The Upper Peninsula contains 29% of the land area of Michigan but just 3% of its total population. Residents are frequently called Yoopers (derived from “U.P.-ers”) and have a strong regional identity. Large numbers of French Canadian, Finnish, Swedish, Cornish, and Italian immigrants came to the Upper Peninsula, especially the Keweenaw Peninsula, to work in the area’s mines and lumber industry. The peninsula includes the only counties in the United States where a plurality of residents claim Finnish ancestry.[1]source
Getting to the Upper Peninsula, or the UP of Michigan, is, of course, the biggest obstacle to actually visiting. It is approximately four hours driving distance from Ann Arbor, MI to Allenville, MI, one of the first towns after you cross the Mackinac Bridge and enter the Peninsula. So, any visit to the UP automatically begins as a road trip up north!
Note that pedestrians are not permitted on the bridge, except during the Labor Day walk when the governor leads walkers in walking the five miles across the bridge. If you happen to be driving through during Labor Day weekend, schedule some extra time to allot for the delays or join the walk yourself!
Our visit to the Upper Peninsula took place in the late summer and we rented a small cottage along the Anna River, just a few miles south of Munising, which sits on the southern shore of Lake Superior. The cabin itself, the Anna River Cottage, appears to no longer be available for rent, but I encourage you to look around as a quick glance at VRBO and Homeaway suggests there are a number of options at very reasonable rates.
Anna River
The stream behind the house, the Anna River, is a perfect stream for young anglers – there is a nice flow, but it’s not too deep or fast.
During our visit, we took a quick drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which remains one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and was less than two miles from our cabin.
With over 100 miles of trails, the Lakeshore is stunning, however, it’s not place I would recommend with young children unless you’ve done extensive prior research on the trails as many are located on cliffs. Although, we visited in the late summer when the weather was still quite pleasant, it does get cold up in the UP very quickly and we could see traces of one of the major wintering activities as we drove through the Lakeshore: snowmobiling! Indeed, snowmobiling in Upper Michigan is quite popular and we saw numerous places where you could rent equipment and/or arrange for guided trips. Although our boys are still young, I would definitely consider returning to the UP in the winter when they are older so we can snowmobile.
In addition to the Lakeshore, we also enjoyed driving through the various scenic areas where often found ourselves in the midst of birch forests.
The trees are tall and thin with white bark and grow very close together in a dense forest. Being so far north, the landscape was definitely different from anything we had ever seen in the southern/western United States.
Finally, the thing we enjoyed most about traveling to the UP was that it was so quiet and peaceful. Unlike the other trips we have taken “out west” — Yellowstone, Yosemite, even Denali — there is literally no traffic in the UP and very few tourist attractions, if any, once you get past the Mackinac Bridge. We never ate dinner out one time during our four night stay, rather, we just stopped by the local grocery and picked up a few items and either prepared a simple meal at home or over the fire pit. We did manage to work in a sampling of the “pasty,” which is like a calzone/meat pie.
There are different fillings you can choose, but we loved the simple meat and potato option. These also made excellent items to pack with us and take on our hike – the perfect portable meal.
Although Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is remote and difficult to visit, if you find yourself with the time and opportunity to do so, I definitely would! I’ve always wondered about that slice of Michigan hanging around up north all by itself. The added bonus, of course, is that if you’re interested in hiking and camping, you can get a lot of that done in the UP without spending a lot of time negotiating tourist traps or other drivers in traffic. Although an Upper Peninsula vacation might not be automatically what people think of when they think of ideal family getaways, there are plenty of things to do in the Upper Peninsula and our family trip to “UP MI” ranks high on our list of favorite getaways!
Located in Chantilly, VA, a quick 30-45 minute drive from Washington, DC, the Udvar-Hazy Center or, as we locals like to call it, “the Dulles Air & Space Museum” is an off the beaten path destination that I highly recommend for anyone visiting Washington, DC. Let’s face it, the weather in Washington, DC is fickle and there are many days during heavy tourist season where the weather is just too unpleasant to be outside. If you’re tired of being drenched in sweat the minute you step outside your hotel room, Dulles Air & Space is the place for you!
Dulles Air & Space has two large hangars, displaying thousands of aircrafts and space ships. When my kids were early walkers, we frequently took advantage of Air & Space’s wide corridors and open expanse of space to let our kids run and burn off their energy, especially in the winter or spring when the weather was frequently too cold or too wet for us to be outside.
My now eight year old started visiting Air & Space when he was just getting on two feet!
If you have any experience visiting museums with young children, you know that it can frequently be a harrowing experience to actually get anything out of it yourself. Between maneuvering the crowds, chasing little feet, and reminding sticky hands not to touch, we frequently find that we, as the adults, miss out on a lot of the experience. I’m happy to report that the Dulles Air & Space museum is different because the nature of the exhibits (airplanes and space shuttles!), makes it easy for even the adults to catch as glimpse before eager little feet run off. The Blackbird, the Concorde, the Enola Gay, and the Discovery Shuttle are all located at Dulles Air & Space and they’re impressive enough to catch the fancy of even the youngest museum goers.
Things to Note:
The museum is open daily from 10am – 5:30pm and although admission is free, there is a parking fee of $15 per vehicle before 4pm.
There is a McDonald’s cafe located on the second floor so if you get hungry and need to catch a bite to eat, that’s always an option.
If you have older kids, there is also an IMAX Theater and Planetarium that may be of interest. My children also love to watch the preservation and restoration activities taking place in the Restoration Hangar, where there are frequently specialists working hard to assess and preserve artifacts for everyone’s enjoyment.
Do not confuse the Dulles Air & Space Museum with the National Air & Space Museum in Downtown, Washington, DC. Both are operated by the Smithsonian, but are uniquely different. The downtown museum has traditional exhibits and a children’s science area that is fantastic for children ages 3-6. The downtown museum, however, can get extremely crowded during busy tourist season as it is located on the mall and within walking distance to most major tourist sites. The Dulles Air & Space Museum featured in this post can mostly be described as “a bunch of cool airplanes and space craft hanging out in giant hangars.” In other words, super awesome for little kids who need to burn off energy in sub-optimal weather conditions. It’s also a wonderful place to visit with older children, especially as they learn more about air and space travel. My oldest son is not quite at the age where the Enola Gay or the Concorde means anything to him – but you can be sure we will visit when he is!
Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC. We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC!
Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!
Napa Valley is definitely not a typical family vacation destination, but my husband and I did not want to pass up the opportunity to enjoy a few wine tastings while in Northern California visiting San Francisco and Yosemite. We tacked on two nights in Napa and hoped that the wineries would be as much fun for our two and four year old boys as wineries in Ohio’s Grand River Valley. While we definitely all enjoyed our time in Napa, our experience visiting California wineries with children was not what we expected after our regular trips to Ohio’s wine country. Here are our recommendations for the best things to do in Napa with kids.
Visiting Napa Valley With Kids
We thought our kids would have the chance to drink grape juice served in wine glasses and eat delicious meals at wineries in Napa. However, we discovered that Napa wineries do not make grape juice because their grapes are too expensive to “waste” on juice. Only one winery we visited offered my boys juice, and it was served in Capri Sun pouches rather than fancy glasses. Because it is expensive for wineries in Napa to obtain food permits, most stick to serving wine and the occasional free snack. While my boys enjoyed frolicking in vineyards, touring wineries and watching some grape stomping, we did not find any vineyard in Napa where we could relax for an entire afternoon or fly a kite like we regularly do in Ohio.
Where to Stay in Napa Valley With Kids
We stayed at the Meritage Resort and Spa, a wonderful Napa family resort that offers both rooms and suites. We booked a one bedroom suite with a full kitchen, living room with a pull-out couch for the boys, a whirlpool tub in the bathroom and a washer and dryer, which was so helpful after a weekend in San Francisco and a few days in Yosemite.
This 2012 trip was before Airbnb had its reached its current widespread popularity, and we really had not yet stayed in many condo-style accommodations when traveling with kids. It was so convenient to feed the boys breakfast at a full dining table as we were getting ready for the day and also have the option of watching television in the bedroom after they went to sleep. When we found the weather a bit too chilly to enjoy the outdoor pool, adding shampoo to the whirlpool tub made a fabulous bubble bath alternative. Our kids simply loved this hotel.
We arrived in the late evening and ate dinner at the hotel. When we decided to venture out the next morning, the concierge was helpful in directing us to more family friendly wineries, even though we honestly felt our kids were tolerated rather than welcomed wherever we went in Napa. Of the more than 500 vineyards in Napa, the concierge recommended only a handful.
