Find family travel ideas for fun things to do with kids that create rich and rewarding family vacations.
What is it about sharks and stingrays that casts a spell over even the most jaded teen? I practically had to drag my 16 and 13-year-olds into the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, while later it was almost impossible to tear them away from the ocean predators. Despite housing the world’s longest sea tube, the Greater Cleveland…
Zoos are not my thing. Ever since I was peed on by a hippopotamus at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. as a young child, I’ve tried to avoid them. But as a parent, I’ve had occasion to visit many zoos around the US, and even around the world. I’ve accompanied my children to zoos in New…
On our recent trip to Philadelphia I took my tween and teen kids to one of my favorite shops from when I used to visit Philly back in the early ’80s, I Goldberg Army & Navy. In their surplus area, on the basement level, we found a treasure-trove of all kinds of clothing and equipment…
When I think of big amusement parks, my former thinking was that theme parks are better geared for school-age and older kids and that there isn’t much for toddlers and preschoolers. Then we went to Six Flags Great Escape outside of Lake George, NY. This place was awesome for little kids! I will disclose that…
When I took the whole family to Philadelphia for a visit while I went to the US Mint media tour, we stayed at the brand spanking new Homewood Suites in the University City section of town. What a beautiful hotel! It just opened May 2012, so everything is still shiny and new, and everything is…
On a recent road trip to Philadelphia with my family, I attended a behind-the-scenes sneak peek tour of the US Mint, the largest coin manufacturer in the world. The re-designed public tour, which is free, opens July 3, 2012. I was able to also go right down on the factory floor to get an up-close-and-personal…
When I discovered that we were near an UNESCO City of Literature, there was no question that I would visit Iowa City on my latest cross-country road trip. But Iowa City surprised me. The city’s passionate love affair with books is exuberant, lively, and downright fun. We pulled into town on a Wednesday night, just in…
During my first winter in upstate NY, my two-year-old daughter was mobile and curious, a dangerous combination. I expended a lot of energy running around after her, trying to keep her from licking metal poles. You see, I was certain that she might fall into the same trap as Ralphie ( A Christmas Story) whose…
An indoor water park inside an Adirondack themed lodge with huge rooms and just over an hour drive away is a great weekend family getaway in Upstate New York. Six Flags Great Escape Lodge If you’re looking for a great getaway with the kids check out the Adirondack themed Great Escape Lodge just south of…
Free Family Fun – June 2, 2012. At Martin’s Lumber, in the southern Adirondack town of Thurman, it’s all about seeing the forest for the trees—because they focus on keeping the trees in production for the future. Gary and Wini Martin own a 100 acre Certified Tree Farm just half an hour from Lake George…