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  • Best Science Centers in the World

    Best Science Centers in the World

    Science museums offer interactive and hands-on exhibits to inspire excitement for STEM learning.  Many science museums also participate in the ASTC Travel Passport Program, which provides members of participating museums free reciprocal admission to hundreds of natural history, science and children’s museums around the world.  We asked some of our fellow family travel bloggers for favorite science museums they’ve visited and came up with this list of the best science centers in the world (asterisked museums are participants in the ASTC Travel Passport Program).

    Best Science Museums for Kids

     

    #1:  Arizona Science Center With Kids* (Phoenix, Arizona)

    There are two things that make for a great science museum: interactive exhibits and engaging explanations. We found both of those in spades at the Arizona Science Center! We visited with our 3 and 5 year old children and found meaningful, hands-on stations to suit everyone in the family along with easy-to-understand signage everywhere. There’s almost an entire floor dedicated to the human body, a huge section on mechanics and even a large area covering extreme weather (perfect for my Storm Chasers-loving husband). The Center always shows interesting and age-appropriate films at its IMAX theater and has a fantastic cafe on-site that offers food that is both healthy and fun. A visit to the Arizona Science Center is the perfect way to escape the Phoenix heat with kids, and bring your ASTC member card for free admission!

    Recommended by Melissa Conn from The Family Voyage.  Find out more from Melissa about great family activities in Phoenix. 

     

    #2:  California Academy of Sciences With Kids (San Francisco, California)

    The California Academy of Sciences is both a natural history museum and a science museum all in one! The Academy has a rain forest, aquarium (with a touch and feel tide pool), planetarium, living roof, and a section where they provide African wildlife exhibits – including real penguins! The playroom is a favorite with our 1 and 3 year old children, too. Visitors can’t forget the albino alligator, Claude, who lives in the swamp of the Academy. We’ve had a membership to this museum since before we had kids, and we now continue to renew it because there is truly something for everyone. It’s located in a central part of the Golden Gate Park, so it’s a perfect spot to stop while you are exploring San Francisco.

    Recommended by Emily Jenks from Henry and Andrew’s Guide.  Find out more from Emily about San Francisco with kids.

     

    #4:  Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie With Kids (Paris, France)

    Housed inside a giant concrete block, the Cite des Sciences is the largest science museum in Europe.  It has several permanent exhibits featuring sciences, mathematics and technology.  Visitors can explore the human brain, learn about the origins of the universe and see how man has developed technology, among other things.   Don’t miss the Geode at the back of the museum; this enormous reflective globe contains a state of the art IMAX and virtual reality cinema.

    Children will be especially interested in the Cite des Enfants (Children’s City) where they can join a 90 minute session and explore experiments and interactive tasks, while learning about their bodies and the physical world.  Older children can also play in a TV studio and a garden.  The sessions are split by age: ages 2 – 7 and 5 – 12.  Kids don’t want to leave!

    After exploring the exhibits in the museum, take a walk in the Parc de la Villette behind the museum to see its modern, industrial architecture.  The Cite des Sciences is a little off the main tourist trail in Paris, but it’s reached easily enough from the Gare du Nord.  There’s no general admission fee, but individual exhibits do require admission, and pre-booking the children’s city is a good idea to avoid the long queues.

    Recommended by Emily Cole from Kids and Compass.  Find out more from Emily about Paris with small kids.

    #5:  The Franklin Institute With Kids* (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

    The Franklin Institute is a science and technology center in Center City in Philadelphia. It’s named for Philadelphia’s beloved citizen and Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, who wore many hats but most notably as a scientist and inventor. When we go to Philadelphia to visit family in the suburbs, my children always insist on visiting the Franklin Institute.

    Visitors can easily spend an entire day at this center because there is so much to do. The Institute has special exhibits that rotate regularly. For example, we have enjoyed exhibits on Pompeii and the Terracotta Warriors. There is an IMAX theater, a planetarium and many interactive exhibits. For example, there is a giant human heart that visitors can walk both around and through, while exploring the different parts of the organ. Even though the Institute is very popular, it never feels crowded because it is so large. It’s easily one of the best science centers we have ever visited.

    Recommended by Shobha George from Just Go Places Blog.

     

    #6:  Luray Caverns With Kids (Luray, Virginia)

    Luray Caverns is basically the Geology Hall of Fame. Located in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, Luray is the largest and most visited caverns in Eastern America. This one of a kind attraction combines geology, chemistry and even music. Admission tickets include a guided tour, which departs every 20 minutes after 9 a.m., and access to the The Luray Valley Museum, the Car and Carriage Museum and Toy Town Junction. Families can also buy additional tickets to the Rope Adventure Park and Garden Maze. The guided tour leads visitors through well lit, paved walkways to view and explore towering stone formations and natural wonders. Our family stopped at this one of a kind center on a road trip to Georgia, and I literally had to drag my kids out of there. My science and history loving children were in awe of the enormous chambers filled with towering stone columns, draperies and crystal-clear pools. For visitors looking for a unique science museum that offers hands on and experienced based learning in a stunning environment, Luray Caverns should be on your East Coast itinerary.

    Recommended by Ruth Mendes from Have Kiddos Will Travel.

     

    #7:  Magna Science Adventure Centre With Kids (Rotherham, England)

    We love the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham, Yorkshire. It’s based around air, fire, water and Earth with different exhibit areas for each. The Centre is set in an old steel works, and the space is massive and actually a little spooky. There is a big melt every hour with fireworks and other sounds to demonstrate how they used to melt the steel. Each of the pavilions has different interactive displays for young and old to play with and explore. Our particular favourites are watching a tornado of fire ignite in the fire pavilion, playing with pretend rocks and blowing holes in rocks in the Earth pavilion and shooting water canons at targets in the water pavilion. There’s also one of the biggest playgrounds I’ve ever seen that has a splash park in the warmer months. The added cherry on top is that once visitors have paid for one visit they can return as many times as desired for the next 12 months without charge.

