Eileen Ogintz
Eileen Ogintz's 3-year-old son, Matt, once pushed a hapless kitten into the pond at a Wisconsin cottage her family had rented for the weekend. "I thought the kitty wanted to go swimming," Matt explained. The furious owner insisted they pack up and leave immediately. The embarrassed parents drove home four hours to Chicago in a downpour, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Eileen Ogintz was a national news correspondent for the Chicago Tribune then. The Tribune's travel editor encouraged her to write a story about her son and the Wisconsin cat. That story led to others and soon Eileen's family-oriented travel pieces evolved into the nationally syndicated weekly column "Taking the Kids."
The Taking the Kids series of travel guides for children and the book "Are We There Yet?: A Parent's Guide to Fun Family Vacations," which won a Parents' Choice Award, followed, along with numerous books, including her two latest, "A Kid's Guide to New York City" and "A Kid's Guide to Cruising Alaska," both co-written with her daughter, Reggie Yemma.
"Taking the Kids," which is syndicated by Tribune Media Services, appears in major U.S. newspapers and on Websites like CNN.com and is the only national family travel column in the country. The column has won several national awards, including most recently the John Southam Award.
Today, Ogintz contributes to numerous national publications and has appeared on "Today," "Good Morning America" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show." She is often asked to speak on family travel and how those in the travel business can best meet families' needs.
Ogintz, a 20-plus year veteran of the newspaper business, holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and has taught journalism at Northwestern University, New York University, Colorado College and Quinnipiac University. She lives in Connecticut.
Eileen Ogintz Samples
Taking the Kids -- to NYC for the First Time
Sometimes the best vacation experiences really are free -- even in pricey New York. That's what we discovered when we met up with Coreen Bourke.
Taking the Kids -- Aboard the Newest Megaship Epic
The kids -- and some grown-ups too -- are lined up on the ship's deck, hands in the air, vying for the chance -- to have green slime poured all over them. SPLAT!
Taking the Kids to Provincetown -- Not Just for Gay and Lesbian Couples
Whales! We're about seven miles off the Atlantic coast of Provincetown, Mass., at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary -- the closest place anywhere to see whales in their natural habitat. Wow!
Taking the Kids -- And the Secret to Getting Teens Up Early on Vacation -- Take Them to Harry Potter
It's a family vacation first. No, I'm not talking about how you can feel the dragon's breath as you soar over Hogsmeade with Harry Potter on his forbidden journey, eat exploding candy, ride on a dragon, drink frozen butter beer or have a Wandkeeper in his dusty shop direct you to just the right wand to perfect your wizarding skills.
Taking the Kids -- To a Theme Park This Summer
The negotiations went right down to the wire. Was he persuasive enough?
Taking the Kids -- To the Caribbean in Summer
Finally, a Caribbean beach that's everything a Caribbean beach should be -- quaint, with hammocks strung from palm trees, crystal-clear water perfect for snorkeling, white sand, a first-rate beach bar and enough water toys to keep the kids happy.
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