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Southern Illinois pit stop: Jeremy Rochman Memorial Park

May 10, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Southern Illinois is an area with many beautiful natural parks, forests, and lakes to explore. Just south of Carbondale, Ill., home to Southern Illinois University, you’ll find a park you won’t want to miss if you’re traveling through the area. Online, you’ll find it listed as “Dungeons and Dragons Park,” or by its more official name, Jeremy ‘Boo’ Rochman Memorial Park. My kids, however, call it “Castle Park,” and it is at the top of their to-do list whenever we visit the area.

Southern Illinois pit stop:

Boo Rochman Park is a privately-owned park dedicated to the memory of the owners’ son, who died in a car accident in 1993. Because of his interest in fantasy gaming, they developed the park around that theme. Within its borders are hidden a host of surprises, from the obvious—a huge dragon to climb on, life-sized dueling wizards’ circle, and sea serpent benches—to the fantastic figures peeking from perches hidden in the crook of trees.

The main attraction, of course, is the castle itself—an enormous play structure that doesn’t just look like a medieval fortress; it practically is one. There are hidden passages, trick doors, thrones, towers, dungeons (monsters included)—kids can spend hours there, literally. Even older kids who are too old and “cool” for playgrounds will find this place hard to resist. It is without exception the most imagination-encouraging play area I have ever seen. Parents will want to explore it, too.

Bonus points: the grounds around the castle are mostly shaded by mature trees, and the sculptures tucked into every nook and cranny ensure that you’ll find something new no matter which way you turn. Also, the entire park is fenced in, with only one open entrance by the parking lot.

Come with friends, if you can. Bring a picnic to share under the trees—but whatever you do, make sure to bring water. Southern Illinois is very hot in the summertime.

Jeremy Rochman Memorial Park is open from 9 a.m. to dusk. It is located at 31 Homewood Drive, Carbondale, IL. From Main Street/Highway 13, take Giant City Road (Highway 12) south 3 1/2 miles. The park is on the left at the intersection of Giant City Road and No Name Road (no kidding!). Admission is free, but donations are accepted to keep the park in good shape.

New Hampshire with kids: Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves

August 31, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

The Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves is a great location for exploration that families can take at their own pace. It starts with a three-fourth mile boardwalk through the gorge. You may remain on the boardwalk, or, if your kids love off-roading, you can explore the boulder caves. This is an excellent outdoor activity in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

The Mysterious Boulder Caves

The site starts with a short walk descending approximately 300 feet along the entrance trail. The first stop from the trail is a viewing platform with great views of the gorge. From there, you enter the gorge and meet your first cave, The Sun Altar.

Next up, families explore more rock and boulder formations, caves, and waterfalls. We visited this spot in July 2016 with a five, seven, and 15-year-old. Basically it is about a mile long “trail” with boardwalks, ramps and ladders that takes you through about a dozen glacial caves. There’s “The Bear Crawl”, “Lemon Squeezer” and “Devil’s Kitchen’ to name a few. All three kids loved it! At each cave there was an alternate route in case someone in your group did not want to crawl on their hands and knees through a cave. It took us a little over an hour and we could have gone back around again if we’d had time. Although other groups were there, it never felt rushed or crowded. You can always let people go by you. Babies in backpacks couldn’t get through and those parents took the alternate routes. (Note: no strollers are allowed.) And not all the grandparents could make it through each area, or wanted to, either! There’s a very pretty waterfall at one point.

There’s plenty of parking and, of course, a gift shop. But there is not a restaurant. Pack a lunch! We thought we’d buy lunch there, but ended up with snacks like yogurt, granola bars, etc from the snack bar area. There are restrooms at the gift shop/ticket area but none along the trail.

There’s a clever little “quiz card” kids can pick up at the ticket booth, fill out along the trail and then turn in for a sticker and prize. We also panned for treasure at the Lost River Mining Sluice after the hike.

Rates and Hours:

Open daily early May—mid-Oct (July and August 9 am-5 pm). Cost is $19/adults and $15/4-12 3 and under free.

Directions:

It’s about 40 minutes from the Montshire Museum in Vermont that has already been reviewed. It took us over 2 hours from Northampton. The address is 1712 Lost River Road, North Woodstock, NH.

Exploring Holland Michigan with kids

August 10, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

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

The town of Holland, Michigan was settled by Dutch immigrants in the mid-19th century, and has made a name for itself as a go-to destination for experiencing Dutch culture. Situated near Lake Michigan, three hours from both Chicago and Detroit and 35 minutes from Grand Rapids, Holland boasts two stand-out attractions for families.

Nelis’ Dutch Village

One part amusement park, one part living history, and one part quaint shopping district, the Dutch Village is a compact, charming replica of 19th-century Dutch culture.

Originally opened as a retail shop for the Nelis family’s tulip growing operation, the village now boasts a carillon, cafe, pub, extensive gift shop, and attractions for kids and adults alike.

Start your day by saying hello to the families of ducks paddling in the Village’s decorative canals. Then listen to a performance of the “Gouden Engel” (golden angel), a 1920s street organ. This wooden-piped, ornately carved and painted work of art includes drums and mechanical figures. Periodically through the day, costumed employees converge on the square in front of the organ to demonstrate klompen dancing. Afterward, the crowd is invited down to learn a basic dance.

All-you-can-ride carnival-style swings, windmill-themed Ferris Wheel, small zip line and carousel are included in the admission price. For the little ones, there are also “petal pusher cars,” which run on railroad tracks and are powered by the children themselves.

It’s not all carnival rides, though. The Nelis family has set up a mock Dutch village where visitors can see short (5 minutes or less—perfect for little ones) demonstrations from cheese making to wooden clog making. You can even be weight on a scale to prove you’re not a witch. There’s also a petting zoo (hand sanitizer provided!).

