People often raise eyebrows upon hearing of UltimateMama’s trip to Amsterdam with the kids which is silly!  Amsterdam is chock full of culture with plenty of fun filled activities to keep the kids engaged!

A few tips:

– Stay at the Marriott Hotel Amsterdam City Center and if there is an online deal then book the breakfast buffet which is a great way to start off the day.  The hotel is situated in a nice setting and offers a 5 minute walk to the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum

– Visit the Van Gogh Museum (buy tickets online in advance) and get the kids guide upon arrival/really engaging

– Visit the Rijksmuseum to see Rembrandt’s “Night Watch” (also buy tickets online)

– Buy online timed tickets for the Anne Frank House (if you do not buy tickets in advance the lines are super duper long)

– Eat at a pancake house

– Head to the Amsterdam Flower Market and pick up some great gifts from Holland (slippers that looked like clogs were a favorite)

– Let your kids explore the treehouse in Vondelpark

– Spend a few hours at the NEMO Science Museum (indoors and outside)

– Climb around the “I Amsterdam” letters

UltimateMama’s big tip for those traveling to Paris with children is to be organized and book museum tickets in advance.  Most museums have websites that enable consumers to buy tickets online — sometimes one must specify a day or time of entrance.

A few fun things to do with kids in Paris include:

– A visit to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and many other wonderful, priceless pieces

– Lunch at Pizza Vesuvio on the Champs Elysees which is yummy and central

– Shop for casual clothing for daddy at Celio

– Grab some macarons at Laduree (yes, New Yorkers you can get them on the Upper East Side too)

– Go to the merry-go-round at the Eiffel Tower

– Buy your family tickets for the Big Bus Tour Paris so you can hop on and hop off to see all major attractions (online tickets are usually cheaper) including the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Louvre, and more

UltimateMama and her family had a spectacular time in the Virgin Islands recently. One tip:  buy your snorkel gear ahead of time so you don’t have to rent – that goes for adults and childrens gear!  UltimateMama’s kids loved Head Pirate snorkeling gear (the 3 piece set includes a mask, snorkel, and fins).

Stay at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove in order to get a villa with full kitchen.  UltimateMama enjoyed her two bedroom unit in the Tortola building.  The pool with water slide is terrific for kids as is the hot tub for adults.  There are myriad activities on site for people of all ages (bingo, movies, karaoke night, crafts for kids, and more).  You can snorkel right off the beach.  Additionally, one can take advantage of the Marriott Hotel’s offerings next door.

You will want to rent a car in order to explore the island of St. Thomas and have the ability to go to the car ferry to St. John.  UltimateMama was happy with our Avis rental and used it right away to stock up on groceries for the week at Gourmet Gallery.

An absolute must is an all-day boat trip on the Breakaway II to the British Virgin Islands (bring your passports).  You will board the boat at Sapphire Marina then have a wonderful day exploring The Baths at Virgin Gorda, snorkeling at Diamond Reef, eating lunch at Pusser’s in Marina Cay, and jumping off the boat to hit the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke.  Make sure your entire family has water shoes, sunglasses, UV protection shirts, bathing suits, towels, and plenty of sunscreen.  There is a short stop in St. John then you return back to St. Thomas in the late afternoon.

A trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands wouldn’t be complete without a trip to St. John to hit some great snorkeling beaches such at Trunk Bay.  Choose either a car ferry or a foot ferry to get over to St. John (car ferry obviously gives you more freedom once on the island) from St. Thomas.  UltimateMama advises you to get to Trunk Bay early as the parking lot fills quickly.  Trunk Bay has an amazing underwater snorkeling trail, a bathhouse, snack bar, and souvenir shop.  Cinnamon Bay is nearby too.

Back in St. Thomas, take your family on a drive to explore the beautiful beaches that the island offers.  Coki beach (on Coki Point) was a big hit with UltimateMama’s family due to the amazing fish seen when snorkeling in addition to not only a full rainbow sighting but also a double rainbow sighting.  UltimateMama arrived late in the day, parked and spent an amazing early evening snorkeling and taking pictures of various species of fish.  Apparently, the beach gets crowded when cruise ships are in port so be aware of those times in addition to making sure that you know where your belongings are at all times.  UltimateMama had a lovely time at Coki and it was not at all crowded.

UltimateMama’s family looks forward to their next meal so the following restaurants greatly appealed to all travelers (make all reservations in advance):

Havana Blue (on the Marriott’s campus):  Get a table overlooking the water and enjoy the blue lights

Grande Cru (located in Yacht Haven Grande): Upscale food in a tranquil setting

Banana Tree Grille (overlooking the Charlotte Amalie harbor):  Go on a night the piano player is playing and order the amazing Key Lime Pie

UltimateMama and her family love Chicago in June!  If you are looking for a family friendly itinerary for the Windy City then your first stop should be buying the official Chicago CityPASS.  Admission includes:  Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, The Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry or 360 Chicago, and Adler Planetarium or Art Institute of Chicago.  I will say we hit everything except 360 Chicago as we ran outta time.  The positives about CityPASS include:  no long lines for tickets/entrance, significant cost savings, and easy way to plan your itinerary.