    Recommended by Suzy McCullough from Our Bucket List Lives.

    #8:  National Science and Technology Museum Leonardo da Vinci With Kids* (Milan, Italy)

    The National Science and Technology Museum Leonardo da Vinci is the biggest science museum in Italy. The outside of the 16th-century monastery that houses the museum is nothing to look at, but the inside is amazing. The Museum has a huge collection of sixteen thousand technical scientific objects, dating back to the 19th century. There’s a gallery with drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci and 130 scale models that are based on his sketches. Furthermore, the Museum has exhibits about energy production, communication, computers, iron and steel industry and space travel. The transportation section takes up a large part of the museum, with various (parts of) ships, a collection of locomotives and train carriages, numerous airplanes and even a full-size helicopter. Our son was also really impressed by the huge military submarine Enrico Toti that sits in the garden. We only spent a morning at the museum with our toddler and did not nearly have enough time to see it all.

    Recommended by Lisa van den Berg from Flip Flop Globetrotters.  Find out more from Lisa about things to do in Milan with kids.

     

    #9:  Nagoya City Science Museum and Electricity Museum With Kids (Nagoya, Japan)

    The Nagoya City Science Museum in Nagoya, Japan houses the biggest planetarium in the world.  The 30 minute planetarium show about the galaxy and constellations, featuring a highly realistic starry sky, will leave the viewers in awe even though it isn’t dubbed in English.   Visitors will also enjoy various exhibits such as the Tornado Lab, Deep Freezing Lab and Electric Discharge Lab.

    For Nagoya visitors who love science, the Electricity Museum is a family-friendly attraction in Nagoya, Japan where kids and adults can enjoy learning how electricity works and its importance to the people of Japan. We toured the museum through the Nagoya Sightseeing Tour Bus, and the entrance ticket is free for everyone. It offers hologram images where visitors can see the pioneers in Japanese electricity and there are interactive tools on display and a science plaza where kids can experiment and be familiarized with different science laws. The main attraction of this museum is the OHM Theater where guests can participate in quizzes and competitions as video game characters on their impressive 29-foot screen.

    Recommended by Catha Buti-Uy of Team Uy Travels.

     

    #10:  Oregon Museum of Science and Industry With Kids* (Portland, Oregon)

    The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (“OMSI”) in Portland, Oregon, is not somewhere visitors might think of bringing a child, and we worried whether our son would enjoy it. We wanted to visit the special exhibition OMSI had about Pompeii, but we were delighted to find lots for kids to enjoy. We were totally blown away by it. The Science Playground was by far our son’s favourite section.  Designed for kids ages 0-6, there were water tables, sand pits and lots of different sections for free-play, learning and discovery. The Planetarium was also a hit with our young son, and the rest of the museum was filled with different exhibits for children of all ages. One thing we missed during our visit was USS Blueback, the submarine that was featured in The Hunt for Red October and now permanently docked beside the museum. I was gutted to learn that we had missed it, but it’s a perfect excuse for a return visit!

    Recommended by Catherine from Passports and Adventures.  Find out more from Catherine about the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

     

    #11:  Perot Museum of Nature and Science With Kids* (Dallas, Texas)

    The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is not merely a science center. This awe-inspiring, 160,000 square foot structure is a state-of-the-art experience intersecting the worlds of engineering, science, architecture, nature and sustainability. With eleven permanent exhibits, six learning labs and one traveling exhibit, the sprawling six floors deliver excitement. My fourth-grader loves the Rose Hall of Birds where visitors can build and fly their own bird. The Leap Frog Forest enchants my toddler as kids of all ages can crawl, jump and play life-size leapfrog. Both kids agree that the top attractions are:

    • Sports: Practice an athletic move then film yourself in “Motion Lab” or challenge a T-Rex, Dallas Cowboy or cheetah in a timed race at “Run.”
    • Life Then and Now: Build your own dinosaur then send it to battle.
    • Engineering and Innovation: Lead pre-built robots on missions or program one yourself using visual coding stations.

    But, don’t forget to squeeze in some other special engagements. Marvel at the Perot Dinosaur, a new species found by Perot Museum Paleontologists. Crack open an Amethyst Geode that stands 5 feet tall. Visitors can also get their groove on at Harmony Park, watch a 4D Film at the National Geographic Experience Theater or view a real brain and stem at “Being Human.”

    Recommended by Brandy from Kid Allergy Travel.

     

    #12:  Science World at TELUS World of Science With Kids* (Vancouver, Canada)

    Science World at TELUS World of Science is one of the best science museums we have visited.  Not only does it stand out in terms of location and architecture, but it also has diverse displays, hands-on experiments and award-winning playgrounds.  Most displays are designed to be intuitive, and children and grown-ups are encouraged to try things out and have fun while exploring the museum and learning. Kids can try to weigh a hippo, climb on a rotating climbing wall and crawl through a beaver lodge. There are regular live demonstrations throughout the day, and we planned to visit for 2 hours and end up staying for 4.5. Science World is one of Vancouver’s must-do kid-focused tourist attractions.

    Recommended by Jules from Shades of Courage.

     

    #13:  Scienceworks With Kids (Melbourne, Australia)

    For parents of children constantly asking “why” about everything, Scienceworks in Melbourne feeds the curiosity of young minds.  Offering a wide range of kid friendly exhibits with hands on activities, and live demonstrations, this child-focused museum makes learning about science fun and exciting.

    For little space lovers, the planetarium teaches kids about planets, constellations, and their home planet Earth through a kid-friendly animated film. With reclining seats and a domed roof, visitors can sit back and enjoy the show.  Kids also love the “lightning room” which is a 120-seat auditorium that presents demonstrations to teach children about electricity.  Learn about dinosaurs, the ocean, bugs and insects, and much more.  For those visiting Melbourne, Scienceworks is a great day out for the whole family.

    Recommended by Chontelle from Mum’s Little Explorers.

