Cultural Travel

I grew up in Canada and I always enjoyed celebrating Halloween. I have fond memories of dressing up in costumes, carving pumpkins, and trick-or-treating. When I chose Mexico as my country over a decade ago, my associations with this time of year underwent a radical shift. I fell in love with Day of the Dead, and it’s a tradition I’ve embraced wholeheartedly, and I enjoy sharing it with my children very much. Halloween is a fun holiday, but Day ofRead More ...

My girl is finally at the stage where the images of Halloween are not that spooky to her. At least she tries being brave and that´s huge. Last year there was no way she would even get close to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland during Mickey´s Halloween Party, but this year she braved it…with my hand over her eyes and her peeking out! Mickey´s Halloween Party is really what Halloween needs to be about for kids. Spooky, yet fun. TonsRead More ...

For those looking for a more immersive cultural and language experience in Mexico, volunteer tourism, also known as “voluntourism,” is an excellent alternative and one that is being considered more and more. You don’t have to be an adventure traveler to appreciate this alternative method of traveling, but you do ned to have a passion for getting to know the real insides of a country and to give of yourself while receiving a transformational experience of a lifetime. Volunteer Tourism,Read More ...

Can you imagine being taken on an all-access tour that crisscrosses the rich and diverse country of Mexico with the one person that holds the golden master key: the President?  Well, that’s exactly the VIP virtual treatment you will get on September 22nd when PBS broadcasts nationwide Mexico The Royal Tour, hosted by Peter Greenberg. Greenberg, the nation’s most-respected travel news journalist, has already been on royal tours with the president of Peru, the Prime Ministers of Jamaica and New Zealand andRead More ...

I’m not sure at what moment it hit me, but this summer I was determined to take my three kids, ages 9, 6, and 5 abroad for a cultural immersion experience. I wasn’t sure where we were going yet, I only knew that I wanted to be immersed in either the French or Spanish language and culture. Why did I want to do this? Well, 34 years ago I was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to a Mexican mother andRead More ...

I get a bit jealous when I read about other contributors’ travels to visit family in Spanish speaking countries. What a great way to not only connect with family, but also to reinforce the Spanish being taught at home in the United States. Unfortunately, I don’t have family abroad to visit, but I was convinced that my own children would greatly benefit from the experience of visiting another country and being immersed in Spanish. Back in high school I startedRead More ...

We all know that traveling offers great language learning opportunities for our family. So when we have the freedom to do so we hype our kids up about travel plans, and by the time we’re on the plane our little sponges are eager and ready to get going. I’m sure you’ve asked yourself, why do airlines only cater to the adults on the flights? What about our kids? There are many ways to take advantage of your travels and turnRead More ...

The Riviera Maya in Mexico is a place that has truly been blessed by nature.  Its claim to fame is the turquoise Caribbean sea that embraces the coastline of the state of Quintana Roo.  But there is more to this paradise than the ocean; natural marvels, ancient history, quaint towns, eco-adventures and more provide the perfect setting for the ideal travel plans where the whole family will have  a fun vacation in a safe environment. Just be careful, very careful,Read More ...