The day was not crisp. In fact, it was rather warm. There was a light rain in the afternoon. It could have passed for spring.

The end of September was the winding down of whirlwinds and the precipice of a free fall into holiday excitement and the trappings thereof. We decided to blur the line all the sooner.

We took a trip to Disneyland for Mickey’s Halloween Party and suddenly fall was in the air.

The event requires a separate ticket, but don’t fret — admission to Mickey’s Halloween Party actually allows ticket holders to enter Disneyland a few hours prior to the park closing (the Halloween event happens after the park is closed) so that they can enjoy a bit more of the magic. For dates, times and pricing please visit Disneyland.com/halloween. (Walt Disney World offers Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party)

While kids are able to wear costumes to Disneyland whenever they please (assuming it also pleases their parents), adults are usually not allowed to do so. I know, we’ve all seen some adult characters in the parks, but that’s actually their normal thing. Don’t judge. The beauty of Mickey’s Halloween Party is that everyone can dress up, and they do! Read More »

I love public art. I don’t think about whether or not my taxes are paying for it and simply enjoy the free pretties that have been created for my pleasure.

Pittsburgh has public art all over town, including murals on the sides of buildings, sculptures in public parks, and oddly-dressed dinosaurs in downtown courtyards. Pittsburgh also has quite a few statues honoring local heroes. These three can be seen along the North Shore of the Allegheny River just before it tumbles into the Ohio.

The Homerun

In 1960, Pittsburgh Pirate Bill Mazeroski hit a walk off homerun in Game 7 to win the World Series against the Yankees. Known simply as “the homerun” to baseball fans, the moment is immortalized outside PNC Park with a 14-foot statue of Mazeroski rounding second base. While always impressive visually, the statue may be even more intriguing now during an era when the idea of the Pirates making the playoffs — let alone winning the World Series — seems to belong way, way out in left field. Read More »

This beautiful monument in Lisbon, Portugal is called the Monument to the Discoveries by those of us on this side of the Atlantic, but the locals know it as Padrão dos Descobrimentos.

The monument sits on estuary of the Tagus river and celebrates the Age of Discovery (also called the Age of Exploration) between the 15th and 16th centuries.

This is actually the second version of the monument as the first, developed for the 1940 Portuguese World Fair, was demolished. In 1960 this newer version was unveiled. Visitors are able to access the top where there is an observation deck.

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums, Monuments and Memorials Series.

Photo: kevinpoh via Flickr

Family vacations are all about happiness and fun – right? OK, normally. But there are a few places that are more somber than sensational, and they are still worth taking your kids to.

Gettysburg National Cemetery

There’s no sugar coating it: a trip to a cemetery is downright depressing. What happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 150 years was tragic and today the bloodiest battle in American history is commemorated with a military park and cemetery. The park was actually created because the townspeople didn’t know what to do with all of the dead bodies left behind when the Union and Confederate armies moved on, so the federal government essentially consecrated a bunch of land to be used for a cemetery.

Yeah, it’s heavy stuff. But it’s also an important part of American history that kids tend to naturally absorb at an age-appropriate level. My six-year old remembers that President Lincoln spoke here after the two American sides fought, my eleven-year-old had a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices made before the speech was given.

Ground Zero

September 11, 2001 changed everything — not only for Americans, but for the entire world. Most of our children are too young to remember a time before that massive paradigm shift or the specific events that caused it. While terrorism is a frightening subject to bring up with little kids, a visit to the new Ground Zero Memorial is a good way to introduce the idea of the monumental event that shaped history without having to get into the politics of the perpetrators.

Vietnam Memorial Wall

It’s difficult to imagine that a low granite wall etched with thousands of strangers’ names could have an impact on anyone born within the last 30 years, and yet the power is palpable at the Vietnam Wall. This memorial is subtle and understated while still providing an opportunity to teach children about respect and patriotism.

Do you take your kids to war memorials or other potentially sad locations?

Photos by Britt Reints