     

    Best Science Centers For Kids

    There are so many of these best science museums in the world that are now on our travel list.  For more amazing museums for young scientists, check out the Best Natural History Museums in the World!

  • Spotlight: Goodtime III With Kids

    Spotlight: Goodtime III With Kids

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

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

    Goodtime III Parking

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

    Goodtime III Tickets

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

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

    Boarding the Goodtime III

    Getting ready to board

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

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

    Checking out the views while docked on the Ninth Street Pier

    An Afternoon Cruise on the Goodtime III

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

    The Flats have had significant development over the past few years

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

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

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

    Cleveland’s Public Square

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

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

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

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

    The dance floor and seating area on the enclosed main level

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

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

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

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

  • Best Natural History Museums in the World

    Best Natural History Museums in the World

    Our kids love museums, and we often visit natural history museums while we travel, particularly those that participate in the ASTC Travel Passport Program, which provides members of participating museums free reciprocal admission to hundreds of natural history, science and children’s museums.  Natural history museums are a great way to extend classroom learning.  We asked our fellow family travel bloggers for their favorites and came up with this list of the best natural history museums in the world (asterisked museums are participants in the ASTC Travel Passport Program):

    Best Natural History Museums With Kids

     

    #1:  American Museum of Natural History With Kids* (New York City, New York)

    The American Museum of Natural History is the largest Natural History museum in the world and is housed in a beautiful building in New York’s Upper West Side, right outside Central Park. It’s crammed full of artifacts from land, sea and space and is super family friendly for visitors with kids. Our favourite section (and I think the favourite for the majority of visitors) is the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs, which contains a huge selection of dinosaur fossils. There is a T-Rex, a stegosaurus, a triceratops and loads more for any dino fans. But it’s not only dinosaurs, the Museum also has a fantastic oceans exhibit – home to the amazing 94 foot long blue whale model, halls featuring birds and reptiles halls (watch out for the 25 foot python!), exhibits about human origins and cultural diversity and a fantastic section about space. All around the museum are interactive touch screens with more information, and don’t all kids love a touch screen?! General admission for adults costs $23 and $13 for children.  The Museum opens daily at 10 am, which is the best time to visit to avoid the crowds.

    Recommended by Karen from Are We There Yet Kids.

     

    #2:  Denver Museum of Nature and Science With Kids* (Denver, Colorado)

    We are privileged to have a world-class nature and science museum in Colorado. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has something for everyone with an interest in natural science. The Museum has an IMAX Theater and planetarium with various shows. Traveling exhibits include such divergent topics as Vikings, bioluminescent animals, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The permanent exhibits showcase outer space, animals from around the world, the intricacies of our bodies, Egyptian mummies, and prehistoric dinosaurs.

    But we love bling, so our favorite museum exhibit is the gems and mineral showcase. As self-professed rock hounds, we love to see the awe-inspiring collection of minerals and gemstones. Indigenous Colorado gemstones include aquamarine, amazonite, and the very rare rhodochrosite. The largest gold nugget found in Colorado is also on display. We always learn new things about the gemstones and minerals during our visits.

    Recommended by Lance Hale from Family Well Traveled.

     

    #3:  Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa With Kids (Wellington, New Zealand)

    Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (commonly referred to as “Te Papa”) is mind-blowing and an unmissable stop on a New Zealand itinerary. Perched on the waterfront in Wellington, this 6 story building is stuffed with awe-inspiring exhibitions on Aotearoa/New Zealand’s history, it’s natural world and cultural treasures. Te Papa Tongarewa (meaning ‘container of treasures”) is literally packed with hands on, interactive exhibits, which our kids, ages 6 and 3 loved. Far from dragging them around the museum, they ran from exhibit to exhibit excited and totally engaged. The five main collections are Arts, History, Taonga Māori, Pacific Cultures, and Natural History. From impressive native species such as the pygmy blue whale skeleton and the world’s largest specimen of the rare colossal squid (weighing 496 kg!) to more light-hearted exhibits such as Peter Jackson replicas of Orcs to more sobering inclusions such as the current Gallipoli exhibition, Te Papa is, in our opinion, one of the greatest museums in the world.  FREE ENTRY apart from specific touring exhibitions.  Allow a full day!

    Recommended by Mags Nixon from The Family Freestylers.

     

    #4:  National Museum of Natural History and Science With Kids* (Tokyo, Japan)

    The best museum in Ueno Park for families with kids is the National Museum of Natural History and Science.   This is the huge building with a concrete blue whale on one side and a locomotive on the other. That basically sums up what the museum is about – the encounter of people with nature, which in Japanese culture is a continuum rather than a disruption.

    The Museum tells the story of how people came to Japan (via Okinawa), and how the islands looked before they came. That part of the museum is pretty conventional, although English explanations are limited.  Audio guides are also available.

    The coolest part of the museum is the “global gallery”, which goes down three levels into the ground, with dinosaurs in the middle. The cartoon movie explanation of evolution one floor below is also very interesting, a bit tongue in cheek, although everyone looks like an American cartoon from the 1950s. We were entertained by the exhibit representing the smart phone as the peak of evolution.

    The upper floors of the global gallery contain exhibits about technology, Japanese technology of course. The upper floors are where kids will get their most lasting memory of their visit in ComPASS, the space for children’s play and communication. It was recently opened after a renovation and is really fun for the kids. It is so popular that visitors have to get a queue ticket at the information desk at the first floor.

    Especially on rainy days, the museum can be crowded. Bring a packed lunch and eat it in the lunch space on the basement floor of the old building (the “honkan”). There are two restaurants, but the wait could be as long as several hours to be seated.  Except for the dinosaurs, children do need adult explanation of the exhibits but absolutely love exploring this fact-packed museum.

    Recommended by Wisterian from Wisterian Watertree.

