Top 10 Tips for Families for a fun an enjoyable visit to Walt Disney World  - Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach and Downtown Disney.

(1) Spend at least one full day at each park - Do not get the park hopper ticket. If you have children under 8, it is far better to go early and leave when they get tired so they can have a good rest. With older children, going early and taking a mid-day break for lunch at the hotel or a swim is a great rest before heading back to the parks at night. I would recommend 8 full days. One full day at MK. Attend the evening Pirate and Princess Party at the MK. One full day at Epcot World. One full day at Epcot Future. One full day at AK. One full day at Hollywood Studios. One half day at Blizzard Beach. One half day at Typhoon Lagoon. Spend the evenings of these days at Downtown Disney shopping and having dinner. One day for “whatever.” Total of 9 days. If you are not a local, spend one extra day visiting the Kennedy Space Center.  No other place in the US like it.

(2) Split your stay between two hotels - Spend half your time at either the Animal Kingdom Lodge or Beach Club. I do not recommend the Swan or Dolphin as they are old and rundown. Spend the second half of your trip in a Magic Kingdom area hotel (Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian or Wilderness Lodge).

Top Choice: Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contemporary (Tower Rooms with MK view) - Kids will love the animals and fun decor at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. While staying at the AKL visit the AK , Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Downtown Disney. At the Contemporary visit the Magic Kingdom. The Contemporary is great because you can walk to the hotel from the park so if you have sleeping children at the end of the day you do not need to wait in lines for transportation or fold down the stroller to ride a bus.

Second Choice: Polynesian Hotel and the Beach Club - Great decor at the Poly. If you frequently travel to Hawaii, choose a different option.  Poly is part of the Magic Kingdom monorail hotels, so visit MK and Epcot while staying there. Beach Club is great as you can walk to Epcot or take the boat to Hollywood Studios. This makes it easy to get to after the firework shows with sleeping children in strollers.

Third Choice: Wilderness Lodge and Boardwalk Inn - moderately priced option. Wilderness Lodge has a great pool and beautiful lobby. Boardwalk is great as they are on the pier and have a market nearby for snacks for the kids.

(3) Bring your own stroller for anyone 5 and under - If possible, bring your own stroller. The park strollers are big and not as easy to maneuver as some of the name brands. Pick one that will fold down well and is light. Top choice - Maclaren.

(4) Skip on some Parades & Fireworks - Especially important If you have young children, as the allure of the fireworks quickly disappears. Choose the best ones and attend at least three. My suggestions: Fantasmic (Hollywood Studios), Illuminations (Epcot), Wishes (MK), Spectro Magic (MK), Pirate and Princess Parade and Fireworks (MK).  Personally I would skip the rest.

(5) Fast Pass -  I am sure you already know the importance of doing so, but utilize your Fast Pass tickets.

(6) Do NOT rent a car - Disney has great transportation and you will likely spend more time getting lost and looking for parking if you rent your own car.

(7) Cruise it - If you have the time and funds, take a 4 or 7 night Disney cruise as well. The kids will love it and it is an incredible value.  Food is decent. Nightly entertainment is AWESOME. Ports of call in the Caribbean are great. Plus you get to see ALL the Disney characters (for photos and autographs) with minimum lines.

(8) Get Face Painted - They have incredible and fast face painting on the parks - animals, super heros, etc.  Very quick and fast and makes for a memorable picture.

(9) Order Room Service Often - It makes for a more leisurely evening when the kids can relax over chicken

(10) Attend Seasonal or Special Events - Pirate and Princess Party, Flower and Garden Expo, etc.  The decor and themeing is incredible.

*Don’t forget lots of snacks, sunscreen, one change of clothes (for children under 5), jackets, camera and water.

*On a side note, I can personally vouch that one adult can enjoyable take a week long Disney cruise and 9 days at WDW with two children under 5 (3 and 5 year old).  Just make sure you plan and take your time. Remember that it’s for the kids and it’s okay if you don’t make EVERY ride and/or show.

Palo Alto, CA is well known throughout the world as home to Facebook, Stanford and Linkedin.

It is not just a place for Stanford college student espresso shots  and venture capital lunches, downtown Palo Alto offers an array of hip boutiques, shops and restaurants. Despite the multi-million dollar homes that surround the downtown University Avenue area, locals are surprisingly casual and unassuming.

Best Clothing Boutiques:

In Her Shoes - Great place for shoes, bags and jewelry. All proceeds benefit Global Fund for Women and Single Moms Connect.

Romi Boutique - Great selection of denim, sweaters, tops and dresses. Love the store layout. They have great sales.

Nalej - Clothing, accessories and GREAT gifts. Reasonable prices. Another store in nearby Santa Clara.

Best Outerwear: Patagonia - Not unique to PA, but just a great brand for the whole family.

Best Eats With the Kidlets: Peninsula Creamery - LOVE the milkshakes! Kids will love the diner feel and kid-friendly menu.

Best Italian: La Strada - Great outdoor seating and classic Italian fare. Great for families. Moderately priced.  Osteria is another great pick.

Best Thai: Tamarine - One of my favorites.

Best Asian Fusion: Three Seasons - DELICIOUS! Great outdoor seating. Green beans are delicious!

