Travel Tips Information Visit California. Sun, surf, mountains, and roller coasters The Golden State is big and beautiful, whether you want to play at the beach, ride your way across California theme parks, or camp at one of Californias national parks. The states size and variety of offerings mean that a California family vacation will call for some solid preparation. Here are 1. 1 tips and family friendly travel hacks to help you build your familys trip, with an eye toward keeping the fun quotient high and missed opportunities to a minimum. Planning a Golden State road trip Check out our special road trip tips for that too. Pack and dress in layers. In Southern California, a sunny 7. In Northern Californiaespecially San Franciscosummer can mean a lot of morning fog and temperatures in the 5. All over the state, its a safe bet to dress in layers and keep a sweater, sweatshirt, or light jacket in your day pack. Dont pack beach gear. Your hotel may have toys and gear on hand to borrow or rent. You can also buy boogie boardsan easy to learn way to play in the surffor as little as 1. Thats also a budget friendly way to pick up sandcastle making toys, sunscreen, hats, and flip flops. Air Conditioning. Buy, Repair, Maintain Lower Cooling Costs. Appliances. Energy Use Product Reviews Purchasing Repairs and Maintenance. Automobiles. Automobiles. Parents This list of active indoor activities is the best weve ever seen, with fun Gross Motor games creative ideas for highenergy kids. Perfect for Winter snow. A world of activities and websites focused on traditions and holidays celebrated by people all over the globe. When is Grandparents Day 2018 Find out here, with the history of Grandparents Day, plus ideas for activities and gifts for your grandparents, from The Old Farmers. Maximize your time at the theme parks. Staying at one of the on site hotels can get you early entryusually an hour earlier than the scheduled opening timebut sometimes just buying your tickets online like at Universal Studios Hollywood can get you an extra hour with shorter lines. Also, check the parks website for express lane services like Disneyland Resorts Fastpasses so that you can make the most of your time all day. Expect some admission discounts. Kids and teens often get in free, or at a discount, at most museums and other attractions around the Golden State. That said, dont expect much of a break at theme parks, where the full price admission may start as low as age 1. Measure your kids. Before you commit to a theme park for the day, check out the rides page on its website to see the height minimums, to make sure there are enough rides that your children will be able to enjoy. Also, get the lay of the land from the theme parks online map, to plot your days path efficiently and delay the onset of tired feet. Book ahead for camping. National parks such as Yosemite have well established schedules for opening up camp sites for reservations, and good spots can go fastup to six months ahead of time. Free Activities To Do While Babysitting Tips' title='Free Activities To Do While Babysitting Tips' />Exceptional Values Honeymoon A bottle of domestic sparkling wine in their room, a complimentary room upgrade previous request and subject to availability, and one. When I got the call from Mrs. Leary saying that my friend Hannah had recommended me as a babysitter for her two little girls, I accepted without hesitation. These are the 13 steps you need to take to become a great babysitter and land an even greater babysitting job. Allowance not cutting it anymore Are your parents. This list from the datadriven folks at FiveThirtyEight is filled with the usual suspects, and compiled based on common donotplay requests given to wedding DJs. List of What To Do When Babysitting. DO clean up so that the home or hotel room looks as good as it did when you arrived. Tip If you make it look a little better, by. The tween age 912 years old can be a tricky time for kids Electronics can be a huge pull for this age group because they dont know what else to do with. For last minute spots, check a parks campgrounds online to find availability. Dont miss the Junior Ranger programs at state and national parks. The free handouts and activities available at California national parks and state parks give kids a fun, hands on way to explore the park. At Lassen Volcanic National Park, for instance, the activity booklet lists different hot springs and volcanic rocks for kids to look for and check off. At Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve, meanwhile, a nature oriented bingo card motivates kids to keep an eye out for lizards, meadowlarks, and beetles, as well as Californias state flower. Free Activities To Do While Babysitting Tips' title='Free Activities To Do While Babysitting Tips' />Ask for any handouts