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Over on Austinist they’re amazed that folks have already snatched up the early bird tix for this music event, which is September 15-17 in Zilker Park.
Well, duh!
Get some (tickets) and take the (older) kids to hear wonderful music in the Live Music Capital.
This just in from Gadling — the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. will close for renovations starting in early September 2006, and won’t reopen for about two years.
A terrific choice for anyone but particularly for families, it houses Americana of every description, including the ruby slippers from the “Wizard of Oz,” the original Star-Spangled Banner, Cesar Chavez’s union jacket, Richard Petty’s 200th victory car, gowns worn by First Ladies at inaugurations, early personal computers, a jar of leeches (in the Medical section,) a pencil drawing of “Steamboat Willie” (later Mickey Mouse)….just a wonderful collection.
There will probably be mini-exhibits around the Mall while restoration is ongoing, but it can’t match the bulging contents of the original Museum.
See it while it’s open if you can.
True confessions: I’ve never been to Alaska, and for some reason it’s one of the few places that I just don’t have a burning desire to visit.
I do like Budget Travel‘s “Trip Coach,” with its sensible and affordable outlines of good family vacations and trips. Here’s the Coach’s take on seeing Alaska with triplet 12 year-old boys (!!)
Two recent article from Frommer’s give some good ideas for a DC visit.
One is a general overall view of Washington DC as a family travel destination, plus a list of favorite experiences at the bottom of the article, and the other is more of a “Best of Washington DC” for kids.
A big plus for the entire DC metro area is that so many of the kid-friendly museums and places to visit are free. Also, since it is a government and business hub there are lots of hotel options, including nice “business hotels” that try to fill their rooms on weekends by charging tempting low prices. The Metro system makes it a snap to get around town as well.
Let me join in with this USA Today Travel article on the current state of tourism in Louisiana’s Cajun Country….get down there and visit!
This area fortunately did not get walloped quite as badly by Katrina as people may think, and it’s a fun family destination.
We’ve been to several of the places mentioned in the article, and I can personally vouch for Champagne’s Swamp Tours; (they pronounce it “shawm-PAN-yeh;”) they did a terrific job in an environmentally-sensitive manner. My kids loved it and we all learned a lot about the Atchafalaya ecosystem.
Cajun music is also irresistible to everyone, especially kids, and our family enjoyed a visit to Mulate’s in Breaux Bridge as noted in the article.
If you are up for some crowds, also consider attending this year’s New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival April 28-30 and May 5-7 2006.
Here’s the Web site for a look at the awesome music lineup.
It’s all a positive way to vote/support with your wallet.
I like the New York Times Travel section’s “36 Hours” articles; they give you good ideas for how to best spend a limited amount of time in one North American location.
Here’s a link to today’s story on the “Space Coast” of Florida, home to Cape Canaveral, the Ron Jon Surf Shop and other beachy joys. (Free registration to the NYT site is required.)
How can someplace named “Cocoa Beach” NOT be cool?!
In the Canadian newspaper The Globe & Mail’s Travel section, author and mother Kimberly Noble gives us a rundown on her visit to NYC with teenagers.
I second her comment about restaurants and walking; I’m always coming up with these great places to go that “only” require blocks of trekking by cranky family members.
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The good folks at Gadling have put in a plug for the wonderfully-comprehensive Avalon guidebook “Road Trip,” and I want to add my two cents and say that indeed, this is worth your money. All sorts of unique ideas and places to see from all over the US; we used some of the book while planning our family’s road trip of the Great American South.
Here’s a bit from Gadling on outdoor wonders in New Jersey, a much maligned state that is actually quite beautiful if you get off of the infamous Turnpike.
Did you know that the chocolate factory tour in Hershey PA isn’t the real working Hershey plant, but a very sophisticated simulation? No matter to most kids (including mine) because they do a decent job, but here’s an update on the tour from the “USA Today” Travel section.
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