travel reviews

academy of natural sciences

Melissa 1 Comment

This afternoon we had no school (insert daughters doing cartwheels here) so we hit up the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Now, I would never tell you to play hooky. But if you ever have a random day off, go into Philly and hit the museums when they’re not crowded. Even if you’ve been somewhere twenty times, it is incredible to have it practically to yourselves.

The dinosaurs were awesome of course.

Except when they tried to eat Ellie and Grace…

Then we headed up to our favorite place… the Outside In! We met some new friends. Ellie was watching this cute bird play in the water – and it splashed her right in the face! Hilarious!

We got to pet a legless lizard, a box turtle, this swimming turtle I forget the name of…
and THIS GUY:

Can you believe how brave Grace is??

I was brave enough to touch it with one finger, but if that thing had climbed up my arm, I would have probably shattered glass with the high pitch of my scream! (I am NOT a bug person!! I prefer my wildlife cute and furry, thanks.)

We had so much fun – what an amazing day! The Academy of Natural Sciences remains one of our favorite outings in Philly!

Check out the girls’ blog – they wrote about our visit as well!

disclosure: we received a complimentary admission from visitphilly.com. all opinions are our own.


williamsburg stop #6: jamestown settlement

Melissa 1 Comment

Our final stop in Williamsburg on Sunday morning was Jamestown Settlement.

“FINALLY!” said Ellie. Ellie had been dying to go to Jamestown Settlement, to see the  re-created Powhatan Indian village. It was the part she had been looking most forward to. First we had to see the gallery exhibits and watched the introductory film that traces Jamestown’s beginnings in England and the first century of the Virginia colony and describe the cultures of the Powhatan Indians, Europeans and Africans who converged in 1600s Virginia.

Then finally, finally we headed out to the Powhatan village.
Ellie taught us all how to play this game – we didn’t even know what it was! But she had learned about it in school this year and knew all about it!

Then, we went over and toured replicas of the three ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607. SO cool. Colin was very very impressed!

Then we headed over to the colonists’ fort. Colin immediately went straight to the armor!! Imagine that!

The girls were fascinated by seeing the women cooking in the house kitchen. Jamestown really showed us all how difficult life was for the colonists. Seeing something like people cooking with only colonial supplies over an open fire was so eye-opening for the kids as to the challenges of colonial life.

Jamestown Settlement was absolutely fascinating. Unfortunately, we only had about 2 hours to spend at Jamestown, which was not nearly enough time. There was so much to see and so many exhibits and such, we really could have used more time. It was a fantastic place to visit and the kids were so interested in everything, we will definitely have to come back!

For more information on travel to Williamsburg, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.

disclosure: we were provided complimentary admission to jamestown settlement to facilitate this post. as always, all opinions are my own.

williamsburg stop #4: busch gardens

Melissa 10 Comments

On Saturday, we headed to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The kids (who love amusement parks) were super excited. We immediately blown away – Busch Gardens Williamsburg has been voted the world’s “Most Beautiful Park” every year since 1990 by the National Amusement Park Historical Association… and it shows. It was gorgeous setting, filled with fun rides and great attractions like shows and animal exhibits!
The first thing we did upon arriving was stop and get the kids measured. They each got a colored bracelet with their height – which made choosing rides so easy. What a great idea!
We headed straight to Sesame Street Forest of Fun, at Colin’s request. He was dying to see “Elmo’s World” as he called it. He was so so so excited!
We rode several rides in Sesame Street Forest – but the favorite by FAR was Grover’s Alpine Express. This was Colin’s very very first roller coaster. I think he liked it. He claimed this was his very favorite thing at Busch Gardens!
We explored a ton of rides – the kids had a blast in the Land of the Dragons and loved classics like the train and sky ride. I was impressed how friendly and nice all the employees were at Busch Gardens. Every employee we encountered on rides and in stores or restaurants was polite and friendly. So often amusement park employees look bored and grumpy. But not here!

One of the biggest highlights was visiting Lorikeet Glen and Wolf Valley. Both are amazing exhibits – our kids could not stop talking about them. Especially the bird that landed on Daddy’s head! This was my animal lover Ellie’s favorite part of Busch Gardens!
We caught a couple shows as well – Pirates 4D was so funny. And we all loved the Celtic Fyre show! It was absolutely amazing! I was very impressed by the quality of the production and the incredible talent of the performers. You have to see this show if you go!!  My little dancer, Gracie, was enthralled. She said this was her very favorite part of Busch Gardens!
She loved it so much, we had to wait until after the show so she could meet some of the performers!
We had such a fantastic time at Busch Gardens. It is a beautiful park, with tons to do for everyone. Both my girls said it was the most fun park they had ever been to. (And this year, this was our 6th amusement park. Yes, really. We’re not sure how that happened.) We had such a great experience here — this is one of our top parks we’re ever visited and its so affordable! We will definitely be back!

