One week in San Diego with kids: San Diego itinerary

March 24, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

San Diego is one of our favorite spring destinations: it’s warm, offers up both beaches and culture, and can be affordable for a week-long visit. Here’s what not to miss with kids during a one week San Diego itinerary:

As travel today remains uncertain, please keep your safety and the safety of others in mind at all times. If you are comfortable with traveling, please travel responsibly and within regulation as any travel is at your own risk.

If you do decide to travel at this time, here are our recommendations:

Wear a face mask.
Bring hand sanitizer and wash your hands on a regular basis.
Check official websites before your trip for the latest updates on policies, closures and status of local businesses.
Book a hotel with free cancellation in case you need to change your plans at the last minute.

During a time when many vacations are not possible, outdoor activities in road trip-accessible locations offer the ability to safely social distance. Hotels.com asked me to share my favorite activities and tips for exploring San Diego, so start here as you plan a safe and responsible vacation.

Where to stay and how to get around:

Decide where you want to center your home base for your San Diego itinerary: downtown San Diego or the Carlsbad area where beaches and LegoLand will beckon. There are many San Diego hotel options, depending on where you want to center your home base.

If you opt for downtown, we recommend the San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina or the Grand Hyatt. Keep in mind that while you’ll be on the water, this is the marina side, so you won’t have access to swimming beaches. If you opt for Carlsbad, we love the Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort and Spa. You can also get a taste of both marina and beach, city and neighborhood, by renting a house in lively Mission Beach.

San Diego is a car-centric city, so you’ll need a rental car to get around. Rent a car in San Diego starting at around $130 for a week, with prices going up from there if you need a larger vehicle. Renting from the airport location is always the most convenient, but you might save some cash if you can rent at your hotel or off-site.

What to do with a week in San Diego:

San Diego attractions that families will want to dedicate a full day to:

Legoland: If you have kids between the ages of 2-12, Legoland needs to be on the itinerary! Make sure to pack swim suits, too, for the waterpark section, and give yourselves the entire day, if not two days. Get our top tips for Legoland Calfornia here.

San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld San Diego: Depending on the choices your family makes, both of these parks will require a full day. We lean toward the zoo, where we feel the conservation efforts and educational aspects outweigh those at SeaWorld. Get our top tips for the San Diego Zoo here and for Seaworld San Diego here.

Beach day: Plan for at least one full day at a San Diego beach! Our top picks include the bustling Mission Beach district if you have older kids and want to do some dining and shopping as well (there are also paddle board and bike rentals in abundance). If you have younger kids, head over the bridge to Coronado and enjoy the gentle surf and flat sand on this relatively quieter island.

San Diego attractions that only require half a day:

Old Town San Diego: Often overlooked, we love Old Town! You can tour Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, where The Junipero Serra Museum lies right on Presidio Drive in Presidio Park, marking the exact location where historical scholars say the state of California was born. Outside in the Presidio is a wonderful place for an afternoon picnic and restful place to take a breather.

Extra Tip: if you want to learn more about the history of the city, consider a walking tour with a California State park guide. Tours begin at the visitor’s center on the plaza, and no reservations are required. Parents with little ones can detour from the tour whenever tired feet dictate.

After getting a solid historical background, you’ll want to kick back and enjoy some of the color and flavor of the Old Town marketplaces. Take your pick between Fiesta de Reyes, where the streets are always alive with a party, and Bazaar Del Mundo, which features goods from all over the world. Toy stores selling historically-based toys and candy shops with old-fashioned treats can also be found in the state park section of town.

Use Old Town Trolley Tours to explore the area without stress…it will also take you over to Coronado and through downtown attractions if you want to make touring San Diego without a car into a day’s activity.

Balboa Park and museums: Certainly, Balboa Park can take up an entire day, but with kids, you’ll want to pick and choose which museums and attractions to explore, based on their age. The San Diego Museum of Natural History is here, plus the Museum of Art, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, and the Museum of Man. When kids need a break and want to run around, be sure to check out the botanical building.

U.S.S. Midway: Kids will notice this aircraft carrier sitting in the bay almost immediately, and they’ll want to explore it. Luckily you can! A tour of the USS Midway takes a few hours, but is very interesting to all ages. We have tips for best exploring this attraction, which is right on the water on the marina downtown.

