Walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter and his friends on your next visit to London

February 5, 2016 By

There’s no doubt about it, children and adults all over the world are obsessed with Harry Potter and his adventures. From Harry Potter Book Nights, where fans gather to celebrate the Harry Potter series, through to tours of the locations and the studio where the movies were made, if you’re a Harry Potter aficionado you can always find something to satisfy your thirst for further knowledge of the young wizard.

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In fact, the Harry Potter phenomenon has even stretched as far as Japan, where their enduring fascination has generated unheard of book sales, box office receipts, and even his very own theme park, since the release of the first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, over 15 years ago. Just this week, the Japanese have taken their obsession one step further as a series of Harry Potter Manga characters created by a Japanese design company were released, albeit only in Japan for the moment.

The illustrations, which were created in collaboration with Shockhiku, a Japanese movie studio, and licensed by Warner Bros, represent 13 characters from the quintessentially English adventure, and include all the major players in the series from Harry himself, Hermoine Grainger and Ron Weasley to Albus Dumbledore and Professor Snape, who was played by the great British actor Alan Rickman who died recently. There’s even a Manga representation for Harry’s owl, Hedwig. Released as plastic folders with a character on the front and the four Hogwart’s houses on the back, the characters have typical Manga features, with enormous eyes, tiny feet and glossy hair.

However, for real Harry Potter fans, there’s nothing like being in London and taking a tour of the locations used in the Harry Potter movies. Whether you want to see Kings Cross Station, where they filmed the famous Platform 9¾, or 12 Grimmauld Place and the sites used for the Leaky Cauldron, an organised bus tour of the London locations is one of the best ways to get around London and see not just the places featured in the movies, but also some of the iconic London landmarks. With a tour guide to give you all the insider information about how the movies were actually made, it’s one of the best ways to immerse you and your children in the whole Harry Potter experience. Plus, if you really want to get in the mood, you can even dress as one of your favourite Harry Potter characters, although this is not a requirement.

harry-potter-tourVisiting London offers the perfect opportunity to find out more about how the movies were made, and to learn more about movie making in general if you’ve got any budding Steven Spielbergs in the family; so for this reason a Harry Potter Studio Tour is a must for any die-hard fans. During the tour you’ll get an up-close-and-personal  view of the actual sets used to film all eight of the Harry Potter movies, plus you’ll get to see the stunning costumes, props and visual effects that were used to bring these truly iconic movies to life and to the big screen. Children will love visiting the sets, including the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and Hagrid’s Hut, and they’ll also be given the opportunity for a photo shoot sitting in the flying Ford Anglia, made by Arthur Weasley, and used by Fred, George and Ron to rescue Harry who’d been locked up in his room.

Both of the above tours are available from Brit Movie Tours who offer a range of Harry Potter Tours in London and other locations throughout the UK.

Photo credit: Barry Benbridge

Grown up getaway: Society Hotel Portland

February 5, 2016 By

Love unique properties, boutique hotels, and repurposed buildings? Portland has the motherload. It seems that every time I turn around, a new boutique property has opened in my favorite Northwest city. The latest: The Society Hotel, which we checked out on a rainy January weekend.

society-hotel

No doubt about it, the Society Hotel is ideal for a grown up getaway, parent-child mini-vacation, or girls’ weekend: rooms are sized for two, not the whole crew. I visited with my teen son, for a weekend of soccer, college touring, and city fun. The property was recently repurposed from the historic building’s heyday as sailors’ quarters in the 1880s, and the renovation has been done beautifully, with dark paneled wood, period wall decor and flooring, and of course, the high ceilings and long windows of the era. Lodging options include a mixture of full and queen rooms, small suites, and bunkhouse beds.

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While the Society is built around the bunkhouse/European hostel concept, it’s decided upscale. No scruffy backpackers here…during our stay, we saw primarily the urban hipster, Millennial crowd. Upon entering the lobby, we were immediately both wowed and put at ease: the vibe is trendy, but warm and cozy. In the heart of the lobby area is the Society Cafe, which serves incredible coffee and pastries in the morning and craft cocktails at night. Situated around the cafe counter are sofas, a fireplace, cozy tables and chairs. Certainly, you could order an herbal tea and just sit for an evening (which I did). Across from the check-in desk, a bulletin board awaits guests with ‘pinned’ activity suggestions from around the Portland area.

