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  • Washington, DC Monuments With Kids

    Washington, DC Monuments With Kids

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    The National Mall is a landscaped park located in downtown Washington, DC. Administered by the National Park Service, the National Mall contains and borders a number of Smithsonian museums, national monuments and statues, and cultural exhibits.  Affectionately referred to as “the Mall,” the Mall receives approximately 24 million visitors each year is not a mall in the shopping mall sense. Rather, it is a beautiful expanse of grass and open space in the middle of an otherwise crowded and congested city. I was tickled to learn, earlier this year, that the National Park Service considers the White House to be the President’s Park. Along those lines, the Mall should be regarded as America’s Playground. Here are my top tips for visiting the Washington, DC monuments with kids.

    One of the greatest things about the Mall is that it is always open. Sure, the museums and concessions have specific operating hours, but the grounds are accessible 24/7 for walking and many say the best way to view the monuments is at night. Recently, I had the good fortune to spend an afternoon touring the monuments with Catherine’s family, which included our collective five children, ranging in age from 3.5 to 10. Although the Mall is kid friendly, there are a few things every visitor with kids should know when planning a visit to the Mall.

    A look at our crew, as we embarked on our Mall adventure.

    Five Tips for Visiting the National Mall With Kids

    #1: Best Time to Visit the Mall

    The best time to visit the Mall is an early morning weekday during the spring or fall. If you’re lucky, temperatures will be seasonally appropriate (instead of oppressively humid or bitterly frigid) and you can avoid the heaviest of crowds, which tend to be on weekends and in the late mornings/afternoons. Personally, if I am visiting the Mall with kids, I prefer to be on the ground, touring the monuments in the early morning (before 9:30am) as crowds tend to be lighter. After walking the monuments, I easily visit a museum of two, as they typically open at 10am, before either heading home or grabbing a bite to eat for lunch.

    If planning a spring visit to the Mall, be sure to check out the NPS’s Bloom Watch for updates on when “peak bloom” can be expected. Peak bloom is defined as the day when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open and lucky for us, peak bloom happened to be the day before our planned trip to view the blossoms and the monuments.

    Experiencing the Tidal Basin at peak bloom never gets old.

    On our recent visit, we had two available days in which we could visit the Mall and chose the day with the warmer weather. It proved to be right decision as the next day, our children were especially cranky during a short hour long outing outdoors.

    #2: How to Get to the Mall

    Many will recommend DC’s Metro system as the best way to get downtown and the nearest stations are just a few blocks from the Mall. Although children age 5 and under ride free, all other passengers must have their own SmarTrip card, which costs $2 to purchase and then must be loaded with adequate fare for the ride. Passengers can also purchase a SmarTrip card containing a one day unlimited Metrorail access for $14. On the day Catherine and I visited the Mall, we had six passengers in need of SmartTrip cards + adequate fare and two children under 5 traveling for free. Instead of doing the math and purchasing SmarTrip cards for all five fare paying passengers, we decided that the easiest option would be to simply drive downtown and park near the Mall.

    The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW was the perfect solution. Located just one block away from the Washington Monument, the Ronald Reagan Building’s parking garage is accessible via ramps off 13th and 14th Street. As it is a federally owned building, don’t be alarmed that a quick search of your vehicle is required prior to entry.

    Parking rates are calculated hourly, but for the entire afternoon that we spent parked at the building, we paid $25. Depending on the size of your group, this could be a bargain compared to purchasing individual SmarTrip cards that may never be used again.

    The red stop signs reflect Metro’s two nearest Mall stops: Smithsonian and Federal Triangle. The Ronald Reagan International Trade Building is marked by the blue star.

    #3: Where to Eat

    There’s really no such thing as a quick visit to the Mall when traveling with young children. Although I have taken many a lunch time stroll along the Mall and around the Tidal Basin, every single trip with a child has required some kind of food stop. The Mall itself, however, contains very few concessions, so be sure to either eat ahead of time, pack a picnic, or plan your visit between meals. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer to visit the Mall in the morning. Not only does this avoid heavy crowds, but whether I am taking Metro or parking at the Ronald Reagan Building, I find that by the time I finish viewing the monuments (and the blossoms!), I can head towards the Smithsonian museums which are centrally located to restaurants and dining establishments.

    The concessions stand we had lunch at on our recent visit to the Mall.

    There are a limited number of concessions available on the Mall and the offerings are slim: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and drinks. The concession stands typically feature long waits and no bathrooms (so yes, two separate stops are required). On our recent visit, we were fortunate to have three adults, so we divided and conquered. Catherine and I took the kids to the bathroom at the Lincoln Memorial while Catherine’s husband stood in line at the concession stand located just south of the Lincoln Memorial. I am happy to report that as of April 2018, the hot dogs were very, very good and that the grassy area surrounding the concession stand was a perfect place for the kids to run around.

    #4: What to Wear

    Be sure to dress for the season and definitely check the weather forecast to determine appropriate clothing. Regardless of season, adequate walking shoes are a must. One visit to the Mall can easily be a 3-5 mile walk and with a relatively newly potty trained preschooler, I found sprinting across the Mall for the nearest bathroom!

    #5: What Gear to Bring

    When visiting the Mall with young children, you’ll want to provide for some means of carrying or strolling them after they’re done walking. Our respective 3.5 year olds are no strangers to walking and rarely use strollers, but the Mall is a different animal and they both ended up in their strollers for a significant portion of the visit. It came as a huge surprise to both Catherine and myself that they would choose to ride in their strollers as it had quite some time since they’ve needed it. I originally brought the stroller for the sole purpose of strapping my son into the stroller as we made our way around the Tidal Basin. During cherry blossom season, crowds can be intense, and there is no railing along portion of the basin, so I had no trouble imagining him going overboard. I was thrilled to have the stroller as the alternative, carrying a 36 pound preschooler, is less than appealing. As an added bonus, both 3.5 year olds were fast asleep by the time we made it back to the garage.

    Although my son is potty trained, I still travel with abundant wipes and hand sanitizer, which came in handy as the kids loved playing in the grass and picking up sticks along our journey, but there was no hand washing available at our lunch spot. Bottom line: there are very few amenities on the Mall so be sure to pack what whatever essentials you might pack for a 3-4 hour long journey in a public park.

    Why Visit the Mall?

    With little by way of concessions, heavy crowds, and often intolerable weather, why would anyone want to visit the Mall? The Mall is truly a monument to America’s past and should be high on anyone’s list of places to visit. The Mall not only recognizes some of the greatest Americans who have ever lived, but the Mall also honors those who have given their lives in sacrifice.

    During our recent visit, our families managed to visit all the major monuments and nearly all the memorials on the Mall. The route we took was as follows.

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    We began at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building, where we parked and made our way to the Washington Monument. This 555-foot, 5 inch obelisk was completed in 1885 and is the oldest of the monument we visited. There are elevators that take visitors to the top, but the Monument is constantly under renovation and is currently closed until Spring 2019.

    From the Washington Monument, we hopped across the street to the National World War II Memorial. The National World War II Memorial opened in 2004 and includes the Freedom Wall with 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. The unbelievable loss of life is captured with the message “Here we mark the price of freedom.”

    Pro-Tip: Senator Bob Dole visits the World War II Memorial nearly every weekend, where he greets visitors. Over the years, he’s met hundreds of groups and thousands of people. In September 2015, we were fortunate to bring my husband’s grandfather, who served in World War II,  to see the Memorial and meeting Bob Dole was one of the many highlights of his trip. If you’d like a chance to meet Bob Dole, be sure to make your way towards the Memorial’s Visitor Center, which is where Senator Dole is usually stationed.

    From the World War II Memorial, we walked the length of the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. The reflecting pool is over a third of a mile in length and was holds over 6.5 million gallons of water. Overlooking the reflecting pool (and the Washington Monument) is the Lincoln Memorial, which was home to many defining moments in American history.

    The Memorial, which appears on the back of the $5 bill and the penny, was designed like a Greek temple, and inside holds a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, along with inscriptions of two of his most famous speeches, “The Gettysburg Address” and his “Second Inaugural Address.” The 36 columns represent each of the states in the Union at the time of the Memorial’s dedication in 1922. The Lincoln Memorial is best known as the location where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a Dream” speech after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Pro-tip: The Lincoln Memorial is a good place to visit the bathroom.

    From the Lincoln Memorial, we cut up north, briefly, to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Memorial, which is commonly known as “The Wall” was completed in 1982, and the 144 panels of the Memorial Wall include the names of 58,272 Americans who were declared dead and missing in action during the Vietnam War. The Three Servicemen is a bronze statute on the side depicting the soldiers solemnly looking at the names of their fallen comrades.

    The Three Servicemen
    At the Vietnam Memorial, there are stands where you can look for your relative’s name and it gives you the corresponding location on the memorial. We located a distant cousin during a recent visit.

    The Vietnam Memorial was designed to be viewed in a specific manner. The bend that forms a corner at the center of the Wall features the year 1959 on the top left of one panel and 1975 on the bottom right of the other panel. Service members are listed in chronological and alphabetical order, with the first appearing just after 1959 and the last appearing just before 1975. For more information, visit Free Tours by Foot, which I consulted prior to our visit for assistance in locating our family member’s name on the Wall.

    Our next stop was the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 1995 to honor the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces during the Korean War. Nineteen stainless steel statues represent a platoon on patrol.

    From there, we made our way down to the Tidal Basin, where we were able to view the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This Memorial was dedicated by President Obama in 2011, and our visit was only two days after the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination. The 28-foot granite boulder shows King looking toward the Jefferson Monument on the opposite shore of the Tidal Basin.

    View of the Jefferson Memorial from the north end of the Tidal Basin

    In an ideal world, we would have walked the circumference of the Tidal Basin, but alas, the two 3.5 year olds in our party were done by that point, and the crowds slowed us down substantially. So, we took the short cut along the north side of the Tidal Basin to view the cherry blossoms, which were simply glorious. In 1912, the mayor of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, DC and that legacy provides DC with about two weeks of beautiful blooms each year. Along the way, we enjoyed the view of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. This neoclassical Monument was completed in 1943, and the bronze statute was added in 1947. We then cut across the Kutz Bridge, stopping briefly at the Floral Library, before heading north back to our vehicle.

    Tulips in bloom at the Floral Library.

    If you are fortunate and have the time to walk the entire length of the Tidal Basin,  you will benefit from fewer crowds on the southern portion of the basin. I also typically find that photographs taken from the south basin tend to have less glare/reflection than those taken from the north basin. And, of course, you’ll be able to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, which we did not get a chance to visit this time.

    If time, weather, and temperament permits, a great activity is to rent paddle boats at the Tidal Basin Boathouse. My kids absolutely love doing this, but it is definitely something that requires all the stars to align – it’s rare that we have the time, good weather, and sufficient parking to make this experience happen.