Tips for Busch Gardens Williamsburg with young kids:

  • Buy a water bottle. When you buy a Busch Gardens/Water Country USA water bottle (for $8) you get refills for just 99 cents for soda and $1.99 for frozen drinks. It was a super hot day, so we just kept refilling the water bottle we bought at Water Country USA with frozen lemonade all day and spent less than $10.
  • Bring swimsuits if its hot. There are several water playspots just for kids to cool off.
  • If Sesame Street Forest of Fun is too crowded, head over to Land of the Dragons. There were hardly any lines and a huge play area for kids to run around in!
  • In the afternoon, take a rest by catching a show in a nice, air conditioned spot!
  • Dining with Elmo and Friends is available, so if your child has his or her heart set on meeting characters, this is your best bet. Kids 3 and under are free, so its a really affordable dining option for families!

For more information on travel to Williamsburg, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.

disclosure: we were provided complimentary admission to the busch gardens williamsburg to facilitate this post. as always, all opinions are my own.

williamsburg stop #3: colonial williamsburg

Melissa 8 Comments

Well, I can’t include everything, since we took approximately a gazillion pictures during our day in Colonial Williamsburg, but here are a few highlights. It was amazing! I’ve wanted to go there pretty much forever. Colonial Williamsburg is a living museum – there is truly nothing else like it.

It is gorgeously restored, utterly unique and captivating. I was a bit worried about the kids losing interest, but we all loved it! Seriously – with all the technology we’re used to, who could have imagined how fun a stick and hoop could be?  We were there all day and the kids were sad to leave – and were asking if we could come back tomorrow. Even Colin, who is only three, had a great time…
Whenever he saw a soldier, he got really excited and got out his gun. He is also quite fond of pointing it at his sisters. Imagine that.

The kids got really into talking to people, asking questions about what they were doing and such. When they ran through the town shouting, “The British are coming! The British are coming!” Gracie asked nervously, “They’re not really going to fight… right?” (Good question! Everything else was real!)  The Revolutionary City Street Theater was so really cool – the kids were really into that! Colin loved seeing the soldiers ride their horses.

The kids had a blast playing RevQuest, where you play the part of a Patriot spy trying to thwart an assassination attempt by the British. The kids were running around, deciphering secret codes, and hunting for clues in secret locations around Williamsburg. It was a little advanced for our kids to do on their own (ages 8 and 6) but they still had a great time and were really into the whole process!

working together to figure out the clues...

A few tips with young kids:

  • Plan on more than one day. We really found that one day was just not enough to see and do everything. With young kids, two days is probably the limit. Without the kids, I could probably wander around much longer!
  • Bring some snacks. Colonial Williamsburg is truly restored properly – so there are not tons of drinking fountains and food stalls like an amusement park. Have bottles of water and a few snacks for the kids, especially if your kids are like mine and go from zero to starving in three seconds.
  • Pack sunscreen, plenty of diapers and wipes, band-aids, and whatever else you think you might need. Again, not lots of supply shops in Colonial Williamsburg.
  • Take advantage of all the programs for kids! Use the Kids Adventure Maps where kids can get a special prize for getting their map punched at different stops and the RevQuest activity.
  • And don’t worry… if your kids aren’t behaving, you can just put them in a Colonial Time Out:

For more information on travel to Williamsburg, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.

disclosure: we received complimentary admission to colonial williamsburg to facilitate this post. as always, all opinions are my own.

williamsburg stop #2: yorktown victory center

Melissa 2 Comments

Our first peek into history this week was a stop at Yorktown Victory Center. Yorktown played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War and the Yorktown Victory Center now serves as  a museum of the American Revolution, offering a unique blend of timelines, film, thematic exhibits and outdoor living history.

We started out in touring the 1780s farm. We saw a home, saw (and smelled) the tobacco drying in the barn, visited gardens, held a one day old baby chick from the chicken coop and saw a glimpse of daily life back then.



We spent some time wandering through the galleries for a bit – the sunken ship display was fascinating! But our favorite was the Discovery Room. Gracie was thrilled to get to dress up just like a Colonial Girl! (And complained, “Its not fair – the girls have to wear so much more clothes than the boys!”)
Then we headed out to check out the Continental Army Encampment. Absolutely fascinating! The mortar firing was particularly exciting – and by ‘exciting’ I mean ‘so loud that the ground shook.’ WOW! There are tents for different ranks of soldiers, examples of daily life, learn about colonial medicine and you can even learn how to load a musket.

