We Go With Kids!

Category: catherine

  • Spotlight: Hale Farm and Village With Kids

    Spotlight: Hale Farm and Village With Kids

    Thank you to Hale Farm and Village for providing complimentary tickets for my family.  As always, all opinions are my own. 

    Hale Farm and Village is a historic property that features preserved buildings and craft and trade demonstrations.  The costumed docents and artisans are each brilliant story tellers and really brought mid-nineteenth century Ohio history to life. Hale Farm is located in Bath, Ohio near Akron and about 30 minutes southeast of Cleveland on the original homestead of Jonathan Hale.  Because Ohio history is near and dear to my parents, who are each Ohio natives who both majored in history, Hale Farm was a perfect place to spend their 50th wedding anniversary. We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this open-air museum of the Western Reserve Historical Society and recommend Hale Farm and Village as a fun and educational destination for a day out with kids.

    The golden anniversary couple

    Visiting Hale Farm With Kids

    Our first stop was at the Hale Sheep Barn where one of the artisans was demonstrating broom making.  The brooms are made of broomcorn, which is grown on site.  Broomcorn is actually not corn at all but a sorghum.  Brooms are not only used for floors but also for barn ceilings to remove potential fire hazards like cobwebs.

    We then visited the blacksmith shop where the blacksmith was making a decorative leaf.  We got to see him heat and shape the leaf, which is sold as a necklace pendant in the gift shop.

    Glassworks was my favorite craft demonstration.  We watched the glassmith expertly shape the glass to make a Christmas ornament.  She then placed it in a furnace so that it would cool slowly enough and not crack or shatter.  The final products were also available for sale at the gift shop in the Visitor’s Center.

    Pottery was my eight year old son’s favorite craft demonstration.  The potter explained the techniques he used to shape the clay into a mug on the wheel.  Once shaped, the clay needs to dry overnight to leather hard.  At this point, the potter can smooth the bottom surface and then waits until the piece is bone dry before firing it using a kiln.  Salt is used in the kiln to glaze each piece, and the final product is dishwasher and microwave safe.  This presentation convinced my son that he would really like to try his hands on a pottery wheel and make a bowl.

    A number of historic homes have been moved from around northeast Ohio and reconstructed on Hale Farm’s property across Oak Hill Road from the Visitor’s Center.  The relocated homes include the Jonathan E. Herrick House, the Jonathan Goldsmith House, the Stow House, the Jagger House and the Saltbox Home and feature period-appropriate furnishings and decorations.  My four year old noticed on her own that the homes did not have bathrooms, and a docent gave her a brief lesson on outhouses.  The kids now have a new appreciation for indoor plumbing.  We also noticed the stark differences between the highly decorated rooms used to entertain guests with the stark private quarters used only for the family.

    The parlor of the Jonathan Goldsmith House

    Another building relocated to Hale Farm include the law office of Benjamin Franklin Wade.  Wade was particularly notable as president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate in 1868 when President Andrew Johnson was impeached.  He would have become Acting President if Johnson was convicted.  There is also a church and a log schoolhouse, where we participated in a mock classroom and learned about common discipline techniques used in 1858.  My kids are glad that school facilities have improved considerably since the mid-1800s when school fees were about $2 per student per year.

    Every summer, Hale Farm hosts the largest Civil War reenactment in Ohio.  We got a preview during our visit, which was the day before the weekend event began.  We met many reenactors on site to prepare and a few horses, too.

    The 2018 event on August 11-12 features a reenactment of the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg.  Field commanders have a basic script, but reenactors simply follow the orders they receive from their commanders.  They find it more fun to improvise rather than memorize a script.  The reenactors travel from all over Ohio and even as far as Tennessee to participate in the event.  Throughout the weekend, they each stay in historic period tents that they set up on site.  These canvas tents do not use modern conveniences like nylon, zippers or mesh windows.  Nonetheless, we learned if these tents are set up properly, they rarely become waterlogged.

    Tent village set up by reenactors

    Why We Loved Hale Farm With Kids

    Our family had the perfect day for a visit to Hale Farm and Village.  The grounds were not overly crowded, likely due to threatened rain that held off until we were headed back to our car.  Our family was able to personally interact with all of the artisans and docents and asked many questions at this living history museum to gain a better understanding of pioneer life.  We also really enjoyed our preview of the Civil War Reenactment without the hundreds of visitors expected for the weekend event.  Hale Farm is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2018, and many events are scheduled to celebrate this milestone.  We definitely recommend visiting Hale Farm with kids.  It’s one of the best living history museums in Ohio.

    • Pro-tips:
      • Hale Farm Tickets:  Hale Farm admission costs $10 for adults age 13 and older and $5 for youth age 3 to 12.  Visitors age 2 and under and active military are free.
      • Hale Farm Hours:  Hale Farm is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays in June, July and August and on Saturdays and Sundays in September and October.
      • Hale Farm Parking:  A large parking lot is available next to the Visitor’s Center.
      • Hale Farm Map:  The Village layout is generally self-explanatory, but it’s helpful to pick up a map when purchasing tickets and inquire about which sites are open.
      • Hale Farm Caution: The Village spans both sides of Oak Hill Road, so use caution when crossing the street with small children.
      • Eating Near Hale Farm:  The Winking Lizard in Peninsula is a great, family-friendly option for lunch after visiting Hale Farm.  If there is a wait for a table, the kids can check out the lizard and the endless free popcorn.

    Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!  Also, be sure to check out all our category of posts on Cleveland with kids. 

  • The Lamborghini Museum and the Ferrari Museum With Kids

    The Lamborghini Museum and the Ferrari Museum With Kids

    Thank you to the Lamborghini Museum and the Ferrari Museum for hosting our family’s visits.  As always, all opinions are my own. 

    My eight and ten year old boys are sports car enthusiasts, and Lamborghinis and Ferraris are particular favorites.  When we planned to spend time in Venice and Florence on our summer vacation, my husband decided that visiting the Lamborghini Museum and the Ferrari Museum would be a dream come true.  Since we were planning to visit plenty of art museums, churches and historical sites during our trip to Italy and Paris, it only seemed fair to add these car museums to our itinerary for our young car aficionados.

    Lamborghini and Ferrari Tours in Italy

     

    Travel to Modena, Italy

    Unlike all the other attractions on our itinerary, the Lamborghini Museum and Ferrari Museum are not in the middle of a major metropolitan area or easily reachable by train.  Because rental cars are not available from the pedestrian only city-center of Venice, we chose to take a train from Venice to Bologna and pick up a rental car near the Bologna train station.  We hoped to have some time to explore Bologna, but getting to the rental agency and picking up our rental car took longer than we anticipated, so we immediately headed toward Modena, which is known as the “Land of Motors”, as soon as we got into our car.

     

    Visiting the Lamborghini Museum in Italy

    After an absolutely lovely three course, fixed price lunch at Glamour Caffe e Cucina, our boys spotted a white Lamborghini behind us, and the anticipation jumped up a few notches.  A few minutes later, we reached the Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese.  Ferruccio Lamborghini founded Automobili Lamborghini in Sant’Agata Bolognese in 1963.  The Museum has two floors with about 25 exhibited cars.  Its collection includes both current and vintage cars, and its current temporary exhibit, Film Emotions, features cars appearing in Hollywood films.  My favorite was Christian Bale’s Aventador LP 700-4 from Batman The Dark Knight Rises.

    The exhibit included its own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a number of other famous Lamborghinis, including a classic matte black Jalpa from Rocky IV, a Countach from The Cannonball Run, the Huracán Coupé  from the 2016 Marvel movie Doctor Strange and an orange Miura P400 from The Italian Job.

    We all oohed and aahed over the cars displayed in the Museum while my husband and sons waited for their Factory Line Tour to begin.  Only two Veneno prototypes, three Veneno coupes and nine Veneno Roadsters were ever manufactured, including this one, which is my 10 year old son’s favorite car.  One of the five Veneno coupes was listed for $9.4 million last year.

    2014 Veneno Coupe

    My eight year old son’s favorite Lamborghini was the 2015 Huracán GT3, which was Lamborghini’s first race car developed at Sant’Agata Bolognese.

    Because we are in the market for a new SUV, the boys were trying to get my husband and I to consider the Urus, the world’s first super sport utility vehicle.  This 4/5 passenger beauty is the fastest SUV in the world with a top speed of 190 miles per hour.  Unfortunately, we did not place an order during our visit….

    Lamborghini Urus SUV

    The Lamborghini Factory Line Tour was the absolute highlight of our visit, but no photography was permitted.  Guests store their camera equipment, phones and wallets in lockers before heading to the factory floor, which employs about 200 workers.  My husband and sons learned that assembly of the Huracán includes 23 stations, and only 13 Huracáns are completed each day.   They were absolutely thrilled to watch the assembly of the V12 Aventador, which includes 12 stations.  About 5.5 V12 Aventadors are completed each day, and everything can be customized.   A Lamborghini is typically delivered to a first-time customer approximately one year after the order is placed, but repeat customers can get subsequent cars faster.  One owner has more than 90 Lamborghinis!  More Lamborghinis are sold in the US than anywhere else in the world.

    The boys were especially impressed to see how every part of each Lamborghini’s interior is wrapped in perfect leather.  Lamborghini factory workers examine leather and identify any imperfections.  Then, a computer program determines patterns to utilize as much of the perfect leather as possible, discarding any portion with even the tiniest imperfection.  At the end of the tour, the boys each received a leather sample with an embossed Lamborghini bull.

    Admission to the Lamborghini Museum costs €15 for adults, €5 for kids aged 6-14 and is free for kids aged 0-5.  A combination ticket to the Museum with a factory tour costs €75 for adults and €50 for kids aged 6-14.  Children aged 0-5 are not permitted on the factory tour, so my daughter and I continued to explore the Museum while my husband and boys went on the tour.  I have to admit that I imagined myself in the driver seat of quite a few of those Lamborghinis. We not only enjoyed checking out the cars but also loved the Museum’s vending machine, which was full of inexpensive treats and bottled water for €.32, which was the cheapest price we found anywhere on our trip.  There is something available for purchase at the Lamborghini Museum that won’t require a second mortgage : ).  The Lamborghini Factory tour was an absolute trip highlight for our kids.

