The Smithsonian Institute is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. Anyone who has visited a Smithsonian museum knows that they offer an unparalleled opportunity to see just about everything from dinosaurs to America’s founding documents and all at the low low price of free. Yes, in case you did not catch that, the Smithsonian museums are free (including the National Zoo)! I’ve already featured visits to the various Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC, including the Udvar-Hazy Center, the Portrait Gallery and the Botanical Gardens, but today, I want to encourage those contemplating a visit to Washington, DC to move beyond the more popular Smithsonian tourists offerings and explore a hidden gem that those of us who live in DC love and visit: The Renwick Gallery with kids!
The Renwick Gallery is a relatively “young” museum by Smithsonian standards. Having just re-opened in November 2015, the Renwick is home to the Institute’s contemporary craft and decorative art collections. While housed in a gorgeous historic building located just a block away from The White House, the Renwick’s exhibits change frequently and the exhibits typically take over the entire museum. Indeed, the Renwick is currently scheduled to close from February 20 – March 30 for the building take over of No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man.
Even if modern/contemporary art is “not your thing,” I highly recommend the Renwick Gallery as an ideal location to visit with kids because of the large scale nature of the exhibits. From November 2015-July 2016, the Renwick was home to WONDER, which my then-18 month old toddler absolutely adored. Unlike traditional art museums with paintings and objects behind glass, WONDER’s three dimensional creations and vibrant colors really brought art to life for my toddler.
We took a little break to enjoy this colorful red chair!My toddler, standing in the middle of the room and taking in the whole experience.
The upstairs level was overtaken by a large rainbow display suspended in the air and filled with people of all ages, just sitting and enjoying the way the light and the colors interacted. As you can imagine, my toddler felt right at home in this setting!
Practical Tips:
The Renwick is not stroller friendly. There is a entrance located off 17th street (not the main entrance) where you can stroller your child in and park the stroller downstairs, before taking an elevator up to the main level.
The Renwick is located only a block or so from The White House, so it’s an easy walk over to the White House for a photo opportunity. While you’re there, be sure to pop into St. John’s Episcopal Church, the yellow church across Lafayette Square from the White House. It’s a beautiful, historic church that every sitting president, since James Madison, has attended on at least one occasion.
A photo opportunity in front of the White House.
Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids! 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!
Thank you to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for hosting our family’s visit. All opinions are my own.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is not a typical aquarium. It allows visitors to spend time with rescued and awe-inspiring animals while maintaining an educational focus and throwing in a bit of Hollywood. We have been to many wonderful aquariums that offer amazing displays of marine life. Unlike almost every other aquarium, however, Clearwater Marine Aquarium does not buy, breed or sell any animals and is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of rescued marine animals. The only permanent residents are animals who have some permanent condition that precludes a safe release. Clearwater Marine Aquarium is not only the home of Winter, the world-famous bottlenose dolphin who overcame all odds after losing her tail and uses a prosthetic tail, but is also the main filming location of two movies about Winter, Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. We definitely recommend visiting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium with kids!
Kid Facts: Clearwater Marine Aquarium opened in a former water treatment facility in 1979.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Dolphin Tale
The number of visitors to Clearwater Marine Aquarium grew exponentially since the debut of the Dolphin Tale movies. As a result, expansion seemed inevitable, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium has been careful to maintain its education focus and not venture into theme park territory. The parking garage was completed in 2017, and construction began on the two-year expansion of the Aquarium in December 2017 that is expected to be complete by January 2020. Temporarily, visitors parking in the garage need to walk alongside the construction zone to reach the Aquarium. The kids enjoyed following Winter’s signs to the temporary entrance.
