End of summer getaway: Alhonna Resort on Lake of the Ozarks

August 24, 2016 By

Tucked into the side of a shady peninsula in a quiet corner of the Lake of the Ozarks is a homey, friendly resort that combines comfort and convenience with a low-key, no-fuss atmosphere. Alhonna Resort is a great place to get away from the crowds while still being in easy reach of tourist attractions and golf. Read on for all you need to know before booking Alhonna Resort on Lake of the Ozarks:

alhonna-resort

Accommodations:

Alhonna offers a mixture of cabins, motel rooms, and condos, all non-smoking (smoking permitted on decks and porches), with one to four bedrooms. We were given a three-bedroom condo with a king, two fulls, and a twin bed, which offered our family of six ample room to spread out. It had simple but tasteful furnishings, with a spacious kitchen counter with four chairs, a microwave and dishwasher, and a separate dining area. The two full bathrooms were stocked with soap, but be sure to bring your own shampoo. We had a comfortable couch and as a bonus, a day bed that the kids adopted as their favorite spot.

Our condo had a porch that overlooked the lake, where we could sit at the picnic tables and watch speed boats go by. We also got better wifi reception outside, so when we needed to use the internet, the porch was our go-to place. (We found wifi and cell signal to be sketchy in many parts of the Lake area because of the geography.)

Accessibility & Amenities:

The Lake is inherently hilly, but some of the lower units at Alhonna are accessible by ramp. The property is compact, so you’re never far from where you want to go. Housekeeping staff does not come in daily; this is really a home away from home, so if you need replacement towels and linens, visit the housekeeping area, across the street from the office. Note: you need to bring your own beach towels for use at the pool or on the boats. Alhonna does provide coin-operated washers and dryers next door to the housekeeping unit.

On site you’ll find two fire pits (wood available for purchase at the office), a sandbox and small beach, a fishing dock, both indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, and a small playground.

If you own a boat, you can bring it and dock it at the resort during your stay. If not, you can rent a variety of craft from the resort, from large-deck pontoons to fishing pontoons and bass boats, as well as ski boats, skis and tubes. They also offer a paddle boat, kayaks, and paddle board. It’s a point of pride with Alhonna’s owners that their boats are kept in tip-top condition. We made use of a beautiful pontoon for two hours’ cruising the lake and swimming in a small cove, then took out the paddleboat and a kayak in the quiet cove around the resort. Rentals start at 8 a.m. and all boats are due back in the dock by 6 p.m.

lake-of-the-ozark

Dining:

Bobber’s Cafe and Lounge carries on the theme of comfort without fussiness. The atmosphere isn’t fancy but the food is fabulous. The sweet vanilla pancakes were out of this world, and the fried French toast made it onto someone’s plate every morning of our stay. You can get salads if you’re feeling healthy, or fried anything—pickles, green beans—if you feel like indulging. It’s a nicely rounded menu, with all the usual suspects and a few interesting gems like a tomato stuffed with chicken salad. You can dine inside or out on the veranda overlooking the pool and the lake. The lounge is adjacent to the cafe and has a billiards table and a couple of video games.

Rates & Details:

If you need more details, Alhonna has one of the best FAQ pages I’ve ever seen. Come during the week if you can, as weekends are always much busier at the Lake and crowds tend to be rowdier. Off-season rates start as low as $75; in-season rates range from $80-90 for the smallest units to $390 for the largest. One final point of interest: Alhonna resort will soon be featured in a new Netflix series called “Ozark,” with Jason Bateman.

Alhonna Resort is located at 677 Outer Drive, Lake Ozark, Missouri, just a few miles past the Lodge of the Four Seasons.

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Our family enjoyed Alhonna as guests of the resort, in exchange for an honest review.

Big Surf waterpark in Lake of the Ozarks

August 22, 2016 By

Big Surf waterpark, in Linn Creek, Missouri, is an exceptionally well-maintained waterpark at the Lake of the Ozarks, offering thrill levels appropriate for all ages and comfort zones.

Park Features:

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The wave pool

The centerpiece of the park is the wave pool, which runs ten minutes on and ten minutes off all day long. In the rest periods, it’s a massive zero-entry wading pool that, eventually, reaches a depth of 6 feet, though at least half of it is 3 feet or less. In the wave periods, you get deep swells and a few low breakers. The park rents single ($6) and double ($8) tubes, but truthfully we found good old-fashioned body surfing more fun—and easier on the stomach.

