With a population of 39.5 million, California is the most populous state in the country with three million residents more than all of Canada. Los Angeles is home to nearly four million residents and the greater metropolitan area (including Long Beach) boasts a population of 18.7 million people. It’s no surprise that there is tons of fun stuff to do in Los Angeles with kids! In fact, earlier this year, Catherine, her mom, and her son shared Five Fun Family Activities in Los Angeles from a combined work/leisure trip. Here, I’d like to share with you Five More Fun Family Activities!
#1: Long Beach
Long Beach is located roughly 25 miles south of Los Angeles proper and is the second largest city in the Los Angeles area (after Los Angeles, of course). As a child growing up in Southern California, I knew of Long Beach for only two reasons: (1) home of the Queen Mary, and (2) the large container ships that would come in to harbor as Long Beach is a major shipping port. I remember paying one visit to the Queen Mary when I was in high school, but otherwise, Long Beach was something of a no man’s land, with nary an attraction that would make the 45 minute drive worthwhile.
In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Long Beach experienced a revitalization of sorts and became a worthwhile destination of its own. The Aquarium of the Pacific, or, the Long Beach Aquarium, opened in 1998, and is a wonderful place to spend the day with kids. Located at Rainbow Harbor Marina, in the heart of downtown Long Beach, the Long Beach Aquarium offers not only wonderful viewing of sea life, but also abundant add on opportunities, such as ocean boat rides, play time on the beach, and even fine dining along the water front.
Having visited Long Beach on a number of occasions now, I heartily endorse making plans to spend an afternoon at the Aquarium or, if you want to be really wild, plan to spend a night in Long Beach and take full advantage of everything the city has to offer. We did this on a more recent trip to Long Beach, purchasing both Aquarium tickets and a harbor tour as part of a package directly from the Aquarium, then spent the evening at hotel nearby so that we could enjoy dinner and a few hours of sand time on the beach before heading back to Los Angeles.
#2: Huntington Library
Another one of my top places to visit whenever we are in Los Angeles visiting family is the Huntington Library. The Huntington boasts an impressive library collection, with seven million manuscripts and 430,000 rare books, as well as an extensive art collection, focusing on European Art from the 15th – 20th centuries. But, the true beauty of the Huntington lies in its extensive gardens and grounds, which take up over 120 of the 207 acres owned by the Huntington.
Strolling around the Japanese Gardens on his first visit to the Huntington.
The entire garden is child friendly and my kids particularly love the Asian gardens, but note that the gardens can get extremely crowded and that food and picnicking are only permitted in designated areas and at the cafe and tea room. Advance purchase of tickets is not required and honestly, we have never found it to be necessary.
#3: Hike the San Gabriel Mountains
The high school I attended is conveniently located at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. There are a number of hiking trails, but one of my favorite as a child is the Sturtevant Falls Trail which begins at Chantry Flat, a designated Recreation Area within the Angeles National Forest and a starting point for many historic trails up in the San Gabriel Mountains.
The Sturtevant Falls Trail is a lovely 3.5 mile hike that is extremely kid friendly, with the exception of the last 0.6 miles back to the parking lot. You heard me – the hike begins with a steep 0.6 mile paved walk down to the beginning of the trail. The steep paved incline is glorious at the beginning of the hike, but believe me when I say it has been torture when we are tired and facing the incline at the end of the hike. I’ve seen many families bring umbrella strollers and use the strollers to push young children back up the hill after the hike, but I’ve also seen many parents carrying five year olds up the hill after the kids have given up. Definitely be prepared and know that it’s a rough walk back up to the parking lot.
A look at the steep paved incline at the end of the trail!
Pro Tip:
A National Forest Adventure Pass is required to park at the trail head. These can be purchased at a small shop located near the official parking area, although you can also just pay either $5 or $10 (depending on availability) to park at the small shop, which is privately owned and managed.
Parking does fill up quickly in the mornings.
Pack plenty of water – there are no fountains or amenities available once you begin your hike.
For those with older kids (teenager+), definitely consider using Chantry Flat as the base for a longer hike. My husband and I recently did the 16-mile round trip hike to the Mount Wilson Observatory, via Chantry Flat. It’s a steep climb (nearly 4,000 feet elevation gain) over 7-8 miles and the ledges are tight, so this is not something I would attempt with a toddler or even most elementary aged children. However, the views of Downtown Los Angeles are spectacular on a clear day.
View of Downtown Los Angeles along the Upper Wilson Creek Trail
#4: Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is another fan favorite for my household. Unlike the Huntington, the Arboretum is greatly unsung and most people aren’t even aware that it is there. It is rarely ever crowded and there are a number of tour options, including docent led walking tours that are included in the price of admission.
One of my favorite things about the Arboretum is the opportunity to get up close and personal with one of my favorite birds: the peacock! The city in which the Arboretum is located, Arcadia, has a number of free roaming peacocks and many of them have chosen to call the Arboretum home. My kids loved the opportunity to see these majestic and beautiful birds up close.
#5: Travel Town located in Griffith Park
Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country, with over 4,200 acres right smack in the middle of Los Angeles. There are a number of attractions within the Park, some of which are free, but some do require admission (for example, the Gene Autry Museum or the L.A. Zoo).
For those looking for something to do with young kids, Travel Town may be of particular interest. Travel Town is an outdoor museum dedicated to preserving the railroad history of the western United States. There are a number of locomotives on display, some of which are available for climbing and sitting, and both my sons absolutely adored this stop as young/old toddlers.
