Category Archives: USA

Hiking With Kids Annette Lake

AnnetteLake-Llamas

Over the past few weekends, we’ve been trying to get out hiking as much as we can firstly, because we (my husband and I) like to hike and secondly because we need to all be prepared to hike the Machu Picchu Trail in October. My kids usually complain about going hiking because they’re geeky boys who’d prefer to spend their free time in front of a computer or playing video games, but they also usually end up enjoying themselves too. On the drive to the trailhead for the Annette Lake hike, I told them that I’d booked and paid for Machu Picchu and we talked about what the should expect on this adventure. Ironic then that they’d notice that llamas were OK on today’s hike.

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In case you need another reason for why you should go hiking with your kids in Western Washington. Look at that photo: there’s bright sun, clean, fresh air, and the thunder of snow melt in the river below.

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Towards the end of the Annette Lake trail, there’s a large, hallowed-out tree stump which naturally my kids wanted to climb into (despite the steep drop behind it!). Here’s BigB doing his best Gollum impression from inside the stump.

These photos are presented as a part of the Photo Friday series hosted by DeliciousBaby.com.

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Snow Lake Trail Western Washington

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It was mid-June and I thought this trail would be pretty clear of snow but I was wrong. It was a beautiful day, the sun was strong and warm when we passed out from under the tree cover. My kids (rightfully) grumbled at having to hike through snow pretty much all the way up and all the way down. I told them they should pack away this memory safely because with global warming, they might never be able to experience taking their kids hiking in snow.

The Snow Lake trail, at 8 miles round-trip and an elevation gain of 1800 feet, is a pretty challenging hike with children and one which I would only attempt with older kids. That said, since the trailhead is just off the Snoqualmie Summit and there’s ample parking at the Alpental Ski Area it does have it’s good points. We’ll certainly be doing this hike again this summer – although hopefully without the risk of stepping into snow up to our knees the next time.

Today’s post is part of Photo Friday, hosted by DeliciousBaby.com. Head on over to check out some more travel-themed blog posts.

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Holiday Decor Florida Style

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We spotted this on a random residential street in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida. It was just too good to pass without taking a photo

This post is part of a Photo Friday series.

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Swans At Lake Eola

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We spent Christmas 2009 in Cocoa Beach, Florida with some family. I’m not a huge fan of theme parks and I didn’t find the strip-mall ambiance of the beach towns on Florida’s Atlantic Coast very appealing. However, we stopped in the Lake Eola area of Orlando on our way to the airport and discovered that Orlando has at least one neighborhood which is not Disney-ified. There’s a large playground at the park and nice walks around the lake.
And, like this little girl and her mom, you might be able to see some swans up close.

This post is part of a Photo Friday series.

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The Oregon Trail At Whitman Mission

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Oregon Trail Covered Wagon

When we spent the weekend in Walla Walla last fall, we stopped by the Whitman Mission for a little leg-stretching between visiting wineries. As you would expect, the NPS provides plenty of information on the history of the Mission. CAM surprised us by sharing what he had learned in his Washington State History class about the Mission, it’s importance as a way-point on the Oregon Trail and the tragic tale of the Cayuse and the Whitman Killings – this was a surprise because he strongly protested having to spend any time learning any history at the time.

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After I took these photos, I walked along the trail after my boys a little disconcerted that there was something about the Mission and the Oregon Trail that I was missing. The light-bulb went off in my head as we were driving away: 1847, the peak year of the Great Potato Famine in Ireland. As you might imagine, everything about 1847 is a fairly central part of history lessons in Irish schools. It was a little shocking to realize that my children won’t even learn about this in their classes.

Living in the U.S., I don’t feel like an expat since I don’t have to deal with language or cultural differences (I do have huge gaps in my pop-culture knowledge, but most friends agree I could rectify that if I’d just watch more TV). This was an abrupt reminder that yes, I am an expat – and my children are not.

I promise, I won’t be assigning them tracts of Irish history to read at bedtime. Hopefully, if we visit Ireland often enough, they’ll be motivated to learn about it themselves.

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Visiting The Kennedy Space Center With Kids

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I last visited the Kennedy Space Center when CAM was almost 18 months old. We had a great visit. He napped or nursed on the KSC Tour buses, we oohed and aahed at how cute he was tottering between the rockets in the Rocket Garden. Of course I had it on my must-see list of things to see and do for our current trip to Florida.

