A fellow mommy blogger wrote this adorable post about not only the infamous Saugatuck dune buggy rides but some suggested eateries and shopping venues we haven’t tried:
http://momadvice.com/blog/2012/06/family-travel-exploring-saugatuck-michigan
Want over 50 different ideas for family travel in southwest Michigan (and hundreds more across the state)? Start reading on page 162, Southwest Chapter of KIDS LOVE MICHIGAN, 7th edition
A story of one family whose plans for a saloon and ten-pin bowling alley along Baltimore Street were dashed by the fierce three-day battle. This may well be the tour with the most wonderful storytelling, suspenseful guides in town! Your daughters will wonder what happens to the two girls and your sons will love sneaking up into the attic noticing the debris left behind by Confederate soldiers who overtook the home’s top floor as a sharpshooters’ nest. CSI fans will want to hear every detail of the blood stains and the numerous artifacts discovered behind old walls removed during the restoration of the Shriver’s home (including Civil War medical supplies, LIVE bullets). Admission. 309 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325. www.shriverhouse.org
Schriver House Museum: This museum is ranked as the #2 attraction in Gettysburg and I know why. This was my personal favorite and I know my kids would love to see how a family lived in 1863! Every room is decorated down to the last detail. The kids room depicted NECCO WAFER candies on the desk that were made in 1863 and still around today (connection of past and present). You can even buy the candy and other memorabilia in the gift shop on site. -Lisa W
The Springhouse Tavern (downstairs) offers Lite Cuisine for Casual Dining. A most unique eating tavern amidst three natural springs and two glowing fireplaces. This cozy space features homemade food and refreshing spirits served by wait staff in colonial attire. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Children’s Menu and more moderate pricing at lunchtime. Sampling of Menu: Porridge of the Day, Springhouse Salad, Club and Foccacia sandwiches and some hot meat, fish and chicken specialties. Ask for Adams County Apple Pie or Warm Colonial Gingerbread for dessert. Once you place your order, take a mini-tour of the dining rooms on the first two floors. Can you determine which dining room is the Library, Parlour, Study, Spinning Room or even Bedroom (wherein one can actually dine in a Bed!)? www.dobbinhouse.com.
YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BATTLEFIELD…DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FAMILIES LIVING IN TOWN? Go and find out. (Disclosure: my recent press tour of Gettysburg and Adams County was arranged by: www.gettysburg.travel, however no promises were made as to content of post and book writings)
Do you like exploring countryside hidden gems near large cities?
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE MUSEUM: Experience South Carolina in all its beauty and diversity. This state museum is a refreshing combination of four floors of exhibits, many of them hands-on, focusing on the arts, history and technology. Climb aboard the “Best Friend of Charleston” train. Stroll along a boardwalk at the beach diorama. Thrill to the accomplishments of S.C. astronauts. Learn how a South Carolinian invented the laser. The museum itself is located inside its largest artifact, the world’s first totally electric textile mill, which opened in 1894. Families with young children can learn and play together in the Stringer Discovery Center on the first floor or the Science Center on the top floor is ideal for older kids to recreate science experiments. Along the way, there are plenty of mini-movie corners to sit, watch and rest.
Museum goers looking for the unusual can find the little people in permanent exhibit murals on the museum’s three upper floors. All told, there are nine of the little guys—six on the natural history floor, one on the science and technology floor and another two on the cultural history floor. They can be found in all kinds of locations and situations, from a river-bottom swamp to the surface of the moon! They are engaged in a variety of activities as well, from gathering water from a waterfall to taking a nap. Looking for the little gnomes is a good way to engage the whole family to observe everything to find some things small and interesting. www.museum.state.sc.us
Did You Know? More astronauts came from South Carolina than any other state.
CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK preserves the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest remaining on the continent! Experience national and state champion trees, towering to record size amidst an astonishing array of plants and animals. Congaree is home to a family-friendly exhibit area within the Visitor Center and a 2.4 mile boardwalk loop trail (crossing 8 feet above the ground). The park also hosts a wide variety of guided walks, canoe tours, talks and presentations (visit the Web site for more information). Other popular activities within the park include canoeing, kayaking, fishing, birding, nature study and more. Before you embark on your adventures, stop by the Visitor Center to pick up a map and brochure, watch the introductory film and get the latest information about conditions in the park.
