Category: nancy

Southeast Ohio with Kids: Five Fun Family Activities!

George Washington once said, “the settlement of southeastern Ohio was not accidental, but the result of the careful deliberation of wise, prudent, and patriotic men.”* For those traveling with kids, Southeast Ohio is an outdoor paradise! This corner of Ohio is home to 15 state parks, three nature preserves, seven state forests, and many hunting and fishing areas. For my children, Southeast Ohio also happens to be home to their very doting and loving grandparents, so it’s not surprise that this is hands down their favorite place on earth.

Some good old fashioned outdoor fun in Grandma and Grandpa’s backyard!

Located only 60 minutes from the Ohio State Capital, Columbus, Athens is the perfect destination for an overnight stop. Having spent many, many nights in Athens, these are our top five fun family activities in Southeast Ohio!

#1: Bike Path / Brewery Tour

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The Hockhocking Adena Bikeway in Athens is one of my favorite places to bike ride with my kids. Unlike the Mount Vernon Bike Trail near my home, the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway is never crowded, does not cross any major roads or streets, and has a perfectly bucolic view as it meanders along the Hocking River before disappearing into the woods leading up to Nelsonville, Ohio. The Bikeway is 21 miles long and mostly built on an abandoned railroad grade and a great way to spend a few hours riding or, if traveling with older children, an entire day riding through Athens County.

One of the most delightful developments in the past five years or so has been the introduction of microbreweries and cideries… along the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway!

These brochures (with maps!) are available for free at the micropubs and cideries.

This past Thanksgiving, my husband, father-in-law, and eight-year-old son biked the trail and made three separate brewery stops where my mother-in-law, and I met them with my two year old in tow.

If when visiting Athens, I highly recommend spending a few hours on the Bikeway and make a few pit stops along the way. For visitors not traveling with their own bikes, there are a number of local bike shops that have rentals available.

#2: Burr Oak Lake

Burr Oak Lake was built as a multiple-use reservoir for flood control, water supply, and recreation. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources operates and maintains the parking lots, wells, bathrooms and launching areas in along the lake. There are also a number of outfitters offering boats available for rental, guided fishing trips, and even horseback riding!

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A few years ago, my family spent a few hours on a pontoon boat in the lake and had a wonderful experience. After a few hours on the water, we enjoyed lunch at Burr Oak Lodge & Conference Center. By no means would I consider this a fancy experience, but for those looking for some quality outdoor time, this is definitely something to consider. There are also numerous hiking trails, swimming beaches, geocaching, and camping sites available for those looking to spend more than just a few hours of outdoors time.

#3: Experience the Country!

The number one reason why we visit Southeast Ohio is to see family, but I personally love that my kids get to spend time outdoors, enjoying the fresh, country air. Two hidden gems in Southeast Ohio that we have come to love are:

Libby’s Pumpkin Patch – Libby’s Pumpkin Patch is a u-pick pumpkin patch about 30 minutes from Athens. Libby’s specializing in large carving pumpkins, pie pumpkins, and outdoor fall decorations. Fall visitors to Southeast Ohio should definitely plan to visit. During the summer, the farm also offers assorted berry picking opportunities, so follow the farm on Facebook to check out what is available. When we were there a few years ago, my mother-in-law and I loaded up on pumpkins while the kids had a blast on the hayride, jumping on the outdoor decorations, and sampling the homemade pumpkin chili and ice cream available for purchase.

The giant hay spider at Libby’s!

Tractor rides are ALWAYS fun!

White’s Mill – White’s Mill was built in 1809 along the Hocking River and was purchase by the White family in 1912. Over the years, as the needs of the community have changed, White’s Mill has adapted from what it was originally, a mill, to a local store that offers home/pet goods, gardening supplies, and now, locally made items that make great Christmas gifts or souvenirs. My family happens to love White’s Mill and my children have grown up visiting what they affectionately call “the Chicken store” with Grandpa. And yes, we have purchased chicks and continue to purchase chicken feed from White’s Mill pretty much every time we are in town!

View of White’s Mill from across the Hocking River.

Enjoying some outdoor time with the chickens back at the house.

#4: Ohio University / Town of Athens

Ohio University is the oldest university in Ohio with extremely loyal alumni and is located right in the heart of Athens, Ohio. The town of Athens is full of small, independent shops and funky retailers, so it’s a great way to spend a few hours window shopping before taking a walk on the beautiful campus grounds. My family’s current favorite lunch spot is Jackie O’s, a microbrewery and pub, with a great menu and beer sampler. I’m also partial to O’Betty’s Hot Dog Museum, where my personal favorite menu item is not a hot dog, but the delicious chili cheese fries!

A sampler of beer at Jackie O’s comes on an Ohio shaped board.

#5: Hocking Hills State Park

The Hocking Hills State Park is a smorgasbord of outdoor fun located about 45 minutes from Athens. The park contains seven separate sections and there is truly something for everyone there: hiking, exploring caves, canoeing, zip lining, camping and more. There are also rental cabins available, making this the perfect location for those, like me, who love the outdoors but prefer to sleep on a real bed at night.

Ash Cave

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Be sure to check out our Ohio posts for things to do when visiting the 17th State.

*Howe, H. Howe’s History of Ohio, Volume 1. Page 133.

February 11, 2018
The Road Less Traveled: Upper Peninsula, Michigan With Kids!

Almost everyone I know has been to Michigan at some point in their life, but I know very few people who have been to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula!

The Upper Peninsula is the northern of the two major peninsulas that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It may also be referred to as the UP or Upper Michigan. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by the St. Marys River, on the southeast by Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and on the southwest by Wisconsin.

The Upper Peninsula contains 29% of the land area of Michigan but just 3% of its total population. Residents are frequently called Yoopers (derived from “U.P.-ers”) and have a strong regional identity. Large numbers of French Canadian, Finnish, Swedish, Cornish, and Italian immigrants came to the Upper Peninsula, especially the Keweenaw Peninsula, to work in the area’s mines and lumber industry. The peninsula includes the only counties in the United States where a plurality of residents claim Finnish ancestry.^[1]source

Getting to the Upper Peninsula, or the UP of Michigan, is, of course, the biggest obstacle to actually visiting. It is approximately four hours driving distance from Ann Arbor, MI to Allenville, MI, one of the first towns after you cross the Mackinac Bridge and enter the Peninsula. So, any visit to the UP automatically begins as a road trip up north!

