We Go With Kids!

Tag: national park

Things to Do in Kauai with Kids

Kauai has long been high on my list of destinations to visit. Having just moved from the East Coast to the West Coast last summer, a trip to Kauai suddenly became much more feasible for our family of four when it was no longer a 12+ hour journey. When time came to plan our spring break, I did some quick research and within hours had my family of four booked (flights + hotel) for a week long stay in Kauai for next to zero dollars out of pocket. A busy work schedule coupled with two kids in different schools prevented me from doing as much research as I would have liked, prior to our trip to Kauai. Thus, we ended up embarking on a relatively unscheduled and unplanned week in Kauai, with just broad notions as to what we would like to do, but not actually having activities scheduled in prior to departure. We ended up having a ast in Kauai and I would say it is one of my Top 5 Family Vacations – perhaps even Top 3! Here’s my list of things to do in Kauai with kids!

1. Shaka Guide North Shore Kauai Driving Tour

Shaka Guide offers guided GPS tours on four Hawaiian Islands: Oahu, Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. In 2013, my family visited Maui with our then 4 year old and did purchase a guided CD tour of the Road to Hana. I don’t believe Shaka Guide was available at the time, but given the rave reviews online, I decided to download the Shaka Guide prior to our trip to Kauai and it turned out to be a great decision. The Shaka Guide North Shore Kauai Driving Tour provides three hours of audio guidance and although my husband was skeptical at first, it ended up introducing us to some of the highlights of our trip, including the “Gilligan’s Island” Beach and our hike down to “Secret Beach,” all of which we likely would not have found had it not been for the Shaka Guide.

Gilligan’s Island Beach; likely my favorite beach on the planet.

The walk down to Secret Beach; we followed a woman carrying a surfboard on her head because, of course we did.

Secret Beach

The beaches we experienced as part of the Shaka Guide were so great that we ended up planning a whole day around a return trip to one of the featured beaches, Gilligan’s Island Beach. Our Shaka Guide tour ended up being approximately 3.5 hours, including numerous stops and hikes down to various places, like Secret Beach, so for $10, it was money well spent. Our kids enjoyed it as we were definitely off the beaten path in Kauai.

2. Kayak Hanalei Bay

One of the fun memories I have of my pre-college years is kayaking with my brothers. When I was in high school, we had some crazy kayaking adventures in Catalina Island and San Diego. Suffice it to say, kayaking is high on my list of things to do, anywhere we are, and my husband and kids have become accustomed to my building in kayaking time wherever we are.

Kayaking Hanalei Bay was one of the kayaking adventures I was really hoping to experience in Kauai. Although my four year old has kayaked with us before (usually as the middle person on a two person kayak), I didn’t know if he’d be able to go the distance as part of a larger kayaking excursion. Kayak Hanalei offer double kayak rentals at $60/day for pre-1pm rentals and at a reduced price of $45 for post-1pm rentals. After a morning spent exploring the North Shore, I decided that we might as well see how my four year old would do on the kayak. Given that it was after 1pm, we paid $90 for two, double kayak rentals, which came complete with wet bags.

He was so comfy, he fell asleep on the ride down to the confluence and had to be shaken awake

To my surprise, we had a fabulous time! We barely made it back by closing time, 5pm, as we decided to extend our little kayaking excursion from the bay to the confluence; but long story short, we saw sea turtles, disembarked to enjoy a snack (and beer for the adults), and just overall enjoyed being out on the water. I highly recommend this adventure with kids.

3. Spend the Day at the Beach

My husband and I are busy people who like to be on the go when we are on vacation. Our kids, however, can happily spend the day at the beach. We made sure to build in plenty of beach time and Kauai’s unspoiled beaches were the perfect backdrop.

To get the most of our beach days, we actually spent a few dedicated beach days going from beach to beach. Some beaches offered protected areas for snorkeling and others were just good for general lounging. We simply packed a picnic lunch, stocked up on towels from the hotel, and took off for the day. Apply sunscreen as I definitely got a bit singed one day!

4. Coffee Plantation

Lyndgate Farms chocolate farm on Kauai offers a three hour “branch to bar” tour and tasting. Knowing full well that tour wouldn’t hold my kids’ attention, we skipped right to the important part: the chocolate tasting. Lyndgate Farms offers free tasting of all its chocolates and my kids each got to pick their favorite. We purchased a number of bars and I was glad to see they came with complimentary cooler bags to keep them from melting. My kids also enjoyed swinging on the giant swing in the parking lot, before getting back in the car.

5. Attend a Luau

Although I’ve been to Hawaii a handful of times, I never attended a luau until this trip. Although hokey and probably not worth the money to experience again, I’m glad we did it this time. As an added bonus, my kids loved the fire dance.

6. Take a hike!

There are a number of great hiking opportunities in Kauai and we took full advantage of these great adventures. On a rainy morning, we took a short hike near our hotel in Kapaa, and the boys not only managed the whole thing on their own two legs, but had a great time as well.

Anyone else hearing the Jurassic Park theme song here?

7. Hawaii Shave Ice

No trip to Hawaii is complete without Hawaii Shave Ice. We happened to stumble across Jo Jo’s, a Kauai classic, after a long hike up Waimea Canyon, and were happy to partake.

8. Miniature Golf

Mini-golfing at Kauai Mini Golf, located at Anaina Hou Park is a wonderful way to spend a few hours with kids. Not only is the course littered with native plants, but my kids really enjoy mini golfing, something that we rarely get to do in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

9. Visit Waimea Canyon

We spent a full day hiking Waimea Canyon and absolutely loved the experience even with our four year old in tow. But, for those who aren’t up for the day long hike, know that there are plenty of ways to experience Waimea by car. There’s not only a great lookout near the main parking area, but we took a tour down a road (that ended up leading to a restricted military base) and climbed a random hill (yes! all four of us) where we were treated to some amazing views. Do it. You won’t regret it.

10. Sunset Cruise of the Napali Coast

Experiencing the Napali Coast was a non-negotiable item on my list of things to do in Kauai. I’m glad we were able to find a vehicle in which to do it — Captain Andy’s Na Pali Sunset Cruise. Click here for my review of Captain Andy’s Na Pali Sunset Cruise.

Our family trip to Kauai was such an amazing experience that I really think I’ll be hard pressed to ever be persuaded to go on a beach vacation somewhere else. I hope our list of things to do in Kauai with kids will help inform your trip to Kauai!

June 21, 2019
Review of Captain Andy’s Na Pali Coast

Spanning 17 miles along the North Shore of Kauai, the Napali Coast of Kauai was high on my list of things to experience. There are many ways to experience the Napali Coast, but simply driving up to it is not one of them. There are air and sea options, of course, as well as the Kalalau Trail hike, which runs along the Napali Coast and is a rough 11 mile hike. In April 2018, a massive flash flood incident resulted in the closure of many roads on the North Shore of Kauai. The roads were just beginning to open up during our visit in April 2019, but I was glad that hiking the Kalalau Trail was not an option due to road closures as the thought of even attempting an 11 mile hike with young children is not something I’m eager to do. Having done a bit of internet research, however, I quickly decided that our best bet for experiencing the Napali Coast was to book a sunset cruise. Given that one member of our party of four is not only four years old but also prone to sea sickness, I did quite a bit of internet sleuthing before deciding on Captain Andy’s. Here is my review of Captain Andy’s Na Pali Coast Sunset Cruise!

