Last evening, I attended the media preview of Diana: A Celebration, an exhibition that opens today at Mall of America.  It was interesting to learn more about Princess Diana and to see pieces of her life, including her famed wedding dress with its 25-foot train.

Fans of Diana will delight in seeing artifacts from her childhood, viewing some of the beautiful gowns she wore on various occasions, and ooohing and aahing at the wedding dress that was viewed by an estimated 1 billion people when she married Prince Charles.

The exhibit begins with family jewels–tiaras and bracelets and necklaces that sparkle with diamonds and pearls and emeralds galore.  It then moves to Diana’s childhood, providing a feeling of normalcy as you see the appointment book with its note of “Driving Test.  Passed!”, a note to her parents when they were away from home, and some of the toys she played with as a child.

Diana’s wedding gown is in the center of the exhibit, along with shoes, a parasol, and a flower girl dress.  Being able to see the detail of the gown, and just how long a 25-foot train is, will be the focal point of the exhibit for many people.

The Diana exhibit moves from Diana’s wedding to her death abruptly, with no mention made of the years between these two events in her life.  Although her brother’s funeral tribute speech alludes to some troubled times during this period, they are unmentioned here.  Of interest in the funeral room are lyrical and musical drafts of Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind” tribute to Diana at her funeral.

A room full of gowns Diana wore on various occasions is impressive; though a few show their time period clearly, most are timelessly beautiful, and the exhibit describes the times and places in which they were worn, as well as naming the designer of each.

A wall of tribute books contains cards, letters, and other remembrances sent to Diana’s family after her passing.

At the end of the exhibit, there is a souvenir area that includes china pieces, jewelry, and other mementos of the exhibition for those who want to take home something related to Diana.

Diana: A Celebration can be found on the 4th level, East Side, of Mall of America through June 12, 2012.

Though fans of Diana in particular or royalty in general will enjoy this exhibition, families may wish to leave their children behind.  Everything is enclosed in glass, so there will be no danger of children damaging things, but there is also nothing interactive about the exhibit save for a few continuous-loop silent video clips.  My friend and I spent about an hour learning about Diana, reading nearly every placard and informational post.  Others will spend a shorter amount of time, making it easy to get a peek of Diana during a shopping trip or other outing to Mall of America.

Since discovering The Works science/technology museum several years ago, it’s been on of our family’s favorites.  We’ve attended special events and camps as well as during regular hours, and our kids always ask to go back again.

Earlier this winter, The Works moved from its old location in Edina down the road a few miles to Bloomington.  We visited the new location in December and found all of our old favorites, plus some new exhibits and activities.

Location

The Works’ new location is at 9740 Grand Ave S in Bloomington.  From 35W, take the 98th Street exit and go a few blocks east, then left on Grand and a quick left into the parking lot.  The parking area is much more convenient than the Edina location’s was.

Exhibits

All of the familiar exhibits from the old The Works came over to Bloomington except the robots.  In addition, there’s a new traveling exhibit area (currently hosting displays about the science of toys).  The space is large and open, and each exhibit seemed to hold our kids’ interest for longer periods of time than before.  It will take a lot more people now to make the exhibits seem crowded, and there’s plenty of natural light coming in to brighten things up.

In addition, there’s a special “design lab” upstairs with do-it-yourself projects and experiments.  Staff move in and out to help with questions or ideas, but visitors can stay and work (or play?) as long as they want.  Our kids didn’t want to leave until they’d each completed all four stations.  The projects in this area will be changed periodically so there’s always something new to try.

Hours and Admission

During the school year, The Works has these expanded hours at its new location:  Thursday-Friday 10-8, Saturday-Sunday-Monday 10-5, Tuesday-Wednesday closed.  Groups, such as schools or birthday parties, can be scheduled any day of the week.

Admission for ages 3 and up is $6 for the exhibit area, and $8 for both the exhibit area and design lab.  The extra $2 is well worth it if the projects have changed since you last visited.  Members of The Works and children 2 and under are free.  ASTC reciprocal membership is accepted for the exhibit portion of the visit only.

Membership

Membership at The Works is affordable at $70 for a family, which includes free visits, discounts on camps and classes, and reciprocity at related museums around the country.

Tech Fest

Tech Fest is held each February and includes admission at a discounted rate plus a variety of special activities and shows.  If you have kids who love science, or you want to show your kids some really exciting things about science, TechFest should be on your list to visit.

Moving The Works to a new location has done nothing but make it better.  We loved the new space and more easily accessible location, the increased exhibit area, and especially the design lab.  If you haven’t been to The Works yet, I really do recommend it as a kid-friendly hands-on science museum in the Twin Cities.

We’ve explored many of the sites and attractions at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, in the past.  Recently we decided to explore something we hadn’t seen yet:  the Amazing Mirror Maze.

Amazing Mirror Maze is located on the third level of MOA between the north food court and Sears.  After paying admission of $7.95 + tax, less if you use a coupon, you’ll be given foodservice gloves to wear and safety/behavior instructions (no running, keep your hands out in front of you) before being allowed into the maze.