As an added bonus, there is no admission to Travel Town (although donations are gladly accepted), so this is truly one of the most budget friendly options for families with young children visiting Los Angeles!
I hope you enjoyed my list of Five More Fun Family Activities in Los Angeles! Be sure to check out the original list of Five Fun Family Activities in Los Angeles and our entire category of posts on Los Angeles and California before your next trip to the Sunshine State with kids!
Thank you to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for hosting our family’s visit. All opinions are my own.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is not a typical aquarium. It allows visitors to spend time with rescued and awe-inspiring animals while maintaining an educational focus and throwing in a bit of Hollywood. We have been to many wonderful aquariums that offer amazing displays of marine life. Unlike almost every other aquarium, however, Clearwater Marine Aquarium does not buy, breed or sell any animals and is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of rescued marine animals. The only permanent residents are animals who have some permanent condition that precludes a safe release. Clearwater Marine Aquarium is not only the home of Winter, the world-famous bottlenose dolphin who overcame all odds after losing her tail and uses a prosthetic tail, but is also the main filming location of two movies about Winter, Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. We definitely recommend visiting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium with kids!
Kid Facts: Clearwater Marine Aquarium opened in a former water treatment facility in 1979.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Dolphin Tale
The number of visitors to Clearwater Marine Aquarium grew exponentially since the debut of the Dolphin Tale movies. As a result, expansion seemed inevitable, and Clearwater Marine Aquarium has been careful to maintain its education focus and not venture into theme park territory. The parking garage was completed in 2017, and construction began on the two-year expansion of the Aquarium in December 2017 that is expected to be complete by January 2020. Temporarily, visitors parking in the garage need to walk alongside the construction zone to reach the Aquarium. The kids enjoyed following Winter’s signs to the temporary entrance.
Kid Facts: Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s expansion includes two four-story buildings and a new dolphin habitat.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Winter the Dolphin
The highlight of Clearwater Marine Aquarium is definitely the Winter Zone, which is home to both Winter and Hope, the stars of Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. Winter was rescued in December 2005 after being entangled in a crab trap near Cape Canaveral in 2005 when she was only two months old. Because the entanglement cut off circulation to her tail flukes, her tail ultimately deteriorated and caused her to swim unnaturally. Winter was not expected to survive, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium received recommendations to euthanize her after her rescue. However, she persevered and overcame incredible odds. Hanger Prosthetics created a silicone-and-plastic tail with a specially-designed gel sleeve that allowed her to swim properly.
Winter – Photo courtesy of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Kid Facts: Dolphin calves usually spend their first few years with their mothers, learning important survival skills. Because Winter was separated from her mother at about two months and had a prosthetic tail, she was not a candidate for release and became a permanent resident at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Winter’s Inspiration
Winter has become an inspiration to children and adults with medical conditions or disabilities. People travel from all over the world to meet Winter, and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium displays pictures and cards from inspired visitors and friends in Winter’s Gallery of Hope. Winter also made quite an impression on my kids. My daughter sleeps with her Winter souvenir every night.
Kid Facts: Clearwater resident Maja Kazazic lost her leg at age 16 when she was injured by a motor shell rocket grenade in Bosnia. She was inspired by Winter and wanted the same doctor who treated Winter. Hanger Prosthetics also made her a prosthetic leg with the same type of gel originally created for Winter. Maja volunteers at Clearwater Marine Aquarium weekly and is a motivational speaker.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Hope the Dolphin
Hope was rescued from the Indian River Lagoon December 2010 as an orphaned dolphin attempting to nurse from her mother, who had died after becoming beached. Because her mother died before teaching her important survival skills, Hope was also not a candidate for release. Before our trip, we watched Dolphin Tale 2, which includes a dramatization of Hope’s rescue. We enjoyed watching Hope’s feeding during our visit.
Maintaining its educational focus, Clearwater Marine Aquarium never requires its animals to “perform” for visitors. However, dolphin Nicholas enjoys showing off for visitors. Nicholas is also a bottlenose dolphin who was rescued with his mother on Christmas Eve in 2002 when he was about six months old. His mother, Noelle, died a few days later but Nicholas was left with severe sunburn. When his burns healed, Nicholas like Winter and Hope, was not a candidate for release due to his separation from his mother at such a young age. We were lucky to watch one of his presentations during our visit.
Kid Facts: Nicholas has successfully predicted the outcome to many national championships and portrayed Mandy in Dolphin Tale 2.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is an animal hospital and constantly treating rescued animals. We got to see the Surgical Suite, which was featured as a movie set in Dolphin Tale 2 as a turtle ICU.
Kid Facts: This surgical suite was the set for Dolphin Tale 2 scenes featuring medical care for the sea turtle, Mavis. Permanent resident, Harold, played Mavis. Harold was rescued in 2010 and is non-releasable because of vision impairment.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Turtle Rescues
At Clearwater Marine Aquarium, we also learned about turtle rescues. Many turtles were effected by the recent cold weather in Florida and brought in for rehabilitation. By the time of our visit in February, 80 rescued turtles came to Clearwater Marine Aquarium in 2018, compared to a total of 79 in all of 2017. Additionally, 39 turtles had already been released this year, compared to 29 in 2017.
Kid Facts: Clearwater Marine Aquarium released 29 green sea turtles effected by cold temperatures on nearby Honeymoon Island on January 25, 2018.
