Welcome to 
Do you ever sit at home racking your brain, trying to figure out what fun activity or event to attend with the kids? I know I do! Before the “blog age”, I used to wonder the internet aimlessly, looking for things to do, lost in a world of infinite information. Nowadays, I have my go to list of sites to read to keep me up to date with new family friendly activity information. For all things Southern California, I often turn to Daytripping Mom. Aracely, the writer behind Daytrippingmom.com is always sharing discounts, giveaway, free museum days, and endless activity ideas with her readers. Besides being a great site for locals, I think her site is a valuable resource for families planning on visiting Southern California as well. Here are some recent examples of why I think her site is so great:
- After reading her post on where to see the Rose Parade Floats up close after the parade, I have marked in on my calendar for next year.
- She is always putting together these great lists or free museum days or discounted fun attractions like this one about free and cheap things to do around Southern California.
- There always seems to be some sort of giveaway going on like tickets to Elmo’s Birthday Party at the Discovery Science Center or tickets to Sealife Aquarium.
If you live, love, or visit Southern California, add Daytripping Mom to your blogroll. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Stay tuned for a great Huntington Beach themed Monday Madness which will be co-hosted by the OC expert herself, Daytripping Mom…
Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?
Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about. Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo! Link up something fresh from your blog using the Mr Linky below.
PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.
Step 1: Pick a recent post (past couple of days)
Step 2: Under “Name” write: “Title of your blog post (blog name)” – blog name in parenthesis
Under “url” paste: the link to your blog post (not your home page)
Step 3: Grab the Spotlight Thursday image and link to this post so your readers can see who else is playing along this week.
We want to be sure that everyone who participates in Spotlight Thursdays gets their moment in the spotlight so blogs that don’t link back will unfortunately have to be removed.
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
That time of the year is coming up soon! Trekaroo will be selecting our 2009 Superoos in December – that’s just a couple months away. So, if there is any doubt if you are a Trekaroo mom or dad who has demonstrated Superoo abilities this year? Then it’s time to step up.
Wait? Don’t you not know what a Superoo is? Wonder no longer…
Trekaroo Superoos are parents with unique characteristics who are able to see the humor amidst the challenges of traveling with their offspring. In fact, they thrive best when exploring and trail blazing with their pack. They are our biggest contributors and eager to help. Superoos inspire other family travelers through the stories they tell, the tips they share, and their insightful recommendations. Each year, the Superoo council selects moms and dads from the Trekaroo community who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. These select few are the go-to folks for travel advice and demonstrate wisdom and travel savvy that separate them from the rest.
Superoos get special Superoo privileges.
Intrigued? Find out more about how to become a Superoo
If you think you’ve run of of ways to prove your Superoo abilities? No way!
Did you know we added restaurants as a category under activities, you have even more to review. Add photos, answer questions. You can even create a list out of all the reviews you’ve already written. Just select a theme for your list and off you go.
Here’s another idea, get other families going by sending messages and compliments! There are so many ways to prove your Superoo abilities!
LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL
The Trekaroo KidsMobile has zoomed across the country and pulled into the star struck city of:
Los Angeles!
Beyond taking your kids through the well trodden gates of the Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Hollywood’s Universal Studios, Trekaroo moms and dads have tons of ideas for adventures they’ve discovered for kids. With 185 activities and growing in the Los Angeles Area that can be sorted and filtered by your child’s age and interests, Los Angeles promises you’ll never have a dull moment. This week, we welcome some of L.A’s funniest and most informative blogging moms as our hosts. Ready? Let’s get started with our whirlwind tour of some special places your kids will love in Los Angeles.
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Our first host – Tammy Gibson – knows mom and girls all love to feel beautiful. She lets us in on 10 Fashion and Beauty Stops to Make With Your Tween or Teen Girl in Los Angeles. Tammy is the stylin’ mom behind her blog A Mom in Red High Heels that is filled with fashion and beauty tips to encourage moms to make themselves a priority so that they can be at the best for their family.