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The hotel is now LEED certified, and has WiFi included, as well as a text-service that connects guests to the front desk day or night. The Society is located in the city’s historic Old Town/Chinatown district, which I love: during our stay, my son and I were in the heart of the city, steps away from Portland’s famous food truck pods, Voodoo Donut, and the Pearl District. Public transport is right around the corner. Normally, this type of city center location, combined with boutique ambiance in an historic building equals a high room rate, but this is the beauty of the Society: rates start at just $75 for rooms and $40 for bunks.

society-hotel

Room types:

The Society has three room types. By far the most unique is the bunkhouse, which offers hostel-style bunks with, again, an upscale flair. Each bunk has WiFi, a reading light, outlets and plugs, and a privacy curtain. The bunks reminded me of high-end overnight train compartments. Bunkhouse guests share bathroom facilities, a small kitchen, and laundry facilities, and have access to private lockers. Bunks are $40, and would make a fun option for a group.

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The hotel also houses 26 private rooms on the upstairs levels, which have either a full or queen bed, wash station with sink and mirror, and plenty of storage in the form of pegs, hangers, and under-bed cubes. These rooms truly do have a European guesthouse feel. Bathrooms are shared on each hallway, and are very spacious and clean. Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel were provided, as well as towels and bathrobes. In the US, it is definitely a departure from the norm to feature shared bathroom facilities, but we found it to be no big deal. For $75/night in the heart of Portland, it’s a steal, really.

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If you really want your own bathroom, opt for a suite. They’re still only around $110/night. These rooms are bigger than the standard rooms, but not by much; don’t expect square footage to rival your house, as can be the case with some hotel suites.

Amenities:

I’ve saved the best for last. My absolute favorite feature of the Society, even more so than the cozy lobby and cafe, is the rooftop deck. This 5th floor outdoor space is partially covered (for the rainy weekends like the one we ‘enjoyed’), and wrapped with beautiful wood benches, a Zen garden, and landscaping. You get 360 degree views of the city: I loved coming up here with my coffee in the morning, then again to see the city skyline at night, with a glass of wine. The Society has thoughtfully put out a little locker of cozy blankets to use while enjoying the space.

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There is no dedicated parking at the Society, which I fretted about before arrival. I hate worrying about my car, and I hate paying dearly for city parking. The front desk staff gave me the inside scoop on where to find street parking, and we found we easily parked within a quarter block of the hotel during our entire stay. Nights were complete free, and during the day, we were gone in the car most of the time. In total, I may have spent $5 on parking over three days. That sure beats the heck out of $30-40 nightly parking fees at surrounding hotels.

In a nutshell, if you want a unique, historic place to stay in the heart of Portland without the city prices, and are willing to adjust your expectations a bit when it comes to lodging, the Society is for you. I encourage you to give it a try! I know we’ll be back!

As I disclose whenever applicable, we stayed at the Society on a media rate, for the purpose of review. All opinions remain our own.

 

Ruby Falls, Tennessee

February 3, 2016 By

If you’ve ever been within a hundred miles of Chattanooga, Tenn., chances are you’ve seen billboards for Ruby Falls. The signs are big and obvious and might lead you to think it’s a tourist trap, but you’d be wrong. Although it is definitely a commercial operation, Ruby Falls is well worth a visit. It is a tightly-run facility that makes good on its claims of spectacular rock formations and a breathtaking waterfall.

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Until the early 1900s, local children played in a cave beneath Lookout Mountain. Eventually it was sealed off during construction of a railroad tunnel. A man named Leo Lambert set out to dig an elevator shaft and reopen it to the public, but in the process he stumbled upon a previously unknown cave, which ended up stealing the show. These limestone passageways contain countless beautiful rock formations. The owners have installed solar-powered electricity and colored lights that highlight the artistry of nature. And all that is before you reach Ruby Falls itself—a 145-foot cascade of water emerging from a crevasse at the top of a cylindrical cavern, a thousand feet below the surface of the mountain. It’s hard to describe the place itself except to say this: it’s worth the wait.

Wait Times at Ruby Falls:

Ruby Falls lives up to its hype, but this means there’s always a crowd. Our tour guide told us that most days, lines form by 8:15 a.m. At any given time there will be multiple tour groups navigating the relatively narrow passageways. The staff does a good job of keeping thing moving, but the sheer number of people trying to coexist in an enclosed space means that inbound tour groups have to hug the wall and wait for outbound groups to pass.

One piece of advice: Because the tour groups are large and get spread out, it’s natural to feel pressured to hurry through the cave. Don’t. There is a lot to see between one tour stop and the next. Give yourself permission to go slow, take pictures, and appreciate the natural beauty of the rock formations. Yes, you are going to hold up the line. But you’re likely to end up waiting anyway. Don’t cheat yourself of the experience.

