After the 5-hour, nerve-racking motorcycle ride out of the Kathmandu congestion and into the outlying mountain ranges, I planned on doing a whole lot of nothing in Pokhara.
And that’s exactly what I did. see more »
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Babble is an online magazine that covers all things kid and parenting. It’s what they do. That means that with the summer suddenly upon us they have devoted a good portion of their time planning how to get away from it all - assuming all does not include the children (but nice try).
Here are a few examples of what they offer:
From “Babies on a Plane” by Hana Schank:
“We’re just checking to make sure you’re not over the limit,” the security officer said when I asked exactly what they were looking for with regards to the baby food.
“What’s the limit?” I asked.
“Just a reasonable amount,” explained the security officer.
Which is what? Enough to feed a baby but not enough to make an exploding applesauce bomb?
As if that’s not bad enough, the type of baby food you bring on board is also subject to inspection. I was once in line in front of a woman who had a jar of Gerber’s Peach Cobbler confiscated because the security officer said it was a dessert, not baby food.
For more Babies on a Plane visit Babble!
From “10 Toddler Vacation Tips” by Merideth Broussard:
Fill up the iPhone or iPod with family photos and videos.
If you have an iPhone, it’s probably already loaded up with kid-friendly apps like MyFirstABC, Poppin’, Doodle Kids, Scribble, and KidArt. When your little one tires of doodling or popping bubble wrap bubbles, pull out the big guns: family photos. I’ve yet to meet a toddler who doesn’t love going through the family digital photo archive. It’s a chance to tell stories, reflect on the past, and remember the good times your family has had. In other words: a perfect way to begin a family vacation! When you tire of explaining who’s who in every photo, it’s time to move on to home movies of your child. Unrepentant narcissists that they are, toddlers looooove seeing movies of themselves and people they know.
Going to a warm place? Don’t forget that afternoon nap conflicts with prime time on the beach.
There are two strategies for dealing with the afternoon nap issue.
Option 1: reserve a room with a balcony, or a first-floor room with outdoor access. It sounds simple, but I can tell you that it made a huge difference in my happiness on our beach vacation. While my little one napped in our first-floor beachfront room, I sat outside in the sun and read my trashy mystery novel or chatted with friends. It was perfection.
Option 2: Avoid hotels and go to a family-friendly B&B or small inn.
Find out why and some other great tips for Traveling with Toddlers at Babble!
From “25 Family Travel Tips” by Annie Bacon:
Always have a couple of small toys in your bag for outings. Avoid toys that have many small pieces: Polly Pockets are perfect to keep a young girl occupied in the hotel room, but you don’t want to have to crawl under the table to find a missing shoe. Also, don’t bring any “beeping” or musical electronic toys: parents have a selective sense of hearing that allows them not to go crazy in the presence of anything from Vtech, but others might not have that skill.
A few good choices…
- Coloring book with washable pencils
- Activity or sticker books
- Etch-a-sketch
- Magnetic play scenes or dress-up dolls
- Anything that comes in a small case
Resist the urge to ask for a child’s plates before yours. It might keep him quiet at first, but then he’ll have nothing to do once it’s your time to eat.
If you travel abroad, keep in mind that some cultures have different meal schedules and that restaurants’ open hours may differ from what you’re used to. Make enquiries before heading out, or you might hit your nose on a “Closed” sign.
Read more Family Travel Tips at Babble!
As you can see, they offer plenty of advice on how to make the most of your family vacation, from airports to passing the hours of a long road trip and all the beaches in between. It’s also a great place to see what the rich and famous are doing over their summer holiday, and who doesn’t want to know that?
Safe travels!
All photos and quoted text are property of Babble.
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When I was little, growing up in the back BACK woods of Maine (think Stephen King, here), I couldn’t be kept away from anything having to do with water. Ponds, lake, streams, even standing water in the fields after a rainstorm. It seems all I wanted to do was get the cuffs of my jeans wet and muddy.
