Orlando, Florida is well known as a family vacation destination. However, one of the common misconceptions I hear from families is that they have to wait until the kids are “old enough to appreciate it” before they can invest in a family trip to the theme park capital of the world.
To a certain extent, I agree. Places like Universal Studios and even Disney World are not great for kids under five. They can’t go on roller coasters and a lot of young children are terrified of the rides that are supposed to be made for them. My daughter was so scared of Magic Kingdom’s Snow White ride that we had to leave through one of the emergency exits. And don’t even get me started on Universal Studio’s 3D Shrek experience. (Note to attraction designers: small children are scared of the dark AND graveyards AND ghosts. Duh.)
It makes sense to avoid these places until your children are old enough to appreciate the hundreds of dollars you’ll be spending in admission prices.
But what if you have one kid who is the perfect age to experience these things and another much younger child? Can you plan an Orlando vacation that includes activities for younger children?
Until a few years back, a vacation meant piling the kids into the back and hitting the road. But times change, and now you have a whole new bunch of requirements to fulfill before you can even think about the beach, a cold beer and some peace and quiet.
Beach Vacation
If you don’t want your neighbors and colleagues to look down on you, follow this list of ’friendly’ things that your vacation has to be.
1. Environment-friendly:- It’s bad enough that your vacation destroys your entire year’s savings. Don’t let your vacation be blamed for the destruction of the earth. Find a destination which cares about their surroundings, get a green hotel, try to avoid trips by air and don’t do stuff which will be harmful to the environment – like wasting water, and leaving trash and beer cans in the outdoors or on the road. Read More »
Couples Retreat may have topped the box office with $35.3m over the opening weekend, but it doesn’t really make the case for vacation therapy.
In fact, this Vince Vaughn starrer goes the other way – and suggests that the best way to save your marriage is to escape from the wacky Couples Retreat staff and the weird yoga techniques (filmed at the St. Regis Resort in Bora Bora). You end up at a singles resort instead, get sloshed, scream and shout at your spouse and then a round of make-up sex solves all your problems. Read More »
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to stay at the W Hotel in beautiful San Diego. My mixed feelings on that will come out in a later post. Hey, that’s like suspense!
On the corner outside of the hotel’s main entrance you will find this water station for your canine companion, which is a nice touch. Downtown San Diego is great for walking, which means yours dogs bark and your dogs get thirsty.
Seeing as right inside the lobby the price of water jumps up about $6 per bottle, you may want to sneak a sip or two for yourself. It’s a recession, people.
For all the cheap Plastic crap you'll only use for a week....
The sign at the Onslow County beach access #4 said that ‘if one should be caught in a Riptide, one should not struggle against its current. One should stay calm. Panic-free. Enjoy the ride, until the ride is over. Until the icy-cold hand of the Atlantic pulls one out into the ink black, shark-infested waters. Or, or, one could swim perpendicular to said Riptide and break free the current.’
Okay. It really didn’t say all of that stuff about “ink black, shark-infested waters”. But all the other stuff is well paraphrased. And I thought it good to know. Because we were at the Beach. Read More »
The northern panhandle of Idaho is my family’s stomping ground. Over the years, we’ve discovered a great number of cool and exciting places to take the kids. So, when people ask what there is to do around here with children, I always have a ready list of sights and activities that will make any family vacation a memorable one.
Ten Cool Things For Kids In North Idaho
1. World’s Longest Gondola Ride
Silver Mountain Gondola
In the town of Kellogg, you can board the longest gondola in the world for a 20 minute ride to the Mountain Haus terminal at the top of Silver Mountain, a climb of 3400 vertical feet. In the winter, you’ll find some of the best ski runs around, but in the summer you can hike the nature trails, go mountain biking, or ride the chair lifts for more scenic beauty even higher up the mountain.
2. Hiawatha Bike Trail
Along the Hiawatha Bike Trail
I’ve covered this amazing trail already, but it bears repeating: This is an incredibly easy ride for kids of all ages. 17 miles of gradual downhill biking through stunning wilderness, with a shuttle bus waiting for you at the end to take you back to your car. The 1.6-mile Taft Tunnel alone will keep your children talking about this adventure for a long time.
3. Digging For Garnets
Digging for star garnets
There are only two places in the world to find star garnet gem stones… India and Idaho. Near the tiny town of Clarkia, Idaho, is the forested Emerald Creek Garnet Area, run by the US Forest Service, where you can dig into a massive pile of mud and gravel, then use sluice boxes to search for star garnets. What kid doesn’t like playing in the mud?
4. Coeur d’Alene City Park and Independence Point
Coeur d'Alene City Beach and City Park
Just west of downtown Coeur d’Alene, the 16-acre City Park and Independence Point sits on the northern shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Here you’ll find a wide range of free activities, from playing on a huge wooden castle in the park to splashing on the smooth sands of City Beach. For something more adventurous, you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, and jet skis, or, view the lake from above via parasail or float plane.