Enjoy your San Diego itinerary with kids! Spring break is coming…are you ready? This post was created in partnership with hotels.com.

Three things to do in Acadia National Park with kids

May 2, 2019 By Amy Hagstrom

Acadia National Park may be quite a hike from the nearest urban center or major airport, but this beautiful corner of downeast Maine offers families unlimited adventures, from bikes to boats to hiking trails and, if you’re lucky, the earliest sunrise in the continental US! Acadia is a relatively small park, and offers a lot of short, gentle hikes (and some tough ones as well) in addition to their expansive network of bicycling carriage trails.

Acadia National Park with kids:

These carriage trails are perhaps what Acadia is best known for (in addition to lobster, blueberries, and the rugged Maine coast, of course!) and are perfect for an easy Acadia hike or bike excursion. After a day in the park, you shouldn’t miss Sand Beach (Park Loop Road). A beautiful beach with great spots for checking out tide pools, kids may even want to take a dip…although the water is almost always freezing!

The lovely town of Bar Harbor is located just a mile or so from the park. Bar Harbor has everything you’ll need—outdoor stores, restaurants, and an ice cream parlor on almost every block! Below, get the nitty-gritty on navigating the carriage trails, plus two other great things to do with young kids in Acadia National Park:

Bike the carriage trails:

Perhaps the best way to see the park with young kids is via bike. I rented a bike at Acadia Bike Rentals and took Homer (3.5) and Greta (1.5) out for a ride around Eagle Lake. The folks at Acadia Bike were friendly and helpful, and had me set up and ready to ride in just a few minutes. If you’re visiting during peak seasons—summer and fall—they recommend that you contact them before you travel to reserve your bikes, especially if you plan to rent specialized equipment, like a child’s trailer or tagalong.

To save you from some of the pitfalls that I encountered, I’ll include a few helpful carriage trail tips if you’re riding with or pulling young kids. Access to the carriage trails is within riding distance from Bar Harbor (where most bike rental shops, including Acadia Bike, are located), but it’s about two miles and a lot of it is uphill. You never really know how heavy your kids are until you’re hauling them up that hill! I walked a good portion of the trip to the carriage trails, but I did manage it with enough juice left over for a good morning ride.

I had two toddlers (3.5 and 1.5 years old) sharing a seat, and had to endure a lot of bickering and squirming from the trailer. It might have worked better to have the younger one in a child seat, and the older one in the trailer. Even better, if you have two adults on the ride (sadly, we had one parent stuck at work all day), you can split them up and share the burden—literally!

Visit Mount Desert Oceanarium:

Located on the north side of Mount Desert Island, just a few minutes drive from Bar Harbor, is the Mount Desert Oceanarium. The Oceanarium hosts the Maine Lobster Fishing Program, the Maine Lobster Hatchery, the Thomas Bay Salt Marsh, and the Discovery Touch Tank. My advice? Call ahead! You can’t tell from their website, but the only way to see the Oceanarium is by guided tours that go every 1.5 hours or so. Also, a lot of the tour involves lectures on various subjects from a local expert, so very small kids might be too squirmy to enjoy the visit. When we showed up, the last tour of the day had already started and we were able to join them for the last part—the Discovery Touch Tank. In hindsight, this was the best thing that could have happened for us, since our kids are too young to sit through a lecture-format tour anyway. If you have very little ones, you might see if they can accommodate you by giving you a brief tour or letting you join up with another group at the touch tank, since this is definitely a toddler favorite!

Eat at Jordan’s Restaurant:

When I was in college (in Maine, albeit a little bit farther south), I remember coming to Acadia to snowshoe with friends and having a delicious breakfast of blueberry pancakes at Jordan’s Restaurant (80 Cottage Street). I’m happy to report that Jordan’s is still there, and still serving up some tasty pancakes 10 years later! Needless to say, my kids ate blueberry pancakes for lunch every day of our trip…with blueberry juice, of course!

Summer in Big Bear with kids

July 26, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

The town of Big Bear Lake may be Southern California’s favorite snow destination in winter, but this small community has a lot going on in summer, too. An easy drive from San Bernardino, CA, Big Bear is at a respectable 6752 feet in elevation, making it a legit mountain destination for families, with pine forests, wildlife, and plenty of hiking and biking. Here’s what to do and where to stay in summer in Big Bear with kids.

