Family ski vacations can be a really good time, but the cost can make you dizzy sometimes. For what you can spend on accommodations, lift tickets, lessons, equipment rental, gear and meals, you could easily get a nice used car.

Booking early and going off-peak can help lower costs. So can skiing close to home. Better yet, book an extended stay at one of these Homewood Suites and shave a little off your dining budget as well.

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Like many of you, I never checked bags before I had kids. I traveled all over the globe without ever spending a moment at the dreaded airport baggage carousel. But now that I do have kids, packing light is about as achievable as, say, time travel.

So, forget packing light. Aim for packing lighter instead. Here are a few suggestions to help. You’ll still be checking bags, but at least they’ll be lighter bags.

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Remember those first few weeks of sleep depravation induced by your newborn? Few things in life that can replicate that tunnel walking feel of delirious exhaustion. This is, of course, unless you’re experiencing jet lag.

After a trans-continental flight with a couple of toddlers plus the three-hour time change, I usually find myself pretty darn close to that primordial fog of new-parent robo-walking on my first day of “family vacation.”  Sound familiar?

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Holidays and travel go hand in hand. After all, it’s a special time to gather with family members between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, plus the kids have school vacation, so there’s plenty of time to snuggle up with Grandma around the hearth, or see the sights on a much-anticipated winter trip.

Of course, when you’re traveling with extended family – or you just have a big family yourself – different personalities can clash, it might be tough to get everyone organized and out the door, and late bedtimes can cause meltdowns (for kids and parents).

Here are a few tips for keeping your holidays stress-free when you’re traveling with large families this season.

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