Fun things for families in San Francisco

June 27, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

San Francisco is one of the top destinations on the West Coast for families! With so much history, culture, and fun activities there’s so much to see and do no matter what your family is interested in! Traveling with kids can be stressful, that’s why it’s so important to plan activities in advance so you always have fun things planned! Hiring airport transfers to SFO should also be a part of your plan if you want a hassle-free travel going to your preferred destination and back to the airport. Once in the city, whether you opt for Bike Rentals San Francisco or a children’s museum, you’re guaranteed to have a great time with the entire family!

Bike Rentals

San Francisco is such a gorgeous city, it’s perfect for exploring by bike! You can find a variety of bike rentals that are perfect for families. With kid equipment, tandem bikes, and surrey’s, there are a lot of ways to elevate your bike experience. Tour the bay area with the sea breeze at your side! Ride bikes to your favorite attractions or just tour your favorite park in a new way. You’ll feel like a local in no time.

California Academy of Sciences

Though the California Academy of Sciences sounds like it might not have many things for kids and families, it’s actually one of the best things to do in San Francisco. The California Academy of Sciences has things like a four-story rainforest walkthrough as well as a planetarium. Explore the deep blue sea with the Steinhart Aquarium or experience an earthquake with the earthquake simulator. With a lot of attractions and hands-on activities for kids, it’s the perfect way to spend a day!

Exploratorium

For more of an educational experience, spend a few hours exploring the San Francisco Exploratorium! Specifically designed for kids of all ages, you’ll learn about things like natural disasters, electricity, and engineering all under one roof! With so much to see and do and a rotating list of exhibits, this museum is particularly perfect for families!

Pier 45

Pier 45 in Fisherman’s Wharf is home to one of San Francisco’s most historic attractions! You can tour a real WWII submarine which now calls Pier 45 home. This submarine went on a total of 6 missions in its lifetime and it’s still intact as a floating museum! For kids interested in submarines and history, this is a great way to spend a few hours! See the USS Pampanito for yourself to step into a real piece of US history.

The Coastal Trail

For outdoor enthusiasts, take in a perfect day in San Francisco by walking the Coastal Trail! This is a San Francisco staple which starts at SF Presidio and goes all the way to Ocean Beach. You can start or stop anywhere on the trail, and you’ll want to bring your camera! You can capture the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as the beautiful blue water down below! Even if you don’t enjoy hiking usually, this is a trail you and your family won’t want to miss!

Ride the Cable Cars

Who said family-friendly activities have to cost a lot of money? Hop aboard one of the many cable cars in the city and go for a ride! While there are many lines to choose from, one of the local favorites is the Powell/Hyde line. This line goes from Union Square to Fisherman’s Wharf and it’s known for its stunning city views! You’ll also get to ride down one of the steepest streets in the city. Your kids might even think it’s a ride!

Are you ready to take a great trip to San Francisco with your family? Known as one of the most family-friendly cities in California, you can’t go wrong with a trip to San Francisco! With so much to see and do, not to mention stunning views, you’ll want to come back again and again!

San Diego with kids: U.S.S. Midway attraction

April 2, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in San Diego with kids and not gone to the U.S.S. Midway attraction. This incredible museum is comprised of the actual aircraft carrier that now sits in the San Diego harbor. Kids who love military vessels and planes will be in heaven, and even if your level of interest for these items is usually closer to lukewarm, you’ll still be blown away. We spent an hour here, thinking that would be enough, but wished we had at least 2.5 hours.

The U.S.S. Midway was in operation from 1945-1992. As families tour three main decks, a self-guided audio tour and interesting signage depicts what working aboard the ship (and general life aboard the ship) was like in all of these eras. A helpful staff member recommended we start at the top of the ship on the flight deck and work our way down, and he was right: seeing the planes (and the views of the harbor) first was a great idea. Starting here gave us a good introduction to what an aircraft carrier does. Throughout the flight deck, docents in yellow hats offer various talks on flying planes and landing them on the carrier and duties aboard. Most are retired military personnel, and they’re well worth stopping to listen to. Their passion for the subject was evident, and we really enjoyed hearing their accounts of time spent on the Midway.

