Earth Friendly Family Vacations – Staying Green in the City. Urban family vacation adventures can be even better by including a stay at an earth-friendly hotel in the city. In the spirit of Earth Day it may be time to plan your green family vacation in the city.

 
Here’s the scoop. For the hotels featured below every day is Earth Day in the city. The policies in place enable guests to take action and make the planet greener, safer, and healthier. Earth-friendly urban family vacations do not add to carbon emissions, contaminate water supplies, drain energy, or cause extra waste.

 
I have featured green family vacation ideas for several years. As always there are many shades of green giving parents or grandparents choices. Can a family vacation be green even in the city? Yup. Surprisingly, some of the very best green hotel programs in the country are featured in city hotels. 

 
Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes, California A bluer shade of green. Located on the dramatically beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula, south of Los Angeles, this resort offers awesome ocean views in addition to a natural habitat where it is possible to watch wildlife including dolphins, sea lions, migrating whale, and the endangered Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly. Resort activities include guided bike rides, an ocean-side hikes, horseback trail rides, falconry, kayorkle, and paddle boarding. Green Points: Terranea’s Pointe Discovery’s activity center offers guests countless ways to participate in planet-friendly projects both green and blue. The Tide Pool Kids Club provides young children with remarkable ways to be earth-friendly while having fun. Here’s the deal! Children 17 and younger stay at no additional charge in the same room as their parents and rollaway beds for children 17 and younger are complimentary. Location on the planet: 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. Toll-free 1-(866) 802-8000, (310) 265-2800 or www.terranea.com

 
Hotel Arista in Naperville, Illinois - A classic shade of green. I stumbled upon this location while visiting Naperville Settlement an earth-friendly, family-friendly living history complex. Arista offers green luxury in Chicago with more than 100 residential-style suites ideal for family vacation time. The hotel is licensed, bonded, and insured for babysitting services and registered child minders are available for your family's convenience. Green Points: Arista is the first Four Diamond, LEED certified hotel in Illinois, making it one of the region’s first truly eco-friendly hotels. The property uses 30% less water and 21% less energy than comparable hotels.  Wait for it! The location is just minutes from DuPage Children’s Museum as well as the very green Morton Arboretum with 16 miles of hiking trails, children's garden, and living maze. Location on the planet: At the end of I-88 and RT.59 2139 CityGate Lane, Naperville, Illinois 60563. (630) 579-4100 or www.hotelarista.com

Habitat Suites Hotel in Austin, Texas- A quiet shade of green. Any family vacation in the “Live Music Capitol of the World” would be a blast. The energy of the city is lively and positive making family memories easy to create. In addition to awesome music venues there’s sharing the story of Texas at the Bob Bullock Museum and swimming in spring-fed Barton Springs – the biggest natural swimming hole in Texas. Habitat Suites is centrally located and offers ample space for an ideal family vacation base. Green Points: An 18-kilowatt photovoltaic solar system resting atop each of the three guest buildings harnesses the sun's rays to provide approximately 20% of the hotels energy needs. This urban resort in North Austin fosters a healthy environment for guests, employees, and wildlife while seeking to minimize the impact on the planet. Location on the planet: Habitat Suites Hotel 500 E. Highland Mall Blvd. Austin, Texas 78752.  (512) 467.6000, toll-free 1-800-535-4663 or www.habitatsuites.com

Seaport Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts - An Atlantic shade of green.  Being dubbed a “green city” takes commitment to earth-friendly programs and participation by residents as well as visitors. From the St. Charles River and the Boston Seaport to countless miles of urban pathways and green transportation options, Boston is becoming greener every day. So it is not surprising that one of the greenest city hotels in the US is located in Boston. The Seaport Boston Hotel is known for its innovative earth-friendly programs which allow guest to use less and enjoy more. Green points: The hotel’s Seaport Saves program is dedicated to improving all aspects of the luxury, green hotel experience including implementing earth-friendly practices guest rooms and open spaces from smart thermostats and in-room recycling to enabling guests to participate in Keurig’s “Grounds to Grow On” program. Wait for it! In addition to being green, the hotel also has a selection of allergy-free rooms which minimize contaminants and odors allowing the space to be certified hypoallergenic. Location on the planet: 1 Seaport Lane, Boston, MA 02210.  (617) 385-4000 or www.seaportboston.com 

Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - An artful shade of green. For a super cool, green family vacation in an artful atmosphere, plunk the kids down at Hotel Palomar in the heart of Center City, within the trendy Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. From the doorstep it is minutes to Old City Philadelphia, the Mutter Museum, Rittenhouse Square Park, Philadelphia sports attractions. In true Kimpton style this hotel is both earth-friendly and family friendly while also being stylist and artful. Green Points: As of this writing it is the only LEED Gold-certified hotel in the city. It adheres to the strictest of requirements in the areas of energy saving, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources. Extra green attributes include recycled wall coverings, blankets made of 100% recycled materials. Plus the restaurant Square 1682 is among the city’s only LEED-registered dining establishments. Here’s the deal! The hotel offers discounts for hybrid cars. Wait for it! Palomar makes an extra effort to be kid-friendly offering neighborhood activity suggestions, a welcome gift, a "Wild Child" animal print robe to use during their stay, and a special Kid's Comment Card. Location on the planet: 117 S 17th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103. (215) 563-5006 or www.kimptonhotels.com

70 Park Avenue Hotel in New York City - A clever shade of green. Creating an urban family adventure in NYC can be daunting and making green yet another challenge. From shopping in the Village and visiting Liberty Island to sharing the top of the Empire State Building, seeing a show on Broadway, and enjoying a carriage ride through Central Park, now two trips will ever be the same but they can always have an element of green starting with your hotel choice. 70 Park is a Kimpton boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan on Park Avenue just four blocks from Grand Central Station. It offers first class family vacation base for any green urban adventure. Green Points: With the help of the hotel’s Eco Concierge, your next family vacation in NYC can be greener with oodles of easy actions. For example hail a pedi-cab instead of a yellow cab, or giving guests an eco-friendly guide to shops and restaurants. Wait for it! Guests on shopping trips receive a canvas bag filled with green goodies to start and tips on les popular green spaces in the urban jungle including shops and green restaurants. Location on the planet: 70 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016. (212) 973-2400 or www.70parkave.com

Content researched and posted by Nancy Nelson-Duac. Image courtesy Terranea Resort. Updated copyright 2018.