It’s hard to believe that in a matter of hours from JFK to Cancun you can be sitting seaside at Hyatt Ziva Cancun…and not just on one side. Located at the tip of the Yucatan peninsula, the hotel is literally surrounded by turquoise waters, so no matter which direction you walk, you encounter ocean. The result is pretty dazzling, and for an all-inclusive resort, you can do no wrong with a short…or long…visit.

My Stay at Hyatt Ziva Cancun

I was recently invited to Hyatt Ziva Cancun for a brief visit to experience everything the resort has to offer. Coming from NYC weather, which has been pretty volatile as of late, it was a pleasure to get into 80 degree temperatures and shed my winter garments. The resort’s design, having undergone recent renovations, reflects modern day and is both compelling and helpful. The property is big – really big – but the design has landmarks and meeting points that make it easy to meet up with family and friends. There are multiple pools, restaurants (the beauty of the resort is that it’s all-inclusive, so you can safely lock up your wallet in your room and drink and eat to your heart’s desire), a first-rate spa, swim-up bars, several walking paths and of course, the beach, which goes on for as long as wish your stroll to be.

Here’s a wrap-up of where I slept, ate and played.

Where I Slept

The resort has 547 guest rooms, all offering great views of the Caribbean and lush gardens. I was most taken with my balcony. Not only did I have a view from heaven, but I had my own hot tub, which I used daily. My room itself was big and comfortable, with a spa-style bathroom with a rain shower, my favorite kind, and warm robes in the closet. I had my own sitting room with complimentary refreshments and daily treats delivered such as a shot of tequila. The bed was big and cozy, with feather pillows lined up behind my back at all times. For guests in more upscale rooms, I was told it’s possible to sign up for butler service and swim-up suites. My only complaint was that there are a lot of light switches in the room, which had a very long hallway (making me feel very regal), and it took a bit of getting used to, as well as the cable TV settings, but by day #2, I was a pro.

Where I Ate

The resort offers nine gourmet restaurants, with a good amount of options, particularly for a vegetarian like me. There is very casual to very elegant, and if you are in the mood to bring fancy clothes, you will feel right in place. I enjoyed a Mexican meal at Habaneros, situated right on the beach, where they serve delicious ceviche and fish tacos. At Tradewinds, I enjoyed daily healthy breakfasts and an Argentinian lunch. At The Moongate, I had a lovely serving of green curry with tofu, and watched the hibachi chefs hard at work, with fire rising in all directions. At Lorenzo’s, we grazed on Italian fare – pastas, pizzas and yummy cheese as starters. There are other options, as well, including room service, French cuisine, a dessert parlor, food carts, and plenty of bar and lounge options where you can drink endless cocktails. I indulged in many margaritas over the few days I was at the resort, and they were pretty much a dose or two of perfection.

What I Did

As mentioned above, I did indulge in a spa treatment, and was easily transported to another place in the process. The spa features treatments in ocean view rooms and the result is nautical and spiritual at the same time. I had a deep cleansing facial, which calmed my skin and took me to a very calm place. The scents of the natural creams and my hygienist’s holistic approach were transforming. After the treatment, I used the sauna, steam room and whirl pool.  I am not lying when I said I floated out of my treatment – even a fellow colleague commented on the satisfied, dreamy look on my face.

Cream tequila – absolutely delicious.

Other than that, what did I do? I took long strolls on the beach. I read by the pool. I went swimming in the beautiful ocean. I had a pina colada by the pool. Granted, I was only there two days, and one was windy, so I didn’t get to partake in their water sports but they do offer a plethora of options from stand up paddle-boarding to paddle yoga to kayaking to water basketball and snorkeling. They also offer land activities from bike tours to tours of Mayan ruins. In the evening, they had a fire show, music, a tequila tasting, a beer tasting and several lounges to hang out at.

I could have spent many more days at the property, I assure you, but home beckoned. Here is more info if you are planning a visit:

Getting There

Hyatt Ziva Cancún is located just 25 minutes from Cancún International (CUN), which offers daily nonstop flights from all major gateways in North America.

For reservations, call 1-855-822-2802 (United States and Canada) or visit Cancún.ziva.hyatt.com.

Disclosure: I was at Hyatt Ziva as part of a press trip doing research for other outlets, but all opinions are my own and I wanted to let you know about my experience.

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Early last week I was invited to Los Angeles for a set visit on one of my favorite TV shows (more on that later!). Despite the fact that we are in the midst of renovations on our home, I’m crazed with work and I’m hosting my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah in less that two weeks (did I just say that?), I replied positively.

I flew out last night at 6:30pm and I arrive back home tomorrow around 7am. Yes, I will have been gone approximately 36 hours. From NY – L.A. and back… in the blink of an eye.

