We Go With Kids!

Tag: hiking

  • Washington, DC With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

    Washington, DC With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

    Visiting Washington, DC, is something everyone should do at least once in their life. There are tons of guidebooks and websites with detailed information about all there is to do in DC and no first visit to DC is complete without a visit to the National Mall, an obligatory family photo in front of the White House, and a visit to one of the many Smithsonian museums that offer free admission and easy access via Metro!

    Having lived and worked in DC for nearly a decade, I’d like to share with you five off-the-beaten-path Fun Family Activities! These are activities and places that those of us who call this beautiful place a home enjoy visiting on weekends and days off with our kids.

    #1: Gravelly Point

    Gravelly Point is managed by the National Park Service and is located in Arlington, VA just south of DC. It’s a wonderful place to spend the afternoon, picnicking, biking, and plane spotting, as the Park is located just north of Reagan National Airport. Although the parking lot can fill up very quickly and there are no amenities other than restrooms (so pack in your own food!), it’s a wonderful place for budding aviation fans to spend an afternoon outside. Note that the planes are close and very loud, so if your child is sensitive to loud noises, the Park’s proximity to the airport may be a deterrent.

    #2: The Tidal Basin

    Nearly every visitor to DC makes a point of visiting the National Mall and the monuments, but I’m always stunned by the number of people who skip the Tidal Basin. In my humble opinion, the Tidal Basin offers some of the best views of the Washington Monument and it’s worthy of a visit even when it is not cherry blossom season (although if you have the opportunity to visit during cherry blossom season, please do! Despite the crowds, it is gorgeous and worth the walk). The Tidal Basin offers a small refreshment stand, restrooms, and paddle boat rentals, so this is a great way to enjoy a nice day outside with the family.

    View of the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial from the Tidal Basin.
    Paddleboat in the Tidal Basin during peak cherry blossom bloom.

    #3: Hiking Trails

    Catching a glimpse of the Potomac River

    Washington, DC is home to a great number of hiking trails. The Billy Goat Trail is one of the most popular trails in the DC Metro area. The trail itself can be challenging due to rocks, but if your kids are older (I’d recommend a minimum of five+, depending on maturity and previous hiking experience) and up for the challenge, it’s definitely a worthwhile experience. If the Billy Goat Trail sounds like too much, plan a visit to Rock Creek Park, which boasts over 32 miles of trails. The Park also offers a number of activities, such as horseback riding lessons, golf, and a boat house where you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes. Finally, Theodore Roosevelt Island is a national memorial located in the Potomac River. No cars or bicycles are permitted on the Island and access is via a footbridge. If you’ve ever spent time in DC visiting the National Mall and museums, I encourage you to take a hike and explore one of the many areas maintained by the National Park Service! You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll forget that you’re in the Nation’s Capital!

    #4: Go for a Bike Ride!

    The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18 mile paved multi-use trail that stretches from Mount Vernon to Theodore Roosevelt Island. At any time of day and in any kind of weather, you can find people on the trail biking, running, or just walking along the Potomac River. Happily, a local company, Capital Bikeshare, offers a safe and relatively inexpensive way to explore the trail as you can rent both bicycles and helmets from the company and drop them off at any one of 440 Capital Bikeshare stations located in the DC metro area.

    Source

    #5: Mount Vernon

    Mount Vernon, George Washington’s country estate, is located just 18 miles south of Washington, DC and is a fantastic way to spend the day for the entire family! Although the Estate is highly recommended as a place to visit in many tourist books, its distance from DC likely causes many to pass it over as an option during a quick visit to DC. I am here to encourage you to go! Visit! Over the years, we have visited Mount Vernon many times and it is one of our favorite places to take out of town guests. Not only does the Estate allow you to visit the Mansion that George and Martha lived in, but the Estate also boasts farm animals, gardens, stables, and live demonstrations by period actors. Throughout the year, the Estate will offer special programs that coincide with the season. For example, one year we visited one early December and happened to catch the Pardon Turkey!

    We have also visited during the Fall Harvest Family Days, which feature hands on 18th century activities and demonstrations. It’s a great way for the family to experience a little bit of Colonial America.

    My mother and son, roasting apples dipped in caramel water over an open fire.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Although portions of the Estate are wheelchair (and stroller) accessible, the vast majority of the grounds are not (and the Mansion itself is not). The Estate also has as excellent gift shop, a food court, and a sit-down restaurant that serves hearty and satisfying food.

    I hope you enjoyed my off-the-beaten path list of Five Fun Family activities and encourage you to think outside the box next time you are in DC!

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  • Kids’ Blog: Norway

    Kids’ Blog: Norway

    Guest Blogger: Our kid blogger, 🙂 , is an eight year old boy who is a big dreamer. He loves outdoors, traveling, reading and climbing and is the sweet big brother to his six year old sister. More on 🙂 ‘s travels can be found on Instragram and Facebook.

    This summer, we went to Norway for one month. That’s the most northern country I have ever visited. For 10 days, we backpacked in the Lofoten Islands. They are northern Norway, above the Arctic circle. It was only mom, my little sister and me. The Lofotens were great because they were beautiful and also because we were a bit like adventurers. I am going to tell you about my four favorite things and my four funniest memories.

    My Four Favorite Things

    #1: Wild Camping

    Wild camping was really cool. We walked for two hours with our huge backpacks to find the best spot to camp. We were alone in the mountain. It was fun to wake up in the morning and to be in nature.

    #2: Munkebu Hike

    It was my favorite hike of all. The weather was great and sunny, we were even wearing only tee-shirts. We hiked along a lake and then there was a really long climb where we had to use chains and ropes to climb up. At the top, it was very, very beautiful.

    #3: The Midnight Sun

    When we were on Ramberg’s beach, we stayed up until midnight to watch the midnight sun. It was amazing. It is like a sunset where the sun goes down but then it goes back up before it sets, and there is no night. We took a lot of cool pictures under the sun, and it was fun.

    #4: Meeting other backpackers

    It was really cool when we met other hikers, and they talked with us. Once, we met two French women, and they shared a Norwegian dinner with us. We ate reindeer sausage, fishcake and caramel cheese (Brunost). It was very different, but very good anyway. After we played dices and cards with them. It was really cool!

    My Four Funniest Memories

    #1: Making Soup

    When we went wild camping, my sister and I went to the stream and fetched water. We brought it back to the tent to mom. But because the water was too muddy to make the soup, we filtered it in one of my sister’s socks. I must tell you it was a clean sock! It was really fun!

    #2: Finding Gas

    We looked for gas for the camping stove for 2 days. First, we went to a shop, we bought one, but it didn’t work. Then, a nice Norwegian man from the village gave one bottle to us. It was the right kind of bottle but it didn’t work. At the end, we exchanged bottles with another man on a campsite. People were really friendly with us, and after 2 days we could finally eat something warm!