    Lamborghini Aventador

     

    Visiting the Ferrari Museum in Italy 

    We next headed to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, about a 45 minute drive.  This classic car museum in Ferrari’s headquarters explores the history of the Ferrari cars and, of course, the Prancing Horse.

    The Museum’s exhibits featured the life of Enzo Ferrari, who was born in 1898 in Modena, and the development of Ferraris.  The walls of the Museum are covered with history, photographs and exhibits. Ferrari made his first car in 1929 and said, “If I were to say that when I started out I imagined making more than just one car, I’d be lying.”  Obviously, the world is glad that Ferrari accomplished more than he intended.  The Ferrari Museum also included a number of vintage cars, including the 290 MM, my older son’s favorite vintage model.

    My favorite was the 250 GT Berlinetta.  Even though the model shown was not the classic Italian red, I loved the creative paint job with the heart on the hood.

    Another exhibit showed cars driven by Enzo Ferrari, who clearly had no shortage of amazing cars at his disposal.

    My sons’ favorite Ferraris were the 488 Pista and F12 TDF.  The 488 Pista featured uniquely shaped lights and a super-sporty paint job.  TDF, which is short for Tour de France, offers track level performance on the road.  It can reach 62 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds.

    Ferrari 488 Pista
    Ferrari F12 TDF

    We also enjoyed the beautiful classic red Ferrari 812 Superfast, which debuted in 2017 and has a top speed of 211 miles per hour.

    A big highlight of the Ferrari Museum was the Formula 1 cars.  Of Ferrari’s 1,600 employees, about 450 work on Formula 1 cars.  Ferrari has been producing Formula 1 cars since 1950, and Ferraris have won 31 world championships.  My eight year old was excited to see the Ferrari Formula 1 race cars and the Wall of Fame with each racer’s helmet.

    Ferrari Formula 1 Race Cars

    Admission to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello costs €16 for adults and €6 for children 0-18 who are accompanied by family members.  A combined ticket for the Modena and Maranello Museums costs €26 for adults and €10 for children 0-18 who are accompanied by family members.  Production line factory tours are not available to the public, but there is a bus tour that departs at 12:30 and 1:30 each day.

    Why We Loved the Lamborghini Museum and Ferrari Museum For Kids

    Our visits to the Lamborghini Museum and Ferrari Museum were the perfect trip off Northern Italy’s beaten path and a nice compliment to the art, architecture and history that we focused on during our time in Italy.  Even though I am admittedly not a supercar enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed checking out all the cars, which were each works of art in their own right.  It was an amazing experience, even though we didn’t have the chance to test drive any of the supercars.   We’ll absolutely arrange that on our next trip : ).

    Trying to decide between the Ferrari or Lamborghini Museum?  There’s no bad choice.  Planning a family trip to Italy, check out our other blog posts about Rome, Florence and Venice and our listing of all destinations in Italy.

  • 25 Top Attractions in Paris for Families

    25 Top Attractions in Paris for Families

    Our first family trip to Paris absolutely exceeded our expectations.  It had been 21 years since my last visit, and my husband, who had traveled there more recently for work, was not overly enthusiastic this stop on our family vacation.  But, we all loved the City of Lights.  In our combined five days and five nights spread over two weekends, we did a great deal of walking and saw a lot of amazing monuments, museums and churches.  But, we also had the chance to really explore a few neighborhoods, retrace our steps and enjoy meals at some of the many cafes in the city.   Here are 25 top attractions in Paris for families – make sure to note how many are free!

    Champs-Élysées With Kids

    #1:  Arc de Triomphe

    Napoleon commissioned the iconic Arc de Triomphe after winning the 1805 battle of Austerlitz.  The 165 foot Arc was inspired by Rome’s Arch of Titus and completed in 1836, 15 years after Napoleon’s death.  It is the world’s largest triumphal arch.  The Arc de Triomphe is located on the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle, the junction of 12 streets.

    • Arc de Triomphe Facts:  La Marseillaise, the relief on the right pillar depicts Lady Liberty rallying tired soldiers onward.
    • Arc de Triomphe Cost:  Free to view.  Admission to climb 284 stairs to the rooftop is €12 for adults but is free for kids aged 0-17.
    • Closest Metro Station to Arc de Triomphe:  Charles de Gaulle-Etoile

     

    #2:  Champs-Élysées

    The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the world’s most famous boulevards.  This magnificent, tree-lined street runs the 1.2 miles between the Place Charles de Gaulle (the Arc de Triomphe’s location) and Place de la Concorde.   The portion close to the Arc de Triomphe is lined with cafes and high-end shops.  We strayed from the Champs-Élysées only to check out the Grand Palace and the Petit Palace.  The Champs-Élysées is the center of Bastille Day and World Cup celebrations (both of which occurred while we were in Italy) and the finale of the Tour de France, which took place one week after our return home.

    • Champs-Élysées Facts:  The Champs-Élysées is the site of the world’s most profitable McDonald’s, which happened to be the only McDonald’s we visited during our European holiday.  Orders are placed on touch screens, and our ice cream was more expensive than any of our daily gelato stops.
    • Champs-Élysées Cost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Stations to Champs-Élysées:  Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (Arc de Triomphe), George V, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Concorde (Place de la Concorde)

     

    #3:  Grand Palace

    The Grand Palace is an exhibition hall that was constructed in the Beaux-Arts style for the 1900 World’s Fair and located just off the Champs-Élysées.

    • Grand Palace Facts:  The Grand Palace will be used for the fencing and Taekwondo events in the 2024 Olympics.
    • Grand PalaceCost: Admission prices vary with each exhibit
    • Grand Palace Tip:  Closed on Tuesdays
    • Closest Metro Stops to Grand Palace:  Champs-Élysées Clemenceau or Franklin D. Roosevelt

     

    #4:  Petit Palace 

    The Petit Palace was built for the 1900 World’s Fair and houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts), which features an extensive collection from Greek antiquities to Art Nouveau, including works of Rembrant, Courbet and Monet.  The featured Temporary Exhibit is currently Impressionists in London, which we would have loved to see, but were unfortunately visiting on a Monday when the Museum is closed.  Instead, the gorgeous entry way and stairs served as a perfect spot to rest before continuing up the Champs-Élysées.

    • Petit Palace Facts:  Architect Charles Girault won a 1894 contest with a late 17th/early 18th century French architectural design.
    • Petit Palace Cost:  Permanent collection is free, fees are charged for special exhibits.
    • Petit Palace Tip:  The City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts is closed on Monday.
    • Closest Metro Stops to Petit Palace:  Champs-Élysées Clemenceau and Franklin D. Roosevelt

     

    #5:  Place de la Concorde

    Place de la Concorde is Paris’ largest public square and is located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées.  The 75-foot Luxor Obelisk, which was once at the entrance of Luxor Temple, stands at the center of the square.  This 3,300 year old granite column is decorated with exquisite hieroglyphics.  It’s original gold cap was believed to have been stolen in the 6th century B.C., and the current gold-leafed pyramid cap was added in 1998.

    • Place de la Concorde Facts: Place de la Concorde was the site of over 1,200 executions during the French Revolution, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
    • Place de la ConcordeCost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Station to Place de la Concorde:  Concorde
    • Time Spent at Place de la Concorde:  About 15-20 minutes

     

    Left Bank With Kids

    #6:  Eiffel Tower

    The Eiffel Tower (aka the Iron Lady) is the quintessential landmark.  It was #1 on my middle son’s bucket list eversince he saw the half scale model in Las Vegas at age four.  This wrought iron lattice tower was designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair to recognize the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.  When constructed, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest structure in the world until the completion of the Chrysler Building in 1930.

    The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument (with an admission fee) in the world with almost 7.0 million visitors each year.  There are three observation decks.   Visitors who wish to visit the summit should book tickets immediately after flights or as soon as they are available online (about three months in advance).  We were only able to book tickets to the second floor in advance because the summit was fully booked each day we were in Paris.  We took the elevator to the second floor and chose to take the stairs from the second to first floor.  My husband and sons took the stairs from the first floor to ground floor and actually beat my daughter and I taking the elevator.  The light show, which begins after sunset, is a particular treat.  For more information, make sure to read our entire review of our visit to the Eiffel Tower with kids.

    • Eiffel Tower Facts:  The Eiffel Tower was intended to be dismantled after 20 years but maintained after a wireless telegraph transmitter was installed
    • Eiffel Tower Cost:  Elevator tickets to the second floor cost €16 for adults, €8 for youths aged 12-24, €4 for children aged 4-11 and free for kids under 4.  Elevator tickets to the summit cost €25 for adults, €12.5 for youths aged 12-24, €6.3 for children 4-11 and free for kids under 4.

    #7:  Luxembourg Gardens

    The Luxembourg Gardens are 60-acres of lush gardens, fountains and statues, ponds with toy sailboats for rent and the Luxembourg Palace.  This is a haven for children, who particularly enjoy pushing toy sailboats available to rent in 30 minute intervals around the Grand Bassin duck pond.

    Photo credit: Marissa Mayer

    • Luxembourg Gardens Facts:  Marie de Medici built Luxembourg Palace in the early 17th century after the death of her husband, Henry IV.  It was designed as a recreation of her childhood home, Pitti Palace in Florence.
    • Luxembourg Gardens Cost:  Free to enter.

     

    #8:  Musée d’Orsay

    The Musée d’Orsay houses an impressive Impressionist collection of French art featuring Manet, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh Degas, Cezanne and many more. The Museum opened in 1986 in the former Gare d’Orsay, which was constructed for the 1900 World’s Fair, and the station’s three enormous clocks are spectacular works of art in their own right.  Our family really loves Impressionism, particularly the works of Van Gogh and Monet.  So, the Musée d’Orsay, which includes 24 Van Gogh paintings, was a particular treat. Our favorite was Starry Night Over the Rhone.

