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I didn't fall in love with the Coco Key Resort in Rockford when I visited last winter with my daughter and two of her friends in honor of her 12th birthday, but the girls had fun and, hey, a deal's a deal.
So here's the scoop: Coco Key is offering a $14.92 day pass rate at both the Rockford and Arlington Heights waterparks in honor of Columbus Day. The deal is only available if you buy the tickets online. The regular day rate is a much steeper $39.
The indoor waterpark is really great for little ones and had enough bigger slides to keep the bigger girls happy for several hours.
My problems with the place had more to do with the way we were nickel-and-dimed which, as regular readers know, always drives me crazy. If you have paid for the hotel/waterpark deal, which entitles you to visit the waterpark on the day you check in and again on the day you check out, I don't think they should stick you (twice) for locker rentals as well. But they do.
So plan to rent lockers unless you're bringing someone along who will sit with all your stuff while you and the kids splash around.
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Driving across the northern part of Illinois is a study in determination--will you be bored to sleep before reaching your destination? Then, as a cosmic reward for your endurance, you enter Jo Daviess County and are transported to another world.
In this world, the trees form a canopy over the road, the crickets sing you to sleep at night and the hills roll gently toward the horizon.
I made the trip Friday afternoon and arrived in The Galena Territory to find the first hint of fall touching the tips of a handful of trees. Another two weeks and this place will be ablaze with the red, orange and yellow of autumn.
I'm staying at the Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa just outside the historic town of Galena. It's a sprawling resort encompassing almost 11 square miles of land. The accommodations range from your standard hotel room at the inn to a huge, eight-bedroom house a couple of miles away from the registration desk. My spot is a cozy two-bedroom unit with full kitchen overlooking Lake Geneva. I'm on the screened-in porch, the golden sunset serving as my muse. The only downside for me: You really need a car here since everything is so far away.
We spent the morning on a horseback ride, one of the best beginner trail rides I have experienced. The horses walked nose to tail, but we trekked up and down hills, around bends and through the woods, so it was far more interesting than your basic ride on the flatlands around Chicago. To join the trail ride, kids must be at least four feet tall and weigh at least 65 pounds. Younger, smaller kids can do pony rides.
We headed into Galena for the afternoon. It's a quaint town overrun with kitschy shops and filled with history. Since I'm not much of a shopper, I hopped on the one-hour Tri-State Trolley tour of town. Ron McIntyre, a Galena resident and history buff, drives the trolley and shares his wealth of knowledge about the town, its historic houses and its most famous resident, Civil War General and U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. The one kid on our tour was a little bored, but I loved it.
We headed back to Eagle Ridge and spent an hour tooling around the lake on a pontoon boat ($50 for one hour but the boat can accommodate 10 people.) This was a much more popular choice for the kids, who took a turn at the wheel. As we headed back into the dock, we watched two hot air balloons rise over the trees. It's one of those things I'll do one day on a very special occasion, since the price is very steep.
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With the leaves already starting to change around home, it may be too late to think about heading north for a fall folliage tour. But if you go, consider going all the way.
Copper Harbor, the northernmost point in Michigan’s Upper Pennisula, about 450 north of Chicago (head straight up through Wisconsin) was founded as a copper mining town in the mid-1800s. Today, it is a wide spot in the road surrounded by a couple of quaint diners (with very good food), a general store (with fairly high prices) and access to Lake Superior and a number of smaller lakes and historic sites, all within easy walking distance of town.
We stayed the first night four miles out of town at the Eagle Lodge in Eagle Harbor. It was the definition of rustic, with small, musty cabins nestled in sparse woods along the lakeshore. It was a tight squeeze for the eight of us (we were traveling with another family of four). Too tight. We moved the second night to The Pines. It was a block from the lake, but otherwise a big improvement—cabins were only 10 years old, they were in town so everything was walkable and they lacked that distinctive lake cabin smell.
Both accommodations were a bit pricey given the amenities, I thought. We paid $160-plus per night, based on a per-person charge that added $10 for each extra body.