    #3: Hitchhiking

    We hitchhiked 3 times during our trip, either to go to a camping site or a trailhead. It was funny because people driving by thought we were joking and were just waving at us! But each time, there was always somebody who picked us up. They were really kind.

    #4: The Heads of the Dead Fish

    In Norway, they dry fish outside, with the wind. We went to see the drying racks close up, but my sister didn’t like to see dry fish heads. When she saw that there were tons of dry heads on the floor and that we were walking on them, she sulked. It made me laugh a lot!

    It was the best vacation of my life. I was sad to leave Norway. Sometimes I still think about it when I am in class.

  • Fall Getaway: Lydia Mountain Lodge & Log Cabins in Stanardsville, VA With Kids!

    Fall Getaway: Lydia Mountain Lodge & Log Cabins in Stanardsville, VA With Kids!

    Virginia is well-known as the birthplace of the nation, home to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, to name a few. Many do not know that Virginia is also home to some of the most beautiful countryside. We are so fortunate to live only two hours away from Charlottesville and the surrounding area, which is one of my favorite places on earth.

    For four years counting, we have rented a cabin from Lydia Mountain Lodge & Log Cabins. I discovered Lydia’s many years ago while searching for a dog-friendly cabin rental in the Virginia country side. Having now stayed with Lydia a handful of times, I can truly say that our “fall weekend at the cabin” is one that I look forward to all year.

    Located approximately 20 miles north of Charlottesville and 100 miles from DC, Lydia Mountain is only a two hour drive from home, making it an ideal place to sneak away for a weekend getaway. Our preferred cabin to rent is the Dancing Bear cabin, which sits on a private road that holds only a few other rental cabins. The cabin is pet-friendly and has three bedrooms and three full baths + two sleeper futons if you really have a crowd!

    The Dancing Bear cabin.

    Our weekends at the cabin are not complicated – our goal is simply to unplug from our daily lives and take a minute to enjoy the outdoors and each other. The wood burning fireplace in the main living area is always on and the boys have free rein to run around outside and enjoy themselves, as all kids should do.

    the wood burning fireplace
    a glimpse of the dining room that leads in the master bedroom

    As with most cabins, there is no meal service, so meals are on your own. Luckily, the cabin is located only a short drive from Charlottesville, and we have had no problems purchasing groceries to cook at the cabin, or dining out if the mood strikes us.

    our first night at the cabin meal of homemade lasagna
    The boys always enjoy the evening ‘smores!

    My favorite way to start a day at the cabin is to take a morning walk up the private road it is located on. There’s a short uphill climb, past a few other rental cabins, before you reach the house at the top of the hill, from where there is a spectacular view.

    Spectacular view of the VA countryside at the end of the road.

     

    The walk “up the road” is quiet and full of beautiful leaves.

    One you reach the house at the top of the hill, you can venture further into the woods via two separate trails. Nestled amongst the trees is a disc golf course, which my kids love experimenting with.

    My little one trying his hand at disc golf.

    After our brisk morning walk, we usually venture out for lunch. Over the years, we have dined at a variety of restaurants in Charlottesville, grabbed sandwiches at the local Mennonite shop, or dined at a brewpub. After lunch, we typically mosey back to the cabin where we spend the afternoon enjoying the outdoor fire pit.

    View of the side of the cabin, leading down to the fire pit.

    Happily for us, the boys find plenty of ways to entertain themselves while at the cabin. From rolling down the hill, to learning how to start fires, to sneaking marshmallows before dinner. There is also a hot tub at the cabin, which my oldest has availed himself on occasion.

    The hillside provides hours of entertainment for the boys.
    sneaking marshmallows before dinner
    Enjoying the pizza pies we made on the fire.
    roasting marshmallows

    Having spent fall weekends in the area for a number of years, I can recommend a few great family-friendly activities.

    #1: Yoder’s Country Market

    No visit to the cabin is complete without at least one stop at Yoder’s! The shop is located approximately 20 minutes from the cabin and specializes in deli meats, prepared soups, bulk foods, and much, much more. We typically pick up light foods from Yoder’s to snack and munch on during our stay, and our kids enjoy the adjacent petting farm and playground!

    The outdoor play structure is a great way to burn off some energy.
    Kid meets goat.

    #2: Charlottesville Children’s Museum

    The Virginia Discovery Museum in Charlottesville isn’t a place I would recommend you go out of the way to visit, but a few years ago, our stay at the cabin happened to coincide with the government shut down and many, many days of rain. The national parks were closed and it was pouring rain, so we ventured into Charlottesville and spent a few hours at the museum to simply give the kids a change of scenery. My oldest was less than five years of age at the time and it held his attention for a few hours, but it’s not something I would envision holding his interest now, at the ripe old age of 8. Nevertheless, it’s an option for when all other options are unavailable.

    #3: Fishing

    Virginia is home to some incredible fly fishing and there are many streams in the Charlottesville area that provide a wonderful low key setting to introducing your little one to fly fishing. Years ago, my husband, in laws, and I took my young son to Swift Creek to practice casting in a gentle steam. There are a plethora of small streams and easy locations for little ones to be introduced to fly fishing, so if this is your cup of tea, I highly encourage you look around and explore your options.

    #4: Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park

    The Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive are less than 30 minutes from the cabin, so it’s a great option for hiking, enjoying the scenery, and/or fishing.

    Posing in front of an Appalachian Trail marker in the Shenandoah.

    #5: Charlottesville!

    Charlottesville is such an amazing city and full of great dining experiences. Our stops in Charlottesville usually involve picking up groceries and enjoying lunch or dinner somewhere. I encourage you to poke around and find your favorite dining experiences!

    My boys enjoying an afternoon snack along the waterfront in Charlottesville.

    #6: Virginia Wines, Breweries, Distilleries, and Cideries

    Virginia’s beautiful countryside lends itself to some gorgeous wineries. Although a far cry from the wines you can taste and experience on the West Coast, Virginia’s wineries are a beautiful place to spend an afternoon and, as an extra bonus, they are much less expensive and pretentious than the wineries on the West Coast and I have never had an issue bringing my kids along for an afternoon of tasting.

    Many of the wineries offer light meals or snacks for purchase and even those that don’t generally feature a large outside area for kids to run around without risk of knocking over glasses or decorations. This past weekend, we visited Stinson Vineyards for the first time and were pleased to discover not only the great outdoor space, but a basket of toys for children to discover.

    Basket of children’s toys at Stinson Vineyards.
    Outside tasting area at Stinson Vineyards.