Booking:

Online booking is the easiest option and as an added bonus, the website show very clearly the number of spots left on any given day so even though I was a bit worried things would book up if I delayed too long in booking, I just simply logged in every day or so and checked to make sure there were ample tickets. I was mostly concerned about weather/rain, but about a week prior to our trip, the forecast looked clear for our first full day in Kauai so I decided to go ahead and book the trip. At $135/adult and $105/child, tickets are not cheap, but given that our hotel and flights were essentially free, I felt like we could splurge a bit on this boating excursion, despite having my concerns about how my four year old would respond to being contained on a boat for hours.

The Experience:

We arrived at the harbor at 2pm on the day of our excursion and were able to quickly check in. Each group was given a card upon check in with their boat information written on it. It turns out that Captain Andy’s has the ability to run multiple boats each evening (I believe there were four going out that evening), so we all sat around waiting for our boarding assignment to be called.

As our Captain introduced himself and walked us down to the dock, we were reminded that shoes are not permitted on board. We all took off our shoes and loaded them onto a wheeled shoe rack, before walking onto the boat. After the basic instructions were given (where to stand, where to sit, bathrooms, no picking children up, etc), the boat took off and, well, my four year old loved it.

The boat ride out to the Napali Coast took a while and we mostly just enjoyed the sea water. Once we got close to the Coast, however, the water was definitely choppy and people got wet. It’s no surprise then that alcohol and dinner is not served until the ride back to shore.

My nine year old absolutely loved the experience and stayed out front nearly the entire time. He got sprayed by water on numerous occasions, but thoroughly enjoyed being able to wander around himself. My four year old, husband, and I mostly hung out near the back of the boat as it was much calmer there, and although I did experience some motion sickness myself, my four year old was fine the entire time.

The Napali Coast itself is gorgeous and we ooohed and aaahed the entire time.

The Captain did a fantastic job of explaining various features along the coast, including where old fishing villages had been located and pointing out small waterfalls that we likely would not have noticed on our own. Once we reached the end of the coastline, we turned back for the smooth ride home.

Dinner was served buffet style and the drinks flowed readily. The crew was really top notch and my notoriously picky eater of a husband even said that the food was “not bad,” which is high praise coming from him. The crew was really great about bringing out more food when the supply got low, and they also came around and made sure to refill drinks. All in all, it was a pleasant experience and despite my concerns, we had a great time.

Final Thoughts?

I am definitely glad we experienced the Napali Coast and Captain Andy’s Na Pali Sunset Dinner Cruise was a great way to do it, given our kids. Had they been older, I likely would have explored a snorkeling or kayaking day long adventure, but there was simply no way of guaranteeing that we would be able to be on board for that long a time with our four year old (not to mention many activities have age limits that he would not have qualified for). The Sunset Dinner Cruise is advertised to last four hours and indeed, it lasted every minute of the four hours. I felt bad for one woman who had a horrible case of motion sickness and spent three of the four hours with her head in a bucket. My four year old definitely got tired and the waves helped lull him to sleep after dinner. In fact, I even found myself lying down to enjoy a little bit of shut eye on the ride back, having gotten up at 4am for conference call that morning!

June 20, 2019
Fall Getaway: Visiting Shenandoah National Park With Kids

Guest Blogger: Sandra Kozera is a Pittsburgh native who backpacked around Europe with Catherine ages ago. She is a lawyer and member of the North Hills School Board.

Almost every fall, our family travels to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with some family friends. It’s a beautiful area all year round, but it’s especially amazing when the leaves are changing. Now, obviously a National-Park-destination trip has the capacity to be a pretty fun outdoorsy sort of adventure for the right sort of people (such as my friend who went on her honeymoon there last year). However, we are not very outdoorsy, and our children are still relatively young (currently 8 and 5), but we’ve still enjoyed going almost annually since before the eight year old was born. Because we’ve done this trip so many times, we have some pretty good hacks for how to enjoy the park and enjoy nature without needing to even consider whether we should tie our food up in a tree so that bears don’t get it. We love visiting Shenandoah National Park with kids.

On the Way to Shenandoah National Park

We live in Pittsburgh, and we drive to the park – it’s about a five hour trip for us. Because car travel with small children can often be fraught with disaster, one year I decided to see if there was a farm where we could stop on the way, and we discovered Orr’s Farm Market in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This is now my favorite farmer’s market. What I look for in a good farmer’s market: interesting things to do, minimal crowds, lots of produce. There are hayrides, animals, tons of apples, tons of pumpkins, and a whole area where kids can play, which is super important after hours of driving. I’ve definitely thought about going to Orr’s just on a random Saturday even though it’s a three hour drive.

We also always stop at Buffalo Wild Wings while we are in Martinsburg. I like to take small children to loud restaurants, and this one definitely fits the bill.

Visiting the Shenandoah National Park Area

Shenandoah National Park is located entirely in Virginia, and it is long, stretching from near Front Royal to Staunton. We typically stay in the Harrisonburg/Luray area, which is about at the midway point. There are lodges and campsites in the park, but we usually stay outside the park. We really enjoy the Mountainside Villas at Massanutten, which is practically a destination itself – there is a pool, a golf course, miniature golf, hiking trails, and a variety of other seasonal activities.

We have also stayed at the Shenandoah Valley KOA Kampground, which is lovely if you want to be slightly more outdoorsy but don’t want to deal with staying in the actual park. KOA has cabins as well as tent camping, so we could enjoy a campfire and s’mores when we stayed here.

Harrisonburg is home to James Madison University, and it is a great, walkable little town. Bella Luna Wood-Fired Pizza has a delightful pizza menu and thorough beer selection, and nearby Bella Gelato & Pastries features inventive ice cream selections. There are also a number of chain restaurants, big-box stores, various grocery stores – so you can basically replace everything you accidentally left at home all within a short drive of where you are staying. And there’s a large Barnes & Noble in case you need a book.

Visiting the Shenandoah National Park – Skyline Drive

In order to see the park, you’re going to need to spend some time in your car. Driving at least part of the 105-mile-long Skyline Drive is an amazingly beautiful journey. There are a number of scenic overlooks. Some are spectacular, so definitely be prepared to pull over at a moment’s notice to take in the view.

Shenandoah National Park Best Hikes

There are a ton of hiking trails, but it’s hard (for me, anyway) to tell from maps which ones will be appropriate or interesting for children. I recommend two – the Limberlost Trail, which is an easy, flat hike of about 1.3 miles, and the Dark Hollow Falls Trail, which is an out-and-back waterfall destination hike. Dark Hollow is hilly and may not be appropriate for the littlest legs, but the waterfall views are amazing. There are some flat trails in the Skyland area, but the scenery in that area is somewhat stark – still, it’s a nice easy place to stretch your legs.

Shenandoah National Park Restaurants

Food is available at Big Meadows and at Skyland. Skyland’s Pollock Dining Room has a nice sit-down restaurant with lovely views, but they open at 12 for lunch, and there is often a line, so plan for that accordingly. There’s also a gas station in Big Meadows if you happen to blow out your tire and need someone to help you put on your spare (just theoretically).

Visiting Shenandoah National Park in Fall

The temperature in the park is usually 5-10 degrees colder than it is outside the park in the fall, and in Skyland, it can be even colder. We go in mid to late October, and the park temperature has been everything from 80 degrees to 40 degrees, depending on the year. Basically pack all your clothes.

