Fall is roadtrip time: a series of weekends with the family. And family trips are often far from relaxing, and what's meant to be a dream vacation can all too quickly turn into a nightmare. But ensuring your trip goes smoothly is easier than you think with these four tips.

Many people begin to limit their travel once they have kids. They fear that their children will act inappropriately in airports, on planes or during long car rides. Traveling with kids CAN be fun--and it's great for your children too!

Family travel takes on many forms, but a perennial favorite has got to be the beach vacation. Kids splashing in the water, building sandcastles, and chasing seagulls while Mom and Dad take turns playing with their children and lazing on a beach blanket is one of those ideal ways to spend a summer vacation.

Summertime means vacation time — but it's also peak season for house break-ins. Fortunately, a few simple do-it-yourself measures can help you keep your house safe while you’re away.

There is nothing worse than heading out on a road trip, only to be stranded somewhere between home and your destination. Here are a few tips that your nose can tell you quicker than your eyes can when your car is in trouble.

Staying with friends at some point this summer? Reciprocate your host's thoughtfulness with a little thank-you of your own that will have them saying, "Please come again." 

So many people take their kids to a Disney theme park for Spring Break; the lines are longer than ever. Here are two recommended cities, near Disney theme parks but able to stand on their own as alternatives for family Spring Break vacations.

Even infrequent flyer's are expected to know the rules. Complete strangers, who are only four inches away in the next seat, will appreciate your courtesy and hopefully reciprocate. Remember there are over two hundred people on the plane and not too many flight attendents. Nice goes along way!

Sure, there are loads of ways you might escape from daily life with your significant other – in an urban high-rise hotel, a remote bed-and-breakfast or a budget motel one town over. But if you’re looking for a vacation destination where you can truly unplug, reconnect, and enjoy time together just the two of you -- without being reminded of your own family back home, since there are no kids on the property – you might like to splurge on one of these tropical resorts that cater strictly to adults:

When I told friends about our upcoming family vacation this summer, they cringed and looked genuinely horrified. My husband, two children, and I were driving from Los Angeles to Seattle.