Archive for the ‘Vacation Ideas’ category

Teepees & Canopy Tours for Families

July 19th, 2011

For kids who love playing in the woods, North Georgia Canopy Tours in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains is offering a unique camping and outdoor experience for kids. Just a short drive from many southern destinations, the group has introduced luxury teepee camping at Georgia’s Ultimate Zipline – A Treetop Adventure. If you got kids who love heights and speed, the treetop zip line experience has it in spades – we’re talking speeds of more than 35 mph above towering trees!

Three different zip line adventures are offered, as well as a disc golf course and a Four State Geocache site with four micro-caches and a finale cache. Adventure Tours are $89 (one child per adult) and Sky Bridge Tours are $69. Both include nature walks. Kids ages 10 to 15 “fly” half price Tuesdays through Thursdays, and groups of 8 or more can receive weekday discounts. (Kids must be 10 or older, 70 pounds, and accompanied by an adult to zip line.) Special Premium Adventure Tours, $139, are available for up to six people keep the fun intimate and provides a videographer to tape your family’s fun.

Start with the treetop fun and then return in the evening to canvas teepees equipped with beds, wood stoves, wood furniture and, to our delight, a/c, lighting and electrical outlets (we can plug in our phones!).

These mountains were home to the Cherokee Indians, so the camping areas have been named after the Seven Clans of the Cherokee, and each teepee has been custom-painted with authentic Cherokee symbols, themes and patterns. Select the Dream Catcher teepee, which can sleep up to five in a queen bed and twin-over-full bunk bed. If you need more room, try the Hickory Teepee that sleeps up to 10 on twin bunk beds. (Linens are provided in all teepees except for the group teepee.)

Teepees are available for $90 per night, Sundays through Thursdays, and $110 per night on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. Campsites are also available for tents up to eight. Sites are $20 and $25, respectively. Breakfast can be ordered for teepee guests for an additional fee.

Learn more about the adventures and the teepee “glamping” by visiting North Georgia Canopy Tours.

–Lissa Poirot

Train to Be a Knight Programs

July 8th, 2011

Is your family familiar with the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament attraction/dining experience that is found in vacation-friendly areas like Orlando, Chicago and Myrtle Beach? These are the 11th century-style dinners with royalty welcome guests to their banquets and competition. The attraction is now offering a free — yes free! — “Train to Be a Knight” program for kids ages 5 to 12 at it’s castle locations in Buena Park, California (near Anaheim), Baltimore, Chicago and Orlando. Held on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer, the programs are free to kids who have purchased tickets to the evening’s dinner and jousting tournament. The training, which includes “swordfighting,” begins 1 to 1.5 hours before the show, and ends with the kids being “knighted” by King Philippe. Space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and kids must wear closed toe and backed shoes.

–Lissa Poirot

New York City Tours Designed for Kids

July 7th, 2011

So you’ve brought the brood to New York City and while you’d love nothing more than to hop a double-decker bus, your kids? Not so much. And let’s face it: the word “tour” doesn’t necessarily conjure up visions of sugar plum fairies and fun, in the minds of our children. When they think of tours, they’re likely more apt to conceive of them as being led around by an adult, visiting venues that don’t offer much in the way of fun.
 
Well, NYC Kids Tours is an opportunity for kids and their parents to explore NYC while taking part in fun-filled games, activities and challenges created by ther team of teachers. They offer a Kids Learning and Fun Tour that provides an excursion through midtown and uptown Manhattan. It’s perfect for those visiting the city for the first time (or for those wanting to learn something new and to explore these areas with a fresh approach!). They also offer an Explore Greenwich Village Tour that provides a more eclectic experience for those wanting to see a more unique side of New York.
 
They offer two tours for kids 6 to 11 (although they will accommodate ages 3 to 5, as well):
1. The NYC Kids Learning and Fun Tour is for families ranging from 2 people to 12 people and covers the top attractions from 42nd Street to Central Park including Bryant Park, Columbus Circle, Dylan’s Candy Bar and Grand Army Plaza, to name a few. The tour begins at the Southeast corner of 42nd Street and 6th Avenue (near Bryant Park) and departs daily at 10 a.m. The price varies with the size of the family.
2. The NYC Kids Explore Greenwich Village Tour is for families of any size looking for a more eclectic experience of NYC that covers the unique culture of Greenwich Village and locations including Abingdon Square, Bleecker Street and Washington Square Park, to name a few. The tour begins at the Northwest corner of 14th Street and 8th Avenue and departs at 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The price is $49 per adult and $39 per child.