Copper Harbor is home to a number of abandoned copper mines. We adults toured the Delaware Copper Mine ($10 per person). It included a walk down 100 steps into the mine, where the temperature was in the 40s. The damp air cut into us as we negotiated our way over the uneven ground and tried to imagine how grim life must have been for the miners who toiled in the poorly lit mine. The kids, ages 12 and 14, elected to stay in the cabin. I was sorry we didn't insist them come along to see how tough life would have been for these miners, who were paid just 12 to 14 cents an hour.
We took a sunset boat tour on the Isle Royale IV, the boat that spends its days ferrying visitors to Isle Royale, a three-hour ride each way. Our short stay prevented us from taking the trip, although I would have liked to have seen the island.
The highlight of the trip for all of us, kids included, was Fort Wilkins, a restored fort that was manned during the Civil War and again for a few years in the late 1860s. Actors dressed in period garb played their roles well, explaining to us what life was like during the brutal winters at this fort on the shores of Lake Fannie Hooe, named for the wife of one of the officers. The fort is a state park that has been beautifully restored. There was just enough information to enlighten us but not so much that it overwhelmed the children. The historic interpreters helped the kids appreciate the history in a way that simply touring the rooms would not have. Best of all, it was free.
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If you're heading south this weekend and will be anywhere near Louisville, Ky., take a detour to Marengo Cave in far southern Indiana. The cave is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its discovery in 1883 on Saturday, Sept. 6, with special $1.25 admission rates and a big festival with music by Grease Gravy, the Vittle Pickers, The Boot Scootin Grannies, Old Stuff, Corn Shuckers and Corydon Dulcimer Society. Can't be that.
There's also going to be a 19th century hand crank organ player, more than 35 demonstration and craft booths showing off the lost art of flint knapping (whatever that is) as well as weaving, sewing, quilting, tatting, applebutter making, and blacksmithing. And there will be Amish-made ice cream, baskets and a farmers market. Local craftspeople will be selling home-made soap, jewelty, wood carvings, artwork, gourds, dolls and brooms and more. Kids can try candle dipping (it's fun--my kids had a blast doing it when we visited Squire Boone Cave a few years ago), pottery making, basket and butter making, or washing clothes on a wash board. (Now there's an art I'm glad we've lost.)
Caves are great fun for kids and the great stalactites and stalagmites of Marengo are among my family's faves. Don't miss it if you're headed that way.
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Generally, I hate to travel on busy holiday weekends. The airports and roads are flooded with rookies--people who rarely travel and whose belief that traveling is a nightmare is reinforced because of the huge crowds and irritatingly long waits for everything on holiday weekends.
Despite my general aversion to holiday travel, my family and I will be on the road this Labor Day weekend because our niece is getting married in Wisconsin. According to AAA, (which bills itself as North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization) I'll be joined by 28.64 million other Americans who plan to drive 50-plus miles over this three-day weekend. Fortunately, not all of them will be heading to Madison, Wis.
Given the state of the economy and the ridiculous price of gasoline, it's not suprising that the number of people planning to travel over Labor Day will be down from a year ago. What is suprising, however, is that it's projected to be down only 0.9 percent overall.
The organization projects a 4.5 percent drop in the number of people flying this weekend (thanks to a 15 percent hike in prices before you pay to check a bag) and a big jump--12.5 percent--in the number of people who plan to travel by some mode other than car or plane, such as a bus or a train.
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My list of dream family vacations is a long one, but a visit to the Galapagos, a safari in Africa and a cruise along the Alaskan coast are high on the list. Turns out the ultimate family vacation provider, Disney, has those places high on its list as well.
Adventures by Disney, the tour operator that understands how to do organized tours for kids, is adding eight new trips for 2009: South Africa, the European Alps and the Galapagos as well as a new tour of Italy (Sorrento and Florence), and three U.S. tours--Alaska, the Northeast (Boston, Newport and New York City), northern California (Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and San Fransisco)--and one that empasses parts of the United States and southwest Canada that visits two of the most beautiful places on Earth--Glacier National Park and Banff.