Yesterday, I spent six hours at Kennedy with an extended family group including five children with ages ranging from three to 13. (The 13-year-old has ADHD and is on a medication vacation, so don’t assume he was just a parental helper. No, our hands were truly full.) Boy, what a wake-up call that was.

I’m not going to go into what you can see and do at Kennedy and why it’s worth a visit (I still think so), there’s plenty of information on the Kennedy Space Center website. Instead, I am going to suggest two things which I think would make a visit to KSC tremendously easier for a family group such as ours.

Firstly, the bus tour is waaaaay too long. We had unanimous agreement from all the children in our group on this point. Especially because most of the time is spent waiting in line to catch the next bus and particularly because the only stop on the tour which they really enjoyed was the visit to the Apollo/Saturn V Center. There should be a tour which goes to that stop only. Yes, I know that would add logistical complexity into the management of buses and visitors, but I refuse to believe that in the grand scheme of things this isn’t a simple operational research problem for some smart NASA folks. I mean, come on, it’s not rocket science :-).

Secondly, a hunt-the-space-trivia puzzle sheet would have been a huge bonus. I think my children are pretty representative of most very active boys. They loved being at NASA, loved looking at the exhibits but basically exhibited the attention span of a glint of goldfish while dashing through the various exhibit halls. Every time one of them stood still for a second to read about something one of the others would call from a different display with a “Oh, wow! This is so cool!” and they’d be off again. They’re ready and willing to learn all about the evolution of the space program and the shuttle program, a little help to encourage this would be fantastic. I found myself making up questions (“How do astronauts pee in space?” was a particular favorite) and trying to keep track of who’d answered which question. I’m a space novice but I was struggling to come up with questions.

I don’t expect there to be a limitless supply of question sheets and pencils at the entrance to KSC. With the number of visitors to the center daily, I think that really would be too much. But, if there were downloadable PDFs on the NASA or Kennedy Space Center website, I’d be more than happy to have those printed out and ready for my next visit.

On balance, we had a really good day at KSC. The Shuttle Launch Experience was a huge hit with the older boys. The six-year-old balked in the ante-room to the ride, so a warning to parents visiting with children six and under, even if your child meets the height requirements, someone needs to be prepared to wait outside the ride if necessary. My three-year-old niece could have spent all day playing at the Children’s Play Dome. Also, we didn’t have time to visit the IMAX and I know from past experiences of taking my children to space-themed IMAX shows at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle that movies on an extra-large screen with plenty of popcorn are always well received by this discerning demographic.

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Family Friendly Holiday Events in Seattle

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Winter Family Fun In Seattle

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seattle-winter

This is Seattle in mid-winter. It can be a pretty grey place. At this time of year when it’s dark early in the evenings and daylight hours get shorter every day (shorter by 3 minutes per day from now until December 21st actually), it’s not so easy to drum up enthusiasm (or energy) to get out and about with your children. I thought I’d help preempt this feeling by sharing some of my favorite winter family fun activities in Seattle.

Winterfest at Seattle Center

This is a family fun activity which you can check out many times between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. There’s so much on offer you can be sure you’ll do something different on every visit. The Winter Train and Village will captivate very young children for much longer than you think is possible and when their attention wanes, the Children’s Museum on the lower floor of the center is always worth a visit. For older children, a visit to the Ice Rink is a must. We’ve finished many winter days at Winterfest with a play at the Seattle Children’s Theater. This year their performances of Peter Pan will, I’m sure, entertain many children through the holiday season. For older children, there’s the Black Nativity at Intiman or a performance by Seattle Repertory Theater. There will, as always, be endless performances of the Nutcracker by PNB.

A walk on Candy Cane Lane

The Ravenna Park neighborhood owns the market for dazzling holiday decor in Seattle. This small cul-de-sac near the University of Washington takes this responsibility seriously. The houses and public spaces in the neighborhood are festooned with brightly-lit seasonal embellishments, but very tastfully and with a focus on sharing a message of peace and goodwill. Park your car and take a walk to best enjoy the lights. It’s a short walk which your toddler will be talking about months later. I couldn’t find a website with definitive dates for when the show starts, but from prior experience, I think you’d be safe to plan a visit in mid-December.