Napa wineries are each unique but typically open from about 10 am to 5 pm daily. Some offer simple tastings with some free snacks, others have tours of the facilities and vineyards. While reservations are required at some wineries, we were able to drop in at each of the wineries we visited during our mid-week visit in October. Obviously, drinking and driving is a concern in Napa, and so we took turns tasting wines and driving.
Here are our five favorite Napa Valley kid-friendly wineries:
#1: Sterling Vineyard With Kids
Sterling Vineyard has a beautiful setting. It was our first stop in Napa, and the tree-lined approach was so spectacular that we stopped to take a picture.
The main draw for kids at Sterling Vineyards is the aerial tram used to transport guests from the parking area to the hilltop winery located in a stucco building that looks like a monastery. It is the only aerial tram in Napa and offers amazing views of the surrounding area. Our family of four fit into one gondola and thoroughly enjoyed the ride up and down.
Sterling’s aerial tram
As part of our general admission package, we enjoyed a tasting and a self-guided tour of the lower portion of the winery. Because we visited during the Fall harvest, humongous containers of grapes were arriving at the winery. Our boys were at the height of their truck enthusiasm and were thoroughly mesmerized watching the carts move these containers around.
After our tour, we sat on the terrace to sip some wine and soak in the scenic rolling hills surrounding the valley. Even a quick call from a colleague couldn’t dampen this gorgeous day.
We were surprised that bottled grape juice was not available for the kids and honestly a bit taken aback when the boys were offered CapriSun pouches, but it turned out that this was the only winery that had any sort of juice available. If the aerial tram and grape vats were not enough to keep the boys happy, they created their own excitement by “decorating” their shoes with wine corks.
#2: V. Sattui With Kids
V. Sattui Winery is a family owned winery that dates back to 1885. It is unique because of its onsite Artisan Deli that offers amazing homemade food that is perfect for picnicking. Unlike the Ohio wineries we frequent, very few Napa Valley wineries serve food. We picked up some amazing paninis at the deli and found the perfect picnic spot in the shaded grounds. The wine barrels were an appropriate choice for garbage cans.
Outside food and wine are not permitted, but this was definitely our favorite meal in Napa.
Kid Facts: V. Sattui was established by Vittorio Sattui, an Italian immigrant from Genoa in 1885. The winery closed during Prohibition but was reopened by Sattui’s great-grandson in 1976.
#3: Andretti Winery With Kids
Andretti Winery was established in 1996 by retired Kmart CEO Joe Antonini and retired race car driver, Mario Andretti. The Tuscan architecture and exudes the feeling of Italy. The grounds were superb, and the boys loved running in the vineyards and playing near the stunning fountain.
Kid Facts: Mario Andretti is Vice Chairman.
#4: Grgich Hills Estates With Kids
Grgich Hills Estate is distinctive because it does not use artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides in its vineyards and has relied on solar power since 2006. Formerly known as Grgich Hills Cellars, the winery changed its name to Grgich Hills Estate in 2007 when it started producing only “estate grown” grapes grown at its own private vineyards.
One of the draws of visiting Grgich was to witness grape stomping, a seasonal activity offered at the winery. Guests can stand in a barrel of grapes and stomp to make juice. When completed, they step onto a new white t-shirt to imprint their grape juice footprints onto a very unique souvenir. We neglected to take any pictures of videos of grape stomping, but this promotional YouTube video provides a great view.
We did forego grape stomping in favor of a tour and a tasting but thoroughly enjoyed watching stomping in progress.
Kid Facts: Owner Miljenko “Mike” Grgich surprised the wine world in 1976 when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was named as the world’s finest white wine.
#5: Beaulieu Vineyard With Kids
Beaulieu Vineyard was our last stop in Napa Valley before heading back to San Francisco. This winery was established by Georges and Fernande deLatour in 1900. Fernande named the vineyard “beau lieu” meaning “beautiful place.” The de Latours were French immigrants who sold their crème de tartar business to enter the wine making business. BV is the oldest continuously producing winery in Napa.
We did a simple tasting, but our two year old was clearly done with wineries and literally fell asleep in my arms. My husband couldn’t resist snapping a commemorative photo of the winery nap. BV turned out to be our favorite wines of the trip and the one we most often purchase at home.
Kid Facts: Prohibition did not wipe out BV’s wine making business; instead, the winery continued making wines to fulfill their contract for sacramental wines for the Catholic Church.
While we definitely felt that our boys were tolerated rather than welcomed at Napa wineries, they still really enjoyed our two days. I’ve heard rumors through the grapevine that Napa’s wineries have become more family friendly in recent years but have doubts after finding that the website, NapaValleyKid.com, The Go-To Guide for Families in Napa Valley, has no posts in its listing of Family Friendly Wineries. Even if it is not a “must do” with kids, there is no reason to skip it during a family vacation to Northern California. We’d certainly jump at the chance to go back to Napa with kids to check out wineries again to compare experiences. To find out more about family trips to Northern California, see our posts on San Francisco, Yosemite and Monterey.
Virginia has nearly 300 wineries and dozens of wine trails sprinkled throughout the state. There are 10 general wine regions in the state, ranging from the Blue Ridge region to the Northern Virginia region, very close to our home in Washington, DC. Do we really visit wineries with kids? Yes, yes we do!
Virginia wineries are, for the most part, child friendly. We have been visiting wineries in Virginia since before my oldest son was born and we continue to visit wineries even though we now have two kids (and sometimes a dog!) to bring along for the ride.
The wineries we tend to visit most often are located in two different regions: Northern Virginia and Central Virginia. The Northern Virginia wineries are located just about an hour away from home and are an easy activity for a leisurely Saturday or Sunday when the weather is nice. The Central Virginia wineries are usually reserved for our fall getaways when we rent a cabin for a long weekend and sneak off to the greater Charlottesville region.
Northern Virginia Region Wineries
If you find yourself in Washington, DC and searching for a day trip away from the city, the Northern Virginia wineries are truly a treat. Just a short one hour long drive from DC (traffic depending, of course!), we frequently drop into a winery as part of another event or activity. Our favorite wineries are:
Chester Gap Cellars – Family owned and operated, Chester Gap is a small producing vineyard with incredible white wines. We visited years ago when the winery was just getting started, and we have loved seeing their wines pop up on finer restaurant menus throughout town. We have met the winemaker and his lovely wife (they also have a son who we met ages ago but is probably a grown man by now!), and the staff in the tasting room is always happy to entertain well behaved children.
my son hanging out on a barrel in the tasting roomour hostess was so enamored by my son that she held him while my husband played with the grape cultivator model
The Winery at La Grange – The Winery at La Grange is one of our favorite wineries to visit because the tasting room is set in the historic Manor House at La Grange.
The house itself is fun to explore, but my kids particularly love to run around in the expansive outside space. We frequently stop at La Grange for a glass of wine and then sit outside to enjoy the outdoors, while our kids take a much needed car break.
Barrel Oak Winery (“BOW”) – Barrel Oak is probably not the best place to visit for those seeking an exclusive wine experience. But, if you happen to have kids or dogs and enjoy a fermented grape or ten, BOW is a GREAT place to visit. I’ve been fortunate to attend many events at BOW, including a morning yoga class followed by a wine tasting. The winery really does emphasize fun and unlike some wineries that have been restricting crowd side and hinting that children are not welcome on weekends, BOW is committed to having fun with friends and family, including your favorite four legged dependent!
Bluemont Vineyard – Like BOW, Bluemont Vineyard is truly a family friendly place and it is conveniently located literally around the corner from Great Country Farms, a local U-Pick farm with abundant activities for children. I highly recommend spending a morning at Great Country Farms with your little one and then driving down the road to Bluemont for lunch (the Tasting Room offers simple eats like flatbreads and sandwiches, perfect after a few hours of strawberry picking) and some wines before heading back to DC – truly a perfect day trip and a little something for everyone.
strawberry picking before a visit to Bluemont Vineyardsample menu offering at Bluemont Vineyard
Our favorite Virginia wineries are those in the Charlottesville area, mostly because of the breathtaking landscape. Located approximately three hours away from Washington, DC, the Charlottesville wineries certainly are more of an investment in terms of time and effort, but if you happen to be visiting for the weekend, you absolutely should pop in and get a sip or two.
