We Go With Kids!

Tag: cruise

  • 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. 

  • Tropical North Queensland With Kids!

    Tropical North Queensland With Kids!

    Guest Blogger: Cris, her husband “J,” and their four kids live in Europe, but have spent the last year traveling the world and have visited over 21 countries. They can be found on Instagram.

    “Hey honey, we’re going to Australia for five weeks!” – J

    When my husband first told me we were going to Australia for five weeks in October, I began researching the best places to visit with our four children, ages 8, 7 (twins), and 6. J had appointments in Noosa, Sydney, and Melbourne on specific dates, but the rest of the time would be dedicated family holiday time. As I started researching Noosa, I realized quickly that it would be a sin not to visit Tropical North Queensland.

    The Itinerary:

    During our five weeks in Australia, we spent one week exploring Tropical North Queensland. Our itinerary was as follows:

    Day 1 – Fly into Cairns and hire rental car

    Day 2 – Tour of Green Island National Park

    Day 3 – Four hour drive, overnight in Townsville

    Day 4-7 – Airlie Beach, including tour of Whitehaven Island

    Day 7 – Depart via Proserpine Airport (also known as Whitesunday Coast Airport)

    What We Did:

    Tropical North Queensland is home to several world heritage sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world. Queensland itself is a land of white sandy beaches, boasting year round summer temperatures and incredible wildlife. Home to crocodiles, sharks, deadly snakes, kangaroos, cockatoos, and sweet wallabies, my biggest concern was whether I would be able to keep my four children safe! We all know children have selective hearing when it comes to “dos and don’ts” and my worries haunted me even as we landed in Cairns.

    The Cairns Esplanade has been a focal point for locals and visitors in Cairns city since the region was founded in the late 1800s.

    Upon landing in Cairns, I immediately fell in love with the warm breeze, tropical vegetation, and the sweet sound of song birds. After checking into our hotel in Cairns, we took a walk around town in an effort to stay awake until an acceptable time for dinner, thus helping us adjust quickly to jet lag. Beaches are off-limits in Cairns and there are crocodile warnings everywhere, but the town compensates with the most family friendly promenade we’ve ever visited. The boardwalk is elevated above the beach and a perfect place for children to run along and play. There is plenty of free entertainment and, within walking distance from the town center, we found a skate park, BBQ areas, and the Cairns public swimming pool, which is a fantastic amenity for locals and tourists alike.

    The crocodile warnings!
    Walking along the beach in Cairns.

    During our visit, we loved stopping for snacks at Muddy’s café, a nice beach front coffee shop with great food and an incredible playground, complete with a splash area for children. J and I sat outside and enjoyed coffee, while watching our children play on the gigantic hamster wheel!

    My husband and I joked that we need one of these for our yard at home!

    Our stay in Cairns was sadly shortened by a flight mix-up in Bali, so we only had one full day to explore. To maximize our time, we decided to take a boat tour to Green Island National Park.

    Green Island National Park

    Green Island National Park consists of powdery white beaches and tropical trees, thus making it the perfect castaway vacation destination. After being assured by no less than five different people that there was no danger of crocodiles, we set off to explore the deserted white sand beaches. We enjoyed a packed picnic lunch on the beach and also enjoyed a glass bottom boat excursion to the coral reef that my children absolutely loved. They went wild looking at corals, different species of fish, giant starfish, and even a turtle – all without getting wet!

    Glass bottom boat ride.

    Back in Cairns that evening, we did what we always do when traveling abroad: sample the local cuisine! The excitement was sky high when we ordered kangaroo and crocodile skewers – so yummy we had to order more!

    Early the next morning, we headed off to our next destination, Townsville. To get there, we drove for four hours along the infamous “Bruce Highway,” which was lined with mango and avocado trees and banana plantations. Along the way, we pulled into one of the many farm stalls to sample some fresh melon. It was delicious, but also a little expensive! Our decision to spend the night in Townsville was entirely motivated by our desire to give the children a break from being stuck in the car. We spent the night at the Mercure Townsville, after receiving an offer from Emirates and Rocketmiles that would earn me 3,000 miles for a one night stay.

    After our overnight in Townsville, we headed off to our next destination, Airlie Beach. I had tried to get a cabin at the BIG4 Resort, which has water slides and great reviews, but because late September is a popular holiday time for Australians, the resort was fully booked and we ended up staying at the Airlie Beach Eco Cabins nearby, which was an ideal location for my family. Because we had our own transportation, it did not matter that we were located in the middle of an Australian forest/bush as we could get anywhere we needed. The cabins were well-equipped, and included washing machines, WiFi, and small torches that we used to see wild animals at night. The only thing missing was a dishwasher, but we remedied that by purchasing paper cups and dishes when we got tired of washing dishes by hand.

