Amy Hagstrom - Pitstops for Kids

Disney cruise checklist: Five items we were glad we had (and five we didn’t need)

June 9, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

When you and your family feel safe cruising again, be ready!

On our voyage on the Disney Fantasy, we packed carry-on only for four people to Disney World and the Bahamas, which I felt was a feat in itself. Turns out, we still brought things we didn’t need (and others we were very glad we had). If you’re lucky enough to be packing for a Disney cruise, learn from our triumphs and mistakes using this Disney cruise checklist.

Read also: how to know if a Disney cruise is right for your family!

Disney Cruise Checklist! Five things we were glad we had:

1. Water bottles. Water bottles can be bulky, but with free soda and water refills all day, every day aboard the Disney Fantasy (and all Disney cruise ships), we put them to good use. With drink refill stations located only on the pool deck (and the cups provided not very portable), it’s easy to get dehydrated. Plus, trekking up to refill water after bedtime is a pain! If your kids like water by their beds at night, fill up their bottles before bedtime to ensure everyone has enough until morning.

Cash for tipping. Once onboard a Disney cruise ship, you virtually won’t need any method of pay except your Key to the World card (in fact, good luck even trying to use anything else). The only exception: the cash you’ll want on-hand to tip bell services and bus drivers pre- and post-cruise, and the tip you’ll give to your servers and stateroom staff on the final day of your cruise. While you can ask that these tips be automatically included as a stateroom charge, you’ll want cash-in-hand if you’d rather decide on the tip amount yourself.

Sweaters or sweatshirts. Don’t skip this on your Disney cruise checklist! While irritatingly bulky in our luggage, we were glad we had sweatshirts during our 4-day cruise to the Bahamas. While the temperature was comfortable most of the time, morning and evenings on deck can get windy. And of course, nice weather is never guaranteed (even by Disney).

Autograph books. If you have children who will want to get autographs from Disney characters, they’ll be in heaven: characters abound on a Disney cruise, and long wait times are the exception rather than the norm. We were so glad we remembered to pack our seven-year-old’s autograph book (and carted it everywhere we went on the ship, as most our sightings were impromptu).

Sneakers for exercise and the sports deck. Even if you don’t anticipate working out on the ship, your kids will! Mine spent hours on the sports deck, playing basketball and miniature golf, and though I expected this, I didn’t anticipate their newly discovered love of shuffleboard and the running track. While we spent 90% of our time in sandals and flip-flops, we were glad we’d packed the sneakers.

Up next, five items we DIDN’T need! Click on the button below to continue!

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Flyover country road trip: Fun in flyover country

June 7, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

I’m very excited to share that long-time Pit Stops for Kids contributor Kathleen Basi, a proud lifelong resident of “flyover country,” released a road-trip-themed novel this spring, and agreed to share a few places she uncovered in her research. If you’re on a flyover country road trip with kids this summer, check out one or two of these fun stops along the way!

1. Silver Beach Carousel

Online: https://www.silverbeachcarousel.com/2016-06-15-14-44-41/test-menu-item
Where: St. Joseph, Michigan
What: A must-stop if you’re trekking northward with little ones (or not-so-little ones)! Our family discovered this by accident when we got off the highway to let the kids see the Great Lakes for the first time. We were looking for a beach, and we got that–but we also got a carousel and the best spray park we’ve ever seen. In fact, with the additional attractions here, this could turn into much more than a stop along the way!

2. “Castle Park”

Online: https://www.pitstopsforkids.com/southern-illinois-pit-stop-jeremy-rochman-memorial-park/
Where: Carbondale, Illinois
What: If you have young (or even not-so-young) children, plan several hours to let them enjoy this amazing, Dungeons & Dragons-themed park. A dragon big enough to climb on, a castle with thrones, dungeons and secret passages, and countless surprises hidden in the trees and shrubs.

3. Cahokia Mounds (featured in A Song For The Road)

Online: https://cahokiamounds.org/
Where: Collinsville, Illinois (just outside St. Louis)
What: an active archaeological site and 2000+-acre preserve featuring a collection of Native American mounds, including Monks Mound, with a base roughly the same size as the base of the Great Pyramid at Giza. There’s also a top-notch interpretive center.

4. Future birthplace of James T. Kirk

Online: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g38341-d1985332-Reviews-Future_Birthplace_of_James_T_Kirk-Riverside_Iowa.html

Where: Riverside, Iowa
What: Features a statue of the intrepid captain in the park, a model of the Starship Enterprise, and a store-museum.