A little more adventuresome. Like up-close nature? Try Canoe Tours. There’s no better way to see the park than by canoe, and Congaree National Park offers FREE ranger guided canoe tours most Saturdays and Sundays. Or, if you have kids who don’t fidget on long walks, try a guided Tree Trek tour in the afternoon or a weekend evening Owl Prowl.
On the boardwalk trail, your kids will exclaim it looks prehistoric! However, instead of dinosaurs, you will find plenty of squirrel and salamander – we even saw a blue salamander cross our path! www.nps.gov/cong
SOUTHERN PATRIOT ON LAKE MURRAY is a 65 foot double deck cruise boat located on beautiful Lake Murray, South Carolina just a few miles north west of Columbia. The Southern Patriot can carry up to 100 passengers and is suitable for any type of event.
Purple Martin Cruises: A phenomenon you have to see to believe. This 2 ½ hour cruise takes you out to historic Bomb Island, where hundreds of thousands of birds (Purple Martins) circle and roost on the largest Purple Martin sanctuary in North America. As the sun sets, you’ll see maybe a few 100 birds. Then they come and flock in mass of 1000s and start dancing and chirping near dark. During this cruise you will hear narration about the Purple Martins and about the historic significance of how this island was used for bombing practice by Jimmy Doolittle prior to his raid on Tokyo during WWII.
History: Purple martins, America’s largest swallow, gather each summer on a small island in a central South Carolina lake in such numbers that the flock sometimes shows up on the local National Weather Service radar. The sky gets dark and millions of purple martins fill the predawn and evening skies each day, establishing seasonal digs at Lunch (Bomb) Island in the middle of Lake Murray. By day they disperse for many miles to feed, at night they settle onto the island, most likely because there are no predators on the island. Over a period of weeks, their numbers grow dramatically. There are about three-quarters of a million birds and the numbers are still increasing. Note: July and August are the months to see this natural phenomenon, the largest such roosting sanctuary of its kind in North America. By September, the birds head off to South America on their winter migration.
DID YOU KNOW? By day purple martins nest in gourds or man-made compartment birdhouses similar to condos! www.lakemurraytours.com
PAWLEYS FRONT PORCH is a fresh addition to the strip of restaurants in the Five Points area of Columbia (near the University). The burger joint, recently featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”, serves creative burger combinations all named after South Carolina coastal cities or themes. The Fripp Island burger with Southern salsa, boursin cheese (creamed five cheese blend) and a fried green tomato is a must-try. Or how about the Isle of Palms burger with housemade pimento cheese with jalapeno bacon. Mmm…Non-adventuresome kids can just order a plain beef burger, chicken sandwich or chicken tender wrap. Pawleys smokes their own bacon, grind their meat in-house and make their own pickles. This makes the half-pound burgers even better. Oh, and they serve your burger plate with a steak knife dug into the middle of the burger – it’s so thick, you may need to cut it into small bites! Daily Lunch and Dinner. Moderate pricing. www.pawleys5pts.com/
FLIGHT DECK RESTAURANT: While some review sites catagorize this as a Greek Restaurant, we’d call this more themed American. This place is especially great for families with children; the arcade and displays really keep them occupied while waiting for food to be served. Their specials for hearty appetites include Charbroiled Ribeye Steak or Homemade Meatloaf for dinner and the Blue Plate Express. The Express special offers a choice from nine entrees and 16 veggies. Comes with a choice of entree, two veggies, tea, and dessert bar or cookie for under $8.00. Their mac n cheese side is amazingly like grandmas, meatloaf moist and gravy is poured over most every entrée (if you like). Because the theme is airplanes, their menu items are named appropriately: Wing and a Prayer wings, Flight Deck Salad, Bombardier Patty Melt, Tailgunner chicken, or their kids menu (Little Flying Aces) with Torpedos (corn dog) and 5 other basic items under $5. They have a whole menu page devoted to sweets – pies, cheesecakes, cookies, ice cream and milkshakes. Oh, and if you do like Greek food – try their Gyro, Baklava or Greek Salad. Price range: $5-$15. www.flightdeckrestaurant.net
