***  The friendly folks at SeaWorld hosted me (with my son) for their 20th Anniversary celebration back in 2008, so it was fun for me to read this post on their What’s Under the Sea? blog – Top Ways to Get Wet at SeaWorld. Heaven knows we need all the cooling we can get in this weather.

***  Lovely post on the US State Department’s blog DipNote, about an American diplomat practicing his Arabic with a child.  I was also intrigued by a post about a music education collaboration between the State Dept, Fulbright fellowships and MTV and another about opening Afghanistan’s first national park, Band-e-Amir.

***  From KidsCanTravel we have some Ireland tips, Walking in Ireland, and Grand Canyon Hiking at the North Rim (er, maybe Arizona stuff should wait until fall or winter, but I’d be all over Ireland this time of year.)

***  It’s not travel-related, but I have to tell you about Steve in Nebraska and his blog The View from the Tractor; I read about him in a CNN.com article (Twittering from the tractor: smartphones sprout on the farm) and think he sounds like an interesting guy. If your kids are into farming and want to see the “real deal” about how it’s done, say hi to Steve.

***  Isn’t this neat? Amongst the many downloadable London and UK walking tours from Walk Talk Tours, you’ll find one from Chester that features their beautifully-dressed town crier, David Mitchell. There’s more in Chester Town Crier serves up a treat.

***  My Perceptive Travel blog editor Tim Leffel is down in Mexico right now with his family (follow him on Twitter) and he has encouraging words about travel to the region in Mexico City – nicer than you think.

***  In Australia, a helpful BootsnAll article about the Northern Territory: 10 Things Not To Miss.

***  The UK-based Travel-Rants.com blog has ten family travel tips for this summer.  Travel-Rants editor Darren Cronian also has a new project, a whole site devoted to travel in his northern England hometown area of Leeds, My Life in Leeds. There’s a family fun and attractions in Leeds section, too.

***  Travel and Leisure has a detailed slide show of 10 Places To See Before You’re 10 – my son and I had better get busy!

***  You’re busy, right? Need to cut to the travel-planning chase? The Budget Travel blog “This Just In” shows how to find the “best of” almost anywhere.

***  Don’t do it! Even after you read my Survivor’s Guide to Walt Disney World and get your family all worked up to visit Orlando,  UpTake has 5 reasons NOT to go to Disney World on your summer vacation. Can you say, “Sticky heat and mosquitoes the size of Volkswagens?”  If you must go, see the new audio-animatronic President Obama, just added to the Hall of Presidents.

***  More for Laura Ingalls Wilder fans – finding Laura’s homes on a trip with your kids – hot on the trail of pioneering author’s childhood footsteps.

***  Go wild; Kids Can Travel talks about African safaris with kids and National Geographic Traveler‘s blog has info on staying healthy on a Kenyan family safari.

***  Out in the Pacific Northwest, Fodor’s has 5 essential family stops on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula.   Can you say Forks, you Twilight fans?

***  The UK’s Independent points out that this is a good time for long-haul flying with the family, especially if you’re British.  Then again, keeping kids entertained on long flights is a challenge, although one of the World Hum writers now has some clarity and understanding herself on that issue.

***  Upgrade to first class for more room? Whoa, think hard about that, says Chris Elliott in his CNN.com article; should kids be banned from first class? Some would say so. (I would not, because if I could afford it, I’d do it. My money’s as green as some business person’s expense account, and my kids and I have just as much of a right to fly if we have the ability to pay.)

Your thoughts?

***  A huge thank you to the blogs who hosted the bi-weekly/fortnightly Carnival of Cities recently:  Nerd’s Eye View,  UpTake Attractions, Ajay’s Writings on the Wall,  Fear and Loathing – The Gonzo Papers and Eyeflare.  The next edition of this blog carnival (featuring posts about any aspect of a SINGLE city) is scheduled to be hosted here on Family Travel. Submit your posts here by noon CST 30 June.

***  From TravelSavvyMom:  English Castles: 5 Family Favorites and Honolulu: Five Free Family Favorites (don’t forget that THIS is why you take children to Hawaii.)