    Final Thoughts?

    Walking the National Mall is a wonderful experience that any visit to Washington, DC should include! Many visitors skip the Tidal Basin because it’s a long walk in DC’s temperamental weather, but it is truly something to be relished. In the summer, where the heat prohibits long walks without shade, consider planning a walk around the Mall during the early morning hours or at night. Years ago, when my husband and I were but wee college kids, we spent a few nights in Washington, DC where we enjoyed seeing the lit monuments and memorials in the dark of night and I can’t wait until our kids are old enough to experience the monuments at night!

    Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids, including White House Tour With Kids, Renwick Gallery With Kids, and more Smithsonian Museum visits than we can count! 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!

  • Costa Rica With Kids (Part V): The Andaz Papagayo Final Thoughts

    Costa Rica With Kids (Part V): The Andaz Papagayo Final Thoughts

    For Spring Break 2018, my family of four traveled to Costa Rica and spent one full week at the Andaz Papagayo. To read about why we chose Costa Rica with kids and booking logistics, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics. For a detailed review of our experience at the Andaz Papagayo, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part III): The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Review (Accommodations, Concierge, Dining, Onda Spa, Cambi) & Costa Rice With Kids (Part IV): The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Review (The Andaz Beach House, the Andaz Beach & Water Activities).

    I want to say I loved our week long stay at the Andaz Papagayo, but I didn’t. We had a lovely time in the water and spending our days together as a family, but for a high end resort, the Andaz Papagayo simply fell short in many respects. Dining is the most blatantly obvious shortcoming, but there were also some other issues, in particular, lack of available water equipment and more guests than servers/Concierge could accommodate. As the resort currently stands, I simply cannot recommend it.

    That said, there are two groups for whom the Andaz might be the perfect fit:

    • If you are a Hyatt Globalist (the highest member status with Hyatt) with a significant points balance, it is possible to stay at the Andaz Papagayo for a steal. Rooms are 15,000 points per night and Globalist members receive free breakfast. In hindsight, many reviews of the Andaz Papagayo that I read prior to our trip were written by Hyatt Globalist members, which may well have softened the blow of the underwhelming dining options.
    • The Andaz Papagayo offers free food for children 5 and under. At each turn, people inquired as to our kids’ ages so they could comp meals – including for room service. If you have children under 5, this can be an incredible money saver, especially if you couple it with Hyatt Globalist status and/or points redemption.
    • Babymoon? The Andaz Papagayo can be a great spot for those looking for a baby moon destination (although Costa Rica is a zika risk area, so perhaps not). It’s only 30 minutes from Liberia Airport and it is a comfortable place to stay. With activities like strenuous hiking and ziplining likely out of the question, the Andaz Papagayo is the perfect spot for a couples getaway when expecting.

    There are a few institutional improvements that must be made, however, before I can recommend it more broadly.

    • Improve the availability of water sports equipment at both the Andaz Beach House and the beach.
    • Improve the quality of food and drinks offerings at the resort. As I mentioned previously, I was so disappointed by our meals at Chao Pescao and Rio Bongo that we didn’t even bother trying to dine at Onda, the fine dining experience at the resort. Instead, we discovered The Dive Bar, which is located on the nearby Marina Papagayo. We ended up eating dinner at The Dive Bar three times in a row, because it was so much better than the food at the Andaz Papagayo. There is a free shuttle that runs from the resort to The Dive Bar on the top of every hour, so this is definitely something to consider if you are staying at the Andaz for more than a night or two. At one point, my husband and I joked that the Andaz should just hire the chef from The Dive Bar to cook at Rio Bongo.
    Fish tacos @ The Dive Bar
    Ceviche appetizer @ The Dive Bar

    Note: The Marina Papagayo also has a small convenience store which carries shelf-stable milk (and $7 avocados, but who is counting?). We were thrilled to discover this, as securing adequate milk for our growing boys had been an issue. During our stay, the store was open from 7am – 4pm, so be sure to pop down early if you’re in need of some small convenience items.

    The convenience store at the Papagayo Marina.
    • During busy season, the resort needs to increase its service staff. Although we never felt crowded on the beach or at any of the dining facilities or even around the resort, service at the restaurants was slow and we received lukewarm coffee drinks on at least two occasions. On more occasions than I can count, we had to call the Concierge multiple times to get a response. My husband was also frustrated that it took numerous emails and phone calls to confirm their surfing lesson, which should have been more seamless given that tour operator was partnered with the Andaz and the cost of the class was added directly to our account.
    • Although the resort may not have been intended to be a family destination, from the looks of things during our stay, families are flocking to the Andaz Papagayo. To accommodate families, the Andaz should offer more extended Cambi Kids’ Club hours, or at least change them from 8-4:30pm to 9-5:30pm so that parents can attend the Mixology Class (that finishes at 5) and/or stay at the Andaz Beach House until the last shuttle leaves just before 5pm. It would also be nice if the resort offered evening activities for families as once the sun goes down around 6:30pm, there isn’t much, if anything to do.

    In addition to the institutional shortcomings and needed areas of improvement, the Andaz’s location on the Peninsula Papagayo eliminates it as a convenient landing spot for other destinations. It was a 1.5 hour drive from the resort to the Rincon de la Vieja and about an hour away from just about everything else we wanted to visit. And, there simply is nothing that you can walk to from the resort, so you would have to have a rental car or rely on the shuttle to get to The Dive Bar or the Four Seasons Resort.

    Decorative wall marking the transition from the rooms to the spa/retreat area.

    With respect to the resort’s location on the Papagayo Peninsula, my husband was initially disappointed as the bay is extremely calm such that there is no breeze, at all. I had done the resort research in advance so I knew this was the case, but if you’re expecting crashing waves, don’t visit the Andaz. I personally appreciated the calm waters as my kids were safe in the water and my husband noted, after his surf lesson, that being on the other side of the bay would have resulted in relentless sun exposure and heat.

    massive stick bug on the way to lunch

    All that being said, there are some things the resort did well. The Concierge was amazing, both in terms of communicating in advance and getting our requests put in, but also in terms of making sure that we had what we needed and that our arranged activities were properly scheduled (once we got a hold of them on the phone). The individual employees who worked at the resort were also incredibly nice and friendly. It quickly became apparent to the servers at the Rio Bongo that my preschooler does not eat much, if anything, and they went out of their way to inquire as to whether there was anything they could offer him. I also appreciated the free valet parking (which made renting a car a no brainer for our family of four) and, if kids’ clubs are your jam, Cambi is a great free option for those with children between ages 4-12. The resort also does a heck of a job of spraying for mosquitoes. I don’t recall getting any mosquito bites while on property, but we all got eaten alive during our dinners at The Dive Bar, just a 10 minute drive away.

    Would I go back?

    No. I wouldn’t go back to the Andaz Papagayo, although I am happy to have experienced it with my two kids, ages 4 and 8.5. The beaches were prefect for our two and we had a relaxing and easy experience for our first trip to Costa Rica. Although we did not arrange for zip lining or other activities through the Concierge (with the exception of the surf lessons), those are many options and other families who were staying at the resort did do so, with strong praise. To be fair, it is possible that my husband and I are simply not resort people. Would it surprise you to learn that we spent an entire week at the Andaz Papagayo without ever dipping a toe in any of the swimming pools? It surprised me to see the crowds of people lounging by the pool when the beach was literally right there. So perhaps we just aren’t resort people and this was a good lesson for future vacations.

    Stay tuned for more on our trip to Costa Rica, including our visit to Rincon de la Vieja, our Easter Sunday open air mass, our service visit to Escuela Pacifica, and our day trip to Diamante Eco Adventure Park. 

     

  • Costa Rica With Kids (Part IV): The Andaz Papagayo Review (The Andaz Beach House, the Andaz Beach & Water Activities)

    Costa Rica With Kids (Part IV): The Andaz Papagayo Review (The Andaz Beach House, the Andaz Beach & Water Activities)

    For Spring Break 2018, my family of four traveled to Costa Rica and spent one full week at the Andaz Papagayo. To read about why we chose Costa Rica with kids and booking logistics, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics. 

    Our week long stay at the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo involved significant beach time. Although some online reviewers have complained about the Andaz’s beach, the beach and Beach House ended up being perfect for our family.

    The Beach:

    The beach at the main resort is accessible via a steep set of stairs past the pool area. The beach itself is relatively small and includes a small, protected area, a rocky outcrop for snorkeling, and a launching area for water sports.

    Seating options abound at the Andaz Beach.

    Although I had read many complains online about how the beach was a huge disappointment due to its size (and the black sand), it was perfect for us because my 3.5 year old could play in the water and even take part in a lot of the water sports. Indeed, while I didn’t feel comfortable taking my then 4.5 year old out on a paddle board in Maui, I had no qualms taking my current 3.5 year old out on a paddle board.I also appreciated that the beach had a drinks cart and free water and sun block lotion. Paddle boards, kayaks and snorkeling equipment were available for free, and you could also rent jet skis and water bikes. All told, the beach was the perfect place for us to spend a few hours every morning and then again in the afternoon. It was a short 5 minute walk from our hotel room and my preschooler absolutely loved it. Although there were no toys available for use (no beach toys or other beach items that little kids might want), we had packed our own bucket and shovel, so we simply brought those down to the beach and rinsed them off before returning to our room.

    The Andaz Beach House:

    As much as I enjoyed the beach because it suited our needs perfectly, the Andaz Beach House is probably one of my favorite places on earth. The Beach House is accessible only via shuttle bus / golf cart that runs continuously every 30 minutes between 10am and 5pm. It is a short 5 minute shuttle ride to the Papagayo Nature Center, where you transfer to a golf cart that takes you off road the rest of the way to the Beach House. Along the way, we caught a glimpse of the golf course.

    Golf carts waiting to shuttle people back to the resort.

    As with the beach, the water at the Beach House was relatively mild, but it did have some waves, which provided more interest for my kids. On our first visit to the Beach House, the tide was high, so I was literally lounging in the water with a drink while my children played.

    The Beach House offers a full menu of food and drinks and here, we had the best food and drinks during our entire stay at the Andaz.

    My husband, in particular, loved the infused rum and I enjoyed many a Papagayo Margarita. My oldest tried a chocolate and vanilla shake, which was delicious.

    Tico Summer Rolls with shrimp
    Grilled chicken and chips, beachside for the kids.

    If you don’t like to eat and drink in lounge chairs, there’s a covered dining area.

    When the kids got tired of playing in the water, there was giant Jenga and also a bucket filled with sand toys at their disposal.

    Overall, the Beach House gets a definite two thumbs up. We loved it so much we made a point of scrapping other activities to spend another afternoon at the Beach House following our initial visit.