From the top deck, we headed back to the hangar deck, where we sat in cockpits (and tried not to feel claustrophobic!). Then we visited the City at Sea area, which actually includes the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th decks. I found this to be the most interesting part of the ship: we toured berths, mess halls, officer’s quarters, the war room, a hospital wing, and even a dentist office and barbershop. Walking through the labyrinth of hallways and staircases, you really get a feel for life aboard a carrier.

The tour is self-guided, with the exception of an optional 30 minute tour of the bridge/flight tower at the top of the ship, which is led by a docent. These tours depart regularly from the flight deck, and are worth waiting for if you’re traveling with school-aged kids. The audio tour of the rest of the ship is included in your admission, and definitely worth doing. It’s well-planned, in that the exhibits are numbered, and visitors can simply input the numbers they want to listen to into their audio set, and skip the ones they aren’t interested in. There’s both a kid version and an adult version, and every headset can play both, so older kids can opt for either. Honestly, I found the kid version to be more interesting!

Admission:

Adult tickets are $19, youth/student is $15, and kids (6-12) are $10. Five and under is free. Families can get $2 off per person by ordering online, and current military personnel get in free. The better deal: the Midway attraction is included in a Go Select pass…these city passes definitely save money.

Hours of operation:

10 am to 5 pm daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). Last admission is 4 pm.

Dining:

There’s a cafe on-site on the hangar deck, overlooking the harbor, which scores points on the fun factor. Otherwise, plan to visit between meals. Vending machine drink machines are located on both the hangar deck and flight deck, should you need waters.

Directions:

The Midway is easy to find right on the harbor by the Manchester Grand Hyatt at 910 N. Harbor Drive. Parking is on-site, or families can walk from most downtown areas. Pedicabs and regular taxi cabs are readily available outside the museum.

As I disclose whenever applicable, I experienced the U.S.S. Midway as a guest of the attraction, for the purpose of review.

A stay at Seattle’s Hyatt at Olive 8

January 12, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

I love finding new kid-friendly gems in destination cities! I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: families don’t have to settle for cheap hotels in the suburbs while city touring. Family-friendly, downtown hotels do exist. Our latest find: the Hyatt at Olive 8. Located in the heart of Seattle’s downtown, the Olive 8 is just steps from the impressive convention center. One would assume this would mean the hotel is overrun with business travelers, but this is not so! We visited mid-week, and were still in the company of numerous family groups. My kids think this is due to their large indoor pool and whirlpool hot tub and their restaurant, Urbane’s, ‘For Kids, By Kids’ farm-fresh menu.

As the sliding glass doors open to usher you into the Olive 8’s lobby, the first thing you notice is the minimalist, glass and steel decor. I loved the ultra-modern layout of Olive 8: the lobby looks out on downtown from expansive glass panes, and the common areas are all open, with wide hallways and high ceilings. This less-is-more mentality extends to energy consumption: that the Olive 8 is the first LEEDS certified Seattle hotel.

In-room amenities:

In our room, our key cards turned on and off lights (to ensure they automatically turn off upon exiting), linens and towels are replaced on request, and the heating and air units are eco-friendly. Even the toilets offer two flushing options to reduce water usage, which the kids found delightful (and hilarious). We stayed in adjoining rooms as a family of five (and had plenty of room) and all rooms come equipped with mini-fridges (a staple!) and iPod docking stations (a very nice perk). The in-room coffee service was not half-bad, and I liked that Tazo teas were offered as well. My kids loved the thick Hyatt bathrobes, and I liked how many outlets I had to charge electronics. Wifi is available in-room for a fee.

Pool and Fitness Center:

We visited the Olive 8 on a cold December night. The kids jumped right in the pool, which is open later than most (until 10:30, open at 5:30 am), and my husband and I appreciated that the Hyatt StayFit gym (a staple of all Hyatts) is located adjacent. We could tag team a workout while the kids swam. The Olive 8 does have a spa, though we sadly didn’t have time to check it out.

Dining:

The Olive 8 has both a marketplace where families can buy snacks and staples, and a full restaurant, Urbane. We ate breakfast at Urbane at the suggestion of both hotel staff and locals. Urbane adapts Hyatt’s For Kids, By Kids menu, developed by kids and a young chef. While Urbane is by no means an economical breakfast choice for families, it does promise locally sourced, healthy options. The dining room echoed the rest of Olive 8’s elegant design, and the service was friendly.