     

    #5:  Natural History Museum With Kids (London, England)

    There is so much to captivate children at London’s Natural History Museum whether they’re into dinosaurs and furry owls or giant whales and tiny insects. Visitors can feel the earth move in the Earthquake machine, play detective games around the museum and visit colorful butterflies in the Butterfly House. The hands-on Science Centre is a great place for children to examine specimens from around the world, using microscopes and other instruments.

    The most popular gallery is the Dinosaurs, where visitors can get up close to prehistoric specimens, including the skull of a plant-eating Triceratops, an Iguanodon, one of the first species of dinosaur, and of course, the formidable Tyrannosaurus Rex.  Hope, a 25 meter long blue whale skeleton, is suspended from the ceiling of the main hall.  The Natural History Museum is open daily and admission is free.

    Recommended by Nicky of Go Live Young.  Find out more from Nicky about London with kids.

     

    #6:  Natural History Museum (Vienna, Austria)

    Vienna’s Natural History Museum was one of the highlights of our trip to Vienna with our kids, aged 3 and 1 years old. We actually pushed this activity as one of the last, since it isn’t specifically geared towards kids, but we are so glad we didn’t miss it! For kids who love animals, this place is a must. We toured the taxidermy exhibit on the top floor of the Museum, where taxidermy of every kind of mammal imaginable was exhibited 3 times and saw every kind of mammals imaginable! The architecture is absolutely breathtaking, and the Museum is enjoyable for adults too. Even our 1-year-old was amazed at all the animals. Families visiting Vienna with kids should not push this museum off – it’s totally kid-friendly and adult friendly too!

    Recommended by Emily Jenks from Henry and Andrew’s Guide.

     

    #7:  Natural History Museum of Marseille With Kids (Marseille, France)

    There may be countless natural history museums in the world, but not many of them are housed in magnificent 19th century palaces. If you happen to be in the city of Marseille in the south of France, make sure you visit the Natural History Museum of Marseille located inside the Palais Longchamp. Why our family loves this museum:

    • It contains thousands of zoological, botanical, mineral and fossil specimens, some of them long extinct.
    • It has four permanent exhibits: Safari Room, Provence Room, Human Earth and Land of the Living.
    • It has an old-fashioned feel to it. It was founded in 1819, and we felt like we were indeed stepping back to the 19th century when visiting it.
    • There is a great interactive display for kids.
    • It has free admission on the first Sunday of each month.

    Recommended by Bea from PackYourBags.Org.  Find out more from Bea about the Natural History Museum of Marseille.

     

    #8:  Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum With Kids* (Washington, D.C.)

    We recently traveled to Washington D.C. on our recent White Christmas trip to the U.S., and visiting a few of the Smithsonian Museum’s was top of our list. First up was the National Museum of Natural History, located on the National Mall near Capitol Building. I wasn’t sure how interested the kids would be and had expected that we would whip around this museum in a few hours. How wrong was I, as we took a whole day exploring this Museum, and I still feel that we rushed through some parts of it.

    The Museum is reported to be home to approximately 126 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, human remains and human cultural artefacts. The kids most enjoyed the interactive areas, particularly where they were able to place items under a microscope and analysis them. There are a large number of animals from each continent on display, including animals that are now extinct. My son was also very interested in the Egyptian, artefacts including the mummies on display.  The museum is huge, and visitors could spend a week here and still not see if all. A full day gave us a good look around and kids enjoyed every minute of it.

    Recommended by Sally Lucas from Our 3 Kids v the World.

     

    #9:  South Australian Museum With Kids (Adelaide, Australia)

    The South Australian Museum is one of the most visited museums in Australia.  With five floors of exhibits covering fossils, mammals, Ancient Egypt, special exhibition spaces and more plus Aboriginal and Pacific Cultures collections, the South Australian Museum offers plenty for young and old.  With so many interactive hands on activities, kids will absolutely love it here.  No doubt they will love checking out the various world mammals, learning about the various South Australian biodiversity and checking out the giant squid that spans across four floors dangling in an elevator shaft!

    During the school holidays, the Museum has free school holiday programs attracting more than 5,000 school kids each holiday period.  The Discovery Centre Team located on level 1 is more than happy to have a chat about any of the exhibits, and visitors can also see bees making honey, which is sure to keep little, and big kids busy for a while.  The Discovery Centre is open from 11am-4pm weekdays, and 11am-3pm weekends and public holidays.  The Museum is open every day from 10am-5pm, including weekends and public holidays. Entry is free; however some exhibitions may charge an admission fee.

    Recommended by Melissa Delaware of Thrifty Family Travels.  Find out more from Melissa about Adelaide with kids.

     

    We love natural history museums with kids and can’t wait to visit all of these world’s best natural history museums.  For more amazing museums for young scientists, check out the World’s Best Science Centers With Kids!

  • The Blue Lagoon with Kids!

    The Blue Lagoon with Kids!

    If you’re traveling to Iceland with kids, I’m sure you’re wondering whether a stop at the Blue Lagoon with kids is worthwhile. Our last scheduled activity for our whirlwind long weekend in Iceland was to visit The Blue Lagoon. Although Iceland is filled with natural hot springs, The Blue Lagoon is filled with runoff water from a nearby geothermal plant. While planning our trip, I had read numerous reviews online suggesting that The Blue Lagoon is crowded and not preferable to smaller, natural hot springs, but I also knew that for our first visit to Iceland, I wanted to visit The Blue Lagoon as it was a top tourist destination. The only wrinkle in my plan was that I would be traveling solo with my not-quite nine year old opposite sex child. The Blue Lagoon’s website states that opposite sex children can accompany a parent into a restroom up to the age of 6. Prior to booking our reservations, I confirmed with my son that he wanted to visit The Blue Lagoon, although he would likely have to go through the changing area himself. Having participated in numerous swim teams in the past few years, my son stated that he was comfortable with the process and so, I booked our reservations to just prior to our return flight home.

    As with The Lava Tunnel, children under 13 are free, although you must register them in advance. Although I was initially hesitant about spending ~$70USD on an hour or so at a hot springs, the fact that my son was free definitely lessened the blow.