***  Of course it isn’t February, and it doesn’t matter, either – Black History Year: 7 spots to keep learning year-round.

***  Right here on BootsnAll: 6 ways that traveling with kids can actually improve your travel experience.

***  Welcome consumer travel expert Chris Elliott‘s personal family blog, Souvenirist.  Check it out!

***  Yeah, give ‘em hell! Rules for Parents at Children’s Museums from Travels with Children. Hint: you can’t drop ‘em into a room and disappear, as understandably tempting an option as that may be….

***  I love me some World Hum….if you don’t read them already, enjoy Eight Great Family Travel Stories.

***  The UK reports in – a British Mum blog at Have A Lovely Time.

***  They’re so highly respected and they are SO not into glitz – National Geographic Traveler brings you their Family Vacation Planner.

***   Are you in the US Pacific Northwest? Summer Family Fun in Seattle from WanderMom.

***  This looks wonderful for families – the outdoor Starlight Theatre, on the Kansas City tourism Web site.

Finally, I wanted to let you know that I’ll be launching a business soon; an online learning community with entrepreneurship expert Becky McCray,  including my new personal blog that is focused on how travel and tourism organizations can use social media.

More details to follow….

***  Use this Texas Highways blog post about a taco hut to teach your kids the Rule of Where to Eat in Dinky Towns (answer: where all the cars and trucks are parked at mealtime.)

***  How are the US and Turkey most similar? On a visit to Turkey described on the State Department blog Dipnote, Secretary Clinton answers that question from a group of young students with a Facebook statistic: “America and Turkey rank first and second in the world in the number of Facebook users.”

***  Already making your summer travel plans?  You smart parent, you. I like this BootsnAll article about Martha’s Vineyard, a US East Coast vacation stalwart.

***  Oh, my, yes, Memphis, Tennessee for awesome BBQ – wet or dry? Just remember to grab the napkins – kids never remember the danged napkins.

***  Do you and/or the kids like to shoot travel videos on your trips? Chris Elliott wrote a post for CNN Travel on how to be a YouTube travel star; some good nuggets there. You can see how I do video on my own YouTube channel.)

***  Still up for some skiing? Plenty of chances for fun in the snow through March in Maine.

***  Family fun in Iceland (seen in the Miami Herald, natch.)

***  Matsuri da!  One of the dynamic spring festivals in Japan.

***  What fun – a multigenerational bike tour of Versailles, France, from the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald.

***  This post on the excellent Intelligent Travel blog was written around Super Bowl time, but it’s a year-round good list of things to do in Tampa, Florida.

• The more that air travel, well, blows chunks, the more I’m thinking TRAINS. So are others: Gadling says to ride the rails, and social media thought leader Chris Brogan has 11 reasons to take the train. Too bad I’m in Central Texas and don’t have many train options. Blarg.

• The bad economy means a boom in budget hotels everywhere – here’s the UK’s Guardian on the battle of the budget hotels in Great Britain.

• Budget travel experts Arthur and (daughter) Pauline Frommer say they’re seeing more bargains than ever before, including blockbuster deals for Las Vegas and Hawaii (more on World Hum about finding ukulele bliss in Hawaii and how to do a Presidential shaka greeting.)  The Miami Herald details bargains at Walt Disney World, HersheyPark and the Georgia Aquarium.

• Explore your continent if you live in the U.S. – here’s Canada: An insider’s guide.

• Are you a Laura Ingalls Wilder/Little House on the Prairie fan? The UpTake Attractions blog features all the ways to visit the spots where the Ingalls family lived during their pioneer wanderings.

• The season for swimming with manatees in Florida will be over soon, so read here about how to do it. Timing off? I’ve written here on Family Travel about where to go for guaranteed manatee sightings.

• From one of my favorite travel editors/writers and a Midwest native: St. Louis, Missouri for kids.

• Does one of your children play in an orchestra? Make those lessons worth it when you visit the Big Apple – how to find live classical music for less in New York City.

