KIDS LOVE I-95 – Your Family Travel Guide to I-95. 500 Kid-Tested Fun Stops & Unique Spots from the Mid-Atlantic to Miami
Welcome to Side-Tripping with Kids – a New Way to Travel Quick Stops along I-95.
SideTrips!: travel just minutes off the interstate to learn of hidden messages and historic secrets. Fly in Space and see priceless national treasures. Escape rooms full of bugs, enchanted gardens, explosive museums, pirate ships, and haunted lighthouses & forts. See George Washington’s teeth, experience a Civil War battle, and find the elusive Fountain of Youth.
We’ll tell you exactly how to find unique landmarks and favorite pit stops, too. Make spontaneous or planned sidetrips and get to know your favorite destinations better! All on a budget of time and money.
The print books are available at Bookstores and Online Retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. NOTE: Amazonoften runs sales on our best selling titles each season.Our travel guides are best suited to print books so you can easily mark and highlight places you want to visit next!
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.
On a recent trip we found a wonderful base hotel, The Beach House, from which we could play. Comfortable rooms, right on the beach, good food and drink served at the Porch and Tiki Hut, a spacious pool area with loads of lounge chairs, and the best part, easy access to all this island offers!
The Porch drinks poolsidelunchbox kids meal (safe from sand and water)
We puttered around the island, too, and can offer some insider tips:
Coastal Discovery Museum: A great spot for learning about the history and the Lowcountry’s natural surroundings. The kids can romp and play around history and unique natural environs. The grounds are free to access, and they hold regular hands-on learning events:
hands on activitieskids roombutterfly housesalt marshstorytime arealive oaks look like octopus treesCoastal Discovery Museum
Sea Pines Resort: Hilton Head Island’s original resort, and home of the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage. Explore the natural history or ancient Native American shell rings at the Sea Pines Forest Preserve, shop at Harbour Town, visit the animals at Lawton Stables or the Salty Dog at South Beach Marina.
Sandbox Children’s Museum: An interactive and sensory experience for kids. This brand-new building opened just two years ago. While you are there, check out the Lowcountry Celebration park, Hilton Head Island’s newest and award-winning park, complete with a playground modeled on a replicate of the Adventure – the ship in which Capt. William Hilton discovered the island. It’s located in the popular Coligny district – where the Beach House is located.
Harbour Town Lighthouse: A climb to the top is a history lesson of Hilton Head Island, and the views of the Calibogue Sound offer a beautiful view – especially during sunset. https://harbourtownlighthouse.com/
Kids can easily climb this lighthouse and the reward is the walk around the top!
Bluffton parks: Just over the bridge of Hilton Head is Bluffton, which has been growing with young families. Their parks are state-of-the-art: Oscar Frazier, Wright Family, Martin Family, and DuBois. Bluffton is also home to a thriving arts and culinary scene, as well as the beloved Thursday Farmers Market. https://www.visitbluffton.org/
Get on the water: Family-friendly adventure on the water. They offer dolphin tours, kayak and boating excursions, and so much more.
Biking is one of the best ways to see the island! Hilton Head Island is a Gold-Level Biking Community and with over 50 miles of back paths, it’s easy to get around on two wheels.
Beach: Make sure you catch the sunrise! There’s also no better way to spend your day than on the beach.
Places to eat: there are a dozen ice cream shops and candy shops. Best kids meals are found at the Salty Dog and the Crazy Crab. Order a seafood boil and share it as a family.
Virginia is for love and February 14th is the perfect time to introduce a new edition of KIDS LOVE VIRGINIA, An Organized Family Travel Guide to Kid-Friendly Virginia! All the listings have been UPDATED, about a dozen places closed (mostly little museums that didn’t survive the pandemic shutdown), yet a handful of new places opened or added significant new attractions.
The print books are available at Bookstores and Online Retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. NOTE: Amazonoften runs sales on our best selling titles each season.Our travel guides are best suited to print books so you can easily mark and highlight places you want to visit next!
I just found this video we put together years ago highlighting why travel with kids? It still applies to how we research and write today…check it out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Y1H_V-LIU
If you’re watching your budget and think that a “stay-cation” is your only option this summer, you’re in for a surprise. Kiplinger.com researched large and midsize cities for low, average round-trip airfare, affordable hotel costs, and cheap meals in order to compile a list of the top ten fun, but financially frugal cities to consider for your summer vacation.
Recently read an article on the 10 Best Family Travel Destinations in the U.S. We’ve been to many of them and they were awesome. But, I wonder how many families ponder, “Is this all there is?” In our travels (5,000 places and counting), we’ve unexpectedly discovered many places along the way that hold as many memorable stories as the popular destinations. Examples:
1. Williamsburg vs. the resort properties nearby full of kid-centered activities.
2. Kings Island Amusement Park, Cincinnati vs. the only authentically built medieval castle in the United States by a creek just outside of the park.
