Well, it’s possible and Amsterdam is one city you won’t regret you’ve visited with the kids. The things to do in Amsterdam with kids include visiting the Science Center NEMO, discovering the world of music at the Sound Garden (workshops are in Dutch), enjoying the nature in Amsterdam Bos, visit the Anne Frank house, see the replica of The Amsterdam (which is the ship that sailed from the Netherlands to the Far East with cargo for the VOC settlements) or learn about the tropical parts of the world at Tropenmuseum Junior.

Convinced yet? Then maybe one of the free things to do in Amsterdam will make you start looking for hotels and cheap tickets to Amsterdam . Spend some time in the flower market or walk through the Jordaan neighborhood. Vondelpark is also a good destination to enjoy some nature and just relax after a day of sightseeing.

Amsterdam is definitely not a place for small children, but once they are old enough to read and write, don’t hesitate to bring them here. Visiting a foreign country is the best way to learn history and geography without even trying too much. When they have fun, children don’t even realize they learn. But it sure pays off in the long run.

Photo credit

Bilbao is served by an airport and, as you know, finding cheap flights to Spain is not hard . Large airlines such as Lufthansa, Spanair, Air France, Air Berlin and Iberia serve the city; but you can also grab low-cost airfare from airlines such as Vueling, easyJet or Air Europa.

After you’ve booked the flight, make sure to look for cheap Bilbao hotels before you leave. Depending on what facilities you look for, rooms range between €19 and €30 per night in cheap hotels. But when you travel with the kids you might also look into renting a vacation apartment for the duration of your stay.

As for the things to do in Bilbao , the kids will definitely have a lot to learn when visiting the museums and exploring the Old Town. The Guggenheim Museum is an art work itself and houses permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists. Then you can explore Mercado de la Ribera, one of the biggest covered markets in Europe, and try some of the local food. If you happen to visit Bilbao during the summer, you can attend an open air concert at the Kiosko del Arenal.

Photo credit

Welcome to the December 2, 2010 edition of the Carnival of Cities, where we tour the world in a single blog post.  We were supposed to publish yesterday but ran into some technical glitches; thanks for your patience.

Thanks as well to the host of the previous edition on Byteful Travel, and the next host is Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff on Wednesday, December 15.

If you’d like to host a future Carnival edition on your blog (December 29 is open) please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Tampa, Florida, USA Traci Suppa presents World’s Largest Spanish Restaurant, Tampa, FL posted at Go BIG or Go Home, saying, “As we discovered on a recent “date night,” the world’s largest Spanish restaurant is not in Spain at all. The 105-year old Columbia Restaurant is the jewel of Ybor City, the Cuban enclave in Tampa, FL.”

New York, New York, USA Jennifer Miner presents Thanksgiving Parade Floats and Balloon Pictures posted at The Vacation Gals, saying, “Here are some great photographs of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.”

Havana, Cuba Katherina presents La Habana Vieja, Cuba posted at 100MILES HIGHWAY, saying, “Pictures and Impressions of La Havana, Cuba.”

Portland, Oregon, USA Rachel Center presents Keep Portland Weird posted at Balance and Blueberries, saying, “Keep Portland weird (and awesome)! A tourist’s look at Portland and the surrounding area.”

Fort Myers, Florida, USA Kara Williams presents Things to Do in Fort Myers, Florida posted at The Vacation Gals .

Detroit, Michigan, USA Dominique King presents “The Thinker” ponders life in Detroit posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “This casting of Rodin’s iconic statue, “The Thinker”, surveys the Woodward Avenue scene from his prominent perch in front of the Detroit Institute of Arts”

Mendoza, Argentina Timothy Scott presents A Decadent Symphony of Wine and Food in Mendoza, Argentina – Luxury Wine Tour posted at Luxury Latin America Blog, saying, “Eating and drinking for days in Mendoza, Argentina.”

Cities in Europe

Bude, Cornwall, UK Jack Norell presents Leopallooza Festival in Bude, Cornwall posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Leopallooza Festival is now in it’s 5th year, after starting out as a summer get together for a group of friends in 2006. A couple of touring bands heard about this, showed up, and it’s all gone from there. In 2010, there were 2,000 people selling out all tickets in advance.”

