We’re thrilled to be giving away a two-night all-inclusive stay at Woodloch Resort in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, which has been called "one of America's best family resorts" by Better Homes & Gardens and "one of the world's best all-inclusive resorts" by Family Circle magazine. The prize includes accommodations in a spacious Edgewater Suite; three meals daily for two adults and two children; most activities and amenities; and nightly entertainment. 

Celebrating over 50 years of warm hospitality, Woodloch Resort is an oasis of recreation and relaxation for all ages (see our review). With a slew of multi-generational activities ranging from swimming and go-karting to interactive games to a Broadway-style theme show, Woodloch is often referred to as a “cruise on land.” There’s also an 18-hole championship golf course and access to spa treatments at the Lodge at Woodloch. This four-season resort is nestled in the picturesque Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania and is a haven for outdoor adventure. Guests can enjoy hiking and biking, as well as kayaking, sailing, and boating on Lake Teedyuskung.

For a chance to win this two-night vacation for your family, just head to our giveaway page. You can enter once a day through September 30, 2010. So come back again tomorrow!

Our latest giveaway is all about fabulous hotels in fantastic destinations. One lucky reader will win a three-night stay at the Gaylord Hotel of his or her choice, with locations in Kissimmee, Florida; Washington DC; Grapevine, Texas; and Nashville, Tennessee. Gaylord Hotels are known for their flawless service and wondrous interiors. 

The Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Florida, is just minutes from Walt Disney World Resort. Inside the hotel’s four-acre atrium, guests can experience the wonder of Florida, from the old-world charm of St. Augustine to the island spirit of Key West to the mysterious waters of the Everglades.

Set on the shores of beautiful Lake Grapevine, the Gaylord Texan is located between Dallas and Fort Worth. From the festive restaurants and shops of the Riverwalk to the rugged canyons of Texas Hill Country, the Gaylord Texan brims with authentic Texas style and hospitality, proving that everything really is bigger and better in the Lone Star State.

Overlooking the monuments and skyline of our nation’s capital, the world-class Gaylord National is the crown jewel of the newly developed National Harbor, a dynamic waterfront community set along the historic Potomac River in Washington DC. Kids will love the nightly fountain shows and Potomac Playzone arcade. 

The luxurious Gaylord Opryland is located in Nashville, a city hailed by Travel+Leisure magazine as one of the “friendliest cities in the United States.” The nine-acre resort features lush indoor gardens, cascading waterfalls, and a killer location right next door to the world-famous Grand Ole Opry.

For a chance to win this vacation for your family, just follow directions on the giveaway page. You can enter once a day through September 14, 2010. Good luck!

Minnesota's Lutsen Resort is celebrating its 125th year of welcoming travelers to its ruggedly beautiful setting along Lake Superior's North Shore.  This rustic Great Lakes landmark is a popular spot for families, in part because it offers complimentary year-round activities from kayaking and swimming in the summer to night hikes and guided snowshoe tours in the winter.  

The resort offers a year-round  Minnesota Family Package that delivers some free meals for the whole family.  The package is valid on stays of at least two nights in any lodging style, from standard guest rooms to three-bedroom condos.  Is the offer a good deal for families?  We took a close look at the numbers to find out.  A family booking this package for two-night October weekend would get:

• accommodations (for an October weekend stay in a main lodge double room, worth $135/night x 2 nights = $270)
• breakfast daily in the lakeside dining room (worth $10 x 4 people  x 2 days = $80)
• one dinner entrée per adult in either the pub or lakeside dining room (worth $40/adult x 2 = $80)
• one kids' menu dinner per child under 12 (worth $15/child x 2 kids = $30)
• free lodging for kids (no added value, because kids always stay free)

When we price-checked an October weekend stay for a family of two adults and two kids under 12, the package rate was quoted as $175 a night for a main lodge room with two double beds.  So a two-night stay would total $350.  If the package components were purchased separately, the total spend would be $460, or $110 more than the package, for a difference of 25%.

Deal or no deal?  Deal. This package delivers two free breakfasts and one free dinner — which translates to an average added value of $55 a day.  Book online or call 888/881-6991 and ask for the "Minnesota Family Package." Note: the package is not available during certain holiday periods.

Every super family vacation starts with a fabulous destination, and Kissimmee, the Heart of Florida has it all! To help you discover that for yourself, we’ll be giving away a total of four fabulous prizes through the end of September. Come back every day to enter and to find out what the next great prize will be!