STAYBRIDGE SUITES COLUMBIA, discover the best of Southern charm and hospitality with modern amenities. The newly constructed residential hotel offers spacious suite accommodations with kitchens/utensils and family-friendly features, including indoor pool and daily complimentary hot breakfast for guests. Several weekdays the staff also serve a catered light dinner, too. The downtown hotel location puts you just 1 mile from the University of South Carolina’s main campus and blocks from downtown restaurants and museums. Children always stay free, and sleeper sofa beds in every room are perfect for kids and groups. Rainy days? Try a museum nearby or hang out at the indoor pool. Whatever you do, don’t miss breakfast in the lobby. Great way to start your family touring days around Columbia or over to Lake Murray. www.staycolumbiasc.com/
And finally, the best for last:
EDVENTURE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM in Columbia is the largest museum for kids in the Southeast. Designed for children 12 and younger, this colorful & simply layed out educational facility boasts 450 individual exhibits. Keeping with the “big” theme, Eddie, the world’s largest child, is the centerpiece of the museum. A 40-foottall structure made primarily of molded plastic, Eddie weights 35,000 pounds and is large enough for everybody to climb in, on and through. You can climb his vertebrae to his brain, crawl through his heart, bounce around inside his stomach and slide out his intestines. As a model of learning through immersion, EDDIE® allows children to use their gross motor skills to discover what’s inside their bodies. Flexible parents – you can climb along with your kids, too.
EdVenture is divided into six subgalleries, each with a different theme. While there you can talk to a skeleton, anchor the news, drive a fire truck, build a house, swim in the Great Barrier Reef and explore how people work. One gallery is the World of Work, which offers a look into what really goes into some of the state’s more well-known jobs. Future farmers will enjoy collecting eggs from chickens, milking a cow and driving a tractor through a field while city slickers can learn the skills necessary to manage a grocery store. As expected, they also have a “Backyard” devoted to wee ones, live critters, art or computer stations, and a water table outside for all to share. We loved all of it – especially Eddie! www.edventure.org
Other places of note: SOUTH CAROLINA STATE HOUSE and RIVERBANKS ZOO.
With so many amusements, entertainment and water activities to choose from, you may forget the essentials: picking the right lodging and dining for your visit. Here’s some helpful insights from our recent trip to Myrtle Beach:
This oceanfront hotel complex is located on 145 beautifully landscaped acres on approximately a mile of pristine beach, just 12 miles from Myrtle Beach International Airport and minutes from restaurant row.
Kingston Plantation Condos: individually owned and decorated casual upscale multi-bedroom condos are in towers on either side of the Embassy or Hilton Hotel Resort.
Embassy Suites Oceanfront: All of the luxurious two-room suites feature a spacious bedroom with one king bed or two double beds, plus a separate living area with mini refrigerator and microwave, and a private balcony with ocean views. Suites are fully equipped with two 32″ LCD televisions, a sleeper sofa, and a well lit dining/work table.
Complimentary Breakfast – All registered guests of the Embassy Suites will enjoy a complimentary breakfast buffet daily. Other resort guests can pay for the buffet. The restaurant offers great views of the ocean and pool complex. Before you leave home, go to www.embassykids.com for online games and offline printable activity sheets. Fish Eye Grill features daily fresh fish specials, along with regional Calabash style cuisine.
Splash! Water Park is open seasonally. This 50,000 pool area is the main feature for fun in the water. It offers water jets, water pumps, water slides and the “bucket”. The bucket is a 500 gallon bucket which fills with water and dumps every two minutes on participants below. Or, Enjoy one of 9 swimming pools at the resort. Relax in the Lazy River. Fun for kids and adults alike.