    Getting to the Blue Lagoon:

    The Blue Lagoon is about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik, much closer to Keflavik Airport than the city of Reykjavik. Thus, most people recommend The Blue Lagoon as a stop either immediately upon arrival or immediately prior to departure.

    I planned our trip to The Blue Lagoon to coincide with our departure and allotted approximately 2 hours to the spend at The Blue Lagoon. I also allotted a full hour to drive from The Lava Tunnel to The Blue Lagoon, so the experience should have been a pleasant one, but for two critical errors. Using my GPS, I typed in The Blue Lagoon and my GPS sent me from The Lava Tunnel back to a small cafe in Reykjavik called The Blue Lagoon. Although I had some built in cushion time, the erroneous instructions left me slightly panicked about making it to The Blue Lagoon in time for our reservation. Our gas light went off right around when I realized the GPS direction error and I decided to just wait until we got out of the city to get gas – thinking it would be easier than trying to maneuver a gas station in Reykjavik. This was a terrible mistake as once we left Reykjavik, there was literally no gas station until Grindavik, the town nearest to The Blue Lagoon.

    Fortunately, we managed to make it to The Blue Lagoon in time (and we also made it to the gas station after driving a harrowing 6.7km on empty).

    Checking into and changing at The Blue Lagoon:

    The night before our reservations at The Blue Lagoon, my son casually asked “so, what are we actually wearing while we are there?” Oops. For some reason, I had completely blanked and managed to not pack any bathing materials. A panicked google search later, I learned that The Blue Lagoon has rental swimwear and in fact, some people prefer to rent the swimwear as they don’t have to worry about ruining their own clothes with sulphur and/or flying home with smelly, wet clothes.

    Main entrance to The Blue Lagoon.

    I’ll admit, I wasn’t thrilled about renting a swimsuit, but I had no choice so I decided to go with it. Upon arrival, I presented the check in lady with our reservations and she inquired as to my son’s age. Children under 9 are required to wear flotation devices, so he was given a red wristband, indicating that he was under age 9. I was given a blue wrist band, which not only could be used for charging items to our account, but also used to open and close the lockers.

    Asking for the rental swimwear was not an issue at all and we were quickly provided with options. My son was originally given a pair of teeny tiny swim speedos, which he very quickly rejected in favor of the swim trunks.

    After checking in, my son and I separated ways. The women’s changing rooms were bright and spacious. There are actually two changing rooms for each sex – one on the first floor and one on the second floor and the staff monitors each room and closes them off when they are filled to capacity. I ended up on the first floor women’s changing room and my son ended up on the second floor of the men’s changing rooms.

    After changing into my borrowed suit, I headed into the showers. The Blue Lagoon mandates that you shower naked prior to entering the hot spring. Luckily, there are private stalls in which you can do this task privately.

    Upon exiting the changing room, I found myself near the simple cafe with prepackaged foods and drinks available for purchase. While waiting for my son to exit the men’s changing room, I perused the menu which, not surprisingly, was quite pricey.

    My son eventually appeared from the men’s changing room and I was pleased to see that a staff member actually escorted him out. Evidently he had some trouble managing the self-locking lockers (the kids’ bands aren’t programmed to operate them), so a staff member helped him lock the lockers and then escorted him through the showers and out of the changing room until we were reunited.

    The Blue Lagoon Experience:

    Once reunited, we quickly looked around and saw the zero entry indoor option, which we chose not to take. I can certainly understand why this is an appealing option to many, as it was freezing cold outside.

    We hung our towels up on the provided racks and made haste to get into the water.

    The water was not very blue the day we visited and per this website, the reason why is because the blue-green algae that thrives in the water was in bloom, thus turning the water green. 

    My son and I were able to enjoy just hanging out in the water and although there were plenty of people there, we didn’t actually feel crowded, except when we pulled up to the mud mask bar and/or the drinks bar.

    The pull up mud mask bar.

    After about 30 minutes in the water, I decided that we should treat ourselves to some drinks. My son opted for a icee/smoothie and I had a beer, all of which was charged directly to our account via the provided wristband.

    My son was entertained by the fact that his $9 smoothie/icee was called “Krap.”

    My favorite part of the Blue Lagoon experience was the overly attired lifeguards, who looked more like Secret Service officers than your typical lifeguards!

    After about 90 minutes in the water, we decided we had had enough and went back to shower and change. The check out experience was seamless – they simply scanned my wristband, gave me my total for add ons (drinks), paid, and we were off. Curiously, we were not charged for the rental swimwear, but I think that was an oversight. When we checked in, I had inquired as to rental charges and was assured that they would just be added in and settled at check-out.

     Would I recommend The Blue Lagoon?

    I would absolutely recommend The Blue Lagoon experience. Although I was initially disappointed that our only hot spring experience would be in a manmade geothermal pool (versus a natural hot spring), The Blue Lagoon one of those things you should experience while in Iceland. Although sitting around in hot water isn’t our usual thing, my son and I enjoyed the novelty of The Blue Lagoon experience. We particularly loved the little nature path immediately outside the main facility and on the way to the parking lot.

    Curiously, the water on the outside of the main facility was picture perfect blue, versus the green we encountered inside. If you aren’t interested in spending the money to visit The Blue Lagoon, consider stopping by on your way to/from the airport regardless as the outdoor pathways are open for walking and parking is free.

    I’d also recommend the experience to families as my son had a lovely time and the staff was incredibly helpful. For parents traveling alone with opposite sex children, note that even though the website says only children under 6 are permitted to enter opposite sex changing rooms with a parent, at check in, I was assured that my son could enter the women’s changing room with me (and it didn’t seem to be a big deal, especially since she had just immediately prior confirmed his age). The attendants in the men’s changing rooms also helped my son lock and unlock his locker as his wristband was not programmed to do so.