    • Musée d’Orsay Facts:  Because the platforms were too short for modern trains, Gare d’Orsay was closed in 1939.  It may not have been able to accommodate trains but now houses the largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world.
    • Musée d’Orsay Cost:  €12 for adults or €16 if purchasing a combined admission to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie; kids 0-17 and EU citizens 0-26 are free.
    • Closest Metro Station to Musée d’Orsay:  Solferino
    • Musée d’Orsay Tip:  To avoid ticket lines, purchase tickets online for same day or advance tickets with €1.50 surcharge.  Visits to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie do not have to occur on the same day.
    • Time Spent at Musée d’Orsay:  About three hours

     

    #9:  Place du Trocadéro

    The Place du Trocadéro is located across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower and offers a picturesque view of the iconic Tower, along with beautiful fountains.

    • Place du Trocadéro Facts:  The Place du Trocadéro is named after the 1823 Battle of Trocadéro in which France defeated Spain.
    • Closest Metro Station to Place du Trocadéro:  Trocadéro
    • Place du Trocadéro Cost:  Free

     

    Right Bank With Kids

    #10:  Louvre Museum

    The Louvre is the world’s largest and most visited art museum with 400,000 art works and a permanent collection of about 35,000 on display.  It is housed in the Louvre Palace, which was once the world’s largest palace, and includes DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and so many more of the world’s masterpieces.  This vast museum was not nearly as crowded as the Vatican, except for the room displaying the Mona Lisa, which is a nonstop paparazzi scene.  Read our entire review of visiting the Louvre with kids.

    • Louvre Museum Facts:  The Louvre contains more than 380,000 objects.
    • Louvre Museum Cost: €17 for adults, free for kids 0-17
    • Louvre Museum Tips:  We purchased online tickets directly through the Louvre’s website for 9:30 am on our first full day in Paris.  There really weren’t significant lines for either people with reserved tickets or people purchasing tickets, but we were ushered to the front of both lines because we had a stroller.  There are a lot of stairs in the Louvre, but this museum goes above and beyond to accommodate strollers.  There is a special circular elevator in the pyramid so that strollers do no need to use the escalator, and stroller users have elevator access throughout the Louvre.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Louvre Museum:  Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre and Louvre-Rivoli
    • Time Spent at Louvre Museum:  About 3 hours

     

    #11:  Louvre Palace and Pyramid

    A visit to the Louvre Palace and Pyramid should be on every family’s Paris itinerary.  The Louvre Palace is a former royal palace that dates back to the 13th century but has been expanded and renovated over the past 800 years.  The iconic glass and metal pyramid that serves as the museum’s main entrance was designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei and completed in 1989.  There are platforms in the courtyard perfect for staging those forced perspective photos that kids particularly love.

    • Louvre Palace and Pyramid Facts:  The pyramid and underground lobby were created so that the Louvre could better accommodate its daily visitors.  The pyramid was designed for 4.5 million annual visitors, and the underground lobby had to be redesigned between 2014 and 2017 when the number of annual visitors rose from 4.5 million to over 8 million.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Louvre Palace and Pyramid:  Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre and Louvre-Rivoli
    • Louvre Palace and Pyramid Cost:  Free

     

    #12:  Montorgueil

    Montorgueil is a quaint pedestrian only neighborhood lined with cafes along its cobblestone streets.  This is a great place to have an evening drink or watch a World Cup match (which we did!).

    • Montorgueil Facts:  Montorgueil means “Mount Pride”.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Montorgueil:  Les Halles, Centre Georges Pompidou, Hôtel de Ville
    • Montorgueil Cost:  Free

     

    #13:  Musée de l’Orangerie

    The Musée de l’Orangerie features impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, including the Museum’s main attraction, two oval rooms custom designed to each display four massive  Nymphéas (Water Lilies) wall murals completed by Claude Monet in his final years.  My ten year old deemed these two rooms the “best rooms of art” he’s ever seen, and he’s visited many art museums.

    • Musée de l’Orangerie Facts:  The Museum completed a six-year, $36 million renovation in 2006 to move the second floor collection underground so that a skylight could be added to the oval rooms featuring Monet’s Water Lilies.
    • Musée de l’Orangerie Cost:  €12 for adults or €16 if purchasing a combined admission to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie; kids 0-17 are free
    • Musée de l’Orangerie Tip:  Closed on Tuesdays.
    • Closest Metro Station to Musée de l’Orangerie: Concorde
    • Time Spent at Musée de l’Orangerie :  About 1.5 hours

     

    #14:  Opera Garnier

    The Opera Garnier is Paris’ grand theater, which was completed in 1875.  It seats over 1,900 and boasts one of the world’s largest stages.  The Opera Garnier was completed in 1875 and is the home of the Paris Opera.

    • Opera Garnier Facts:  Opera Garnier was the setting for The Phantom of the Opera.
    • Opera Garnier Cost:  Admission for tours is €7-€12 for adults and free for kids 0-11.

     

    #15:  Tuileries Garden

    The Tuileries Garden is the royal garden of the Louvre Palace, which is located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde.  The portion next to the Louvre includes a ferris wheel and green space, but much of the rest of the length has  more pebbles than grass.

    • Tuileries Garden Facts:  The Tuileries Gardens were designed for Henry II’s wife, Catherine de Medici, in the 1500s as a replica of her family’s Boboli Gardens in Florence.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Tuileries Garden:  Tuileries and Concorde
    • Tuileries Garden Cost:  Free to enter.  Rides are available for a fee.

     

    Montmartre With Kids

    #16:  Montmartre

    The Montmartre neighborhood is located on Paris’ highest hill and the former home of some of the world’s most famous artists.  This is still an artists’ haven with many galleries and working artists ready to paint portraits or caricatures.

    • Montmartre Facts:  Famous Montmartre residents include Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Maurice Utrillo, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Salvador Dalí and Amedeo Modigliani.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Montmartre:   Pigalle and Abbesses
    • Montmartre Cost:  Free

     

    #17:  Sacre-Coeur Basilica

    Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a white Romano-Byzantine cathedral, is located at Paris’ highest point.  The Basilica was completed in 1914 . The mosaic above the altar depicts a 60-foot-tall Christ exposing his sacred heart.  The view from the Sacre-Couer steps is absolutely phenomenal both during the day and at night.  The central mosaic is one of the largest in the world.  It’s definitely worth the two long flights of stairs to reach.  We attended a memorable Sunday Mass here.

    • Sacre-Coeur Basilica Facts:  Architect Paul Abadie was the winner of a design competition for the Basilica.
    • Sacre-Coeur Basilica Cost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Station to Sacre-Coeur Basilica:  Anvers
    • Time Spent at Sacre-Coeur Basilica:  About 1.5 hours – We arrived 15 minutes before Mass, stayed for the duration of Mass and then about explored the Basilica and gift shop for about 15 minutes.

     

    #18:  Wall of Love

    The Wall of Love is a love-themed mural that includes the phrase, “I love you” featured 311 times in 250 languages.  The mural was created in 2000 by Fédéric Baron and Claire Kito.

    • Wall of Love Facts:  While most walls divide people, the purpose of this wall is a place of reconciliation and support.
    • Wall of Love Cost:  Free
    • Wall of Love Closest Metro Station:  Abbesses
    • Time Spent at Wall of Love:  Less than five minutes

     

    Ile de la Cite With Kids

    #19:  Notre-Dame Cathedral

    The Notre-Dame Cathedral is medieval French Gothic cathedral that was one of the first to use flying buttress supports.  Notre-Dame was completed in 1345 and is known for its Rose Window with original medieval glass, gargoyles, two 226-foot towers and of course, the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  Our kids were particularly amused by the statue of St. Denis holding his own head near the left portal.  We attended Sunday evening Mass, and the archbishop presided.

    • Notre-Dame Facts:  Point Zero Paris is a geographic marker located right outside of Notre Dame.  The distance from Paris to all other places is measured from this Point.
    • Notre-Dame Cost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Stations to Notre-Dame:  Cite, Hotel de Ville and St. Michel
    • Time Spent at Notre-Dame:  About 1.5 hours – We arrived 15 minutes before Mass, attended Mass and then walked around the exterior exploring the carvings, gargoyles and flying buttresses.

     

    #20:  Square du Vert-Galant

    The Square du Vert-Galant is a triangular park at the tip of Il de la Cite.  The apex of the Square is shaded by an enormous weeping willow.  We spotted this tree during our Seine River cruise and visited it afterwards and met the picnickers who appeared in my husband’s cruise photos.  This is an amazing spot to watch the sunset.

    • Square du Vert-Galant Facts:  This small public park was named to honor Henry IV, who had been nicknamed the “Green Gallant.”
    • Square du Vert-Galant Cost:  Free (BYOB)
    • Closest Metro Station to Square du Vert-Galant:  Pont Neuf
    • Time Spent at Picnic at Square du Vert-Galant:  About 30 minutes

     

    #21:  Sainte-Chapelle

    Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th century Gothic chapel, is known for the stunning stained-glass windows in its sanctuary.  It is considered as the world’s largest expanse of stained glass.

    • Sainte-Chapelle Facts:  Sainte-Chapelle was completed in just six years and means “Holy Chapel.”
    • Sainte-Chapelle Cost:  €10 for adults, free for kids 0-17
    • Closest Metro Station to Sainte-Chapelle:  Cite
    • Time Spent at Sainte-Chapelle:  About an hour, including security, purchasing tickets and browsing at the gift shop

     

    #22:  Soap Bubbles

    After visiting Sainte-Chapelle, we had a little time before our 9 pm appointment tickets to the Eiffel Tower.  We walked through Place Louis-Lepine and found a street performer creating soap bubbles with accompanying music.  Our kids were absolutely enthralled with the enormous bubbles and joined the pack of kids chasing the bubbles around the square.   There were no long faces or tired faces in the group, and there was a constant clinking of change in the performer’s basket.

    • Soap Bubbles Facts:  The changing colors that appear on the surface of soap bubbles appear because of the interference of light reflecting off the surfaces of the soap film.
    • Soap Bubbles Cost:  Free, but tips appreciated

     

    Family Trip to Paris – Generally

    #23:  Cafes

    Cafes are synonymous with Paris.  Chairs on the patio tables generally face outward so diners can take in the hustle and bustle around them.  Many offer fixed price, three course lunch meals, which we particularly enjoyed.