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Location/Accessibility:

Ruby Falls is accessible by car from TN 148, very close to I-24 in Chattanooga, TN. Parking lots, both paved and gravel, stretch around the mountain. The day we visited, three people were coordinating traffic via walkie talkie.

Access to the cave is by elevator, but the cave is not wheelchair/stroller accessible. Although the path is paved, it’s not wide enough, and just before the waterfall there are a handful of low steps to navigate.

Most of the cave is dry, but with a running stream inside it, the floor does sometimes get wet. Passages are high enough to walk in, but tall individuals will occasionally have to duck down, and there is not a lot of ventilation, so it can feel stuffy in the passageways. The waterfall room, however, is cool, breezy and expansive.

Food/Shopping:

Ruby Falls has a sandwich/snack counter inside the building. The day we visited was cold, and they were doing a steady business in candied nuts, which were delicious. Visitors can also bring their own food and drink. There are two gift shops on site as well.

ruby-falls

Admission/Hours:

The cave tour generally takes a little over an hour, but plan to spend three hours at Ruby Falls; the line moves fairly quickly, but it’s a long line. According to our tour guide, the best way to avoid the crowds is to come between January and March. Otherwise, there will be wait times both before entry and in the cave to allow outbound tours to pass.

After your tour, you’ll also want to give yourself time to climb the lookout tower and let the kids explore the playground outside the upper gift shop. In the summertime, you can pan for jewels here, too. There’s also a zipline adventure course on-site, and package deals are available to combine a cave tour with the zipline and/or the nearby Incline Railway and Rock City attractions.

Ruby Falls is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily except for Christmas Day, or when heavy rains cause flooding in the cave. Admission costs $18.95 for adults and $10.95 for children ages 3-12.

As I disclose whenever applicable, our visit to Ruby Falls was complimentary, for the purpose of review. All opinions remain my own.

Touring Paris with Fat Tire Tours

February 1, 2016 By

While planning our itinerary for Paris with kids, I kept hearing about an English-language, Paris-based tour company that goes around on bikes. My family loves exploring cities by bike (you may remember how we gushed about Bike ‘n Roll in the States), so we contacted Fat Tire Tours and set up a morning with them.

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We chose to try their Paris Day Bike Tour, which has been a staple at the company since 1999. The tour is 3.5 hours, and covers a lot of ground. After several days of hoofing it around Paris, it was a welcome relief to be on two wheels. The Paris Day Bike Tour is designed to give visitors an overview of the area around the Eiffel Tower, Concorde, and Invalides. We took the tour on Day 3, and but while we’d seen the Eiffel Tower from afar and walked around the Louvre area, most of the stops were brand new to us.

The tour started at 9 am. After booking online, we were sent an email confirmation with instructions on where to meet the group. It was easy to find the Metro station indicated, but we almost ended up being late when we stood in the wrong place and somehow didn’t notice the group gathering. Doh! Once we were on the right track, one guide led the large group of about 25 people to Fat Tire’s office, where we could stash backpacks if needed, buy water, use the restroom, and get fitted for bikes. I worried at this point that our group would be too large to be manageable, but I shouldn’t have feared. Once we were all on bikes, the group was broken down to about 8 people per guide.

We set out within about 25 minutes, and rode primarily on streets, following our guide, with breaks from traffic on some bike paths and while on car-free paths along the Seine. While we did need to pay close attention to our guide while navigating the streets, it was easy to follow instructions and I never felt unsafe. Our kids were old enough to ride solo and follow instructions, but young kids are also welcome, as Fat Tire Tours has bikes with child seats available. I’d venture to say kids under age 5 would have a hard time in the traffic, and should be in bike seats.

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Our guide Nick was British, living in Paris, and he was a wealth of information with a fun and lively personality. The kids were always interested in his commentary as he described Paris history through the various stops at historical buildings, churches, and bridges. I appreciated that Nick didn’t ‘dumb down’ the information for children. Even when the commentary was geared more to adults, there was always the novelty of riding the bikes through the city to keep kids entertained.

I learned a great deal about some buildings I otherwise would have passed by in Paris, and Nick was able to provide advice on where else to go in the city with the kids. In fact, we would have skipped seeing the d’Orsay Museum if not for his tip to go the following morning. It turned out to be our favorite museum.

We made about 10 stops through the city, with a longer break off the bikes at a cafe in the Tuileries by the Louvre. Even though we went in winter, this garden area was beautiful, and the little cafe was perfect for an easy lunch with kids. The boys got savory crepes and soup, and the adults had sandwiches on baguette. The wine and hot chocolate were both nice, too. At the end of our tour, we got a great photo op at the tower, too.

