I-95 Gas Price Update - Sunday, November 22, 2009

Below are average posted prices as of Sunday, November 22, 2009 for unleaded regular gas for selected I-95 exits

For more I-95 information, visit www.i95exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to America’s Interstate Main Street. Detailed exit service listings… lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Maine to Florida!

Traveling along Florida’s I-4? Gas prices are now available for selected cities along this route as well. Visit www.i4exitguide.com

Cave of the Winds - Niagara Falls, New York

Where are you guaranteed to see a rainbow on a sunny day? Why, Niagara Falls of course. The sun glistening on thick mist provides rainbows so plentiful they named the bridge spanning the river after them. If you would like to chase these rainbows and get up close and personal with the falls that create them, the Cave of the Winds is just for you.

Cross the river walkway to the Niagara Falls State Park where you have great views from scenic lookouts of the American side of Niagara Falls, including the Bridal Veil section. The Cave of the Winds ticket facility reminded me a bit of a bowling alley entrance because you have to give them your shoe size and are presented with delightfully bright and tacky slip resistant sandals along with a plastic bag to hold your shoes and other items you wish to keep dry. You don your new shoes and a bright yellow rain poncho in the facility and parade outside through the park to the elevator entrance which will take you down inside the gorge walls to the base of the Bridal Veil falls. Since we arrived during the week at early evening hours there was not a wait. However, other Niagara attractions we visited at other times had line waits approaching an hour. Expect longer waits during weekends, holidays and peak hours.

During your brief elevator ride it is explained that there are no longer any actual caves where you are headed. The cave behind the falls washed out many years before you came along. However, it is still quite blustery down there. So off you go to the red wooden steps that take you to a variety of observation deck platforms where the sound of the rushing water, the mist blowing around you and those pretty rainbows (on a sunny day) provide the perfect introduction to Niagara Falls.

At first you wonder what all the poncho fuss is about for it is not wet at all - just a little misty. However, the further you wind your way up the steps, you begin to realize that you’re going to need a lot more than that flimsy poncho to keep you and your belongings nice and dry if you want to step out onto the Hurricane Deck.

Good luck trying to take a picture from the Hurricane Deck. It is aptly named because the force of the water crashing down around you just 20 feet away creates a blustery, wet, exhilarating experience. You are continually doused with blasts of water from the falls so expect a bad hair day later. But since you have already humiliated yourself with the bright poncho and stylin’ shoes, get over your hair and step out onto the deck. You don’t get many chances to experience that kind of rush after all. And you don’t even have to go over in a barrel for the thrill.

QUICK HITS:

• COST = $11 Adult, $8 Children ages 6-12, Free under age 6
• DURATION = About 30-45 minutes
• HOURS = Opens at 9AM May - October, closes as late as 9PM between mid-June and Labor Day, at 5PM otherwise. Closed November through April
• ENVIRONMENT = Hold tight to young and old due to slippery conditions
• ACCESSIBILITY = By elevator.  Viewing areas available for handicapped
• WEBSITE = http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/Activities_CaveOfTheWinds.aspx
• FUN FACTS = The walkway decking is taken down each November and re-built each April to protect it from the severe winter weather. I wonder if the workers have to don the souvenir rain ponchos and funky shoes just like the tourists?

All photos credited to Molly G., @The Bumbles Blog

I-95 Gas Price Update - 8/6/09

Below are average posted prices as of Thursday, August 6, 2009 for unleaded regular gas for selected I-95 exit cities:

