Local Website Points Toward Family Friendly

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Tim Ludwig has some interesting requirements when he’s looking for a place for dinner.

“A noisier, more causal atmosphere where the waiters aren’t going to mind if your children are throwing french fries on the floor or at the people in the booth behind you” said the father of a 2-year-old.

So Ludwig developed Parentography.com, a social network for parents to review and rate various family friendly destinations.

The advertiser-supported site lets users share opinions, advice and ideas about restaurants, lodging, activities, and attractions. Ludwig compares Parentography to a Zagat Guide for adults.

Tevya Weinthal recently posted a review of the Carlsbad Mall after difficulty finding activities he could do with his 4-year-old daughter.

“There is a lot of trial and error. You have to go out and find what you like and what is going to entertain them for 20 minutes to an hour,” says Weinthal.

Ludwig had the idea for the site after trying to plan a family vacation with his 1-year-old daughter. He wanted to help other parents avoid his mistakes.

“The community aspect is a big draw for a lot of these people, they want to help other parents like them,” said Ludwig

The Web site is an example of a growing number sites called Web 2.0. The sites are characterized by smaller staffs that aggregate user generated content.

“One of the great things about the Web 2.0 sites is that they leverage the masses and that they distribute the work among all the different people in a very focused way,” said Ludwig.

Parents can rate excursions anywhere in the U.S. but certain cites have developed more postings. Objectionable content can be flagged by users and then is removed by administrators.