Family Vacation Critic would like to welcome our new regular blog contributor, Traci L. Suppa. Traci lives in a small town in the Hudson Valley of New York, with her husband and two children and will providing us with tales of her adventures to visit some of the country’s most unique destinations, similar to what she does on her her own site Go BIG or Go Home. We thought we’d introduce her with a little Q&A. Watch for her blogs soon!
1. How old are your children? My son is 11, and my daughter is 4 (with the mad melodrama skills of a 15 year old).
2. What made you decide to write about your adventures? For over 15 years, I worked in PR and marketing positions for travel destinations like Florida, Jamaica and the Hudson Valley. I facilitated countless visits for travel writers from around the world. I always had my heart set on jumping over the fence and becoming one of them. After my daughter was born, I took the leap and began a freelance writing business.
3. What is your favorite trip with your kids so far?
There isn’t one trip which stands out overall in my mind above the others. Instead, I have a collection of favorite moments: geocaching at Smugglers’ Notch Resort in Vermont; spending the day on Sandbridge Beach in Virginia; seeing the world’s largest bowling pin in Florida and then finding out that my son bowls much better than I do. Of course, there have been the requisite –- and thrilling — Disney princess sightings.
4. Everyone has a travel nightmare, what was yours? If I told you, I would incriminate someone related to me through marriage. Seriously, I traveled a lot as a kid with my parents and brother, because we were based in Saudi Arabia for seven years. When I was 11, we were caught in a hotel fire in Spain. It was the middle of the night, and the staff banged on our door yelling “Fuego!” We got out, and no one was hurt, but our belongings were destroyed by smoke.
5. What types of vacations do you typically prefer to take with the kids? Right now I’m dealing with a strange compulsion to visit quirky roadside attractions, and “world’s largest” sites. We’ve taken road trips to visit the world’s largest apple, garden gnome, globe, kaleidoscope, light bulb, and many more.
6. What do the kids most enjoy about family vacations? Usually, anything BUT the world’s largest apple, globe, etc. High on their priority list are swimming and ice cream outings, but they also love theme parks and childrens’ museums. And they both just love hanging out in hotel rooms.
7. What’s your tried-and-true vacation with the kids? No one ever complains about a trip to Florida to visit my parents. (Well, actually, my husband does complain a little.)
8. What makes a hotel great for families?Amenities that create a familiar, home-like atmosphere. That’s a fancy way of saying big TVs. Spacious rooms help keep the kids from killing each other, and a free hot breakfast keeps it affordable! Also, elevators. My daughter can’t get enough elevator rides.
9. Do you prefer to drive or fly with the kids? For the past few years, we’ve been taking road trips, even to Florida. For relatively short hauls, I prefer the convenience of having our own car, and the flexibility to come and go as we please. That said, our family unit would never survive a cross-country road trip. Never.
10. What’s your ultimate dream vacation yet to be taken? My “with kids” answer is: a week aboard the world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. My “without kids” answer is: the South Pacific.
Whooo hooo! I adore Traci’s writing. She’ll bring loads of personality, humor and quirkiness to the FVC blog, for sure. Cool!
Congrats on this new gig Traci! I really enjoy your posts…and will always remember connecting to you through the Muffler Man discussion. Looking forward to your travel ideas.