The large complex also offers a golf course, tennis and a huge Sport and Health Club. And, of course, the Beach – soft sand, great body board surfing, and the Apache Pier with fishing and nightly entertainment during summer. Easy place to make friends around the pool, set up a family tent on the beach or prepare light meals back at the room. This resort is perfect for safe family fun with plenty of leisure activities available. We highly recommend it! www.kingstonplantation.com
The Myrtle Beach area offers campers and outdoor enthusiasts a choice of nearly a dozen campgrounds, two state parks and more than 7,000 camping sites, all located in close proximity to the beach and other attractions and amenities along the Grand Strand. Some locations include:
RIVERSIDE CAFÉ: With 5 locations around Myrtle Beach, this is an inexpensive dining hangout where you eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floor. They have a few specialties but probably the best bets are their sandwiches – specifically their many burger varieties. And, if your kids dare, people can write on the walls, tables, chairs here – go ahead! Lunch and dinner served. www.rivercitycafe.com
JIMMY BUFFETT’S MARGARITAVILLE RESTAURANT – MYRTLE BEACH: After a fun-filled day with the kids on the beach and later at Ripley’s Aquarium at Broadway at the Beach, you may not want to loose that tropical feeling. After checking out some spectacular sea creatures, have a late lunch/ early dinner next door at Margaritaville to stay in that island state of mind. Kids have their own menu at this tropical-themed eatery including standards like chicken fingers, a “cheeseburger in paradise” or spaghetti but also grilled tilapia and fried shrimp plus 4 other selections. Margaritaville’s specialties include chicken, shrimp and fish entrees often served with Island rice and your choice of mango salsa, Jerk BBQ or Island butter. Key lime pie or their Chocolate Hurricane make a great dessert. Although their food is fun, folks really come for the atmosphere. While you wait for your meal to be served, a pirate on stilts makes balloon hats (we got fun palm trees and a shark fin). Once an hour, a tropical storm brews and there’s a hurricane indoors! It’s a party over there! Lunch and Dinner served daily. www.margaritavillemyrtlebeach.com
NE – Llywelyn’s – 100 North Main Street. www.llywelynspub.com. Historic area. Kids Menu includes: Grilled Cheese, Mac & Cheese, Mini Corndogs, Two Mini Burgers, Chicken Tenders, Pizza, or Kids Fish. All are served with a kids drink (excluding Fitz’s) Fries, chips, fruit cup, or veggie sticks and Oreos for $5.49. Parents, you must try Welsh Potato Chips or Welsh Rarebit to start, flatbreads w/Guinness for lunch or traditional Irish fare of Bangers & Mashed, Shepherds Pie or Irish Stew for a filling dinner.
NE – Little Hills Restaurant – 501 South Main Street. www.littlehillswinery.com. Wait until you see their Children’s Menu: typical chicken tenders, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, burgers but also pot roast or a chicken tender bowl with mashed potatoes and corn. Avg. $5.00-$6.00. Special items for adults are highlighted on the main menu – including specialty steak and chicken dishes plus dinner “bowls.”
Page 69 – 200 south block – First Capitol. You can just go in a look around the interpretive center floors for free or pay a small fee and tour the whole complex with detailed stories.
Sundermeier RV Park (www.sundermeierrvpark.com) may be the haven near the big city you were looking for. A wonderful low cost base to day trip from, Sundermeier park has the typical amenities for rv campers but also an on-site restaurant, wi-fi, cable, cottages to rent, a lovely city park with a playground and basketball court across the street, and the Katy Trail State Park is adjacent. The deluxe cottages have a fireplace, full kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom and porch. there are also sleeping cottages with just a bathroom and shower. All cottages are air conditioned and heated. Open year round.
Want 500 more ideas for discovering the adventuresome state of MISSOURI? Take a look at KIDS LOVE MISSOURI.
Put the rubber to the road. Vacationers may be able to save some dough by piling into the family car and hitting the highway on a clear winter weekend.