Spend time on the lake with a local:

Big Bear may be a tourist town, but it’s also a thriving year-round community that draws unique individuals to the mountain lifestyle. You can often find these residents at local watering holes (read on for a list), but the best way to tap into this great resource if you have kids in tow is to get out on the lake with Captain John. Captain John’s marina is located on the ‘quiet’ side of the lake in Fawnskin, right on North Shore Drive. He offers paddle boarding and boat rentals, but also guided tours of the lake in his own Duffy boat, which I highly recommend. Yes, you can sail with John himself, who has lived in Big Bear for decades. John is a wealth of knowledge about the area, and gives a great overview of the lake’s history in a way that will entertain everyone. Boat tours are approximately $20 per person, which is a great deal for what you get. Bonus: after or before your boat trip, play a round of frisbee golf on-site, for free!

Play on Snow Summit:

During winter, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain (now under the umbrella of Mammoth Mountain) provide a great place to teach kids how to ski. In summer, Snow Summit is the place for hiking, mountain biking, and chair lift rides. Lift tickets are available for single trips (for hiking down or simply eating a meal at the on-mountain restaurant), or available per day, for lift-served mountain biking.

Snow Summit has a full-service bike rental shop with Trek bikes designed specifically for single track mountain biking trails, which also rents out helmets and pads. Once on the lift, there are several gravity-based single track trails to choose from. Coming down the face of the mountain, the trails are intermediate and advanced (blue and black), but a green to blue option is available along Skyline (turning left at the top). If you’re a beginning mountain biker, get a lesson and ask about the skill builder park, a smaller track set up near the base area for practicing on terrain and features. Freeride and downhill bike rentals start at $68 for three hours for kids and $93 for adults (all day rentals also available), and lift tickets are $44 and $27 (child).

As an intermediate mountain biker, I loved the blue trails, both for the challenge of the terrain and the wooded, mountain setting. We stayed cool in the forest, and experienced mostly downhill with only a few climbs (all the better for stretching out the run). It took us the better part of an hour to come all the way down (with frequent breaks). Some of Snow Summit’s trails are actually ‘adopted’ from the forest service, which means they’re open to anyone to bike up and down without a lift ticket. If you have your own bikes with you and want a workout, ask for directions to the bottom of the forest service trails.

Hiking:

Downhill and uphill hiking are, of course, available at Snow Summit, but many additional options are easily accessible from Big Bear. The Wonderland Trail nature trail is only 1.5 miles (loop) with 20 posted stops.Use it as a self-guided tour to learn about the botany, geology and wildlife of this area. If you’re looking for longer trails, check this resource. If you have young kids, the Discovery Center is a great pit stop, with a nature ‘classroom’ of its own where kids can learn about animal species and ecology, plus an indoor area staffed with knowledgable volunteers. Note: this center is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Big Bear Alpine Zoo:

I never recommend a zoo unless I’ve checked it out personally and feel it cares properly for its animals The Big Bear Alpine Zoo has a misleading name, because it’s actually a rescue center for animals who cannot live in the wild due to injury or other situations. The staff is caring and knowledgable, and the small zoo is filled with shaded, well-maintained enclosures with grizzly bears, black bears, dear, raccoons, bald eagles, mountain lions, wolves, foxes, and many other animals. Plan to spend about an hour here! Admission is $12 for adults and $9 for kids, and you can know it’s going to a good cause.

Where to stay:

You can’t do Big Bear Lake justice in just a day. Plan to spend a long weekend in Big Bear with kids at The Lodge at Big Bear Lake. This hotel offers pretty standard rooms and a decent outdoor pool, but wins in our book because of the excellent made-to-order included breakfast at the attached restaurant. It’s also located in the heart of town, so families can easily walk to restaurants and shops.