Kid Facts: Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s expansion includes two four-story buildings and a new dolphin habitat.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Winter the Dolphin
The highlight of Clearwater Marine Aquarium is definitely the Winter Zone, which is home to both Winter and Hope, the stars of Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. Winter was rescued in December 2005 after being entangled in a crab trap near Cape Canaveral in 2005 when she was only two months old. Because the entanglement cut off circulation to her tail flukes, her tail ultimately deteriorated and caused her to swim unnaturally. Winter was not expected to survive, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium received recommendations to euthanize her after her rescue. However, she persevered and overcame incredible odds. Hanger Prosthetics created a silicone-and-plastic tail with a specially-designed gel sleeve that allowed her to swim properly.
Winter – Photo courtesy of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Kid Facts: Dolphin calves usually spend their first few years with their mothers, learning important survival skills. Because Winter was separated from her mother at about two months and had a prosthetic tail, she was not a candidate for release and became a permanent resident at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Winter’s Inspiration
Winter has become an inspiration to children and adults with medical conditions or disabilities. People travel from all over the world to meet Winter, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium displays pictures and cards from inspired visitors and friends in Winter’s Gallery of Hope. Winter also made quite an impression on my kids. My daughter sleeps with her Winter souvenir every night.
Kid Facts: Clearwater resident Maja Kazazic lost her leg at age 16 when she was injured by a motor shell rocket grenade in Bosnia. She was inspired by Winter and wanted the same doctor who treated Winter. Hanger Prosthetics also made her a prosthetic leg with the same type of gel originally created for Winter. Maja volunteers at Clearwater Marine Aquarium weekly and is a motivational speaker.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Hope the Dolphin
Hope was rescued from the Indian River Lagoon December 2010 as an orphaned dolphin attempting to nurse from her mother, who had died after becoming beached. Because her mother died before teaching her important survival skills, Hope was also not a candidate for release. Before our trip, we watched Dolphin Tale 2, which includes a dramatization of Hope’s rescue. We enjoyed watching Hope’s feeding during our visit.
Maintaining its educational focus, Clearwater Marine Aquarium never requires its animals to “perform” for visitors. However, dolphin Nicholas enjoys showing off for visitors. Nicholas is also a bottlenose dolphin who was rescued with his mother on Christmas Eve in 2002 when he was about six months old. His mother, Noelle, died a few days later but Nicholas was left with severe sunburn. When his burns healed, Nicholas like Winter and Hope, was not a candidate for release due to his separation from his mother at such a young age. We were lucky to watch one of his presentations during our visit.
Kid Facts: Nicholas has successfully predicted the outcome to many national championships and portrayed Mandy in Dolphin Tale 2.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is an animal hospital and constantly treating rescued animals. We got to see the Surgical Suite, which was featured as a movie set in Dolphin Tale 2 as a turtle ICU.
Kid Facts: This surgical suite was the set for Dolphin Tale 2 scenes featuring medical care for the sea turtle, Mavis. Permanent resident, Harold, played Mavis. Harold was rescued in 2010 and is non-releasable because of vision impairment.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Turtle Rescues
At Clearwater Marine Aquarium, we also learned about turtle rescues. Many turtles were effected by the recent cold weather in Florida and brought in for rehabilitation. By the time of our visit in February, 80 rescued turtles came to Clearwater Marine Aquarium in 2018, compared to a total of 79 in all of 2017. Additionally, 39 turtles had already been released this year, compared to 29 in 2017.
Kid Facts: Clearwater Marine Aquarium released 29 green sea turtles effected by cold temperatures on nearby Honeymoon Island on January 25, 2018.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium also treats many green turtles infected with the fibropapilloma virus that causes benign tumors on soft tissues. These highly contagious tumors can be removed with laser therapy, and cured turtles can be released back into the ocean. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is participating in research to find the cause of the fibropapilloma virus and why it typically effects only green turtles. Because the fibropapilloma virus is highly contagious, infected turtles are quarantined in tanks separated from turtles rescued for other purposes.
Kid Facts: Current research suggests that the fibropapilloma virus may be connected to agriculture and waste-water runoff.