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Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Festival

For me, the Christmas Ship Festival is a quintessential family activity which everyone should try at least once. The boats are not luxurious and you may not be into holiday carols but on a clear night the music echoes across the lake and whether you’re on the deck (which can be chilly) or enjoying the warmth of the interior of the boat, it’s a truly different way to get into the spirit of the season. You can also enjoy the sights and sounds from the shore since each cruise stops at one or two waterside parks. The schedule specifies which park and the time of the stop.

If you’d prefer to be singing yourself, maybe you should register a team in the Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition which benefits Pike Market Senior Center and Downtown Food Bank.

Roasted Chestnuts

For me, it wouldn’t be Christmas without roasted Chestnuts. I picked up this habit when I lived in Dublin before husband and children. There was nary a chestnut to be found in the short time we lived in California, but on our first Christmas in the Pacific Northwest I remember picking up a bag at the public market on Granville Island in Vancouver B.C. and realizing, happily, that I was again living in a place of hot treats on a cold winter’s day. In the Seattle, I’ve been able to reliably find this Dickensian delicacy outside Uwajimaya in the International District. (Not that you’d expect to find them there, so if anyone knows why, do share…)

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Jingle Bell Run

If you read this blog regularly, it’ll be no surprise to you that the last thing on my list is a run. But, before you write off the Jingle Bell Run as something which is not quite for your family, let me share my first impression of this event. We’d rushed to get into town on time and barely made the registration deadline. We weren’t quite sure what we were supposed to do with the bells we were given on registering. Standing in line with the other families with strollers, as we tied the bells to our shoes, I was completely unprepared for the sounds of thousands of bells jingling as the actual run started – not to mention the costumes. I will never forget the sight of a Christmas tree running past – six runners in a 3-2-1 formation wearing a large triangular piece of green felt and colorful swim caps which, from above, looked like tree lights. Even if you don’t run it’s an event that’s worth checking out.

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Summer Family Fun In Seattle

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Family Weekend Getaways: Westport Washington

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This is the second post in a series on easy family weekend getaways. With school in full swing and budgets tight, the dreaded stay-cation may be around for a while. This is my way of showing that you don’t need to turn your back on family vacations altogether, that mini-vacations in your own region can be fun and affordable. This guest post is by my friend Margaret who recently spent the weekend with her family in Westport, Washington.

If you live in the Seattle area, you have children (and maybe a dog), and you want to take a three-day weekend vacation during the school year, sometimes the thought of planning a getaway seems more trouble than it’s worth. But what if it could be easy? What if you could pack your car and drive two hours away, stay in a nice, roomy place with a view of the Pacific Ocean from your living room, a state park next door, and more sand dollars on the beach than your kids can fit in their pockets? And your dog can come, too. Would you do it then?

Everyone deserves a break from routine, and it doesn’t have to be a lot of work. When I discovered our kids had a four-day break from school this October, I decided to plan a little trip to the coast. The catch was that I wanted a place that could accommodate our family dog, and I knew we wouldn’t be relaxed in a cheap motel. After looking at a map of Washington, I decided to start my search in Westport, which looked like the shortest drive from the south Sound area. An internet search with keywords “Westport dog-friendly accommodations” turned up a number of links, but one caught my attention. A resort called Westport by the Sea, a condominium complex, offered a number of dog-friendly units for rent.

Choosing A Vacation Rental

On the Westport By The Sea web site I was able to view detailed interior photos of each unit and a map showing the location of all the buildings. This set-up made it easy to select the best choice for our family, an oceanfront, second story, two-bedroom condo with a clear, beautiful view of the sea. The off-season price tag didn’t seem overwhelming, either. For $239 a night plus a standard cleaning fee, we stayed in “Baileys’ Surf Shack,” a nicely decorated and clearly treasured family getaway.