Note: Lunch is not included in the price, but is not expensive. I believe we spent about €7 per person. We brought our own water bottles in a small backpack.

Overall, we found everyone at Fat Tire Tours to be friendly, welcoming, and energetic, from Nick to the office staff to the attendants putting us on bikes. It was a very friendly place to spend a morning in Paris, which can be an intimidating city. After our tour, the office staff gave us further advice on how to spend our afternoon. We had tickets to go up the Eiffel Tower, so we walked over from the office and spent a few hours enjoying the winter sunshine and checking out the Christmas market.

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Cost:

This half-day tour is $32 each, which I think is a steal. It was absolutely worth this and more.

Directions:

The office is located by the Eiffel Tower, and full instructions for meeting your group will be given upon booking.

As I disclose whenever applicable, our tour was comped by Fat Tire Tours, for the purpose of review. All opinions remain our own.

 

Tips for touring the Eiffel Tower

January 29, 2016 By

Whether you think of the Eiffel Tower as cliched or iconic (or both!), it’s undoubtedly a must do on a family trip to Paris. We actually loved the time we spent at this most famous landmark, especially since we made a day of it. We started our morning with a bike tour with Fat Tire Tours, enjoyed the afternoon playing soccer and pursuing food stalls at the base of the tower, then went to the top in time for sunset. Our whole family counts this day as one of our favorites in Paris.

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There are several levels of the tower, and several ways to get in and on it. We knew the kids would want to go to the top, so I bought tickets online before our trip for 3rd level access. When purchasing, I chose the time I wanted to visit, as it’s a timed entry situation. I thought about our time quite carefully, finally deciding to check weather.com for the estimated sunset time for the day we were going, and selecting a time period just before. Yes, this is high level planning-geek stuff, but it worked! We ascended the tower just before sunset, saw the sun set over the city at the second level, and enjoyed the twinkling lights of dusk at the top. Here’s what you need to know:

Tips for touring the Eiffel Tower:

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When you buy tickets online in advance, you skip the line at the tower. Just print your emailed confirmation and show it at one of the four Advanced Ticket queues. They won’t let you up before your reserved time…we asked.

You’ll still go through a security check point, but you get to skip the majority of this line, too. From this point, you can either walk or ride the elevator to the second level. For some reason we didn’t understand, during our visit, the stair access was closed (going up). Our French wasn’t good enough to understand why.

Note: During high season, we’ve been told it’s possible to skip the queue at the bottom (assuming you don’t have an online ticket or don’t want to reserve a time) and climb the stairs to the second level to buy level 3 tickets, but when we visited in winter, this ticketing option was closed. Don’t count on it. Instead, buy online in advance.

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At the second level, you’ll have to get out of the elevator. This is a nice place to look around, though. It was higher than we expected, and the views were great. From here, there’s a queue to get on the elevators to the top level. They’re unavoidable, sadly. When we visited, this line took about 25 minutes. However, this is where our sunset/twilight timing worked out: we were able to see the city in mostly daylight on the second level, and by the time we reached the third level, it was fully night.

At the top, there’s a glassed in, covered area and an outdoor area. It’s not unlike visiting the (former) Sears Tower or Empire State Building in that it’s extremely high, very windy, and totally thrilling for kids. We spent quite a bit of time up here, even though it was freezing and starting to snow. We actually got better photos down below, but the wow factor is fun. Plus, there are a few exhibits at the top showing Eiffel’s office he kept at the top for years, and some history on the tower. I knew he had created the design for the world’s fair, but had not realized that the city of Paris gave him the tower for 20 years afterward.

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Going down, you have to wait in the queue again, so definitely budget at least 1.5 hours for the whole endeavor. You are let back off at the second level, and this time, the stairs were open (or perhaps they were always open for downward travel) so we took them. It was a great way to see more of the structure up close while not fighting gravity. On the first level (just above the ground), there’s an ice skating rink during the winter holidays. And it’s completely free, including rentals. Yes, really! We were so surprised by this. The kids all skated, and we adults enjoyed a hot beverage at the food stand adjacent. I’m curious what this space is used for in summer.

As most people know, the tower’s lights twinkle at the top of every hour. It’s certainly a better sight looking AT the tower instead of while being on it, but we happened to catch it while we were ice skating, and it was quite impressive. We felt as though we were inside the sparkle.

Note: At the security checkpoint, they are looking for and confiscating locks, like the kind used symbolically on the bridges. This is because they are absolutely not allowed on the tower. I had a lock in my bag to use elsewhere, and it was still taken from me. Lesson learned.

