Dreams Punta Cana Resort and Spa

August 31, 2010 By

Beach-side luxury at Punta Cana.

Playas Uvero Alto
Provincia La Altagracia
Dominican Republic

This review was submitted by Lindsay Aycan of Toronto, Ontario, who traveled to Punta Cana with her husband and two kids in July 2010.

Punta Cana Resort and Spa, an all-inclusive property owned by Dreams, is located in the Dominican Republic, situated next to both the tropical jungle and the ocean. Recently named the Best Family Friendly Resort and Best Pool in the Caribbean at the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards, Punta Cana Resort offers luxury to adults and fun to kids, and just lots of sunshine to traveling families who want a mixture of relaxation and adventure on their vacation.

Punta Cana is extremely kid-oriented, from their friendly Explorer’s Club staff to their accommodations for infants and toddlers to their family-friendly spa (girls love to get their hair braided!). In the evenings, they literally give kids the stage for performances while adults eat. All-inclusives have their pros and cons, but in the pro list is definitely the lack of stress that comes from not worrying over meals and menus (and their prices). All meals, almost all resort activities, pools, and amenities are included. Excursions off-site are offered, but Aycan and her family never left the property; with young kids and so much to do on-site, they felt no pressing need to leave.

Rooms offer families a lot of space.

Rooms are standard-sized or suite-style, and room service is offered 24 hours a day, a big plus for families who like to eat dinner early, as the restaurants don’t open for seating until 6:30 pm. Each room has a porch or patio and free internet access (although the Aycans had difficulty with the code that was supposed to connect it).

Their favorite resort feature was the free-form, resort-length pool (with lots of zero-depth entry sections), perfect for young kids. Rafts and floaties are provided at the pool areas, and kids love the help-yourself ice cream cone and popcorn stations.

There are seven restaurants within the resort, two of which are adult-only (more details here), but the Aycan family spent most of their mealtimes at the World Cafe, where the kids especially loved the “make-your-own crepes” and pizza. There’s also a drop-off kids’ club (one for little ones, one for teens) called the Explorer’s Club, and an infant space for those under three located right next to the beach with indoor and outdoor place areas, a wading pool, and diaper changing stations (not supervised; parents stay with child).

The free-form pool is perfect for families.

Note: There were a few bumps along the way during the Aycan’s stay. One aspect of the resort that bothered them was the intrusiveness of the lawn maintence which continued throughout the day, sometimes with very noisy equipment, and very close to the pool (some grass in the pool as a result). They were also without hot water in their room for the first day, which was resolved (though not as quickly as they’d like).

Date Last Visited: July 2010

Room Rates: Resort stays vary by length and number in your party. Check their site for booking information.

Website: http://www.dreamsresorts.com/drepc/index.html

Phone Reservations: (809) 682-0404

Courtyard by Marriott Portland/Beaverton

August 30, 2010 By

Courtyard by Marriott Beaverton

8500 S W Nimbus Drive
Beaverton, Oregon

The Courtyard by Marriott in Beaverton makes for a nice, centralized home base while exploring the Portland area. While we’d normally stay downtown and take advantage of the MAX system, if you plan to visit the suburbs as well as the city center, Beaverton is a good option.

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We had a mixed bag of service at this location. Prior to arrival, I was given incorrect information about the type of room we had reserved (I was told a roll-away bed could fit, when in fact it couldn’t). Had I been given the correct information, I would have known to bring extra bedding for one child, or upgraded to a larger room (none were available at check-in). Note: Unless you upgrade to a large suite, families of five cannot be  accommodated.

The rooms are on the small side, but clean, and we liked that one of the beds converted into a couch for extra floor space during the day. The indoor pool/hot tub area was large and a great place to spend the morning hours as we waited for the Portland fog to clear. There’s also a nice exercise facility and free wifi both in-room and in their large business center off the lobby.

Date Last Visited: August 2010

Distance from the Interstate: 15 minutes from I-5.

Room Rates: Rates range from $89 to $135, with many online and seasonal deals. Be sure to check what’s available!

Dining Options: The hotel offers a buffet breakfast in their on-site cafe, which regularly charges $10 per person, but is included at no extra cost for most room rates. This is not advertised, however, so be sure to ask at check-in whether your room qualifies. If so, it’s a great deal, with a very good variety of hot and cold breakfast items. If not, I’d walk across the street to the collection of fast food restaurants (including a good bagel place and a Starbucks) instead of paying $10 a person.

Website: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pdxcy-courtyard-portland-beaverton/

Directions: From I-5, take the 217 Beaverton/Tigard Hwy. At Exit 4, take ramp and follow signs for SR-210/Scholls Fy. Road. From Scholls Fy, turn left onto SW Hall. Turn left onto Nimbus.

