Fun Things To Do With Kids: traveling with kids

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Spring Break Travel Ideas to do with the Kids

Fun Things Kids Family Travel , Kids friendly travel

Looking for a family-friendly getaway during Spring Break? We have picked out some of our favorite places to visit. All of our picks are driveable and no more than a few hours from the Philadelphia suburbs.

1. DoubleTree Resort in Lancaster PA. There is so much to do at this family-friendly resort. This 185-room resort is very family friendly, but it's also perfect for a weekend getaway without the kids. The hotel is about a 10-15 minute drive to the Strasburg Rail Road, Choo Choo Barn, Cherry Crest Adventure Farm and other Lancaster attractions.

2. Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains. If you are looking for a water park adventure then Kalahari will keep everyone happy and entertained. Kalahari is just under two hours away from the Philadelphia area. Kalahari is truly a family oriented place and they have thought of everything to keep all members of the family happy and occupied while on vacation.

3. National Harbor Maryland

The National Harbor area is located on the banks of the Potomac River and it has plenty of activities to keep the family busy, take a breathtaking ride on the Capital Wheel or a spin on the Carousel. Explore the area with Water Taxis or a Sight Seeing Cruises.

There are two great resorts to stay in while visiting the area Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center and The Residence Inn

4. Inner Harbor Baltimore Maryland

Baltimore has something for everyone. Younger kids will enjoy Port Discovery Museum, which offers 3 floors of hands-on activities for the kids. National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Museum are also must see places when visiting the Harbor

If you want to stay check out the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Maryland that is in walking distance to all the attractions.

5. Williamsburg Virginia

The Williamsburg area has plenty of activities to keep your family busy. Head to Busch Gardens for some family thrills. Take a step back in time at Colonial Williamsburg, Historic Jamestown or Jamestown Settlement.

6. Crystal Spring Resort Grand Cascades Lodge

Grand Cascades Lodge is a beautiful and well-appointed AAA 4-Diamond hotel located in Hamburg, New Jersey. The main attraction for families at the hotel is the Biosphere, which is an indoor pool complex with an aquarium, vortex pools, and caves, and lush tropical foliage; year-round outdoor heated pool; 140-foot waterslide. There are plenty of outdoor activities to keep the family busy.

Last Minute Summer Travel Ideas

Fun Things Kids Family Travel , kid friendly hotel

Looking for a quick getaway before the kids head back to school? We have picked out some of our favorite places to visit. All of our picks are driveable and no more than a few hours from the Philadelphia suburbs.

1. Double Tree Resort in Lancaster PA. There is so much to do at this family-friendly resort. This 185-room resort is very family friendly, but it's also perfect for a weekend getaway without the kids. The hotel is about a 10-15 minute drive to the Strasburg Rail Road, Choo Choo Barn, Cherry Crest Adventure Farm and other Lancaster attractions.

3. National Harbor Maryland

There are two great resorts to stay in while visiting the area Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center and The Residence Inn

4. Inner Harbor Baltimore Maryland

If you want to stay check out the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Maryland that is in walking distance to all the attractions.

5. Williamsburg Virgina

6. Crystal Spring Resort Grand Cascades Lodge

Fun Things To Do With Kids Review Jamestown Settlement

Fun Things Kids Colonial Williamsburg , Family Travel

Recently, my family and I visited Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, VA. This is separate from historic Williamsburg but something you should definitely add to your list of places to visit when you are in Williamsburg.

Jamestown Settlement is located near the site of the original Jamestown Colony. Jamestown Settlement is a museum and replica of America's first permanent English colony, founded in Virginia in 1607.

photo courtesy of Jamestown Settlement

Once you purchase your tickets inside the visitor center, you make your way through the galleries that are divided into three major sections. The first gallery introduces visitors to pre-17th-century Virginia. The second gallery explores the relationship between Virginia’s colonists and the native Powhatans. The third gallery provides an overview of the political, social and economic development and expansion of the Virginia colony during the 17th century.

Next visitors travel outside to the Powhatan Indian village. The village has several houses, a crop field and a ceremonial circle of carved wooden posts. Historical interpreters discuss and demonstrate the Powhatan way of life.