Some people may think that I was crazy to leave everything going on in my life and take a trip to L.A. for 36 hours. Some people may not understand.

You know what I say to that? We have to do what’s right for each of us, and this was the right decision for me. As a pop culture writer and junkie, I could not turn down the opportunity. Everything going on at home will be waiting for me and will be going on tomorrow. The Bat Mitzvah planing will pick back up. The home renovations will continue with my input. My family will survive. And me? I’ll have had this amazing experience.

I’ve written a lot about solo travel and why it feeds my soul. Check out my latest post on GoGirlfriend for a complete top ten on how travel has made me a better mom.

Meanwhile, I’m milking my last hour in the hotel room.

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If you’re yearning to ski in Europe but can’t quite afford it this year or don’t have the time off from work, why not consider Mont Tremblant? A trip there is certainly easier, and so much more affordable: you can either drive there in seven to eight hours or take a connecting flight via Air Canada or Porter Airlines, which is just an hour from Toronto and an hour from Montreal in the Laurentian Mountains. In addition, the exchange rate currently works in Americans’ favor, averaging around 1.4 U.S. dollar to one Canadian dollar (at the time of this post). Also, you certainly feel like you’re abroad, from the French speakers that dominate the area to the offerings of croissants, fondue and crepes offered every which way. Located in the heart of Quebec, Mont Tremblant is a city full of stunning architecture, gourmet restaurants and 662 skiable acres across four mountain tops. The combination is fulfilling, to say the least and you’ll most likely come back to the U.S. feeling like you’ve entered a world far, far away but was actually very close to home.

Opened in 1939 by American Joe Ryan, Mont-Tremblant is the second-oldest ski resort in North America (Idaho’s Sun Valley nabs the No. 1 title). It’s an easy trip to take in a weekend. You can easily leave on Friday morning, get there by lunchtime and spend the weekend, returning on Sunday night. That gives you a whole day of skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding or just moseying around the lovely European village, which is full of shops, boutiques and cafes. How do I know all of this? Well, I just recently spent a lovely weekend in Mont Tremblant and I’m so excited to tell you where to stay, where to eat and what to do. We spent time in Whistler in British Columbia fifteen years ago right around this time of year and this trip reminded me so much of that one- it’s another world-class ski destination that is mindful of Europe in so many wonderful ways.

Stay at Fairmont Tremblant Hotel

Our stay at the lovely, five-star Fairmont Tremblant Hotel was perfect for our short stay in Tremblant. The hotel is the centerpiece of the village, offering ski-in, ski-out access, an outdoor, oversized hot tub and onsite dining that includes a buffet breakfast at Windigo Restaurant that is out of this world. The French glass of wine I had in the bar also clenched the experience.

The hotel itself is classic and tasteful in its decor, full of rich paneling, stained glass and stone fireplaces. We had a room with a mountain view and plenty of space to place our ski equipment at the end of a long day. We were delivered a daily newspaper and were given complimentary transportation to venues within 5 miles. There is a fee for Internet service, something to keep in mind when booking your reservation at the hotel but there are online specials offered often that include it and other perks, so be on the look out. Lunch at Windigo was equally rewarding, serving up plenty of vegetarian options including a yummy orange soup I had not tasted before.

I also must comment on the service at Fairmont. It’s first-class. From the front-desk attendant who made sure we knew where everything was and what services were at our disposal to the room cleaners to the young guys working in the ski storage, it was all very top notch.

Skiing and More in Tremblant

Staying at Fairmont makes a ski vacation in Tremblant so easy. You can easily rent skis on the premises and then store them downstairs right near where you come in and out. There are runs for all levels, including glades, moguls and easy to hard slopes.. They offer a great ski school. We skied right to the Duncan Express chair lift in the morning, which took us straight to the top, giving us various options to get down to the bottom. Sometimes I’d take the green, my husband took the blue or black trails, and we’d meet for coffee in a restaurant on the mountain. There is nothing better than a ski vacation for the exercise and opportunity to see the world from higher up – in this case, the views of the Laurentians took my breath away.

If you’re not a skier, there are other ways to quench your snowy and outdoorsy side in Tremblant. There’s snowshoeing, dogsledding, ice climbing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, skating and tubing. Check out the Tremblant Activity Center for sign ups. Our stay at Fairmont included access to tubing and skating, and if you have kids in tow, you won’t want to miss these activities. We also indulged in a two-hour snowshoeing tour that took us through the woods and partially up a mountain. It was cold enough so that our tour guide actually sat down and built a fire out of wet sticks. To top if off, we roasted marshmallows and practically slid down a hill.

