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Family Friendly Travel Tips - Kids Eat Free Restaurants
Discounts at Sea World San Diego
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| Sea World San Diego has some great deals to help famlies afford to enjoy their amazing theme park this year. These deals are especially great if you live nearby or if you travel to Sea World San Diego often. Pay for a Year, Get the 2nd Year Free----this is with the Silver Annual Pass. Cost is $109 and includes free parking and in-park savings. or Pay for a Day, Get the Year Free-- this is with the Fun Card which is $69 for ages 10 + or $59 for ages 3 - 9. This includes admission through December 31, 2010! |
Family Fun Activity: Colonial Williamsburg
| COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG 101A Visitor Center Drive (Hwy 132Y), Williamsburg, Virginia 1-800-HISTORY COST: WINTER 1-Day Pass RATES: $22 adults / $11 youth (age 6 - 17) / Seniors receive 10% off admission / Military members- see your installation MWR/ITT office for a Military One Day Plus Pass (Note: some areas are closed in winter) HOURS: Daily 9:30 am - 4:30 pm Take a step back in history at Colonial Williamsburg. Fun and educational, although much of the significance is lost on younger children. Perfect for older children who have most likely studied Williamsburg in school. Children can get a card to have punched at different buildings after they learned about it. Once complete you return the card to the Visitor Center and get a free postcard. Our favorites to see: The garden and the Fife and Drum parade. The visitor center gift shop was our favorite for souvenir options, although you have to try out a licorice stick from the candy shop in town. To see more about Colonial Williamsburg, be sure to do the Tour the Town Online at their website (linked above). FAMILY FRIENDLY PROS- Lots to see and learn about! Relatively talkative staff; who are very passionate about history. They dress in period costume and act as if they're from the time. There is lots of information they can give you (though at times they were too talkative for young children who lost interest). FAMILY FRIENDLY CONS- Expensive! Expect to spend a lot between admission, meals and souvenirs. There is a lot of walking if you want to make the most of the day and see everything. |
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Give a Day, Get a Disney Day Ticket Giveaway
| Don't forget about the Disney Give a Day, Get a Disney Day Ticket Giveaway. Disney wants to encourage everyone to get involved with volunteering so they are offering a free 1 day, 1 park ticket to a Disney Park. Just go through their website to sign up to volunteer for a day with a participating organization, then redeem your voucher for a free day of fun before December 15, 2010. Up to 8 members of one household can sign up. Minimum age is 6 but many of the opportunities are not available for anyone under age 12. There are a few easy volunteer opportunities that work for the younger kids. |
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Disney On Ice: Worlds of Fantasy-- Fun for the Whole Family!
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| Disney on Ice Worlds of Fantasy is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to spend quality time watching some truly wholesome entertainment! We were provided with passes for our family to attend the Denver Colorado opening night performance of Disney on Ice. The performance starts with one of our absolute favorites, CARS! We were all amazed at the way the little cars drove around on the ice. The rest of the audience seemed to be loving this section of the show as well....lots of applause, kids squealing, and moms and dads smiling. The first section of the show also included The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. Each of these were brief overviews of the longer Disney movie. Again, these were very enjoyable. The skating was amazing and the storylines were easy for the kids to follow along. This section of the show lasted about 40 minutes (and time went by so quickly, I was shocked to see the time when I looked at my watch!). There was a 15 minute intermission; great time to take the little ones to the restroom or get a snack. There were vendors walking around, selling cotton candy, snow cones, lemonade, souvenirs, etc. Prices were reasonable for this type of event. The second half was entirely devoted to the Tinkerbell / Fairy storyline. It was again about 35 - 40 minutes, and ended with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald joining the fairies for a finale. I must admit this was probably the part of the show that was the least interesting for us. Since my younger ones are boys, they found this to be a little 'girly' for them, and the older kids and parents found it to be a little long. However, looking at the faces of the little girls around us showed that they were completely enchanted by this part. Overall, this was another amazing Disney on Ice experience! Don't forget that Disney on Ice and MomCentral are offering a discount code to make this a very affordable.
