Karen Bartlett, Author at Neapolitan Family

About Karen Bartlett

As a travel journalist, photographer and essayist, Karen explores the world to capture the sense-of-place ambience in both well-traveled and beyond-the-crowds destinations. A member of the invitation-only Society of America Travel Writers, her work has earned top awards from the Florida Magazine Association, the Independent Book Publishers Association, and on behalf of Neapolitan Family Magazine, the Parenting Media Association. In addition to hundreds of travel features for print and digital publications throughout North America and the Caribbean, she’s the author of 11 destination coffee table books and publisher of Mostly Kids' Guides, the family-focused regional guidebook series covering Southwest Florida. Her newest and most impressive title is Grandma.

Articles by Karen Bartlett

Top Family-Friendly Things to Do in Savannah This October

First” this, “oldest” that… toss in “most beautiful” and “most haunted,” and you may be talking about Savannah, Georgia, established in 1733. For Girl Scouts,...

Why Horseless Carriages Are Making a Comeback

Once upon a time, long ago (the 1980s), in a charming, not-so-faraway land called Old Naples, a royal carriage drawn by a fine white steed...

Family Fun at Sanibel & Captiva Islands

Two things: you can’t teach an old skeleton new tricks, and Sanibel/Captiva islanders are among the most resilient people you’ll ever meet. There’s no better...

Patriotic National Park Vacations for Families to Explore This Summer

Is there anything more patriotic than a generous helping of musket fire, a Fourth of July parade, and a visit to a national park—possibly with...

Discover Family-Friendly Things to Do on Amelia Island

Amelia Island is the northernmost barrier island on Florida’s Atlantic coast. If it hadn’t been for the natural boundary of St. Mary’s River, she’d most...

Suiting Up with Lee Queen Bee: An Adventure Inside a Southwest Florida Honeybee Hive

So here I am on this perfect blue-sky spring morning, dressed like a freshly landed space alien, with 14 million bees (okay, maybe 30) bouncing...

How to WWOOF: Sustainable Travel and Farm Volunteering for Families

It’s not what you might think! Although it’s true that our fur babies love the freebie organic snacks they can score at Earth Day celebrations...

The Coasts of Florida: It is More Than East Coast and West Coast

What I learned in fourth grade geography was wrong. In my Georgia classroom, Florida equals East Coast, and California equals West Coast. Anything else gets...

Wintery Wonderlands and Holiday Lights Destinations

Explore winter magic from Maine’s lobster trap trees and Florida’s ICE! Experience to Santa’s Village in Lapland and NYC’s Rockefeller Center. Festive fun awaits for the whole family.

Where to See Elephants and Butterflies in Florida

Find some of the world’s largest (elephants) and smallest creatures (butterflies) in Florida.

Dia de Los Muertos: Reunion with the Ancestors

Celebrate Día de Los Muertos with vibrant local events featuring music, food, and art. Explore Naples Botanical Garden and Fort Lauderdale festivities, honoring this joyful tradition of reuniting with ancestors.

Carousels: From Medieval Games to Infinity and Beyond

Discover the fascinating history of carousels, from their medieval jousting origins to the dazzling rides we know today. This guide is your ticket to a whimsical carousel adventure!

Destination: Family-friendly Wilmington, North Carolina

Visit the historic Battleship North Carolina, spot Venus flytraps at Carolina Beach, enjoy film locations, kite festivals, kayaking, fossil hunting, Civil War history, and more.

Our Favorite Family-Friendly Beach Parks in Southwest Florida

Here are our favorite family-friendly beach parks with a variety of amenities, such as picnic and play areas, restrooms, food concessions, umbrella rentals, wind and water sports, and children’s life jacket loaners.

39 Great Ways to Play On The Water This Summer

Travel editor, Karen T. Bartlett rounded up a huge list of summer water adventures for your family to enjoy all around Southwest Florida.

Plant One of 4000 Pinwheels to Commemorate National Child Abuse Prevention Month

The annual Pinwheels at the Pier is a free, family-friendly pop-up art display of 4,000 shimmering blue and silver pinwheels to kick off National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Naples: It Was Never a Sleepy Fishing Village

Author Karen Bartlett shares the history of Naples and why it is more than a sleepy fishing village.

Beyond the Legends: St. Augustine’s Ancient Wonders and Family-Friendly Attractions

Discover the enchanting blend of history and fun in St. Augustine. Unearth pirate treasures, witness cannon firings and experience the magic of the Fountain of Youth.