If you’re lucky enough to be there during the Christmas season, in addition to the ice skating rink, you’ll find a medium-sized Christmas market directly below the tower, complete with a second rink and lots of goodies. We especially recommend the chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) and mulled wine, paired with Belgian waffles with Nutella and crepes.

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Pricing and hours:

Tickets are €17 for adults, €14,50 for youth (12-24) and €8 for kids. Age 4 and under is free. After selecting the number and type of tickets you need, you’ll be prompted to select a time period. When we booked two weeks prior to our trip, there were only 2-3 time choices left in the day we needed, so book early.

Directions:

The closest metro lines are Metro line 6 – Bir Hakeim or Metro line 8. Walk away from the tower along the open space toward the military building on the other side, then turn left at the far left corner. You can also walk to the Concorde area pretty easily.

The best countries for family vacations: where to go now

January 27, 2016 By

The best gift every parent can gift to his child is the ability to travel. But to travel anywhere without much of the thought giving is not really considered being an excellent way to do it. To gift your children all the best, you should, at least, try to consider visiting these countries I am going to mention below.

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The team behind the Travel Ticker helped me to find these countries, and I can’t wait to share the list with you. All of them are truly amazing, and just perfect for a fun, educational and pleasant family vacation!

Greece – for better history knowledge

This is nothing surprising – Greece is the mother of the whole western culture. From architectural to philosophical traditional and Greek mythology – everything originated in this amazing country thousands of years ago. So logically, the best place to learn all about what Greeks gave to us is in Greece!

The best destinations to visit with children definitely can be in Athens, the historical center of the whole civilization, also Crete and Rhode Island’s too. In Greece, you can even get into a tour about Troy war and visit all the exact places ancient Greek consider being holy. For example – a birthplace of the love goddess Aphrodite!

Tip: Hostel Bay Greek island hopping ferry routes are a great way to visit the Greek islands.

Belize – for the chance to meet exotic animals

Belize, a small country in the Caribbean should also be worth considering if you want to travel somewhere not that far away and full of interesting activities you can do with kids. The island is pretty isolated, so wanderings around here won’t be interrupted by tons of cars. And that also means that here you won’t meet millions of tourists too – so it can be a perfect place for relaxing and pleasant vacations with children for sure.

Kids here can meet real exotic animals like monkeys, crocodiles or turtles and have a blast while diving, snorkeling or just biking around this small country. Just don’t forget to apply the sun cream because you are definitely going to spend your whole time outdoors!

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Bali – for another chance to meet animals and amazing local culture

Bali, a tropical paradise, can also be an amazing holiday destination for families of any size and age. Many hotels even offer special packages with events to entertain the little ones while you can enjoy yourself somewhere light and warm.

Kids here can also enjoy surfing, hiking, museum seeing, biking, sailing, animal visiting, elephant safari-ing, water slide riding or just hanging on the beach building castles. In Bali, you can also visit some traditional festivals and celebrations which all welcome kids too. So, Bali really has it all to make a perfect time with your family!

Japan – for unusual and exotic culture

As foreign visitors to Japan know, sometimes the locals will keep their distance. But not so when you are traveling with babies or children! In fact, everywhere you are going to visit you will always hear a silly Japanese word “kawaii” which literally means “cute!” And that always means friendly locals and a great place to be, am I right?

Traveling with children can also open some doors for you. It can be easier to negotiate the price in markets or even to hunt geishas in Kyoto to take some pictures with you. Every Japanese person will love to come by and check out your cute baby for sure. And that will actually erase the borders and let you experience a bit of the real Japan easier.

Netherlands – for active fun

And finally, Netherland should get an honorable fifth place in this list too, since this amazing country is super family and kids’ friendly. Filled with kid-friendly food such as French fries and pancakes, tons of kids’ parks and museums specially made for children to be able to touch and fell it is a real dream come true! You can really say, that both the capital Amsterdam and the whole country is just one giant playground for your little ones.

If that is not enough for you, then I can also add the fact, that here renting a bike and biking throughout the city and the whole country if you wish, is a piece of cake. Netherlands government really worked hard to develop one of the best bicycles infrastructures in the world, and it would be a sin not to try that out with kids too! 

Where to stay in Paris on a budget with kids

January 25, 2016 By

When we planned to spend five days in Paris with kids, we knew we’d be on a budget. To make it possible for us, we chose to book a HomeAway apartment rental in an outer arrondissement. This arrangement allowed us enough sleeping space for our family of five, a kitchen to cook some meals in, and a washing machine for our laundry. We already trusted HomeAway, as we use this site for ski vacations in the States. Abroad, we had the same positive experience we’re already accustomed to, even in Paris on a budget.