5. Corn Palace

Online: https://cornpalace.com/
Where: Mitchell, South Dakota
What: a multipurpose arena with domed towers, decorated on the outside by murals made of corn, other grains, and grasses grown in South Dakota. It is redesigned every year, and if you come at the right time you could even see the new mural under construction.

Flyover country road trip: Nine stops you won't want to miss along the road.

6. Gunfighter Wax Museum

Online: http://www.teachershallfamedodgecityks.org/wax-museum.html
Where: Dodge City, KS
What: Housed inside the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame, the name says it all. See life-sized figures of Wyatt Earp, Sitting Bull, Calamity Jane, and more.

7. Taos Pueblo

Online: http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/20-us-places-to-see-before-you-die#!7-taos-pueblo
Where: Taos, New Mexico
What: This UNESCO World Heritage site consists of mud-and-straw adobes that have been occupied by Native Americans for almost a thousand years. Get a glimpse of what life was like when the Spanish first encountered them in the 16th century.

8. UFO Watchtower (featured in A Song For The Road)

Online: https://www.mycoloradoparks.com/road-trips/road-trip-stops/colorado-places/ufo-watchtower-colorado/Where: Hooper, Co.
What: a viewing platform, gift shop, and campground in the San Luis Valley, one of the premier UFO-sighting regions. Visitors can stay up all night and watch for mysterious lights in the sky. There’s also a “healing garden” which reportedly has otherworldly connections.

9. Craters of the Moon

Online: https://www.nps.gov/crmo/index.htm
Where: Central Idaho
What: a national monument centered around a volcanic debris field in Idaho’s Snake River Plain. There are paved trails and a scenic drive which allow you to see lava tubes, rifts, cones, and many other volcanic features.

DeLorme inReach or SPOT Gen3: Which GPS messenger to buy for outdoor adventure

June 5, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

Do your teens hike without you? Do you venture into the backcountry as a family? In winter, do you like to snowshoe, camp, or ski off-piste? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, you’ve probably considered outfitting yourself or your kids with a GPS device for the field. In our opinion, these two devices are the best on the market for hikers, backpackers, and backcountry skiers. Here’s our observations and recommendations for which GPS messenger to buy for outdoor adventure:

The difference between DeLorme inReach SE and SPOT Gen3:

DeLorme inReach SE in a nutshell:

Our inReach SE and I are very close, because I clung it its updates as our son was hiking on the PCT. He used it for the entire 457 miles. This was the lifeline we absolutely needed with a kid on the trail. The SE does the following:

Emergency service: Your personal locator beacon sends SOS signals with GPS location data to GEOS worldwide emergency response; communicate with GEOS via 2-way text messaging throughout the rescue. We’ve never used it, and in fact, you have to slide a little panel over to activate this button, to prevent accidental activation.
Point-by-point tracking: You can set the SE to track progress as often as every 10 minutes. Progress is shown on DeLorme’s website portal, MapShare. You invite people to MapShare, which is where you follow along at home.
Two-way messaging: Pay attention, because this is inReach’s best feature. You can send both pre-set messages that you customize yourself to friends or family (things like Everything is ok to I may need help) AND you can message free-form, just as you would via text. This means you can have actual conversations with the inReach. Example: Stopping here for the night. From parent: Did you find water? Answer: Yes, great spring here. You can text via the inReach’s key pad (clunky and slow, but it works) or via your phone, if you’ve opted to pair it. For the person at home, messages come through as either emails or texts (you decide). You text back via the MapShare portal, either on your phone or on a computer screen.
Smart phone pairing: Before leaving on your trip, you can pair your inReach with your phone, which allows you to use the included EarthMate app in the field (even when you don’t have cell service). This app gives you a map view, and also lets you text with more ease. Bear in mind: if you do this, you’ll need to worry about keeping two devices charged: your inReach and your phone.

So, does it work?! YES. We loved the inReach, and found it reliable. You can expect delays from five to 20 minutes in some areas (both in tracking and texting), but it literally worked everywhere, with one exception: while hiking through Native American reservation land, it went dark. The MapShare portal was easy to use, too.

Things to keep in mind with inReach:

Battery life is pretty good; we found that when placed in ‘track every 10 minutes’ mode and turned off at night, the inReach had about three days in it before needing to recharge (via USB cable). We charged with a wall plug when possible, and with a solar panel charger in the field.

The inReach weighs about seven ounces, and attaches to any backpack strap via a clip. We liked that it beeped when there was a new message (helpful when it’s not always in front of you) and beeped to confirm messages were sent. You navigate around the inReach with the keypad and up-down arrows. If you remember your old phones of years bygone the ‘up-arrow, left, left, down-arrow, enter’ drill to command it, it’s like that.

