We Go With Kids!

Tag: parks

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

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

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

#1: Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Playground

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

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

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

Fans of Peter Pan should also make sure to visit Kensington Gardens’ bronze Peter Pan statue that was commissioned by J.M. Barrie and created by George Frampton in 1912.
- Kid Facts: Kids are delighted to learn that adults are not permitted to enter unless they are accompanied by a child aged 12 or younger.
#2: Kensington Palace

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

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

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

It would be lovely to stroll around in Palace Gardens, which are sometimes open to the public without required tickets.
- Kid Facts: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first appearance together after their engagement announcement in the Sunken Garden.
#3: Picnic in Hyde Park

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

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

After lunch Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is a great place to stop with kids. The Fountain opened in 2004 as a memorial to Princess Diana, who lived in Kensington Palace. It is constructed with 545 pieces of Cornish granite. The Fountain has a circular stream, and it is permitted to sit on the edge of the memorial and to dip your feet but not to walk on the Memorial.
- Kid Facts: Hyde Park was originally Henry VIII’s hunting grounds.
#4: The Serpentine

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

On our most recent visit to London, we enjoyed hot chocolate and coffee with friends on a chilly July afternoon at Lido Café and Bar, which is located on the southern side of the Serpentine near the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.
- Kid Facts: Serpentine refers to the curving shape – even though there really is only one bend. Although the entire body of water is commonly called the “Serpentine”, the name actually refers to only the eastern portion of the lake. The portion to the west of the Serpentine Bridge is known as the Long Water.
#5: Speaker’s Corner

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

The speakers each gave impassioned political demonstrations what were often irrational. Several literally stood on soapboxes, or at least stepladders. This may not be the best place to learn about current events or engage in intellectual political debate, but it an amusing sight to behold for sure.
- Kid Facts: Historically, there have been other areas designated as Speakers’ Corners in London’s parks, but this is the original and most popular location.
London has so many fun family activities! Make sure to check out our posts on London, including Our First Family Trip Abroad, Five(teen) Fun Family Attractions, Spotlight: The Tower of London, Five Fun Family Museums and Sample Itineraries (to come).
June 9, 2018
Paris With Kids: Five Fun Family Activities

Guest Blogger: Vanessa and Sergio are high school sweethearts from Austin, Texas who love traveling the world and experiencing new cultures and traditions with their daughter. To keep up with this international trio, follow along on Instagram or visit their website, TravelChicFam.

Our foodra truck ride outside the Musee d’Orsay!

Paris, France has always been a favorite city of mine. This one city holds the best of the best in art, culture, breathtaking sights and French cuisine. As the cherry on top, it’s also bursting with romance and, for those traveling with kids, children’s parks perfectly situated through the entire city!

While pregnant with my daughter, I thought traveling would no longer be possible, but I was wrong! After a year of not traveling, I began experiencing “traveling blues” and decided to plan our first family trip to take place when my daughter would be 20 months old. I excitedly and anxiously began planning our 10-day trip to Paris: flights, transportation, hotel, sites and destinations, family photo shoot, and so much more! Before having a baby, we would have likely booked two or three cities as part of one vacation, but decided to stick to one city for our first family vacation and see how baby girl would travel. As an added surprise, traveling with a child reminded us to slow down, to visit family friendly sites, and to value each moment, laugh, and experience. We also took as many photos as humanely possible so that we could document the experience. Our visit to Paris with a young child was not without challenges, but overall the experience was amazing and life changing. I can confidently say that my now three year old absolutely loves to fly, thrives when she spends quality time with her parents, and enjoys the different sites and children’s parks that we build into our adventures.

Without further ado, here are my Five Fun Family Activities for Paris With Kids!

#1. Disneyland Parks

In the many months I spent planning our trip to Paris, I knew that the one thing I wanted to do was to plan a stop at one of the most magical places on Earth: Disneyland Paris. It was the least we could do for our 20 month old, after dragging her to a different country. We were visiting in early September, which is considered off-season, so the crowds were minimal and wait times for rides was short.

Disneyland Paris is comprised of two parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. You can pay to visit one park or both parks. For this occasion, we chose to only visit Disneyland Park as our daughter loves princesses, and we knew that the big mid-day parade would be taking place at Disneyland Park. We arrived around 11am and were able to easily purchase tickets and ride a number of rides, including Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Le Carrousel de Lancelot, Alice’s Curious Labyrinth. We also visited Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, La Tinier du Dragon, Liberty Arcade, and Discovery Arcade. We made sure to stop and watch the famous Disney parade with all the princess characters, and we ate lunch at Au Chalet de la Marionette, which had a decent selection of food for adults and children.