• Experience the chills of Antarctica in Christchurch, New Zealand – the next blizzard is in five minutes (from the Sydney Morning Herald.)

• Let me wrap up with a loud cheer for the unique and wonderful Perceptive Travel webzine (I’m one of three authors for the associated Perceptive Travel blog.) Editor Tim Leffel always has unique travel narratives by terrific writers; the webzine just celebrated its 3rd birthday plus it will now publish monthly. Cost to you? Not a dime. Support independent travel writing that isn’t dull and formulaic.

• The Dutch (including possibly the Queen) take to the canals in the Netherlands – it’s finally frozen enough to skate!

• Are you a New Orleans expert? Help National Geographic Traveler‘s Janelle Nanos plan her trip there.

• The Texas Highways blog has a quick update on Fort Worth – rent horses to ride the Stockyards.

• Do you have a big family (four kids?) Here’s a great new resource for finding hotel rooms that can accommodate larger families, on Travels With Children.

• From the UK’s Times Online – 10 places around the world with “wow factor” for kids.

• Interested in Costa Rica travel? Marina is a Mom, and writes MuchaCostaRica.com.

• For busy families, Gridskipper offers up the best Chinese delivery options in Los Angeles.

• Travel Muse finds family ski packages that won’t break the bank.

• Big family travel news these days in Washington, DC:  the National Museum of American History, one of the most popular of the Smithsonian museums, reopened November 21 after an extensive renovation. Read the glowing reports about it on National Geographic Traveler‘s Intelligent Travel blog and on Jaunted.   A new Capitol Visitor’s Center will open December 2, 2008, to better welcome the 3 million visitors per year who pour into the domed edifice.
• Budget Travel‘s “This Just In” blog has published another one of their great menu decoders/translators: this one ensures that you can sort out Italian gelato flavors and pizza toppings.
• I wish we had better bus service between cities here in Texas, like Megabus or Bolt Bus (what, you think flying these days is any better?) Here’s a comparison of cheap bus services, how to tour Boston by bus and how to tour Manhattan by bus.
• The Jenss family is traveling around the world: check out their lively report from Thailand.
• Remember that video I did awhile back at the Little House on the Prairie in Independence, Kansas? It was a little rough, but it was one of my first efforts at video blogging….anyway, the UK’s The Independent newspaper has a nice travel article about the Little House.
• Have you been considering a South African safari? Kids Can Travel suggests the Kwandwe Private Game Reserve.

Now, here comes Thanksgiving and the holidays, so I found some pertinent links:

• First, get thee to Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts and debunk those Thanksgiving myths. Then, read the Traveling Mamas six holiday airport travel tips, and learn more about family lines at security checkin, which should help everyone to avoid losing their mind getting kids through airports. They are up and running here in Austin. Too bad so much of security still seems to be randomly bureaucratic.
• Tips for how to handle holiday guests.
• The tech site Mashable has a Holiday Survival Guide with 20+ tools for family travel planning, navigating, researching, etc. online.

And finally, a roundup of a wide variety of ski- and snow-related posts and articles:

• In the US, downhill economics spark big deals in ski country, plus cost-wise deals for family skiing (I like that both of these are from the Miami Herald.)
• The UK’s Guardian serves up the complete guide to family skiing by age group, plus budget skiing alternatives in Eastern Europe and Scotland, and the world’s most spectacular ice rinks.
• Consider a ski vacation with the kids in Austria.
• Here’s the latest from Sochi, Russia on their preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

• Budget-friendly attractions in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Here’s a good mix: family-friendly VIP airport lounges and river rafting with kids.
• Want to win an amazing 15-day trip to Peru? Write a travel story to enter – details on my fellow writer Beth’s blog Wanderlust and Lipstick.
• Good BootsnAll advice – 8 things every traveling parent should know.
• Wonderful inspiration from Time and perfect for Election Day: 50 authentic American experiences. Not to be outdone, here are 101 free things to do in Australia.
• The economy may bring some swank places into your budgetary range….for the best tips on how to make it happen, see the PerrinPost’s “nabbing deals at top hotels and resorts,” part 3 of a series.
• Heard on Twitter from those tweeting Marriott folks – some of their properties will appeal to gamers, with Nintendo Wii in the room (the gaming news is the second item in the linked post.)
• I need to win the lottery – loved this article on skiing in Switzerland with kids.
• Yum – Gridskipper finds the best hot cocoa in New York City.