    • Cafes Facts:  There are 37 bridges in the city of Paris.
    • Cafes Cost:  Varies

     

    #24:  Seine River Cruise

    There are several options for families to take an iconic cruise along the Seine River.  Vedettes du Pont Neuf, Bateaux-Mouches and Bateaux Parisiens all offer similar one-hour boat cruises.  We chose a Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise because the dock was within walking distance of our Airbnb and had a lovely time listening to the narration and checking out the view of Paris from the River.

    • Seine River Cruise Facts:  There are 37 bridges in the city of Paris.
    • Seine River Cruise Cost:  €10+ for adults, €5+ for kids aged 4-12, free for kids under 4
    • Seine River Cruise Tip:  We purchased our tickets on Vedettes du Pont Neuf’s website for the 8:45 cruise as we were leaving our Airbnb and saved €12 over the ticket office price for our four tickets.  We made good time to the dock and ended up using our 8:45 for the 8:15 cruise with no issue.  Cruises leave promptly, so make sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before the departure.
    • Time Spent at Seine River Cruise:  About 1.25 hours

     

    #25:  Street Art

    Paris is a major art capital, but art is not only displayed in its fine museums.  We found so many street art gems while wandering around the city.  This Guate Mao creation down the street from our VRBO in Montorgueil was definitely our favorite.

    • Street Art Facts:  Parisian street artist Gaute Mao secretly paints portraits around Europe.
    • Street Art Cost:  Free

    Best Family Attractions in Paris

    The Eiffel Tower may have been Paris’ biggest draw for my kids, but we were all wowed by its art, cathedrals and landmarks.  Planning a family trip to Paris?  Make sure to check out our Planning, Logistics and Itinerary blog post as well as our other blog posts about Paris!

  • Boogie Board Jot 8.5 Review

    Boogie Board Jot 8.5 Review

    We are often asked for advice about keeping kids entertained during car journeys and flights. The Boogie Board Jot 8.5 is an LCD eWriter tablet that serves as an endless notepad with many uses, especially for traveling families. Because it is ultra-light and the size of a small notepad, it is super easy to throw into any carry on and can be used for doodling, tic-tac-toe, etc….  As a bonus, it can be erased up to 50,000 times. The Boogie Board Jot also comes in 4.5 inch and 10.5 inch sizes, but we find that the 8.5 inch size is the perfect not to big yet not to small compromise.  It’s a screen but not an electronic and not hard to see why the Jot 8.5 is the world’s #1 LCD writing tablet.  We’ve both used them and think they are great for traveling kids.

    Catherine’s Thoughts:

    Our family has been using Boogie Boards since their debut because my brother-in-law’s company, Kent Displays, manufactures Boogie Board eWriter products.  My kids often keep a Jot 8.5 LCD eWriter tablet in the car and use it to doodle.  The sleek stylus is very easy for my four year old daughter to manipulate, and the LCD pixels are bright.  The kids love how easy it is to erase with the press of a button and occasionally ask me to take a picture of creation before erasing and moving on to the next.   I’m glad that there’s no worry about pen stains or scraps of paper to clean up.

    Photo credit – Kent Displays

    The stylus is multi-functional and can be used to hold the eWriter in an angled position, but my kids prefer to place the Jot 8.5 on a table or in their lap and do not often use this function.

    Photo credit – Kent Displays

    While my kids have tried out a whole host of Boogie Board products while visiting their cousins, they seem to prefer the sleek Jot 8.5.  In addition to a semi-permanent residence in our car, the Jot 8.5 is feather light and can easily be added to a handbag or carry on and provides endless entertainment to kids during flights.

    Photo credit – Kent Displays

    Nancy’s Thoughts:

    When Catherine mentioned doing a product review for the Boogie Board as something for families to take with them on trips, I was somewhat dumbfounded as who takes ocean equipment when traveling as a matter of course? After clearing up that misunderstanding, I became curious about the Boogie Board and decided to order the Jot 8.5 via Amazon. Upon arrival, both kids immediately begin fighting over who got to play with the device first, but anyone with two kids knows that’s nothing outside of the ordinary. What surprised me was that I immediately took to the Boogie Board. Prior to ordering the Boogie Board, I had considered getting my 3.5 year old a magnetic doodle board or an etch a sketch as he loves to practice writing. But, I wasn’t a fan of either as the writing can be disjointed and the boards don’t always wipe cleanly. I was looking for an e-writing type device, however, because my youngest is such a menace that he simply cannot be trusted alone with any writing implements. Fortunately, the Boogie Board not only captured his attention, but also that of my 9 year old.

    As shown in this video, the Boogie Board writes smoothly and erases with one push of a button. My sons have now played with the Boogie Board on an airplane, in the car, and at church during extended announcements post-Mass. My father-in-law was so amused by the Boogie Board that he announced he was going to get one for himself just to tinker around with. As an added bonus, the Boogie Board is so lightweight and thin that it fits easily into my purse and I hardly even know it’s there. The best part of the Boogie Board, however, is that it alleviates all the anxiety I feel when my 3.5 year old gets his hands on a pencil or a marker as the provided stylus provides him with no opportunity to mark up hymnals or clothes or even his toes (yes, we’ve had highlighter and toe nail incidents with my little monkey)!

    Depending on which Boogie Board you happen to own, there are different apps available to download onto your mobile device. I downloaded the Jot Mobile App, which allowed me to very quickly turn my son’s masterpiece into a jpg that I could store on my phone and send to his traveling father.

    One might wonder whether the Boogie Board is necessary and of course, it’s not. But, it’s a fun and relatively low risk way for me to keep my 3.5 year old entertained and my 9 year old likes it because, as Catherine mentioned, it’s like an electronic device even if it isn’t. At the end of the day, for approximately $20, I’m happy to have it be part of my travel arsenal and would recommend this to anyone looking for a relatively inexpensive item to keep kids occupied during travel. As an added bonus, I have also used it to leave notes for my husband — we rarely keep paper around the house and hardly ever leave written messages anymore now that we can simply text one another. He was highly amused to find the Boogie Board note I left for him one afternoon and I’m sure we’ll continue to utilize the Boogie Board outside of travel as the opportunities present themselves.

  • Planning a Trip to Paris With Kids

    Planning a Trip to Paris With Kids

    The Eiffel Tower has been #1 on my eight year old son’s bucket list ever since he saw the half scale replica in Las Vegas at age four.  So, when we start looking into European destinations for our summer vacation and found flights on Wowair to Paris at a fraction of the cost of any other flight from Cleveland to mainland Europe, it seemed as though we were destined to take him to Paris.  My husband and I looked at budget flights from Paris to Venice and Rome to Paris for ourselves and our three kids, aged ten, eight and three and quickly decided to include 10 days in Italy.  We thought about traveling in August, but everything we read seemed to indicate that we should avoid traveling to Italy in August at all costs, so we booked round trip flights from Cleveland to Paris leaving right after the July 4th holiday.  We are so glad we chose plan a trip to Paris with kids.

    Booking a Trip to Paris

    We booked our flights a mere 5 1/2 weeks before our departure due to scheduling issues.  While we often book vacations at the last minute, I wondered, while trying to nail down accommodations and internal travel during peak season, if we had taken on too much.  Luckily, once we had accommodations booked for the duration of our stay and transportation to and from Italy nailed down, I decided that this trip was indeed doable and was going to be wonderful.  It’s definitely preferable to have more planning time than we did, but we were able to secure accommodation, transportation and advanced bookings necessary even on a tight schedule.

    Boarding our flight to Paris in Reykjavik

    Accommodations in Paris With Kids

    Because our flights required us to start and end our trip in Paris, we decided this was a great opportunity to explore two different Parisian neighborhoods.  Unfortunately, our accommodation choices were quite limited because our trip was booked so close to our departure and both Paris stays were over weekends. We booked a VRBO in Montorgueil for the first three nights of our trip.  We absolutely loved the pedestrian neighborhood with many cafes, bolangeries and shops literally at our doorstep, but the apartment itself was honestly the worst homestay experience we have had and is fortunately no longer listed on the VRBO site.

    Our Montmartre Airbnb for our final weekend was much better than the Montorgueil apartment but was very different from the photos shown on Airbnb’s website and did not have several of the promised amenities.  We definitely learned how important it is to book weekend accommodations well in advance and also to make sure that the homestay website includes a clear picture of the bathroom and that the host answers all specific questions about the property prior to booking.

    While homestays worked best for our family of five, there are many hotel options.  Check out these recommendations for the best hotels in Paris.

    Paris Airports With Kids

    We flew into and out of Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at the beginning of our trip and also arrived from Rome via Paris Orly Airport (ORL) after our time in Italy.  We appreciated the efficiency of baggage handling at both Parisian airports and particularly enjoyed all the unique moving sidewalk tubes at CDG.

    Moving sidewalk tubes at CDG

    Before our departing flight at the end of our trip, we went through security for gates 70-78 to find only one cafe with extremely long lines and immediately wished we had picked up dinner before going through security.  Also, it was a bit unusual to us that we didn’t know our actual gate number until the flight started boarding, but other than the 45 minute wait to pick up sandwiches at the cafe, it worked out fine.

    While families can choose to travel to and from the Paris airports via train/Metro, taxi, shared shuttle, taxi and Uber, we chose to use taxis.  We liked that official Paris taxis have standard rates for airport transportation to and from each airport as follows:

    • From CDG to: right bank – €50 and left bank – €55
    • From ORL to:  left bank – €30 and right bank – €35

    We did not compare the cost of a taxi with the cost of an Uber van that would accommodate all five of us, but the taxi fares were comparable with trains and shared shuttles.   Because we are a family of five, we had to wait in the taxi stand until there was a taxi that could accommodate us and also pay an additional €4.  We had virtually no wait for a taxi at CDG but had to wait about 20 minutes at ORL.

    Taxis worked great because we did not want to schlep our kids and bags on the train and Metro and really liked the convenience of the taxis and found the drivers particularly professional.  One driver even graciously stopped for an emergency trip to the bathroom.  We had two BubbleBum booster seats with us, but one taxi actually had built-in booster seats.