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Note that pedestrians are not permitted on the bridge, except during the Labor Day walk when the governor leads walkers in walking the five miles across the bridge. If you happen to be driving through during Labor Day weekend, schedule some extra time to allot for the delays or join the walk yourself!

Our visit to the Upper Peninsula took place in the late summer and we rented a small cottage along the Anna River, just a few miles south of Munising, which sits on the southern shore of Lake Superior. The cabin itself, the Anna River Cottage, appears to no longer be available for rent, but I encourage you to look around as a quick glance at VRBO and Homeaway suggests there are a number of options at very reasonable rates.

Anna River

The stream behind the house, the Anna River, is a perfect stream for young anglers – there is a nice flow, but it’s not too deep or fast.

During our visit, we took a quick drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which remains one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and was less than two miles from our cabin.

With over 100 miles of trails, the Lakeshore is stunning, however, it’s not place I would recommend with young children unless you’ve done extensive prior research on the trails as many are located on cliffs. Although, we visited in the late summer when the weather was still quite pleasant, it does get cold up in the UP very quickly and we could see traces of one of the major wintering activities as we drove through the Lakeshore: snowmobiling! Indeed, snowmobiling in Upper Michigan is quite popular and we saw numerous places where you could rent equipment and/or arrange for guided trips. Although our boys are still young, I would definitely consider returning to the UP in the winter when they are older so we can snowmobile.

In addition to the Lakeshore, we also enjoyed driving through the various scenic areas where often found ourselves in the midst of birch forests.

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The trees are tall and thin with white bark and grow very close together in a dense forest. Being so far north, the landscape was definitely different from anything we had ever seen in the southern/western United States.

Finally, the thing we enjoyed most about traveling to the UP was that it was so quiet and peaceful. Unlike the other trips we have taken “out west” — Yellowstone, Yosemite, even Denali — there is literally no traffic in the UP and very few tourist attractions, if any, once you get past the Mackinac Bridge. We never ate dinner out one time during our four night stay, rather, we just stopped by the local grocery and picked up a few items and either prepared a simple meal at home or over the fire pit. We did manage to work in a sampling of the “pasty,” which is like a calzone/meat pie.

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There are different fillings you can choose, but we loved the simple meat and potato option. These also made excellent items to pack with us and take on our hike – the perfect portable meal.

Although Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is remote and difficult to visit, if you find yourself with the time and opportunity to do so, I definitely would! I’ve always wondered about that slice of Michigan hanging around up north all by itself. The added bonus, of course, is that if you’re interested in hiking and camping, you can get a lot of that done in the UP without spending a lot of time negotiating tourist traps or other drivers in traffic. Although an Upper Peninsula vacation might not be automatically what people think of when they think of ideal family getaways, there are plenty of things to do in the Upper Peninsula and our family trip to “UP MI” ranks high on our list of favorite getaways!

February 7, 2018
Spotlight: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center / National Air and Space Museum With Kids!
Located in Chantilly, VA, a quick 30-45 minute drive from Washington, DC, the Udvar-Hazy Center or, as we locals like to call it, “the Dulles Air & Space Museum” is an off the beaten path destination that I highly recommend for anyone visiting Washington, DC. Let’s face it, the weather in Washington, DC is fickle and there are many days during heavy tourist season where the weather is just too unpleasant to be outside. If you’re tired of being drenched in sweat the minute you step outside your hotel room, Dulles Air & Space is the place for you!

Dulles Air & Space has two large hangars, displaying thousands of aircrafts and space ships. When my kids were early walkers, we frequently took advantage of Air & Space’s wide corridors and open expanse of space to let our kids run and burn off their energy, especially in the winter or spring when the weather was frequently too cold or too wet for us to be outside.

My now eight year old started visiting Air & Space when he was just getting on two feet!

If you have any experience visiting museums with young children, you know that it can frequently be a harrowing experience to actually get anything out of it yourself. Between maneuvering the crowds, chasing little feet, and reminding sticky hands not to touch, we frequently find that we, as the adults, miss out on a lot of the experience. I’m happy to report that the Dulles Air & Space museum is different because the nature of the exhibits (airplanes and space shuttles!), makes it easy for even the adults to catch as glimpse before eager little feet run off. The Blackbird, the Concorde, the Enola Gay, and the Discovery Shuttle are all located at Dulles Air & Space and they’re impressive enough to catch the fancy of even the youngest museum goers.

Things to Note:
- The museum is open daily from 10am – 5:30pm and although admission is free, there is a parking fee of $15 per vehicle before 4pm.
- There is a McDonald’s cafe located on the second floor so if you get hungry and need to catch a bite to eat, that’s always an option.
- If you have older kids, there is also an IMAX Theater and Planetarium that may be of interest. My children also love to watch the preservation and restoration activities taking place in the Restoration Hangar, where there are frequently specialists working hard to assess and preserve artifacts for everyone’s enjoyment.
- Do not confuse the Dulles Air & Space Museum with the National Air & Space Museum in Downtown, Washington, DC. Both are operated by the Smithsonian, but are uniquely different. The downtown museum has traditional exhibits and a children’s science area that is fantastic for children ages 3-6. The downtown museum, however, can get extremely crowded during busy tourist season as it is located on the mall and within walking distance to most major tourist sites. The Dulles Air & Space Museum featured in this post can mostly be described as “a bunch of cool airplanes and space craft hanging out in giant hangars.” In other words, super awesome for little kids who need to burn off energy in sub-optimal weather conditions. It’s also a wonderful place to visit with older children, especially as they learn more about air and space travel. My oldest son is not quite at the age where the Enola Gay or the Concorde means anything to him – but you can be sure we will visit when he is!
Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC. We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC!

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!
February 2, 2018
Virginia Wine Country with Kids!