Mavis’ Rescue Hideaway features Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s resident sea turtles, including Harold. Divers were doing a scuba presentation during our visit.
Kid Facts: On Valentine’s Day, a Clearwater Marine Aquarium volunteer was married in an underwater wedding in the Aquaium’s turtle habitat.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Pelicans
We also met Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s pelicans. Matthew and Tyndall reside in Rufus Beach, which was named for the pelican featured in the Dolphin Tale movies. Rufus was played by Ricky, one of Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s permanent residents, who resides in the new aviary with Skylar.
Kid Facts: Pelicans are flighted birds that can have wingspans up to 11 feet.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Cooper and Walle
The kids also enjoyed otters Cooper and Walle at the Otter Oasis.
Kid Facts: Walle is a five-year-old otter with more energy than fifteen-year-old, Cooper.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Dolphin Tale Memorabilia
Clearwater Marine Aquarium features lots of memorabilia from the Dolphin Tale movies and pictures from the films that were especially fun for my kids, who really enjoyed both movies.
Our favorite bit of memorabilia was the houseboat. Our amazing guide, Julia Anderson, expertly answered our countless questions about the movies and the Aquarium. We not got to see many of the animals featured in the movies but also learned a good deal of “fact v. fiction” about the movies. The movies maintain key elements, but there was some dramatization for Hollywood purposes.
Kid Facts: The lookout on top of the houseboat frequented by Hazel in the Dolphin Tale movies was deemed too unsafe for filming. All scenes were filmed looking up into the lookout, which was actually placed on the ground.
Most aquariums are educational facilities that help visitors enhance their knowledge about marine life. Clearwater Marine Aquarium offered not only an educational experience but showcases inspirational examples of animal perseverance and the necessity to protect marine life. Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release marine animals and also focuses on environmental conservation. Located about an hour from Tampa and two hours from Orlando, we totally recommend a trip to Clearwater Marine Aquarium with kids of all ages.
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 our post on Clearwater Beach with kids and our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Florida with kids.
A trip to the beach is relaxing at any time, but living in the snow belt, a few days at the beach in the middle of winter is especially restorative. We usually travel in the summer or over the kids’ Spring Break and somehow managed not to schedule a winter respite in a warm destination for a few years but rectified that mistake this year by booking flights to Tampa in February. My husband and I had never visited the Tampa area and particularly enjoy traveling to new places, While we stayed in Treasure Island, we spent a lovely afternoon at Clearwater Beach. Our three kids (aged 10, 7 and 3) are always up for any adventure, especially if it involves sand and sun, and we absolutely loved our visit to Clearwater Beach with kids.
Why to Visit Clearwater Beach, Florida
We decided to spend our long weekend on the barrier island just outside Tampa. While we stayed in Treasure Island, we spent an afternoon at Clearwater Beach, and scoped it out in anticipation of future visits. It’s no surprise that Clearwater Beach is consistently named as one of the best beaches in the US. With beautiful white sand beaches and clear Gulf waters lined with resorts, this truly is an amazing beach to visit. In 2016 and 2018, Clearwater Beach received the Traveler’s Choice Award for the best beach in the US by Trip Advisor. It’s no surprise that there are so many great things to do in Clearwater Beach and many options for Clearwater Beach hotels.
Lunch at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill
Parking in Clearwater is limited, but we scored a spot in the hourly beach parking lot right next to Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill, where we had a magnificent lunch. Frenchy’s chain of restaurants in Clearwater have been an institution since 1981. Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill is so popular that there was a short wait for a table. Luckily, we had an amazing “waiting room” on the impeccable sand beach. As we were rinsing off our feet after a few minutes wading in the Gulf, the host called our name and led us to on the patio with a perfect beachfront view.
View from Frenchy’s patio
We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals, which started with grouper nuggets and Frenchy’s garlic crab fries as appetizers. My husband enjoyed the grouper nuggets so much that he ordered a second basket as his entrée. I had the delicious Caribbean jerk chicken sandwich, and my oldest son pretty much polished off his Angus tip sirloin. The kids’ menu was perfect for our two youngest, and the hurricanes were absolutely divine.