    Local Transportation in Paris With Kids

    We found Paris very walkable, but the Metro was convenient when we needed to travel farther distances quickly.  In our combined five days in the city, we took a total of five Metro rides and one round trip train journey to Versailles.  Metro stations are clearly labeled Metropolitain and decorated in a beautiful French Art Nouveau style.   The Metro is free for all passengers under four (including our daughter, who happened to turn four only a few hours after leaving Paris), but single ride tickets (billets) for all passengers aged four and up are €1.90.  Families planning to take several Metro rides will likely find purchasing a carnet of 10 tickets the most economical option.  A carnet costs €14.90 for all passengers aged 11 and up but only €7.45 for passengers aged four to ten.  My husband and I shared one carnet, while our 8 and 10 year old sons shared the second.

    The entrance to the Abbesses Metro has one of the few remaining roofs (édicules), but it’s a long way down to the platform, which is one of the deepest in the city.

    The entrance to the Abbesses Metro station

    Currency

    We definitely needed to use euros at times, so it was essential to get some local currency.  We traveled with about €200 and then withdrew money twice from ATMs during the trip.

    Packing for Paris With Kids

    Our entire trip was 17 days and 17 nights, but we were primarily staying at homestay apartments with washers.  We packed approximately five to six full outfits for each person, which was, as always, more than we really needed, but I worried that the promised laundry facilities might not be functioning in each of our locations.  We also needed some bulky items like two Bubble Bum booster seats for Italy.  Wowair charges for each carry on larger than a personal item (e.g. back pack) and each checked bag, which cannot weigh over 44 pounds without incurring overweight fees.  So, we chose to check one bag and also bring two back packs with us and packed a gym bag inside our checked suitcase, knowing that we would likely be returning with more than we brought with us.  Churches in Paris do not require covered knees and shoulders, so shorts and sundresses were appropriate outfits for the unseasonably warm weather we experienced.

    Our luggage

    With a three year old who would need to nap on the go, we decided to bring a small umbrella stroller with us.  While we did need to carry the stroller up and down stairs at times, particularly in Metro stations, we found that much easier than carrying our daughter, especially when she was sleeping.  We do look forward to being stroller-free soon but will miss the built in storage and bottle holders.

    For the first time, I rolled and packed each person’s clothes in zip lock bags and had separate bags with our pajamas and first day clothes packed into one of the back packs.  This helped with the organization of the large suitcase and provided a back up in case our suitcase was delayed at the beginning of the trip.  Luckily, we had no trouble retrieving our suitcase at CDG upon arrival.  However, on the way back, we made the rookie mistake of packing our pajamas and remaining clean clothes into our back packs along with our cameras and breakables and packed all of our new clothes and shoes and toiletries into the suitcase.  We also forgot to remove cash from the locked pocket before checking our suitcase for our return flight.  When it didn’t make the connection in Reykjavik, we worried if we’d ever see it again and realized that so many things we had packed were irreplaceable because they were simply not available in the US.  Luckily, our bag arrived via FedEx Ground four days later.

    We neglected to pack a supply of small soap bars, shampoo or wet wipes but were able to find these items easily in Paris.  I also made a bad assumption that our converter also had adapter capabilities when I brought my flat iron, which turned out to be unusable for the duration of our trip (and then delayed).  Next time, we’re definitely going with four to five outfits, maximum.

    Cell Service in Paris

    We researched relatively inexpensive options to add voice/data to our Verizon mobiles while in Paris but ended up not using cell service in the city. We were able to contact our first VRBO host using the WiFi at CDG upon our arrival and had self-check in at our Airbnb at the end of the trip.  While WiFi was usually available at restaurants and at least near the entrances of the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie, we were able to mostly unplug during the day and use WiFi at our accommodation in the evenings.

    Language Barrier in Paris With Kids

    Most people in the Paris tourist industry speak English, and all menus were translated into English as well.  My husband and I both studied French in high school and retained some rudimentary language skills.  Those skills were helpful in exchanging pleasantries but were rarely necessary.

    Eating in Paris With Kids

    We thoroughly enjoyed eating at cafes in Paris.  Chicken, sea food, beef and frites (aka French fries) were regularly on menus, and many cuisines were available throughout the city.  We were also able to pick up snacks, bottled water and toiletries at one of the many Franprix stores or other local groceries.  We particularly enjoyed the freshly squeezed orange juice right out of the machine. We only made the mistake once of buying sparkling water instead of still water.  It’s not always clear, but double-check that there aren’t any bubbles on the label when looking for still water.

    Planning Our Paris Itinerary

    To help get our kids involved with planning our five nights in Paris, I borrowed some children’s books on Paris from our local library.  My eight year old and I went through one and made a list of what we wanted to see, and I started doing research to determine what attractions require advance bookings.  Our top 10 list included the Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Jardin du Luxembourg, Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Sacre Coeur, Champs-Elysees and Place de la Concorde.  We knew that the Eiffel Tower, Versailles Palace and the Louvre would require advance tickets but that the other attractions probably did not.  We had accommodations booked on our first and last weekend near Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur, respectively, and planned to visit each cathedral for Sunday Mass.

    We looked into purchasing the Paris Pass, a sightseeing pass with fast track entry to certain attractions that includes a free travel card and Paris guidebook.  However, we decided that it was not worth the cost for what we had planned.  Kids are free at many of Paris’ top attractions, and we were able to skip lines by booking entry in advance online.

    Because we knew we would be leaving out some sights in Paris during our stay due to timing, we didn’t consider any day trips from the city other than Paris.  However, we might consider one of the many day tours from Paris on our next trip to explore the surrounding area.

    Our Paris Itinerary – Two Weekends

    Because of our round trip flight from Cleveland to CDG, we had spent weekends in Paris at the beginning and end of our trip.  Our five days and five nights were split up and included three trips to or from an airport.  Our time in Paris was at the beginning and end of a 17 day trip, and we planned to take a slower pace, sit and enjoy meals at cafes and really explore our neighborhoods.  We also had some minor ailments to deal with like upset stomachs, bloody noses and a lost tooth in addition to watching World Cup soccer matches.  We really didn’t acclimate to waking up early, but it was always late before we got into bed.  Even though we weren’t in full tourist mode, we made it to everything on our top 10 list except the Jardin du Luxembourg.  The Jardin du Luxembourg is a classic family outing in Paris, but we had a few less than stellar park experiences on this trip decided to visit Sainte-Chapelle on our last day instead with no regrets.  Next time, we’ll sail boats.

    Here is our basic daily itinerary:

    First Weekend

    Friday

    • Flight arrives at 5:30 pm
    • Taxi from CDG to Montorgueil VRBO
    • Check in and explore Montorgueil neighborhood
    • Walk to Seine River and check out the Eiffel Tower

    Saturday

    • Louvre in morning
    • Rest/World Cup in afternoon
    • Seine River cruise

    Sunday

    • Palace of Versailles and Gardens of Versailles
    • 6:30 Mass at Notre Dame

    Monday

    • Arc de Triomphe
    • Champs-Elysees
    • Place de la Concorde
    • Tuileries Garden
    • Musée de l’Orangerie
    • Petit Palace
    • Night train to Venice

    Second Weekend

    Friday

    • Flight arrives at 5:15 pm
    • Taxi from ORL to Montmartre Airbnb
    • Check in, explore Montmartre neighborhood and visit Sacre Coeur scenic overlook

    Saturday

    • Musée d’Orsay
    • Sainte-Chapelle
    • Soap Bubbles with Street Performer
    • Trocadero and Eiffel Tower

    Sunday

    • Mass at Sacre Coeur
    • Exploring Montmartre
    • Taxi to CDG at 3:00 p.m.

    Find Out More About Paris With Kids

    We loved our trip to Paris with kids.  Make sure to check out 25 Top Attractions in Paris and the rest of our blog posts on Paris!

    Note:  The Palace of Versailles hosted our family’s visit.  As always, all opinions are my own.

  • Spotlight: Goodtime III With Kids

    Spotlight: Goodtime III With Kids

    Thank you to the Goodtime III for providing complimentary tickets for my family.  As always, all opinions are my own. 

    Our family spent an amazing summer afternoon cruising on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River aboard the Goodtime III, Cleveland’s largest sightseeing vessel.  The ship’s four decks offer indoor and open air seating for up to 1,000 passengers to enjoy the view of Cleveland’s skyline, its many bridges and all the new development at the East Bank of the Flats.  This family owned tour boat was established in 1958 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this summer.  The Narrated Sightseeing Tour is especially kid friendly and a great way for visitors (and residents!) to learn about Cleveland’s downtown from a unique perspective.  A ride on the Goodtime III with kids is a particularly good first boating experience for young passengers, and the views just can’t be beat.

    Goodtime III Parking

    Parking is conveniently located at the East Ninth Street Pier Parking lot and costs $10 for 2-3.5 hours.  The kids’ excitement started escalating as I parked along the side of the enormous Goodtime III.  My only challenge was locating the pay station, but lucky for me, my eight year old has a keen eye and pointed it out for me.  Our car was parked only a short distance from the ticket booth, and we had to walk only about 20 steps after disembarking.

    Goodtime III Tickets

    After paying for parking, we headed to the ticket booth.  There were separate lines for visitors with pre-booked tickets and for those purchasing tickets.  General admission for the two-hour Narrated Sightseeing Tour costs $18 for adults and $10 for children, and reservations are available online for a small booking fee.   Children under five are free, but need a ticket to board.  Advance reservations are required for special events and all trips that include a meal.

    The ticket booth is easy to find
    • Pro-Tips:  Tours are offered Tuesdays through Sundays. The Goodtime III offers kids a special $1 admission on their 3 p.m. Narrated Sightseeing Tour from Memorial Day to July 4th.

    Boarding the Goodtime III

    Getting ready to board

    I was happy to walk right up to the will-call booth and secure our tickets with my picture ID.  We arrived at about 2:20 p.m., collected our tickets and made our way to the boarding area by about 2:25 p.m. and had only a few minutes to wait before boarding for our 3:00 p.m. cruise, which began sharply at 2:30 p.m.  The kids really enjoyed experiences on smaller boats while touring the Kerala backwaters and whale watching in Dalvik, Iceland and were ecstatic to board this massive vessel.