Where to eat:

Like many small mountain towns, Big Bear Lake has many options for families. Throughout the walkable downtown core, you’ll find plenty of candy and ice cream shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. The best, according to us:

The Pines: for fine dining on the lake (date night, maybe?) The Pines takes great pride in its menu and has multiple specials per night. Locals tell us you could return many times before ever ordering the same thing twice. The Pines frequently has live music as well. 350 Alden Rd, Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake Brewing Company: This brewery is located right downtown and has indoor and outdoor seating. We recommend Mom and Dad order a beer flight to share, and everyone will love the burgers and salads. If the kids get restless, you can show them the brewing room (open to walk into). 40827 Stone, Big Bear Lake

Moonridge Coffee Company: Moonridge Coffee is located near the zoo, and is a charming and cozy coffee shop run by owners originally from Sisters, Oregon. 42646 Moonridge Rd, Big Bear Lake

Grown-up bars recommended by local Captain John:

I promised to list a few watering holes recommended by Big Bear local and boat captain John. When you go on a boat tour, ask him for his recommendations yourself, but these are a few ideas he gave me. Bonus: Captain John plays music at many of these venues on various nights of the week, sometimes with his local friend and musician Art Harriman.

Whisky Dave’s: 40740 Village Dr, Big Bear Lake

Captain’s Anchorage: 42148 Moonridge Way, Big Bear Lake

Murray’s Saloon: 672 Cottage Ln, Big Bear Lake

Directions:

Big Bear Lake is easily accessible from all points in Southern California. It’s one hour from San Bernardino on Highway 330 to Highway 18.

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As I disclose whenever applicable, I experienced Big Bear Lake as a guest of the destination, for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

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.

St. Louis with kids: Visiting the free St. Louis Zoo

May 17, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Voted the #1 free attraction in the United States in 2016, the St. Louis Zoo is a “must-see” for anyone visiting the area. With no admission costs, well-kept grounds, beautiful sculptures and water fixtures, and the large collection of animals, this is a great place for cost-conscious families to visit. Did we mention it’s free?

What you get for your free admission:

The zoo is housed in historic Forest Park, the site of the 1904 World’s Fair, and in fact you can still walk through the 1904 Flight Cage, which was built for the fair and is now home to many bird species.

The park is largely accessible to strollers and wheelchairs, and is divided into areas. The Red Rocks, home of the big cats as well as the zebras and giraffes, is a perennial favorite. On Historic Hill you’ll find primates, some of the indoor exhibits, and the 1904 Flight Cage. The Wild’s headliners are the polar bear, the penguin house, and the gorillas—the gorilla habitat is particularly impressive. Here, too, is the coming-soon Grizzly Ridge. Discovery Corner is the home of the children’s zoo (more on that below). At the Lakeside Crossing you’ll find Sea Lion Sound, where glassed-in tunnels allow you to see these animals play underwater. The River’s Edge offers visitors a mostly shady and beautifully landscaped walk through large habitats for cheetahs, elephants, and more. (Don’t miss Hippo Landing—another chance to see an animal underwater!)

Extra perks:

Although the majority of the park is free, the zoo does offer some extras for a fee:

The Children’s Zoo ($4) has an indoor education center where kids can interact with guinea pigs as well as see some animals not on display in the main zoo. Goat brushing is always a fun activity for kids, too, and there’s a fabulous play area, including a plexiglass tunnel slide through the otter habitat, and an outdoor theater where more educational programming is offered. If there are programs going on, you can easily spend a couple of hours in this area alone.
What kid doesn’t like a zoo train ($7.95 for a full day)? The St. Louis Zoo is fairly hilly in places—pushing a stroller up the Historic Hill to get to the Red Rocks area, for instance, can be quite a workout, so the train is a good investment, especially with young children.
The Conservation Carousel ($3) is operated for free during the first hour of zoo operation every day.
Stingray petting pool ($4).
The Sea Lion show ($4) is a perennial favorite.
The 4D theater ($5) runs short programs continuously.

Food/Shopping at the St. Louis Zoo:

At the many kiosks and concession stands, families will find all the favorites, from popcorn to funnel cake and ice cream. We ate lunch at the Lakeside Cafe, which offers outdoor seating beside the swans’ home as well as plentiful indoor seating. They have an impressive system of composting and recycling which patrons are invited (but not forced) to make use of in disposing of their trash. Silverware is compostable, and lids and straws are not provided at all. As we were going meatless that day, we ordered a kids’ PB&J meal and two quesadillas, one with cheese only and one with vegetables. The quesadillas were very big and very tasty.
Several of the newer attractions, including the penguin house, the River’s Edge, and the bear exhibit, have dedicated gift shops, and kiosks around the zoo supplement the primary gift shops, so there are plenty of options for bringing home souvenirs.