You DO need a subscription plan with the inReach: you can opt to do month-to-month (starting at $14/month) or annual plans (around $150 or starting at $12/month). The plan we picked was about $30/month, which included unlimited texting and tracking. The cost of the actual device is $299. Right now, it’s on sale on Amazon for $263.

Can you upgrade? Yes. If, in addition to all the features above, if you also want to have built-in navigation (in which you plan your route, drop waypoints, and then follow the path with arrows on your screen), you’ll want to upgrade to the DeLorme inReach Explorer for an extra $100 or so. We wished we had this feature a few times when in snowfields, when the trail was not visible. It would also be good for anyone who travels off-trail. This said, it’s possible to pair the inReach with your phone, and download maps there. Then you have two things to carry and charge, though.

SPOT Gen3 in a nutshell:

If your explorer in the field doesn’t need quite as much hand-holding (or you’re better at letting go than I am!), the SPOT Gen3 is simpler, lighter, and more streamlined than the inReach. If you want the TL;DR version of this entire review, here’s the difference between them: the SPOT Gen3 does NOT text back and forth, and therefore does not allow for a two-way conversation. But it has other great features. Here’s what it does:

Emergency service: SPOT’s emergency service is the same as inReach; you get immediately connected to GEOS. But there’s a second feature that inReach lacks: there’s also a NON-emergency help button. This button goes out to your pre-set friends and family (NOT to 911), alerting them that you need assistance. It sends your GPS location on a map when it does so. This is a nice feature for if you get a flat tire, run out of food and need a person to bring you some, or hurt yourself but can walk your way out.
Point-by-point tracking: Yes, you get this too…same as the inReach, for the most part. SPOT will track your movements as often as every 2.5 minutes, if you opt for an upgraded plan (more on that below), but generally tracks every 10, 30, or 60 minutes. Family at home can see tracking in almost real time via SPOT’s portal, called FindMeSPOT.
Custom messages: Like inReach, you can create custom messages you want to use with SPOT, which you set ahead of time on the web portal. Think Found our campsite or Having a great time. There’s also a set button for OK. That’s all it will say (with GPS location via a map), but it’s very convenient if you don’t want to hassle with buttons and key pads.

Does it work? Definitely. The Gen3 does what it says it will do, so as long as you know its limitations, you won’t be disappointed.

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Things to keep in mind with SPOT Gen3:

This is the way to go if you don’t need to download maps (there are lots of other apps for maps, if you want them on your phone separately from your GPS device), don’t need to have back-and-forth conversations with people, and don’t want to mess with navigating through a clunky keypad to do things. We love that one button sends an OK message with a map of location, and that the SPOT is only four ounces and attaches to your pack with a carabiner.

Battery life is longer on SPOT than inReach (they claim 150 hours, but I don’t think it was quite that great). You re-charge it via USB, just like the inReach. I like that both these GPS units have rechargeable batteries; some other devices require you to buy expensive replacements.

The SPOT doesn’t make noises to indicate messages have been sent, but it does light up, which is nice. I just like having some sort of confirmation.

The Gen3 is $150 (half the price of the inReach), so if you don’t want two-way communication, by all means, don’t pay for it. You do still need a service plan, and it will be about the same price as the inReach: $14/month or $150/year. There is NOT an option of a month-to-month plan, which is a bummer.

Can you upgrade? No, but you can downgrade to the $99 SPOT Trace, but it’s pretty bare-bones and designed for car tracking.

Interested in staying in touch when TWO parties are close by in the wilderness? Consider GoTenna: review here!

Guide to Las Vegas with kids: family-friendly Las Vegas vacation

June 1, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

There was a time when I didn’t think of Las Vegas as a family-friendly trip idea, but in the past few years, Vegas hotels and attractions have made strides to be more kid-oriented. Whether your family trip focuses on Las Vegas entertainment, outdoor recreation, or dining (or all of the above), the following advice can help make your trip to Sin City much more wholesome.

During this time of uncertainty, outdoor activities offer the best ability to safely social distance. Hotels.com asked me to share my favorite activities and tips for exploring Las Vegas, so start here as you plan a safe and responsible vacation.

Where to stay:

Families will want to compare hotel prices in Las Vegas, but to find Las Vegas hotels that focus on kids, you’ll also want to look closely at amenities. Sure, Circus Circus is known for their big-top attraction, but families can easily visit their AdventureDome during a day trip. Better to find a hotel with a great pool, family-friendly dining, and preferably, no smoking. Think a family-friendly oasis is impossible to find in Vegas? It’s not! Our picks: the Westgate Las Vegas, or the Four Seasons Las Vegas and the Marriott Vacation Club Grand Chateau, both non-gaming luxury hotels.