    Finally, try only word of caution is to heed everyone’s advice and keep your hair out of the water! The sulphur really does ruin your hair and no amount of pre-conditioning or post-conditioning helped it. I received an email about 12 hours prior to our reservations, stating that I should consider leaving conditioner in my hair while in the lagoon. Although I did so, my hair was still completely destroyed for about 48 hours after the experience, which made for an unpleasant trip home.

    Planning to visit Iceland with kids?  Stay tuned for Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: Final Thoughts, and be sure to check out our listing of all Iceland posts or join our Facebook group We Go ToIceland With Kids, a forum to ask questions and share ideas about family travel to Iceland.

  • Iceland’s Golden Circle With Kids

    Iceland’s Golden Circle With Kids

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

    Thingvellir National Park With Kids

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

    Thingvellir

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

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

    Thingvallakirkja

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

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

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

     

    Geysir Hot Spring Area With Kids

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

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

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

     

    Gullfoss With Kids

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

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

     

    Kerið With Kids

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

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

    Why We Loved the Golden Circle With Kids

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

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

  • Best London Parks With Kids

    Best London Parks With Kids

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

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

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

     

    #1:  Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground

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

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

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

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

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

     

    #2:  Kensington Palace

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

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

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

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

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

     

    #3:  Picnic in Hyde Park

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

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

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

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

     

    #4:  The Serpentine

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

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

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

     

    #5:  Speaker’s Corner

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

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

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

     

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

  • Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: The Lava Tunnel Raufarhólshellir

    Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: The Lava Tunnel Raufarhólshellir

    Traveling to Iceland with kids means doing advance research to determine whether or not a specific activity is a viable option. Thankfully, Catherine’s experience at the Lava Tunnel was so outstanding, that I knew it was a “must do” activity one mu own trip to Iceland with kids.

    The drive from Reykjavik to the Lava Tunnel Raufarhólshellir was approximately 30 minutes and was every bit as beautiful as the drive down to Vik.

    Catherine and her family toured the Lava Tunnel in June 2017, and this was something I absolutely wanted to experience. When planning our Icelandic adventure, I had really wanted to experience a glacier cave, but unfortunately, found that late May is too late for most ice cave experiences.

    Fortunately for us, the Lava Tunnel ended up scratching that itch and then some!

    The experience begins with a debriefing and a warning as to what is permitted and what is not permitted. We were told that helmets must stay on at all times and to please refrain from disturbing the ice. The main guide traveled ahead of the group and narrated, while another Lava Tunnel employee followed at the end of the group, presumably to make sure that no one got lost in the shuffle.

    The opening to the Lava Tunnel.

    The Lava Tunnel formed 5000+ years ago and, we learned, travels the road leading from Reykjavik to Raudfarholshellir. Prior to embarking on our tour, we were told the experience is like “walking inside a leaky refrigerator and staying there for one hour.” This ended up being spot on as the heavy rains from the preceding days had created a very damp and moist environment. I was surprised to see the three openings up to the sky (I didn’t expect openings) and loved when we reached the furthest part of the tunnel that our tour was permitted to travel. We turned off all our lights and spent a moment in complete darkness. There we were told that no matter how long you stayed in the dark, your eyes would not adjust and there was simply no light to reflect.

    Along the way, we were thrilled to see the ice formations and were told by the guide that the ice was rapidly melting and would not be there in two weeks time.

    Although there was ice on the ground for some portions of the tour, it was perfectly manageable. My son and I wore sneakers and had no problems. Per the guide, it can be extremely slippery if visiting in the winter, so proper hiking shoes may be needed.

    My son absolutely loved the Lava Tunnel experience and this may have been the highlight of his entire trip. The Lava Tunnel offers a 3-4 hour “extreme tour,” which takes guests further into the tunnel. Unfortunately, the minimum age recommended is 12, so we are still a few years shy from qualifying. Our one hour standard tour of the Lava Tunnel cost $64 (kids free!), which was a real bargain and I highly recommend this experience. Catherine’s two year old daughter was happy to ride in a carrier last summer when they visited, but I was happy that my 3.5 year old was not with us on this adventure as he would not have been satisfied in the carrier and there was just enough rocky climbing that I would have nervous the whole time. My almost nine year old had no issues.

    Pro Tip:

    Although there is a sign for the Lava Tunnel on the road about 10 minutes prior to arrival, there is no Lava Tunnel sign at the actual pull out. I managed to drive past it and had to flip a tight u-turn, so keep your eyes peeled for the Raudfarholshellir sign, which will indicate that it’s time to pull off for the Lava Tunnel.

    Planning your own trip to Iceland with kids?  Stay tuned for Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: The Blue Lagoon, and be sure to 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.

  • Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: 18 hours in Reykjavik

    Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: 18 hours in Reykjavik

    Following our hike out to see the downed Navy DC plane on Solheimasandur Beach, we continued our journey to Reykjavik, where we had approximately 18 hours to spend. Although the weather was mostly dry, with maybe a slight mist during our walk, the drive into Reykjavik was extremely stressful as we encountered near white out conditions from the rain. Not being comfortable on unfamiliar roads, I drove at or below the speed limit and kept getting passed by other drivers!

    When we finally arrived in Reykjavik, it was almost 3pm and we had not eaten anything but some yogurt for breakfast and crackers for lunch. My priority was to find a light snack and a friend, who had traveled to Reykjavik two years earlier, recommended the Reykjavik Fish Restaurant. We were in extreme luck as I managed to find parking directly across the street from the restaurant and, although metered, parking is free on Sundays so we didn’t even have to pay!

    My son can be somewhat of a picky eater, so not knowing precisely how the fish was prepared, I simply ordered one serving of fish and chips to share. Our one order of fish and chip, a side sauce, and a beer (for me!) was $28.

    After our snack, which was just enough to tide us over, we headed to our guesthouse to check in for the night. Earlier that day, I had received check in instructions via email with access codes for both the main entry door and our private room + bath. The guesthouse was easy to find and I appreciated the free and ample parking outside.

