Can a theme park be educational? We had our doubts...until being schooled by Disney's Animal Kingdom. Usually fans of the latest and greatest headliner attractions (read about how to tour any Disney theme park attraction in 15 minutes or less), my school-aged sons and I spent our latest visit touring the park from a less thrill-seeking perspective, exploring the many environmental, zoological, and … [Read more...]
A stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
April 16, 2012 By
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of our family's favorite--if not thefavorite--DisneyWorld resort. When readers ask me, "Why pay to stay at a DisneyWorld resort?" I always cite Disney's impeccible attention to detail, from the in-room touches to the grand lobbies to the on-site restaurants...always themed to perfection. No where is this attention to detail more evident than at Animal Kingdom … [Read more...]
Legoland California’s Star Wars miniland and water park
August 22, 2011 By
While we were in Southern California last week, I had the opportunity to stop by one of our favorite theme parks for the younger set: Legoland California. We love Legoland for their whimsical, primarily-colored theme, their young kid-friendly rides, and ample activities for the toddler and preschool set, but most exciting on this most recent visit was the showcasing of their new Star Wars … [Read more...]
San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina
August 19, 2011 By
The Marriott Marquis and Marina is located in the heart of San Diego, California's Gaslamp Quarter, situated directly on the bay. It does not include beach access, but the water is in easy reach via the harbor, where kids can watch the boats and parents will appreciate the family-friendly dining. A major convention hotel, families can count on plenty of business and conference traffic … [Read more...]
NYC with kids: making sense of subways, taxis, and trains
July 10, 2011 By
During our four days in New York City this past June, we relied exclusively on subway trains, taxi cabs, and our own feet to get us where we needed to go. Despite being accustomed to using public transportation in other cities, I will admit we found the NYC subway system to be overwhelming with kids...at first. By the time we were ready to leave, we (almost) felt we had it figured out, but to help … [Read more...]
New York City with kids: what to do in Central Park
July 7, 2011 By
Central Park is not only an iconic stop in New York City, it's a welcome respite from the noise, crowds, and outright stimulation of city touring. During our three days in New York, we ducked into this leafy green sanctuary more than a few times, and discovered something new with each trip. Since it can be hard to get your bearings while in the park, a good place to start (before you … [Read more...]
New York City with kids: Times Square and Rockefeller Center
July 6, 2011 By
There's lots to do in the vicinity of Times Square and Rockefeller Center with kids, and the nice part is, you can easily walk from point to point. Start out in the afternoon to visit the Rockefeller shops before they close (which is surprisingly early) and save the Times Square portion of this pit stop for evening, as this is its time to shine. (I liken visiting Times Square in the day to … [Read more...]
New York City with kids: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
July 5, 2011 By
While visiting NYC with kids, the Statue of Liberty is a must-do. We found, however, that Ellis Island's Immigration Museum is an even more interesting stop, so be sure to do both. You’ll want to start your trip planning with a visit to the Statue Cruises website, where you can purchase your ferry tickets (you can also purchase them at the New York Visitor’s Center at 234 W. 42nd). Because … [Read more...]
New York City with kids: a stay at Affinia 50
July 4, 2011 By
We chose to stay at Manhattan's Affinia 50 for our kids' introduction to New York City, and within moments of checking in, I knew we'd made the right decision. It was instantly made clear to me that Affinia 50 does things differently than standard big city hotel chains: they're small enough to be personal, but large enough to provide the amenities families need. First off, they deliver on … [Read more...]
The New England Aquarium and Boston Children’s Museum
July 2, 2011 By
Both The New England Aquarium and the Boston Children’s Museum are perfect half-day activities, especially if the day in question is as cold and rainy as ours was! We decided to spend one afternoon at each, and could have easily spent more time! My nephew and niece joined us for our time in Boston, so we had kids aged 8 months to 12 years touring both attractions. We loved the aquarium … [Read more...]