Virginia has nearly 300 wineries and dozens of wine trails sprinkled throughout the state. There are 10 general wine regions in the state, ranging from the Blue Ridge region to the Northern Virginia region, very close to our home in Washington, DC. Do we really visit wineries with kids? Yes, yes we do!

Virginia wineries are, for the most part, child friendly. We have been visiting wineries in Virginia since before my oldest son was born and we continue to visit wineries even though we now have two kids (and sometimes a dog!) to bring along for the ride.

The wineries we tend to visit most often are located in two different regions: Northern Virginia and Central Virginia. The Northern Virginia wineries are located just about an hour away from home and are an easy activity for a leisurely Saturday or Sunday when the weather is nice. The Central Virginia wineries are usually reserved for our fall getaways when we rent a cabin for a long weekend and sneak off to the greater Charlottesville region.

Northern Virginia Region Wineries

If you find yourself in Washington, DC and searching for a day trip away from the city, the Northern Virginia wineries are truly a treat. Just a short one hour long drive from DC (traffic depending, of course!), we frequently drop into a winery as part of another event or activity. Our favorite wineries are:

Chester Gap Cellars – Family owned and operated, Chester Gap is a small producing vineyard with incredible white wines. We visited years ago when the winery was just getting started, and we have loved seeing their wines pop up on finer restaurant menus throughout town. We have met the winemaker and his lovely wife (they also have a son who we met ages ago but is probably a grown man by now!), and the staff in the tasting room is always happy to entertain well behaved children.

my son hanging out on a barrel in the tasting room

our hostess was so enamored by my son that she held him while my husband played with the grape cultivator model

The Winery at La Grange – The Winery at La Grange is one of our favorite wineries to visit because the tasting room is set in the historic Manor House at La Grange.

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The house itself is fun to explore, but my kids particularly love to run around in the expansive outside space. We frequently stop at La Grange for a glass of wine and then sit outside to enjoy the outdoors, while our kids take a much needed car break.

Barrel Oak Winery (“BOW”) – Barrel Oak is probably not the best place to visit for those seeking an exclusive wine experience. But, if you happen to have kids or dogs and enjoy a fermented grape or ten, BOW is a GREAT place to visit. I’ve been fortunate to attend many events at BOW, including a morning yoga class followed by a wine tasting. The winery really does emphasize fun and unlike some wineries that have been restricting crowd side and hinting that children are not welcome on weekends, BOW is committed to having fun with friends and family, including your favorite four legged dependent!

Bluemont Vineyard – Like BOW, Bluemont Vineyard is truly a family friendly place and it is conveniently located literally around the corner from Great Country Farms, a local U-Pick farm with abundant activities for children. I highly recommend spending a morning at Great Country Farms with your little one and then driving down the road to Bluemont for lunch (the Tasting Room offers simple eats like flatbreads and sandwiches, perfect after a few hours of strawberry picking) and some wines before heading back to DC – truly a perfect day trip and a little something for everyone.

strawberry picking before a visit to Bluemont Vineyard

sample menu offering at Bluemont Vineyard

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Central Virginia Region Wineries

Our favorite Virginia wineries are those in the Charlottesville area, mostly because of the breathtaking landscape. Located approximately three hours away from Washington, DC, the Charlottesville wineries certainly are more of an investment in terms of time and effort, but if you happen to be visiting for the weekend, you absolutely should pop in and get a sip or two.

Barboursville Vineyards – Our favorite winery to visit is Barboursville. Arguably one of Virginia’s most well-known wineries, Barboursville is frequently extremely crowded and elbow room only, but the wine and the space easily make up for the crowds. The winery has an outstanding restaurant, Palladio (which I wouldn’t recommend dining at with small children as it is definitely high end dining!), and a small herb garden where they grow items for the restaurant.

The garden at Barboursville

The flagship wine at Barboursville is Octagon, which is stored in the Octagon room and is available for peeping.

my toddler, running amongst the aging barrels of Octagon

On weekends, Barboursville offers a vertical Octagon tasting, which takes place in a more private, less crowded environment. I highly recommend this experience!

The Octagon Tasting Area

Grace Estate Winery – Grace Estate Winery is a great winery to visit if you’re looking for simple snacks and some outdoor space for your kids to run around. We have visited Grace and taken advantage of the small snacks they offer to feed our children.

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The winery also has gas grills, free wifi, and outdoor games (like corn hole), which makes it a lovely place to spend a few hours on a nice afternoon.

Final Thoughts

I would not say that Virginia wineries make an effort to cater to children – they do not offer grape juice or playground space, and you’d be lucky to find outdoor activities like the corn hole set we found at Grace Estate. The most you’re going to find is a sad bucket of toys that won’t even hold a toddler’s attention.

A pretty sorry excuse for a kids’ toy basket, if you ask me!

But, I have never hesitated to visit a Virginia winery with my kids because by and far, the winery experience is just fine for kids. There’s always ample space to run around outdoors and plenty of indoor stuff to keep a child’s attention for a few minutes. Of course, you’ll want to come prepared with snacks, treats, and even a iPad (heaven forbid!) just in case things get rough, but it is possible to visit wineries and have a good time with kids!

January 28, 2018
Top Washington DC Kids Activities

Living and working in DC, it is rare that my family takes the time to visit the museums, monuments, and landmarks. Work, schedules, and activities get in the way and we always just figure that we will go and visit someday. Recently, my eight year old and I had the opportunity to spend the entire day together, without my toddler, and we decided to take advantage of the glorious 50 degree day in the middle of December and spend some time exploring downtown! Here are the top Washington DC kids activities that we took advantage of on our stolen day together!

We left our home at 9:30am and, a short metro ride later, found ourselves in DC, just four blocks away from the Spy Museum.

Unlike many museums in DC, the Spy Museum is not free and admission is steep at $21.95 / adult and $14.95 / youth (ages 7-11). The Museum offers a number of Interactive Spy Experiences, such as Spy in the City and Operation Spy, which you can add on a la carte, or combine with the price of admission for a slight discount. The Operation Spy experience is limited to ages 12+, so, by default, we chose to add Spy in the City to the price of admission for later in the afternoon.

