Category Archives: Sport Theme Travel

New, Updated Kids Love Pennsylvania is here!

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Just in time for spring and summer travels…

KIDS LOVE PENNSYLVANIA

An Organized Family Travel Guide to Exploring “Kid-Friendly” Pennsylvania – 600 Fun Stops & Unique Spots

Your kids will love finding where to discover Oil and take a tram ride deep into Coal Mines…hike along tall trees, great lakes, waterfalls and grand canyons…tour fun Snack Food Factories…twist your own Pretzel…take a peak at Polar Bears and Groundhogs…travel around Train Curves and Inclines…or, “meet” Ben Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and even see some real Christopher Columbus stuff!

Each chapter is a day trip zone including points of interest, events and suggested lodging and dining options.

Save Time. New features include QUICK TOURS and web resources to quickly help you make the most of a short trip in each chapter. Searching countless hours on the internet? We give you fast travel facts, prices, and our kid-tested reviews for every listing. We did the work so you don’t have to.

Save Money. Once you purchase the book you’ll have access to a special page of online updates that keeps your book FRESH for years. Plus, we’ve found many places to visit for little or no charge.

The books are available at Bookstores and Online Retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

PLANNING A SPORTS FAN VACATION

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I live in the Midwest so we’re used to seasons. And…any sports fan knows the change of sesaons means the change in sports played too.

We decided to explore a City of Champions – Pittsburgh, PA – just for its sports.

Take a Guided Tour

After a short (1 to 2 hour) tour you have the lay of the land. 

Use Shuttles

Many big sports cities offer shuttle service to/from nearby hotels or major attractions right to the front door (or dock) of the sports arena/field.

Gateway Clipper tours and shuttles on the river

Go to Games

Pro Baseball/Hockey/Soccer games often have tickets available for a fair price.

Heinz Field pregame activities

Go Behind the Scenes

Take a stadium tour or attend a training camp.

Try to Find Sports History

Usually it isn’t hard to find a local museum with plenty of local sports history memorabilia.

Pick Lodging and Dining

With a local flare or within a short walk/shuttle to games.

Some of our favs:

Marriott Pittsburgh City Center – The official hotel of the Pittsburgh Penguins is right next to the Consol Center (home of Penguins NHL Hockey). Uptown flair. Take their shuttle to the games or the Strip. Within 6-8 blocks of most downtown shopping/dining.

Cambria Suites Pittsburgh at Consol Energy Center. Friendliest shuttle drivers ever. Lots of sports fans stay here.

Pamelas Diner crepe pancakes
Pamelas Diner crowded

THE STRIP! Blocks of pure Pittsburgh. Along the Allegheny River just northeast of Downtown is the mile-long stretch known as The Strip District. Here, industrial and warehouse spaces have been reclaimed to support a bustling marketplace. During the day, this area serves as Pittsburgh’s most popular market district, offering the freshest foodstuffs, including enticing polish, irish, italian, and greek smells wafting from the door fronts and dozens of street and store vendors selling much “BLACK AND GOLD”. (the Strip: pg 305 of KIDS LOVE PENNSYLVANIA)

For those of you following along by means of KIDS LOVE PENNSYLVANIA, pages 291 thru 313 .  We promise, with our books as your base we give you all the help you need to plan any daytrips – even the Sports fanatic kind!

Travel Book Review: Baseball Road Trips: The Midwest and Great Lakes

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The perfect travel guide for baseball fans who want to see more of the great ballparks in America’s heartland, this handy guide gives you the tips for best lodging, great restaurants, and local attractions for the Major League and minor league cities and towns that dot the Midwest. With details about every ballpark from Major League Baseball to the Frontier League, this travel companion tells you the best places to sit, the best ballpark food to eat, and the best places to go around town when you are not at the ballpark.

As a huge baseball fan, I couldn’t wait to dig into this book (sent complimentary for unbiased review). I really liked the format (easy reading) and callouts (interesting sidebar notes). As a journalist, I wanted to especially compare my personal experiences at many of these ballparks to that of the authors…and I learned some stuff along the way!

Since I’m biased towards certain MLB teams, I refrained from examining the major league ballparks too much. After all, we visit those predominantly to watch our fave team play, not really for the ballpark.

But the minor league ballparks are a different story. Here’s some examples:

1. INDIANA – South Bend Silver Hawks – Four Winds Field – my review was more recent and favorable (https://kidslovetravel.com/fun-in-south-bend-indiana/) but we both agree this is a resurgence ballpark finding its following near Notre Dame campus.

