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New York City becomes more family-friendly

NEW YORK -- What had I done? That was my first thought when I saw the narrow lobby, key card-access elevators and compact halls on each floor of the Best Western Hospitality House in New York City.

Lady Liberty Photo

More on Family Vacations

Walt Disney World makeover: Magic Kingdom getting new Fantasyland with Little Mermaid ride Photo

Walt Disney World is about to embark on a sweeping facelift for the Fantasyland section of the Magic... more
Getting the kids to turn off their iPods on family trips

ALONG ROUTE 66 -- The urge to unplug my four kids for at least 500 miles had been building for... more
Dollywood is perfect for family vacations Photo

If your circle of friends includes sophisticates, a declaration that you like to take your family... more
Pirates rule on this Disney Cruise Video

Blast out of your family travel rut Photos

Don't let colder weather chill your family's spirit of exploration. Stoke the flame with plans for unusual and active travel. Here are five options.

--Lynne O'Rourke Hayes, McClatchy-Tribune News

Lynn O'Rourke Hayes is editor of FamilyTravel.com.

Family Vacation of the Month

San Francisco: Vacation ideas for the family

For an elongated "wow" from the whole family, San Francisco is hard to beat. Steep streets suddenly drop off, leaving your kid's stomach somewhere in mid-air. Who needs roller coasters when you can experience sparkling sailboats, fluttering in the Bay past Alcatraz Island. Policemen on horseback... more

Traveling with Kids

Taking the Kids -- And Scoring a Holiday Deal That Won't Bust the Budget

I'm perched in a wooden treehouse lazing on a cushy double mattress atop a white sand beach along Mexico's Riviera Maya. Overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea, I'm about as far away from holiday hoopla and craziness as I can get when the beach butler comes by to see if I need anything. more

Get the small town feel in Edmonds, Wash.

EDMONDS, Wash. -- When I was growing up there circa 1960, Edmonds was a quintessential American small town. Within about three blocks we had a bakery, a variety store, a soda fountain, a hardware store and the Princess movie theater, where a Saturday double bill cost 10 cents. One of the great pleasures of returning as an adult is how many of the historic buildings remain and how protective residents are of its now charming and largely intact downtown.

Town center in Edmonds Photo

Location Ideas and Places to Go

Hanging , and hang gliding , in and around Chattanooga Photo

Strapped into a harness and lying only a couple of inches from the soft, dew-wet grass airstrip at... more
Wine roads ramble along the Missouri River

A two-day exploration of the wineries along the lower Missouri River began in the ancient cellars of... more
Florida Golf Guide -- 5 courses you must play

Florida has the place for pilgrims who 'live and breathe' the sport. more
Visitors to this charming Wisconsin town get more than stunning views of Lake Superior

First thing visitors to Bayfield notice is the view of Lake Superior. Its gleaming blue waters... more

How to keep calories to a minimum in Vienna

Nearly sensible dining , the Viennese way

Patrons enjoy teatime at Cafe Demel in Vienna. Photo

Amsterdam in three parts: crazy, cultured and classic Photo

It's crazy, cultured and classic, a triptych, a puzzle. Some of it is sketchy. Most of it is... more
Rome: Where 'A Clockwork Orange' got its milk bar inspiration Photo

It took a day of wandering Rome to find Latte Piu, the milk bar based on the Korova Milk Bar that... more
Skiing in Zermatt, Switzerland: Check out this Alpine village made for dreamers

Richie Richter who grew up in what was then Karl Marx Stadt, East Germany, works as a night clerk in... more
Seven great spots and one favorite snack to get you through Hong Kong Photo

HONG KONG -- I grew up hearing stories about Hong Kong. My parents lived there until they were... more

Tropical cruise fashion

Look stunning while sailing the seas

More Cruise Vacations

Tips for the cruise novice

If you are one of the 80 percent of Americans who have never taken a cruise, this column is for you. more
It's always cruise season