And the Spas…Ahhh, the Spas

In addition to the hot tubs and sauna offered at Fairmont at Amerispa that were necessary for a day after skiing, a must trip a mere 10 minutes away from the hotel is Scandinave Spa, a Nordic spa situated in the most beautiful, tranquil natural setting imaginable. When we got out of our cab, our walk through the woods and down a snowy path only half-prepared me for what lied ahead. Even after I put on my bathrobe, I still had no idea what kind of unique experience I was about to have. If you haven’t been to a Nordic spa, I strongly suggest you get to one right away! It’s a thousand-year tradition of Scandinavian baths based on a sequence of hydrotherapy that goes from hot to cold therapy to relaxation every ten minutes. The impact is so utterly relaxing that we both felt like jello walking out. Scandinave also offers massages of all kinds, and I can only imagine that they are just as dreamy. They also have a location in Montreal, and I must seriously find out if such a thing exists in NYC and go there every month.

Where to Eat

We loved venturing out to Mont Tremblant Village for the majority of our meals, as it was a hop, skip and a jump. Cobblestone streets line the restaurants and shops, and a big, communal fireplace sits right in the center. There are some very French restaurants and also some very non-French ones, but all delicious options.

If you’re looking for traditional French cuisine, don’t miss Laurent Louis. For the two of us, it was romantic and the food was sublime and uniquely French. From a starter of brie and salmon to grilled salmon with red sauce to a slice of sugar pie at the end of the meal, the food was divine. And yes, my diet must start tomorrow.

We also had a delightful meal at Altitude in the town’s Casino, a cab ride from Fairmont, that was equally as extraordinary culinary-wise. We were sat in a lovely lounge with live music and presented with drinks, appetizers, a main course and a special dessert made by the chef himself. The surf and turf was excellent, as my husband’s beef flank steak. I’m not the biggest casino person, so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. We spent a bit of time in the casino after dinner and I must admit, it seemed slightly less tacky than the ones I’ve been to in America. Must be the French influence.

We grabbed lunch one afternoon at Fluide Juice Bar, another great choice for me as a vegetarian. Fresh from a morning of skiing, we enjoyed curry lentil soup, veggie wraps and freshly squeezed juice. It was so much more ideal than the usual fried food you get on the ski slope.

Our last lunch was spent at O Wok, an upscale Chinese restaurant where I delighted in salmon tartar and Tom Yum Tofu Soup whilst my husband indulged in a bit of Pad Thai before departing Tremblant. Coming from NY where the Asian food is so good, we were both pleasantly surprised at how tasty our fare was. I also liked the restaurant’s loungy vibe.

While the weekend went much too fast and now feels like a bit of a dream, I am so glad we took the time out to explore Tremblant. Did I mention that skiing there was on my husband’s bucket list? Our visit meant a great deal to him, and it also gave us time to reconnect and experience some things on our own terms, and not our kids. While I love traveling with them, a trip on our own from time to time is exactly what the doctor ordered and Tremblant was pure bliss.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Tremblant CVB, but all opinions are my own, as always, and I’d definitely recommend a trip to Tremblant.

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Photo source: Woodloch Resort

When we were invited to spend some time at Woodloch Resort in the Poconos with my family in tow, I was suitably excited. I had heard so much about it from various friends, many who go back year after year, and I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Also, after living in an apartment for the past few months while undergoing massive renovations on our home, we were all eager to get up and out and sleep elsewhere.

Woodloch is a mere two hours from NYC, so the drive was relatively short and easy until the last 15 minutes or so when we hit local, windy roads. The resort sits on 1,000 acres and is family-run. Its current owner, John Kiesendahl, is very cordial and accessible and very open about the fact that the day-to-day operations are run by the entire family, generation to generation. How do I know this? He actually stopped by my table during dinner one night to find out how we were doing, as he was approaching each guest around the room. This simple display of hospitality made visiting Woodloch something different, I will admit.

Upon checking in at the main lodge, we were given a daily schedule, map and key to our room, which was fortunately located in the same building. The property is massive, as mentioned previously, and it’s cold at this time of the year in the Poconos, so I was glad to stay in one place. Staying in this part of the resort also kept us close to the resort’s nightclub, sports bar, movie room, and dining room. Nearby at the second main hall sits the Inn, hosting additional dining rooms.

Where We Stayed

There are over 150 guest rooms scattered throughout the other residence buildings. We were able to walk to pretty much all the activities we wanted to get to, but there is a shuttle for non-walkers. We were given a Lakeview room, which was comfortable and spacious for the four of us. Guest rooms feature flat screen TVs, mini-fridges, a walk-in closet, coffeemakers, cable TVs and easy access to the main dining room. Larger families can rent one of the 56 private cottages or houses scattered around the grounds, which have up to five bedrooms and full kitchen facilities.