Next, Laura Clark, an adventurous mom of a toddler has discovered 5 Places You Never Thought to Bring Your Toddler in Los Angeles. That right! Theatre, art, museums, movies…? Moms and dads, you don’t have to miss out any longer! Check out more of Laura’s discoveries through her lighthearted and well written blog: LA Story
There is a another side of Los Angeles that Debi Huang does not want eclipsed by the glamor of Hollywood. Her list of 10 Nature Inspired Adventures for Families in Los Angeles is fresh and delightful. If this is any indication of the kind of places she’ll be exploring in her brand new blog Go Explore Nature, you’ll want to bookmark it today.
More Resources for Los Angeles:
Next week, we’ll be heading to chica-chica Chicago
The Trekaroo KidsMobile is a blog carnival with a twist. It’s designed to provide a unique opportunity for mom and dad bloggers to be featured on Trekaroo while
1) expressing their unique point of view
2) getting a web of link exchanges.
Join us for one of our next stopovers.
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LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA
There are millions of moms who have discovered blogging as an outlet for expressing their thoughts and opinions about topics that are near and dear to their hearts. But, gaining an audience for our writing is a huge endeavor in and off itself. We all know that link exchanges are the key to gaining SEO visibility and traffic. But in reality, not all link exchanges are made equal. After all, how valuable is a link from a page when you are buried among hundreds of other links that don’t explain anything about your unique point of view or expertise?
That’s why Trekaroo is launching a new program – The Trekaroo KidsMobile – to provide a unique opportunity for mom bloggers to be featured on Trekaroo while 1) expressing their unique point of view, and 2) getting a web of link exchanges. It’s a blog carnival with a good twist.
Over the next 50 weeks, the Trekaroo KidsMobile will travel across America, stopping off at a major family destination each week. All blogging parents can participate by creating a list on Trekaroo that reflects their unique point of view.
So, let’s take our first stop – New York City (scheduled for Sept 15,2009).
Does your blog focus on fashion? Write a list of the “10 Best Places to Go Shopping with a Teen in NYC”.
Does your blog focus on education? Write a list of the “10 Most Interesting Educational Opportunities for Kids in NYC”.
Does your blog focus on life with a toddler? Write a list of “Must See Places in NYC with a Toddler”.
Do you keep a funny blog? Write a list of “Goofy Experiences with Kids in NYC.”
Get the idea?
As for the link exchanges, it’ll work much like a blog carnival. The diagram below shows the web of link exchanges that all participating blogs will gain when they participate in the KidsMobile Program.
All participants get a link from Trekaroo to your blogs via their Trekaroo Passport.
But we will also provide a link to your blog from our 20+ different blogs that we maintain on various news publications like sfgate.com.
Plus, you’ll get links from all the other blogs who participate in KidsMobile the week you do.
Now that’s what we call quality linky love.
Learn more about the KidsMobile
Step by Step Guide For Jumping Onboard the KidsMobile
When are we coming to your favorite town? See the KidsMobile Calendar for the next 50 weeks.
Trekaroo is a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids. Most of our families are just normal moms and dads, sharing about their real experiences as they explore with their kids. Our community recommends fun activities for kids, and kid-friendly hotels, and restaurants.
Email us if you wish to participate. editor@trekaroo.com
Welcome to the July 29, 2009 edition of carnival of cities. Many thanks to Sheila Scarborough for starting this fun exchange of bloggers who are sharing about cities around the world. In the wink of a blog post, we’ll travel around the world together. This is a biweekly event and Trekaroo is proud to host this edition. The next edition will return to Family Travel Logue (Aug 12)
Fire up those clickers and we’re off!
Cities of the Americas
New York City, New York: Emm veers west of London for a second day in new york. New York day 2: Empire State Building was posted at Emm in London, saying “I recently took a trip to New York and I fell in love. This post is from my second day in this magical city.”
New York City, New York: Amie O’Shaughnessy visited New York with your family and brings you Summer in New York City: Ideas to Keep Kids Cool and Happy posted at Welcome to the Ciao Bambino Blog.