Once inside, there are mirrors all around, and it’s nearly impossible to tell where the pathways are and where mirrors are ahead of you.  The instruction to use your hands (gloved so there will be no fingerprints) is essential in finding your way through the maze.

Our kids had mixed reactions.  My 9-year-old adventurer thought it was boring, and he finished and exited the maze in just a few minutes.  My 6-year-old was somewhere between my husband and me and apparently forgot to use her hands, resulting in some loud cries and bent-up glasses as she led with her face in finding her way.  My 11- and 8-year-olds, however, loved the maze, and took advantage of the attendant’s promise that they could stay in and reverse their path if they wanted to.  They ended up going from start to finish, finish to start, and start to finish again before coming out.

At the Amazing Mirror Maze, you’re paying for the unique experience, not the length of time you spend there.  Even those members of our family who did the maze a few times were inside for less than 20 minutes, so I wouldn’t call it a bargain.  Still, it’s not something you can do in most places, so if you’ve got a little extra to spend on something different, you can ooh and ahh at the lights and angles and the seemingly endless representations of yourself, and maybe even wonder how they keep all of those mirrors clean enough that you can’t tell where there’s a mirror and where there’s open space.

The Amazing Mirror Maze isn’t the first thing I’d do with kids at Mall of America, and we probably won’t return for a repeat visit, but as a one-time family experience, it was all right.

Have you been to a mirror maze?  What did you think?

In May of 2009, I took my children on a tour of North Dakota.  At the last-minute, I decided to take the Old Red Old Ten Scenic Byway between Bismarck and Dickinson instead of the faster and mostly parallel Interstate 94.  It’s one of the best travel decisions I’ve made.

Along the byway, we traveled through small towns, found a ghost town, and saw unique, beautiful old buildings, some of which are no longer standing.

The photos I shared of this day on the road visiting Sims and Curlew and Glen Ullin have been the starting point of several conversations with people who hold these nearly-forgotten North Dakota locations dear to their hearts.  Weeks and even months after I wrote about these gems, readers wrote to tell me more of the story.

After I wrote about North Almont and its elevator which caught my eye and made me pause along the road to snap a photo, a reader responded with the news that the elevator had been demolished, just as many other landmarks of historical or sentimental value have disappeared over the years.

This week, I received a message from Rob Reeves of Denver, Colorado, who photographed the North Almont elevator before it was torn down.  He shared this photo with me, and gave me permission to share it with others who may be interested.  And so, I present Rob’s breathtaking photo of a piece of small-town North Dakota history that is now gone.

It’s delightful when a last-minute turn brings about so much conversation and  kindred spirits are found in unexpected locales.  It is satisfying to the writer who receives responses to her work from others who have visited, and loved, these little-known places.  It is heartwarming to see people preserving the history and heritage of a state that is home to many, whether or not they still live within its borders.

You may recognize this post’s title as the last line of Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken. So often when I travel, I look for the lesser-traveled road, and it is the stories like this that spring from those backroads stories that are some of my favorites.

For families who aren’t able to get away as often, the idea of planning a vacation may be overwhelming.  Deciding where to go, when to go, and how much to budget for the trip requires careful thought, especially if schedules or money are tight.

These are the steps I take when planning a vacation.  Perhaps some of them will be useful for families planning their first trip, or even for seasoned travelers.  Please add your own tips below in the comments, and check out the vacation planning processes of other seasoned family travelers.

Decide when to go

For our family, the timing is the trickiest part.  My husband’s work makes it difficult to plan a summer vacation, so we work in trips when we can:  Christmas vacation, long weekends, and school breaks.  If I do plan something in the summer, it has to be easily canceled (more on that later) or doable by myself and the kids if he’s unable to take time off.  Think about how much vacation time you have, and whether you want to use all of that time traveling or would prefer a day or two of recovery before getting back to life’s routines.  Consider weather (especially if driving) and busy travel times (especially if flying).

Decide where to go

Once we have a timeline in mind, I begin to explore the possibilities.  Since we usually drive, farther-away destinations are reserved for long trips.  I’ll think about how many days we have, and how many of them we want to spend on the road, then sketch out a driving radius and see what locations fall in that area.  Sometimes we have a specific destination in mind and plan the timeline around it, and sometimes we have the timeline first and try to find a creative destination that will fit into the time allotted.  When planning a trip, I ask my kids for ideas.  They always seem to have ideas that I’ve never considered, and I throw them into the planning mix.

Decide how to get there

We’re usually road-trippers, and airfare is obvious for overseas destinations, but sometimes we have to run the numbers to find the sweet spot of cost vs. time to see if it’s better to fly or drive to our destination.  I price flights for our family and compare them to the costs we’d incur while driving (including gas, maintenance, and hotel rooms and meals if driving would lengthen the trip over flying).