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium also treats many green turtles infected with the fibropapilloma virus that causes benign tumors on soft tissues. These highly contagious tumors can be removed with laser therapy, and cured turtles can be released back into the ocean. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is participating in research to find the cause of the fibropapilloma virus and why it typically effects only green turtles. Because the fibropapilloma virus is highly contagious, infected turtles are quarantined in tanks separated from turtles rescued for other purposes.
Kid Facts: Current research suggests that the fibropapilloma virus may be connected to agriculture and waste-water runoff.
Mavis’ Rescue Hideaway features Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s resident sea turtles, including Harold. Divers were doing a scuba presentation during our visit.
Kid Facts: On Valentine’s Day, a Clearwater Marine Aquarium volunteer was married in an underwater wedding in the Aquaium’s turtle habitat.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Pelicans
We also met Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s pelicans. Matthew and Tyndall reside in Rufus Beach, which was named for the pelican featured in the Dolphin Tale movies. Rufus was played by Ricky, one of Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s permanent residents, who resides in the new aviary with Skylar.
Kid Facts: Pelicans are flighted birds that can have wingspans up to 11 feet.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Cooper and Walle
The kids also enjoyed otters Cooper and Walle at the Otter Oasis.
Kid Facts: Walle is a five-year-old otter with more energy than fifteen-year-old, Cooper.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium With Kids – Dolphin Tale Memorabilia
Clearwater Marine Aquarium features lots of memorabilia from the Dolphin Tale movies and pictures from the films that were especially fun for my kids, who really enjoyed both movies.
Our favorite bit of memorabilia was the houseboat. Our amazing guide, Julia Anderson, expertly answered our countless questions about the movies and the Aquarium. We not got to see many of the animals featured in the movies but also learned a good deal of “fact v. fiction” about the movies. The movies maintain key elements, but there was some dramatization for Hollywood purposes.
Kid Facts: The lookout on top of the houseboat frequented by Hazel in the Dolphin Tale movies was deemed too unsafe for filming. All scenes were filmed looking up into the lookout, which was actually placed on the ground.
Most aquariums are educational facilities that help visitors enhance their knowledge about marine life. Clearwater Marine Aquarium offered not only an educational experience but showcases inspirational examples of animal perseverance and the necessity to protect marine life. Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and release marine animals and also focuses on environmental conservation. Located about an hour from Tampa and two hours from Orlando, we totally recommend a trip to Clearwater Marine Aquarium with kids of all ages.
Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features! Also, be sure to check out our post on Clearwater Beach with kids and our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Florida with kids.
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.
Some say that the best thing to see in Connecticut is either New York City or Boston. Having grown up in Hartford, Connecticut, I can tell you they are wrong – sort of. As a child, fall in New England meant raking up leaves and slipping on those said leaves – not fun. Although the foliage was always bright and colorful, I just never paid much attention to it, taking it for granted as just part of regular life. After eight years living in Tampa, however, I started getting homesick. Palm trees are nice and all, but it’s just way too green all the time. Green and hot.
A few years ago, after having lived in Florida for many years, I decided to take my Miami born and raised son “leaf peeping” and join the annual pilgrimage of thousands of people who visit New England every year for a glimpse of its magnificent fall foliage. I booked my family on a flight to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut, which is centrally located to everything in New England and also, conveniently, close to my family.
Having fun at the New England Air Museum
Where to Stay:
I will get some grief for this, but the Hartford area is full of outdated hotels, or absurdly expensive hotels. There is no need to sacrifice your wallet for a lame place to hang your hat. I always choose the Hyatt House in Windsor, which is only a short drive from the airport, recently built, and quiet. The location is great for exploring the state with your family, the rooms are big and clean, and they offer free breakfast in their cafeteria style eating area. Windsor is Connecticut’s first town, with many small shops and a fountain on the town green.
Where to Eat:
There are two places near the Hyatt that are great options for a quick bite to eat. For breakfast or lunch, Dom’s Broad Street Eatery, located in the heart of Windsor, has wonderful food, huge portions, and is where the locals like to eat. Wilson Pizza Palace, is another place I would recommend and is located at the north end of the town of Windsor. The state of Connecticut has wonderful pizza and while New Haven gets the southern Connecticut glory, I think Greek owned Wilson Pizza Palace holds its own in representing the northern part of the state. Grab a meatball grinder or a large Wilson Special Pizza to go! The Hyatt House has a kitchen, dinnerware, and flatware in every room, so you can lounge in the comfort of your pajamas while eating the most memorable pizza of your life. Wilson is cash only and resides in an old McDonald’s. When you visit, tell them the Cuban sent you – it will make them smile and give you Wilson Pizza Palace street cred.
The Connecticut Trolley Museum is just a 15 minute drive from the Hyatt (see Connecticut IS small) and is the oldest incorporated museum dedicated to electric railroading in the United States, founded in 1940. My five year old loves trains and riding on trains, so this was a must visit for us. In the fall, the Museum has offers a pumpkin patch and also an after dark spooky ride called “Rails to the Dark Side,” which is rated PG-13 and not recommended for young children. Just be sure to bundle up as it does get cold and have your cameras ready as the rides offer nice scenery and foliage views.
New England Air Museum:
The New England Air Museum has over 100 aircrafts located in a huge heated warehouse. There are numerous cool exhibits, including opportunities for your kids to sit in the cockpit of an actual fighter jet or an old helicopter. There is plenty of room for the kids to run around and explore, while learning a little bit of history and science. My son loved getting in and out of helicopters and jets and also exploring the toys in the gift shop. Volunteers are friendly and helpful and this is just an all out wonderful destination especially on a rainy day.