Houlton, ME	: $2.74/gal		Springfield, VA	: $2.49/gal
Bangor, ME	: $2.60/gal		Dumfries, VA	: $2.44/gal
Augusta, ME	: $2.65/gal		Fredericksburg, VA	: $2.41/gal
Portland, ME	: $2.66/gal		Ashland, VA	: $2.45/gal
Portsmouth, NH	: $2.63/gal		Richmond, VA	: $2.45/gal
Seabrook, NH	: $2.67/gal		Petersburg, VA	: $2.41/gal
Danvers, MA	: $2.65/gal		Emporia, VA	: $2.44/gal
Dedham, MA	: $2.59/gal		Roanoke Rapids, NC	: $2.53/gal
Mansfield, MA	: $2.59/gal		Wilson, NC	: $2.62/gal
Attleboro, MA	: $2.59/gal		Selma, NC	: $2.53/gal
Pawtucket, RI	: $2.58/gal		Fayetteville, NC	: $2.55/gal
Providence, RI	: $2.58/gal		Lumberton, NC	: $2.54/gal
Warwick, RI	: $2.58/gal		Rowland, NC	: $2.53/gal
Wyoming, RI	: $2.60/gal		Dillon, SC	: $2.53/gal
New London, CT	: $2.70/gal		Florence, SC	: $2.41/gal
New Haven, CT	: $2.77/gal		Manning, SC	: $2.37/gal
Bridgeport, CT	: $2.86/gal		Santee, SC	: $2.36/gal
Greenwich, CT	: $2.84/gal		Walterboro, SC	: $2.37/gal
Rye, NY	: $2.84/gal		Savannah, GA	: $2.43/gal
New Rochelle, NY	: $2.75/gal		Richmond Hill, GA	: $2.47/gal
Bronx, NY	: $2.88/gal		Darien, GA	: $2.51/gal
Secaucus, NJ	: $2.92/gal		Brunswick, GA	: $2.50/gal
Woodbridge, NJ	: $2.85/gal		Woodbine, GA	: $2.55/gal
East Brunswick, NJ	: $2.71/gal		Kingsland, GA	: $2.56/gal
Bordentown, NJ	: $2.46/gal		Yulee, FL	: $2.57/gal
Cherry Hill, NJ	: $2.46/gal		Jacksonville, FL	: $2.56/gal
Penns Grove, NJ	: $2.46/gal		Saint Augustine, FL	: $2.58/gal
Wilmington, DE	: $2.47/gal		Palm Coast, FL	: $2.62/gal
Newark, DE	: $2.45/gal		Daytona Beach, FL	: $2.56/gal
Elkton, MD	: $2.47/gal		Orlando, FL	: $2.56/gal
Perryville, MD	: $2.44/gal		Cocoa, FL	: $2.50/gal
Aberdeen, MD	: $2.49/gal		Palm Bay, FL	: $2.65/gal
White Marsh, MD	: $2.49/gal		Fort Pierce, FL	: $2.65/gal
Baltimore, MD	: $2.51/gal		Cape Coral, FL	: $2.65/gal
Greenbelt, MD	: $2.49/gal		West Palm Beach, FL	: $2.66/gal
District Heights, MD	: $2.49/gal		Miami, FL	: $2.66/gal

For more I-95 information, visit www.i95exitguide.com, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to America’s Interstate Main Street. Detailed exit service listings… lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Maine to Florida!

Traveling along Florida’s I-4? Gas prices are now available for selected cities along this route as well. Visit www.i4exitguide.com

Union Square, New York City

Washington Square Park, New York City

The neighborhood of Greenwich Village in Manhattan is known for many things, like restaurants, shops, clubs, wonderful people watching, amazing art scene, and NYU.  The last thing one thinks about when thinking of The Village is kid-friendly.  I still wouldn’t go as far as stating that it is, though I do think that it should be a stop in your travels while in NYC, even with the kids, because even with the changes in the area over the years, it still remains a cool part of NYC, one that your kids might enjoy walking through.

But to make it even more welcoming to the little ones and their family, the city completed a renovation of the area’s most famous public hangout spot, Washington Square Park.  It is known for its arch, which resembles a mini Arc de Triomphe from Paris and which honors George Washington, after whom the park was named.  Since the renovation you will find that the fountain is right next to the arch, allowing for a nice view while the kids climb into the fountain and play in the water, which is totally acceptable and expected.

The park and its arch have been highlighted in many films from When Sally Met Harry to I Am Legend among many others, and Sesame Street regularly films segments there.

Kids can also take part in the free chess lessons often offered at the park, and enjoy (even sometimes participate in) the free entertainment one is surely to find there. There is also an expanded playground and a dog park for our for legged friends.

In almost any direction away from the park you will find great restaurants for the entire family, movie theaters, and jazz clubs.  There are some more adult destinations and shops along the way, but these are as much a part of the neighborhood as the art you will see and hear in your stroll, the scenes all very much a part of what New York City is all about.

Visiting the Statue of Liberty Without Going to New York City

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

We live in the rural Midwest, where wide open spaces are plentiful and a traffic mess consists of getting stuck behind a tractor on a gravel road.  We’ve mastered driving in Minneapolis.  We can manage Chicago if we have a very specific plan.  But driving in New York City?  No way.  Not gonna do it.

