one final note, this Traveling Mama says,

Zoobie, Zoobie DO!

Happy Travels!

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.

This is why I do not plan outdoor parties for my daughter’s early May birthday. Here’s the view from my front porch this morning:

Spring weather in the Colorado Rockies is absolutely unpredictable — and nearly unforecastable. (Is that a word?) The Weather Channel is calling for 2 to 4 inches of snow today; FoxNews says some parts of Colorado might get 8 to 16!

My poor daffodils — after being munched on by the local deer population, the overnight snow has just done them in:

Moral to the story? If you’re planning a spring vacation practically anywhere in the U.S. Mountain West, pack clothing for all sorts of conditions! If you’re driving, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stock your car with appropriate emergency gear, such as a spare tire and jack, warm blankets, snacks and water, gloves, pocket knife, cell-phone charger, and a flashlight.

Last week, while I was on my way to Lexington, Kentucky, my sweet husband did a pretty daring thing. He took my two preschoolers on a seven-hour road trip to Palm Desert, California to see his folks. The trip was a success. How did a dad survive such a challenge? In case you’re wondering, we do not have “perfect” kids. In fact, we are often “that” family - you know what I’m talking about.

With that said, here are the six secrets that helped DesertDaddy survive this long road trip with a two and three-year-old in the backseat:

1. DVD player. We scored some $7.99 DVDs at Wal-Mart and let’s just say the kids were as happy as the Berenstain Bears they were watching.

2. Zoobie Pets. Stay tuned for a rave review on these three-in-one critters. Zoobies are a travel-friendly plush animal, pillow, and blanket. The new Zoo Collection just came out this year. The kids don’t even want to take the short ride to the gym without them. Actually, my daughter is cuddled with hers on the couch as I type this.

3. Snacks. This one goes with out saying. But how can dad dish out snacks while he’s driving? I simply packed them each their own lunch box with their favorite snacks in Ziploc bags for easy access.

4. Water. Just say no to sugar on road trips, especially if you have a son like mine who will bounce on a trampoline for three hours after one M&M. Enough said.

5. VTech Tote N Go Laptop Plus is a terrific educational, interactive toy with an LCD screen that teaches the alphabet and numbers. Both of my children have their own “laptop” and it keeps the kids entertained for quite a while.

6. Finally, DesertDaddy was simply a good daddy. He stopped when the kids were hungry, required a potty break, or just needed to get out of the car. And that, my friends, is how my wonderful husband survived a seven-hour road trip with two preschoolers in tow.

I was oblivious to the tourism importance of Man Malls until two appeared near my city. Hotels began to pop up, and even good ole Starbucks opened for business in these no-longer rural areas. My family decided to take a Sunday drive to Cabela’s, located in Gonzales, LA. I was completely shocked when traffic halted on the I-10. It seems as if everyone else in the state of Louisiana had decided to check out this new Man Mall for themselves.

Local police officers were directing traffic into the parking lot (which was full, of course). We hiked a mile to the actual store and I had the Mama Death Grip on my children’s hands so that they would not get lost from me in the mob.

Promotions of Chevy giveaways and pictures with Nascar drivers were strategically placed near the entrance. The whole experience was reminding me of the bargain basement bridal gown sale that always makes the national news. I was expecting to get trampled at any moment.

And then we made it through the doors.

The scene was a wonderland for outdoorsmen (and women). Kids were staring in awe at the wide array of aquatic specimen in nearby tanks. Others were admiring the taxidermy exhibit of animals placed on a mountain. But the truest scene was of women sitting on benches checking mobile phone messages while their men competed for the attention of the store associate. It seems there was a limited supply of discounted knives, and these men just had to have one.

This parallel universe offered a respite, in the form of a General Store, for the women to wait on their men. The homemade fudge slices were calling me, where the kids and I waited for my husband to return triumphantly with his $9.99 knife.

To find a Man Mall the next time you need some hiking socks or a pink fishing pole, visit: Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, or Gander Mountain.

Tots on the Go, a Virginia-based company, has teamed with Traveling Mamas to let you guys pick out your own prize, and we’re giving you a month do to it!

From their site:

“We started this business out of the desire to share our knowledge, as fairly new parents, of the many great products available. We spent countless hours researching the latest and great products to make a families life easier. With our personal experience as parents and constant research we will help make the right choice for you.”

Wow. This is the type of shop TravelingMamas.com likes. And they even have a showroom that is opening April 25!

