Untitled Document Home
Chef & Hotel Profile
Publisher's Page
Gift Guide
Travel Adventures
Epicurean Events
Health Minded
Spa Baby Secrets
Sips
Book Bites
Culinary Coup
Sense of Style
Kids Kaleidoscope
Tinsletown Tidbits
Wheels
Radio Show & Links
Contact Us


Cody Chandler HiltonAPRIL 2008
KIDS KALEIDOSCOPE


I MADONNARI ART FESTIVAL
AT SANTA BARBARA MISSION

by Cody Chandler Hilton

May marks the I Madonnari Art Festival at Santa Barbara Mission. This is an Italian event, where artists do chalk drawings in front of the Mission, and they serve food, and drinks. It brings a huge crowd of tourists, and people really have fun listening to music and eating. The drawings are really good, and the money raised helps local artists. The festival is free, but you can buy tickets for food.

I Madonnari Art Festival at Santa Barbara MissionI Madonnari Art Festival at Santa Barbara Mission

Thanks for reading Kid's Kaleidoscope.


PLANNING NOW FOR SUMMER VACATION?
NWF Family Summit Brings Nature and Families Together

National Wildlife FederationSpring Break will soon be over and thoughts are turning to summer vacation planning. Imagine a week of summer vacation, focused on the sights and sounds of nature, where everything is planned for everyone in the family no matter what age. Imagine exciting activities and adventures for the entire family, all interest levels, attention spans, level of outdoor experience, or familiarity with Mother Nature. This is the National Wildlife Federation Family Summit, which makes a week of environmental education and adventure available for just $215 to $500 per person for the week, depending on the age group. Accommodations start at $250 per person for the week, including three meals a day! Kids under 6 stay free. Snowbird resort, nestled deep in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains, will host the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) 2008 Family Summit from July 1 -- July 7. This mountain retreat is just 45 minutes from the Salt Lake City Airport and is an ideal hub of outdoor exploration and wildlife viewing. Elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, cougars, eagles, hawks and scores of smaller animals delight wildlife-watchers of all ages.

More information and the program registration form for the Summit can be found on NWF's web site at:
www.nwf.org/summits, or by calling 1-800-580-5685. Book now because this popular program fills up quickly!


NO PARENTS ALLOWED:
CRUISE LINES OFFER VARIETY OF
TEEN AND TWEEN HANGOUTS


Safe and secure, lounges and clubs give kids space from parents – and vice versa
 
Parents taking a cruise with tween or teenage children know these kids enjoy their space as much at sea as they do at home.   The world's most popular cruise lines have long recognized this and now offer more special hangouts and activities exclusively for them than ever before.

Combine this space with plenty of activities for the whole family and it is easy to see why cruises make for memorable family vacations, no matter what one's age.  Special pricing for children up to 17 years-old generally applies on many cruises which makes them a true travel value.

For example, a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) can enjoy an early December seven-night cruise with cabin credits, complimentary photos and a special gift to the Western Caribbean in a verandah cabin with Holland America for $2,380, including taxes, fees and fuel surcharges .  That is less than $85 per person, per day for the family's onboard accommodations, 24/7 room service for those hungry teenagers, all dining options and most entertainment – including plenty for tweens and teens to do.  

"Industry reports cite more than a million children are now cruising with their families annually," said Bob Levinstein, CEO of Cruise Compete, LLC. "Keeping these young people, especially those over the age of 10, occupied and busy is key to fun vacation for them and the entire family.  For tweens and teens, this means giving them some space of their own on the ship to have fun – and their parents love the price and all-inclusive nature of the family getaway."

The following is a sample of the coolest places for older youth to hang out at sea in safe and secure settings: 

Holland America Line
For the past two years, teens traveling on HAL cruise ships have enjoyed the Loft, a special lounge area designed to resemble a New York artist's studio.  The setting includes music and videos, comfortable furniture, Internet access stations, video games and karaoke, big screen TVs and more.  A secluded passageway leads upstairs to the Oasis, a teens-only sundeck featuring a nine-foot waterfall and cooling cave.  Teens can sunbathe during the day and dance under the stars at night to the beat of a state-of-the-art sound system and laser show.

Royal Caribbean International
The cruise line's Voyager Class ships are a floating paradise for teenagers.  The Living Room invites kids to hangout during the day, stocked with computers, books and games.  The Back Deck provides teens with a place to sunbathe together and enjoy a buffet dinner.  Fuel, the teens-only disco, is open until 2 a.m. and also provides a great place to mingle and meet new friends.

Norwegian Cruise Line
The Norwegian Dawn and Jewel feature the line's most elaborate and largest teen clubs.  The Underground lounge features computers, big-screen TVs and dance floor. Youth 17-and-under have their own cinema for nightly movies or an afternoon matinee.

Disney Cruise Line
A little Disney magic makes cruising memorable for teens too.  They are invited to spend time with their peers in the Aloft lounge on the Disney Wonder and The Stack on the Disney Magic.  Both of these teen-only hangouts feature music, movies, video games, plasma TVs, dance floor, Internet café and other activities.  In addition, Disney hosts the H2O Splashdown and Party in Paradise farewell bash exclusively for teens.

Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival's youth-oriented programming was recently expanded to include exclusive new Circle C clubs for 12-14 year-olds.  Each features a dance floor, high-tech sound and lighting, monster plasma TVs with movies and music videos, touch screen jukeboxes and gaming centers with 20-inch plasma game screens.  A number of ships have already been retrofitted with Circle C facilities, with several more are scheduled for this year and the entire fleet by 2010.  Carnival's Club 02 facilities continue to be very popular with teen's ages 15-17 year-olds.  In addition to a pulsating dance floor and the latest music and lighting systems, Club O2 features a teen-oriented library and lounge with non-alcoholic specialty drinks.      

Princess Cruises
The cruise line's Grand Class ships have the largest facilities for teens.  The Off Limits teen center includes plenty of games, movies, big-screen TVs and jukeboxes.  On the Grand, Golden and Star Princess, teens can use their own Jacuzzi and sun deck.

Celebrity Cruises
This cruise line's Celebrity X-Club Youth Program does offer teens plenty to do, especially during the summer and holiday family travel seasons.  This includes supervised theme parties, pool games, movies, sports tournaments, karaoke, talent shows, fitness activities and play stations.

Regent Seven Seas
Ultra-luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas also offers teen programs.  Regent's Club Mariner operates during the summer and select holiday sailings and gives tween and teen travelers the opportunity to enjoy a variety of exciting, interactive activities, including whale watching in Alaska and artist classes on tropical cruises, plus other unique adventure and cultural opportunities.

Crystal Cruises 
Select Crystal sailings during the summer and holidays also offer older youth things to do without their parents on ultra-luxury cruises. These include games, arts and crafts, video games and other activities under the supervision of experienced activities directors.  The Crystal Symphony and Serenity also feature Waves, a teen video arcade.

"The all-inclusive nature of cruise travel makes for an ideal, value-oriented vacation for families with kids of all ages, including older children," Levinstein said.  "There's plenty to do on board and in port with your family but, when it's time to get away and hang out with old and new friends, there's no better place than the cruise ship lounges, sundecks and parties exclusively for tweens and teens, with no parents allowed."


2008
March 08 | April 08 | May 08 | June 08 | July 08 | August 08 | September 08 | October 08 | November 08 | December 08 | January 09 | February 09 | March 09 | April 09 | January 14 | December 13 | June 09 | November 13 | September 08 | August 09 | July 09 | September 09 | October 09 | November 09 | December 09 | January 10 | February 10 | March 10 | April 10 | May 10 | June 10 | July 10 | August 10 | September 10 | October 10 | November 10 | December 10 | January 11 | February 11 | March 11 | April 11 | May 11 | June 11 | July 11 | August 11 | September 11 | October 11 | November 11 | December 11 | January 12 | February 12 | March 12 | March | April 12 | May 12 | June 12 | July 12 | August 12 | September 12 | October 12 | November 12 | December 12 | January 13 | February 13 | March 13 | April 13 | May 13 | June 13 | June 13 | July 13 | August 13 | September 13 | October 13 | February 14 | March 14 | April 14 | May 14 | June 14 | July 14 | August 14 | September 14 | October 14 | November 14 | December 14 | January 15 | February 15 | March 15 | April 15 | May 15 | June 15 | July 15 | August 15 | September 15 | October 15 | November 15 | December 15 | January 16 | February 16 | March 16 | April 16 | May 16 | June 16 | July 16 | August 16 | September 16 | October 16 | November 16 | December 16 | January 17 | February 17 | March 17 | April 17 | May 17 | June 17 | July 17 | August 17 | September 17 | October 17 | November 17 | December 17 | January 18 | February 18 | March 18 | April 18 | May 18 | June 18 | July 18 | August 18 | September 18 | October 18 | November 18 | December 18 | January 19 | February 19 | March 19 | April 19 | May 19 | June 19 | July 19 | August 19 | September 19 | October 19 | November 19 | December 19 | January 20 | February 20 | March 20 | April 20 | May 20 | June 20 | July 20 | July 20 | August 20 | September 20 | October 20 | November 20 | December 20 | January 21 | February 21 | March 21 | April 21 | May 21 | June 21 | July 21 | August 21 | September 21 | October 21 | November 21 | December 21 | January 22 | February 22 | March 22 | April 22 | May 22 | June 22 | July 22 | August 22 | September 22 | October 22 | November 22 | December 22 | January 23 | February 23 | March 23 | April 23 | June 23 | May 23 | July 23 | August 23 | September 23 | October 23 | November 23 | December 23 | January 24 | February 24 | February 08 | January 08

2007
December 07
| November 07 | October 07 | September 07 | August 07 | July 07 | June 07 | May 07
April 07
| March 07 | February 07 | January 07

2006
December 06
| November 06 | October 06 | September 06 | August 06 | July 06 | June 06 | May 06
April 06
| March 06 | February 06 | January 06

2005
December 05
| November 05 | October 05 | September 05 | August 05 | July 05 | June 05 | May 05
April 05
| March 05

© 2008 Bonnie Carroll, All Rights Reserved