Tag: ideas

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USA Video Posts

Hey kids, be a Human Gyroscope at the Kansas Cosmosphere

cosmosphere-apollo-training-moduleThere are a variety of “space camp” operations around the US, all promising to offer kids a chance to experience astronaut training, preparation and space exploration concepts.

While it may seem that your family would have to travel to NASA facilities in Houston or Florida for such an opportunity, in reality one of the most established programs is in Hutchinson, Kansas at the Cosmosphere and Space Center.

It’s the Future Astronaut Training Program, one of many camps and hands-on programs offered at “the Cos” (including a 5-day residential camp for grandparents and their grandkids.)

To check it out, your kids might like to investigate the Cos online. They have a UStream video show – What’s Up at the Cos? – and they’re on Facebook and Twitter (President and CEO Chris Orwoll is @CosmosphereCEO and educator Joel – seen briefly strapping me in below in the video – is @CosED.)

During my recent blogger’s familiarization tour around the city, I had an opportunity to get ahead of the kids and climb into one of the training devices myself.

It looks like a gyroscope, but the formal name is Multi-Axis Trainer.

You can hear me hollering as my body goes in multi-axis directions. Don’t worry….I threatened to hurl coffee and coffeecake, but you’re safe in viewing it.

If you can’t see the video embed box, here is the URL directly to the video on my YouTube channel.

(Update June 2009 – I’ve decided that my Hutch posts warrant an additional disclosure line since some readers might not understand the term “blogger fam tour.” The Cosmosphere and Hutchinson CVB paid for my lodging and expenses while I was in Hutchinson. They did not tell me what I could or could not write about. I paid my own airfare to/from Kansas.)

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USA

Announcing the family travel 50 state series

50-states-map-mural-courtesy-maryatexitzero-at-flickr-ccEven though travel prices (in many cases) are plunging and there are cheap ticket deals to be had, from Minnesota to Las Vegas to  Borneo and Singapore, I think a lot of folks in the US are looking close to home for summer vacation ideas.

Enter the 50 State Family Travel Series.

Starting Tuesday, April 14 and running every Tuesday after that until we run out of states, I’m going to profile great places and events for kids in all 50 of the United States.

As a social media maven, my primary information sources will be Twitter and Facebook (with a little Alltop thrown in) plus my own experiences.

I’ll start with Wyoming on April 14….if I’m gonna go alphabetically, I want to give some love to the ones at the back of the letter line.

On Twitter I’m @SheilaS and here is my Facebook profile (let me know you’re a 50 State Series contributor) so if you want to provide input, please keep an eye out for when your state is coming up.

Don’t forget about family-friendly festivals and events, not just places, and include some off-the-beaten path goodies, too!

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Florida USA

Where I’d take my kids: best US family beach vacations

Beach girl on the North Carolina Outer Banks (courtesy Melle_Oh at Flickr CC)If you’re planning a family vacation right now, you might wonder what I’d suggest for the best places to take the kids to the beach.

Everyone has different criteria for an awesome beach. My perfect seashore has warm water, protected/calmer areas for babies and toddlers, enough wave action to keep experienced swimmers busy on a boogie board, family-friendly entertainment and decent food nearby.

I don’t mind a little commercial development if it’s not too grotesque, and it would be nice if there were safe, fun places (like a boardwalk) for a preteen or teen to hang out when not on the sand.

Here is where I would take my children if I was feeling beachy:

*** Florida’s Gulf Coast —  Once you’ve been spoiled by Florida beaches, it’s hard to put up with grungy sand or chilly water elsewhere.  The Atlantic coast of the Sunshine State has pretty good choices in Daytona, Cocoa Beach and Jacksonville/St. Augustine, but my vote goes to the Gulf Coast because the water’s warmer, the sand is usually nicer and the wave action is gentler for younger kids.

Try Clearwater/St. Pete for lively urban beaches, nearby Caladesi Island State Park for isolated beauty, or Siesta Key near Sarasota, an all-around winner.  (Alternative:  The northwest Florida Panhandle for even better sand and clear, warm water but sometimes a bit too much tacky commercialization.)

*** San Diego —  Southern California is known for its surfside culture, and it’s a well-deserved reputation.  My only gripe is that the water is too dang cold for me and the wave action can be frightening for younger swimmers.  Still, Coronado Island near sunshine-filled San Diego has some of my favorite, most pristine and kid-friendly beaches.  (Alternative:  Santa Monica, near Los Angeles;  it is tough to beat that famous pier.)

*** Maine —  I’m almost ready to forgive the cold water simply because of the charm and natural beauty of Maine islands and coastal villages.  Make no mistake, the beaches are generally pebbly and rocky (the southern coast does have sand) and your best bet to avoid freezing may be to dabble around looking for critters in tidepools, but there’s no doubt that it’s a perfect world when you spend crisp summer days Down East.

Make your kids try a lobster roll, and then eat theirs if they’re so foolish as to dislike it! (Alternative:   Misquamicut Beach in that small state with a big heart, Rhode Island.)

