Kid-Friendly Travel

One of our preschool moms, Edie, has generously given us some GREAT advice for watching the Holidazzle Parade in downtown Minneapolis. It's a little short notice for this year... it only last another week or s0, but the tips are good for next year, too.

The Holidazzle Parade is every Thursday-Sunday evening, from Thanksgiving to just before Christmas, at 6:30 p.m.

-I suggest going early, head for downtown around 4-4:30 p.m. Find a parking ramp with a green 'Do The Town' sign and park for just $4 for the entire night by entering after 4pm. If you spend $20 or more at a variety of stores or restaurants, they will validate your parking ticket for free parking. Check online for a list of participating locations.

-Go to Macys 8th floor Holiday display before, rather than after the parade to avoid some of the crowds. (remember it's free!) Catch dinner at a number of family friendly places near Nicollet or Hennepin before the parade or pack a 'picnic'. Lots of open spaces in the first floor of the IDS building on Nicollet.

-Head to save a spot along Nicollet by 6pm, earlier if you want a warm skyway spot. Take a blanket with you if watching outside, to either sit on or cover up with.

-Just before the parade starts, volunteers will walk the route with shopping carts to collect donations for local food shelves. There will also be vendors selling glow and light up souvenirs. I wasn't going to splurge for the $5 light-up wands, but 2 years later they still work and my kids are still playing with them. We reuse them each year!

-If you want to see the very beginning of the parade, go down to 12th Avenue & Nicollet. They'll have the parade floats sitting there before parade time. You can see the 'actors' get their lights turned on and load the floats. It's not for everyone, but I thought it was neat.

-I suggest Sunday or Thursday nights for the smallest crowds. Tickets can be purchased in advance for warm seats in heated tents along the parade route. These go fast and you need to plan well in advance. If you don't mind the Minnesota cold just go for free!
Hope these help. Have a great time!

Thanks again, Edie!!!

And here's a video from YouTube to show you what all the fuss is about!!


Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

Johnson Space Center Houston

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About 25 miles south of Houston is an aerospace playground for kids and adults alike. Once you make it through security, you are surrounded by all things space.



Let the kids work out some pent up energy in the Kids Space Place playground. This kiddie habitrail is full of ball launchers, climbing, slides, and non-stop action. Houston, we have a ‘go’. There’s a separate tots area so the little ones don’t get trampled. I saw mostly dads in there with the kids, and they were having just as much fun!


photo from http://www.spacecenter.org/

The most fascinating feature to me was an actual space shuttle cockpit! Walking around through the multi-level structure, you really get a sense of what it’s like for the astronauts.


For more interaction, visit the Feel of Space exhibit. Here an officer presents an amusing show to demonstrate life on the space station. Take a look at the spacesuits through history in the Astronaut Gallery before taking in a few movies at Blast off Theater , “like IMAX in 10D!”, and Destiny Theater in the Starship Gallery.


Also in the main area are several hands-on science stations that are fun for all ages. My 2-yr-old had fun with the magnets and static electricity. We didn’t do the tram ride, but most people recommend the Level 9 tour if you have older kids or space buffs.


For food, the Zero-G Diner cafeteria is expensive, but diverse.


A very pleasant surprise was the Space Trader gift shop. Here you can buy, among other things, astronaut food packs, flight suits, and NASA logo stuff with sassy sayings like “failure is not an option”. My husband insisted the sayings were written just for me. He could be right.



Have you been there? Did you ride the tram? What did you think?

