Spanning 92 acres of working vineyards, Vinarosa effortlessly blends European-inspired charm with modern, eco-conscious design. Guests can expect thoughtfully redesigned rooms and suites (starting at $395/night), a new lobby featuring a wine and coffee bar, a sparkling new resort pool, and wellness-themed activities (soundbath, anyone?)—all designed to immerse you in laid-back luxury.

The best part: Earth-friendly practices are seamlessly woven throughout the experience, from the farm-to-table menus to the estate’s culinary garden, cooking classes, acres of vines (cared for with up-cycled water), vineyard picnics, and on-site farmer’s markets. Whether you’re seeking a romantic weekend, a solo wellness retreat, or a family-friendly getaway, Vinarosa should be on your list of Northern California treats.

Lucky for us, we recently got a first-hand look at the renovation and new offerings. Highlights of our one-night stay include the spacious and chic guest rooms, the spa services and revamped pools (day passes are available), the farm-to-table garden tour, and the outstanding culinary program at restaurant John Ash (led by chef Sergio Howland) that never missed a beat. (Order the chilaquiles and french toast—and thank us later!).

Scroll on for a sneak peek at the newly reimagined Vinarosa Resort & Spa—as you dream up your next getaway.

The post Inside the New Vinarosa Resort & Spa, An Elevated Wine Country Escape appeared first on MOTHER.

We recently traveled to New York with City Experiences and City Cruises and came back inspired by the idea of playing tourist in our own town–or traveling to a brand-new new destintation—while making lasting memories with our family.

With a multitude of fun and educational experiences in cities across the U.S., Canada, and Europe—the company offers walking tours, boat rides, museum tours, big bus adventures, and up-close looks at some of the most historic monuments around.

On our action-packed trip to New York, we enjoyed the food-centric Dumplings, Delis, & History walking tour of the Lower East Side, an awe-inspiring cruise and tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Grand Central Terminal, and City Cruises’ festive holiday dinner cruise—which runs through New Year’s Eve.

If you missed this year’s Christmas Cruise, Santa’s Brunch, and New Year’s options—other special occasion cruises include options for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Father’s Day, and Thanksgiving.

Now, that we’re back in the Bay Area, we’re looking into kid-friendly tours of Alcatraz, guided tours of the redwood forrest tours, a Big Bus city tour, and a panoramic night tour of San Francisco.

To discover more destinations and experiences in your city or for your next family trip—head over to CityExperiences.com.

The post Give The Gift Of Experience With City Experiences appeared first on MOTHER.

What are Your Favorite Places in Berlin to…

Eat With Kids:
“I enjoy eating at restaurants with my children a great deal. I have somehow convinced myself that this will be beneficial for them in the long run and they will become easier and easier to take to a restaurant as they get older. It has worked thus far with Bella, so I guess I must be doing something right. When I choose a place it has to be spacious so that when Nova gets restless I can walk around with her and we always get an early reservation so the restaurant will not be so packed. One of our favorite places is Cecconies. This is in the Soho House right by the lobby, so there is a lot of space for Nova to roam. Grill Royal for family celebrations, birthdays, and our wedding anniversary. The latest addition to the Berlin culinary scene is Root. It’s really cozy and spacious, which checks off everything on my restaurant with children list. When I am not at a restaurant with the girls, we love to visit the vegan donut shop Brammibals.”

Eat With Adults:
“There are two long-standing classical places in Berlin, Borchardt and Grill Royal. Their menus are delicious, Borchardt is known for selling one of the best schnitzels in Berlin, while Grill sells the best steak.  But both their menus are filled with many delicious offerings that include vegetarian options. November is the latest spot that is more cozy for a girls dinner or date night. If you like authentic Indian food, India Club goes over and beyond and every single dish is super delicious.”

Shop For Kids:
“There are so many wonderful boutique shops for kids my absolute favorite is Walking the Cat, Fete des Enfants, and Hai. For simple, functional, and inexpensive clothes, I really like going to Arket in the West of Berlin.”

Shop For Yourself:
“There are many shopping areas in Berlin. Alte Schonhauser Allee is the main street with shops in Mitte and Frederichstrasse has Galerie Lafayette and is a shopping street as well. I enjoy shopping at Other Stories, The Corner, Ganni Arket, and the mega department store in the West, KaDeWe.”

Play With Your Children:
“I have this tradition with all of my girls and we love to visit the bookstore! Dussman has an amazing English section and whenever we go there we leave with a truckload of books for myself and the girls. We love it! There are many, many wooden structured playgrounds in Berlin that can be spectacular or simply run down. Kollwitzplatz and Arkonaplatz have wonderful playgrounds in Mitte and when it is summer, the parks have a lot of sunlight and at Kollwitzplatz during the market on the weekend you can see parents socializing and sipping wine—it’s a lot of fun for the parents and children.”