Maastricht, the Netherlands Keith Kellett presents Maas Cruise posted at Travelrat’s Travels.

Madrid, Spain Tim Freeman presents New Madrid and Old Madrid posted at Madrileño Americano, saying, “This post addresses Madrid, Spain and the differing faces of its northern and southern districts.”

That concludes this edition, and thank you for visiting.

Please submit your (ONE, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the September 22, 2010 edition of the Carnival of Cities blog carnival, where we tour the world in a single blog post.

Thanks very much to the host for the previous edition, Let’s Do Something Different, and we look forward to the next host, Netherlands-based Guido with Absolutely the Hague! on October 6.

Submissions are due by noon Den Haag time on Tuesday, October 5.

If you’d like to host the Carnival on your blog, please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in Europe

Paris, France Mary Jo Manzanares presents The Louvre: A Love Affair With Art posted at Traveling with MJ, saying, “Probably the most famous museum in Paris, and although it’s not my personal favorite, it’s still worth a look.”

Manchester, United Kingdom Maria Aretoulaki (PhD) presents The Social Media scene in Manchester (UK) is very sociable! posted at VUI Design, Speech Apps & all that, saying, “Many thanks for the invitation to submit!”

Salisbury, United Kingdom Travelrat presents Salisbury Museum and Salisbury House posted at Travelrat’s Travels (with sort of a side trip to Des Moines, Iowa.)

The Hague, the Netherlands Happy Hotelier presents The Hague says: “Good bye Manolo Valdes“ posted at Absolutely The Hague!, saying, “Actually the open air summer sculpture exhibition is a reason in itself to visit The Hague.”

Manchester, United Kingdom John Cass presents Manchester’s Social Media Scene posted at PR Communications, saying, “overview post of some of the happenings in social media around Manchester UK.”

Cities in Australia and New Zealand

Christchurch, New Zealand Liz Lewis presents Earthquake Hits Christchurch, New Zealand posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying, “Disaster can strike at any time and any place, including your own home town as I recently discovered when a 7.1 earthquake hit Christchurch New Zealand in the early hours of the morning.”

Cities in the Americas

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Jordy Clements presents Omaha Fashion Week Designer Interviews posted at Omaha Arts and Culture, saying, “After reading about two of this year’s Omaha Fashion Week 2010 Grand Finale designers (Daniel Muñoz, Jennie Mason), you’re going to want to see the show, right?”

Queens, New York, USA Madeleine Begun Kane presents Tornado Night posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Los Angeles, California, USA Peter Kimmich presents Where to Get the Best Tours of Los Angeles posted at TryOurLA, saying, “LA is one of the most toured cities in the US, and there is no shortage of fun, family-friendly tours you can take to explore the place in style. Here are a few suggestions to make your visit memorable.”

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Annah Rondon presents TORONTO posted at Red Means Go!, saying, “Pictures and synopsis of a lovely trip to Toronto, Canada.”

St. Augustine, Florida, USA Mike @ jammer(six) presents Our Trip to St. Augustine Beach, Florida posted at jammer(six).

Anchorage, Alaska, USA Janis Jones presents Anchorage posted at Traveling with the Jones, saying, “Anchorage is Mr. Jones’ hometown. We visit to see family and friends, but also enjoy some things tourists would enjoy. This is an “insiders” guide to visiting Anchorage, Alaska.”

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Andy Hayes presents Ottawa Day Trips posted at Sharing Travel Experiences, saying, “After you’ve seen the capital attractions, set your sights for exploring the Quebec & Ontario countryside.”

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA One Family presents Las Vegas, NV – Hot Spots posted at One Family’s Blog.

New York, New York, USA Kerry Dexter presents Music Road: Music road trip New York City: Irish Musicians posted at Music Road, saying, “New York City as a crossroads for Irish music, and a city with its own distinct Irish American sound

Lake Placid, New York, USA Beth Blair presents Lake Placid Olympic Attractions and More posted at The Vacation Gals.