In this area of the park, music plays through loudspeakers, but unlike most pools and water parks, it’s kept to a good volume, loud enough to hear but not loud enough to have to shout over.

For little ones

For the little ones, Big Surf has two play areas. The first, with zero entry ranging up to about 18 inches deep, is aimed at little ones, with teeter totters and ride-on animals that squirt water, plus short open slides and even a bouncy swing for babies. The other, which reaches 4 feet deep, is aimed at the preschool/young elementary crowd, with short tunnel slides and a lily pad jungle gym.

For the more adventurous set

For the older crowd, the park offers five adventure rides. Several of these require riders to be 48 inches tall. The least intense involves riding an inner tube down a twisty slide and then bouncing through a series of short rapids separated by pools. The two most intense are the Space Bowl (think of a spiral wishing well, where you insert a coin and it rolls around on centrifugal force until it falls down the center) and Zambezi Falls, which involves a near-vertical drop. Where tubes are required, they are provided by Big Surf, and they are color coded for use in different areas of the park.

Lazy river

Threading between the adventure rides and the kiddie area is the Lazy River, which, along with the wave pool, was the favorite for our set of preschool- and elementary-age kids.

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Other considerations:

The water in the park is crystal clear, and the grounds and walkways are exceptionally clean and well maintained. One especially nice feature is the large (free!) supply of infant, child, and youth sized life jackets. Amusement parks can be chaotic, and having the extra layer of security added a lot to our peace of mind. The park is well-staffed with lifeguards, too, although signage is quick to emphasize that you still bear primary responsibility for your kids’ safety.

Three-sided tents are available for rent around the edges of the park, and there are many tables with umbrellas and lounge chairs lining the wave pool and the kids’ areas. You can also rent lockers in which to keep wallets, keys, and phones.

If everybody gets tired of water play, there’s also a small basketball court, playground, and sandbox on an upper level.

big-surf

Food/Shopping:

Outside food and drink are not allowed inside the park, but re-entry is permitted, so you can bring lunch and leave it in the car. A concession stand serves hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken fingers, and pizza as well as ice cream, pretzels, and funnel cakes. Meal combos are available. A gift shop sells branded merchandise at the entrance.

Hours/Admission:

Big Surf is open daily all summer and Saturday and Sunday until mid-September. Inclement weather closures are announced on the website header, Facebook and Twitter.

Single day tickets run $29.95 for ages 11-59 and $24.95 for kids 4-10, with discounted rates for non-swimmers, after-3 admission, and more. If you’re in town for a few days, hang onto your full-priced ticket. It’s worth a 50% discount for a return trip on another day. Also follow their Facebook page for specials and discounts.

Location/Parking:

Big Surf is located next to Highway 54 at Linn Creek, MO, a few miles south of the Lake of the Ozarks. Parking is free.

Our family enjoyed Big Surf Waterpark as guests of the Tri-County Lodging Association’s Lake of the Ozark’s Hospitality Bank, in exchange for an honest review.

What to do on Mt. Hood in summer: a three day itinerary

August 15, 2016 By

Mt. Hood Oregon is a winter playground, but it’s an amazing outdoor destination in the summer months as well. Located just an hour from Portland, Mt. Hood National Forest offers stunning mountain vistas for hikers, backpackers, campers, and kayakers. The central ‘town’ is Government Camp, which is a smaller community of outdoor-focused shops and dining, but the actual towns of Welches and Rhododendron are nearby and have more options. Families can fill their days walking in the woods, swimming in alpine lakes, and enjoying the fun of Mt. Hood’s ski areas in the off-season. Here’s what to do on Mt. Hood in summer!

Trillium-lake

Spend a day at Trillium Lake:

This stunning lake sits beneath Mt. Hood, allowing families to view the mountain from just about all points. You can camp here, though most of the sites are away from the water in the woods, but the best feature is the day use area, which offers picnic areas lakeside around the whole far side of Trillium. Bring the water toys, including stand-up paddle boards and rafts…but no motorized craft. Plan to come early to get your pick of day use spots! You can also hike around the lake, which is a two mile loop.