Barboursville Vineyards – Our favorite winery to visit is Barboursville. Arguably one of Virginia’s most well-known wineries, Barboursville is frequently extremely crowded and elbow room only, but the wine and the space easily make up for the crowds. The winery has an outstanding restaurant, Palladio (which I wouldn’t recommend dining at with small children as it is definitely high end dining!), and a small herb garden where they grow items for the restaurant.
The garden at Barboursville
The flagship wine at Barboursville is Octagon, which is stored in the Octagon room and is available for peeping.
my toddler, running amongst the aging barrels of Octagon
On weekends, Barboursville offers a vertical Octagon tasting, which takes place in a more private, less crowded environment. I highly recommend this experience!
The Octagon Tasting Area
Grace Estate Winery – Grace Estate Winery is a great winery to visit if you’re looking for simple snacks and some outdoor space for your kids to run around. We have visited Grace and taken advantage of the small snacks they offer to feed our children.
The winery also has gas grills, free wifi, and outdoor games (like corn hole), which makes it a lovely place to spend a few hours on a nice afternoon.
Final Thoughts
I would not say that Virginia wineries make an effort to cater to children – they do not offer grape juice or playground space, and you’d be lucky to find outdoor activities like the corn hole set we found at Grace Estate. The most you’re going to find is a sad bucket of toys that won’t even hold a toddler’s attention.
A pretty sorry excuse for a kids’ toy basket, if you ask me!
But, I have never hesitated to visit a Virginia winery with my kids because by and far, the winery experience is just fine for kids. There’s always ample space to run around outdoors and plenty of indoor stuff to keep a child’s attention for a few minutes. Of course, you’ll want to come prepared with snacks, treats, and even a iPad (heaven forbid!) just in case things get rough, but it is possible to visit wineries and have a good time with kids!
Guest Blogger: Ophélieis originally from France but moved to Belgium from McLean, Virginia five years ago. She and her husband have found that kids didn’t have to stop them from doing what they love. Instead, they shared their passion for travel and the outdoors with their young son and daughter. Ophélie can be found on Instragram and Facebook.
Located only five hours by car (or two hours by train) from Paris, Alsace is a cultural region in eastern France, which, since 2014, has been part of the of the Grand-Est administrative region. Due to its location along the French/German border, Alsace has been the center of a centuries long tug-of-war. Our visit to Alsace in winter was a lovely family vacation.
Today, when you visit the region, you can see how the influence of the two empires has affected the area in all aspects, including architecture, language, and gastronomy. Alsace is a land of transition, overflowing with history and half-timbered houses and ruins of medieval castles abound. While Strasbourg (the largest city in Alsace) and Colmar (the third largest commune in Alsace) may seem like obvious and attractive places to visit, there is so much that Alsace has to offer, and I highly encourage you to explore the entire area. Indeed, the Alsace Wine Route is located between Strasbourg and Colmar and offers a mosaic of landscapes, including vineyards, forests, picturesque villages, and old castles. Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, we decided to explore the region. With a mix of many of our family’s favorite activities, including hiking, small towns, gastronomy, and wineries, this was the perfect destination for a family trip.
Many villages along the Alsace Wine Route are part of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France), a small association dedicated to promoting tourist appeal of small rural villages with rich cultural heritages. These charming and colorful villages definitely deserve to have their own title and the Alsace Tourism Center lists 18 iconic villages along the Wine Route. Because we were only there for a few days, we could not visit every single village. Instead, we visited fewer places but took the time to get lost in the small streets to immerse ourselves in the magical atmosphere of those small villages.
Although the Christmas market season had ended, the Christmassy vibe of cheerful songs, festive decorations, and seasonal food was still present. We particularly loved Ribeauvillé, a medieval village steeped in history, Kayserberg, a fairytale village surrounded by vineyards with forested hills rising above the town, and Riquewihr, the must-see fortified wine-making village. From mid-November to mid-January, these villages offer treasure hunts with game booklets that are available at the Office of Tourism, which has an office in each village. This was such a fun, interactive, and entertaining way to visit these stunning villages as we were able to roam the illuminated streets of Riquewihr and Kayserberg on the trail of a Christmas treasure while also unraveling several riddles. Our quest brought us away from the main tourist streets and into small narrow streets, where we learned about the history of the place. After a 1-1.5 hour sightseeing walk, we had gathered all the clues and returned to the Office of Tourism with our “mystery word.” All “winners” were offered a reward, which included an Alsatian seven family game, an artisanal Christmas decoration, a wine glass, a local story book, and much more. It was so hard to choose! My kids loved the whole process from finding the clues to picking out a gift, and the treasure hunts are one of their favorite memories of the trip! We did not do the treasure hunt in Ribeauvillé because we were there for less time. Overall, I highly recommend you look into this as an activity if you find yourself visiting around the holidays.
Pro Tips:
Most of the towns are closed to traffic, unless you are a resident. Luckily, there is paid parking outside of the villages and the parking is less than a five minute walk to the village.
The treasure hunts were FREE!
I highly recommend that you visit the tourist office website to check out the calendar of activities in each village as they tend to offer different activities and events through the year. You can also visit the tourist office desk when you arrive at the village. As a bonus, the tourist office is staffed with friendly people with handy tips to share and free public restrooms (my kids always need to go at the worst possible moment, so I thought this was worth mentioning!).
#2: Vineyards and Wineries in Alsace With Kids
The best way to discover the countryside is to hike it. We followed the “Grand-Crus” Wine Trail, which crosses several villages and is punctuated by signboards, explaining the work happening in the vineyards and the wine making process. Hiking through the Pays de Riquewihr, we were immersed in the heart of the vineyards and, along the way, we discovered the three castles of Ribeauvillé (the Saint-Ulrich, the Ribeaupierre, and the Girsberg) and witnessed the medieval way of life. The old castles truly are a great way to keep the kids motivated and excited while hiking!
If we enjoy very much walking in the vineyards, it’s almost a certainly we will love the final product even more! Raised in a family of wine-producers, I adore traveling to wine regions to discover small producers and taste their wines, while learning about region specific wine making processes. Appellation d’Origine Contrellé (AOC) laws govern French vineyards to ensure consistent and highest-quality winemaking and Alsace has been designated four grape varieties that meet the Grand-Cru AOC designation: reisling, gewürztraminer, pinor gris, and muscat. Along the Alsace Wine Route, many small producers offer degustation (wine tasting) menus and, after trying the amazing Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Reisling at one dinner, we opted to try the Fux-Fuchs GAEC in Zellenberg, a small-family owned production. The tasting room happened to be located next door from our hotel (the Au Riesling Hotel). Although it is tempting to try out the region’s amazing wines at every pit stop, we don’t drink and drive so finding a wine tasting spot within walking distance of our hotel was great – a win-win situation all around.
Pro Tips:
Most wineries are open for visiting and tasting Monday through Saturday (9am – 12pm, 2pm – 6pm) without prior reservation.
Access to vineyards is restricted during harvest season and the month beforehand. Check with the local Tourist Office before planning a visit during the harvesting months (August to October).
For the wine lovers among you, I highly recommend you check out the Winefolly page on Alsation wines.
Fux-Fuchs is a family-run wine producing company, with nine hectares (or 22 acres) of vines. They don’t have a website, but you can find their contact information on the Alsace tourism website. I highly recommend you try the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Riesling!
#3: The Haut Koenigsbourg Castle in Alsace With Kids
The Haut Koenigsbourg Castle cannot be missed during any trip to Alsace. Built in the 12th century, this incredible monument has witnessed the course of European history – constant rivalry between lords, kings and emperors. At the beginning of the 20th century, the German Emperor Wilhelm II (Alsace was controlled by Germany back then!) decided to renovate the castle that had been besieged and destroyed during successive battles. From 1900 to 1908, the Château du Haut Koenigsbourg was restored to its original glory.
Up on the heights of the village of Orschwiller, located a short 25-minute drive from Ribeauvillé, the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle is just a small detour from the Alsatian Wine Route. Perched on a rocky hill at an altitude of 757 meters, the Castle offers incredible views of the vineyards along the Alsatian Plains. A must see if you are in Alsace!
Pro Tip:
Free parking is available along the road leading to the castle. There is then a two to 15 minute walk before you reach the castle.
Plan to spend at least 90 minutes visiting and exploring the Castle.
Because of stairs (and the terrible freezing air flow in the winter), I recommend you use a baby carrier rather than a stroller.