The Disney tours aren't cheap, but they are fab. At least the Viva Italia trip I took last summer with my kids (Rome, Tuscany, Florence and Venice) certainly was. (Early booking rates for the Viva Italia tour are about $3,000 for kids and $3,400 for adults, not including air fare.) The accommodations were first rate, the two Disney tour guides were endlessly cheerful, helpful and efficient, and the trip was educational as well as fun. My only complaint was the food. In the land of pasta (have you ever met a kid who wouldn't eat spaghetti?) the tour operators arranged for the kids to get burgers, fries and chicken fingers at several of the meals. Since the meals were set ahead of time, there was no choice. It was a small disappointment in an otherwise nearly perfect experience.
When traveling, there's always the question: To tour or not to tour? Generally, I am of the opinion that not to tour is best. It gives you the flexibility, as my husand likes to say, to go in search of the world's biggest ball of twine. (It's how we ended up spending a pleasant afternoon in Plaines, Ga., on a trip home for Orlando one spring break.) But when traveling with kids in tow, there's something nice about knowing someone other than you is taking care of everything. It was, without a doubt, the most relaxing trip I have ever taken with the kids. All I had to do was remember what time to show up the next morning. As a mom, I couldn't ask for more.
Have you been on a Disney tour? Was your experience as great as mine?
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Once of the best things about being a travel writer is the ability to stay at some of the world's nicest resorts. Add The Buccaneer on St. Croix to that list.
Owned by the same family since 1948, this resort is beautiful, the staff is endlessly helpful and pleasant and, best of all for families, lots of stuff is included in the per-night price, such as a buffet breakfast, all the pool and water toys, kayaks, even an in-pool scuba lesson and the kids' club.
Located right on the beach (three beaches actually), The Buccaneer has a variety of rooms, one more fabulous than the next. Several are great for families (including two-room suites that give parents that most coveted of vacation specials: a separate bedroom). It's no surprise that this resort was named one of the best family resorts by Forbes.com in 2004.
Room rates range from a low of $280 in the summer months to more than $1,000 over the Christmas holidays. But there are deals on the Web site (www.thebuccaneer.com) and right now, families with kids under 18 can get a second room for half price.
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I'm just back from Tampa, Fla., where I grew weary watching all those families dragging all those car seats through the airport. I returned home to news that Hertz will rent up to two car seats free to AAA members who book the seats when they reserve the car. You need an AAA number and promotion code 121623. The deal is good through Sept. 30, subject to availability, of course. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how many families will benefit. After all, it's still not safe to put a small child in an airplane seat without a car seat. There's no law requiring parents to strap little ones into car seats on planes, but there ought to be. Families that want to ensure the safety of their most precious cargo still will have to drag those car seats through the airport with them.
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If you're one of those trendy new staycationers (don't you love how the marketers find a way to make not getting an exotic vacation sound cool?), then you'll want to know that Six Flags Great America has a twofer deal going on. It's only available online and only good for visits through July 3. The deal means it costs just $27.50 a person to get into the area's biggest amusement/water park. After July 3, prices go to $39.99. It's still a savings off the standard $54.99, but why pay more than you have to? Buy the tickets now.
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If you were thinking of heading to the Dells this summer, don't be scared off by the news that Lake Delton has drained. The Great Lake Fiasco means there are deals to be had. A few of the mom-and-pop hotels that sit on the shores of what used to be Lake Delton are offering deals to draw customers--free or half-off tickets to some of the top Dells attractions including a ride on the Original Wisconsin Ducks and what's left of the Tommy Bartlett Ski, Stage and Sky Show (hint: there's not enough water left in the lake to ski on).
My family are veteran Dellsgoers--starting with my parents who honeymooned there in 1956. We love it--indoor waterparks, Noah's Ark outdoor waterpark, the kitschy, over-the-top mini-golf courses, you name it. If you haven't been, this may be the summer to go. You'll save a little and make some great memories with your kids.
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A new poll from Yahoo says 51 percent of people it polled are going to skip their vacation this summer. Too much to do at work, too much worry about the future. DON'T DO IT. Vacations are too important to your mental health,your family and your need for recharging.
