The noteworthy advantage of Blog Talk Radio (or any “Internet radio” service) is that not only can you listen live, but the shows are usually archived if you can’t be there at broadcast time, plus they’re also downloadable for later listening on your iPod or other digital audio player.

It gives radio/audio the worldwide reach that it never had before, as I discussed in this post about online radio and destination marketing for the Beaumont, Texas CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.)

Des and I talked about my background in travel, how Becky McCray and I launched Tourism Currents to teach tourism professionals about social media, and why businesses need to ensure a strong Web presence as customer search and interaction preferences shift online.

I loved having a fun chat with someone halfway around the world, and the time zones worked in my favor since it was afternoon my time, but very early morning for Des.  :)

Here is our episode:  talking social media, travel and tourism with Des Walsh.

(This is cross-posted on my Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff blog.)

I was recently tagged to answer this question by the globe-trotting SoulTravelers3, in a blog post about her family’s travel secrets.

The whole meme was started by Tribase in this post - I’m supposed to tag three more bloggers but sorry, don’t quite have the bandwidth these days to figure out who hasn’t already participated.   Still, I’m happy to play here….

You know how tough it is to pick just three? Sigh.

And of course I feel compelled to cover the planet….here goes my best shot:

In the United States

My choice is Memphis, Tennessee.

Go here for coupons/discounts from the city’s CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) because remember, a CVB’s whole job is to ensure a happy visit.

Memphis is big enough to have a variety of things to do, but not so sprawly as to wear everyone out.  Amenities and lodging are reasonably priced, and so is good food.  Summer is hot and muggy, but there’s always the Memphis in May festival.

We’re big music fans in my family, and the Birthplace of the Blues offers many ways for even young children to learn more about this country’s musical history and offerings.   For starters, the popular Beale Street historic district is actually pretty open to kids (I call it a civilized Bourbon Street) and when we visited, the guys at the door at several venues let the whole family in to listen to live music as long as it was fairly early in the evening.  There’s also the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Sun Studio (where Elvis and many others were launched) and the Center for Southern Folklore.

Before we arrived I showed my preteen an Elvis documentary (to try to explain the hype) then took her through his home at Graceland.  Believe it or not, she’s now an Elvis fan and the envy of her friends because she’s been to Graceland. Boring and weird Mom wins again!

Take the kids to see the formerly segregated Lorraine Motel (an important US civil rights landmark) where Dr. King was killed - it’s now part of the acclaimed National Civil Rights Museum.

Other kid-friendly places include Mississippi River attractions like the Mud Island River Park (including the Mississippi River Museum and a scaled down version of the river that begs for barefoot splashing) plus the Memphis Zoo, a children’s museum and in season, Redbirds minor league baseball at the downtown AutoZone Park.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn at Peabody Place, which was perfectly located downtown and was also attached to a small mall that occupied certain wiggly toddlers when needed.

In Europe

In a previous blog post here (titled Wonderfully off the tourist beaten path: Wadden Sea / Waddenzee Islands with kids)  I’ve written about the tongue-twisting but lovely Dutch islands of Texel and Terschelling.

They are only a short drive and ferry ride away from Amsterdam, but they’re very laid back, very Dutch and very nice for a beachy getaway.  Settle in, get some bikes for everyone (of course - it’s the Netherlands) and relax.

Here is the related Dutch tourism Web site about the islands - check it out.

If you can figure out how to pronounce the island of Schiermonnikoog, more power to you.

In Asia

I love the buzzy energy of Tokyo, and it’s a perfect destination with preteens and teens, but a bit too mind-blowing for little ones.  The crowds that older children find exciting are simply overwhelming when you’re two feet tall.

That’s why I like Yokohama, the seaside city south of Tokyo.

Make no mistake; it is Japan, so it is crowded, but somehow the location near the sea makes it feel more open.  There’s a big mall/hotel highrise called Landmark Tower (with a Pokemon Store - yay!) and it’s surrounded by an amusement park and wide pedestrian seawall.

This Frugal Traveler article in the New York Times about exploring Tokyo through its ramen shops mentions the terrific Ramen Museum in Yokohama, where you can get lots of different kinds of ramen to eat and walk through a sort of living history museum.  Super for families!

Here’s one of my very early posts on this blog: Kids in Tokyo - Escape to Yokohama.

There are my three family travel secret places; please share yours down in the comments!

Not for me (I’ll jump onto a plane or into a car anytime by my own crotchety self) but the idea of a family trip these days makes me want to lay down and take a nap.

Squabbling siblings in the back seat.

One kid who tends to carsickness.

Flat wallet and no lottery wins in sight.