at the parks visitors center, or download them from its website. Plan a ski trip that moves at everyones pace. California ski resorts offer a wide range of age specific lessons and activitiessome with kids clubs that last half or full days, so that everyone gets plenty of time to ski or board at their own skill level. At Squaw Valley, for instance, about 6. Sierra at Tahoe has an 1. Easy Street. Off the slope activities abound as well, like Mammoths beloved Woollys Tube Park, or the 3. Big Bear and Snow Summits Basecamp. Meanwhile, even if your kids spring break falls as late as April, youll still find plenty of California snow. Bring lots of sunscreen. Beach days certainly call for solid SPF, but youll also need sunscreen while skiing. Californias ski resorts are known for their wealth of blue bird snow days, which results in plenty of reflection off the slopes. Dont assume that wine tasting is off the table. Not all wineries and craft breweries welcome kids, but many dooffering games, play areas, and kids dining menus so that the family can enjoy a visit together. Check the individual wineries or breweries websites before you go to make sure kids will be welcome and happily occupied. Dont be afraid to take the kids to a nice dinner. In California, cutting edge restaurants are often not white tablecloth type places, and many even have good kids menuslike the tamales and quesadillas at L. A. s acclaimed Border Grill, or the prix fixe kids menu at San Franciscos Rintaro, which Bon Apptit named one of the best restaurants of 2. When in doubt, call ahead and ask when making a reservation most hotels keep lists of reputable babysitting services at the front desk, and can help you hire a great sitter to come to your hotel room. Detailed guide to child friendly resorts in Asia and fun family hotels with kids clubs and bunk beds. FAMILY FUNA fun guide to Asian child friendly resorts and family holidays where your toddlers wont get their teeth smacked, alas. Everything from face painting to baby toe massages and family rooms with bunk beds for kids. Libby Peacockupdated by Vijay Verghese and staff reporters SEE ALSOThai spas Bali spas Hong Kong shopping Phuket resorts review Abu Dhabi Rajasthan Palace Hotels India spas Palawan resorts Sanya Asian resort weddings Luang Prabang guide Fastest roller coasters Phuket fun guide Sanya Golfing in in Asia Second Life virtual travel Bhutan Goa resortsManila fun guide. With its great resorts, vistas, and caring staff, Bali is a top draw for child friendly holidays in Asia. Pink flamingos and sharks sail proudly in the main pool at the Inter. Continental Bali Resort photo Vijay Verghese JUMP TOThailand Bali Malaysia Philippines China Hangzhou Beijing Hong Kong Tokyo Okinawa Guam Singapore Vietnam Maldives Macau Dubai India Sri Lanka Cambodia Brunei South Korea. ALL PARENTS of tiny tots have a deep craving. Sleep. The sort of deep theta sleep you read about in psychology manuals. A who the hell cares if the house is on fire sort of sleep that energetic singles would never comprehend. Young parents crave a few days or months, more likely of rest and relaxation preferably near a sandy white beach or within ambling distance of a cool, blue pool. All smiles at Grand Hyatt Bali kids club photo hotel. But for mum and dad to kick back, junior needs to be entertained too. The interesting thing about the growing crop of Asian family friendly resorts is that adult pampering and kiddie fun are no longer mutually exclusive. Leave footprints in the sand with your significant other while the typhoon tykes knock themselves out cold in an inflated Crazy Castle. This guide to child friendly resorts in Asia is by no means definitive, but it is broadly indicative of child friendly distractions available, not always at a wallet bludgeoning price. Free cots or extra beds for small kids are a given at most of these places, and kids clubs are ubiquitous. But these days, tots in tow can expect all sorts of extra diversions pampering in a spa with treatment menus designed especially for the young ones, conquering the flying trapeze, swimming with elephants, to snoozing in boat shaped beds, and special kids ambassadors to pander to every whim. Its playtime. Send us your Feedback Letter to the Editor. So where to find these resorts for kids and tiresome children With plenty of sunshine and beaches, warm seas and traditionally family oriented locals, Southeast Asian destinations are hugely popular and packed with resorts that welcome kids. Including your screaming toddler. And yes, there are some city hotels too that would be delighted to host your brats. Child friendly hotels in Thailand. Siam Safari Phuket elephants delight kids photo Siam Safari. Phuket, Thailand has, of course, more resorts than you can shake several large beach umbrellas at and there