Best Family Travel Book

By Traveling Mom on March 17, 2009 @ 11:33 pm
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I was thrilled to receive a preview copy of National Geographic’s new Ultimate Guide for Traveler’s, The 10 Best of Everything Families.

I love this book. And I get to share the love. One lucky reader will have the chance to win a copy for herself.

At close to 500 pages, it’s filled with ideas for family travel around the US and abroad. This ultimate guide is divided into three sections, each full of 10 Best tips for many categories. Section One focuses on exploration and regional family getaways, Section Two features educational travel, and Section Three is full of wish lists, family-tested itineraries, ideas for capturing family memories, travel tips and resources.

For example, Section One includes many divisions: Southwest, Midwest, Gulf Coast, etc. And also includes family activities like skiing and fishing, as well as categories based on interests like train trips and amusement parks.

Section Two, “Traveling to Learn,” is broken down into Nature and Science, History and the Arts, and Cultures and Values. Each of those broad topics is further divided. So under Nature and Science you’ll find subtopics including the 10 Best family hikes, science museums, or factory tours.

Last week I wrote about my love for factory tours, so I was eager to see what was listed in this book. I found a tour listed for the Stern Pinball Factory, the only factory still making coin-operated machine, and it’s located fairly close to my house. Score one for our Spring Break Staycation!

The 10 Best Factory Tour list also includes Celestial Seasonings’ Tea Blending Factory in Colorado, E-One manufacturing plant in Florida where they make fire trucks and emergency vehicles, and the Corning Museum of Glass in New York. Cool stuff.

Section Three is loaded with resources with tips on everything from packing to videography. I especially appreciate that they list websites for the mass transit options in large cities.

The 10 Best of Everything for Families is very user-friendly. You can pick it up as-needed for reference or page through it at leisure. And though it’s easy to search for travel information on the web, I love that I can snuggle with my boys on the couch as we page through this book imagining and discussing our next adventure.

To win a copy of this fun book leave a comment sharing one of your 10 Best family travel tips along with a way to contact you. Entries will be accepted through 10 PM CST on Tuesday, March 23. Winner will be chosen via random.org. National Geographic will ship the book to a US mailing address. If you Tweet about this contest or mention it to your Facebook friends, stop back and comment again to let us know. You’ll receive an extra entry each time your help us spread the word.

You can also purchase the book, currently on sale for $17 (normally $21) at National Geographic. If in these tight times, even that’s a stretch, talk to your friendly librarian and ask her put in a request for the book.

Kim also blogs at Hormone-colored Days.

Last 5 posts by Traveling Mom

post Comments (21)
Category: Budget Vacations, Educational Travel, Roadtrips, Ski Trips, Staycations, Travel Adventure, Travel Products, Traveling to U.S., Traveling with Tweens, Traveling without the kids
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Woo Hoo! There are 21 comment(s) for me so far ;)