We are not going to Shenandoah this year, and we are going to miss it, but we will definitely be back. This is a great family trip.

October 5, 2018
Iceland’s Golden Circle With Kids
Iceland’s Golden Circle is a popular tourist route in southwest Iceland that consists of a 180 mile loop with several of the country’s most striking natural wonders. Our family toured the Golden Circle on a day trip from Reykjavik at the end of our 10-day trip. We were fortunate to pick an unusually dry day with blue skies. While the loop takes about 3.5 hours of driving, there were plenty of amazing stops along the way, including Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Stokkur, Gulfoss waterfall and Kerid Crater. Our Golden Circle self drive with kids was one of the highlights of our trip to Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park With Kids

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

Thingvellir

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

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

Thingvallakirkja

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

Thingvellir is also the site of the Silfra fissure where divers snorkel between the North American and Eurasian continents. This is one of the best fresh water dive spots. Appropriate gear, included wetsuits, is necessary, and many tour companies offer snorkeling tours even to inexperienced divers.
- Kid Facts: Thingvellir was the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries. In 1930, it became Iceland’s first national park.
- Kid Moment: Our kids (particularly our daughter) enjoyed following a family of ducks on the trail.
Geysir Hot Spring Area With Kids

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

While Geysir no longer erupts, visitors looking for an active geyser will Strokkur just a short walk from Geysir. Strokkur is not as high as Geysir once was, but it a perfect tourist destination because it erupts every few minutes at varying heights up to 125 feet. We stayed for at least six or seven eruptions and really enjoyed it even though it was one of the buggiest locations on our trips. While none of us were actually bitten, but we felt constantly swarmed.
- Kid Facts: Geyers are temporary geological features that are usually found in volcanic terrain. Geysers erupt because ground water comes into contact with hot bedrock and heats up. When the water reaches peak temperature and pressure, a tall column of superheated water and steam are sent up into the air.
- Kid Moment: This is a good place to talk about the importance of leaving no trace when you visit nature and the destruction that human interference can cause.
- Kid Caution: Because the erupting water is super hot, children need to be reminded to stay back behind the rope
Gullfoss With Kids

Gullfoss is my all-time was my favorite waterfall – even tops Niagara Falls. The water was crystal blue, and there were great views of both sets of falls and plenty of rainbows when we visited. While Gullfoss is not as wide, as steep or as powerful as Niagara Falls, I immediately made the comparison in terms of beauty. What made Gullfoss so special was that it was so much more untouched than Niagara. The tourist center, located right off the parking lot, was well developed with a restaurant and tourist shops, but it was the only building visible from the falls in any direction. The 360 degree view was simply breathtaking. 64°19′34″N 20°07′16″W
- Kid Facts: Different investors in the 20th century wanted to use Gullfoss to generate electricity, but it was eventually sold to Iceland and protected.
- Kid Moments: Look for rainbows from every viewpoint. Talk about protecting natural wonders.
- Kid Caution: Paths at Gullfoss are more developed than many other sites, but because the view is from the top, it is necessary to hold hands with little ones and keep them well back from the roped off areas or edges.
Kerið With Kids

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

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

Why We Loved the Golden Circle With Kids

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

Interested in finding out more about Iceland with kids? Check out our listing of all Iceland posts or join our Facebook group We Go To Iceland With Kids, which is a forum to ask questions and share ideas about family travel to Iceland.
June 11, 2018
Spotlight: Manassas National Battlefield Park with Kids! (Virginia)

Located approximately 45 minutes south of Washington, DC, Manassas National Battlefield Park is the perfect destination for families. Administered by the National Park Service, the battlefield provides a great hands on opportunity to experience American history, while providing some fresh open air and solitude away from the city.

On a recent weekend, I decided to venture out to the battlefield with my two children, ages 3.5 and 9. Little did I know this would end up to be a great way to spend a beautiful spring day!

Upon arrival at the main welcome center, I was thrilled to see a clearly marked sign, indicating the turn off. There was ample parking, and we made our way into the facility to pick up a map, use the restrooms, and visit the gift shop. My boys were immediately enamored by the replica canons and the other Civil War memorabilia available for purchase, and we also spent quite a bit of time perusing the indoor exhibits, which also include a short film depicting the progression of the Bull Run (both the First and Second battles).

After a short 20 minutes or so indoors, we ventured out into the battlefield and that’s when my kids really went wild. They loved the canons, loved the historic buildings, and just loved being out in the wide, open expanse of field. While my 3.5 year old dedicated himself to blowing as many dandelions as he could, I explained the battlefield set up to my 9 year old. We made our way down to the various historical markers in the main battlefield area, taking in the historic burial ground and the other monuments.

To give my kids the full experience, however, I really wanted them to see just how large the battle of Bull Run had been. That is, I wanted to disabuse them of the notion that the battle was limited to the space we were standing. The map we had picked up earlier had a driving tour of the two Battles of Bull Run, so we piled into a car and made our way to 3-4 other stops on the driving tour.

The Stone House served as a Union hospital during the first Battle of Bull Run, with the dirt floor of the cellar covered in injured and dying soldiers throughout the battle.

Marking where the First Battle of Bull Run began.

I was thrilled to see that many of the stops were well marked and included not only historical signs, but also restrooms and facilities! My oldest son definitely got a sense of just how large a battlefield can be and how even though we refer to the battles as “the First Battle of Bull Run” and “the Second Battle of Bull Run,” that the battles really took place over a series of weeks, if not months, and that it involved covering a very significant area of land under harsh conditions (no four wheel drive vehicles and air conditioning, that’s for sure!).

In total, we spent about 2 hours visiting the main battlefield and touring the various stops along the driving tour. It was a surprisingly captivating experience for my 9 year old and it made an impression even on my 3.5 year old as for days thereafter, he recreated “the Manassas Battlefield” using his toys and has repeatedly asked if we can go back for a second visit. With only 900,000 visitors annually (versus the roughly 15 million visitors who descend upon Washington, DC annually), the Manassas Battlefield is such a welcome reprieve from the mass of tourist and congestion while also providing a great hands on opportunity to where a significant part of American history actually took place. That it’s just a short 45 minutes drive outside of Washington, DC makes it a great destination for those looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience.

The Manassas Battlefield Park is located at 6511 Sudley Road in Manassas, VA and is open daily from dawn until dusk. The Henry Hill Visitor Center is open daily from 8:30am – 5pm (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) and is a great place to start your visit. The orientation film is shown daily at the top of every hour, from 9am – 4pm and admission is free.

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids! We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC with kids!

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 fun locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!

May 24, 2018
Costa Rica With Kids (Part VI): Rincón de la Vieja National Park with Kids
For Spring Break 2018, my family of four traveled to Costa Rica and spent one full week at the Andaz Papagayo. To read about why we chose Costa Rica with kids and booking logistics, visit Costa Rica With Kids (Part I): Why Costa Rica and Booking Logistics.

Rincón de la Vieja is an active volcano located just 15 miles from Liberia. As one of six active volcanoes in Costa Rica, Rincón de la Vieja last erupted in 2017 and forms the highest point in Rincón de la Vieja National Park, a large conservation area. The Park also has a number of fumaroles and hot springs, which we gladly explored on our day trip to the Park.