Hours/Admission:

During the school year, the St. Louis Zoo is open daily 9-5; from Memorial Day to Labor Day, hours are Monday through Thursday 8-5 and Friday through Sunday 8 – 7. Admission is free, but the train, the sea lion show, the carousel and some other activities do require an admission fee. See details here. If you live close enough to visit even 2-3 times over the course of a year, it might be worth purchasing a family membership, since that provides passes for some of the most popular “extras” kids want. If you only plan to visit once, consider an adventure pass. For $12.95 per person, this gives you access to the top “extras.”

Location/Parking:

The St. Louis Zoo is located at the south edge of Forest Park, along I-64 in St. Louis, Missouri. On-site parking costs $15, but if you’re willing to walk, you can often find street parking for free along Forest Park’s roadways. And here’s a fun tidbit: if you have an electric car, the zoo offers two recharging stations in the South parking lot—for free!

The St. Louis zoo is free, but our family enjoyed adventure passes courtesy of Explore St. Louis in exchange for an honest review.

Nebraska with kids: Henry Doorly Zoo

July 25, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

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:

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.

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.

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.

Five family friendly activities in Sarasota

March 31, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

While a vacationing family may be perfectly satisfied with spending their entire vacation on the beach in Sarasota, a family that wants to dig deeper (or is considering Sarasota as their new home), will need to have knowledge of some of the more family-oriented activities in Sarasota and the surrounding areas. Even a vacationing family may want to get off of the beach for a while, especially during adverse weather conditions. Fortunately, Sarasota has plenty of family-centered activities to keep everyone busy.

Following are five of the top family-friendly activities in and around Sarasota

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

For families that are enamored by the vast variety of marine life in Florida, the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium offers the entire family the opportunity to come out and get their hands wet while meeting the sea lions. They will also have the opportunity to view some of the most extraordinary specimens of sea life anywhere.

South Lido Nature Park

For the family that is either tired of the water, or still attempting to get their sea legs, visiting the South Lido Nature Park will allow them to enjoy nature absent of the large body of water. They will be able to enjoy hiking along the nature trails. One of the highlights of visiting this park is the ability to view the water and the skyline at a distance, once they reach the end of the boardwalk. Some other attractions at this park are the mangroves and the trees in pairs that grow in this natural habitat.

Sarasota Jungle Garden

Families can visit the Sarasota zoo, where they will be able to pet and pose with a number of the animals. The kids will be able to feed the flamingos, as well as watch the lemurs at play. For the really adventurous kid, they can get up close and personal with a vulture.

Sarasota Opera

When it comes to the refined cultural arts, Sarasota is not lacking. There is always some type of Opera event taking place, such as the Barber of Seville and the Flying Dutchman. So, after a day at the park or the beach, the family can get dressed up and head out to the opera.

Kids Komedy Club at Florida Studio Theatre

The Kids Komedy Club is an event at the Florida Studio Theatre in which kids perform comedic sketches that they write themselves. It is a great opportunity for the entire family to enjoy unending laughter.

While Sarasota boasts some beautiful beaches, there is so much more to the city. For the vacationing family, or for the family that will be making this beautiful city their home, there will not be one dull moment.

Lara Adams recently relocated her family to Florida for her job in real estate. She writes on the subject in her spare time in the hope of helping others.

Photo credit.

Kansas City with kids: LEGOLAND Discovery Center and Sea Life

September 14, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Ready to explore Kansas City with kids? Kansas City, Missouri’s Crown Center is a year-round draw for families, in part because of two high-profile attractions: LEGOLAND and Sea Life.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center:

A visit to LEGOLAND Discovery Center-Kansas City begins with a short demonstration of how the iconic bricks are made. Afterward, guests can opt to ride the Kingdom Quest laser ride, an instant hit for the video gamers in your family. Caution: this is a now-or-never proposition. You won’t be able to come back to it later, which can be tough on kids who need time to warm up to a new environment.