"Mama, his gun has a sword on it! COOL!"

Ellie imagining life as a soldier.

Colonial Discipline

We so enjoyed our visit to Yorktown Victory Center – we needed a bit more time though. I did not anticipate how interested the kids would be in seeing everything! I would recommend at least 2-3 hours. And if you have kids who are really interested in guns, cannons and loud booms in general, plan to be there when the artillery crew will be firing! That was pretty amazing to witness!

For more information on travel to Williamsburg, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.
disclosure: we were provided complimentary admission to the yorktown victory center to facilitate this post. as always, all opinions are my own.

 

williamsburg stop #1: water country usa

Melissa 2 Comments

Today, we went to Water Country USA in Williamsburg and had such an amazing time.

Now first a confession: I hate water parks. I do. Maybe there is something wrong with me. But its true. I only go for the kids. So imagine my surprise when I had a terrific time at Water Country USA. The park was amazingly clean, had great activities for kids, and was honestly really relaxing and enjoyable! It was so easy to navigate and to watch the kids, even in the busier pools, that I would take all three back by myself with no qualms. Really.

my little sea monkeys

We loved the lazy river, the wave pool and – of course – the water slides!

Gracie was fearless!

that splash is my husband ZOOMING out of a water slide. the kids decided to skip that one.

The little details – like changing areas right next to the kiddie pools, tons of healthy food options everywhere, clearly marked bathrooms, friendly employees – made this park stand out.  Our only complaint was that we only had 4 hours to play. None of us wanted to leave – we could have stayed and played much longer!

According to Ellie, this is MUCH harder than it looks.

This was such a gorgeous park. We left only hours ago and the kids already want to go back! (And I have some great videos of the kids on the water slides that I promise to post when we get home! HILARIOUS!)

Thanks for hosting us, Water Country USA!

For more information on travel to Williamsburg, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.

disclosure: we were provided complimentary admission to water country usa. as always, all opinions are my own.

 

Congress Hall

Melissa 7 Comments

This weekend, I stayed at Congress Hall in Cape May, New Jersey.

front of Congress Hall

It was love at first sight when I walked into the gorgeous lobby. So elegant. Yet, the hotel is far from stuffy. The staff is delightful and welcoming.

lobby - photo by jo-lynne

I was instantly charmed when they handed me my room key. A real key! The keychains were inspired by the luggage tags of the early 1900s, when Cape May became a popular summer haven for folks from Philadelphia and New York and D.C.

The charm and attention to detail didn’t stop there. Located right across the street from the beach, the Congress Hall Hotel manages to be both a fun family vacation spot and a romantic getaway at the same time. The hotel has a history more than two centuries old – history buffs will be thrilled to walk the halls that are hung with historical tidbits. Congress Hall was built 1878 and lovingly renovated by owner Curtis Bashaw in 2002. But while it now has all the modern amenities, but still holds that historic touches that makes Cape May unique among towns at the shore.

My room was an ocean view king room. It was very spacious and decorated with fabulous simplicity.
And the details – the moldings, the old windows, the adorable bathroom, a sitting area with two chairs (why do hotels always have only one?), the walk-in closet – all of it was wonderful.Very comfortable beds with high-quality linens, a great shower, plus lots of luxurious extras like two fluffy robes hanging in the closet and Aveda toiletries.

i must find their bathroom fixtures for when we re-do our bath! LOVE!

What impressed me the most about Congress Hall – besides the fabulous design – was the variety of activities they offered. There are tons of activities for the kids, but this remains a place where can enjoy themselves too. Kids are more than welcome and will have an absolute blast, but they haven’t taken over the resort. Its still a place I would want to take my husband for a romantic getaway. Perfect example? The Boiler Room. By night, its a nightclub with live music for adults. But if you come down in the early evening, you’ll find kid’s Karaoke! How fun!

The beach is just across the street (complete with full service cabanas, if you’re so inclined) or there is a lovely pool where you can relax with the kids while you sip a cocktail delivered to your beach chair. The hotel provides everything – all you need is your bathing suit!

photo by jo-lynne

I love that my whole extended family could come here – Cape Resort Group has such a variety of properties all within walking distance, we could all stay where we like, but join up during the day or for meals. Plus, with Camp Congress Hall, my husband and I could still sneak in a date night on our family vacation! LOVE!

