Tag: holidays

Categories
50 State Series

Family travel in Pennsylvania

Love in Pennsylvania (courtesy mezone at Flickr CC)Every Tuesday until we run out of states, I plan to post 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 and now we’re moving on to….Pennsylvania!

I was inundated this week by social media-savvy Pennsylvania folks and their input….hurray!

Their state tourism organization is on Twitter at @PATourismPR (update – and for more visitor info see @VisitPA.)  They aren’t on They are on Facebook at the VisitPA Facebook page, and so is Pennsylvania State Parks.

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

Twitter Travel Tips for Pennsylvania

***  From Philadelphia Tourism via @VisitPhilly on Twitter  —  I brought my nephew to Smith’s Play Place in Philly’s Fairmount Park. Tricycles in Smithville were a hit! Smith: The Kid’s Play Place in the Park.   Also brought brought my nephews to Please Touch Museum (recently reopened.)

***  From Kimberley Kradel via @ArtistAtLarge on Twitter  — Don’t know if it’s still a favorite, but when I was a kid in West PA, my favorite was a day at Kennywood on the old roller coasters! [Yes, it is still there!]

***  From Wendy Perrin via @WendyPerrin on Twitter  — My 3 boys’ fave family-friendly event in PA is “A Day Out With Thomas [the Tank Engine]” in Strasburg https://www.strasburgpa.com. We go every September.

***  From Kayt Sukel via @TravelSavvyKayt on Twitter  — Love the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. Also partial to Kennywood amusement park.

***  From the Philadelphia Federal Reserve via @PhiladelphiaFed on Twitter  — Check out the Philadelphia Fed’s free lobby exhibit “Money-in-Motion.” Next to the Constitution Center:  https://www.philadelphiafed.org/education/money-in-motion.

***  From Kristin at Visit Pittsburgh via @Kristin_VstPgh on Twitter  — Pittsburgh has great family friendly attractions. Visit https://www.visitpittsburgh.com.

***  From Bill Church via @BillChurch64 on Twitter  — Steelers camp (now open,) Latrobe, historic Kennywood Amusement Park, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh inclines, Daffins Candy, Sharon.

***  From Kim Haynes Hollenshead via @Kim_Hollenshead on Twitter  — Can you add a tour of Herr Foods in Nottingham PA? https://www.herrs.com/SnackFactoryTours.html Nothing’s better than a hot/fresh chip!

Continue reading “Family travel in Pennsylvania”

Categories
50 State Series USA

Family travel in Missouri

Kids at the Gateway Arch, St Louis MO (courtesy Wendy Piersall at Flickr CC)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 plus the territories, taking input mostly from Twitter and Facebook.

Yes, I know how to search for travel ideas on a destination or attraction website, 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, New Hampshire, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana and now we’re moving on to…Missouri!

The state is busy on all the major social media channels: they have multiple fun and engaging Twitter voices including @VisitMissouri plus @MoTravelMama, @MOTravelGuy, @MOPhotoGirl, @KatiesTrail, @MissMOitAll (awesome name!) and fishing updates from @VisitMOFish.  There is a Missouri tourism Facebook Page, a nice blog called The VisitMO Bistro and plenty of photos in @MOPhotoGirl’s  Missouri Flickr pool.

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

Twitter Travel Tips for Missouri

***  From Sarah V. via @Wandering_Off on Twitter – I’m originally from MO! Columbia is a great college town.  St. Louis Zoo is phenomenal & free. Also, STL art museum.

***  From Sharlene via @DoubleAdventure on Twitter – Loved Main Street in St Charles when I was there earlier this month. And of course the arch.

***  From MoTravelMama via @MoTravelMama on Twitter – St. Louis offers many free attractions in Forest Park including an amazing zoo, history and art museum and science center. Kansas City also has a lot of free attractions: Money Museum, Kaleidoscope, Hallmark Visitors Center, great shopping and food. Branson ideas: Dixie Stampede, Silver Dollar City, Acrobats of China, Butterfly Palace, Titanic & Branson Landing, perfect for fams. Hannibal is a great family town. 4th of July is a great time there, Mark Twain Cave, Paddle Boat, Twain Home & downtown shopping.