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Why stay in the Montmartre neighborhood:

Montmartre is a neighborhood of contradictions: it’s both touristy and authentic, tacky and elegant. During our week-long stay, we found that the atmosphere changes as you climb the hill: at the bottom, you’ll find a working class neighborhood with more than its share of night clubs, but at the top, the elegance of Sacre Coeur awaits, with smaller cafes and street artists. The latter is filled with tourists, but below, we found a more genuine Paris experience, where the restaurants and stores served the locals…and were priced accordingly.

Pros:

  • Staying outside the most popular arrondissements can save money on accommodations.
  • The Montmartre neighborhood (and the 18th arrondissement) has a local, artsy vibe that’s fun for older kids and teens.
  • The Chateau Rogue metro station is convenient to downtown.

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Cons:

  • While Montmartre is a destination in itself, it’s not in the heart of the go-to tourist attractions: you’re a metro ride away.
  • Can be loud at night in some areas.

Paris on a budget: Why apartment living is where it’s at:

We set up camp at this HomeAway apartment, located just steps from the Metro station and a five minute walk from Sacre Coeur. In the heart of the holiday season, we paid only $500 total for five nights, which is drastically less than we’d spend on two hotel rooms per night for our family of five.

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While the space was small, we all had our own beds, and the space was functional. We saved even more money by eating in several nights during our stay. Directly down the street from our apartment was a convenient grocery store where we stocked up on essentials, and several bakeries were just below us. We stocked up on breakfast items, coffee, bottled water, snacks, and the makings of a few easy meals, such as soup and baguette. We still ate most our meals out, but having some in saved us time and money.

You never know how hands-on or hands-off your host will be when you book through HomeAway, but this time, we hit the jackpot. The owner of this apartment was very communicative and helpful, both before our trip and during. She met us with a smile when we arrived tired after a transcontinental flight, and spoke English well enough to give us a tour of the small apartment (we don’t speak French). Renting this apartment also gave us access to free WiFi, a laundry machine, and the extra space of a living room.

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A few HomeAway tips:

  • Download the app for easy communication with your host.
  • Book early for the best pricing, but don’t be afraid to try for a last-minute booking…some hosts discount their properties if unsold during peak weeks.
  • Read the fine print: check to see if you’ll need to leave a damage deposit or any required city tax fee, and whether it will need to be in cash. For our rental, a €250 cash deposit was required (returned on departure), and this would have been a pretty big hiccup if I hadn’t been prepared ahead of time.
  • Check both the map in the listing and the reviews. Look for information on the host as well as on the property itself.

Montmartre during the Christmas season:

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While I’m now sold on staying in Montmartre during any time of year, it was particularly magical during the Christmas season. A ten minute walk from our apartment found us at the top of the hill by Sacre Coeur, where we had a great view of the Eiffel Tower and festive lights twinkled from every corner.

The above post was written in partnership with HomeAway. As always, all opinions remain my own.

Chicago Field Museum tips

January 22, 2016 By

We love natural history museums and have visited versions of them all over the country. The Chicago Field Museum is in our top five! We loved this cavernous, elegant museum situated on the Museum Campus by Lake Michigan and Shedd Aquarium. Here’s what we recommend seeing and doing, plus tips to plan your visit:

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What not to miss:

If you have older kids or teens, the top two or three exhibits may be the Inside Ancient Egypt exhibit, the Mastodons and Mammoths exhibit (extra ticket required), and the Evolving Planet exhibit. We also really loved the Ancient Americas exhibit. The Egypt exhibit hall starts at the main level, but staircases lead both upstairs to get a view of a tomb from the top and downstairs, where to bulk of the artifacts can be found. The best place to enter is on the main level, to get the full experience of walking through the tomb first.

Note: There are mummified remains on display, including the remains of children and infants (and cats and birds). These artifacts were amazing, but I did give my kids a heads-up.

The Evolving Planet exhibit is the primarily exhibit with dinosaur fossils, so this area will appeal to all ages, but the actual exhibit goes even deeper, which is why I recommend it for older children. It chronicles multiple ‘extinction events’ throughout history, starting billions of years ago, and is fascinating in its scope of time.

For younger kids, the multiple halls of mammals, which takes up the entire left side of the main floor, will be popular, as well as the North American Indians section and the Pawnee Earth Lodge. We were lucky enough to step into the Earth Lodge while a museum docent was on duty, and she explained all the artifacts inside, many of which kids can touch and play with. The temporary Underground Adventure (extra ticket required) is lots of fun too; after being ‘shrunk’ to 1/2 inch size, kids can walk through a soil landscape and see ‘life-size’ bugs, worms, roots, and other life in the soil. Think Honey I Shrunk the Kids.