    Our room was small, but clean, and provided everything we needed for our overnight stay. The downstairs level contains a small kitchen/dining area with free coffee/tea, but we did not use any of the amenities. Nor did we take the time to check out the rooftop spa on the deck, but it was nice to know that we had options if desired.

    After checking in to our room, we headed off to attend the vigil mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King. Although not as unique as Catherine’s mass experience in Akureyri, the Cathedral was beautiful.

    After mass, I decided it was time to get my son some actual food. Although he had eaten some fish and fries at lunch, he had really eaten very little during our entire trip. I searched around online for pizza places and quickly located a recommended restaurant only 15 minutes away from the Cathedral.

    The food at Eldofninn Pizzeria was very good, but also extremely pricey. There was one pizza that I was intrigued by, but at $33 for a personal pie, I decided to skip it and just go for a slightly more reasonably priced option. Our total for dinner (two pizzas, one soft drink, one 175ml bottle of wine) was $63. After eating our fill, we headed back to our guest house for the night.

    The next morning, we woke up bright and early and the weather was surprisingly clear. We quickly packed up our stuff and headed into town (the guest house is about 10 minutes walking distance from the main town, but I decided to just drive to save us time). With a noon reservation at the Lava Tunnel, we had about 2.5 hours to pass before we needed to be on the road.

    I was happy to find a coffee shop with pastries, which we gladly indulged in.

    My $3 small coffee!

    Afterwards, we wandered across the street where we happened upon Hallgrimskirkja. I remembered that Catherine had visited Hallgrimskirkja and that she even mentioned it again as something we should strongly considering taking the time to experience while in Reykjavik. Since the weather was beautiful and we had time, we decided to go ahead and head up the observation tower.

    Although the inside of the church was nothing to write home about, the views of Reykjavik from the top were simply astonishing. We spent a good 20 minutes just checking out the city from every angle.

    There is only one elevator that brings visitors to the top and capacity is limited to 6 (although people definitely squeezed in more), so there is a bit of a wait to get to the top. Luckily, the one elevator set up helps to limit the number of people on the observation tower. My son had a great time pointing out the coffee shop we had just had breakfast at 20 minutes prior. Admission for one adult and one child under 12 was just under $10.50.

    The Hallgrimskirkja experience from start to finish occupied almost an hour of our time, so by then, it was time to make our way back to the vehicle and get on the road to our next adventure, the Lava Tunnel!

    Planning your own trip to Iceland with kids?  Continue reading Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: The Lava Tunnel Raufarhólshellir, and be sure to 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.

     

  • Solheimasandur Beach With Kids

    Solheimasandur Beach With Kids

    One of the few things that many traveling to Iceland with kids end up skipping is the hike to Solheimasandur Beach. For obvious reasons, making the four mile hike to Solheimasandur Beach with kids may not be everyone’s idea of fun and, I can only imagine that Iceland’s whimsical weather causes its own fair amount of disruption. Luckily for me, my trip to Iceland with kids involved only one kid and, at nearly nine years old, I knew that barring extremely inclement weather, we would be able to make the hike out to the downed navy plane on Solheimasandur Beach.

    In 1973, a United States Navy DC plane ran out of fuel and crashed on Solheimasandur black beach, on the south coast of Iceland. Everyone on the plane survived and it appears the reason for the crash was that the pilot switched over to the wrong fuel tank. The remains of the wrecked plane are still on the sand and when planning our trip to Iceland, I knew this was one stop that I definitely wanted to make.

    As you may recall, my original hope was to visit Solheimasandur on the drive from Reykjavik to Reynisfjara on our arrival date. I under estimated how tired we would be after a red eye flight from Washington, DC, so, with my son completely passed out in the backseat of the car, I decided to skip the hike on drive south. I did, however, pull off into the large parking lot to do a bit of reconnaissance. I was happy to have done so as the sign informed me that the hike was 4 miles out and back and suggested that we plan to spend 3-4 hours for the round trip.

    I wish we could have taken the hike on our arrival date as the weather was gorgeous. But alas.

    The morning of our return journey from our beach cottage on Reynisfjara to Reykjavik, I was thrilled to see that the rains had mostly stopped. I decided then and there that we would be making the hike to the plane wreck.

    The hike itself was not extraordinary. It’s basically a flat two mile walk out to the plane on a rocky path. Although the rain had stopped, it was still extremely cold and windy so my son and I were glad to be bundled up and he was glad to have a warm hat on. The air was moist so we ended up slightly damp, even though there was no rain.

    For most of the hike there was nothing to see but then all of a sudden, the plane appeared in the mist. It literally is right out there in the middle of nowhere.

    If you look closely, you can just spot the plane and the other visitors in the distance.

    Personally, my favorite thing about the whole experience was that we could explore the plane.

    My son loved climbing in and around the plane and checking out all the nooks and crannies. We spent about 15 minutes checking out the plane before turning around for the cold walk back.

    Pro-Tips:

    • There are absolutely no facilities – no bathrooms, no emergency phones, nothing. So be sure you have what you need and are in good condition for a 4 mile out and back walk.
    • There was a steady stream of other hikers the entire time and about 15 other people at the plane when we were there.
    • The sign (close up below) recommends allotting 3-4 hours for out and back hike, but my son and I completed the entire thing in about 90 minutes. The cold weather definitely helped us walk quickly.

    Overall, I was glad that the weather cooperated sufficiently for us to take the hike. Although clear blue skies would have been preferable, it was well worth the stop and definitely something you should cross off your bucket list!

    Planning your own trip to Iceland with kids? Continue reading Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: 18 hours in Reykjavik, and be sure to 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.

     

  • Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon With Kids

    Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon With Kids

    Jökulsárlón is a glacier lagoon in southeast Iceland, filled with chunks of glacial ice and one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. When booking our trip last November, the first thing Catherine mentioned when suggesting must-see destinations was Jökulsárlón and taking a glacial boat ride quickly became the excursion that I built the rest of our trip around. Here are my tips for experiencing Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon with kids!