    In addition to the vibrant wine scene, Virginia, in recent years, has seen an incredible growth in breweries, cideries, and distilleries.

    For the first time this weekend, we did a hard cider tasting at Blue Toad Hard Cider, located approximately 45 minutes from the cabin. For $13 each, my husband and I enjoyed 7 different hard ciders while our children played in view of the outside tasting area.

    Two sets of cider tastings at $13 each.
    The play area at Blue Toad Hard Cider.

    We also visited Blue Mountain Brewery, where we enjoyed lunch (complete with beer tastings), followed by a rousing round of hide and seek outside with the boys, while my husband and our friend finished up their beer tastings and paid the check.

    Cornhole at Blue Mountain Brewery.
    The outdoor fire pit at Blue Mountain Brewery.
    Toddler hide and seek fail.

    This being our first experience cider and beer tasting in Virginia, we were pleasantly surprised to discover not only how low key the environment was but also how child friendly the experience can be. We will most definitely be incorporating this into our fall getaway weekends in the future.

    Although we just returned from our fall getaway, I am already looking for our return to the cabin. My youngest, who is just now old enough to articulate his thoughts and feelings said, the morning of our departure, “can we stay at the cabin forever?” I think it’s safe to say that our boys love our fall weekends at the cabin as much as we do and I am so thankful we have been able to find this little bit of heaven for all of us to enjoy.

     

    All three of our boys love our fall weekends at the cabin.

    Fall happens to be our favorite season here at WGWK, so be sure to check out our more expansive Fall Getaway series.

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  • France: Hiking the Vosges Mountains With Kids!

    France: Hiking the Vosges Mountains With Kids!

    Guest Blogger:  Ophélie is originally from France but moved to Belgium from McLean, Virginia five years ago.  She and her husband have found that kids didn’t have to stop them from doing what they love.  Instead, they shared their passion for travel and the outdoors with their young son and daughter. Ophélie can be found on Instragram and Facebook.

    A hike in the Vosges in France with a donkey may not be a typical family vacation, but it was an absolutely amazing adventure that we encourage others to consider.  A decade ago (time flies), my now-husband and I went for a hiking trip in the Vosges mountains in eastern France. We loved the relaxing feeling of peace and freedom inherent to this region. Unlike the Alps and the Pyrenees, the Vosges are low mountains that culminate at 1,424 meters (4,672 feet) and are still exempt of any mass tourism. The mountains are characterized by the rounded shape of their peaks, called the ballons, which give them their peculiar softness. An immense forest covers 60% of the mountains and features mostly conifers. Yet, this quiet mountain offers a variety of landscapes, including lakes, wet and high altitude meadows, deep valleys, waterfalls, cliffs and rocks. The Vosges are the perfect place for a breath of fresh air and a paradise for outdoor and nature lovers.

    This summer we decided to hike in Vosges again and share this experience with our two children, who are 6 and 7 years old! To make the experience even more exciting and memorable, we decided to rent a donkey! More and more farms in France offer donkey-renting options. After some online research, we chose La Ferme Prés en Bulles, a few miles away from the city of Gerardmer. They offer many alternatives from half-day rentals to all-included tours with nights in country inns and half-board. Because we wanted to completely unplug from every-day life, we chose the bivouac, a temporary / wild camping option, that gave us three days of total freedom! Our trip included hiking, backpacking and wild camping through the Vosges forest as a family, with kids, dog and donkey (not talking about my husband this time)! It was a first for us, and we LOVED it! Here is our experience.

    Planning the Trip: an Adventure by Itself

    As always, packing is exciting! We involved the kids very much so that they were part of the whole adventure. We weighed everything to not overload our brave donkey! With only two small tents, four sleeping bags, camping stove, headlights, a small toiletry and safety kit, a map, limited clothing, food and water for 3 days – no toys or cosmetics, we were ready to go. It was both a fun and interesting experience for the kids to decide what were the essentials!

    D-day: Meeting our Donkey

    Hidden along the small, meandering roads of the Vosges mountains, we found the farm where we met Marie and Deil, the donkey owners. They introduced us to our donkey, Brimbelle (which means “blueberry” in the Vosgian dialect). For 30 minutes, the donkey-owners taught us how to take care of Brimbelle. They showed us how to gently curry-comb, brush, clean out the donkey’s hooves and how to place the packsaddle! They helped prepare the itinerary on the map and indicated the narrow trail sections that cannot be used. We saddled up Brimbelle, loaded the bags and were on our way!

    Hiking with Brimbelle was an awesome experience! We hiked about 10 kilometers (6 miles) each day, so 30 kilometers (18 miles) in total across forest, fields and villages. Donkeys are awesome travel companions, and Brimbell added a new dimension to the hiking adventure by motivating our children to hike along. Steady and gentle animals, donkeys bring a very relaxing and secure feeling. Our 6 year old daughter, who is usually super active, spent hours walking calmly alongside Brimbelle and cuddling her in the evening. Even our very energetic 1 year old Australian shepherd, Perle, seemed to be calmed by the presence of Brimbelle. Donkeys must have some magical soothing powers!

    Wild camping in Vosges

    The bivouac option offered us a lot of flexibility, so we did not plan in advance where we were going to spend the nights. We adjusted to everyone’s tiredness and began to look for a place to camp mid-afternoon, so we would have time to rest and play before the sun went down. We took time to look for a nice spot, so that each evening we could enjoy the sunset over the pine forest or the valley! We also looked each time for a place near a water source so that we could easily get water for Brimbelle and Perle. I loved to see how the kids felt responsible for the animals, taking care of them, bringing them water and always looking for the best spot of green grass for Brimbelle to graze!

    Wild camping with kids is an amazing experience for so many reasons. Being in the forest at night with no one else for miles around is exhilarating. Experiencing the total silence except from the wind and wildlife is priceless. Inevitably, it is a bit harder work than campsite camping. You have to walk in, plan more, pack enough food, and find a good spot – all the while staying safe, but it is a great family challenge. We made special memories that will last for a lifetime.

    Good to Know

    The law about wild camping in France is quite confusing (Article R111-33 and R111-34). However, in most French national and regional parks, free camping is tolerated from sunset to sunrise or from 19h to 9h (7 pm until 9 am) in a small tent in which you cannot stand. Fires are forbidden, but the use of camping stone is sometimes tolerated. Regulations are subject to change or interpretation depending on the region, the season, and the local habits. Make sure to check before going or ask the donkey-owners. They are amazing resources!