Getting to Rincón de la Vieja National Park:

The Park has two entrances, one at Santa Maria and one in Las Pailas. We drove our rental car from the Andaz Papagayo to the Las Pailas park entrance, which we knew in advance would take about 90 minutes. Although we had purchased the GPS map of Costa Rica for our Garmin, the map kept directing us through windy back roads in Liberia. At one point, we were clearly in a residential area, and the road transitioned from paved-but-in-rough-shape to dirt. I quickly decided at that point that we should turn around and head back to the main intersection in Liberia. Luckily for me, I had just enough cell reception to google “getting to rincon de la vieja,” and I was able to find this website, which provided us with the following set of instructions:

To Las Pailas sector: Coming from Liberia International Airport, drive to Liberia city (turn left out onto the main road from the airport). At the main intersection into Liberia (Santa Rosa plaza on your right, Burger King on your left, McDonalds in front of you), turn left. Drive about 3.5 kilometers and you will see many signs for “Rincon de la Vieja National Park Las Pailas sector.” Turn right into the entrance after the Ebais clinic on your left and continue on this road for about 20 kilometers to the national park entrance and the trail heads.

There is a parking lot where the administration office is, which is where you’ll buy the entrance tickets.

The website is dated March 2016, but I can tell you that the Ebais clinic no longer exists and there are not “many signs…” There may have been one sign directing us to the Park, but it certainly was not at the intersection where we were supposed to turn right. Pro Tip: I wish I had looked up the GPS coordinates as others report having more success using that method than simply entering the destination. The approximate GPS map coordinates of Rincón Las Pailas are latitude 10.773, longitude -85.3499.

Prior to entering the Park itself, we encountered a private road with an individual collecting toll to access. I was instantly thankful that my husband stopped at an ATM while we were trying to find proper instructions in Liberia because there is no way we would have been able to pay the private access toll to the gentlemen collecting the fee. Not only did he not speak English, but he also seemed a bit peeved that all we had were large bills (thanks to the ATM). The toll fee was 700 CR or approximately $1.25 USD per person. Note: he did not charge an access fee for the kids.

Private road toll collector.

I paid this 700 colon entrance fee with a 20 MILLION colon bill. I’m pretty sure the guy wasn’t happy with me.

Once we were granted access on the private road, we continued the main road up to Park. Along the way, we passed a number of hotels and adventure outfitters, as well as quite a few podiums, which I quickly learned were for skydiving. We also passed a few groups of people clearly on a horseback riding tour.

What to do at Rincón de la Vieja National Park?

When we arrived at the Park, I was surprised to see this completely modern and beautiful building surrounded by a dirt parking lot with rather haphazardly parked vehicles everywhere. As we entered the building, I was pleased to learn that we could pay the fee via credit card in USD (which is what I did).

Be sure to bring your passport!

After paying the fee, I showed our tickets to a woman sitting at the desk, who wrote down our ticket numbers and time of entry. We also had to show these tickets when we left, which leads me to believe that this is how they track visitors to make sure they leave the Park.

Once inside, we used the modern facilities (which we sincerely appreciated) and my youngest took the opportunity to gawk at the snakes displayed in jars of formaldehyde.

There were fountains for filling water bottles and also hoses for rinsing off feet.

My husband and I took a quick inventory of the hikes available. There are a number of hiking trails in the Park, and there are quite a few that are accessible from the Las Pailas, which is why we chose Las Pailas. One of the hikes is an 8 km hike to the summit of the volcano, which was closed due to recent volcano activity.

Without any idea of what the hike to the La Canegra waterfall would be like, we decided that while 4.3 km (or 2.67 miles) might be a tad ambitious with our 3.5 year old, we should still give it a try and see how far we could get. Spoiler alert: we didn’t get very far.

The deceptively mild beginning of the waterfall hike…

The hike starts off easy enough with a wide open grassy path. Along the way, we passed the closed trail to the crater. Unfortunately, the path quickly turned hazardous and became not only rocky, but extremely steep and filled with branches. We were probably just 1/2 a mile in before I realized there was no way we were going to get down from the hike with our 3.5 year old intact, so we turned around.

This was probably the fourth or fifth climb of its kind … and the point at which I decided we needed to turn back.

Back at our original starting point, we decided to go on the third available hike: a 3 km (or 1.86 mile) loop around boiling mud pots. Having visited Yellowstone, my husband and I weren’t all too impressed by the boiling mud pots, but it was a first time experience for our kids and our 8 year old particularly loved seeing all the different fumaroles and volcanitos. Much of the path is paved and there are no steep climbs, so this was an easy walk for our family of four. Some portions of the path are shaded, which we appreciated, because it was very hot being out in the direct sunlight, especially whilst surrounded by active volcanoes.

Final Thoughts and Tips:

Our experience at the Park itself was slightly underwhelming, but I blame that largely on the fact that we could not hike to the waterfall or visit any of the hot springs due to having a 3.5 year old in our party. It was a nice way to spend the day, however, and my kids loved seeing the volcanic activity up close. Personally, I was thankful we had rented a car and were driving ourselves to Rincón instead of participating in one of the many shared tours offered through the hotel. The hotel’s prices for a trip to Rincon would have cost us $288 total ($98/adult and $46/child ages 3-10). While the tour includes roundtrip transportation, lunch, admission fee, and a bilingual guide, we would not have been able to do the hiking portion of the tour or would have had to split up because there’s no way my 3.5 year old could have lasted the entire hike. In fact, while on our less than 2 mile loop around the hot pots, we saw numerous family groups that were clearly on some kind of private tour similar to the tour offered through the hotel. Long story short, I was thrilled that our day trip to Rincón set us back only $37.50 out of pocket ($2.50 in private toll access and $35 for two adults and one child to enter the Park as children under 6 are free) and would recommend anyone traveling to Rincón consider renting a car and making the trip yourself as it is perfectly safe and manageable.

If you’re traveling to Rincon de la Vieja with kids, be sure to:
- pack plenty of water, sunscreen, hats, and mosquito repellent,
- wear breathable clothing as it can be very hot (it was in the high 90s when we visited and we were all boiling by the end of our walk around the fumaroles),
- bring your passport as it is required to purchase your admission ticket to the National Park,
- use the facilities located at the entrance as there are no facilities later on, and
- be prepared for anything. As we finished our walk around the fumaroles, we saw that the trail to La Canegra was closed without warning or explanation. It would be a huge disappointment to head up there hoping to climb La Canegra only to find the path closed.
For more on our trip to Costa Rica, read about our Easter Sunday open air mass and our service visit to Escuela Pacifica, and our day trip to Diamante Eco Adventure Park.
April 29, 2018
Washington, DC Monuments With Kids

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The National Mall is a landscaped park located in downtown Washington, DC. Administered by the National Park Service, the National Mall contains and borders a number of Smithsonian museums, national monuments and statues, and cultural exhibits. Affectionately referred to as “the Mall,” the Mall receives approximately 24 million visitors each year is not a mall in the shopping mall sense. Rather, it is a beautiful expanse of grass and open space in the middle of an otherwise crowded and congested city. I was tickled to learn, earlier this year, that the National Park Service considers the White House to be the President’s Park. Along those lines, the Mall should be regarded as America’s Playground. Here are my top tips for visiting the Washington, DC monuments with kids.

One of the greatest things about the Mall is that it is always open. Sure, the museums and concessions have specific operating hours, but the grounds are accessible 24/7 for walking and many say the best way to view the monuments is at night. Recently, I had the good fortune to spend an afternoon touring the monuments with Catherine’s family, which included our collective five children, ranging in age from 3.5 to 10. Although the Mall is kid friendly, there are a few things every visitor with kids should know when planning a visit to the Mall.

