After a recent trip (without kids) to New Orleans, I’ve decided that “family friendly dining” means something entirely different to people from the Midwest. In the South, it seems that families lay claim to certain restaurants. In some sort of rite-of-passage, people bring their children to a certain restaurant. The children grow up and come back with their kids. Repeat for a couple of generations, and you may even have your own table (equivalent in my mind to your own pew at church).

Are you planning a spring break family trip to Florida? After baking in the sun on a beach in Daytona or Clearwater, turn inland, then drive a couple of hours north for a family road trip to Gainesville – home to the University of Florida, butterflies and alligators.

Sclemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated! Who out there doesn’t think of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and start humming tunes from Happy Days in their heads? Happy Days was primarily filmed in a brewery and a restaurant (with the greasy hair that made The Fonz, The Fonz!), and Milwaukee is still known for it’s brew and brat. Stoop down to about three feet tall, and you’ll be amazed to find Milwaukee has oh so much more!

People in Wisconsin love fish. Fishing from piers, by boat, on the ice. With lakes Michigan and Superior forming two of its borders, you can hardly fault the fisherman. Every Friday night the Lakefront Palm Garden, smack in the middle of the Milwaukee’s very own Lakefront Brewery, welcomes throngs of fish-hungry families for some of the best fish fry Wisconsin has to offer.

Located near Miller Park west of downtown, Palermo’s Pizza opened the doors to their new location in 2007. First-generation Italian American’s the Palermo family embodies an over forty year story of immigration, hard work, expansion, revolution, and now your grocery isle.

About Miss Katie’s Diner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, another food writer proclaimed, “Expect to find everything but the Fonz in this nostalgic greasy spoon.” I beg to differ. We found the Fonz, Marilyn, Elvis, and James …

San Diego is consistently rated one of the top destinations for families. If you live within driving distance, San Diego is no doubt one of your favorite getaways. What’s new this year?

Once upon a time I visited a restaurant somewhere in Chicago. At each table there was a mason jar full of jelly beans and a spoon in each jar. None of the plates matched and everyone drank from a different sized coffee cup. I’ve often thought of that restaurant, trying in vain to remember the name. Even today as we accidentally break plates from our matching wedding set, I quietly smile at the idea of replacing them one garage sale purchase at a time.

You’d never know that St. Patrick’s Day is technically a religious holiday. For families, it’s mostly a time to celebrate the Irish side of the family (or pretend like you have one) and enjoy the festivities. Do you go all out and dress in green from head to toe? Cook anything special? Green eggs and ham anyone? If you’re looking for the biggest family-friendly celebrations, here’s the master list.

The cliché “we’re regulars” is a bit of an understatement for our family. Whenever someone comes to visit from out-of-town, Ellas is a mandatory stop on our makeshift Madison tour. A friend of ours introduced my husband and I to Ella’s before kids and we were hooked even then (now it’s just easier to point obnoxiously at all of the things flying and moving around the room without seeming like you’ve lost your mind).

Summer and Fall are prime festival seasons, since so many have agricultural themes and that’s harvest season. However, Spring has some fine offerings, and this year is no exception. Pack up the family and head out for a weekend of fun and even a bit of education. Insider tip: many of the festivals have Facebook and Twitter accounts where you can ask questions, get up to the minute information and connect with other fans. If you’re a newbie to a particular event, this is the best place to learn all the local secrets for parking, eating and to find lodging specials and packages.

Unless you are traveling during a lunar eclipse during a power outage, you can’t miss the Sun Prairie exit (Sun Prairie one way, Madison the other). You’ll find East Town Mall, Home Depot, Office Max, Best Buy, Petsmart, and more than a handful of franchise restaurant choices. Honestly, I try to avoid it—especially when the kids are in the van. But, for better or worse, we call Sun Prairie home.