Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom, Author at Traveling Mom

Gifted Kids: A Blessing and a Curse (and a New Movie)

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Apr 6, 2017 | 0 |

Raising children always has challenges. Many parents wonder what it would be like to raise a prodigy. In the movie Gifted, coming out this April, you can get a good look at the challenges. You can also see quite of bit of Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia, where the movie was filmed. Raising Gifted Kids In the new movie Gifted, Mary Adler, the child prodigy at the center of the story, is played by 10-year-old Mckenna Grace. When Mckenna arrived at the press junket, I asked her as a veteran traveler: “What is your must-pack item?” She left and returned with...

How to Make the Most of a 4-Day College Tour in Northern California

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Mar 13, 2017 | 0 |

College tours are an awesome excuse to visit California. But really, is any excuse needed? The third time was the charm for me with my youngest son and his friend. Our week-long touring plan took us from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I’m calling this our “Taste of California” tour as we toured, dined, and explored in Northern California. San Francisco was our home base for this four-day college tour that included Stanford and UC-Berkeley. Broadening a college tour to include sightseeing, exploring and fun is essential but also has to be balanced with the main reason for the...

14 Survival Tips for College Tours

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Mar 13, 2017 | 2 |

You’ve heard the expression: third time’s the charm? Well, that sure applies when it comes to college visits. Having been through this now with all three of my kids, I can say “I’ve been there” and have gleaned many tips from being in the trenches. Planning and experiencing college tours is a rite of passage for parents and their kids. After three tours of duty on the college touring front, here are my 14 survival tips for making the most of college tours. Survival Tips for College Tours A California college trip has become a rite of passage with my...

Southern California Mini Vacations in Oceanside, Temecula and Greater Palm Springs

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Mar 13, 2017 | 0 |

In Southern California, you can have several vacations in one, if you plan a trip from the beach of Oceanside to the wine country in Temecula to Palm Desert. Read on as our TravelingMom tells you of her micro-cations. California is a state of extremes: one of the longest states, it has a population larger than all of Canada. Yet in one town, a dog won the office of mayor in 1981. California offers vacationers a vast array of delights, from beaches to mountains, from solitude to booming cities, from side open roads to, well, gridlock. On a recent...

How to Make the Most of a 2-Day Los Angeles College Tour

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Mar 10, 2017 | 0 |

College touring in California? Then plan on getting a taste of all the delights California has to offer. Who knows? Your student may decide to attend a college or university there and you’ll be making a main course of California. Or, quite the opposite, the campus experiences may leave you hungry to see more schools. But at the least, make the most of your combined college tours and vacationing without biting off more than you can chew. Here’s how we tackled the last leg of our California college tour in Southern California. From Marina Del Rey to Redondo Beach,...

Can You Have a Tech Free Vacation with Teens?

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Mar 1, 2017 | 0 |

When the Orlando family headed to Amelia Island, Florida, mom wanted to know: Is it possible to have a tech free family vacation with teens? The trip turned into a battle over cell phones, texting and video games. Mom lost on that trip. She had slightly more success on a trip to the lovely island of Aruba. Even then, she had to turn to bribery. Watch the videos to see how it all played out. Tech Free Vacations with Teens As Kim Orlando, founder of TravelingMom.com, learned on her family vacation with teens, it’s tough to convince teens to...

Regent Seven Seas Explorer Mother-Son Weekend Getaway

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Feb 11, 2017 | 1 |

Cruising, luxury, and kids…Probably words you never consider putting together when planning a family vacation. But, don’t be too hasty. While it may not be the ideal vacation with a 2-year old in tow, a recent mother and teenage son adventure on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer convinced this traveling mom that it’s a good mix. All you need is an adventurous spirit, the right ship, and a luxurious, but not stuffy atmosphere, so the kids feel right at home. Time, for this traveling mom and most moms, is the ultimate luxury. So, when it comes to planning vacations,...

The Best Super Bowl Chicken Wings in NYC

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Jan 24, 2017 | 1 |

If you were traveling, taking wings along is probably not the best idea. But if you have folks coming to your house for a Super Bowl party, wings are well worth the sloppy deliciousness. A tried and true wing recipe from Virgil’s BBQ in Times Square is one of the best wings recipes I’ve ever tried – and the restaurant spilled on what makes them so amazing – recipe included. You think you can only find great chicken wings in the South? Think again. Virgil’s BBQ serves up more than 30,000 lbs. of its secret recipe chicken wings every year. It’s...

Luxury Vacation in Mali Losinj Croatia

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Dec 26, 2016 | 0 |

Mali Losinj doesn’t roll trippingly off the tongue (Losinj is pronounced Losheen), but this Croatia resort town should be on everyone’s short list of luxury spa destinations. I spent a week at the seaside Hotel Bellevue, a gorgeous place where the treatments were super luxe, the food and wine was spectacular, and yes, the Europeans were naked. Luxury Vacation in Mali Losinj Croatia You know how it’s cool to have the latest bit of tech before any else, or to see a hit play in London before it comes to Broadway? That’s how I felt about spending a week...

GMC Canyon Bridges the Gap: Mom Car & Teen Son Whisperer

Posted by Kim Orlando, Traveling Mom | Nov 26, 2016 | 0 |

How can a truck help a mom bridge the gap between her son’s childhood and his new life? Read on as our fearless TravelingMom leader explains the value – and the joys – of a good pick-up truck. Oh, and why a programmable crock pot is always a good idea. GMC Canyon Bridges the Gap: Mom Car & Teen Son Whisperer The tables are turning for this TravelingMom. Instead of deciding where to go on vacation, I plan my trips around my kids in college and what they need. I squeezed in a visit to see my own mom en...