    Because this mid-week cruise afternoon cruise had about 150 passengers, we had plenty of seating options.  The kids excitedly tried out a half a dozen views before the ship even left the dock.  While there was plenty of room on our cruise, the Goodtime III, which has a maximum capacity of 1,000, never exceeds 800 to maintain comfort for all passengers.

    Checking out the views while docked on the Ninth Street Pier

    An Afternoon Cruise on the Goodtime III

    The ship departed exactly at 3:00 p.m., so visitors need to arrive on time or will be stuck on shore.  We enjoyed an hour of narration about Cleveland’s history, buildings, bridges and trivia and then a second hour of music on the ship’s sound system, which was fun to listen to while watching the ever-changing views.

    The Flats have had significant development over the past few years

    The facilities on board were excellent and kid-friendly, and it is clear that safety is a huge priority for the Goodtime III.  After previous rides on much smaller boats with kids, I was relieved to see that all side railings provided a safe enclosure for little people.  Although I still had to remind my kids to keep their feet on the ground and not to lean out of the ship, I did not have to spend the entire cruise holding my daughter.  There were also bins full of adult and child-sized life vests strategically placed around the ship, and the crew provided a demonstration on how to use the life vests before we departed.   The restrooms featured running water and even a diaper changing station not common on smaller boats.

    He spent a lot of time just gazing at the city.

    We ordered popcorn for the kids, which was reasonably priced at only $2 a box on the second level.  Of course, after popcorn, they needed water, which was $2 a bottle.  We also treated them to ice cream sandwiches, which were available on the main level and cost only $2.50 each.  The Goodtime III also offered burgers, grilled chicken, nachos and a full bar on board.

    Cleveland’s Public Square

    I always love the idea of boating but am prone to seasickness and have regretted several boating or sailing excursions.  However, I had no issues on the Goodtime III, which was large and very stable.  Every staff member we met was also helpful and friendly.  I apologized to crew member Ashlynn for the popcorn crumbs surrounding my daughter and even offered to sweep them up myself.  She replied that she was happy to have something to do.

    It was fun to see planes taking off from Burke Lakefront Airport.

    My favorite piece of trivia from the narrated portion of the cruise was that The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, originally included the sentence, “I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie.”   However, Seuss removed the line 14 years after publication when Ohio Sea Grant Program researchers informed him of efforts to clean-up the Lake.

    We spent the last 15 minutes of the boat ride on the main deck, and my daughter took full advantage of the empty dance floor to try out some moves.

    The dance floor and seating area on the enclosed main level

    The Goodtime III docked at 5:00 p.m. on the dot.  We loved the punctuality, especially because my boys had evening swim lessons that we had to rush off to make.

    • Pro Tip:  Make sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, light jackets, hair bands and a charged camera.  It was a warm and sunny 73 degree afternoon, but it got chilly on Lake Erie due to the wind.  Even my son who never gets cold was happy to have a jacket. My camera battery died with about 30 minutes before the cruise ended, and I had to rely on my mobile camera for the last pictures. 
    • Pro-Tip:  With four different levels, the Goodtime III is not stroller-friendly.  There isn’t much walking needed, so I’d recommend leaving the stroller on shore unless it’s need for nap time.
    • Pro-Tip:  While buying tickets in advance can save time, I recommend pre-booking the Narrated Sightseeing Cruise only after checking the weather or just purchasing tickets upon arrival.  Note that the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Cruise sells out annually, so advance reservations are definitely needed for that.

    We were lucky to take advantage of a beautiful summer afternoon and truly enjoy our hometown from a perspective we rarely get to see.  We recommend a ride on the Goodtime III with kids.  Our kids would love to make an afternoon on the Goodtime III an annual tradition, and I’m sure they would see and learn different things on each cruise.

    Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!  Also, be sure to check out all our category of posts on Cleveland with kids. 

  • Iceland’s Golden Circle With Kids

    Iceland’s Golden Circle With Kids

    Iceland’s Golden Circle is a popular tourist route in southwest Iceland that consists of a 180 mile loop with several of the country’s most striking natural wonders.  Our family toured the Golden Circle on a day trip from Reykjavik at the end of our 10-day trip.  We were fortunate to pick an unusually dry day with blue skies.  While the loop takes about 3.5 hours of driving, there were plenty of amazing stops along the way, including Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Stokkur, Gulfoss waterfall and Kerid Crater.  Our Golden Circle self drive with kids was one of the highlights of our trip to Iceland.

    Thingvellir National Park With Kids

    Our first stop on the Golden Circle was Thingvellir National Park, a beautiful national park that is also an important historical landmark near Thingvallavatn, the largest lake in  Iceland.  The country’s first Parliament convened here in 930.  Thingvellir is located in a rift valley caused by the separation of the North American and Eurasian Plates.  However, there are no obvious demarcations of the divide similar to the Bridge Between Two Continents in Reykjanes.

    Thingvellir

    After arriving at Thingvellir, we paid the 500 kr parking fee (pay and display) and headed toward the Visitor’s Center.  We picked up a free map but found it confusing at best.  So, we took a trail toward Thingvallabaer and Thingvallakirkja and enjoyed the beautiful vistas, rocky cliffs and fissures along the way. Thingvallabaer, a farm house with five gables that serves as the Prime Minister’s summer house and the park warden’s office, is a short walk. Thingvallabaer was constructed in 1930 on the 1,000th anniversary of the parliamentary assembly.  The residence is definitely not palatial by any means, but certainly charming, and the Prime Minister entertains foreign dignitaries here. We met a park ranger here who had coincidentally lived near us in Cleveland’s Little Italy during the late 1980s and early 1990s in a building where a high school friend of mine lived at the same time.  It is a small world.

    Next to Thingvallabaer is Thingvallakirkja, a tiny church that seats about 35 and coordinates with Thingvallabaer’s cream with black and green trim color scheme.  We saw many very small churches throughout Iceland, and the kids were especially excited to peek inside of this one.

    Thingvallakirkja

    The kids explored the cemetery between Thingvallabaer and Thingvallakirkja before we head back to the car. 

    Thingvellir is also the site of the Silfra fissure where divers snorkel between the North American and Eurasian continents.  This is one of the best fresh water dive spots.  Appropriate gear, included wetsuits, is necessary, and many tour companies offer snorkeling tours even to inexperienced divers.

    • Kid Facts: Thingvellir was the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries. In 1930, it became Iceland’s first national park.
    • Kid Moment: Our kids (particularly our daughter) enjoyed following a family of ducks on the trail. 

     

    Geysir Hot Spring Area With Kids

    Our next stop visiting the Golden Circle with kids was the Geysir Hot Spring Area.  Geysir, which is also known as the Great Geysir, is the geyser for which all geysers are named.  Geysir derives from the Icelandic verb meaning “to gush.”   While Geysir erupted over 500 feet in the air in the 19th century, its eruptions became infrequent.  People found that if they threw rocks into Geysir, they could force an eruption. Unfortunately, this practice ultimately led to Geysir’s demise, and Geysir is currently dormant and just bubbles steam.  64°18′39″N 20°18′14″W

    While Geysir no longer erupts, visitors looking for an active geyser will Strokkur just a short walk from Geysir. Strokkur is not as high as Geysir once was, but it a perfect tourist destination because it erupts every few minutes at varying heights up to 125 feet. We stayed for at least six or seven eruptions and really enjoyed it even though it was one of the buggiest locations on our trips. While none of us were actually bitten, but we felt constantly swarmed.

    • Kid Facts: Geyers are temporary geological features that are usually found in volcanic terrain. Geysers erupt because ground water comes into contact with hot bedrock and heats up. When the water reaches peak temperature and pressure, a tall column of superheated water and steam are sent up into the air.
    • Kid Moment: This is a good place to talk about the importance of leaving no trace when you visit nature and the destruction that human interference can cause.
    • Kid Caution: Because the erupting water is super hot, children need to be reminded to stay back behind the rope

     

    Gullfoss With Kids

    Gullfoss is my all-time was my favorite waterfall – even tops Niagara Falls. The water was crystal blue, and there were great views of both sets of falls and plenty of rainbows when we visited. While Gullfoss is not as wide, as steep or as powerful as Niagara Falls, I immediately made the comparison in terms of beauty.  What made Gullfoss so special was that it was so much more untouched than Niagara.   The tourist center, located right off the parking lot, was well developed with a restaurant and tourist shops, but it was the only building visible from the falls in any direction.  The 360 degree view was simply breathtaking.  64°19′34″N 20°07′16″W

    • Kid Facts:  Different investors in the 20th century wanted to use Gullfoss to generate electricity, but it was eventually sold to Iceland and protected.
    • Kid Moments:  Look for rainbows from every viewpoint.  Talk about protecting natural wonders.
    • Kid Caution:  Paths at Gullfoss are more developed than many other sites, but because the view is from the top, it is necessary to hold hands with little ones and keep them well back from the roped off areas or edges.

     

    Kerið With Kids

    Kerið is a volcanic crater lake on the Golden Circle route and easy for families to explore. Landowners charge an entrance fee (400 kr or $3.75). 64°02′28″N 20°53′06″W / 64.041°N 20.885°W

    On our way to Kerið, we turned too soon and ended up on an unpaved road we believed would take us to Kerið.  We did realize our mistake but found the mystery crater adjacent to Kerið pretty fascinating in the meantime.

    Why We Loved the Golden Circle With Kids

    The Golden Circle is a fantastic day trip from Reykjavik, particularly in the summer when daylight is not a scarce commodity.  We were fortunate to have several days in Reykjavik at the end of our Ring Road trip and chose to visit the Golden Circle on the day with the best weather forecast and actually had no rain whatsoever.  The Golden Circle highlights some of Iceland’s most beautiful natural wonders and a bit of history, too.

    Interested in finding out more about Iceland with kids?  Check out our listing of all Iceland posts or join our Facebook group We Go To Iceland With Kids, which is a forum to ask questions and share ideas about family travel to Iceland.