are a myriad of options for families with kids. The super child friendly Angsana Laguna Phuket www. Laguna Phuket resort complex, which has a reputation for its family oriented atmosphere. In addition to family friendly rooms, Angsana takes the usual childrens facilities a step further with the Tree House Kids Club. There are activities in and around the resort including indigenous crafts, cooking classes, and exploring. Alas, resident baby elephants Lucky and Lilly who used to take strolls on the beach with thrilling photo and banana feeding opportunities have been let go after row at Nikki Beach Club nothing to do with Laguna over drunken revelry involving a hapless baby elephant. Following the social media furore, elephants were quietly removed from the programme. Elephants aside, swimming and building sandcastles on the beach never lose their appeal. Teenagers are not forgotten with Camp Laguna providing indoor and outdoor fun with children aged nine to 1. Laguna Phukets complex of resorts. At the Playstation Internet Zone find all the latest computer games while the Quest adventure programme has an outdoor focus for teens keen on a more physical challenge. Think rock climbing, scuba diving, sailing, water polo, Frisbee, beach volleyball and parachute games. There are also Family Challenge Programmes for parents and their kids. This is the place to face all fears and climb up a 1. Go for gold. Finally, keeping adults and their wallets happy, one child dines free at lunch and dinner with every adult. Remember to ask for the childrens menu. Dusit Thani Phuket playroom photo hotel. Children lucky enough to celebrate their birthday at the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket www. Laguna development, are treated to a complimentary birthday party. Children under four eat and drink for free when ordering from the kiddy menu and, when not scoffing miniature meals, little ones are kept happily occupied at the Kids Club. Older children can head to Camp Laguna. Babysitting costs from Bt. Neighbouring Allamanda Laguna Phuket www. Banyan Tree Phuket www. Turtle Club for kids with an energetic outdoor programme from 1. Theres also Baan Silapa with activities like batik wax painting on cloth, kite mastery, board games and the ever popular sand sculpture. Kids above five could earn Banyan Tree Ranger status, which opens up information on nature and the environment. For toddlers, there are high chairs in the restaurants and a good babysitting service is on offer. Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort www. Business Environment In A Global Context Pdf Editor. Pick from wood design, satay cooking, T shirt painting, papier mache, Thai boxing and cartoon drawing. The Kids Club is open from 9am to 5pm. If your tot is ready to graduate from the climbing frame to something a tad more challenging, the JW Marriott Phuket Resort Spas www. US circus entertainment and performance company, may appeal. Children are divided into three age groups four to five years, six to seven years and eight to 1. Safety equipment is included, of course. Young artistes can show off their new skills at a grand finale circus show on Friday nights. JW Marriott Phuket offers a seaside escape for the family photo hotel. With the onsite MAZE programme, families can have fun learning batik painting, Thai dancing, tai chi, yoga and much more. The Thai Ginja Cooking Course brings together children, parents and JWs chef to create some child friendly Thai cuisine. And once all that has worn the little ones out, you can all indulge in a relaxing spa treatment. There are choices for adults, kids and teenagers at the spa. This child friendly resort is integrated with the Marriotts Phuket Beach Club www. Self contained villas with separate childrens bedrooms and bathrooms and their own flat screen TV. While the kids frolic in the Childrens Pavilion, teens have their own space with a large movie screen, Play. Station, table tennis, pool table and computer section complete with safe Internet access at their disposal. The resorts large main swimming pool has a separate section for families, including a shallow bubble pool and a water slide. Both are located next to a protected sea turtle nesting area, around which the Marriotts Kids Club offers some unique educational programmes. The Kids Club for kids aged four and over is open from 9am until 5pm, and again from 6pm until 8pm. English speaking babysitters are available for Bt. Babysitting fees are of course variable from resort to resort. The breezy Swissotel Resort Phuket. Kamala Beach www. Kids World for ages four and up. The resort is good for kids with splash slides and a range of activities. The hotel is not on the beach and is set away on a quiet hillside. Secluded Swissotel Kamala Beach has a good Kids World photo hotel.