    Hiking with a donkey in numbers:

    • Donkeys can carry nearly 30-40 kilograms (65-90 pounds). They can carry small children of 3-6 years old if needed.
    • Donkeys walk steadily at a pace of 3 to 4 kilometers/hour (1.8 to 2.4 miles/hour)
    • Donkeys reasonably walk up to 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) per day
    • A 1/25,000 map of the area is a necessity, whether you buy one beforehand or purchase one from the donkey-owners.

    Renting a donkey costs 38€ ($44) per day. Prices may of course vary depending on the owners and the hiking region. Renting a donkey is becoming a popular added value of any family hike everywhere in France, with almost 300 professional donkey-owners registered. If you love animals and nature, that is an amazing way to discover the French countryside, slowly and peacefully! Either you choose the all-included option with nights in country inns, or the wild version with bivouac in the tent; travelling with a donkey is a truly unique family adventure, that your children are unlikely to forget!

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  • Fall Getaway: Visiting New England With Kids

    Fall Getaway: Visiting New England With Kids

    New England is a quintessential fall getaway destination and a great place to take kids.  The fall colors are brilliant and set against quaint towns.  Even though fall color can be pretty spectacular in Ohio, we made New England trips in October 2008 and October 2016 to enjoy New England fall.  My husband experienced fall for the first time when he lived in Connecticut for five years before we met and has so many fond memories of fall in New England that he wanted to share with our kids.  We love visiting New England – our favorite New England destinations are Amherst, Massachusetts, where my aunt and uncle live, and New Haven, Connecticut, where my husband attended Yale’s School of Management.

    The inherent planning problem with a fall foliage trip is that the timing and vibrance of fall colors varies from year to year and cannot be predicted in advance even if you consult a fall foliage map.  Our 2008 trip coincided with my husband’s business school reunion at the height of an especially vibrant fall color that year.  Our 2016 trip overlapped a school holiday and was a bit early for that season, which was never as vibrant as 2008.

    The trek to New England by car for us is at least eight hours and the longest car journey we have attempted as a family.  However, logistically, it is much easier to drive than fly, especially when we decided to add on stops in Princeton, New York City and Chautauqua in 2016.  To make it easier on everyone, we try to leave in the late afternoon so that the kids are sleeping for the last few hours.  That has worked for us with varying degrees of success.

    Amherst Area

    I have made a number of trips to the Amherst area over the years visiting my aunt and uncle who live nearby in Leverett.  Because our oldest was only eight months old during our 2008 trip to New England, we were excited to have the chance to take our two, six and eight year old kids to explore the their farm and the nearby area.  There are not a plethora of hotel options in the area, so we booked a room at the Howard Johnson’s, which was conveniently located as the closest hotel to their home.  We booked through Priceline for $90.  Although our stay was brief, we were pleasantly surprised by the hotel, which included a hot buffet breakfast that we were not aware of at the time we made the booking.  There are a number of fun activities for families in the Amherst-area to enjoy at any time of the year.

    Mount Sugarloaf

    I always enjoy going to the highest point in a city or region and getting a birds-eye view of the area.  Mount Sugarloaf in nearby South Deerfield is the perfect location for viewing the Connecticut River and fall foliage.  Because it is possible to drive to the summit, it is easily accessible for families even with young children.  Our trip there in 2008 had added excitement as we were there just a few days after the Mel Gibson movie Edge of Darkness had completed filming on site.  The observation tower had been temporarily renovated and had not yet been returned to its pre-filming state.

    View of the Connecticut River from Mount Sugarloaf

    Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory

    The Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens is a great place to take kids. Magic Wings includes a glass conservatory filled with absolutely beautiful butterflies.  If you keep still, one may even land on your hand.  In addition to the conservatory, there are a number of educational exhibits and an outdoor butterfly garden.

    Hiking

    There are also many opportunities for hiking.  My aunt and uncle suggested a family hike at Rattlesnake Gutter, which was a perfect location for us to hike with the kids.  It was mostly flat with a clear path and beautiful wooded scenery.  We found some of the best colors there and collected a few leaves to iron flat to preserve.  My daughter enjoyed the hike from the comfort of her carrier and even took a nap.

    Because we live in the suburbs, our kids loved the opportunity to spend a day outside hiking and exploring my aunt and uncle’s farm.  The pond had dried up after a dry summer, but we toured the barn and saw the cows that are kept on the property and just ran around and had fun.

    The Amherst area is a great place for families to visit.  Next time I go back, I want to check out the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.  I think that my younger son, who is a big fan of Eric Carle and art in general, would particularly enjoy.

    New Haven

    Because my husband graduated from the Yale School of Management, a stop in New Haven is always on our agenda when we are in New England.  New Haven is conveniently located between Amherst and New York City, so we booked a night at the Omni New Haven Hotel through Priceline at a nightly rate of $164.  Although we arrived late and left early, we really enjoyed the Omni and the amazing view out of our window.  It was centrally-located and well-appointed.  The lobby is like a grand living room, and my boys played chess while waiting for us to check in.

    My husband really wanted to enjoy a white clam pizza at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.  Unfortunately, they were out of clams when we called.  We also wanted to go back to his favorite Thai restaurant where we ate lunch twice in 2008, but we were both bummed to find it closed.  So, we were 0/2 on food nostalgia in New Haven.  Luckily, the highlight of New Haven is really the Yale campus.  I absolutely love the Collegiate Gothic architectural style.  We were able to tour the gym, which has many aspects common in Gothic Revival architecture includes all the conveniences needed for a modern gym.

    The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library was another fun stop on our campus visit.  The stunning building has outer walls made of translucent marble that prevents the collection from being exposed to direct sunlight.  This is one of the world’s largest libraries dedicated to rare books, and a complete copy of the Gutenberg Bible is on permanent display.

    We also peeked inside the Sterling Memorial Library, which was also built in a Gothic Revival style and is reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral.  It was so beautiful, I wanted to study inside.

    No trip to Yale University is complete without a trip to the Yale University Official Bookstore for some Yale swag.  Our boys have been wearing Yale baseball caps since their toddler days, and my husband hoped they would fall in love with the campus as he had.  Of course, the campus is so breathtaking that it’s hard for anyone to not want to return to Yale, and we have two boys who both plan to attend college there.

    Our fall journey to New England in 2016 was an amazing adventure, even if the colors were not as brilliant as we had hoped.  You may not be able to predict when and if peak color will occur, but it’s a great trip to take regardless.

     

  • Fall Getaway: Lost River Modern in Lost River, WV With Kids!

    Fall Getaway: Lost River Modern in Lost River, WV With Kids!

    When the summer heat and humidity gives way to crisp fall air, there are a few things that come to mind immediately: leaves, apple cider donuts, the outdoors. Growing up in Southern California, fall colors and weather were as mythical as unicorns. During my four years in college in rural Massachusetts, I came to love fall and everything it embodies.