Entrance fees are: Adult 9 € (~$11USD), Child 5 € (~$6USD), Student 7 € (~$8.50USD). Kids under six are free.
#4: Gastronomy in Alsace With Kids
Alsace is a foodie heaven with countless culinary specialties. The symbol of Alsatian cuisine probably is the delicious choucroute: sauerkraut accompanied with pork meat. While my kids (who are usually not picky eaters) are not big fans of choucroute, they appreciated the flammenkuche (or tarte flambée), a thin tart covered with cream, fried onions, and bacon. Tradition Alsatian specialties also include street foods such as bretzels (fresh baked and soft pretzels, sometimes found with melted cheese on top or accompanied by smoked salmon or ham), and kougelhopf (a sort of brioche and leading symbol of Alsace), to name a few. We sampled as many specialties as physically possible after two days of Christmas family meals. Alsatian food is delicious, but definitely not light!
WHERE TO STAY & WHEN TO VISIT ALSACE WITH KIDS
We stayed at the Hotel Au Riesling, in the heart of Alsace’s vineyards, and we loved it. Au Riesling is a family-owned and run hotel located in the traditional village of Zellenberg along the Alsace Wine Route. Situated between Ribauvillé and Riquewihr, the hotel is ideally located to visit everything in the area. From the terrace, the hotel provides an unrestricted view of the vineyards and a glimpse of the faraway Black Forest and Vosges Mountains. The staff is very friendly and you can feel the warmth that is typical of family-owned and run hotels. The Hotel’s restaurant offers both classical French cuisine and Alsatian specialties, with a selection of local wines. We love our children to try new food and be sensitive to fine food, so we were really pleased that Au Riesling offers a “Children’s Menu,” which is actually half-portions of the regular menu! The time between courses was a bit long, but that is the French way and next door to the restaurant is a room with board games, books, and a television where kids can relax in between meal service.
The Christmas season is really magical in Alsace and therefore is one of the busiest periods of the year in terms of tourism. Consider booking your stay during the week to avoid overcrowding. Between May and October, Alsace’s natural landscape is simply stunning. During this time, the vineyards display shimmering colors, from tender green to deep orange. Apart from the enchanting postcard villages, the Alsatian vineyards really are the charm of the Alsace Wine Route.
Ophélie travels to some stunning locations and this post on Alsace has us wishing we could tag along on their next family adventure! If you find yourself similarly inspired, be sure to check out Ophélie’s other posts on WGWK!
Chautauqua is a small town in western New York best known for the Chautauqua Institution, a lakeside resort that offers weekly educational programing for nine weeks each summer. Over 100,000 visitors participate in one or more of the Institution’s over 2,000 lectures, art exhibits, outdoor symphonies, theater or dance performances, opera and classes each year. Additionally, Lake Chautauqua offers opportunities for fishing, swimming, sailing, boating and canoeing. Chautauqua is an easy two-hour drive from Cleveland, and we have friends who regularly vacation here or own a second home in the area.
Visiting Chautauqua With Kids
We ended up making an unplanned stop in Chautauqua while driving back from New England in October 2016. We typically book hotels in advance but had not because we were not sure how far we would make it after leaving Amherst, Massachusetts in the late afternoon. None of the larger cities on our route along I-90 were “must-sees”, and the kids ended up holding up on the long drive better than we expected. At around 10:30 pm, we briefly considered driving straight home. Luckily, my husband took a look at a map and suggested we spend the night in Mayville, the seat of Chautauqua County and booked us room at Chautauqua Suites. Chautauqua with kids ended up being a great family destination.
We arrived at the hotel with three sleeping kids around 11:30 pm and quickly got them changed and into bed. Our “suite” was roughly the size of a normal hotel but had two small sleeping spaces that were separated by the bathroom at the center of the room. The setup would have been more useful if we arrived earlier in the evening and wanted a separate space after putting the kids to bed. Nevertheless, Chautauqua Suites totally met our needs for the eight or nine hours that we were there. The included breakfast buffet was an added bonus that saved us a morning stop.
After breakfast, we stopped at a playground right on the shore of Lake Chautauqua. The playground had all the traditional equipment, but the gorgeous view of the Lake really set it apart from the typical play area. With the park completely to ourselves, we had one of our most memorable mornings just relaxing and playing on a beautiful and warm fall day. I knew as soon as we arrived that this was definitely the perfect I-90 pit stop. Luckily, this was just the beginning of a wonderful unexpected day.
Monkey bars
Visiting Panama Rocks With Kids
After finishing up at the playground, we headed to Panama Rocks, which is about a 15-minute drive from Mayville. It was listed as #1 on Trip Advisor’s list of Chautauqua County activities. And, we could see why – Panama Rocks is probably the best privately owned nature park that I have ever visited. There is a one mile trail that is an easy, Class 1 hike in an ancient forest. It is not stroller accessible, but my two year old daughter walked a good bit of it herself and enjoyed the view from her carrier or on my husband’s shoulders the rest of the time.
Kid Facts: To be classified as an ancient forest, a forest must be at least 200 years old and have large trees, dense canopies and diverse wildlife. Panama Rocks has been privately owned and operated since 1885.
The colored leaves covering the ground added to the beauty, and we saw some of the most brilliant reds of the whole trip on the hike.
There are towering rocks, deep crevices and caves that guests are welcome to go off trail to explore, and you can be sure that my boys thoroughly investigated the rock formations and caves. Hiking boots might be helpful, especially if the ground is wet, but we all found our sneakers to be adequate.
Climbing some rocks
Kid Caution: While exploring off trails is permitted, close adult supervision is necessary. Caution is always needed when climbing rocks. There is also a short part at the end with cliff edges where we were extra careful and made sure our daughter was safely in her carrier.
We received an initial treasure hunt clue after paying our admission, and following the clues, which provided facts and history about the park was as fun as exploring the rocks, caves and forest. We located a locked box near the end of the hike and used the clues to determine the combination and solve the mystery.
Panama Rocks is definitely a park we would recommend to families and all nature lovers and plan to return ourselves. It is a perfect place for kids to explore nature and learn about the plant life and geology of the area. The treasure hunt also helped us to look carefully and take in our surroundings. Of course, the boys loved the “mission.” Note that it’s only open seasonally and generally closes at the end of October.
Visiting Noble Winery With Kids
After lunch, we decided to stop at a winery before heading home. We ended up at Noble Winery in Westfield, about 15 minutes from Mayville on the way to I-90. Noble is one of over 20 wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country. It is located on a secluded hill with an absolutely spectacular view overlooking the vineyards and Lake Erie.
Westfield is known for concord grape production, and a Welch’s plant is located here. So, unlike Napa where grape juice was not produced at any of the vineyards we visited, it wasn’t surprising that grape juice was available by the bottle at Noble Winery. My husband and I enjoyed sitting on the large porch while the kids ran in the field in front of the winery. We had a clear view of them playing on the gentle slope, and they came back every few minutes for another sip.
I even spent some time frolicking in the field with the kids.
Why We Loved Chautauqua With Kids
Our visit to Noble Winery capped off our perfect unplanned day. Even without the Chautauqua Institute and local marinas buzzing with activities, we found Chautauqua to be a lovely place to visit during the off-season. Our first family visit to the area was so enjoyable that we would love to return to Chautauqua with kids again in the spring or fall and explore some more.
Fall happens to be our favorite season here at WGWK, so be sure to check out our more expansive Fall Getaway series. If you enjoy wine, check out other wine regions we have explored with kids.
Guest Blogger: Karen loves to travel the world with Piper, her seven year old daughter. They have a shared passion for finding the very best family friendly days out, places to stay, and things to eat. You can find a journal of their adventures on their website, Are We There Yet Kids.
Historic, charming and, some might say, the birthplace of the United States, the beautiful city of Philadelphia is packed full of child friendly things to see and do. My daughter and I visited Philadelphia last summer and totally fell in love with the city. Although we only had three days to explore, we managed to cram plenty in, leaving us exhausted by the end of our long weekend. Here are our top tips on where to go, eat, and stay!
THINGS TO DO
#1: Please Touch Museum
When planning our adventure, I knew I had to include the Please Touch Museum on our list of things to do because I had heard so many great things about this child friendly museum. As the name suggests, this museum is dedicated to teaching children through play, and the museum totally follows through on this promise. There is so much to see and do that you can easily spend a full day here. We only had a morning to devote to this museum, but we managed to visit most of the exhibits, even if I did find myself hurrying Piper along a few times.