Take day trips off the Strip:

Many parents (myself included, our first stay) make the mistake of walking along the Strip during the daytime. They believe it will be ‘tamer’, with less drinking and drunken people during the daylight hours. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and instead, families are subjected to the same number of drunken individuals, made worse by the fact that it’s only 11 am. In fact, seeing so much day drinking is downright depressing. Instead, take a day trip outside the Strip during the day.

Our picks:

Red Rock Canyon
Grand Canyon
Hoover Dam

Come back to your hotel by around 5 pm, clean up, and head out with the kids from 6 pm to 10 pm. You’ll see all the neon and lights, the glitz and the glamour of the Strip, but before it gets truly rowdy. This is a great opportunity to eat out at an innovative, fun restaurant before its most crowded time period, then take in a kid-friendly show or attraction, like the Bellagio water show or a ride on the New York New York roller coaster.

Where to eat:

Las Vegas has experienced a culinary renaissance of sorts in the past five years. Families can find top tier dining all over the city, but if you’re not looking for a four-diamond experience with kids, we recommend something different: the Tournament of Kings located in Excalibur. Families enjoy entertainment along with their meal (which is kid-friendly meat and potatoes fare) and adults will have fun, too. For something less extensive, try the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM Grand.

Need casual food options? Check these out:

Bobby’s Burger Palace: on the South Strip, near Aria
Snack Shack, outside New York New York
Miracle Mile shops (Chipotle, Earl of Sandwich, more)
Town Square (south of Mandalay Bay)

What to see:

Entertainment abounds in Vegas, but what to see with kids? Our top picks are the Comedy Pet Theater at Planet Hollywood or sea-life viewing at the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef Aquarium. If in doubt, treat kids to an evening at any number of high-end, extensive video game arcades along the strip. Some shops along the Strip are kid-friendly, like the World of M&Ms and Adidas store. Learn more about things to do in Vegas with kids.

Shows to catch while in town:

Blue Man Group: art, music, non-verbal performing…it’s hard to describe but stunning.
Penn and Teller: We love that these magicians are also funny…very funny.
Ka by Cirque du Soleil: the ultimate in circus performing arts, martial arts, acrobatics, and puppetry. In other words, something for everyone.
Tournament of Kings: Located in the Excalibur, this dinner theater showcases dueling knights and lots of action.
Recycled Percussion: this ‘junk rock’ performance allows the audience to play along on pots, pans, sinks, etc.

Arcades and attractions for older kids:

The arcade at New York New York is extensive, as is the Midway arcade in Circus Circus. GameWorks Las Vegas is located next to the MGM Grand. The Luxor’s Games of the Gods arcade is one of the best for virtual rides and interactive gaming experiences. Want an old-fashioned midway instead? Head to Circus Circus, the Excalibur Fantasy Fair Midway, or the Strat-o-Fair at the Stratosphere Hotel.

We really enjoyed the New York New York roller coaster, but be warned: you have to walk all the way through the extensive arcade to get to the ride entrance. If you don’t like heights, the location of the coaster, with the rail suspended outside the hotel’s skyscraper, might just do you in before the vertical drops and inverted loops do!

The Stratosphere Sky Wheel is tamer, or on the opposite end of the scale, the hotel hosts a whole slew of terrifying-looking rides on the tower. For families with older kids, the Vegas Indoor Skydiving allows families to ‘fly’ together in wind tunnels. (Except to pay dearly, however).

If you want to make an entire afternoon of it, head to the AdventureDome at Circus Circus (you may want to take a cab to this very North Strip hotel). Inside, you’ll find roller coasters, kiddie rides, a midway experience…basically a theme park inside a dome. Check ticketing options to get the best deal for your group…paying a la carte would add up!

Photo credit: Aigle Dore.

We worked in conjunction with hotels.com to bring you the best of Las Vegas. All opinions are our own.

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Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and Mt. San Jacinto State Park

May 29, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

If you have a few days in Palm Springs, a trip to the Aerial Tramway is well-worth your time. This ‘world’s largest rotating tram’ takes visitors from the desert floor to over 8,000 feet in elevation to Mt. San Jacinto State Park in just a few minutes. The tram ride itself is fun for everyone (even those who experience ski resort gondolas and trams often), but the real gem is at the top. Mt. San Jacinto Park offers 54 miles of hiking trails in over 14,000 acres of alpine wilderness. Everyone can enjoy the novelty of soaring from a desert environment to an alpine forest within minutes, and once there, they can spend as much time as desired exploring the mountain scenery.

