Hey, kids, it’s time for everyone’s favorite chunk of used space! And travel links!
Low-cost airlines are following you (and friending).
Nomadic Matt is giving away an iPod Touch and more!
And the WAEA goes to…
Not that one should ever need an excuse to eat ice cream, but should you need an extra bit of justification blame it on vacation. Vacations can be as healthy as you want them to be, but why? You’re on vacation. If you see ice cream eat it.
Also acceptable, churros, anything deep-fried or anything on a stick. Frozen yogurt can replace ice cream, but only if topped with chocolate or some like vice.
For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.
Photo by W. Honea
Land ho!
Springfield, Ohio
Like the ignored elephant in a room, Springfield, Ohio has long been neglected as a travel destination in our family. All too often serving as reference for how many more miles to home, a final gas or restroom stop, but never a destination unto itself. It’s kind of sad, really, for not only can Springfield boast itself the childhood home of notables like John Legend and Jonathon Winters, but it is quietly becoming the antiquing mecca of Middle America.
To say that there are 15 antiques shops in Springfield might be a bit misleading for several of the shops are enormous antique malls with hundreds of individual antique dealers from all over the country. Chances are if you are looking for a particular item, you will find it in Springfield.
Of note, the Heart of Ohio Antique Center located at 4785 East National Road is a 116,000 square foot facility, fully carpeted and climate controlled, that is home to over 650 individual dealers. The place is massive! I’ve found them to be an excellent starting point when it comes to replacing the collectible Fiesta plates and bowls my kids are so prone to breaking.
Fiesta Pottery at Heart of Ohio Antique Center
AAA I-70 Antiques at 4700 South Charleston Pike is also fully carpeted, climate controlled and home to over 200 dealers in it’s 30,000 square foot facility.
The Springfield Antique Center located at 1735 Titus Road is another gem in the Springfield antique market. In addition of thousands of antiques in just about every category imaginable, they pride themselves on accessibility and a pet friendly environment. That’s right, if Fido enjoys browsing for relics of yesteryear he’s more than welcome at Springfield Antique Center. Unless of course, Fido is a horse or a longhorn. I’m sure there are limits.
There are many, many more stores for you to check out in and around Springfield. Most are open daily with hours generally 10 am to 6 pm.
And while I’ve found that some of my most enjoyable trips are the totally spontaneous ones, you may want to mark your calendars and plan ahead for your antiquing visit to Springfield. Three times a year, May, June and September, the Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market holds its Antiques Extravaganza at the Clark County Fairgrounds
Clark County Fairgrounds Springfield, Ohio
These three day events host over 2,500 antique dealers from literally all over the world in the dozen or so buildings and across the open grounds of the fairground. Wear your comfortable shoes and clear a spot in the garage or basement for that something that you no doubt just can’t live without.
There is a nominal fee for entering the Fairground Extravaganza (about $3.00) but it’s good for the entire day. The first one scheduled for 2009 is May 15-17. June dates are 26-28 and September is scheduled for the 18th through the 20th.
The Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market also holds monthly sales at the fairgrounds located at 4401 S. Charleston Pike.
So yes, there’s more to Springfield than gas stations and restrooms. If you like antiques, this is where you need to be.
Springfield...Where Antiques Are
Photo credits: Clark County Fairgrounds, Heart of Ohio Antique Center, City of Springfield.
There is a lot to do in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia. Many tourist activities center on Fredericksburg’s Colonial and Civil war past. These also tend to be outdoors. If your family vacation lands you in town on a foul weather day, all is not lost. I’ve spent many cold and rainy days in Fredericksburg and there are plenty of ways to keep the kids entertained. Here are a few of my favorite kid-friendly inside activities.
One of our wintertime favorites, the Riverside Center Children’s Theatre is an excellent place to spend the morning. They offer kid-friendly shows and bag lunches every Saturday and additional performances on select Tuesdays and Thursdays. The dress code is casual; jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers are recommended. This is a place where children are encouraged to feel comfortable and enjoy the show. Performances start after lunch and they are around 90 minutes in length.
Admission is $16 and includes lunch and the show. Tickets must be reserved in advance.