Go hiking:

Best hiking in the Mount Hood National Forest:

crossing-sandy-river

  • Paradise Park: An eye-popping wildflower meadow lies about five miles west of Timberline Lodge via the Pacific Crest Trail. We saw blooms as late as early August. The route dips in an out of several of the southwest side’s big glacial stream canyons.
  • Cooper Spur: This hike starts from Cloud Cap on the mountain’s northeast side. Take the Timberline Trail, then veer off toward Mount Hood on the well-trod path along Cooper Spur. When you get to Tie-In Rock, at 8,600 feet, it’s time to turn around.
  • Mirror Lake: Always popular with day hikers, this hike begins on the south side of U.S. 26 about one mile west of Government Camp. It leads to a lake that reflects Mount Hood, and is a great place to sample local huckleberries in late August/early September.
  • Tamanawas Falls: This five mile loop is easy to moderate along the east fork of the Hood River, and starts off Hwy 35 past Government Camp. You can scramble up the back of the falls if you’re daring.
  • Ramona Falls: You cross the Sandy River and follow along the PCT for this seven-mile loop to and around Ramona Falls, arguably one of the most scenic of falls in Hood River National Forest. This is a fantastic hike…see photo below!
  • Timothy Lake: Start at Little Crater campground south of Mount Hood, which is a wonderful sight in its own right…this tiny lake is very deep and has an incredible blue color, much like its big sister, Crater Lake. Then tour around Timothy Lake for a 13 miler, with places to swim along the way.

ramona-falls

Go mountain biking:

Families can try gravity-based mountain biking (lift-served) at Mt. Hood SkiBowl, one of Mt. Hood’s three local ski resorts. If you’re looking for something less steep but just as challenging in terms of exertion, Mt. Hood National Forest is criss-crossed with free mountain biking trails as well. We opted for SkiBowl mountain biking, at the West entrance of the resort.

mt-hood

It involved a $39 day lift ticket to ride the chair up with our bikes, and all-day access to their single track and dirt roads. If you need to rent bikes, they start at $15 for one hour, or up to $45 for all day. I rented for four hours for $35, and having a quality bike with shocks and sturdy tires was well worth it. Of course, you can bring your own bikes, too.

mountain-biking

If you bike at SkiBowl, be aware that Monday through Friday, only one chair is operating, giving access to the front face of the mountain with one main intermediate run and one black diamond run that ends in a bike park with various elements. To find more trails, simply go left at the top of the chair and access several additional green and blue single track runs via High Road or Low Road (dirt roads). You’ll be given a map when you get your lift ticket. On weekends, even more of the mountain is open.

Note: I would say it would be good to be at least an intermediate mountain biker to safely navigate even the green runs here.

Play at Mt. Hood SkiBowl:

Not sure if you want to mountain bike? SkiBowl’s East Entrance has all sorts of fun summer activities, ranging from mini golf to go-karts to a bungee jump and bungee trampolines. There’s a canopy walk that’s similar to a ropes course, but much more low-key, and those ‘human hamster balls’ where you get into plastic balls and roll around. In other words, lots of fun to be had. You can get a day pass for all of it for around $40 a person, or pay for things a la carte. If you want to try the alpine slide, that’s over on the West entrance by the mountain biking. Go early if you want to really open up the track and go fast, as it gets congested later in the day, slowing everyone down. Disc golf is also located on the West side.

mini-golf

Where to eat:

First and foremost, opt to eat one breakfast at Timberline Lodge’s famous breakfast buffet. It’s $15 per person, and worth every penny. Plus, you get to explore this historic lodge located right at the base of Mt. Hood. It’s stunningly beautiful, with gorgeous mountain views, and a great starting place for a shorter hike around the base. Their breakfast buffet is served in their historic dining room, and includes numerous egg and meat dishes, huckleberry pancakes, house-made granola, fresh pastries and fruit, and even a Bloody Mary bar.

Rathskeller Alpine Bar and Pizzeria is located in the town of Government Camp, which is a small community built around the ski industry. In summer, it’s sleepy but quaint. The pizza joint in town has great slices, but also a friendly atmosphere with an arcade/game room for the kids.

High Mountain Cafe: this sandwich shop is located in Government Camp, and has the best sandwiches we’d tasted in a long while (but maybe we were just really hungry!). It’s counter service, so it’s quick!

Volcano Cone is a little kiosk ice cream place in Government Camp. The ice cream is nothing amazing, but the staff is very friendly and it’s an easy place to grab a nice dessert. Also look for various food trucks in Government Camp during the day, including Asian cuisine and gourmet hot dogs.