Hiking trails are well-marked, the three major trails offering something for everyone: the easy 1.5 Desert View Trail can be done in under an hour, or the Round Valley Trail offers a 4.2 mile loop more suitable to families with older kids. There’s also a 12 mile loop up San Jacinto Peak for experts. Once families depart the tram at the Mountain Station, they follow a paved walkway down to Long Valley, where the wilderness awaits. Since we’d done a lot of hiking in previous days of our trip, we opted to let the kids rock scramble and play at will in the valley area. In winter, an Adventure Center in the valley offers sled and snowshoe rentals plus gear.

Tramway tips:

The temperature changes dramatically between the desert floor and the Mountain Station, so families will need to bring extra layers. A good rule of thumb: expect the temperature to drop by 20 degrees.
Buy tramway tickets online to ensure your departure time. If you buy tickets at the Valley Station, expect a slight to moderate wait. During the time of our visit on a weekend during Spring Break, we waited an hour before boarding.
Expect the process of boarding to take awhile, from the time you park and take a tram bus to the entrance of the Valley Station to the time your departure time is called to board.
Due to the time and cash investment, plan to spend the better part of the day at the Mountain Station area.

Dining:

There are ample opportunities to purchase food, both at the Valley Station (where there’s a snack area and bar) and the Mountain Station (where families find a quick service type restaurant with pizza, sandwiches, and the like) as well as a sit-down dining experience. Outside food is also allowed, and picnic tables are located at both stations. Bring water bottles and fill them at drinking fountains.

Distance from the interstate:

The tramway is located six miles from downtown Palm Springs off I-10.

Admission cost:

Adult tramway tickets are $23 and children’s (12 and under) are $16. Discounted tickets can be had after 4 pm. Hours vary by season.

Directions:

From Palm Springs, take Highway 111 to Tram Way.

Naples and Cape Coral Florida boat rental with kids

May 26, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

A Florida Boat Rental in Naples and Cape Coral is Perfect for Kids. Discovery Why

If you’re planning a family vacation and after the year we’ve had, why wouldn’t you, the chances are you want more than just lazing around by the pool. Arguably, the best family adventure vacation is to rent a boat in Naples, Florida, and get out on the water.

Sailing is a great vacation for kids as it offers adventure around every corner. Day-to-day parenting involves thinking of ways to engage and entertain your children. On the waves, you’ll find you won’t have to do that as you explore western Florida.

Boat rental businesses such as Click and Boat will offer you boat with or without a captain, offer a range of options for length of hire either by the day or the hour, and no matter how long you hire your boat, you and your family will have a one of a kind of adventure. A Cape Coral boat rental is very popular, and that is for a good reason.

Things to do After you Rent a Boat in Naples

Naples is well known for golf and relaxation, but there is a wealth of things to do with kids. As a rough guide, consider the following:

Naples Zoo – Kids love seeing exotic and wonderful animals, and Naples Zoo will not disappoint. Featuring a Petrof’s Primate Pavilion exhibit features animals native to Madagascar, the zoo also offers rare tigers, hyenas, and leopards. The perfect family day out.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park – Florida is blessed with miles of beaches, and arguably the Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is one of the best. The park encompasses 166 acres of land, and as well as full facilities on the beautiful beach, you can attend a guided nature tour.
Clam Pass Park – This 3000-foot boardwalk (you can take a free tram if you prefer) takes you through mangrove forests and plenty of great wildlife to see, including several species of birds and possibly an alligator or two. At the end of the park, the white-sand beach has all the facilities for a great family day out.

Get Your Cape Coral Boat Rental And do This…

Located in Florida’s Gulf of Mexico, Cape Coral is famed for being one of the best places to have a vacation in the world. It has 400 miles of canals and 27 miles of shoreline. It is perfect for a sailing vacation with the kids.

So what to do:

Fossil Expeditions – Fossil Expeditions gives kids the opportunity to find alligator and shark bones and teeth. This is perfect for capturing your kids’ imagination as few kids don’t like the idea of ‘dinosaur hunting.’
Cape Coral Historical Museum – Give your kids an education as to the origins of Cape Coral. This is not a stuffy museum but engaging and vibrant and brings the history of the place to life.
Family Water Parks – Cape Coral has plenty of water parks with Sun Splash Family Water Park and Gator Mike’s Family Fun Park being two of the best. They have different features with one focusing on beach activities while the other offers go-carting and escape rooms.

