museums - Pitstops for Kids

Top summer attractions in London UK for kids

May 8, 2014 By Sharlene Earnshaw

The following guest post is written by Kaamna Dhawan of Momaboard.

My family of four moved to London a few months ago and I can honestly say that as major cities in the world go, London is probably the most kid-friendly in the world. As my two and five-year old and I have been exploring our new hometown, we have been delighted to find summer attractions in London ranging from parks, theaters, cinemas, museums, and restaurants dedicated to educating, entertaining, and inspiring children.

If you are headed to London for the summer, here are some of our favorite things to do:

Be one with the fossils at The Natural History Museum: This exquisite, free museum will keep your kids intrigued for hours. The biggest attraction is the beautifully (and realistically) executed dinosaur exhibit but the other sections are definitely worth a visit too. Loads of interactive options as well.

Get your Cap’n on at Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground: The beautiful Kensington Gardens are worth a visit for themselves and are an easy stroll across the lake from Hyde Park, but for the kids, it’s worth a trip over to the playground to explore the giant pirate ship and many other fantastically creative parts of the park. Please note that London parks take their security seriously: adults cannot enter without a child.

Enjoy the view from The London Eye: Ever been on a giant standing-room giant wheel? (Ever paid $30 to do so?). Expensive as it is, the London Eye is worth the experience once in your life. On a clear day, the views of London are spectacular. The Southbank area in which the London Eye is located is also very well developed and fun to hang around on a sunny weekend with street performers and restaurants.

Ride the top of a double decker bus. It’s amazing what a thrill kids get out it!

Grab a show: This is the land of Shakespeare and the Queen’s English. Theater is a must. You can catch one of the well-known shows like The Lion King, Matilda or Billy Elliot but I would recommend finding something uniquely London. Time Out has a great roundup of what’s going on at any point of the year.

Get a lux haircut in Notting Hill: Bella and Beau on Ledbury Road take kids’ cuts very seriously. Not only did my son get some serious styling there, he did it sitting in a very fancy car chair watching Thomas on an iPad. A day in the life of the rich and famous indeed!

Visit the London Transport Museum: Even though London has many beautiful free museums, I would definitely recommend a visit to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden to experience the London tube simulator, pose as the driver of a double decker bus, or check out the history of transport from man-drawn carriages to how we do it now!

Eat! Although cuisine is not the UK’s most prominent contribution to the world, you can find some of the best ethnic cuisines in London: Indian, Lebanese and Chinese in particular. You will also find much innovation in the London restaurant scene so if you are a foodie, do your research before heading over to see what’s new and hot. A lot of good restaurants welcome children but it’s best to call and ask. It’s also fun to experience a pub lunch, and you will find that even these staunch London institutions are shaking it up these days. The Churchill Arms, for instance, is known for its amazing Thai food!

Want more? Check out Momaboard’s Ultimate Guide to London with Kids.

Kaamna Bhojwani-Dhawan is the founder of Momaboard.com, a website for globetrotting kids and their parents. Join the community on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Educational Travel: End of the Oregon Trail Museum

April 9, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

Historic Oregon City marks the official end of the Oregon Trail. It’s also home to the best Oregon history museum you’ve probably overlooked. Only minutes from downtown Portland, Oregon City and its End of the Oregon Trail Museum is easy to access via car or MAX, but often becomes overshadowed by other excellent Portland attractions for kids. The museum includes a wonderful indoor exhibit hall, a country store selling pioneer-era toys, candies, and garb, and gardens in the summer months. Families can also get information on area historic home tours.

After checking in at the front desk in the country store, visitors are directed to the three main exhibit halls, where docents take you through the space. This is not a traditional tour, where guides are speaking to you all the time, but rather leading you and helping you along. In the first building, for instance, is a hands-on pioneer-era store, school, and wagon supply area, where kids are encouraged to play for a while. Young kids will like the school and store area, and older kids will love creating their own Oregon Trail supply list, then physically collecting the required items (bags representing flour, bacon, and coffee, medicines, tools, and the like) and fitting them into an actual wagon bed. All supplies must come in under 1000 pounds, so we kept track on our phone calculator.