Vacation Rentals Help Keep Costs Down

If that sounds expensive, consider that we didn’t eat a single meal out – we packed up our coolers and had a fully equipped kitchen waiting for us. We found every kitchen item we could have wanted, so cooking all our kids’ favorite foods was easy. And while $75 initially seemed a little steep for a cleaning fee, I understood why when we arrived. This place was nice, with granite counter-tops and down comforters and fluffy white towels and robes. We felt at home right away, which meant we could focus on the fun parts: walking the beach, digging in the sand, swimming in the heated pool, watching the waves as we played board games and enjoyed meals together. (For a less pricey option, a one-bedroom condo at $179/night still sleeps four, with a sleeper sofa in the living area.) There are usually a few more rules at this sort of accommodation (as opposed to a hotel), but this is the main benefit of condo vacations: you can take your family to a new place without rocking your world too much. That’s ideal when your kids have to make the transition back to school right away.

Westport Attractions

Some other attractions include the Westport Light State Park adjacent to the property. Grays Harbor Light Station is located here. One night we took a late evening walk into the park, on a path that led us into the middle of the dunes. Away from all the man-made lights, our kids got to see more stars than they ever see living in the city. We picked out all the constellations we knew and talked about how small we really are, living on this planet — a conversation we’d never have hanging out at home!

Another activity I brought along was a surprise, a ferris wheel Erector set (a Schylling product). Our two boys, ages 5 and 8, spent hours helping put it together. They liked receiving a “gift” on their trip away, and we enjoyed the peaceful view while working on a project together. Other hits were Yahtzee and Scrabble, which both came with the condo.

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Family Weekend Getaways: Walla Walla

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Family Weekend Getaways: Walla Walla Washington

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walla-walla-vineyards

When the school schedules for my children’s schools synchronize so that they’re both out of school on a Friday, it’s an invitation for us to squeeze in a short break. I love these mini-vacations during the school year. Yes, it’s a pain to close the door on a pile of chores and have them waiting for me (and then some) when I get home, but it’s a great feeling to hit the open road and leave our normal routine behind even for just a few days.

Walla Walla Washington

This time we’re going to Walla Walla. A non-trivial four-hour drive from Seattle, it’s absolutely worth the effort. With our bikes strapped to the back of the car, a fun-filled but fairly low-cost weekend is pretty easy to organize.

Walla Walla Accommodation

As home to Whitman College and a host of excellent wineries and vineyards, Walla Walla has plenty of accommodation choices. From Bed-and-Breakfasts to luxury vineyard lodges to chain hotels, there’s something to suit every budget. On our cheap-and-cheerful weekend, we usually opt for a bare bones motel. If you’re planning a romantic weekend away, the Inn at the Abeja Winery is a perfect choice.

Family Activities in Walla Walla

There’s no question but that we’re drawn to Walla Walla because of the wine. This will be our fourth time to go wine tasting with children on bikes. For me, it’s a perfect family day out. We stop at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning to pick up picnic supplies, fill our backpacks and hit the long, fairly flat, fairly quiet road. We’ve cycled around wineries with a toddler in a trailer, one child using a ‘big kid bike’ which didn’t have gears and with a preschooler on a trail-a-bike. This will be our first trip where everyone will be on regular bikes. We might just all get to each stopping point at the same time. But if we don’t, that’ll be OK too because wineries are about so much more than tasting the wine. There’s rows of vines to walk along, machinery to examine and cool storerooms with oak barrels stacked high to explore (if the vintner allows, of course). And if the idea of bikes and wine-tasting with kids doesn’t work for you, downtown Walla Walla and Whitman College are both fun to walk around with younger children.

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Walla Walla Wineries

There are way too many wineries in Walla Walla to list here and far too many to visit in one day. We’ll plan on a 15-mile (or so) cycle and try to plan our route to hit 3-5 wineries along the way. Planning to finish at the Walla Walla Regional Airport is always a good idea since there are a cluster of tasting rooms in refurbished WWII buildings in that area. If you think that sounds a little crazy remember that this is where you’ll find Dunham Cellars, Tamarack Cellars and Buty.

Other wineries in the area include K Vintners, Seven Hills, L’Ecole No. 41 and Woodward Canyon – to name just a few.

Walla Walla Fine Dining

Now that our boys are a little older, WanderDad and I will be able to feed them early in the evening (kid-friendly food in a kid-friendly environment) and leave them watching a movie in our hotel room while we treat ourselves to a sumptuous dinner at Whitehouse Crawford.

After an active day’s cycling, great wine and great food, there’s usually a satisfied bunch in our car on the drive home to Seattle.

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Photo credit: vitruvius.