Get out on the water and enjoy a vacation of a lifetime.

Travel Gear We Use: GlocalMe WiFi hotspot for travel

May 25, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

Let’s get real about WiFi usage and fees while traveling internationally as a family. When we travel, we embrace being off-the-grid most of the time, but we absolutely need wifi at various times. Sometimes, this is due to necessity: we need turn-by-turn directions out of a foreign city, or we need to call the credit card company to check our damage (I mean, balance). Other times, someone needs to download an episode of Parks and Rec, or someone else really wants some quality Instagram time.

Staying connected in Iceland: using GlocalMe to work from locations like this.

We are a family of five, with older kids and teens who all have phones. Therefore, we have five phones to connect when we travel. Usually, we simply don’t connect them: the parents pay for WiFi, and the kids are basically SOOL. Why? Because our cell service plan charges us $10 per day for an international plan. Now, that’s not terrible, until you multiply it by five. $50 per day seems excessive, even for luxury travelers.

What to do? Invest in a WiFi hotspot for travel.

During our most recent trip, which took us through Iceland for ten days, we tried something new: a GlocalMe WiFi hotspot. For an initial investment of about $150-250, you get the hotspot, which you can then load with varying amounts for different destinations. Or, you can rent the device from Roaming Man.

I spent $20 for 3 GB of data in Iceland, which would ‘turn on’ (for lack of a better word) when I got to the country, and expire after 22 days. The hotspot can connect up to five devices (hey, perfect for us!) and you can add data at any time, either by ‘topping it off’ or buying a second package.

As I noted above, we use WiFi sparingly when we travel, preferring to enjoy the freedom from screen time (for the most part). We turned on our hot spot for about 30 minutes each day to check email, upload photos to Facebook and Instagram, and text, plus a few extra times to navigate when we needed directions, and our package of 3 GB easily lasted us 10 days. So instead of $50 per day for unlimited use we didn’t want, we paid $20 total for all of us to have a little bit of WiFi per day.

This is a perfect solution for us, and we plan to use the GlocalMe hotspot on many more trips.

Note: the hotspot is not intended for streaming video or downloading TV (it will, or at least will try, but it uses tons of data quickly).

How to load the hotspot with data:

Once you have a hot spot, go online to GlocalMe and register. It will ask you for your device’s registration number. Once you’re registered, you can add money by scanning the list of countries (I didn’t see any missing that were within the realm of visiting) and choosing a package or pay-as-you-go option. You can monitor your usage and add money with the free app or with the website. The device itself shows your data usage so you can monitor it there, too. The hot spot recharges with a standard USB cable (included) but during our 10 days, we never ran out of battery life.

How to buy:

The actual GlocalMe device is a one-time purchase of about $130-150, depending on where you buy. We recommend Amazon for the best deal.

Disclosure: We were given a GlocalMe hotspot device for the purpose of review. We paid to use it at our own expense.

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Midwest road trip: Perfect family-friendly suites in Bloomington illinois

May 20, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

This summer, our family was fortunate enough to discover the Holiday Inn and Suites-Bloomington Airport, for an overnight in Bloomington, Illinois, while on our way to points north for vacation. We thought it was going to be a quick in-and-out, but we found there was quite a bit to do in Bloomington-Normal: a zoo, a wind farm viewing platform, a children’s museum, the Ewing cultural center, and the Prairie Aviation Museum. In fact, we ended up hanging around the morning following our stay in order to visit a couple local attractions.

So if you have a chance to visit Bloomington-Normal for events at the local colleges (there are two) or are just stopping in on your way from point A to point B, we highly recommend devoting some time—and using the Holiday Inn and Suites as your home away from home.

Holiday Inn and Suites has chosen to be intentional about welcoming families: kids stay and eat free on-site with their parents. In Bloomington, the airport, which is literally across the street, will likely the first thing your kids will clue in on. If you’re lucky, your room will face that direction and the kids can watch planes take off and land. The air traffic isn’t constant–you don’t have to worry about noise all night long–but between dinner and bedtime, our younger boys got to see a couple of passenger planes skimming the highway on their way in for landing.

In addition to standard rooms, the Holiday Inn-Bloomington Airport offers three family suites. Our suite was compact but very family friendly, with refrigerator, an extra in-room sink (speeds up tooth brushing!), microwave, and plenty of electrical outlets as well as a second bedroom. The suite sleeps six: two queen beds plus twin bunk beds in the kids’ room. While the main room is a fairly standard, nice hotel room (plenty of pillows!), the second room is clearly decorated with kids in mind. The colors are bright, from the red bedspreads to the multicolored floor lamp. There’s a preschool-sized art table and a beanbag (what kid can resist?). And, in keeping with their neighbor across the street, the art is all airplanes, from the coat hangers on the wall to the 3D hanging sculpture of a propeller plane—with a propeller that actually turns.