After lunch, we pulled the kids’ beach toys out of the trunk and headed back to the beach where we rented an umbrella and two beach chairs for the afternoon from the Palm Pavilion Beachside Bar. We were able to take advantage of the Palm Pavilion’s live musician featured as part of their Music on the Deck series.
Palm Pavilion
Things to Do at Clearwater Beach, Florida
It was heavenly to just kick back and relax while the kids engaged in some hard-core sand play. I may or may not have taken a short nap.
Sand funMy view
Although the temperatures were in the high 70s, the water was a bit too chilly for me to do much more than dip my toes. But, there were people in the somewhat frigid water. My husband and sons braved the cold to join them and wandered out into the Golf at least waist deep. The waves were calm, and the water was crystal blue.
Clearwater Beach has such pristine white sand that feels like powder and was so comfortable under our feet. However, it was much busier than the beach at our resort and not ideal for collecting shells. The kids still found a few to add to our collection right at the water’s edge. We had a great time in Clearwater, Florida with kids.
We didn’t check out the Sunsets at Pier 60 Festival that offers music and artisans, street performers 364 nights a year (weather permitting) but certainly enjoyed watching the sunset over the Gulf every night and the sky light up in brilliant colors afterwards.
On our way back to our resort, we stopped at Ice & Cream for $3 hand spun milkshakes. that were the perfect ending to a magical day at the beach. As an added touch, the owner posts his personal mobile number in the store. Based on our pleasant experience, I’m guessing he doesn’t get many cries of outrage.
We recommend a visit to Clearwater with kids. Our family had a lovely evening and could easily spend a weekend in Clearwater. The beach was definitely more lively than our resort in Treasure Island, and it very well may be our next Florida beach destination.
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 our post on the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Florida 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!
Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
I am sure that by now, you’ve read my travel posts featuring places in the United States as well as Tokyo. But, I live in Okinawa, you say, so where are the Okinawa posts? Well, fasten your seat belts and secure your tray tables, because today, I’m all about the Okinawa bullfights – cue the Rocky theme song!
Before we start, let’s talk about the bull…err, elephant in the room. I have traveled to Spain and have seen bullfights. Bullfights are a cultural event that also takes place in Mexico and while gory and inhumane to some, in my opinion, it’s a cultural event that people can either choose to embrace or not participate in. I happen to choose the latter because I love animals and typically abstain from bullfights and bullfighting events. But, it turns out the Okinawans feel exactly like I do! They love animals and these giant bulls are like pets to them! The Okinawans house the bulls in elaborate pens, feed them, and walk them down the street on a leash just like you would walk Fido!
My friend, Cody, lives in Okinawa, and suggested that we meet him at the Ishikawa Dome, the only domed bullring in Okinawa, which plays host to some 20 bullfighting events each year, including the All-Island Bullfighting Tournament, the biggest such event on the island. Conveniently, the Ishikawa Dome is located just 15 minutes from my house, so I decided it would be a good opportunity for my wife and my five year old.
Okinawan Bullfighting Rules, In a Nutshell:
Prior to our visit, I did some research about Okinawan bullfighting rules, which turn out to be quite simple. Two bulls walk into the ring, they meet and butt heads. The first bull to run away, be pushed out of the ring area, or not want to re-engage with the other bull is declared the loser. As you can imagine, Okinawan bullfights vary in duration. The first fight we saw lasted 45 minutes. But, we also saw one fight in which both bulls met in the middle, neither wanted to fight, and one ran immediately back to the entry gate. That fight did not even last one full minute.
Our Experience:
Parking at the Ishikawa Dome was a snap – just find a space anywhere and leave your car. Since the main parking area is small, we found a great spot along the back of the dome on a side street.
