The most common travel mistake with children is Las Vegas or Reno in Nevada. While the tourism industries of both cities have been trying to make the towns into family vacation destinations (Las Vegas a bit more than Reno), these towns are not originally geared toward family.

There is very little in either city that is great for children, and anything that is can be easily replicated in other locations. Besides, if you’re planning on going to Las Vegas, you probably plan on doing at least a little gambling – which is something you should save for an adults- only vacation getaway.

The preferred choice for many parents with children is Disney theme parks. These parks are often the best choice for children over five and under twelve. Children over twelve may well still like it, too. Children under five, especially those under three, might find it difficult to spend the whole day there and later they will hardly remember their visit to Disney.

You should keep in mind, however, that Disney parks are an energetic vacation destination. These are not good places to go for a relaxing time, since they tend to be crowded, and there is always something new to go and see. With younger children, expect cranky afternoons.

For a more relaxed family vacation, you should think about a destination like Hawaii. While Hawaii is not geared specifically toward children, there are still plenty of things for you to do depending on which island you’re staying on.

Hawaii is the best place for a family vacation with children who are ten or older. The reason is that most entertainment activities are suitable for older children – for example Pearl Harbor. If you visit it and your children are too young, they will hardly figure out the significance of the place.

Another suggestion for a family vacation with children is cruise ships. When choosing to spend your vacation on a cruise ship, there are some important facts to consider.

First, it is most likely that you will share a cabin with your family and there won~t be enough room for everybody’s liking. But since there are so many things to do outside the cabin, it shouldn~t be too much of a problem to view the cabin as a sleeping spot rather than a permanent hang-out.

Also, cruise ships are not the ideal choice for teenagers. Teenagers are in a difficult position because on one hand the majority of programs for children are targeted at children under twelve and on the other hand, teenagers are still not old enough to participate in entertainment for adults (casinos, lounges, etc.) But in any case there is the benefit that you will witness marvelous ocean views and will visit many different ports. Watch out for whales!

The conclusion is that choosing the destination for your family vacation is firmly up to you! You are the one who knows best what is interesting for your children and what is not. Take into account what is suitable for them and what is preferred by you, choose a destination or vacation package which offers the best combination of things which appeal to all of you — and you’re halfway to a great trip already.

Andrew Westforth is the owner and operator of FHT Travel — a large and comprehensive collection of information on travel, including articles, resources and a free newsletter.

For great travel information, go to: http://www.fhttravel.com

I should have paid more attention in math.

The itinerary for getting from San Diego to Chita read like this:

1. Fly from San Diego to Seattle.

2. Meet charity representative and other professor.

3. Fly from Seattle to Anchorage.

4. Fly from Anchorage on Aeroflot [gulp to Khabarovsk, Russia.

5. Take train from Khabarovsk to Chita.

How bad could it be? Very, very, very bad. Did I mention ?bad??

Day 1

The flight to Seattle was no problem. I met Tom Dickinson, the founder of Siberian Intercultural Bridges, but we couldn?t find the other teacher. Turns out the flight to Anchorage wasn?t till the next morning, so it didn?t really appear to be a problem. Around midnight, our attitude changed and we had written off the teacher.

Day 2

At 8 a.m., Grea Waters from Kentucky appears out of the Seattle mist. We have our second professor and he speaks fluent Russian. This is a big relief as I had spent a lot of the previous evening contemplating my Russian skills. That is to say, I had none. I couldn?t even pronounce the name of city we would land in, Khabarovsk. I nearly had a panic attack during the night when I bolted up in bed upon the realization that I would have no way of knowing how to get to the train or when to get off. You see, the Russian language is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. There is no way to wing the Cyrillic alphabet. For example, the letter ?y? is pronounced ?ch? as in Charlie. I was in definite trouble. Would the rest of my life be spent riding around aimlessly on trains? The continued grinning of Tom Dickinson didn?t make me feel any better.

Our flight from Seattle to Anchorage was uneventful. Yes, we flew Alaska Airlines. While waiting for our connection in Anchorage, two thoughts kept running though my head. First, isn?t Aeroflot the airline with all the crashes? Second, how did a man from Kentucky become fluent in Russian? I mean, what about his accent? I was feeling less confident about my translator and decided to investigate. I started rubbing my temples when he told me that he had never been to Russia.

Alas, there was no turning back. Trust me, I tried. But that?s a story to be told in Part 3 of this nomad adventure travel series?

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of travel journals. Writing journals are the perfect travel accessories. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travel articles and travelogues.