    On Saturday morning, our first full day in Iceland, I woke up ready for our long scheduled glacial boat ride at Jökulsárlón. I had reserved our tickets in March (2+ months prior to our arrival) and the plan was to make the 2.5 hour drive from our cottage on Reynisfjara with plenty of time to take in a number of stops along the way. Our boat ride was scheduled for 1:10pm and I had long since planned on an early departure to allow us plenty of time to meander and check out the sites, which included Eldhraun Lavafield, Fjaðrárgljúfur, and Vatnajökull.

    Unfortunately, overnight, the rains had poured in so it was extremely dreary outside. So dreary in fact that we could not even see the beach from our rental cottage located less than 5 minutes walking distance from the beach. My son looked at me with heavy anticipation, clearly inquiring as to what our game plan would be. Having grown up in Los Angeles, rain is my absolute least favorite weather, so I wasn’t too keen on making a bunch of stops along the way and ending up damp and wet for the long day in the car. I also wasn’t necessarily looking forward to a boat ride on a glacial lagoon, but since I had already pre-booked our tickets (which were no longer refundable), I decided to push back our departure time and skip the various pre-planned stops along the way, in the hopes that the weather would be tolerable for our boat ride.

    Our 2.5 hour drive went pretty much according to plan. The intensity of the rain varied throughout our drive such that at times, it was so violent I could hardly see despite having our windshield wipers on high. On other occasions, the rain seemed to stop and/or barely sprinkle down, so I was hopeful that our boat ride might still take place.

    Glacier Lagoon Cafe

    At around 11:45, we arrived at Glacier Lagoon, an outfitter that provides amphibian boat tours. I quickly parked and walked to the ticket book located immediately to the left of the dining room/cafe. I confirmed our reservation for 1:10pm, but then inquired as to whether there were any earlier scheduled tours with availability. Fortunately, there just happened to be two spots left for the 12:40pm boat ride, which I happily exchanged our 1:10pm reservations for.

    With less than an hour to kill, we decided to grab a quick bite to eat inside the Glacier Lagoon cafe.

    The self-help counter at the Glacier Lagoon Cafe.

    Not fancy by any stretch of the imagination, the Glacier Lagoon cafe contains pre-made sandwiches, two soup offerings, a few other pre-packaged/pre-prepared food items, and your choice of beverages. I picked up a ham sandwich for my son and chose to try one of the soup offerings for myself. Our two items cost just over $20 ($13 for the soup and bread, $10 for the sandwich). Not fancy by any stretch of the imagination and certainly costing well more than they were worth, the fact that we were actually able to get something to eat was not lost on me as I’m not sure where the nearest restaurant alternative would have been.

    After finishing up our simple meal and using the restroom, we went back to wait in the car. By then, the rain had slowed to a mist. Considering the deluge we had woke up to, this was really the best of all possible circumstances.

    Five minutes prior to our scheduled tour, I saw the amphibian boat pull up to the free-standing stairway and we walked over to line up. An attendant checked our tickets, handed us life vests and we were quickly off. It took less than 2 minutes to get from the boarding area into the water and a short 15 minute boat ride later, we were well surrounded by floating glaciers. My son really enjoyed taking pictures on the journey out and once stopped, a john boat that was following behind us approached and handed the tour guide a large chunk of glacial ice.

    The ice hand off.
    The guide’s explanation of lagoon formation and ice transitions.

    The guide explained that the lagoon was formed by glacial melting and that the lagoon gets bigger every year as the glaciers continue to melt. The different colors of the ice are typically a result of how long the ice has been floating in the water and how much of that ice has been exposed to direct sunlight. The guide cut off pieces of glacial ice for everyone to taste and also handed out a large chunk for people to hold and pose for photos with.

    The guide, handing my son his own small chunk of ice.

    My son really enjoyed getting to touch the large chunk of ice and getting to taste the small chunk of ice that the guide cut off. After about 10-15 minutes, the boat started up again and we returned to shore. The entire experience lasted approximately 40 minutes.

    While the weather on the day of our visit was not ideal, Catherine and her family got a better view of the surrounding area, and particularly, Vatnajökull, Iceland’s largest icecap, on their trip to Jökulsárlón last year.  They also saw icebergs washed up on the shore of the black sand beach located on the other side of the Ring Road.

    Pro-Tips:

    • Our one adult/one child ticket cost $77. While there is no discount for advance purchase, you are subject to availability if you show up the day of. I didn’t want to run the risk of not being able to take a boat ride, thus, I purchased our tickets well in advance of our trip.
    • Individuals must be seated while the boat is driving, but once the boat is in the water, passengers are free to get up and walk around.
    • We each wore thermals with rain pants layered over our thermals. We also wore heavy duty fleece and rain jackets as our outer layer. Unfortunately, we did not pack gloves, which I sorely missed, although for the short time we were out on the water, it was fine. There were many individuals there who were very poorly dressed and clearly freezing and/or getting drenched. Although the rain was mild (nothing more than a slight drizzle), it was cold enough that being damp was unpleasant.

    After our boat ride, we simply turned around and drove back to our cottage. It may seem slightly insane to drive 5+ hours for a 40 minute boat ride, but it was well worth it. I’m glad we didn’t let the rain deter us (it helped that we didn’t have anything else planned) and I was glad that the rain seemed to be more mild down near Jökulsárlón than near Reynisfjara. On the way home, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up spaghetti supplies just to have handy. I’m glad I did as the rain picked up and after having showered and put on dry and warm clothes, we had no desire to make even the short 5 minute walk or 1 minute drive down to Black Sand Restaurant for dinner. Our spaghetti supples (sauce, noodles, and ground beef) cost less than $12 total, so it was a cheap and satisfying way to end our day.

    Planning your own trip to Iceland with kids?  Continue reading Icelandic Weekend Getaway With Kids: Solheimasandur Beach, and be sure to 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.