Almost a year ago, an uber ambitious group of Superoos were selected to become the first ever Destination Guroos.  These busy Trekaroo contributors continue to help grow Trekaroo by making it relevant to locals, wherever you call home.  As volunteers, they have worked hard adding new content to the site, securing lots of fun activities for Superoos (and for their own families), and have helped write numerous submissions for this blog that highlight seasonal, local, and perfectly awesome activities to do with your family around the country.

And Trekaroo is continuing to grow…

In addition to the Guroos selected in early 2011, five new Guroos have been added to the pack.  The following  nine ladies are the go-tos in their particular region.  Let’s get to know them a bit better.

Southern & Central California

Sharlene Earnshaw (doubletheadventure) joined Trekaroo in 2009; she has five-year-old twins.

Sharlene does double duty here at Trekaroo as both a co-SoCal destination Guroo with Michelle McCoy (below), and also as the Blog Editor in Chief.  She spends countless hours adding site content, writing posts, setting up Superoo visits across the country, editing blogs and still somehow manages to be super mom to five-year-old twins!  She travels extensively and shares her advice with the masses here on Trekaroo.  I am tired just thinking about all she has to do!

Favorite traveling tip:  “Travel with your kids while they are young and travel often. The more often you get your kids out there, the easier it will become. The first five years of a child’s life are when they are making all those important brain cells and every educational travel experience is worth months of time stuck behind a desk in school.”

Dream vacation destination:  “Any National Park. I love being outside with my family and enjoying the beauty of America”

Best thing about being a guroo: “I love California with a passion and being able to grow Trekaroo’s Southern California coverage is a total blast! It has led me to vacation in my own neck of the woods more often, something I might not have otherwise thought to do.”

 Sharlene’s contributions to the Trekaroo blog are too many to mention here.  A few blog highlights include 15 National Park adventures, the helpful Best CA Tidepools for kids ,and Best Zoos in the West.  Check out Sharlene’s passport to see where she’s been.

Michelle McCoy (mcfam) joined Trekaroo in 2010; she has four kids between two and ten.

 Michelle stays extremely busy with Sharlene filling out the dense and active Southern & Central California destination on Trekaroo.  She is in charge of tons of major tourist attractions, yet prides herself on working to get every single activity, restaurant and hotel on the Trekaroo map.  She has reviewed over 300 activities on Trekaroo to date– really!

Favorite traveling tip:  “Take baby powder to the beach: sand falls off wet skin when covered in baby powder!  Yes, I have very white kids afterwards, but the sand is mostly gone.”

Dream vacation destination:  “A quiet beach in Hawaii under a gentle sun.  Quiet is key!”

Best thing about being a guroo: “Being a Guroo has put me in situations that I never dreamed I’d be in, such as attending a LA blog event dressed in 60s clothes while chatting up with other bloggers… or competing in a challenging race in San Antonio with Sharlene while meeting fabulous tour guides and staff in that beautiful city.”

See where Michelle & family have been and get her inside scoop.  Read her blog articles as they are packed full of awesome SoCal fun including the top ten holiday events, and great summer packages for SoCal beach destinations.  Michelle has a slew of fabulously helpful lists, notably the free & fun activities in LA & Orange County that I have personally used over and over!

Have a question about traveling in SoCal?? Ask the guroos!!

Texas

Heather Reed (slofamilylife) joined Trekaroo in 2009; she has four children under the age of seven.

Heather’s contributions to Trekaroo are honest and full of practical tips and information.  A mom to four kids, one of whom is special needs, Heather provides a unique and helpful voice for families traveling with specific challenges and concerns.

Why you should love Texas:  “As a newbie to Texas myself, it’s like an entire region opened up to us.  I love that Texas is rich in culture and art, has an amazing array of family activities, and some of the best resorts in the nation!”

Dream vacation destination:  “An around the world trip stopping specifically in Thailand, Barcelona, Switzerland, Rome, Venice, and Italy.  Oh, and I would absolutely LOVE to walk in Jesus’ footsteps in the middle east!”