Our family loved seeing “American Gothic” at the Art Institute and over 30,000 aquatic animals in their habitats at the Shedd Aquarium on the same DAY!  Whether you remember it as the Sears Tower or Willis Tower, Skydeck Chicago offers a step onto the LEDGE for amazing Chicago views over 103 floors up — if you plan it right you could stop for breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s first.  Take your watch to the Museum of Science and Industry as you may lose track of time with the submarine, tornado, mirror maze, and more.  Don’t miss the sky shows at Adler Planetarium.

Make sure you take some pictures by Chicago’s “Cloud Gate“- and get there early before all the tourists.  Grab some deep dish Chicago style pizza at Ginos East.

A short cab ride away from the hustle and bustle is the Lincoln Park Zoo which was the highlight of the trip according to my girls.  Did I mention it is FREE and open daily?! And, if you are lucky enough to catch a Chicago Cubs baseball game you are in for a treat.  Wrigley Field is a must visit ballpark that everyone will enjoy.

If you are staying at the Four Seasons Chicago hotel a nice little breakfast place is Tempo Café only a short walk way.  Be sure to hit the Ralph Lauren restaurant for a nice upscale dinner.  Rosebud is good for a more casual dinner. For an absolutely elegant dining experience head to the Trump Chicago’s Sixteen Restaurant!

UltimateMama feels that Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman is a must see for everyone.  You will feel the soft, silky sand in your toes as you walk down to the edge of the crisp, blue, warm waters of the Caribbean.  Lodging options are plentiful in Grand Cayman but UltimateMama suggests staying on Seven Mile Beach if you can swing it (if you can’t Sunshine Suites seems to be a nice option).  From the top of the line Ritz Carlton or Caribbean Club to the Marriott, Westin, or Comfort Suites, Grand Cayman has it all.

UltimateMama and her family opted for a condo at the Casa Carribe through www.vrbo.com and were extremely pleased with the accommodations.  The condo on the beach offered a pristine pool and well maintained tennis courts.  It was on one of the best snorkeling reefs on the beach.  Additionally, the condo was walking distance from the Strand shopping plaza which was filled with restaurants, grocery stores, liquor shops, and boutiques.  We stocked up on breakfast, lunch, and snack foods and strolled down the beach for dinner options which were plentiful.  Our condo was located near a wonderful restaurant that we loved to frequent for dinner called Luca — terrific Italian fare.  If you are eating with children or a large group UltimateMama recommends making reservations in advance.  The Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman not only had a spacious pool but also yummy restaurants.  UltimateMama’s children took advantage of the Ambassadors of the Environment programs at the Ritz Kids Club and saw some fabulous iguanas on site!

Not to be missed is the Dolphin Discovery experience which is a cab ride away (we used a taxi driver named Rita for all of our excursions).  Swimming with the dolphins was an extremely positive experience for our family of four!

UltimateMama’s family loves fun in the sun so going to Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean was an absolute delight.  We decided to forgo one of the ritzy hotels (Grace Bay Club, Gansevoort, Parrot Cay) and even some more moderately priced hotels (Seven Stars, Alexandra) for a two bedroom condo with kitchen at the Villa Renaissance.  We took a unique taxi service that we had previously arranged from the airport directly to a grocery store, stocked up on food for the week (including ice cream, popsicles, breakfast goodies, lunch items, and more), and arrived at the condo with plenty of time to hit the pool and beach.  During the week UltimateMama took a short stroll to Graceway, a local grocery store.  UltimateMama has a bit of advice for those who do not rent a car while in Turks and Caicos — the taxi fare can be outrageous — make sure you are clear of the cost of transportation before getting into the taxi.  Another piece of UltimateMama advice is to bring all of your own snorkeling equipment (masks, snorkel, fins).

After a morning of tennis, our girls were able to go to Iguana Island, snorkel, and eat conch salad with Caicos Dream Tours.  Great fun was had on the boat’s slide by UltimateMama and daddy too.  Seeing the dolphin JoJo was a real treat!

The crystal, clear blue water is breathtaking but so is the food (seriously)!  Make all reservations in advance of your trip.  We dined at wonderful places with our girls, including:

Infiniti at Grace Bay Club (we also roasted s’mores late at night)

Bay Bistro

Hemmingways

Da Conch Shack

Crackpot Kitchen

Coco Bistro

Seven

Magnolia was one restaurant we missed on this trip but will definitely hit next time due to rave reviews from friends.

For more snorkeling fun we took the kids (and our underwater disposable camera) to Smith’s Reef, right off the beach — we got there via taxi.  The colorful fish were amazing and playful, even in shallow waters!

UltimateMama’s family had their ultimate adventure riding horses on the beach with Caicos Corral.  Although it is pricey, it is a once in a lifetime experience that our kids will never forget.

