Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News: Travel

Seventy-two years after the premiere of the Christmas classic set in a town called Bedford Hills, folks celebrate Frank Capra's crowning achievement with the It's a Wonderful Life Festival.

I'd first seen the film as a boy. My mother had pulled me out of school for the afternoon, correctly figuring that I'd learn more from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman than from algebra class.

Strategy No. 1: Check the weather! Strategy No 2: See No. 1.

Minimizing holiday trip hassles comes down to a few simple strategies and remembering to remedy the three biggest errors holiday travelers make: Don't wait too long to book, give yourself plenty of time, and prepare.

Within walking distance is an attraction that can elevate your visit. Then ride a cable cars to two neighborhoods where you can catch a glimpse of San Francisco's fabled past and evolving present.

My family and I traveled to Ireland to scatter my parents' ashes at Downpatrick Head in County Mayo. We knew the exact spot because Mom and Dad, who spent many of their post-retirement summers in the land of our ancestors, had brought us here almost two decades before.

Junior will go wild for the multicolored jungle animals on the green Safari model. Or beam among the giant golden stars on the blue Rising Stars version. And little swingers will never forget hanging out with the happy herd of elephants on the cheery red Elephunk model.

If a property seems too good to be true … well, you know the rest.

So what do parents need to know about flying with babies? First, if you can, buy an extra seat instead of holding the baby on a lap. You'll need the extra space, and bringing the car seat on board will also make the trip safer for your offspring, experts say.

La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí's gigantic, unfinished Catholic church, towers over the city.