Heather’s blog contributions are all incredibly helpful:  Check out her post on traveling with special needs children, the best river rafting trips with kids, and how to pack for a road trip. View Heather’s passport to see the latest spots she has reviewed.

Have a question about traveling in Texas?? Ask the guroo!!

Florida

Lisa Marie Leihy (cavalletta) joined Trekaroo in 2008; she has one six-year old daughter.

Lisa Marie was one of the original Superoos and has continued to provide excellent content, reviews and tips over the past few years.   Her excellent writing and enthusiasm shines in Sunny Florida as she works hard to uncover all of the awesome attractions in her home state.

Favorite Vacation Destination: “Springtime in Florida cannot be beat!  The dogwoods and azaleas are in bloom and the fresh fruits and vegetables are at their peak!  Chefs across the state create amazing dishes featuring these goodies, sand sculpting contests can be found along the beautiful coastline and art festivals are ideal places to see the world from another perspective.”

Favorite tip for traveling with kids: “Make a list, check it twice and remember that vacations are about having fun together as a family. Let the little things go and just have fun!”

Lisa Marie’s passport is full  of helpful reviews and lists including fun spots for animal lovers and Kid Friendly Museum exhibits in Tampa Bay.   An article on visiting the Everglades with Kids, or an all-inclusive Cancun trip are just two great samples of her great blog contributions.

Have a question about traveling in Florida?? Ask the guroo!

New England

Michelle Brennan (meb123) joined Trekaroo in 2009; she has three kids ages 6-9.

 Michelle is one of the brand new Guroos and is full of excitement.  She covers the great New England states that are rich in history, culture and fun family activities.  She was picked to be the Guroo for this destination because of her excellent writing, committment to the site and love of travel.   

Why you should love New England: “New England is diverse and encompassing. There is everything from mountains to shore.”

Travel Philosophy: “Take [kids] places where they can get out and explore. The world is full of things to learn about. “

Fun Fact: While RVing at Glacier and Yellowstone, Michelle “found out something about our youngest that we would not have expected. She loves to track animals by their footprints and poop. Who would have guessed we had a budding animal scientist on our hands??”

Michelle’s blog submissions have just begun, but she has already shared a few gems: Read about her family vacation in New Hampshire, or find out the behind the scenes details of a performance of the Nutcracker.  Read her permanent reviews on Trekaroo for her coverage of New England.

Have a question about traveling in New England??  Ask the guroo!!

Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware

Beth Keklak (BAT) joined Trekaroo in 2009; she has three kids ages 7-10.

Beth describes her family as energetic, adventurous and easy-going and it is evident in her contributions that she and her family rarely take a breath from travel & fun opportunities.  Beth was chosen this year as a Guroo because of her great dedication and professional involvement with the site, and has already began the fun and intense work of adding content and activities in her three Eastern states. 

What you should know about New Jersey (Beth’s home state): “We aren’t what you see in all those reality TV shows!”

Favorite tip for traveling with kids: “Pack plenty of patience and plan for the unexpected.”

Dream vacation: “Australia”

Travel Philosophy: “We have never taken a “relaxing” vacation at an all inclusive resort that includes a lot of down time.  When we travel, we like to explore areas to the fullest extent we can in the time we have!”

Explore with Beth’s family by heading to her reviews on Trekaroo.  If you are  headed to Atlantic City, be sure to check out her list on the top destinations for kids, and while you have New Jersey on your mind, be sure to read her blog about the best holiday activities in the area.

Have a question about traveling in PA, NJ or DE??  Ask the guroo!!

Utah

Ann Anderson (akeisel) joined Trekaroo in 2011; she has three children.

Ann started off with Trekaroo this year and was immediately noticed as a great writer, passionate traveler and go getter!  In her short time with Trekaroo she already has over 140 reviews under her belt.  She was a natural choice for the new Utah Guroo because of her wit, enthusiasum and dedication to the families on Trekaroo. 

Favorite tip for traveling with kids: “Start travelling with your babies early; by the time they’re 3, they’ll know the drill.”

Best thing about being a guroo: The name of course. I often request that my kiddos refer to me as Mommy Guroo – it’s so empowering!

