great takes on family travel in the U.S.

Originally founded in 1849 as an Army outpost, Fort Worth still embraces its western heritage and traditional design more so than its contemporary sister-city, Dallas.  Whether you’re in town for business or pleasure, the local bed & breakfast community has plenty to offer any traveler who wants a more intimate, unique view of this colorful town.The Texas White House is an award-winning, historic home restored to its original 1910 décor.  Located just minutes from downtown, guests still have plenty of privacy in the main house or the carriage house with relaxed private sitting areas in their rooms and claw-footed tubs for showers or bubble baths.  Breakfast is offered in the dining room or in suite, and other amenities include television, laundry service, secretarial services, early morning coffee service and afternoon snack and beverages and on-site massage services.  Rates start at $145 a night and up.

A stately plantation sitting on one acre in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood near downtown is the site of another bed and breakfast in Fort Worth.  Azalea Plantation offers spacious rooms with whirlpools, high ceilings, mahogany beds and balcony views.  A gourmet breakfast is served in the elegant Victorian Dining room every morning.  The Dallas Morning News called this B&B the “Best Kept Secret in Dallas/Fort Worth.”

Heart-shaped whirlpool tubs for two are in every room at Lockheart Gables along with personalized cookies, a special arrival drink, and lots of candles to light, fresh flowers terry robes and breakfast in suite on your own schedule.  Three rooms are available in the mansion as well as two romantic cottages on grounds.  Built around 1893 by an acclaimed English architect, Arthur Albert Messer, it’s the perfect spot for a romantic getaway.

Photo courtesy of Rhea.

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is huge and spans three counties.  These are the thirteen things I love about this area in just Marin County (north of Golden Gate Bridge) and only about 30 minutes from the city.  Most of the time, I don’t think of these as part of a national park, but a destination in and of themselves.

1. Bolinas Ridge-a beautiful ridge for hiking or riding that offers views of the shoreline 200 feet below.
2. Fort Baker–beautiful little park for picnics and has the Bay Area Discovery Musuem
3. Fort Cronkhite-a dog friendly ocean beach, good sand castle opportunities, and the crashing waves are not too overwhelming for kids
4. Kirby Cove-just over the Golden Gate, this beach is usually only frequented by locals, not too many tourists are willing to make the mile long hike to get to the beach
5. Marin Headlands–good bird watching and great for road and mountain biking
6. Muir Woods National Monument–I love the trees, but really think this is overrated, if I was a tourist, I would just take a hike on Mt. Tam starting at Pan Toll and walk to Stinson Beach, lots of redwoods and not too many tourists
7. Muir Beach-close to Muir Woods and the Pelican Inn, an English pub, offers all sorts of beers to cool off after a hike on Mt. Tam
8. Muir Beach Overlook–spectacular vistas of the Pacific and of the valley, it feels as if you could fall into the fog sometimes
9. Nike Missile Site-described as an educational cold war museum by the parks dept. it offers tours Wednesday through Friday and on the first Saturday of every month.  Take the elevator to down to the missile area.  A nice break from hiking and a bit of history, to.
10. Olema Valley–bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and access to Pt. Reyes National Seashore
11. Point Bonita Lighthouse–built in 1855, this lighthouse is reached by crossing two bridges, tours are currently closed, but it is worth checking back with the park service to find out if it is going to re-open, still a beautiful drive, hike and picnic area
12. Stinson Beach–my favorite beach for swimming, surfing and sea kayaking, the southern end of the beach offers fun little pools and crab catching
13. Tennessee Valley–a flat ride of only 2 miles will place you in the protected cove, you can hike up to an old missile site on either side of the beach

Golden National Recreation Area is the best part of the bay area.  It offers a respite from the concrete, a glimpse into the past and serves up the crashing waves of the Pacific next to the peacefulness of  a redwood forest.  Highly recommend you visit any of these places if you live or visit the bay area.

Off the Beaten Subway Track:  New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions is a recently released guide helping visitors and locals in the Big Apple find hundreds of off beaten track destinations in New York City.

We recently interviewed the author, Suzanne Reisman to learn more about the city and her book.  Suzanne is a graduate of Columbia University (MPA) and New York University (BA) and a freelance writer. She is a contributing editor for Travel & Recreation to BlogHer.org, and her writing has appeared in Metro, New York Family, City Limits, New York Nonprofit Press, and Young Children. She and her husband live in New York City.