Keep your eyes open for gems not included on the map. Behind the zip line stands a trio of old-fashioned water pumps attached to gutters for racing rubber duckies. Beside the school house you’ll find not only a bean bag toss, but a contraption that I can only call a “tandem” snow board.

Nelis’ Dutch Village is ideal for kids in the 3-10 age range. Plan at least four hours for your visit, and don’t be surprised if the kids clamor to stay until closing time.

Whether or not you have time to spend in the park, take time to visit the cafe and souvenir shops, which are accessible from outside the park. The cafe serves kid-friendly fare and Dutch specialties like Kroketten, a fried meat pastry, and Saucijzebroodjes, a sausage pig’n’bun. Kids can also make a “stroopwafel,” a thin waffle cookie spread with a cinnamon-sugar concoction.

The cafe offers the usual souvenir fare–t shirts, shot glasses and the like–but the real gems are found in the collection of Dutch gifts—blue china, cuckoo clocks, and other beautiful artwork.

Nelis’ Dutch Village is located at the corner of US Highway 30 and James Street. Hours vary by season and are posted on the website. (link: http://www.dutchvillage.com/park/hours.html.) Admission is $11 for adults and $9 for children 3-15.

Windmill Island Gardens

Windmill Island Gardens, operated by the city of Holland, Mich., is a beautiful preserve and botanical garden at the edge of the downtown area.

Entering Windmill Island, you will drive through a marshland grown up in cattails. The scent of flowers greets you upon getting out of the car. A street organ sits at the head of a breathtaking flower garden and lawn, where the mysterious snow-board contraption makes another appearance, along with hoops and sticks. Both of these are unique play opportunities for kids to enjoy while parents listen to frequent organ concerts.

The highlight of the grounds is, of course, the picturesque De Zwaan (the swan) windmill. This 250-year-old structure was relocated from the Netherlands, still in working order, and actually grinds grain that can be purchased on site. Costumed guides give klompen dancing demonstrations and offer tours of the first five levels of De Zwaan. Kids can turn a miniature millstone, and you can see World War II bullet holes in some artifacts on display. Although the inner workings of the windmill are fascinating to adults, the highlight for kids is going out on the “gallery,” where you can touch the windmill blades when the windmill is not in operation.

Note: although the rest of the grounds are accessible, the upper floors of the windmill are reached via stairs; strollers will have to be left at ground level.

There are picnic tables, and visitors are encouraged to bring food. The carousel here is smaller than most, so it’s particularly good for little ones. Behind the carousel you’ll find a playground and a small courtyard where children are encouraged to water from a rain barrel and get up close and personal with herbs and edibles.

If you want to get out of the sun, a building adjacent to the gift shop houses a 1930s-era model town (think model railroad, but with boats instead of trains). The gift shop offers snacks and Dutch souvenirs as well as bags of De Zwaan bran, corn meal, wheat flour, and so on.

While you’re on the grounds, you might well see people kayaking in the canal that flows through the property. Kayaks are not rented on site, but can be rented in town.

Windmill Island, located at 1 Lincoln Ave., is open 9:30a.m. to 6p.m. daily from mid-April to the beginning of October. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children 5-15, but residents of Holland are admitted free with proof of residency.

As we disclose whenever applicable, Kate and her family experienced Holland Michigan with compensated attraction tickets, for the purpose of review.

Fun winter activities for kids in NYC

January 31, 2014 By Sharlene Earnshaw

Winter is considered by many to be one of the best times of year to visit the bustling city of New York. There are so many fun activities for both children and adults alike that you can be sure to keep your kids entertained during your stay. If you are currently looking to organize your trip you will be able to find many cheap hotels in New York online. With this in mind, here is a quick overview of some of the best winter activities for kids in the Big Apple.

Ice-Skating:

Taking the kids ice-skating is always a wonderful way to keep them entertained and active for a few hours in a family-friendly environment. New York is home to a number of ice rinks including those at Manhattan’s Rockerfeller Center, the Pond at Bryant Park and Central Park’s Wollman and Lasker Rinks. Admission costs are reasonable making this an affordable and incredibly fun day out for everybody.

Museums:

New York simply teems with exciting and interactive museums meaning that there will almost certainly be something to suit everyone depending on your children’s age and interests. Popular choices include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the New York Hall of Science. Your children will be able to enjoy a fun and interesting day out in an educational environment.

Snow Days:

On special snow days in New York fun activities are organised across the city’s many parks. These activities tend to include sledding and snowman building as well as musical concerts and hot chocolate intervals. Lower Highland Park even hosts an unforgettable sleigh-riding fest for all the family to enjoy. When it snows you will be able to find information regarding the city’s snow days and activities on the NYC parks website.

Zoos:

New York’s celebrated zoos offer plenty of entertainment for the kids in the winter months. The city’s Central Park Zoo is home to a wonderful collection of colourful animal species as well as a large number of indoor exhibits for when the weather turns. Bronx Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo are all well worth a visit in the winter as there are less crowds and many animals are often more active than in the hot summer months.

Bowling:

Taking the kids bowling is the perfect way to spend some quality time as a family on any New York City vacation. The Big Apple is home to a number of top bowling alleys including Manhattan’s Lucky Strike Lanes, Brooklyn’s Melody Lanes and Queen’s Astoria Bowl. Your children will be able to benefit from the various child-friendly ramps and bumpers whilst enjoying a little complimentary popcorn and soda.

New York City has so much to offer even throughout the coldest and wettest months of the year. If you don’t mind braving the weather then there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you and your family busy. Otherwise, indoor venues such as museums, theatres and play spaces are sure to go down well with the kids!

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