Maybe you can't afford the two- week trip to Disney, but you can afford to take time off. As a dear friend of mine told me early in my career: "The company would go on if you got hit by a bus, wouldn't it? Then it can go on while you're on vacation."
There are plenty of cheap ways to vacation, including camping (which would never be my choice) and staying at home (which can be done, but it's difficult for us Type A's to actually forget about work or mowing the lawn or any of the hundred other things you could be doing instead of whiling away a day at the beach building sand castles with your kids). TravelingMom.com had these tips for vacationing at home during spring break. They would work just as well for vacationing at home during the summer.
How are you planning to get in a little R&R without breaking into the kids' college fund this summer?
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Perhaps it's because my summer vacation is going to be spent driving through Michigan on our way to the UP, but this latest roundup of cool stuff to do in Michigan from the state tourism office caught my eye. Thought I'd pass it along. More info is at michigan.org.
ARTFUL HIGHWAY
Fill up the tank and head due west for a cruise on the Blue Star Highway to land in Saugatuck for the annual Waterfront Film Festival June 12-15. The Chicago Tribune praises the event as a "laid back Sundance"; Screen Actor Guild magazine ranked it as one of the top five film festivals. Flick fans flock to Lake Michigan’s coastline to suspend disbelief for three days and see indie films made in the US. Considered a "middle coast" venue for independent filmmakers to show their artwork to sophisticated audiences, this event has grown from its inception in 1999.
T-RIFFIC PROGRAMS
Got T? Model T owners can drive their Tin Lizzies right into Greenfield Village, the living history museum in Dearborn (with special pass). It’s the Year of the Car in Michigan, in recognition of the centennials of the 1908 founding of General Motors and Henry Ford’s creation of the Model T. Not surprisingly, it’s possible to immerse oneself in everything Model T, through daily programs and occasional events at the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. Visitors can get hands-on experience building a Model T (miniature and full-size) at the Museum, and take a "Model T 101" class in the Village. The annual Motor Muster June 14-15 features cars from the 1930s through the ‘70s, this year with a special exhibit of "T-bucket" hot rods from the 1950s and 60s. No T? This is the only place in the U.S. where visitors can ride along in an authentic Model T, "the car that put the world on wheels."
MARITIME REALITY SHOW
Visitors can submerge in their own maritime reality show by exploring shipwrecks in real time via live video feeds from the depths of Thunder Bay. The facts and lore surrounding nearly 200 shipwrecks in and around Thunder Bay will be available for maritime history buffs to check out this summer at Alpena’s Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. Serving as a regional resource for maritime history, underwater archaeology, and Great Lakes research, this "green" sustainable building is on track to become certified at the Gold level by the Green Building Council’s LEED Program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The free opening exhibit celebration is scheduled for June 15.
SIX IF BY SEA
Led by the Highlander Sea, the "flagship ambassador" for Michigan’s Blue Water Area, the billowing sails of a half dozen tall ships will delight visitors at the Sail Port Huron festival, June 27-29. In addition to the Highlander Sea, participating vessels include the Pride of Baltimore II, a replica of an 1812 Baltimore clipper topsail schooner, and Niagara, a reproduction of Commander Oliver Hazard Perry’s warship in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. Activities on land at Vantage Point include an art fair, live music and food, plus fireworks Saturday night.
WINING AROUND FOR 15 YEARS
Located on a 65-acre estate on Old Mission Peninsula, in one of the most scenic areas of the Great Lakes, Chateau Chantal winery celebrates its 15th anniversary in July. What began as a cherry orchard developed by a former priest and Felician sister, this old world winery has reaped several awards for its exceptional wines and offers a charming bed & breakfast plus culinary classes. The Chateau Chantal cherry trees were replaced were with the grafted vinifera grape vines – the same type of wine grape grown along other parts of the 45th parallel in the Bordeaux region of France.