So, what do you have to do to win something? Check out Tots on the Go’s Travel Gear section and choose the item you want to win. Just come back here and leave a comment stating your choice of prize. The product with the most comments is the item we’ll give away to a lucky winner.

We’re giving you guys a month to enter, so be sure to tell all your friends. Contest is open to US residents and immediate family members of Traveling Mamas are ineligible to win. Closing date is May 13, 2008. Winning entry and prize will be announced on Winning Wednesday, May 14, just in time for that fabulous family vacation this summer.

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!

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’m planning a family road trip this summer up the coast of California. With two preschoolers in tow, I know I will need to be prepared. I love to pack food for the road and one item I will be using is made by Pampered Chef and called Cut-N-Seal ($9). (Love it!) This is a must-have if your kids aren’t crust lovers or if you are tired of peanut butter and jelly dripping down into the grooves of your kid’s carseat buckle.

Here’s what you do: Take two slices of sandwich bread, push the center of one slice down to make an indent. Fill the indent with your choice of filling, then put the other piece on top. Place the Cut-N-Seal on the sandwich and push down so it “cuts” the bread then push the spring “button” on top so it “seals” the sandwich. Ta-da! That’s it.  The kids love it because it’s fun and easy to hold. And there isn’t any bread sliding off the sandwich and onto the car floor.

Other handy road trip helpers from Pampered Chef: The Apple Wedger (2427) is ideal for easy apple sharing, the Color Coated Santoku Knife (1059) is great to bring along because it has a cover, and of course the nice-sized Insulated Tote (2137) will keep your items cold or hot (great for potlucks, too).

What do these products have to do with autism? A friend of mine who has a little boy the same age as mine was diagnosed with autism one year ago. It has been a very challenging journey for the family. April is Autism Awareness Month and if you purchase anything from Pampered Chef in March and April through any of the above links just enter Team (first name) and Tyler (last name) for the host name and 10% of sales will go to scholarships for training and education for families dealing with autism.

I know Jen and her family thank you from the bottom of their hearts.

Happy and Safe Travels!

Remember being a teenager, and laying out on the beach covered in suntan oil? I sure do; not to date myself too much here, but there were a few weekends on the Jersey shore, Bon Jovi or Springsteen blasting from my boombox, that ended up with me literally having second-degree burns across my cheekbones.

Times have changed, and not just for this former Jersey girl. Most conscientious parents don’t take their kids our for a day at the beach or on a desert trip without packing a tube of sunblock. A minimum SPF of 30 is recommended, and beyond that, until recently I hadn’t put much thought into particular brands and types of sunblock for skin care. Lately, though, I’ve gotten fed up with that always-shiny look that slathered-on sunblock provides. Is it just me and my tempermental skin? In any case, I decided to go upscale and buy what can only be called three “luxury brands” of sunblock, and rate them.

The first high end sunblock I tried was Neutrogena’s UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock, SPF 30. It also comes with an SPF of up to 70 - useful, I suppose, if you tend to forget to reapply your sunblock. Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-touch promised to be fast absorbing, with a clean, weightless feel. On the back of the tube, Neutrogena claims that this sunblock provides a non-shiny finish. Perfect! Yes, it was significantly less oily feeling than other sunblocks I’ve used, and well, SPF 30 is about what I need for daily life out and about in Los Angeles. It’s also waterproof, but I don’t think I saw any brands of sunblock that didn’t claim to be waterproof.

The second one I got was Biotherm Antirides Solaire Visage, or sunscreen for the face, SPF 15. The sunscreen also claims to be a waterproof, non-greasy formula, and has antioxidants for skin care. Okay, first of all, I could only find this sunscreen with SPFs of 8 and 15, which are both less than what dermatologists recommend for direct sunlight exposure. Second, what’s with the French? I’m just browsing in my local drug store here, I’m not in Paris. It seems a little pretentious, even for, well, me. Biotherm didn’t protect me from those harmful rays to the same degree as Neutrogena, and my face got as shiny from this as it does with so-called lesser brands of sunblock.