Once you leave the Powhatan village, you walk toward the waterfront that has re-creations of the three ships that transported the original Jamestown colonists to Virginia in 1607 – the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. Kids and adults will love being able to board the ships and explore them.

Once you leave the waterfront you travel into the re-created James Fort, that has homes, a church and other buildings that historical interpreters demonstrate tasks of the time period.

We really liked that everything was hands on at Jamestown Settlement. Visitors can talk with the historical interpreters and learn more about the settlement. I really liked how the interpreters asked the kids questions and helped them learn more about the time period.

For more information: www.historyisfun.org

Location: 2110 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Cost: $17.00 adults, $8.00 ages 6-12. Value-priced combination ticket with Yorktown Victory Center: $21.25 adults, $10.75 ages 6-12. Discount for groups of 15 or more. Children under 6 are free. Parking is free.

Disclosure: My family and I received complimentary tickets to visit Jamestown Settlement in order to facilitate this review.

Review of Crystal Spring Resort Grand Cascades Lodge

Fun Things Kids Delaware County families , Family Travel

If you have been following me on Instagram or Twitter you know that my family and I were invited to spend a few days at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, New Jersey. Crystal Springs in about 2 1/2 hours from the Philadelphia Area, located in the Mountains in New Jersey and 1 hour away from NYC.

Resort

We stayed at the Grand Cascades Lodge which is a beautiful and well appointed AAA 4-Diamond hotel. Minerals Hotel and Mourtain Creek Resort are also part of the Crystal Springs Resort. The views of the Kittatinny Mountain Range were breathtaking. I loved the high ceilings and natural light in our room, with a husband who is tall this was a plus making our family comfortable. We stayed in a room with 2 double beds and we had plenty of room for the 4 of us.

Our Room

The main attraction for families at the hotel is the Biosphere, which is an indoor pool complex with an aquarium, vortex pools and caves, and lush tropical foliage; year-round outdoor heated pool; 140-foot waterslide, My kids loved the outdoor heated pool, nothing like swimming outside when the air temp is 30 degrees.

Biosphere

I had the chance to sneak away for some me time at the Reflections Spa. The spa was ranked #19 in Spas of America’s Top 100 Spas. I can see why it was ranked so high. This was a truly relaxing place to unwind. One of my favorite parts was the post-treatment sensorial room for relaxation.

Dinning

There are multiple restaurants at the resort. While we were there not all of them were open. I liked that we could call down to the lobby and a bus would drive us over to the Minerals Resort to have dinner at Kites. We went there for pasta night and had a wonderful meal! If you wanted to stay at the Grand Cascades there is the Crystal Tavern which offers American cuisine with plenty of options for the whole family from sandwiches to rib eye. I also loved that the ingredients are provided by local growers.

What to do in the area:

View from High Point State park

If you love golf then this is the resort for you, there are 6 golf courses in the area to choose from. There are many wineries in the area the offer tours. Also there is plenty of hiking in the area. The two places we went to for easy hikes were the High Point State Park, I recommend checking this out for some breathtaking views and incredible pictures. We also went to the Pochuck Boardwalk on the Appalachian trail.

Pochuck Boardwalk

We also visited Warwick New York. This adorable town was a 20 minute ride from the resort. This cute town has shops and restaurants for you to explore. Many people recommended Fetch for us to grab a bite to eat and this restaurant didn't disappoint.

Other options for activities are fishing, horseback riding, skiing, mountain biking and much more.

In conclusion Crystal Springs has something for everyone in you family. This is a year round resort with plenty of activities or relaxation if that's what you need. The resort has plenty of things to do for families, but it's also good for a romantic getaway, or a girls/guys weekend.

For more info: http://www.crystalgolfresort.com

Disclosure: Thanks Crystal Springs Resort for arranging for our complimentary stay to facilitate this review. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Comfort Inn & Suites Oceanfront Hotel in Virginia Beach

Fun Things Kids hotels for kids , kid friendly hotel

While we were staying in Virginia Beach we stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites Oceanfront hotel. This hotel is located 2015 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach. All of the rooms have an ocean front view. If you are staying at the Comfort Inn and Suites during off peak months or during the summer this hotel and location has something for everyone in your family. Because this is an oceanfront hotel you are steps away from the beach and boardwalk.