Washington, District of Columbia: Jon annouces that DC’s Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Lotus Flowers are in Full Bloom posted at The DC Traveler – Washington DC travel & tourism information. “The lotus flowers in Wshington DC’s Kenilworth Gardens are in full bloom and spectacular. Nature at it’s best.”
Pensacola Beach, Florida: Jennifer shares about the reopened Ft. Pickens – Pensacola Beach, Florida posted at Pensacola with Kids “Due to Hurricane Ivan, Fort Pickens was closed to car traffic for several years. It has recently opened back up and is a great place to take the whole family. Explore the fort and check out our sandy white beaches!”
Mobile, Alabama: Jennifer explores a little off the beaten path with A Day Trip: Five Things to Do in Mobile, Alabama with Your Kids posted at Two Kids and a Map, saying, “Mobile, Alabama is full of fantastic activities and places to enjoy with your kids. These are five of our picks for a quick day trip!”
Austin, Texas: Sheila Scarborough tells us about the cool Austin Rocks: Sunday Bluegrass Brunch at Threadgill’s posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying, “Threadgill’s has been around Austin since the 1930s; the “Old No. 1″ North Austin location has a Bluegrass Brunch that all ages can enjoy.”
Winter Park, Colorado: Watch Me Eat presents Food at the Watermelon 5K posted at Watch Me Eat. “Running through the historic neighborhoods and gardens during the Watermelon 5K Race in Winter Park, FL (and then enjoying the watermelon after).”
Los Angeles, California: Henry presents Three Hours in Los Feliz – Part II posted at Finding Freedom, saying, “This is the second part of my afternoon exploring the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The article focuses on the Barnsdall Arts Park and the Hollyhock House. You can find part one in the July 15, 2009 issue of Carnival of Cities.”
Temecula, Califronia: Caterina Christakos lets us in on the Temecula Wine Tasting Shuttles | Wine Clubs Worldwide posted at Wine Clubs Worldwide.
Cancun Mexico: One Family has explored Cancun to bring back this Cancun Trip Report posted at One Family’s Blog, saying, “A family trip report of Cancun from a frugal family.”
San Francisco, California: LiLing Pang has found 10 Destination Worthy Playgrounds in the San Francisco Bay Area that promise a day of fun for hardly a penny. Read all the details about why each of these playgrounds are so special on Trekaroo.
Cities of Asia
Vichuda presents Tjong A Fie Mansion History posted at Kota Medan Guide.
Suzhou, China: Iain Manley shares his Suzhou City Guide posted at Holiday Fu.
Manila, Philippines: Mara shares her list of Manila Shopping Malls posted at The Manila Girl.
Penukonda, India: Kristie has had the unique experience of Celebrating Guru Purnima 2009 In India posted at Norway – An American In Oslo,
Cities of Europe
Jen Miner has a raves about The Best Luxury Hotel in the World in the Traveling Mamas.
Dan Miller presents Robert Redford and Sibylle Szaggars: Married! posted at Celebs Free Pics, saying, “Robert Redford married Sibylle Szaggars in Hamburg, Germany last weekend.The 71-year-old acting and directing legend wed the 51-year-old Sibyelle after the two had been dating for a while.”
Jason share about the 800 year old festival where residents of celerbate the 1209: Massacre of Beziers, “kill them all, let God sort them out” posted at Executed Today.
London, UK: William wallace knows how to find free thrills. He’s wirrten A Guide To Finding Free Events In London posted at London Is Cool
Rome, Italy: Mick Hart presents Visiting Rome In A Day – Is That Really Possible? posted at Globe Cheap Travel, saying, “Discount Travel Techniques that guarantee big savings on family vacations, international flights, accommodation, entertainment, and lots more…”
Travelrat presents Gardens in Madrid « Travelrat’s Travels posted at Travelrat’s Travels.
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags: carnival of cities, blog carnival.