Funny travel story: Ann’s personal drive to experience everything any family would enjoy while on assignment was tested while riding the huge canyon swing 1000 feet above the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs, CO.  She says that she “climbed aboard the ride with my 10 year old, buckled up, shut my eyes and immediately starting screaming when the ride operator pushed “go”!  I screamed so loud that the poor operator shut the ride off after only 2 swings out across the river. I’m sure I still hold the prize for biggest wimp on that canyon swing.”

Check out Ann’s passport full of helpful reviews.  She has a fantastic list covering Utah’s National Parks  and recently shared a helpful and inviting post on visiting National Parks in the off season.

Have a question about traveling in Utah??  Ask the guroo!

Northern California

Tina Buell (imsnow) joined Trekaroo in 2011; she has one three year old son.

Tina and Kristine (below) share the Northern California region.  Tina is a single mom to an adorable little boy and loves that writing and adding content for Trekaroo gives her the opportunity to not sacrifice her desire to travel with her son.  She was an obvious choice for the NorCal co-guroo spot as she has shown nothing but enthusiasm and committment to be as involved as she possibly can at any given moment; Trekaroo appreciates her efforts.

Favorite vacation destination: “Vienna, Austria”

 Why Northern California rocks:  “Northern California is a very diverse terrain with activities ranging from ski level to sea level.”

Favorite tip for traveling with kids: Just “don’t be scared to do it. It’s always worth it.”

Tina loves sharing reviews on Trekaroo.  A great year round resource she has written is the Top Berkley Activities for Kids, and the holiday list for the top Christmas activities in NorCal.

Kristine Dworkin (kristined) joined Trekaroo in 2009 ; she has two children.

Kristine is another new addition to the Guroo team and brings with her a great sense of fun mixed in with some incredibly practical and helpful tips.  She is also the mom to a special needs child and writes from a perspective encouraging to so many Americans whose children’s needs are diverse and unique.  She and Tina stay busy filling out the Northern California section of Trekaroo.

Favorite vacation destination:  “The Big Island, Hawaii”

Favorite tip for traveling with kids: “Pack snacks and always have something to do on hand!  When all else fails, whip out your iPhone!”

Funny travel story:  “I took my kids to the Wicked Plants Exhibit in Golden Gate Park… My daughter, who was 9 at the time, read things like choking and rash on the plants signs and loudly exclaimed, ‘Oh my god, Mommy, are you trying to kill us?’”

Kristine’s family travels & reviews are helpful and full of tips.   She has already written a few blog posts, including a helpful and poignant look at explaining Veteran’s Day to kids. 

Have a question about traveling in NorCal??  Ask the guroos!!

A year ago, I had never heard of Trekaroo.  A stay at home mom to three sweet little girls, I stumbled across the website one night, read a few reviews and decided to write a couple of my own.

I. was. hooked.

As a person always willing to share an opinion, story, or slew of details on any given subject; I loved the chance to have my thoughts be heard.  As a mom of three busy girls, and wife to an incredibly busy teacher and student, there were many days that I had not met that statistical quota of words a woman needs to share each day, unless of course you count the succession of “Nooo!!!”s hollered at small children in one given setting.  Adding reviews on Trekaroo was the perfect outlet for me to share both my passion for traveling with my kids, learn about great places to take my family, and also satisfy my desperate need to be heard!!

Not long after joining Trekaroo, I was selected as a Superoo.  If you aren’t familiar with the name, a Superoo is a parent who is recognized for contributing to the site with wit, enthusiasm, savvy, and gusto–and are then rewarded with some amazing perks for their time and efforts.  Being a Superoo is completely awesome.  Don’t take my word for it, here’s what a few of the 2011 Superoos have to say:

imsnow shares her passion for travel with Trekaroo families.

Find out all the fun places beebs1970 & family have gone with Trekaroo.

BAT‘s family loves sharing on Trekaroo.  See what they’ve been up to.

akeisel and family love the outdoors & love to share their scoop.

OCPlayParks knows her stuff in SoCal.  Check out what she’s reviewed.