Arrival

I have to say Virginia Beach has the most pleasant hospitality staff around. No matter where we went everyone was so nice and courteous. This started the second we arrived at Comfort Inn and Suites Oceanfront hotel. We were greeted by friendly staff, they gave us great suggestions on where to get a bite to eat after our long car ride. Our check in was very quick and no hassles.

The Room

We had a room on the 6th floor, very easy to get to from the parking garage and the lobby elevators. I loved the the room because it had two separate bedrooms. This is perfect for families because everyone doesn't have to go to bed at 8:00 when the kids go to bed. I also like the small refrigerator, sink and microwave that are in the room. Perfect to make a small snack when coming back from a day at the beach.

The bathroom was roomy and had a plenty of counter space for everyone's essentials. My kids loved the dual shower heads in the shower.

The view from our room was absolutely gorgeous. I loved watching the sunrise each morning, it was so peaceful. The room also had a small balcony so you can have a front row seat to watch the beach and ocean.

Complimentary Hot Breakfast

A great way to save money on a family vacation is to find a hotel that offers a complimentary breakfast for their guest. My family and I loved that the breakfast had many choices. Waffles, eggs, cereal fresh fruit, muffins, danish and much more. This was a great way for us to start our day off. The dinning area faces the ocean and boardwalk so you have a gorgeous view while eating your breakfast.

Indoor Pool

The hotel has an indoor heated pool for guests to use. This also faces the ocean so you can still see the beach on rainy days.

Other Hotel Features
Free Wi-Fi
Exercise Room
Business Center
Indoor Parking

For more information: http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-virginia_beach-virginia-VA440

Location: 2015 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach, VA, US, 23451

Note: Thanks to the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau for arranging for our stay at the Comfort Suites and for helping with our travel expenses. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Family Friendly Travel Review of Virginia Beach

Fun Things Kids kid friendly hotel , Place to visit with kids

During a recent break from school my family and I traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Virginia Beach is about a 5 hour drive from the Philadelphia Area depending on traffic and weather conditions. Since we were in Virginia Beach in November it was neat to see how the town was decorated for the holidays. One of the neatest holiday events is McDonalds Holiday Lights at the Beach. This is the one time a year that you can drive your car on the boardwalk to see a half million twinkling lights.

The town is very welcoming and so was everyone we interacted with. Everyone was so helpful and wanted to make sure we discovered everything about this fun beach town. It's also very easy to get around by car, bike, or even walking.

Hotels

We stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites Oceanfront hotel. Click here to read our review of the hotel.
There are plenty of hotels to choose from for everybody's budget.

Food

We didn't have a bad meal the whole time we were in Virginia Beach. We loved the fresh seafood and there are plenty of choices to choose from. One of our favorite restaurants was Rockafeller’s located on the Rudee Inlet. Rockafeller's the slogan is “Good Eats, Good Spirits!” and they definitely have that there. It was so hard to choose from the selection of food was so large. We had a gorgeous view of the inlet and during the summer months you can watch the boats come in and out of the inlet.

They are known for the Oysters Rockafeller so we had to try them and they were delicious. Since we were down south we had to get some yummy hush puppies. I tried the twin bistro steaks and the portions were so big I had to share it with everyone at my table. We also ordered the crab, shrimp, and seafood pasta, another hit at our table. The kids menu has a nice selection of seafood and traditional kids favorites. And you can't leave Roackafeller's without getting the desert sampler, it has something for everyone.

Other great restaurants:
Big Sams Raw Bar
Tautogs
Doc Taylor's
Waterman's Beachwood Grill

Local Activities
Beach Movie Bistro- great to catch a movie and a bite to eat on rainy days at the beach
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center

King Neptune Statue

Virginia Beach Town Center

Bike Rentals

Old Coast Guard Station

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse

For more information: please visit the the Virginia Beach & Visitors Bureau's web site, http://www.visitvirginiabeach.com, the official source of travel information for Virginia Beach

Note: Thanks to the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau for arranging for our review of the Virginia Beach Area and for helping with our travel expenses. As always all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Royal Caribbean's New Barbie Premium Experience

Fun Things Kids activities for girls , Barbie

Yes, Barbie will be cruising with Royal Caribbean starting in the next few weeks. This new experience will only be available on select ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, both sailing from Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Hopefully the experience will be expanded to other ships in the fleet. With Royal Caribbean sailing from ports as close as Baltimore, MD and New York, NY, taking a cruise (without the cost of airfare) could be a great vacation value for local families.