(Can you tell she’s the Director of Communications for Missouri tourism?)

(cont.) Lake of the Ozarks has great family resorts, indoor/outdoor waterparks, shopping, water sports, mini golf and go-karts, and more! Jefferson City is has the State Capitol Building with museum, historic prison tour, Central Dairy Ice Cream, conservation center. St. Joseph is full of historical treasures. Pony Express , Patee House, Jesse James Home, Glore Psychiatric & Black Archive Museum. Hwy. 36 is the Way of American Genius. Disney, JC Penney, John Pershing, Mark Twain, Jesse James all lived along this highway. Springfield has a great Discovery Center, Jump Mania, Dickerson Park Zoo, Fantastic Caverns, Candy House & many historic theaters.

***  From Miss Dazey via @Miss_Dazey on Twitter – George Washington Carver National Park….families can learn history, explore science, hike and much more  https://nps.gov/gwca/index.htm Precious Moments Chapel, Carthage, MO  (town is neat too)  https://preciousmoments.com/content.cfm/park_chapel

***  From MASchweers via @MASchweers on Twitter – in St Louis – the Steam Ship Arabia…rather interesting.

***  From Andrea Torres via @AustinAndrea on Twitter – Never been, but my Missouri friends all reminisce about Silver Dollar City in Branson.

***  From Jared James via @count_01 on Twitter – Consider Elephant Rocks State Park, down in southeast MO, not too far from Ste Genevieve, which is itself worthy of mention.

***  From Allie Dillon via @AllieDillon on Twitter – Powell Gardens, 30m east of KC, MO on Hwy50. “Great place to grow family memories.” My sister loves this place. @powellgardens

***  From St. Joseph, Missouri via @StJoMo on Twitter – Visit the Pony Express Museum; all exhibits kid friendly including Play Area just for kids. www.ponyexpress.org St. Jo (MO) boasts 13 museums & 50+ listings on Nat’l Register of Historic Places (2000+properties) https://dld.bz/eQ6s This summer cool down at the St. Joseph Aquatic Park: enclosed water slides, lazy river & zero degree entry https://bit.ly/bFE4te Help celebrate the opening & dedication of the four-lane US Hwy 36 across the State of Missouri https://bit.ly/ddNGGL Remington Nature Center sits on the banks of the Mighty MO. Lots of kid-friendly attractions and activities https://bit.ly/cbOLlt

***  From Matt Flener via @mattflener on Twitter – Try fitz’s root beer in st. louis…great root beer fun! https://www.fitzsrootbeer.com Also if you like outdoor adventures…try devil’s ice box in columbia, mo https://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge/cave.htm

***  From Mike via @VistaVision on Twitter – Kids like Lambert’s Cafe, Sikeston, Mo., where they throw much of the meal at you. https://bit.ly/aZ8G9r

***  From Jacqueline Conrad via @jhandleyconrad on Twitter – St Louis Zoo (excellent, well known and free,) Cardinal Baseball Game, Grants Farm, Lake of the Ozarks (huge,beautiful lake with tons to do.)

Facebook Travel Tips for Missouri

***  From Dara Quackenbush on Facebook – Visit Chillicothe, the home of sliced bread. While you’re there, go to the Hy-Vee and get a tenderloin sandwich. Evidently, it’s THE thing to do. 😉

***  From Jen Miner on Facebook – Kansas City! The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

***  From Michel Hudson on Facebook – The University of Missouri in Columbia has a bunch of museums with a wide variety of things – all for free admission. Here’s a link to a page with current info: https://mizzouwire.missouri.edu/stories/2010/summer-fun/index Oh, and the Buck’s Ice Cream mentioned on that page is REALLY good – made on campus by one of their colleges.