Living in a huge state (Texas) that takes 3-4 hours to get OUT of by car.

General post-holidays lassitude.

Bleh.

So, here’s my plan for getting some travel-ish action going with minimal mental effort on my part….I’m going to look at our Austin Big Weekend Calendar, pick one new place or event every month that’s close to home, and drag the family to it, arguing and barfing the whole way.

January’s almost finished, but for the next 30 days I’ve targeted the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (free admission in January) and either a Texas Roller Girls Roller Derby bout or a Texas Stars ice hockey game.

The wildflowers aren’t up yet (so at least one kid will say, “Why are we here looking at dead plants?”) and we’ve never gone to either a roller derby or ice hockey game (so at least one kid will say, “Why are we here watching a) women slam into each other or b) men slam into each other?”) but I don’t care.

That’s the plan to overcome travel ennui.

How about you?

(Update:  My teen said this morning that since she and a friend saw the derby-based movie Whip It (set in Austin) she actually WANTS to see live roller derby.  Who knew?!)

Right now the Page is mostly a feed of the blog posts, but I’m going to be adding more photos, videos and content there as time allows.

If you like what we’re doing here, you are on Facebook and you’d like to help increase our readership, please do come by and become a Fan.  Thanks!

Yes, I know how to search for travel ideas on a destination or attraction Web site, but a tweet or a Facebook Wall recommendation is a much more engaging and public way to spread the word.

Please don’t email suggestions to me; that’s nice but it is one-to-one communication. Tweet me and/or Facebook me, so that all of our networks can see what’s cool about your state.

We’re going in alphabetical order but started with the end, so our first state for the series was Wyoming, then we investigated Wisconsin, West Virginia,  Washington,  Virginia,  Vermont,  Utah, Texas,  Tennessee,  South Dakota,  South Carolina,  Rhode Island,  Pennsylvania,  Oregon, Oklahoma,  Ohio, North Dakota,  North Carolina, New York, New Mexico, New Jersey and now we’re moving on to….New Hampshire!

This state is rocking the social Web; they reached out to me to offer ideas and also helped by spreading the word on their networks that I was asking for input. Can I get a “Hell Yeah!” for the Live Free or Die folks?

New Hampshire state tourism is on Twitter, with E.J. tweeting at @VisitNH.  They are on Facebook (here is the New Hampshire Facebook Fan Page) and there’s a New Hampshire Flickr photo-sharing page, too.

When I asked for NH ideas, here’s what came in….

Twitter Travel Tips for New Hampshire

***  From Ski New Hampshire info via @MoeSnowNH on Twitter - I’m the spokes-snowball for winter in NH! January is Learn a Snow Sport month & there are 39 ski resorts for the whole family!

***  From Kayt Sukel via @TravelSavvyKayt on Twitter - Loved, loved, loved the Children’s Museum in Dover, NH. It was a lot of fun! And exploring Portsmouth is great, too.

*** From Tracy Lee Carroll via @StarrGazr on Twitter:   The Amoskeag Fishways in Manchester. Beaver Brook for snowshoeing, hiking, nature study in Hollis. Shaker Village and the NH Children’s museum in Dover. Winter time is great for skiing in New Hampshire! Check out @Crotched_Mtn! Also, check out @NHPT and http://nhphototour.com.

***  From EJ Powers via @ejpowers on Twitter - We love going to Jenness State Beach in Rye NH!  One of the many great @nhstateparks - http://www.nhstateparks.com/jenness.html.

***  From Jim Storer via @jimstorer on Twitter - Great rainy day activity in the Lakes Region of NH is The Rock Barn in Plymouth for indoor rock climbing.  Another good take in the Lakes Region is a hike up Rattlesnake in Holderness (ok for the little ones and the view is incredible.)  And because 3 is the magic number, my third recommendation in Lakes Region is Camp in Meredith for dinner. Nice for adults and kid-friendly.

***  From The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire via @kidmuseumnh on Twitter - The Children’s Museum of NH features unique hands-on exhibits made by local artisans. Waterfront park location is great for ages 1-12. We also have a Family Mardi Gras event on 14 February with live Cajun music, masks, beads, parade, etc.

***  From New Hampshire Tourism via @VisitNH on Twitter - From historical sites to museums & nature centers to train rides, NH has hundreds of family friendly attractions for you to enjoy. Here is the link to our Family Attractions site on visitnh.gov.   Each month we offer benefits to our Facebook fans. Families can get ski/stay/spa discounts this month in the Sunapee area.   Mt Washington Resort offers family-friend packages and special offers thru the winter incl a zip & ski package with a canopy tour and skiing.

