Win an Opening Day Trip to Harry Potter’s Wizarding World!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be opening soon!
Universal Orlando Resort is still keeping a tight lip on the official opening date of their new Harry Potter land, but judging by this new promotion it must be soon. Universal and NBC’s Today Show are teaming up (although, technically they’re already on the same team) to send a lucky class to opening day of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the Islands of Adventure theme park.
To enter the contest a teacher must fill out some forms, have the students’ parents sign a waiver and answer the question “Why is my class extraordinary?” in a video.
Speaking of videos:
The official rules, applications, minor release forms and all that jazz can be found at the Today Show website. The magic can be found in Orlando — soon.
Explore Nature at Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka, Florida
Designated as only one of two Federally Designated “Wild and Scenic Rivers,” Wekiva River in Wekiwa Springs State Park is a vast and incredible, nature-centered attraction. This central Florida park encompasses nearly every out-door activity in one location just outside Apopka, just 12 miles north of downtown Orlando. Guests are invited to canoe down the Wekiva River, hike through the natural park surroundings for an overnight adventure, and explore Wekiwa on horseback.
Wekiva River by Kayak, Florida
Crystal clear, 72ºF water, for which Wekiwa is famous, is ready to be explored with your snorkel, by canoe, or just wading in the River. Guests are able to rent canoes for the day or overnight from the park starting at just $35/day. Guided and self-guided tours begin at Canoe Beach Landing with many options depending on your party size or your length of visit. Overnight camping is available with or without all of your sleeping necessities provided.
If horseback riding is your idea of exploring nature, Rock Springs Riding Ranch provides horses and trail guides to assist you on your adventure. Kids of all ages are welcomed to experience riding horseback. Pony rides start at just $12 per child under 8, and 1-hour guided horseback rides start at $37/person.
Nature trails are open to walkers, hikers, runners, and bikers and reaches 9 miles of park viewing. Trail maps are available at the park. Some riders may find the course a challenge, the multi-use trail is available for guests to experience Florida’s nature.
Some of the best bird watching and wildlife spotting is available on the 1/8-mile long boardwalk over-looking the springs and through the swamps of the park. Bring your camera and binoculars to spot some of Central Florida’s greatest natural treasures.
History and nature buffs will surely appreciate the recently opened Nature Center which includes live native wildlife and opportunities to learn about local habitats. Visitors will learn how to better live off of the land and respect the Earth’s resources.
Locals and visitors can take advantage of some of the pavilions and meeting spaces found around the park. Recreation Hall and Dining Hall can be rented out together or separately to accommodate up to 150 people apiece for your gathering.
Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.
$6.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.
$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
(More information on fees is available on the Florida State Parks website.)
1800 Wekiwa Circle Apopka, Florida 32712
(407) 884-2008
Photos courtesy: See Reeves
Charleston Festival of Ballycahill
Charleston Fountain on St. Patrick's Day
Seeing billboards and ads this week promoting St. Patrick’s Day festivals has reminded me that yet another holiday is upon us. Although St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday, what makes it such a popular celebration in many U.S. cities? Is it the Irish influence in America? Maybe a historic fascination with what the holiday represents? Or possibly the celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of spring? And perhaps, for many, just another reason to party and drink beer?
Whatever your reasons for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, we can all agree that this is a fun holiday that we can all get excited about. What other holiday gives you permission to not only drink beer, but to also bring pain upon those who are so reluctant (or forget) to show their St. Patrick’s Day pride by wearing green? Well I have another reason for you to get excited about the Irish holiday: the Charleston Festival of Ballycahill. With a strong Irish influence, Charleston is one of the best southern cities to celebrate St. Pat’s.
The week-long St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Charleston is more than just drinking green beer. The event highlights the culture and history of Ireland with artists, musicians and others who are actually from Ireland and are proud to celebrate their heritage. Some of the most popular events during the Charleston festival include the big St. Patrick’s Day Parade through downtown Charleston, the raising of the Irish flag at city hall, arts and crafts workshops, Irish tours of Charleston, Irish film presentations and many food and music offerings, including a concert by Irish musician Mick Moloney. The Charleston festival represents both the history and culture of Ireland, while also celebrating its influence in Charleston. For a complete listing of events, I suggest browsing through Charleston’s Festival of Ballycahill website. Oh, and did I mention that all most all the events at the Charleston festival are free?
Photo from gregor_bug on Flickr.
All Aboard the Hogwarts Express!
Last stop: Hogsmeade
How did the The Hogwarts Express and Hogsmeade Station get on the U.S. side of the Atlantic? Magic. Duh.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort will be opening soon (Spring 2010) and will feature themed attractions, shops and a restaurant. It should be downright magical.
For more family-friendly travel photos visit DeliciousBaby’s Photo Fridays.