A look at our crew, as we embarked on our Mall adventure.

Five Tips for Visiting the National Mall With Kids

#1: Best Time to Visit the Mall

The best time to visit the Mall is an early morning weekday during the spring or fall. If you’re lucky, temperatures will be seasonally appropriate (instead of oppressively humid or bitterly frigid) and you can avoid the heaviest of crowds, which tend to be on weekends and in the late mornings/afternoons. Personally, if I am visiting the Mall with kids, I prefer to be on the ground, touring the monuments in the early morning (before 9:30am) as crowds tend to be lighter. After walking the monuments, I easily visit a museum of two, as they typically open at 10am, before either heading home or grabbing a bite to eat for lunch.

If planning a spring visit to the Mall, be sure to check out the NPS’s Bloom Watch for updates on when “peak bloom” can be expected. Peak bloom is defined as the day when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open and lucky for us, peak bloom happened to be the day before our planned trip to view the blossoms and the monuments.

Experiencing the Tidal Basin at peak bloom never gets old.

On our recent visit, we had two available days in which we could visit the Mall and chose the day with the warmer weather. It proved to be right decision as the next day, our children were especially cranky during a short hour long outing outdoors.

#2: How to Get to the Mall

Many will recommend DC’s Metro system as the best way to get downtown and the nearest stations are just a few blocks from the Mall. Although children age 5 and under ride free, all other passengers must have their own SmarTrip card, which costs $2 to purchase and then must be loaded with adequate fare for the ride. Passengers can also purchase a SmarTrip card containing a one day unlimited Metrorail access for $14. On the day Catherine and I visited the Mall, we had six passengers in need of SmartTrip cards + adequate fare and two children under 5 traveling for free. Instead of doing the math and purchasing SmarTrip cards for all five fare paying passengers, we decided that the easiest option would be to simply drive downtown and park near the Mall.

The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW was the perfect solution. Located just one block away from the Washington Monument, the Ronald Reagan Building’s parking garage is accessible via ramps off 13th and 14th Street. As it is a federally owned building, don’t be alarmed that a quick search of your vehicle is required prior to entry.

Parking rates are calculated hourly, but for the entire afternoon that we spent parked at the building, we paid $25. Depending on the size of your group, this could be a bargain compared to purchasing individual SmarTrip cards that may never be used again.

The red stop signs reflect Metro’s two nearest Mall stops: Smithsonian and Federal Triangle. The Ronald Reagan International Trade Building is marked by the blue star.

#3: Where to Eat

There’s really no such thing as a quick visit to the Mall when traveling with young children. Although I have taken many a lunch time stroll along the Mall and around the Tidal Basin, every single trip with a child has required some kind of food stop. The Mall itself, however, contains very few concessions, so be sure to either eat ahead of time, pack a picnic, or plan your visit between meals. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer to visit the Mall in the morning. Not only does this avoid heavy crowds, but whether I am taking Metro or parking at the Ronald Reagan Building, I find that by the time I finish viewing the monuments (and the blossoms!), I can head towards the Smithsonian museums which are centrally located to restaurants and dining establishments.

The concessions stand we had lunch at on our recent visit to the Mall.

There are a limited number of concessions available on the Mall and the offerings are slim: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and drinks. The concession stands typically feature long waits and no bathrooms (so yes, two separate stops are required). On our recent visit, we were fortunate to have three adults, so we divided and conquered. Catherine and I took the kids to the bathroom at the Lincoln Memorial while Catherine’s husband stood in line at the concession stand located just south of the Lincoln Memorial. I am happy to report that as of April 2018, the hot dogs were very, very good and that the grassy area surrounding the concession stand was a perfect place for the kids to run around.

#4: What to Wear

Be sure to dress for the season and definitely check the weather forecast to determine appropriate clothing. Regardless of season, adequate walking shoes are a must. One visit to the Mall can easily be a 3-5 mile walk and with a relatively newly potty trained preschooler, I found sprinting across the Mall for the nearest bathroom!

#5: What Gear to Bring

When visiting the Mall with young children, you’ll want to provide for some means of carrying or strolling them after they’re done walking. Our respective 3.5 year olds are no strangers to walking and rarely use strollers, but the Mall is a different animal and they both ended up in their strollers for a significant portion of the visit. It came as a huge surprise to both Catherine and myself that they would choose to ride in their strollers as it had quite some time since they’ve needed it. I originally brought the stroller for the sole purpose of strapping my son into the stroller as we made our way around the Tidal Basin. During cherry blossom season, crowds can be intense, and there is no railing along portion of the basin, so I had no trouble imagining him going overboard. I was thrilled to have the stroller as the alternative, carrying a 36 pound preschooler, is less than appealing. As an added bonus, both 3.5 year olds were fast asleep by the time we made it back to the garage.

Although my son is potty trained, I still travel with abundant wipes and hand sanitizer, which came in handy as the kids loved playing in the grass and picking up sticks along our journey, but there was no hand washing available at our lunch spot. Bottom line: there are very few amenities on the Mall so be sure to pack what whatever essentials you might pack for a 3-4 hour long journey in a public park.

Why Visit the Mall?

With little by way of concessions, heavy crowds, and often intolerable weather, why would anyone want to visit the Mall? The Mall is truly a monument to America’s past and should be high on anyone’s list of places to visit. The Mall not only recognizes some of the greatest Americans who have ever lived, but the Mall also honors those who have given their lives in sacrifice.

During our recent visit, our families managed to visit all the major monuments and nearly all the memorials on the Mall. The route we took was as follows.

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We began at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building, where we parked and made our way to the Washington Monument. This 555-foot, 5 inch obelisk was completed in 1885 and is the oldest of the monument we visited. There are elevators that take visitors to the top, but the Monument is constantly under renovation and is currently closed until Spring 2019.

From the Washington Monument, we hopped across the street to the National World War II Memorial. The National World War II Memorial opened in 2004 and includes the Freedom Wall with 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. The unbelievable loss of life is captured with the message “Here we mark the price of freedom.”

Pro-Tip: Senator Bob Dole visits the World War II Memorial nearly every weekend, where he greets visitors. Over the years, he’s met hundreds of groups and thousands of people. In September 2015, we were fortunate to bring my husband’s grandfather, who served in World War II, to see the Memorial and meeting Bob Dole was one of the many highlights of his trip. If you’d like a chance to meet Bob Dole, be sure to make your way towards the Memorial’s Visitor Center, which is where Senator Dole is usually stationed.

From the World War II Memorial, we walked the length of the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. The reflecting pool is over a third of a mile in length and was holds over 6.5 million gallons of water. Overlooking the reflecting pool (and the Washington Monument) is the Lincoln Memorial, which was home to many defining moments in American history.

The Memorial, which appears on the back of the $5 bill and the penny, was designed like a Greek temple, and inside holds a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, along with inscriptions of two of his most famous speeches, “The Gettysburg Address” and his “Second Inaugural Address.” The 36 columns represent each of the states in the Union at the time of the Memorial’s dedication in 1922. The Lincoln Memorial is best known as the location where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a Dream” speech after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Pro-tip: The Lincoln Memorial is a good place to visit the bathroom.

From the Lincoln Memorial, we cut up north, briefly, to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Memorial, which is commonly known as “The Wall” was completed in 1982, and the 144 panels of the Memorial Wall include the names of 58,272 Americans who were declared dead and missing in action during the Vietnam War. The Three Servicemen is a bronze statute on the side depicting the soldiers solemnly looking at the names of their fallen comrades.