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Morgan Schwartz presents Boyd and Charlies BBQ posted at Omaha Food, saying, “Stephen Gates is an Omaha food-lover, not a critic. He frequents the kind of out-of-the-way, undiscovered gems that offer great food in a relaxed setting. For his first Omaha.net article, he stopped by Elkhorn’s Boyd and Charlies BBQ.”

Cleveland, Ohio, USA Dominique King presents Cleveland monument is lasting tribute to President James A. Garfield posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “President James A. Garfield had one of the shortest tenures as this nation’s chief executive, but his Cleveland, Ohio, grave site and memorial is one of the most elaborate and impressive that I’ve seen for any U.S. president.”

New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA Watch Me Eat presents JB’s Fish Camp in New Smyrna Beach, FL posted at Watch Me Eat, saying, “JB’s Fish Camp is a great little restaurant on the water in New Smyrna Beach, FL!”

Morelia, Mexico Timothy Scott presents Marvelous Morelia in Mexico posted at Luxury Latin America Blog, saying, “Pics and description of a fantastic city in Mexico that nobody seems to know about. Mexico’s sweets center, so great with kids too.”

Norfolk, Virginia, USA Jennifer presents Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel System posted at Two Kids and a Map.

Perry, Iowa, USA Jody Halsted hosts a cool conference at an historic hotel in town in Want to connect with Midwest bloggers? This Iowa event is for you posted at Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff.

Cities in Asia

Tonle Sap, Cambodia Ignatius presents Self Drive Tours: Cambodia posted at Self Drive Tours, saying, “Cambodia, a country that has gone through war and destruction.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks very much for visiting!

Please submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

It’s happening in August 2010.

It fills the center of the magnificent Grand Place with the most gorgeous, colorful carpet of painstakingly arranged real flowers.

You can read more about it on the Brussels flower carpet website.

There are fun things for kids to do in Brussels….plus everyone gets to eat lots of frites, mussels, chocolate and naturally there is great Belgian beer for the adults.

You should go!

Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Cities, where we tour the world in a single blog post.  Thanks very much to The Vacation Gals for hosting the last edition; the next one is on the Perceptive Travel Blog on June 30.

If you’d like to host on your blog, please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

St. Augustine, Florida, USA Darcy presents St. Augustine is Full of Free Wine posted at Of Winds and Water, saying, “As we travel up the east coast of the US, St. Augustine, FL has been one of our favorite stops. Then again, who could say ‘no’ to free wine?”

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Zhu presents Ottawa’s Tulips Festival posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying, “It’s this time of the year again in Ottawa: tulips have taken over the city and dozen of tour bus are parked in front of the Parliament and at Dow’s Lake. People are desperate for colors after our long white winters!”

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Jordy Clements presents CARNIVaL Danse Dement posted at Omaha Music, saying, “CARNIVaL Danse Demet is one of two large annual parties thrown by DJ crew 1/Fourth. With Ames, IA band The Envy Corps and Broken Spindles (Joel Peterson of The Faint) along to help out, The Waiting Room was transformed, at least for one evening.”

Los Angeles, California, USA Jack Norell presents Los Angeles Zoo posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Whether a local or visitor to L.A., the Los Angeles County Zoo is a great day out, especially with kids. You’re even encouraged to bring your own food, making it much more budget friendly.”

New York, New York, USA Madeleine Begun Kane presents Limerick Ode To Kathleen Madigan posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Nick Lewis presents Top 10 things I miss about Vancouver posted at Organized Chaos.

Camp Springs (Joint Base Andrews) Maryland, USA Jon presents Skydiving with the Golden Knights posted at The PlanetEye Traveler – Washington DC, saying, “Imaging jumping in a plane and watching the Army’s parachute team, the Golden Knights jump at a major airshow. That’s what I was able to do…!!”

Los Angeles, California, USA Mary Jo Manzanares presents Los Angeles is Vacation Heaven for Sports Enthusiasts posted at Traveling with MJ, saying, “From the beaches to the hills, from active to spectator, there are lots of sports going on in LA.”