St. Paul: December 9-13, 2009 Los Angeles: December 17-20, 2009 Toronto: December 18-27, 2009 Anaheim: December 22-27, 2009 Philadelphia: December 23 January 3, 2010 Boston: December 26-29, 2009 Ontario: December 30 - January 3, 2010 Cleveland: January 8 -18, 2009 |
Family Fun in Virginia: Virginia Zoo
| NORFOLK- VIRGINIA ZOO 3500 Granby St., Norfolk 757.441.2374 COST: $7 Adults/ $5 Child (age 2 - 11) / $6 Seniors (age 62+)/ Under age 2 free/ Train tickets $2 each (Military discount available) HOURS: Daily 10 am - 5 pm The Virginia Zoo is a great time for the whole family! Just about everything is outdoors, so go on a nice weather day. There are quite a few animals to look at. The employees at the park are especially helpful. They pointed out to us the zoo babies so we could be sure to visit. They also told my boys the names of some of the animals so they could yell out "Hi Billy!" to the male giraffe when we visited him. They're open all year long so visiting in the off season can be very advantageous. They have plans to open a whole new exhibit, called Trail of the Tiger, in 2010. Entrance prices and the membership prices are very reasonable. Wheelchair and stroller rentals available. It is a very pleasant way to spend a few hours. FAMILY FRIENDLY PROS- Lots to see. Friendly staff. A great way to spend a sunny day! FAMILY FRIENDLY CONS- No outside food allowed inside. |
Family Friendly Dining: Giuseppe's Old Depot- Colorado Springs
| COLORADO SPRINGS- GIUSEPPE'S OLD DEPOT 10 S. Sierra Madre St., Colorado Springs 719.635.3111 Built in Colorado Springs' former train station, this Italian restaurant offers a fun, albeit expensive, experience. While the train station is no longer operating, the tracks behind it are still active so trains fly by often. Watching for the next train kept the kids busy while they waited for their food. The menu is quite extensive, the food good and with suitable portions. We did find the prices to be more than one would expect for the quality though; expect to be paying for the idea of eating in a historical building and watching for trains. Our waitress was friendly and helpful while dealing with food allergy issues. Overall a decent dining experience but not someplace you are likely to eat at often. FAMILY FRIENDLY PROS- The kids loved the idea of eating in an old train station and especially loved watching for the trains to go past. The large salad bar, though expensive, was a big hit. Good variety on the menu. FAMILY FRIENDLY CONS- Expensive. |
Family Friendly Lodging: Stanley Hotel- Estes Park, Colorado
| ESTES PARK- STANLEY HOTEL 333 Wonderview Ave, Estes Park 800.976.1377 Opened in 1909, this hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places and is often referred to as one of America's most haunted hotels. It was here that Stephen King first came up with his idea for The Shining. In 1996, a mini-series based on the book was even taped here. Luxury hotel but with all of the quirks and charm of a historical property. Prices are considerably higher during the summer/ high season. For more reasonable pricing, try to plan your visit off-season. You can then find accommodations closely priced to less-charming alternatives. The hotel does not have adjoining rooms but does have several options available for families, even larger families. Rooms are comfortable and in good repair. The staff was friendly and informative. The hotel is located centrally, an easy drive to Rocky Mountain National Park or the main downtown Estes Park area. The hotel offers a ghost tour during which they recant stories of the hotel's haunted history (additional fee), but be sure to book it early since these book quickly even in the off-season. FAMILY FRIENDLY PROS- Large rooms, including suites, to accommodate families. The children (and parents, too!) were very interested by the history of the hotel and the idea that it was haunted. The ghost tour was a lot of fun and informative (the younger children were a little frightened by the stories but still enjoyed the tour). FAMILY FRIENDLY CONS- No breakfast included. Parking is quite a distance from most of the rooms so it can be tedious for a family to unload the kids and the car, though we were offered help with this if needed. The hotel has all of the creaks, clunks and noises common with older buildings. We were all awakened at some point in the night by banging pipes (not ghosts!). |
Disney on Ice Discount Code-- Available in Selected Cities
Denver/Broomfield: December 4-13, 2009 St. Paul: December 9-13, 2009 Los Angeles: December 17-20, 2009 Toronto: December 18-27, 2009 Anaheim: December 22-27, 2009 Philadelphia: December 23 January 3, 2010 Boston: December 26-29, 2009 Ontario: December 30 - January 3, 2010 Cleveland: January 8 -18, 2009 |
Family Fun in Woodland Park Colorado: Dinosaur Resource Center
| DINOSAUR RESOURCE CENTER 201 S. Fairview St., Woodland Park 719.686.1820 COST: $11.50 adults / $10.50 seniors (65 +) / $7.50 children (ages 5 - 12) / 4 & under FREE HOURS: Monday - Saturday 9a - 6p , Sunday 10a - 5p The Dinosaur Resource Center is a must-see for any little dinosaur fan. There are many amazing displays featuring dinosaurs, prehistoric marine reptiles, pterosaurs, and fish. The hands-on area, called Woody's Paleo Playground has a place for kids to try their hand at excavating fossils, make a fossil etching (with crayons), watch videos and several other activities. In other areas of the museum there were things to touch and interact with as well. The displays were very informative, but impressive enough to keep even younger children interested. I would highly recommend the tour (contact the DRC for their current tour schedule). The tour was included in our admission rate and was very well worth it (though it might be a little long for very young children). Our guide was informative and entertaining; he seemed to enjoy answering the kids' questions. The highlight of the trip for my kids was the gift shop. They have a great variety of gifts....just about anything you can think of with dinosaurs on it! FAMILY FRIENDLY PROS- Informative and entertaining. Plenty of opportunities for hands-on. Staff was happy to answer questions. Gift shop prices were very reasonable and there was an excellent selection. Clean and modern. Restrooms were conveniently located. Stroller friendly, but also easy for little ones to walk since it is not spread out. |
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Honoring Veterans
 As Veteran's Day quickly approaches, this is a great time to thank the many selfless individuals who have given so much to our country. As a former military family ourselves, we know what an honor and sacrifice serving our great country is. Throughout the country several restaurants are offering veteran's day specials. Here is info on some of the larger chains offering a free meal for Veterans on Veteran's Day (always call your local location to be sure they are participating): APPLEBEES: Free entree for Veterans and Active Duty. (November 11). Bring proof of service, such as: KRISPY KREME: Free donut-- any variety. Contact your location to find out what type of proof is required. (November 11) OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE: Free Blooming Onion and beverage for Veterans and Active Duty. (November 11). Bring proof of service, such as: • U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card • U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card • Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) • Veterans Organization Card (VFW, American Legion) • Photograph in Uniform • Wearing Uniform UNOS PIZZA: Free entree or individual pizza for Veterans or Active Duty; requires purchase of another entree or pizza of equal or greater value. (November 11) GOLDEN CORRAL has Military Appreciation Monday on November 16. From 5 pm - 9 pm Veterans and Active Duty receive a free buffet and beverage. No ID is required.
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