Smuggler’s Notch is a year-round resort located in Jeffersonville, Vermont, less than an hour from the U.S.-Canada border. It is routinely named by Ski Magazine as one of the “Top 20 Resorts in the East” (often taking the top spot) and was named one of the “Best Ski Resorts in the US and Canada” in Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards (2023) and the “Best Action-Packed Mountain Resort for Year-Round Fun” in Good Housekeeping’s Family Travel Awards (2024). Does Smugg’s live up to the hype, and if so — what causes it to be such a standout among families and skiers alike?
A laid-back, family-friendly rustic mountain retreat in the middle of a long Ukrainian winter? Yes, please!
In late February, after seven months of suburban Kyiv city life, we made our way to Voevodyno, a family-friendly resort in the fresh air of the Carpathian Mountains. It was the break we needed.
Lviv . . . the most beautiful, romantic, full-of-personality little town in Ukraine there ever was. Not that I've been to that many towns in Ukraine quite yet, but I imagine that this is the best one (shhhhhh, don't tell Kyiv). It's quaint, historic, lively, full of stunning architecture, offers unique restaurants and fantastic parks . . . and we barely even scratched the surface. Like barely even scratched the surface.
In August, we traveled internationally during COVID-19 with our four kiddos, one big, loveable Golden Retriever, and about 1,000,000 bags. If a similar trip is on the horizon for you, here's our story and my tips for how to make the trip as safe as possible, and (hopefully) less stressful.
Romantic hilltop towns. Medieval town squares. Vineyards as far as the eye can see. Farm-to-table restaurants. Italian wine. Pecorino cheese. Olive groves. Ahh, Tuscany.
We just returned from a wonderful week in this paradise. We explored seven towns in seven days, ate fabulous food, and ran free in the most beautiful town squares. We visited family farms, saw saffron-picking and cheese-making in progress. We explored old fortresses and cycled along ancient city walls. We ate gelato every.single.day. The kids filled their pockets with olives, wine corks, acorns, and fall leaves. After all, it's the simple memories that are sometimes the most treasured ones.
Back to Tuscany . . .
After the first part of our week which included visiting the picturesque, tall-towered town of San Gimignano, biking the medieval city walls of Lucca, and running free on the lawn in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, we geared up for another three fabulous Italian towns: Siena, Florence, and Pienza.
Romantic hilltop towns. Medieval town squares. Vineyards as far as the eye can see. Farm-to-table restaurants. Italian wine. Pecorino cheese. Olive groves. Ahh, Tuscany.
We just returned from a wonderful week in this paradise. We explored seven towns in seven days, ate fabulous food, and ran free in the most beautiful town squares. We visited family farms, saw saffron-picking and cheese-making in progress. We explored old fortresses and cycled along ancient city walls. We ate gelato every.single.day. The kids filled their pockets with olives, wine corks, acorns, and fall leaves. After all, it's the simple memories that are sometimes the most treasured ones.
I could give you a dozen good reasons to visit Ireland. That's easy. It's not hard to convince anyone to travel to a land of such magical beauty, where the Guinness and whiskey flow, the castles are stunning, the coastline is rich and varied, and the bacon is even better than normal. And I know what you're thinking. How can bacon taste better? But believe me, in Ireland it is better.
Trapeze flying, batik painting, and organic vegetable planting. Milk and cookies at turn-down. A bakery with a selection of old-school American candy. A pool with water fountains, giant turtles, a life guard-assisted slide, and continuous bubbles. Free popsicles from 12-3pm every day. A fantastic kids' club. Giant scoops of ice cream atop home-made waffle cones. You guys, if you are planning on visiting Phuket with your family, this is the place: the JW Marriott Phuket.
Our family has a great love affair with Thailand. After all, we were married in Thailand, two of our three children were born in Bangkok, and the third was only four months old when we arrived in Thailand. Just so you know, with Thailand, I cannot be objective. I will always be biased. It is such a wonderful country to visit - especially with kids.
