Category: USA

USA

Finding Family-Friendly Las Vegas

Post author By Bogdan
Post date February 16, 2011

With a nickname like Sin City, it’s easy to overlook Las Vegas as a potential destination for a family vacation. Everyone who’s been to Vegas before has seen the scantily-clad women on billboards and taxi placards all over the city, not to mention the guys on every street corner handing out flyers with even more scantily-clad women.

Las Vegas has tried over the years to market itself as more family-friendly, which hasn’t been nearly as successful as the whole “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” campaign – which is yet another indication of the challenge of making this a good spot for a family trip.

It’s a challenge, perhaps, but it can be done – and with so many great deals on offer for Vegas pretty much year-round, it can be an easy way to take a family trip without spending a fortune. Here are a few reasons why taking a family vacation to Las Vegas is a budget-friendly and fun option:

Airfare is Cheaper

As anyone who travels with their kids knows, buying airline tickets for a family can be enough to make the budget-conscious cry. Whereas international airfare for four or more people is prohibitively expensive, however, buying tickets to Las Vegas is often a bargain. There are often special vacation packages available to Vegas as well that combine accommodation with flights, and can include activities as well.

Off-Strip Hotels are a Good Deal

The bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip are appealing to young and old alike (I recall my eyes bugging out of my head the first time I saw them at the age of 12), but the hotels that line the Strip are often too costly to consider for a family. You may find a great deal on one room, which is fine if you’re just traveling with your spouse, but getting a room big enough for the kids as well (or getting a second room) is another story. Looking at hotels off the Vegas Strip is a good way to find better deals, and that’s where many of the family friendly hotels in Vegas are, too.

Kid-Friendly Activities

As mentioned above, there are plenty of things to do in Vegas that are decidedly not family-friendly – but there are also excellent options that parents and kids will both enjoy. The area around the city offers a veritable plethora of outdoorsy activities, including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and off-roading. In the winter months, there’s skiing in the nearby mountains. There are day trips you can take to places like the Hoover Dam. Within the city itself, there are lots of great shows that kids will love as much as their parents, and although Circus Circus isn’t exactly the place most people want to stay in the city it does offer a whole kid-friendly section full of carnival-style games. There are lots of options in Vegas for teenagers, younger kids, and their parents to keep everyone entertained.

Further Reading:

photo by D. Sharon Pruitt

Tags Las Vegas, Things To Do & Places To Go (weekly), Travel in the USA

50 State Series USA

Family travel in New Hampshire

Post author By Bogdan
Post date January 16, 2011
8 Comments on Family travel in New Hampshire

Every week or so until we run out of states, I’ll be posting about family-friendly vacation ideas, attractions and events in each one of the US states, taking input mostly from Twitter and Facebook.

Yes, I know how to search for travel ideas on a destination or attraction Web site, but a tweet or a Facebook Wall recommendation is a much more engaging and public way to spread the word.

Please don’t email suggestions to me; that’s nice but it is one-to-one communication. Tweet me and/or Facebook me, so that all of our networks can see what’s cool about your state.

We’re going in alphabetical order but started with the end, so our first state for the series was Wyoming, then we investigated Wisconsin, West Virginia, Washington, Virginia, Vermont, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio, North Dakota, North Carolina, New York, New Mexico, New Jersey and now we’re moving on to….New Hampshire!

This state is rocking the social Web; they reached out to me to offer ideas and also helped by spreading the word on their networks that I was asking for input. Can I get a “Hell Yeah!” for the Live Free or Die folks?

New Hampshire state tourism is on Twitter, with E.J. tweeting at @VisitNH. They are on Facebook (here is the New Hampshire Facebook Fan Page) and there’s a New Hampshire Flickr photo-sharing page, too.

When I asked for NH ideas, here’s what came in….

Twitter Travel Tips for New Hampshire

*** From Ski New Hampshire info via @MoeSnowNH on Twitter – I’m the spokes-snowball for winter in NH! January is Learn a Snow Sport month & there are 39 ski resorts for the whole family!