And the spa! THE SPA! Lovely – just lovely. Peaceful, luxurious, gorgeous. My massage was divine. One of the trip highlights, to be sure.

Of all the hotels I’ve stayed in, Congress Hall is one of my favorites. The character, charm and history really set this one apart in my mind. I stayed at Congress Hall, but got to peek at the Virginia Hotel and the Beach Shack and they both looked fabulous. I highly recommend these hotels and I can’t wait to come back with my family!!

Be sure to follow Congress Hall on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all their activities. If you’re heading to Cape May, you can receive a $100 resort credit to be used during your stay when you stay at Congress Hall, Virginia Hotel or the Beach Shack. Make your reservation online and use the code MOMBLOG and book by July 31, 2011 for a stay in 2011. Not valid with any other offers.

Disclosure: This trip was sponsored by Cape Resort group and The Motherhood. I was provided with meals, accommodations and a spa treatment in order to appreciate the Congress Hall experience. All opinions are my own.

Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel

Melissa

My family are I just stayed at the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel.

This hotel’s location was fabulous – its right on the beautiful beach that Virginia beach boasts with the boardwalk just in front. The hotel was gorgeous and not at all what I expected. Very posh, but still beachy inside. Plus it is surrounded by several great restaurants and activities, all within walking distance. And check out the pool: my kids deemed it “SUPER SUPER AWESOME!”

Our room was perfect for our family of five: we had a king oceanfront room. There was plenty of room for all five of us and our mountain of luggage. It had everything we needed including a fridge, microwave, huge couch (I hate when hotels have nowhere to sit) and a gorgeous balcony. Not to mention wi-fi and free parking. And it was all for a very reasonable price.

It is an older hotel, so the rooms are not huge (and the bathroom is a little small) but it is in excellent repair and completely modernized. Our room – actually the whole hotel – was spotless.

Every staff member I encountered at this hotel was just fantastic – very friendly and so eager to help. I was alone with my three kids while my husband was in meetings all day, and several employees were offering me extra help – one even insisted in carrying one of my three huge bags up to the room for me as I was also carrying an exhausted two-year-old. I was so impressed!

The only complaint I have is that there was no bathroom near the pool. So when your little one needs to go potty, you have to trek across the pools, up an elevator and through the hotel to the lobby. Of course, the kids hardly cared 😉 It would not stop me at all from staying here again.

The day we were there the fighter jets were flying right over the hotel. A bit loud, but they stopped by nightfall, so it didn’t disturb us at all. Actually, my son was totally jazzed.

I highly recommend the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel and would definitely stay here again with my family! They’d love to come back – they loved it too:

watching a movie before bed after a long day at the beach and pool

Disclosure: i was not compensated financially for this review. pool photo is from sheraton.com.

embassy suites – orlando airport

Melissa

On our recent trip to Orlando, we spent two nights at the Embassy Suites Orlando Airport.

This hotel’s convenience can not be beat – we got our luggage, called the hotel, and they sent the shuttle right over. Within 15 minutes, we were at the hotel checking in. The hotel was very nice and all you expect from a typical Embassy Suites: a huge lobby and gorgeous atrium with a fountain. It was located only 6 miles from the airport and is surrounded by several great restaurants, all within walking distance.

Our room was perfect for our family of five: two queen beds, a crib for the baby and a sofa bed. There was plenty of room for all five of us and our mountain of luggage. It had everything we needed including a fridge, microwave, two televisions (Disney Channel for kids, Olympics for mom and dad), a huge bathroom (big enough for three kids to take a bath!), and a full hot breakfast every morning. And it was all for a very reasonable price.

I highly recommend what we did: The first day we flew in to Orlando, we stayed at Embassy Suites for a night, then caught their airport shuttle back to the airport and hopped on Disney’s Magical Express. Our last night, we did the same – taking the Magical Express to the airport and transferring to to Embassy Suites for a night before flying out the next morning. It was so great with the kids – we were able to decompress and relax before and after the craziness of Disney. After 5 busy, tiring days at Disney, a relaxing night of ordering pizza in our room (and complimentary wine for mom and dad) was just what the doctor ordered!!

The staff at this hotel went above and beyond for our family. At the welcome reception the first evening, one employee – without our asking- found apple juice and a bowl of fresh fruit for my toddler. I was blown away by that little gesture. Then when it was pouring rain, we asked if the front desk had umbrellas we could borrow to walk to a nearby restaurant and they offered to drive us over in the shuttle. The second night we stayed, my husband went to check on the kids in the dark and walked into the coffee table, slicing his leg open. The staff at the front desk was so helpful and concerned for him, providing first aid supplies and even offering to drive him to the ER if he needed.  The staff made this hotel stand out from other Embassy Suites we’ve stayed at.