***  From Todd Randall Jordan on Facebook – Missouri History Museum has large schedule of events – https://www.stlouiskidsmagazine.com/story/ice-cream-and-other-stories-history-museum

Get the Scoop: July 16 and 17 – Did you know the ice cream cone has a connection to 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis? Come learn about the history of this delicious dessert.

Aunt Katie’s Visit: July 23 and 24 – In 1990, local author Katie Rodriguez Banister survived an auto accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, she will read her book Aunt Katie’s Visit. She will also demonstrate some assistive technology.

Backyard Buddies: July 30 and 31– Listen to the adventures of the critters found in your own backyard.

And more throughout August.  ‎

Thanks so much for the contributions, everyone!

The BootsnAll Travel Network has some Missouri travel articles as well.

The next state in the series is Mississippi.

Send your Mississippi 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 Missouri suggestions in the comments below, if we’ve missed anything. Thanks!

Categories
50 State Series

Family travel in Wyoming

wyoming-string-lake-courtesy-oakleyoriginals-on-flickr-ccEvery Tuesday until we run out of states, I plan to post about family-friendly travel ideas, attractions and events in each one of the US states, taking input mostly from Twitter and Facebook.

We’re going alphabetical but starting with the end, so our first state for the series is….Wyoming!

You can find their state tourism folks on Twitter at @WyomingTourism and here is their Travel and Tourism Facebook page.

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

Twitter Travel Tips for Wyoming

***  From @WyomingTourism via Twitter  —  “Howdy! Kids have got to go to the dinosaur center in Thermopolis and the interactive transportation museum in Cheyenne. Both of these towns have other museums and stuff to fill a day. And, of course, no life is complete without Yellowstone and Devils Tower. And the forts are cool – one on the way to the other stuff no matter which way you go…Ft Bridger in the SW, Ft Laramie in the SE…Ft Phil Kearny, Ft Caspar and Ft Fetterman in the middle. And outlaw stuff in the Territorial Prison in Laramie.”

***  From Kristin Farwell via @kfarwell on Twitter  —  “Besides Yellowstone (a given), my favorite camping/driving spot in northwest Wyoming is Sunlight Basin/Chief Joseph [Scenic] Highway.”

***  From Peggy Coonley via @PeggyCoonley on Twitter  —  “Grand Teton National Park Ranger programs, Snake River raft trip, hikes in the Laurance Rockefeller [Preserve, which is part of the Tetons and newly-opened to the public.]”

***  From Jeanine Barone via @JCreatureTravel on Twitter  —  “How about Devils Tower Nat’l Monument. It was in the Close Encounters of the Third Kind movie. https://www.nps.gov/deto/“

*** (Addenda, should have been in original post) —  From @CiaoBambino via Twitter, a recommendation for the Spring Creek Ranch in Jackson Hole. “Check for special deals there, especially in this economy” she says.)

Facebook Travel Tips for Wyoming

***  From Angela K. Nickerson via Facebook  —  “Oh, I love Wyoming! Of course, Yellowstone is fab (especially in May and Sept). The cabins are reasonably priced, too. We love the ones at Mammoth Hot Springs.  Thermopolis is really fun — hot springs and waterslides, great with kids.  The drive through the Bear Tooth Pass is one of the most breathtaking you will ever experience! Truly magical!”

***  From my own sister-in-law Janice via Facebook  —  “We loved Cody, Wyoming and Yellowstone. Don’t ask [brother-in-law] Dave about the bear, though.” (from Sheila – Whoa! For tips see this Squidoo lens on bear safety.)

And from the regular old Web:

***   A whole family travel page on the Wyoming tourism Web site.

***  Our own BootsnAll Travel Network has Mike Jamison’s Wyoming Ghost Towns Travel Guide.

Thanks so much for the contributions – the next state in the series is Wisconsin.