What We Did

The resort specializes in family activities with all day offerings and special daily events. From arts & crafts to trivia contests to go-carting to bumper cars to swimming to archery to cooking contests to tubing, there is non-stop activity or you can easily just relax and enjoy the lake side views. We opted for a bit of both – as a family, we played trivia games, rode go-carts and I even let the kids have a go in the shooting gallery (which as an anti-gun activist was really hard!) There are nearby ski resorts but the weather in New York hadn’t quite reached that level of enough snow, so we stayed in. The resort also offers a gym, a spa, yoga classes  and modes of relaxation. You can book a babysitter who will gladly escort your kids to any activity with the exception of the pool. At night, we all enjoyed Broadway-style show and comedian afterwards.

Where We Ate

Set up with an all-inclusive American Plan, we were able to have three meals a day in the dining room. Served by a professional waiting staff, we were given options for a three-course meal, with a choice of entrée, soup, salad, side dishes and dessert.

The Low-Down

Woodloch is a throwback to a time long gone, with endless activities for families. Our visit was an opportunity to remove our kids from their digital addictions for a few days, and for that, I am grateful. Woodloch is like a cruise ship on land and an easy getaway for families, many of who come back year after year.

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Well, it appears that life as we once knew it has come to an end. Gone are the days where we could pick up and head to a place, expecting to have a lovely family vacation – one that involves doing new things together, indulging in new experiences and cuisine together, planning to wake up and go, go, go.

Why? One simple reason. My daughter is nearly 13. She’s not a baby anymore. She has a mind of her own. She’s independent. All she wants to do it sit around and watch Netflix on the iPad.

On a recent trip to Scranton, Pennsylvania (more on that soon), with her and my husband, I noticed the obvious change for the first time. At first I was a bit miffed – after all, we’ve been traveling successfully as a family for years and it’s a HUGE part of our lives. But I soon accepted her new ways and came to terms with what is probably the rest of our lives.

As a result, I have a few helpful tips for traveling with tweens. Note I am new at this phase, so give me a bit of legroom.

1. Give them options. If you’re going to a museum, explain how much you’d like them to come, but if they don’t want to, it’s okay. Leave them behind with the full knowledge that they will be participating in other parts of the trip.
2. Break up your day. If you have a packed itinerary, be sure to include time for tweens to stop and do their own thing.
3. Plan activities with tween appeal. If you know your child likes art, plan a trip to a museum. Do things you know won’t garner complaints, as much as possible, and tell them to Snapchat pictures of where you are to their friends. Oh, and shopping. They love to shop. Find a mall or shopaholic part of town.
4. Tweens like food. Take your kids to interesting restaurants so that they can Instagram and Pinterest beautiful images of cuisine. Go to places like Hibachi where food is prepared before your eyes, make it fun.
5. Take time out and leave them alone. Tweens need space. I saw it so I suggested to my husband that we go for a drink. She was able to revitalize, get her Netflix fix, and come out happy afterwards.

Most importantly, accept that they’re growing up and remember how puberty was when you were younger. My daughter has outgrown certain activities – like steam train rides heading to meet Santa Claus and that is just the way it is. They have so many wonderful character traits and you can talk to them about a whole new slate of topics and take in travel through a new set of eyes. Enjoy every minute – time is ticking.

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When I received an invitation recently to go on a Gogobot field trip, I was completely intrigued. For one thing, I didn’t know much about Gogobot, a travel app. For another thing, I was excited to go on the actual field trip. I’ve lived in and around NYC for over 20 years, but even I know that there are still dozens, hundreds, maybe thousands of places I have not yet been to!

The company arranged the trip to celebrate their 5th anniversary and the fact that its users have shared over five million photos and postcards. During its five years in business, more than 43 million people around the world have relied on Gogobot to discover great places to stay, eat and play. People have spent a total of 238 years sharing and discovering amazing places on Gogobot, and I was eager to be one of them.

Travis Katz, co-founder of Gogobot.

Travis Katz, co-founder and CEO of Gogobot, came along for the ride. He’s a really interesting, laid back guy and was completely open with us about the company’s growth and how it makes money (via bookings, ads, content partners and investors – over $40 million to date). He started the service as a result of his own frustration looking for a tool to provide tips on where to go, eat and play when he was living in Europe with his young family a the time. He and I talked about my own experiences and how I related to that angst of not being able to find travel info for my own family ago when I started my own blog in 2010.

That search soon led him to co-find Gogobot. He has since teamed up with major brands like HomeAway, CitySearch, Owners Direct, Leonardo Hotels, Kiwi Collection and TripCase to integrate Gogobot content into their sites to build better relationships and more engagement with their customers. With Gogobot’s 19 Tribes (Adventure Travelers, Foodies, etc.), users get personalized recommendations on things to check out from other travelers who have the same travel style as they do. Gogobot encourages people of varying sets of interests to share their experiences. I’ve already joined a few including Family Travelers, obviously.