***  From CC Chapman via @cc_chapman on Twitter - Franconia Notch with a stop at The Basin is the top place that comes to mind, also the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl game and parade.

***  From Sarah Vela via @orchid8 on Twitter - Brown’s Seabrook Lobster Pound on Rte 286 in Seabrook. Old favorite of mine. Bonus view of the nuclear power plant!

***  From Michelle Riggen-Ransom via @mriggen on Twitter - re: NH - STORYLAND!  Loved this place as a kid, still cool as a mom.  Here are my pix from there from last summer [on Flickr.]

***  From Granite State Ambassador Judi Window via @judiwindow on Twitter - I am a 50 State-er. In #NH we have a “Twisitor Center” - @askNH - to help guests find what they need when visiting.

***  From Katie York via @ShoGrrl2 on Twitter - My favorite family-friendly activity in NH is hitting up @CanobieLakePark (in the warmer months)!

***  From Jacqueline Tourville via @jtourville on Twitter - I write a local family travel column for Parenting #NH magazine (print & online.)  We spotlight a NH town each month (here’s Bretton Woods.)

***  From the Rumbletree Marketing folks via @Rumbletree on Twitter - The @AtkinsonResort in Atkinson, NH has a delicious Sunday brunch for the whole family.

***  From the Currier Museum via @CurrierMuseum on Twitter - the Currier Museum in Manchester NH offers many family friendly programs. See more at:  http://www.currier.org/familyprograms.aspx

***  From Jeremy Milani via @jmilani on Twitter - Not so much a tip as a local resource, but have you seen Southern New Hampshire Parents online?

***  From Montagne Communications via @MontagneCom on Twitter - Getting to NH is super-convenient and hassle-free thanks to the Manchester Airport at @flymanchester!

***  From Laura Hurley via @lkhboston on Twitter  - NH’s great outdoors, 8 kid-friendly fall hike picks in the White Mountains, from Appalachian Mountain Club.

Facebook Travel Tips for New Hampshire

***  From Kara Skruck Williams on Facebook  –  Oh, where to begin with my childhood state….

1. Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves in the White Mountains, where you can try to squeeze through the “Lemon Squeezer” cave (not for the claustrophobic - though little kids have no problem!)
2. Weirs Beach in Lakes Region for a honky-tonk (so my mother calls it) boardwalk scene w/ arcades and bumper cars.
3. StoryLand in Glen, for amusement-park rides that keep kids about ages eight and under happy (one section of park w/ nursery rhyme attractions dates back 50 years.)
4. Canobie Lake Park in Windham (another theme park) reaches older kids w/ more thrill rides….

A ride on the M/S Mt. Washington on Lake Winnipesaukee and/or Scenic Winnipesaukee Railroad ride is good for kids, too!

***  From Wendy Wagner on Facebook  –  The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord is small, especially compared to the Smithsonian Air/Space Museum, but we found it to be delightful! We loved the Polar Caves (very similar to Boulder Caves?)  We went to Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill before we went to the Polar Caves.  The hike to the Zealand Falls Hut is about 3 miles in the summer, and it’s do-able for kids, though our 5 year flagged a little at the end. The great part is the falls, which have a flat rocky area that the kids can play in;  perfect for the midpoint of a summer hike!

We stayed at the Profile Deluxe in Twin Mountain, and I can’t say enough about the proprietors. Nice people. The motel is basic and comfortable, and it has a great pool. My kids always ask to go back!

Storyland was a big hit, but Kara covered it already.

***  From Andrea Schulle on Facebook  –  Has anybody mentioned the Mt. Washington hotel and the cogway there?

***  From Peter Davison on Facebook - Hey Sheila, Alrighty, looking a bit more north of Concord ..not any particular event but you have to include Wolfboro, NH and surrounding area re: Lake Winnipesaukee. Lots of good stuff!!

***  From Gary Arndt on Facebook - The home, studio and gardens of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens at http://www.nps.gov/saga/index.htm.

Thanks so much for the contributions, everyone!

The BootsnAll Travel Network has a New Hampshire Travel Guide as well.

The next state in the series is Nevada.

Send your Nevada highlights to @SheilaS on Twitter or write them on my Facebook Wall (please tell me you’re a 50 state-er if you want to friend me.)

My purpose for this series is not only to highlight worthy kid-friendly vacation destinations in all 50 states, but by using Twitter and Facebook I want to also encourage tourism organizations to learn more about connecting with their visitors using social media and online networks.

Please add your own New Hampshire suggestions in the comments below, if we’ve missed anything. Thanks!