    Water Activities:

    At both the beach and the Beach House, there are complimentary kayaks, paddle boards, and snorkeling equipment for use. Unfortunately, both my husband and I agreed that the limited availability was something that needed improvement. Each location stocks two paddle boards and a few kayaks. There was frequently a long wait for paddle boards and/or kayaks. In fact, one morning, I was at the beach for two hours with my youngest and saw a kayak class paddle off into the bay. The resort had transferred over extra kayaks to accommodate the large group (of maybe 8-10 kayakers), but the “instructor” did not have a kayak available, so he took one of the paddle boards. That left one paddle board on the beach for over an hour. It did not bother me, but there were quite a few grumbles on the beach. The resort should provide at least four paddle boards at each location, so that a couple or father/son/mother/daughter duo can paddle board at the same time, without facing a major wait.

    The mysteriously “closed” water equipment lending station on our first visit to the Beach House.

    On our first visit to the Beach House, the water equipment rental station was simply closed. There was nobody present the entire 2.5 hours we were there. This is definitely a staffing/equipment issue that needs to be addressed.

    The resort also offered jet skis and water bikes for rental. We did not partake, but water bikes were $50 for 30 minutes, or $90 for one hour. Had my oldest been older, I would likely have rented a water bike.

    Parked water bikes.

    The individuals working the equipment rental stations are all employed by Swiss Travel, which offers extra excursions. From day long bay cruises to surfing lessons, the bay is your oyster! My husband and oldest son decided to sign up for surfing lessons. The two hour beginning surfing lesson was just under $400 for the two of them, and they had an amazing time. A boat picked them up from the resort beach and took them over to Playa Iguana, where, evidently, there is just the right amount of waves for a not quite 9 year old to learn to surf for the first time. My husband reports that they had an amazing experience, and it was worth every penny, although he did find it to be somewhat of a hassle to set up – multiple emails and phone calls before they could confirm the time.

    Heading off to surfing lessons.

    With regards to snorkeling, neither the beach nor the Beach House ended up being good snorkeling locations. The only semi-interesting snorkeling spot near the beach happened to have jellyfish and I had no interest in taking my children over there. In fact, at least two other little kids got stung one morning while we were on the beach, so I definitely stayed away following that. Without any coral and given the relatively calm waters, there was nothing that we could have seen while snorkeling that we could not see by just looking down in the water. This was fine by me, given that we had a not-quite 4 year old who was happy to just look at the puffer fish with his goggles.

    The Papagayo Nature Center:

    The transfer point from the shuttle bus to the golf cart is the Papagayo Nature Center, which happened to be open during one of our “layovers.” Although small, the Nature Center is essentially a collection of all different types of species of small animals on the Peninsula. In the few minutes we waited for an available golf cart, my kids enjoyed seeing the shed snake skins, seeds, branches, and other kinds of critters that were displayed on the table. The naturalist helpfully joked that the large snakeskin pictured below was found at the Andaz (or at least I hope he was joking!).

    Although we did not have a chance to explore, there were also bikes available for use outside the Nature Center.

    Final Thoughts:

    I really loved the beach and the Beach House, and for people who are decidedly not beach people, we ended up having a great time. I loved that my kids could play in the water by themselves, and I did not have to be within arm’s reach the whole time. We never felt crowded, and service was impeccable (with the exception of the time closed equipment rental at the Beach House on our first visit).

    My little one practiced using snorkeling gear and swimming, we built sand castles and experimented with kayaks and paddle boards, and thoroughly enjoyed the food and drinks that we ordered at the Andaz Beach House (we did not have occasion to order drinks at the beach).

    Our sand castle that we built on our last night of vacation.
    My Papagayo Margarita!

    For a wrap up on our stay at the Andaz Papagayo, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part V): The Andaz Papagayo Final Thoughts…

  • Costa Rica With Kids (Part III): The Andaz Papagayo Review (Accommodations, Concierge, Dining, Onda Spa, Cambi)

    Costa Rica With Kids (Part III): The Andaz Papagayo Review (Accommodations, Concierge, Dining, Onda Spa, Cambi)

    For Spring Break 2018, my family of four traveled to Costa Rica and spent one full week at the Andaz Papagayo. To read about why we chose Costa Rica with kids and booking logistics, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics. 

    The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo opened in late 2013 and over the past few years, I’ve read numerous online reviews about how magical the resort is as a couples and family destination. One of the biggest values to the resort is that even though rates for a standard room can be as high as $1,150 per night during heavy tourist season, the same room can be reserved for 15,000 Hyatt points (which we have in an abundance thanks to the 1:1 transfer ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards).

    Booking our Reward Stays:

    After we made the decision to venture down to Costa Rica for our Spring Break 2018 trip, I jumped onto the Hyatt website where I was unable to reserve a suite (which goes for 24,000) due to lack of availability. I quickly decided that I would just go ahead and reserve two standard room for only 6,000 more points per night, thus giving us more flexibility given that we would be traveling with a newly potty trained 3.5 year old. Moreover, my husband is a Chase Hyatt card holder which comes with one free category 1-4 night per year, and we were thrilled that we were able to use the “free night” for one of our nights at the resort. All told, we stayed 14 nights (two rooms for seven days each) at the Andaz Papagayo at a cost of 195,000 points (one “free night” + 13 nights at 15,000 points per night). As an added bonus, the resort fee of $50/night is waived on award stays, and valet parking is complimentary, so I was excited that our accommodations would not cost us anything out of pocket.

    As I mentioned before, I corresponded via email with the Concierge on numerous occasions between December 2017 and up to the week prior to our stay to inquire as to adjoining room availability and suite availability. Unfortunately, nothing opened up so we ended up in two separate, but next door king rooms. I was pleased at check in to learn that we were put on the third floor of Building 3, which provided us with a glorious view of the bay. Although some online reviews indicate that a third floor bay view room is an upgrade, it was not something we requested, and we were not informed that this was an upgrade. If this is important to you, be sure to check with Concierge prior to your visit.

    The twin mattress that we requested in advance and was set up and waiting for us at arrival.

    I was pleased with the booking process and to be honest, I have never had more helpful Concierge at a hotel. Having experienced numerous hotel mix ups when booking multiple rooms and/or a combination of award/free/paid stays, I had low expectations and instructed my husband to arrive with hard copies of my email exchanges with the Concierge. I was thrilled (and relieved) to report that there was absolutely no issue with the rooms, and they had even set up a twin mattress in one of the rooms, as requested, so that our family of four could all sleep in one room.

    The Accommodations:

    Our bay view rooms were spacious and came equipped with everything we expected: bed, complimentary mini bar with non-alcoholic drinks and snacks, closet, sitting space, and patio. But, the definite high of the room was the amazing shower that opens up onto the patio and overlooks the bay.

    Shower with direct access to patio and view of the bay.

    The patio itself provided us with almost complete privacy, and I never felt uncomfortable or exposed when out on our patios. That said, I noticed, on one of our many walks down to the main dining area and the beach, that some of the patios are open and exposed to the public. My husband and I both noted separately that we greatly preferred the privacy afforded us on our patios and were grateful for our placement.

    Refreshed mini bar (fridge separate and not pictured).
    One of the less private outdoor seating areas.

    On the day of check in, we noticed that the air conditioning in one of our rooms was not working as well as it should. And, the mini bar was not keeping anything cold either. We called maintenance the next day, and they quickly sent some one over to address the issue, but I’ll be honest: that room never seemed to fully cool down and the fridge never really got cold. We ended up spending most of our time in the other room as a result.

    The Grounds:

    It’s clear no expense was spared in designing the grounds. The drive to the resort is lovely – with expansive grass and beautiful palms. There are a few security checkpoints you must pass through to enter the resort – it’s really nothing more than rolling down your window and informing the guard that you’re staying at the resort and providing your room number. By the end of our week long stay, they recognized us and our vehicle and would welcome us back on each return.

    There are a number of signs directing traffic throughout the resort which serves as a handy spot for sunning reptiles.

    We were amused to see the custom manhole covers.

    The resort is built on a hillside so there is quite of bit of steep walking. Many reviews we read online suggested requesting a room in one of the lower buildings (Buildings 5/6/7 which are on the same level as Rio Bongo, the main restaurant) to eliminate having to walk up quite as many stairs. We honestly did not find the hills to be a challenge, and our 3.5 year old ran around the resort without any issues. There are numerous golf carts parked throughout the resort and plenty of employees who are always offering a ride to wherever we wanted to go. With the exception of when we checked out with all our luggage, however, we did not take any golf cart rides around the resort.

    The Concierge:

    The welcome station with infused water and coconut macaron cookies.

    The main lobby of the hotel was set up with numerous stands and clearly identifiable Andaz employees who were always willing to help or answer questions. As I mentioned earlier, I had a great experience corresponding with the Concierge and we even requested their help in setting up a service project with the kids (more on that later) to take place during our visit. Although there were always plenty of people willing to help in person, on a number of occasions, we had to call multiple times to reach a concierge by phone. Whether we needed to request that our car be brought up from valet, or call because of a maintenance issue (such as the AC in our room), both my husband and I experienced frustration when our calls when unanswered. On the day of our check out, we called four times before someone picked up the phone. I personally think four times is too many times to have to call to reach a live person.

    The resort publishes a weekly newsletter (“Pura Vida News”), which contains the week’s schedule of activities and classes. Although the schedule can change, I compared a copy I received of the January 15-21, 2018 schedule with the April 2-8, 2018 schedule and confirmed that the activities generally stay relatively consistent (note the $1 price increase for kayaking and snorkeling lessons from January to April). Initially, I had planned to sign my husband and I up for both the Barista and Mixology courses, but after our relatively lackluster dining experiences, we decided to skip the classes.

    Resort Dining:

    The main area in which the Andaz disappointed was in dining. There are three restaurants: Rio Bongo, Ostra, Chao Pescao. Rio Bongo is centrally located on the resort and is where the breakfast, causal lunches and dinners take place. Chao Pescao is the mid-level restaurant, which the concierge described as “tapas, but in larger sizes.” Ostra is the resort’s signature restaurant.

    We dined at Rio Bongo on a daily basis – every single morning for breakfast, twice for lunch, and once for dinner. We were given a choice of the full breakfast buffet (including hot and cold stations) for $32/person, the continental breakfast for $19, or ordering off the menu a la carte. Children 5 and under dine for free and children under 12 get 1/2 off the breakfast buffet price, so we did appreciate that.

    My son enjoyed his crepe.