Here is the scoop in the Barbie Premium Experience.
The Barbie^{^TM} Premium Experience is the ultimate indulgence for Barbie enthusiasts. Girls can enjoy staterooms decorated in the iconic doll's signature style as well as exclusive, themed activities throughout the duration of their cruise - from an invitation-only tea party and mermaid dance class to a fashion design workshop and Barbie Girls fashion show.
Highlights of the Barbie^{^TM} Premium Experience include:

A Barbie stateroom, adorned in the doll's signature style and featuring keepsakes such as a Barbie^® doll and fashions, blanket and pillowcase, tote bag, toothbrush and toiletries bag. From the moment they step into their staterooms, girls will be drawn into Barbie's distinct world of style - and of course, pink!

Tiaras & Teacups party, an invitation-only affair, featuring a whimsical palate of pink pastries and pink lemonade served on dainty dishes all while having fun learning tips on table etiquette.

Mermaid dance class where girls can shimmy and shake while learning the latest dance moves from the hit movie Barbie ^{^TM} in a Mermaid Tale 2.

Fashion Designer workshop where girls can channel their inner fashion designer with Barbie inspiration boards and sketch materials. Girls also will have the chance to sketch and create their very own Barbie doll fashions.

Fashion Show where girls can dress up to walk a pink carpet to the admiration and applause of their family and friends. Girls also will have the chance to perform their amazing dance routine as well as display their Barbie fashion creation. It's the ultimate celebration of a truly memorable experience with Barbie and Royal Caribbean.

For more information: www.royalcaribbean.com

Location: On the High Seas: Royal Caribbean International Cruises

This event is appropriate for: Kids of All Ages

Doubletree by Hilton "Little Thing Project" comes to Philadelphia

Fun Things Kids Delaware County family fun , Fun Things To Do with kids Philadelphia

Sunday, May 13th

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Pop-up event experience at DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia City Center and brings travelers “little things” they said would make travel better, surprises locals with real-time requests to revitalize their days.

DoubleTree by Hilton knows the “little things” mean everything when it comes to a memorable travel experience, which is why the hotel brand asked through social media what “little things” would make their travel experiences brighter. Based on the nearly 5,000 responses so far, the fast-growing hotel brand is taking the valuable feedback and hitting the road for a year-round, 50-city tour to share some of those “little things” they requested. What’s more, the brand will be “swarming” the city to deliver real-time “little things” requests the brand receives on Facebook and Twitter. Surprise stops to deserving community groups and charities are also planned along the route.

On Sunday, May 13, the DoubleTree by Hilton Little Things Project will visit Philadelphia’s DoubleTree by Hilton City Center property for a unique pop-up event experience to offer tourists and locals a welcome break from a hectic day. The experience will be marked by the landmark “Tell Me Tree,” an inviting respite where residents and travelers will be able enjoy a variety of “little things” experiences and giveaways they told us would make their travel brighter, including:

· Local deals and offers, to provide visitors and residents alike an exclusive bargain while they’re traveling in the city. In Philadelphia, we’ll be providing event visitors with exclusive local giveaways

· The sweet treat of one of DoubleTree by Hilton’s chocolate chip cookies – our brand’s legendary icon for warm and welcoming service

· Free WiFi for visitors to stay connected during their day, relaxing in our lounge to send an email or go online;

· A “power bar” where visitors can take a moment to “recharge” by powering their electronics before heading to their next destination;

· And DoubleTree by Hilton will continue to listen and deliver those “little things” event attendees are telling us would brighten their days as the tour makes its way from city to city.

In addition to the event experience, Little Things Project ambassadors will be driving a “Swarm Car” throughout the city today, asking travelers via Twitter what “little things” would make their day brighter and surprising select lucky people by fulfilling their request. Caught in the rain and need an umbrella? Spilled coffee on your shirt and need a new one? Like a free cab ride to the airport? Consumers can tweet to @DoubleTree with their requests using #LittleThings for the Swarm Car to turn their request into a reality.