Still, when we visited Philadelphia and found ourselves with an extra day in our itinerary, the Statue of Liberty was tops on our list.  It’s big, it’s famous, it’s historic, the kids would love it.

But then we remembered:  It’s in New York City.

We thought about driving to New York. For about two seconds.

And we almost gave up.

But then, in looking at the Statue of Libery website again, we found a possibility:  Park at Liberty State Park in New Jersey and take the ferry from there, rather than from the more famous and more popular option of New York’s Battery Park.

We decided to give it a try.

We had a few things going in our favor.  We would be visiting on the day after Christmas, which happened to be a Friday, and we were hoping that everyone who possibly could take the day off would have done exactly that, easing the traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike.  We also hoped that people who had spent the previous day at family Christmas gatherings would just want to sleep in and not go sight-seeing until later in the day.

And do you know what?  We were right.

We left our hotel near Valley Forge and headed for New Jersey.  Traffic was a breeze the entire way, a feat that we couldn’t really believe.  How could New Jersey traffic be lighter than Minneapolis?  It didn’t seem possible.  We were to Liberty State Park in less than 90 minutes.

We followed the National Park Service’s driving directions, “Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 14B,” which really seemed too simple to work, but that’s really all there is to it.  An out-of-state driver doesn’t even need to consult a map a directions like that.

After parking in the lot, we walked up to the ticket counter, purchased our tickets, and boarded the first ferry of the day.  We were right about people sleeping in; there were only about a dozen people on our ferry, and when we got to Ellis Island, we had the entire grand hall to ourselves for a while.

After visiting Ellis Island, we reboarded the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.  Although we had received monument passes with our tickets, we decided to forego the long line to go inside the pedestal, and we took a nice walk around the Statue of Liberty instead.

When the ferry once again deposited us at Liberty State Park, we got into our car and drove off to the west, with a car full of kids who couldn’t believe they’d really seen the Statue of Liberty.  It was a pretty big deal for our little guys, and we managed it without setting foot in New York City.

Visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the New Jersey side worked out brilliantly.  Even in busier times of the year, there tends to be less waiting when boarding the ferry from New Jersey.  Parking issues were non-existent, and parking is reasonably priced.  Driving in Manhattan is eliminated.  For people who want to visit the Statue of Liberty without going to New York City, leaving from Liberty State Park in New Jersey is an excellent choice.

A Rainy Day in New York City

by Carol Cain, NYCity Mama

Rain, rain go away!  There is nothing worse than being stuck in a hotel room or lobby, because the plans for the day have been rained on.  This is especially inconvenient when traveling with kids.  Having been there myself, and knowing how awful that could be, I am going to share some local knowledge on things to do in NYC, on a rainy day, that are either free or very inexpensive.

Bookstores: There are several bookstores in NYC that have weekly (free) events designed to entertain the little ones, often featuring popular children’s musicians, authors, or cartoon characters.  The surrounding neighborhoods also have great restaurants and shops frequently enjoyed by the locals.

Scholastic Store in Soho has events going on every Sunday starting at 3:00PM.  Not only are the events popular among locals, the store itself is a colorful, kid-friendly adventure wonderland.  Soho is also a popular shopping destination and great place to mingle the chic and hip downtowners.

Bank Street Bookstore is a wonderful children’s bookstore located on the Upper West Side. Their events often consist of story time and concerts and they have a great selection of educational toys and books for children and parents.

Barnes & Noble, aside from having an in-store Starbuck’s coffee shop, it also has incredibly friendly and playful children’s area.  It’s enough to visit the store and linger in the kid’s areas for some story time while waiting out the rain, but if you are lucky, you might also catch one of the many kid-friendly events they often host.

Museums: A lot of NYC museums have a day during the week where they offer either free admission, or a “pay-what-you-wish” office.  This not only includes museums, but botanical gardens, zoos and aquariums as well. NewYorkology is a wonderful source for what museums are offering this option on what day. 

Toy Stores: FAO Schwarz hosts story time as well as arts and crafts once a week at least, is located on famously posh Fifth Ave., and is a short walk from Central Park.  Toys R Us, located in the heart of Times Square offers several floors of toy delights, but also has a wonderful merry-go-round right in the center of store!

Beautiful Landmarks, such as the historical Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, is not only a must see NY destination, but also hosts children’s workshops and other family programs.