    The food was adequate, but not compelling. In fact, my husband and I both mutually agreed that the full breakfast buffet was simply too expensive for what they were offering (the hot station included made to order eggs, omelettes, and other pre-made food items.  It did not include any seafood or meat carving stations, like you might find at the Sunday Buffet Brunch at your local “fancy” hotel) and so we just ordered a la carte each day.  As we were staying there during the resort’s busy season, service was frequently an issue. The servers were all exceptionally friendly, but just overwhelmed. For instance, on least two occasions, the coffees/cappuccinos we ordered from the coffee bar were lukewarm by the time we received them.

    The cappuccino art was pretty, but the drink was lukewarm by the time we received it.
    My standard breakfast selection – “gallo pinto”

    Although we weren’t impressed by Rio Bongo, we did decide to try Chao Pescao on our second night at the resort. While the food was “fine,” at $30+ per entree, I expected more than just “fine.” Moreover, when the server came back and asked my husband how his $14 cocktail was, and my husband responded that it was “a bit too sweet,” the server’s only response was “oh, I’m sorry.” During the course of our stay, we ordered a handful of cocktails during lunch/dinner at Rio Bongo and Chao Pescao, and our mutual agreement was that the drinks were too sweet. Curiously, we did not have the same experience at the Beach House, where we loved our cocktails. In fact, the Papagayo Margarita may be one of the most lovely things I’ve ever touched my lips to.

    At the end of the day, my husband and I both agreed that the food had to be either better or cheaper. Because of our mediocre experiences at Chao Pescao and Rio Bongo, we decided to forgo visiting Ostra, as we likely would have had to hire a babysitter for the evening in order to fully enjoy the experience. We weren’t confident that the resort could pull off a fine dining experience, so we simply decided to skip it.

    I had high hopes for dining at the Andaz Papagayo, but it appears it has underwhelmed in the past. Dining is one of my favorite things about travel and vacation and if you feel the same, then I simply cannot recommend the Andaz Papagayo.

    The Onda Spa:

    Although our dining experiences were lackluster, the resort’s Onda Spa did not disappoint. A few days prior to our scheduled arrival date, we received an email from the Concierge, alerting us to special spa offerings. My husband encouraged me to go, and I decided to go ahead and book myself for the Women’s Day special – 45 minute massage, 45 minute body scrub, 30 minute mini summer facial for $180. The facility itself is gorgeous, with the main reception area set up and apart from the rest of the resort, with a gorgeous view of the entire area. As I completed check in, I was presented with a welcome cold chamomile tea and chilled towel with essential oils – both greatly appreciated as my body was having a difficult time adjusting to the hot weather.

    After completing check in, I wandered down to the changing rooms, which were very well appointed.

    I spent only a short time in the steam room before heading out to check out the Tranquility Pool. Although I did not get into the pool, I enjoyed watching the monkeys playing both around and in the water.

    Monkeys playing in the Tranquility Pool.

    A short time later, I was taken back to one of the nine treatment rooms. I was blown away by how spacious and beautiful the individual treatment rooms were. Each room is equipped with two treatment beds that open out onto a porch, a soaking tub, an indoor shower, and an outside shower (yes, TWO showers). Although my husband is not a fan of spa visits, this would be a truly great way to spend an afternoon with your partner. My treatments started on time and ended on time and overall, I thought the experience was well worth the $180 + gratuity. Treatments scheduled and confirmed prior to arrival are eligible for a 20% discount per treatment (non-combinable with other promotions or packages), so if this is something you’re interested in, I highly recommend advance booking. You can cancel four hours prior to your scheduled appointment time (or the day prior if you have a morning appointment), so there’s really no harm in scheduling an appointment in advance for when you think you might be in the mood for a massage or other treatment.

    My individual outdoor shower in my treatment room.

    Although I did not have the time to go back, the gym and steam rooms are always available for use for all visitors. My husband popped down to the gym at one point to check it out and reported that it was just like any other hotel gym – nothing special. I wish I had made the time to visit the steam room on at least one additional occasion, but alas, vacation is never long enough.

    Cambi (The Kids’ Club):

    Cambi, the Kids Club, was one of the many reasons why we chose to stay at the Andaz Papagayo. Cambi offers free enrollment for kids from 4 – 12 years old and is open from 8am – 4:30pm daily. As with the resort, there’s a weekly newsletter of activities.

    We visited Cambi on the first full day of our stay and met the women working there. They were extremely nice and took the time to get to know our kids, while I completed the necessary paperwork so that my kids could go and play during our stay. We ended up enjoying our time on the beach so much that we did not go back to Cambi until the day of our departure, when we dropped our kids off for an hour so we could pack in peace.

    Although enrollment is limited to children that are at least 4 years of age, parents are free to bring their younger children and spend time with them at Cambi. There was a room with soft pillows for napping and changing tables and other items were available for use.  Food is not provided, but you can order food ahead for delivery to Cambi.

    The resort offers babysitting services for children from 12 months to 12 years old between the hours of 8am and 10pm (2 hr minimum required). Advance reservations are required, especially if you need care while Cambi is open (to ensure availability of sitters). The charge is $20/hr for 1-2 children, $40/hr for 3-4 children. Babysitting is also available after 10pm, but the price doubles.

    Our stay happened to coincide with Easter, and the resort did offer a few additional activities for children at a fee.

    Although I was intrigued by the Easter Sunday Cambi Night offering, I decided very quickly to skip the egg hunt. Honestly, the thought of paying $28 for my two kids to hunt for eggs seemed a bit obscene while staying at a resort that costs $500+/night.

    Overall, I really appreciated that Cambi was an option, even though we did not end up taking advantage of it much, if at all. I wish the resort would extend the Cambi hours to 5:30pm or even 6pm, because it would give parents the option of taking the Mixology course (which begins at 4pm and ends at 5pm) or staying at the Andaz Beach house until the last shuttle at 5pm, without having to worry about returning back to Cambi for pick up. In fact, one of the reasons why we chose against taking the Mixology Course was that in addition to paying the $40/per person, we would have to arrange for childcare as Cambi closes at 4:30. I feel like staying open just one extra hour isn’t too much to ask, even if that means delaying opening until 9am.

    Looking for more? Continue reading Costa Rica With Kids (Part IV): The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Review (The Andaz Beach House, the Andaz Beach & Water Activities)…

  • Iceland Packing List With Kids

    Iceland Packing List With Kids

    Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, We Go With Kids will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Opinions are the author’s.

    Packing for Iceland’s potentially very cold, wet and windy weather has challenges, especially when traveling on Iceland’s budget airline, WOW air, which charges additional baggage fees for bags larger than a personal item (e.g. a small backpack).  We are often asked what to pack for Iceland.  It’s further complicated by the fact that clothing and gear in Iceland can cost many times the average for similar items in the US, so it’s not wise to plan to pick up needed items upon arrival.  However, we were able to fit the luggage for our family’s 10-day trip into one large checked suitcase and five small backpacks.  We packed most of our clothes in our individual backpacks that we carried as our free personal items.  This method kept our clothes separate and organized.  We packed all our gear and large items in the suitcase, which almost exactly hit WOW air’s size and weight limits.  If I went back, I would definitely be even more efficient in terms of packing.  Note:  The link to the links to our Iceland packing list is at the bottom of the post : ).

    Iceland Packing List – Rain Gear

    It is essential to bring layers and good rain gear to Iceland.  None of us had ever owned rain pants, and I was a bit skeptical about whether or not they were really necessary when I purchased a pair for each of us.  (Toddler sized rain gear was hard to find, so we brought a pair of light snow pants for our two year old instead.)  We chose Mountain Warehouse Pakka for the boys and Swisswell for my husband.  I even left the tags on to return if they ended up not being needed.  However, we discovered in the first few hours in Iceland that rain pants were definitely necessary and served as great protection from both the rain and the wind.  Don’t head to Iceland without a rain jacket and rain pants for everyone traveling to Iceland.  These are not optional items, but feel free to leave the tags on the pants just in case.  Due to high winds, I don’t think we ever found umbrellas to be helpful, but we probably brought one or two in hopes that any rain we experienced would not be accompanied by crazy wind.

    Iceland Packing List – Layers

    Layering is key in Iceland.  We purchased base layers from 32 Degrees Heat (check out women’s top and pants and kids’ set).  On cold/wet days, we wore hats, gloves, base layers, shirts, fleeces, rain jacket and rain pants. On warmer and sunnier days, long-sleeved shirts were sufficient, but we generally needed to have a light jacket available.  Even during our trip in June, we wore our heavier coats on occasion when temperatures were in the low 40s with high winds.  With a fleece, rain jacket and heavier coat for each of us, that was a lot of luggage space dedicated to jackets.  The perfect fleece/rain jacket combo could have replaced the heavier coats, but especially after heavy rains, we were very happy to have a dry alternatives.

    Iceland Packing List – Clothes

    We selected clothing items for versatility and quick dry capabilities.  We only brought casual clothes and did not need more formal attire anywhere we went, and the weather was never warm enough for shorts.  Because we wore rain gear and jackets most of the time, our clothes were rarely visible in pictures.  We found we had more changes of clothes than we really needed, especially because we did laundry every few days.

    Iceland Packing List – Shoes

    I had read that waterproof hiking boots were absolutely necessary in Iceland.  We purchased hiking boots for the boys during our local Stride Rite‘s store going out of business sale but discovered on a practice hike that even with additional waterproofing, they did not repel water adequately and chose not to bring them.  With the relatively high cost for each pair of waterproof boots and no plans to do any serious hikes during our trip, we decided not to invest in waterproof hiking boots but brought two pairs of sturdy shoes each.  Our shoes were sufficient, and we didn’t regret not springing for more appropriate footwear that we would likely not use at home.  While visiting the muddy Hverir near Myvatn, we did wish that we had disposable shoe covers that the tour companies clearly were giving out.  Luckily, none of our shoes were destroyed by the mud, but if someone was selling them by the entrance, I probably would have been willing to pay many times their actual value.

    Iceland Packing List – Swimming Gear

    Iceland is not a beach destination, but geothermal pools should not be missed.  Packing for Iceland’s pools is definitely unique, though.  When swimming outdoors in cold temperatures, pool side lounging is not a thing.  Flip flops are not permitted in changing rooms, and the only geothermal pool we saw them used at was the Blue Lagoon.   Even in June, it was too cold to wear them outdoors, so they are really only usable in hotels and at the Blue Lagoon.  Personally, I wish I left our flip flops and also my pool cover up at home.  Floaties are provided at all pools, and I’m not sure if ones brought from home would be permitted.  Also not needed are beach toys.  The black sand beaches are gorgeous, but not the ideal location for sand play.  We brought suits, pool towels and goggles with us.  It was possible to rent suits and pool towels, but the rental cost was equal to the cost of pool admission (and renting suits was not something I would want to do).  Although not typical “swimming gear”, visitors to the Blue Lagoon who want to take pictures while bathing with their mobile phones will want to bring a waterproof case, such as the Lifeproof case, to avoid shelling out some ridiculous amount on site for something similar to a ziplock bag.  We left our phones in the lockers and brought our waterproof camera instead.