When they’ve played their fill in the first building, visitors are led to a hands-on activity (candle-making during our visit) and then to a 30 minute film depicting life along the Oregon Trail. All our school-aged kids were interested in the film, but very young children may want to opt out. The docents then lead families through to the third building, where the talking portion of the tour includes information on the Oregon City land office (where all Oregon Trail travelers had to ‘check in’ to get their land) and Oregon City history (it was the first capital of Oregon, and boasts additional firsts, such as the first hotel west of the Rockies, etc). The docents do a great job of keeping the talk engaging, with many questions directly to kids and many stories kids are interested in. You can stay here as long as you like (the docents will gamely keep answering questions) or can head outside to run around on the lawns, check out the gardens, and shop in the store. Free hot chocolate and coffee are offered in the store post-visit.

Date last visited:

January 2014

Distance from the interstate:

10 minutes from I-5, right along I-205.

Admission:

$9 for adults, $5 for children 5-17. Kids under 5 are free.

Hours:

Summer: 9:30 am to 5 pm. Winter: 11 am to 4 pm.

Dining:

No food services are on-site. Pack a picnic lunch; picnic tables are available outside.

Directions:

The museum is located at 1726 Washington St., Oregon City. From I-5, take I-205 to Oregon City.

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!

Photo credit: wiki commons

Things to do in Sitka Alaska with kids: three not-to-miss attractions

August 26, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

Whether you’re embarking upon an Alaska cruise from Sitka or charting a fishing excursion, there are multiple things to do in Sitka Alaska with kids. The town is rich in Russian and Tlingit (Alaska Native) history, and is a bustling fishing port to this day. Be sure to schedule at least one extra day in town to explore the natural, historical, and cultural sights. Sitka boasts 8,500 residents, but the central downtown area is entirely walkable; no need for a car. The three attractions for kids in Sitka below are all within a few blocks of one another, and all walkable from Sitka hotels.

Alaska Raptor Center:

Spend a few hours at the Alaska Raptor Center, located just outside of town just past Sitka National Historic Park (walk through the trails to get there!). This rehabilitation center for as many as 30 Alaskan birds of prey includes permanent housing for raptors who cannot be reintroduced back into the wild, as well as ‘rehab’ exercise and observation rooms for those who are recovering from injuries. The staff is well-educated on the goings on at the center, and can answer any questions about the rescue process.

Start at the birds of prey presentation to ‘meet’ some bald eagle friends and get an overview of the center, then tour the rehab area and the outside viewing areas. The kids loved the owls best–especially the very animated snowy owl–and the ravens. There’s a nice walking path where wild bald eagles can be spotted (and perhaps a bear or two) and a gift shop, of course. The good news: proceeds help the raptors.

Located at 1000 Raptor Way, off Lincoln Street. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for kids, and the center is open May through September 8 am to 4 pm.

Sitka National Historic Park:

En route to the Raptor Center is Sitka National Historic Park, which we were told is the smallest national park in the nation. Don’t judge it by its size, however: Sitka’s historic park has enough to do to keep a family busy for several hours. Start at the small but well-designed visitor’s center: view the short film which gives a good overview of the history of the area, then take a walk through the coastal rain forested trails to see the site of the Russian-Tlingit battle of the late 17th century and many authentic totem poles. Better yet: take one of the park’s guided walks to learn the most about the significance of each totem.

The walk deposits visitors near the beach, where great tide pool and intertidal viewing is possible at low tide. Either way, stop to take a photo of beautiful Sitka Sound and see if you can spot any large cruise ships anchored off-shore (the harbor cannot accommodate them). Back in the visitor’s center, check out the indoor totem poles and pick up a Junior Ranger booklet to complete in Sitka.

The park is free to visit and open 8 am to 5 pm. Located on Lincoln Street (a main thoroughfare), the park is a 10 minute walk from another historical site, the Russian Bishop’s House (also on Lincoln, toward town). Download a walking map.