Parks: The Audubon Center in Prospect Park, Brooklyn hosts free arts and crafts and other educational children’s activities, while while The Swedish Cottage in Central Park, in Manhattan, is home to The Marionette Theater which features shows several times a week for a low fee (reservations required).

Picnics, Music and More at Central Park, New York City

Guest Post by Carol Cain (NYCityMama) of The Adventures of an NYC Mama 

As the days get warmer in NYC, one of my absolute favorite places to be is Central Park.  When I moved out of the city, this was the one place that I always thought about that made me want to return.  

Now, back in the city, the to-do list is growing, and most of the list items take me to the park.  One of our favorite places to visit with the kids is the Central Park Zoo.  It is small in comparison to the Bronx Zoo but no less great and,  in combination to the Tisch Children’s Zoo, a petting zoo for children 6 and under, it makes for a wonderful visit. We often like to follow the visits to the zoo with a ride on the Carousel with the kids.  

Another place that promises hours of fun is Wollman Rink. In the Winter this is where you will find the ice skating rink, but in the Spring and Summer months it is the home to Victorian Gardens Amusement Park, with rides and games for all ages.  

The Great Lawn is a wonderful spot for picnics, though the park also has smaller fields for more private gatherings. And starting in June you can’t miss out on the free Summer Stage performances or, the also free, Shakespeare in The Park .  

Whether you’re looking for a low key afternoon strolling in the many paths of the park, a peaceful venture on one of the row boats on the lake , a day full of entertainment and fun, or a romantic meal at the Boat House or Tavern on the Green, you really can’t go wrong with a visit to New York City’s central destination.  

Gas Prices Start to Climb

6 percent jump signals what could be a costlier summer driving season

In what could be a harbinger of summer driving costs, the nation’s average price of gasoline jumped 12 cents, or 6 percent, last week, after several weeks of relative stability, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

read the full story…

Tallest, Fastest, Longest: Top 10 Roller Coasters in America

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

Faster than a car. Longer than a mile. Higher than the Statue of Liberty.  Check out these extreme roller coasters from the United States that make a trip to the amusement park exciting!

Top Steel Roller Coasters

Kingda Ka
Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson Township, New Jersey

With a height of 456 feet, a drop of 418 feet, and a speed of 128 mph, this mighty beast is the tallest and fastest in the United States.

Top Thrill Dragster
Cedar Point
Sandusky, Ohio

Just behind Kingda Ka is this thrill ride, which boasts a height of 420 feet, drop of 400 feet, and amazing 120 mph speed.

Millennium Force
Cedar Point
Sandusky, Ohio

Also at Cedar Point, Millennium Force ranks on the list for longest as well as fastest, tallest, and tallest drop.  It has stats of 310 feet in height, a 300-foot drop, is 6595 feet long, and runs at 93 miles per hour.  It’s a force to be reckoned with.

Goliath
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Valencia, California

With a speed of 85 miles per hour, height of 235 feet, and spot on the record list for vertical drop as well, Goliath lives up to its name.

Superman: The Escape
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Valencia, California

Goliath’s neighbor at Six Flags Magic Mountain may not hold as many records, but with a drop of 328 feet and speed of 100 mph, it’s a superhero in the world of roller coasters.

Top Wooden Roller Coasters

Son of Beast
Kings Island
Mason, Ohio

With a height of 218 feet, drop of 214 feet, and speed of 78.4 mph, Son of the Beast is the current world-record holder for height, drop, and speed.

El Toro
Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson Township, New Jersey

Six Flags Great Adventure isn’t just great for a steel-coaster ride.  The wooden El Toro ranks on the tallest, fastest, and biggest drops lists with a height of 181 feet, drop of 176 feet, and speed of 70 mph.

The Voyage
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Santa Claus, IN

This voyage is one of the longest in the world on a wooden roller coaster at 6442 feet.  It also ranks on the lists for tallest (173 feet), tallest drop (154 feet), and fastest (67.4 mph).

Mean Streak
Cedar Point
Sandusky, Ohio

This is one mean wooden coaster, with a length of 5427 feet, a height of 161 feet, and a drop of 155 feet.

The Boss
Six Flags St. Louis
Eureka, Missouri

The Boss is no slouch, with a speed of 66.3 miles per hour, a length of 5051 feet, and a drop of 150 feet.

Do you have a favorite roller coaster or amuseument park?

Information credit:  Wikipedia

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