    Shortly after my first born turned 1, I realized that I wanted him to become familiar with fall and love it just like I did. Living and working in DC, the opportunity to run in massive piles of orange and red leaves was rare and I wanted to get away from the congestion of daily city living. I hatched the idea of a mini fall getaway, taking advantage of the Columbus Day holiday to sneak in an extra day off from work. My husband agreed and a tradition was born! We are avid fall getaway people and have taken advantage of long weekends to escape and unwind.

    I first discovered Lost River Modern while perusing an issue of Dwell. My husband and I are fans of modern architecture and thus, we followed along on the owner’s blog, which detailed their efforts to build a modern prefab cabin on a hill in West Virginia. At some point, it dawned on me that Lost River, West Virginia was only 2.5 hours away by car and by then, the cabin was ready for booking so I decided to check into availability. I corresponded with the host via email, booked the cabin for three days and two nights, packed up our gear, and we set off to Lost River. The cabin was everything it promised to be – modern, inviting, perfect for our then-family of three and my in laws, who joined us for the long weekend.

    The house itself is perched on a ridge, so it’s not a place you want to visit in the dead of winter unless you have four wheel drive.

    the deck, where we spent many hours lounging and enjoying the quiet
    photo credit

    main entrance to the cabin, with dutchtub available for use
    photo credit

    The deck itself has wire railing around (and baby gates were available so we could close off the entrance and keep our toddler safe), but the side of the house drops off the side of the hill very quickly, so you will want to watch any young children closely. The cabin also comes with a wood burning hot tub, the dutchtub, available for use, although we did not fire it up while we were there.

    My son loved being outside… and throwing rocks. Lots and lots of rocks.
    The layout of the cabin was simple. The cabin was split into two levels: the main level, which contains the main living + dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom, along with one full bath. The downstairs level has two bedrooms and another living area, along with a full bath. Because of the divided space, we never felt crowded, not even with four adults and one toddler running around the house.

    The kitchen and dining room provided a great space for us to enjoy our meals together. My husband loves to cook, and he spent the weekend whipping up fabulous meal after meal for us to enjoy.

    one of the many meals we enjoyed

    corner windows in the master bedroom

    My husband and I loved the architecture and design of the space and my in laws quickly fell in love with it as well. Given its relatively remote location and distance from any grocery store of note, it was highly recommend that we bring all our groceries to the cabin with us, which we did. There’s a small general store about 20 minutes away by car, but not much else so make sure you pack everything you think you might need. The hosts were gracious and left us a bottle of wine to enjoy, which we happily sipped while cooking in the modern kitchen that also came equipped with a sound system that piped music throughout the house and the deck.

    lounging on the couchWe did not do much during our weekend at the cabin, but that was the point: to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily city living. We discovered a zipline, hanging in the backyard, and we all took it for a spin.

    a spin on the zipline
    We also took the short drive over to Lost River State Park, where there was no shortage of foliage.

    I highly recommend Lost River Modern if you’re looking to truly get away. It’s not the destination for you if you’re looking to eat your meals out and have 1,001 activities to fill your day. But if you’re looking for a bit of quiet and solitude, Lost River Modern is the perfect modern retreat. When we visited in 2010, there was no cell reception within about 30 minutes of the cabin and no cell reception at the cabin either, but there is active internet and satellite television, so you aren’t completely cut off from the world. The house was also kid friendly with toys scattered around, a pack n play for our use if we desired, and, importantly, the absence of decorative chotchkies that would be dangerous but also irresistible to curious toddlers. Finally, although I would not hesitate to return, its remoteness makes it difficult for me to justify the visit, given that we now have two kids and a 75 pound dog to transport with us. Although the house is dog friendly, having to truck in all of our food items and cook all the meals is slightly overwhelming. The nearest large grocery stores are in Winchester or Front Royal, both of which are about an hour from the house. Given our crew, our car is usually packed to the gills with just our belongings and two hours in the car round trip is further than I would like to travel for groceries. Nonetheless, if you are interested in a modern oasis in the country, Lost River Modern can be the perfect location to disconnect and unwind in nature.

  • Spring Break ’17 Part II: A Week in Monterey With Kids!

    Spring Break ’17 Part II: A Week in Monterey With Kids!

    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.

    What did we do?

    Carmel Mission Basilica

    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.

    photo credit

    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.

    Monterey Bay Aquarium

    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!

    Dennis the Menace Park

    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.

    Asilomar State Beach

    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.

    Jacks Peak Park

    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.

    Jump-N-Around

    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).

    Wine Tasting

    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.

    And just like that, it was time to pack up the car and the kids and head back to Southern California. Continue to Part III – Driving Back Down the California Coast

  • The Final Frontier Part III: Wrangell-St.Elias With Kids!

    The Final Frontier Part III: Wrangell-St.Elias With Kids!

    Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the largest area managed by the Park Service with an area totaling over 13,000,000 acres.  It is 25% bigger than the entire country of Switzerland and can encompass six Yellowstone National Parks. The second tallest mountain in the United States is Mount St. Elias and Mount Wrangell is an active volcano. The Park also has a number of glacial features. Source.

    Although it was initially on the radar as a possible place to visit, after a neighbor, who had recently returned from a trip to Alaska, identified Wrangell-St. Elias as a must visit, it quickly shot up the list and became a priority. My husband, son, and my in-laws ended up spending two nights in Wrangell-St. Elias and, by all accounts, it exceeded expectations.

    How did they get there?

    The night before Wrangell, they stayed in Tok, Alaska at an RV camp. It wasn’t the nicest of places, but it was sufficient and they were able to get in a long bike ride on the way to dinner – a nice break from riding in the RV.

    biking to dinner in Tok, AK

    The next day, it was a four hour drive from Tok to Chitina, where they boarded a small air taxi for a 20 minute flight to Kennicott Glacier Lodge. The decision to fly into Wrangell was made entirely due to the fact that there are only two roads into Wrangell-St. Elias and both are dirt/gravel roads maintained by the state of Alaska, not the Park Service. There are no fuel options within the Park or services along either road, so the decision was made to leave the RV parked in Chitina and fly into Wrangell, instead of possibly risking a vehicle incident that would impact the rest of the trip. The road that they would have taken into Wrangell is only about 60 miles, but would have taken hours had they driven the RV.

    Both my husband and my father-in-law loved the flight into Wrangell. The views from the air were incredible and had my husband, who was a private pilot in a former pre-kid life, dreaming of giving up the nine-to-five workday for a bush pilot gig in Alaska. Predictably, my son slept through most of the flight and my mother-in-law, who is not a fan of flying in general, said it was “tolerable.”