Finally, thanks so much to the great bloggers who hosted the Carnival of Cites throughout October….Delicious Baby on Oct 8, Traveling the Green Way on Oct 16, the dashing foXnoMad on Oct 22 and The Mother of All Trips wrapped up Oct 29.

I will host the next Carnival of Cities here on Family Travel this Wednesday Nov 5 (deadline for entries is noon on Tuesday Nov 4) then we’ll take a week’s break while I’m in China before I work with the awesome UpTake blog to host November 19 as part of a sponsorship package we worked out for China (thank you, UpTake!)

Also, big thanks to other carnivals that have featured my posts recently: the Carnival of Children’s Literature, the Military History Carnival and the Carnival of Family Life.

• Wendy Perrin of Conde Nast Traveler‘s excellent Perrin Post blog is taking last-minute questions for the World Savers Congress tomorrow in New York.  The keynote speaker is Queen Rania of Jordan.
• Looking for kid-friendly lodgings in Europe? Try Ciao Bambino (more coming about them in a separate blog post.)
• Speaking of Europe, look into touring there like a local.
• Some good family places in Texas:  Houston – home of the final frontier – and spend a week in Austin with the Rookie Moms.
• The Travel Savvy Mom has a hilarious view of what happens when kids vacation with their grandparents.
• Budget Travel has a nice article about a father and son and New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee (a favorite childhood haunt of my New England-born Sainted Husband.)
• Visiting Florida?  Here are 10 unusual places to stay, and tips on family-friendly Destin on the Florida Panhandle.
• At a recent travel conference, I met a few tourism experts who are getting into blogging. One of them writes a blog for the beautiful “Golden Isles” area on the coast of Georgia near Savannah. Check it out and leave a comment to say hi!
• A bit off topic, but if you are interested in writing or illustrating children’s books, there is a Children’s Writing Workshop near Dallas (Arlington) at the end of this month.
• Finally, thanks to the current edition of the Carnival of Family Life for featuring our video post about Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque.

A good variety of travel tips, advice and links this week….

• Denali National Park in Alaska means family-friendly travel, says Uptake.
• From the UK’s Times Online, a family travel adventure to Thailand.
• From the BootsnAll Paris Logue, a daily budget – how much money do I bring to Paris?
• Those who enjoyed our guest post by the DC Traveler on Washington, DC for kids might enjoy Gridskipper’s take on great outdoor spaces in and around Washington DC.
• Here’s an eastern Tennessee farm stay that is kid-friendly (but rather beyond my budget – I include for dreaming purposes.)
• Two items from Gadling:  why preboarding aircraft with kids may not be a good idea, and being careful about running up Web-enabled cell phone roaming charges during international travel.
• Best bets on the Big Island of Hawaii – from National Geographic Traveler‘s blog Intelligent Travel.
• About.com’s Travel with Kids has a roundup of fall vacation ideas, Jaunted has best theme park travel ideas, Budget Travel‘s This Just In blog has an excellent discussion about giving kids a vacation allowance, and (yes, it’s almost that time) here are Halloween happenings at theme parks from WeJustGotBack.
• One of my early posts on the Family Travel blog was about Yokohama, Japan and its unique Ramen Museum, so I was pleased to find this article on the Cup Ramen Museum in Osaka.
• Are you and/or your kids nuts for the sport of soccer?….or football, depending upon your home continent. Gear up for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by reading the BootsnAll World Cup Blog.
• We’ll wrap up with a stop in Brussels, Belgium (both items from the UK’s Independent) — the family-friendly IBIS hotel chain in Europe has a well-located IBIS near the Grand Place, and seeing multiple attractions for a better price by using the Brussels Card.