Being big fans of the book, we loved the Alice in Wonderland themed Wonderland area, where you can have tea with the Mad Hatter, get lost in the hedge maze, and even paint some roses red. Piper’s favorite part of the visit was the Woodside Park Dentzel carousel, which was an additional $3 on top of admission, but well worth the charge.
Other hits include the River Adventures water area, where kids can learn all about water flow, City Capers, where children can really indulge their imaginations and try out various grown up jobs in venues such as a hospital, restaurant, and shopping center, and Roadside Attractions, which gives children the opportunity to explore a real car, pretend to be mechanics, and drive a trolley.
Please Touch Museum is geared towards younger children and preschoolers, but Piper is seven and still loved the exhibits. Some of the exhibits are starting to show a little wear and tear, but the kids don’t seem to mind, so it did not diminish our enjoyment.
#2: The Rocky Steps and Statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
This is good fun to visit even if your kids haven’t seen the movies, and it makes for a fabulous photo opportunity. The famous Rocky Statue and Rocky Steps aren’t too much a challenge to run up, even in the heat of summer, and if you have time to visit the Museum of Art while you’re there, even better!
#3: Sister Cities Park
We loved Sister Cities Park, a cute little park located just a few minutes from our hotel. When we visited, the famous “LOVE” sculpture was closed for maintenance, but we found the replacement “AMOR” sculpture here. Make sure you get a quick photo with the sign and take a breather in this park, which has a lovely little café, a children’s discovery garden, and a 10 geyser splash fountain in the summer, perfect for cooling down after a hot day of exploring.
#4: The Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute was built to honor one of America’s most famous scientists, Benjamin Franklin. The Institute is one of the oldest and best centers for science education and development in the United States and it is my absolute favorite place to visit in Philly. It’s a hands on and totally interactive science museum with plenty to learn for both kids and grown-ups.
The Franklin Institute is home to the famous heart exhibit, where kids can explore the workings of a heart by walking through it, following the journey a blood cell would take. But the fun doesn’t end there – the newest exhibit, dedicated to the workings of the human brain, includes an 18 foot tall climbing structure called the neural climb, which kids can safely climb all the way to the top. Active kids will love the Sportszone, where they can test their reactions against the ping-pong wall, perfect their baseball throw, see how far they can jump from a running or standing start, and race virtual athletes along a 40 foot track.
There is also the Franklin Air Show, which introduces visitors to the history and technology of flight, Sir Isaac’s Loft, which brings Newton’s theories to life, and Changing Earth, which is guaranteed to get little brains thinking about the impact we all have on this planet.
Although some exhibits dedicated to the physiology of the human body are a bit gory, my seven year old loved it all. If your child is sensitive, I suggest checking ahead and perhaps bypassing some more graphic areas.
#5: The Liberty Bell
No visit to Philadelphia is complete without taking a trip to see the iconic liberty bell. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids a little American history, but it is best to visit out of season or later in the day to avoid the lines. We arrived at around 4pm on a hot July day and had to wait around 30 minutes to get through security. We then struggled to get a clear picture with the bell itself. Once inside the exhibit, you walk through a small section of informational exhibits, which are all interesting, but probably won’t hold the attention of little ones for too long. The bell itself is located at the end of the exhibit, in front of a huge glass wall overlooking Independence Hall and the bell tower where the bell was originally housed. The exhibit is free (managed by the National Park Service), and timed tickets are not required.
#6: Independence Hall
Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was conceived, drafted, and signed, is also managed by the National Park Service and although free to visit, you will need a timed ticket. These can be found at the Visitor Center desk on the day you want to visit, but please be sure to plan ahead as your desired time slot may be unavailable during busy tourist season. Tours last between 30 to 40 minutes and you can view original printed versions of the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, and the Declaration of Independence. All the rangers were extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions, from the simple to the complex. This was yet another great opportunity to get a little bit of American history and learn about the founding fathers.
Pro Tip: I highly recommend using the Phlash Bus to navigate around the city. It runs every five minutes to most places mentioned above and is just $5 for a full day pass. Make sure you have cash to purchase your pass on the bus as it will save you the $1.50 online fee.
WHAT TO EAT
It goes without saying that when in Philly, you must eat a Philly cheesesteak. A Philly cheesesteak is a soft (or sometime crusty) bread roll stuffed with shredded beef and stringy cheese. I wasn’t a massive fan, to be honest, but as you know, when in Philly…
You can find a Philly cheesesteak almost anywhere, but the two arguably most famous locations are Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks, conveniently located across the street from one another, so if you plan your visit, it’s possible to sample both in one meal!
If you have the time, I highly recommend visiting Reading Terminal Market, one of America’s oldest and largest public markets. Inside you fill find a huge food court full of gorgeous treats and places to dine and you are almost certainly guaranteed to find something that will please everyone in the family. The Market does get quite busy, so be sure to keep the little ones close so they don’t get overwhelmed.
WHERE TO STAY
We chose to spend our weekend at the lovely Windsor Suites in Downtown Philadelphia, conveniently located within walking distance to most of Philadelphia’s main attractions, with plenty of restaurants and grocery stores nearby as well. Happily, the hotel was located away from the bulk of the downtown Philadelphia nightlife, so it was a peaceful place to be with kids.
After a recent cramped stay in Boston, we were absolutely blown away by the apartment style rooms. We had a small but perfectly outfitted kitchen, heaps of storage space, and a large cozy bed. The hotel has a rooftop pool, which is open in the summer months, a laundry room, and some of the friendliest staff members we have encountered.
The hotel offers an onsite pub/restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Although we did dine at the restaurant and experience the friendly atmosphere and tasty food, we elected to eat in our room most of the time, in order to take full advantage of the superbly equipped kitchen.
Karen and her daughter’s action packed stay in Philadelphia has us thinking we need to plan a trip sooner rather than later. What are your favorite places to visit in the City of Brotherly Love?
Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
New England weather is tricky, and it can get cold very quickly, but fall leaf peeping is truly something to see. I took my wife and then four-year-old to Burlington, Vermont to experience something other than Florida’s seasons, which range from hot to hotter, to extremely hot. We flew into Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, which is a small and relatively inexpensive airport to fly through and, as an added bonus, it is only a short three hour drive up Interstate-91 North to Burlington. The plan was to journey along the back country roads and enjoy the fall leaves, while snaking our way back down to Connecticut for our flight home.
Enjoying fall foliage in Burlington
Where to Stay:
Hotel Vermont Lobby
If you’re coming from a place like New York City where open spaces and grass is a luxury, Vermont will blow you away. We chose to stay at the Hotel Vermont, located smack down in the middle of Burlington and offering a small boutique hotel experience for not a lot of money. The rooms are spacious with views of the lake and they also support the local economy, using only locally made blankets, coffees, food, and soaps. It’s a really comfy modern hotel with a throwback to the luxurious lodges of yesteryear. The hotel also supplied a few toys for kids and really seemed to celebrate our choice to bring our family to stay with them. I can think of no other boutique hotel I have stayed at that offered this much luxury for such little money.
Where to Eat:
Everywhere! If there is a chain restaurant in Burlington, I didn’t find it. In fact, there was a really great culinary scene, all of which take into consideration the smaller guests in town. Vermont is a real “farm-to-table” state, with most restaurants serving local fare and ingredients that are seemingly sourced from the nearest farm. A few notable places we dined at:
Penny Cluse Cafe – The Hotel Vermont has a great restaurant, but we decided to venture out one morning for a more “local breakfast,” and we scored big time! We had to wait a few minutes to be seated at this amazing place, but the Penny Cluse Cafe was definitely a hidden gem among the other eateries located in Burlington’s main drag. Once we were seated, I glanced over the menu, looked at my four year old and said, “buddy, we are lucky to be here.” Gingerbread pancakes were staring me in the face and daring me to order them and boy, they were amazing! My son and I wasted little time scarfing them down. My wife enjoyed the sourdough french toast with strawberry jam, again all made fresh with ingredients from local farms. Although the cafe was a little bit noisy, it had a great busy New England vibe and we enjoyed our experience.