    “The flight in is spectacular, giving you a great view of the Wrangell Mountains and views of Mt. Blackburn and the Kennecott Glacier as well as big horn sheep and the occasional moose wading in small ponds.” – Charles

    Where did they stay?

    Kennicott Glacier Lodge, located right in the middle of Wrangell-St.Elias was their home for three days and two nights. Due to the remoteness of the location (and thus, lack of competing options), the decision was made to book one of the special packages that included three meals a day, lodging, and the flights in and out of Wrangell. The Lodge itself was nice, but unremarkable. The views, however, were incredible. The lodge sits several hundred feet above the valley floor and my father-in-law recommends getting a glacier facing room with private bath. He also recommends the meal plan as there is not anywhere else to eat in Kennicott.

    What did they do?

    There are two vendors that provide guided activities in Wrangell – St. Elias Alpine Guides and Kennicott Guides.  Both outfitters offer similar activities and my father-in-law decided to sign my husband up for a day of ice climbing while he, my mother-in-law, and my son went on a half day hike on Root Glacier with St. Elias Alpine Guides. Since the ice climbing was also taking place on Root Glacier, my son was able to see his dad hang on the ice both coming and going from his hike. All activities were booked and confirmed via the internet well before their arrival. Unless you are experienced in ice hiking yourself, my father-in-law would not recommend going on the ice without a guide. The guides make it easy and safe to explore with kids.

    chatting with the guide about glacial ice
    Crampons on and ready to go!
    my ice-climbing husband

    My husband really enjoyed his ice climbing experience and the hike on Root Glacier was a great experience for my son. They provided him with (the required) crampons to walk safely on the ice and he managed the approximately 5 mile hike without incident. The guide was also nice and enjoyed conversing with my son, instead of dismissing him as “just” a kid. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience for everyone’s full day in Wrangell-St. Elias.

    What did they eat?

    All dining took place at the Lodge as they had booked the plane ride + lodging + food package. The food itself was unremarkable.  It was perfectly suitable but as my husband reports, “you weren’t there for the food.” The meals were served largely buffet/family style and one night was salmon, the other night was steak. Although my son is not the most adventurous eater, my husband was able to get enough to accommodate his taste buds.

    Is Wrangell-St. Elias a good experience for kids? 

    My son really enjoyed hiking on the glacier with crampons. The guide did a really good job of engaging with him and he was just old enough to experience, remember, and enjoy it. My husband also enjoyed his ice climbing experience. The days they spent in Wrangell-St. Elias ended up being unseasonably warm, so they found themselves quite hot, despite being surrounded by ice. Nonetheless, the views and the experiences made the trip into Wrangell-St. Elias worthwhile and my husband can’t wait to go back. He’s already said, however, that he would like to wait until the boys are older so we can do some back country hiking and camping – which may very well mean that it will be a guys’ trip!

    Return to The Final Frontier Part I: Five Days in Seward, Alaska

    Return to The Final Frontier Part II: Talkeetna and Denali National/State Park

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  • Africa Part I: Africa with kids?

    Africa Part I: Africa with kids?

    Last night, I was flipping through twitter and came across Nomadic Matt’s live tweets from South Africa. His safari photos were enough to prompt me to open up a bottle of South African wine and begin reminiscing about the amazing trip we took to Africa earlier this summer. In June of 2017, my husband and I celebrated our tenth anniversary with a nearly 2.5 week-long vacation in Africa. It began with three nights in Cape Town, one night in the Cape Winelands, three nights at Umlani Bushcamp in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve just outside Kruger National Park, two nights in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and finally, three nights at Muchenje Safari Lodge in Chobe National Park. Although this was a rare kid-free vacation for us, I did spend most of the trip missing my eight-year-old, who I think would have enjoyed the trip tremendously, while at the same time keeping an eye towards just how quickly we could return with both kids (because the trip was not ideal for toddlers and I know  the “baby” won’t want to be left behind when we go!).
    View of Cape Town from Table Mountain
    Why Africa?
    Neither of us had ever been to Africa and knowing we had just over two weeks of time, it seemed like a great place to explore for the first time without kids. Our decision to travel to Africa was cinched by the fact that I was able to book two round-trip business class flights from Washington, DC to Cape Town and then from Johannesburg back to Washington, DC for 320,000 United miles (which we transferred from our Chase Ultimate Awards account) and $150.72. Knowing that we would could make the trip to and from Africa in relative comfort for almost nothing out of pocket was a major factor in deciding on Africa.
    A second major factor in our decision to go to Africa was that it would be winter in Africa during our summer! Living and working in Washington, DC, I was adamant against going somewhere where it would be hot and humid. That meant most of Asia was out of the question, as was much of Central America. Although we briefly considered a walking tour of Switzerland, it did not come to fruition as my husband (who lived in Switzerland one summer in college) had no time to plan the trip and I quickly lost interest in the notion of taking a nomadic journey across Switzerland on foot. Traveling to South Africa in June ended up being perfect. Because it is the middle of winter, the climate was generally in the mid-60’s and thus, perfectly comfortable for the hiking and walking we wanted to do. Moreover, the biggest tourist season is during their summer – which spans December and Christmas. According to one of our guides, it would be a 90 minute wait to get down to the Cape of Good Hope during high tourist season. We were able to pop in and out without any trouble.

    Travel Logistics / Itinerary:

    The logistics of travelling to Africa were slightly overwhelming at first as neither of us had been and there was a lot to figure out – immunizations, transfers from one side of the country / continent to another, visas, etc. Luckily, I had a coworker who had just returned from a trip a few years prior who had a few recommendations. Initially, the thought was to spend a few days in Cape Town, a few days in the Winelands, and then travel to Kruger for a safari. However, as I researched, I realized that given the length of time we had reserved for the trip, we could easily squeeze in a second safari. This decision was reinforced by a travel agent, who based on our interest, was able to recommend a few different medium-priced safari lodges. Ultimately, we decided to stay at Umlani Bush Camp in the Timbavati, which billed itself as a “rustic” three-star safari lodge, followed by a stay at Muchenje Safari Lodge which was recommended by our travel agent as a medium-high end safari experience. The two stays at the safari lodges and the transfers to/from each lodge were booked by the travel agent, who was able to secure a cheaper rate than had we booked it directly ourselves, but I was able to book everything else myself, including our three intracontinent flights and hotels in Cape Town / the Winelands / Johannesburg / Victoria Falls.