UltimateMama decided London was a great first stop in Europe for her family and it proved to be a brilliant move! Although they were a little too young for the Harry Potter – Warner Bros. excursion the first time they travelled across the pond, we still found plenty to kid friendly things to do.  And, “Katie in London” by James Mayhew was a favorite pre-trip book.  We have the a special edition as we were in London during the Queen’s Jubilee.

In both London and Paris, we bought our family tickets for the Big Bus Tours to allow us to hop on/hop off and see all the main attractions in a civilized manner.  You may be able to find discount codes or coupons online or on maps/brochures at tourist booths.  You won’t want to miss seeing top attractions in London such as the River Thames, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, or the London Eye.  Kids really enjoy watching the changing of the guard inside the gates at Buckingham Palace (check the time).  Pick up some lunch and eat in Hyde Park.  Go to Diana Memorial Playground and watch your kids let off steam by climbing the famous Pirate Ship.  Make sure you don’t forget letting them sit on the lions at Trafalgar Square.

Coming from a New Yorker, this says a lot, don’t miss the pizza — yes, the pizza — after you enjoy a morning shopping at Harrods.  And, of course let your children hug the big bears!

Purchase advance tickets to one of London’s numerous plays, such as the kid friendly “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

Cap off a day and indulge in pub fair at Walkers of Whitehall, near Big Ben.

When in Rome you may want to take a little side trip to Venice via train.  UltimateMama’s family of 4 did just that and loved every second of it.  Contrary to what you may expect, Venice is actually very intriguing to kids perhaps due to its numerous canals and winding city streets.  We booked our train from Rome to Venice online at trenitalia.com months before our trip’s departure date to ensure our family of 4 was seated together in an air conditioned car.  UltimateMama made sure to board the train with plenty of water and food in case of delays.  In terms of lodging, once again we chose to avoid the high priced hotel rooms in favor of a spacious flat and never regretted our decision.  Based on a friend’s positive experience we used The Red House company in Venice for our booking.

Equipped with the knowledge gained from the kids book “This is Venice” by M. Sasek, we explored the city in full taking numerous vaporettos in the process.  We also enjoyed watching the colorful, romantic gondolas go underneath bridges.

Besides getting a daily intake of gelato, we visited the Guggenheim, Ca Pesaro Art Museum, Rialto, and Doges Palace.  Did the girls feed the pigeons in Piazza San Marco? Of course they did!

Once special evening we ventured to dinner at Cipriani via their private boat shuttle from San Marco.

The weather cooperated with us to we even got to show the girls the Venetian Lagoon islands of Murano (glass making) and Burano (lace making).

Unfortunately, it rained the days we wanted to hit Lido Beach but I guess that means a repeat trip is in our future.

UltimateMama loves Italy so taking her two kids to Rome was a wonderful treat for all!  Whether you stay in a hotel or rent a flat UltimateMama would suggest picking a centralized location near the metro line which will make it easy for your family to get around to the tourist attractions.  Perusing websites such as www.vrbo.com or www.homeaway.com is a good way to start your search for lodging, especially if your family is too large to share one hotel room and you want to avoid the high cost of booking a suite or two adjoining rooms.

A nice way to see Rome and learn its rich history in the process is by booking a private tour guide for your family.  Most tour guides will tell you to buy tickets in advance.  Most major tourist attractions that require tickets have websites so you can purchase the tickets months before your trip.  There are myriad tour guide options out there but we had a delightful experience with Vera Rome Tours.  Whether you want to see the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, or numerous Piazzas (Venezia, Navona, del Campidoglio, for instance) tour guides are a great way to organize your itinerary and get kids excited to gain knowledge.  Don’t forget to hit the Vatican Museum including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica!

UltimateMama bought several books on Rome before the trip to get her girls excited for their adventure.  Miroslav Sasek’s book, “This is Rome” was a favorite!

A few months ago, on a whim, UltimateMama and her family drove to Boston for a long weekend. Everyone had a good time in Beantown.  Here is UltimateMama’s list of things to do and see with kids when in Boston:

– Walk trough Boston Public Garden and see the Swan Boats and don’t miss the bronze “Make Way for Ducklings”sculpture that is a hit with children of all ages who love Robert McCloskey’s famous books.

– Hit the New England Aquarium on Boston’s Historic waterfront.  It has everything including beautiful fish, sea lions, seals, stingrays, penguins, great movies, and live shows!  Legal Sea Foods Long Wharf is a great restaurant for families to try before or after the aquarium delight.

– Explore Boston’s Financial District, Freedom Trail, and Faneuil Hall.

– Spend time at Boston’s interactive Museum of Science.

– If you find yourselves in Boston’s Back Bay near Fenway Park go eat at Summer Shack restaurant.

– Go to the Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum.

– Have fun at the Boston Children’s Museum.

– Explore the USS Constitution Museum near Old Ironsides.

– Ride the Boston Common Carousel.

– Stay at the Boston Four Seasons which is terrific for kids!

– If you want to stay a night at a nearby beach check into blue, The Inn on the Beach at Plum Island. Only a short drive from Boston.