Dear family travelers:
Let's face it. We all need some fun in the sun-now. We can't wait for summer!
Here's the good news. It's not too late to plan a Spring Break, whether you have a long weekend or a week. And it shouldn't cost you a bundle either. Our Spring Break section is packed with ideas. Here are five you may not have thought of: 
-- San Diego, where the weather is warm, there are family attractions galore (everyone loves the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld!) and the crowds don't arrive until summer. Another plus: The new LEGOLAND Hotel opens in nearby Carlsbad, Calif., in early April.
-- Cross the Pond to London or Paris. Experts note that fares are significantly cheaper in spring and you won't face the same crowds as in summer. Check websites like www.fly.com to compare fare prices. And you can save even more if you book a hotel and flight together.
 | | Just ahead of the cherry blossoms, the third book in my Kids Guides series from Globe-Pequot Press has been published. More are in the works, on Los Angeles and Chicago! |
-- Go to Washington, D.C. The nation's capital has more free attractions - and more spies - than anywhere in the country. And my new Kid's Guide to Washington DC from Globe Pequot Press is now published. Since so many of the museums and memorials are free, you don't have to worry if the kids get antsy after an hour or two in one of the Smithsonian museums, for example. And there's always the chance to fly a kite on the National Mall, stop in to meet your congressman or visit Ford's Theater after seeing the new "Lincoln" movie.
-- Hit the Snow. If you've promised your family a trip to a snow resort all winter, now is the time with kids-free deals, festivals every week (including in Colorado Kidtopia at Keystone and Ullr Nights Friday evenings at Snowmass), plus longer days and plenty of sunshine. Ski.com can help craft a package that includes flights, lifts, lodging and rentals or drive to a resort near your home. If the kids-and you-are beginners, smaller is always better. Bolton Valley in Vermont is one of our faves for that reason. Check out our Fun in the Snow section for more ideas.
-- Time travel back in history by touring a civil war battlefield or the Historic Triangle of Virginia. Check out the website for kids on the Colonial Williamsburg site, where the kids could dress up like colonists and play 18th-century games at Colonial Williamsburg, learn the true story of Pocahontas at Jamestown and visit a Continental Army encampment at Yorktown Victory Center.
 Also on TAKING THE KIDS
   
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Our FUN IN THE SNOW GUIDE for 2012-13 is a great place to find family programs, activities, destinations, lodging and deals during the Winter.
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