    Our itinerary was as follows:

    Day 1 & 2 – 5:30pm arrival in Cape Town, followed by two nights at the Protea Hotel Cape Town Victoria Junction
    Day 3 – Babylonstoren
    Day 4 – Overnight stay at Protea Hotel Cape Town Mowbray, in preparation for next day flight to Hoedspruit, South Africa

    Days 5-7 – Morning three-hour flight from Cape Town to Hoedspruit
    • three days, two nights all-inclusive food/drinks/game drives at Umlani Bushcamp in Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
    Day 8 – Transfer from Johannesburg Airport to Protea Hotel O.R. Tambo Airport, in preparation for next day flight to Victoria Falls

    Days 9&10 – Morning two-hour flight from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe on day 9 and then two night stay at Batonka Guest Lodge
    Day 11-14 – Transfer from Batonka Guest Lodge to Muchenje Safari Lodge
    • three days, two nights all-inclusive food/drinks/game drives
    Day 15 – Two-hour flight from Kasane, Botswana to Johannesburg Airport, overnight stay at Ten Bompas Hotel in Johannesburg

    Day 16 – Fly home

    The Highlights:

    Cape Town:

    My husband and I were both blown away by Cape Town. It is easily one of the most beautiful cities we have ever been to, easily rivaling San Francisco in terms of its beauty, climate (at least while we were there in the middle of their “winter!”), and devotion to good food and wine.

    Our first full day in Cape Town was spent hiking up Table Mountain via Skeleton’s Gorge. Our hike was led by Pietro of Table Mountain Walks and his style of guiding and pace was a perfect match for what we were looking for. Despite our late arrival at the hotel the prior night, he called to confirm our meeting time the next morning and also to suggest what shoes/clothing to wear given the weather. We met Pietro the next morning in the hotel lobby after a light breakfast and proceeded to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the designated starting point for our five-hour adventure. Although my husband and I greatly enjoyed our hike Skeleton’s Gorge, it does involve climbing ladders and a very wet rock gorge. Since it had rained the few days preceding our planned hike, there was so much water actively streaming down the gorge that I simply thought it was a waterfall and asked Pietro when we got to the landing, “now what?”
    AAEAAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAJDViYWM5NzZiLWM4ZTMtNDhmOS1iZDhlLTNjNzM4YjQ1MmQwOA
    one of the most interesting rock formations at the top of Table Mountain
    Although we had a blast climbing up the gorge and then walking across Table Mountain before taking the cable car back down, this is not something I would recommend with young children. If I were to return with young children (not yet teenagers), I would recommend riding the cable car to the top of the mountain and then walking the flat part of Table Mountain, Smuts Track. You can spend as much time as you want walking the flat trail and there’s plenty of views and rocks to see – just be cautious, in adverse weather conditions, the cable car will stop running and if that happens, you will be left with the option of sitting and waiting for it to reopen or a near vertical climb down.

    Our second full day in Cape Town was spent with Andrew at Vineyard Ventures. Vineyard Ventures offers only private tours and can custom tailor the tour based on your particular needs and interests. Our tour began with an early hotel pick up, and we immediately proceeded down to the Cape Peninsula, the Cape of Good Hope, and the penguins at Boulders, before dropping us off at our hotel. Along the way, Andrew drove us through Constantia, Cape Town’s “wine country” and provided us with tons of information regarding the local architecture, political climate, and other historical insights that we would not have been privy to without his company.
    panoramic view of the shore and large number of cormorants near the Cape of Good Hope.

    Unfortunately for us, my husband and I came down with a mild stomach bug the morning of our planned Cape Peninsula Tour. Although the stomach bug was short lived and well-managed with antibiotics and other medications we picked up from the pharmacy, it still affected our ability to really engage and fully appreciate the day. I will say, however, that having hired a private tour for the day (and a private wine tour the next day) really saved those two days we were down with the stomach virus in Cape Town / Winelands. If we did not have pre-arranged transport and someone else to do the driving, there is almost no chance we would have attempted to do it ourselves. Overall, I was thrilled with the quality of the guiding offered by every single company/vendor we engaged in Cape Town / Winelands and would not hesitate to recommend them going forward.

    Winelands:

    Andrew conveniently dropped us off after our Cape Peninsula tour at our accommodations for the evening – Babylonstoren, the highlight of my time in Cape Town. Babylonstoren is a Cape Dutch Farm that has an operating fruit and vegetable garden, bee hive, winery, restaurant, spa… Although our stay was too short to arrange for a spa treatment, our accommodations (a single room with bath in a free-standing dutch home) were exceptionally well appointed and dinner was also lovely. We took a quick tour of the gardens the next morning and loved seeing the different fruits and vegetables and, my personal favorite, the jumping chickens.

    outside view of our cottage that we called home at babylonstoren

    From Babylonstoren, Eileen from Tsiba Tsiba Wine Tours took us on a private tour of six different wineries. Although Eileen chose the wineries, she did so with prior information regarding our tastes and preferences and chose a wide variety of wineries – some that we would be able to find in the United States and others that we could only enjoy in South Africa.
    representative of the scenery in the Winelands

    Would I recommend Cape Town / Winelands for those traveling with children?

    It depends. If you’re planning on traveling with young pre-teen children, I suggest that your time would be better spent on safari than in Cape Town and the Winelands. Although there are definitely things to do with young children in both areas, the real attractions – to me – in Cape Town and the Winelands are the food, the hiking, and the wine. Of course, if you’re not someone who is called to four course meals* with wine pairings and/or full day wine tasting adventures, by all means, enjoy the small hikes in Cape Town and the surrounding mountains and even take your kids to Babylonstoren – they likely would love to spend a day in the gardens, learning about harvesting, growing, and jumping chickens. But, my husband and I both agreed that given the opportunity to travel to South Africa again alone, we would spend a long weekend or a week in Cape Town / Winelands, saving the kids for the big game safari adventures.

    Regardless of the age of your traveling dependents, however, South Africa was an ideal place to visit in mid-late June. School age children will be on summer break, the temperature will be moderate (for us East Coasters used to extreme fluctuations), and the crowds were practically nonexistent – we encountered no other climbers on our hike up Skeleton’s Gorge, and there were very few people on the cable car and/or touring the Peninsula. I wouldn’t hesitate to plan a summer vacation next time, but I would not recommend going in our summer (their winter) if you are not keen on crowds.

    * we had numerous, amazing fine dining experiences that blew our minds during our stay in South Africa. Not only was the food and wine inventive and delicious, but the portions were huge, and the checks were not! Our four-course dinner for two with wine pairings on our last night in South Africa came out to $140 total, tax and gratuity inclusive – cheaper than what we usually pay for a four-course meal with no wine pairings for one! If you’re interested in specific dining recommendations for South Africa, let me know. I’d be happy to share our experiences and send along recommendations.
    Interested in safariing with your kids? Read about our experience at Umlani Bushcamp and Muchenje Safari Lodge. You can also read about our experience in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe here.
  • Denali With Kids

    Denali With Kids

    Following our stay in Seward, we headed off to Talkeetna, our home base for exploring Denali with kids!