    Iceland Packing List – Medicine

    Over the counter medicine is available in Iceland, but not 24/7.  As usual, we brought both children’s and regular ibuprofen and a thermometer but luckily did not need it.

    Iceland Packing List – Food

    Food is widely available but expensive in Iceland.  It’s helpful to pack snacks for the plane and at least food for breakfast upon arrival as most flights get in before groceries open.  Our favorite grocery stores in Iceland were Bonus, Kronan and Netto.

    Iceland Packing List – Stroller/Carrier

    Iceland is not a place to bring a stroller as there is virtually no use for it outside of the Keflavik Airport where free strollers are available.  The terrain in most of the country is just not conducive to stroller use.  In heavy rain, wind or particularly rocky terrain, I carried our toddler in our Beco Baby Carrier, which worked out great.  The only place we could have used a stroller was during our brief visit to Reykjavik’s mall, Kringlan.

    Iceland Packing List – Car Seats

    WOW air permits a free stroller or a car seat for each child under seven.  Because we were not bringing a stroller, we brought a convertible car seat for our daughter. We knew there was a chance that our LATCH system convertible car seat might not work with ISOFIX.  We brought installation instructions for the seat and its safety clips but were pleased that the seat installed perfectly with ISOFIX.  For each of our boys, we brought an inflatable BubbleBum Travel Booster Seat. These fit into our suitcase easily but needed to be re-inflated frequently.

    Iceland Packing List – Miscellaneous

    When traveling to Iceland in the summer, an eye mask may be helpful if sleeping during day light is an issue.  Also, neck pillows are especially helpful for travel on Wow air as the seats do not recline.  We brought our Garmin GPS, which includes European maps.  It was helpful, but we wished we had a good map of Iceland as soon as we arrived.  Also, there were some complications due to the complexity of the Icelandic alphabet, so we wished we needed to record the GPS coordinates of our destinations in advance.

    Planning your own trip to Iceland with kids?  Check out our listing of all Iceland posts or join our Facebook group We Go To Iceland With Kids, a forum to ask questions and share ideas about family travel to Iceland and our Iceland Trip Packing List (use tally marks to keep track of what is packed).

  • New York City With Kids: Five More Fun Family Activities

    New York City With Kids: Five More Fun Family Activities

    Thank you to One World Trade Center Observatory and the 9/11 Memorial Museum for hosting our visits to those attractions.  All opinions are my own. 

    New York City is one of our favorite cities to visit.  The “City That Never Sleeps” is the largest metropolitan area in the US and boasts Broadway and Wall Street, along with world-famous landmarks and museums.  Nancy previously covered Five Fun Family Activities, but because this is one city that has a seemingly never-ending list of great tourist attractions, I have a few more to add. With so much to see and do, traveling to New York City with kids is a great family vacation.

    Visiting New York City With Kids

    I’ve enjoyed New York City as a tourist and while visiting friends.  My mom and I had a whirlwind weekend in 2005 where we made it to most of the stops on her mile-long must-see list.  My husband and I used to travel to the Big Apple each summer before kids, but we generally spent most of our time with friends and relaxing at the Long Island Beach.  We have visited New York City several times with our kids, most recently in October 2016 as part of a trip to Princeton, New Haven, Amherst and Chautauqua and look forward to future visits to Manhattan as a family.

    Checking out the view of Midtown from Bloomberg’s employee snack bar

    For families who need a break, there are some amazing playgrounds in New York City for kids to explore.  It’s hard to pass up the opportunity to see a Broadway show, and there are options to score cheap Broadway tickets at the last minute.

    Accommodations in New York City With Kids

    While in NYC, I have stayed several times at the Millennium Hilton New York Downtown in the Financial District.  The guest rooms are very comfortable, and the hotel also offers an indoor pool.  But, the highlight for me is the view of One World Trade Center and the Oculus, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub that opened in 2016 with retail and restaurants.  The Millennium Hilton is conveniently located for both business and pleasure.

    Millennium Hilton guest room with view of Oculus
    View of One World Trade Center and Oculus from my room

    Restaurants in New York City With Kids

    New York is also known for amazing restaurants.  Eataly is one of my favorites.  This Italian marketplace includes several restaurants, food and beverage counters and retail stores.  The food counters offer very reasonable but delicious meals, and the retail sections are beautifully curated.

    Eataly’s higher end restaurant, Osteria della Pace is also a great option for lunch or dinner.

    Osteria della Pace

    I also enjoy Casa Lever, an Italian Restaurant that features original Andy Warhol paintings to complement its ultramodern décor.  Casa Lever does not offer a kids’ menu and is not particularly child-friendly in the evening, but the food is superb, and the original Warhol paintings alone are a reason to make me want to go back.

    Original Warhol paintings at Casa Lever

    For breakfast, Stage Door Deli offers overstuffed sandwiches and a classic New York deli experience.  We stopped for coffee and bagels after an early morning flight, and our wrapped bagels were thrown from the back of the store to the register for added flair.  Stage Door is one of only two businesses to reopen on Vesey Street after September 11.

    Here are my five fun family activities in New York City:

    #1:  The Metropolitan Museum of Art With Kids

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art boasts a permanent collection of over two million works and is the largest art museum in the US and the fourth largest in the world.  The Met’s main location is on Fifth Avenue, and we were a few of the Met’s over 7 million visitors in 2016.  Admission to the permanent collection was previously by suggested contribution only, but the Met announced in January 2018 that it would begin charging a fixed admission of $25 for visitors who do not live in New York State.  General admission gives visitors free entry at The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer and The Met Cloisters for three consecutive days.   It would probably take that long to get through all the exhibits, but we did an abbreviated visit with our three kids, aged 2, 6 and 8.

    The Met has one of the most impressive impressionist collections that we have seen.  Our boys loved Bathers at Asnières at National Gallery, London and were especially excited to find Seurat’s final study for his similar A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.  

    We are also fans of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings and were thrilled to see Irises.  I’ve seen his similar Irises still life paintings on display at the Van Gogh Museum, and my kids have seen Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at National Gallery, London and Irises at the Getty Center.We also love Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, so the Met’s Water Lilies, a smaller version than many others we have seen in this series, was a real treat.  We are fortunate to frequently visit Water Lilies (Agapanthus) at the Cleveland Museum of Art and have also seen paintings in this series on display as part of the Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse special exhibit at the Cleveland Museum in 2015 and also at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the National Gallery, London, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Carnegie Museum of Art.

    Monet’s Water Lilies

    #2:  Times Square With Kids

    Times Square is the world’s most visited location with about 360,000 pedestrian visitors daily and over 130 million visitors each year.  Excluding residents from the count makes Times Square the second most popular tourist attraction behind the Las Vegas Strip with almost 40 million annual tourists.  The Broadway Theater District is located in Times Square, which is especially known for its billboards.

    Over the years, I’ve visited Times Square a number of times, but until my recent visit, my last photographs were from 2005.  Even before the rise of digital screens, it was still a sensory overload experience.

    Times Square – Summer 2005

    I was absolutely blown away with the transformation of the Square since the development of digital screens on my recent evening visit.  The largest billboard in Times Square was completed in 2014, spans an entire block and features almost 24 million LED pixels.  A pedestrian plaza completed in 2016 offers tiered viewing of the Square, including the humongous new billboard pictured on the right below.  Find out more about things to do in Times Square.

    Times Square – 2018
    • Kid Facts:  The New Year’s Eve ball drop at Times Square has been an annual tradition since December 31, 1907.  However, it was placed on hiatus in 1942 and 1943 because of World War II lighting restrictions.  Over a million visitors celebrate each New Year in Times Square.  The new energy-efficient LED ball installed for the centennial celebration is now a permanent fixture in the Square.

    #3:  National September 11 Memorial & Museum With Kids

    While I am familiar with tragic events like the World Wars, the Pearl Harbor attacks and the Vietnam War from history books, September 11 is one day that is burned in my memory. I had visited NYC for the first time only a few months earlier and spent an entire day exploring the Financial District in the shadows of the famous towers.  On the morning of the terrorist attacks, I was numb as I sat glued to my television and watched the World Trade Center crash to the ground.

    The 9/11 Memorial Museum is a very somber museum that chronicles the World Trade Center’s 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks.  The Museum honors both the victims of these attacks and also the first responders.  The Museum’s collection includes more than 40,000 images, 14,000 artifacts, 3,500 oral recordings and 500 hours of video.  It may not seem like a family friendly attraction due to its content, and I noticed on my recent Monday morning visit that there were not any young visitors.  I happened to be in the Financial District on business without my children when I visited, but I would not hesitate to take them to the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

    My boys learned about the September 11 terrorist attacks by reading Lauren Tarshis‘ I Survived the Attacks September 11th, 2001.  Tarshis’ series of historical fiction books is brilliant because they tell stories of some of the world’s worst disasters  through the eyes of a pre-teen boy (except one book featuring a female main character) experiencing the situation first-hand.  In I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001, the narrator is Lucas, the son of a New York City fire fighter who happens to visit his dad at work on the morning of the attacks.  My boys are familiar with the events of September 11 because of Tarshis’ book, and a visit to the 9/11 Memorial Museum with them would definitely be meaningful, but might be a quicker overview than the lingering visit I had with my colleague.  The Museum offers a seasonal Youth & Family Tour with an interactive activity and the Art Memorial Cart, which offers age-appropriate self-guided explorations and art activities.

    The Historical Exhibition chronicles the events of September 11, the events leading up to September 11 and the immediate aftermath.  This exhibit includes first-hand accounts, television footage and a variety of items on display.  Photography is not permitted in this exhibit, but is allowed in other areas of the Museum that feature items damaged on September 11, such as a fire engine from Ladder 3.  All 11 firefighters who traveled from in this engine died in the World Trade Center.  Also displayed is a segment of the radio and television antenna on top of the North Tower and the Last Column, which was the last piece of steel to be removed from Ground Zero and is now considered as a symbol of resilience.

    Fire engine destroyed on September 11
    Piece of the radio antenna from the North Tower
    The Last Column

    The National September 11 Memorial located outside the Museum includes two large, recessed pools with cascading waterfalls that are set within the footprints of the original North and South Towers of the World Trade Center.  The bronze parapets that surround the pools are inscribed with the names of those who lost their lives in the attacks.

    September 11 Museum and Memorial
    • Kid Facts:  The Memorial opened to the public on September 12, 2011, and the Museum, which is largely underground, opened on May 15, 2014.  Roses are placed by victims’ names to commemorate their birthdays.