Stocking Stuffers for the Adventurous Family

Ask me what I’d love to find in my stocking this year, and my answer is the same as always: the opportunity to immerse myself...

7 Must-Do Family Festivals and Exhibits Featuring Topiaries

Topiaries and fake topiaries called mosaiculture sculptures are all the rage now. Found out the best ones to visit with your family.

Exploring Germany’s Enchanting Fairy Tale Towns

Embark on a magical journey through Germany’s charming fairy tale towns along the Fairy Tale Route. Discover enchanting stories and hidden gems for the whole family.

Destination: Cité de Carcassonne

A hidden gem in France: A real medieval castle, a stone-walled fortress with watchtowers, ramparts, secret passages – and if the tales are true, the lingering ghosts of murderous invaders, crusaders, and courageous defenders.

The Quirkiest Roadside Attractions to Add Interest to You Family Roadtrip

Embrace the Quirkiness:
Discover the World’s Largest Potato, a Biblically-correct 2,000-ton Ark, and a 40-foot biologically correct lobster

Destination: Into the Twilight Zone for Bioluminescent Adventures

Bioluminescent kayak tours are like a magical trip into the Twilight Zone.

Shiny Objects: A Skeleton with Attitude and a Magical Mermaid

Travel Writer Karen Bartlett details a few “shiny objects” (points of interest that bring a destination to life) in and around Sanibel and Ft. Myers.

Destination: Space!

Cape Canaveral, home of NASA and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, is the epicenter of 21st century space action. Yet, so many of us living a short drive away have never witnessed the spectacle of a launch.

Cabbage Key

Take a day trip to Cabbage Key for the best Key lime pie, nature trails, and cheeseburgers in paradise.

Destination: Rock City

It’s a natural wonder, pure and simple, and also a kind of fairytale land tucked into natural caverns, behind red painted garden gates, and through mysterious, ancient-looking stone arches.

Destination: The Slopes

Where Floridians can find 100% chance of snow for spring break, and one unique slope in their own backyard.

Destination: Belize

Neapolitan Family Travel Editor Karen T. Bartlett gives us 11 reasons why Belize is a great family destination.

Spirited Destinations: Cassadaga

Why not head for a haunted hotel in spiritual Cassadaga, Florida?

Destination: Barefoot Beach Preserve

Spend a day at the beach, and you may meet Trouble, one of 200 gopher tortoises that call the preserve home.

Last Resort: The Swag, an All-Inclusive Western North Carolina Smoky Mountain Retreat

The all-inclusive Swag is anything but a last resort for a summer vacation for the whole family or a romantic retreat for two.

Destination: The Florida Keys

Where you can find mermaids, SNUBA and tiny key deer

Destination: The Spirit Zone

Plenty of pretend ghosts will be whooshing around in the dark this month. But do real ghosts exist? Visit these likely spots and decide for yourself.

Destination: Weird Hotels

In this world of mine is weirder than yours, just about anything can – and has – been made into a hotel room.

The Cliffs of Insanity

Visit the west coast of Ireland to take in the breath-taking Cliffs of Moher, made famous in countless movies.

Destination: Vanuatu

Vanuatu is a place lost to time. The picturesque, beautiful island and clear oceans make it the perfect location to visit with the adventure-seeking family looking to unplug for a vacation together.

Skipping School With a Purpose

Travel editor Karen T. Bartlett confesses that she has skipped school with her kids– and she’s not sorry. Learn about the benefits of allowing your children to see the wonder that exists in our world, even if it means they have to miss a class.

Getaway: Autumn Weekends

Here’s the thing: an autumn getaway is not like a regular vacation. It’s a sensory experience that’s easy to fit into a long weekend.

Destination: Blue Ridge Parkway

Travel editor Karen T. Bartlett takes readers along for the drive as she lists her favorite locations along the Blue Ridge Parkway, highlighting attractions like the Biltmore Estate and the Unto These Hills reenactment.

Destination: St. Augustine, Palm Island and Estero

One tank trips and “staycations” are easy to plan when you live in Southwest Florida.

Destination: Bats, Blueberries and Indian Pow Wows, Oh My!

Summer’s coming and summer is for festivals. As you start mapping out your family vacation, be sure to check your destinations to see what’s going on while you’re in the neighborhood.

Destination: “Me” Trip with Grandparents

Grandparents get special bonding time when they take their grandchildren alone on vacation.

Monterey Bay Parent

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