The last luxury brand of sunblock that I tried is made by Azur. Marketed as tearless solar protection (fancy way of saying sunblock), Azur comes in SPFs of 30 and 40. It’s also scentless and safe to apply right around the eyes. This is the most water-resistant sunblock I tried. In fact, at night, it took some extra soap on the washcloth to get the slick residue completely off. This is great for active adults and children; in fact, there is a formula just for kids with an SPF of 40. I liked that Azur came in travel friendly sizes of 1.7 ounce tubes - no need to see luxury products get confiscated by overeager TSA employees. I didn’t like that the 1.7 ounce tubes cost $24 (for SPF 30) and $27 (for SPF 40). At that price point, I’d expect my sunblock to also be able to give me an oceanside massage, or at least babysit my kids while I relax in the sand with a paperback.

The winner? Out of these three luxury brands of sunblock, I most liked the Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch. It had the right amount of protection from the ultraviolet rays, it was around 12 or 13 dollars ( a decent price for a high-end brand), and my face didn’t get as shiny as it did with the others. The Neutrogena brand is the top-rated sunblock of the three tested by this TravelingMama!

Travel in the U.S. is going to be picking up soon. We’re on the cusp of spring break and Easter and the glorious summer months are on the horizon.  USATourist.com has kindly provided us with this week’s prize – a plastic travel tote for your toiletries (or germ fighting strategies) complete with four TSA approved carry-on travel containers. To be entered to win, just post a comment below telling us where in the USA you are planning to travel or wish to travel in the coming months.  

If you feel compelled to enter a second contest, head on over to USATourist.com and sign up for the free monthly USATourist News Magazine (written by yours truly). After signing up you will be led to an entry form to win the Postcards from North America board game (ARV $29.99). Don’t you just love prizes?

We’ll take comments until midnight (EST), Tuesday March 11^th. The winner’s name will be drawn on Winning Wednesday, March 12th. Be sure to check back here to see who the winner is and find out about our next giveaway. Drawing is open to U.S. residents only; family members of TravelingMamas are not permitted to enter.  Good Luck and Happy Travels!

Welcome to Winning Wednesday! This week, we’re excited to give away a complete audiobook of The Kite Runner, read by author Khaled Hosseini.

The Kite Runner didn’t win any awards at last Sunday’s Oscars, but we do have a Kite Runner winner here at TravelingMamas. Let’s all extend our congratulations to Mama Zen. Yay, Mama Zen! She wrote, “My husband makes me listen to geeky podcasts. Help!” Well, hopefully, this audiobook - with a hefty 12 hours running time - will give you a nice break from all that Star Wars fan fiction (or whatever the “geeky podcasts” are).

We’re not 100% positive, but it looks like this was the only response out of many to mention podcasts. Popular responses regarding audiobooks were clearly in the Stephen King and Harry Potter categories. For example, Sarah wrote “I listen to Stephen King in the car. Nothing like a little terror to keep you alert!” Indeed. And Susan wrote, “I’ve listened to the whole Harry Potter series during my driving trips.” Wow! Those must have been some serious road trips. I stubbed my toe on the fifth Harry Potter book the other day, and I thought I’d broken a bone. The audiobook series must last a week.

Other common answers to the contest question were like Jim Cincinello’s: He wrote “I have never listened to an audio book before but would like to.” Please don’t let them pass you by. Books on tape are a great way for busy people to “read.” Time on the road is time well spent when we can soak up that classic or new best seller. What can I say? It beats road rage.

Mama Zen, email me at MudslideMama at Travelingmamas dot com, and you’ll be listening to The Kite Runner before Spring Break. Congratulations!

Rome with Kids: An Insider’s Guide, by JM Pasquesi, is different than the straightforward, dry, “just the fact, ma’am” style of most guide books. International family travel anywhere can be a trial; try adding sites of historic interest, and it doubles. Rome might be boring for young kids who don’t care about or understand the historical context of attractions like the Colosseum or Forum, and aggravating for parents who want to see said attractions without their children whining and complaining. Interesting travel can’t all be about the gift shops, after all! That being said, Rome with Kids: An Insider’s Guide helps makes a family vacation in Rome fun and exciting for children. In an interview with the author, JM Pasquesi told me that the key to easy European travel with kids is “spacing and pacing.” Slow down the pace, and take time to experience sites. Parents need to adjust their expectations: Changing the pace of a trip to Rome may mean not getting to see everything on a parent’s list, but those that are seen, are appreciated much more. Children benefit from taking time in the same surroundings, to feel comfortable.

