| Vol.
I, No. 9 | End
of School / Summer Issue | June
15th, 2001 |
Living
Together
Links to Living Together On-Line
. Links
to Living Together On-Line The
amount of info on the web is enormous, as anyone who's ever tried to run a
search can attest to. And, to put it all in context, best estimates say
that only a fraction, maybe 20 - 40 % of what's out there is actually making its
way to the search engines.
Well ...
Here at DownStreet, we'd like to try to help. So each issue, we
post a few links in Living Together to sites that might interest you.
Sometimes the links will be related to one another ... sometimes
we'll just offer up a somewhat random sampling. In either case, we think
we might be able to help you find the kind of site you've been looking for.
Of course, while we can't vouch for the fact that every link we provide will be
of interest to everyone, we do our best to filter out the noise and the
bustle. ... Traveling
with the Kids
Links to On-Line Help for
the Long Journey
 Ok.
This could've and maybe should've been in the Links to Auto & Travel
section, just like our Life Lines feature on Summer Vacations. But we
imagine that family vacations are really much more about family than about
vacation. So, in conjunction with our feature, we thought we'd link you up
to some useful sites that provide helpful tips on Traveling with the Kids here,
in this month's Links to Living Together On-Line. ... To
be sure, nothing can take the place of patience ... and
remembering that, however weary you may be, the kids can probably best
you. But a perusal of these sites may just help you find a tip here or a
trick there that can prevent things from going downhill fast when nerves are
frayed and the heat is sweltering. That said, then, we
certainly don't mean to imply that all you'll find here will be equally
useful ... nor that browsing these sites will prevent any
misunderstandings or eruptions. But an ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure, and many of these sites offer advice based on the experiences of
families which can't be a whole lot different than yours or ours.
... In addition, we're going beyond our more usual 3-link limit, thinking
all the help one can get is about right. So, in the hope of
having this year's summer vacation be something to remember with fondness, here
are this month's links to Traveling with the Kids. ... Bon
voyage! ...
Family
and Kids Traveling Tips
This offering comes from
FreeTravelTips.com and lists dozens of features on specialized tips for
traveling with the kids and more. ...
.
Among the major
categories, you'll find a wide variety, with many articles in each,
including: Planning Your Trip, Packing, Picking A Kid Friendly Hotel,
In The Car, several sections on Traveling By Air, Going To Theme Parks,
Going To Restaurants, and Cruising With Kids.
.
Not
everything here is beyond the ken of most parents. But you might find
a tip on something you hadn't even considered, and that makes this site
worth the visit.
Rating: ***1/2 [3-1/2 Stars]
. Family
Travel Forum
The Family Travel Forum [FTF] is an eclectic
collection gathered together in this apparent monthly, so things will change
with each issue. ...
.
On our visit, one of the headline
attractions was entitled "Great Shakes at State Fairs." And
while the listing was somewhat limited, the idea was worthwhile. Much
of the site seems devoted to zeroing in on specific vacation packages or
itineraries that are suitable for family travel, so, in addition to things
like the State Fairs, you'll find theme vacations like one devoted to Sea
Turtle nesting, another for an archaeological dig in the Dakotas, and plans
for "Museum Sleepover" vacations. But the range also extends
beyond that to more traditional ideas & destinations. On the help
end, there are always articles aimed at making traveling with the kids a
little easier, like this month's feature on hotel accommodations when an an
infant is along, or the notion of 'vacationing at the in-law's'.
.
If
you'll be traveling with the kids, FTF is definitely worth a visit, both for
vacation ideas and tips.
Rating: **** [4 Stars]
. GORP
Family
GORP is the Great Outdoor Recreation Pages, and, as its
name implies, most of what you'll find here centers on outdoor family
vacations. ...
.
The main features at GORP Family are new
Places, Know-How, Travel Tips, and Family Resources, the last being a solid
series of offerings to help educate your kids about outdoor life and
vacations, including: Getting Started, Health & Well Being, Hiking,
Backpacking & Camping, Biking, Water Sports, Fishing, Snow Sports,
Climbing, and Wildlife & Nature.
.
GORP is a great resource for
any outdoor enthusiast, and its no less so for planning a family outing.
Rating:
****1/2 [4-1/2 Stars]
. Family.com
Travel
More itinerary-oriented than the rest, nonetheless,
Family.com's offering does include a couple of very useful sections,
including "Road-Tested Vacations" and a series of Travel
Checklists, including: Weekend getaway packing, Car trip essentials, Plane
trip essentials, Theme park needs, Beach trip packing, and More. ...
.
Most
impressive, though, is their Article Library {the link is in the left-hand
column}. Jump there and you'll find what they promise --
"thousands of family ideas & activities."
Rating: **** [4
Stars]
. Smarter
Living -- Taking the Kids
This link connects to the Bio page of
Smarter Living columnist Eileen Ogintz, who writes the regular weekly
feature called "Taking the Kids." ...
.
Links to her
weekly columns appear on the right and are archived back one year. If
you don't find something useful here, we'd be very surprised.
Rating:
**** [4 Stars]
If you know of any other resources like these, please let us
know. We plan on providing these links again for our Veterans Day /
Thanksgiving Day issue. . *******
******* If you know of any
links that you think are worthwhile, why not send them along to ...
links@downstreetmagazine.com
... If we agree, we'll be happy to include
them in an upcoming issue to pass the word along. ...
Thanks. *******
******* .
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