The Farmhouse Tap & Grill – The long wait for a table at Farmhouse Tap & Grill and the dropping temperatures were a bit harsh for our Florida blood, making us wonder whether it was worth the wait. But the aroma that was coming out of this restaurant was like a siren song for us! It smelled delicious! A server saw that we were there, waiting with our young son, and pointed to a slightly hidden side entrance that I had spotted, but just assumed was a shortcut to the restroom or a side alley selling black market moose antlers. It was not! We walked over to the side entrance and ended up in the back of the restaurant, which had an enclosed “Beer & Wine Garden.” Complete with old school games, wooden tables and chairs, sofas, and heat lamps, this was the perfect cozy space for my family to hang out while we waited for a table. My wife and I enjoyed a few local beers, and my son was given farm fresh apple juice. After about 20 minutes, we were seated in a gorgeous dining room where I shared the meatloaf with my son. The food was amazing, and I also enjoyed a local root beer. For dessert, we had pumpkin cheesecake. We walked the two blocks back to the hotel that night, fat and happy.
Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery – Our drive back to Bradley airport had us cutting through small new England towns. Along the way, we stopped at the Whetsone, which borders Vermont and New Hampshire. I’m not kidding: the border goes right through the restaurant.
We sat on the Vermont side!
What to Do With Kids:
Admittedly, leaf peeping is probably not the best thing for keeping a toddler entertained, and it was a four hour long drive from Burlington back to the airport in Connecticut, albeit with amazing scenery. Along the way, my wife and I decided to stop at Shelburne Farms, which I like to think of as Disney in Vermont except that instead of rides, you have animals. The brochure describes Shelburne Farms as:
a nonprofit education center for sustainability, 1,400 acres working farm, and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont.
My personal description is:
Sherburne Farms is the most beautiful farm I have seen, it goes on for-e-ver! My son did not want to leave, and I don’t blame him. They had animals; all kinds that you could pet, play with, feed etc. They had food, and they showed you how that food was made, on their farm! (Except the steaks, c’mon there are kids here).
The Children’s Farmyard is the place to be and you get there from the main entrance via tractor, of course! Just some of the wonderful things to see and do: goat milking, sheep brushing, horse grooming, milking a cow, feeding various animals, and there is even a chicken parade. A. Chicken. Parade. Forget the four year old, I want to see a chicken parade! Admittedly, Shelburne Falls is only really worth visiting between May and mid-October. Once old man winter hits, the animals are tucked away inside weatherproof barns. If you happen to be in the area, definitely take advantage of this farm and visit with your children. I still gaze at the pictures and am amazed at the memories that come flooding back…especially the chicken parade. Note: There is an Inn at Shelburne Falls, so you can stay on property too.
You can’t go wrong visiting Vermont in the fall, just be sure to plan ahead as the Hotel Vermont gets booked up quickly. Also, plan on stopping to take pictures as I did. You never know what you’re going to find, like a gorilla holding a Volkswagen!
A New England native, David feels strongly about leaf peeping and has written previously about fall getaway activities in Connecticut. If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to check out David’s other posts on WGWK! Fall also happens to be our favorite season here at WGWK, so be sure to check out our more expansive Fall Getaway series.
Thank you to the Children’s Museum of Cleveland, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for each providing complimentary tickets for my family. All opinions are my own.
Cleveland is typically not a city that comes to mind as a vacation spot but has been growing as a tourist destination in recent years. While venturing out of my office for lunch at North Coast Harbor this summer, I was surprised to find myself surrounded by casually dressed visitors rather than the usual business crowd. National Geographic Traveler‘s “2018 Best of the World” list recently named Cleveland as one of seven cities in its culture category. Editor George Stone described Cleveland as a city “that you kind of thought you knew but you don’t,” and we agree.
If you look beyond its historically bad reputation and unfortunate football team, Cleveland really does have a lot to offer both its residents and visitors. Playhouse Square is the second largest performing arts center in the country, behind only New York City’s Lincoln Center, and now boasts the world’s largest outdoor chandelier. The Cleveland Orchestra is world-renowned and considered one of the country’s “Big Five” symphony orchestras, and the hospital systems are consistently top-ranked. Cleveland’s downtown has added a number of hotels and residential housing developments. A variety of amazing museums around the city, including the world’s only Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, offer something for everyone. In 2016, the Cavs won the NBA finals, hosted the Republican National Convention, completed a $50 million renovation to Public Square, and the Indians played in the World Series. LeBron James has led the Cavaliers to the last three NBA finals, and the Indians had a 22-game winning streak last season. There also is definitely a Cleveland food scene with world-famous chefs Michael Symon, Jonathon Sawyer, Rocco Whalen and Chris Hodgson each owning several hot spots in town.
If any of that is convincing enough to persuade you to travel to Cleveland, be warned that winters here are admittedly long and chilly. The weather has been so bad recently that various area schools have closed for extreme cold, ice or snow on five different days this month. With that in mind, try to visit between April and October, if possible. The absolute best time to plan a visit is during a championship parade. But, Cleveland sports teams have been notoriously cursed, so there has actually been only one during my lifetime. I can assure you that my family was there to share the June 22, 2016 celebration with 1.3 million of our closest friends and family. We had a spectacular view of the festivities right from my office window.
With no championship parades in sight, we decided to make the most of our recent winter break staycation and truly become tourists in our own city and enjoy all it has to offer. Our kids were thrilled to visit many of the city’s premier museums. Here are our five fun family activities in alphabetical order:
Fun Family Activities in Cleveland With Kids
#1: Children’s Museum of Cleveland With Kids
The Children’s Museum of Cleveland reopened, in November 2017, in the former Stager-Beckwith Mansion, one of the four remaining mansions still standing on Millionaire’s Row. We had been members of the Museum at its previous location in University Circle when my oldest son attended preschool nearby. The Museum was housed in an old Howard Johnson’s restaurant. Although our boys thoroughly enjoyed their visits, the space was choppy with a few stairs here, there and everywhere such that it was a stroller nightmare. The Millionaire’s Row mansion in Midtown had most recently served as the main campus for Myers University and an elegant banquet hall. One of my best friends had her wedding reception in the space that now houses Adventure City. The new site and $10 million renovation really puts the newly expanded and totally accessible Museum in a different ballpark.
The Museum features these four permanent exhibits:
The Wonder Lab is an industrial science laboratory with water tables, whirlpools and jets that particularly fascinated my daughter. My sons spent most of their time building ball tracks on the magnetic wall. This was my kids’ favorite exhibit.
Moveable ball tracks on a magnetic wall
Adventure City offers an amazing indoor two-story climber with a construction site theme. The space also recreates the much-loved grocery store, doctor’s office, nursery and kitchen that were featured in the Museum’s prior location and also adds an auto shop. Building a car was a huge hit.
This climber was enormousSerious grocery shopping
Making Miniatures features a collection of dollhouses created by local artist, Cathy Lincoln and completely entranced my daughter. Each house was placed on a pedestal and enclosed with a plastic casing. Children could get up close by standing on small step stools and carefully explore the houses with available flashlights. My boys were less enthusiastic, but the Museum seemed prepared for them. They placed a tiny CMC logo in each house for a “hide and go seek” challenge, which was right up their alley and occupied them while their sister carefully examined each dollhouse.
She carefully examined each and every dollhouseMy boys had fun finding the CMC logo in each dollhouse
Arts & Parts is a bright art studio with different prepared art projects for children to create. My kids created paper lanterns and played with playdoh.
Playdoh creation
The Museum also features a Sensory Friendly Room for children who get overwhelmed in loud and crowded spaces. While only vending machines are available on site, the Café offers tables and a microwave for families packing lunch. There are also party rooms.
We visited right after New Year’s Day when most schools were still on holiday, and the Museum was packed. But the only real issue we had with the crowds was in the Coat Room. Despite the fact that this was the best Coat Room, which included shelves with baskets to help store cold weather accessories and lunches and also a window into the Wonder Lab below, it was a challenge to find a spare hanger when we arrived. The exhibits themselves were buzzing with activity but all accessible to my children.
The Museum is geared for visitors aged birth to eight. My nine year old enjoyed the Museum with his siblings – particularly the Wonder Lab and Adventure City and also joined their pleas for “five more minutes” when it was time to leave. But, he did get a bit bored in the Making Miniatures and Art & Parts exhibits and inquired whether it was time to move on. If the youngest child in your group is over eight, this may not be your ideal activity or, perhaps, only a short visit. I really love that adults are not admitted unless accompanied by children and that children are similarly not admitted unless accompanied by adults.
The former Stager-Beckwith Mansion is a huge improvement over the prior setting for the Cleveland Children’s Museum and definitely worth the wait. My kids had so much fun in this ideal place for kids to explore, imagine and create.
