Whether you鈥檙e looking to fly the family off to warmer weather, or prefer to stick close to home, two experts share their favorite destinations and insider tips for spring break travel.
WASHINGTON 鈥� Spring break is right around the corner, and if your calendar is still clear, it鈥檚 time to plan the week.
Whether you鈥檙e looking to fly the family off to warmer weather, or prefer to stick close to home, two experts share their favorite destinations and insider tips for spring break travel:
Mini-trips: Richmond If you can鈥檛 spare a full week off from work, or want to avoid crowded airports, travel and parenting blogger Guiomar Ochoa said there are several great spring break options close to home 鈥� starting with the Commonwealth鈥檚 capital city. Just a few hours south of D.C. is Richmond, a historic city filled with great food, drink and family fun. Ochoa highly recommends visiting , where little ones can interact with exhibits that cover everything from pollination to travel technology. About a mile away from the museum is , a charming strip filled with local restaurants, boutiques and businesses. is another great spot to spend time outdoors 鈥� either in the park鈥檚 gardens or at the children鈥檚 farm. A surprisingly family-friendly activity is Richmond鈥檚 . Ochoa said many of the breweries have great food and games for children. If you鈥檙e still hungry, she recommends checking out for breakfast and for an afternoon scoop of ice cream. Hotel tip: Ochoa said , near the VCU campus, has 鈥渇amily rooms,鈥� equipped with a king bed for parents and bunk beds for the kids.
(AP/Steve Helber)
AP/Steve Helber
Mini-trips: Pittsburgh There鈥檚 a reason why Visit Pittsburgh dubbed the city . Ochoa said this western Pennsylvania city offers a number of activities for children. The pays homage to the city鈥檚 PBS heroes, including Mr. Rodgers and Daniel Tiger, and gives visitors a view of the city by land and water. provides natural habitat settings for its animals and also houses an aquarium 鈥� making it a two-for-one kind of activity. Less than four hours from D.C., this destination is perfect for a long weekend getaway. Hotel tip: Ochoa recommends the in downtown Pittsburgh for families. The rooms have kitchens and there is coin-laundry 鈥� a true amenity when traveling with children.
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
Mini-trips: The GreenbrierChecking into a resort takes the pressure off planning if you don鈥檛 have the time or desire to research spring break travel and activities. About three and a half hours outside of D.C. is , a historic mountain resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. With on-site activities such as swimming, bowling, horseback riding and ziplining, Ochoa said it鈥檚 a great destination for kids. There鈥檚 even an adventure center where parents can drop kids off with trained staff while they golf, dine or relax in the spa. 鈥淭hey have carriage rides, and in the winter, they have sleigh rides. They have ice skating, they have a beautiful playground 鈥� and if you need a little bit of alone time, they have great babysitters that you can book,鈥� Ochoa said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like a one-stop place; you don鈥檛 have to think about anything.鈥� 听
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jeff Gentner)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jeff Gentner
Popular destinations: New Orleans The Big Easy is celebrating its 300th anniversary this year, and Travel Channel鈥檚 Oneika Raymond said there鈥檚 never been a better time to visit 鈥� even with the kids. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not only a party town or party city. There is a lot of history, there is excellent food, and there are a number of activities that are family friendly,鈥� said Raymond, a Travel Channel digital contributor and host of and. See the sites of New Orleans via a Segway tour, or test out the famous cuisine on a food tour. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 leave without having a beignet or po鈥檅oy, and these food tours give you a lot of opportunities to sample all of the local fare,鈥� Raymond said.听
(Paul Broussard/New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation via AP)
Paul Broussard/New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation via AP
Popular destinations: Hit the seas There鈥檚 a resurgence in family cruise travel as ships add activities for travelers of all ages and interests, Raymond said. Plus, you can鈥檛 beat the view. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy to fly to a port city in the U.S., like Houston or Miami, and then hop on the boat and have a fantastic time. It鈥檚 the most perfect way to escape the winter doldrums,鈥� she added.
(AP/Beth J. Harpaz)
AP/Beth J. Harpaz
Tips for traveling with kids You may have heard parents refer to family travel as a 鈥渢rip,鈥� not a 鈥渧acation鈥� 鈥� and there鈥檚 a reason for that. Long drives, layovers and unfamiliar surroundings can do a number on little ones. Raymond鈥檚 best piece of advice for parents traveling with kids is to stay flexible. 鈥淕ive yourself time. I think when we travel as adults, we鈥檙e very set on our itineraries and we have a very strict timeline, and as soon as you have a group trip听鈥� and especially a group trip that involves children听鈥� you have to let those time constraints go,鈥� she said. 听If the days are packed with tiring activities, let the kids sleep in. And when you鈥檙e booking dinner reservations or guided tours, build in some extra time. It might take longer than you think to get from Point A to Point B. 鈥淵ou want to ensure that your children are feeling well-rested and less irritable. You will be so much better for it and you will have a way better time,鈥� Raymond added. 听
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/KEITH SRAKOCIC)
ASSOCIATED PRESS/KEITH SRAKOCIC
Budget travel If you鈥檙e hoping to save a few bucks on your spring break travel, Raymond said the best thing you can do is be flexible. For spring break travel, parents don鈥檛 have much flexibility with dates 鈥� 鈥渟o I would implore you then to be really flexible with where you are going,鈥� Raymond said. Guatemala is one emerging destination that鈥檚 great for budget travel. Raymond said in many ways, it鈥檚 comparable to Mexico. 鈥淐entral America is really wonderful in terms of the history and the culture and the food, and Guatemala has all of those things 鈥� ruins and an amazing history and exceptional cuisine. But, it鈥檚 a little bit cheaper and easier on the wallet.鈥� 听
(AP/MANUEL VALDES)
AP/MANUEL VALDES
When should you book? 鈥淣ow鈥� is Raymond鈥檚 answer. 鈥淭ime is on your side. Make sure that you at least book airfare or transportation to wherever it is that you would like to go,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he reason I say this is because spring break is spring break. You don鈥檛 have a lot of flexibility in terms of the dates, nor do many other people, and so it will be a very busy time. It is high demand in terms of travel.鈥� Raymond recommends websites such as and for scoping out the best deals and destinations before you click and commit.听
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
