AOL Travel Ideas

7 Upscale Restaurants That Treat Kids Like Foodies

Mara Gorman — 2013-03-26T10:23:00+00:00

Filed under: Family

It's a dilemma many food-loving parents face if they want to dine out with their children on the road: Should they head for the casual chain that may not offer the best food but where it will be easy and comfortable to bring their kids? Or should they put on their game faces and go to the restaurant with the hand-made cocktails and award-winning pastry chef but no crayons or sippy cups in sight?

Happily, they don't always have to choose. In addition to focusing on the use of local, (mostly) healthy ingredients, some higher-end restaurants are becoming inclusive when it comes to families. Whether that's because the chefs themselves have children or because welcoming kids is a savvy business move, this means families are no longer consigned to mediocre dining.

All of the following restaurants will warm the heart of any traveling foodie. They serve creative dishes prepared with seasonal ingredients. In fact, they'd all make great date-night destinations. But they also offer special touches in service, food and décor that make them worthy of the coveted family-friendly label.

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Phoenix with Kids: Five Ways to Explore the Desert

Mara Gorman — 2013-03-18T09:41:00+00:00

Filed under: Family

What would happen if a huge metropolis were plopped in the middle of one of the most diverse desert ecosystems in the world? Look no further than Phoenix, where mountains and rust-hued rock formations of the Sonoran Desert are visible and accessible for exploring throughout a vast urban sprawl.

Here are five kid-friendly ways to experience the desert during a stay in Phoenix. Just remember to bring plenty of water, slather on the sunscreen, wear sturdy shoes and avoid the midday heat during the summer. The desert is fascinating any time of year, although the spring wildflower season is the most colorful time to visit.

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YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: The Long Haul: Road Tripping Through the Arizona Desert

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Philadelphia for Kids: Five Historic Attractions That Won't Inspire Cries of Boredom

Mara Gorman — 2013-02-25T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Family

So you stood in line with your 6-year-old for an hour to learn that the Liberty Bell is in fact just a big bell. Then you discovered that the most exciting thing inside Independence Hall is a bunch of empty chairs where Benjamin Franklin and George Washington sat a very long time ago. It's true that few American cities boast as many historic attractions as Philadelphia. Yet if your kids aren't history buffs, all that history may go unnoticed amid their cries of boredom.

But don't give up in despair and assume you can't teach them something about Philadelphia's historic story. Happily, there are many fun options in Philadelphia for kids that will keep them so engaged they won't even know they're learning.

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[Top Photo: Credit G. Widman for GPTMC]

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