Less than one year after joining Trekaroo, I enjoyed fabulous perks, fun and travel as a Superoo.  Just a few short months after that, I have dusted off the old college textbooks and am thrilled and excited to now serve as the Assistant Editor here at Trekaroo.  It has been such a privilege getting to know you all already and I look forward to an another awesome year full of kids, trips, and tips.

Want to join the fun??

You could be our next Superoo!  Check out the perks and learn how to become a Superoo.

Stay tuned, next week we’ll introduce you to yet another breed of Trekaroo family: the Destination Guru!!

Also, thanks for listening, Trekaroo community.  I believe my daily word quota is just about up!

Travel with kids to: CA |CO | DC | FL | HI | IL |MA | NC | NY | OR| PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

All of Trekaroo’s fabulous content (thousands of reviews from travel-savvy parents all across the US) is free for any visiting user to enjoy. However, membership has it’s privileges.

As a member, you get to

• Share your scoop on what’s hot and what’s not for kids. What are you cool picks?
• Ask questions and get answers from savvy parents in the know
• Bookmark all the fun places you’re discovering on Trekaroo to help with trip planning
• Put in your vote for who you think is writing helpful reviews and send messages and compliments
• Receive our newsletters full of seasonal tips, hot travel deals, and what’s new on Trekaroo
• Earn welcome rewards like a gift card from Starbucks, Amazon or REI

How to qualify for Trekaroo’s Welcome Rewards

Trekaroo’s Welcome Rewards program is typically a special offer for new members. Each new Trekaroo member is invited to our welcome rewards program. There is no better way to make your mark on Trekaroo than to sharing your reviews. Join Trekaroo now and get your welcome rewards.

Write ten reviews in the first two weeks and we’ll send you a $10 gift card to Amazon, Starbucks, Restaurants.com or REI. Write 25 reviews and we’ll send you a $25 gift card. Just shoot an email to editor@trekaroo.com when you’re done to claim your rewards. (Group fundraiser participants are not eligible for welcome rewards.) Click to start sharing your reviews.

Are you already a member? Don’t fret, we’ve got something for you too!  For the next two weeks only, we’re opening up the rewards program again to current Trekaroo members. If you’re able to write 10 or 25 reviews after 2/15/2010 and before 11:59pm on 2/28/2010, you’ll be able to receive a special thank you gift card too. Click to start sharing your reviews.

Photo credit: Flickr/Ed Yourdon

Tips for writing reviews:

• Think broad: What can you review? An attraction? Of course. An activity? Definitely. A restaurant? You got it. My neighborhood park? Now you’re catching on. Think where you’ve been with the kids in the last 3 months and I’m sure you’ll have more than plenty to add.

• Think age: Some families have kids of different ages, share about the activity from your perspective, but mention what age your kids were when you experience this attraction with them.
• Think details: Resist generalizing in your reviews. Provide details that you think would make a difference to families.

- Attractions: Highlights or low-lights? Long lines? Best time to visit? Available food options? Tips for saving money?

- Restaurants: How was the food quality, noise level, service, prices, wait time for a table and food? Special play areas or activities for kids?

- Hotels: What was the pool like? What other amenities highlight or lowlights? What were the rooms like? What did you like and not like? Kid programs or special features? Food options? Location? Value?

• Think You. Express who you are. It’s more fun to know the family behind the experience rather than a list of facts. Tell stories that illustrate your point, or get us laughing with you.

• Think expert. Whether you’re a local or have first hand experience, your point of view counts. So express it boldly.

• Think visual. A photo can speak a thousand words. Have a picture. Add a photo together with your review.

Here’s where you can start sharing your reviews.

What is Monday Madness?

Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal.  It could be a green water bottle or Broadway tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.

Thanks to Contest for Moms.