Admission was approximately $60USD for my family of three and upon entry, we found ourselves walking past various food vendors selling Japanese eats: Yakisoba, Okinawa soba, yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick), and even a small bar with local drinks. There were also vendors selling bullfight hats, t-shirts, and stickers — things you would find at just about any festival! Cody met us at the top of the stairs and led us down close to the ring. As I glanced around, I was amazed at how many families were there. Children were busy eating snacks and running up and down the stairs, and Cody’s neighbor was coaching a bull that was preparing to fight that day. The owner’s son (probably 6 or 7 years old), was running round waving his “team towel” and carrying a small trumpet in anticipation of his bullfight. There was definitely a family friendly atmosphere, which I appreciated. Music was playing in the background and soon the eisa performance (traditional folk dance originating on the island of Okinawa) began as the welcoming entertainment. As people filed into the stadium, we enjoyed a few performance before the bullfighting began.
There were a total of nine fights, each of which were exciting and unique! Prior to a number of the fights, a group of supporters enter, wave colorful flags, and throw salt on the dirt arena floor for good luck. Each bull has its own team of supporters, managers, and owners, all of whom come out to wish the bull luck and to watch. The bulls then square off, pushing and trying to gain traction on one another in order to win. While the event is technically called a bull “fight,” it is really more of a bull sumo match, with team members taking turns shouting encouragement at the bull. One funny thing we noticed was that as a team member got tired of shouting, another would take over and begin yelling. The original, “tired” team member would then retire to a corner, where he would drink water from a metal ladle, to refresh himself, before returning at some point to continue shouting encouragement at the bull. This might seem crazy, but of course, the craziest thing is that these team members were each within inches of sharp horns and positioned such that they could theoretically get trampled!
As I mentioned before, the Okinawans love their animals and many of the trainers even sleep in the pen with their bulls the night before the big day. Although the bulls are technically fighting, if one bull gets cut or wounded, the fighting stops immediately. This makes sense because if your pet got hurt, wouldn’t you stop doing what you were doing immediately? On the day we attended, one bull was cut above the shoulder from another horn, and the fighting stopped immediately. When I told people we attended a bullfight, many commented saying they would not ever attend a bullfight, having seen one in Spain. I can assure you, an Okinawan bullfight is nothing like that.
Once the fighting is over and a winner is declared, the losing bull leaves the ring and the winner is draped with a glorious banner. The children of the team members then get to climb the bull and wave to the crowd! It was truly amazing to see how gentle and still the bulls were while this was happening. Indeed, the last match featured the largest bull, weighing in at 2000 pounds. As I made my way down towards the winning bull, Cody told me to grab my son B and get a photo! I was initially hesitant, but B was all for it and the locals held the bull as B smiled and perched on the biggest bull of the day!
On our way out of the area, we visited the area behind the ring where the bulls are kept, rather lavishly, if I may say so! After each fight, the bulls get fed and bathed. They are checked for any wounds and the owners and team members pet the bull, thanking him for a great day of fighting. The bull is then loaded onto the family’s truck, where each bull has a single open-aired truck that is used for that bull only! It’s like a bull limo or bull party bus…no bull! The bulls and team members will even continue to pose for photos with visitors, who are still in awe from what they saw earlier.
If you happen to find yourself in Okinawa, be sure to check out a bullfight. These gentle giants really know how to put on a show, while getting pampered like rock stars in the process!
Could it be that Okinawans have such high life expectancy because of their love for bulls? Who knows?! If you loved David’s review of bullfighting in Okinawa as much as we do, be sure to check out his other posts on WGWK!
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!
Everyone the world over knows Orlando, Florida, home to Disney World & Universal Studios. Most people are vaguely aware of Legoland, located about an hour outside of Orlando. And, if you’re a baseball fan, you’re familiar with Winter Haven, home of Major League Baseball’s spring training facility for years. But, few have heard of Ocala, a mid-sized city located just 90 minutes north of Orlando International Airport. If you’re looking to get away from major amusement parks and explore some of the more natural side of things, Ocala is an easy drive from Orlando and Silver Springs State Park is a wonderful way to get outside in ‘gator country!
