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Kate Cosme: Family Travel Expert Kate Cosme is an expert on families: she helps create them! A maternity room nurse who lives in South Deerfield, Massachusetts with her husband Francisco and her two children Nathan and Sofie, Kate is also an expert on family travel and she shares her insights with our readers on GoNOMAD.com. And, of course, she's a top-notch travel writer. Her family vacation stories are lively, practical and fun. They make you want to go there, and when you do, you have all the information you need to get the most out of your precious vacation time. Here are a few samples: Cruising From New Jersey: An Easy Departure for Families Every parent knows this scene: Standing in the airport security line with a screaming toddler struggling to free himself from your grasp as you attempt to simultaneously remove your older child’s shoes, fold up the stroller to fit it through the tiny x-ray machine, and tuck away the goldfish crackers as the surly man in the TSA uniform asks you to please dump out your sippy cup. It happens repeatedly as parents attempt to vacation with their children. Long lines awaiting airport check in, dragging suitcases, strollers, pack n’ plays, toys, and other baby paraphernalia through the airport, layovers in unfamiliar cities, delayed flights, all hassles that start and end any vacation with undue stress. I decided to forego this messy scene while still getting the kids out of New England with a cruise from the Northeast... Boarding a cruise ship is exponentially easier than flying, with or without children. When cruising from Cape Liberty, a local family can drive to the port, park, and be onboard within an hour. No need to be afraid of packing too much; you’ll never have to carry your bags! The cruise port is organized so that you drop off your luggage before parking the car, bringing only a small carry-on bag with you. Read more
A Three-Generation Moms' Getaway on Cape Cod Busy working mothers don’t often get the chance to find relaxation close to home. So when the opportunity struck for this mother, daughter, and three-month-old granddaughter to take a three-day vacation in early April, our options were limited. Where could two moms go to getaway and relax in the early spring in New England? We decided to head to the Outer Cape, the last leg of the journey out on the forearm of the Massachusetts peninsula that is Cape Cod. There was some concern about the possibility of cold weather. New England can be notoriously chilly at any given time of year and April is no exception. It has been known to snow on many an April day in this region, but was that enough to tamper our adventurous spirits? Definitely not.
We were fortunate to have reserved a cottage at Chez Sven, an eco-friendly B&B nestled in the woods in Wellfleet, a small town about 20 minutes from the tip of Cape Cod. In the off-season Wellfleet has a population of around 2800, a number that swells to more than 12,000 during the peak of summer. At Chez Sven we had a choice of rooms in the main house that come with a full breakfast, but we opted for Seagull Cottage, a lovely two-bedroom cottage next door to the main house. Sven, one of the proprietors, is from Sweden, and Sandy, his wife, is from New England. Despite the rain, Seagull Cottage was cozy and inviting with a fireplace, fully equipped kitchen and beautifully tiled bath with a deep soaking tub. Read more
Old Orchard Beach Maine: For Families with Children of All Ages Nestled into seven miles of white sandy beach, Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and its surrounding community is the perfect place for a family vacation. This long strip of heaven is ideal for swimming, sandcastles, or digging for clams. Having frequented this part of Maine often with my parents when I was a child, I had no recollection of what to expect as I made the short drive from western Massachusetts with my husband and two boys. Upon arriving at Old Orchard we were taken aback by the large number of hotels ready to accommodate us right on the beach. Small motels with starting prices as low as $50 per night during the off season, to larger more luxurious suites on the beach, as well as larger cottages big enough for the whole family.
The locals warned us that lodging fills up in the summer months, so get your reservations in quick if you want to catch the good deals. The amazing thing I noticed immediately about Old Orchard was that everything was happening right on the beach or just steps away, even accommodations without a view of the water were no more than walking distance away from the sand... As a woman who is constantly on the go, it is always important for me to have the chance to slow down during my vacation. Waking early in the morning with my younger child, the beach was a quiet paradise for us and a few early fishermen. Nathan splashed in the wake and ran from the approaching waves while I sat in the sand and breathed in the salty air. Read more
More GoNOMAD stories by Kate Cosme: Read Kate Cosme's Family blog "Running in Circles
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Read Kate Cosme's Family blog "Running in Circles
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