In a town made famous in the 1980s by Julia Robert’s performance in the movie Mystic Pizza (yes, Mystic Pizza really does exist although the pizza is meh), Mystic Seaport or the Museum of America and The Sea is one of the nation’s oldest maritime museums and has a lot to offer. Per the website,
The Museum’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, CT and include a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship still in existence.
Full disclosure: I hate this place. Growing up in Connecticut meant dozens of field trips here to learn about how the early settlers churned butter – just what a teenager with raging hormones want to spend the day seeing. Although I am jaded, I can now appreciate what Mystic Seaport has to offer. In addition to the old New England exhibits, recent more modern exhibits have also been added. And, Mystic Aquarium is also just down the street. You can pre-purchase tickets to both the Seaport and the Aquarium online and save yourself the hassle of waiting in line.
The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum is a 30 minute drive from the Hyatt. Although technically located in Massachusetts, this museum is not to be missed if you grew up reading Dr. Seuss books or if your kids adore them. The Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden is a small park outside with sculptures of his most famous characters and is a must visit, no matter what the weather is. The museum has been recently renovated so make sure to check the website for hours and tickets, which can also be purchased online.
While in Springfield visiting the Dr. Seuss museum, pop over to the Basketball Hall of Fame, where children under four are free. Basketball fans will enjoy the interactive exhibits and enjoy the court for shooting hoops. The museum is conveniently located in an area that houses some amazing restaurants, including Plan B Burger Bar and Max’s Tavern.
Brown’s Harvest:
Brown’s Harvest in Windsor is a special place for me, as this is where my parents took me as a child for our pumpkins and Christmas trees. Back then, it was just a stand, but Brown’s Harvest has evolved and now boasts a corn maze, haunted hay ride, and a small shop where you can buy cider and apple doughnuts. Apple doughnuts! If you have not tried them, book your trip now! Brown’s Harvest is only a 10 minute drive from the Hyatt and is located on the northern end of Windsor, headed towards the airport. I was thrilled to share the experience with my son, who had a blast running around the pumpkin patch and washing down apple doughnuts with hot apple cider.
Drive!:
One of the best things about Connecticut is that it is a small state. A drive through the lower Connecticut River Valley has a lot to offer. I always recommend that people consider taking the Ultimate Foliage Tour of Central Connecticut. I’ve done it and it was amazing. The foliage is constantly changing and varies depending on where you are. Make sure to consult the foliage tracker and remember to explore and drive as much as you can. There are numerous small towns off the beaten path, some great history to be experienced, and pumpkin patches galore!
Final Thoughts:
As you can see, there’s plenty to do in Connecticut! If you absolutely must, New York City and Boston are easy day trips and are each only about a two hour drive in opposite directions from Windsor.
We hope you enjoyed David’s thorough review of things to do in and around Hartford, Connecticut!If you find yourself inspired to visit New England, be sure to visit Catherine’s Fall Getaway: New England for more ideas. Fall also happens to be our favorite season here at WGWK, so be sure to check out our more expansive Fall Getaway series.
Although I have driven from Southern California to Northern California more times than I can count, I had only been to Monterey once prior to our family trip this spring. As an avid fan of aquariums, however, I have long wanted to take my husband there and when I started researching options for things to do in Monterey, I quickly realized that it would be a wonderful place to spend the week with the kids. In Part I of this series, I discussed the logistics of our flight from DC to Los Angeles and our decision to spend the night in Santa Barbara and take our time driving up the Coast. In this post, I’ll describe the activities we packed into a seven day trip to Monterey.
My Fourth Grade year was spent studying California history, which included an exhaustive series on California missions. I spent a lot of time as a child wondering about the missions and intrigued by their history. Although I did not get a chance to visit many as a child, my husband and I have explored many together through the years.
If you spend any time driving up and down the California Coast, you’ll invariably see signs indicating that you are traveling on the Historic Camino Real, the road connecting the 21 Spanish missions.
Happily for me, the house we rented was just a short 25 minute drive to the San Charles Borromeo de Carmelo Mission, or the Carmel Mission, and it was the perfect location for our Easter morning mass.
The mission was built in 1770 and many parts of it show its age. Luckily, it is now the home of a vibrant parish and school. The early morning mass we attended (7AM) was completely full, with seats in the courtyard for the overflow. Since I had a defiant toddler with me, we ended up exploring a lot of the grounds during mass. Unfortunately for me, a Southern California native, it was much much colder than I expected so I was freezing by the time my son and husband were done. Definitely do not underestimate how much colder it is in Northern California than it is in Los Angeles!
Juniper Serra, the Franciscan priest who founded the first missions in California is actually buried in the sanctuary floor. My then-seven year old, who had learned about the Spanish missionaries during Spanish class was intrigued by the historical significance of the Mission and we stopped by the gift shop to purchase some items to bring back and share in class.
Being that it was Easter, we, of course, did an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. The garden at the vacation house provided the perfect spot for hiding eggs.
As you might expect, we spent a lot of time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This was the driving force behind our decision to visit Monterey and we visited every single day for a few hours at a time. The house we rented came with two guest passes to use for the duration of our stay and children under 3 are free, so we really only needed one more ticket. One day admission is $49.95 for an adult, so we decided to go ahead and purchase a $95 annual membership for my husband to use. Had our house not come with the two guest passes, we would have purchased a family membership which, at $250, is a bargain for a week of entertainment.