1. What is the most romantic destination in your book?
Since Off the Beaten (Subway) Track features mostly offbeat and unusual sites, nothing exactly fits the mold of romantic destinations.  However, the garden at the Mt. Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden (421 E. 61st St.) is a lovely step back in time, as well as surprisingly peaceful, given its proximity to the FDR highway.  Concerts are offered regularly throughout the summer.

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My kids and I found this green cheeked conure parrot in our backyard. It was returned to a very grateful owner. You can see flocks of these parrots in the wild in Brazil and Argentina.

If you are visiting San Francisco for a few days, you may want to take a break from the city center and take a hike on the west side of the city.  I always take my out of town guests on this hike, no matter their age, thye just have to be able to manage a nicely paced walk. This hike combines breathtaking views of San Francisco, the architecturally awe inspiring Sea Cliff neighborhood and vistas of the Pacific Ocean. Combine it with a tour of Golden Gate Park, lunch at  the Cliff House and a short tour of the Legion of Honor.  It is a a full day showing the best sites San Francisco has to offer and minus that ‘tourist’ feeling.

How to get there

I usually drive to the trail head because parking is easy and free. Otherwise take a bus to the Legion of Honor and walk down Lincoln Boulevard to the trail head.  You should see the bay on your left. Tip:  you may want to look up and to your right for the memorial to the holocaust. Few people see it because it is not part of the museum indoor complex.

Land’s End trail

The coastal trail is an easy to moderate hike (my six year old can do it with ease) and is approximately three miles each way.  The single track trail meanders along the golf course, turns into the forest and then follows a single track bordering the cliffs along the blue Pacific. The trail meanders a bit due to the heavy use it receives, but if you keep the ocean on your right you will be fine.  After about 30 minutes you will arrive at the  Sutro Baths, Sutro Bath Park and the Cliff House restaurant.  You can stop at the renovated Cliff House for lunch or continue to  Ocean Beach.  If you wish you can continue up through Golden Gate Park or  you can double back on the trail to the Legion of Honor, by following Camino Del Mar.

Hopefully, the weather will be sunny and warm for the outing.  I always bring a sweatshirt for the hike since the fog likes to linger out this neighborhood.

Photo by Ingrid Taylar

I like parks to offer more than a play structure and a couple of swings.  These Seattle parks are located in cute neighborhoods for lunch or snacks and offer natural or unique man-made entertainment. You decide if you need to bring your swimsuit, your bike or both to take advantage of what these beautiful parks offer their visitors.

Alki Beach Park - Alki Beach Park is “a long beach strip that runs from Alki Point to Duwamish Head on Elliott Bay. It’s a great spot for a 2.5 mile walk any time of year, and in the summer draws joggers, rollerbladers, volleyball players, beachcombers, sunbathers, bicyclists and strollers out to enjoy the sun.”  I like this beach because of the views and the surrounding neighborhood.

Gasworks Park near Lake Union-I like this whimsical park.  Some visionary turned a gasworks plant that originally  turned coal into gas into a city park. The Seattle Park & Rec dept. says, “The boiler house has been converted to a picnic shelter with tables, fire grills and an open area. The former exhauster-compressor building, now a children’s play barn, features a maze of brightly painted machinery”  It also has a sun dial and is a great place to fly kites.  Nice winds, but not too gusty.

Madison Park near Lake Washington- Madison Park offer a play structure for the little ones, a bit of grass to play on, swimming or wading in the lake, views and lifeguards during the summer. 

Washington Park Arboretum (near the University of Washington)- pack a picnic and wander the grounds of this lush, verdant park. In the spring wander through the aptly named Azalea Way or walk the Shoreline trail through the freshwater marsh.  You can also rent canoes at the University of Washington and paddle along the shoreline.

Waterfall Garden Park–I happened upon this jewel of a park during my first job out of college when I was dreaming of the great outdoors and not the dull work in my in box.  The park features a 27′ waterfall with beautiful stonework and benches.  It is a surprising oasis in the midst of the concrete desert and high rise buildings. Leave that in-box way behind…

Green Lake–Walk, run, ride and skate around the lake at this park.  The lake is small enough for most elementary age kids to get around if you go their chosen pace.  You can also snag a treat at the Starbuck’s (actually local in Seattle) or grab dine al fresco at several restaurants near the lake.

These parks are fun for a romantic date, a family of four or anyone wanting to enjoy some solitude surrounded by the beauty of Seattle.