Vacations Blog

Spokane's Big Red Wagon

Seriously, who’s going to plan a family vacation to Spokane, Washington?

I was asking myself this very question today while watching news coverage of Spokane’s Hoopfest, the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world.  The tourney is celebrating its 20th year.

There are 400 courts spread out over 40 downtown city blocks, with 6,400 teams participating this year, and over 200,000 players and fans wandering around town.

But that’s not a family vacation.

Spokane is one of those average cities, like Des Moines or Sacramento, that doesn’t have much of a reputation as a vacation destination.  You hear Washington, and you think Seattle.  Or Olympic National Park and the Pacific Coast beaches.  Or Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier.  Or the Cascade Range.

Even though Spokane is the second largest city in the state, and the fifth biggest in the Pacific Northwest, nobody’s buzzing about it as a family vacation destination.

I figure people end up here for other reasons, such as a weekend of basketball at Hoopfest, and then at some point it dawns on them that there might be come cool things to see and do in the area.

So, what exactly is there for a family with kids to enjoy? Read More »

From the How Cool Is This? Department: the San Diego Wild Animal Park will be offering guests the chance to ride a zipline over some of the paddocks that house their collection of exotic animals. In other words you get to do this…

…over a bunch of these…

…and a bunch of these…

…and possibly one or two of these…

I’m kidding about the last photo. The Wild Animal Park staff does not allow the park’s dinosaurs to roam amongst the other animals, especially the antelope, who tend to freak out at the sight of hungry velociraptors. 

The Wild Animal Park has had a bit of a makeover over the past few years; the Wgasa Monorail is no longer there, but guests have had an opportunity to soar above the park before – the Park’s Balloon Safari carries 30 guests some 400 feet above the park in a tethered balloon, giving a bird’s-eye view of the animals below and an eye-to-eye view of the pterodactyls, who have a tendency to escape from their aviaries. The park has done a nice job in giving guests the opportunity to interact with the animals in unique ways; if you’ve never gone, I highly recommend it (along with a trip to its sister park, the best zoo in the country), and if you go, I highly HIGHLY recommend the park’s Photo Caravan program, which takes guests on a flatboard truck down into the paddocks. You’ll get some amazing photos and may even get to feed a rhino or two. Not to worry: the trucks can outrun a T-rex.

The Wild Animal Park’s Flightline is set to open this spring. The new attraction does cost extra, and advance tickets can be purchased at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park’s website. It looks pretty scary/exciting, and I’m definitely gonna give it a shot. I’ve even got an outfit to wear.

Photos: Giraffes, courtesy of www.crunchgear.com; rhinos, courtesy of www.rhinolearningzone.com; dinosaurs, courtesy of www.filenest.com.

I would never suggest you need kids to visit the zoo.  In fact, while recently visiting the Reid Park Zoo during our latest Tucson vacation (get there before it’s HOT!) I overheard one guest ask another why there were so many kids at the zoo, which just goes to show that you don’t have to be smart to visit one either.  Anyone can visit the zoo!

The Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona isn’t the biggest or fanciest zoo you’ll ever visit (unless it’s the only zoo you ever visit), but it’s just big enough and what it lacks in exotic animals it more than makes up for in quaint ambiance and friendly staff.

The zoo is located within a large park that offers spring-training baseball and concerts under the stars.  It’s a quick drive from everything you need to complete your day, whether it be food, shopping or a place to catch a few winks- that Tucson sun can wipe out the best of us.

The Reid Park Zoo is affordable, too:

Admission Fees
$6.00 adults ages 15-61
$4.00 seniors ages 62 and over
$2.00 children ages 2-14
FREE for children under 2 years
Reserved school groups $0.50 per child
FREE for members.

The kids had a blast.  There are interactive exhibits and walk-through aviaries and places to get wet.  Who doesn’t love that?

Wherever your journeys take you, a trip to the zoo is a good way to make a lasting memory for the entire family.

Photos: Whit Honea

A Young Giraffe at the San Diego Zoo

San Diego is a great vacation destination for families.  There’s plenty of things to do that will appeal to everyone in the family.  Having said that, The World Famous San Diego Zoo is about as mandatory a place to visit as there is in San Diego.  Situated in historic Balboa Park, the park is minutes from downtown and a short drive from most of the hotels in the San Diego area.

The zoo is rather large and can be seen in a variety of ways depending on the amount of time you have.  The zoo opens at 9:00 a.m. and I would suggest visiting early.  Not only do you beat the crowds that generally start arriving around 11:00 a.m., a lot of the animals are very active at this point of the day.  Later in the day, particularly in the summer heat, many of the animals lay low and you don’t get the full effect.

As I mentioned, there are plenty of ways to view the park.  There is a double-decker bus that can take you to the far reaches of the zoo and the driver will give you a guided tour of about 75% of the park.  You can upgrade your ticket to include this tour or purchase the tour once you’re inside the park.  This ticket will also allow you to take the express buses that drop you off at bus stops around the park.