Fast forward some thirty-mumble years, and I still have that inclination. Dwelling in the desert presents a problem, though, unless I want to wade in a community pool or a “man-made lake” (anathema!).
This is where my very favorite scenic drive in Arizona comes in. It’s Scenic Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon - twenty-eight miles of tree-lined and mountainous winding road that follows along Oak Creek.
On one end, you have Sedona:
On the other end, you have Flagstaff:
All along the middle, you have this:
And this:
And this:
Aaaaaaand this:
There are great little places all along the route to stop and take pictures, or to obtain refreshment. Private resorts and bed and breakfasts abound. Swimming (and sliding!) at Slide Rock is popular for families with children. Hiking along the West Fork Trail and Palatki Indian Ruins is appropriate for all skill levels.
Finally, the road climbs out of the canyon, and a the top of the final crest (over 6,000 feet!) there is a rest stop maintained by the National Forest Service. It features necessary conveniences, an Information booth, a lookout area from which the entirety of Oak Creek Canyon is laid before you, and Native Americans set up along the pathways selling their crafts.
It was a beautiful and refreshing way to spend an afternoon. We rely upon this scenic drive at least two or three times a year, to get us out of the sweltering heat of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It was hard for us to come back home when all we wanted to do was plant ourselves next to Oak Creek and never leave. We did come back home (work calls, after all), but it’s comforting to know that we can go back any time we need to.
To experience the drive from the Phoenix area, take I-17 north, then take exit 298 to access Highway 179 east to Sedona. Highway 179 connects to Highway 89A in the heart of town.
To access the drive from Flagstaff, take I-17 to the junction of I-40, then take exit 337 to Highway 89A. You will then follow the route south to Sedona, instead of north like we did. It’s just as pretty going in the other direction, trust me!
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Disney has done it again. The house of mouse has teamed up with Amtrak and Hewlett Packard to bring you Christmas in July (also, May, June, August, September, October and November). No jacket required.
In support of Disney’s new Robert Zemeckis vehicle “A Christmas Carol” staring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman and Colin Firth- a capture-motion 3-D event, they are putting Charles Dickens’ classic tale on wheels, or tracks as the case may be. If I’m not being clear, I’m talking about a train.
What’s great about this free family-friendly destination is that it will be stopping in 40 cities as it makes its way from Los Angeles to New York City, meaning at some point it will be a short daytrip for most of America.
The train itself is not just a promotion for the upcoming film, but also a traveling shrine to author Charles Dickens made up of artifacts on loan from London’s Charles Dickens Museum.
Who knew Disney holiday magic delivered?