The day of our visit, our Star Wars-loving crew was over the moon to find a room dedicated to Episode IV (A New Hope). The detail is everything you would expect of LEGO. On one side of the Death Star, kids can try their hand at blasting TIE fighters.

Next door, we lost the ten-year-old to a large Ewok Village construction set. He didn’t resurface until we pried him away for a 4D movie. In the meantime, the younger kids found the play place and Earthquake Tables, where we tried to build earthquake-proof structures out of LEGO. (Although any child will tell you it’s far more fun to try to make them fall down!)

Kids can also build and test race cars, and there’s an area devoted to LEGO Friends as well as Merlin’s Apprentice, a carnival-style ride. Height restrictions apply, but the employee running the ride was very accommodating to families with small children.

LEGOLAND is a high-stimulus attraction, and my three-year-old was a little overwhelmed. But he found his niche in a sandbox-style pit filled with Junior LEGO cars—one of several sprinkled through the facility for free play.

We arrived early on a school day; even so, the building reached critical mass well before noon. It can be chaotic, so it’s a good idea to have a low adult-child ratio in your party. Plan to spend a minimum of three hours. Outside food and drink are not allowed, and re-entry is not permitted; however, there is a cafe inside. Admission is limited and often sells out, so I recommend booking online ahead of time. Online tickets start at $15.30* for both adults and kids (2 and under are free).

Sea Life:

If you need a breather after the high-power intensity of LEGOLAND, Sea Life is just the ticket. From the moment the doors open, the low lighting and ethereal music transports visitors to another world.

The displays are beautifully designed and lit, and the aquarium is set up to guide the flow of traffic along a set pathway through the facility, which makes it easy to keep track of kids. Each child receives a passbook with activities and room for stamps to mark their progress through the aquarium.

Sea Life’s marquee attraction is the pair of walk-through tunnels in the shark and ray tank, but the kids will also love the “bubble” indentations in the center of several of the tanks., where they can get right in the middle of the marine action. A touch pool holds starfish and crabs, and a raised deck lets you look down on stingrays from above.

There are also several play areas; when we visited, one of them was devoted to the Octonauts. Our only problem in this area was that the competing video animatronics made it hard to hear the game instructions.

Admission:

Sea Life-Kansas City advance tickets start at $15 for adults and $11 for kids 3-12*. You can see the whole aquarium in around an hour and a half, but you won’t exhaust the possibilities for learning and enjoyment in that length of time. If you can, give yourself time to read the displays, which are on video monitors rather than static boards, and attend some of the educational talks that are spread throughout the day.

Better yet, take advantage of the combination tickets that offer admission to both Sea Life and LEGOLAND, which share a building, a ticket counter, and gift shop. Start your day by exploring the lower-stimulus Sea Life, then switch over to LEGOLAND and return to the aquarium if your pack has time and energy.

Hours:

Sea Life-Kansas City and LEGOLAND open daily* at 10 and close at 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursdayand 6p.m. Friday and Saturday. However, Sea Life remains open to guests already inside for two more hours.

*Note: Hours and ticket prices fluctuate by season and holiday, so check the website for the most up to date info.

Directions:

Crown Center is located in the heart of Kansas City at 2450 Grand Blvd. Full directions to Crown Center.

Our family visited Sea Life and LEGOLAND as guests of Visit KC in exchange for an honest review.

Grand Rapids with kids: John Ball Zoo review

August 21, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

The following post is written by Pit Stops for Kids’ Midwest contributor, Kate Basi.

Going to the zoo is a classic family outing in every part of the world. Grand Rapids, Michigan’s John Ball Zoo is not large, but the unique opportunities it offers guarantees it a place in kids’ memory.

The first thing to watch for upon arrival is “Nessie,” the water sculpture in the lake beside the parking lot. This is just the first of many details that make this zoo such a great destination. Much of the zoo is shaded by a canopy of mature trees, with plenty of places for tired legs to rest and beautiful touches like a lovely waterfall near the petting zoo. Michigan’s cool climate also means that the animals are more active than they often are at the height of summer.

Since this is a relatively small zoo, a few large animals are missing, like elephants and giraffes. However, there are lions, tigers, Grizzly bears, and a host of other kids’ favorites. The exhibits are of high quality, with educational materials that even our six-year-old, a new reader, found accessible. The “tunnel” under the aquarium is sure to be a hit, as is the interactive display that invites visitors to try to jump as far as a kangaroo.