5. Tubbs Hill Beaches
A secluded beach on Lake Coeur d'Alene
If you’re in Coeur d’Alene and you want to get away from the crowds at City Beach, I suggest taking a hike on Tubbs Hill, a 135-acred forested peninsula with a 2-mile loop trail that will take you to one of dozens of secluded beaches. Oh, there will still be people out there during the summer, just not as many. All along the trail, older kids will find rope swings and high rocks so they can fling themselves into the water below. Our favorite Tubbs Hill beach is at the tip of the peninsula, where there are smaller rocks for the kids to play on. Just a warning, though… Bring swim shoes. These beaches are mostly rocky, and not easy on bare feet.
6. Sierra Silver Mine Tour
Inside the Sierra Silver Mine
We’ve been on this tour so many times, I should get frequent miner miles. The tour starts in downtown Wallace, a town that is so historic they put the whole place on the National Registry of Historic Places. A trolley takes you up to the mine itself, where you don hardhats and then descend into a cool dark tunnel that winds into the mountain for over 1,000 feet. During the 90-minute tour, you’ll learn a lot about hard rock mining and the history of the Silver Valley. It’s completely safe, although a little bit noisy when they demonstrate the hydraulic equipment.
7. David Thompson Game Preserve
Oh, deer.
Located along the northern shore of Lake Pend O’Reille, this game preserve is cool with my kids for one reason. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of whitetail deer there, grazing contentedly along the paths and roads, and in amongst the Beyond Hope RV Park. Several years ago, the owners prohibited feeding the very tame deer, but it’s still fun to walk among them.
8. Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
Chatcolet Bridge, on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes
I don’t propose you make your kids pedal the entire 73-mile paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. That’s a long way. But you can certainly ride portions of the trail, which spans almost the entire panhandle and runs along rivers and lakes, over trestles and bridges, and through several historic small towns. There are 20 trailheads with parking and restrooms, so you can begin your ride anywhere. One of our favorite short rides starts in Heyburn State Park and crosses the 3100-foot Chatcolet Bridge, which spans the southern end of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Another beautiful spot to start a ride is near the Old Mission at Cataldo, where you can ride east along the north fork of the Coeur d’Alene River.
9. University of Idaho Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Stopping to smell the roses
Amid the rolling hills of Moscow, in the middle of the campus of the University of Idaho, sits 63 acres of walking trails, ponds, creeks, and, of course, lush vegetation divided into geographical regions. Don’t tell your kids that it’s educational, just let them roam the grounds and discover things for themselves. There are rare flowers and trees, and plenty of granite benches to sit or climb on. My kids had the most fun exploring the creek and ponds, where a student researcher patiently showed them tadpoles and frogs. The arboretum is open year-round, and it’s free.
10. Silverwood Theme Park
The kids drive dad at Silverwood
This goes without saying. Silverwood, the northwest’s largest theme park, is the #1 destination of families heading to North Idaho. Between the rides and the adjoining water park, all of which falls under just one admission price, your kids will be in paradise. Rollercoasters in the morning, water slides in the afternoon!
For years friends and colleagues have suggested that I take the family to Rehoboth Beach. My wife has had the same suggestions from her friends, and the same response: “maybe next year.” Well this year was “next year” and we stopped avoiding the tiny state of Delaware and started embracing it. I’m a selfish traveler so it pains me to write all of the good things I have to say about my trip, because I really don’t want to see you there the next time I go. I like my low-key, quiet retreats to stay that way. I should also give the disclaimer that I am from a beach town so I have a soft spot for them, and love them in all of their kitschy glory.
Shopping for beach toys on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk.
Initially the trip was planned with only economics and convenience in mind. You can get to Delaware in about five hours from New York City (assuming traffic and a rest stop), and only spend three quarters of a tank of gas on the drive down. It’s also considerably cheaper than Virginia Beach during the high season, which is generally late spring through Labor Day. And Rehoboth Beach not nearly as unpredictable as Myrtle Beach. What’s more is that Rehoboth Beach is much tamer than it’s neighbor Ocean City and has substantial appeal for families looking for an affordable getaway during tight times when every penny counts. Read More »
Tomorrow marks the arrival of my friend and her family from the east coast to our home in Los Angeles. Two adults, two children. That means there will be four adults and four children in my house during the hot summer heat that is hot in the San Fernando Valley. We may not stay inside with the air conditioner on full blast, eating ice cream and watching “Wall-E” on repeat. No, we have to do some stuff. I’ve been planning and stressing out and researching and making lists about how to entertain and pacify all these kids without taking the fun out of our visit. Here is the list of survival tactics activities I’ve planned and supplies I’ve stocked up.
1. We’ll enjoy at least one relaxed meal at home. I’ve gathered fresh fruits and vegetables and some indulgent treats from the farmer’s market and a discount produce store to keep costs down and freshness up. We’ll grill some meat and sit in our backyard with some cocktails while we watch the children play in the wading pool or run under the sprinklers. It’s four on four – we’re still in a man-to-man defense, so this should be do-able.
2. We’ll expect less and/or interrupted sleep. The kids will sleep on air mattresses. Even my kids will do this, if it makes them go to sleep easier knowing they are mimicking their guests. We are lucky enough to have a guest bed in the 2-year-old’s room, so my husband and I will sleep in there with him while the friends all sleep in our room. As such, I expect much havoc with bedtimes and have low expectations for the morning routine. Read More »
