Our annual conference, held this year June 2-5, was a great chance to make new friends and ...

reconnect with old, as well as enjoy some stellar speakers and professional development seminars. Exploring the charms of the city was a large part of the conference and I look forward to seeing all the stories resulting from the visit.

I came away from Cleveland energized with the enthusiasm many of you expressed to me about the direction the magazine is taking (as well as a new appreciation for beef-cheek pierogis—delicious!). Look for more new ideas in the future, and hopefully, more NATJA members contributing.

This issue celebrates family travel. Our cover story by Daniel Lee (page 8) details the crazy juggling act travel writers often perform with their families, trying to combine business and pleasure, especially with kids who don’t quite understand the difference. Robin Esrock (page 20) gives us 10 destinations perfect for kids under age 10, a great jumping off point for anyone looking to broaden their kid’s horizons.

Nancy Pistorius (page 14) tells us why Amsterdam, Delft, and The Hague are perfect family destinations and we can enjoy a classic road trip on Wisconsin’s Highway 35 with Lisa Loucks Christenson (page 24). Janet and Stuart Wilson (page 28) let us peek over their shoulders as they explore their family’s genealogy in the UK, and as always, our columnists offer fascinating insight on everything from how to recycle your work to touring New York’s Lower East Side to a behind-the-scenes peek of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago. For my part, I share a piece about how slime, Spongebob, and waterslides can bring you closer to your child, with only a little of your parental authority in disarray. Dignity is a small price to pay for serious bonding and there’s no better way to shed our everyday selves, and roles, than to get out and explore.

Happy and safe travels!

Kim
Kim Foley MacKinnon
Editor-in-Chief
E: kim@natja.org 
B: www.travelworldmagazine.com/blog/editor

Look for more new ideas—including blogs, starting with mine and the publisher's this issue—in the future, such and hopefully, more NATJA members contributing.