    Why Denali?

    Denali is the tallest mountain peak in North America and so there was no question as to whether or not we would visit. I had the good fortune of having a neighbor return from a 2 week vacation to Alaska the fall before we were slated to go and had the foresight to meet her for coffee one afternoon to discuss her trip and highlights. She ended up providing us with the most insightful piece of advice I could have received – skip Denali National Park in favor of Denali State Park and visit Wrangell St. Elias instead if we had time.

    Now you might be asking – why would you end up in Alaska only to skip Denali National Park? As the National Park Service website notes:

    Denali has just one road, and private vehicles can only drive a short portion of it in summer. Most sightseeing in Denali is done by bus (either a narrated tour bus or a non-narrated shuttle bus).

    My neighbor reported that her experience in Denali National Park was an 8 hour shuttle bus with pre-planned stops at pre-designated areas swarming with other tourists and buses. Knowing that I was traveling with two kids, one under 2, I had no interest in boarding a shuttle bus for the day and having no flexibility in terms of scheduling or stopping. My husband and his parents are also avid “do it yourself-ers!” and so this quickly became a nonstarter for them as well.

    Where did we stay?

    Having decided that we would not attempt Denali National Park ourselves, we decided to stay in Talkeetna, an adorable Alaskan town bustling with food, shops, and things to do. Again, we rented a house via VRBO as our designated home base and decided to just take our time in Talkeetna easy, just simply exploring the town and enjoying each other’s company. The house was the perfect setting for it as we did not see any major hotel chains, just a few small B&B type residences. The rental house provided us with a nice yard and garden for exploring and was a block and a half off the main road, so although we were close to the activity, we never felt like we were being crowded by the foot traffic.

    As an added bonus, the house was located squarely between town and the Talkeetna Riverfront Park:

    Where else can you walk to the end of Main Street and find yourself at the confluence of three wild rivers, overlooking a 20,000-foot peak? Close to downtown, this large, river-centered park offers wide open, untouched spaces, along with great panoramic view of the Alaska Range.

    Come here to see the mingling of 3 swift glacial rivers: the Talkeetna, Susitna, and Chulitna join to form the “Big Susitna River.” Walk right to water’s edge, or just take a romantic stroll on the gravelly, scenic sand bars. You might see people enjoying a campfire while sitting on huge, fallen cottonwood trees; rafters floating by after a day on the river; or jet boat drivers speeding by in the broad expanse of water.

    We took advantage of our proximity to the riverfront and took many walks down to see the various shades of Denali throughout stay.

    view of Denali from Riverfront Park on our first night in Talkeetna

    How did we get to Talkeetna?

    We drove, of course! It is approximately 240 miles from Seward to Talkeetna so if you happen to find yourself making the drive from Seward to Talkeetna, I highly recommend a road trip via Whittier, Alaska. I had been looking for things to do and easy stops we could take to give the kids a break from riding in the car and happened across the Whittier Tunnel.  My father-in-law is a land surveyor, so I knew a 2.5 mile one-way tunnel through a mountain would be something even the adults appreciated!

    our ride to Whittier took us past Portage Glacier and lots and lots of floating ice in water

    Our drive from Seward to Whittier happened to take place on a brutally miserable day. It was cold, dark, and rainy. But, we made it!

    The weather was unpleasant and so all we did in Whittier was take a quick walk down the pier for lunch. I don’t remember the name of the lunch place, but they had outstanding crab soup that even my 7 year old enjoyed. While we were there, we saw a cruise ship docked in the sound – but otherwise, the entire town seemed quiet. As we were leaving Whittier, I happened to google “where do people live in Whittier, AK” and happened across a number of articles about The Alaskan Town Under One Roof. Although I was thrilled to have visited, I instantly regretted that the weather had not been better and that we did not have a chance to explore the town, including Begich Towers, the high rise building where everyone lives and also contains a grocery store, post office, and the local government offices.

    Since the weather had been so uncooperative in Whittier, we attempted to stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. The rain did let up while we were there, but the walking paths were all mud, so it was an extremely messy walk through the conversation. Nevertheless, we did appreciate getting to stretch our legs, and my toddler enjoyed seeing some of the animals there.

    What we did:

    The only pre-planned activity for Talkeetna was a flight on the Talkeetna Air Taxi for my husband, son, and father in law. They had been on a small flight to Wrangell St. Elias a few weeks prior, and my husband said it was spectacular. Knowing that this would likely be the only way to see the mountain range, I had booked the three of them for the Grand Denali Tour, complete with glacier landing! At $395/person, this was not cheap, however, I did appreciate that they refunded the difference between my son’s original adult fare for a child fare on the day of the trip, since I had just booked three full priced tickets online.

    snowball fight on the glacier

    The morning of the scheduled flight, we received a call from Talkeetna Air Taxi saying that the weather was absolutely gorgeous and clear, but that it would be getting turbulent later, during our scheduled flight time. So they asked if we could be ready to go in 30 minutes! Exactly 26 minutes later, my guys arrived to take off, and they absolutely loved the flight. If this is something you are able to do, I encourage you to do so!

    While the guys were taking the flight, my mother-in-law, I, and my toddler were enjoying the sights of Talkeetna, which had a decidedly artsy/hippy bent.

    Talkeetna, an artist’s paradise

    Denali State Park:

    Just because we weren’t planning on visiting Denali National Park, that didn’t stop us from driving up to Denali State Park for a hike! Denali State Park is only an hour north of Talkeetna and my neighbor had said it was a low key park – easy to drive through and hike on your own.

    heading off on Little Coal Creek Trail
    Denali State Park

    We picked a short, manageable hike on Little Coal Creek Trail, which was perfectly manageable with two kids. We did spy a bear or two off in the distance, so beware – if this is something you’re not comfortable with, definitely join a tour group or hire a guide!

    We enjoyed our short stay in Talkeetna, and I’m glad that we were able to experience it with a toddler in our party.  Although many with young children tend to limit their vacations to strictly kid-centered places (read: Disney World), I’m a big fan of introducing my kids to all that the world has to offer. Although we have visited Disney our fair share of times, I’m grateful to have shared Alaska with them at such a young age. Moreover, having experienced Alaska once now, I can safely say it is a state that we would like to visit time and time again. The fact that it’s “only” a short 3-hour flight from Seattle makes it much more desirable than many international locations, and let’s be honest, the fact that I don’t have to worry about keeping track of passports, exotic immunizations, and international data plans makes it all the more palatable!

    Continue to The Final Frontier Part III: Wrangell-St. Elias