Rome with Kids is a great family guide, with suggested itineraries and tips for how to explain Rome’s long history in accessible ways. “Kids enjoy touring when information is presented in entertaining ways,” says the author, who has taken her boys for extended vacations in Italy several times. The guide book includes creative treasure hunt style games, and doesn’t shy away from some of the more grim tales of gladiators and other aspects of Rome that have built-in appeal for older kids. With these older children (especially boys, for some reason), the bloody stuff is the most interesting - and since it’s part of the history of Rome, it’s legitimate to talk about it with the older set.

The Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Vatican and more all get their sections in this book, which manages to wrap 3,000 years of Roman history in its easily comprehensible manner. You don’t have to travel with kids to appreciate all that this guide book has to offer (although it’s a good excuse). The creative suggestions for children can also be fun for adults getting to know Rome - I think it would be fun to try to find many of the “Can You Find” highlighted sections for kids. Finding Michelangelo’s signature on the Pieta, for example, would be quite a thrill. I wholeheartedly recommend this new travel guide (published by Synergy Books, July 2007). A family planning a vacation in Rome would benefit greatly from this book. Children will enjoy the tips and creative suggestions for having fun in Italy, and when the kids are happy, so are the parents.

Is it Winning Wednesday already? Huh - seems like just yesterday it was Too Bad Tuesday. (I kid.)

This week we TravelingMamas have a great giveaway; The unabridged Kite Runner audiobook, narrated by author Khaled Hosseini, has a 12 hour running time over 11 CDs. I see it also includes an “enhanced CD with book club guide,” which is pretty handy. Handy, I say, because I first read The Kite Runner for a now-disbanded book club myself! If memory serves, we read this wonderful, #1 national bestselling novel in the middle of a run of sad books - you know, Atonement, Life of Pi, that sort of thing. And you wonder why we disbanded?

I may not be doing The Kite Runner justice, here. It is actually an amazing story about life in Afghanistan, friendship, the relationship of father and son, and personal redemption. The author writes beautifully; because he and his family received political asylum in the US (after living in Kabul), you get the feeling he draws on personal experience. The Kite Runner was made into a movie this past year, and is nominated for an Academy Award (the nomination is for Best Achievement in Music). And, hey! - The Oscars are this Sunday, midway though this giveaway contest! I wonder if we’ll be giving away an Oscar winner.

Now, I must preface any instructions for entering this contest with a warning: This is not an audiobook to play with young children in the car. Solo road trips, or long drives with other adults, are the best times to pop these CDs in your car’s player. There are definitely horrific, frightening and tragic components to The Kite Runner that are not appropriate for kids. That being said, to enter, leave a message below and tell us what your favorite audiobook or music is for long car trips. Don’t have a car? No problem, city dweller! What do you download into your MP3 player?

We’ll take comments until midnight (EST), Tuesday February 26 - and that’s it! TravelingMamas will put all the entrants’ names in a hat to draw one on Winning Wednesday, February 27. Check back here to see who won. Drawing open to U.S. residents only; family members of any TravelingMama blogger shouldn’t apply.

Welcome to the next Winning Wednesday! Almost everybody likes to win things, and we TravelingMamas like to help you try. What can we say? We’re givers.

This giveaway week reflects on MudslideMama’s trip to La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, CA. A little goodie picked up there is this slick set of 6 golf balls from the SilverRock Golf Course. Emblazoned with the SilverRock logo and made by Nike, these golf balls look like they could lower anyone’s handicap.

Palm Springs California is a golfer’s paradise, and is often referred to as PGA West. SilverRock Golf Course in La Quinta is pretty new, and will be one of the four golf courses for next year’s PGA Bob Hope Chrysler Classic Games. Want to know more? Golf Magazine just named the Arnold Palmer Classic Course at SilverRock one of the Top 10 New Courses That You Can Play. In other words, if golf balls can have a a relative degree of luxe-ness associated with them, these balls got it, baby!

Now, MudslideMama’s family had a great vacation at La Quinta Resort & Club, even though none of us play golf. Hence, a somewhat ironic contest giveaway. Rather than dwell on this, though, just enter to win - in a message below, tell us what your favorite thing to do at a luxury resort is (or would be). Is it the spas? The fine dining? Or even - golf? Don’t be shy; I can tell you I have a hard time saying no to mixed drinks by the pool, myself.

We’ll take comments until midnight (EST), Tuesday February 12, and put all the entrants’ names in a hat to draw one on Winning Wednesday, February 13. Check back then right here to see who won. Drawing open to U.S. residents only; family members of any TravelingMama blogger shouldn’t apply.