The only complaint I have is just a general hotel one: thin walls. We could hear the man in the room next to us having a phone conversation like he was in the room with us (which means everyone could probably hear my son’s crying at 1am loud and clear as well). And the open atrium – while gorgeous – was rather loud on the Saturday night we were there while our kids were going to sleep.

All in all, I highly recommend this hotel and would definitely stay here again! The two non-negotiables of a hotel are 1. comfy beds and 2. a great shower. And this hotel had both! (Seriously, very comfy beds and a terrific shower!) See how comfy:

(Baby not sleeping is no indication of how comfy beds are. He isn't a fan of sleep in general.)

Disclosure: i was not compensated financially for this review. photo is from hilton.com, since as soon as we enter a hotel room with our three kids, it no longer is picture-worthy.

greek peak mountain resort

Melissa

This past weekend, my family and I enjoyed two nights at the brand new Hope Lake Lodge at the Greek Peak Mountain Resort in Cortland, NY in the finger lakes region.

We drove up in a light snow and saw the lodge, warm and welcoming like a postcard! We walked into a gigantic three story lobby, saw a roaring fire in the stone fireplace surrounded by comfy couches and picked up a cup of the complimentary hot coffee that is waiting to be enjoyed all day. Let me tell you, after a drive in the snow with three kids, it was heaven on earth!

We went up to our room and gave a collective “Wow!” It was gorgeous: rustic without being tacky (hard to pull off!), more than enough room for our family of 5, and had all the comforts of home. I was very impressed with how well-stocked the room was.  We’ve stayed at a ton of hotels, condos and timeshares over the years and generally the “kitchens” are ridiculous. Usually they have one small pot and a frying pan and they never have enough dishes.  This kitchen had everything from steak knives to a can opener to cookie sheets to wine glasses to food storage containers. I’ve never seen one like this. There was everything we would have needed to cook a big meal for our family! There was even a dishwasher. We ate breakfast in our room both mornings, relaxing in our pajamas.

There are several room layouts that fit anywhere from 4 to 10 people. We had layout B and it was perfect for us – plenty of room for us and all our stuff. The rooms have tons of storage in the huge closets, so we weren’t constantly tripping over all our boots and suitcases and stuff. You probably know that my two non-negotiables of a hotel are 1) comfy beds and 2) a great shower. The beds here were very comfortable – even the Murphy bed I shared with Colin was nice! The shower was terrific – actually the whole bathroom was gorgeous, now that I think about it!

Cascades Indoor Waterpark (located right in the lodge) was super fun. The kids had such a blast. We could hardly tear them away to eat and sleep – it was all they wanted to do. It was torture when they woke up at seven and had to wait three whole hours for it to open. (“It is open yet?” “What about now?” “Is it open now?”) It was very fun – even for mom and dad. We spent most of our time there over the weekend, going there twice on Saturday and again on Sunday before we left. The waterpark has a great variety of attractions, so its perfect for families with little kids and big kids/grownups.  My husband also went tubing with the girls on Saturday afternoon, which was a huge hit! The girls had never been before and they really enjoyed it. Meanwhile, I got pampered at the gorgeous Waterfall Spa. I was so impressed with how affordable, yet luxurious it was. My Apres Ski Massage was fabulous! I highly recommend scheduling some “me time” while you’re there!

There are two restaurants in Hope Lake Lodge: Acorn Grill and Edgewater Cafe. We hit the Edgewater Cafe for lunch on Saturday while we were at the waterpark. The burgers were very good and the kids devoured a pizza. That night we went to the Acorn Grill, which was excellent. My husband and I both had very yummy meals, going with the entrees our server recommended highest, while the kids happily devoured their chicken fingers. (We skipped dessert at the restaurant and got ice cream at the Edgewater Cafe instead! Yum!)

Greek Peak Resort is a terrific family destination. We had such a terrific time – my kids were in tears when we left, saying they wanted to stay for a whole week next time! I’d love to come back with my extended family — this would be such a great place for a little family reunion! The small touches made a huge difference: hot coffee and muffins in the lobby, a hotel store that actually had reasonable prices, shuttles to the ski area every 10 minutes… Plus, every employee we interacted with was eager to help, very friendly and constantly asking if there was anything they could do to make our stay better.

Disclaimer: greek peak mountain resort provided our family with lodging and other benefits, such as tubing tickets, for the weekend, so my family and I could experience the resort. i was not compensated financially for this post.