Liza writes A Maui Blog, and she and her family took us all around the island, including a drive up the Haleakala volcano (ooh, silverswords) and a scrumptuous meal at the Paia Fish Market, where my picky son actually devoured seafood! It was all mixed up in pasta, but still….

We spent hours in the Maui Ocean marine park, which has touch tanks, live coral, turtles, naturalist presentations and a focus on Hawaiian sea creatures and culture.

In the video below, we had just finished watching a live demo in the aquarium tank with a diver, narrated by a lively guide who exploded various myths about sharks and captured audience attention even in a packed room.

If you can’t see the embedded video box below, here is the direct link to the video on my YouTube channel.

Just So You Know Disclaimer:  The state Hawaii Tourism Authority through Cilantro Media paid my way to Hawaii for the So Much More Hawaii bloggers tour, and also paid most of my expenses while I was there.  I paid for Liza and her son’s entrance, my own and my son’s, and was reimbursed later.  By the way, I used a military discount for one ticket, a AAA (American Automobile Assn) member discount for another, and Liza as a Hawaii resident could ask for “kamaaina” local rates.  Always ask if there are available member discounts, at any tourist attraction.

A year ago on the Family Travel Guide, we had fun talking about:

***  Sugar overload at the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco, TX

***  Nautical fun in Norfolk, VA

***  Some TSA tips for dealing with kids through airport security

Want to go back further?

In December 2007, we looked at:

***  Cool US museums you’ve never heard of (brief summary plus link to an article I did for Education.com)

***  Holidays with kids in New York City

***  Whether the airlines should provide harnesses for kids

***  A reminder to make travel plans to see March Madness games

***  One of my very first videos (eek!) of the site of the original Little House on the Prairie in Independence, KS

Even further?

In December 2006:

***  Support your parks and pay a visit (based on an overnight at the CCC-built cabins in Bastrop State Park, TX)

***  Tips and advice when it’s London Calling (with one of my favorite photos of my daughter when we visited)

***  Me as a non-skier kvetching about constant travel articles about skiing this time of year

Thanks for wandering down memory lane with me!

From reader Tom:

“Hi Sheila,

My name is Tom and I’m from the UK. Just getting in touch as I have a great suggestion for a family activity in London.

I recently had a day out with my kids at the Imperial War Museum. Whilst we were there, we saw this being advertised….

(If you can’t see the box below, here’s the direct link to the video URL.)

This short video is an ‘introduction’ to this [site] http://www.whatliesbeneath.org.uk

When we got back we went online to investigate. It’s a site that acts as an online exhibition of sorts, looking at the Cold War. Clearly it is aimed at slightly older children, but my eldest boy (who is 12) absolutely loved it (probably something to do with the fact that he wants to be James Bond!) I thought it was an excellent way to finish the trip, but I think it could even be a good stand-alone activity. It’s fun and interactive and they can learn a bit at the same time, which is always a bonus. It can also act as a bit of an introduction to the [Imperial War Museum] itself if perhaps people are unsure if they want to visit or not.

I’d like to help spread the word a bit so as other parents and their children can get as much enjoyment out of it as we did, so it would great if you could post it.”

Sure, Tom, and thanks very much for sending the info!

This seems like a great way to learn history in an interesting, interactive way (and not least because I discovered the James Bond books as a teen myself, and was enthralled.)  Check it out online, follow the Museum on Twitter, and plan a stop at the Museum the next time you’re in London.

These are from the Rather Sweet Bakery in German-tinged Fredericksburg, Texas.

It’s tucked behind the historic building where Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz was born, just off of Main Street and down the road from the newly-redesigned National Museum of the Pacific War.

Founded by native Texas Rebecca Rather (known as the “Pastry Queen” and also related to journalist Dan Rather) the bakery is known for gargantuan but tasty tarts, cookies, muffins and scones, plus some of the most gorgeous cakes you’ve ever seen.

One of her featured tarts has a pretty little “hat” of curlicued meringue, and according to the staff the day we visited, the Mexican Chocolate Cake is another best-seller.

There’s a small side room to sit and order hot or cold sandwiches, and right next door they’re getting ready to open a cafe annex (”Rather Sweet, Too.”)

Guaranteed kid-pleaser!

Yes, I know how to search for travel ideas on a destination or attraction Web site, but a tweet or a Facebook Wall recommendation is a much more engaging and public way to spread the word.

Please don’t email suggestions to me; that’s nice but it is one-to-one communication. Tweet me and/or Facebook me, so that all of our networks can see what’s cool about your state.