The Three Servicemen

At the Vietnam Memorial, there are stands where you can look for your relative’s name and it gives you the corresponding location on the memorial. We located a distant cousin during a recent visit.

The Vietnam Memorial was designed to be viewed in a specific manner. The bend that forms a corner at the center of the Wall features the year 1959 on the top left of one panel and 1975 on the bottom right of the other panel. Service members are listed in chronological and alphabetical order, with the first appearing just after 1959 and the last appearing just before 1975. For more information, visit Free Tours by Foot, which I consulted prior to our visit for assistance in locating our family member’s name on the Wall.

Our next stop was the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 1995 to honor the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces during the Korean War. Nineteen stainless steel statues represent a platoon on patrol.

From there, we made our way down to the Tidal Basin, where we were able to view the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This Memorial was dedicated by President Obama in 2011, and our visit was only two days after the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination. The 28-foot granite boulder shows King looking toward the Jefferson Monument on the opposite shore of the Tidal Basin.

View of the Jefferson Memorial from the north end of the Tidal Basin

In an ideal world, we would have walked the circumference of the Tidal Basin, but alas, the two 3.5 year olds in our party were done by that point, and the crowds slowed us down substantially. So, we took the short cut along the north side of the Tidal Basin to view the cherry blossoms, which were simply glorious. In 1912, the mayor of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, DC and that legacy provides DC with about two weeks of beautiful blooms each year. Along the way, we enjoyed the view of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. This neoclassical Monument was completed in 1943, and the bronze statute was added in 1947. We then cut across the Kutz Bridge, stopping briefly at the Floral Library, before heading north back to our vehicle.

Tulips in bloom at the Floral Library.

If you are fortunate and have the time to walk the entire length of the Tidal Basin, you will benefit from fewer crowds on the southern portion of the basin. I also typically find that photographs taken from the south basin tend to have less glare/reflection than those taken from the north basin. And, of course, you’ll be able to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, which we did not get a chance to visit this time.

If time, weather, and temperament permits, a great activity is to rent paddle boats at the Tidal Basin Boathouse. My kids absolutely love doing this, but it is definitely something that requires all the stars to align – it’s rare that we have the time, good weather, and sufficient parking to make this experience happen.

Final Thoughts?

Walking the National Mall is a wonderful experience that any visit to Washington, DC should include! Many visitors skip the Tidal Basin because it’s a long walk in DC’s temperamental weather, but it is truly something to be relished. In the summer, where the heat prohibits long walks without shade, consider planning a walk around the Mall during the early morning hours or at night. Years ago, when my husband and I were but wee college kids, we spent a few nights in Washington, DC where we enjoyed seeing the lit monuments and memorials in the dark of night and I can’t wait until our kids are old enough to experience the monuments at night!

Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids, including White House Tour With Kids, Renwick Gallery With Kids, and more Smithsonian Museum visits than we can count! We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC!

April 15, 2018
A Family Trip to the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a gorge of the Colorado River that is often considered one of the Wonders of the World. The mile deep canyon was carved by the Colorado River over the past 6 million years as rugged plateaus have been cut into the rock. Grand Canyon National Park‘s magnitude is astounding, and pictures cannot capture its breathtaking proportions or the beauty of the fine details and shadows. Even on my fourth visit, I was giddy with excitement for that first peek over the rim. We all loved our family trip to the Grand Canyon.

Lightning over the Grand Canyon

Why Visit the Grand Canyon With Kids?

In February 2015, Phoenix hosted the Super Bowl, which highlighted the Grand Canyon. My son, who had recently learned about canyons in his first grade classroom asked me, “When are you going to take me to the Grand Canyon?” The fact that my husband and I visited while I was pregnant with him and that he technically had been there was no consolation. I promised him I would take him someday. Someday turned out to be much sooner than expected when we happened to find a flight deal as part of Spirit Airlines‘ expansion into the Cleveland market to Las Vegas with perfect timings overlapping our kids’ upcoming Presidents’ Day holiday. The Grand Canyon was definitely a bucket list location for my inlaws, who immediately wanted to join us. We decided not only to book a trip only two weeks in advance, but to keep the destination a surprise for our four and seven year old boys. We had no concerns about how our six month old, who was already a seasoned traveler, would handle her first red-eye flight and also added on a few days in Sedona.

Visiting the Grand Canyon when I was six months pregnant with our first son

My seven year old had only two guesses for the location of our mystery trip – 1. Disney World and 2. the Grand Canyon. He was certainly ecstatic when we told him at the airport that we were headed first to Las Vegas for a few days and then to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon. It was our first time flying on Spirit Airlines, which requires additional fees for checked and carry on luggage. Our family of five was able to pack all the layers and gear we needed for a wide range of temperatures into one large suitcase and had an easy flight to Las Vegas before driving to the Grand Canyon a few days later.

Visiting the Grand Canyon

Within Grand Canyon National Park, there are two rims, which may be only a maximum of 18 miles apart, but traveling from one rim to the other takes over 200 miles by car or a really long and treacherous hike through the Canyon. We visited the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The South Rim is open year around and far more developed than the North Rim, which is open only from May 15 to October 15 each year when it offers restaurants, accommodations and a campground. We wanted to visit Grand Canyon National Park rather than the Skywalk, which is located about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas and drove about 4.5 hours to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon after three nights in Las Vegas. We were not able to find accommodation inside the Grand Canyon National Park for this last-minute trip and booked one night at the Grand Hotel, which was located in Tusayan about one mile from the South Entrance. The Grand Hotel had a felt like a lodge and features comfortable rooms and a heated swimming pool.

We were all thrilled to see the canyon. My son’s immediate reaction was that the Grand Canyon was much wider than he expected but not as deep. Because we visited during the off-season, we were able to drive along Hermit Road to each of the vistas. This seven-mile road is closed to private vehicles from March through November when it is serviced by a shuttle bus.  While my husband and I used the shuttle bus during our October 2007 visit, the flexibility of driving our own cars with our large group during the off-season was certainly helpful. Because we were visiting the Grand Canyon in February, there was a risk of snow, but we totally lucked out with good weather and avoiding crowds. Here are five fun Grand Canyon activities for families:

#1: Grand Canyon Rim Trails

Hiking along the Rim Walk on the South Rim is a fabulous way to explore Grand Canyon National Park without the treacherous descent to the floor of the Canyon.  I had previously taken a few hour hike about halfway into the Grand Canyon and then back up while visiting the North Rim in 2002, but that wasn’t something I wanted to attempt while pregnant or with kids. The entire Rim Walk follows along the Canyon along for about 13 miles on mostly paved trails. The hike from Hermit’s Rest to Grand Canyon Village is about eight miles.

Enjoying the view from the Rim Walk

When the shuttle operates along Hermit Road from March to November, it is easy to hike from one shuttle stop to the next along the Rim and then pick up the shuttle. The Hermit Road Greenway Trail is even suitable for biking. My husband and I enjoyed some of these hikes during our “babymoon”.   Traveling with a group of eight including two grandparents, two young kids and an infant, we chose to limit our hiking to the paved path of the Rim Walk around Grand Canyon Village.  This stroller-accessible hike offers spectacular views, which we regularly stopped to enjoy. Next time, we hope to try some more adventurous but easy hikes, including Shoshone Point.