Los Angeles- May 22-25
Los Angeles Union Station
800 N. Alameda St.
Grand Canyon (Williams, AZ) - May 29-31
Williams Depot
233 North Grand Canyon Blvd
Santa Fe, NM - June 2
Santa Fe Depot
410 S Guadalupe St
Albuquerque, NM - June 5-7
Albuquerque Amtrak Station
214 First Street Southwest
Denver, CO - June 12-14
Denver Union Station
1701 Wynkoop St
Salt Lake City/Ogden, UT - June 16
Ogden Union Station
2501 Wall Avenue
Sacramento, CA - June 19-21
California State Rail Road Museum
111 I Street
San Francisco/Redwood City,CA - June 26-28
Port of Redwood City
675 Seaport Blvd.
Portland, OR - July 1
Portland Union Station
800 Northwest 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA - July 3-5
King Street Station
303 South Jackson Street
Spokane, WA - July 7
Spokane Amtrak Station
221 W. 1st Avenue
Whitefish, MT - July 10-11
Whitefish Amtrak Station
500 Depot St
Fargo, ND - July 15
North Dakota State University
1301 12th Avenue North
St. Paul, MN - July 17-19
Amtrak Midway Station
730 Transfer Road
Chicago - July 24-26
Chicago Union Station
225 South Canal Street
St. Louis, MO - July 31- August 2
St. Louis Union Station
550 South 16th Street
Memphis, TN - August 4
Memphis Central Station
545 South Main Street
New Orleans, LA - August 7-9
Riverview in Audubon Park
6500 Magazine Street
Houston, TX - August 11
Houston Amtrak Station
902 Washington Avenue
San Antonio, TX - August 14-16
San Antonio Amtrak Station
350 Hoefgen Street
Dallas, TX - August 18-19
Dallas Union Station
401 South Houston St
Oklahoma City, OK - August 21-23
Oklahoma City Santa Fe Depot
100 South E. K.Gaylord Blvd
Kansas City, MO - August 25
Kansas City Union Station
30 W. Pershing Road
Omaha, NE - August 28-30
Durham Museum
801 South 10th Street
Detroit/Darborn, MI - September 4-6
Henry Ford Museum Greenfield Village
20900 Oakwood Blvd
Indianapolis/Bagersville, IN - September 9
Downtown Bargersville
24 North Main Street
Louisville, KY - September 11-13
Louisville Union Station
1000 W. Broadway
Cleveland, OH - September 18-19
Cleveland Brown’s Lot
1085 W Third St
Albany/Rensselaer, NY - September 22
Albany Rensselaer Rail Station
525 East Street
Boston, MA - September 25-27
South Station
2 South Station
Baltimore, MD - September 30
B & O Railroad Museum
901 W Pratt St
Washington DC - October 2-4
Union Station
50 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Atlanta/Duluth, GA - October 6
Southeastern Railway Museum
3595 Peachtree Rd
Spencer, NC - October 9-11
NC Transportation Museum
411 S. Salisbury Ave
Savannah, GA - October 13
Savannah Amtrak Station
2611 Seaboard Coastline Dr
Miami, FL - October 16-18
Gold Coast Railroad Museum
12450 SW 152nd St
Jacksonville, FL - October 20
Jacksonville Amtrak Station
3570 Clifford Lane
Charleston, SC - October 23-25
Ansonborough Field
Washington and Concord Streets
Philadelphia, PA - October 27
30th Street Station
2955 Market Street
New York, NY - October 30 - November 1
Grand Central Terminal
42nd Street and Park Avenue
Dates, pictures and map provided courtesy of the Walt Disney Company.
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According to TV every mom wants a bunch of flowers for Mother’s Day. Also, jewelry, but let’s stick with the practical.
You can buy flowers anywhere- the flower shop, obviously, but also any farmers market, supermarket or kid on the corner. Flowers are a dime a dozen. Well, a lot of dimes a dozen, but you get the idea- they’re everywhere.
Instead of killing plants to enjoy them why not visit them in their natural habitat (and kill them with smog and our dependence on foreign oil- sorry, it’s an equal time thing)?
Botanical Garden - Tucson
Botanical Gardens: Most bigger towns and cities have a botanical garden. A botanical garden is a great place to stop and smell the flowers and/or butterflies.
Botanical Garden Butterfly Exhibit - Tucson
Reflection/Meditation/Self-Realization Garden: Many spiritual and religious groups have quiet sanctuaries where you can walk and enjoy various types of flowers and ponds. It’s very tranquil and usually very free. In some towns you may find similar gardens as part of a local park.
Self-Realization Temple in Encinitas, CA
Koi in Pond at Self-Realization Temple, Encinitas
Flower in the Temple
Wildflowers: It’s springtime and the wildflowers are in bloom. A quick look in a local paper or website will easily guide you to what’s blooming in the area. Generally speaking, these are called wildflowers for a reason and there may be a bit of a drive involved, but hey, gas is cheap (relatively).
These are but a few options that are available in most markets, whether they be home or just a stop along the journey. All of them involve a bit more time than a dozen roses from Safeway, but here’s something that the TV doesn’t want you to know- time is the real gift. Flowers just make it smell better.