*** From Kayt Sukel via @TravelSavvyKayt on Twitter – Loved, loved, loved the Children’s Museum in Dover, NH. It was a lot of fun! And exploring Portsmouth is great, too.

*** From Tracy Lee Carroll via @StarrGazr on Twitter: The Amoskeag Fishways in Manchester. Beaver Brook for snowshoeing, hiking, nature study in Hollis. Shaker Village and the NH Children’s museum in Dover. Winter time is great for skiing in New Hampshire! Check out @Crotched_Mtn! Also, check out @NHPT and https://nhphototour.com.

*** From EJ Powers via @ejpowers on Twitter – We love going to Jenness State Beach in Rye NH! One of the many great @nhstateparks – https://www.nhstateparks.com/jenness.html.

*** From Jim Storer via @jimstorer on Twitter – Great rainy day activity in the Lakes Region of NH is The Rock Barn in Plymouth for indoor rock climbing. Another good take in the Lakes Region is a hike up Rattlesnake in Holderness (ok for the little ones and the view is incredible.) And because 3 is the magic number, my third recommendation in Lakes Region is Camp in Meredith for dinner. Nice for adults and kid-friendly.

*** From The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire via @kidmuseumnh on Twitter – The Children’s Museum of NH features unique hands-on exhibits made by local artisans. Waterfront park location is great for ages 1-12. We also have a Family Mardi Gras event on 14 February with live Cajun music, masks, beads, parade, etc.

*** From New Hampshire Tourism via @VisitNH on Twitter – From historical sites to museums & nature centers to train rides, NH has hundreds of family friendly attractions for you to enjoy. Here is the link to our Family Attractions site on visitnh.gov. Each month we offer benefits to our Facebook fans. Families can get ski/stay/spa discounts this month in the Sunapee area. Mt Washington Resort offers family-friend packages and special offers thru the winter incl a zip & ski package with a canopy tour and skiing.

*** From CC Chapman via @cc_chapman on Twitter – Franconia Notch with a stop at The Basin is the top place that comes to mind, also the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl game and parade.

*** From Sarah Vela via @orchid8 on Twitter – Brown’s Seabrook Lobster Pound on Rte 286 in Seabrook. Old favorite of mine. Bonus view of the nuclear power plant! 😉

*** From Michelle Riggen-Ransom via @mriggen on Twitter – re: NH – STORYLAND! Loved this place as a kid, still cool as a mom. Here are my pix from there from last summer [on Flickr.]

*** From Granite State Ambassador Judi Window via @judiwindow on Twitter – I am a 50 State-er. In #NH we have a “Twisitor Center” – @askNH – to help guests find what they need when visiting.

*** From Katie York via @ShoGrrl2 on Twitter – My favorite family-friendly activity in NH is hitting up @CanobieLakePark (in the warmer months)! 😀

*** From Jacqueline Tourville via @jtourville on Twitter – I write a local family travel column for Parenting #NH magazine (print & online.) We spotlight a NH town each month (here’s Bretton Woods.)

*** From the Rumbletree Marketing folks via @Rumbletree on Twitter – The @AtkinsonResort in Atkinson, NH has a delicious Sunday brunch for the whole family.

*** From the Currier Museum via @CurrierMuseum on Twitter – the Currier Museum in Manchester NH offers many family friendly programs. See more at: https://www.currier.org/familyprograms.aspx

*** From Jeremy Milani via @jmilani on Twitter – Not so much a tip as a local resource, but have you seen Southern New Hampshire Parents online?

*** From Montagne Communications via @MontagneCom on Twitter – Getting to NH is super-convenient and hassle-free thanks to the Manchester Airport at @flymanchester!

*** From Laura Hurley via @lkhboston on Twitter – NH’s great outdoors, 8 kid-friendly fall hike picks in the White Mountains, from Appalachian Mountain Club.