Many of the days ended up being rainy, so the aquarium was the perfect place to let off some steam and get some toddler energy out. My seven year old never got bored and my toddler loved the playspace.
The only downside to the experience is that my husband and I didn’t learn a single thing while there! We were too busy chasing our toddler (who thought it particularly fun to run like a maniac through the dark aquarium gallery). I did catch this video of the sea gooseberry, which was probably my favorite organism at the aquarium.
My kids loved the sardines swimming in an endless circle. I remember being fascinated by this very aquarium as a child, so it was neat to see my kids experience it as well, even if it is much smaller than I remember it being!
Monterey happens to be home to the Dennis the Menace Park. Unfortunately, our stay occurred while it was under construction, so we did not get a chance to actually experience the park. The park, however, is adjacent to Lake El Centro, where you can rent paddle boats from El Estero Boating.
We took advantage of a sunny afternoon for our first family paddle boating experience.
my fearless munchkin
The water was calm and as we were there in the middle of the week, it was not crowded. I believe we were the only people on the water that day. Now that the Dennis the Menace Park has reopened, this is an easy place to spend the afternoon with kids.
Our vacation rental was only a 15 minute drive from Asilomar State Beach, which turned out to be a surprisingly delightful place to visit. Across from the beach is the Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve:
where a landmark stile stands at the gateway to this preserve and the Asilomar Conference Grounds. A ¼ mile boardwalk meanders through 25 acres of restored sand dune ecosystem where visitors can discover the native plant greenhouse where more than 450,000 plants, representing 25 species, have been grown and planted in the effort to preserve the dunes and coastal bluffs. Several boardwalk outlooks provide panoramic views of Asilomar State Beach and the blue Pacific Ocean.
coastal trail @ Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve
Both my kids enjoyed the boardwalk and so did we! It was not crowded and the wooden pathways were easy for my toddler to manage on his own. Although it would be a bumpy ride for a stroller, it is certainly manageable – the bigger concern would be sand from wind. My seven year old had a blast playing army on the walk with his cousin while my toddler enjoyed stopping and throwing sand every few feet.
Later that week, we returned to the beach for some play time in the sand and despite the stiff wind, both kids had a great time.
My husband and I are avid hikers and there was no doubt that we would try to sneak in as many walks as we could. Of course, it is necessary to adjust your expectations when hiking with kids and we try to find small walks that they can enjoy. Jacks Peak Park fit the bill. Although there is a nominal fee to park (I believe it is $5/car), it was well worth it.
Looking out over Monterey with the map pointing out major destinations.
The trail was well maintained such that my toddler had no trouble walking most of the path himself.
Dad was happy to give him a ride when he got tired!
Although this is not a stroller friendly spot, it is a relatively easy walk without too much elevation change and the path is maintained such that I would not hesitate to bring a child in a carrier. Most of the walk was shaded and cool – especially with the ocean breeze coming in from the west.
Being in Northern California, there were many days in which it rained too much for us to do anything other than go to the Aquarium. One day, we took the kids to the Aquarium in the morning, but were desperate for indoor activities for later in the afternoon. My brother (who was visiting with his wife and two kids) ended up taking all the kids to Jump-N-Around, a local chain bounce house. My kids had a great time and it provided them with some much needed jumpin’ around time (pun intended).
Although we did not intend to do much, if any, wine tasting while in Monterey, we spent one afternoon exploring the Monterey tasting scene after we discovered there were a number of tasting rooms all centrally located in one area, thus saving us from having to drag the kids to and from wineries. One of the tasting rooms we visited was Georis, located in nearby Carmel.
The day we visited was pleasant enough to be outside and there is a little garden where kids can play without disturbing others (although there are cacti, so be careful)! Georis also has a limited menu, which we did not take advantage of, but it would have been easy to get a snack for the kids and keep them entertained while we sipped. Many of the other wineries we visited had similar set ups and it was definitely a more laid back environment than Napa. I would not hesitate to bring my kids along for some wine tasting next time we are in the area.
Relax
Reading through this post, it sure does surprise me how much we managed to work into a week long stay in Monterey! My husband and I each worked in a few visits to the Monterey Sports Center, where we paid a nominal fee for a day pass so that we could get some exercise in and we also spent plenty of time sitting around and just enjoying the cool, ocean air from the comfort of our rented backyard. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised by how much there was to occupy ourselves with and we never got bored. We tend to focus on big, exciting places to visit – London, San Francisco, DC, New York – visiting the sleepy town of Monterey was a nice change of pace and there was plenty to do while also providing us with some much needed down time.
In May 2011, I was given the opportunity to travel to Seattle for work. On a whim, my husband decided to accompany me along with our not-quite-two-year-old for a four day mini-vacation. The decision to accompany me on the trip was inspired by the fact that my son was still able to fly for free (two and under travel free as “lap children” on domestic flights) and we had sufficient points for my husband to fly for free on the same flight I was scheduled to travel on. Although many thought we were insane to take a trip across country for essentially a long weekend with a toddler, it ended up being one of the best family trips we’ve ever taken and I still have fond memories of it, six plus years later. For those debating a long weekend in Seattle with kids, here are my tips for what to do on a weekend in Seattle with kids!
