Ah, the fine art of traveling with kids. It’s an activity we suspect many of you will engage in over the next 10 days. In that spirit, we asked travel expert and mother of two Tracey Rosen to drop some serious knowledge just in time for the holidays. As mother of six and a half year old Kayla and three and a half year old Zachary (pictured) and president of the L.A.-based public and media relations firm Productivity, Tracey travels frequently – often with her kids and husband Andrew in tow.

Here, she offers tips for traveling with children, reveals what’s in her diaper bag and shows how a child’s drawing might just be the perfect antidote for in-flight rudeness.

How often do you travel with your children?

We probably travel with our kids every other month; however sometimes of the year, we find ourselves out of town two weekends within the same month, so it probably averages out to more like once a month.

What’s the best time of day to fly when you’re traveling with small children?

Believe it or not, we prefer to fly the red-eye flights if we are flying more than five hours. Our kids are accustomed to sleeping anywhere when they are tired, and this way they sleep through the flight and we don’t give them an opportunity to get antsy on the plane.

When a red-eye is not an option, we’ve found that an early morning flight is best because our kids can get excited about doing a particular activity when we arrive and they are usually on their best behavior in fear that they’ll lose that first activity if they act up on the plane.

What are your tricks for keeping kids occupied on long car trips?

I’m embarrassed to say this, but the DVD player in our car has been wonderful. Besides keeping the kids occupied watching a movie we found that it helps my son focus on something in the car and avoid getting car sick (as opposed to staring out the window and getting nauseous).

I also have each of my kids bring three toys that can’t roll around the car and can be played with in different ways, such as a doll with changeable outfits, an activity book with a Magna Doodle attached, etc. And of course, healthy snacks that don’t make a huge mess if they fall.

But the most important thing is that anything you bring for the kids needs to be in arm’s reach. My daughter usually stashes her toys in a small back pack, and I found a product called the Kiddie Kangaroo that fits on my son’s car seat to keep his toys and a water bottle within reach.

When you travel with your kids, what are some must-have items you always stash in your carry-on?

I always make sure that I have fruit snacks, raisins, and their favorite snack of the week, as well as Tylenol and Benadryl, a small activity book, crayons, a small toy or doll (I bring Word Spin or Sudoku for my older child), their blankets for snuggling, and a mini first-aid kit like the Medibuddy that can fit in my purse or the diaper bag (this became essential after my daughter fell in the airport on the way to St. Thomas and was bleeding, but we didn’t have time to leave the terminal to go to first aid to get a band-aid).

When my kids were in diapers, I always brought two extra than what I absolutely needed, a full stash of wipes (for diaper changes, hands, spills, etc.), and a change of clothes. Now that my son is potty training, I bring one or two extra sets of clothes and a Ziploc bag in case he has an accident.

The goal is to bring the largest diaper bag that can fit under the seat in front of you so that it is always in arm’s reach (and make sure you know where everything is so you don’t have to spend 10 minutes searching for a pacifier or snack if your baby/child is fussy).

What advice can you give parents traveling with children who encounter rude treatment from other passengers and employees on airlines?

Make sure that you’re not ignoring your kids and that any disgruntled travelers around you know that you are concerned about their comfort and are trying everything in your power to keep your kids calm, comfortable and entertained.

When my daughter was two and a half, a passenger behind us kept giving me dirty looks and making comments every time my daughter opened her mouth (and she wasn’t being loud). So I had my daughter draw a picture and then turn around with the cutest smile imaginable on her face and tell this older couple that she made it for them. At that point, they couldn’t help but smile and felt guilty that they had made their comments in the first place. Remember that you probably paid the same amount for your ticket as the person next to you and have just as much a right to be on the plane as they are. And if the plane is not full, flight attendants are usually willing to let you move to an area of the plane that is less crowded.

What’s the one piece of travel advice you’d want every new parent to know?

Try to stay calm, prepared, and involve your kids in planning a trip’s activities. Travel in and of itself can be stressful, and that obviously escalates when kids are involved. If you seem stressed, your kids will be aware of it and will most likely feed off of it. By planning everything in advance (but still leaving some room for flexibility for delays or adding a new activity that you didn’t know about), you can enjoy your time together instead of worrying about how to get there or what you are going to do next.