Play With Adults:
“There are so many crazy clubs in Berlin, Berghain being the premium. I have yet to grace their hallowed halls because a.) I have not tried and b.) the bouncers are uber selective. Chateau Royal has a great bar to meet for drinks and sometimes has a DJ. My friends and I mostly enjoy dinner parties that can either be tame or become slightly wild. Either way, I somehow always fall asleep somewhere, a horrible habit since high school—my poor husband can’t take me anywhere!”

Get Out In Nature:
“When the weather is warm, everyone loves to go to the lakes. I wish I could name some, but my mind is a sieve since I had Nova and I can’t remember anything. The Uckermark is a great area outside of the city that has become all the rage in the past few years, there is even a huge ostrich farm. Berlin is lucky to have an amazing park right in the city, the Tiergarten is wonderful for picnics, being aware of the nudes, of course, and riding your bike as a family. Cafe am Neuen See has a great restaurant and beer garden with boats that you can row around a little pond.”

Best Flea Markets or Thrift Shops:
“Mauerpark is the premium flea market or flohmarkt as it is known in German. Arkonaplatz has a great market, as well, that is around the corner from Mauerpark, they both run on Sunday. 17 Juni is on Saturday and has a wonderful vintage selection of homeware. Made in Berlin has several locations and they have a large selection of vintage clothes. There are two pound shops in Mitte that if you dig deep enough you will come out with some gems. Mimi on Goltzstrasse is the top vintage shop where many designers go for inspiration.”

Favorite Spots To See Art:
“The TV Tower is a favorite of Bella’s—she went there on a class trip. Brandenburg Gate and the Angel of Peace, which you can climb to the top off. The Museum für Naturkunde is really great, they have a room with jared stingrays that is interesting and a taxidermy of the famous polar bear, Knut, from the Berlin Zoo, which is a bit strange but endearing I guess.”

Hotels You Recommend Visitors Stay At:
“Hotel de Rome, Soho House, Hotel Telegraphenamt, Chateau Royal, and Zoo Hotel.”

Where To Take Out-of-Town Visitors:
“The Tiergarten has so much to offer, so it’s our favorite spot. You can also visit the Reichstag Dome, but the tickets are always sold out, the trick is to make a weekend reservation for brunch and you will get in with no trouble.”

Any Tourist-y Places That Are Worth It To Visit?
“The Jewish Memorial, The Brandenburg Gate Tiergarten, and the Angel of Peace. They are all within walking distance of each other and a great start to get a history of the city.”

For more on Shirley, check out her 2016 MOTHER Stories profile!

The post What To Do In Berlin With Kids appeared first on MOTHER.

1. Dress your tot in comfortable clothes or pajamas, with shoes that are easy to slip on and off. Also, bring a favorite blanket, small pillow, or stuffed animal to encourage your toddler to get cozy and take a nap.

2. Pick up some special books that are all about the airport or airplane. This will not only get your toddler excited about their upcoming flight the days prior to take off, but also get them familiar with the things and people they are about to see. We suggest Richard Scarry’s A Day At The Airport, Airport, and Amazing Planes.

2. Pack a few books that are specific to your child’s interests and also a sticker book or two. You’d be surprised just how well stickers can entertain a tot. Find one with several pages and tons of stickers.

3. Crayons, paper, and coloring books. All kids like to color, and getting in some mid-air coloring time with mom or dad while on the plane can lead to some interesting conversation and bonding.

4. Magnet sets are a lot of fun for little imaginations and so are vinyl reusable stickers, because they stick to the airplane windows, which kids get a kick out of.

5. Make a portable doctor’s kit complete with a box of bandaids, cotton balls, tape, and q-tips for your toddler to fix-up her doll or stuffed animal.

6. Load up your smartphone or iPad with plenty of age-appropriate apps that will occupy your little one and possibly give you and your fellow travelers a small stretch of quiet time.

7. For extra long flights, load a couple of your kid’s favorite movies or a preschool series like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood or Sesame Street. Don’t forget the headphones.

8. Pack healthy snacks for when they get hungry. Things like string cheese, raisins, granola bars, low-sugar cereal O’s that are high in fiber (you can make necklaces with them if you bring along some dental floss), travel packs of almond butter, crackers, apples, mini bananas, tiny pickles, and turkey roll-ups.