  • Best London Parks With Kids

    Best London Parks With Kids

    London may be densely populated and one of the largest cities in Europe, but it is also known for its amazing park areas.  The Royal Parks manages the city’s eight Royal Parks, which were originally owned by the monarchy for recreation and hunting but were preserved as public parks by the Crown Lands Act of 1851.  We enjoy visiting London parks with kids so much that I once spent the better part of a day wandering between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens with a friend from my semester abroad at the University of York and my four month old son while my husband and his family went to Wimbledon.

    Although I have visited all of the Royal Parks in London’s city center, we only made it to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens with kids and enjoyed spending time in these amazing parks on most days that we traveled into the city center.

    There is so much to see and do in London’s parks, but these are our some of the best London parks with kids:

     

    #1:  Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground

    The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, which is located in the northwest corner Kensington Gardens, is one of my kids all time favorite playgrounds.  The Playground was inspired by J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and opened in 2000 to honor Princess Diana.  On our first visit, we were accompanied by my sister, her husband and three kids who just happened to have scheduled a trip to London that overlapped ours.  Any playground is better with cousins to share it with, but this was a particularly amazing place to spend an afternoon.  Our boys had so much fun that they requested a return trip on our last day in London’s city center.

    The centerpiece of the play area is a huge pirate ship, which is surrounded by an enormous sand play area.  The ship’s lookout was my boys’ favorite part and where they spent most of their time.

    The Playground is fully gated, and kids cannot get in or out without an adult.  The Playground is free, but there may be queues to enter.  Luckily, we did not have any wait times during our June and July mid-week visits.

    Fans of Peter Pan should also make sure to visit Kensington Gardens’ bronze Peter Pan statue that was commissioned by J.M. Barrie and created by George Frampton in 1912.

    • Kid Facts:  Kids are delighted to learn that adults are not permitted to enter unless they are accompanied by a child aged 12 or younger.

     

    #2:  Kensington Palace

    Kensington Palace was designed by Christopher Wren, the architect of St. Paul’s Cathedral at the request of King William and Queen Mary and constructed within six months in 1689.  King William and Queen Mary only enjoyed Kensington Palace for a few years.  Queen Mary died from smallpox about five years after the completion of Kensington Palace.  King William died after falling off his horse and breaking his collar bone eight years later.

    Kensington Palace is located in Hyde Park and was the royal residence before Buckingham Palace.   but now houses the “lesser royals”, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka William and Kate), who currently occupy Apartment 1A’s four stories and 20 rooms with their three children.  Princess Diana also lived in the Palace  from 1981 to 1997.  The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Harry and Meghan Markle) live in William and Kate’s previous home, a “cottage” also within the Palace.

    The Palace Gardens were not open to the public when we visited, but are simply stunning.  The Sunken Garden includes a terrace with ornamental flower bed that surround a small pond.  The fountains were formed from water cisterns that were used in the Palace during the 18th century.

    It would be lovely to stroll around in Palace Gardens, which are sometimes open to the public without required tickets.

    • Kid Facts:  Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first appearance together after their engagement announcement in the Sunken Garden.

     

    #3:  Picnic in Hyde Park

    Hyde Park is a large 350-acre park that is often considered London’s Central Park and a lovely place to picnic.  There are chairs for rent if it is inconvenient to bring picnic blankets.

    There are so many options for takeaway food on the periphery of Hyde Park that it is not necessary to pack your own meal but make sure the prepare for weather changes.  On our last visit, a quick shower brought the temperatures down unexpectedly, and we wished we had brought warmer clothes.

    After lunch Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is a great place to stop with kids.  The Fountain opened in 2004 as a memorial to Princess Diana, who lived in Kensington Palace.  It is constructed with 545 pieces of Cornish granite.  The Fountain has a circular stream, and it is permitted to sit on the edge of the memorial and to dip your feet but not to walk on the Memorial.

    • Kid Facts:  Hyde Park was originally Henry VIII’s hunting grounds.

     

    #4:  The Serpentine

    The Serpentine is a man-made body of water near Hyde Park’s southern border.  Favorite activities in this area include renting boats and paddleboats, swimming and feeding ducks.  Visiting the Serpentine was one of the few “must-do” activities during our first trip to London when our oldest was only four months old.

    On our most recent visit to London, we enjoyed hot chocolate and coffee with friends on a chilly July afternoon at Lido Café and Bar, which is located on the southern side of the Serpentine near the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.

    • Kid Facts:  Serpentine refers to the curving shape – even though there really is only one bend.  Although the entire body of water is commonly called the “Serpentine”, the name actually refers to only the eastern portion of the lake.  The portion to the west of the Serpentine Bridge is known as the Long Water.

     

    #5:  Speaker’s Corner

    Speaker’s Corner is an area for open-air public speaking on Sunday afternoons in the northeast corner of Hyde Park near Marble Arch.  Many of the speakers are often passionate and irrational orators who give political demonstrations.   We were glad to catch this eccentric tribute to free speech on our last visit to London, and our kids definitely enjoyed participating in this bizarre tradition.

    The speakers each gave impassioned political demonstrations what were often irrational.  Several literally stood on soapboxes, or at least stepladders.  This may not be the best place to learn about current events or engage in intellectual political debate, but it an amusing sight to behold for sure.

    • Kid Facts:  Historically, there have been other areas designated as Speakers’ Corners in London’s parks, but this is the original and most popular location.

     

    London has so many fun family activities!  Make sure to check out our posts on London, including Our First Family Trip Abroad, Five(teen) Fun Family Attractions, Spotlight:  The Tower of London, Five Fun Family Museums and Sample Itineraries (to come).

  • Travel Tips: ASTC Passport Program

    Travel Tips: ASTC Passport Program

    Participation in the ASTC Travel Passport Program is an amazing value. Our family membership to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History comes with perks like reduced parking rates, guest passes and invitation to members-only events in addition to unlimited visits to the Museum and free shows at its Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium & Ralph Mueller Observatory.  Because of the Museum’s affiliation with the ASTC Travel Passport Program, we also receive free reciprocal admission at hundreds of natural history, science and children’s museums.   The ability for our family to use the ASTC Passport Program to visit member museums around the country for free is a huge value!

    What does the ASTC Passport Cost?

    Each ASTC Passport member charges its own rate for a membership.  Our family membership to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History costs us $90 a year.

    ASTC Passport Review

    We have had this membership for approximately two and a half years.  Honestly, we don’t immediately renew when it expires but wait for the next opportunity when we want to visit the Cleveland Museum of Natural History or one of the other ASTC member museums and sign up for a new membership.   When visiting Los Angeles last Fall, we decided while walking down the Hollywood Walk of Fame that we wanted to go to the La Brea Tar Pits next.  I called my husband from our Uber and had him purchase a membership online.  Minutes after he sent me the confirmation email, I used it to get free admission into the Tar Pits.  Since then, we’ve used our current membership for admission for several trips to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, two visits to the Carnegie Science Center and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.  The value of those museum visits are about four times of the cost of our membership, and we still have five months left, including summer break.

    Nancy is very fortunate to live in Washington, DC and have the free Smithsonian museums at her doorstep.  She never considered purchasing a museum membership to use solely for travel until this spring.  Her family purchased a membership to a local children’s museum and used it for free admission when visiting Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena and plans to use it to visit more museums when traveling.

    Our family has visited 10 amazing ASTC affiliate museums and always looks forward to our next opportunity to use our membership.

     

    #1:  Adler Planetarium – Chicago, Illinois

    My older son wanted to be an astronaut through pre-school, and both boys had a great time visiting the Adler Planetarium, which was the first planetarium in the western hemisphere.  The beautiful stone building houses many interactive exhibits and three theaters, including the most technologically enhanced planetarium theater and a high-definition 3D theater.  Our boys were aged three and five at the time of our visit and enjoyed the interactive exhibits focusing on the planets, solar system and space exploration, and, of course, the planetarium show.

     

    #2:  Carnegie Science Center – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    Of the dozens of museums my 10 year old has visited, the Carnegie Science Center is his favorite.  He’s probably not alone, as this is Pittsburgh’s most popular museum. The “science” portion of the museum is pretty cool, but the real draw for him is Highmark SportsWorks®, which is housed in an adjacent building and uses more than 30 interactive sports exhibits to show how physics, anatomy, biology and chemistry control sports.  The Ropes Challenge consists of a series of challenges, including a rope bridge, rolling logs and a horizontal net that culminate in a zip line and is probably my boys’ favorite “exhibit” ever, especially the zip line.  Other highlights of the sports complex include the SkyTykes Ropes Course, located under the Ropes Challenge, a 24-foot rock climbing wall (which even my daughter tried out), a batting cage, a 10-meter dash and various challenges for endurance and balance.  This bright complex is a perfect place for kids to burn energy, especially on cold or rainy days.

    Inside the Carnegie Science Center, my boys’ favorite exhibit is Roboworld, which is considered the world’s largest permanent robotics exhibition.  Roboworld features more than 30 interactive displays, including a robot who shoots baskets with impressive precision and another who challenges visitors in air hockey.  My kids could spend hours playing air hockey with a robot or comparing basketball precision.

     

    #3:  Center of Science and Industry – Columbus, Ohio

    The Center of Science and Industry, commonly known as “COSI” is a comprehensive science museum with more than 300 interactive exhibits.  We were fortunate to visit several years ago during the week that COSI hosted its annual outdoor Big Machines exhibit.  At the time, our four and six year old boys were at the height of their machinery enthusiasm and absolutely loved “touch a truck” events.  So, it was a bit of a challenge to get them away from the trucks and inside COSI.  Once inside, we discovered that COSI nails the “hands on” aspect of science, particularly with its lab spaces and hallway exhibitions.

     

    #4:  Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

    A dream climber for kids

    The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is an interactive museum for kids with great activities and hands-on creating opportunities for kids of all ages.  The two-story climber attracted my 3.5 year old daughter like a magnet.  She had to make it to the top and then back again.  I was nervous about her exiting at the top until another mom assured me that the entrance and exit were both located at the bottom.  As soon as we arrived, she headed straight for the two-story climber that thankfully has entrance and exit openings only at the bottom.