Also if you’re flying, try to book your trip on a 777 or Jet Blue (or Virgin America), because each seat has a television (usually with children’s programming or games) and the rows are wider, which allows your kids room to move around (and not be able to kick the seat in front of them).

At large resorts and vacation destinations, what safety tips should parents give their kids?

- Make sure your kids know your room number and what hotel staff uniforms look like in case they need help.

- Remind kids to stay on pathways and not near bushes or on the other side of fences (avoid falls or coming in contact with small animals or insects).

- Remind them that they can’t go to the pool area or in the pool without an adult that they came with (even if they can swim).

- And don’t let them climb on vanity stools in the bathroom unless you’re there so they don’t slip out from under them.

- And of course, always have a meeting spot that they can remember the name of in case they get lost.

- For the hotel room, most large resorts now offer bed rails for your child, as well as night lights and safety gates if your room has an outdoor area. I always bring outlet covers with me, as well. Either the hotel doesn’t offer them or housekeeping always forgets to keep outlets covered.

Has travel become any easier for parents in the last five years? Are there specific innovations or policy changes you can point to?

I think travel with kids has definitely become easier in the last five years. Hotels are offering more kid-oriented activities - whether it’s a kids’ program where you can drop them off for a few hours or family activities like s’mores roasting or movies by the pool area (my kids beg to go to the kids club and never want to leave).

Obviously, some hotels are more family-oriented than others, so I always look to find out if a hotel is best for business travelers or vacationers and confirm that our room has a bathtub in advance (many hotels are replacing tubs with over-sized showers).

We’ve also found that a lot of hotels have a secret stash of board games and movies available behind the front desk if you ask. You can usually get a good feel of a hotel’s family-amenities by visiting their web site as well.

Best kid-friendly travel snacks?

Fruit snacks, raisins, Gold Fish, and Graham Cracker sticks. Avoid snacks that are sticky or crumble easily. The snack should be healthy and filling enough to hold them over until the next meal but not stuff them where they won’t want to eat their next meal. I also pre-pack everything in snack-size Ziploc bags so they can be re-sealed and each of my kids can hold their own bag.

Let’s face it, traveling with kids can be a major hassle. Why is it worth it?

It’s the memories you create and the look on their faces when they try something new. You won’t take photos of them during a tantrum, so 10 years from now, when you look back at your pictures, you’ll focus on the fun that you had together.

Traveling also helps your kids understand that there is a whole world around them and they can learn about different cultures or appreciate what they have in their lives more.

Your kids also learn about compromising, i.e. going to a museum or a cultural tour in the morning and then in the afternoon going to a park or specific kids’ activity in the afternoon (as long as they help agree upon what the kids’ activity is). But most of all, you experience it together.

Before the week is through, expect to hear a judge’s ruling on a New York state law requiring airlines to give passengers stranded in grounded planes for more than three hours adequate food, water, clean toilets and fresh air. Scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, the law, which has been informally called the airline passengers’ bill of rights, is backed by politicians, including State Assemblyman Michael Gianaris and Senator Charles Fischillo, Jr., as well as the grassroots organization FlyersRights.

Airline industry groups have fought back since the law’s passage. Their claim? That only the federal government has the power to regulate airlines, not individual states.

Today, the Associated Press reported that the judge in the case has said he will make a judgment within a week.

Airlines, Passenger Groups Clash in NY

For East Coast early birds, a free one-day lift ticket valid at Vail and Beaver Creek could be in your future. Here’s the deal: Anyone who flies into the Vail-Eagle County airport and has confirmed lodging in Valley Valley can take their boarding pass and lodging confirmation to Vail or Beaver Creek ticket windows for a free same-day lift tickets. It’s a good deal if you a) can snag a flight that lands you at the airport before noon (preferably before 10am) and b) don’t mind hauling snow bunny ass to the resort area. Yes, the airport is only 25 to 40 minutes from the major ski resorts (depending on your destination), but getting checked bags, checking into hotels and changing can eat up valuable time on the mountain.