The new home of the Cleveland Children’s Museum
Kid Facts: Anson Stager, who is known for creating the most effective secret code used during the Civil War, originally built this home in 1866. Stager sold the home a few years later to Thomas Sterling Beckwith, the founder of Cleveland’s first carpet and interior store. In the 19th century, this portion of Euclid Avenue was known as Millionaire’s Row and home to powerful industrialists, including John D. Rockefeller.
#2: Great Lakes Science Center With Kids
The Great Lakes Science Center opened next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 to support STEM learning. Its North Coast Harbor location on the shore of Lake Erie is picturesque setting, and the wind turbine, which was installed in 2006, provides about 7% of the building’s electrical needs.
Great Lakes Science Center
We met friends visiting from out-of-town at the Science Center a few days after Christmas. Between our two families, we had five boys and one girl ages three to eleven. Even though it was mid-week, it was a very popular day due to the holiday. We started in the hands-on exhibits in the main exhibition space upstairs. This area was a bit of a zoo with the number of families running around, but the kids didn’t seem to mind at all. This exhibit checked all the right boxes for my oldest, who is a kinesthetic learner. He could have easily spent all day trying out absolutely everything.
Throw-back photo from a previous visitShe wanted to watch and try out everything
One of the kids’ favorite activities was building a catenary arch with a few other visitors. Each cushion needed to be arranged in number order and carefully held in place until the entire arch is completed. Due to the height, the final cushion required adult assistance, but the rest of the arch was predominately constructed by kids, who were very excited about the free-standing finished product.
Catenary Arch
After about an hour of intense scientific discovery, we took a break to watch the Rocky Mountain Express in the Cleveland Clinic Dome Theater. The film depicts the construction of the first transcontinental railway of Canada. The IMAX photography really makes viewers feel like they have been transported to Canada. The film not only had beautiful cinematography, but we learned a lot about the building of the Canadian railway. Naturally, we straight to All Aboard! The History of Trains after the film.
The NASA Glenn Visitor Center has been housed at the Great Lakes Science Center since 2010. The highlight of this exhibit is the 1973 Skylab 3 Apollo Command Module. Visitors can try out a nearby replica capsule, which, even with the door removed, was so small that it screamed claustrophobia and made me wonder how the astronauts handle such confined spaces.
At another exhibit in the Visitor Center, kids can operate a remote control rover using a controller and video screen. The rover itself is located across the room, and this simulation gives kids the chance to experience the challenges of remotely operating similar rovers exploring Mars.
Operating the Rover
We finished our time at the Science Center in the Cleveland Creates Zone, which offers various activities for kids to invent, design, tinker and create. The five boys were particularly fascinated by the rocket pod and tried several different designs.
We did not make it to the Polymer Funhouse, an area geared for scientists aged seven and under because half of our crew was too old. However, my daughter would have a blast there, especially on a less crowded day. We also couldn’t take the self-guided walk of the William G. Mather, which is closed November through April, but hope to come back in the Spring to check it out.
Kid Facts: It cost about $120,000 to move the Apollo Command Module from the NASA’s Brook Park facility to the Science Center in 2010. The move required a year of planning but took only about 30 minutes to complete the 13-mile journey.
#3: Greater Cleveland Aquarium With Kids
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium opened in its current location in the Flats’ FirstEnergy Powerhouse in 2012 and remains Ohio’s only free-standing aquarium. When we arrived, the diver presentation was just beginning in the shark tank, so we decided to head straight there. Watching Matthew, the diver, feed the aquatic life was the highlight of our visit. A special microphone allowed Matthew to talk directly to the audience. We learned that most shark bites are really caused by mistaken identity. Sharks explore the world with their mouths, and surfers often look like fish from below.
Diver in the Shark Tank
The 230,000 gallon Shark SeaTube includes four species of shark, stingrays, angelfish, a giant barracuda and a whole host of other ocean creatures. You can literally walk under the tank to get a whole new perspective. If you want to take a peek into the shark tank in real-time, check out the shark cam.
Shark SeaTube
The Aquarium has more than 50 exhibits, 250 species and 1,450 animals from Lake Erie and all across the globe. Some of our favorite animals included the turtles, lion fish and clown fish with the stunning anemone.
Turtle hanging out
Beautiful lion fishClown fish (aka Nemo fish) are always a favorite for our kids.
My son particularly enjoyed the Invertebrate Touch Pool where he got the chance to feel a starfish with the official “two-finger” technique. The Aquarium is an amazing place to learn about aquatic animals and get a glimpse of life under the sea.
Kid Facts: The Aquarium has someone on site 24/7 to check on the tanks and make sure all the animals are safe.
#4: Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland With Kids
The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA) is one of 20 modern art museums in the US. MOCA opened its new facility in 2012, and a video on its website shows the construction process in under three minutes. A Poet*hical Wager, opened in October 2017 to celebrate its fifth anniversary in University Square. In conjunction with its opening, MOCA announced that it would no longer charge entrance fees for guests under 18, which is a great benefit for families.
The main exhibition space on the fourth floor is a wide-open space that is very different from the typical gallery in traditional art museums with paintings and sculptures. The current exhibit also did not have any barriers. While the exhibition featured in this space changes several times a year, it is probably best suited for children over five.
Many of the installations in the current exhibition, A Poet*hical Wager, challenge the viewer’s preconceived notions about art. Several docents were on hand to explain the background for this exhibition, which was inspired by the book of the same name by Joan Retallack. Most featured artists in this exhibit come from low-income backgrounds and third world countries. Mexico City artist Abraham Cruzvilleges contributed a black and red acrylic painting to cover up newspaper clippings, photographs, letters, tickets, napkins and other items. He also created an installation from various found objects in Cleveland that my daughter likened to a space ship.
Another memorable installation was Rashid Johnson’s Shea Butter, which was a cinderblock wall with shea butter used in place of mortar and sometimes in place of the cinderblocks themselves.
The third floor features an exhibit by British artist Phil Collins (not to be confused with the popular musician) that consists of listening booths that contain vinyl recordings for guests to play on actual record players. Collins anonymously recorded conversations from a homeless shelter phone booth in Cologne that offered free domestic and international calls. A group of musicians used the recordings to create the musical works contained on the records. The novelty of the record player was pretty exciting for my seven year old who had never used one before.
The enclosed Yellow Staircase, which includes a sound installation was a fun way to travel between floors of MOCA.
Yellow Staircase
My kids’ favorite part of our visit to MOCA was the Marjorie + Anselm Talalay Classroom on the third floor where kids could create their own art. To go along with the theme of the main exhibition, the Obfuscation Station encouraged kids to layer colored tape on top of magazine clippings. My kids had so much fun creating works inspired by the exhibition that I’m seriously considering investing in a colored tape dispenser.
Obfuscation Station
MOCA offers monthly Pre-K Play Dates on Saturday mornings. These events are free for kids. On the first Saturday of each month, MOCA offers free admission and family friendly workshops and activities courtesy of PNC Bank. MOCA is a great resource for Cleveland families and encourages children to use their imaginations to create art in non-traditional ways.
Kid Facts: This $27.2 million building was designed by Farshid Moussavi, a world-famous architect.
#5: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame With Kids
When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established in 1983, Cleveland lobbied hard to be chosen as the site of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and won the honors in 1986. As a Cleveland native, I remember the excitement when Cleveland scored the Rock Hall and was lucky to tour it shortly after its 1995 opening. The Rock Hall is definitely a reason why some tourists decide to visit Cleveland.
The lobby area is impressively large and has a car suspended from the ceiling above the Café (which we also enjoyed). This was probably the first suspended car I’ve ever seen.
The Rock Hall features both permanent and special exhibits. The Legends of Rock is a permanent exhibit that includes artifacts such as handwritten drafts, instruments and costumes. The recently renovated Beatles’ exhibit is the world’s largest artifact-based collection of the famous English rock band. The Rock Hall also has always featured a standing Elvis exhibit that features different artifacts. My husband and son watched the exclusive 14-minute Elvis video.
The costume exhibits are really fun. It’s always surprising to see first-hand how small many of the musicians are in real life. I did feel really old when my younger son asked if Michael Jackson was a basketball player and realized that the King of Pop actually died before he was born.
Michael Jackson’s jacket
The boys even found costumes of musicians they recognized like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. We are all still amazed that Lady Gaga actually wore this contraption.
We particularly enjoyed Rolling Stone: 50 Years, which includes celebrities’ letters and interviews and a stunning wall display of the magazine’s iconic cover images. This exhibit encompassed floors 4-6 of the museum, and now the boys have some familiarity with the popular culture magazine.