    #4: One World Trade Center Observatory With Kids

    New York City has no shortage of skyscrapers, but One World Trade Center towers over all of them as the tallest in the Western Hemisphere and sixth tallest in the world at 1,776 feet (a reference to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed).  This new structure has the same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center and is located on the site of Six World Trade Center, an eight-story office building that was destroyed when the North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.   The building opened in November 2014, and the Observatory,  located on floors 100-102, opened in May 2015 and offers visitors a view of NYC from 1,250 feet in the air.

    The experience begins at the Global Welcome Center where visitors are greeted in their native language.  A live counter shows stats related to number of visitors and country of origin.  The next stop is a walk-through montage, which includes personal stories of all the people who helped build One World Trade Center.  The elevator ride to the 102nd floor is a special treat.  Visitors travel 1,250 feet in less than a minute while watching a high-definition time-lapse video on the elevator walls.   After a quick 3D film on NYC, visitors have the chance to check out the real highlight of the Observatory, the 360 degree views.

    View of Midtown from One World Trade Center
    The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

    We did not have time to eat at ONE Restaurant (which requires admission to the Observatory).  Our visit to the Observatory concluded with the high-tech and super-fast elevator ride down, which is as exciting as the ride up.

    • Kid Facts:  The top floor of One World Trade Center is the 104th floor, but the tower actually has only 93 stories, and 103 and 104 are mechanical floors.

    #5:  Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island With Kids

    Liberty Enlightening the World (aka the Statue of Liberty) was a gift from France to the US and is an icon representing opportunity and freedom.  The Statue of Liberty is a 151 foot copper statue located on Liberty Island.  It was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886.  It has been maintained by the National Park Service since 1933.

    The statue’s pedestal and base were closed for major renovations in October 2011 and reopened on October 28, 2012, one day before Hurricane Sandy.  The statue did not sustain direct damage due to Hurricane Sandy, but the storm did destroy the ferry dock.  As a result, Liberty Island remained closed until July 4, 2013 for repairs.

    The Statue of Liberty

    Nearby Ellis Island was the busiest immigrant inspection station in the US from 1892 to 1954 and was the gateway to over 12 million immigrants.  The descendants those immigrants now make up almost half of the US population.  After sustaining major damage during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Ellis Island was closed for one year for extensive renovation.  The Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration is located in the main building on Ellis Island.  About 5,000 immigrants filed into the Registry Room each day for medical and legal examinations.

    Registry Room

    The view of lower Manhattan from Ellis Island is pretty spectacular.

    View of Manhattan from Ellis Island
    •  Kid Facts:  While Ellis Island had been considered part of New York, a 1998 Supreme Court case determined that about 90% of the Island is in New Jersey.  While the land originally given to New York by an 1834 interstate compact remains under the control of New York, land later reclaimed is now under control of New Jersey.

    Find Out More About New York City With Kids

    New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the US but is not just for adults.  This traveler’s mecca offers many wonderful opportunities for families. Make sure to check out all of our posts on NYC before your next trip.

  • Costa Rica With Kids (Part II): Getting to the Papagayo Peninsula

    Costa Rica With Kids (Part II): Getting to the Papagayo Peninsula

    For Spring Break 2018, my family of four traveled to Costa Rica and spent one full week at the Andaz Papagayo. To read about why we chose Costa Rica with kids and booking logistics, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics. 

    The Papagayo Peninsula, located on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica, consists of 15 miles of coastline and 15 separate beaches. The Papagayo Peninsula is home to not only the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica and the Andaz Papagayo, but also the Peninsula Papagayo, a collection of resort homes and Central America’s first environmentally friendly luxury resort and real estate project. Located only 30 minutes from Liberia Airport, the Papagayo Peninsula has become an increasingly popular tourist destination and, despite plans for new development, government mandate provides that 70% of the land in the Papagayo Peninsula must remain natural.

    The Papagayo Marina

    How to get to the Papagayo Peninsula?

    There are a few options to get to the Papagayo Peninsula. Flying into Liberia Airport, which is only 30 minutes away, is the easiest option. But, it’s also possible to fly into San Jose International Airport and board a 40-minute flight hopper to Liberia (driving from San Jose Airport would be a 5+ hour long endeavor).

    My own personal journey to the Papagayo Peninsula wasn’t quite as simple as I was traveling solo from Washington, DC with my two children (ages 3.5 and 8). Not only would it be my first time crossing international borders on my own with the children, but I was tasked with a long layover in Houston (4+ hours), some last minute check-in issues, significant luggage to haul and manage, and, most importantly, a 3.5 year old who doesn’t nap on the go (but who still very much needs his nap).

    Preparing to Travel (Vaccines, Packing, Travel Insurance, Minor Travel Consent Form):

    Months before our scheduled departure, I made an appointment with a travel vaccine clinic to ensure that my children were up to date on their needed vaccines. Luckily, they were both already vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, but they both needed their typhoid vaccines for our trip (my husband and I were already vaccinated from our trip last year to Africa).

    The weekend prior to our scheduled Thursday morning departure from Washington, DC to Liberia, I took a quickly inventory of clothing items and made sure that everything we needed was clean. Utilizing Catherine’s Ultimate Packing List, I was able to quickly identify what items we would need as I tracked down items throughout our house and began compiling them in my staging area: a laundry basket located in the corner of my bedroom.

    My biggest concern, whenever traveling to a foreign country, is that I have sufficient minor first aid materials and basic medication in the event of illness. As a mosquito magnet, I’ve also developed my own “outdoor survival pack” that travels with us when appropriate.

    Basic first aid items I take on all trips with kids.
    My outdoor survival pack with all my essential mosquito survival items.

    Although the Nurse Practitioner at the travel clinic recommended that I look into travel insurance, given that we were traveling with young kids, I declined to purchase travel insurance for a few reasons: we would be staying at a resort that caters to international travelers, we have quality health insurance that covers us world wide, and we have premium credit cards that provide different levels of emergency health coverage, including the American Express Platinum Card which provides free medical evacuation coverage. Note: this was a personal decision to not purchase travel insurance for this specific trip. It is by no means a recommendation as to what you should do when faced with your own international trip. 

    As I was traveling internationally with children on my own, I insisted on having my husband complete a notarized minor travel consent form, identifying him as a parent of our two children and authorizing my travel to Costa Rica with both kids. I also carried with me a copy of his passport and his travel itinerary, indicating that he would be meeting us in Costa Rica for the week. Spoiler alert: I didn’t end up needing any of these documents, but I was happy to have them just in case and I wouldn’t risk traveling without them.

    Our Fourteen Hour Long Travel Day:

    The night before our scheduled 11am flight out of Reagan Airport, I attempted to check in, but despite entering our passport information, was informed that I could not complete the check in process as I needed to provide proof of our departure from Costa Rica. As you may recall, we had booked two one-way trips on different airlines, so I could not complete check-in until I showed a gate agent our return itinerary. As you can imagine, traveling solo with both kids and knowing that my husband would already be en route and unreachable by the time we were scheduled to depart Washington, I panicked just a little bit and barely got any sleep.

    The day of our trip, I found myself packed and ready to go well before we needed to leave for the airport. Nonetheless, despite knowing I would end up with three hours to kill at the airport, I decided to just head to the airport to complete the check in process just in case. One quick 15 minute Uberx+Car Seat ride to the airport later, I found myself standing in front of the United counter. Luckily, there was almost no line and a very helpful agent checked our passports, confirmed my return itinerary, entered her magical override code, and before I knew it, we were checked in and waiting at our gate 2.5 hours prior to our departure time.

    Our short three hour flight from Washington to Houston was a breeze, but I knew that I still had two big hurdles to overcome: our extended layover in Houston (4+ hours), and our late arrival to Liberia Airport, well past my three year old’s ordinary bedtime and likely without him having taken any kind of nap.

    American Express Centurion Lounge to the rescue! Earlier this year, I decided to add the American Express Platinum card to my arsenal of travel credit cards. Although the card comes with a hefty $550 / year annual fee, the card’s benefits (including complimentary access to Centurion Lounges for the cardholder + 2 guests) were sufficient to outweigh the heavy cost and I was eager to try out a Centurion Lounge for the first time.

    The Centurion Lounge was just what we needed. To enter, I just showed the hostess my Platinum card, Driver’s License (as proof of identity), and boarding pass and we were on our way. I quickly deposited my youngest in the empty kids’ room (he’s old enough to play independently, so as long as I can remain visual contact on him, I have no problems leaving him in an empty play room), deposited my oldest on a seat with his iPad, and went off to explore the food and drink offerings.

    Kids’ room at Houston’s Centurion Lounge
    The cocktail list at the Houston Centurion Lounge
    Food offerings

    I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the food and drink offerings, but I was disappointed that the food was geared exclusively for adults and there really wasn’t anything for children – not even milk.

    We spent a total of three hours in the Centurion Lounge and my kids were happy and safely contained the whole time.  Although they didn’t eat anything other than a roll from the buffet, they played and kept themselves occupied and I enjoyed the rare opportunity to have a cocktail and eat a meal in peace. The only out of pocket cost of this visit? The $2 tip I left the bartender.

    Discovering my unicorn: a meal on real plates and silverware, while traveling solo with two kids.

    With 1.5 hours left before our departure to Liberia Airport, I hauled the kids out of the Centurion Lounge and made our way to the gate. As they hadn’t had anything to eat yet, I simply stopped and grabbed them two slices of pizza, which they happily ate at the gate.

    Our flight to Liberia from Houston was uneventful. The only complication was that my preschooler was beyond tired at this point as he had not napped at all. He was absolutely frenetic during our 3.5 hour flight and nothing would appease him, until he discovered the joy of tearing apart the in flight magazine. Although I don’t typically allow destruction just for destruction sake, I ended up letting him tear apart the in flight magazine page by page – I figured it was better than the alternatives – loud shrieking and kicking.

    After he completely shredded the magazine, I requested a trash bag from the flight attendant and we burned another hour or so, just picking up each and every single piece of trash from the floor. As I was busy tying up the now completely filled trash bag and shoving it under our seat, I turned around and discovered that my little one had passed out sitting up in his seat. With less than an hour left of flying time, I knew deplaning was going to be rough, but I let him sleep and just hoped for the best.

    Clearing Customs in Costa Rica and Arriving at the Andaz Papagayo:

    Although I was juggling two rolling suitcases, an eight year old, a carry on backpack, a purse, and a sleeping 40 pound 3.5 year old, clearing customs in Costa Rica was a breeze. Although we were one of the last to get off the plane and arrived at Immigration when there was already a long queue in front of us, an immigration agent quickly came up to us, asked how many were in our party, and brought us to the front of the queue where there was an agent waiting to process families with children or special needs. We, along with two or three other families, were pulled from the long queue and processed very quickly, allowing us to enter Costa Rica and proceed to baggage claim. Note: My little one woke up crying while we were in line, and the immigration agent was very sympathetic. In between sympathetic comments and questions regarding where we were staying and the intent of our trip, she missed stamping my older son’s passport. If you’re a passport stamp hoarder, be sure to double check. 