After purchasing our admission tickets, we were told to wait for the elevator ride to the start of the museum exhibits. We had no idea, but the Spy Museum has timed entry in an effort to minimize traffic and manage crowd control. We took the elevator up to the third floor of the museum where we were deposited into a room that introduced us to spy agencies all across the world. We were also encouraged to choose an undercover identity from one of the many “covers” posted on the beams throughout the room.

After selecting our identities, we were allowed to enter the galleries, which were more standard museum fare. We poured over the exhibits of espionage artifacts. I personally loved seeing the old style hidden cameras tucked away in buttons, shoes, pens, and more.

As you wind your way through the exhibits, there are a number of interactive opportunities for visitors to test out their spy skills. My son loved looking for clues on the interactive light-up maps and he also enjoyed practicing his hand at deciphering codes.

Although we enjoyed the modern spy section, my son found the historical spy section to be underwhelming. There is a section on the origins of spying, beginning with Sun Tzu and The Art of War, and also an extensive section on James Bond, which went entirely over my eight year old’s head.

Overall, I enjoyed the Museum and it was a great way to spend 90 minutes of our day, but my son did not enjoy it as much as I hoped as he isn’t one to be particularly fascinated by espionage and has not ever seen any of the James Bond movies. As we made our way out of the exhibits, we emptied into the gift shop, which is where we picked up our tablet device to do our Spy in the City interactive adventure.

The Spy in the City interactive adventure is a guided “spy” adventure that takes you around 7-8 blocks of Washington, DC. The rental tablet provides visual instructions and cues that direct you along the way.

The weather was beautiful that day, so we greatly enjoyed the walk through the City. My son, a total iPad/screen junkie, loved following the clues and deciphering code along the way. I enjoyed the opportunity to stretch my legs and to see some of downtown DC at a leisurely pace.

Our journey took us past the FBI building, the Department of Justice building, the Trump Hotel (where we peeked inside to see the lobby decked out for Christmas), and much much more.

The FBI Building

Department of Justice

The Trump Hotel

The lobby of the Trump Hotel

St. Patrick’s Church

Although it was a fun walk and my son enjoyed the “mission,” I was honestly disappointed that the “mission” did not incorporate more of the historical landmarks in DC. Given that we were in DC and walking right past the FBI building, I expected more than to be directed to a random plaque in a plaza as the site of the next clue. The mission could have taken place in any city USA and no one would have been the wiser. Although it was worth the $7 to include the Spy in the City adventure with our admission ticket, I don’t think it is worth the $14.95 on its own and I would not go out of my way to do this experience if time was limited. Moreover, my son and I happily shared one tablet and unless you happen to have two children who are adamantly against sharing, I would not recommend renting more than one device as the instructions would be identical and we had no trouble hearing the instructions via the tablet’s speakers.

Finally, the Spy Museum has an excellent gift shop so if you happen to be looking for a spy-themed gift but don’t have the time or desire to visit the exhibits, you can visit the gift shop via the separate outside entry.

Direct entrance to the gift shop.

Sign indicating that admission is required to enter the exhibits from the gift shop.

It would also be remiss of me not to mention that the Shake Shack is located right next door to the Spy Museum. It’s an easy and convenient place to grab a bite to eat but note that it’s more expensive than your usual burgers and fries joint AND lines can get out of control very quickly.After the Spy Museum, we headed across the street to the National Portrait Gallery. As a Smithsonian, admission is free and it was completely deserted when we visited. There was no line to enter and security was a breeze. We had the entire presidential gallery to ourselves and my son loved the open space.

We particularly enjoyed seeing the evolution from traditional oil paintings to more modern portraits and I loved the placement of the Bush presidents across from each other with Clinton in the middle.

Although we did not visit the actual galleries on the third floor, we did head up there to peek at the stained glass ceiling which was stunning.

Finally, no visit to the Portrait Gallery is complete without a glimpse at the atrium – the largest public enclosed area in DC.

As the original home of the Patent Office, the building has served many purposes and the former courtyard has now been enclosed into a beautiful garden with ample space for kids to run around, people to lunch, and just generally enjoy a reprieve from the elements (humidity and heat in the summer, rain/cold/sleet in the winter).

My coworkers and I used to regularly take lunch breaks in the Portrait Gallery, including packing in our lunch from the outside to eat in the atrium. There’s also a little self-service cafeteria, if you’d like to grab a bite to enjoy.

From the Portrait Gallery, we headed off to our final destination of the day: the Botanical Gardens. Unlike most of the museums located near the mall, the Botanical Gardens are located across from the Capital and thus about a one mile walk away. For this reason, it’s a bit off the beaten path and not a place that many have visited. Along the way, we enjoyed the view of the Capital with the bright blue sky and also spotted the great blue chicken that has been roosting at the National Gallery of Art.

The 15-foot blue chicken, roosting at the National Gallery of Art.

Visiting the Botanical Gardens is an annual holiday tradition for my family. My kids started visiting the Botanical Gardens as young tikes with daycare and between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, there is an annual exhibit featuring model trains and replicas of DC landmarks made entirely of plant based materials. We have visited when the line to enter has been wrapped around the building, but on the day we visited this year, there was no line and we walked right in.

He may be 8, but he still enjoys a good tunnel.

After winding our way through the seasonal exhibit, we took a quick tour of the regular gardens, including the desert and rain forest.

Well marked ramps, wheelchair and stroller accessible!

After our brief walk through the gardens and having walked extensively downtown, we decided we were too tired to ride public transit home and called a Lyft instead. All in all, it was an action packed day in downtown DC and I am so glad we had this opportunity to explore the city in ideal temperatures. There is so much to do in DC it can be overwhelming to decide on the actual museums and activities. We had no real set itinerary or plan and just let the weather and crowds dictate our agenda and we managed to pack in more than I thought – a pleasant surprise! Moreover, because admission to the Smithsonian museums and the zoo is free, it is a very affordable way to spend a day with the family.

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December 23, 2017
Spotlight: Crooked Hammock Brewery (Lewes, DE) With Kids

Having visited many breweries and wineries with kids, I’ve generally found that most locations are relatively kid-friendly. Crooked Hammock Brewery in Lewes, Delaware really knocks the kid-friendly aspect out of the park, however, with their outdoor patio and play space for children!