Silver Spring State Park, gateway to the Ocala National Forest, is home to a number of activities for adventure goers. A portion of the Park used to comprise the Silver Springs Zoological Park, which my family visited in February 2011 when my oldest was not quite two, but the Zoo has now closed and the Park is fully managed by the state.
waiting for our boat ridechecking out the ‘gators (note the plexiglass barrier!)
The Park is open from 8:00 am to sundown, 365 days a year and admission is only $8 per vehicle. There are rental pavilions, if you want to throw a party or a family reunion, along with campsites and rental cabins. Activities include glass bottom boat tours, canoe and kayak rentals, and you can even arrange for a guided horseback trail ride via Cactus Jack’s Trail Rides. Although we have enjoyed canoeing the Silver River, my personal favorite activity is the glass bottom boat tour, which is free for children under six years of age. Visit the Park’s website for full information, including hours and updated fees and check our Silver River State Park if you want to get up close and personal with the ‘gators!
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!
Niagara Falls are probably the most well-known of all waterfalls in North America. Niagara Falls consist of three falls – the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls and the Bridal Veil Falls that all straddle the border between US and Canada. Horseshoe Falls has the largest flow rate of any waterfall in North America and is predominately in Canada, although a small portion is considered to be part of the US. The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls are completely on the American side. The falls are so popular that there are cities named Niagara Falls on either side trying to capitalize on tourism from this natural wonder – Niagara Falls Canada and Niagara Falls USA. Family travelers should definitely consider visiting Niagara Falls with kids of all ages.
While there are fantastic views of Niagara Falls from both New York and Ontario, I have only been to Canadian side, which offers panoramic views of each of the falls. It is also known for its casinos and tourist attractions available in the city built up on the west bank of the Niagara River. Niagara Falls Canada was successful in its marketing efforts to become the self-proclaimed “honeymoon capital of the world.” It was one of parents’ post-wedding destinations, along with many of their peers and continues to be a popular tourist destination.
In 2015, we booked a direct flights to London via Toronto at substantial savings and decided to break our four and a half hour car journey at Niagara Falls to take advantage of one of the world’s best pit stops. We found a parking lot just across the street from the falls and headed to the observation area to take a look at this natural spectacle. This trip was two years before our visit to Iceland where the kids became waterfall aficionados, so this was the first major waterfall that they had ever seen. Not surprisingly, they were totally amazed by the beauty and power of the falls. We were also lucky to visit on a sunny day and see many rainbows. This Niagara Fall view was stunning.
Rainbow!
My husband viewed from the American side when his relatives were in town a few weeks before our family visit. From Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in the US, there is a phenomenal close up view of the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
American Falls
From the American side, there is also a great view of the you can see the city of Niagara Falls Canada and also a partially obstructed view of Horseshoe Falls. For a complete panoramic view of Horseshoe Falls from the American side, it is necessary to take a trip on the Maid of the Mist. The Maid of the Mist has been a major tourist attraction since the mid-19th century and departs from both he US and Canadian sides of the Niagara River. The boat ride is only 20 minutes but provides a very close up view of Horseshoe Falls. The hooded rain ponchos are not merely for show. This is not a dry experience.
View from Niagara Falls State ParkMaid of the Mist
Kid Facts: Niagara Falls were created by glaciers about 10,000 years ago. An estimated 90% of the fish that travel over Niagara Falls are believed to survive.
Kid Caution: While kids of all ages are welcome on the Maid of the Mist, strollers are not recommended.
Niagara Falls is definitely a natural wonder that kids of all ages enjoy, even just for a stop on the way to Toronto. If you have stayed for more than an hour or two, please let us know in the comments what activities you’ve enjoyed in Niagara Falls Canada or Niagara Falls USA! Looking for inspiration to travel to the Great White North, check out 12 reasons why we love Canada.