Best Greek: Evvia - Great ambiance and good food. Some locals have said the quality has slipped a bit, just a very little.  Still a good choice. Kids may enjoy this as well.

Best Indian: Junnoon - light and fresh Indian fare or Mantra - bold and spicy, great environment. Leave your little kids at home.

Best Brunch: St. Michael’s Alley - delightful, intimate hidden gem. It’s been around forever and  consistently delicious.

Best Bar: Nola’s -  Great cajun food.They have private rooms with plasma screens and a great bar. Lively and fun, especially at night.  Kids will like the fun decor. Try the crawfish dumplings.

Best Toy Shop: Palo Alto Sport Shop and Toy World - from bathing suits to Lego’s, board games to footballs. They have a little of everything.

Best Deli and Bakery: Prolific Oven - They have been around forever. Try their lemon cake. Light and just a little sweet. Yum! They also have sheet cakes for parties.

Chocoholics: Try a meal at Shokolaat. An “experience” and especially fun if you love chocolate.

The best family activities on Oahu, Hawaii. Personally tested with children, infant to college aged. These are some of the best on the island.

1. Waikiki Beach - Yes it is where all the tourists go, but they do have  breakwall that makes for a wave-free beach for infants and toddlers. They also have outrigger canoe rides, boogey board and surf board rentals and lessons. My favorite for families with small children.
2. Hike Diamond Head - Just short of 2 miles each way, the hike can be challenging for those 5 - 8.  Bring a carrier if you have young ones.  Kids will enjoy counting the 99 steps and the “cave” that you get to walk through on the way up. Beautiful view. Website
3. Kualoa Ranch - Horsebackriding and ATV tours. Minimum age for horseback riding is 10 and 4′6″ or taller, and ATVs is 16. Short horseback rides for kids 3-7. Jurassic Park and King Kong movie tour, fun for older kids and fans of the movie. My personal favorite is the 2 hour horseback ride.  Website
4. Polynesian Cultural Center - Great for the whole family. Lots of activities. See the luau as well. Whole day activity.  Website
5. Helicopter Tour -  Suitable for all ages. Great way to see the island, waterfall and mountains. Warning that noise and height may be scary for young children. Website
6. Contemporary Museum - In my opinion, the best museum on the island. Great for all ages. Beautiful grounds. Don’t leave without exploring the grounds behind the museum and the food at the cafe. If you are there in July, don’t miss Art Spree at the museum. So fun for kids 2 - 10.  Website
7. USS Memorial and Pearl Harbor - Worth a visit. Toddlers and young children won’t appreciate it, but Website
8. Waimea Falls Park - Lush and green. Fun to watch the cliff divers. Bring your suit if you’d like to swim in the pools. After your visit, spend the afternoon at Waimea Bay Beach (across from the park entrance). Beautiful sandy beach. Some adults may enjoy the rock jumping. Be careful to high surf in the winter.
9. Turtle Bay Resort - Great accomodations and location for North Shore activities. Can often see sea turtles off shore. Website
10. Hawaii Children’s Discovery Museum - Hands on activites, educational games and role playing for kids. Great place to take a break from being in the sun. Best for age 1.5 - 6. Open Tuesday - Friday (9 am - 1 pm) and Saturdays and Sundays (10 am - 3 pm). Bring a picnic and stroll on the grassy park next to the museum.     Website
11. Airplane Gliders - For the adventurous and fearless. Two seater gliders. Teenagers will love the aerobatics flight.  Website
12. Haleiwa Day Trip - Drive to the other side of the island. Some fun local shopping and great food in Haleiwa. Don’t forget to try some Matsumoto Shaved Ice.  More info.
    
13. Sunset Beach - Great 2 mile long beach with good snorkeling and  tidepools.  Can have high surf advisories in the winter.  More info.
    
14. Ehukai Beach - Home to the famous Pipeline. Good to playing on the shore and running up and down the high sand banks. I do not recommend swimming as the waves are huge in the winter and during the summer there are often stinging seaweed and jellyfish. More info.
15. Shark’s Cove Beach - Great place to wear your reef shoes and do a bit of wading or snorkeling. Great snorkeling although watch the strong current. Kids will enjoy wading in the tidepools. More info.
16. Honolulu Zoo - Across the Street from Waikiki Beach. Fun for kids.  Go before 11 am as parking will be a challenge in the late afternoon. Website
17. Kailua Beach Park - Beautiful beach, but can get VERY windy.  Great for windsurfing or sunbathing.  More info.
18. Dole Plantation - You don’t have to love pineapples to go. They have a garden tour, maze and train ride.  Note: The ground is red dirt and will stain.  If it is raining be prepared for dirty kids if they attempt the maze. Don’t leave without trying the pineapple frozen yogurt. It’s delicious. Website
19. Iolani Palace - Guded tours. Historical and pretty. Website
20. Sea Life Park - Very small. Cute dolphin and sea lion show.  Fun small playground for kids. Can swim with dolphins. Website
21. Hanauma Bay - Not the best beach or snorkeling, but unique in that is in a crater.  Entrance fee and must watch safety video. Tourist attraction, so will get crowded. I prefer to spend my days elsewhere.  Website
22. Waikiki Aquarium - On the beach, about one mile south of the main line of hotels on Waikiki beach. South of the volleyball courts.  Small aquarium, but still enjoyable for kids.   Website