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Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA

Can you believe that Trekaroo is turning one year old?!?!  Let’s break out the champagne (ginger ale for the pregnant moms) and some cupcakes for adults and kids alike. To start, I’d like to propose a toast to

1. The Trekaroo Community

Cheers to all of you for all your

ADVICE – you guys wrote thousands and thousands of super helpful reviews

HEART – In the wake of the Haiti earthquake, you all rallied together and worked to donate $3000 as a community to Compassion International’s Haiti Relief Fund

and HUMOR – Some of your stories from the road were hilarious.  This conversation about when it’s okay to pee on a tree is priceless .

Our dream was to create a place for parents to dish out the real deal on kid spots around the country and we love to be a part of this great community. From all your rants and raves, Trekaroo is now covering over 9K activities and over 33K hotels and 90 destinations across 12 states & the District of Columbia. Your travel-savvy tips and photos have caught the attention of the folks at DailyCandyKids, LATimes, NYTimes, CNBC, iVillage, Kaboose, and more.

2. Our Partners

We’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing people over the past year.   Our accountants (Vince, Stacey, Kim), our licensing partner (GPP-Gail) our lawyer (the other Esther) to our PR experts (Julie, Steph, Danielle), our brand goddess (Joyce and Alice Q), our design consultants (Stephanie, Fernando and George) and engineering consultants (Internaut, Axis Partners, Chad), our numerous writers and bloggers (Lydie, Catherine, Kate, Eunice, Spencer, Megan), and of course our investors and advisors. Without all of you, Trekaroo wouldn’t exist either because we had forgotten to pay our taxes or the website would have blown up because I pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del by accident and didn’t have a back-up copy on tap.

3. The Trekaroo team

Cheers to the gallons of midnight oil that you burn as we slog it out in basements, coffee shops and home offices to make it all happen. Thanks for being able to laugh and sometimes cry at the reality of launching Trekaroo into unequivocally the worst economy ever.

Happy Anniversary,

Esther, Brennan and LiLing

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Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA

Trekaroo’s goin’ to Carolina
Can’t you see the sunshine,
Can’t you just feel the moonshine,
Ain’t it just like a friend of mine,
To hit me from behind
Yes, we’re goin’ to Carolina with our KIDS!
(To the tune of James Taylor’s “Carolina in my Mind”)

Why North Carolina? Because Trekaroo families have been taken it upon themselves to build a fantastic list of activities and hotel reviews that just had to be released to the public. From the famous sunny beaches of North Carolina to the winter fun in High Country, families love it in North Carolina. Looking for some indoor fun? There’s plenty to enjoy in North Carolina from a world-class zoo in Asheboro to exhibits of fascinating sea life in our three coastal aquariums. We’ve got family-friendly summer fun at minor league baseball games and Nascar races.

Photo by: Flickr/Texas_mustang

So, what have Trekaroo families shared?

• Over 650 activities for kids throughout North Carolina
• Activities and hotel reviews in all 4 regions: Piedmont Triangle, The Coast, Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Great Smokey Mountains.
• A list of kid-friendly hotels in NC waiting to be rated by parents
• Lots of fun lists like:
  • Places to Hike with Kids Around Charlotte, North Carolina by PrincessTrioMom
  • Cheap Things to Do in Charlotte, NC with kids by JodyMace
  • Kid-friendly Hotels in Charlotte, North Carolina by SpencerSpellman
  • Fun for Dudes, Both Kids and Bigs Near Charlotte, NC by rjones64
  • Snow Tubing and Sledding Hills in North Carolina by thelees3
  • Ski Resorts in North Carolina with Kid Programs by thelees3
  • Best Activities for Kids in the Piedmont Triangle – voted by Trekaroo families by Stephen Wantas
    

In celebration of our launch, the Trekaroo KidsMobile Blog Carnival stopped in Charlotte, NC and invited local bloggers on board to share their local tips on kid fun around Charlotte.  Check out what they had to share.

Special thanks to christinembyrd, PrincessTrioMom, jamierippy, Grandma Adele, summerbreeze, Olgabow, jrhammlett, allison, frogsandladybugs for their love of North Carolina and sharing more than most about their adventures with  kids with the Trekaroo community. And of course, thanks to team Trekaroo who work around the clock to make get all the details in place.

Going to Carolina with my kids,

Esther Lee (thelees3) – CEO

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Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA