Tag: vacations

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Asia Europe USA

My top 3 family travel secrets

Yokohama's Minatomirai waterfront (courtesy POHAN on Flickr CC)Which places in the world are not as well known (nothing is really a “secret”) for fun travel with kids?

I was recently tagged to answer this question by the globe-trotting SoulTravelers3, in a blog post about her family’s travel secrets.

The whole meme was started by Tribase in this post – I’m supposed to tag three more bloggers but sorry, don’t quite have the bandwidth these days to figure out who hasn’t already participated.   Still, I’m happy to play here….

You know how tough it is to pick just three? Sigh.

And of course I feel compelled to cover the planet….here goes my best shot:

In the United States

My choice is Memphis, Tennessee.

Go here for coupons/discounts from the city’s CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) because remember, a CVB’s whole job is to ensure a happy visit.

Memphis is big enough to have a variety of things to do, but not so sprawly as to wear everyone out.  Amenities and lodging are reasonably priced, and so is good food.  Summer is hot and muggy, but there’s always the Memphis in May festival.

We’re big music fans in my family, and the Birthplace of the Blues offers many ways for even young children to learn more about this country’s musical history and offerings.   For starters, the popular Beale Street historic district is actually pretty open to kids (I call it a civilized Bourbon Street) and when we visited, the guys at the door at several venues let the whole family in to listen to live music as long as it was fairly early in the evening.  There’s also the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Sun Studio (where Elvis and many others were launched) and the Center for Southern Folklore.

Before we arrived I showed my preteen an Elvis documentary (to try to explain the hype) then took her through his home at Graceland.  Believe it or not, she’s now an Elvis fan and the envy of her friends because she’s been to Graceland. Boring and weird Mom wins again!

Take the kids to see the formerly segregated Lorraine Motel (an important US civil rights landmark) where Dr. King was killed – it’s now part of the acclaimed National Civil Rights Museum.

Other kid-friendly places include Mississippi River attractions like the Mud Island River Park (including the Mississippi River Museum and a scaled down version of the river that begs for barefoot splashing) plus the Memphis Zoo, a children’s museum and in season, Redbirds minor league baseball at the downtown AutoZone Park.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn at Peabody Place, which was perfectly located downtown and was also attached to a small mall that occupied certain wiggly toddlers when needed.

In Europe

In a previous blog post here (titled Wonderfully off the tourist beaten path: Wadden Sea / Waddenzee Islands with kids)  I’ve written about the tongue-twisting but lovely Dutch islands of Texel and Terschelling.

They are only a short drive and ferry ride away from Amsterdam, but they’re very laid back, very Dutch and very nice for a beachy getaway.  Settle in, get some bikes for everyone (of course – it’s the Netherlands) and relax.

Here is the related Dutch tourism Web site about the islands – check it out.

If you can figure out how to pronounce the island of Schiermonnikoog, more power to you.

In Asia

I love the buzzy energy of Tokyo, and it’s a perfect destination with preteens and teens, but a bit too mind-blowing for little ones.  The crowds that older children find exciting are simply overwhelming when you’re two feet tall.

That’s why I like Yokohama, the seaside city south of Tokyo.

Make no mistake; it is Japan, so it is crowded, but somehow the location near the sea makes it feel more open.  There’s a big mall/hotel highrise called Landmark Tower (with a Pokemon Store – yay!) and it’s surrounded by an amusement park and wide pedestrian seawall.

This Frugal Traveler article in the New York Times about exploring Tokyo through its ramen shops mentions the terrific Ramen Museum in Yokohama, where you can get lots of different kinds of ramen to eat and walk through a sort of living history museum.  Super for families!

Here’s one of my very early posts on this blog: Kids in Tokyo – Escape to Yokohama.

There are my three family travel secret places; please share yours down in the comments!

Categories
50 State Series

Family travel in Wisconsin

biker-statue-in-sparta-wisconsin-courtesy-mykl-roventine-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 in alphabetical order but starting with the end, so our first state for the series was Wyoming and now we’re moving on to….Wisconsin!

The Badger State tourism folks aren’t on Twitter or Facebook yet (so you Wisconsin-ites might want to give ’em a nudge!) but I did find the Madison, Wisconsin tourism office on Twitter at @Visit_Madison.

The waterpark-heavy Wisconsin Dells are on Twitter – @WisDells – and cheeseheads can rejoice because so is the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board with @WisCheese.

Racine and the Wisconsin Dells are on Facebook.

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

Twitter Travel Tips for Wisconsin

From Tom Pearson via @tom_pearson on Twitter  —  “Peninsula State Park, Door County….easy hikes, observation tower, golf, bike/scooter rentals – good times.  Scroll down this Door County site to see [October] Fall Festival – BIG weekend up there. You gotta check out Al Johnson’s Swedish rest. in Sister Bay – grass roof with goats on it to keep it in check. Major tourist attraction. Also [The Cherry Train on Washington Island] – ferry ride over, cool train tour + [at the end of tour, for the adults] a shot of angostura bitters at the Prohibition-cheating Nelsen’s Hall.”

From @WisCheese via Twitter  —  “[Dairy to visit] Babcock is a favorite – Delicious fresh cheese you can watch being made and famous ice cream! https://foodsci.wisc.edu/store.”

From Kathy and Travis Nelson via @EngagingIreland and @Kathy_SixEight on Twitter  —  “This page has lots of family fun ideas in & near the Mad City of Madison. Has anyone mentioned Circus World Museum in Baraboo (my hometown?) [Nope, but I found it. Thanks, Kathy.] “

From Ellen at @neithernor on Twitter  —  “Jelly Belly Factory in Pleasant Prairie; Paul Bunyan’s restaurant in Minocqua; can’t go wrong w/ Milwaukee Public Museum.”

From Rob Gardner via @LocalFamily on Twitter  —  “Go to Monroe WI [in Green County] about hour from Madison. The whole town’s great; watch them make cheese at Roth Käse.”

From Jeanine Barone via @JCreatureTravel on Twitter  —  “I love Door County; perfect for bicycling on quiet roads. This site has family fun section: https://www.doorcounty.com/plan/ideas/family-fun.aspx.”

From the Wisconsin Dells via @WisDells on Twitter  —  “Activities that are always a hit are WI Deer Park or Timbavati Wildlife Park at Storybook Gardens. Kids can pet & feed the animals. [Here’s a list of Dells animal-related attractions.]  On Jun 20, 2009: Waterslide-athon at Noah’s Ark Waterpark benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities®. Kids help other kids.”

Facebook Travel Tips for Wisconsin

I didn’t really get much feedback on Facebook for this state (other than the same Dells links that I listed above.)

From the BootsnAll Travel Network:  Family-Themed Day Trips Around Milwaukee

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

Send your “Wild and Wonderful” 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 Wisconsin suggestions in the comments below, if we’ve missed anything. Thanks!

Categories
Tips

How to take your first road trip with a newborn baby

Teensy newborn in a car seat (courtesy chimothy27 at Flickr CC)I’m thrilled to report that Sean Keener, the CEO of BootsnAll (the travel network that hosts this blog) and his wife just welcomed their new son Kai into the world.

Here’s his announcement tweet about it, which of course made me bawl.

They’ll probably be thinking about taking at least a short trip soon, because boots are made for….well, you know….

When my daughter was born, I could not WAIT to get out of the house after a couple of weeks. Part of the urge was to prove to myself that motherhood wasn’t going to mean the end of travel until the kid was older, and part of the urge was to do something besides baby care plus trying to figure out how to shower and sleep occasionally.

I also wanted to see if I could nurse a baby while traveling (answer = oh yes.)

When our new baby was three weeks old, we drove from the Washington DC metro area to New York.  My Mom was rather aghast that we would venture out so soon (not done in her day) but I itched to pack my suitcase.

Here is what I learned about road trips with newborns:

  • You will be terrified because the baby is so tiny and you feel so clueless. Within reason, proceed anyway.
  • New York was a pretty far drive for us with a wee one in the back seat who has to face backwards, as infants do until a year or so.  There was a lot of crying and yelling until I sat in back with her and soothed her to sleep. We made it to NYC and back, but a shorter trip would have been better.
  • You are going to fill up the car with a ton of crap that you don’t need, if it’s your first baby.  Then you’ll worry about having all that in the car and whether it will be stolen, so you’ll schlep it into the hotel room. Then you’ll have to schlep it back out to the car.  You’ll learn.
  • You do need a few of those removable window screens/sunshades for your car windows.  Babies seem to yell a lot about direct sun.
  • You will overdress the kid, if it’s your first baby.
  • A newborn can sleep in a drawer, as long as it is well-padded. Don’t bring a giant portable crib contraption when they’re that tiny.  We used a Moses basket with a little mattress till our daughter outgrew it.
  • There are stores where you are going. Really.  You do not have to bring everything!
  • Lots of large, gallon-sized Ziplock bags can corral any number of stinky messes, like that cute onesie that baby immediately poops upon.
  • Do not buy a pink, googly-looking doofus diaper bag that Dad is embarrassed to tote around.
  • Have a nice big mat for changing diapers. Some changing surfaces are pretty, um, questionable in terms of hygiene.
  • A newborn child is not walking, crawling or even turning over yet, and therefore does not need shoes, or even socks if it is warm. Duh.
  • Moms need to wear tops that are easily accessible for nursing. My one-stop shop was always Motherwear.com. They can be pricey because they’re built with special features, but there’s a sales page and believe me, they wear like iron through every sort of barf, milk, spills….I’ll spare you any further liquids details.
  • Get a sling and carry that baby. You’re going to want the freedom of walking around (interacting with adults! Yay!) while the baby hangs out/sleeps in the sling. You do not want to wrestle up and down stairs and around sidewalk foot traffic with a stroller.
  • Don’t plan to do anything but walk around, maybe have one semi-nice meal if the baby’s quiet and take a luxurious shower at the hotel.  You’ll spend the rest of the time changing diapers, nursing, changing diapers again, walking, sitting, nursing and probably changing another diaper. BUT,  you’ll get to do it with different scenery than your home, which is nice.
  • Always check to see if the men’s bathroom has a Diaper Deck or other diaper changing table before Dad marches in there with baby. If it doesn’t, complain to the restaurant/shop manager. Dads have duties, too.

We still talk about the epic trip to New York to this day, although that daughter of mine will head to college this fall.  We learned that we could still travel, the baby was fairly adaptable, and if we scaled way back on expectations, we could have a really nice time and get a break from routine.

Did I miss any newborn road trip travel tips? Let us know in the comments!

Categories
Florida USA

Things to do and see in Florida besides Walt Disney World

Kids finding treasures on a Florida Gulf Coast beach near Naples (courtesy tlindenbaum at Flickr CC)Although I’m from a Navy family and feel as though my home is “anywhere on Planet Earth,”  I was actually born in Key West, Florida.

Therefore, as an official Conch, I do feel an affinity for the Sunshine State.

This is where I recommend taking kids in Florida if I didn’t want to deal with theme parks and Disney (although here are my tips for the Walt Disney World parks, if you insist.)

Gulf Coast beaches

No, they are not all oil slicks. Once you’ve been spoiled by Florida beaches, it’s hard to put up with grungy sand or chilly water elsewhere (except, yes, OK, I’ll admit maybe Hawaii gives them a run for the money.)  The Atlantic coast 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.  The northwest Florida Panhandle and Pensacola have lovely sand and clear, warm water; sometimes I roll my eyes at the occasional tacky commercialization there, but my kids LOVED stuff like mini-golf. Shut up, Mom.

Clear, cool freshwater springs

They are all over the state and they’re marvelously refreshing – a real Old Florida moment when you jump in! For example, Wakulla Springs State Park is perfect for a stop-off between Tallahassee and Jacksonville.  The park is home to a massive freshwater spring, one of the delights of northern Florida and a great excuse to go swimming.

Take one of the glass-bottom boat tours to get crystal-clear views of spring wildlife below the boat. The comfy Lodge in the middle of the Park was built in 1937, and still welcomes guests for meals or an overnight stay.

The Everglades

Truly a U.S. national treasure and a World Heritage Site, the enormous 1.5 million acre “sea of grass” boasts nine distinct habitats and teems with hundreds of species of mammals, birds, and fish.

There are ranger-guided tours and activities, mangrove coast boat tours and tram tours on a fifteen-mile loop; check individual sections of the Park for specific activities. Miles of both land and water trails tempt walkers, hikers and canoe/kayak enthusiasts. The December through April dry season is the least humid, most bug-free time to go, but is also the most crowded, so reserve early.

Gainesville and funky Cedar Key

In addition to the University of Florida Gator hoopla in Gainesville, there’s also the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History.  Join the other lepidoptera fanatics of all ages walking gently through hundreds of colorful butterflies.  You can also observe human researchers at work, but it’s more interesting to watch baby winged ones struggle valiantly to escape cocoons.

Just south of town is Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.   Sweeping open prairie grasslands and marshes contain wild bison and horses.  Look for hundreds of bird species (including Sand Hill Cranes) from the many marked trails.  There’s even the hulk of an 1800’s steamboat from the days when this was Alachua Lake.

Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico.  The Old Florida atmosphere makes this a perfect day trip from Gainesville.  Nope, that tiny public beach is not what you came for.  Wander the art galleries, chow down on fresh seafood, then kayak out to Atsena Otie Key offshore, just before the vermilion sunset.  Check with Adventure Outpost in High Springs for guided kayak outings here and all over north central Florida.

The Florida Keys and Key West

You don’t have to drive all the way down the Overseas Highway to Key West (although “Cayo Hueso” it is more kid-friendly than you’d think) but there’s something about the Keys that makes everyone kick back a little more and relax. In Key West, the whole family will enjoy the hokey-but-thorough Conch Train Tour, but hit it in the morning for cooler breezes and smaller crowds.

After the tour, you’ll know where to return later on bike. Spare yourself the headaches of driving and parking here; the main attractions lie within a few square miles.

Kid-friendly places to visit include the live-action fun at the Shipwreck Historeum, the small Aquarium, Mallory Square festivities at sunset and treasures at Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum. There are also local sailing trips and day trips to the nearby Dry Tortugas.

Older kids who are writers or history buffs (or who must live with annoying parents who are) might like Hemingway’s House or President Truman’s Little White House.

What are your Florida favorites?

Let us know down in the comments!

Categories
Product Reviews Tips USA

Tired of flying or driving with the kids? Consider MegaBus

(This is a guest post by Sherry Ott, from her recent trip via MegaBus. I’ve been curious about these newer budget bus services, so I asked for her reactions. Thanks, Sherry!)

All aboard the MegaBus for budget travel (courtesy MegaBus)Travel on the US East Coast has changed.  “Taking the bus” is no longer looked down upon; in fact, it is quickly becoming the transportation choice up and down the coast and in the Northeast (and expanding to the Midwest.)

I’ve ridden buses all over the world, but I recently took MegaBus from New York City to Boston to give this American version of budget bus travel a try.

Ticketing

Megabus is hip to technology, so the best and easiest way to purchase your tickets is online at www.megabus.com. It’s a pretty standard web ticketing process, however I did manage to screw my ticket up (all my own fault) and booked 1:30AM instead of 1:30PM and realized this the day before I was to leave.

My screw up in ticketing allowed me to test out the purchase ticket in person option too – so for review purposes it worked out!

You can purchase tickets at a little booth across from the loading area in New York City.  The people there weren’t the friendliest, but they were quick.  Unfortunately when I went to rectify my ticket situation in person (as the call center person suggested I do), I found out that there were no more tickets left to sell for my bus and I would have to wait Standby.  This wasn’t exactly in alignment with what the customer service agent said, so the whole situation had my travel stress level quite high.

Boarding

The boarding process reminded me of kindergarten.

Everyone had to stand in line, in the hot sun, while ONE guy tried to go around and check everyone’s tickets.  There were no signs for the lines, which resulted in a very inefficient process of people arriving and interrupting the ONE guy checking tickets to find out where to go. The seats were not assigned on the bus (note from Sheila: this could get interesting with kids) so once you got on, you chose your seat.  One guy also loaded luggage – so the whole process seemed a bit slow, and hence our bus took off about 20 minutes late.

Luggage

I found out once I arrived at the loading area that MegaBus has a strict ONE bag policy.  Unfortunately I had two – plus a carry-on with laptop.  They clearly have the luggage policy labeled on their website, but I apparently missed it.  They don’t technically check luggage or provide receipts, but instead you place your ONE piece of luggage in the storage area of the bus.  I got around the policy by asking a woman next to me in line who didn’t need to check a bag to claim mine – whew.  It appeared the luggage policy was very loosely applied without a lot of predictability.

Cost

Even though the prices are like travel in less developed countries, the style isn’t.  In Vietnam, a four hour backpack bus trip to Mui Ne cost me about $10USD – and so did this trip to Boston!

The prices are great – especially if you book in advance.  The ticketing online provides you a confirmation number which you simply show to the guy checking you in.  Many people simply held up their phones and showed him the number; no need to print out a receipt.

For families this is an excellent option as a family of four stood with me in the Standby line and bought all of their tickets for $100; much cheaper than four airline tickets!

The Ride

This is where MegaBus as compared to airline travel shines…each seat has a power outlet, and free wireless internet access is available to all.  The signal was great and I had no problem using that signal for four hours.

Each seat was reclinable, and fairly comfortable.  However, one downside about the seating was that unless you have a small notebook computer, the laptop space is really  cramped since there isn’t much room to put the laptop on your lap without hitting the back of the seat in front of you.  This setup made it really hard to type; practically impossible.  Plus – at times, the ride was rather bouncy, so if you are prone to motion sickness – working on your laptop might not be the best thing to do.  The setup was great for watching movies – but a bit of a pain to type of this review.

Tips To Make the Experience Better

My best advice is to bring a  jacket, even in the summer.  The bus became very cold after two hours.  The temperature didn’t seem to regulate.  Even the big guy next to me got cold!

Also – make sure you bring some snacks.  On my 4 ½ hour trip to Boston, we didn’t stop once – so be prepared.

Overall Impression

I’d use MegaBus again, but I would also recommend to book in advance; Standby was a bit of a pain.

It definitely was more simple and cheaper than my other options to get to Boston; air or train.  Plus, I found it to be just as comfortable AND I was able to have an internet connection!  Bravo MegaBus!

To learn more about MegaBus in the US, go to their website at https://us.megabus.com and see their routes all over the US which provide some great alternatives to short air travel!  You can also follow them on twitter at @megabus or on the MegaBus Facebook page.

Sherry Ott is a refugee from corporate IT who is now a long term traveler, blogger and photographer. She’s a co-founder of Briefcase to Backpack, a website offering career break travel inspiration and advice. She also runs an around the world travel blog, writing about her travel and expat adventures at Ottsworld.

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
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
USA

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.

In the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the Page family on horseback (courtesy Sarah Page)

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 Colorado - feeding chipmunks at Estes Park Aerial Tramway (courtesy Sarah Page)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 Colorado - hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park (courtesy Sarah Page)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!)

Categories
USA

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.

Pike's Peak, Colorado (courtesy Sarah Page)

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

Garden of the Gods, Colorado, conquered! (courtesy Sarah Page)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 Candies in Denver, Colorado (courtesy Sarah Page)

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.)