Where to stay:

Cabin rental: We rented this HomeAway rental cabin in Government Camp via Vacasa. It was a rustic A-frame with a wood-fired stove and an outdoor fire pit, plus sleeping for eight. While small, this cabin was just what we needed, and no more. We could walk into Government Camp or to Ski Bowl.

mt-hood-rental

Local campgrounds: numerous Mt. Hood National Forest campgrounds are located in the Mt. Hood area. All of them are rustic, with pit toilets and no showers or plumbing. They are are very pretty and in wooded areas.

Resorts: A few resorts are in the area, though Mt. Hood is better known for camping and rustic rentals. Stay in Welches, just a few miles from Mt. Hood, at Resort at the Mountain, or at Collins Lake Resort closer to the action. Both are good options if you want a more pampered experience.

mt-hood-in-summer

Have you been in the Mt. Hood area? What do you like to do there?

Nebraska with kids: Where to play and eat in Omaha

August 10, 2016 By

Situated at the intersection of Interstate 80 and the Missouri River, the city of Omaha offers a surprisingly broad array of great attractions for families–and for Midwestern families, a vacation destination within driving distance of home. We’ve already covered Omaha’s world-class zoo, two of its museums, and the Holiday Inn Downtown. For more of a taste of where to eat in Omaha, read on:

omaha-nebraska

The Amazing Pizza Machine:

If you’re on the road and you need dinner and a place for the kids to stretch their legs for a while, try the Amazing Pizza Machine, a buffet, arcade, and fun-plex located in the southwest part of the metro area. Featuring an extensive buffet of pizza (the standard flavors as well as more creative types), salads, soups, desserts, baked potatoes, taco bar, pasta bar, and a nightly special, even the pickiest eaters will find something to their liking. The dining area was sparkling clean when we visited.

Every person who enters is required to purchase a buffet (prices here), but the Amazing Pizza Machine offers a number of dine-and-play packages. You can also buy a more extensive package for the kids while you sit in the relative quiet and peace of the dining area, which is at the far end of the building from the games and rides and has TVs everywhere.

The play area is expansive and varied, with all the usual things you’d expect to see at an arcade. When we were there, we only found one that was out of order. There are many different play packages, including one for unlimited games like pinball machines and rides (rides are Go Karts, bumper cars, a mini roller coaster that’s more intense than it looks, and Frog jumper). We found that for our family, with kids who aren’t used to amusement park rides, a ride or two apiece was plenty. Note: laser tag is available, but purchased separately from all packages.

Of particular note is the area for little ones, with a climbing structure and arcade games aimed at the younger set. Prices and crowding are lower during the week. However, that’s not always a good thing; Go Karts and bumper cars, for instance, are more fun with a crowd.

omaha-with-kids

A partial list of other things to do in the Omaha area:

A handful of shout-outs to places we stopped to eat:

  • The Ethnic Sandwich Shop: Housed in a red barn in a nondescript neighborhood, with outdoor seating only. If you want to picnic, this is your source. Serves hot and cold 8-inch subs, primarily Italian. We can recommend the Capone, the meatball sub, the Reba’s Boy, pasta salad and tossed salad. Bonus: the brownies and cookies! Location: 1438 S. 13th.
  • Dolci: Vanilla soft-serve ice cream with mix-ins, plus Italian desserts from napoleons to canoli. Bonus: adjacent to a candy store! Location: 1003 Howard St.
  • Cupcake Omaha: Cupcakes. Big cupcakes. Big, filled cupcakes. Need I say more? Location: 501 S. 11th.
  • Old Spaghetti Works: Pasta and fabulous, quirky decor (think carousel horses hanging from the ceiling and a salad bar housed in the bed of an antique truck). Most entrees come with salad bar, which is fairly basic but very fresh and very good. On a Monday night, our kids ate free. Location: 502 S. 11th street.

Whatever you do, make sure to download the Omaha Savings app, which is a streamlined, easy to use visual list of discounts usable at many of Omaha’s headline attractions.

Our family enjoyed the Amazing Pizza Machine as guests of Visit Omaha, in exchange for an honest review. Photo credit: Flickr Commons.

Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha review: A family-friendly place to hang your hat

August 8, 2016 By

Time to rack up those IHG points! If your family is enjoying the multitude of things to do in Omaha, consider hanging your hat at the Holiday Inn-Downtown Omaha. This hotel, a few blocks away from the concentration of downtown attractions, has just the right balance of quality and family-friendly touches to make it a home away from home.

holiday-inn-downtown-omaha

Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha review:

This Holiday Inn has gone out of its way to make itself family-friendly. They offer free lodging to children 19 and under as long as they’re staying in their parents’ room. Up to four children age 12 and under can eat for free at the restaurant in the hotel restaurant, Burger Theory, which offers standard pub fair and a wide selection of beers.

Then, of course, there’s the pool area, featuring an indoor waterpark with a splash pad, buckets that dump over a play structure, and a 3-story water slide that goes outside the building and comes back in. This slide does not dump into a pool, but has a long flat area at the end for slowing, although you’ll stop moving just about as soon as you reach the flat. Be aware there is no lifeguard; however, there were quite a few people there when we visited, and safety wasn’t an issue. The area also offers a leisure pool ranging from 3-4 feet deep–most of it in the 3 to 3’ 6” range—with a whirlpool (3′ 6″ deep) and a hot tub. Every room gets five wrist bands per day for the pool area; extras cost $10 apiece.

Rooms & other amenities:

We were given a room with a king-sized bed, TV, and writing table, separated by a partial wall from a living/office area which included a second television and another desk. The room also had a microwave and refrigerator. The table lamps all included electric plugs, which is a nice feature for a family traveling with multiple electronic devices. The decor was streamlined and understated, and it was generally a restful room to return to after a long day. Our one issue was getting the room to a comfortable temperature, as we had the wall thermostat set at 80 and we were still cold at night.

holiday-inn

The hotel also offers an open wireless network, a business center, a coffee shop in the lobby, and a fitness center. Parking is free in the lot behind the hotel—a nice perk for a downtown hotel–and a free shuttle leaves the premises every half hour during business hours. It runs to any location within a 3-mile radius, which includes a whole lot of attractions. It also goes to the airport 24/7.

Rates/location:

Room rates start as low as $127 in the off season. The Holiday Inn-Downtown Omaha is located at 1420 Cuming St., Omaha, Nebraska.

Our family was given a room for our stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha in exchange for an honest review.

Nebraska travel: Omaha museums to visit with kids

August 1, 2016 By

Omaha, Nebraska is a thriving metropolis offering lots of attractions to families for a vacation close to home, including arts, sports, outdoors activities, and a number of quality museums. Our family recommends two Omaha museums to visit with kids: the Durham and the Omaha Children’s Museum.

Visiting the Durham Museum with kids

Durham-museum

The Durham Museum, housed in Union Station, honors Omaha’s history as the eastern terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The highlights for kids are the hands-on teepee and mud lodge, the stage coach, and of course, the trains: a steam engine, coal car and caboose; a streetcar; and a passenger train where you can walk through a private dining car, seating car, a club car, and sleeper cars. There’s also a big model train.

The rest of the permanent exhibits are interesting and educational, but most are static rather than interactive. Your best bet is to take turns supervising kids in the areas of most interest to them so the adults can peruse the rest at their leisure.

When we visited, there was a temporary exhibit called “Pirates and Shipwrecks.” Everyone in our family enjoyed the hands-on displays, from a n “experience hurricane winds” tube to operating a remote robotic arm to retrieve gold coins from the bottom of the “ocean.”

Dining/Shopping:

The museum gift shop is housed in the former ticket counter. There is also a soda fountain offering ice cream sundaes, shakes and candy as well as brats and hot dogs.

Hours/Admission/Location/Parking:

Plan to spend 2-3 hours at the Durham Museum, which is located at 801 South 10th Street in downtown Omaha. There is a dedicated free parking lot, and also free parking on surrounding streets. Admission is $11 for adults, $7 for kids 3-11. It is open 1-5 on Sundays, and 10-5 Mon.-Sat., with evening hours on Tuesday.

Visiting the Omaha Children’s Museum

omaha-museum

The Omaha Children’s Museum was, as you might expect, a highlight of the trip for our younger kids. It was a little young for the eleven-year-old, but he eventually found the ball matrix and kept himself entertained for the rest of the visit.

Housed on two floors, the museum is dedicated to play-focused learning and simple fun. There are party rooms and a nursing room, and the museum offers stroller parking in several locations. The Imagination Playground has a grocery store fire house, bank, and so on; the creative arts center offers places to build and paint. The ball matrix uses mechanical, pneumatic, and ballistic power to move the balls.