3. Cedar Point Amusement Park, Sandusky vs. the land of mega indoor waterparks down the street and the fascination learning about the quirky habits of a young genius, Thomas Edison, born in the little town of Milan, Ohio just 20 miles away.
4. Disneyworld vs. the adventures of Hot Air Ballooning over Disney, indoor skydiving or even air boating past alligators!
5. Hershey World vs. the numerous chocolate and pretzel factories dotting the surrounding countryside.
6. Dollywood vs. a cabin and hike in the woods.
7. Washington D.C. vs. crabbing in Maryland or a scavenger hunt in Alexandria.
8. Virginia Beach vs. crossing the Chesapeake Bridge underwater tunnel on a drive to the land of Chincoteague Ponies.
9. Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan vs. the thrill of plowing a dune buggy down a dune hill…fast!
10. Chicago city lights vs. the cheese factories of Wisconsin or riding the old wagon roads with pioneers heading west.
So, how do you try to find these unique experiences when planning your next trip? Trying to find it all on Internet Blogs? Experiencing unorganized information overload?
For some, big vacations are the way to celebrate spring break with a bang but for others, time and finances may make that type of trip impossible. Regardless, here are a few tips on how you can make the most of school breaks no matter your schedule or budget!
Be a Hometown Tourist Many residents don’t take the time to visit all the landmarks and attractions that their hometown is famous for. Make like a tourist and visit a popular monument, a local museum or sporting event. Often, there are outdoor festivals celebrating some fun local foods. Sometimes a stay-cation is all you need to recharge 😉
Sleep Away Go online and find a reasonably priced hotel in your own city, book a room for a night or two and go. Since your stay will be short, you can even splurge and go for that five star hotel that you have always wanted to visit. Enjoy the luxuries of room service and all the amenities, such as the pool and jacuzzi. The kids can swim to their hearts content while you lounge or enjoy a favorite treat.
Take a Hike! Find a nearby nature preserve or mountain with marked hiking trails. Grab your walking shoes, backpack, water bottle and get moving. Make the most of the sun and warm weat her or clean spring air by taking in all that nature has to offer. Pack a lunch and make a day out of it.
Day Tripping Plan to do something fun for the day. Look up towns and landmarks that are up to 2 hours away so you can make it up and back comfortably with time to explore. You’d be surprised how even being 30 minutes outside of the city can feel like being a world away 😉
Weekend Getaway Plan ahead to take the whole weekend off and devote it to your family. Explore as far as you can for as long as you can. Camping is also a great, affordable weekend trip that gets you away from the big city stress and in touch with nature.
Get Creative No matter what you do this break, get out there and do something! Make some family travel memories, explore your world and enjoy the leisure of school breaks while you can.
A little Frazzled? Busy? Have a Free Weekend coming up but no time to plan it? Kids Love Travel Family Guides to the rescue! We’ve already surveyed all the kid-friendly attractions and organized them for you to plan day trips and getaways…on a budget.
Some examples: Reindeer Ranch, Potato Chip Factory, Dog Sledding, Dune Buggies, Indoor SkyDiving, Duck Boating, Pizza Factories, Toy Factories, Recording Studios, Covered Wagons, Skipjack Boating, Dairy or Fish Farms, Making Baskets, Boats, and Carousel Creatures, Air Boating, Crabbing, Money Making, Cheese Making, Pretzels, Pottery, Baseball Bats & Bees, Ice Cream Factories and all the Candy Factory sampling you can bear. Where are the best burgers? the biggest toasted cheese sandwiches? The sweetest peaches or the greatest “foamed” root beer?
HAVE A TRAVELING MOM/DAD, TEACHER OR FRIEND ON YOUR GIFT GIVING LIST?
If they like exploring hidden gems near large cities – that’s what KIDS LOVE TRAVEL is all about
– hundreds of fun stops and unique spots around favorite destinations.
In each KIDS LOVE TRAVEL guide, you get ORGANIZED ideas for EASY family travel—from no hassle quick trips to unique vacation add-ons...with FREE things mixed in!
I just read a post from another blogger titled: Why I think the Kindle (and other readers) isn’t ready for e-books yet: http://bit.ly/KSTMa.
I, too have noticed too many people at airports trying to link to websites off Kindle with frustration. Wouldn’t you rather have a book highlighted to your tastes as a reference tool?
Hi-liter fun!
ESPECIALLY A FAMILY TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK. When you’re on the road, with kids, you need quick, easy “notes” and dog-eared pages to go to (in print book form) vs. trying to find a wireless cell and missing a bunch of hidden gems because you passed their exits.
What about you? Are you finding the more technology advances, the harder it is to stay focused?
Are you craving a SIMPLER life and wholesome family fun?
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