ArcaMax

The VIP was greeted effusively by the hotel staff and found special amenities and treats in her hotel room.

But at the newly renovated Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown, this VIP was our 12-pound rescue pup Loni, who found a dog bed, toy, dog biscuits and ...Read more

When Maria Haddad wanted to honor her grandmothers’ cooking lessons, she didn’t figure on being ahead of international travel trends.

Fifteen years ago, Haddad, then just 23, and her sisters, decided to honor their memories – and those of other women in the family who had shared recipes – by starting a cooking school in...Read more

Don’t you love it when you’ve chosen exactly the right gift?

To me, that means giving something I love to someone I know will love it too. It’s not as hard as you might think, especially if there is a particular brand you favor and you can get gift cards. (Great for Moms and Dads Days!)

For example, m y husband and I love our homeandleisure/travel/takingthekids/s-3693498">Read more

Would you rather take your dog or your kids on vacation?

Campers prefer their dogs, it appears. More than half of campers choose to camp with their four-legged friends, outpacing the number of campers choosing to camp with other family members (21 percent), siblings (13 percent) or parents (10 percent), according to the new homeandleisure/travel/takingthekids/s-3685485">Read more

I’m slathered in thick black mud from head to toe – on purpose. And I’m thrilled by the experience.

That’s because I’m at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea, which includes “the oldest naturally occurring spa” on the shores of the Dead Sea and about an hour from Amman, ...Read more

Ready to do your part?

Earth Day is coming up soon (April 22) and the theme this year is “Our Power, Your Planet” with a focus on the need for #renewableenergynow. The idea is to work toward the goal of tripling the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.

If you are wondering, renewable energy ...Read more

What’s been your favorite family trip? Maybe you’ve got one, or two. But for me, that’s like asking which is my favorite child. They’re all wonderful and unique, though at times aggravating and frustrating. But as I’ve often said, the missteps make for memories – and stories to tell at holiday gatherings. They also teach kids how to ...Read more

I realized travel with my older daughter had changed irrevocably when we were hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with Thomson Safaris.

For the uninitiated, it’s no easy trek to the roof of Africa – some 19,431 feet at the summit. While it doesn’t require technical climbing skills or gear, the altitude certainly is a challenge when ...Read more

Do you know any amazing women? March is the time to celebrate them – and many others you may not have heard of. Since 1987, March has been deemed National Women’s History Month to recognize the accomplishments of women in U.S. history who have often been overlooked.

This...Read more

Get ready! If you are planning a trip to a national park or two or three this spring or summer, you may have more concerns than crowded hiking trails, lack of cell service or unexpected thunderstorms. Nine percent of Park Service staff have been lost in mass firings and resignations.

And this is on top of hundreds of vacant positions that can�...Read more

Have you asked the kids? If you are planning a spring or summer break, it’s always a good idea to get their input. Not that you have to follow exactly what they suggest or go over budget. It’s just anyone, whatever their age, likes to be consulted on an itinerary.

Besides, with TikTok, YouTube videos and glitzy social media and TV ads, the ...Read more

My family is out enjoying a rare ski day together in Crested Butte, Colorado. I’m watching the dogs.

It’s not that I don’t ski. I love the sport, especially on blue sky days. I just can’t this season as I’m still rehabbing from knee surgery. But I’m not feeling sorry for myself.

In mountain towns these days, even in tiny mountain ...Read more

What’s the hurry? It is freezing with temperatures near zero Fahrenheit and a biting wind. But that’s not what’s causing the commotion. It’s the excited yapping of 100 sled dogs who are in a hurry to get moving.

We’re in the village of Breivekeidt, about 45 miles west of Tromso, the major Norwegian city above the Arctic Circle with ...Read more

Maybe you’d like to watch a tropical sunset with a fruity cocktail in hand? Maybe you want to cozy up by a blazing fire after a day having fun in the snow? Maybe you want to explore the back-country away from crowds or a city you have always wanted to visit? Maybe as new parents, you just want to share a blissful uninterrupted night’s sleep?...Read more

What’s your definition of work? Ask the kids and they might say homework or chores, maybe a part-time job for teens. Today’s kids, at least in the United States, aren’t toiling in a factory, working as servants or laboring in the fields, thank goodness.

Is work supposed to be fun? Fulfilling? Not often enough. February is Black History ...Read more

Ready to catch a wave? No, we’re not talking about surfing. We’re talking about some of the best cruise deals of the year, whether you want a mega ship with lots of bells and whistles, an expedition cruise to far- flung locales, a small ship or a river cruise.

“Wave Season is the cruise industry’s annual time to shine, with sales, value...Read more

Keep your jackets and mittens handy – even in the middle of the night. We’re aboard Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord, flagship of the company’s Signature voyages, cruising up the Norwegian Coast, enduring biting winds and sub-zero temperatures in our quest to see the ...Read more