All this is pretty standard for children’s museums. To me, what set this place apart were the presentations and the temporary display called “Pirates and Mermaids.”

omaha-museumAt the Star Wars-themed science presentation, the young woman centered her experiments around examples from the movies: Luke’s land speeder (a hovercraft made of particle board and a leaf blower), the swinging log on Endor (to demonstrate momentum and force), and Cloud City (making clouds in a plastic bottle using water and forced air).

My daughter loved the presentations in the fairy tale area. Nothing educational here, just lots of scope for the imagination!

The Pirates and Mermaids area housed a pirate ship with cannons to shoot balls and a rope playground with a menacing shark to hover above it. (There was a height limit.)

Outdoors there is a small spray park, a covered patio with a small fire truck, and a playground, with signs around encouraging families to run, play, and picnic.

Shopping/Dining:

There is a cafe upstairs as well as vending machines. You can also go outside and picnic near the playground.

Admission/Audience:

Admission is $12 for kids and adults alike ($11 for seniors). This price reflects an intention for the parents to be hands on with their kids, rather than sitting off to the side while the kids play. Note: as indicated above, older kids are not the target audience; plan accordingly. Give yourself at least three hours, and prepare for the little ones to want to spend the entire day.

Hours, admission, Location, Parking:

Omaha Children’s Museum is located at 500 S. 20th St, Omaha. The museum has a free parking lot, and if school is not in session, the elementary school across the street serves as overflow. There is also metered parking on the street.

Our family visited the Durham Museum and the Omaha Children’s Museum as guests of Visit Omaha, in exchange for an impartial review.

Nebraska with kids: A stop at Arbor Day Farm

July 27, 2016 By

When J. Sterling Morton, founder of Arbor Day, moved to the Nebraska Territory in the 1850s, he wanted to build a home overlooking the Missouri River, but there weren’t enough trees on the grasslands to do it. Morton decided to change that. Today, the fruit of his efforts is the 260-acre Arbor Day Farm, devoted to fostering a love of trees and nature in children and adults alike.

arbor-day-farm

The Arbor Day site consists of two largely separate entities: the state park, and the working farm.

Arbor Lodge State Historical Park

Arbor Lodge, the Morton family’s three-story mansion, sits in a shady, 72-acre state park. The park is free and open to the public daily, and has a playground and walking trails. You can also stroll through the family gardens. Arbor Lodge and its carriage house require an admission fee, which may be purchased separately or bundled with a visit to the farm, which lies across the street.

arbor-day-farm

Tree Adventure

The Arbor Day Farm is a working tree farm, vineyard and orchard. The public area is known as the Tree Adventure. Here, you’ll find:

  • Two outdoor nature classrooms, which contain areas for art, tree house-building, and music. (Our kids, ages 4-11, didn’t want to leave this area!)
  • A greenhouse where seedlings are sprouted for shipping and planting all over the country, as well as a cooler in which you can choose a seedling to take home and plant.
  • Two “rope” adventures: a tightrope and a spider web climbing apparatus.
  • The paved “tree house” and 2/3-mile wood chip “South Table Creek” trails, both of which are studded with quirky and fun artwork. The tree houses are freestanding structures; my kids had envisioned something more Swiss Family Robinson, but the tree houses are beautiful structures nonetheless. Plan to let your younger kids have some pretend play time here. Both trails offer lots of interpretive boxes, from a chance to imitate bird sounds to a set of signs to help you identify trees.
  • The Discovery Ride is a canopied wagon that travels around the farm to demonstrate the history and mission of the farm. If you visit in the late summer or fall, you might get to stop and pick an heirloom apple straight off the tree in the “preservation” orchard.

Most of the Tree Adventure is wheelchair/stroller accessible, but not the wood chip trail and the upper levels of the tree houses. Give yourself at least 3 hours to do justice to the Tree Adventure, and if you have a whole day, give yourself permission to fill it.

arbor-day-farmShopping, Dining, and Lodging at the Arbor Day Farm:

Both the Arbor Lodge and the Tree Adventure have gift shops; the Tree Adventure shop is filled with home-baked pies, popcorn, jams, jellies, and wines, including wine tastings. The staff was very accommodating, and we were able to take advantage of this even with our kids around. The cafe adjacent to the gift shop serves basic hot dogs and burgers, as well as pies. The farm also provides a shaded picnic area, so you can bring lunch with you. Sit-down dining is available at the Lied Lodge, a log-cabin inspired hotel and conference center, featuring an indoor lap pool, sauna, and fitness center.