    Our first night at the cabin, as I was unpacking our bags, the owner knocked on our door and asked if the children wanted to see the wallabies! We all wanted to see the wallabies, so we grabbed the torches and dashed out into the gardens. It was pitch dark and we had to be silent so as not to scare the animals away. The owner instructed us to direct our lights towards the bushes, where the wallabies were hidden. The light caused the wallabies to freeze momentarily, so we were able to see them up close before they unfroze and disappeared into the woods.

    Airlie Beach night outing.
    Airlie Beach Wallabies!

    The Airlie Beach Lagoon is located in the town center. The Lagoon is an immense public swimming pool surrounded by sand and patches of grass that are perfect for laying down and sunbathing. What started as a splash break for the kids quickly turned into a whole day of lounging and swimming. The Lagoon has a shallow end, a shaded children’s area, and public toilets and water fountains at every corner. Our children could not get enough of it and J and I took the opportunity to relax and read a book under a tree!

    Airlie Beach Lagoon

    During our stay in Airlie Beach, one activity we signed up for was a guided trip to Whitehaven Beach. If you have older children in their teens, an ideal trip would be an overnight sailing trip to Whitehaven Beach. Our children were too young for an overnight stay, so we booked a day trip on a tour boat instead. The tour company collected us in the morning from the BIG4 resort and drove us to the port. Our tour boat then took us through the Whitesunday group of islands, a collection of continental islands located off the central coast of Queensland. The islands are in varying states of habitation, with Daydream Island still undergoing construction following a hurricane and Hamilton Island being a VIP island where you can stay in a villa that comes equipped with a four person golf cart that you can use to explore the island.

    Whitehaven Beach

    Our tour stopped on Whitesunday Island, the main island around which the Whitesunday group of islands are centered. There is no resort on the island, but Whitehaven Beach will make you blink twice in disbelief. The white sand stretches as far as the eye can see and words cannot describe the way the sand twists into the turquoise sea. While I was hypnotized by the magic of the beach, my children ran along the infinite stretch of white beach. We learned that because the sand is so full of silica, it makes a squeaking noise as you walk!

    Our children playing on Whitehaven Beach.

     

    Picnic lunch on Whitehaven Beach.

     

    The tour boat provided a picnic lunch, which we enjoyed on the beach. There was a bit of friction between the children and the free-roaming iguanas, which resulted in my children choosing to have lunch on the table/bench instead of on the actual beach! We also encountered a small group of starving backpackers who had spent the night sleeping in tents on the island and our guide was kind enough to share food with them. No one is really prepared for how deserted Whitesunday Island can be with no fresh water, no coffee shops – nothing. I guess sleeping under the starry sky on this unspoiled piece of paradise requires sacrifice!

    After lunch, our tour boat took us snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef. All snorkeling gear was provided, including flotation tubes. Unfortunately, my children found the water to be too cold and were nervous about snorkeling in open sea. Luckily, the guide was prepared and took the children on a smaller boat to look for stingray. Although I also found the water to be cold, it’s not every day that you get to snorkel along the Great Barrier Reef, so I held my breath and braved the frigid waters.

    Looking for stingray.

    Whenever I think of North Tropical Queensland, a heart will always appear next to its name. It truly was an ideal family destination. The towns we stayed in had great facilities for children (including toddlers!), and the tour companies are able to accommodate all ages. Because it is summer all year round, the beaches are simply stunning and listed as the best in the world. What makes North Tropical Queensland truly special, though, is how man and nature coexist.

    Travel Tips:

    • The island trips get booked up very quickly, so book in advance, especially if you are traveling during Australian school holidays.
    • We purchased a mobile SIM card for one of our phones and for $50 AUD, we had 3 GB of internet and free local calls for two months. This allowed us to use our phone’s map app instead of paying for an expensive GPS rental.
    • Although there are many islands to visit in North Tropical Queensland and options range from expensive villas and luxury resorts to camping, we chose to stay on the mainland and visit the islands as part of day tours. This was not only a logistical lifesaver, but it was also lighter on the budget.
    • Sailing is an ideal way to explore the Whitesunday islands.

    We hoped you enjoyed the beautiful white sand beaches as much as we did!

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  • New Zealand: Cruising With Kids!

    New Zealand: Cruising With Kids!

    Guest Blogger: Crisel, her husband, and her two year old daughter are Australian expats, currently living in the Soloman Islands, a sovereign country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania. They are planning a world tour beginning in 2019, but in the meantime, are traveling to as many of the Soloman Islands and countries in the Pacific as they can. They can be found on Instagram.

    photo credit

    Our family decided to look into a cruise after a recent international flight that involved a screaming two-year-old. Our goals were simple: less plane, less car and less time stuck in a hotel. My husband and I love to travel as much as we can and explore different places, but as our daughter has moved past the infant stage into the terrible twos, it has become more difficult. The idea of boarding a cruise ship and having everything within reach – pool, restaurants, cafés, entertainment area, kids’ area, and spa – was intriguing. And on top of that, we would wake up with a new place to explore every morning!