*** North Carolina’s Outer Banks —  Miles of barrier island coastline, some very remote and beautiful (Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with the famous swirly black-and-white lighthouse) and others teeming with cheesy beachside overbuilding (translation – plenty of miniature golf places for kids) means that you can probably find just the right affordable spot for your beach towel on the Outer Banks.

Kids adore the creations from Kitty Hawk Kites, too; buy, then step out the door and fly ’em. Don’t miss the founding-of-America history at the Lost Colony, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kill Devil Hills.  (Alternative:  Go north to Virginia Beach, Virginia, which is OK but a little grubby and somewhat too raucous for younger ones.)

*** Hawaii —  Too many people only consider travel to Oahu and Waikiki, but there is an island and a beach (or two!) to suit every family.  Cast a wide net in your Hawaiian vacation planning.

Hanauma Bay on Oahu is noted for snorkeling opportunities, and Kailua Beach Park is nice as well. The Oahu North Shore is dramatic, but waves can be dangerous in winter. Kauai is particularly lush and tropical (try Hanalei Beach, Poipu Beach Park or Kekaha Beach Park.) The Kona Coast on aptly-named Big Island is full of kid-friendly resorts. (Alternative:  There IS no better alternative! The islands have plenty of variety to suit every age and disposition.)

That’s my beach roundup; hope you found it helpful.

I’m not as familiar with the Great Lakes but don’t want to leave my Midwest readers out, so if you have suggestions for beaches there or anywhere else in the US, please tell us in the comments below.

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New York City USA

More than NYC: family travel in New York

Fort Ticonderoga reenactors (courtesy Slabcity Gang at Flickr CC)

While researching 20 different educational and family-friendly New York attractions for a recent article on Education.com, my toughest challenge was ensuring that I cast a wide net beyond New York City.

Here are three highlights from outside the five boroughs:

  • Women’s Rights National Historic Park – In Seneca Falls, Elizabeth Cady Stanton (who also raised seven children) and four other women organized the first women’s rights convention in July 1848, using Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence as a model for their Declaration of Sentiments. Convention Days special events are held each July. The organizers were also abolitionists and one of their houses was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Visit the National Women’s Hall of Fame in downtown Seneca Falls; it celebrates a wide variety of accomplished women throughout history.
  • Rochester – Trade, industry and the opening of the Erie Canal put Rochester on the map. Frederick Douglass is buried here; George Eastman of the Eastman Kodak Company and Susan B. Anthony both lived in the city and their homes are National Historic Landmarks. The Eastman House is also a museum of photography and film. The Genesee Country Village and living history museum bring the 19th century to life, and kids love the place that celebrates them: the Strong National Museum of Play, which features interactive games, a massive collection of historic toys and a Butterfly Garden.
  • Chautauqua Institution – Long recognized as a wonderful opportunity for adult summer education, renewal, recreation and fine arts in a lakeside setting, the Chautauqua also offers an activity-packed Children’s School (ages 3-5,) Group One for rising first graders, the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs for ages 7-15 and a Youth Activity Center for preteens and teens. Family entertainment and a Young Reader’s book club patterned after the venerable Institution adult book club round out the offerings, so that no one is bored.

Take a look at the rest of the article right here:  Family Fun and Learning in New York.

Categories
USA

Visit my daughter’s birthplace: Washington DC (Part One)

The Capitol building, Washington DC (courtesy Jon Rochetti, The DC Traveler)*** Today is my daughter’s 15th birthday (yes, my son was also born in September.) In honor of her arrival, I have a great guest post about family travel to the area where she was born: Washington DC.

Please welcome fellow blogger and friend Jon Rochetti of The DC Traveler — he has so many good ideas, we’re going to give you Part One today and Part Two tomorrow. Take it away, Jon! ***

Kids love Washington, DC. There are so many things for them to see and do, and it’s not just being dragged around dusty old museums. Plus, with the summer wave of tourists over and the heat and humidity of summer gone, now is the perfect time for a visit to the nation’s capital.

Here are a few kid-friendly ideas, including a few not-so-common activities:

Honk for the DC Duck (courtesy Jon Rochetti, The DC Traveler)

First, how about taking the kids on a 90-minute tour around DC on a DC DUCK – an original World War II DUKW (”Duck”) amphibious vehicle.

You drive around the National Mall, then cruise the Potomac River, entering the river near Reagan National Airport, just under the takeoff and landing pattern of the airport.

This, the kids will love.

DC Ducks at Union Station Main Entrance
50 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20018

Next, the city has two great Air and Space museums, one at Independence Avenue on the National Mall and a second, newer and larger one near the Dulles airport. It’s the world’s most extensive collection of aviation history under two roofs; kids get to see everything from the original Wright Brother’s Flyer close up (it no longer hangs from the museum ceiling since it’s now part of a special Wright Brothers exhibit) to the Space Shuttle.

Spirit of St Louis at the National Air and Space Museum (courtesy Jon Rochetti, the DC Traveler)

Between the two museums, there’s aviator Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird (the fastest plane ever built) and a full size Apollo moon landing craft, all guaranteed to get a few ”Way cools!!”

Parents will also love that admission to both museums is FREE.