While staying at Olive 8, you’re within walking distance of the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center, and right on metro lines to Pike’s Place Market and the waterfront. You’ll pay for your comfort and prime location: rates start at $152 for a single king room. But why not end each of your busy touring days with a swim and a warm soak, healthy food, and comfortable, eco-friendly digs?

Date last visited: December 2012

Room rates:

At the time of our visit, standard, king bedrooms started at $153 on non-holiday nights. We opted for two adjoining rooms with queen beds, and were comfortable as a family of five.

Directions:

The Olive 8 is located at 1635 8th Street, Seattle. From I-5, take Pike Street. The hotel is easily accessed from I-90, too.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we experienced Hyatt at Olive 8 as guests of the hotel. While we appreciate this opportunity to share great hotel finds with our readers, it came with no expectation of a positive review.

Planning a family vacation To Miami

December 19, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

After its record 15.5 million visitors in 2015, Miami easily holds its status as one of the premier tourist cities in the US. And that’s not surprising at all, given its warm, sunny climate, beautiful white sand beaches, and abundance of popular historic sites and entertainment stops. We’ve visited Miami many times, and have learned there’s much more to this destination than the glamour of South Beach.

Add to that numerous nature-focused, “eco-tourism” adventures in or not far from Miami, and it’s easy to see why families with kids are flocking to Miami for the tourist experience of a lifetime.

But getting there can be long and tedious, especially with kids on board, and really especially if you’re driving or going by bus from distance starting points like New York, Chicago, or L.A. Traveling the major airlines can be challenging as well. That’s one reason why taking your family to Miami on a private jet charter flight is such an attractive alternative. Yes, you’ve been hearing about taking a private plane to Miami, and yes, they’re within reach for ‘regular’ families.

But regardless of how you get there, here are some great ideas on what to do that the whole family can enjoy:

1. Start At Bayside Marketplace

Not all shopping experiences are entertaining enough for kids, but the shops of Bayside Marketplace are a clear exception. Buy fossils, rock formations, and glow in the dark paraphernalia at “Art By God.” Then stop by Freedom Tower just a couple blocks north to learn of Miami’s fascinating Cuban heritage, just before eating lunch at Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana or hopping on a Biscayne Bay boat tour at Miamarina at Bayside.

2. Stop Off At Miami Science Museum

Museums may try kids’ patience in most instances, but Miami Science Museum will fascinate them. The natural history section, birds of prey zone, planetarium, and “laser show” are always favorites. Big Pink, a great burger/pizza joint that won’t cost an arm and a leg is not far away.

3. See The Seaquarium

In business since 1955, Miami Seaquarium is a true classic. Your kids can take in a show featuring whales, sea lions, or dolphins, get up close and personal with a manatee, and gaze in amazement while watching “shark feeding time” happen.

4. Venture Off To Jungle Island

Jungle Island is a kid’s paradise. A more than 20-acre rainforest full of all kinds of plant, bird, and other (non-dangerous) species – plus dramatic waterfalls, it will hold kids spellbound. The bird show and petting zoo are also key components of this “transplanted jungle” experience.

5. See The 3 Biggest Attractions Of The Region

After just an hour or so drive west from Miami, you can visit Everglades National Park. An airboat ride and a stop at Everglades Alligator Farm will ensure you see some significant wildlife.

Go south from Miami instead, and you can hit Bahia Honda State Park, not so far a drive as Key West and still an amazing drive. Also see the mostly underwater John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in the same vicinity: you can snorkel, dive, canoe, motor boat, or ride on a glass-bottomed tourist vessel over the reef area.

Finally, don’t overlook Miami Beach, where besides the beach and boardwalk, you’ll find (toddler-friendly) Miami Children’s Museum, a place where kids can floss gigantic teeth and record their own music in a studio. Jungle Island (mentioned earlier) is also here. And a family bike ride down the boardwalk of nearby Hollywood and a stop at Taco Beach Shack (or a picnic on the sand, with picnic table) is also a memorable event.

Museums and historical travel in Eastern Tennessee

December 1, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

From the Manhattan Project to coal mining and civil rights, Eastern Tennessee offers diverse and rich history lessons for families visiting the region. If you came with your family to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park or Knoxville, stay an extra few days to explore the history of the area.