But let me reiterate the best part, just in case you missed it: a family suite offers parents that magical element that’s so hard to come by on the road: separate rooms! This is not a set of adjoining hotel rooms with a door that opens between them. It is a true suite in which the kids’ room is accessed through the parents’ room. So you can rest securely knowing that you have your own space while the kids are perfectly safe next door.

Hotel features:

For a photo tour of the hotel, click here. The beds are comfortable, and the room features plenty of outlets for charging electronics. You also get free wifi, and the hotel has a business center and meeting rooms on the ground floor. Laundry facilities are available.

I also love the intentional focus on sustainability at this particular location. Most hotels now give guests the option to reuse towels, but at the Holiday Inn Bloomington-Airport we found a note inviting us to earn reward points toward future stays by participating.

Of course, the first question out of any kid’s mouth is, “Is there a pool?” The Bloomington Holiday Inn’s indoor pool and hot tub are open 8 a.m-11p.m. The adjacent fitness center, open 24 hours, has two treadmills, one elliptical, weights and an exercise ball.

Dining on site:

You have several options for breakfast. The morning buffet in the lobby cafe costs $9.99 for adults, or there’s an a la carte menu if you prefer. You can also order a granola bar-and-fruit feature to go for $5. Simpler still is to grab a yogurt from the commissary around the corner from the check-in desk.

For lunch and dinner, check out the in-house Baxter’s American Grille, an upscale restaurant with a varied and mouth-watering menu serving lunch and dinner.

Room Rates:

As always at Holiday Inn, kids stay and eat free. Standard two-queen rooms start at $109/night, while the family suite rates start at $139—very reasonable if, like us, you normally have to get two rooms to accommodate the whole group. The hotel also offers executive and conference suites.

Location:

The Holiday Inn and Suites Bloomington/Airport is at 3202 E. Empire Street in Bloomington, Illinois, directly across the road from Central Illinois Regional Airport.

Our family stayed at the Holiday Inn compliments of the hotel in exchange for an honest review. Our opinions, as always, remain our own.

First time cruising with children

May 19, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

While a lot of people absolutely love going on a vacation, especially on those nice private charters where everything is taken care of for you, and all you have to do is enjoy, planning things out is definitely a challenge. And if you also have children you intend on taking along with you, that challenge is a lot more difficult, especially with small children. They make things a lot more complicated and you need to know how to deal with all the hustle that comes when traveling with family.

First time cruising guide:

With that in mind, going out on a cruise with your children and making the most of it isn’t all that far-fetched. All you have to do is consider a couple of things when planning, and you should be set for a beautiful cruise with your kids.

Set Some Ground Rules

When children go out on their first cruise, you’ll find that almost everything is new. And their desire to explore and have fun every minute is something you’ll need to deal with because they can get in trouble very quickly if they do that out on the water, or in a city, they’ve never been to.

If you want to make sure that doesn’t happen, it’s important that you set ground rules your kids need to respect, and by all means, do this before you embark on the cruise. Cruise ships do come with their own rules and etiquette, which you’ll need to introduce your kids to, and you should make sure you explain that they should absolutely stick to the rules.

Both you and your kids head out with a single goal – to enjoy your cruise and have fun while exploring new destinations. If you set reasonable expectations for them (and for yourself), you’re already halfway there.

Go for a Small Ship Cruise

When your kids see all the things they can do on a large cruise ship, from pools to theme parks, it’s understandable that they’ll want to go there. However, there are multiple reasons why a small ship is a better idea, and that’s in addition to the obvious advantages of small ship cruising.

The first reason is the fact that you have an almost one-to-one ratio of staff to guests. If you or your children need something at any point, chances are you’ll get a staff member available to assist you within a couple of minutes. This is a seriously underrated advantage of a small ship.

But the second, and arguably a lot more important reason when you’re cruising with children, is the fact that you can keep your kids in check much easier on a small ship. It’s almost impossible for them to get lost, and even if something does happen, there’s plenty of available staff to help. And best of all, wherever you are on the ship, your kids are well within walking distance and you’ll be able to get to them within minutes.

If you want to make sure your kids enjoy the small ship cruise and don’t feel like they’re missing out, a good idea would be to include them in the planning stage of the cruise. Show them the options you’re considering, and ask them what their wishes and preferences are. You can make a family bonding activity out of this, and children tend to act a lot better if they know their wishes are being listened to.