(DID YOU KNOW? Most of this type of “insider” info is found in books like KIDS LOVE OHIO – for under $20.00 here, you can have 5 years worth of fun ideas at your fingertips)
Nelson County contains over 400 square miles of adventure and just one stoplight! Just 6 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Crabtree Falls is the largest vertical drop waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Each year approximately 170,000 newly-hatched brook, brown and rainbow trout are nurtured to maturity at the Montebello State Fish Hatchery (pg. 119) then released to stock all trout waters east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. (located on Route 690, one-half mile off SR 56).
Families with young kids will want to visit the Montebello General Store (SR 56, 540-377-2650). Not only will you find snacks and old-fashioned goodies (like sassafras candies), but you can trout fish in their pond across the street at the Camping Resort. You only pay for what you catch. Bring your own equipment or purchase some there. Every child is pretty much guaranteed to get a catch in season (early spring or late fall is best 😉
The Walton Mountain Museum (pg. 113, Kids Love Virginia) is a special blend of history, nostalgia and even a dash of entertainment. Be sure to start by watching the intro video as it really gets you in the mood and helps you understand this time and place as it really was compared to Hollywood. On our last visit we had just finished watching the entire Walton’s series so we were proud to find out that the various quiz questions and the kids scavenger hunt (ask for it) were not as difficult as the last visit years ago. The folks who run this place are outstanding hosts!
Base from the middle of it all…Lovingston Village Inn – painted Bavarian motif outside, local hand-painted murals inside each clean, simple room. Rates under $60.00. (US 29 434-263-5068). Lovingston Cafe – (Bus 29. 434-263-8000). Their kids menu is presented in the front cover of a children’s book you can read while you wait on your food. Most kids Menu items are under $4.00 and adult entrees average $11.00. Their outdoor shaded patio is adorable.
A cheesesteak is a long, crusty roll filled with thinly sliced sautéed ribeye beef and melted cheese. Generally, the cheese of choice is Cheez Whiz, but American and provolone are common substitutions. The art of cheesesteak preparation lies in the balance of flavors, textures and what is often referred to as the “drip” factor. Other toppings may include fried onions, sautéed mushrooms, ketchup and hot or sweet peppers. Some sandwich shops also offer a cheesesteak hoagie, a hybrid version that combines the cheesesteak with cold hoagie dressings like lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Cheesesteaks are fast, portable and readily available at steak shops, delis, food trucks, pizzerias and even some high-end restaurants throughout the region.
The cheesesteak made its official debut in 1930. Pat Olivieri was a South Philadelphia hot dog vendor who one day decided to put some beef from the butcher on his grill. A taxicab driver noticed the alluring aroma and asked for his own steak sandwich. The next day, as the story goes, rumor of the delicious lunch had spread, and cabbies around the city came to Olivieri demanding steak sandwiches. Soon after, Olivieri opened up a shop on 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue, Pat’s King of Steaks, to sell his new creation. Eventually, according to legend, he added cheese to the recipe. Today, Pat’s grills are sizzling 24 hours a day, as are Geno’s, the rival shop across the street. For 40 years, the two shops have waged a friendly competition to win the title of best cheesesteak in town, with Geno’s founder, Joe Vento, claiming it was he, not Olivieri, who first added cheese to the cheesesteak.
How To Order A Cheesesteak:
Cheesesteak consumption has its own etiquette. When ordering, there are two critical questions to answer: First, what kind of cheese do you want? (Whiz? Provolone? American?) Second, do you want onions? (“Whiz wit?”) The correct way to respond is “Wit” for “Yes, I would like Whiz and onions,” or “Widout” for “No, just the cheese.” Then, ask for any other toppings or condiments you desire. Be forewarned: Lines are long, patience is tested, and if you don’t have your order and money ready to go, you might be sent to the back of the queue.
www.gophila.com and www.uwishunu.com
1. Penny-pinchers and spendthrifts alike cash in on the fun at the hands-on Money in Motion exhibition at the Federal Reserve Bank, featuring a giant tube stuffed with $100 million in shredded cash, the “Match Wits with Ben” game and a some impressive high-denomination bills. 6th & Arch Streets
2. A day at Franklin Square could include a ride on an old-fashioned carousel, a game of mini-golf, a romp on a modern playground and a family picnic. 6th & Race Streets, (215) 629-4026
3. Wannabe sailors can spend the night in the nation’s most decorated battleship, the Battleship New Jersey, and take tours of the officers’ and crew’s mess halls, communications center and high-tech command center. 62 Battleship Place, Camden, (856) 877-6262.