Historical travel in Eastern Tennessee:

Museum of Appalachia:

This living history museum and farm is located near Oak Ridge in the town of Clinton, Tennessee, and is absolutely fantastic. It was created by local resident John Rice Irwin in 1969, with just one re-located Appalachian cabin and some artifacts. Now, it has dozens of buildings to tour, animals to see, and a wonderful ‘Hall of Fame’ museum, which houses historical exhibits, antiques, and artifacts from the area. Most exhibits feature ‘regular’ citizens, detailing their lives with as much reverence as one would expect to find of key historical figures. It’s very touching to walk through and read of these ‘ordinary’ lives that become extra-ordinary in the telling of their tales. Many of the buildings around the property have been re-constructed and reimagined with period furniture and touches, and many living history events take place here.

Admission is $18 for adults and $6-10 for kids (depending on age), with multiple discounts for various groups. Definitely eat in the restaurant here for lunch; it was among the best home-cooked meals of our stay in Tennessee. Allow for at least 2-3 hours. The farm is located at 2819 Andersonville Highway, Clinton.

Note: across the street form the Museum of Appalachia is the Appalachian Arts Craft Center, which features crafts, pottery and fiber craft products from local artists. The member artists of this co-op work in studios downstairs and sell their wares upstairs; if you’re looking for hand-crafted souvenirs from Appalachia, this is the place.

Oak Ridge:

Just 30 minutes from Knoxville, Oak Ridge is the once secret city that housed the Manhattan Project during WWII. Now a national historic park, families can tour Oak Ridge in two basic parts. Start at the American Museum of Science and Energy, where you can check in with the national park service and get a park passport stamp. Your admission here includes a three-hour bus tour of the surrounding sites (great to do with older kids), but if you don’t have that much time, you can learn a lot right at the museum. Watch the short video, then tour the exhibits showing the history of Oak Ridge, which housed 75,000 scientists and their families. The bottom part of the museum will take about an hour, then be sure to head upstairs to the outdoor area, where you can walk through an actual housing unit from Oak Ridge. Additional exhibits upstairs are almost exclusively hands-on science exhibits (of a children’s science museum variety). The bus tour takes visitors to some of the actual sites of labs and reactors, and of note: only US citizens can do this part.

Green McAdoo Culture Center:

Continue your history lesson in Clinton with a must-do stop at the Green McAdoo Culture Center. Clinton is the location where on August 27, 1956, twelve teenagers were the first to desegregate a state-supported high school in the South, and Bobby Cain was the first black student to graduate from a public (white) high school. This event took place several years before the better-known moment in history when Ruby Bridges desegregated a school in Little Rock, Arkansas, and yet is nearly forgotten by history. The culture center is changing that, with a wonderful yet small museum in the Green McAdoo school building, just up the road from one-time Clinton High School (still there today, as the current middle school).

The Green McAdoo school served for years as the segregated school for black students, up until the time of desegregation. The historical events that took place in Clinton in 1956 tell a story of bravery from the students, their families, the larger community, and the school. The museum sheds light on important though often hard-to-hear civil rights history during the Jim Crow era, as the town of Clinton was rocked by the events of the ‘Clinton 12’. This is a stop on the East Tennessee history tour for older kids and teens, who will best be able to understand the complicated history. It’s located at 101 School Street in Clinton.

Coal Creek Coal Mining Museum and Discovery Tour:

Finally, take yet another turn through Tennessee history at the Coal Creek Miners Museum in Rocky Top, Tennessee. This is a small but important museum that can be toured in just about 30 minutes. It details the history of coal mining in the area, which started in the 1800s and included the third-worst coal mining disaster in US history, as well as what was known as the Coal Creek War, in which miners formed a militia to try to stop the US government from using prison labor in the mines. It’s a fascinating, sad history, good for school-aged kids and older. After touring the museum, hit a few stops on the Coal Creek Discovery Tour in your car (you’ll get a map at the museum). Stops include locations of the mining camps, cemeteries, and hilltops where the US military used cannons against miners in the Coal Creek War. The locations are largely well-marked, and all are close by.

Do you have a historical stop to add to our East Tennessee history tour? Let us know in the comments!

