There’s nothing more adorable than a little traveler! Kids have their own “stuff” to pack for a trip and they deserve their own bag. I really like Dante Beatrix backpacks which were featured in the last issue of Travel & Leisure Family. They are cute, colorful and come in two sizes. I have the “big kid” dino pack myself and I love it! There are a few different styles currently offered on their website with more coming soon.

$36(little), $46(big) Dante Beatrix

Travel and Leisure has conducted an online survey to find out how America’s favorite cities rate in a variety of categories. 60,000 people voted and the poll getting the most attention is the resident attractiveness ranking. According to the results, Philadelphia has the least attractive residents with D.C. and Dallas close behind. The best looking people are apparently living in Miami, San Diego and Charleston! Who knew?

Check out the full list and see how cities rated in other categories on Travel and Leisure’s website.

Travel and Leisure America’s Favorite Cities 2007

Want to walk in a winter wonderland? Head to Walt Disney World. Yes…the one in Florida! Throughout November and December, the park will celebrate the holiday season with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The event includes a special Christmas parade and stage show, free cocoa and cookies, fireworks and snow on Main Street! The party will take place on select nights from 7pm to midnight. Tickets are available online and should be purchased in advance as they often sell out.

Walt Disney World Holiday Party

Source: Sky

Later this month Will and I will head to Madrid, Spain for tapas, world class art and a visit to the Romanesque city of Segovia.

Date of trip: September 2002, October 2007

Mystic, CT was made famous in 1988 with the release of the Julia Roberts movie, Mystic Pizza. Although many people know the movie, not everyone knows that the town actually exists! It’s a real place and it’s located about halfway between New York City and Boston.

Highlights:

-Mystic Aquarium may look like an ordinary marine park at first glance, but it offers some very special programs for guests that make it quite unique. In addition to viewing the usual aquatic animals, visitors can sign up for a Penguin or Beluga Whale Contact. These programs allow you to get up close and personal with the animals. It’s the only place I know of where you can touch a penguin and the only place other than Sea World you can touch a beluga. Will and I have done both programs and they are wonderful, educational experiences. Although the whale contact is seasonal, the penguin encounter is offered year round. Reservations should be made in advance as group sizes are limited and fill up fast.

-Next to the aquarium is Olde Mystick Village, an old fashioned shopping center with over 40 quaint little shops. They are specialty stores featuring items like holiday decorations, Irish gifts, kites and toys. There is also a country store with fun food items as well as a few cafes where you can stop for a snack or ice cream.

-The Mystic Seaport is the largest maritime museum in the country and it is BIG! In addition to touring boats and an old fishing village, we took a ride on the only operating steamboat in the U.S., the Sabino. It only runs during the warmer months but the best thing about it is that the steam engine is right out in the open so you can see how it works and watch the crew shoveling coal to power it!

-Of course, you can’t visit Mystic without paying a visit to the famous Mystic Pizza restaurant. The pizza lives up to all the hype and is absolutely delicious. It is without a doubt the most popular attraction in Mystic so it can get crowded. It’s best to go during the week or earlier in the day on weekends. If you are staying at a hotel in town, you can always get a pie to go.

-About 30 minutes away in Essex, sits the Griswold Inn, open since 1776. I recommend driving out to the inn for their famous Sunday Hunt Breakfast. The food is delicious, especially the corn bread, and there is a live piano player. Make sure to take a peek into their famous taproom which has been serving up drinks to yachtsmen and travelers since the early 1800s.

-Also in the area are Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, two of the most popular casinos in the country. Foxwoods is about 15 minutes away and has one of the largest gaming spaces in the world including a Bingo Hall. Nearby is the Pequot Museum, a fantastic Native American museum built by the tribe that owns the casino. Mohegan is about 30 minutes away, has a bit more ambiance and a lot of shops and great restaurants.

Visiting Mystic is like a breath of fresh sea air. Whether you are looking for a romantic or family getaway, it fits the bill as the perfect long weekend trip.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Mystic Links:
Mystic Official Site
Mystic Aquarium
Olde Mystick Village
Mystic Seaport
Mystic Pizza
Griswold Inn
Foxwoods
Mohegan Sun

Check out My Adventures to read about my fun visit to Mystic, Connecticut. You can also see my pictures on my Photos page or by clicking into the album through one of the images posted.

Everyone knows Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York with it’s giant balloons floating into Herald Square. Maybe you’ve dreamed of watching the event in person but can’t afford a pricey NYC hotel booked years in advance or perhaps the thought of standing in a crowd of 2.5 million people turns you off. The good news is that New York is not the only place to see a giant balloon parade.

Less than an hour north of NYC, Stamford, Connecticut has it’s own annual Parade Spectacular featuring giant helium balloons, many featured in past Macy’s shows. It’s held every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and you can even watch the balloons being inflated the night before. The event draws about 100,000 people and there’s plenty of standing room with great views no matter what time you show up.

Above I’ve posted a video Will made of the parade last year when we attended.

Stamford Parade Spectacular

Anyone who has tried reading a map while driving at night knows it’s not fun. National Geographic sells a Two in one Light-up Magnifier for such occasions. An optical quality magnifying glass with a built in LED light, it will make reading a snap no matter where you find yourself. It’s durable, can fit in your pocket and will last for more than 70 hours on one battery set.

$19.95 National Geographic Store

There are many websites that will help you put together your own book. Blurb.com is unique because you can also sell your book on their website. In no time you can easily publish a book of pictures and stories from your last trip. It’s a great way to indulge your inner author or journalist and you may even sell some copies!

Prices to create your book start at just $12.95 for a softcover and you can set your own sale price if you decide to sell it in the bookstore. Blurb will take only a $5.00 commission any month you earn at least $25.00.

I’ve actually seen some books made on this site and they look really great, very professional.