We’re going in alphabetical order but started with the end, so our first state for the series was Wyoming, then we investigated Wisconsin, West Virginia,  Washington,  Virginia,  Vermont,  Utah, Texas,  Tennessee,  South Dakota,  South Carolina,  Rhode Island,  Pennsylvania,  Oregon, Oklahoma,  Ohio, North Dakota,  North Carolina, New York, New Mexico and now we’re moving on to….New Jersey!

I could not find the NJ state tourism organization on Twitter.  Only one region of the state appears to be “holding down the fort” - @VisitSJersey. The tweets at @JerseyTourism are for Jersey in the UK’s Channel Islands.

The state tourism organization is not on Facebook either, that I could find, although I did locate a Facebook Fan Page for Atlantic City NJ.

In the absence of much of any official tourism presence (which seems odd, given the very competitive Mid-Atlantic tourism market) I offer you Down the Shore with Jen, an excellent blog written by Jersey Shore guidebook author Jen A. Miller.

When I asked for NJ ideas, here’s what came in….

Twitter Travel Tips for New Jersey

***  From Mira Park via @MiraBest on Twitter:  family-friendly travel tip for NJ:  Stone Harbor in summer, Van Saun park in the fall & Ridgewood or Waldwick. Great towns with kid stuff.

***  From Matthew Lubin via @ChinaMatt on Twitter:  Check out the Geraldine R. Dodge poetry festival for New Jersey. And you can’t leave off the Delaware Water Gap.

***  From Anna Fader via @MommyPoppins on Twitter: Sahara Sams, new indoor water park in NJ has been a great hit with our readers.

***  From Wendy Perrin via @WendyPerrin on Twitter:  Family-friendly New Jersey activities:  1. Riding the AirTrain around EWR!  2. Liberty State Park, including Liberty Science Center.  3. Cotsen Children’s Library at Princeton University.  4. Garden State Discovery Museum (& Lakeshore Learning store) in Cherry Hill.    5. Fall season at Wightman’s Farm in Morristown (hayrides, corn maze, pumpkin toss, etc.)  6. annual balloon festival in Readington.  7. The IKEA in Elizabeth for its supervised playroom + kid-friendly cafeteria with view of planes taking off & landing at EWR…But our favorite NJ kid-friendly spot is actually just over the border in Easton, PA: The Crayola Factory & Nat’l Canal Museum.  :)

***  From Gary Arndt via @EverywhereTrip on Twitter:  Best things in NJ are the Edison Lab in Orange and Morristown where General Washington camped. Both are National Park Service sites.

***  From Kayt Sukel via @TravelSavvyKayt on Twitter:  The Camden Aquarium.  Did a post on it for Travel Savvy Mom not too long ago.

***  From Hillary via @hchybinski on Twitter:  NJ Family-friendly: Cape May Zoo and Ocean City.

***  From Chris and Robert Clark via @travel_notebook on Twitter: Delaware Water Gap (PA/NJ State Line) is a great National Recreation area with good hiking.  Princeton would be good for families who want to get their kids thinking Ivy League.  Finally, NJ overall has way more agriculture than you would think. Good opportunity for u-pick farms, horses, cows, etc.

Facebook Travel Tips for New Jersey

***  From Scott Keir on Facebook  – I would toot my ol’ hometown’s horn: Asbury Park. Its going thru a rebirth and the beach is one of the best on da Shore. Check out the Asbury Park Boardwalk website (there’s a fan site on Facebook.)

***  From Jeremiah McEnerney on Facebook:  I’m almost afraid to mention Stone Harbor, New Jersey. We’ve returned to vacation there for over 10 years. No boardwalk, a nice little shopping village, Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, Peace-a-Pizza and Springer’s ice cream. So very, very relaxing. http://www.stone-harbor.nj.us

***  From John Holmes on Facebook:   Not too far outside of Atlantic City is Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge. Not as famous as Cape May for birding, but excellent nonetheless. Lots of trails and different habitats to explore, and you can just drive through it if you don’t want to get out and walk around.

Thanks so much for the contributions, everyone!

I wrote an article for Education.com - Family fun and learning in New Jersey - and the BootsnAll Travel Network has a New Jersey Travel Guide.

The next state in the series is New Hampshire.

Send your New Hampshire highlights to @SheilaS on Twitter or write them on my Facebook Wall (please tell me you’re a 50 state-er if you want to friend me.)

My purpose for this series is not only to highlight worthy kid-friendly vacation destinations in all 50 states, but by using Twitter and Facebook I want to also encourage tourism organizations to learn more about connecting with their visitors using social media and online networks.

Please add your own New Jersey suggestions in the comments below, if we’ve missed anything. Thanks!