Plan three to four hours to see the whole collection of animals—but the animal exhibits are only the beginning of the adventure.

John Ball Zoo has places for kids to play (and parents to rest). The Tree Top Outpost is a jungle-themed play structure near the top of the zoo, with stationary binoculars to look down the hill. The Nature Play Zone has long logs to use as balance beams and a tent where kids can pretend to camp out. There’s also a petting zoo, and of course, there are animal demonstrations. You can watch the zoo staff train bears and feed spider monkeys, just to name a couple.

As if all that wasn’t enough, John Ball Zoo has created extra “experiences” for every levels of adventuring spirit. Ride a camel or pet sting rays (and even the occasional shark). Explore the “Sky Trails” rope course, which has two climbing levels, or get a thrill from the 600-foot-long zip line.

Not all these activities are available to young kids. Some, like the zip line and ropes course, have weight and height restrictions. Others, like petting pygmy goats, are aimed specifically at little ones. Be aware that many (though not all) of the “experiences” that make this zoo such an interesting place to visit will require extra fees.

Accessibility:

The zoo is built on a steep hill, and parents pushing strollers or wheelchairs will want to be aware that some of the paths are unpaved. Strollers, wagons, wheelchairs and mobility carts can be rented on-site. A tram connects the top and bottom of the zoo; rides cost $3 per person.

Shopping/Food:

In addition to the usual gift shop fare, the gift shop stocks fair trade items, from scarves to carvings to chocolate. The zoo does allow outside food and drinks (no glass) in the park, but also offers cafes and concession stands. Be sure to try the cinnamon sugar elephant ear, available at the Whistle Stop!

Hours/Admission:

John Ball Zoo is open from March through October. During the peak season, admission is $10 for adults and $8 for kids 2-12, with extra fees required for many of the “experiences.” For details see their website.

Location:

The zoo is at 1300 Fulton St., in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Our family visited John Ball Zoo as guests of Experience Grand Rapids in exchange for an impartial review.

Children-Friendly Activities around Lisbon

February 16, 2015 By Sharlene Earnshaw

If one had to choose a single word to describe Lisbon, the amazing capital city of Portugal, chances are that, that word would be “charming”. There are many other words that spring to mind, such as romantic, picturesque, sunny and striking, with this city looking like something straight out of a Disney fairy-tale.

Thanks to the fact that this is one of the oldest cities in the world, Lisbon does a fine job in bringing stunning old-fashioned buildings and modern architecture together in a way that is guaranteed to take your breath away. When it comes to admiring antique buildings, learning about their rife histories, this is usually about the time that the children switch off, pulling out their cell phones. Luckily for families hopping on a plane, train, car or boat to Lisbon, you’ll be glad to know that there is an endless list of amazing experiences that will be fun for the entire family.

Before one can even take a step out into the charming streets of Lisbon, it is important to find the perfect accommodation that will keep the family entertained. Hotels are all good and well, but they take away from that warm, cosy feel of travelling with your loved ones. With most of the best attractions a short bus or cab ride away from city centre, why not enjoy a comfortable housetrip at the many cottages, both self-catering and B&B-styled, that are scattered across the city.

Sleeping with the fishes at Lisbon Oceanarium

Don’t worry, we mean sleeping with the fishes in an educational way, rather than the Mafia way. The Lisbon Oceanarium holds the title as the second largest aquarium in Europe, with over 8000 different aquatic species to admire and learn about. Families are able to book sleepovers, allowing you to doze off with massive Grey Nurse Sharks swimming gracefully nearby.

Feel like James Bond on the amphibious Hippotrip tour

Tell a child that you are going on a city tour, and they will not feel excited, tell them that part of the city tour takes them into the River Tagus, and they will lose their mind! This land-sea excursion is a must for all families, allowing you to learn about Lisbon in a way that is exciting and memorable.

Pull Strings at Museu da Marioneta

Everyone knows that when it comes to families, it is usually the young ones that pull all the strings, and at this amazing puppet museum, they can do just that. Founded in 1987 and set in an ancient convent, this place is home to a massive number of puppets from around the world, spanning across several centuries.

Post written by Jason Swindon

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