Photo credit: Amy Whitley and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development

What to do and where to stay in Knoxville Tennessee

November 29, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Knoxville Tennessee is a small city with a lot going on. Known affectionately as the ‘cradle of country music’ (after all Dolly Pardon got started here), Knoxville is now also gaining a reputation for its dining scene, urban wilderness and vibrant downtown. Whether you’ve come to Knoxville with the kids to explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding countryside, or are enjoying a grown-up getaway, here’s what not to miss:

Knoxville with the kids:

Start by walking Knoxville’s pedestrian-friendly downtown, known as Market Square. This square plays host to dozens of restaurants and shops, all with a distinctive Knoxville flair, perfect for browsing and souvenir shopping. Any of our recommendations in our Knoxville dining post is great for kids, too, and for Mom and Dad, several urban breweries have local craft brews on tap. Stop at the Knoxville Visitor Center at 301 South Gay Street to take in the WDVX Blue Plate Special, a daily radio show from 12 pm to 1 pm, free to the public. New and emerging bands perform here each day, and you can bring in boxed lunches from nearby restaurants. Oh, and the red trolleys you see? Those are all free!

Next, explore Zoo Knoxville, a small but progressive zoo that’s known as one of the premiere zoological institutions in the Southeast. Known for their red panda breeding program and tigers, Zoo Knoxville focuses on education more than entertainment, which we appreciate.

Nearby, Knoxville’s 1000 acres of urban wilderness beckons, offering hiking, mountain biking, ziplining, and playgrounds. A true gift for locals, tourists can take advantage too, exploring the park’s multiple, connected sections. All within a three mile drive of downtown, this urban park can keep families busy all day. Mountain bikers may want to start at the Baker Creek Preserve section, where a kids’ pump track and nature playground (structures all utilize natural elements like logs, stones, and slopes) sit adjacent to the park’s most technical and advanced mountain biking trail, a double black diamond created via a grant from Bell Helmets (only for the most advanced riders). Additional green and blue single track can be accessed in this area as well, all found by Taylor Road.

In the northern section of the urban park sits Ijams Nature Center, certainly the hub of the park, with discovery trails perfect for young kids, an indoor center, more advanced trails that span out to a beautiful reclaimed quarry, and Navitat Canopy Adventures, hands-down the most extensive treetop ropes course and zip line operation we’ve tried. For kids age 7 and up, Navitat is a 2.5 hour experience that’s still under $50 per person, and takes guests through a half-hour on-ground tutorial followed by two hours of exploring multiple ‘trails’ in the treetops, where you navigate rope bridges, nets, slack lines, swings and zip lines, while harnessed into a cable safety system.

Back in downtown, the Museum of East Tennessee History gives families a really good overview of the history of the area. Admission is low, and the museum takes about an hour to tour. Across the street, the Tennessee Theater was once a 1920’s movie palace, now a venue for Broadway productions, musical groups, and children’s programming; it’s well worth checking the event calendar to see if a show coordinates with your visit. On the National Register of Historic Places, the theatre is truly jaw-droppingly gorgeous inside.

Where to stay: The Tennessean

Recently opened as a luxury category hotel in Knoxville, The Tennessean truly delivers on elegance, service and beauty. It’s located within walking distance of Market Square, is upscale without being pretentious, (definitely bring the kids), and offers one of the only elevated lodging options in the area. While I’ve stayed in more luxurious hotels, the level of service and attention to detail at The Tennessean rivaled that of a Ritz or Fairmont.

After speaking with the owner of the hotel, I understand why: he values a service level in his team on par with such hotels as Blackberry Farms (in Tennessee) and my aforementioned examples. What did this service look like? From check in to check out, I was greeted (usually by name) every time I walked into the lobby, the valet staff was cheerful and quick to action, and the housekeeping staff offered turn down service nightly and even remembered what side of the bed I slept on.

The Tennessean offers value in small and large ways: nightly valet parking is not terribly expensive, illy coffee machines are in every room, which also has robes, luxury bathroom amenities and fridges, there’s a continental in-room breakfast offering (starting as low as $3) as well as a full breakfast buffet ($18 at the time of my visit), a very nice fitness room, and, perhaps the star of the show, the second floor Drawing Room provides an upscale lounge experience with great city views, a fantastic bar, and small plates. Every evening, this was the place to gather for a cocktail (they’re known for their Smoked Old Fashioned) and some down time.

There are multiple room configurations for families, from suites to a very rarely seen double king room with bathtub (most other rooms have very nice, large showers but not tubs) and each room, as well as the public spaces of the hotel, have touches of a river theme: The Tennessean is named after the river, not the state. Once alerted to this fact, you’ll see river touches everywhere, from the river nautical maps over the beds to the water-like carpeting. Each floor is even named after a tributary of the Tennessee River, and all furniture and artwork in the hotel are locally sourced.