A FESTIVAL THAT THINKS
It’s going to be a party with a purpose with plenty of high voltage music and fun. The Rothbury Festival, July 3-6 at the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury (the Double JJ is one of my family's favs) will corral more than 70 bands including Dave Matthews, Snoop Dogg, John Mayer and Widespread Panic. This year’s festival theme: Finding Energy Independence Scientists have been invited to participate in a "think tank" to lead discussions on clean energy and climate change. Enter the Tripolee Dome for a three-hour music show, yoga workshops, Earth Harp instructions or learn to be a DJ. Watch the Conscious Alliance build the largest "cansculpture" to attempt a Guinness World Record with cans later donated to the Rothbury Food Drive, or see new art installations that will be created to raise awareness of political, social and environmental issues.
U-PICK, U-ENJOY
It has about 200 seeds, grows in all 83 Michigan counties, and is the preferred fruit of more than half of kids ages 7 to 9. This member of the rose family is the first fruit to ripen in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula each spring, and its season runs through July in the Upper Peninsula. It is celebrated at festivals---from Belleville in mid-June to the U.P. town of Chassell in July. It is delicious in pies, over shortcake, and by the handful at U-Pick farms across the state.
PAPARAZZI ALERT: MADONNA IN SIGHT
The Traverse City Film Festival (July 29 – Aug 3) has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 80,000 admissions to nearly 100 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie. The festival also presents classic movies free of charge on a giant, inflatable outdoor screen overlooking Grand Traverse Bay in the Open Space Park at dusk. Panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry are offered daily. This year, five hundred and forty lucky film fans will get to see the all-time queen of popular Michigan’s own -- the one and only, Madonna -- live in person when she brings her new documentary, "I Am Because We Are," to the TCFF this summer.
June 28-29
Red, White and Blue Collar Festival Oscoda
This family oriented festival will feature several music acts, magic shows, a petting zoo, canoe race, fireworks, Michigan microbreweries and food as well as booths highlighting the areas' diverse community organizations and services.
July 2-5
Salute to America Dearborn
Walnut Grove historic district at Greenfield Village, a part of The Henry Ford, is transformed into a patriotic sea of red, white and blue as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra presents a rousing program of American musical favorites in celebration of Independence Day
July 2-6, 2008
Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival Battle Creek
Lift off in a colorful hot air balloon or just watch the daily evening balloon launches. This event takes to the sky and is down to earth with custom car and motorcycle shows, carnival, arts & crafts, concerts and fireworks.
July 2-6, 2008
Comerica CityFest Detroit
Food, free entertainment, children’s activities, and unique marketplace fill Detroit’s New Center.
July 2-6, 2008
Manistee National Forest Festival Manistee
The logging heritage of the Victorian Port City on Lake Michigan is recognized at this annual festival featuring an entertainment tent, carnival rides, arts & crafts, fish boil, Grand Parade.
July 3-5, 2008
Bay City Fireworks Festival Bay City
Nightly pyrotechnics over the Saginaw River, daily entertainment, carnival, fun for all ages.
July 3-7, 2008
4th of July Bessemer Blast Bessemer
The Moving Wall will visit this U.P. favorite event for over 100 years. F16 Fighter Jet Fly Over, and largest fireworks display in the region. Dance and enjoy entertainment, the 4th of July parade and fireworks.
July 4, 2008
Bark River 4th of July Celebration Bark River
Just west of Escanaba, watch the annual parade, plus food, games and fireworks.
July 4, 2008
Biggest Little Fourth in the North Barton City
Barton City is tucked away in the very center of Alcona County. The annual event draws more than10,000.
July 4, 2008
Parade and Fireworks Port Austin
The parade starts in downtown Port Austin in Michigan’s Thumb region followed by evening fireworks on Lake Huron.
July 4, 2008
Fireworks and Parade Wyandotte
71 st annual Independence Day parade is preceded by fireworks on the Detroit River on June 27.
July 5-12, 2008
National Cherry Festival Traverse City
The precision flying U.S. Navy Blue Angels launch the 82 nd celebration of the region’s fruit at numerous sites around Traverse City and along Grand Traverse Bay. With more than 150 scheduled events there’s something for all ages, from colorful parades to sporting events, contests, and carnival rides and games.