By the time we left the park at 7pm, we were beyond exhausted. Although we wished we had seen the fireworks, we had a great experience and of course, left with Minnie Mouse ears, a Mickey Mouse balloon, Disneyland souvenirs, and a number of chocolate treats. If I had to do it all over again, I wish we could have arrived a little earlier so that we could visit both parks and stay for the fireworks, but given the one hour distance from our hotel to Disneyland and my daughter’s age, we were just thrilled that she had an amazing experience.

Pro-Tip: We took a taxi from our hotel to Disney, but you can also take the Metro. We chose a taxi because it was much faster and easier for our little family. Prices vary, depending on location and transit time, so be sure to price check all your options.

#2: Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg is a true gem located in the center of Paris. It covers 25 hectares (over 60 acres) of land filled with beautiful gardens, open-air cafes, puppet shows, rides, slides, musical performers, and sailboats in the pond by the Luxembourg Palace. On a sunny day, you can grab lunch and relax on the green or in one of the many chairs sprinkled throughout the park as you watch your little one run around to release some much needed energy.

Our favorite activity was the miniature sailboats, which are available for rent or purchase if you don’t happen to have your own to bring! There were many vendors located along the pond and we rented a miniature sailboat that came with a large stick, to use to push the sailboat out and onto the pond. My daughter could not push the sailboat on her own, but my husband was happy to oblige and help maneuver the boat. He had just as much fun playing as all the kids. This is a must visit family friendly park for all to enjoy. By the looks of the native French speaking crowd around us, this is local favorite and so a great way to experience real Parisian family life.

#3: Parc Zoologique de Paris

The Parc Zoologique de Paris a great place to visit with children, especially if they love animals. Admission is pricey at 20 € per adult / 15 € per child (ages 3-12) but well worth it. The zoo’s landscape is designed to showcase the animals in their native ecosystem and is home to around 180 species and over a thousand animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. During our visit, we saw a variety of birds, monkeys, fish, jaguars, zebras, and giraffes. And, judging by the crowds, this is another spot that most local Parisians take advantage of with their families, and we were again fortunate to have no trouble with crowds.

#4: Musee de l’Orangeries & Musee d’Orsay

When one thinks of a museum in Paris, I’m sure the Louvre comes immediately to mind. The Louvre is amazing, but also full of tourists and crowds. Although definitely a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime, I was not sure that it was the best place to take a baby or toddler. For this special trip, we decided to visit the Musee de l’Orangerie and the Musee d’Orsay, which showcase fantastic works by Monet, Van Gogh, and many others, but without the tourist appeal of the Louvre.

We visited the Musee de l’Orangerie first, where we viewed Claude Monet’s famous painting of the water lilies. The mural and all sides of the walls were so incredibly breathtaking, I had to stop and just enjoy the experience. While I was busy being awed by the beauty of the art, my daughter paced all the rooms of the museum with her daddy. We then went upstairs and enjoyed a quick bite to eat before heading to the Musee d’Orsay.

At the d’Orsay, we saw Ballet Rehearsal by Edgar Degas, Blue Water Lillies by Claude Monet, Self Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, and countless others. The museum is large, but we had an idea of what we wanted to see before arriving, which helped make our experience more manageable.

Pro-Tip: It is 9 € to visit one museum, or 16 € to visit both, so we chose to visit both and save some money.

#5: Eiffel Tower

Last, but definitely not least, the most iconic site of all, the Eiffel Tower. Although you can pay to go up to the top of the tower, I personally think the best view is the free one from the bottom. There are two children’s parks at the North side of the tower that are fenced in for security and, happily, there are vendors nearby who sell an assortment of snacks and gelato for the children (and adults!) to enjoy a tasty treat.

Picnicking on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower.

While viewing the Eiffel Tower, we spied a carousel across the street, which many children enjoy riding, including my daughter who rode it up to four times! On a beautiful sunny day, be sure to take some time to have a picnic on the green near the Eiffel Tower. It’s easy to pick up a baguette or a tasty sandwich and a bottle of wine and enjoy the beautiful view, while the little ones stretch their legs running around outside. We have a wonderful time and will cherish our memories forever.

Riding the carousel… for the fourth time!

Final Thoughts?

Paris has so many different things to see and do, but these are truly my top Five Fun Family Activities to take advantage of in Paris. As I continue to explore the world with my daughter, I learn more about her personality and try to incorporate her interests and wishes as well. My goal, as a mommy, is to take my daughter to one new country a year. Our first was Paris, and we also have Rome and Barcelona on the agenda. Traveling with a child has its challenges, but seeing their smiles and the memories we create as a family are priceless.

March 16, 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