9. Purchase special toys that are perfect for travel, like a mini MagnaDoodle, little plastic animals and dinosaurs, magnetic blocks, or a couple of tiny cars or trains to drive around their tray table.

10. Play I Spy.

11. Bring along an envelope of photographs to look at. Printed Instagram photos are great and kids love to recognize themselves, family, and friends.

12. Pack a little tantrum ammunition (just incase you need it) like lollipops, mini marshmallows, cookies, and other favorite treats to help prevent meltdowns.

13. Build excitement and encourage good behavior by rewarding your child with meeting the pilot at the end of the flight and receiving a set of wings. Talk to the flight attendant ahead of time to make sure this is a possibility.

This article was originally published on August 7, 2014 and has been updated.

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“Giving our children the chance to soak in nature’s beauty during a family vacation is especially important these days as children spend more time inside on screens and less time outside in the fresh air,” says Sandi Schwartz, author of Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer. As Schwartz explains in her book, a growing number of scientific studies from around the world show that spending time in nature can have a profound impact on children’s emotional well-being, helping to reduce stress and anxiety and increase attention, creativity, and their ability to connect with others. Bonus points: Experts have found that individuals can reap the benefits of nature even by observing natural scenes from a window.

Which brings us to family road trips. Schwartz’s book offers numerous ways for families to interact with the outdoors to feel happier and calmer while traveling. Below, she recommends the following 7 tips to connect kids with nature and enhance your next on-the-road adventure. Good luck!

Take the Scenic Route: Instead of traveling on monotonous highways the entire trip, search for nature-filled drives to take during day trips, weekend getaways, or cross-country adventures. Identify local spots to drive to or plan vacations around areas you would like to explore. Some ideas include farms, drive-through zoos or safaris, tree-lined paths, and coastal roads. This country is packed with so many gorgeous places to explore from the road.

Play the Cloud Imagination Game: Staring at fluffy white clouds and observing the amazing images that appear in the sky is intriguing to children. Ask your kids what they see in the clouds, such as animals, shapes, people, or other objects. Take it one step further and challenge them to create a story about the cloud images.

Watch for Wildlife: Have your children keep an eye out for wildlife. If you are traveling in a rural area, you can spot cows, horses, and sheep. If you are in a coastal area, look for birds like seagulls. In wooded areas you can find squirrels, deer, skunks, and raccoons. Keep track of all your special sightings on your trip.

Find Flowers and Trees: Ask your children to keep a look out for different kinds of flowers and trees that they see during the drive. Colorful gardens can be a real source of peace and can be found in all types of communities. You can make a game out of searching for flowers and trees by asking questions like: Who can find the tallest tree? Who sees the most colorful garden? Can you name that flower or tree? Feel free to bring a nature guidebook on the drive to look up what they discover.

Soak in a Sunset: Time your drive when the sun is setting and point it out to your children. Have your children describe the colors and how the sky is changing as the day slowly ends. Add excitement with a countdown or contest to see who can guess how long it will take for the sun to disappear. Capture the moment by taking a photograph and then see if your children can recreate the sunset by drawing or painting it.

Gaze at the Evening Sky: Children are often awestruck as they look up at the moon and stars in the sky. The night sky provides them with a sense of wonder and curiosity. See if your children can spot any planets or name the constellations. A really simple game is to have your children count the stars and see who can find the most.

Play Car Nature Bingo: Create your own nature bingo cards to take along for the ride, which include pictures of animals and scenery that you are likely to see out the car window. The game will encourage your children to be observant of nature during the car drive as they keep an eye out for butterflies, trees, dogs, flowers, ponds, and parks.

Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer is available from Bookshop, Amazon, and wherever books are sold. For more information, visit ecohappinessproject.com.

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The Joneses have now been living in their revamped RV for 8 months (6 of those on the road) and have learned a lot about family life on-the-go. From a rundown of their impressive RV renovation to tips on what travel-friendly toys they packed, Paige shares it all in our inspiring feature below.

Speaking of toys—the masters of fun, educational products over at Manhattan Toy asked Paige to pick out her favorite car-appropriate toys to take into their home-on-wheels. From brainy matching games to SEL-centric magnetic sets to tiny instruments and Star Wars stuffies (plus, the most adorable mini-cameras), you can check out her favorites while making a summer travel wishlist of your own!

This story was brought to you by Mother + Manhattan Toy.

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Want more on-the-road advice? Read Bionca Smith‘s Mom Talk essay about her choice to make #vanlife a way of life for her and her son…every single day!

Got a toddler on board? Be sure to read this advice on surviving a road trip with a toddler.

The post Thinking About A Family Road Trip? Read These Mamas’ Tips appeared first on MOTHER.