Seattle
Pike Place Market
Seattle is one of the most beautiful cities that I have ever been to and my husband and I keep remarking that we need to plan a vacation wherein we rent a house near Pike Place Market and spend the week eating and drinking ourselves to oblivion. Even if you’re not planning on purchasing fresh salmon to fly home, I recommend you spend some time at the market – just soaking in the experience. There are tons of vendors selling everything from giant salmon to crafts to cheese! It’s really an experience that no trip to Seattle is complete without.
Pike Place is full of eateries, both inside and around the market and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Although we made a pilgrimage to the original Starbucks, located just around the corner from Pike Place, we stumbled across the Crumpet Shop one morning and were tickled to find that they had “Green Eggs and Ham” on the menu!
Green eggs and ham crumpet!
Seattle Aquarium
Also within walking distance to Pike Place Market is the Seattle Aquarium. I am a big fan of aquariums and make a point of visiting them whenever we’re in a city that has one, but the Seattle Aquarium was unique to me in that it was regionally focused. The adults learned a lot about Puget Sound and the local marine life and my son loved the open space to run around.
It’s an easy walk from Pike Place to the Aquarium.
The REI Store
If you know us, you know that we spent time at the REI Flagship store in Seattle. We didn’t need anything in particular, but there was a small play area for kids and we enjoyed walking around and getting some active play.
enjoying the play area at REI
Although I would not call it a must visit, it is a nice way to kill some time, especially when the weather is overcast and wet. It’s also a handy spot to pick up a fleece or two, if you find that you’re heading to the snow and you didn’t plan ahead for it!
Ballard Locks
In 2013, on our way home from Hawaii, we worked in a 24 hour layover in Seattle during which time we visited Ballard Locks with my then 4 year old.
The Ballard Locks carry more boat traffic than any other lock in the US, and the Locks, along with the fish ladder and the surrounding Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens attract more than one million visitors annually, making it one of Seattle’s top tourist attractions.The construction of the locks profoundly reshaped the topography of Seattle and the surrounding area, lowering the water level of Lake Washington and Lake Union by 8.8 feet (2.7 m), adding miles of new waterfront land, reversing the flow of rivers, and leaving piers in the eastern half of Salmon Bay high and dry.[5] The Locks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the American Society of Civil EngineersHistoric Civil Engineering Landmarks.
I was surprised by how fascinating it was to see the locks system and to watch the salmon climb the fish ladders. This is just one of the many amazing ways in which Seattle has focused on the local ecosystem and environment and made it accessible to its residents and visitors alike. And, although our trip to Ballard Locks did not take place during the same weekend in which we visited all the other sites in this post, it is easily something that can be squeezed into (and should be squeezed into!) a long weekend visit to Seattle.
Olympic National Park
After my work obligations in Seattle, we departed for Olympic National Park. Located approximately 2.5 hours by car from Seattle, we decided to head to Olympic because I had never been, but also because we were interested in the different climate that Olympic would have to offer. Instead of driving from Seattle, though, we took the Edmonds Kingston Ferry, which was a fun experience for all of us because we got to drive our car on board and then ferry across! It ended up taking about the same amount of time that it would have taken us to drive directly from Seattle, but it was a nice break from riding in the car and a new experience for all of us.
enjoying the Edmonds Kingston Ferry
We visited in late May, but upon arrival, found that Olympic was still definitely in the throes of winter.
snow covered Olympic
The roads were well plowed so we took a short walk near the Hurricane Ridge Visitor’s Center. The novelty of the snow packed up high along the roads was enough to entertain my son for a duration of the walk and I believe this is still the most snow he has ever seen to date!
Port Townsend/Discovery Bay
After our brief stop in Hurricane Ridge, we continued on to Port Townsend, where we had rented a cabin in Discovery Bay, through Adelma Beach Properties. Although we were surrounded by snow three hours prior, we suddenly found ourselves in a warm beach town where we took off our shoes and were able to relax for the next few days.
the private pier off our cabin
The house was well equipped with everything we needed and we ended up being very glad that we had rented a house instead of staying at a hotel, because it gave us the option of cooking meals and enjoying them quietly after putting our son to bed. Since there were two bedrooms, we could easily put my son down for a nap or his bedtime, but still enjoy having our own space to relax and talk, without risk of disturbing him. Luckily for us, there was a small organic grocer in Port Townsend, which was only five miles north of the house we were staying in, so we did our grocery shopping there by day and ate like kings at night.
one of the many fresh seafood meals we cooked
We basically spent the next two days eating, napping, and enjoying quiet walks along the beach. We did not even spend any time, if at all, in the town of Port Townsend. My husband ventured in by day to pick up groceries and wine, but I mostly stayed close to the house with our toddler and enjoyed the peace and quiet.
Seattle is one of those cities that I will go to whenever given the opportunity. There is SO much to do in Seattle that we have not gotten to do yet, but I know we will someday. For a long weekend in Seattle with kids, however, we had a great time on our escape from the hustle and bustle of real life and enjoyed some quiet family time.
In July of 2016, my family of four, along with my in-laws, traveled to Alaska in celebration of my father-in-law’s milestone birthday and to cross off my husband’s 50th state with his parents! The 49th state was Hawaii, which we visited with my in-laws in September 2013. Although some might wonder whether a multi-generational trip to Alaska makes sense, it turns out traveling to Alaska with kids and grandparents was perfect as there was always something for everyone to do! Our favorite spot in Alaska was Seward and even now, years later, I have fond memories of our time in Seward. For those on the fence, definitely consider visiting Seward, Alaska with kids!
How Did We Get to Alaska With Kids?
