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Carry-on Bags

How Do You Pack Your Carry-On Bags

Many airlines (with the exception of JetBlue and Southwest Airlines) are charging checked baggage fees, so it’s not surprising that many travelers are instead turning to carry-on bags to hold everything they need for their trip. Are you planning to skip the bag fees for your next trip? Here are some tips to help you [...]

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Do You Need a US Passport Book or US Passport Card?

This summer, my kids are traveling on their first international adventure – a cruise to Canada right from our home city of Boston.  Neither of my kids have traveled internationally before, so we’ve never needed to get a passport for them.  Right now, I’m in the midst of getting photos and applying so we’ll have [...]

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Cheap Family Vacations: Last Minute Travel Deals With Hotel Tonight

While most families do plan their hotels well in advance, sometimes, travel plans may change, and suddenly you are looking to book a last minute travel deal.  Or, you may just be looking for a great deal in a prime location. If you find yourself in need of a great last-minute deal on a hotel [...]

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Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne

Putting on the Ritz (Or When a Luxury Hotel Disappoints Then Makes it Up)

This past weekend, I headed to the Mom 2.0 Summit in Key Biscayne, Florida with two fellow Boston Parent Bloggers.  Because there were three of us, and the hotel (the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne, FL) was a bit pricey, we decided to all share a room.  Charlene is pregnant, and the hotel only has double [...]

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Orlando Hyatt

Day Use Rooms at the Orlando Airport Hyatt

You are at Orlando International Airport with the kids after a long, tiring vacation, and your flight gets delayed by hours.  What do you do?  While the airport does have lots of shops and restaurants, that’s not going to keep your already tired kids busy for the next 6 hours.  Instead, you can be napping, [...]

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carinsurance

Do You Need Rental Car Insurance?

One of the most confusing elements of travel is whether or not you need rental car insurance.  Some say that your own automobile insurance policy should cover you.  Others say that your credit card may cover you.  And, if you talk to the rental car company, they’ll tell you that you need supplemental insurance.  So, [...]

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Flying With Kids at Night

For more people, flying with kids is a necessary evil for a family vacation.  But flying at night, when you are relying on the fact that your children will sleep can be either a nightmare or a breeze.  We recently flew cross-country at night, and weren’t going to land at our destination until 10pm local [...]

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airline photo

Family Not Seated Together on a Flight? – Ways to Get New Seats

At the risk of sounding old, I remember the days when it was easy (and free) to get a seat assignment – even adjacent seats for the whole family.  Now, with some airlines charging for “premium seats” like seats toward the front and aisle and window seats (or saving them for qualified frequent flyers), it’s [...]

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Packing for My First Cruise

As I mentioned earlier, I’m heading out on my first cruise ever – aboard the brand-new Disney Fantasy.  Having never been on a cruise, I’m a little nervous about what to pack, and my winter clothes have still been dominating my closet.  However, thanks to some unseasonably warm weather here in the Northeast, I’ve already [...]

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Taking Your Children Out of School For Family Vacations

Do you take your children out of school for family vacations?  Many families do, and so I decided to see how Mom’s Favorite Stuff and Family Travel Magazine readers felt about this topic, with a poll on this site, and on my Mom’s Favorite Stuff Facebook page. The majority of responders indicated that they have [...]

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