We set out on our NYC adventure, meeting in Union Square to board The Ride with front row seating on the coach, giving us a great view of the city. It was a beautiful fall day, so we had clear views and the city I love was glistening. Using Gogobot, we ventured to Williamsburg to discover a few of its best places to eat and play.

The gang at Gogobot had an interesting afternoon planned. Camion food truck provided a delicious selection of spicy tacos and actually ended up following us to Brooklyn when the trip was running late. At one point, a guy who must work for The Ride serenaded us and the result was a wonderful, real “ONLY IN NYC” surprise. Check it out above.

Our first stop was Sweethaus, an adorable cafe in Williamsburg that served us delicious mini-sized cupcakes and pumpkin latte.  The owners, who hail from Virginia, created a comfortable, vintage style environment. The shop offers baked goods galore and the result is mouth-watering, particularly that pumpkin latte.

135 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249; Tel: 718-710-6627

Then we headed to Streb, an actual circus studio, where they offer classes for children and adults called Kid Action. We were given a tour of the studio and shown the space. The owners told us about their classes, which reflect the high energy, fast-paced movement that kids experience all around them everyday. Kid Action is based on POPACTION, which intertwines dance, athletics, boxing, rodeo, the circus and Hollywood stunt work into bristling muscle-and-motion vocabulary! STREB’s work is of particular interest to young people who are continually testing the limits of their physical universe. Seriously, this is why kids in Brooklyn are so freaking cool! They have options like this.

51 N 1st St, Brooklyn, NY 11211; Tel: 718-384-6491

Brooklyn Winery was our next step, an urban winery in the heart of Brooklyn. I was stunned – I didn’t expect to ever encounter a winery outside Napa or the Northfork. While on a tour of the winery with owner C, we were shown barrels of wine in production and learned a little bit about distribution, while of course being treated with a glass of wine. I’d love to go back to another time to indulge in a few more glasses.

213 N. 8th St., Brooklyn, NY 11211; Tel: 347-763-1506

The last stop on the tour was Modern Pinball, taking us back into the city.  Two rows of pinball machines, unlimited play for $12 and a selection of pinball games from my era – the 1970s and 1980s – pure heaven. My son is going to seriously love this place and I never would have known about it if not for Gogobot.

362 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016; Tel: 646-415-8440

Gogobot has a friendly sense of community where travel and dining enthusiasts enjoy sharing local treasures they’ve found with the tribes in which they are members. This trip was proof of the experience the app has to offer. Download it today and give it a whirl, then let me know what you think in the comments.

Disclosure: I was invited by Gogobot as a writer to cover the tour and was treated to a day in the city but as usual, all opinions are my own.

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When my first child was born, I was working in a job that involved quite a bit of travel, for long stretches at a time. The thought of leaving her for long stretches was mind-boggling. From breastfeeding to missing the small moments, I wondered how I would manage.

I lasted about a year, and then I decided to go contract. I had been working in travel publishing and truly lived and breathed travel.

My second child came within a year and then I was home with two babies whose lives depended on me. It was wonderful but a challenge, and a bit of a shock, to say the least, and I went back to work relatively quickly, in the travel guide space, naturally. Over the next seven years, I would go onto work for all the major travel publishers, and when the odd work trip came about, I would embrace the time away from home but it was only going away overnight, at most.

After I started blogging in 2010, my kids were already six and seven. My career had gone highly digital, with the invention of social media and I started traveling to attend conferences and meetings, spending more and more time away from home. I always made sure I was covered back home, and it took a lot to arrange childcare, but traveling gave me my mojo back.

As much as travel impacted me before I had kids, it has impacted me even more since I had them. Since becoming an actual travel writer (with my roots in travel publishing, you can see this apple didn’t fall far from the tree), I have learned to appreciate my time away and think that it’s made me a better mom.

Here are ten ways travel has improved motherhood for me:

Distance makes the heart grow fonder.

I love my kids, but as a WAHM, there is no question that being a mom pulls me in a lot of directions. Going away gives me time to regroup, to sleep in a hotel room on my own, to breathe in, to indulge my love of travel without anyone pulling on me or complaining. Granted, when I travel with the kids, I gear my trip around their interests and needs. Getting time for myself, and being able to do the things I love, nourishes my soul and brings me back a better mom.

I can be more adventurous.

When I’m traveling with the kids, I might not be inclined to take a 6am hot air balloon ride or early excursion riding a bike down a canyon at sunrise. Once when traveling through Iceland, the only activity my kids really enjoyed was going to the geothermal pools, which was lovely, but we wanted to explore glaciers and go whale-watching. When I’m on my own, anything is possible and I can come home and share stories.

More “me time”.