The iPod touch 8GB is at the top of every wish list, whether you're vacationing in Kissimmee or anywhere there's family fun to be had! Got some time to kill at the airport? Watch movies and TV shows on the brilliant 3.5-inch display. Flick through your music using the revolutionary Multi-Touch interface. And anytime you need a little more entertainment, just tap iTunes to browse and buy on the fly.

For a chance to win an iPod touch 8GB, just follow the steps on the giveaway page. You can enter once a day through August 31, 2010. Good luck!

Every great family vacation starts with a fabulous destination, and Kissimmee, the Heart of Florida has it all! To help you discover that for yourself, we'll be giving away four fabulous prizes through the end of September. Come back every day to enter and to find out what the next super prize will be!

The Kodak PlaySport HD video camera is the season’s gotta-have-it travel accessory when your family is vacationing in Kissimmee or anywhere there’s splashy fun to be had! You can be as adventurous as you like when you bring the PlaySport to the pool, beach or waterpark, or when you’re going fishing, airboating or kayaking. The PlaySport can record your kids’ underwater antics in beautiful 1080-pixel HD, at depths of up to 10 feet.

For a chance to win a Kodak PlaySport HD video camera, just follow the steps on the giveaway page. You can enter once a day through August 17, 2010. Good luck!

We’re thrilled to be giving away a 5-day, fun-filled vacation in San Diego’s Mission Bay, including four nights in a bay-front suite at the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa; daily breakfast for four people; four tickets to the San Diego Zoo; four tickets to Wild Animal Park; and four tickets to SeaWorld.

With its sensational location right on Mission Bay, the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa lets families experience the very best of San Diego and the Southern California lifestyle. The resort grounds are a tropical paradise, featuring hidden gardens with over 1,000 types of eclectic plants and flowers, exotic birds, 100 varieties of palm trees, and 30 types of hibiscus. At the Catamaran, you can try any number of beach and water-related sports and activities, from boat cruises and sailing to surfing, kayaking or waterskiing—or cool off at the pool or spa. Your family can also enjoy biking, skating, or strolling along the beautiful waterfront.

Mission Bay is the West Coast’s largest aquatic man-made park, covering over 4,000 acres and offering a wide range of recreational activities. Swimmers and sunlovers are drawn to the calm water and warm sand that Mission Bay offers. Mission Bay also offers boat docks and launches, sail and motorboat rentals, bike and walk paths, basketball courts, and playgrounds for children. It’s one of San Diego's most fun-filled spots to visit.

For a chance to win this vacation for your family, just fill out the form on the giveaway page. You can enter once a day through August 31, 2010. Good luck!

Families have been returning to Michigan's Mackinac Island for generations, and it's easy to see why: No cars are allowed on the island, and the place seems to have been plucked from another era, with its ferry ride, horse-drawn carriages, old-fashioned ice cream parlors, fudge purveyors, and easy bike path that rings the island. 

Set on 18 acres along the southeastern shore of the island, Mission Point Resort features a heated outdoor pool, kids' club, tennis, golf, and even a museum with local historical exhibits.  The resort is offering a two-night Family Island Adventure package through October 24, with rates starting at $851 for a family of two adults and two kids under age 12. But is it really a good deal for families?  We took a close look at the numbers to find out.   A family booking this package in August would get:

• two-night stay in a garden double room (in August, $215/night x 2 = $430)
• two breakfast vouchers for adults; kids under 12 eat free (worth, let's say, $30)
• two dinner vouchers for adults; kids under 12 eat free (worth about $50)
• four tickets to Fort Mackinac (worth $10.50/adult x 2 + $6.50/kid x 2 = $34)
• four tickets to the Tower Museum (worth $5/adult x 2 + $2.50/kid x 2 = $15)
• four half-day bike rentals (for single-speed bikes, $18/person x 4 = $72)
  
• four tickets to the resort's putting course (worth $12/adult x 2 + $7.50/kid x 2 = $39)
• four tickets to the Butterfly House (worth $8.50/adult x 2 + $4/kid x 2 = $25)
• four round-trip ferry tickets ($21/adult x 2 + $11/kid x 2  = $64)

When we price-checked a stay for a family of four in August, the package rate was quoted as $851 for two nights in a garden double room. If booking the room only using the best available rate, the same room would cost $430 for two nights. Add in the prices of the package components, and your total spend would come to $769—so the package price is actually $82 more than what you'd pay if booking à la carte.  

That long list of package inclusions seems very impressive at first glance, but the package doesn't save you a dime. In fact, the price has been inflated to more than cover the cost of the individual components.

Deal or no deal?  No way, no how, no deal. You're much better off booking a room on its own and then cherry picking the activities your family would like. 

Note: If you book this package, full payment is due at the time of booking. There's a minimum 14-day advance cancellation policy.  There are also a few blackout dates.  You can book online or call 800/833-7711.