Be Selective With Excursions

A cruise will give you a couple of options when it comes to shore excursions, and you should aim to go for ones that are kid-friendly if you want everyone to have fun. It’s a good idea to involve your kids in the planning stage, as they’ll be able to tell you what they like and dislike, and you’ll pick something everyone enjoys.

For example, going on a ride with ATVs isn’t the most family-friendly activity. On the other hand, visiting a wildlife reserve that’s full of exotic animals will make your children’s jaws drop, and they’ll remember the experience for years to come.

Here’s a tip that might come in handy – do the excursions planning as early as possible. Some of the excursions on cruise ships might come with limited availability, and the earlier you book, the better your chances of something you like being available.

Choose the Right Rooms

Last but not least, a family trip is a lot better if you choose the right room. While some small cruise ships offer large staterooms that fit an entire family, even if this isn’t the case, you’ll probably be able to get two adjacent rooms and still have your children close.

A thing to note here is that you should make sure you let the staff know about this well in advance, so they can consider it when they’re planning things for the cruise. That rule that says “the earlier you book, the better”, definitely applies here.

Why travel is an excellent form of education

May 13, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

“Nothing develops the mind like travel,” said Emile Zola. And you can find great numbers of similar sayings from famous and ordinary men all over the world. What force makes people leave their safe and comfortable places and condemn themselves into all those unpredictable inconveniences during their life far from home. There is no one answer- it’s a curiosity for someone and a spirit of adventure for another, but no matter what, first of all, travel is one of the most beneficial forms of education. Let’s investigate some reasons.

You learn foreign languages

Everyone knows that theory and practice joint together gives the best and the fastest result in any study, especially concerning languages. After learning the basics with teachers, books, applications, or videos, you can improve your colloquial skills by talking to native speakers. And just immersion in the language environment is the best way to improve your speaking abilities. Sometimes it’s enough to spend a short time in a foreign country but get a strong push to start to speak without any fear.

And sometimes it occurs when you visit the countries where natives speak the language you don’t know and don’t study, but you may fall for the melody of the language or be attracted by the possibilities to come here again and communicate without problems, so it will be challenging for you to start learning one more language, who knows? Surely, in common, English is spoken in almost any part of the planet, and most often, it will work for you. Nevertheless, it is always better to know the language of the country you are going to visit. So, traveling makes you learn different languages.

You get acquainted with other cultures

While traveling, you always get new information about the world we are living in and get an acquaintance with different people with different cultures, traditions, and ways of life. It’s the best way to learn a lot of interesting things, and it’s in human nature to adopt new and take the best to make life more exciting. You may have been learning and reading and investigating the other country’s culture through books and films for a long time, but only meeting alive with sounds of cities and towns, cuisine flavors, and smells in the air can make your perception of the country complete.

Unfortunately, traveling also can bring some risks. It is a time consuming and rather tiring activity that requires preparation, attention, and sometimes it can even make you sick. If you find out that your writing routine is threatened, and your trip is not close to its ending, address a professional essay writing service, such as https://writemypaperhub.com and get your paper done online in no time by someone who are genuine experts.

You explore history through sightseeing

Yes, you probably studied ancient civilizations and major historical events as part of the educational program, but nothing compares with a personal visit to historical attractions, coupled with the discovery of many interesting facts.

You may know so much about everything in 10 days, which no one school program can propose. For example, you may wander through the ruins of the ancient Greek city with a map in hand and imagine how this island lived thousands of years ago. You may examine the maps and compare them with reality. At the same time, you may try to figure out why this particular island, despite its tiny size, the ancient Greeks chose as a religious and commercial center. And it’s much more exciting and useful than to look through the pictures in the textbooks.

You understand better what the world looks like today

Traveling tells you not only how the world was in the past, but also what it is today. You needn’t read an analysis of the economic situation in the region when you open your purse and spend your own money on buying food and making payments for transport. You may see by your eyes whether this country is so prosperous and totally calm as it was written in an encyclopedia or it is overcrowded with refugees and social situation is very tense at the moment. We must admit that not only the weather is changeable.

You learn about nature

Well, the Discovery channel is always there for you if you don’t like to travel. But it is much better to see at least some natural miracles on your own. Nature smells, nature inspires, nature breathes, and you cannot feel all that fully if you just watch everything online. So, get your backpack ready!

Travelling can cause a desire to get a deeper knowledge about the world around us, about its history, about its problems and ways to make our life better. And all this is impossible without education.