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Got a case of wanderlust that won’t quit? Your next family holiday out West is a click away. Our moms have bounced around the globe testing out family vacation spots from campgrounds to African safaris and they’re dishing the dirt on what works, what doesn’t and what you need to know before you go. Get all the family travel information essentials you need (from a traveling mom's perspective, natch!) to dive into your next family vacation adventure out West.
Here you'll find family holiday ideas for Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, California, Oregon, Washington, Nebraska, Kansas, Hawaii, South Dakota, North Dakota and Alaska.
My husband and I needed a break from the kids and the daily grind and recently we found the perfect golf escape. In the heart of the California Gold Rush country where once bustling copper mines made post gold rush history, vacationing families and couples alike are making their own discoveries and creating their own legacy at Saddle Creek Resort in Copperopolis, California.
You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy treats (and a few surprises along the way) at Disneyland Resort’s Halloween Time. We brought my 80-plus-year-old mom with us to Disneyland to see the park festooned with fall décor including more than 300 pumpkins adorning lampposts, lawns and trees.
Just because you brought your kids with you to Las Vegas doesn't mean you can't enjoy all the fabulous restaurants. Eating at great places is all apart of the fun in Vegas! Here's an Insider secret... I take my kids almost everywhere. I say almost because there are a few upscale restaurants my husband and I have deemed sacred and special to us. But don't let the fancy names and menus fool you. You do not have to subject yourself to buffets and food courts just because you have your little entourage with you!
We travel a great deal and once in a very great while I stumble on a bed and breakfast gem so outstanding that I am almost at a loss for words in how to capture its value for both my readers and listeners. The Victoria Inn in Murphys, Calif., is one such place. 
There are 3 lodges at Grand Teton National Park: Jenny Lake Lodge (upscale), Colter Bay Lodge (real homesteads) and Jackson Lake Lodge (rustic but comfortable).Exploring the West, Disney Style: Adventures by Disney, the entertainment company’s vacation tour operation, takes families on tours around the globe--from Vietnam on the other side of the world to the American West much closer to home. Cowboys, whitewater rafting, hiking and geysers with that special brand of Disney magic turns a family vacation into a family experience.
“Quest for the West” is an Adventures by Disney trip that includes soft adventure and sightseeing. My teen daughter and I joined a mini press trip version of this tour that included the majestic Grand Teton National Park.
Disney’s goal with these tours is to take the thinking out of the trip so parents can enjoy the family vacation too--from the planning to the family photo albums delivered to participants at the end of the trip.
Adventures by Disney Difference
Our press trip started at The Wort, a gorgeous and very western hotel in Jackson. We had time to explore the town of Jackson and get a special presentation by the local theatre group at lunch. After Apple Beer (non alcoholic) and Huckleberry soda we did some class 2-3 whitewater rafting. The water was 50 degrees and we got wet and we all loved it. Day 2 included a hike to a gorgeous waterfall and a visit to Old Faithful, the most famous geyser at Yosemite.
After 2 nights at the Wort, we moved 90 minutes out of town to Brooks Lake Lodge where we hiked to the summit of Brooks Mountain where we could overlook Sublett Meadow, made s’mores, ate gourmet meals and slept in cozy log cabins. We all witnessed the most gorgeous sunsets on earth.
Not having to drive, tip, choose restaurants or organize activities is new to me and I understand the benefits. I have high expectations when I pay top dollar for a service. Anyone can provide logistics so it’s about the extras and the small things that go a long way--small things like handing out Disney pins that can only be obtained on this Quest for the West trip.
The guides are very kid-friendly and knowledgeable about the area. They kept the young kids engaged and safe but on this trip, they weren’t as successful engaging the teens. This trip is still evolving and Disney will get it right; they always do. For now, I recommend this trip for families with young kids (10 & under). My teen daughter was stuck at the kid’s table at dinnertime, cartoons on the bus and a backpack she she deemed “uncool.”
I would also like to see Disney and all family tour companies for that matter offer and use reusable water bottles. Grand Teton National Park stopped selling plastic water bottles, period. Instead they have water filling stations and the water tastes amazing. This kind of initiative teaches kids and parents how easy it is to be green.
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