Facebook Travel Tips for New Hampshire

*** From Kara Skruck Williams on Facebook — Oh, where to begin with my childhood state….

1. Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves in the White Mountains, where you can try to squeeze through the “Lemon Squeezer” cave (not for the claustrophobic – though little kids have no problem!)
2. Weirs Beach in Lakes Region for a honky-tonk (so my mother calls it) boardwalk scene w/ arcades and bumper cars.
3. StoryLand in Glen, for amusement-park rides that keep kids about ages eight and under happy (one section of park w/ nursery rhyme attractions dates back 50 years.)
4. Canobie Lake Park in Windham (another theme park) reaches older kids w/ more thrill rides….

A ride on the M/S Mt. Washington on Lake Winnipesaukee and/or Scenic Winnipesaukee Railroad ride is good for kids, too!

*** From Wendy Wagner on Facebook — The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord is small, especially compared to the Smithsonian Air/Space Museum, but we found it to be delightful! We loved the Polar Caves (very similar to Boulder Caves?) We went to Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill before we went to the Polar Caves. The hike to the Zealand Falls Hut is about 3 miles in the summer, and it’s do-able for kids, though our 5 year flagged a little at the end. The great part is the falls, which have a flat rocky area that the kids can play in; perfect for the midpoint of a summer hike!

We stayed at the Profile Deluxe in Twin Mountain, and I can’t say enough about the proprietors. Nice people. The motel is basic and comfortable, and it has a great pool. My kids always ask to go back!

Storyland was a big hit, but Kara covered it already. 🙂

*** From Andrea Schulle on Facebook — Has anybody mentioned the Mt. Washington hotel and the cogway there?

*** From Peter Davison on Facebook – Hey Sheila, Alrighty, looking a bit more north of Concord ..not any particular event but you have to include Wolfboro, NH and surrounding area re: Lake Winnipesaukee. Lots of good stuff!!

*** From Gary Arndt on Facebook – The home, studio and gardens of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens at https://www.nps.gov/saga/index.htm.

Thanks so much for the contributions, everyone!

The BootsnAll Travel Network has a New Hampshire Travel Guide as well.

The next state in the series is Nevada.

Send your Nevada highlights to @SheilaS on Twitter or write them on my Facebook Wall (please tell me you’re a 50 state-er if you want to friend me.)

My purpose for this series is not only to highlight worthy kid-friendly vacation destinations in all 50 states, but by using Twitter and Facebook I want to also encourage tourism organizations to learn more about connecting with their visitors using social media and online networks.

Please add your own New Hampshire suggestions in the comments below, if we’ve missed anything. Thanks!

Tags 50 State Family Travel Series, advice, facebook, Family Travel in New England, holidays, ideas, kids, New Hampshire, social media, tips, Travel in the USA, Twitter, vacation

USA

History class is in session at the Cherokee Strip Museum’s Rose Hill School

Post author By Bogdan
Post date November 14, 2010
4 Comments on History class is in session at the Cherokee Strip Museum’s Rose Hill School

The teacher’s voice was clear and firm: “No, sir, I’m afraid that is incorrect. You may step down and take a seat.”

It was a spelling bee in progress at the Rose Hill School, an historic one-room schoolhouse built in 1895, but now located behind the small Cherokee Strip Museum – all about this unique area which was partially populated by an 1893 land run – in Perry, Oklahoma.

The students I saw were from a modern school near Tulsa, but once brought by bus to Rose Hill for a day of pioneer schooling, they were transformed by period attire and their surroundings.

I almost missed this magical moment, because I was in a hurry to get down to the Oklahoma City area for a business meeting. Thank goodness I decided to hop across the little wooden footbridge over a creek and poke my head into the classroom “just for a minute.”

The real teachers were seated in the back to watch, but the starched-shirt pioneer teacher substitute seemed to need no assistance in class control as students were marched through spelling words at fourth grade level, with each word featured in a sentence that might have been used one hundred years ago in McGuffey’s Reader (sentences featured a lot of farm work, like churning butter.)

It was a lovely fall day, with leaves swirling over the period toys laying outside – like wooden hoops – and there were student bonnets neatly hung on pegs in the mudroom entrance and little lunch cans in a hutch.

