Take A Sabbatical & Hit the Road

We all have lists of places we'd like to go before we die. Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up by Holly Hughes is putting a tighter deadline on your plans.

But not a bad idea, really; it's certainly a way to lend some focus to your travel plans. Suggestions are all over the globe and span a wide variety of interests. You'll find the usual suspects here: the Eiffel Tower, Disneyland, Easter Island and the Dead Sea (which is evaporating rapidly and might soon be the Extinct Sea) all make the cut. But with 500 recommendations, you're sure to find somewhere you hadn't thought of going. We, for instance, hadn't realized that the Mack Truck assembly plant was exciting enough to be a "destination", nor had we thought to set our sights so close to home as Hartford, Connecticut.

We may not make it to all of these destinations. We may not even want to. But there is somewhere in this book for everyone, and plenty of reasons to plan your next vacation.

www.frommers.com/bookstore
$19.99

Roughing It But Not Really - AKA "Glamping"

It's time to plan your next vacation. The children have come up with the brilliant idea of going camping. You, on the other hand, had visions of spas, room service and a general atmosphere of luxury. You are, it would seem, at an impasse.

Au contraire. Welcome to the growing trend of "glamping", which we first read about via Gadling. Coming from the term "glamorous camping", glamping is putting style and pampering into camping. This is something we find to be totally agreeable, and the only question is, what took so long?

It's really not that new of an idea: people have been going on safari like this for years. Now, the concept has come out of Africa, so to speak, and has really taken off with our friends across the pond. England is rife with companies offering "glamping" supplies, from white Indian-style tents made in Pakistan to jute carpets that will protect pedicured feet from the earthy floor. It seems that someone got wind of Kate Moss glamping, and now the world has run amok with copycats who, of course, need to be similarly accoutred.

In the US & Canada, the movement has gone beyond the bespoke tent to offer full-fledged vacations that include pampering previously unheard of while camping. The oft-mentioned Clayoquot Wilderness Resorts & Spa in British Columbia offers camping the way it should be done (see their lovely tents above and below). Especially enticing are the family suite tents, which come with queen-bed, convertible chesterfield with queen mattress, and a lounge area with a game table. Add in luxurious down duvets and area rugs you'd happily grace your floors with, and this really isn't so bad, now is it?

But wait, you say. It's all fine and good to speak of sleeping in luxury, but will I emerge from the woods looking like something out of a horror movie? Have no fear - here you'll find hot water for showers as well as power for hair dryers. Even wireless internet is doable here, should you find the need to be less connected to the outdoors and more connected to, say, this blog. (And yes, they have modern composting toilets that we are sure will not require the use of anything so rustic as a page from the NY Times.)

We have already decided that we must go glamping, if only for the sheer fun of indulging in something with such a ridiculous name. And we must admit, at Clayoquot the activities offered are fun for both us and the children: kayaking, biking, and bear watching are just a few, and how much better to retreat to a downy mattress in a luxurious tent when you're done? Whatever you call it and wherever you do it, camping "in the manner to which we've become accustomed" is an idea whose time has come, and we'll be looking for more places to pursue this new trend in travel.

Artisans of Leisure

No, we haven't decided to change our name. Artisans of Leisure has been around longer than we have, and they're much more than a blog. To us, they're sort of like, well, GOD. In the form of a travel planner.

Picture this: a family of 12 ranging from a great-grandmother in her 80s to a 3-year old tyke, all heading to Russia. Or a father who gives all of his daughters customized trips to anywhere they want in the world when they turn 15.

Artisans of Leisure has handled all the details of trips like these, and they can handle yours too. What makes them such a standout company in our minds? For one, no age minimums (to which we say fabulous). If you want to head to China with 10-month old Junior in tow, no problem. They'll help arrange babysitters and age-appropriate itineraries, and will happily build in some down time for naps.

As the name would suggest, this is no ordinary group travel company. For one, all the hotels you'll be booked in will be top-notch (hello, spa, goodbye, Elmo). Trips include a private car and driver as well as private transfers to and from the airport. They cover any and every destination around the globe: the website gives examples of itineraries for some of their most-requested destinations, but they 'll plan a trip for just about anywhere your heart desires.

Your itinerary is tailor-made to fit you and the people in your group. While in Vietnam, you might visit the leading national theme park in Saigon as well as drop in on a Buddhist monastery to meet with monks. In England, a drive to Windsor Castle, home of the Queen, could include a stop along the way to play at Legoland, if that's your cup of tea.

And did we mention that oh-so-important word, private? Meaning that when your 10-month old starts screaming his lungs out as you tour Hong Kong, the only ones who'll be bothered are the rest of your family. (Which means, we hope, a little less glaring.)

Because the itineraries are customized for each group (and "group" can be anywhere from 2 people to 20, it's up to you), costs will vary. One thing you can be sure of, though: a vacation that will be worth every pretty penny.

www.artisansofleisure.com 800-214-8144

A Walk on the Wild Side

We love that so many tour companies are expanding their trips for families. No, it is not easy to bike through the French countryside visiting wineries with a toddler, or to kayak through the Galapagos with a 5-year old. But time was when we rarely saw anything of an active nature offered to the under-teen set, and that is thankfully changing.

National Geographic Expeditions has 9 tours in their 2007 travel catalog geared towards families with children as young as 8. The selections vary widely, from a 10-day trip to Tuscany (nicely timed to coincide with a viewing of Siena's exciting Palio) to a 13-day excursion to China. There are stateside offerings too, including 6 days of exploring the Alaskan wilderness (which looks to be already sold out!) and 6 days exploring Yellowstone and the Tetons.

The trips nicely blend adult and children's interests. In New Zealand, a wine-tasting is on the itinerary for adults while a special safari through the Lord of the Rings landscape should captivate the kids (and adults too, actually - it's breathtaking.) Adults can learn about castle architecture in Tuscany while the youngsters play soccer with local children. Of course, there's much about all of the trips that will appeal to both adults and children: visiting castles, hiking, kayaking, and just learning about different cultures.

Lodging isn't really luxury class for most of these trips, but that's not the National Geographic specialty. What is is active fun and learning about new cultures - and to paraphrase a popular ad, that's priceless.