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My husband and I are constantly on the lookout for weekend day trip ideas. Our weekends are spent filled with the awareness of all the useful things that we’re supposed to be doing around the house, yet we are severely lacking the willpower to do those things. One Saturday afternoon not too long ago, our desperate escape from the horror of chores took us in the direction of Scottsdale, and the Arts District.
The Old Town area of Scottsdale is a treat for window shopping enthusiasts, and a mecca for Southwestern oriented artwork and decor. Parking can sometimes be a challenge, though it’s easier during the day than at night, when Those Who Wish To See and Be Seen come out to play.
Art galleries mingle seamlessly with souvenir stores and restaurants. Every Thursday the art galleries host an evening Art Walk from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., displaying their artwork and crafts along the walkways and sidewalks. Come for the art, stay for the free wine!
It’s easy to spend hours looking through the hundreds of shops in the area. My husband and I broke up the day with regular stops for refreshment, first at the Rusty Spur Saloon:
Then at the Sugar Bowl:
There is absolutely no way to forget that you are in the heart of the Southwest.
Nothing says Arizona like a good old fashioned cow skull:
Scottsdale is family and pet friendly - though they discourage pets coming into the stores and restaurants themselves. To get there from Loop 101, exit on Indian School Road and travel west to Scottsdale Road. If you’re taking the 202, exit on Scottsdale Road and travel north to arrive in the Old Town area. The heart of the Arts district is on Scottsdale Road and Fifth Avenue.
The Old Town area of Scottsdale - just like the rest of the city - is an excellent place to spend very little money and enjoy the sites; alternately, you can spend a WHOLE LOT of money and indulge in some truly unique arts and crafts.
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I lived in Maine for the first nineteen years of my life, and it’s the place that I still call “home”. The deserts of Arizona are lovely, to be sure, but Maine is where my heart is. During my annual or bi-annual trips back east, I never fail to stop at my favorite place on the entire planet, the Portland Head Light.
As you can see, the place is so darned picturesque that even rank amateur photographers (read: me) can take postcard-perfect pictures.
The Head Light is located in the town of Cape Elizabeth, a mere bridge-crossing from Portland’s Old Port Waterfront District. Entrance to the complex, which includes Fort Williams Park, is free, and admission to the park’s museum (open from Memorial Day to Labor Day) is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children. The complex and park itself are open year-round.
Bring a picnic lunch (I suggest a local favorite, an Italian sandwich from one of the nearby Amato’s), and spend a lovely afternoon exploring Fort Williams, the green park grounds, the rocky shoreline, and the tidal pools.
I long for home, but for now I’m just going to have to content myself with pictures. Oh, and word to the wise, watch out for these guys - they’re bold and they’ll steal your lunch right out of your hands!
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Walt Disney World's Swan and Dolphin Resort
Visiting Walt Disney World on your Birthday could quite possibly be the most inexpensive vacation you’ve had in some time. Not only will you get the advertised free admission to one of the theme parks on your birthday, but the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is giving every guests a free night stay. Those celebrating a birthday at the resort will receive a complimentary night and birthday cake prepared by their two-time world champion pastry chef.
Any guest booking a minimum three-night stay, which includes their birthday, will receive their birthday night free. And, as an added surprise, birthday guests who dine at one of the resort’s signature restaurants during their stay will receive a complimentary cake prepared by the resort’s executive pastry chef and only two-time world pastry champion Laurent Branlard. Well, it was a surprise. The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort’s signature restaurants include the celebrity chef venue Todd English’s bluezoo, the football-themed, award-winning Shula’s Steak House and the acclaimed Il Mulino New York Trattoria.
Interested guests can find more information or reserve their “Celebrate Your Birthday” package by calling 1-888-828-8850 or visiting www.swandolphin.com/offers. Guests must bring valid ID and proof of their birth date. Offer valid through Dec. 31, 2009. Based upon availability.
Read more about this and other celebrations at The Disney Blog.
Pool fun at Walt Disney World's Swan and Dolphin Resort
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Bench Marks - Pokhara, Nepal