Hours/Admission:

The Arbor Day Farm is open daily; check the website, since hours vary by season. The best value for visiting the Arbor Day Farm is the all-access day pass, which grants access to the Tree Adventure and the Arbor Lodge mansion, at $15 for adults, $11 for children 3-12. If you’re on a tight schedule, you can purchase separate entry either to the mansion or the Tree Adventure (adults $8, children $6). Discovery rides are separate at $5 for all ages. The Arbor Day Farm also offers a variety of annual passes, outlined here.

Directions:

The Arbor Day Farm is located in Nebraska City, NE, 45 minutes from both Omaha and Lincoln.

My family and I experienced the site as guests of the Arbor Day Farm, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Nebraska with kids: Henry Doorly Zoo

July 25, 2016 By

In 2014, the Travelers’ Choice Awards named the Henry Doorly Zoo, in Omaha, Nebraska, its #1 zoo. This park, with its wide walkways lined with evergreen and deciduous trees, is well worth an extended visit by families of all ages. Here’s how to plan your day at Henry Doorly Zoo with kids:

henry-doorly-zoo

What to see at Henry Doorly Zoo with kids:

Henry Doorly Zoo is a sprawling complex, and for the most part you’ll find animals in expansive habitats that mimic their natural environs. You cannot take in the entire experience in a single day; there’s just too much there. So take it easy, decide what’s most important to you and plan accordingly, or else give yourself permission to wander until you run out of time and energy. A small sample of highlights:

  • The Desert Dome, the Lied Jungle Forest, and the Scott Aquarium. All three lie close to the zoo entrance and are well worth the time. The desert dome is the world’s largest indoor desert (though it’s not as hot as you might expect). Below it is the “Kingdom of the Night,” in which the day-night cycles are reversed so visitors can see the nocturnal animals in their active time. The Lied Jungle has both an upper trail and a lower; we only had time for the upper, which put us at eye level with macaws and spider monkeys. The aquarium is simply beautiful—although it was also very crowded.
  • Multiple play areas. Particularly of note: the Red Barn petting zoo and the African Grasslands, where kids can play on a retired helicopter and a couple of safari trucks.
  • A huge aviary with mature trees inside. A boardwalk winds through it, with benches to rest and take in the beauty.
  • The Alaskan Adventure Spray Park. This spectacular sculpture park lets kids play among sea lions and whales while splashing in the water. Let them come to the zoo in swim gear, because after this they’ll be completely soaked.

henry-doorly-zoo

Practical tips for zoo-goers:

  • Admission isn’t cheap, so make the most of the investment by coming at opening time and staying as long as you can. Early in the day the zoo was almost deserted, but by shortly after noon on a weekday it was crowded.
  • This is a big zoo. Bring your walking shoes or be prepared to pay extra for the tram, train, or Skyfari (a ski lift-type ride that bisects the zoo).
  • Download the free zoo app, which includes a map and pretty much everything on the web site. We did see some people carrying traditional paper maps, but we never saw where to pick them up, and directional signage was not as clear as I would have liked. Having the map on the phone was very helpful.
  • If you can plan ahead and are willing to splurge, consider camping overnight in the Safari tent camp, next door to the lion enclosure.

Shopping and dining at the zoo:

The cafes and kiosks are clean and well-run, and offer mostly standards. However, next to the elephants you’ll find a window serving four African-themed entrees. We had a pork kabob, sambusa, and sweet potato fries, which were all excellent and a user-friendly way to experience a new ethnic cuisine. There are two gift shops, one at the main entrance and the other at the exit to Scott Aquarium. Zoo members receive a 5% discount.

zoo-with-kids

Hours/Admission:

The zoo is open from 9-5 daily in the summer and 10-4 in the winter, though the buildings stay open an hour later. Summer admission for children 3-11 is $12.95; 12 and up is $18.95, with discounts for seniors, military, and others. Train, tram, Skyfari, IMAX and carousel tickets are separate, and can be bundled into packages, which are outlined here. Members of other zoos may be eligible for a hefty discount on admission; also be sure to take advantage of the $2 discount on the Omaha Savings app, available through iTunes.

Parking/Directions:

Henry Doorly Zoo is at 3701 S. 10th Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Parking is free, but on busy days it fills quickly. Additional parking is available off-site, with free shuttles, and vouchers for $1 off admission are offered to those who use the shuttle.

