Great Family Vacations

Candyce H. Stapen, Ph.D.

Contact Candyce

Tweet, Follow me

Henny’s Kids

A charity to educate Africa’s children

Henny’s Kids
click image to view

Founded by Candyce

Send solar-powered laptops to Africa.

Find out more

Articles, Apps, Columns, Books, Broadcasts; Leader in family travel for 20+ years; Columnist/Blogger Adventure Living; BellaOnline.com; Former USA TODAY travel editor/ digital producer

Highly respected family travel expert, Candyce H. Stapen has authored 30 travel guide books—including two for National Geographic– developed FamilyiTrips apps, written 2,500+ travel articles for a variety of outlets, appeared on the TODAY Show and other broadcasts to talk about travel.
Please follow her @familyitrips

Featured articles: Okavango Delta, Botswana and Kenya Migration

Photos © A. Kempler

Hippo at Mombo Camp How to Explore Botswana’s Okavango Delta

Ears twitching and snouts semi-submerged in the water, the hippos, in chorus-line formation, stare back at us as the guide maneuvers our small boat through the grass-lined channels of the flooded Okavango Delta. A young bull elephant, his reflection caught in the silvery water, cools off by arcing his trunk and spraying his back and a crocodile suns on a sandbar.

MD Magazine Read More

Kenya Migration Dream Trips: Catching the Migration in Kenya

Two-by-two, the wildebeest come in a seemingly endless line of gray that cuts through the Masai Mara’s golden plains. The wildebeest and their migrating companions, the zebra, move toward the Mara River. Hundreds upon hundreds of animals mass on the savannah just above the river bank, braying as they push into already crowded circles.

MD Magazine Read More

Tips, News, Deals, Blog Posts

Hotel fees catch travelers off guard

WUSA-TV, DC’s CBS affiliate, July 11, 2014

Share a meal when traveling?

MealSharing.com, a new website service, connects travelers with locals who, in their own homes, cook meals for visitors, often for a small fee to cover the cost of the food.

www.BellaOnline.com Read More

Washington, D.C.’s, Other Air and Space Museum

If your visit to the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum in downtown Washington, D.C., got you excited about airplanes, then be sure to visit its companion facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located near Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, VA.

www.BellaOnline.com, January 14,2015 Read More

San Juan: Trendy Santurce Near Condado Resorts

Santurce, an up-and-coming neighborhood in San Juan, draws locals in their twenties and thirties, and increasingly, millennial travelers who like the still-rough-around-the edges vibe as well as the bars, restaurants and burgeoning art scene.

www.BellaOnline.com, January 4,2015 Read More

Hawk Sonora Desert Historic Homes and Art in Winston-Salem, NC

The Winston-Salem, North Carolina, art trail weaves together a tale of tobacco, textiles and three historic houses: Reynolda, the former manor of R. J. Reynolds; the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), once the residence of textile industrialist James Hanes, and Graylyn, the estate built by tobacco executive Bowman Gray.

www.BellaOnline.com Read More

Hawk Sonora Desert Tucson, AZ, Highlights

Tucson gives you mountain views, desert landscapes, sunny skies and upscale resorts. An extra bonus: you can learn about Cold War secrets. On your visit, don’t miss the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Titan Missile Museum, or a stay at The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa.

www.BellaOnline.com Read More

Laughs at Sea: Cruise Ship Comedy Clubs for summer family travel

For many cruise passengers, one of the best parts of their voyage isn’t the elaborate buffets, the casino bets or the booze. It’s the belly laughs. These days, several major lines are showcasing more humor by way of their comedy clubs. Forget about the stuff-food-in-your-face jokes; the performers and the material are better than ever.

“Back in the day, being labeled a ‘cruise ship comedian’ certainly carried a negative connotation, as it was believed that performing on a cruise ship meant it was either the beginning or the end of your career,” says Mark Tamis, Carnival Cruise Line’s senior vice president of guest operations. “That is certainly not the case these days.

Cruise Critic, August, 2014. Read More

Best new products for summer family travel The right gear and gadgets go a long way toward making a family vacation successful. These new products make traveling easier for families by doing away with such common “trip-ups” as bored kids, lost dogs, cramped tents, too much to carry and not enough luggage.

USA Today, June 2014. Read More

Family Cruising Basics Two million kids younger than 15 sailed the high seas in 2013 on lines that are members of the Cruise Lines International Association Industry.
Cruise Critic, May 14, 2014. Read More

10 Tips for Cruising with Teens Why cruises work well for teens and how to plan the best voyage for your family, as well as some rules you might want to consider for smooth sailing.
Cruise Critic, June 2014 Read More

Get Patrick Henry to take a Selfie. The bewigged gentleman wearing spectacles leans over his demitasse at Charlton’s Coffeehouse in Williamsburg, the capital of the colonies, points to a visitor’s cellphone, raises his eyebrows and declares, “That looks like the work of the devil, madam.”

MapQuest, June 12, 2014 Read more

Use Photos to engage with Locals on Trips How to teach your kids to give back and engage with locals while traveling?