My husband and then-seven year old drove to Alaska with his parents in an RV. Yes – you heard right – my husband and son flew from DC to Ohio, where my in-laws picked them up and proceeded to drive to Alaska! Over the course of 10 (leisurely) days, they camped throughout the eastern United States and Canada before 10 crossing back into Alaska and exploring Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Homer, Alaska.
Since our youngest was only 18 months at the time, I opted out of the RV ride and flew with my toddler to Anchorage, where we joined the rest of the family for the second portion of the trip: Seward and Talkeetna (our home base for exploring Denali).
Although it was my toddler’s first long flight (over five hours), he did great. Having traveled extensively with my oldest, I was prepared for just about everything including breaking out the diaper hats when everything else had lost its entertainment value.
Although I had packed two spare outfits for the 13 hours of travel time, I still found myself dressing my little one in a zip up jacket after running through three separate sets of clothes. You can never pack enough spare clothes and having extra is always preferable to not enough.
my three guys, together again
Where did we stay?
Upon arrival in Anchorage, we were quickly and happily reunited with my husband and older son, whom we hadn’t seen in over two weeks. We then went to our hotel for the night, the Sheraton Anchorage. The Sheraton Anchorage was a decent accommodation for our stay in Anchorage, but I was disappointed that although they confirmed our reservation for two adjoining rooms, we were told, at check in, that adjoining rooms were not available. My in-laws were thus on a different floor than us, although that ended up not being an issue as we were three for less than 24 hours and I was just happy to have to let my toddler run around and also to spread out and take a much needed rest!
The next morning, we headed off early for Seward. At the time, the McHugh fire was spreading near the Seward Highway, and we were worried they were going to close the road and thus, our only means of getting down to Seward. The trip itself is roughly 120 miles, however, the time it takes to make the trip varies greatly depending on road conditions as it is a two lane highway.
Seward Highway, one of the most beautiful roads in America
view of the McHugh fire snaking its way down to the Seward HighwayWe stopped to pick up the RV on our way down to Seward, so of course my toddler had to test out the driver’s seat!
We rented a place in Seward through Seward Vacation Properties to accommodate our group of four adults and two children, and it ended up being spectacular due to its proximity to town, furnishings, and gorgeous view of Resurrection Bay. The house was well equipped with a master suite that looked directly out at Resurrection Bay and its own washer/dryer set (!), and also had a large living room space for my toddler to stretch his legs. My favorite thing about the house, however, was the front deck with high plastic guard rail that overlooked Resurrection Bay. It was the perfect place to relax and the first time I felt truly like I was truly “on vacation” since my toddler was born 18 months ago!
We made many amazing meals in Seward, purchasing almost all of our seafood from Captain Jack’s Seafood LockerRelaxing with my toddler on the deck of our rental house
What did we do?
We spent five days and four nights in Seward, and it was action packed. I absolutely loved visiting Seward with kids and can highly recommend all families pay it a visit. It has been nearly three years since we visited Seward and I am itching to go back, knowing that there are abundant opportunities for family fun in Seward.
I recommend, without reservation, Kayak Adventures Worldwide. We did two trips with them, the first to Aialik Glacier with just my husband and myself, and a second private half-day kayaking adventure with our then-7 year old in Resurrection Bay. I was able to correspond with them before hand to ensure that they were able and willing to accommodate a 7 year old, and the guides we had on both trips were outstanding. The best part was that there is no up-charge for a private trip, they only ask that a minimum of 3 people book. Since there were three adults and one child that planned to take the trip, we had no problems reserving a private tour and had a great experience.
The full day trip to Aialik Glacier is not something I would recommend with pre-teen children. It is a long, cold day in a relatively small boat, and there is no option to turn back or quit since you are with a group of other people. Another family with two teenage children seemed absolutely miserable on the trip – likely due to the freezing cold rain and choppy waters the entire three hour boat ride to our kayak starting point. Although the weather cleared up considerably and it ended up being a gorgeous day for kayaking, I felt sorry for that family who clearly wished they were somewhere other than kayaking in Aialik Bay. Tip: kayaking in Alaska is not like any other place I have been kayaking before. It is not the sunny, gorgeous open air kayaking you may have experienced in Hawaii. It’s cold, you wear a lot of gear, and the water can be extremely choppy. In fact, the colder and gloomier the weather, the less choppy the water. Had it been a gorgeous sunny day to start, it likely would have been too rough to kayak safely.
my husband and I, triumphant at having reached Aialik GlacierMy 7 year old and my father-in-law, kayaking in Resurrection Bay.snack break during our half-day Resurrection Bay kayak trip
During our half-day kayak trip on Resurrection Bay, we found ourselves suddenly kayaking in the middle of a pod of Dall’s porpoises.
A few weeks later, a kayaker had a close encounter with a killer whale in the same area in which we had been kayaking! Suffice it to say, please be careful and listen to your guide!
my son enjoyed walking the shore and collecting shells during our rest stop
The mainstay of our trip to Seward was the Alaska Sealife Center. We all had a great experience touring the facility, which was an easy walk from our rental house and included plenty of sights for our toddler and our 7-year old. The main event, however, was the Puffin Encounter, which I booked for my in-laws, my husband, and our 7-year old. Since the website indicates a minimum age of 10, I inquired with the Sealife Center prior to our trip and was essentially advised that if I booked all of the spots, it would be “fine.” Since we had four planning to attend, I booked the appropriate time slot and crossed my fingers that there would be no issues.
feeding the puffins during the private puffin encounter
There were none. My husband reports that no one asked my son’s age and my son reports that he had a great experience. I highly recommend exploring the Alaska Sealife Center and if you have any hesitations, reach out before hand and speak with a live person.