2. KENTUCKY – Louisville Bats – Louisville Slugger Field – now here’s where I learned something very unique – how the Pittsburgh Pirates got the name “Pirates” – when the city’s ballclub fell victim to a pirate in 1899 – not the type of pirate you may think (pg 77). This ballpark is too fun (https://kidslovetravel.com/sporting-fun-in-louisville-day-two/)

3. OHIO – Columbus Clippers – Huntington Park – my adult hometown set in the heart of the Arena district and Short North arts district, this newer ballpark is also home to Dime a Dog night and Buck a Bone (ribs) night. Live bands on summer weekends and plenty of craft brews now offered make this a fun park to buy a $7 standing room only ticket and wander the park set in the heart of the city. As the author says, “The fans of Columbus also have a good view no matter where they sit.”

From taking in a AAA game with the Iowa Cubs in Des Moines and visiting the Field of Dreams to knowing how to best experience Target Field in the Twin Cities, Baseball Road Trips: The Midwest and Great Lakes is all you need to plan a dream baseball road trip.

Triumph Books, $16.95, http://www.triumphbooks.com/baseball-road-trips–the-midwest-and-great-lakes-products-9781600789694.php

Downtown Fun in Indy

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I recently traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana with a youth baseball team. Since we knew we’d have time each day to check out the city’s attractions, we decided to plan some side trips within a short distance from our downtown hotel.

SUGGESTED LODGING:

SPRINGHILL SUITES BY MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN

Springhill Suites is located on a beautiful seven-acre site overlooking White River State Park and adjacent to the Convention Center. The downtown is located directly across from the Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana State Museum, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the historic Canal with miles of jogging/biking trails as well as just a 4 min. drive to the Indianapolis Zoo. With upgraded WiFi, guests appreciate the complimentary, new breakfast buffet served daily and the mini frig & microwave in every room. Ideally suited for families (and teen boys) with suites 25% larger than other traditional downtown Indianapolis hotel rooms, they also offer an indoor heated pool, activity kits for kids and even rentable board games and Wii! 

  • Here’s a suggested itinerary for your next sports-themed trip to Indianapolis…

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY: (pg 27 of Kids Love Indiana) Although recognized as a sports capital and home of the world’s largest single-day sporting event – the Indy 500, visitors will find there is a surprise around every turn…literally! We happened to visit on a day where they were not conducting Track Tours. Instead, time trials for a vintage car race were going on and we watched from the observers grassy mounds on the infield. The roar of the cars whizzing around the track in brightly shined color made our day!

INDIANAPOLIS ZOO: (pg 29 Kids Love Indiana) World’s Most Important Zoo Exhibit: International Orangutan Center. www.indyzoo.com. Features eight orangs that interact with visitors! through computer games or a 40 foot high tram ride along the recreated natural habitat of the Hutan Trail. Nightly, an orang climbs to the Beacon of Hope and flips on a light that can be seen from downtown Indy! Amazing, creative space!

NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS: (pg 23 Kids Love Indiana) www.ncaahallofchampions.org. Because we LIKE most college sports but LOVE baseball, we spent most of the time in that area. Mom (me) earned some cool points on the basketball half court though…made the same shot Michael Jordan did to win for Tarheels as a freshman.

Indy is at your service! You will quickly discover that Hoosier Hospitality is not a statement, but a lifestyle. Notoriously nice, helpful people are everywhere to assist you in planning and implementing a successful tour. http://www.visitindy.com and www.kidslovetravel.com/kids_love_indiana.htm. 

INDIANA FAMILY TRAVEL GUIDE

Travel Product Review: Travel size lotions from Coppertone…sun protection is always in season.

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When Coppertone first approached me a couple weeks ago about doing a blog review of their sunscreen products, I thought, “it’s almost the end of summer!”

But then I received the sample package…right after Labor Day weekend full of outdoorsy fun at festivals and football games. Right after days in the late summer sun…and a little sunburn on my face and shoulders! Ok, I get it. Providing broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays is always in season.

I focused on the facial products – especially the Sport Lip Balm and Oil Free Faces Sunscreen Lotion. An outdoor concert, a baseball game and a college football gameday tailgate were on the agenda the following weekend. I applied the lightweight products (btw, won’t clog pores or cause breakouts, water-resistant (80 minutes) and the Sport even sweat proof) and they worked! Soft skin and no burn.

And, for you sun-seeking travelers who fly south when the chill hits North – Coppertone Travel Size offerings are now available. The 3 oz lotions are made specifically for convenience and comply with TSA travel size regulations.
  • For portable protection, Coppertone Travel Size Lotions are perfect for your weekend away game trip – they can easily fit in a purse or carry-on bag for on-the-go sun protection.
  • For a simple beauty regimen, Coppertone Oil Free Faces SPF 15, 30 and 50+ is a fragrance free, hypoallergenic sunscreen lotion specifically designed for the face. It helps prevent premature skin aging and won’t clog pores or cause breakouts.
  • For convenient lip protection – Coppertone Sport Lip Balm SPF 30 can easily fit in a pocket for on-the-go sun protection that also helps smooth and soften lips.

