beach vacations – Family Travel Blog

Yes, there’s great family stuff in New Jersey

It gets a bad rap as a destination because most people don’t visit very much of it.

The oft-maligned state has a lot more to offer than what most folks actually see (places like the monotonous New Jersey Turnpike or the Vegas-wannabe Atlantic City casinos.)

Here’s a sampler from my latest Education.com article:

Cotsen Children’s Library – Something for young ones at Princeton University? Yes, the Cotsen is a real hidden gem on campus; it’s a unique, well-designed children’s library that is actually part of the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections. The public “Bookscape” area has little nooks and whimsical reading areas (you enter through a topiary garden) and the rear section features gallery programs and readings year-round, for all ages.
Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center – If it’s about glass, it’s here at Wheaton, where New Jersey glassworks got its start thanks to the local silica sand and plenty of wood for the furnaces. Watch glass artists and glassblowers at work in the Glass Studio and Craft Studio, admire the stunning items in the Museum of American Glass and wander the Down Jersey Folklife Center for a close-up view of the arts and culture of the state’s eight southern counties.
Monmouth Battlefield State Park – Molly Pitcher entered into legend here when she assisted her husband loading and firing cannon during the 1778 Colonial battle against the British. Every year in June (in 2008 it’s June 21-22) there is a major reenactment event with costumed soldiers and cannon fire (it was the largest artillery engagement of the Revolutionary War.) A local family maintains pick-your-own orchards within the park, and the grounds and Visitor Center have lots of period buildings and exhibits.

For 14 other ideas in the Garden State, take a look at the full article: Family Fun and Learning in New Jersey.

I also found a fun video by Jen A. Miller, from the blog Down the Shore with Jen and author of the book T he Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May.

Although not written specifically for kids, her book and blog have lots of fun ideas and they give you a feel for the many sights and sounds of the Jersey Shore.

Wonderfully Off the Tourist Beaten Path: Wadden Sea/Waddenzee Islands With Kids.

What’s there to do in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam? Plenty, especially with families.

We had a chance to visit two of the laid-back Frisian islands in the North Sea/Wadden Sea (mostly in the Friesland province) Texel and Terschelling.

Friesland is one of the many provinces that make up the Netherlands; the oft-used term Holland really only applies to two of these provinces. If you are looking for a fun Dutch place to visit (complete with wide, sandy beaches, miles of flat bike paths and farmland full of fluffy sheep) this is your spot.

The better-known Scheveningen area near Den Haag (The Hague) is more boardwalk-y, and that’s fine if you’re pressed for time and just want to hit some beach quickly.

As always, the local VVV (“Vereniging voor Vreemdelingenverkeer,” the Dutch tourist bureau) on either island can help you with hotel and activity arrangements.

Texel Island (pronounced Tessel) is part of Noord-Holland and is the easiest island to reach from Amsterdam.

We found lots of things to do (I was there with my preteen daughter plus two of her friends) including bike rides on the pretty “fietspads” or bike paths, kite-flying on the breezy beaches, seeing the EcoMare nature center and the Maritime & Beachcombers Museum, go-karting and a fun ride on a shrimp boat to see seals and watch the local fishermen in action.

In honor of the island’s wool industry we bought some nice warm lambswool slippers and gentle sheep’s milk soap.

I visited Terschelling (pronounced Terskelling, and here’s another info site) with my three year-old son.

The island is reached by ferry from the coastal town of Harlingen. It’s smaller and quieter than Texel, but we had absolutely no agenda other than digging in the sand and riding bikes….well, I rode and he sat in the bike kiddie seat behind me, waving at people.

The Dutch, as you might imagine, provide you with rock-solid two-wheeled transport complete with full fenders, bell, light, basket, chain guard and sturdy child seats that bolt onto the back of the bike frame.

I wasn’t able to try the unique experience of wadlopen or mud-walking on my trips, but it’s on the agenda for the future.

As you can see from my links, there is plenty of information in English about the Netherlands. The Dutch seem to have a facility for speaking multiple languages; I attribute that to their seafaring and merchant heritage (think of the Dutch East India Company.)

A Dutch friend also laughingly commented that “we have to learn English and other languages because no one else speaks Dutch!”

This makes travel with kids in the Netherlands pretty idiot-proof and less of a stressor for parents than other places where communication is more difficult. Have a great time!