When we first started traveling as a family, there was much to bring on our travels, and I remember being constantly aware of feeding and sleep schedules. There were a lot of kid-routines to manage, particularly with two kids in tow. On my own, I can read, write or best of all, sleep, on long flights. When I have down time in my hotel room, I can watch movies, chat on the phone and simply BE. When I travel on my own or in a group, it’s about me once again. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

I miss my kids while I’m away.

As much as I appreciate my time away from home, I do think about my kids and check in. We Facetime each other and I pick up souvenirs where I go, never coming home empty-handed. Their ability to carry on without me is also quite satisfying and makes me feel good about my parenting skills.

My family becomes more sufficient.

Speaking of my kids carrying on without me, it fills me with pride to know that they’re waking up and getting up and out without my presence. While my husband and sitters help out while I’m away, my kids have more responsibility when I’m not around. I always notice a change for the better when I get home.

I’m able to pursue my dreams and work on my bucket list.

Before I had kids, I used to track the places I visited. I started traveling on my own at a very young age (I first studied abroad at age 16), and seeing the world became a very important part of my life. Since having kids, I’ve been more places than I ever expected, and I’ve not had to stop.

I loosen up.

While there’s a lot of juggling to get away for a week, it’s completely possible. I leave thorough schedules and make sure everything is squared away before I leave, but I’ve also learned that while I’m away, my kids don’t have to attend every after-school activity. Things can go awry for a short period and get back on track when I get home, if need be.

I do research on where to take my kids and often I return….. with them.

Sometimes when I am investigating destinations while on assignment, I discover new places that would be ideal for our family vacations. When we go back, I have a certain sense of knowledge that enhances our visits.

People wonder how I do it.

It all goes back to the question of can women have it all? Can a mother travel and be a mom at the same time? I space my trips out and make sure I am home for everything important. I have missed a few concerts and recitals but for the most part, I’m around.

Most of all, I am a better mother for doing what I love.

My kids love the fact that I’m out there traveling the world, and I love the fact that I’m not missing out on what I love doing most.

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I love Findery, a social network for travelers. If you love to travel and haven’t used it yet, you must. It’s the most personal, intimate way of sharing info and images about your travels with others. Download the app, set up an account and start sharing (and while you’re there, check me out). The interaction is instantaneous. I also love that I can access it everywhere and can get tips from experts who are people like me who love to travel and want to share their favorite tips and experiences, and great photos.

And now I’m excited that they’ve now created a new mobile app: Findery for Windows.At the tap of the screen, Findery users discover local knowledge about their current location through personal travel stories, hidden histories, and local tips left by Findery’s extensive and active community. Findery users share their experiences and leave notes and photos about meaningful places they’ve found and love, both where they live or where they travel. The new Windows 10 application opens up a bright new world for Windows users, allowing them to connect with other travel minded individuals, whether they’re planning trips or justdreaming of exploration. The Findery team built the latest app to best utilize the Windows 10 operating system, taking advantage of Cortana’s capabilities and the ease of pinning interesting elements to the Start Menu.

Since the app was formally launched for iOS in March 2014, Findery contributors have left notes to share travel stories in all the 196 countries across the globe. The platform makes it easy to discover treasures in countless places – from where they’ve been to where they dream of going.

With Findery for Windows 10, you can plot all of your travel stories and travel dreams on a map and explore the world from New York to New Delhi. Pin a Findery note or notemap to your Start Menu or ask Cortana “Findery, show me things nearby” to see interesting notes around your location or “Findery, show me the world” to explore over 100 destinations around the world.

Once downloaded, Findery for Windows 10 uses the current location to surface interesting local notes. Not actually traveling yet? Wander the world on the app. Follow other members. Discover places you want to visit and explore. Notes can be about local history or folklore, point out interesting factoids, or be a way to share a little anecdote about a location. Notemaps are a curated collection of notes about a particular topic, theme, or location. Members can add their own notes and notes from others to the notemaps they create.

Findery is about people living their dreams­­climbing the Eiffel Tower, or relaxing on a beach in Costa Rica. Members follow each other and receive notifications when those new notes or comments are posted. Notes can all be shared to Facebook, Messaging, Microsoft OneNote, Mail, or NFC.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post but I am a regular contributor to Findery.

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When we were recently planning our family trip to Texas, I immediately knew that I wanted to start in San Antonio. I had heard great things about the city and thought it would be the perfect place to start our tour of The Lone Star State.

I can tell you that when we told people we were heading to Texas, we got a lot of questioning, particularly about how we were going to be traveling at the hottest time of the year. August in Texas is indeed as hot as they say, but given the right amount of planning and an itinerary that includes air conditioning, swimming and good Tex Mex, kids should be able to handle it.