People can also follow the journey and submit new “little things” by visiting the DoubleTree by Hilton Facebook Page. Here people can also enter the Little Things Project Sweepstakes to win instant prizes and a $25,000 dream vacation getaway. Additionally, consumers can get an inside peek at tour stops through Instagram using #LittleThings, as well as follow the tour on Twitter (www.twitter.com/doubletree) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/doubletreehotels).

Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia City Center

237 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19107

Colonial Williamsburg

Fun Things Kids History with kids , Places to visit with Kids

Recently Fun Things traveled to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. Colonial Williamsburg is a great way to teach the kids about our history through a very hands on experience. Colonial Williamsburg makes you feel as if you have taken a time machine back to the 1800's.

Before You Go

I recommend going online before you go and doing a little research to plan out what you want to do and see. The Colonial Williamsburg website also has a kids section on their site with helpful information and games for the kids. I would also recommend spending at least 2 days seeing all the events and programs available. There is so much to do and you want to make sure you catch everything.

List of

Activities

When You Arrive

Start your visit at the Visitor Center where you can purchase Colonial Williamsburg tickets, make dining reservations and rent children's costumes at Costume Rental Center. The visitor center also has free parking and shuttle buses that take you to the different areas of Colonial Williamsburg. Williamsburg is a public place, so anyone can walk its streets and enter the stores and restaurants. Admission tickets are required to enter the "private" buildings like the capitol, the governor's palace, and any building where demonstrations take place.

Gardens

Locals

What to See

Babies: Please keep in mind the the streets are brick or crushed shell, so bring a stroller that can handle the rough terrain. Also, many buildings can not accommodate strollers so you will need to carry your little one into the buildings.

Toddlers: Take advantage of the beautiful gardens to let you toddler run off some steam. The gardens are beautiful to look at and little ones love exploring. Also the Market Square Stands is a great place for them to look at items and walk around in a less crowded area than the shops.

School-Age Kids: Make kids feel part of the action by renting a costume or buying a hat. Take a break from touring the buildings by visiting the Kids Corner to play games. Have them talk to the locals to learn more about living in the area and how different it is from today. When you're at the visitors center make sure you find out about the family programs going on during the day. They have demonstrations, kids games and talks about what it was like living in the 18th century. Don't forget to make reservations for the family friendly ghost tour of the local taverns.

Merchant Square

Where to Eat and Shop

I would recommend making reservations for dining with Colonists. Kids love interacting with the Colonists and experiencing what it was like dinning in the 18th century. Colonial Williamsburg has four choices Christiana Campbell's Tavern, Chowning's Tavern, King's Arms Tavern and Shields Tavern. And yes children's menus are available.

There is also plenty of shopping and dinning in Merchant's Square. I would recommend the Cheese Shop if your looking for a quick meal like sandwiches. If you want a sit down meal try Seasons.

Plan your getaway to Colonial Williamsburg today!

Disclosure: My family and I received complimentary tickets to visit Colonial Williamsburg.

Review on Safety Tats and Discount

Fun Things Kids Child Safety , traveling with kids

Chances are you will be visiting the beach, zoo, or an amusement park this summer and if your like most parents you worry about your little one getting separated from you. I know it's a constant fear that I have. When I travel with my kids I usually use a safety necklace with their information engraved on it, but I always have to remember to put the necklaces on them each morning before we leave the hotel and recently my youngest broke her necklace while we were away.

While we were traveling over spring break, I had my kids try Safety Tats, and we were very happy with them. I placed them on each child before we left the hotel room, the Safety Tat stayed on them for for our 2 day trip and even during the pool and showers. I liked the fact I didn't have to worry about placing a new one on while we were away and the kids thought they were cool. Safety Tat also has allergy tattoos, build your own tattoos and tattoos for tweens.

Great News Safety Tats is offering 10% off an order of $15 or more. Coupon is good now through May 3, 2010. The coupon code is KidsInDelawareCounty (must be typed as seen, case sensitive)

For more information: visit www.safetytat.com/

Disclosure: I received a free package of Safety Tats for this review