We noticed more families with young children touring the Rock Hall than we expected. While our kids are not familiar with most of the featured musicians, they enjoyed the multi-media exhibits. My husband and I could have easily spent a few more hours perusing the exhibits, but our shorter highlight tour was a perfect introduction for our kids.
Kid Facts: Cleveland’s Alan Freed was the disc jockey who originated the term “rock ‘n’ roll.”
Find Out More About Cleveland With Kids
There are so many kid-friendly things to do in Cleveland, an up and coming destination. These five amazing museums are just the tip of the iceberg. Spending time in Northeast Ohio, check out our favorite activities in Cleveland with kids.
Guest Blogger: David, his wife, and their five year old son, B, have lived all around the United States, but are currently stationed in Okinawa where David enjoys producing movies and eating pancakes in his spare time. You can find David’s videos of their Okinawa adventures on YouTube.
I am sure that by now, you’ve read my travel posts featuring places in the United States as well as Tokyo. But, I live in Okinawa, you say, so where are the Okinawa posts? Well, fasten your seat belts and secure your tray tables, because today, I’m all about the Okinawa bullfights – cue the Rocky theme song!
Before we start, let’s talk about the bull…err, elephant in the room. I have traveled to Spain and have seen bullfights. Bullfights are a cultural event that also takes place in Mexico and while gory and inhumane to some, in my opinion, it’s a cultural event that people can either choose to embrace or not participate in. I happen to choose the latter because I love animals and typically abstain from bullfights and bullfighting events. But, it turns out the Okinawans feel exactly like I do! They love animals and these giant bulls are like pets to them! The Okinawans house the bulls in elaborate pens, feed them, and walk them down the street on a leash just like you would walk Fido!
My friend, Cody, lives in Okinawa, and suggested that we meet him at the Ishikawa Dome, the only domed bullring in Okinawa, which plays host to some 20 bullfighting events each year, including the All-Island Bullfighting Tournament, the biggest such event on the island. Conveniently, the Ishikawa Dome is located just 15 minutes from my house, so I decided it would be a good opportunity for my wife and my five year old.
Okinawan Bullfighting Rules, In a Nutshell:
Prior to our visit, I did some research about Okinawan bullfighting rules, which turn out to be quite simple. Two bulls walk into the ring, they meet and butt heads. The first bull to run away, be pushed out of the ring area, or not want to re-engage with the other bull is declared the loser. As you can imagine, Okinawan bullfights vary in duration. The first fight we saw lasted 45 minutes. But, we also saw one fight in which both bulls met in the middle, neither wanted to fight, and one ran immediately back to the entry gate. That fight did not even last one full minute.
Our Experience:
Parking at the Ishikawa Dome was a snap – just find a space anywhere and leave your car. Since the main parking area is small, we found a great spot along the back of the dome on a side street.
Admission was approximately $60USD for my family of three and upon entry, we found ourselves walking past various food vendors selling Japanese eats: Yakisoba, Okinawa soba, yakitori (grilled chicken on a stick), and even a small bar with local drinks. There were also vendors selling bullfight hats, t-shirts, and stickers — things you would find at just about any festival! Cody met us at the top of the stairs and led us down close to the ring. As I glanced around, I was amazed at how many families were there. Children were busy eating snacks and running up and down the stairs, and Cody’s neighbor was coaching a bull that was preparing to fight that day. The owner’s son (probably 6 or 7 years old), was running round waving his “team towel” and carrying a small trumpet in anticipation of his bullfight. There was definitely a family friendly atmosphere, which I appreciated. Music was playing in the background and soon the eisa performance (traditional folk dance originating on the island of Okinawa) began as the welcoming entertainment. As people filed into the stadium, we enjoyed a few performance before the bullfighting began.
There were a total of nine fights, each of which were exciting and unique! Prior to a number of the fights, a group of supporters enter, wave colorful flags, and throw salt on the dirt arena floor for good luck. Each bull has its own team of supporters, managers, and owners, all of whom come out to wish the bull luck and to watch. The bulls then square off, pushing and trying to gain traction on one another in order to win. While the event is technically called a bull “fight,” it is really more of a bull sumo match, with team members taking turns shouting encouragement at the bull. One funny thing we noticed was that as a team member got tired of shouting, another would take over and begin yelling. The original, “tired” team member would then retire to a corner, where he would drink water from a metal ladle, to refresh himself, before returning at some point to continue shouting encouragement at the bull. This might seem crazy, but of course, the craziest thing is that these team members were each within inches of sharp horns and positioned such that they could theoretically get trampled!
As I mentioned before, the Okinawans love their animals and many of the trainers even sleep in the pen with their bulls the night before the big day. Although the bulls are technically fighting, if one bull gets cut or wounded, the fighting stops immediately. This makes sense because if your pet got hurt, wouldn’t you stop doing what you were doing immediately? On the day we attended, one bull was cut above the shoulder from another horn, and the fighting stopped immediately. When I told people we attended a bullfight, many commented saying they would not ever attend a bullfight, having seen one in Spain. I can assure you, an Okinawan bullfight is nothing like that.
Once the fighting is over and a winner is declared, the losing bull leaves the ring and the winner is draped with a glorious banner. The children of the team members then get to climb the bull and wave to the crowd! It was truly amazing to see how gentle and still the bulls were while this was happening. Indeed, the last match featured the largest bull, weighing in at 2000 pounds. As I made my way down towards the winning bull, Cody told me to grab my son B and get a photo! I was initially hesitant, but B was all for it and the locals held the bull as B smiled and perched on the biggest bull of the day!
On our way out of the area, we visited the area behind the ring where the bulls are kept, rather lavishly, if I may say so! After each fight, the bulls get fed and bathed. They are checked for any wounds and the owners and team members pet the bull, thanking him for a great day of fighting. The bull is then loaded onto the family’s truck, where each bull has a single open-aired truck that is used for that bull only! It’s like a bull limo or bull party bus…no bull! The bulls and team members will even continue to pose for photos with visitors, who are still in awe from what they saw earlier.
If you happen to find yourself in Okinawa, be sure to check out a bullfight. These gentle giants really know how to put on a show, while getting pampered like rock stars in the process!
Could it be that Okinawans have such high life expectancy because of their love for bulls? Who knows?! If you loved David’s review of bullfighting in Okinawa as much as we do, be sure to check out his other posts on WGWK!
Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!
The main draw for kids at Sterling Vineyards is the 
Although the Christmas market season had ended, the 
If we enjoy very much walking in the vineyards, it’s almost a certainly we will love the final product even more! Raised in a family of wine-producers, I adore traveling to wine regions to discover small producers and taste their wines, while learning about region specific wine making processes. 
Up on the heights of the village of Orschwiller, located a short 25-minute drive from Ribeauvillé, the Haut Koenigsbourg Castle is just a small detour from the Alsatian Wine Route. Perched on a rocky hill at an altitude of 757 meters, the Castle offers incredible views of the vineyards along the Alsatian Plains. A must see if you are in Alsace!
Westfield is known for concord grape production, and a 
I even spent some time frolicking in the field with the kids.
When planning our adventure, I knew I had to include the 
Other hits include the River Adventures water area, where kids can learn all about water flow, City Capers, where children can really indulge their imaginations and try out various grown up jobs in venues such as a hospital, restaurant, and shopping center, and Roadside Attractions, which gives children the opportunity to explore a real car, pretend to be mechanics, and drive a trolley.
We loved 
#4: The Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is home to the famous heart exhibit, where kids can explore the workings of a heart by walking through it, following the journey a blood cell would take. But the fun doesn’t end there – the newest exhibit, dedicated to the workings of the human brain, includes an 18 foot tall climbing structure called the neural climb, which kids can safely climb all the way to the top. Active kids will love the 
There is also the Franklin Air Show, which introduces visitors to the history and technology of flight, Sir Isaac’s Loft, which brings Newton’s theories to life, and Changing Earth, which is guaranteed to get little brains thinking about the impact we all have on this planet.
No visit to Philadelphia is complete without taking a trip to see the 
You can find a 
After a recent cramped stay in Boston, we were absolutely blown away by the apartment style rooms. We had a small but perfectly outfitted kitchen, heaps of storage space, and a large cozy bed. The hotel has a rooftop pool, which is open in the summer months, a laundry room, and some of the friendliest staff members we have encountered.
Where to Stay:
The