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!
The Tower of London is a historic castle with an infamously bloody past. Originally built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, this complex includes several buildings including the Royal Armouries collection and the Crown Jewels, defensive walls and even a moat. It’s not surprising that this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in London. On our last trip to London, our children were 10 months, five and seven and thoroughly enjoyed the Tower. Visiting the Tower of London with kids was a wonderful family outing.
Getting to the Tower of London
We traveled to the Tower of London by Underground to the Tower Hill station. From the station, the Tower of London was a short walk. The London Underground is an efficient way for families to travel, and kids under 11 ride free.
How to Tour the Tower of London
We booked our Tower of London tickets online and showed our receipt for at the ticket booth. After entering the Tower, we were greeted by one of the Yeoman Warders, commonly known as the Beefeaters, who began our extremely informative tour that focused on Tower of London history. Among other things, the tour highlighted the execution of two of Henry VIII’s six wives on Tower Green – Anne Boleyn in 1536 and Catherine Howard in 1542 – and the history of the ravens in the Tower of London. Over 500 years ago, King Charles II declared, “If the ravens leave the tower, the kingdom will fall…” and ruled that at least six ravens must be kept onsite at all times. Our whole family enjoyed our Tower of London guided tour.
Our tour guideOne of the Tower’s ravens
Kid Facts: King Charles II’s superstition is not one to be tested. Seven ravens are always kept at the Tower – six plus one spare. The ravens are cared for by the Tower’s Ravenmaster, and their wings are clipped so they can’t fly away.
Visiting the White Tower With Kids
The 11th century White Tower was the keep of the castle and is the most iconic image of the complex. The White Tower now holds the collection of the Royal Armouries and St. John’s Chapel, which was built for William the Conqueror. Expert warders provide guided tours of the White Tower.
The White Tower
Kid Facts: St. John’s Chapel is the oldest church in London. The White Tower was almost destroyed in 1940 during a World War II bombing.
Visiting the Crown Jewels
The Crown Jewels of England have been displayed in the Tower of London since the 17th century and are protected by armed guards. No photography of the jewels is permitted.
Guarding the Crown Jewels
Kid Facts: The Crown Jewels are owned by Queen Elizabeth II and not the government.
During our wall walk, our boys enjoyed exploring the inner battlements that served as protection for the castle.
The Tower of London is also a fantastic place to view the Tower Bridge.
View of Tower Bridge from the Tower of London
Why We Loved the Tower of London
We regularly tour a museum or historic site in less than two hours, but we spent the better part of a day on our tour of the Tower of London. We arrived close to noon and ate ice cream (possibly twice!) but did not stop to sit down for lunch until about 4:00 p.m. because there was so much to do and see. There was a good deal of standing and listening the whole afternoon, our boys were fascinated and did not complain. While we brought a stroller for our daughter, we parked it for much of the day and predominately used the carrier instead. A visit to the Tower of London definitely requires a few hours but is a site not to miss when visiting London.
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!
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!
Thank you to Duquesne Incline for providing complimentary tickets and a tour for my family. All opinions are my own.
The Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh is an amazing example of living history that combines a trolley ride up Mount Washington, engineering genius and an amazing city view. We were traveling to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving and planned to arrive early enough to visit the Duquesne Incline before our big turkey dinner. It was a beautiful clear day, and we were eager to get out and take a trolley ride on the Incline after our drive from Cleveland.
Duquesne Incline Carson Street Station
The best way to get to the Incline is to park at the gravel Station Square parking lot just below the Incline’s Carson Street Station. Head up the stairs and over the Carson Street pedestrian bridge that takes you to the beautiful station with notable old-world charm. When we arrived, a trolley was ready to depart, and we were able to get right on the trolley for a private ride to the top of Mount Washington. We were surprised that the car ran without a driver onboard, but later realized that the trolley was operated by a control station at the top of the hill. The trolley sits on top of a platform with an angled base that keeps it level for the entire ride. It felt like we were stepping back in time when we entered the original trolley car.