Morrison, Colorado, USA Byteful Travel presents The 3 Unforgettable Sights at Red Rocks Park posted at Byteful Travel, saying, “Natural majesty. Breathtaking views. Absurdly large red rocks. The incredible Red Rocks Park in Morrison, CO is unlike any place you’ve ever been to before. Though this park is on Earth, being in this surreal landscape makes it easy to imagine you’re not on Earth at all.”

Laguna Niguel, California, USA Jennifer Miner presents Ambassadors of the Environment at Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel posted at The Vacation Gals.

Cities in Asia

Shanghai, China Dana Rebmann presents Things to Do in Shanghai with Kids posted at Welcome to the Ciao Bambino Blog, saying, “Traveling in China exposes kids to many new experiences that they cannot find anywhere else – who wouldn’t enjoy riding on the world’s fastest magnetic levitation train – check out how family-friendly Shanghai can be for your Asia adventure.”

Cities in Europe

Sergiev Posad, Russia Gary Mullen presents Sergiev Posad: Home of the Russian Doll posted at Culture Blog, saying, “Hello Sheila, I thought you might find this article about Sergiev Posad interesting. Many thanks, Gary.” (I did like it, Gary; thanks!)

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting.

Please submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Top Ten Ways for Families to Save in Europe

1. Where and when to go is obviously the first part of your planning. Central and Eastern Europe are typically cheaper than the West (think Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and the Baltic countries.) The UK, France, Italy and Spain are certainly more expensive, although with the decline of the pound and Euro against the dollar, they are still affordable. You can also save money by avoiding high season – city trips are just as good in winter, but without the crowds, prices are much more favorable. Spring and Fall are a good compromise.

Platform 9 and 3 quarters of Harry Potter fame, Kings Crossing, London (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

2. Shop around for flights. Before you can save money in Europe, you’ve got to get there – and it’s not cheap. There are occasionally excellent deals, such as these incredibly cheap flights from New York/Newark to London. Otherwise use a meta-search such as Kayak or Skyscanner to get an idea of the carriers to investigate. If your dates are flexible, you can then go to the individual airline websites for a closer look – certain dates are normally cheaper than others, and it can be hard to find this information from meta-searches.

3. Investigate your travel options within Europe. Budget airlines such as EasyJet and Ryanair offer extremely cheap flights, but it’s still worth booking ahead. Rail pass information is available on www.raileurope.com, or take a look at destination tourist sites such as www.visitlondon.com for information about local transport. London’s excellent Underground tube network offers cheaper tickets if you buy an Oyster Card, while day travelcards are normally available for unlimited daily travel.

4. Resist the temptation to move around too much. Focus on one city, region or country in depth instead of travelling large distances. You can easily base yourself in one place and take day trips – by doing this you will save on transport fees as well as the difficulty of long travel times with young children.

5. Look at budget hotel chains first if you want to stay in a hotel. Brands such as Ibis, Travelodge, EasyHotel and Etap offer simple, no-frills rooms for a fair price, and you can often find good deals if you book ahead. It’s worth enquiring whether the hotel can squeeze in an extra bed, as turning a double into a triple or a triple into a quad will invariably be cheaper than having to take another room. Hostels in Europe can also be a good alternative, with far more options than just dorm rooms. Many hostels offer private rooms that are ideally suited for families, and staying in a hostel also gives you the option of self-catering.

6. Consider a vacation rental. Holiday apartments, as they are often known in Europe, are widely available in both cities and countryside locations, and normally offer far more space than a hotel or hostel for a similar (or cheaper) price. They often represent better value than other forms of accommodation, especially for longer stays, and also allow you to spread out and experience life as a local, rather than a visitor. There are many good sites offering holiday apartment stays.