Cruising Options for Families of 5 and More

August 22, 2010 By
Inside the Disney Cruise Line Terminal
Image via Wikipedia

If your family doesn’t fit the standard travel industry mold of two adults and two children, you’ve probably experienced frustration at one time or another while booking vacations, hotels, and the like. I know I have, and I ‘only’ have three kids!

Cruise lines especially seem to make it difficult (and costly) to book for a family of more than four, but there are tips and tricks for clearing these hurdles and finding the best deal for your larger family.

Hurdle #1: Online reservation systems only offer you expensive suites. Maybe you don’t want the most expensive sleeping option on-board, but as soon as you punch in 3+ kids into a cruise lines’ online system, all economic options are instantly closed to you. I’ve been there. Often, more options are available, but it takes speaking to an actual human being. Pick up the phone and call the booking company or cruise line. In most cases, two adjoining rooms housing 2-3 people are cheaper than one large luxury cabin housing 5+ (plus you gain an extra bathroom). On some ships (rumor has it that Disney Cruise Lines is one), some standard cabins are larger than others (such as if they’re located on the end of a hall or on a corner), and sleep 5 or more at the bargain cabin price. To get these, however, you have to ask for them specifically (or use a travel agent…a good one will know to do so).

Hurdle #2: All cruise lines are not created equal. There’s more than one fish in the sea (pun intended), so keep your options open. Consider booking though a company like discountcruises.com, which works with multiple cruise lines and can therefore offer discount cruises for your family from a larger pool. On their site, you can browse which cruise lines are currently  running promotions in which kids cruise free (under age 12), and can read reviews on the best ships for kids.

Hurdle #3: Package deals are not always one-size fits all. Read the fine print on any package deal in which kids cruise, stay, or eat free. (This is especially true for off-ship excursions.)  They’re often designed for families of four, and will charge extra for additional children. (We’ve learned this the hard way when booking hotel/theme park combination tickets, for instance.) Ask ahead of time if this will be the case, and get the ‘a la carte’ price for the extra kid or kids. Sometimes it’s worth coughing up the extra dough, but often it’s not, and another package might be better for you. If the deal in question is limited to ‘kids free with participating adult’, consider the price difference if you invite extra adults along (maybe Grandma and Grandpa) to even out the grown-up to kid ratio.

Hurdle #4: Families of 5+ feel alone. Despite the travel industry’s insistence that families only come in packages of four, larger families are rapidly becoming the norm. To get other tips and vacation-planning strategies, check out sites that cater to larger families such as Six Suitcase Travel, where you’ll find lists of hotels, vacation homes, and restaurants that consider big families to be the standard (and charge you accordingly).

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John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

August 19, 2010 By
Clarno palisades, John Day Fossil Beds Nationa...
John Day Fossil Beds (Image via Wikipedia)

Kimberly, OR

Eastern Oregon offers much in the way of outdoor exploration for families, but the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is often overlooked. There are 3 locations along Hwy 26, but the visitor center and main displays are at the Sheep Rock Unit on Hwy 19 off of Hwy 26 (about 70 miles east of Prineville). There is a fantastic visitor center kids really enjoy with huge dioramas with sound effects depicting the area millions of years ago. There is also a big room with art projects and hands on displays for kids. Short (1 mile round trip) hikes and an even shorter nature trail are in the area.

Note: These fossils have nothing to do with dinosaurs! So don’t let the little ones get their hopes up for dinosaur bones!

Distance off the interstate: On Hwy 19, two miles from Hwy 26.

Admission: Free!

Tip: The visitor center is free and has nice restrooms, but no food services.

Hours: Summer: 9am-5pm Winter: 9am-4pm

Food Services: None on-site. A nice pit stop on the way is at Prineville (on Hwy 26 between Redmond and John Day). There’s an indoor McDonald’s Play Place and Dairy Queen, but even better is the lovely city park. (Make a left on N. Elm off Hwy 26 to Ochoo Creek Park). The park boasts a community pool, restrooms and a creek. There is also a fire fighters memorial for 9 local smoke jumpers who died in a Colorado fire.

Website: http://www.nps.gov/joda/

Directions: The Visitor Center at the Sheep Rock Unit is located on Highway 19 between the towns of Dayville and Kimberly, 2 miles from the junction of Highway 26 and Highway 19.
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This post included in Trekaroo’s Talking Trekaroo for Spotlight Thursdays!

Submarine Force Museum

August 17, 2010 By

1 Crystal Lake Road
Groton, CT

Submarine Force Museum (photo courtesy of Mystic Country)

This stop was submitted by Karin Burgess of Mystic Country. Thank you, Karin, for your support of Pit Stops for Kids!