I visited Crooked Hammock in May with my then 2.5 year old and found the location to be ideal for families with young kids. There is abundant outdoor seating on the patio, plenty of games and activities for kids of all ages, and as an extra bonus, it is dog friendly too!

As you can see from the photos above, the Crooked Hammock is really an ideal location to spend a few hours with kids. My son loved everything about it – from the outdoor space, the play structure and climbing wall, the hammock, the corn hole… he even made friends with some other kids who were there and was sad to leave when it was time to go!

If you find yourself in Rehoboth / Dewey Beach, Delaware, be sure to stop in! It truly is a gem for those traveling with kids and should not be missed.

Crooked Hammock Brewery can be found at: 36707 Crooked Hammock Way, Lewes, DE 19958

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!

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December 23, 2017

The Final Frontier Part IV: The Ins and Outs of Traveling via RV to Alaska With Kids!

Of the 50 states, Alaska is the one least traveled. Located in the most northwestern extremity of North America, Alaska is “out of the way” and unlike Hawaii, with its gorgeous beaches, is often relegated to the bucket list of items that never get completed. Those who decide to travel to Alaska, however, typically fall into one of two camps: the cruisers or the road trippers.

In July of 2016, my family of four, along with my in-laws, traveled to Alaska in celebration of my father-in-law’s milestone birthday and to cross off my husband’s 50th state with his parents! The 49th state was Hawaii, which we visited with my in-laws in September 2013. I’ve written previously about our experiences in Seward, Talkeetna/Denali National Park, and Wrangell-St. Elias, but this post is dedicated strictly to the ins and outs of road tripping in a large RV for those of you who have never done it but may be interested in exploring a large RV as an option in the future.

Choice of Vehicle:

The first crucial decision to make is what vehicle to take? There are a number of options beginning with a vehicle you already own, a rental SUV or minivan, or any number of trailer/rv type vehicles that you can pull behind or drive independently. My in-laws strongly considered pulling a fifth wheel camper behind a pick up truck they already owned (the “fifth” wheel is the hitch in the bed of the truck), but my father-in-law had long dreamed or road tripping to Alaska in an RV and a necessary part of this dream involved eating sandwiches and reading a book on the Alaska Highway as my mother-in-law did the driving.

A Fifth Wheel Camper that can be pulled behind a pick up truck.

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In researching their RV options, my in-laws visited an RV Show and Camping Expo one full year prior to when they expected to take the trip. They did this knowing that they needed to fully research their options, order the vehicle, have it customized (if necessary), and take it on at least one trip prior to departing for Alaska. Given that they knew my husband and young son would be traveling with them, they wanted a large enough RV that everyone would be comfortable for the long trip and they ended up purchasing an FR3 RV They strongly considered purchasing an Airstream, but ultimately decided that the layout of the FR3 worked out better for them.

my husband in the driver’s seat of the FR3

The FR3 was massive and amazing and my son loved it. My in-laws however, ended up with mixed feelings about the RV. My husband reports that although it was very nice to drive and they had plenty of space, it was an extremely loud vehicle and they could not actually talk while driving because the noise of the vehicle prevented them from hearing one another clearly, even sitting side-by-side. Furthermore, my father-in-law’s dream of leisurely eating a sandwich while my mother-in-law did the driving did not come to fruition as the vehicle was too large for my mother-in-law to feel comfortable driving and, it turns out, they did not feel comfortable being unbuckled while the RV was moving on the road. Although it was nice to have the luxury of the FR3, especially in remote areas in Yukon, my husband’s overall verdict was that if given the opportunity to make this trip again, he would choose instead to drive a large SUV and stay at hotels or camp overnight in the wildness.

Pro-Tip: A key consideration for people with kids who don’t already RV is to do several low stakes nights close to home to learn everything before you are out in the middle of nowhere. Heck, this is a key consideration for anyone, kids or not!

The Itinerary:

During World War II, the Alaska Highway was built, connecting the lower United States to Alaska via Canada. Months prior to their departure, we purchased a copy of The Milepost, the definitive guide to traveling the Alaska Highway. My father-in-law used The Milepost and mapped out a route that would take the four of them from their starting point in Indianapolis, IN to their first destination in Alaska: Tok. Knowing that they would be traveling with a seven year old, my in-laws planned the journey to place over 11 days, with the longest day of just under 600 miles. The goal, of course, was to survive the journey without forever ruining road trips for my young son and so they built in at least one day in which they traveled only 120 miles and made sure to build in enough time for bike rides, tree climbing, and other leg stretching activities.

Climbing a tree after their first day of travel (500 miles down, many many more to go).

Their itinerary, with corresponding mileage, was as follows:

Indianapolis, IN
Unalaska, WI	500
Wall, SD	581
Mt Rushmore, SD	120
Lewistown, MT	463
Calgary, AB (Canada)	423
Grand Prairie, AB	443
Fort Nelson, BC	475
Lake Watson, YU	320
Destruction Bay, YU	432
Tok, AK	225

The Logistics:

One the trip was a go, my in-laws sprung to action in terms of planning the logistics. My father-in-law was in charge of the RV, making advance reservations at RV parks, ensuring that any and all equipment they might need for the RV was packed and ready and my mother-in-law was in charge of the packing of the RV and ensuring that they had the supplies they needed to make it to Alaska and back. With plenty of storage space, my mother-in-law purchased large plastic rubbermaid containers that fit snugly into the containers and began planning the items she would need. Among others, she needed to ensure that she had all the cooking and dining supplies they might need as well as whatever linens and other cleaning supplies they might need. To that end, one item I found and purchased for her was this 14-piece kitchen in a box set that provided her with many necessary kitchen items all packable into one neat little box.

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Pro-tip: Make sure you pack your flatware in napkins or felt so that you aren’t driven crazy by jingling flatware on the road!

The Daily Routine:

Stopped for a light lunch of sandwiches.