The trails into the Grand Canyon have many switchbacks
- Rim Walk Facts: Much of the Rim Walk follows the 1912 alignment of Hermit Road.
- Rim Walk Caution: It is necessary to keep a close eye on young kids anywhere near the rim of the Grand Canyon. The barriers are definitely not child proof. It may seem extremely dangerous, but have only been 53 fall fatalities between the mid-1800s and 2015.
#2: Sunset at the Grand Canyon’s Hopi Point

Watching sunrise and sunset at the Grand Canyon’s Hopi Point is definitely a must-do. It’s amazing that the sun rises and sets so brilliantly every day, but we only seem to appreciate it when we are traveling. The sun makes truly exceptional entrances and exits at the Grand Canyon as the colors and shadows constantly change. Even after spending most of the day exploring the various viewpoints, watching the sunset is definitely a highlight. Hopi Point is the most popular west-end vista for sunset views because of its unobstructed views of the western canyon.

Hopi Point offers a view of the Colorado River. Seeing the creator of this canyon masterpiece was a particular treat.
- Hopi Point Facts: Hopi Point is named for the Native American Hopi tribe of Northeastern Arizona.
#3: Sunrise at the Grand Canyon’s Grandview Point

Grandview Point offers an amazing sunrise view but requires a bit of a hike as it is located 12 miles east of Grand Canyon Village along Desert View Drive. Waking up early enough to catch the sunrise may be more challenging with kids, but we used the fact that our kids had not fully adjusted to the time change to our advantage. We were prepared for chilly temperatures with winter coats, hats and gloves. This is a heavily wooded area, and our boys enjoyed climbing some low trees while waiting for the sun to make its appearance.
- Grandview Point Facts: The Spanish are believed to have first seen the Grand Canyon from Grandview Point. The original canyon lodge was originally at here as well.
#4: Eating at the Grand Canyon’s El Tovar Dining Room With Kids

The El Tovar is a historic hotel that sits on the edge of the Grand Canyon. El Tovar was designed by Charles Whittlesey, a famous southwest architect, and looks like a Swiss chalet from the exterior and a log-house on the interior. We had an amazing lunch at the El Tovar Dining Room on Valentine’s Day. While our group was strolling along the Rim Walk, I sped ahead of the our group to arrive before the restaurant opened for lunch service. I gladly accepted the separate dining room that I was offered, which was perfect for our party of eight. We all enjoyed our lunch and made sure to sit on the front porch afterwards to take in the view.
- El Tovar Facts: El Tovar opened in 1905 before the area was designated as a protected national park and has been a National Historic Monument since 1987.
#5: Participating in the Grand Canyon’s Junior Ranger Program

Like most National Parks, Grand Canyon offers a Junior Ranger program for its young visitors. Our boys had previously earned Junior Ranger badges at Yosemite National Park and were excited to participate again. We picked up South Rim Junior Ranger Activity Book, and they each completed their age-appropriate activities. Then, we attended a ranger-led program, and the two of them took the Junior Ranger pledge and earned their badges at the edge of the Grand Canyon.

We discovered lots of fossils on our ranger-led program
- Junior Ranger Facts: The Junior Ranger motto is “Explore, Learn, and Protect!” The Junior Ranger Pledge is, “As a Junior Ranger, I promise to teach others about what I learned today, explore other parks and historic sites, and help preserve and protect those places so future generations can enjoy them.”
As part of the Every Kid in a Park program, all fourth grade students in the US can receive a free pass to visit all federal lands and water with their families, including National Parks, for one year. My little guy who inspired this trip three years go just received his, and we can’t wait to put it to use.

Grand Canyon National Park with kids is definitely bucket-list worthy for any family. With easy trails and the Junior Ranger program, we found Grand Canyon kid-friendly. It’s likely to be a destination that requires more than a “once in a lifetime” visit. When traveling to the area, make sure to check out our other favorite Arizona and Nevada destinations.
March 11, 2018
The Road Less Traveled: Upper Peninsula, Michigan With Kids!

Almost everyone I know has been to Michigan at some point in their life, but I know very few people who have been to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula!

The Upper Peninsula is the northern of the two major peninsulas that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It may also be referred to as the UP or Upper Michigan. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by the St. Marys River, on the southeast by Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and on the southwest by Wisconsin.

The Upper Peninsula contains 29% of the land area of Michigan but just 3% of its total population. Residents are frequently called Yoopers (derived from “U.P.-ers”) and have a strong regional identity. Large numbers of French Canadian, Finnish, Swedish, Cornish, and Italian immigrants came to the Upper Peninsula, especially the Keweenaw Peninsula, to work in the area’s mines and lumber industry. The peninsula includes the only counties in the United States where a plurality of residents claim Finnish ancestry.^[1]source

Getting to the Upper Peninsula, or the UP of Michigan, is, of course, the biggest obstacle to actually visiting. It is approximately four hours driving distance from Ann Arbor, MI to Allenville, MI, one of the first towns after you cross the Mackinac Bridge and enter the Peninsula. So, any visit to the UP automatically begins as a road trip up north!

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Note that pedestrians are not permitted on the bridge, except during the Labor Day walk when the governor leads walkers in walking the five miles across the bridge. If you happen to be driving through during Labor Day weekend, schedule some extra time to allot for the delays or join the walk yourself!

Our visit to the Upper Peninsula took place in the late summer and we rented a small cottage along the Anna River, just a few miles south of Munising, which sits on the southern shore of Lake Superior. The cabin itself, the Anna River Cottage, appears to no longer be available for rent, but I encourage you to look around as a quick glance at VRBO and Homeaway suggests there are a number of options at very reasonable rates.

Anna River

The stream behind the house, the Anna River, is a perfect stream for young anglers – there is a nice flow, but it’s not too deep or fast.

During our visit, we took a quick drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which remains one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and was less than two miles from our cabin.

With over 100 miles of trails, the Lakeshore is stunning, however, it’s not place I would recommend with young children unless you’ve done extensive prior research on the trails as many are located on cliffs. Although, we visited in the late summer when the weather was still quite pleasant, it does get cold up in the UP very quickly and we could see traces of one of the major wintering activities as we drove through the Lakeshore: snowmobiling! Indeed, snowmobiling in Upper Michigan is quite popular and we saw numerous places where you could rent equipment and/or arrange for guided trips. Although our boys are still young, I would definitely consider returning to the UP in the winter when they are older so we can snowmobile.

In addition to the Lakeshore, we also enjoyed driving through the various scenic areas where often found ourselves in the midst of birch forests.

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The trees are tall and thin with white bark and grow very close together in a dense forest. Being so far north, the landscape was definitely different from anything we had ever seen in the southern/western United States.

Finally, the thing we enjoyed most about traveling to the UP was that it was so quiet and peaceful. Unlike the other trips we have taken “out west” — Yellowstone, Yosemite, even Denali — there is literally no traffic in the UP and very few tourist attractions, if any, once you get past the Mackinac Bridge. We never ate dinner out one time during our four night stay, rather, we just stopped by the local grocery and picked up a few items and either prepared a simple meal at home or over the fire pit. We did manage to work in a sampling of the “pasty,” which is like a calzone/meat pie.

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There are different fillings you can choose, but we loved the simple meat and potato option. These also made excellent items to pack with us and take on our hike – the perfect portable meal.