    After obtaining our checked bag, we went through baggage inspection, and then exited to the public terminal space. I will admit, I was devastated to enter the public terminal space and not see my husband waiting for us. The fear that something had happened, or that there had been some kind of mix up that would require me to manage the kids and our baggage while attempting to track him down and secure transportation to the resort was almost more than I could handle at that precise moment. Happily, I looked beyond the automatic door and saw that he was just outside the airport’s entrance waiting for us. Whew. I learned later that even though there is plenty of land space around Liberia Airport, that the terminal parking is quite a bit away from the terminal and requires spotty shuttle transport. He decided to just drive to the terminal and park outside the exit door, but of course, he did not want to stray too far from the car.

    The drive from the airport to the hotel was approximately 30 minutes. As it was well past 10pm local time at that point, it was dark. Luckily, with our long travel day behind us, our exploration of the Andaz Papagayo and the Papagayo Peninsula could wait until the next day.

    Looking for more? Continue reading Costa Rica With Kids (Part III): The Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Review (Accommodations, Concierge, Dining, Onda Spa, Cambi)…

  • Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics

    Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics

    For years, I have heard amazing stories of friends traveling to Costa Rica as the ultimate adventure destination but as someone who generally shies away humidity and bugs, I’ve never been particularly interested in traveling to Costa Rica. I’m also not one who loves heights, so zip lining (which seems to be Costa Rica’s number one adventure activity) is not something that would be enticing.

    Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua, Panama, and ocean.

    source

    A few years ago, however, reviews started popping up about the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo (or “Andaz Papagayo” for short) as the ultimate couples destination.  Instead of touting horseback riding, zip lining and surfing, the reviews of the Andaz suggested stunning views, impeccable service, and relaxation — all of which I can get totally be on board with. Although my husband and I briefly explored the possibility of visiting the Andaz as a babymoon in 2014, the lack of economical flights to Liberia (the airport closest to the Andaz) quickly eliminated it as an option. Over the years however, I’ve read a number of reviews from other travel bloggers who have traveled to the Andaz Papagayo, heartily recommending it not only as a vacation destination, but as a family vacation destination. Suffice it to say, my interest in Costa Rice stemmed almost 95% from my desire to experience the Andaz Papagayo and Costa Rica quickly rose to the top of our “to visit” list.

    Booking Flights:

    Last August, I received an email alerting me to a flight deal from DC to LIR for less than $400 per  person. A quick call to my husband and less than an hour later, I found myself in possession of four roundtrip reservations to the Costa Rica for the Spring of 2018 for under $1,600 for our family of four.

    To take advantage of the deal, however, we had to book two separate one way plane tickets: (1) United from Reagan Airport to Liberia and (2) Copa Airlines from Liberia back to Dulles Airport. The flight to Liberia necessitated a four hour layover in Houston, which I wasn’t thrilled about, and I didn’t appreciate that our return flight was to Dulles Airport, which is about an hour away from our house (instead of a quick 15 minutes from our house to Reagan Airport), and that it would land at midnight. Despite the less than ideal flight routing, the affordability of the flights was a definitely plus, so we went ahead and booked.

    Unfortunately, circumstances changed and my husband was not able to travel with the rest of the family to Costa Rica! Instead, he would be flying to/from Los Angeles instead. I briefly considered scrapping the entire trip when this complication arose, but over Christmas, we booked him a separate roundtrip flight from LAX to Liberia on United using points.

    Pro Tip: My husband’s newly booked flight had him departing the night before our original departure time, arriving in Costa Rica nine hours before our original arrival time. As our four outgoing tickets were originally booked on United, I feared that having two reservations in his name would cause an automatic system cancellation. Knowing that he would be en route by the time the boys and I showed up to begin our trip, I called United and had them bifurcate his ticket from our reservation so that the boys and I would not have to worry about automatic cancellation of our entire reservation. The United agent I spoke with confirmed that this would have been an issue had I not called, and all she had to was split his ticket off our original reservation and then cancel his flight. Although the agent noted that the original fare could be used for a future flight, she also noted that because our original ticket was so inexpensive (less than $125 for a single one-way trip on United from Reagan to Liberia), it was not worthwhile to attempt to use it since it would necessitate a $200 change fee. Regardless, I was happy to have taken care of this in advance as the last thing I wanted was to show up at the airport and find that our entire reservation had been cancelled due to the logistical issues requiring a new ticket for my husband.

    Booking Accommodations:

    Almost immediately after I booked our flights to Liberia, I went to book our room at the Andaz Papagayo. Our hope was to book a suite using Hyatt points (transferred from Ultimate Rewards points), but even in August 2017, there were no suites available on points for our March/April 2018 trip. Knowing that we would be traveling with a not quite four year old who would still be needing his nap, I knew that a standard room was simply not an option. I quickly hatched the idea to book two standard rooms, assuming that we would just get connecting rooms and all would be fine.  At 15,000 Hyatt points / night, the redemption rate for a standard room at the Andaz is a steal. I was only given the option of booking king rooms online using points, so I reserved two king rooms, thinking I would simply request adjoining rooms at some point.

    The view from one of our two king rooms.

    Unfortunately, when I reached out to the concierge in early December (nearly four months prior to our stay), I learned that there are very few rooms with double beds on the property and because double beds are the only ones with adjoining rooms, there were very few adjoining rooms available. Over the course of the next four months, I conversed with the concierge via email on a number of occasions and was, each time, told that there were no adjoining rooms availability. The concierge was very helpful, however, and had us placed in two king rooms located next door to one another. Ultimately, this set up, although annoying, ended up working out great for us as we used one room for showering and storing our stuff and the other room stayed clean for our evening sleeping. This also worked great when my little one needed his afternoon nap and, in fact, may have worked better than a suite because we could close him off to sleep with one parent while the other parent stayed with my older one in the other room.

    Booking the Rental Car:

    Rental car insurance is a government monopoly in Costa Rica and thus, every rental must have liability insurance from the INS (Instituto Nacional de Seguros). The mandatory insurance costs anywhere from $10-$20/day, depending on the vehicle you rent and provides only minimal coverage (it does not cover your rental car at all, only damages to other people, their cars, or property). Thus, if you want coverage for any damages to your rental car, you must purchase supplemental collision ($15-40/day, depending on rental car company and vehicle) or, if you have it, rely on your credit card’s rental car coverage.

    As I’ve written about previously, our Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers primary collision as an included benefit. Prior to our trip, I spent hours reading reviews and researching various options before finally choosing Vamos Rent-A-Car, the rental car company that we selected. Priceline.com and various independent car rental websites were willing to rent me a car for the entire week for as little as $100, without any insurance. Reading numerous online reviews, however, I feared that we would suffer the same experience as many: showing up and being held hostage at the rental car line and being told we needed to add on hundreds of extra dollars of coverage to our car. Of all the car rental companies I researched, Vamos was the only one that allowed me to: (1) select the mandatory liability insurance and (2) waive the collision insurance during our reservation. As an added bonus, Vamos also included one free child car seat rental and a free cooler. Although the quoted price was just over $300 and thus $200 over the least expensive option I could find online, I valued Vamos’ transparent booking process (and the numerous positive online reviews didn’t hurt either). Moreover, after reserving our vehicle, I emailed Vamos to confirm that our credit card collision coverage would be sufficient and within hours, received a reply that it was fine and would be accepted. My husband reports that he had no issues when picking up the vehicle and that the final estimated price was the quoted price online.

    Our Vamos rental car!

    Why book a rental car?

    I’m sure you’re asking — why book a rental car? The honest truth is that even though we built an entire vacation around staying at a resort, we are not actually resort people. My husband and I (and our kids) get antsy if we are in one place for an extended period of time and, traveling with young kids means that we have very little desire to be stuck on hotel shuttles and guided tours.

    That being said, the Andaz offers shuttle services from Liberia Airport to the hotel. The prices are:

    Private Transportation:

    Liberia Airport to Andaz Peninsula Papagayo – $140 one way

    Andaz Peninsula Papagayo to Liberia Airport – $140 one way

    Shared Transportation: (Minimum 2 Guests)

    Liberia Airport to Andaz Peninsula Papagayo – $45 one way – per person

    Andaz Peninsula Papagayo to Liberia Airport – $45 one way – per person

    Shared transportation will only be shared if there is another guest from Andaz arriving at the same time you do. If you are the only guest requesting shared transportation, the cost will be $90 (as the minimum is 2 guests)

    To that end, utilizing the cheapest transport option of a private shuttle for our family of four ($280 round trip) from the airport to the hotel, the cost of the rental car was essentially the same as taking a shuttle to/from the airport… but we would not have a rental car available for us to use for the duration of our stay. Although the hotel does provide free shuttle service to the Marina Papagayo and the Andaz Beach House, it was a no brainer that we should rent a car purely for the flexibility and it would cost only a negligible amount over simply taking a shuttle to the resort. Note: it ended up costing us $338 to rent the car for the duration of our trip.

    Finally, if you are staying at the Andaz and would like the option of a rental car, but do not want to rent a car for the duration of your stay, the concierge can arrange for day rentals. The quoted price is $90 to $120 / day, depending on the vehicle.

    Pro Tip: I’m a bit of a car seat junkie and almost always insist on bringing our own car seat on trips. For this trip, my intent was to utilize the IMMI GO Child Car Harness. Unfortunately, when my husband arrived at Vamos, he learned quickly that the IMMI GO’s LATCH attachments would not work with our Costa Rican rental car. This being our first international rental car experience with a car seat that wasn’t just a simple booster, we had neglected to consider that international cars may have different attachments. Luckily, Vamos was great and provided us with a rental car seat for my not quite four year old. Note: Vamos’ original quote included one free rental car seat. We had selected a booster seat for our nine year old as our “free seat,” which was provided, but when the attendant stuck around and noticed that my husband was unable to get the IMMI GO to install properly Vamos quickly supplied us with a convertible car seat and did not charge us extra.

    Snug as a bug in his Vamos car seat.