Planning a family vacation that takes you through Connecticut or just driving down I-95? You’ll want to stop in the submarine capitol of the world and tour the FREE Submarine Force Museum to give your kids an up-close and personal view of our rich naval history. Located on the Thames River, the museum sits next to the actual US Naval Submarine Base and across the river from the Coast Guard Academy, and features a real and formerly operational nuclear submarine. Says Karin of Mystic Country: “Every kid I know who has gone thinks this is a cool site to see!”

Submarines are also built built here along this river, and if you’re lucky you might see a sub coming in or going on a tour of duty (sightings are rare but exciting as there are no schedules for these for security reasons). Read more about this museum: http://seemysticcountryct.com/family-fun/our-rich-nautical-history-comes-alive-at-the-submarine-force-museum.html

Distance off the interstate: Right off I-95 north or south in Groton, Connecticut.

Admission: Free!

Tip: Not open on Tuesdays.

Hours: 9 am-5 pm (summer hours) Call 800.343.0079 for up-to-date hours for other seasons.

Food Services: There are limited vending services on-site. In the summer of 2009, the museum opened their “90 North Cafe at the north end of the parking lot. It’s open for food seasonally, but you can bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy their picnic area on the Thames River.

Website: http://www.ussnautilus.org

Directions: Off I-95 exit 86 N or S in Groton, CT.
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Junior Rangers: One of the Best Kept Secrets of National Parks!

August 14, 2010 By

Nate and Calvin get sworn in as new rangers at Death Valley National Park.

In honor of this weekend’s free admission to National Parks, Pit Stops for Kids would like to remind readers about one of the best programs the National Park system offers: Junior Rangers! It’s easy to sign up, it’s (usually) free, and it’s an excellent way to learn about aspects of the park you might otherwise miss.

Signing up is simple: you can find Junior Ranger booklets at nearly any park’s visitor center. Depending on the child’s age, they’re required to complete a certain number of pages in the booklet, then turn it in to a ranger. The tasks range from simple mazes and puzzles relating to the park to more difficult trivia questions (which your grade schooler may have to research to find the answers to). Most parks require that kids attend at least one ranger-led activity, campfire program, or guided tour while visiting in order to earn their ranger badge, but if you don’t have time or ability to get to one of these, a simple chat with any ranger is usually sufficient. Some parks even offer specially-designed Junior Ranger hikes and games, which your kids can attend (with an adult).

Our favorite Junior Ranger programs:

Zion National Park (where there was an extensive list of kid-oriented programs and times).

Mesa Verde National Park (where kids had to search through the Mesa Top museum scavenger-hunt style to find answers to questions).

The most extensive Junior Ranger program:

Yellowstone National Park, where earning that badge involves serious time and investment for older kids!

The friendliest Junior Ranger program:

Great Basin National Park, where the rangers presented the badges in full ceremony!

Be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity next time you’re visiting a national park! It adds much to the experience (and adults learn a lot more than they otherwise would as well). And if you’re taking advantage of this weekend’s free admission (August 14-15), enjoy!

The Dinosaur Place

August 12, 2010 By

Shaking hands with a predator (photo courtesy of The Dinosaur Place)

1650 Hartford-New London Turnpike
Oakdale, CT

This stop was submitted by Karin Burgess of Mystic Country. Thank you, Karin, for your support of Pit Stops for Kids!

Whether you’re visiting Mystic, CT as a family or just passing through on I-95, The Dinosaur Place makes for a great pit stop complete with educational activities, fun and games, the chance to stretch your legs, and food. Along their nature trails, spot 30 life-sized dinosaurs, then let the kids loose in the playground or splashpad (summer only). Kids can also dig for gems in a candle-lit mine, pan for gold, and play paleontologist (recommended for ages 5 and up)!

Extra Tip: Plan on spending several hours (and lightening your pocketbook a bit…although you can find discounts by packaging activities).

Distance off the interstate: 10 minutes off I-95.

Admission:

Outdoor Adventure: ages 2-59 $11.99 in off-season, $18.99 in summer (with splash-pad)
Indoor Adventure: separate admission for each indoor activity, such as jackpot mine ($10.99) and Bone Zone ($12.75).

Hours: Open daily.

Food Services: The Cobalt Cafe is located in the main building and offers pizza, sandwiches, wraps, etc. There’s also an ice cream shop and a snack shop. A picnic area is available.

Website: http://www.thedinosaurplace.com

Directions: From Mystic, CT: Take I-95 South to Exit 82, Route 85. Turn right onto 85. Travel about 6 miles. Dinosaur Crossing is on your left, see Monty, the T-rex!
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Mystic Aquarium

August 10, 2010 By

Mystic Aquarium: Photo courtesy of Sea Research Foundation

This stop was submitted by Karin Burgess of Mystic Country. Thank you, Karin, for your support of Pit Stops for Kids!