Although the tour tickets are higher than other tours, the tours are interactive and customized to peak kids’ interest. Kids will play games and complete activities along the way!  Call 800-619-2795×2 or visit www.nyckidstours.com for information.

– Melissa Chapman

Melissa Chapman blogs about her marriage and everything in between at MarriedMySugarDaddy.com and spotlights Staten Island Family Fun. Her work has appeared in The Staten Island Advance, Care.com, ABC News, BlogHer, Baby Center, Momtourage, Lifetime Moms, Babble,The Washington Post, Time Out NY Kids and iVillage.

Lake or Ocean Vacations?

July 6th, 2011

When it comes to planning a waterfront vacation, which does your family prefer: a lake or an ocean? We tend to prefer oceans because we love the waves and quite honestly we are more concerned with the fish, snakes and other creatures in a lake than we are about jellyfish, sharks and sharp-finned/toothed fish in the ocean. “Jaws” never scared me, but the fish at my grandpa’s lake house used to bite me and cover me in little red welts so I’ve shied away from lakes. My daughter just told me the other day she doesn’t like lakes because she read about water moccasins. I guess our phobias run in the family!

For anyone looking for a lake getaway, Budget Travel just put out a great piece on 8 Perfect Summer Lake Towns. The lakes look so pristine I just may have to get over my phobia and visit one.

Then again, if you’re an ocean family, like we are, Family Vacation Critic has a great list of the 10 Best Beaches for Families. Some are in the U.S. but some are in the Caribbean, where the water is so clear you’d be able to spot anything you may not like in the water!

But seriously, do you have a preference between a lake or an ocean beach? What are your favorite lake or beach destinations?

–Lissa Poirot

Rainy Day on the Beach

June 29th, 2011

So, our first full day on Martha’s Vineyard and wouldn’t you know it, it’s raining. The beach is out, as is the pool, so what will we do today?

We’re going to begin with a walk along the beach in search for shells. The beach will be empty and perhaps with the rain and choppy water, the pickings will be better. Who cares if we get wet, we’ll just shower and get dressed after the walk.

Following the walk, the Winnetu Resort offers kids’ programs in an indoor activity center. Granted, they like to get the kids’ outdoors, but thankfully they have a facility so kids have things to do on rainy days. Then I plan on grabbing an umbrellas and shopping Edgartown’s boutiques.

Hopefully the rain will go away by this evening, when the resort offers up it’s weekly clambake on the lawn. The traditional New England clambake will feature a variety of seafood (LOBSTER!) and will wrap up with S’mores. We promise not to bemoan today’s rain if we can have a rain-free evening clambake!

Anyone else been to Martha’s Vineyard? What should we do on a rainy day?

–Lissa Poirot

Meanwhile, I’ll refer to our own article, 6 Wet-Weather Vacation Tips, for more ideas on what to do when it rains while on vacation.

Finding Good Campsites

June 7th, 2011

While FamilyVacationCritic.com strives to provide reviews of family-friendly hotels and resorts and make it easier for you to plan your summer vacation, we were thrilled to come across GuestRated.com. The site provides reviews of campgrounds, parks, and RV parks – more than 12,000 of them!

Founded in California in 2008 by Bob MacKinnon, a former Disney executive, GuestRated.com features more than 85,000 reviews of parks and campgrounds across North America.
“At GuestRated.com, we’ve tried to make it easy for consumers to findreliable information about campgrounds, including reviews, that will help them make informed travel decisions” he says. “In order to assure that reviews are valid, guests provide an email address when they submit a review. We protect every guests’ privacy, but we need to be certain that the review is coming from a real camper. Phony reviews don’t help campgrounds or other campers.”


The site also features its 33 top-rated campsites, including three-time winners:
• Buttonwood Campground, Mexico, Pa.
• Dogwood Acres Campground, Newville, Pa.
• High Plains Camping, Oakley, Kansas
• Hocking Hills KOA, Logan, Ohio
• Kozy Rest Kampground, Harrisville, Pa.
• Lake George RV Park, Lake George, N.Y.
• Mill Creek Ranch RV & Cottage Resort, Canton, Texas
• Misty River Cabins & RV Resort, Walland, Tenn.
• Ocean Lakes Family Campground, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Peace Valley Campground, Marble, N.C.
• Pioneer Campground, Laporte, Pa.
• South Haven Family Campground, South Haven, Mich.
• Sunny Brook RV Resort, South Haven, Mich.
• The Vineyards Campground & Cabins, Grapevine, Texas

If you’re planning a summer camping trip this year, check out GuestRated.com. And be sure to check out our own article on Family Summer Camps.