The daily routine while on the road was relatively simple. Wake up, pack up, start driving. Stop for lunch somewhere (usually a light lunch of sandwiches or something else that can be easily prepared), drive some more, stop for the night. Once stopped for the night, they would “open” up the RV, which essentially meant opening up the various storage compartments to get out what they needed to make dinner.

The FR3 had so much storage space there was never any concern that they would not be able to bring along something they needed. Indeed, they packed their own portable grill, tables, seats, napkins, wine, flatware and dinnerware… pretty much anything you can think of.

In the evenings after dinner, they liked to play baseball or go for short bike rides around the RV park.

Once in the Yukon, they spent many evenings by the fire, roasting smores and just generally enjoying the midnight sun.

In terms of bedding down, my in-laws had a king bed in the back of the RV, with a sliding door that closed it off from the rest of the RV. The dining table opened up and turned into my son’s full-sized bed. My favorite bed, however, is the one my husband slept in. His bed dropped down from the roof ceiling and was literally suspended over the front driver/passenger seats!

As you can imagine, therein so much to remember to do every morning in terms of tidying up and making sure you secure all belongings. I wasn’t surprised to learn that there’s actually a thing called pre-departure checklists that you can print out and bring (even laminated!) along with you on your trip to ensure that you do everything needed prior to pulling away. Sample lists can be found online and include everything from reminders to “put away lawn chairs” to turning on/off your water pump! I know that my in-laws had a pre-departure check list that they followed every morning prior to getting back on the road.

The RV Scene:

In general, my family found the RV scene to be severely lacking. Not only were the RV parks in the United States generally run down and nothing more than glorified parking lots with hook ups, the atmosphere was also lacking. My husband reports that the main evening activity was to sit outside of the RV and watch tv. Needless to say, after a long day of driving and being cooped up in the RV, my family was desperate for something active to do, but they seemed to be in the minority.

In contrast to RV parks in the United States, the provincial parks in Canada were amazing. Not only were they in wooded and semi-private spots (versus in a parking lot right next to another RV), the surrounding scenery was beautiful and there was always an excellent firepit to roast marshmallows late into the night. My family absolutely loved the provincial parks in Canada and would recommend it for anyone looking to camp, RV or otherwise. Unlike US campgrounds, they generally provide free, well-seasoned firewood. The Alaska state campgrounds were also great for camping, but in general commercial, for-profit US RV parks left something to be desired.

Other Considerations:

The major drawback to driving an RV to/from/around Alaska is that it is a large, unwieldy vehicle. Although the FR3 was a nice and spacious ride for the long drive to and from Ohio, my family ended up needing to rent two vehicles during our stay in Seward and Talkeetna. Moreover, my family elected to fly into Wrangell-St.Elias because although the road from Chitina (where they parked the RV) to Wrangell-St.Elias is only 60 miles, it would have taken hours for the RV to make the trip. As a result, unless you are willing to restrict yourself to RV friendly roads, traveling via RV will require additional expenses, like a rental vehicle and paying for a “parking spot” for the RV, should you choose to leave it behind. Although parking the RV in an RV park without hook ups costs approximately $10-20/day, parking an RV at a location with full hook ups can cost upwards of $50-75/day. In other words, an RV is hardly a “free” way too travel and stay. It may be slightly less expensive than a hotel room, but it also has significant draw backs and I would recommend that anyone looking to save money do the math very carefully to determine whether or not they will actually save money by traveling via RV.

Final Thoughts?

My family loved the RV experience and my son still talks about it fondly. But, having done the great journey to and from Alaska, I believe they are ready to put the RV days behind them. My husband has said that he would love to drive the Yukon and British Columbia with me someday, but that we will be traveling via SUV and staying at lodges, instead of an RV. And that’s just fine with me.

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December 9, 2017

Tips for Legoland Orlando with Kids
A few years ago, as part of a larger trip to Florida to visit family and Disney World for the first time, we planned a side trip to Legoland as my son was five and in the throes of a Lego obsession. To our surprise, Legoland ended up being the most enjoyable day of our long weekend visit to Orlando and I look forward to heading back some day with our younger son! Here are our tips for Legoland Orlando with kids!

Legoland is approximately one hour away from Orlando and thus, many people opt to forgo Legoland when they’re in Orlando because there’s plenty to do with just the Disney theme parks, not to mention Universal Studios and the other activities all based in Orlando. None of us having been to Legoland previously, however, we decided to make the trip down to check it out.

The drive south was easy and I had pre-purchased tickets so there was absolutely no delay in getting into the park. I did experience a twinge of regret that we had limited ourselves to a day trip, however, when we drove past the Legoland Hotel, which looked like just an amazingly fun place to stay!

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Once inside the Park, we quickly proceeded to enjoy the roller coasters and rides and we were happy to take advantage of the shorter lines and minimal crowds. We visited over a long weekend in early October so although temperatures were still warm and somewhat humid, they were certainly not stifling and the crowds were sufficiently moderate that the longest wait time we experienced was 20 minutes.

One of the more surprising treats at Legoland was Cypress Gardens, which was in existence until September 2009, when it closed to be re-built into Legoland. Cypress Gardens was a historical botanical garden along a lake that featured water-skiing shows and women in antebellum dress. Cypress Gardens pre-dated the Disney theme parks and was once a very popular attraction before it was deemed “too quaint.” There are some vestiges of the old park that remain, including the old Cypress Gardens sign, located near the lake. It wasn’t until we wandered upon this sign that it hit my father-in-law: he had been to Cypress Gardens as a young child with HIS parents!

The Cypress Gardens sign still stands at one end of Legoland.

Legoland still makes use of the lake to hold a water ski show, but as you might expect, the characters are legos!

This was my son’s first “live action” show and he thought it was highly amusing. After the water ski show, we took a walk through Miniland, our favorite part of the experience. Billed as a miniature “land,” Miniland contains structures from all over the United States, including Washington, DC!

My son, having attended preschool in downtown DC, got a kick out of seeing many familiar sights in Lego form! All told, we spent about six hours wandering around Legoland, enjoying the rides with minimal crowds and just taking in the Lego architecture. It was definitely a nice change of pace from Disney World, where we had spent the two previous days. Our trip to Legoland was so pleasant, in fact, that my husband commented that if we lived nearby, we would be annual pass holders and just visit on weekends for “something to do.” That’s saying a lot coming from someone who despises theme parks!

