Trippin'

I know it's only February. But this year, darnit, I am determined to plan a summer vacation early enough that maybe, just maybe, we can venture out beyond L.A. County. Besides the fact that our passports are burning a hole in our "important documents" drawer, I'm excited that the kids are old enough to do something big, now that they don't require a strict nap time or diaper changes and might actually remember seeing something besides the interior of a stroller.

I collected several travel tidbits in the course of researching a travel-planning story for the March issue (coming to stands on Feb. 22), but here's a sneak peek at some travel news that might just spur you into action, too:

• At the James Chicago, a tony boutique hotel in the Windy City, families who book a suite receive Clek car seats in Paul Frank fabrics that can be used in the chauffeured Audi SUV or in a taxi – and then handily folded into a tote. Older kids receive the booster seats – again in Paul Frank designs. Then check out the hotel's Weekend Adventure Package (starting at $279 per night) that comes with passes to five of the city's top attractions, including the Museum of Science and Industry. And of course, you receive milk and cookies with your turndown service. If you can't bring the kids, then you can still read them a bedtime story using the rooms' in-room web cams.


• If your vacation is taking you to the kid-loving 50th state, you’ll find several resorts with top-notch kids’ amenities. The Hilton Hawaiian Village on the family-friendly island of Oahu features Camp Penguin, named for the eight African black-footed penguins that reside at the resort. Kids at Camp Penguin absorb Hawaiian culture through storytelling, games, music, lei-making and excursions to the Honolulu Zoo and the Bishop Museum, among other outings. Full day is $90 per child or $65 for a half-day (Camp Penguin hotel packages are available, too).


• Weave your way to Bermuda by booking passage with Craft Cruises, a travel agency that pairs the cruise experience with specialized activities. Craft Cruises partnered with The Handwork Studio to craft a cruise with workshops that teach kids about the needle arts. The seven-day Holland America Line cruise (starting at about $999 per person) departs New York City for Bermuda on June 20 and is geared for children ages 5-15. Workshops include a sunset knitting circle, embroidery, crocheting, and hand- and machine-sewing.


• Of course, the biggest news for die-hard Harry Potter fans based here in the U.S. is the grand-opening last spring of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a 20-acre themed area at Universal’s Island of Adventure ($79 adults, $69 ages 3-9) at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. Hogwarts Castle will immerse Pottermaniacs in the state-of-the-art Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey experience, which uses technology to bring the characters to life. Post-castle, you can wander into Zonko’s joke shop for Sneakoscopes or Ollivanders wand shop, where the wand chooses you.


• If authentic castles are what you crave, hop across the pond and head to the Irish countryside’s Ashford Castle, set on 350 acres in County Mayo. The hotel offers some unique packages, such as Hogwarts Halloween in the fall, a Shrek Family Package in February and the Summer Family Falconry Package, which includes falconry lessons for all. It’s not cheap – packages start at about $700 per night – but the gorgeous castle, which dates back to 1228, has a resident owl named Dingle.