For families, I learned of several convenient saving hacks: the Holiday Inn right next door has a small marketplace adjacent to the lobby, which has cheaper breakfast items and drinks, and Tennessean guests have use of their pool, as well. The Tennessean is not only within walking distance of downtown, but it’s right next door the convention center and just behind the University of Tennessee.

Rates vary, but families can expect to pay around $100 more to stay at the Tennessean versus the budget hotel chains adjacent. We feel it’s well worth the upgrade to elevate your stay in Knoxville.

Disclosure: I experienced Knoxville and the Tennessean as a guest of the city. All opinions remain my own.

Knoxville dining scene: Farm to fork country cooking

November 27, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Imagine a culinary destination rich with vegan, vegetarian, and additional healthy dining options on nearly every menu, taking care to utilize locally-sourced ingredients. Then imagine Southern comfort cooking, from casseroles to pies, chow chow, and grits, with a heavy dose of tradition in each plating. Now imagine these two culinary styles combined, in one place, and you have Knoxville’s dining scene.

Downtown Knoxville has enjoyed a recent revival, with its walkable Market Square playing host to upward of 80 independent restaurants. The surrounding countryside in Knox, Anderson, and Jefferson counties boast several more destination restaurants, as well. Here’s where to go, on your next visit to the ‘cradle of country music’.

Knoxville and Market Square:

French Market: This French creperie is owned and operated by a couple who lived in Paris much of their adulthood, and have brought traditional French crepes back to Tennessee. Recently recognized as one of the top 25 creperies in the world, French Market gets busy each morning, but service is quick and the coffee and juices are great, too. Pick from sweet or savory crepes, omelettes and homemade croissants. Located at 412 Clinch Ave.

Tomato Head: This sandwich and salad eatery’s motto is, ‘Food’s gotta cook…don’t come out of a can’, which pretty much says it all. Tomato Head has an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu, in addition to your traditional meats and cheeses. We picked up a to-go order to eat at the nearby Knoxville Visitor’s Center, where we listened to the Blue Plate Special radio hour (a Knoxville must-do), which worked out perfectly. Located at 12 Market Square.

Maple Hall Bowling: This boutique Market Square bowling alley is more hip bar than traditional bowling alley, with 11 almost elegant lanes, small plates and cocktails, and a very fun, young vibe. Come with the kids in the afternoon, or in the evening for date night. Located at 414 South Gay Street.

Bistro by the Bijou: Located next door to the Bijou Theater, Knoxville’s top venue for live music downtown, Bistro by the Bijou is run by Martha Boggs, a Tennessee native who managed the bistro for years before becoming its owner. With no formal schooling in culinary arts, Martha has curated a menu with the sophistication of a trained chef…her diverse offerings are plant-based at heart, with added proteins with a Southern flair. She says she’s been cooking all her life with her family, and it shows: of all the meals we enjoyed in Knoxville, Bistro by the Bijou represented the farm-to-fork Southern sophistication hybrid I so enjoyed best. She grows her own vegetables, so you’ll see seasonal offerings like okra, tomatoes, and eggplant, and her daily chalkboard always features something in season and locally available. Located at 807 South Gay Street.

Knoxville Ale Trail: Knoxville boasts 10 breweries on its ale trail, with craft brewers from all walks of life, running breweries sporting all types of vibes and personalities. Most locals will recommend Alliance Brewing Company, located right next to Knoxville’s urban wilderness, making it a great stop after mountain biking or hiking. Crafty Bastard Brewery is run by a colorful and lively couple, serving unconventional, quirky beers.

Surrounding area:

Museum of Appalachia restaurant: Learn more about the awesome Museum of Appalachia here, but trust me, it’s attached restaurant deserves its own spotlight. Serving traditional Southern food with some modern twists, it offers farm to fork fare during lunch (long before farm to fork was a buzz word), such as vegetable casseroles, pies and soups, classic mashed potatoes and riced cauliflower, pot pies, carved meats, and to-die-for desserts. Eating here felt like Thanksgiving dinner, there were so many sides to choose from. Located at 2819 Andersonville Highway, Clinton, TN.