Send your Badger State highlights to @SheilaS on Twitter or my Facebook page (tell me you’re a 50 state-er if you want to friend me.)

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

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, to also encourage tourism organizations to learn more about connecting with their visitors using social media and online networks.

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

Categories
50 State Series USA

Family travel in New Mexico

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - worth every BIT of hype you've heard (photo by Sheila Scarborough)I took a 50 state series hiatus there for awhile, but we’re back!

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 and now we’re moving on to….New Mexico!

Their state tourism organization is on Twitter at @NMTourism. I found a Facebook Fan Page for New Mexico but I’m not certain that it is controlled by the state’s tourism office (they should fill out the front page bio to confirm that.)  There’s a Flickr Group Pool for New Mexico, but no YouTube channel, although I did find Albuquerque tourism on YouTube.

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

Twitter Travel Tips for New Mexico

***  From Elmer Boutin via @rehor on Twitter:  I love Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, NM. Carlsbad Caverns is fun, too. Deming is a great little town, though not really a touristy place.

***  From Debbie Dubrow via @DeliciousBaby on Twitter: Explora Science Museum in Albuquerque has tons of hands-on fun. (More on ABQ and New Mexico on this page of her site and here is her Santa Fe info.)

***  From Donna L. Hull via @DonnaLHull on Twitter: You might consider El Morro National Monument for your New Mexico blog post.

***  From Betsy Drager via @BetsyDrager on Twitter: Christmas at Taos Pueblo is awesome; brings all peoples together.

*** From Rachel Farris via @MeanRachel on Twitter: White Sands, museum of the horse in Riudoso, hiking in the Lincoln National Forest, Casa de Patron B&B in Lincoln-Billy the Kid town!

*** From Kara S. Williams via @karasw on Twitter: Santa Fe Children’s Museum has loads of hands-on exhibits. Climbing into cliff dwellings at Bandelier Natl Monument – fun for kids.

Facebook Travel Tips for New Mexico

***  From Marilyn McCray on Facebook  —  New Mexico has so much for families. Start with the pueblos….

Continue reading “Family travel in New Mexico”
Categories
50 State Series USA

Family travel in New Hampshire

Fun in a pumpkin at New Hampshire's Story Land (courtesy mriggen at Flickr CC)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!

Categories
Blog Philosophy

It’s been a great run, but it’s time to go

The Scarborough and Fancher family photo 2010 (courtesy Korey Howell)I started this blog on February 10, 2006 at the recommendation of journalist friend and tech expert Dwight Silverman;  I was retiring from the Navy and planning to be a writer, and he said, “If you’re going to be a writer, you need to have a blog.”

Hmmm, well alrighty, then!

It was worse than the blind leading the blind – I was clueless and had no one leading me, either.  At least I had enough sense to know, even back in the mellower online world of 2006, that it would be better to write about a niche travel topic rather than try to break in as a general travel writer.  I chose family travel simply because I’d done it all over the world thanks to Navy assignments and could speak to the issues, not because I’m wildly maternal (as my kids will attest.) 🙂

My first post was the standard welcome to this new blog greeting, then the second was a fairly pointless one about American Express traveler’s checks. I finally said something useful when I wrote about Mini-Europe in Brussels, Belgium, and from there it was off and running.  I blogged to fill my spare time and to build an online presence in between print writing assignments, but instead found myself on the cusp of a publishing revolution.

I had no idea that blogging would become the impetus for covering motorsports like NHRA drag racing, meeting bloggers and startups in China, doing a lot of social media workshops and speaking plus launching an online course in social media marketing for tourism (all of which is about to lead to a book on tech-based entrepreneurship for people over 40.)

While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing for and representing my host the BootsnAll Travel Network, my daughter Nancy started college this fall;  even though my son is still at home, it seems like a good time to turn this blog over to another parent who wants to tackle the joys of Walt Disney World, or safe flying with kids or top tips for kids in Tokyo.