Related Articles: Kid-Friendly Houston, TX


Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

Lots of parks, great weather, and the fact that most attractions either have kid-friendly areas, or are designed specifically for kids make Houston a great kid-friendly city. Here's a list of some of our favorites:

Houston Zoo: Great zoo for small kids. Separate children's area with splash fountains is nice on a hot day.
Houston Museum of Natural Science: Near the zoo in the museum district.
Hermann Park: Handicapped accessible playground with splash fountains near the zoo in the museum district.
Childrens Museum of Houston: Indoor and outdoor exhibits, arts and crafts, crazy fun for kids!
Nottingham Park: Neighborhood park on the west side of town with free spash fountains.
Downtown Aquarium: Fun way to spend a couple of hours if you're in the theatre district.
Galleria Mall: Great shopping and restaurants. Ice rink inside is fun for skating or just watching.
Minute Maid Park: Catch a ball game!

Day trips:
Johnson Space Center Houston / NASA: Learn all about space exploration in this hands-on destination.
Kemah: Just a few minutes further down the road from NASA, stroll the boardwalk and check out the shops.
Galveston: The nearest major beach. Also home to Moody Gardens, the Strand, and Schlitterbahn Water Park.

Where to stay:
We like to stay near the Galleria. The Residence Inn by Marriott near the Galleria is converted apartments, so they are quite spacious. As with all Residence Inns, they have a full breakfast selection, kitchens in the room, and they have kid-friendly meals every weeknight included in the rate. There are plenty of other dining options in and near the Galleria as well.
Another highly recommended hotel is the Houstonian. They have a great pool!

Know before you go:
You should know that Houston is hot. In the summer it's also humid. We were there for a couple of weeks in November and most days wore tank tops and shorts. Bring sunscreen, sun hat, stroller shade (and a misting fan in the summer).
You should know that you'll have to drive everywhere. Allow time for traffic as there doesn't seem to be a discernable 'rush hour' to avoid... it's all the time. Renting a car is definately a good idea. Luckily, the roads are laid out well, so it's easy to find your way around.
There's so much more to do... what did I miss?



Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

For many people, Orlando equals Walt Disney World. Yes, Disney is a destination on it's own, but Orlando has so much more to offer, and the offerings just keep coming! We spent 3 weeks there with our 2-1/2 year old, and there was no shortage of things for us to do!

An overview of our favorite offerings in Orlando...

Walt Disney World: The House of Mouse will never dissapoint. There is truly something for everyone here.

Downtown Disney: Free admission and free parking! Enjoy the shopping and dining delights, along with live performances that get the kids groovin'. There's even a few kiddie rides and 2 splash pads.

Universal Studios Orlando: This could also be a destination in itself. 2 theme parks, a City Walk and lots of overhead misting fans to beat the heat.

Sea World: An absolute must for the animal lovers in your group.

Wet 'N Wild: Huge water park with separate area for kids 48" and under.

Monkey Joes: When your wallet needs a vacation, this inflatable playground is where locals go to beat the heat on the cheap.

I-Ride Trolley: Great way to get around Orlando, or just ride it for fun.

Trainland International Trolley and Train Museum: If you have a rabid train fan, this is worth a visit.

We're always adding more, so check back often. Keep us updated, add your favorite to the comment sections!

Check Top Hotel Deals in Orlando .

Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

The Mall of America in Bloomington, MN is such a major attraction here, it actually made it as the icon for our state in the Great States Jr. board game!

Bloomington is a suburb of Minneapolis. It's so easy to get to both downtown St. Paul and downtown Mpls from here, that it's an ideal location to stay.

A new popular hotel is the Radisson adjacent to the Water Park of America, located just across the highway from the Mall of America.