Photo Credit: Kevin Kolczynski, Universal Orlando Resort
St. Patrick’s Day in Columbia, South Carolina
The View on St. Patrick's Day in Columbia
It’s time for another holiday! Valentine’s Day is over, so that means that St. Patrick’s Day is just weeks away. The Irish holiday has always been popular in metropolitan areas and U.S. cities with a large Irish population; however, in recent years many southern cities have started to get in on the St. Patrick’s Day festivities with their own events, such as bar crawls, Irish food events and parades. Columbia, South Carolina has started to establish itself as one of the best southeastern cities for St. Patrick’s Day events.
St. Patrick’s Day in Columbia, South Carolina has evolved over the last few years to include multiple events over a week-long period. This year, the Columbia event gets kicked off this weekend — March the 5th is the Leprechaun Launch. This is the St. Patrick’s Day event to bring your entire family for. The day begins with dying the Five Points fountain green and features a scavenger hunt for kids. Children are given a list of clues to find leprechauns around the city and those who find the correct locations win a prize. The following day features a new event to St. Patrick’s day in Columbia when retailers will be hosting a sidewalk sale in Five Points with steep discounts.
The following weekend kicks off on Friday night with a battle of the bands on Santee Avenue with the winning band being selected to perform on the main stage during the Columbia St. Patrick’s Day Festival. Saturday is the headliner of St. Patrick’s Day in Columbia, as it’s one of the biggest festivals in the nation. Activities in Columbia that day include the Green Run first thing in the morning, the Columbia St. Patrick’s Day at 10 a.m. and live music and a children’s carnival throughout the rest of the day.
Most of the St. Patrick’s Day activities in Columbia are located in Five Points, with most of them free of charge.
Photo from horemhab on Flickr.
Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia, PA
Betsy Ross House
One of our favorite stops in Philadelphia was the Betsy Ross House. The home of the storied first flag-maker has been preserved and is open to the public.
A self-guided tour of the home begins in the gift shop, where there were artisans such as musicians and candle-makers demonstrating their craft when we visited. The house itself is not large, but gives an interesting glimpse of life in colonial days. While most of the rooms are just for viewing, there is a small hands-on area in the basement for children.
A courtyard outside offers a place to sit down and relax.
The Betsy Ross House is separate from the National Park Service’s Philadelphia historic sites, and a small admission fee of $3 for adults and $2 for children is charged. The home is located at 239 Arch Street, near the Liberty Bell, Franklin Court and Elfreth’s Alley. Hours vary by season.
Photo credit: minnemom on flickr.
Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children.
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Luck O’ the Irish: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Boston
There may be no more Irish city in the US than Boston. During the Great Famine of the 1840’s many of the Irish fleeing to America landed in Boston- so many that the city’s Irish population jumped from 30,000 to 100,000 in just one year. As of the 2000 census over 23% of Massachusetts residents claimed Irish ancestry, making Massachusetts the most Irish state in the nation. So, if you can’t make it to the Emerald Isle for St. Patrick’s Day Boston is a great alternative!
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Pipes & Drums Photo by JLHalsted www.familyrambling.com
The parade takes place in Southie (South Boston, the most Irish part of the city) and travels between the Broadway T station and Andrew Square. Pipes and Drums corps proudly march down Broadway in their plaid, some with step dancers twirling.
If you attend with children I recommend staking out a spot at Dorchester Heights as the open area gives the kids space to run and play. You can also learn a bit of Boston history- on March 17, 1776 the British evacuated Boston.
To get to the parade take the T the Broadway station. The parade begins at 1 pm and placing yourself anywhere along Broadway will grant you a view. Police presence is noticeable as many celebrate with alcohol. (The parade reaches Dorchester Heights around 1:30. I have tips for the parade listed at Family Rambling.)
The parade takes place the Sunday prior to St.Patrick’s Day. Cost: free.
Irish Heritage Trail
Photo from www.irishheritagetrail.com
Winding through downtown Boston and into the back bay area this path takes you from Rose Kennedy’s garden, through burying grounds, past multiple statues and memorials, and through the public library before ending at Fenway Park. Each of the 20 locations listed has significance to both Boston’s history and the story of the Irish in Boston. The most moving of these, at least to me, was the Irish Famine Memorial.
This tribute marked the 150th anniversary of the Great Famine. Eight plaques surrounding the statues tell the heartbreaking tale while the two statues show the pain and the promise of that generation of Irish.
Irish Famine Memorial, Boston Photo by JLHalsted
Irish Famine Memorial, Boston Photo by JLHalsted
There is no charge to walk the trail, though individual sites may have set operating hours and fees. Visit www.irishheritagetrail.com for more detailed information.
JFK Presidential Library and Museum
I’m not sure you can mention Boston and Irish without mentioning John F. Kennedy. Learn about the 35th President’s life and political career through his writings, video and exhibits.