Although Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is remote and difficult to visit, if you find yourself with the time and opportunity to do so, I definitely would! I’ve always wondered about that slice of Michigan hanging around up north all by itself. The added bonus, of course, is that if you’re interested in hiking and camping, you can get a lot of that done in the UP without spending a lot of time negotiating tourist traps or other drivers in traffic. Although an Upper Peninsula vacation might not be automatically what people think of when they think of ideal family getaways, there are plenty of things to do in the Upper Peninsula and our family trip to “UP MI” ranks high on our list of favorite getaways!

February 7, 2018
Philadelphia With Kids: A Long Weekend Getaway!

Guest Blogger: Karen loves to travel the world with Piper, her seven year old daughter. They have a shared passion for finding the very best family friendly days out, places to stay, and things to eat. You can find a journal of their adventures on their website, Are We There Yet Kids.

Historic, charming and, some might say, the birthplace of the United States, the beautiful city of Philadelphia is packed full of child friendly things to see and do. My daughter and I visited Philadelphia last summer and totally fell in love with the city. Although we only had three days to explore, we managed to cram plenty in, leaving us exhausted by the end of our long weekend. Here are our top tips on where to go, eat, and stay!

THINGS TO DO

#1: Please Touch Museum

When planning our adventure, I knew I had to include the Please Touch Museum on our list of things to do because I had heard so many great things about this child friendly museum. As the name suggests, this museum is dedicated to teaching children through play, and the museum totally follows through on this promise. There is so much to see and do that you can easily spend a full day here. We only had a morning to devote to this museum, but we managed to visit most of the exhibits, even if I did find myself hurrying Piper along a few times.

Being big fans of the book, we loved the Alice in Wonderland themed Wonderland area, where you can have tea with the Mad Hatter, get lost in the hedge maze, and even paint some roses red. Piper’s favorite part of the visit was the Woodside Park Dentzel carousel, which was an additional $3 on top of admission, but well worth the charge.

Other hits include the River Adventures water area, where kids can learn all about water flow, City Capers, where children can really indulge their imaginations and try out various grown up jobs in venues such as a hospital, restaurant, and shopping center, and Roadside Attractions, which gives children the opportunity to explore a real car, pretend to be mechanics, and drive a trolley.

Please Touch Museum is geared towards younger children and preschoolers, but Piper is seven and still loved the exhibits. Some of the exhibits are starting to show a little wear and tear, but the kids don’t seem to mind, so it did not diminish our enjoyment.

#2: The Rocky Steps and Statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

This is good fun to visit even if your kids haven’t seen the movies, and it makes for a fabulous photo opportunity. The famous Rocky Statue and Rocky Steps aren’t too much a challenge to run up, even in the heat of summer, and if you have time to visit the Museum of Art while you’re there, even better!

#3: Sister Cities Park

We loved Sister Cities Park, a cute little park located just a few minutes from our hotel. When we visited, the famous “LOVE” sculpture was closed for maintenance, but we found the replacement “AMOR” sculpture here. Make sure you get a quick photo with the sign and take a breather in this park, which has a lovely little café, a children’s discovery garden, and a 10 geyser splash fountain in the summer, perfect for cooling down after a hot day of exploring.

#4: The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute was built to honor one of America’s most famous scientists, Benjamin Franklin. The Institute is one of the oldest and best centers for science education and development in the United States and it is my absolute favorite place to visit in Philly. It’s a hands on and totally interactive science museum with plenty to learn for both kids and grown-ups.

The Franklin Institute is home to the famous heart exhibit, where kids can explore the workings of a heart by walking through it, following the journey a blood cell would take. But the fun doesn’t end there – the newest exhibit, dedicated to the workings of the human brain, includes an 18 foot tall climbing structure called the neural climb, which kids can safely climb all the way to the top. Active kids will love the Sportszone, where they can test their reactions against the ping-pong wall, perfect their baseball throw, see how far they can jump from a running or standing start, and race virtual athletes along a 40 foot track.

There is also the Franklin Air Show, which introduces visitors to the history and technology of flight, Sir Isaac’s Loft, which brings Newton’s theories to life, and Changing Earth, which is guaranteed to get little brains thinking about the impact we all have on this planet.

Although some exhibits dedicated to the physiology of the human body are a bit gory, my seven year old loved it all. If your child is sensitive, I suggest checking ahead and perhaps bypassing some more graphic areas.

#5: The Liberty Bell

No visit to Philadelphia is complete without taking a trip to see the iconic liberty bell. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids a little American history, but it is best to visit out of season or later in the day to avoid the lines. We arrived at around 4pm on a hot July day and had to wait around 30 minutes to get through security. We then struggled to get a clear picture with the bell itself. Once inside the exhibit, you walk through a small section of informational exhibits, which are all interesting, but probably won’t hold the attention of little ones for too long. The bell itself is located at the end of the exhibit, in front of a huge glass wall overlooking Independence Hall and the bell tower where the bell was originally housed. The exhibit is free (managed by the National Park Service), and timed tickets are not required.

#6: Independence Hall

Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was conceived, drafted, and signed, is also managed by the National Park Service and although free to visit, you will need a timed ticket. These can be found at the Visitor Center desk on the day you want to visit, but please be sure to plan ahead as your desired time slot may be unavailable during busy tourist season. Tours last between 30 to 40 minutes and you can view original printed versions of the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, and the Declaration of Independence. All the rangers were extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions, from the simple to the complex. This was yet another great opportunity to get a little bit of American history and learn about the founding fathers.

Pro Tip: I highly recommend using the Phlash Bus to navigate around the city. It runs every five minutes to most places mentioned above and is just $5 for a full day pass. Make sure you have cash to purchase your pass on the bus as it will save you the $1.50 online fee.

WHAT TO EAT

It goes without saying that when in Philly, you must eat a Philly cheesesteak. A Philly cheesesteak is a soft (or sometime crusty) bread roll stuffed with shredded beef and stringy cheese. I wasn’t a massive fan, to be honest, but as you know, when in Philly…

You can find a Philly cheesesteak almost anywhere, but the two arguably most famous locations are Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks, conveniently located across the street from one another, so if you plan your visit, it’s possible to sample both in one meal!

If you have the time, I highly recommend visiting Reading Terminal Market, one of America’s oldest and largest public markets. Inside you fill find a huge food court full of gorgeous treats and places to dine and you are almost certainly guaranteed to find something that will please everyone in the family. The Market does get quite busy, so be sure to keep the little ones close so they don’t get overwhelmed.

WHERE TO STAY

We chose to spend our weekend at the lovely Windsor Suites in Downtown Philadelphia, conveniently located within walking distance to most of Philadelphia’s main attractions, with plenty of restaurants and grocery stores nearby as well. Happily, the hotel was located away from the bulk of the downtown Philadelphia nightlife, so it was a peaceful place to be with kids.

After a recent cramped stay in Boston, we were absolutely blown away by the apartment style rooms. We had a small but perfectly outfitted kitchen, heaps of storage space, and a large cozy bed. The hotel has a rooftop pool, which is open in the summer months, a laundry room, and some of the friendliest staff members we have encountered.

The hotel offers an onsite pub/restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Although we did dine at the restaurant and experience the friendly atmosphere and tasty food, we elected to eat in our room most of the time, in order to take full advantage of the superbly equipped kitchen.

Karen and her daughter’s action packed stay in Philadelphia has us thinking we need to plan a trip sooner rather than later. What are your favorite places to visit in the City of Brotherly Love?

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January 21, 2018