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Everyone will want to see ‘Sue’ the T-Rex that has been making its way slowly across the country. We saw it about seven years ago in Portland, Oregon. It was fun to see again. There’s enough to see and do to spend at least 3-4 hours in the Field Museum, and possibly more. You can re-enter with you ticket if you want to take a break in the day and return. A few tips:

Check the Field Museum website’s calendar before arriving:

The Field Museum offers a number of free days, which may or may not work in your favor. During our visit, it was a free day of residents of Illinois. Since we are not residents of the state, a free day only means a crowded day for us, without the benefits. Normally, I would avoid free days that do not apply to us. However, the day we visited also happened to be a game day for the Chicago Bears, played directly adjacent to the museum. This worked in our favor, as long as we timed our bus ride to avoid the fans pouring into the stadium. The Field Museum was almost empty when we arrived at opening, and stayed light on crowds all morning, until the game ended at 3 pm.

Decide what ticket option is best for you:

The basic entry price gets you into all the regular permanent exhibits. To access the ones noted as ‘ticket required’ or to view one of the 3-4 3D movies showing, you’ll need to upgrade to either an All Access Pass (gets you into everything) or a modified all access, which allows you to chose a few extra items to do. If you plan to be in Chicago long enough to visit at least two other attractions participating in the Chicago CityPass, I recommend getting this pass before your trip or at your first stop. The Chicago CityPass is $96 for adults and $69 for kids, and gives you an all access pass to the Field Museum, plus entrance to Shedd Aquarium next door and the SkyDeck at Willis (Sears) Tower, as well as several other attractions.

Dining options in the museum:

There are two dining services in the museum. We ate at the Field Bistro, which serves healthy options like soup, salads, and sandwiches, as well as some samples like hot dogs and burgers. Downstairs, an even more casual option has more ‘kid’ foods, like chicken fingers. We were told there are food trucks at the lower level as well, though we did not see them during our trip.

Outside the museum, families can find several hot dog carts, one of which is located between the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium.

Tip: Find more things to do with kids in this guide to 25 top things to do in Chicago!

Hours and admission:

As described above, there are several admission levels. Basic admission is $18 for adults and $13 for kids. The Discovery Pass is the middle level, and is $25 and $18. The All Access is $31 for adults and $21 for kids. Hours are listed here.

Getting there:

The Field Museum is located on the Museum Campus, just south of downtown. It’s an easy metra bus ride on the 146 from Magnificent Mile or State Street (it took us about 15 minutes on a single line from State Street in the River North district). As noted above, it can be busier if there’s an event at Soldier Field. You can also drive, but prepare to pay for parking.

Booking a family travel rental with Kid & Coe

January 18, 2016 By

In multiple posts, we’ve recommended booking vacation rental homes when traveling with kids. We’ve had nothing but good experiences doing this, and have always appreciated the savings and local feel. There are a lot of vacation rental companies out there, and we thought we’d tried them all. When Kid & Coe approached us, we were intrigued.

vacation-home

We decided to book a short family trip with Kid and & Coe for this spring, when we’ll be touring some colleges with our high school-aged son. The booking process was easy, and I was really happy to see quite a few affordable nightly rates (they start at €90 per night worldwide). We simply input the city we were interested in, added our dates and family size, and scrolled the list of available homes. You can even see the first available date for each property at a glance. Once we’d narrowed down our search, we contacted the host, just like you’d do at AirBnb. Kid & Coe oversees the process, so you feel protected as a consumer.

So what makes Kid & Coe different than all the others?

It’s all about traveling with kids. Instead of scouring listings looking for properties that will be kid-friendly, they ALL are. They look for properties that meet the requirements of family travelers with kids of all ages; most are set up with cribs, high chairs and toys for younger guests, and all are in desirable family locations around the world. So families can live like locals and get that authentic experience, but still know their rental will have a high chair or game console. Even though we have older kids, I appreciate this because it means the rentals will be near public transit lines, in safe neighborhoods, and hosted by people who are pro traveling with kids.

kid-&-coe

The booking process:

If you’ve used other vacation rental sites in the past, the booking process at Kid & Coe will feel familiar. If you haven’t, this is great one to start with, because the founders have kids and understand traveling with kids. When looking through properties, you get a detailed area map, description of the property and what kid-friendly amenities it has, including little details non-parents might not think to include. For example, while looking at a property in Portland, a note read, ‘has a shower but no bath’. While this might not matter to some travelers, parents with young kids and babies know this is a problem!

We’ve booked a Kid & Coe property for later this spring, and are looking forward to reviewing the actual experience. Look for a post describing our rental weekend to come!