Where to find: Available nationwide at food, drug, mass and internet retailers. Sport $3.99. Lip Balm $2.99. Oil Free Lotions $8.99. www.coppertone.com 

COME SOAR WITH ZIPZONE CANOPY TOURS

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ZipZone Canopy Tours (http://zipzonetours.com) in Columbus, Ohio, invites you to experience an adventure-filled zip lining tour—the only tour in central Ohio…right outside of the big city!

We recently tried this tour, now celebrating its first anniversary, and loved it!

Looking for something to do with your adventuresome kids or picky teens? This is an adventure in the woods on the north side of metropolitan Columbus. But it’s really a mild adventure…you can ride basic or you can ride a little crazy…but it’s your choice!

During the two-hour tour you’ll walk across sky bridges, zip from platform to platform and glide over ravines and streams as you experience Columbus’ natural landscape in a way you never would have imagined.

No special skills, training or equipment are needed to enjoy ZipZone as the highest-quality gear and professionally trained guides help navigate and facilitate every zip.

They guide you through a hands free tour while you soar through the treetops in this old growth forest (the guides move your ropes and brake you so you have freedom to enjoy the ride).

Your teens will want to try the rented the gopro video camera to record their experience. We tried some of the progressive challenges suggested by the guides. Hands free- walking backwards on the bridge, zipping backwards, cannonball style or 360!

If you read TripAdvisor reviews, you will soon realize many were anxious at first but, after the first zip, they catch the thrill.

Final Words: Best features were: Perfect length of trip (just under 2 hours, more is just too much) and Hands-Free zipping (ability to move into different styles of zipping and watch the natural beauty flash by). “Wow!”, “Sweet!”, “Best zips ever!” were the words spoken by my teens on the trip. Makes this Mama Duck happy when my teens “love” something :-).

More details: 7925 North High Street; Columbus (Worthington), OH 43235 on the grounds of Camp Mary Orton. 855-Lets-Zip.

Tours last roughly 2 hours and are available for Ages 7 to 91 (really, ask about the 91-yr old grandma).

Tours are $69 per person on the weekend (FRI, SAT, SUN) and $64 per person on weekdays (MON-THURS).

If you have a group of 8, you can save $10 per person!  Use coupon code GROUP to get the discount.  Call the office for groups of more than 8.  614-847-9477.

Sporting Fun in Louisville – Day Two

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MORNING

For over 135 years, Louisville’s Churchill Downs has been home to the greatest two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby. At the Downs you’ll find the Kentucky Derby Museum (pg 38 www.derbymuseum.org), which chronicles the colorful history of the race…and famous horses! Try riding like a jockey – the trick is never ever sit down in the saddle.

AFTERNOON

A constant 60 degrees underground, the Louisville Mega Cavern (www.louisvillemegacavern.com) is a perfect activity for a rainy or sweltering summer day. With more than 17 miles of underground passageways beneath the City of Louisville, Louisville Zoo and Watterson Expressway. You’ll discover a guided tram tour rich in history, geology, mining and recycling.

For the adventuresome, glide behind a certified tour guide on the 2-hour underground MEGA Zips. Featuring six underground zip lines, including a fun filled dual racing zip, three awesome challenge bridges that will test your skill, balance, and mettle; this tour is guaranteed to get your heart racing and your adrenaline pumping. The tour path leads you into never before seen sections of the man made cavern. This is the only underground zipline in the country!

For those who want a more relaxing adventure, be sure to take our one hour Historic Tram Tour through part of 17 miles of man-made passageways beneath the City of Louisville. Learn about the early limestone mining operations that created the caverns, dioramas to explain how the cavern could have been used as a fallout shelter, and even a little on the recycling that goes on below ground…even growing worms! Because you ride through the cavern and never walk, this tour is especially convenient for children of all ages, seniors, and the physically challenged.

The size and scale of this cavern is huge and the fact that the owners have such vision to create a viable business and attraction is worth a visit to see what all is down-under the city of Louisville.

  • Tip: Weight guidelines are 55 to 275 pounds. Children up to 15 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Zips run $59-$79 for a zip tour.

EVENING

Be entertained while eating great seafood at Joe’s Crab Shack overlooking the Ohio River. Or have a family dinner at one of Louisville’s favorite locally-owned spots.

  • Enjoy a buffalo burger at Buckhead Mountain Grill (kids eat free every Monday-Thursday with purchase of adult entree of $9.99 or more…and many entrees are priced under $10). Try anything beef or local flavors like KY Hot Brown or Fried Green Tomatoes.