My oldest with his grandparents (and R2D2 and Darth Vader, of course)!

A few Legoland tips if you’re planning a trip:
- The optimal age for Legoland is somewhere between 3-7. There are some rides that are tame enough for the 3 year old crowd and there is enough to entertain a child of 7. My oldest is now 8, and I think he would be bored at Legoland if we were to plan to spend a whole day there as his taste in roller coasters has definitely taken off in the past two years.
- Legoland, unlike any of the Disney theme parks, does not have fine dining. You will stand in line and wait for mediocre food and be disappointed. We spent a lot of money on mediocre fried chicken and burgers and wished that there had been more, better options.
- If you know that you are visiting Legoland, please research ticket prices online before your trip. Even if you purchase tickets two days in advance from the Legoland website, they are cheaper than purchasing day of at the Park. Indeed, the current gate price is $93.99/adult, but drops down to $79.99/adult if you purchase two days in advance. If you have more time to plan, google around for “Legoland theme park coupon” and variations of that search. I googled and found a number of “buy one adult, get one child free” coupon codes, which helped defray the cost of our trip significantly.
- Legoland is an ideal theme park for visiting with grandparents and young children. We visited with my in laws, but even my grandmother would do fine at Legoland as there is not as much walking as at Disney and the crowds are manageable enough that she would not feel overwhelmed. By that same token, my youngest was only 10 months old when we took this trip and he happily hung out in his stroller and we had no issues maneuvering around the Park.
- There’s also a water park at Legoland, but it was closed when we visited. If you find yourself planning a trip in the summer, definitely consider spending two days and visiting the water park on one of the days! It’s such an easy drive back to Orlando that if you only wanted to spend one night at Legoland or nearby, leaving to drive back to Orlando after a day at the Park would not be a problem at all.
One happy boy!
November 28, 2017
Tips for Road Trips with Kids

I am not a fan of road trips, but we are a family who road trips. We live 300+ miles away from family and travel to see them at least five times a year. We also occasionally add on a road trip component to a vacation, like we did earlier this year when we drove from Los Angeles to Monterey and back, either because of flight costs or because we simply want to see things that we otherwise would not be able to if we didn’t spend time driving. As a result, we easily spend 3,000 miles a year in the car. That’s a lot of miles on the road with toddlers/kids/dogs. Over the years, we have learned a number of tips for road trips with kids!

#1: Start Early

First road trip to South Carolina before he was one month old!

My kids spend a lot of time in the car. We live in a major metropolitan area with tons of traffic and our daily commute to daycare/school can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on traffic, weather, general conditions. As a result, my kids are used to being in the car for at least 90 minutes a day from birth. We also started road trips early – when my oldest was less than four weeks old, we drove 9+ hours (over 500 miles) to South Carolina for a family reunion. Both kids traveled to my in-laws (300+ miles) by the time they were two months old. Starting early not only gets the kids used to being in the car, but also helped condition us to traveling by car with young children.

#2: Be Flexible

A longer than usual stop at a Walmart to stretch our legs. I’ve been known to pick up household essentials while stopped to save me from having to run to the store when we get home!

As everyone knows, kids go through phases and they include everything from sleeping through the entire car ride to screaming the minute they see a car seat. As a result, it’s important to be flexible. We have woken up our toddler at 3am to begin the drive to my in laws to avoid holiday traffic or simply in the hopes that he would stay asleep and sleep through a portion of the car ride. We’ve also driven through the night to avoid traffic and taken strange detours (including stopping for lunch at our local Walmart) simply to give sthe kids a chance to stretch their legs.

#3: Be Prepared

Being prepared is critical to a successful road trip with kids. Being prepared means having all your essentials ready and easily accessible – diaper bags packed and within reach, a general plan as to where your stops will be, including where you will stop for a meal, factoring in other needs such as potty breaks and nap times.

Devices: I also make sure that we have fully charged and loaded iPads prior to trips. Family practice when it comes to screen time varies and I applaud those parents who travel with kids without relying on devices, but this is the one time in which screen time is unlimited. I simply want to make sure we survive the trip with as few incidents as possible. If that means screen time, all the time, so be it. As a result, I spend a few minutes the night prior to any road trip ensuring that our iPads are fully charges and loaded with the kids’ most recent tv/movie/cartoon obsession. I also double check to make sure my kids have their headphones packed so that my husband and I don’t go insane listening to whatever it is they’re watching in the backseat.

Snacks: Being prepared also includes having necessary items at the ready. For some families, this means a steady supply of snacks. Due to a choking incident when my oldest was three, I am not a fan of food in the car for young children. As a result, I typically don’t let my kids eat in the car and prefer instead to simply stop and let them snack / eat at rest stops. I have gotten more flexible as the kids have gotten older (so yes, my eight year old is allowed to eat in the car, but not when his 2.5 year old little brother is riding next to him), but as a general rule, we don’t snack in the car. Water is permitted, of course, provided it is in the appropriate vessel (leak-proof water bottle / sippy cup for my toddler who tends to drop everything).

Diapering Essentials: For those traveling with young children, diapering essentials are necessary. When both my kids were infants, I simply packed a regular pillow in the car and changed the kids on my lap in lieu of using a public diaper changing station of questionable sanitation. As they grew, I packed towels or swaddle blankets, or disposable changing liners, to lay on a patch of grass so I could change them outside, instead of in a grimy bathroom. For boys (and girls!), it’s helpful to master the art of the stand up diaper change so that for most bathroom incidents, there is no need to even enter a public bathroom. A potty training or newly potty trained toddler adds a new level of difficulty and stress. Although many people have luck bringing a portable potty seat along with them on long car rides, neither of my kids used the portable potty. As a result, I put my kids in “travel diapers” for long car rides (basically a regular diaper that is there for emergency situations), pack lots of wipes (including Chlorox wipes for sanitizing public toilet seats), and many, many changes of clothes and plastic bags for holding soiled clothes. Luckily, the newly potty trained stage is short lived, and as long as you plan regular stops, we have been fortunate to avoid having too many issues.