#1
Great giveaway! My traveling tip is to first search for airfares on sites like Expedia to figure out which airline has the lowest rate, and then go directly to the airline website to buy the fare. The airline websites are always a little cheaper.
Chefdruck (TravelingFoodMom) wrote on March 17, 2009 - 11:51 pm
#2
What a great book! My tip is to use Farecast.com to get a prediction on whether or not airfares will increase or decrease in the future for a specific destination.
Jodi Grundig – Traveling Finance Mom wrote on March 18, 2009 - 7:13 am
#3
The book sounds great. My tip is to price out vacations at several locations. With a travel agent, without, w/clubs you belong to (like AAA). You will often be surprised with the money savings results. This means more spending money for when you get to your actual destination.
TheAngelForever wrote on March 18, 2009 - 8:18 am
#4
Tweet Tweet: http://twitter.com/TheAngelForever/status/1347912088
TheAngelForever wrote on March 18, 2009 - 8:19 am
#5
My best travel trip, after a VERY messy Thanksgiving drive a few years ago, is to have big Ziploc bags available within THE KIDS’ close reach – sometimes, there’s not even time for them to ask you for the bag before the puke spews. owner@selfishmom.com
Selfish Mom wrote on March 18, 2009 - 9:33 am
#6
I Tweeted! http://twitter.com/SelfishMom/statuses/1348216726
Selfish Mom wrote on March 18, 2009 - 9:35 am
#7
We travel by car every summer, so I could use some travel tips. My tip is not to overpack. I always pack too much to “keep my kids busy” when it turns out that all they really need is to be on vacation.
Stimey wrote on March 18, 2009 - 10:14 am
#8
I want to go out and buy this book TODAY. Sounds awesome!!
JamieB wrote on March 18, 2009 - 10:31 am
#9
Wow! We love to take family trips so this book sounds right up our alley! Since we fly cross country a lot to visit grandparents who live in CA, one of my travel tips is to be overprepared. I stuff extra food, clothes, pull ups, and things to entertain my kids in my carry on because you never know when you might hit a delay, get bumped from a flight, or meet a family who could really use something that you brought along in your stash! I’d rather carry on a little extra than be stuck without!
Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama wrote on March 18, 2009 - 3:03 pm
#10
This book sounds great! I don’t have any special travel tips to share – when we travel by plane, I make a little book of maps to show the kids where we are each hour, with gifts (puzzles, books, mini games) in the middle of long flights. When we travel by car, whenever possible I *double* the travel time so we can stop frequently to eat at local restaurants, get out at all the scenic overlooks and make side trips to nice parks or zoos.
PisecoMom wrote on March 18, 2009 - 3:05 pm
#11
I think my best travel tip is to leave expectations at home, go with the flow, and have a backup plan. If you just keep yourself calm, the kids (usually) will be calm too.
jen wrote on March 18, 2009 - 7:44 pm
#12
We haven’t done much family traveling yet but I suspect it’s on our imminent horizon…
Naomi wrote on March 18, 2009 - 11:25 pm
#13
Given the top quality I’ve come to expect from National Geographic, I really look forward to reading this book! My travel tip is to get off the beaten (tourist) path when traveling and try to immerse somehow into the culture. We live in a small world and nothing contributes more to better understanding of our global neighbors than when we experience the small, everyday things that make up daily life around the planet.
Anne Witkavitch wrote on March 19, 2009 - 3:18 pm
#14
[...] Traveling Mom reviews a new National Geographic’s travel guide entitled “The 10 Best of Everything Families“. [...]
Travel Insider Tips, Business Hotel & Family Holiday | Venere Travel Blog wrote on March 20, 2009 - 10:15 am
#15
Pack lots of snacks and bring along music or audiobooks to pass the time. (We don’t do videos!) Start collecting an inexpensive item like postcards and then have the kids hunt for them during the vacation.
Janelle @ Brimful Curiosities wrote on March 20, 2009 - 10:36 am
#16
Best travel tip – allow for random stops like Waffle House breakfasts. Kids remember the stuff they pick. Also – driver selects the tunes, works great when older teens need to take a turn to relieve a worn out mom or dad!
Anne wrote on March 22, 2009 - 6:15 pm
#17
What a terrific book! My favorite traveling tip includes always bringing along water bottles – easier than stopping for sodas every few hours!
daysgoby wrote on March 22, 2009 - 7:25 pm
#18
My family knows when we roadtrip there is no personal electronics allowed. Each family member gets a map and has to do research prior to our departure. We each get a snack bag, it can all be eaten within the first hour or ration it, but when its gone it is gone. This seems to stop the fighting. We play the average road trip games, and sing the the oldies. Our trips usually involve educational stops. Everyone should check out NSP.gov and purchase a seasonal pass for $80.00, this includes 4 adults and 4 children for a year to all national parks. Some of the locations also rent out cabins, my family will treasure many memories this way. It is very cost effective and a good chance for quality time. This books sounds like something my would use.
Carrie wrote on March 23, 2009 - 1:32 am
#19
Allow you teens/tweens to plan one day of your family vacation. From meals to tours give them a budget and some basic rules and then give up control. Sometimes they will surprise you with their wisdom, whimsy and street smarts…sometimes they will give the family a much needed change of pace. Look at the world through your kid’s eyes and enjoy the view.
Shannon wrote on March 23, 2009 - 8:11 pm
#20
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World Tourism guide wrote on March 24, 2009 - 6:22 am
#21
Congrats to TheAngelForever. She won the book.
kim/hormone-colored days wrote on March 25, 2009 - 1:43 pm
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