The cruise industry has sailed its way to becoming one of the most popular choices in vacation... more
Festive Florida cruises to Caribbean, Bahamas celebrate the holidays Photo

Those who want to get away from it all this coming holiday season have a bounty of Caribbean and... more
Disney Cruise Line continues Kids Sail Free promotion in 2010

Disney Cruise Line is again offering its Kids Sail Free promotion in 2010 on most three-night... more
Jamaica seeks large cruise ships with construction of terminal along north coast

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Construction of a cruise ship terminal expected to attract nearly 1... more
Cougar cruises

Finally, a cruise for Mrs. Robinson, the older woman in the film "The Graduate" who seduced the much... more

Travel Tools

Travel Solutions

Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast Graphic

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Swine Flu Travel Tips

NEW YORK (AP) — Last spring thousands of travelers canceled trips to Mexico after a swine flu outbreak there emptied beaches and resorts. more
Seniors on the Go: Is All-Year Travel Insurance Right for You?

By now, whenever you plan a big trip, travel insurance is a routine concern. Depending on where you're going, the kind of trip you're taking and your personal circumstances, you may well need some combination of trip-cancellation and medical insurance, at a minimum. You may want baggage loss, delay,... more
Low fares in the forecast

Airlines are looking to make a profit by raising fares and charging fees, but the news for travelers isn't all bad. more
Getting on a plane without ID

Nothing puts a damper on a vacation like realizing that your wallet or purse is missing. more

Travel News

Parks fight flu with hand sanitizers, fliers

-- With the global H1N1 flu pandemic showing no sign of abating, Walt Disney World has stepped up efforts to prevent swine flu and other viruses from spreading within its theme parks. more
The top 10 green resorts/hotels Photo

The top 10 ecolodges and green hotels, from IndependentTraveler.com: more
Spate of airline pilot mishaps triggers concerns

Police arrested a United Airlines pilot Monday who flunked a Breathalyzer test at London Heathrow Airport minutes before his Boeing 767 jet was to take off for Chicago. more
Air France Adds Premium Economy

Add Air France to the small list of airlines that offer a class between regular economy and business. "Premium Voyageur" service started last week on one daily round-trip between New York and Paris, with a second to be added in early December. The upside is that you'll be able to buy a... more
Flying cheap for the holidays

The great plane-ticket sale of 2009 is coming to an end. more

U.S. Deaths Abroad Photos

Of course, you should always beware of crime while planning and making your next international trip. But the numbers say that if you're among the unlucky few to die, a car, bus or motorcycle is more likely to kill you.

Death by traffic is a recurring theme in a study on theState Department Web page, tracking non-natural deaths of Americans abroad from January to June of this year (numbers past June aren't available yet). Other causes of death included drowning, disaster, homicide and the ominous "other." However, the most common cause of death was vehicle accidents.

But don't worry -- if you're planning a trip overseas, the odds overwhelmingly suggest that your vacation will be nonfatal. Here were some of the deadlier foreign spots for Americans between January and June, 2009.

Traveling with Pets

At last, RVing is for the dogs

My pal Darby and I love to go where the wild things are. In his case, that's because he qualifies as one of them. more
National barks: Visiting Utah's national parks with your dog

It sounds more like something from "The Amazing Race" than a vacation. We'll visit southern Utah's five national parks, plus a national monument. more
Pets in airports Photos

Even Fido and Fifi hit the friendly skies. Here are some photos of pets (and their people) getting their wings. more

Travel Deals Blog: L.A. Times

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10 tips for preventing stolen luggage Photos

Worried about your bag being stolen in baggage claim? You've got plenty of company, especially since the recent news about police arresting a suburban Phoenix couple on suspicion of stealing nearly 1,000 bags from carousels at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Although airlines say that they recover nearly all the bags that owners report missing, and that only a tiny percentage are truly lost -- because they were misplaced, misrouted, stolen, abandoned or whatever -- that's small comfort to victims. Here are 10 steps you can take to protect your possessions, gleaned from my research and chats with security experts.

--Jane Engle, Los Angeles Times