• Inside the MegaMall (as the natives call it) shopping is great for you (no sales tax on clothes), but the Mall is all about kid-friendly things to do! Being all indoors makes this a year-round destination.
• Toddler Tuesdays offer special events in the morning, and discounts on lunches at most sit-down restaurants.
• In the center of the mall is Nickelodeon Universe theme park. Rides for all ages feature favorite Nickelodeon characters: Spongebob, Dora & Diego, the Backyardigans, Jimmy Neutron and more!
• Underwater Adventures Aquarium is an amazing walk-thru aquarium underneath the Mall located by the East Parking Entrance. Read more about it and watch a little video here...
• Weekends are busy, so use the valet service located on the west parking (by Nordstrom's) on the 4th level parking if you don't want the hassle. It's only $5, (it's customary to tip when you receive your car.)
• Lego Imagination Center is very popular with many age groups. You can find that near the South entrance.
• There are 3 food courts. 2 located on the 3rd floor (north side and south side) and 1 inside the Nickelodeon Universe park. Throughout the mall are restaurants ranging from pretzel stands to fine dining and everything in between. There is even a convenience store.
• Toy stores are abundant, if you like Nickelodeon characters.
• There's a family restroom near every entrance, and baby-changing stations have their own area in the regular bathrooms.

Overall, you can easily make a weekend of the Mall of America with small kids in tow, rain or shine! What do you like to do when you're here?

Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

Here's a little video I took on some visits to the Mall of America at the Underwater Adventure aquarium under the East Entrance. You can read my full review here.




Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

If you have older kids, or just adults, the VIP pass is totally worth it! You go right to the front of the line for any ride. (only once per ride, though)
If you end up getting tickets at the gate, you can still get a deal if you use your MasterCard. By using your MC when buying the 2-Park/2-Day Pass, you get a 3rd day free! Of course, specials change, so call ahead to be sure. To reach Guest Services, call: (407) 224-4233.
A nice feature is the Child Swap program. This allows one member of a party to watch over the child while the rest of the party waits, rides, then swaps places so they may enjoy the ride as well. They won’t have to wait in the long line. See the ride attendant for more details.
No need to worry about the Florida heat here, misting fans are everywhere!
Budget note: After having bought our multi-day admission passes, all we needed to pay each day was parking. Even though the signs say no coolers or outside food, if you have small children the website recommends that you bring your own snacks and food. We kept it to an insulated lunch-bag filled with a couple of sandwiches, snacks and frozen juice boxes and had no issues. I didn’t see anyone with a stroller have their cooler turned away.

Universal Studios:
There are things for the little ones all over this park… VERY kid-friendly.
Parking is extremely organized. If you get there around 10am, you shouldn’t need to spring for preferred parking. There are elevators in the parking ramp if you have a stroller or wheelchair, otherwise escalators get you to the proper level. I highly recommend bringing your own or renting a stroller. My little one thought driving the stroller over the cobblestone streets of “New York” was a ‘ride’. So easy to please aren’t they?

As you walk in, you can easily meet favorite characters: (Check the maps as these locations could change.)
SpongeBob SquarePants (inside the NICKSTUFF store, in the back),
Dora the Explorer and Jimmy Neutron (outside the NICKSTUFF store),
Shrek and Donkey (the side street just past the Shrek 4-D attraction at Shrek’s Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe)
Curious George, Scooby-Doo & Shaggy, Woody and Winnie Woodpecker are all in the KidZone. As are characters from Madagascar (across from the Animal Actors on Location)
Crew members are happy to help you get in the picture at no charge.

Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone is AWESOME for little ones!!! Bring a swimsuit, or wear clothes that dry easily. We easily made a day of just this area.
Curious George Goes To Town is a splashing, squirting, downpour of fun! Wander through the ‘town’ and buckets could rain down on you from above. A gentleman admitted how close he came to dumping a huge bucket of water on my head. Lucky for me, he saw my camera. Next visit, I put the camera in a zip-top bag before entering the Zone.
Fievel’s Playland gives kids a “mouse-eye-view” of the world. Of course, my little fish stood under the teacup pouring water. There are tunnels to walk through, things to climb on, and of course, slides. Big slides, little slides, and wet slides, too.
Animal Actors on Location! is a live show with live animals. A few exotic animals make a cameo appearance, but most of the show is dogs, monkeys and birds. My toddler was THRILLED when the birds swooped over the audience. He turned around and shouted at the hole they flew into, “Can you do that again?!”