The deal is valid through April 13, 2008. And because you can only get one lift ticket per lodging confirmation, I think this deal is probably best for couples or families with only one die-hard snow nut - while one of you deals with the logistics, the other could hot-foot it to the mountain.

2007-2008 Fly-In Ski-Out Promotion

This just in from Flyersrights newsletter:

Sarah Kershaw of The New York Times is working on a story about how travel hassles may be affecting and changing holiday plans. She wants to hear from any of you who are deciding not to travel over the holidays, or perhaps if you driving a shorter distance or postponing a reunion. Any and all tales are welcome. You can call or email her using the contact information below:

Sarah Kershaw
The New York Times
kershaw (at) nytimes (dot) com
212-556-1101 voice
206-992-6862 cell

In recent years, airports have begun acting on a truism that lies at the base of the American consciousness: bored people really, really like to shop. Give us an hour, and we just might fork over as much as we paid for our plane ticket among the ever-growing throng of airport shops, services and restaurants.

But here’s another equally as important axiom of the airport shopping experience: all air malls are not created equal. When you’re looking for more than a Hudson News and a Laptop Lane to while away the hours and minutes until your next flight, we hope you find yourself in one of the following airports, which together comprise our list of The Best U.S. Airports for Shoppers.

Philadelphia International Airport

Overall, we give Philly’s own airport top props for offering travelers not just airport mall staples like Brookstone, Radio Road and Spirit of the Red Horse, but a variety of retailers less common to airports, including Gap, Swatch and Bose.

But what we love most is that the airport has its very own Airport Magic Shop (Concourse B). For those times when you really wish your delayed flight would disappear with you in it, we suggest heading here. Perhaps they can help you out. Philadelphia International Airport Shops and Restaurants

What to Buy: Bose Quiet Comfort Earphones

John F. Kennedy International Airport

While we can’t give this airport the winning slot overall, it does house what is, in our estimation, the most luxurious collection of retailers concentrated into one terminal. Clustered around Gate 4 in the airport’s Terminal 1, specialty shops from Bulgari, Hermes, Cartier, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tumi, Mont Blanc, L’Occitane and the New York Dufrey Toy Store do their part to tempt travelers out of their hard-earned cash.

Unfortunately, the rest of the terminals at JFK contain a lackluster selection. When you’re stuck in another terminal with spare time, we suggest hopping on the AirTrain to Terminal 1. A full loop with stops at each terminal takes about eight minutes. John F. Kennedy International Airport Shops and Restaurants

Pittsburgh International Airport

While it doesn’t house nearly the number of retail destinations found in some others on our list, the Pittsburgh airport wins points with us for complementing airport usual suspects like Brookstone and The Body Shop with a well-rounded selection of less-common, but oh-so useful shops, including Victoria’s Secret, Creative Kidstuff, Clinique and GNC. Pittsburgh International Airport Airmall

What to Buy: A Victoria’s Secret Passport Cover

Portland International Airport

If there’s one thing every conspicuous consumer should do in Oregon, it’s taking advantage of the state’s lack of sales tax. Yup. The price marked on the tag – that’s the actual amount you’ll end up paying. So even if your travels leave you little time to explore and a lot of time in the airport terminal, you can still enjoy this shopper’s perk.

But absent sales tax is not the only reason to shop at the Portland airport. Unlike most airports around the country, this one leans heavily towards local and regional products. Hey, we all love playing with the massage chairs at Brookstone, but there’s something quite refreshing about being able to hunt for wares from Pacific Northwest artists at the Real Mother Goose Gallery, shop at the independent bookseller Powell’s Books, take a turn through the Nike store and explore the state’s top products at Made in Oregon. Portland Airport Shops

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

Another airport where travelers can happily shop tax-free? There’s no sales tax on apparel in Minnesota, so even travelers who’re just passing through can score deals on plush wearables from Naturally Cashmere and men’s shoes from Johnston & Murphy. Find both stores in the airport’s Main Concourse. For the tykes, head to Creative Kidstuff in Concourse F for classic toys from the Little Engine That Could Train Set to the Karito Kids. Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport retailers