I should have paid more attention in math.

The itinerary for getting from San Diego to Chita read like this:

1. Fly from San Diego to Seattle.

2. Meet charity representative and other professor.

3. Fly from Seattle to Anchorage.

4. Fly from Anchorage on Aeroflot [gulp to Khabarovsk, Russia.

5. Take train from Khabarovsk to Chita.

How bad could it be? Very, very, very bad. Did I mention ?bad??

Day 1

The flight to Seattle was no problem. I met Tom Dickinson, the founder of Siberian Intercultural Bridges, but we couldn?t find the other teacher. Turns out the flight to Anchorage wasn?t till the next morning, so it didn?t really appear to be a problem. Around midnight, our attitude changed and we had written off the teacher.

Day 2

At 8 a.m., Grea Waters from Kentucky appears out of the Seattle mist. We have our second professor and he speaks fluent Russian. This is a big relief as I had spent a lot of the previous evening contemplating my Russian skills. That is to say, I had none. I couldn?t even pronounce the name of city we would land in, Khabarovsk. I nearly had a panic attack during the night when I bolted up in bed upon the realization that I would have no way of knowing how to get to the train or when to get off. You see, the Russian language is based on the Cyrillic alphabet. There is no way to wing the Cyrillic alphabet. For example, the letter ?y? is pronounced ?ch? as in Charlie. I was in definite trouble. Would the rest of my life be spent riding around aimlessly on trains? The continued grinning of Tom Dickinson didn?t make me feel any better.

Our flight from Seattle to Anchorage was uneventful. Yes, we flew Alaska Airlines. While waiting for our connection in Anchorage, two thoughts kept running though my head. First, isn?t Aeroflot the airline with all the crashes? Second, how did a man from Kentucky become fluent in Russian? I mean, what about his accent? I was feeling less confident about my translator and decided to investigate. I started rubbing my temples when he told me that he had never been to Russia.

Alas, there was no turning back. Trust me, I tried. But that?s a story to be told in Part 3 of this nomad adventure travel series?

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of travel journals. Writing journals are the perfect travel accessories. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travel articles and travelogues.

The most common travel mistake with children is Las Vegas or Reno in Nevada. While the tourism industries of both cities have been trying to make the towns into family vacation destinations (Las Vegas a bit more than Reno), these towns are not originally geared toward family.

There is very little in either city that is great for children, and anything that is can be easily replicated in other locations. Besides, if you’re planning on going to Las Vegas, you probably plan on doing at least a little gambling – which is something you should save for an adults- only vacation getaway.

The preferred choice for many parents with children is Disney theme parks. These parks are often the best choice for children over five and under twelve. Children over twelve may well still like it, too. Children under five, especially those under three, might find it difficult to spend the whole day there and later they will hardly remember their visit to Disney.

You should keep in mind, however, that Disney parks are an energetic vacation destination. These are not good places to go for a relaxing time, since they tend to be crowded, and there is always something new to go and see. With younger children, expect cranky afternoons.

For a more relaxed family vacation, you should think about a destination like Hawaii. While Hawaii is not geared specifically toward children, there are still plenty of things for you to do depending on which island you’re staying on.

Hawaii is the best place for a family vacation with children who are ten or older. The reason is that most entertainment activities are suitable for older children – for example Pearl Harbor. If you visit it and your children are too young, they will hardly figure out the significance of the place.

Another suggestion for a family vacation with children is cruise ships. When choosing to spend your vacation on a cruise ship, there are some important facts to consider.

First, it is most likely that you will share a cabin with your family and there won~t be enough room for everybody’s liking. But since there are so many things to do outside the cabin, it shouldn~t be too much of a problem to view the cabin as a sleeping spot rather than a permanent hang-out.

Also, cruise ships are not the ideal choice for teenagers. Teenagers are in a difficult position because on one hand the majority of programs for children are targeted at children under twelve and on the other hand, teenagers are still not old enough to participate in entertainment for adults (casinos, lounges, etc.) But in any case there is the benefit that you will witness marvelous ocean views and will visit many different ports. Watch out for whales!

The conclusion is that choosing the destination for your family vacation is firmly up to you! You are the one who knows best what is interesting for your children and what is not. Take into account what is suitable for them and what is preferred by you, choose a destination or vacation package which offers the best combination of things which appeal to all of you — and you’re halfway to a great trip already.

Andrew Westforth is the owner and operator of FHT Travel — a large and comprehensive collection of information on travel, including articles, resources and a free newsletter.

For great travel information, go to: http://www.fhttravel.com