The National Air and Space Museum on Independence Avenue also houses some of the Treasures of American History collection from the National Museum of American History, which is closed for renovations until the summer of 2008.

Kermit says hello from Washington DC (courtesy the National Museum of American History)

More than 150 objects are on view, including the original Kermit the Frog puppet, Alexander Graham Bell’s experimental telephone, R2-D2 and C-3PO from the Star Wars movie Return of the Jedi and Dorothy’s sequined ruby red shoes worn in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz.

There’s even a pair of not-so-fashionable (but definitely NOT oversized, baggy or droopy) Levi Strauss jeans from the 1870s.

National Air and Space Museum
Independence Avenue at 6th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20560 (map it)

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, Virginia 20151 (map it)

What kid doesn’t love to play hide and seek?

At the International Spy Museum, kids can learn how adults play hide and seek. While this museum is probably not great for very young children, it is a fun, family-friendly place. The museum covers everything about spies… gadgets, bugs, hidden cameras, weapons and vehicles, including James Bond’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from the classic Bond film Goldfinger.

International Spy Museum (courtesy Jon Rochetti, The DC Traveler)

Kids (and adults too) can learn about invisible ink, microdots, buttonhole cameras and how Hollywood helped the CIA develop ingenious disguise techniques.

They occasionally offer kid’s programs and workshops, such as creating disguises, codes and ciphers and other themes, so check their website for programs and dates.

International Spy Museum
800 F. Street, NW
Washington, DC, 20004 (map it)

*** You may not particularly want to see the National Naval Medical Center, where my daughter actually arrived, but Jon has tips for good places to eat in Bethesda, the community where the hospital is located.

Stay tuned for Part Two of the DC Traveler’s suggestions. ***

Technorati tags: travel, family travel, Washington DC, DC, Washington, Washington DC travel, The DC Traveler, DC tourist information, DC sightseeing, National Air and Space Museum, DC Ducks, International Spy Museum, DC monuments

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Asia

Kids in Tokyo — Escape to Yokohama

Minato Mirai, YokohamaFeeling overwhelmed by Tokyo’s bustle and sprawl? Take a subway ride just a bit south, to the relatively compact seaport city of Yokohama.

It has the largest Chinatown in Japan, plus the attractive waterside Minato Mirai park area, with its skyline-dominating Cosmoworld amusement park Ferris wheel and the soaring Landmark Tower shopping and hotel complex.

There is a much more relaxed atmosphere here, especially near the water.

Many of the elaborate shopping complexes around Minato Mirai will feel much like your local mall, with brand-name shops and a Hard Rock Cafe.

Still, let’s face it; sometimes your kids (and maybe you) just want something that feels familiar. This can also be good for a rainy day or a slow evening (shops are open till around 8 p.m., and restaurants till later.)

Pokemon enthusiasts will find the Pokemon Center shop in one of the indoor shopping complexes, with every imaginable item branded with the cartoony little creatures. Best option is a chopstick set or a kid’s bento (lunch) box.

Pokemon Center shop Yokohama (Scarborough photo)

You Hello Kitty fans will find plenty of that in this mall as well, including neat little washcloths with the Kitty in various guises around Tokyo neighborhoods.

Take a pleasant walk over the water bridge to the World Porters area if you haven’t had enough shopping, or stroll past it even further to the Red Brick Warehouse (Web site in Japanese) where there is an outpost of the beloved fresh cosmetics company Lush.

Also at the Warehouse is Motion Blue, a smaller version of Tokyo’s dinner club and performance venue Blue Note, with some terrific jazz musicians on the schedule. Good for older kids.

Does your son or daughter like ramen, the noodle soup that blossoms in the microwave in just a little water? Check out the real stuff at the unique Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum.

Once you pay a small fee to enter, you are transported back to late-1950s era shitamachi Tokyo, right down to the advertising signs, street performers, a little toy shop and eight different actual ramen restaurants, each serving different styles of the iconic noodle bowl, at very reasonable prices (including perhaps a Kirin or Sapphoro beer for the adults.)

Some of the museum street performers tell Japanese adventure tales to children using special painted story-boards.

Watch their technique of building up to an exciting point in the story and then quickly showing a new picture: this is one of the cultural foundations of today’s anime styles.

Shin-Yokohama Raumen/Ramen Museum, Yokohama (Scarborough photo)

The gift shop has noodle-related knick-knacks including Naruto, who is a very popular manga character with his own action show on American TV.

His name comes from the traditional small decorative egg item with a swirl that is placed on top of bowls of ramen.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the subway from Tokyo to the Sakuragi-cho subway station and walk out the Minato Mirai exit.

There is a tourist booth just outside the exit where you can get maps and directions to all of the attractions in Yokohama. The Ramen Museum is a few minute’s walk from Exit 8 of the Shinyokohama subway station on the Yokohama City subway line.

Maritime Manhole Cover, Yokohama (photo by Sheila Scarborough)

Update 8 October 2006: There’s a nice LA Times article on taking a side trip from Tokyo to Nikko.

I haven’t been there myself but it looks like a wonderful option with older kids (and would be closer than Kyoto.)