As far as I know, Boots hasn’t selected a replacement for me yet, so if you’re interested (yes, it is a paid position) then I suggest you check the BootsnAll Travel Writer Platform page.

There is, of course, unfinished business.  I wasn’t able to complete the 50 States Series (got stuck on Mississippi for some reason) so I may try to pick that back up and continue it in some form elsewhere. There is a video or two that I never got around to editing, and a notebook with post ideas that I haven’t tackled yet.

Not to worry – I still write for the Perceptive Travel blog, do guest posts for other blogs and also plan to make Fridays a travel post day on my personal blog, Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff.

Thank you so much to all of the faithful readers who have been here since the beginning, and those who may have found Family Travel more recently.  I’ll never forget meeting some of my readers for the first time in person, at the BlogHer conference in 2007. It is the most wondrous feeling to have someone walk up and say, “Hi, I read your blog….”

I’m so grateful that you’ve all been along for the ride.  Let’s stay in touch, shall we?

Categories
Tips

The Christmas ornaments are coming out

Cape Hatteras NC lighthouse Christmas ornament (photo by Sheila Scarborough)It’s that time of year – when we pull out boxes o’ holiday stuff and try to figure out where it’s all going to go amongst all of the other stuff that’s already out.

(Still, it’s a nice problem to have.  Some folks don’t have homes at all….learn how to help from the incredible Mark Horvath and InvisiblePeople.TV.)

Meantime, the fresh-cut tree from Elgin Christmas Tree Farm is sitting on the porch in a bucket.  I know, that’s pretty lame since we brought it home on Saturday.

My daughter is now home from college to help decorate it, too, which my son is very excited about!

We may go as a family to see the new Harry Potter movie together, since we’re all fans.  It is nice that my son is old enough now to see more mature movies so we can see something besides kiddie stuff.

Meantime, from my archives, here is a Flickr photo slideshow of our Christmas ornaments from around the world (US ornaments and international ornaments.)

Pardon me while I go find more of those little hangars that the vacuum cleaner will be sucking up until July….

Categories
USA

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

Rose Hill School at Cherokee Strip Museum in Perry, Oklahoma; spelling bee in progress (photo by Sheila Scarborough)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.”

Rose Hill School entrance (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

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.

Categories
Site reviews Tips

A few more Priceline tips

I’ve written before about our experience with Priceline…here’s a quick refresher on our takeaways from that search for a Las Vegas hotel room for a business trip….

  • Hotel rooms and other purchases from travel auction sites are generally nonrefundable.
  • Be prepared for a walk or dealing with transportation if you get a hotel on the far edges of your desired region.  If you have kids, ensure that they can handle a walk on crowded city streets.
  • For the best “bang for the buck,” bid on fairly high-level properties [3.5 – 4 stars.] It doesn’t make sense to get a room at a Days Inn or Motel 6 through Priceline.
  • Be flexible. My husband requested a King room but found when he checked in that they were out of King rooms that were non-smoking. He was fine with a room with two Queens.

This time, we needed a hotel room on a Sunday night in north Dallas.

As I’ve said before in my post on how to find the best hotel deals, Sunday is a great time to score a cheap room because the weekend traffic is gone and many business travelers aren’t there yet, so rooms stand empty and hotels are ready to deal.

Sunday night in an area (north Dallas) with a TON of big chain hotels (lots of competition to fill rooms) is prime territory for a Priceline score when you aren’t particularly picky about exact hotel or precise location.

It worked: we bid $50 for a four-star hotel and got the Hyatt North Dallas, normally around $170/night and up.

My son is cavorting in the pool as I type this.  He does not really care that this is a business/conference hotel. A pool is a pool. 🙂

Thank you, Priceline.

Categories
Texas USA

I got yer beef right here in Fort Worth, cowboy

Fort Worth Stockyards Cattlemen's Steakhouse steak (photo by Sheila Scarborough)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.