For a huge American history and Little House on the Prairie fan like me, it was one of the best 20 minutes I’ve ever spent in a museum, with its original cast-iron stove in the middle and wooden desks in tidy rows.

Visit Rose Hill School on Facebook, and if you want to see a class in session yourself, they’re held between 9:30 am and 1:30 pm Monday through Friday (but the Cherokee Strip Museum itself is closed on Mondays.) Visitors are welcome to tour the school any time, and watch a bit of any classes in progress, but for the full experience you’ll need to be brought there with a student group, arranged through the museum.

For a quick meal while in Perry, drive into town (it’s right off of Interstate 35, past the corporate headquarters for Ditch Witch construction equipment) and try the Kumback Cafe on the town square, serving thousands of customers for decades, including a visit by gangster Pretty Boy Floyd.

Tags Cherokee Strip, family, holidays, kids, living history, Midwest Road Trip: Texas through Oklahoma, museum, near I35, Noble County, OK, Perry, road trip, Rose Hill School, things to do, Travel in the USA, vacations

USA

Quick shot: Hoover Dam

The historic Hoover Dam on the Nevada/Arizona border really is massive and well worth the side trip from Las Vegas, where I was speaking at the BlogWorld and New Media Expo Tourism track.

For heaven’s sake, though, go fairly early in the morning or the crowds and heat will simply do you in, and the kids as well.

None of the indoor exhibits or tours are free, but there is plenty to look at if you stroll around and across the bridge itself.

I shot some video and will edit and put that up as well, but thought I’d show you this quick photo from my phone.

Tags family, Hoover Dam, kids, near Las Vegas, Nevada, road trip, things to do, Travel in the USA

Blog Florida USA

Gulf coast beaches are NOT all oil slicks

Post author By Bogdan
Post date October 11, 2010
4 Comments on Gulf coast beaches are NOT all oil slicks

If you’re planning a family trip to the Gulf coast beaches, don’t assume that they are all an oily mess from the BP oil spill. Here are 6 reasons to visit the Gulf Coast now, in case you were wondering, and the Traveling Mamas have a post on October Gulf Coast travel deals and free concerts.

Tourism and visitor numbers are way down all along the coast, often for no reason other than people are assuming that the beaches are full of tar balls and such.

I’m not discounting the tremendous damage that some areas have experienced, but many places are suffering from a lack of visitors because people aren’t calling ahead or checking online.

For an overall view of coast conditions, go to the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) oil/tar tracking map. It….

“….tracks the history of closures, advisories, and notices by county for beaches that have been affected by the oil spill. The tar ball icon indicates counties with any historical or current beach actions related to the oil spill. The sand pail icon marks counties that have not had official closures, advisories, or notices due to the oil spill.”

For Florida, go to the Florida Live site set up by Visit Florida and including beach webcams and local CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) tweets.

For anywhere, make some calls ahead to the local hotels and even restaurants. They’d love to give you their perspective.

Tags Blogging & Writing, Family Fun in Florida, Louisiana and New Orleans, Tourism and social media, Travel in the USA

USA

Trails cross paths in St Joseph, Missouri

Post author By Bogdan
Post date September 29, 2010
4 Comments on Trails cross paths in St Joseph, Missouri

Trails are one of my favorite ways for kids to learn about history, because they give both a visual of movements and events (using a trail map) but then you can physically take them on the trail itself.

St. Joseph, Missouri (@StJoMo on Twitter) is one city that was the hub of numerous trails in American history.

The most famous is probably the Pony Express National Historic Trail; it runs for 1,966 miles from the launch point at “St. Jo” to California, and this year (2010) is the Pony Express Sesquicentennial 150 Year Anniversary.

You can visit the Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph – interestingly, the Express only lasted 19 months because once the telegraph was run and then the trains were established, there was no longer any need for it.

Explorers Lewis and Clark camped on the Missouri River near what is now downtown St. Joseph. The Underground Railroad passed through here, too; find out more about it along with other African-American history in the Black Archives of the St. Joseph Museum.

Close to St. Joseph (mostly to the south and into Kansas) are more trails to explore: the Santa Fe Trail, the Oregon Trail and the California Trail.