Open 7 days a week (excluding holidays) from 9am- 5pm. Cost: Adults $12, Students & Seniors $10, Children ages 13-17 $9, Children 12 and under free.
Grab a Pint and Enjoy the Craic
There is no shortage of Irish pubs in the city of Boston. My personal favorite is The Black Rose. Located near Faneuil Hall and the T station it is easy to find. The food is tasty and hearty, the craic (pronounced “crack”; loosely translated it means fun) is always on and the live music is always worth dancing to.
At the Black Rose in Boston Photo by JLHalsted
Fortify yourself with the Irish Stew or the Shepherd’s Pie, both are wonderful, grab a pint of Magners or Guinness and settle in for an evening of celebrating all that is Irish.
Open Monday- Friday 11am- 2am; Saturday and Sunday 9am-2am. Children are welcome until the hours become late.
Other Happenings
Be sure to check the Boston Irish Tourism Association website for more events like Irish teas, concerts featuring music and dance and plays.
Where to Stay
Boston has no shortage of hotels. If you want to stay where a lot of the St. Pat’s action is check out the Seaport Hotel for great location, views, amenities and family friendliness.
Jody Halsted writes about family travel at her website Family Rambling. Her family lived on Boston’s South Shore for 3 months a year ago and can’t wait to return.Vacationing in the New Downtown Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville's New Riverplace Development
Since it’s not exactly a booming metropolis, you probably haven’t heard of Greenville, South Carolina. With the antics of Mark Sanford and others, South Carolina has probably left you with much to be desired. Yet despite this, Greenville, South Carolina is positioning themselves to be a premier vacation spot in the south.
Located less than an hour from the Smokey Mountains, Greenville offers a convenient location at the base of the mountains, a couple hours from the beach and a couple hours from Atlanta, Georgia. This is just the beginning of Greenville’s lure to tourists. However, this hasn’t been the case until very recently. To be honest, downtown Greenville was a dump just 10 years ago. You know the scene from movies where the tumbleweed rolls through Main Street of a desolate downtown? Well that was Greenville. Restaurants and bars had their regulars, but streets had little foot traffic and there was little entertainment on the weekends to attract patrons. However, this has recently changed with the revitalization of downtown Greenville.
Today is a different story as Greenville offers a bustling downtown area. Many Greenville restaurant patios are often filled even on weekday evenings with patrons enjoying drinks and even live music. Outdoor events such as Artisphere, Downtown Alive and Fall for Greenville bring national and regional musicians, artists and other professionals. After losing their professional hockey team a few years ago, the city is set to welcome a new professional hockey team next year. And maybe the biggest attraction, the Peace Center, brings the most popular Broadway acts to Greenville each year. The world-renowned show Wicked, which is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, recently produced 50,000 ticket sales over a three-week period with most of those sales from out of town visitors.
If you need more reasons to visit Greenville, then you may want to wait a couple months when Greenville opens Main @ Broad. Opening in May in time of one of the nation’s most popular art events, Artisphere, this complex, which is across the street from the Peace Center, will house a Marriott Hotel, restaurants and many boutique shops. Main @ Broad is located at what is quickly becoming Greenville’s city center with many other hotels, restaurants and attractions within a few blocks. With its debut in May, it opens just in time for the summer traveling season.
So if you’re planning a trip to the southeast this summer or just looking for a new location for your spring and summer vacation plans, then you may want to consider the vibrant downtown Greenville area, which certainly shows the potential of being a major attraction of the southeast.
Photos courtesy of the Hampton Inn and Suites Greenville Downtown Riverplace by Scott Holloway.
Spring Training 2010: Grapefruit League Ticket Info, Directions, Team Outlooks
Spring Training 2010: Grapefruit League stadium and ticket info, directions, team outlooks
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park
While the Florida Keys invoke visions of sun and fun, an alternative Key West experience can be had by visiting Dry Tortugas National Park and its history and nature. Fast ferries transport visitors from Key West to the national park, where they can enjoy the natural beauty of the area, learn about the history of the fort, and enjoy swimming, diving, and snorkeling in the beautiful clear waters.
Famous for: Bird and marine life; diving and snorkeling, pirate and treasure legends, Fort Jefferson.
Admission: $5 per adult (17+) for a 7-day pass. Additional charge for private charter boats or seaplanes to take you to the island from Key West.
Families with young kids will like: Earning Junior Ranger badges with the Junior Ranger program.
Families with teenagers will like: Diving and snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters.
Other travelers will like: Self-guided tours of Fort Jefferson.
Easy sight seeing: Amazing views from the top of Fort Jefferson.
Best hotel in the park: There are no hotels in the park.
Campground in the park: There is a primitive campground near the Fort Jefferson dock.
Best months to visit for weather: Any
Best months to visit to avoid crowds: Any
Nearest major cities: Key West, Florida
More information from the National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/drto
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Photo courtesy of: National Park Service
Post written by: Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children