    My boys happily worked in the MAKESHOP® just opposite the climber while I hung out at the wall dividing the two areas to keep an eye on all three children.  The kids used household boxes to anchor markers in place and then attached motors to make them move on their own.  The project involved tape, hot glue and a lot of trial and error, and this was my boys’ favorite exhibit at the Museum.  The Museum’s Studio also offers hands-on creating opportunities for kids of all ages.  This multimedia space offers wonderful supplies that allow kids to create paint, sculpt and silkscreen.  The Studio is housed in a former planetarium and is a beautiful and bright space to inspire creative juices.

     

    #5:  Cleveland Museum of Natural History – Cleveland, Ohio

    We are members of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, which is located in University Circle, about 15 minutes from our house.  So, this is the ASTC museum we visit the most frequently.  Inexpensive metered parking is usually available on Wade Oval, right outside the Museum.  Because of our membership, I occasionally bring my oldest and youngest for a short visit while my husband accompanies our middle child to his nearby piano lesson.   It’s also a snow day favorite or something we combine with a trip to the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is located around the corner.

    In good weather, we often enjoy the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden, which opened in the Fall of 2016 and features living plants and animals that are native to Ohio.  The dinosaur collection may not compare to those of the National Museum of Natural History – London, the Field Museum or the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, but the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton is still pretty cool, and there is a mastodon skeleton that was found in the region.  Lucy, the reconstructed cast of female hominid who lived over 3 million years ago is the a perennial favorite of my kids.  Lucy’s skeleton was discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 by Donald Johanson, the curator of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.  I have a series of pictures of my two youngest standing next to Lucy at various ages.

    We always try to catch a planetarium show at Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium & Ralph Mueller Observatory.  My daughter is a huge fan of the One World, One Sky:  Big Bird’s Adventure, and even though my boys have seen it more times than we can count, they agreed to accompany her the last time that the timing aligned – albeit after a few eye rolls.

     

    #6:  The Field Museum of Natural History – Chicago, Illinois

    The Field Museum is one of the world’s largest natural history museums.  It opened in 1893 and was named to honor its first major benefactor, Marshall Field, the founder of the Chicago-based department store who donated $1 million to the Museum in 1894.  It is located on Museum Campus along Lake Michigan and also boasts one of the world’s best dinosaur collections, including Sue, the world’s most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, which was prominently displayed in the main hall of the Museum until 2017.  With two young boys aged three and five who were excited about prehistoric creatures, we definitely did not miss the dinosaur exhibit.

    We also explored an Egyptian tomb in the three-story Inside Ancient Egypt exhibit.  This exhibit includes one of the world’s largest collections of human mummies.  This was our boys’ first exposure to Egypt, but they were fascinated and have since enjoyed Egyptian exhibits at the National Museum of Natural History and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

     

    #7:  Great Lakes Science Center – Cleveland, Ohio

    While we cannot use our membership to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for free reciprocal membership to ASTC member museums within a 90 mile radius of our home, we recently visited the Great Lakes Science Center as part of a NASA Free Evening.  The event feature science-related programming and Astronaut Terry Virts, the author of View from Space.  Our kids thoroughly enjoyed hearing Virts describe his experiences on the space station.  Virts’ presentation and slide show inspired them to thoroughly explore the NASA Glenn’s Visitor’s Center, including the 1973 Skylab 3 Apollo Command Module.  They also enjoyed trying out all the hands-on exhibits and building with Lego as part of the Science Center’s special exhibit.

     

    #8:  La Brea Tar Pits & George C. Page Museum – Los Angeles, California

    The LaBrea Tar Pits & Museum are dedicated to La Brea’s shallow pools of oil that coagulated into asphalt and trapped Ice Age animals.  The Tar Pits are registered as a National Natural Landmark, and over 3.5 million fossils have been found on the site, with excavation continuing year round at Project 23 and seasonally at Pit 91.  My son was fascinated by the Fossil Lab where you can watch paleontologists working on specimens collected from Project 23.   After viewing the completed fossils, watching Titans of the Ice Age, the 25-minute 3D movie featured in the Museum’s theater, and observing the Fossil Lab, my son had an opportunity to try separating fossils himself.  With all these great hands on opportunities, it’s not surprising that the stop at the La Brea Tar Pits & Museum was his favorite of our trip.

     

    #9:  Maryland Science Center – Baltimore, Maryland

    The Maryland Science Center is another phenomenal science museum located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.  This was the first science museum we visited as a family.  We were skeptical if our one and three year old boys were old enough for the Science Center, but they had a blast, especially while exploring the Spacelink exhibit and the Kids Room, which includes a large water play area.  We also enjoyed a show at the IMAX theater.

     

    #10:  Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History – Washington, D.C.

    The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History is an amazing free admission museum on the National Mall.  It was the world’s most visited natural history museum in 2017.  The Museum’s collection includes over 126 million specimens.  Our favorite is the Hope Diamond, the 45.5 carat grayish-blue pendant surrounded by 16 diamonds that is reportedly insured for $250 million.   The Hall of Fossils includes 46 complete skeletons and is currently undergoing a massive $45 million, five-year renovation and scheduled to reopen in 2019.  The iconic 14-foot tall elephant is the focal point of the entry rotunda.

    For traveling families who enjoy natural history museums, science centers and children’s museums, investing in a membership to the ASTC Travel Passport Program museum can be an amazing value.  Next on our list is the Ontario Science Centre, which was one of my favorite museums that I visited as a child.  Make sure to check out our other posts on other ASTC  museums, including children’s museums, natural history museums and science museums.   

  • Scottsdale With Kids: Desert and Baseball

    Scottsdale With Kids: Desert and Baseball

    I recently visited Scottsdale, Arizona while attending a conference at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa  located near Scottsdale, is a city in suburban Phoenix.  Scottsdale has been ranked as the best city to retire in America and is also an international art and resort center in the Sonoran Desert with so much to offer visiting families with kids.

    JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort – A Wonderful Scottsdale Family Resort

    The JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa opened in November 2002 as Marriott’s 2,500th hotel worldwide and as Arizona’s largest resort with over 950 rooms.  The guest room was well-appointed and very comfortable, and the bathroom featured elegant stone work and a standing shower.

    My favorite feature of my room was the view of the McDowell Mountains from the patio – palm trees and mountains are a pretty amazing way to start the day.

    A room with a view

    The Desert Ridge Resort includes over 3.5 acres of pools, 36 holes of championship golf, eight tennis courts and Revive Spa.  Four of the Resort’s five pools are always heated at 82 degrees.  Even though we enjoyed the heated geothermal pools in Iceland, it felt too chilly during the February cold snap to try out the pools.  The Lazy River would have been an amazing place to spend an afternoon floating in one of the brightly colored inner tubes – if it was only 10 degrees warmer.  I can only imagine how wonderful the aquatic center must be during the super hot summer months.

    Lazy River

    The Resort also offers several great dining options. Stonegrill serves American fare with a Southwestern twist in a casual atmosphere with comfortable seating.  Roy’s Pacific Rim is an Asian-Fusion restaurant with Hawaiian and Asian-inspired cuisine.  During our stay, we watched Olympic coverage at the hotel bar Twenty6.

    Stonegrill
    Roy’s Pacific Rim

    The Resort really capitalizes on the gorgeous surrounding views with lots of windows and comfy chairs in the common areas.  It was not so surprising that neither windows nor comfy chairs were featured in the Resort’s conference center.  With tax and securities on the agenda, it would definitely be nearly impossible to hold the attention of attendees if competing with the beautiful view.

    Great place to sit and rest

    While the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa was a fantastic resort, it would be a shame to travel 2,000 miles and not get the chance to explore beyond the resort.  Luckily, I also had a chance to visit the Phoenix Art Museum on my way from the airport and Old Town Scottsdale before my departing flight.

    There are many more accommodations options for visitors to Scottsdale with kids.  Families who want to stay close to Old Town should check out my cousin’s guest house, Casita Saguaro.  It is a lovely, newly constructed two bedroom private guesthouse available at an amazing nightly rate.

    Old Town Scottsdale With Kids

    After my conference concluded, my cousin picked me up, and we headed to Old Town Scottsdale.  There was a lot of excitement in Old Town because it was the first day of MLB Spring Training, and Scottsdale’s Spring training home team, the San Francisco Giants, were playing the Milwaukee Brewers in the Scottsdale Stadium.  Although baseball was not on our agenda, it was fun to hear the crowds cheering as we made our way to our first stop at The Mission for lunch.

    The Mission features modern delicious Latin cuisine.  The tacos were divine, but the real highlight was the made to order tableside guacamole, which we shared.

    After lunch, we walked around Old Town Scottsdale to explore its floral displays and Native American arts shops.  Of course, I couldn’t resist visiting the Scottsdale Historical Museum, a free museum with seasonal hours (closed June – August when it is really hot).  This charming brick structure was built in 1909 and originally used as the town’s school city hall, courthouse and library.  The Scottsdale Historical Museum offers exhibits related to the historical and cultural heritage of Scottsdale and the Southwest.

    Scottsdale Historical Museum

    My favorite was the One Room Schoolhouse depicting a typical 19th century classroom that appeared to be right out of Little House and the Prairie, and the 1872 rules for teachers w

    One Room Schoolhouse

    I was thrilled to unexpectedly find one of Robert Indiana’s pop art Love sculptures in front of the Scottsdale Civic Center as we walked around Old Town.  Indiana’s Love sculptures are now located all over the world and my favorite example of public art.

    The gardens in Old Town were absolutely beautiful.

    I wished that there was enough time to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West.  Frank Lloyd Wright invested his earnings from Fallingwater to purchase property in Scottsdale where he built Talliesin West was his own winter home.  Like Fallingwater, this tour is not intended for children under age six.  If my architecture loving middle child was with me, Talliesin West would have definitely been a can’t miss activity.

    Why We Love Scottsdale With Kids

    Scottsdale’s mild winters makes it an ideal location for a winter trip, especially for baseball fans during Spring Training.  We loved the art and architecture and look forward to a chance to explore Scottsdale with kids more!

    When planning a trip to Scottsdale with kids, make sure to check out our other favorite Arizona and Nevada destinations.