    The cruise we booked was the Golden Princess Cruise Ship to New Zealand. Since we were traveling during the school year, the theme of the cruise was targeted to adults, but that didn’t deter us and, as an added bonus, our daughter got so much attention from the cruise staff because there were so few children on board. Our main goal was to have a relaxing holiday, which we did.

    Waving goodbye to Sydney Harbor.

    Our cruise to New Zealand began in Sydney with two days of straight sailing to Fiordland National Park. Once there, we spent a full day cruising along Milfound Sound and Doubtful Sound, where we experienced the most magnificent views of our lives. From the ship, we saw endless mountains and breathtaking waterfalls, including Mount Tutoko, the highest peak in Fiordland National Park. Mount Tutoko was surrounded by glaciers, which were stunning.

    Mount Tutoko
    Fiordland National Park

    After a day spent cruising along Fiordland National Park, we arrived at our first stop: Dunedin. Getting off the ship for the first time was very exciting and there was a shuttle bus that took us to the city center where we discovered shops, cafes, and local markets. The short bus ride to town was my daughter’s favorite activity and our first stop was at a local café to get our daily dose of caffeine.

    After getting our fill of caffeine, we took a short walk to the Town Hall. My daughter took advantage of a small park in front of a church to chase and feed pigeons. We also went to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory while stopping, along the way, to play at a little maze garden in front of Dunedin’s historic railway station.

    Playing in the maze outside Dunedin Railway Station.

    From Dunedin, we re-boarded the ship and stopped at five other places: Akaroa, Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga and Bay of Islands. Each morning, we would wake up and have a new place to explore. At every stop, we would visit the parks, markets, cafes, beaches, and generally look for places where our daughter could run around freely. We did make an effort to avoid touristy areas and shopping centers as our time was limited.

    Feeding and chasing pigeons in Auckland.

    Our favorite stop was Paihia, Bay of Islands. The beach was stunning, and there was an awesome kids’ park nearby where we spent quite a bit of time. The cruise ship did offer a shuttle bus ride from the ship to the center of Paihia, but we elected to walk to town instead, as that would give my daughter time to run around and also so that we could spend more time at the park and the beach. When my daughter got tired, I carried her on my back, and we continued to explore. While in Paihia, we enjoyed fish and chips at a local restaurant and ice cream for dessert. We also visited a local art market that had a lot of unique art from local artisans, including wood crafts, underwater creatures made of metal, and clothing made from organic cotton.

    Paihia Beach
    Carrying my daughter on my back after she got tired of walking!

    Our second favorite place was Tauranga. Unfortunately, my daughter did not feel well that day, so my husband and I took turns exploring Tauranga while the other stayed on the ship with my daughter. Tauranga was my personal favorite stop because the place is beautiful – white beach, boutique shops, funky cafes, and friendly locals. I also had the opportunity to climb Mount Maunganui, which, at 232 meters above sea level, took me about an hour to accomplish. There were many families with kids climbing the mountain at the same time and I would have loved to have experienced it with my daughter as the view from the top was superb.

    The cruise line offered day excursions and tours that we could pay extra to experience, but we decided even before we booked the cruise that we would not do any extra excursions because of our two-year-old. Although it would have been fun to experience some of the offered excursions, such as the glow worm caves and The Lord of the Rings film set, it would have been too much for our daughter. Instead, we had a great time exploring each stop at a leisurely pace with our daughter and, after a day of exploring, we simply went back on board the cruise ship to relax either by the pool, or by watching a movie in the room. The best part about the cruise was that we did not rush around and plan every single minute of our time, like we usually do, we just went with the flow.

    My daughter enjoyed the onboard activities.

    What we liked about the cruise:

    • Everything is on board. Pretty much everything we needed and wanted was on the ship. Although we booked an ocean view room, we were upgraded to a room with a balcony that gave us a little bit more room, especially with a toddler. We spent most of our time outside and away from our room, but it was nice to have the extra space.
    • Food was amazing. There were so many food options onboard. There was buffet, a la cart, or fine dining. We loved fine dining every night and tried so many different and delicious dishes. We chose anytime dining option that allowed us to have dinner whenever our daughter was ready. The staff was very accommodating and provided both kids’ menus and kids’ activity packs at meals.
    • Waking up in a different place every morning. Yes! You sleep in one city and wake up to a different one. This was great because we did not need to pack and unpack our luggage.
    • Everyone is so friendly. From housekeeping staff to waitresses to entertainers to guests. Everyone was so friendly.