Bush’s Beans Visitor Center: While it’s not possible to tour the actual factory at Bush’s Beans, located in Chestnut Hill, it’s worth a stop if you’re in the area for the restaurant alone. Tour the adjacent museum to learn a bit about the Bush family, then stop for at least a slice of pie (every one we tried was amazing) or a whole lunch. They serve everything from classic beans and cornbread here to catfish, steak, or burgers, but the sides are the stars of the show. Try the sweet potato fries dusted with cinnamon and sugar, the fried okra, or the pinto bean pie.

Calhoun’s: Located in Oak Ridge, Calhoun’s is a great dinner destination after touring the Manhattan Project National Historic Park and American Museum of Science and Energy. Known for their BBQ, Calhoun’s view is also a draw; it sits right on the Clinch River, at 100 Melton Lake Peninsula.

Note: East Tennessee does have several wine trails, with the Great Valley Wine Trail the easiest to access from Knoxville. While the region is not known for wine, the views and ambiance at Spout Spring Estates Winery and Vineyard make this friendly winery worth a stop if driving through. It’s located at 430 Riddle Lane in Blaine, Tennessee.

Disclosure: I sampled Knoxville’s dining scene as a guest of the city, for the purpose of review. All opinion remains my own.

The MaiZe at the Pumpkin Patch

October 30, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

A fun outing for kids of all ages, the MaiZe at The Pumpkin Patch consists of acres of twisting, turning stalks that kept our group of kids entertained (and lost!) for nearly an hour. Located on picturesque Sauvie Island about 10 minutes from downtown Portland, The Pumpkin Patch is just one of many area farms and organic produce markets that give this beautiful location its fall festival atmosphere.

This autumn, the maze is cut in the shape of the Portland Timbers logo in celebration of their inaugural year in the MLS; an additional haunted maze is open after dark, and suggested for only those over age five. (And unless you have a particularly brave child, I’d amend that to include up to around age 10.)

In addition to the maze, the farm hosts wagon rides, an animal barn that operates much like a petting zoo, a hay pyramid, a produce market, and, of course, a pumpkin patch. It gets very busy on weekend afternoons, so I’d advise arriving close to their 10 am opening time for parking and room to explore. Getting an early start also allows families to spend the remainder of the day perusing the many additional farms on the island.

Tip: Be sure to wear cool weather gear and rainboots if it’s recently rained. The ground gets very muddy!

Of course, the MaiZe is just one of many Portland area fall pit stops. To find more, and read about where other traveling families are heading this autumn, check out this discussion on fall festivals at the KOA Campfire community!

Date last visited: October 15, 2011

Distance from the interstate: 8 miles from I-5.

Hours of operation: Sunday through Thursday 10 am to 6 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10 am to 10 pm. (Haunted corn maze open weekend nights 7 pm to 10 pm.) Hours are for the months of September and October only.

Admission costs: Adults $7, kids 6-12 $5, under age 6, free. Additional fees apply for pumpkin purchases, though animal barn and hay pyramid are free. Haunted maze is $10 per person, regardless of age.

Food Services: Vendors are on-hand with festival fare: caramel apples, hot dogs, cider, corn on the cob, and the like. We apppreciated the inclusion of a quesadilla vendor…untraditional, but welcome!

Directions: The Pumpkin Patch is located at 16525 NW Gillihan Rd in Portland. From downtown, take Hwy 30 west toward Mt. St. Helens for 10 miles. At the junction for Sauvie Island, turn right and over the bridge. Follow signs to the Pumpkin Patch one mile further.

Five best ways to tour New York City

September 20, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

New York City is one of the most famous places in the world. Millions of tourists visit the city every year just to see the world-famous Big Apple. There’s little surprise in learning that tours are the most popular way to see the sights; after all, it can be difficult to see them all by yourself. However, there are many different tours of New York that you can choose from; how would you know which one to pick? These five options are all wonderful for those who want to see the sights and enjoy the city. Read on for five best ways to tour New York City:

From the Sky

New York is a city full of towering skyscrapers, making it seem as though the buildings that you’re so interested in seeing are just looming above you. For the best way to see them, why not try a bird’s-eye view? Helicopter tours of the city are a great way to get a good look at everything as a whole as opposed to one indecipherable building after another. The Big Apple Tour is a great choice here. Tours last between ten and fifteen minutes at a time.