Interior of the trolley car
The detail of the wood work in the trolley car was absolutely exquisite.
Trolley car woodwork
The 794-foot wooden track was both an engineering masterpiece and a work of art.
Wooden track
We thoroughly enjoyed our private ride up the Incline and made sure to check out the view from every angle. When we neared the upper station, the trolley car slowed down until it came to a gentle stop, and the doors opened.
The Upper Station
We met Tom Reinheimer, who handles Marketing and Group Tours for the Duquesne Incline, when we arrived at the upper station. Tom provided us an amazing tour of the museum and gave us an overview of the history of Pittsburgh, its many inclines and the engineering challenges that the engineers had to overcome to build and operate the Incline. The Incline was designed by Samuel Diescher, who designed a majority of the inclined planes in the US in the late 19th century. Diescher was associated with John Endres, who built the nearby Monongahela Incline along with his daughter Caroline, who was one of the first female engineers in the US. Diescher married Caroline in 1872, and the two lived on Mount Washington. The Duquesne Incline was completed a few years later and opened on May 20, 1877.
Trolley car traveling down the Incline
The main purpose of the Incline was to transport cargo and people between Grandview Avenue at the top of Mount Washington to Carson Street at the bottom. The Incline was especially helpful to the many coal miners who worked by the river providing coal for Pittsburgh’s steel industry and lived up on Mount Washington. Those who did not take an incline would have to climb up or down 1,400 stairs instead.
On the tour, Tom shared a great deal of Pittsburgh history – all the way back to the city’s role in the initiation of French and Indian War. Steam originally powered the Incline, but eventually was retrofitted to electricity and a generator just before the Great Flood of 1936 when passengers were stranded midway up the Incline for the only time in its 140 years of operation. Passengers were warned that the Incline might not make it to the upper station due to rising flood waters. We also learned that Pittsburgh was once the US steel capital and produced 60% of the country’s steel. Before the Clean Air Act, the city was very smoky due to soot produced by the coal mines.
Tom Reinheimer’s tour of the Upper Station
Tom then took us to the David H. Miller Working Museum to tour of the Incline’s hoisting machinery. The Incline still uses its original hoisting equipment that features giant cogs with wooden gear teeth.
Hoisting equipment
The tour concluded on the observation deck. The view was magnificent. We saw Pittsburgh’s “Three Rivers” confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, which together form the Ohio River and the city’s “Golden Triangle” central business district. Other highlights include views of the outline of Fort Duquesne, the Steelers’ Heinz Field, the Pirates’ PNC Park, the Carnegie Science Center and many bridges (up to 18 can be visible).
Three rivers and so many bridges
The Duquesne Incline is a historic landmark but does not receive state or federal subsidies. The Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline is a non-profit organization that operates the Duquesne Incline and relies on fares, gift shop income and donations to maintain the Incline.
Our family really enjoyed the Incline ride and breathtaking view. We all learned a great deal about Pittsburgh history and engineering during our visit. It is a great attraction for families and visitors of all ages because of the fun trolley ride up, the historical significance and the amazing city view. It’s no surprise that USA Today recently named the Duquesne Incline as one of the 10 great streetcars, trams and funiculars. If you can organize a group of 10 or more, I definitely recommend that you request a tour by contacting Tom Reinheimer to schedule.
Before You Go: The Duquesne Incline runs every day (even Thanksgiving!) and stops only for electrical storms because of concerns related to a power surge. Note that the Duquesne Incline accepts only cash and requires exact change. There is an ATM available at the upper station. You can request free tours for any group larger than 10, including school groups and Cub Scout groups (check out their Patch Program) through the Incline’s website.
The Tower of London is also a fantastic place to view the Tower Bridge.