Sure, there are a gazillion websites out there promising to find you a fantastic hotel deal. Problem is, despite their slick metasearch engines and fancy ranking systems, very few have considered whether you're traveling with children. So parents still have to spend hours of sifting and cross-checking on other sites before they can be sure they've found a property that fits their needs.

That's why Travel Ticker is one of our go-to sites. The clean, intuitive design is set up so that you're in, you find a great deal (or several), and you're out in no time flat. You'll see some deals from other big travel booking sites, such as Expedia, but Travel Ticker's big strength is its knack for offering insider deals we don't see on other sites, such as limited-time offers at non-chain upscale properties. You can search by location, interest (we head straight for the Family Travel page), or price. We routinely check out the Hotels Under a Hundred page, where every hotel is priced under $100 a night.

Check out the fantastic family-friendly deals we spied this morning:

• Palm Springs, CA: One-bedroom villa at Desert Oasis Resort, $69 a night midweek, $79 a night on weekends. Villa features a king-size bed, living/dining room with sleeper sofa, full kitchen, and balcony. Resort features two pools, golf course, complimentary WiFi. Plus, get discounted tickets to Knotts’ Soak City at the concierge desk. Book by July 7; travel through September 30.
• Miami, FL: Save 50% off at the 4.5-star Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, named to Travel+Leisure's World's Best List in 2008. Land a room for just $99, including unlimited golf(!) on two courses. Valid through September 30.
• Mackinac Island, MI: Save up to 35% at the historic Island House Hotel. Rooms $159 a night midweek, $179 a night on weekends. Plus, get discounted ferry tickets, breakfast coupons, and room upgrades from $25. Book by July 7; travel July 1-31 and August 16-31.

We’re so excited to be giving away a four-night stay at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs! The prize includes a stay in a suite for a family of four; daily paddleboat and bicycle rental for four; daily breakfast for two adults and two children in Lakeside Terrace; one-day passes for two adults and two children to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo; and dinner for two adults in Penrose Room, Colorado’s only five-star, five-diamond restaurant, with complimentary access to the children’s program (ages 3-12) for that time.

The Broadmoor is the longest-running consecutive winner of both the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond awards. It is named on both Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List and Travel+Leisure’s Top 50 Resorts in the US and Canada.

The historic Colorado Springs resort is located on 3,000 lush acres under the shadow of Cheyenne Mountain. The pool complex offers three swimming pools, including an 11,000-square-foot outdoor infinity pool and “Slide Mountain” waterslide, kiddie pool with waterspout, three outdoor hot tubs, and one lap pool. The resort also features an award-winning spa, fitness center, 54 holes of championship golf, six tennis courts with tennis camps, children’s programs for ages 3-12, 24-hour room service, valet parking, and 24 specialty retail shops. Other fun activities for the whole family include horseback riding, rafting, fly fishing, hiking, biking, and a trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

For a chance to win this vacation for your family, just fill out the form on the giveaway page. You can enter once a day through July 31, 2010. Good luck!

With its miles of powdery white sand beaches and vibrant hotel, shopping, and art scenes, it’s no wonder the beautiful stretch of southwest Florida comprising Naples, Marco Island, and the Everglades is nicknamed the Paradise Coast. The area is also heaven for kids, with a raftload of fun outings and eco-adventures to enjoy. Play our easy online scavenger hunt, and you could win a four-day/three-night getaway in paradise!

The prize includes:

• Three-night stay at the Naples Grande Beach Resort, a beachfront resort nestled on 23 acres in the heart of Naples. Families can enjoy the three miles of pristine white-sand beach, three swimming pools and 100-foot waterslide, golf, tennis, spa, private mangrove estuary, and supervised kids' club for ages 4 to 12.
• Four tickets for an orientation tour with Segway of Naples, a memorable and unique way to see the local sights. During your 90-minute tour, you’ll explore historic Naples on a Segway—a tremendously fun, safe, and easy way to get around.
• Four tickets for either a deep sea or bay fishing excursion with Cruise Naples. Rod, reel, tackle, bait and fishing license are included. Great fun for the entire family!
• Four tickets for either a sightseeing or sunset cruise with Cruise Naples. During the 90-minute narrated cruises on the calm waters of Naples Bay, dolphins and manatees often accompany the boats and bald eagles and other birdlife are abundant.
• Four jet ski rentals from Cruise Naples. Experience one of the most fun and exhilarating ways to get out on the water.

For a chance to win this Florida vacation for your family, play our scavenger hunt. You can enter once a day through June 30, 2010. Good luck!