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As if it isn’t already tough (and expensive) enough to fly with kids, the airlines are making it worse by charging us to check our bags. Luckily, my kids are old enough to be responsible for their own luggage, so they each get one carry-on bag and that’s it. But when they were smaller—why is it that the younger they are, the more stuff they need?—that never would have worked. (For a new take on this bag check fiasco, check out this blog posting at www.travelingmom.com and get really angry over one woman’s tale of *** pump woe.)
Anyway, if the airline charges and aggravation are enough to keep your feet on the ground this summer, consider checking out these closer-to-home festivals, both within driving distance of Chicago:
Luminato in Toronto is in its second year and there are myriad offerings for kids and families, including an appearance by the incomparable Dan Zanes, a Fred Koch favorite. Although you need to buy tickets to Zanes, the majority of the programming is free. Check out the entire schedule here, which includes a handy “families” tab at the tip. And Toronto is only about 450 miles from Chicago, about a 10-hour trip with kids.
If that’s too far, try Bloomin’ Days in Kenosha, the charming little town just north of the Wisconsin border. Also in its second year, the festival is June 6-7 and includes live outdoor music, art and flowers, at 54th Street & 6th Avenue in downtown Kenosha. Hours are Friday 5-10 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Find out more here.
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That headline got your attention, right? And well it should. After all, watching Muppet sex was a bit of a shock for me, which is why I'm blogging about it rather than the next best travel deal. The hot Broadway show, Avenue Q, opened Wednesday at the Cadillac Palace Theater for a short run. The advertising warns that it "may not" be appropriate for children under 13. I'd say that's an understatement. The show is quirky fun for adults, but no place for kids.
I had media comps and was scheduled to go with my husband, who came home from work too pooped to head back out. I was having trouble finding a last minute date and considered taking one of my kids, Tess, 12, or Evan, 14. Both are pretty mature for their ages, but I am not mature enough to sit next to them while two Muppets have sex in a great variety of interesting positions on stage. So I was really glad that a neighbor was free and willing to join me. She and I had a great time, laughed uproariously and generally enjoyed the heck out of the show.
So if you're into quirky theater (if not Muppet sex), check out Avenue Q. But hire the sitter first.
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There’s a new entrant into the amusement park world and it’s full of heavy metal music: Hard Rock Park. Brought to you by the same rockers who do the Hard Rock Café and Hard Rock Hotel, this park is in Myrtle Beach, S.C. My coaster-loving daughter, Tess, 12, and I visited Sunday and we both loved it.
We were there during what they call the “soft opening.” On the downside, that means they still are working out the kinks, so some of the rides would shut down for short periods of time, some of the shops are still under construction and one coaster, the Maximum PRM, was closed by order of the DoPES (Department of Plant Engineering Services). On the upside, it also means a very small crowd so we got to ride every ride that was operating, sometimes twice in a row.
The only ride we didn’t choose to repeat was the bone-rattling, headache-inducing Led Zeppelin—an intense coaster that zips over, under and upside down at 65 mph while Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” rocks you from the in-car speakers, although it sometimes was hard to hear over the sound of my own screaming. We loved it, but once was enough.
This park seemed small by our Great America standards, which made it feel like it would be manageable even with smaller kids. And, although many of the rides have height restrictions that would keep little ones out, there is plenty for them to do here—from play areas to Reggae River Falls where they can get soaked and soak one another to the strains of Bob Marley to the Punk Pit inflatable obstacle course where they can challenge Mom and Dad to a race and Garage Jam, where they can propel foam balls to amazing heights.
When the thrills get to be too much, there is plenty of entertainment to keep you rockin’ even while you’re restin’. We listened to a live concert by Black Label on the main stage—a nice way to chill and get out of the sun for a half hour. And there are several kitschy live shows as well. Don’t miss the Roadies Stunt Show. There was so much going on during this 20-minute acrobatic extravaganza that we could have watched again to see everything we missed the first time.
If you’ve never been to Myrtle Beach, you might think of it only as a golf mecca. But it’s much more, plenty of which is perfect for kids, families and non-golfers. Next we’re off to see some of what the PR guy calls “Old Myrtle Beach”—the nature centers and wet lands. I’ll let you know how it goes.
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