My toddler is prone to car sickness, so I purchased these plastic paint buckets to keep handy in situations where he gets sick before we can safely pull over.

Other Essentials: I happen to have a toddler who is prone to motion sickness, so I pack puke bags and plastic buckets (I’ve found plastic paint mixing buckets to be the perfect size and quality for this purpose!), which I keep within reach so I can hand them over to him when he feels ill. If your child has any special needs, you will want to have within easy and immediate access anything you might need in the event a situation arises. As any parent with kids knows, “other essentials” also includes things like lovies and blankets, pacifiers, special toys… basically anything that your kid might suddenly demand during a long car ride. If you pack your child’s favorite stuffed animal in the trunk and they need the toy in order to fall asleep, then you’ll find yourself stopped in a parking lot, frantically unpacking and digging around for the stuffed animal. I say this from experience – save yourself the heartache and frustration and make sure you have these essential items up front and easily accessible.

Having the emesis bags handy helped prevent a major disaster during our drive from Monterey to Los Angeles.

Adult Needs: It is important to make sure that adult needs are taken care of. When you’re stopped, take the time to use the restroom, get a drink of water or a bite to eat, grab some caffeine or music that you want to listen to on the radio… The most important thing is that your family arrives as its destination safely and making sure that the adults (especially the driver!) have their needs taken care of is a necessity. This is also useful because you don’t want to find yourself needing to pull over for a restroom if/when the kids finally fall asleep!

#4: Have a Sense of Humor

Having a sense of humor and knowing that the most important thing is to arrive at your destination safely is key. No matter what happens, know that someday, you’ll look back at the road trip memories fondly (or so they say!).

Mastering the art of the roadside vomit clean up…

November 26, 2017
Washington, DC With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

Visiting Washington, DC, is something everyone should do at least once in their life. There are tons of guidebooks and websites with detailed information about all there is to do in DC and no first visit to DC is complete without a visit to the National Mall, an obligatory family photo in front of the White House, and a visit to one of the many Smithsonian museums that offer free admission and easy access via Metro!

Having lived and worked in DC for nearly a decade, I’d like to share with you five off-the-beaten-path Fun Family Activities! These are activities and places that those of us who call this beautiful place a home enjoy visiting on weekends and days off with our kids.

#1: Gravelly Point

Gravelly Point is managed by the National Park Service and is located in Arlington, VA just south of DC. It’s a wonderful place to spend the afternoon, picnicking, biking, and plane spotting, as the Park is located just north of Reagan National Airport. Although the parking lot can fill up very quickly and there are no amenities other than restrooms (so pack in your own food!), it’s a wonderful place for budding aviation fans to spend an afternoon outside. Note that the planes are close and very loud, so if your child is sensitive to loud noises, the Park’s proximity to the airport may be a deterrent.

#2: The Tidal Basin

Nearly every visitor to DC makes a point of visiting the National Mall and the monuments, but I’m always stunned by the number of people who skip the Tidal Basin. In my humble opinion, the Tidal Basin offers some of the best views of the Washington Monument and it’s worthy of a visit even when it is not cherry blossom season (although if you have the opportunity to visit during cherry blossom season, please do! Despite the crowds, it is gorgeous and worth the walk). The Tidal Basin offers a small refreshment stand, restrooms, and paddle boat rentals, so this is a great way to enjoy a nice day outside with the family.

View of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial from the Tidal Basin.

Paddleboat in the Tidal Basin during peak cherry blossom bloom.

#3: Hiking Trails

Catching a glimpse of the Potomac River

Washington, DC is home to a great number of hiking trails. The Billy Goat Trail is one of the most popular trails in the DC Metro area. The trail itself can be challenging due to rocks, but if your kids are older (I’d recommend a minimum of five+, depending on maturity and previous hiking experience) and up for the challenge, it’s definitely a worthwhile experience. If the Billy Goat Trail sounds like too much, plan a visit to Rock Creek Park, which boasts over 32 miles of trails. The Park also offers a number of activities, such as horseback riding lessons, golf, and a boat house where you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes. Finally, Theodore Roosevelt Island is a national memorial located in the Potomac River. No cars or bicycles are permitted on the Island and access is via a footbridge. If you’ve ever spent time in DC visiting the National Mall and museums, I encourage you to take a hike and explore one of the many areas maintained by the National Park Service! You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll forget that you’re in the Nation’s Capital!

#4: Go for a Bike Ride!

The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18 mile paved multi-use trail that stretches from Mount Vernon to Theodore Roosevelt Island. At any time of day and in any kind of weather, you can find people on the trail biking, running, or just walking along the Potomac River. Happily, a local company, Capital Bikeshare, offers a safe and relatively inexpensive way to explore the trail as you can rent both bicycles and helmets from the company and drop them off at any one of 440 Capital Bikeshare stations located in the DC metro area.

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#5: Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, George Washington’s country estate, is located just 18 miles south of Washington, DC and is a fantastic way to spend the day for the entire family! Although the Estate is highly recommended as a place to visit in many tourist books, its distance from DC likely causes many to pass it over as an option during a quick visit to DC. I am here to encourage you to go! Visit! Over the years, we have visited Mount Vernon many times and it is one of our favorite places to take out of town guests. Not only does the Estate allow you to visit the Mansion that George and Martha lived in, but the Estate also boasts farm animals, gardens, stables, and live demonstrations by period actors. Throughout the year, the Estate will offer special programs that coincide with the season. For example, one year we visited one early December and happened to catch the Pardon Turkey!

We have also visited during the Fall Harvest Family Days, which feature hands on 18th century activities and demonstrations. It’s a great way for the family to experience a little bit of Colonial America.

My mother and son, roasting apples dipped in caramel water over an open fire.

Although portions of the Estate are wheelchair (and stroller) accessible, the vast majority of the grounds are not (and the Mansion itself is not). The Estate also has as excellent gift shop, a food court, and a sit-down restaurant that serves hearty and satisfying food.

I hope you enjoyed my off-the-beaten path list of Five Fun Family activities and encourage you to think outside the box next time you are in DC!

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November 19, 2017