Cruise the City

Are you most interested in seeing the world-famous landmarks in the city? Then, you might want to try to get a look from the water. The famous Circle Line Cruise will take you to some of the most important and beautiful landmarks of New York City, and you’ll be able to see it without worrying about traffic, either on the streets or the sidewalks. This tour will take you around the tip of Manhattan, to the Full Islands, or even to the most famous spot in New York: The Statue of Liberty.

Bike the Park

Central Park is probably the most famous park in the entire world. This, as well as the beauty of the place, makes it a sight that you can’t leave off of your itinerary when planning a trip to New York. And, of course, the best way to see the park is by getting out and about in it! The Central Park Bicycle Tour offers you the chance to ride around Central Park, allowing you to enjoy the fresh air and sights while also learning about the historical significance that it holds.

Try a Photo Tour

What’s a trip to one of the most famous cities in the world if you don’t take any pictures while you’re there? Thankfully, there are tours that are designed specifically around being able to take photos of the more famous places in the city. Citifari is a great tour for those who are interested in capturing the feeling around Manhattan. You’ll get the best vantage points for the iconic New York landmarks available as well as tips for the best photographs all from your guides.

The Classic

Do you want to tour around New York in the most classic way? And, are you hoping to see the most in the most convenient way possible? Then, the Midtown Bus Tour is likely the best choice for you. With this tour, you’ll hop on a red, double-decker bus and be given the “grand tour” of the place. You will be shown major sites and landmarks in Manhattan and will be given a fun history lesson on everything. Each bus tour lasts about three hours.

New York City is truly one of the most fantastic cities in the world. Not only is it iconic, but it is steeped in history that helped define the entire United States. For those wanting to experience it, there is a tour for you!

Visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum with kids

September 11, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Families with school-aged and teen kids will likely plan to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum during a trip to New York City. Even without small children, however, a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum with kids is a heavy, sometimes difficult experience, and it’s good to go prepared. Here’s what you need to know:

What to expect at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum with kids:

It’s important to prepare your child for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. A thorough visit can take over two hours, so allow time.

The historical exhibition has three parts: the Day of 9/11, Before 9/11 and After 9/11. Families will get the story of what happened on 9/11, including the events at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the story of Flight 93. We liked that the exhibition also explores the background leading up to the events and examines their aftermath and even the continuing implications for all Americans and even the entire world.

Note: the In Memoriam section of the museum commemorates the lives of those who perished on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993, and provides visitors with the opportunity to learn about the men, women and children who died. This part of the exhibit proved to be the most emotionally difficult for our son, age 12.

There are audio guides, and we do recommend using these. Pick up the one dedicated to children specifically for anyone under age 12. It will treat the topics with more sensitivity.

If you go:

The museum is visited via timed ticket. We used our New York Explorer Pass (see information below). We liked the timed ticket option, because it made the experience less hectic and more personal. You enter the 9/11 Memorial at the intersection of Liberty Street and Greenwich Street, at the intersection of Liberty Street and West Street, or the at the intersection of West Street and Fulton Street.

Note: public restrooms are not available. The closest public restrooms are located in Wagner Park or Battery Park. Bathrooms are also available in Federal Hall on Wall Street, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Remember, visitors are NOT permitted to throw or place anything in the memorial pools.

How we visited the memorial and other NYC attractions without hassle:

When we visit cities, we like to use passes bought ahead of time, as they save time at attraction counters and gates as well as help us budget our vacation dollars. For this trip to New York City, we used the 3-Choice New York Explorer Pass from Smart Destinations. You can choose between 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 choices (out of a total of 61 for the NYC pass). Visiting the first attraction activates the pass. In the case of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, advanced reservations are required, so we had to plan ahead. All you need to do is make your timed reservation with a credit card, and then when you show up, the credit card will not be charged.

Using the Explorer Pass saved us a lot of money at each destination we visited (we also went to the Statue of Liberty and Top of the Rock during this trip) and saved us from waiting in any lines except for security lines.

Tip: Want to see the Statue of Liberty on your Explorer Pass, too? There’s a special procedure: Present your New York Explorer Pass at one of the Statue Cruises ticket counters inside Castle Clinton at Battery Park. Then, once you have obtained your Ferry Ticket from Castle Clinton you must wait in the security line before boarding.Your pass provides you access to the island only. Pedestal & crown access requires reservations and space is limited, and is not included with your pass.

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Have you visited the 9/11 museum and memorial with kids? What are your tips?

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