As a big fan of creative uses of miles and points, I am a big fan of MommyPoints. Inspired by her trip to Seward and experience with Seavey’s, I inquired with the booking agent at our vacation rental, who said
Seavey‘s is a blast, I take my little one every year. They do offer a ‘Real Alaska Tour’ where they do the dog sledding, a historic tour of Seward, and a hike to Exit Glacier.
Booking through our vacation rental helped save us a few $$ and also helped alleviate some of the logistics for me. So, on the day of our scheduled reservation, we simply showed up and enjoyed the experience.
The tour began with a 20 minute introduction by Dallas Seavey, son of Mitch Seavey, the oldest musher to win the Ididarod! We learned about how the dogs are kept, daily care and basic maintenance, and the dogs’ exercise needs.
Afterwards, we got to ride the slide! We shared our sled with another couple and, although the sled had ribbon rails on the side, there were no seat belts or other straps. My 7-year old was able to ride in the sled safely by himself, but I tucked my toddler into the Tula carrier just to be safe.
After the sled ride, we met the new puppies and checked out the indoor training facilities! I cannot recommend Seavey’s enough. Although I was distracted by the toddler, my 7-year old seemed to really enjoy himself, and the other three adults in our group loved learning about the science and technology behind mushing. I am now a follower of the IdidaRide and think about the Seavey’s come race time! It turns out dog sledding with kids is a perfect Seward activity!
Having booked the full day Real Alaska Day Tour, we went from Seavey’s to Resurrection Roadhouse, where we enjoyed a fine dinner before departing to Exit Glacier for our hike. Our tour guide ended up being our shuttle bus driver and he was outstanding – from explaining local scenery and highlights, to stopping off to see salmon spawning, he was a friendly, native Alaskan who was eager to show us the sights.
our poor toddler was completely pooped at this time, but happy to sleep in his Deuter Carrier
The hike to Exit Glacier was an easy walk – the first portion of it is easily wheelchair or stroller accessible, but the second portion is an actual hike up a path and thus, I would not recommend a stroller. Note also that the wheelchair accessible portion was extremely buggy while we were there in mid-July – lots of flies in our face. I ended up covering my head in my sweater hood, but wished I had an overhead bug cover instead!
My 7-year old loved the experience, and my toddler woke up just in time to wonder where he was and why there was a giant block of ice behind him!
The full-day Kenai Fjords National Park Tour was the major coup of our trip. Although our trip did not take place until July 2016, we started planning years in advance and on Black Friday 2015, I happened to notice that all tours were 40% off that day! I booked our six reservations that day for $573.12! Without the discount, our total would have been $860!
There are a number of tour options online, some half day, some full day, some including lunch / dinner stop over on Fox Island, a privately owned island in Resurrection Bay.
taking a much needed stretch break on Fox Island
my toddler, looking out over the railing at Aialik Glacier
My toddler is not a good napper on the go, so the last hour or so of the trip ended with him crying in the carrier while I attempted to soothe him just outside the main cabin. Although it was windy, I stayed outside in an attempt to drown out his cries and to prevent him from disturbing all the other guests. A number of other guests came outside and assured me that they wouldn’t mind his cries, which I thought remarkably nice!
Our group enjoyed the Kenai Fjords day tour, although I’ll admit, it was a long day with a toddler. For adults, it is the easiest way to see a number of glaciers, mountains, and all of the beautiful birds on the different islands. The boat itself is large and comfortable and sold light snacks, for those desiring. Strollers were not allowed on board, so I was happy to have my Tula baby carrier, which was the only way I could securely contain my toddler. Having said that, I’m not sure I would recommend the full day cruise for an older toddler/pre-schooler. My son, who is now 2.5, would be almost impossible to placate and contain if we were taking the same trip today. Although the boat is large enough to be relatively steady, it is still a boat and can jerk suddenly without warning. I can only imagine that my nerves would be completely frayed after a full day of attempting to keep a toddler from going overboard!
Although only about 20 minute south on Anchorage on the way to Seward (so not technically Seward), the Potter Marsh Wildlife viewing area ended up being a gem of a find. We saw signs indicating Potter Marsh bird viewing area just off the highway and decided to stop on a whim. It ended up being an ideal location for my two to burn off some energy prior to our long flight home.
watching for spawning salmonabundant salmon visible throughout the parkmy toddler loved the freedom he had to run the boardwalk and I loved the high rails which kept him safe
For over an hour, our entire party of five, ranging from 18 months to 62, enjoyed walking (or running) the boardwalk, gazing at the birds and abundant spawning salmon, and just enjoyed being outside in nature. My toddler loved having an open area that he could run around in and I loved the high rails which kept him safe. At one point, both boys were engaged in a vigorous game of army – perfect energy burning activity! This was a surprise discovery and I wish we had something like this close to home – we would be regular visitors, without a doubt!
Having visited Long Beach on a number of occasions now, I heartily endorse making plans to spend an afternoon at the Aquarium or, if you want to be really wild, plan to spend a night in Long Beach and take full advantage of everything the city has to offer. We did this on a more recent trip to Long Beach, purchasing both Aquarium tickets and a harbor tour as part of a package directly from the Aquarium, then spent the evening at hotel nearby so that we could enjoy dinner and a few hours of sand time on the beach before heading back to Los Angeles.