Sitka Sound Science Center:

The Sitka Sound Science Center is easy to overlook, located in a set of warehouses by the bay, but we found it to be a hidden gem of Sitka. Locals enjoy the center’s educational day programs and camps, and there’s plenty to see as a visitor as well. Plan to spend at least one hour to tour the outside salmon hatchery (where you can learn about the process of tagging and tracking Alaskan Wild Salmon) and explore the indoor touch tanks. These tanks are extensive, showcasing the abundance of wildlife in the intertidal zone. Kids and adults can touch everything in the tanks (with one finger to ensure nothing gets accidentally pinched or squished), and we had a great time learning what all these critters felt like! The water in the touch tanks is very cold, so be prepared for a numb hand after a while!

In the touch tank room are also several exhibits about the intertidal zone, marine wildlife, and eco-conservationism. An orca whale skeleton draws the eye, too. The guides here comprise mostly of scientists and students, and are very knowledgeable about the animals and SE Alaska.

Admission is $5 per person (over age two), which includes the hatchery. The center is located at 834 Lincoln.

While walking Sitka, Castle Hill, the site of the signing of Alaska over to the U.S. from Russia, is also worth a stop. A series of stairs takes visitors to the best views around, with cannons kids enjoy seeing and vistas of both the town and the sound. Find Castle Hill at the end of Lincoln Street, by the Sitka Hotel and Totem Square.

Looking for a place to stay in Sitka? Read our review of Totem Square Inn.

Exploring Cody Wyoming’s Buffalo Bill Center of the West

July 31, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

Plan at least the majority of a day to take in Cody, Wyoming‘s Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Dubbed the ‘Smithsonian of the West’, this sprawling center in the heart of Cody is really five museums in one, plus outdoor exhibits and interactive displays.

Start in the Buffalo Bill Museum, which offers a complete overview of the life of William ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody, from boyhood to late life. There’s much more to this American icon than just his famous Wild West show: we learned about his earlier days as a scout for the U.S. army, plus his home life and inspiration for his show. Throughout the Buffalo Bill Museum (and elsewhere in the complex), interactive exhibits encourage kids to put themselves into history, try their hand at skills needed for scouting and wilderness survival, and try out saddles, lassos, and the like. There’s even a Buffalo Bill board game circa the 1950’s ready to be played. Allow at least an hour for this museum, if not more.

Next, head to the Plains Indian Museum, where life on the American plains before and after Euro-American migration (aka Manifest Destiny) changed the shape of Native American culture is displayed in dramatic, panoramas and displays. The museum’s high ceilings and excellent lighting and sets paint a perfect backdrop to learning about these distinct tribes. Families will need 1-2 hours to see it all!

By this time, kids (and adults) will likely need lunch: the center’s cafeteria is reasonably priced with a salad bar and make-you-own-sandwich station. It also serves burgers and hot items. There’s plenty of seating indoors and outside in the beautiful grounds garden, and if you don’t need a whole meal, there’s a nice coffee bar, too. Throughout the day, keep an eye on the scheduled presentations displayed on the reader board at the entrance hub of the center, and plan you route through the museums by it: we were glad not to miss the birds of prey show hosted by the natural history museum!

After lunch, head to the Draper Natural History Museum for displays on animals and plant life in the Greater Yellowstone area. Again, the dioramas and exhibits here are stunning, dramatic, and very well done. Interactive opportunities for learning abound here once again as well: in particular, our kids loved the ‘field station’ where they could chart geothermal activity and wildlife migration from a bank of computers and quiz stations set up throughout the museum to test their knowledge of the outdoors. This museum is multi-story (as is the Plains Indians one) so once again, allow several hours. Younger kids may not last as long, but school-aged kids would be remiss to skip anything!

Older kids and anyone who loves guns and Western history associated with firearms will want to check out the Cody Firearms Museum. We thought this museum would be smaller than the others, but it’s nearly as large! Even if you’re not a gun fan, a tour through the replica pioneer-era hardware store is worth the visit. I found the gun displays from the 1500s-1800s most interesting, though my teen loved the WWII collection.

Finally, if you’re not spent, the Photography Gallery (hosted by National Geographic) is stunning, and the Whitney Western Art Museum is well worth a tour. At the back of the art museum is a counter banked by windows overlooking the landscape where kids are encouraged to draw their own Western art.