If you choose to walk, keep in mind that the zoo is located on a steep hillside.  A walk to the farthest part part of the park to see the Polar Bears is a good 20-30 minute walk.  If you have small kids, I would suggest taking the bus or even the skyfari aerial tram which gives you a birds-eye view of the park while taking you to the opposite end of the park.  If you need to push the little ones, you can take your stroller with you or you can rent one from the park guest services when you enter the zoo.  You can find a detail map of the zoo here.

Flamingos are fun for every age

There are a lot of wonderful exhibits within the zoo but, in my opinion, the can’t-miss exhibits include the monkey trails, the gorilla tropics, the giraffes and elephants and, of course, the Panda exhibit.  The San Diego Zoo has one of the most successful Panda breeding programs in the world.  The Pandas have their own special exhibit and you can often see the latest born Panda before it is shipped back to China.  Of course, pink flamingos are also quite a thing to check out.

Since the zoo closes at dusk (it’s open later in the summer when it gets darker later), exploring the zoo thoroughly might take more than one day.  The zoo has two-day passes, along with other combo packages that include San Diego’s Wild Animal Park.  You can find ticket information here.

Photo: M. Henry

Capitol Blvd. in downtown Boise, Idaho

Boise, Idaho, used to have a reputation as a sleepy, boring kind of town. That’s all changed over the past twenty years as the population of the city and surrounding metropolitan area has boomed to over 600,000 people. It may be a big city now, but there’s still a part of the downtown that evokes that relaxed, smalltown feeling.

Julia Davis Park, which stretches out along the banks of the Boise River, is just a half-mile from the steps of the Idaho State Capitol Building and most of downtown Boise.  With a wide variety of sights and activities, It’s the perfect place for a family to spend a day.

Inside the 87-acre park, you can start off at the Idaho State Historical Museum or next door at the Boise Art Museum. My kids always wanted to head straight for the history, and I don’t blame them. The museum is small, but packed full of relics and displays that tell the story of Idaho’s past from prehistoric times through the pioneers coming west on the Oregon Trail and straight into the 21st century. On the grounds of the museum is a pioneer village, showing how settlers lived in the 1800’s.

Watching meerkats at Zoo Boise

From there, it’s a short walk through the park to our favorite little zoo, Zoo Boise. I used to go there regularly with my kids when they were toddlers. It’s big enough to keep an exotic assortment of animals, but small enough to see everything without wearing down the youngest members of the family.

The best part, at least according to my kids, is the extensive children’s area of the zoo. It’s where my son first came face to face with a Komodo Dragon, and my daughter first felt the tickle of a butterfly landing on her nose. There are plenty of slides, tunnels, and hands-on activities to keep kids busy for a few hours. Myself, I could just sit and watch the meerkats for most of an afternoon.

Zoo Boise has a brand new exhibit called African Plains, featuring giraffes and lions (not in the same enclosure, I hope). Other animals you’ll see at the zoo include tigers, bears, bald eagles, lemurs, and snow leopards.

There are other activities in and around Julia Davis Park, including a children’s science museum, the Idaho Black History Museum, Boise Trolley Tours, playgrounds, rose garden, paddle boats, and the Boise River Greenbelt.

MK Nature Center in Boise, Idaho

If you have any time left in your day, head on down the Greenbelt to the Morrison Knudsen Nature Center, a 4.6-acre fish and wildlife experience that features a mountain stream, waterfalls, and wetlands. There are multiple viewing windows for the kids to see how fish develop from tiny eggs into full-grown trout, whitefish, or kokanee.  You’ll even see nesting geese, turtles, beavers, and wild ducks.  The Center also has a large education building where kids can learn about all the different animals that make their home in Idaho.

There’s no better way to show the circle of life, at least in the fish world, than in a place like the MK Nature Center.  In fact, this was the first “field trip” we took our son on after he was born, and we always go back there when we make return trips to visit our old hometown of Boise, Idaho.

There’s even more to Boise’s downtown than Julia Davis Park, the Boise Greenbelt, and the MK Nature Center, but those three sites alone should keep any family fairly busy for a day or two.

All photos by Phil Corless

Best way to beat the heat and grime of New York City is to head upstate. But not everyone is fortunate enough, or filthy rich, to be able to own a cabin in the Adirondack Mountains. And New York hotels don’t come cheap either. So, for those of us stranded in the City, NYC offers a splendid collection of zoos, an aquarium and plenty of gardens.

Central Park Zoo & Tisch Children’s Zoo: The zoo recreates the natural habitats of over 130 species. Star attractions include Ida & Gus, the polar bears in the Polar Circle. Then there’s the Ice Pack building with penguins tottering about, the noisy and vibrant rainforest with all sorts of exotic specimens including tropical birds, snakes, frogs and lizards. If you’re there with your children, don’t forget to visit the Tisch Children’s Zoo. Details here.