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Sea-Tac does not, by any means, offer the most comprehensive airport shopping around, but it does have three stores that scored the airport a spot on our illustrious list. First, there’s ExOfficio, a great destination for apparel that can keep up with even the most frequent and active travelers. Then there’s Fireworks, an airport outpost of the small local chain of galleries that sell house wares, art and home accents made predominately by artists and artisans hailing from the Pacific Northwest. And last but not least, the Discovery Channel Store is one of those places that’s always fun to hunt around in – no matter what your age. Sea-Tac Pacific Marketplace

What to Buy: The ExOfficio ExO Dri Tee

Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport

Next up on our list is this Texas behemoth. While the retail offerings here include a slew of airport regulars (think Brooks Brothers, Rosetta Stone, etc.), the sheer volume of offerings makes this a great airport for retail therapy. What’s more, travelers have a plethora of automated shopping options. Sure, product vending machines are common in airports around the country (and the world), but rarely does one find so many in one place. This airport boasts automated shops for a bevy of retailers, including Apple, Proactiv, Sony, Elizabeth Arden and Motorola.

If your inner shopaholic craves a more traditional retail experience, unleash your inner Tony Romo at the Official Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop in Terminal E or fight off layover boredom with a spree through specialty shops like Fossil, L’Occitane and Mont Blanc in Terminal D and Terminal A’s Brighton Collectibles, Landau and the Jethro Pugh Western Shop. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Shops

Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport

The Southern Belles must have voted when this airport was collecting retailers. Not only does this busy airport have a Bath & Body Works in Concourse B and The Body Shop in the Atrium, but it also houses a Bare Escentuals retail outlet in Concourse T. That last one is a popular purveyor of mineral makeup, often thought to be much healthier for the skin than mainstream cosmetic products. Atlanta Hartsfield International Shops and Restaurants

Sounds like a pretty counterproductive way to score $5 more per booking, but USAirways has tacked a $5 surcharge onto tickets purchased on its own web site despite the fact that its official policies promise not to charge booking fees. We read the news at View from the Wing.

By adding the fee, the airline is actually giving travelers a reason to shop elsewhere, as the Cranky Flier shows in great detail. Yes, it’s only $5, but it’s the whole idea of slipping a fee onto tickets and, at the same time, telling travelers that you don’t charge a booking fee that smacks of shadiness. I don’t think travelers care so much about an extra $5 here and there, but they certainly get the hate on for companies that say one thing and do another….

Any frequent traveler will get a laff from Long or Short writer Johnny Debacle’s musings on Thoughts As People Attempt to Put Their Carry-On Luggage In Overhead Bins on Commuter Flights. For example:

Wait…why does he have wheels on that thing? There can’t be anything more than a laptop in that and maybe some paper. If there was a way to sterilize him I would, for the sake of mankind. A bag has to be the size of half a golden retriever in order to have wheels. Man that would be horrible, how would you cut it in half, lengthwise or widthwise? Maybe it’s not the best measurement. I’ll use a bear head instead. Grizzly bear head. This is the new FAA bag size regulation measurement unit for the retention of manliness and balls. If a bag isn’t as big as a grizzly bear head, you cannot have wheels on it and pull it. Done.

As Gadling writer Catherine Bodry notes, we’ve all been that person. You know, the person who boards at the last minute, puts their seat back before take-off, refuses to lower the shade when the film starts, goes to the bathroom during beverage service and forces the flight attendants to clear the aisle in medias res.

To combat these common airline passenger faux pas, Delta, reports USA Today, is rolling out videos to curb our wayward in-flight manners.

Hey, if someone can convince fellow travelers to think before indiscriminately sticking their collective butts in my face during boarding, I’ll watch as many stupid airline etiquette videos as they can make.

Yes, you’ll look like an escapee from a New Wave 1980s music video wearing them, but the Myvu personal media viewer solves some key travel problems. Like watching porn on an airplane. With the hands-free design, noise-canceling in-ear earbuds and rechargeable battery with up to four hours of viewing time, owners of this little device can turn on, tune in and drop out into their own little world of visual stimulation, one that exists outside the confines of palm-sized screens and annoying row mates with too much time on their hands. The universal edition pictured here works with most portable media players, DVD players and camcorders. Cost: $199.95