Here is a National Park Service list: all the National Scenic and Historic Trails.

For maximum fun, plan a trip to St. Joseph on the second full weekend of October, when the town goes orange for the free PumpkinFest fall festival (including hundreds of carved, lighted pumpkins on the “Great Pumpkin Mountain.”)

Tags family, kids, Midwest Road Trip: Missouri, MO, Pony Express, St. Jo, St. Joseph, trails, travel, Travel in the USA

Texas USA

I got yer beef right here in Fort Worth, cowboy

Post author By Bogdan
Post date September 15, 2010
8 Comments on I got yer beef right here in Fort Worth, cowboy

Sure, some would say that a steakhouse experience is wasted on young kids, but I think they need to learn what a really amazing steak tastes like (and it’s never too early to start.)

The Cattlemen’s Steakhouse in Fort Worth‘s historic Stockyards District is one of our favorites – the decor is Early Naugahyde, dress is pretty casual, the cooks work on grills right in the restaurant and the portions are massive.

Steaks and meats are not cheap (my favorite Heart o’ Texas 11 oz ribeye is about $30) but for fork-tender beefiness, it’s worth every cent.

Kids under 12 can get a top sirloin for $9. There are plenty of offerings besides steak – here’s the menu.

Get there early, especially on a weekend, because it’s a popular place.

Tags Cattlemen's Steakhouse, Cool Family Stuff in Texas, DFW, family, Fort Worth, holidays, kids, near Dallas, place to eat, restaurant, road trip, Roadfood, Stockyards, Travel in the USA, TX

USA

Best family fun vacation ideas for Colorado, Part Two

Post author By Bogdan
Post date September 1, 2010
11 Comments on Best family fun vacation ideas for Colorado, Part Two

(This is a guest post by tourism expert, Mom and all-around great gal Sarah Page. Part One of her kids in Colorado series is here.)

Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park

If you love the mountains, then Rocky Mountain National Park is the place for you. I’ve traveled a fair amount, and this is still one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. The majesty of the place just makes everything right in the world. I can’t promise it will affect you the same way, but I can promise you there is something very special about this place.

The town of Estes Park is the gateway to the park. It’s changed quite a bit since I was there 20+ years ago, but it’s still a great little place to visit.

The main drag, Elkhorn Avenue, is full of little shops and restaurants. Most are pretty tourist-y, but there are some gems as well. Estes Park is also home to the Stanley Hotel, which was Stephen King’s inspiration for The Shining. Not exactly a kid-friendly place, but definitely worth a look. In addition to the park, there are some local attractions that are lots of fun. We didn’t have time for all of them, but we did enjoy these very much….

Horseback Riding

Since our kids were a little too young for rafting or kayaking trips, we decided to go on a family horseback riding trip.

There are literally a gazillion stables to choose from, and you probably can’t go wrong. We chose Cowpoke Corner Corral based on a cousin’s recommendation, and were not disappointed.

I don’t know if they always do this, but our group consisted of only our family of four and the guide. She took us up into the mountains, so this was no ordinary trail ride. We even stopped for a photo with the Continental Divide in the background.

It was a beautiful and fun way to spend two hours.

Tips:

Our two-hour ride cost us about $50 bucks per person.
They try their best to match the person to the horse. Our kids’ horses were smaller and gentler than ours were.

The Tram

Estes Park Aerial Tramway

The tram in Estes Park has been a family owned and operated business since 1955. The Heron family knows how to do it right. The views of Estes Park and the surrounding mountains are spectacular from the top, and the trip up and down are pretty cool too.

But if you have kids (and even if you don’t), the views aren’t the best part.

The best thing about the tram is the chipmunks. Okay, so the chipmunks are sort of tame, and it’s not the most authentic experience. But when a chipmunk takes a peanut from your child’s hand, you won’t care about authenticity. It’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.

Tips:

Adults are $10, kids are $5, and the little ones under age 5 are free.
Just do it. Buy each kid a bag of peanuts in the shell. It’s hours of fun watching them find the chipmunks, and watching the chipmunks take the peanuts from their hands.
Bring your camera!