    Continue reading Costa Rica With Kids (Part II): Getting to the Papagayo Peninsula…

  • Travel Tips: Dealing With Travel Disruptions

    Travel Tips: Dealing With Travel Disruptions

    Travel nightmares like cancelled flights, flight delays, mechanical issues, winter storms and lightening unfortunately happen from time to time.  While on a recent business trip to New York City, I received a text and email messages from United Airlines stating that there might be a travel disruptions due to weather.  As a result, United was waiving change fees to provide travelers with additional flexibility.  My colleague and I were booked on the 7:15 p.m. evening flight but definitely did not want to be stuck in NYC during the unexpected winter storm.  We tried to change our flight online to the afternoon departure, but the only options available were for the following day, when the storm was predicted to be at its worst.  After waiting on hold for a United Airlines customer representative for over 30 minutes, I learned that the only way to possibly fly standby on the full 3:15 pm flight was to inquire at Newark Airport.After our meetings concluded around noon, my colleague and I decided to go straight to Newark.  The United representative at the counter checked the flight and indicated she could not help us but directed us to someone else.  The second representative did some additional checking but told us that she also could not process a change but that possibly the representatives at Travel Assistance near the gate could help us.  We proceeded through security with our 7:15 p.m. tickets and headed straight to Travel Assistance, which had no line.  The representative confirmed that the 3:15 p.m. flight was fully booked but that no one was on the standby list.  We asked if it would be possible for us to fly standby, and she indicated that the change would require a $75 fee.  I inquired about the travel waiver in place because of the storm, and she said that while she did not see the 3:15 p.m. flight as an option for the fee waiver that she would go ahead and process our standby tickets.  We were delighted to find that there were a few available seats after boarding completed and were absolutely relieved to be heading home well in advance of the storm.  It turned out that our 7:15 p.m. flight was only slightly delayed, but just about all flights were cancelled the next day.

    My travel companion was impressed with how my “savvy traveler” skills scored us the standby seats, but I assured her that I did not utilize any specialized knowledge.  Instead, I just made sure to be nice while navigating through Newark.  It is important to recognize that not every representative has the ability to make a specific change; however, each representative may be able to lead me to someone who can help.  And, customer service representatives are far more likely to help kind travelers as opposed to unpleasant ones, even when there is a valid issue.

    Airport board every traveler wants to see

    When dealing with travel disruptions, try to remember these five things:

    • #1:  Be kind: This is the most essential travel rule.
    • #2:  Recognize limitations:  Not all airline employees have the authority to make every kind of change but may be able to direct travelers to someone who can help.
    • #3:  Phrase requests as questions:  I find it helpful to ask questions like, “Is this a full flight?” or “Is it possible…?” rather than, “I want….” or “I need….”
    • #4:  Be patient:  Some waiting is inevitable in any travel disruption situation.
    • #5:  Travel with carry on luggage whenever possible:  It is much easier to accommodate a last-minute travel change if checked luggage is not involved.

    Travel disruptions are no fun for anyone, but making travel adjustments can make them less painful.

    Check out our other Travel Tips for more advice about traveling with kids.

  • Virginia With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

    Virginia With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

    Guest Blogger: Cynthia, her husband, and two boys are Floridians who recently road tripped to Virginia where they quickly learned that Virginia is not “only” for lovers. The state offers so much rich history and fun stuff for a family to do. With her sons now of teenage age, their road trip to Virginia’s historical sites was the perfect opportunity to not only learn more about their country but to actually see and experience it in real life. For more on Cynthia and her family, visit Mackintosh Travels.

    Getting to Virginia:

    Our family has traveled extensively abroad, but we have not spent much time traveling within the United States. My husband is a history buff, so we decided to take our boys on an epic road trip from Florida to Virginia to visit Virginia’s amazing historical sites.

    Our first stop was to pay a visit to the “world’s first successful combat submarine,” the Hunley, located in Charleston, South Carolina. Our tour guide was extremely informative and we enjoyed the experience.

    Our next stop was at a  fun town located literally on the border of North and South Carolina. What a fun place South of the Border is! Vibrant colors surround this mini-Mexico, and it was a fun road trip break to get out and stretch our legs. My boys loved the attractions and sights and we all enjoyed the opportunity to dine and shop a little.

    Virginia!

    After 12+ hours in the car, we finally arrived in Virginia! We decided to head straight to our hotel, the Historic Powhatan Resort, which is owned by Diamond Resorts. Our goal was to rest and refresh in time to begin exploring Virginia’s historical sites. We stayed at this resort for the entire time we were in Virginia, so it was nice to have a place to come “home” to at the end of each day. We were able to make use of the swimming pool and hot tub on days we had extra time in the evenings.

    While there was so much to see and do in Virginia, here are our top five fun family activities:

    #1: Mount Vernon Estate

    Mount Vernon was George Washington’s plantation home. This lush and well-manicured estate is situated next to the Potomac River. It is not far from Washington, D.C. which makes it an easy day trip. With school aged children, this was a really great opportunity to make history come to life! My teenage boys were amazed to experience first-hand what Colonial America in Washington’s time was like rather than reading about this era in a history book.

    Mount Vernon Estate is made up of many different components. The mansion is the actual living quarters of our first President and General, George Washington. The first two floors are available for general touring (there is a third floor, which requires an additional admission fee). The mansion is well-preserved with period furniture so it looks just like it would have looked during Washington’s time, but photos are not allowed inside the mansion.

    The outdoors, or the grounds of the Estate, are just as beautiful as the indoor mansion. There were several small buildings that comprised, among others, George Washington’s barn, carriage, tools, meat curing, spinning, and laundry facilities. The intricate gardens are also presently maintained and open for visitors to stroll through.

    The icehouse is located along the Potomac River and although the icehouse is not available for touring because of its 22 foot drop, it was amazing to see its proximity to the Potomac River and to read about how it was used to make ice for the family. The Potomac River runs along the base of the Estate and, although Mount Vernon is located on the Virginia side, the other side is Maryland! My boys got a kick out of pointing to the other side. There are also special tours available to cruise on the Potomac River by boat.

    Washington’s Tomb is also located on the Estate and it is a quiet place of reflection. George Washington lays on the right, and on his left, lays his wife, Martha Washington.

    Kid Facts: Mount Vernon offers a special behind-the-scenes tour that takes visitors through a number of locations that were featured in National Treasure: Book of Secrets featuring Nicholas Cage. The Potomac River and the back of the Mansion are some of those scenes and while we were in the Mansion’s basement, we took this photo, not knowing it was not allowed – oops! When we got home, we watched the movie and paused at the point in the movie where the basement was shown so we could compare with our own photo.

    #2: Virginia’s Historic Triangle (Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown)

    source

    Virginia’s Historic Triangle is comprised of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, which were all important stops on our nation’s journey from English settlement to a new, independent nation. Connected by 23 scenic miles, the three towns are jointly administered by the National Park Service and The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Tickets to all three sites can be booked via this website.

    Tickets to experience the Historic Triangle can be expensive, but we really wanted to experience first-hand Colonial America, so we decided in advance to spend one full day at each location.

    Yorktown:

    The Battle of Yorktown ended on October 19, 1781 and marked a decisive victory by the American and French armies over British troops led by General Cornwallis. The battle not only boosted faltering American morale and revived French enthusiasm for the American Revolutionary War, but it helped undermine popular support for the conflict in England. During our tour of the battlefield, a National Park employee explained the battle, sights, and surrender flags situated throughout the battlefield. We loved being able to spatially orient ourselves and imagine the 18th century scene.

    The American Revolution Museum is an outdoor living museum with people dressed in period costumes, illustrating how people in that time period would have lived from day to day. Officially dedicated on April 1, 2017, the museum boasts 22,000 square feet of exhibition space with films, interactive galleries, and artifacts.

    Just outside the main museum building is the Revolution-era farm site, complete with log kitchens and attached brick chimneys.

    The museum posted procession times and we decided to hang around outside so we could catch it live. The fife and drums procession was absolutely amazing to hear live!

    Jamestown Settlement:

    Like the American Revolution Museum, Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum that visitors can walk through and get a first-hand feeling of what life was like during the time of the Revolution. It is a preserved piece of history situated in the heart of Virginia and consists of an expansive gallery, three re-created ships that visitors may climb aboard and explore, and numerous cafes and shops. The Jamestown settlement ships were the highlight of this stop and we loved being able to climb aboard and experience the small, but efficient ships.

    We also enjoyed visiting Powhatan Indian Village, a re-created Indian village featuring reed-covered houses, crops, and a ceremonial circle of carved wooden posts.

    The Jamestown Settlement also contains the re-created James Fort, a recreation of the Virginia Company of London’s 1610-14 outpost.

    Colonial Williamsburg:

    Colonial Williamsburg was the highlight of our Virginia’s Historic Triangle experience. It was like nothing I have ever seen! One minute, I was in modern day 21st century and the next minute, I had time traveled and stepped into the past. Visiting Colonial Williamsburg is an amazing teaching experience for children, and it is definitely worth setting aside a full day for the experience and favoring Colonial Williamsburg over Yorktown and Jamestown. Make sure to wear good walking shoes as there is a lot of ground to cover!

    Colonial Williamsburg is a re-created 18th century city and is the world’s largest living history  museum. There are over 40 sites and trades, four historic taverns, and two world-class museums on site.

    The Colonial Williamsburg website is a critical resource in planning any visit. There are suggested interest-based itineraries, a full events calendar, and even a list of must do activities for first timers.

    We particularly enjoyed the opportunity to go on a horse carriage ride and we also sat in on a mock trial session that my kids were able to participate in. If I had more time, I would have liked to have participated in a wool spinning class, but even with dedicating a full day to the experience, there was so much to do that I did not have time to work it in.

    #3: The American Civil War Museum and the Confederate White House

    Located in Richmond, the White House of the Confederacy was the Executive Mansion of the Confederacy from 1861-1865, when Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy.  During the Civil War, the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, lived in this home, and it is from here that he fled just before the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s Army at Appomattox.

    The White House houses a collection of objects associated with the Confederacy and President Davis, and a contemporary museum in the building houses many other Confederate artifacts, including Robert E. Lee’s field tent and Stonewall Jackson’s sword and cap.

    #4: Naval Station Norfolk

    The Naval Station Norfolk is located in Norfolk, Virginia, the southeastern corner of the state. It is home to the world’s largest naval base and we were able to tour the base and see many ships, aircraft carriers, and destroyers. The tours are conducted by naval personnel and last 45 minutes and cost (cash only) $10 for adults and $5 for children 3-11, senior citizens over the age of 60. Although we could not get up close to the ships, it was a good opportunity to get a feel for what it is like to live on base. The entire experience took about three hours.

    #5: Busch Gardens and Water Country

    Although not a historical site, we decided to indulge in a visit to Busch Gardens and Water Country near the end of our trip. Living in Florida, we are no stranger to water parks, but even though we have Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg had a much different vibe. Throughout the park, there were different countries represented, and we enjoyed visiting the different themed areas. Water Country was also much bigger than we expected and overall, we had a great day experiencing the parks.

    Final Thoughts?

    As we neared the end of our trip, we could not have imagined it going any better than it did. We had a wonderful time learning about our country together and our 10-day road trip turned into a full semester of historical learning. For families with school-aged children, I highly recommend taking a trip to experience Virginia’s vibrant history!