I didn’t mind the weather talk – I knew I ‘d love San Antonio, and I did. It was a great entry point for my family. For one thing, it’s an easy city to get around. For another, there is plenty do with kids from history at the Alamo and its many missions to culture and history at its many museums and attractions. There are also amusement and water slide parks (including one of the biggest in America). The city’s River Walk, which is entirely below street level, is a sight to behold, and makes San Antonio one of America’s magical, unique cities.

Before you book your trip, be sure to download an app called SAVE (stands for the San Antonio Vacation Experience) to get coupons and discounts on tickets to attractions, restaurants, tours, shops and at least 15% off your hotel stay. I found it extremely useful.

Here’s the low-down on where to stay, what to do, where to eat and how to get the most of your trip to San Antonio – with the kids in tow.

Where to Stay

The Hotel Contessa is perfectly situated on the banks of the River Walk. It’s also the only luxurious, all suites hotel in the city. Every room was built to cater to families who want comfort and space and they also offer modern decor, soft bedding, relaxing sofas, oversized bathrooms and a large living room with a sofa bed offering additional privacy, always a blessing when traveling with kids. The hotel’s vibe is sophisticated and welcoming with staff pulling out all the punches to make us feel right at home – from the concierge, who was full of helpful ideas on where to go (and where not to go) for dinner to the bartender, who we managed to spend time with while the kids were resting in the room. Best of all, the rooftop pool offers a hot tub and beautiful view of the city. We all witnessed our first set of Texan bats over our head while going for a swim and cooling off from our adventures. Breakfast in the hotel is either by buffet or menu in the lower level restaurant facing the River Walk, and my son indulged in chocolate chip pancakes while we munched on Mexican omelets and drank cups of hot java. It was also really easy to hop onto the River Walk, grab a shaved ice or take a cab to the market for authentic Tex Mex from the hotel. Valet parking made it really easy for us to get in and out. The hotel is located at 306 W. Market Street  or call 1-866-435-0900 for reservations.

Eilan Hotel & Spa is located just outside the city center in the Texas Hill County and was a slice of heaven for all of us after a long day out at Schlitterbahn. Part of the Marriott collection, this boutique hotel offers comfort expected by the chain and also better rates for rooms than you would find in the city center, and it’s so worth the visit. The hotel’s architecture was inspired by the Mediterranean and is completely exquisite with pillars, marble tiling, an elegant Romanesque terrace and a winding staircase. There is a beautiful outdoor pool to use after a busy day of sightseeing and a path that goes around the hotel to take an evening stroll. Our room was air-conditioned and spacious, with two Queen-sized beds with lush linens, a desk, a coffee maker, Wifi access and a flat-screen TV. The look and feel is sophistication with an international flair. The hotel is located at 18603 La Cantera Parkway or call 855-739-4118 for reservations.

For dinner, we ate at Sustenio restaurant & bar, which was simply sublime. A farm to table restaurant, we indulged in ceviche, deviled eggs, flatbreads, southern brisket, honey fried chicken and seared salmon. It was quintessential Texan cuisine, created by Chef Stephan Pyles. We drank delicious wine and tried various appetizers and desserts – including the butterscotch pudding with salted caramel was perfection. My son, who was not a Tex Mex fan before the meal, converted after having the Tortilla Soup. It was a real culinary experience.

What to Do

We were only in San Antonio for a few days but due to the compactness of the city center, research and guidance from Visit San Antonio, the local CVB, we managed to do what we wanted to do. Here is a list of our top picks:

The River Walk

The River Walk is nearly 15 miles of winding passages along the river that can be viewed by a stroll or boat ride and is a must do. It’s literally the largest urban ecosystem restoration in the nation and it’s quite a spectacle and a welcome to any stroll (or stroller, for that matter)-loving family. Most hotels have passages that join up with the River Walk or offer steps that take you down, as ours did at The Hotel Contessa. The downtown portion is full of restaurants with outdoor patios, lovely bridges, fountains, artwork, lily pads and well-kept foliage. We passed by a Mariachi band singing and dancing in the evening and joined in and watched.

Rio San Antonio Cruises.

A good way to get orientated to both the city and the River walk is by boat, and on our first night we jumped on the Rio San Antonio Cruises. The line was long but the wait (30-40 minutes) was worth it, as it offered interesting background and provided a historical context to the area. The kids were as amused and entertained as we were, giving us views of both sides of the River Walk. The cruises run all day and tickets are quite affordable, particularly for young kids.

Sight Seeing

We took a ride around town on Alamo Trolley, a hop on/hop off tour, starting at the Alamo, and going past sites including Mission San Jose’, Mission Concepcion, Market Square and the Institute of Texan Cultures. The option of jumping off allowed for flexibility and the chance to manage our self-guided tour, making stops in La Villita, a restored art district, and St. Paul Square Historic District, where we witnessed restored, historic buildings centered around the 1902 Southern Pacific Railroad Depot and had lunch at the Guenther House’s restaurant, Pioneer Flour Mills, offering yummy American & Tex Mex fare.