Yay, hiking!

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

Since this was our first hike with the kids, we wanted to take it fairly easy. Turns out my husband and I were the ones who needed the breaks to rest and catch our breath. The kids were fine and not even winded at all! We ended up hiking somewhere between 4 -5 miles and climbed 745 feet in elevation to around 10,000 feet.

We stuck to the trails near and around Bear Lake. These are fairly popular trails, so you’ll see lots of people, but they aren’t overcrowded. All said, we hiked up to four lakes that day – Bear, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes.

Each of the lakes was spectacular in their own way, though I think Dream Lake might have been the family favorite.

To quote my son, “I know why they call it Dream Lake. Because it’s just so beautiful, Mommy.” I had to choke back tears on that one.

Tips:

Leave no trace. You pack it in, you pack it out.
Take lots of water and some light snacks if you plan to hike up to Emerald Lake and back. You’ll be gone a few hours.
In the summer, it rains most every afternoon. Bring a windbreaker.
It’s pretty cool in the park anyway – even at mid-day. But if/when it rains, the temperature drops dramatically. We got caught in the rain wearing shorts and t-shirts. Let me tell you, temps in the low 50s, rain, and shorts are not a good combination.
It will cost you a mere $20 per car, which lasts for 7 consecutive days. You can’t find a better value.

So despite being back in the Texas heat, we’ve gone hiking twice since our vacation. We invested in some nice camelbacks from REI in Round Rock, and are hitting some of the trails in the area.

I’m already busy planning our next national park vacation. Yosemite anyone?

Check out all of our vacation photos in our Colorado set on Flickr.

(Thanks very much for telling us about your family’s Colorado favorites, Sarah!)

Tags CO, destinations, Family Travel in Colorado, holidays, ideas, kids, tips, travel, Travel in the USA, vacations

USA

Best family fun vacation ideas for Colorado, Part One

Post author By Bogdan
Post date August 30, 2010
6 Comments on Best family fun vacation ideas for Colorado, Part One

(This is a guest post by tourism expert, Mom and all-around great gal Sarah Page. She rocks communications for the Colorado River Trail and is the sort of friend who responds cheerfully to my “Hey, write guest post for me?” right after her relaxing vacation. Part Two of this series will post on Wednesday, September 1.)

Our Rocky Mountain High, Family-Style

My love for Colorado began well over 20 years ago in high school and college, and on vacations with my cousin and her family several times during the 1980s. My cousin Robin worked at the YMCA of the Rockies for a couple of summers, so we spent lots of time up in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. That area (and the whole state of Colorado really) quickly became one of my favorite places.

So when we began talking about where to go on our family vacation this summer, the decision was a no-brainer for me. My husband had only been to Colorado on ski trips and the kids had never been at all. It didn’t take much convincing, actually.

To get to do things outside? In the summer? During the day?! Tell me where to sign up! If you’ve ever spent time in Texas in the summer heat, you’ll understand.

Being back in Colorado with my family was just as good – if not better – than the time I spent there in college. The best part was watching my kids (ages 8 and 6) discover what I’d known all along.

With that in mind, here are some of the highlights of our favorite kid-friendly places to visit and things to do from our trip. These are the places we enjoyed the most, and where our kids had the most fun.

Colorado Springs

Pike’s Peak and the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway

The best way to see Pike’s Peak is a trip up the mountain on the Cog Railway. Someone else drives, so both parents are able to enjoy the view. The tour guides do a great job pointing out interesting things to see and telling funny stories.

While we didn’t see any wildlife, they say it’s not unusual to see elk, bighorn sheep, and marmots at the upper elevations. Marmots?!

Once at the 14,115 foot summit, the views are breathtaking; so gorgeous in fact that the song “America the Beautiful” was inspired by the views. The elevation is breathtaking too; we all felt some effects of the high altitude, but they went away quickly as we made the descent.

On top there are decks and other platforms to help you get the best views. Visitors can walk around, do a little climbing, visit the café and gift shop, and take lots and lots of pictures before it’s time to head back down.