Sporting Fun in Louisville – Day One – Afternoon/Evening

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AFTERNOON

Offer the kids lunch choices both within two blocks of the Slugger Museum — The Bristol Bar & Grille (kids menu) and Luigi’s Pizzeria (what kid doesn’t like pizza?). Or look for one of downtown Louisville’s hot dog vendors (often seen at Jefferson Park, 4th and Main Streets and elsewhere during the week).

Louisville loves it’s college sports and you are sure to find a game featuring the University of Louisville Cardinals (www.gocards.com, same exit as KY Derby Museum) it might be baseball, soccer, football or basketball depending on the season.

EVENING

In the summer, head over to Louisville Slugger Field to take in a Louisville Bats (pg 42, www.batsbaseball.com) baseball game and maybe some great ballpark food! Be sure to get your picture beside the statue of Pee Wee Reece in front of the ‘warehouse turned baseball stadium’. The Bats are the AAA farm team for the Cincinnati Reds. Every seat is a great view. The folks are super friendly and the mascots, promotions and foul balls keep the kids attentive. They have a carousel and kiddie park as entertainment too!

A short bike ride, pedestrian bridge, or car drive away, the family will love the view from the Indiana side, situated on the Ohio River with boat docks nearby and the shoreline in sight. All the restaurants on the water have great service and a variety of food and views.

Rent a bike or surrey from Wheel Fun Rentals or Segway of Louisville (www.wheelfunrentals.com) and explore the beautiful Waterfront Park. The park features biking and walking paths, playgrounds (yes, more than one!), splash parks, special events and more.

  • Money saving tip: Visit more than one Museum Row on Main attraction and save dough. Show your ticket stub at the next stop and receive a discount on admission.

Tip: Why Bring that Magnet? Over a century ago, cast iron made it possible to build beautiful decorative features that were too expensive to carve out of stone. Main Street is one of the largest assemblies of cast-iron from buildings in the United States. See the sidewalk bricks in front of the columns? They are placed sideways and flecked with iron to make it easy to identify the cast iron buildings. A magnet will stick to building facades that are cast iron.

Sporting Fun in Louisville DAY ONE – Morning

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Understanding Louisville’s rich sports history begins with a walk with The Greatest at the Muhammad Ali Center (http://alicenter.org), admission, open daily, 144 N Sixth Street, downtown riverfront. You can learn about Ali’s boxing career and humanitarian efforts, and even try shadow boxing the Champ! As a boxer, Muhammad Ali brought unprecedented speed and grace to his sport, while his charm and wit changed forever what the public expected a champion to be.

On your way to your next stop of the day, have the kids keep their eyes out the Louisville Slugger Walk of Fame™. The walk stretches one mile on historic East and West Main Streets starting at Louisville Slugger Field.

The Walk of Fame ends at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory (pg 31, www.sluggermuseum.com 800 West Main Street, downtown) where memories will last a lifetime, especially with a family photo op in front of the world’s largest baseball bat.

Explore baseball history in the museum, and in the factory you’ll see how Sluggers are made— receive a free mini-bat at the end of the tour!

The kids will enjoy mimicking the life-like mannequin of Babe Ruth as he hits one out of the park. And you’ll all be amazed witnessing, right before your eyes, a piece of wood – called a billet – spinning into the shape of a bat in less than 90 seconds.

Sporting Fun in Louisville

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I recently traveled to Louisville, Kentucky with a youth baseball team. Since we knew we’d have time each day to check out the city’s attractions, we decided to plan a little theme trip… a Sports-theme.

Take a good look at Louisville for many legendary sporting attractions. Stop at the Louisville Visitors Center at 4th and Jefferson in downtown. Check out the brochures, grab a downtown walking tour brochure and take your kid’s picture with a life-sized Colonel Sanders…all for free. www.gotolouisville.com

SUGGESTED LODGING:

TOWNEPLACE SUITES BY MARRIOTT LOUISVILLE NORTH

703 North Shore Drive, Jeffersonville IN 67130. (just over the Ohio River on the I-65 or 2nd Street Bridge). Lodging starts around $125/night.

TownePlace Suites Louisville North is the go-to choice among extended-stay Louisville hotels in Jeffersonville. Our beautiful townhouse community is located just 1 mile from downtown and the KFC Yum Center, home to the University of Louisville Cardinals, and walking distance from excellent dining along the Ohio River. Whether searching hotels in Jeffersonville / Louisville for business or leisure, they’ll get you where you’re going in minutes: Riverfront, Kentucky Fair & Expo Center, KY Derby Center, Louisville Slugger and more. Their extended-stay Louisville suites and studios feature fully equipped kitchens, large work spaces and free high-speed wireless Internet. More than a place to stay, the Jeffersonville, IN hotel is a true home-away-from-home, complete with outdoor pool, BBQ area with gas grills, coin laundry and fitness room.

KENTUCKY FAMILY TRAVEL GUIDE

(Note: page references are from www.kidslovetravel.com/travel-books/ )