King Williams District.

You can’t visit San Antonio without a trip to the Alamo, but as locals confided in me, it doesn’t take long to walk around this small monument, which was true. Founded in 1718 as the very first mission in San Antonio, it’s also the site where the Texans fought against Santa Ana’s army in 1836. Today it’s a shrine to the men who died defending it, the most famous being recognized as Jimmy Crockett (I was glad to recognize a familiar name from my childhood education). There’s a wall of history we read from start to finish which also gave us a better idea about Texan history. Before visiting the Alamo, to keep your kids interested, visit the adjacent AMC Rivercenter 11 with Alamo IMAX and catch “Alamo…The Price of Freedom.” My kids probably appreciated the movie more than the actual landmark but I was happy they got a dose of history.

Fun/Amusements

I managed our time in San Antonio wisely, giving the kids time to explore Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, Guinness World Records Museum and Tomb 3D Adventure Ride and Arcade. At Ripley’s Believe it Or Not, they wandered around the Odditorium’s 500 exhibits and rode their 4D adventure. My son particularly enjoyed Guinness, which brought his favorite books to life. We joined them in the Haunted Adventure, which was pretty horrifying.

We also paid a visit to The Witte Museum, San Antonio’s science and natural history museum. Locals told us it would give us a sense of the story of South Texas with its thousands of rare artifacts and demonstrations, and it did. There are interactive, hands-on activities, an outdoor area and climbing rock wall.

For exercise, we headed to Schlitterbahn, a water park 45 minutes outside the city center. Again, we were advised by locals to make the trip to one of the nation’s biggest water parks, featuring 4 miles of slides, chutes, water coasters, water playgrounds, pools, lazy rivers and more. The only drawback? The lines were crazy, as school hadn’t started yet in Texas.

Where Else to Eat

Market Square.

Mi Tierra, located in the very busy Market Square, must mainly cater to tourists (though we were referred by two locals), with its massively sized restaurant, Christmas lights as decor, a big bakery and Mexican singers gracing the room. The lines are long – we had to wait 45 minutes but enjoyed hanging at the bar drinking margaritas and shirley temples. We ordered big plates of chips and queso, salsa, enchiladas, tacos, beans and rice. After dinner, we walked around the market and looked at knick-knacks and other kitsch, touristy items.

Zushi Sushi was my son’s choice, as he desperately needed a change of scenery after consuming what he considered a lot of Mexican food. We negotiated by having sushi one night, a food we all love, and spent an evening devouring eel, spicy tuna rolls, avocado, and other Japanese delicacies.

See above: The Contessa Hotel, Guenther House and Sustenio

Time to Myself

I was invited to the Mokara Spa during my stay in San Antonio, so I nipped away from the family for a morning. It was just a 10-minute walk from The Contessa, where I had stayed the night before. I was treated to a complimentary Aromatherapy Massage, which was heaven on earth. The therapist used oil blends, which we chose together, and she explained how she would be applying pressures to stimulate my nervous system. Having recently had an accident where I damaged some of my muscles, I wondered if the treatment would decrease some of my muscular tension. The unique full body massage experience, drawn from a fusion of eastern and western techniques, enabled my therapist to focus on body, mind and spirit and I have truly felt better ever since.

Mokara Spa.

The Mokara Spa has received kudos from Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, and it’s easy to see why.  They offer a complete menu of treatments and services guaranteed to restore the body and mind.  Other services include massage therapy, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures and hair care services. They also have sanctuary lounges where I sat with a warm compress over my eyes, under a wool blanket and hot tubs, a steam room and sauna where I veg’d out. The spa is located at 212 West Crockett Street. You must book an appointment today to have your own lavish, fulfilling Mokara experience, by calling 210-396-5840 or 800-830-1500. 

Overall, San Antonio was quite memorable. If you’re planning to visit, you only need a few days, but make the most of them, just like we did.

Disclosure: Some of the items mentioned in this post were complimentary, such as the two hotel visits, the spa treatment, the meal at Sustenio, our visit to many of the attractions in San Antonio including Schlitterbahn.

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I’m traveling again! After spending several months recovering from a near fatal accident, it feels so good to get out and do what I love.

My family and I are on a bit of an explore through Texas. We started in San Antonio, made our way to Austin and are now in Houston. From here we are going cruising in the Western Caribbean.

We are really exploring the state – from the sights to the accomodations right down to Texan cuisine, and I’ve got a lot to report on when I get home.

Meanwhile, I have my monthly “Where You’ll Find Me” in lieu of a post. I promise to write more soon.

Huffington Post

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This Girl Travels

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Family Vacation Critic 

5 New York City Fall Festivals for Kids

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