New York Aquarium: New York City’s only aquarium, situated by the sea next to the Coney Island Amusement Park, boasts over 350 species of aquatic wildlife with over 8000 specimens. The latest addition, and a huge draw, is Baby Akituusaq aka Tuusaq, a roly-poly walrus calf born a year ago in June 2007.

Tuusaq, now weighing 400 pounds with tiny teeth just beginning to show, is a pampered brat, with everyone at the Aquarium, including his mother, Kulusiq aka Kulu, doting on him. His father, Ayveq, passed away a few weeks back, on June 22, 2008. More details about the New York Aquarium’s animals, hours and rates here.

Other zoos and wildlife parks include the Bronx Zoo, the Queens and Prospect Park Wildlife Centers. Major gardens include the Brooklyn and New York Botanical Gardens. Then there’s also the Staten Island Botanical Garden, which you can visit by taking a free ride on the Staten Island ferry, which would be a good idea for a summer afternoon anyway.

Photo by Stig Nygaard via flickr (creative commons).

This local’s perspective on Atlanta is written by Kat Harris. Kat lives right outside of Atlanta and loves to drive into the city for a family outing or a romantic getaway. That is-when she can find the time. She is a busy mom and an active blogger. Check out her blog, Sunshine and Lemonade. I enjoyed reading about the large southern city of Atlanta. I would love to take a stroll down some of its stately neighborhoods as well as spend some time doing “retail therapy” at the city’s many shopping avenues. Enjoy!

1. Give five adjectives that you would use to describe the “feel” of Atlanta and its residents?

Diverse, congested, vibrant, political, eclectic

2. What is your favorite neighborhood/area in Atlanta?

There are a lot of neat neighborhoods around Atlanta. Decatur has a vibrant “hippy” feel to it – with farmer’s markets, great restaurants (One is Watershed – which is partly owned by Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls), bars (Brick Store Pub is well known for their high gravity Belgian brews), and great people watching opportunities. Another one is Grant Park/East Atlanta near the Atlanta Zoo. This neighborhood has some beautiful craftsman style homes built in the 1920’s – and some amazing Victorian houses – complete with the gingerbread fixins. And one other to look at is either Druid Hills or Buckhead – to see some mansions and “old” money in the city.

3. Which cuisine do you think Atlanta does best? What is the runner-up?(feel free to share your favorite restaurant)

I don’t know that there is one thing that Atlanta does best. It’s one of the great things about Atlanta is that there are so many very good examples of all different kinds of cuisine. Favorite restaurant: Five Seasons Brewing company. It’s a brew pub (they make their own beer) – and even they have an eclectic menu. Second favorite: Watershed in Decatur – Excellent southern cuisine.

4. What is the best free thing to do?

There are free things to do in Atlanta? Besides paying for parking – you can walk around Centennial Olympic park. They have a fountain to splash in…and a great playground for the kids. During the summer they have movies on the lawn; at Christmas time there is a great light display.

5. What is your favorite type of entertainment?

Retail Therapy. Atlanta has some of the best shopping!

6. List the best family friendly activity?

There are lots of things to do: Six Flags and White Water…Braves games…Georgia Aquarium…Stone Mountain Park…and the Botanical Gardens by Piedmont Park has a fabulous children’s garden.

7. What spot would you send a couple, looking for a romantic weekend?

Not exactly in Atlanta – but on the north side of town – Chateau Elan (which has spas and a winery)…on the south side…Callaway Gardens.

8. Describe the perfect day…one that captures what your area/city is all about? In three sentences or less.

The perfect day would begin when the Aquarium opens (get there early to avoid most of the crowds) followed by lunch at the Varsity (the world’s largest drive-in restaurant – and home of the yummiest, greasiest, artery clogging onion rings). Next, drive out to Stone Mountain Park and either walk up the mountain to work off that lunch – or if you can’t do that, take the cable car up to the top to see the views. And finish off your evening by parking yourself on a blanket on the lawn in front of the carving on the mountain to watch the laser show after dark.

9. Tell us about a place that you love to go whether it is in the guidebooks or not.

I love to go to the Aquarium. I could sit and watch the Beluga whales all day! And they are about to expand the aquarium to include a whole wing for dolphins.

Another activity – for the grown-ups – that is so fun is to see the play “Peachtree Battle.” It is now the longest running play in Atlanta (beating out “Driving Miss Daisy”). The play is about an old moneyed family whose favorite son is getting married to a black Hooters waitress.

10. What question did we not ask that we should have (and answer it, of course!)?

“How do you get around to do all these things?”

In Atlanta…you need a car. The public transportation does not get you everywhere you need to go…and Atlanta is a commuter town…so even grabbing a cab is not an easy option. There is so much to do…but it is all spread out – sprawl is the name of this town…and you are going to need a car to see and do all the wonderful things Atlanta and vicinity have to offer.