We’ll be back!

Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

We stopped here on part of our mountain drive. The easiest way to get here is to go through the town of Morrison. Bring picnic supplies to have lunch up in Red Rocks, or eat at one of the restaurants in town.

I was surprised how smooth and roundy (is that a word? oh well) these HUGE stones were. It's something I'd expect by a seashore, but this area is practically desert in the summer. Way down at the bottom you can see the handrail for walking up to the stadium. The whole thing is a ramp, so you could easily bring a stroller up.

We're big aquarium fans and try to visit one in each city. This one had some really unique features. I'll say that I was surprised, however, that they didn't honor any discounts; not other aquarium/zoo memberships or even AAA. Oh well. I definately think it's worth the admission price, regardless.



I'll just skim, so I don't ruin it for you if you go.


When you first go in, there's the lake fish and otters. Be sure to look up or you'll miss the catfish swimming overhead. There's also a place to pan for minerals, which looked fun. Around the corner, that roaring you hear isn't the giant dinosaur skeleton, it's thunder. Hug the wall to your right as you round the next turn or you just may get wet from a powerful gushing waterfall!



The biggest surprise was the Sumatran tiger exhibit. They're on their own island surrounded by plexiglass. Sturdy stuff, I hope. Those guys looked hungry. I overheard an employee telling someone who asked about the fish in the tiger pond say, "Tigers don't eat fish. They eat meat. And the caretakers always use meals as a reward to get the tigers to behave. That way, the vets don't have to sedate them during checkups." That's probably good for the tigers, but still. I'm glad I'm not a tiger vet! Very cool rainforest exhibit!!

The theme goes from lakes and rivers to rainforests and eventually on to tidepools and oceans.
There are lots of places for kids to poke their heads into a 'bubble' and get a 'fish-eye-view' of the place. The shark area is pretty cool, with treasure chests and a place to look through the floor.

If you like aquariums, this one is really good. Take your time here, there's a lot to see!










Check out their website for more info:
Downtown Aquarium Denver

Our reciprocal museum membership back home got us in free here, so we went 3 days in a row. The first two days I had to drag Toddler out kicking and screaming. "Wait! I want to see something else!" he wailed at the top of his lungs. Luckily, he wasn't the only child to do this upon exiting. As you can guess, kids really like this place! The third day, I gave him more warning. I said, "OK, it's time to go. What would you like to do again before we go?" After going through the rabbit hole again, he walked out calmly and bubbling about how much fun he had.

We filmed this parade at Animal Kingdom in May 2007. So many animals to see, lots of shade and quiet areas, and unlimited fun things to do, made this our hands-down favorite park for preschoolers.

This was my first attempt at filming video with my digital camera (not camcorder), so it may be a bit shakey... sorry.

The number one thing to bring on any trip is a positive attitude. You laugh, but when the heat rolls in, the kids are cranky, and the lines are long, it can be hard to find that smile. Keep telling yourself, “We’re here to have fun.” Do you really need to ride every attraction at the theme park? If you’re not having fun, are you really getting your money’s worth?

When going to a theme park, I find that it helps to have a loose itinerary for each day. We plan a couple of must-do’s for each of us before we leave. Then, everyone has a couple of want-to’s that we try to fit in once we’re there.

Another biggie: keep meals and sleep times as normal as possible. Bring along some healthy snacks like cereal and dried fruit. Freezing juice boxes works well on really hot outings. My toddler likes to drink them while they’re still a little slushy. Of course, bring plenty of water.

If you’re an umbrella stroller fan, bring it. I’m not, so I bring our regular stroller. I like the cup holder/snack tray for parent and child, and the roomy storage underneath. Mine is light and folds pretty easily. I’ve never had any trouble bringing it on trams or monorails, etc, where it needs to be collapsed. As an added bonus, I like how sturdy it is so we can use it as a luggage cart at the airport and hotel.