Our family visited the zoo as guests of Visit Omaha in exchange for an honest review.

Southern California pit stop: Pioneertown

July 6, 2016 By

Pioneertown, California is located in the Morongo Basin of southern California’s Inland Empire. If traveling from Joshua Tree National Park or Palm Springs toward San Bernardino or Los Angeles, Pioneertown will (almost) be on your way. And it’s worth the slight detour.

pioneertown

Located in the mountains overlooking the valley floor, Pioneertown began as an elaborate Hollywood set for Western movies. Complete with a main street lined with saloons, general stores, and liveries, Pioneertown can still be explored by anyone who makes the trip up the winding road.

At the heart of the Pioneertown experience is Pappy and Harriet’s, a sprawling saloon, Tex Mex restaurant, and music venue with ample indoor and outdoor seating. Popular with bikers and music lovers, Pappy and Harriet’s is definitely an adults only pit stop at night. However, during the day, bring the kids for lunch to still get a feel for the campy ambiance, then explore around the ‘town’ before continuing on your way.

There’s nothing much out here other than Pioneertown and the restaurant, although a few souvenir-type shops are sometimes open. Walking around and checking out the town is free. Take photos in the Western jail, sit on the saddle in the center of Main Street, and just enjoy this odd but fun pit stop for what it is…Americana at its best, with some history thrown in.

pioneertown-windmill

Directions:

Pioneertown Road at Route 62 in the town of Yucca Valley. The winding, 4-mile drive northwest to Pioneertown has been designated a California Scenic Drive.

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Des Moines area hotel review: Hotel Pattee

June 24, 2016 By

If you’re looking for charm and character off the beaten path, while still staying close enough to access the fun of a metro area, try the historic Hotel Pattee, in Perry, Iowa. This lovely old building, which first opened in 1913, offers the serenity of a small town location close to nature while still being close to a metro area with lots of attractions.

rooftop-art

Art sculptures at the roof top courtyard of Hotel Pattee, photo: Sheila Scarborough

Guests can access the Raccoon River Valley Nature Trail just by crossing the street. (You can rent bicycles next door.) Nearby, you’ll find places to kayak, canoe, and play golf. You can spend a relaxed day in Perry, soaking up the small-town flavor. Or you can make the easy drive (forty minutes of four-lane highway) into Des Moines to take advantage of museums, a living history farm, amusement parks, horse racing, and more.

Room amenities:

Each room in the Hotel Pattee, whether classic, premiere, or suite, is decorated to a theme. The hotel is filled with artwork. Our inner room faced brick walls and a roof, yet when my kids opened the wooden blinds the first morning, they discovered a quirky sculpture park housed in the enclosure. Even more delightful was the discovery of a platter full of chocolate chip cookies (really soft, chunky ones!) on the stairwell landing every evening.

indian-room

Indian Room, photo credit: Hotel Pattee

Because it’s an older hotel with heavier construction, the rooms are more soundproof than most. We had ample room to walk around two queen beds, two chairs, an ottoman, and a cushy lounge. Even with a rollout cot in the room, we weren’t tight for space. We also had a large bathroom with a jetted tub, separate walk-in shower, and double sinks.

We did not have a refrigerator or microwave, nor is there a swimming pool. However, the hotel does provide free wifi, as well as a hot tub, both dry and steam saunas, and two lanes of bowling, all free to guests, as well as massage and spa options available for an extra fee.

hotel-pattee

On-site, complimentary bowling

Dining/Entertainment:

While you’re staying at the Hotel Pattee, take advantage of the live music in the lobby on Friday and Saturday nights. Grab a book and lounge in the charming Soumas courtyard, with its fabulous recycled-art gates. Be sure to enjoy Dave’s Milwaukee Diner, which provides great food and train-themed artwork. For breakfast, we recommend the Pain Perdu, a house specialty.

hotel-pattee

Also take time to visit the nearby Firehouse Ice Cream (which also serves burgers) and Firehouse Museum (free, though they accept donations). If you’re lucky, Brian, the owner, will give you a personal tour. And the hamburgers were out of this world.

Rates:

Rooms start at $114 a night, and packages are available.

Location:

The Hotel Pattee is in Perry, Iowa, at the corner of Willis Avenue and Iowa 144.

My family and I stayed at the Hotel Pattee as guests of the hotel, for the purpose of providing an honest review.