    What we did not like about the cruise:

    • Entertainment shows took place every night after dinner, but because my daughter had to go to bed, we were unable to all attend. My husband was kind enough to let me watch entertainment shows every night while he put our daughter to sleep, but it would have been nice to enjoy as a family. The shows included stand-up comedy, concerts, and international talent shows. All shows were appropriate for children, so I would have taken my daughter if they had offered the shows during the day.
    • The Kids’ Club was for kids ages three and up. Because my daughter was not three, we could not use the Kids’ Club, and babysitting was also not available, so we had no date nights.
    • We gained a lot of weight on the cruise!
    • Our cruise had to end after 2 weeks!

    Additional Thoughts:

    • My daughter still naps once a day, so we usually walked her around in the pram or I carried her on my back until she fell asleep. Her naptimes provided my husband and me with an opportunity to recharge and unwind, either at a café or by continuing to explore quietly until she woke up.
    • Because we were traveling with a toddler, a full day (7-8 hours) of exploring the city was enough for us. We would definitely return to the Bay of Islands and Tauranga again for a family holiday if given the opportunity, but the cruise was a great opportunity to visit and get a sense of the location.
    • My daughter loved the cruise life! She enjoyed the elevators, the buffet breakfasts, and the opportunity to break up our day by visiting and exploring new places, playgrounds, parks, shops and cafes. My daughter also loved the entertainment on the ship, in particular dancing to the music that played in the Piazza.
    • I would absolutely recommend a cruise for families with toddlers as it is an easy way to have a relaxing holiday while exploring many different places. I suggest checking to make sure that the cruise you are interested in caters to families with children and would also check to make sure that you can take advantage of the Kids’ Club and the minimum age (most cruise lines offer Kids’ Club for ages 3+).
    Happy Cruising!

     

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  • Kids’ Blog: My Favorite Things I did in Alaska

    Kids’ Blog: My Favorite Things I did in Alaska

    Guest Blogger: Our kid blogger, Steve, is an eight year old boy who loves Legos, Harry Potter, and Minecraft. Steve also loves to travel because it is fun to see new things every single day.

    Last summer, my dad, grandfather, grandmother, mom, brother, and I went to Alaska. It was a very cool trip, especially since we got to see new things every day. I am going tell you about my favorites things we did.

    #1: Glacier Walk

    My first favorite was that when we got to Alaska, we walked on a glacier. After we got past most of the glacier, we saw a big frozen over pond that we could walk on with crampons. It was a very long hike and while we were walking there, we saw my dad climbing on the side of a glacier. We also saw a little tiny stream with little pieces of ice floating in it. The stream led over to a different frozen over pond where the water would freeze over.

    #2: Flying in the Mini Plane

    I liked when we flew in a mini plane to a little town where we did the glacier hike. I liked what the plane looked like and we got little sets of headphones with microphones so we did not have to hear the big engine and so when we talked, other people could hear us.

    #3: Scavenger Hunting

    We went on a kayaking trip and stopped at a little island, where there were lots of trees that had been ripped up. We did a little scavenger hunt. We all needed to find mussels, a crab, and barnacles. After my mom found all of those, I started to look and I found lots of mussels and barnacles. The crab my mom found was just a big huge crab head, but the ones I found little tiny mini crabs. When I picked one up, the head was like a little hatch, with nothing inside. I think a bird pecked open the head and ate the brains.

    #4: Glacier Landing

    Close to the end of the trip, we took another plane ride. When we landed, snow covered the ground. My grandpa, dad, and I had a massive snowball fight. It was awesome.

    #5: Puffin Encounter

    We went to the aquarium and were able to do a puffin encounter. We were able to feed the puffins fish and we got to see them and go up really close to them.  At the end, they had these little tiny things of krill that they would toss all around the water. Only one family at the time can do the puffin encounter and everyone can watch you do it from the other side of the glass. A fun fact about puffins is that puffin eggs are basically about half as big as the puffin stomach.

    #6: The Boat Ride

    We took a big boat ride for several hours. We got to see a big whale and lots of puffins and other birds.

    #7: Dog Sled Ride

    We went to this place where we got to ride on these little tiny cart buggy things. Since it wasn’t snowing, we did not have sleds. In front, there were huskies pulling us. My brother fell asleep halfway through the ride. What was really fun about it was that you actually get to pet and hold a baby husky and see the dogs up close in real life, instead of in a movie, like Balto.

    #8: Panning for Gold

    There was a big water device, here water would flow through over bumps, and every few seconds you could take a big scoop of dirt, dump it on to the top of the device. The water would push the dirt, but the gold would get stuck in the bumps. You could use tweezers to get the gold out. Anything that was not gold would fly around in the water, but the gold would get stuck because it is much more dense than dirt. The guy who was running the panning for gold place would give you a little tiny bottle to drop all your pieces of gold in. Earlier that day, someone found a very small ruby and he gave it to me to put in my bottle.

    Alaska was an awesome trip and I had so much fun. My favorite thing about the trip was that we were all together all the time.