If you find yourself in Mystic, Connecticut (perhaps to tour the Mystic Seaport), the Mystic Aquarium, located nearby, is a must-see attraction for families!

Within the aquarium, you’ll find a marine theater show, a 3-D theater, and extensive exhibits on everything from the ocean depths to the Titanic to specific species such as jellyfish, belugas, and sea lions. Be sure to check the daily program for feeding times and special programs offered!

Distance off the interstate: Right off Mystic exit 90 on I-95 north or south in Mystic, Connecticut

Admission:

Adult $28
Senior (age 60+) $25
Children (age 3 – 17) $20
Children (age 2 and under) Free!

Tip: For just one dollar more on your admission price (per person), the aquarium will add on lunch!

Hours: Generally, the hours are 9am-5pm, but they vary by season. Visit their info page for up-to-date hours.

Food Services: The Penguins Cafe is located within the aquarium. Otherwise, there’s plenty to choose from along the seaport from fine dining to a cafe with sandwiches and picnic fare. Check this page for a list of options.

Website: http://www.mysticaquarium.org

Directions: Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration is located in Mystic just off Exit 90 on Interstate 95, about 10 miles east of New London along Connecticut’s southeastern shore.

Things To Do
Mystic

Mystic Seaport

August 8, 2010 By

19th Century Village at the Mystic Seaport

Mystic, Connecticut

This stop was submitted by Karin Burgess of Mystic Country. Thank you, Karin, for your support of Pit Stops for Kids!

Looking for a great maritime day or weekend trip to beat summer heat and learn as a family? Just off I-95 in Mystic, CT, the Mystic Seaport: Museum of America and the Sea is a great place to run around, get out on the water for a short boat ride, climb aboard a ship, learn history by seeing and doing! Along the waterfront, explore four National Historic Landmark vessels, then visit a recreated 19th-century village. There are lots of exhibits and galleries, and you can even watch experts restore antique vessels, then rent a boat yourself to get a sea-faring perspective. Make sure you allow for most of a day!

Charles W. Morgan at Chubb’s Wharf

Distance off the interstate: Five minutes off I-95.

Admission: Adults are $24, Youth (6-17): $15, 5 and under: Free.

Hours:
Spring/Summer/Early Fall 2010 (March 27 – October 31) open daily 9am-5pm
Late Fall 2010 (November 1 – November 28): open daily 10am – 4pm

Food Services: There’s plenty to choose from along the seaport from fine dining to a cafe with sandwiches and picnic fare.

Website: http://www.mysticseaport.org/

Directions:

From Hartford, Conn: Take Route 2 East to Route 11 South. Turn left onto Route 82, right onto Route 85, then Route 85 to Interstate 95 North. Take Exit 90, turning right at the exit. Mystic Seaport is one mile south on Route 27.

From Boston and Points Traveling South on I-95: Take Exit 90 off I-95. Turn left at end of ramp onto Route 27 South. Proceed approximately one mile.

How to Choose the Right Backpack for Family Travel

August 6, 2010 By

I won’t carry the kid, but I’ll carry the pack!

I can’t travel without a trusty backpack, so while on our most recent road trip, I paid close attention to the types of bags and packs other families carried in and out of restaurants, museums, picnic areas, and on hikes and tours. As you’d guess, I saw a vast assortment of styles and solutions ranging from fanny packs to Camelbaks to messenger bags, and for good reason: the family pack is an important and personal choice!

Whether you opt to outfit every member of your family with their own packs or stick to one family pack for which you share the load (our choice), there are several features we’ve learned we can’t get by without:

1. Size matters. You don’t want a pack too big or heavy for the intended wearer. We’re not talking about backpacking here: you only need to carry the essentials. Likewise, not having enough space in your pack means you’ll be spending too much time searching for things squished inside or worse yet, leaving important items in your hotel room or car.

2. Lots of zippered compartments are good for more than just toddler diversion (although it’s good for that, too). A pack with multiple compartments means the difference between finding the sunscreen or the car keys quickly or trying to corral kids in the baking sun or a parking lot (or both simultaneously) while you search. Since we carry one family pack, I also make sure our pack has water bottle compartments.

3. Price isn’t important, but comfort is…and they often go hand-in-hand. I’ve yet to use a cheap backpack that doesn’t hurt my shoulders, neck, or back. (If you’ve found one, please let me know!) Mid-priced packs work great for us. Remember, you can use backpacks for much more than just hiking as a family: we like the hands-free convenience of them on planes, in museums (where permitted), and in the car (slung over a seat back to be off the floor), too.

For more tips on packing and luggage, see the other articles in our Travel Tips section!