4. Home to more than 8,400 aquatic animals of some 500 species, including sharks, penguins, stingrays and hippos, the Adventure Aquarium also features a 4D theater, dive shows, live animal talks, performances and a giant 760,000-gallon tank. 1 Aquarium Drive, Camden, (856) 365-3300.
4. In addition to the Butterfly, Railroad, Dinosaur and Storybook gardens, the four-acre Camden Children’s Garden horticultural wonderland has added a new Fitness Garden where kids can crawl, climb and learn about healthy living. 3 Riverside Drive, Camden, (856) 365-TREE
5. At Linvilla Orchards, the oldest working farm in Delaware Valley, families can pick their own seasonal fruit, hop on a hay ride and buy fresh-baked pies. 137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, (610) 876-7116.
6. ·Guests who want to stay in the middle of the action check in to the Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia, located on the Avenue of the Arts near performing arts meccas, great restaurants and fashionable shops. Families can spend some time at the rooftop pool, sundeck and racquetball courts, and kids get a free cookie at check-in. 237 S. Broad Street, (215) 893-1600
7. Those who have a taste for sweets and history stop by The Franklin Fountain, an old-fashioned ice cream saloon serving up handmade ice cream, banana splits, thick shakes, sundaes and flavored soda water. 116 Market Street, (215) 627-1899
8. Fresh produce and prepared foods ranging from cheesesteaks to cannolis are the offered throughout the historic Reading Terminal Market. 12th & Arch Streets, (215) 922-2317
Jenny and I were off to Chicagoland to speak at a Homeschool Conference and came across A new place to dine and lodge. Whether you’re flying in (these are close to the airport) or driving in like us, this is a good area to base from. If you are driving in, you might want to take I-290 as I-90 is great scenery (downtown Chicago from the Sears Tower side) but loads of traffic!
As you enter the lobby and checkin, you’ll be greeted by friendly staff, yes, but even better – the smell of warm chocolate chip cookies! Each evening around checkin time, they bake their famous cookies (people love them so much they now ship them in tins) to give to guests as a welcome gift. If that doesn’t “grab” the kids attention, maybe the Fluffy bed and pillows in your room (popular Sweet Dreams pillows and plush top bedding) or the nice indoor atrium pool area and walking courtyard green space will. Just outside the fitness and pool area is a snack bar called Cravings – open 24 hours for late-night snack craving purchases. If you want, you can take the complimentary local area shuttle to the nearest Metra station and board the transit into downtown Chicago without the fuss (and expense) of parking.
The Birch River Grill Restaurant on the property was very good. (serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily) When you first walk in, it gives you a cozy feel…with a glowing fireplace one might find in a fishing lodge. A friendly wait staff and the smell of delicious food greet you at the entrance. They serve inspired
American dishes in generous portions. Everyone is sure to find something that they would enjoy to eat, from Granny Apple & Onion Soup (which is topped with cheese and fresh baked crisp apples) to even the simplest and cheesiest Mac & Cheese. Signature meat entrees include Grilled Pork Tenderloin Served with real smashed potatoes and rustic cranberry apple sauce or grilled, rubbed steak served au jus. Even the desserts are amazing, from a yummy carrot cake for two to the chocolate lover’s favorite Chocolate Temptation Cake (even the name makes you tempted to get it!). And, the Doubletree Cookies & Milk is the classic ending to Doubletree dining. Who would think a city known for pizza and beef would also have so many Southern twists (ex. Sweet potato fries or fried green tomatoes) and East Coast turns (crab cakes).
FOR MORE TO THE STORY: visit KIDS LOVE ILLINOIS UPDATES
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