Tips:

The ride up is 1 ½ hours and there are NO bathrooms on the train, so make a potty stop before boarding.
To help combat the effects of the altitude, bring and drink lots of water. Keep your empties and refill them from the fountain in the gift shop. The water is delicious! Please refer to the tip above.
Plan for at least a half day. It’s a 3 ½ hour round trip, plus you’ll probably want to add in a breakfast and/or lunch.
Manitou Springs, the place where you board the train, is a cute and funky little town. There are lots of fun shops and eateries, and most are family-friendly. There are also lots of equally cool and funky lodging options.
Make your reservations a couple of weeks in advance. This is a very popular attraction that tends to fill up quickly. Adults are $33, kids are $18, and children 2 and under are free.

Garden of the Gods

This free park is definitely worth a stop, even if all you do is drive through and marvel at the views.

If you have the time, stop and take in the sights up close on some of the many walking and hiking trails throughout the park. In the park you’ll see sandstone rock formations, many of which are over 300 feet tall.

The hiking trails are beginner level, so they’re great for young children.

Our 6-year-old son discovered a new-found love for hiking and climbing during our visit. He’s now a self-proclaimed expert hiker!

Tips:

It’s always a good idea to have water along with you on a hike. Even though it’s fairly cool in Colorado in the summer, the dry air makes you thirsty quickly.
Most of the trails are a mile in length or shorter – great for hiking with kids.
You can even tour Garden of the Gods on a Segway! Call the park to make sure your kids are old enough.
The Visitor and Nature Center is worth a stop. It has lots of great hands-on exhibits on the geology and cultural history of Colorado. The gift shop is also quite nice.

Celestial Seasonings Tour

I know, I know. A tea factory doesn’t sound like anything your kids would want to see. Trust me. They will. Before the tour starts, you (and your kids) can sample tea to your heart’s content. A teabag is your ticket to begin the tour, which starts with a short video about the company’s history and mission. Then it’s on to the tour!

This is one of the only factory tours I know of where you actually get to walk on the production floor. In most cases, you’re just a few short feet away from the machinery or the people doing their jobs. You get an up-close and personal look at how the tea is produced and packaged.

The coolest part of the tour, though, has to be the mint room. If you have a stuffy nose, you’ll be breathing clear by the time you leave!

Tips:

Since you’re on the production floor, a hairnet is required at all times. Men with beards must wear “beardnets” too. My husband sure did look cute!
Due to the close proximity of the machinery, make sure the kids keep their hands and fingers to themselves.
No photography is allowed on the tour.
You’ll want to bring along some extra cash. The gift shop is amazing!

Denver

Hammond’s Candies Tour

There should be no arguments from the back seat about stopping for this tour. Our two kiddos were practically out of the car before we had it in Park!

Hammond’s has been around since 1920; it’s probably best known for its candy canes, but they also make chocolates, toffees, taffy, and lollipops too.

And they do it the old-fashioned way. I mean really old-fashioned. When they use machinery, it’s equipment they’ve had since the ‘30s and ‘40s. Most of the time, the candy is made and cut by hand. Even though you can’t go on the production floor, the huge plate glass windows make it possible to see everything very well.

The various work stations are well signed and often have large mirrors to help you see the detail work. You won’t be able to resist the candy store at the end of the tour.

It’s no use – your mouth is already watering before you even get there.

Tips:

The Hammond’s Candies building is right off IH-25 and is pretty easy to get to. It’s in a fairly industrial and warehouse-y part of town, which could be off-putting to some. But don’t worry, it’s safe.
This will take much longer than you expect. The video and tour last about 45 minutes, but you’ll spend at least that long trying to get your kids out of the candy store!
Take all the pictures you want!
The tour is free, but sadly, the candy store is not.

Check back on Wednesday, September 1 for Part Two, covering the fun in Estes Park/Rocky Mountain National Park. Horses are involved! 🙂

(Guest poster Sarah Page also blogs about technology, social media and tourism at Tourism Tech, where she tells the real story behind my startup project, Tourism Currents.)