When visiting poor areas in developing countries, we take Polaroid photos of willing people and give the images to them as gifts. Even in the digital age, many people in rural areas do not have photos of themselves.

www.bellaonline.com Read more

Book: An Explorer’s Guide to Virginia

Lush vineyards, exciting cities, deep history, space-age science – VA has lots to offer. (Countryman Press)
View page

FamilyiTrips

Stapen has taken her love and experience of travel writing and combined it with her entrepreneurial spirit to launch FamilyiTrips, a series of user-friendly and informative family travel apps. Stapen wrote DC With Kids, and noted journalist Deb Geigis Berry wrote Boston With Kids and NYC Family Guide.

DC With Kids ReviewsBoston with Kids ReviewsNYC Family Guide Reviews

DC With Kids, a seven+ weeks iTunes Hot List Pick. Written and created by Candyce Stapen. Click here to find out some fun facts.

only $3.99

New York Times Review
The apps, which landed on iTunes’s hot list last month, allow users to nimbly explore listings, including shops, hotels and restaurants. But they also offer filters through which to explore the cities: by budget, by activities that are “like a local,” and by attractions according to age group.
Read the review

Huffington Post, 12/24/2012
DC With Kids: This app from www.FamilyiTrips.com is a gem for locals and visitors to D.C. alike. A mere $3.99 gets you access to over 250 ideas for activities for children in the D.C. area and free updates whenever new activities are added. You can search for things to do by age (young children, grade schoolers, and teens) or by using a number of other categories including the “Top 11,” seasonal events, seasonal happenings, and free activities. The app offers practical advice, such as where to find family-friendly places to eat near attractions. This is a good choice to help find attractions on the go. If your holiday travel includes Boston or New York City, you can find similar apps for those cities here.

Chicago Tribune Review
“Why it’s great: It’s loaded with info. By selecting favorites, you can create custom itineraries.” May 6, 2012
Read the review

Travelingmom.com says FamilyiTrips apps worth the cost
“After having taken these apps out for a test run I can tell you that these apps are 100% worth their cost. If you are traveling to DC or Boston I highly recommend you get these apps.”
Read the DC With Kids app review
Read the Boston With Kids app review

Boston with Kids, a two times iTunes Hot List Pick. Written by Deb Geigis Berry, a noted family travel expert.

only $3.99

Boston Globe praises FamilyiTrips

“Each colorful, nicely illustrated app has more than 250 entries that include top picks, outdoor activities, and freebies, along with places to eat, sleep, and shop. Or find an activity for a specific age group: young kids, grade-schoolers, or teens. Discover everything from science workshops to puppet shows, moonlight tours, museum sleep- overs, or animal adventures.”
4/1/2012

“This is my new favorite app. As a family that travels a lot, we’re constantly getting pamphlets, guides, and whatever we can to help us, but nothing has been as helpful, thorough, or fun as Boston with Kids. My kids love it for the fun, whimsical illustrations, and my wife and I are still learning just how in depth it is and how much there is to do. We highly recommend.”
Read the Boston with Kids reviews and more. Rated

NYC Family Guide, Written by Deb Geigis Berry

only $3.99

Lots of great info for kids of any age. I really love that this app gives lots of great suggestions for tots through teens. No one is left out. I particularly appreciate that there are so many food choices. We sometimes feel overwhelmed when visiting NYC because of the number of places to eat. Finding the best ones for us is a lot easier now.
by Aunt Di bethesda – version 1.0 – Sep 19,2012

Best NYC Guide for Families! If you are going to be in New York City, then this app is just as important as a subway card. It is a great guide for families with kids of all ages. It includes comprehensive information about the major attractions as well as lots of really great things to see and do beyond the typical tourist stuff in town.

Read the reviews and more. Rated

Awards & OfficesOnline Columns & More Articles

Five-time winner, Society of American Travel Writers’ Lowell Thomas Journalism Award
Society of American Travel Journalists Award for Best Travel Industry Website, 2013
Caribbean Travel Writer of the Year, North America, 2004
Travel Journalist Guild president, 2006-2008

Adventure Living columnist, BellaOnline.com
Family Cruising Basics

Author, 30 travel books, including:Published more than 2400 articles:Broadcasts

• An Explorer’s Guide to Virginia (Countryman Press, 2011)

• Fun with the Family: Virginia, 8th ed. (Globe Pequot, 2010)

• National Geographic Guide to the Caribbean Family Vacations (National Geographic)

• National Geographic Guide to Family Adventure Vacations, Wildlife Encounters, Cultural Explorations and Learning Escapes In the U.S. and Canada (National Geographic)

Former USA TODAY travel editor & producer; USA TODAY; USA TODAY.com; USA WEEKEND; Cruise Critic.com; Family Vacation Critic.com; National Geographic Traveler, Budget Travel.com; Family Fun; Washingtonian; Caribbean Travel and Life; Redbook; Parents; Better Homes & Gardens; MSNBC.com; New York Post; Boston Herald; Condé Nast Traveler; Miami Herald; Family Travel Network.com; Washington Times; Expedia.com; Postcards; Away.com; Caribbean World U.K.; Where to Retire and more.