7. Try camping if you want to go rural. Campsites in Europe, especially France and Spain, are normally well maintained and offer a range of excellent facilities. For exploring the countryside, they can be an excellent alternative. Alan Rogers guides are the market leader and a lot of free information is available online at www.alanrogers.com. If sleeping in a tent isn’t your thing but you would like to explore the countryside, farm stays are an interesting alternative and offer a great cultural experience for your children (and you!)  If you’re considering going rural, it is also worth investigating car rental, to make it easier to transport your belongings – although remember that gasoline in Europe is much more expensive than in the US.

8. Start with free activities. Europe offers many free attractions and activities that will be enjoyable for all the family. Try www.FreeToDoEurope.net for ideas. After that, always investigate the possibility of family tickets for museums, attractions, tours and public transport. Local tourist offices normally offer good advice.

9. Eat out less and make lunch your big meal of the day if you’re eating out. Many restaurants offer excellent lunch deals, but try to stay away from tourist spots. Places that are full of tourists don’t offer the best eating experience or the best price. Menus translated into English are often another sign to look elsewhere. Instead, take a guidebook (look out for one with translations of food) and follow the locals to places that are slightly off the beaten track. And be careful not to overtip. Tips are often included and Europeans only tend to tip 10%, anyway. Ask fellow diners if you’re not sure.

10. Eat in, even if you don’t cook! If you’re staying in a hostel or holiday apartment, or if you’re camping, you can save a lot of money by preparing your own meals. Local shops and markets are a great cultural experience for all the family. But even if you’re staying in a hotel, you can still grab food for lunch, and you don’t have to go to much effort: locally produced breads, cheeses, meats and salad make a great meal. You may even find a delicious local wine to enjoy once the kids have gone to bed. Just don’t forget a corkscrew!

Ben Doyle is a British travel enthusiast and entrepreneur. He is one of the founders of www.HouseTrip.com, an online marketplace for European holiday apartments. He currently blogs at blog.housetrip.com.

Welcome to the February 10, 2010 edition of the Carnival of Cities; the blog carnival where we take a trip around the world in one blog post.

This is a special edition of the Carnival – hurray! – because today is the 4th birthday for the Family Travel Logue here on BootsnAll, and this month is also the 3rd birthday for the Carnival of Cities.  Our first one was posted on February 19, 2007, and I launched it with Jon Symons on his unfortunately now-defunct blog network Home Turf Media. In 2008, this blog became its permanent host – but it’s a carnival, so it travels!

Thanks very much to the host for the previous Carnival edition, Glennia on the excellent blog The Silent I, and we’re looking forward to meeting Jordy Clements, who will host the next edition on Wednesday, February 24. Send him your ONE recent blog post about any aspect of ONE, single city by noon on Tuesday, February 23 – here is the Carnival submission page.

If you’d like to host this bi-weekly carnival on your blog, please email me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Detroit, Michigan, USA Justin Kownacki presents Detroit: America’s Self-Loathing of the Rust Belt (And What That Says About Us) posted at Justin Kownacki, saying, “As a lifelong citizen of the ‘Rust Belt,’ I’m concerned about America’s willingness to write the region off while focusing on sunnier stories and greener pastures. Maybe changing the way we think about the region will help change the way America thinks about itself.”

Chicago, Illinois, USA Ms. Smarty Pants presents Restaurant: Jeri’s Grill in Chicago posted at Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All, saying, “a 24-hour diner that’s been open since 1963.”

Des Moines, Iowa, USA Brooke Allen presents Starbucks: Iowa vs. California | Rambling Brooke posted at Rambling Brooke.

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Sonny presents Lois Mailou Jones: An Artist, and a Life, of Color posted at Seize the Day.

Cancun, Mexico Timothy Scott presents New Sand for Beaches of Cancun and Playa del Carmen posted at Luxury Latin America Blog, saying, “Cancun’s beach will be much wider this spring break period as the government has dumped tons of new sand.”

Savannah, Georgia, USA The Creative Coast presents I mean, WOW. When was the last time two HUGE icons were joined together on one stage in Savannah? posted at The Creative Coast Alliance’s Blog, saying, “Savannah and Georgia history will be made when Ted Turner and Hank Aaron arrive in town to be honored by the Georgia Historical Society and the Office of the Governor at its annual Birthday Bash and Awards Gala.”

San Jose, California, USA June Tree presents What The Silicon Valley Startups In My Life Taught Me posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “A look at Silicon Valley startups.”

Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Jennifer Miner presents Walnut Canyon – Unique Arizona Travel Activity posted at The Vacation Gals.

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Morgan Schwartz presents Valentine’s Day Dating Guide posted at Omaha.net – Local Writing from the Heartland, saying, “A fun guide to spending Valentine’s Day in Omaha, Nebraska.”

Caguas, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico BW presents Discover Caguas Botanical Garden: A Fine Blend of History and Nature posted at Visit The Coqui, saying, “The Caguas Botanical Garden, where history and nature meet”

Kahaluu, O’ahu, Hawaii, USA Jack Norell presents Byodo-in Temple, Hawaii posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Hawaii is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world and for a peaceful and relaxing trip while you are in the country, a visit to the Byodo-In Temple makes for a great day out. This Buddhist temple is one of the most picturesque locations in the country, as it is situated at the foot of the beautiful Ko´olau Mountains in an area known as the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.”

Lake Tahoe, California, USA Jim & Martha presents Our Lake Tahoe Trip posted at Wanderlust Journey.

Washington, DC, USA Jon presents Georgia O’Keeffe Abstracts at The Phillips in Washington DC posted at The PlanetEye Traveler – Washington DC, saying, “Big upcoming exhibit of American painter Georgia O’Keeffe’s works in Washington, DC.”

Denver, Colorado, USA Arian Adams presents The Denver Chronicles posted at The Dumbass Chronicles, saying, “This is a humorous story about 3 Florida boys who get stuck in Denver on their way to Vegas. There’s lots of nightlife/city description.”

Sebastopol, California, USA   Jon presents Wacky Lawn Sculptures from Junk posted at The PlanetEye Traveler, saying, “This week I’m submitting a post about some really wacky sculptures I recently saw just north of San Francisco. Very fun!”

Buenos Aires, Argentina Tim Leffel presents Argentina Says Screw You to Foreign Tourists posted at Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destinations, saying, “If you are flying into Buenos Aires, it’s going to cost you $131 more per person than it did last year thanks to a new entry fee.”

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA Stephanie Seacord presents Portsmouth Peace Treaty Trail follows steps that led President Roosevelt’s Nobel posted at Examiner, saying, “Portsmouth NH is a National Trust for Historic Preservation ‘Distinctive Destination.’ Named in 2008 for its ‘longstanding commitment to historic preservation, Portsmouth, New Hampshire has never forgotten its sense of place,’ said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

San Antonio, Texas, USA Sarah V. presents Tortillas, Pizza, and Thai Curry: Five Kid-Friendly Restaurants in San Antonio posted at Wandering Off.

Cities in Asia, Australia and New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand Lyn Harris presents Auckland: Water, Water, Everywhere posted at Traveling New Zealand.

Hue, Vietnam Jonny presents Hue’s Royal Tombs and Pagodas posted at Vietnam Travel.

Osaka, Japan reesan presents Umeda Sky Building posted at loneleeplanet, saying, “the Umeda Sky building. a must-see on any trip to Osaka.”

Cities in Europe

Cassis, France Kristie Lawler presents Cruising the Coast of Cassis posted at Nom Nom Nom.

Rome, Italy Mary Jo Manzanares presents The Roman Coliseum: Birthplace of Civilization posted at Traveling with MJ, saying, “Studying about the Roman Coliseum paled in comparison to actually seeing it.”

Cologne, Germany Kristie presents Back In Europe (Pictures!) posted at Norway – An American In Oslo, saying, “Just wanted to say that I love the carnival of cities. I am so happy to participate in it and have for years now. I think this is one of the best blog carnivals out there on the web.” (Awww, thanks, Kristie!)

That concludes this edition, and thanks so much for celebrating with me!

Submit your (one, recent, non-spammy) blog post about any aspect of just ONE, single city (or fair-sized town) to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form.  Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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!

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!