Have you used Kid & Coe? Where, and what was your experience?

How it works to take your pet on the plane

January 14, 2016 By

Whilst the rich and famous might have the luxury of being able to hire or even buy a private plane to ferry their pets from country to country, for the majority of people that just isn’t a reality, leaving us to deal with mainstream commercial airlines if we want to fly abroad with our animals. What you need to know about taking your pet on the plane:

pet-on-plane

Pets travelling in the airplane cabin area

Whilst some airlines only carry pets in the plane’s cargo hold, many now allow very small dogs and cats to travel with their owners in the cabin. British Airways, for example, permit cats and dogs weighing under 6kg (including the weight of the carrier) to be transported in the cabin of the airplane. It’s something that is becoming more widespread and even some budget airlines are now considering allowing some pets into the cabin area.

There are various restrictions in place: The carrier must be under a certain size, well ventilated and allow the pet to stand and turn around. The pet cannot leave their carrier during the flight, only one pet is permitted for any passenger and a small maximum number of animals are allowed to travel in this manner on any one flight. There is usually a set additional cost for pets to travel in the cabin which may differ from the cost of a pet being transported in the plane’s cargo hold and the necessary medical and travel papers will be required before the animal can fly.

If this is something you might consider then it’s vital to speak to the airline in person before booking tickets to make sure that they can accommodate a pet in this way on your flight and to check their specific criteria as this will vary depending on who you’re flying with.

Pets travelling in the cargo hold

If you have a larger pet then they will usually need to travel in the cargo hold of the plane, along with general luggage. Airlines have strict conditions in place for every aspect of transporting pets.

The carrier containing the pet needs to fit specific standards to be considered as approved for air travel. Usually only one pet can travel per passenger and there are very limited numbers of pets permitted per flight. Medical and travel certificates are required in advance of flying and there are additional health and welfare factors to consider for a pet travelling in the cargo hold.

Owners cannot check on pets in the hold during a flight, so ensuring that their container is secure, that the pets have adequate hydration for the length of the flight and that the experience is as stress-free as possible is a complicated undertaking. Pets cannot be tranquilised for the journey as this has serious health implications for flying, so with all the noises, vibrations and sensations involved in this type of transport, it can be cause of a great deal of anxiety in animals (and their owners).

traveling-with-pet

Assistance and support dogs

If you have a certified assistance dog, for example a guide dog or a hearing dog for the deaf, many airlines allow them to travel with their owner in the cabin of plane for no additional cost. All necessary medical and travel paperwork has to be in place and the dog must be certified by a recognised body as necessary to assist the owner’s mobility if they are visually impaired, hearing impaired or disabled.

More and more people now have emotional support dogs which play an important role in their owners’ lives to help keep them calm and reduce anxiety. Some airlines also allow these dogs to travel in the cabin with their owners for no additional cost, but the list of criteria that they must meet is extensive in order to qualify.

Owners must have a recently certified mental health diagnosis, along with a variety of specific documentation from medical professionals to prove that their dog is of vital assistance to them on the journey.

How to decide if airplane travel is right for your pet

The decision on whether to take your pet on a plane isn’t one to take lightly. Many dogs and cats find the whole experience very stressful and frightening, so this needs to be weighed up against the benefits for the animal and its well being long term.

It can be very expensive, not just purchasing an appropriate carrier and the cost of the flight itself, but also getting into place the correct veterinary treatments, vaccinations, checks and paperwork for your pet beforehand, such as an expensive ‘pet passport’, not to mention the cost of any potential quarantine or other checks required in the country that your dog or cat is travelling to.

It’s important that before you book anything or speak to the airline, your pet is given a full health check up from your vet to help ensure that they are fit to travel. The age of the pet could also influence your decision. Elderly pets don’t tend to cope as well with this kind of stressful travel. There are also non-physical factors to consider. The character and personality of your pet may well play a large part in how well or badly they will deal with the experience of flying, either in the cabin or the cargo hold.

If the plane journey is likely to be a one-off, for example if you’re emigrating and want to take the family pet with you for good, then it could well be worth the short term stress for your pet to then be with its owners for the rest of it’s life in your new home. Taking pets on short holidays via plane is another matter, and is usually generally considered not to be worth the expense, stress and paperwork involved for most pet owners.

Before booking any flights for your pets, ensure that you talk it through with your chosen airline and check that you have a full list of their requirements or policies as they do vary and change from time to time. At the end of the day, you know your pet best and will need to take every factor into account before finally deciding whether travelling by plane is in their best interest, both short and long term.


Source: eReplacementParts.com