Outside, families should check out Buffalo Bill’s boyhood home, brought to Cody from Kansas, and the Joseph Henry Sharp cabin. Outdoor shows such as the birds of prey presentation are held on the center outdoor grounds as well. At the entrance to the center is also a replica chuck wagon with cook: definitely stop to sample his fare. We ate sourdough biscuits and baked beans authentically cooked over a fire in cast-iron pots, and both were delicious.

Date last visited:

June 2013

Distance from the interstate:

Directly on Highway 20.

Hours of operation:

8 am to 6 pm daily May 1-September 15. Off-season hours are 10 am to 5 pm daily.

Admission:

Expect to pay $25 for adults and under $15 for youth. Kids five and under free. Considering the vast amount of museum space, we found this pricing to be a deal…provided you stay most of the day.

Directions:

The Center of the West is located at 720 Sheridan Ave in Cody. Sheridan Avenue is Cody’s ‘Main Street’, so you can’t miss it coming through town from either direction.

San Francisco Pier 39 attractions for kids

June 21, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

Families touring San Francisco could easily dedicate a full day to the busy, touristy region of Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. And while not to replace visiting other parts of the city, a day here is well spent. We definitely suggest beginning your day with a family tour of Alcatraz Island, but this still leaves you with an afternoon and evening to fill at the wharf. Here’s our picks for how to spend a day at Fisherman’s Wharf with kids:

Pier 39 and Aquarium of the Bay:

Pier 39 is bright, busy, and filled with fun (kids especially love the many street performers), and families could certainly wile away an afternoon browsing the shops and riding the carousel. If you have young children (whose attention span may not warrant to trip to a larger aquarium) and/or have San Francisco CityPASS booklets, make a stop at the Aquarium of the Bay. Not as large or professionally undertaken as the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park (if you plan to go there, skip this one), the Aquarium of the Bay is still a nicely done exhibit for kids. It can be toured in an hour, and features fun hands-on touching pools for young kids and a pretty darn cool shark tunnel. Housed primarily under the bay, museum staff ushers families into elevators for each section of the aquarium. This means you need to be sure to hit bathroom stops when you see them!

General admission is $16 for adults and $10 for kids 3-12, and is only worth the ticket price if you don’t have plans to visit any larger aquariums. Admission is included in CityPASS and Go San Francisco Card offering by far the best deal. (Warning: there is a gift shop at the end, and it’s full of enticing plush marine animals.) Afterward, stroll to the end of the pier to check out the seals and sea lions in their natural habitat.

The Embarcadero and National Maritime Park:

The Embarcadero runs many blocks from the Alcatraz cruise dock past Pier 39. On one side will be the new location of the Exploratorium, one of the best hands-on museums for kids in the country (it’s currently located in the Presidio). The Exploratorium is an CityPASS option, and will easily engage kids for hours. Kids will want to stop en route to watch the sourdough bread being made at San Francisco’s famed Boudin Factory, and shop for trinkets along the street. Further down, toward Ghiradelli Square, it’s fun to stop at the fish markets and see (and smell!) the fresh seafood offerings.

The San Francisco National Maritime Park makes for a great place to stop just as legs start to get tired, and kids can walk the pier to see the USS Pampanito submarine and other historic vessels.It’s located at Pier 45, and the visitor’s center is open 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. What’s nice is that families can opt to buy tour tickets for the Pampanito, or just view the vessels from the dock.

Ghiradelli Square:

Directly above the Maritime Park is Ghirdelli Square, where families can (must?) stop for ice cream at the famed chocolatier. (At the information booth in the square, ask for coupons if you plan to purchase sundaes.) We opted for sundaes for lunch (such a healthy choice…not!) but Ghiradelli makes for a great evening choice, too.

Between the Maritime Park and Ghiradelli Square, you’ll see the San Francisco Cable Car turnaround. This is a great place to hop on-board and take a ride, though you’ll likely wait in line. (Elsewhere in San Francisco, particularly along California Street), it’s easily to jump on and jump off cable cars.