The Bug Box in Fredericksburg, Virginia
The Bug Box is a small building but if you are driving by you won’t miss it. Inside they have organized the small space into an insect cornucopia packed full of fun and learning for all ages. Divided up into habits, they have live insects, spiders, crustaceans and amphibians on display in their insect zoo. The gift shop, The Hornets Nest, is full of bug related items. There is also a quiet area to color bug pictures and play Geo Safari or bug themed computer games. I’m just going to say it…the place is crawling with fun.
Admission is $2 per person.
If the school-age kids are climbing the walls and you need a break, Paragon Training Center offers an open gym on Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday afternoons. Here the little monsters can literally climb the wall in their rock-climbing area, play supervised games, or try out the gymnastics equipment while you go and have a quiet dinner or enjoy a few hours of childfree shopping. They also offer a homeschool open gym from 1-4 on the first and third Friday of the month.
Open Gym Fee $10-$15 per child. Homeschool Open Gym $6 per child.
The Fredericksburg Ice Park Logo resembles a tooth!
From a distance the logo for the Fredericksburg Ice Park looks a lot like a tooth. That’s why my children didn’t want to visit when they first opened. Who wants to visit a cold dentist? After explaining that the logo was a polar bear, they were all for it and we had a lot of fun teetering around the rink. Ice-skating is good exercise and a fun way to spend a few hours. I wish we had time to do it more often.
The Fredericksburg Ice Park has public skating seven days a week but times vary so you check the website or call ahead for the schedule. Rink Fees are $5 Monday-Friday morning, $8 Friday night-Sunday. Skate rental is $2.
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Tucked on the corner behind a tree and sporting an unusual flag, Hugh Mercer’s Apothecary Shop is a step back in time. Dressed in period attire the assistant will suggest remedies for common ailments and show you the tools of the trade in the back room. If you’re lucky, they’ll have a fresh jar of leeches. Don’t forget to go upstairs and powder your wig when you are done.
Admission $5 adults, $1.50 Children 6-12, No charge for children under 6.
All photos by Sherry Roberts
When the weather gets bad and the days get gray I start to look for indoor activities that involve more than eating pizza with an oversized mouse. The Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Virginia is a favorite stop.
The name Torpedo Factory is not the least bit misleading. This waterfront complex was once a working torpedo factory. Documenting its past use, there is a torpedo on display in the front lobby. After serving its time producing munitions it was abandoned and later reclaimed as a working art space for local artists. It now contains 82 artist studios, 6 galleries, two workshops, and if that wasn’t enough, it also houses the Alexandria Archeology Museum.
Many different types of fine arts and crafts are represented here. Traditional Chinese brushwork is just a short walk from modern sculpture. Oil paintings find a place by stained glass and pottery. It’s a wonderful place to introduce children to the many forms of art without the stuffiness of museums and the pressure of museum guards looking over your shoulder making sure you don’t touch the horse paintings.
It is not uncommon to find artists busy at work in their studios and they are often willing to answer questions and give impromptu demonstrations of their art. My daughter was especially fascinated with a demonstration of weaving copper wire on a loom into metal fabric.
You can pack a lunch and eat out by the waterfront or stop and pick up a bite at any of the many downtown restaurants. The noodle soup at vegan and kid-friendly Bumblefish is inexpensive and tasty on a cold day.
There is no charge to visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center but finding on-street parking might be a challenge and is usually limited to two hours, so you should be sure to have cash for the parking garage.
Don’t forget to check out the sculpture stairs and be sure to weigh the entire family on the industrial scale by the front door on the way out.
Photo Credits: Photo from the Torpedo Factory Art Center website
At first glance, the area between The White House and The Washington Memorial known as the National Mall appears immense. In reality it’s a short hike of approximately one mile and it is packed full of things to do and see along the way. The trick is to find them before you’re too tired to care.
Once you’ve walked by all the monuments and peered through the barricades to see the White House, you might find yourself tempted to take a picture with a life-size cut-out of the president and purchase lunch and souvenirs. Once this is done you’ll be broke and the young kids may not be impressed. Don’t be discouraged, I can help add a few free stops along the way that will help keep the little ones interested.
While not directly on the mall this museum is just a short Metro ride away. It’s worth the trip. Who doesn’t love the mail? The Moving the Mail exhibit at the National Postal Museum covers the pony express, stagecoaches, railroads, and planes. This is a great place to explore with children. They can climb inside a stagecoach or hop aboard a re-created railway mail train. There is also a collection of postcards and letters on display in the Art of Cards and Letters gallery. They are often touching and sometimes very funny. Try to corral the kids long enough to read a few of these. It’s worth the time.
If you’re looking for one stop visual amazement, The Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery is the place to go. Created by artist James McNeill Whistler (famous for his mother painting) for a wealthy London shipowner, it is a testament to artistic vision taken to extreme. And it is stunning in an extreme kind of way. Send the kids on a mission to find all the peacocks while you sit and rest contemplate the mind of an artist.
The Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art is a requested stop every time we visit Washington D.C. There is something about the size and unusual shapes of the sculptures that fascinate the little ones in ways Mona Lisa never could. This combined with beautiful plantings and a comfortable bench or two makes it a great place to unwind after one too many security check points.
The Natural History Museum is packed full of exhibits. Everything from animals to insects can be found here. There are also some impressive rocks and fossils. Even if you don’t have the time or energy to see everything at the Natural History Museum, a quick stop to see Henry is a must. Another must see is the above head whale and the fish fossils in The Sant Ocean Hall. It opened in September 2008 and is a very well done interpretive exhibit. It covers ocean life from tiny plankton to giant whales and will give even the smallest visitors an appreciation of the ocean’s ecosystem and the role the oceans plays in our lives.
This is my short list of top stops in Washington, D.C. There are many more kid-friendly attractions that are either free or low cost. I’m always looking for a new place to take the girls. If you have any suggestions let me know.
Photo Credits: A whole sack of thank you notes to Cliff1066 for the mailbag photo. A full stream of gratitude to NCinDC for the Sculpture Garden Fountain Photo.
Few places capture the spirit of California like Hollywood. It is filled with stars, dreams and lots and lots of cameras.It is also filled with clubs, trash, costumed characters and unpleasant odors. There’s something for everyone, and that means family fun!
The sidewalks along Hollywood Boulevard are themselves a destination, and make an interesting stop on any vacation. The walkways are lined with the engraved stars of Hollywood’s biggest names. However, unless there is a premiere, dedication or award show you’re unlikely to see anyone very famous.
The Kodak Theater, the current home of the Oscars, sits right next to the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater (which has also hosted the Oscars). The Chinese Theater is known for its collection of cement impressions which permanently display signatures and foot/hand prints of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Most tours of Hollywood sites and homes of the stars start here.It is also the area where you will find a collection of costumed “movie icons” ranging from Yoda to Jack Sparrow and three or four Spidermen. These street performers will engage you for photo opportunities and they work for tips.
Across the street are the El Capitan Theatre and the home of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel. The El Capitan is a restored theater operated by Disney and is in itself worth a family trip to Hollywood. Adjacent to the theater is the Disney Soda Fountain, with an array of tasty ice cream creations (and full menu).
Other venues of interest include the Hollywood Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the Guinness World Record Attraction.
The streets in the Hollywood and Highland area tend to be very crowded and in addition to the costumed characters and street performers there are the proverbial prophets of doom and the occasional film crew. It’s the kind of scene that can make parents, especially those with small children, a bit uncomfortable. It’s loud and it’s overwhelming, but it is Hollywood and everyone needs that stamp in their passport.
Dining: There are plenty of places to eat. The shopping area at Hollywood and Highland is the cleanest and has typical food court fare and a few sit down establishments. The Disney soda fountain mentioned above is good and a blast for the kids, but be warned that it doubles as a store.
The Snow White Cafe (not Disney) is perhaps the worst restaurant I’ve ever been in. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not charming or magical.
Parking: Parking is available in lots accessible from the street. I recommend the garage under the H & H (Hollywood and Highland) shopping area, especially at night, as it is well-lit, clean, busy and accepts validation from most establishments within walking distance.
Photos: Hollywood Sign /Disney Soda Fountain by Whit Honea
© UpTake Networks, Inc. 2009
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