Set a budget

Next, I start running the numbers.  I research the following to put together a rough budget:  Transportation–flight or driving expenses, rental car or bus transfers;  Lodging–hotel or vacation home rentals; Attractions–all of the fun things we’ll do at our destination or along the way; Food–a daily estimate of what it will cost to eat while away; Souvenirs–an estimate of what we’ll spend on remembrances of our vacation.  Some destinations are more affordable than others, and sometimes I have to choose a new location or shorten the trip because of the cost involved.  It’s also a good idea to throw in a contingency fund in case of unexpected car repairs or medical expenses while away.

Research

Researching a destination is one of my favorite parts of planning the trip. I order visitor’s guides from our destination and check out travel guides and AAA Tourbooks.  I scour websites to find interesting things to do along the way that I may not have heard of before.  I’ll pile up as many books as I can find, then sit with a pad of paper and a pencil and jot down absolutely everything that looks interesting.  Much of it will be weeded out later due to time, cost, weather, or closures, but I like to start with as many possibilities as I can.

Make reservations

Now the fun begins.  As soon as I decide on a location and destination, I begin making hotel reservations, being sure that they’re easily canceled if our plans change.  For our upcoming California trip, I made our first hotel reservations last July.  Rental cars usually are easily canceled as well.  Airfare, cruises, and vacation packages lock you in a bit more, so don’t make these until you’re absolutely certain you can make the trip–or else purchase a good trip insurance policy that covers your cancellation fees.  Don’t be afraid to make your reservations, but be sure to read the fine print regarding cancellation policies.

Keep records

I like to keep all of my reservation information (including cancellation numbers, if applicable) in one place–a computer file, a piece of paper in my vacation folder, online at tripit.com–so that I can see at a glance all of our essential information.

Monitor prices

As I said, I made some of our hotel reservations almost a year in advance, and since then, I’ve rechecked the prices at least weekly.  In one location, the price has steadily risen since I made that first reservation.  In another location, the price of our preferred hotel has dropped as our departure nears, and I rebooked at the better price.  Some air and cruise fares will issue a credit if the price drops after you’ve bought your ticket, but it’s usually up to you to spot the difference.

Create an itinerary

I draw up a rough itinerary when deciding when and where to go, but as we get closer to our trip, I get serious about penciling in what we can do each day of our trip.  Of course, this is always subject to change due to weather, closures, or trying to fit too much into one day, but I like to have a decent plan in place.  When creating an itinerary, I find it helpful to make a chart listing the open days and hours, as well as prices, of each attraction we want to visit.  Seeing when things are open helps to map out a plan, especially over the holidays, when places have additional closures or special extended hours.

Obsess and rethink and research some more

OK, so maybe I’m the only one who does this.  If you can make your plans once and leave them alone, I applaud you!  I have so many different itineraries and possibilities in my California folder that it’s bulging.  Whenever I create a new plan or possibility or amend the budget, I write down the date of my current state of thinking, and I keep the old plans in case I need to go back to them.  This is also the time that I get serious about finding the best prices on attractions, including signing up for our destination’s Groupon site, looking for coupons via the local visitor’s bureaus, and so on.

Make the kids’ vacation books

Before bigger vacations, I make a “vacation book” for my kids that includes information on our destination, maps of where we’re going, journal pages, and reproducible worksheets about the state(s) we’re visiting.  Originally designed to eliminate some of the “are we there yet” questioning, it has become a tradition and keepsake for my chidren.  It does take some time and planning to get the pages gathered and printed, so I start several weeks before we leave.

Start packing

I’ll admit it, and you may find this crazy, but for a big trip, I’ll start packing 3-4 weeks in advance.  As I think of little things we may need on the trip, but not necessarily before then, I’ll put them all in one location so they’re ready when it comes time to put them in the suitcases.  I also start making lists of things easily forgotten–certain medications, sunscreen, gum for on the airplane–in an effort to minimize forgetfulness.  This is when I also begin to think about which electronic devices we’ll bring, and which we’ll leave at home:  Do we want a video camera? Is the laptop necessary? Are we letting the kids bring any gadgets?  Once I decide which things we’ll bring, I start to gather the necessary cables, chargers, and memory cards that go along with them.  The actual packing of clothes and such comes closer to when we leave, but I put in plenty of thought so as to find the perfect mix of having everything we’ll need without overpacking.

Double-check everything

About a week before we leave, I get serious about rechecking our reservations and flight information, and being sure everything we’ll need to take is on the list.  I set aside an area of the house where vacation things can be dropped off.  If it’s for vacation, that’s where it needs to be; if it’s not for vacation, it needs to be somewhere else!  Then, when we’re ready to go, I know that we have everything when that zone is clear and the lists are checked off.

Prepare for take-off

If we’re driving, my husband checks the tires, oil, and gas levels in the car a day or two before we leave.  If we’re flying, I keep an eye on the schedules and recheck the airline guidelines.  We keep an eye on the weather, just in case it will affect our plans.  I print out basic itineraries and emergency contact information for our parents, in case they should need to reach us while we’re gone.  Then it’s time to pack the vehicle, throw in the last snacks and medications, and get on our way for our latest adventure.

Well, there you have it–how I plan a vacation for our family.  Do you use similar steps in planning your family’s trips?

Don’t let the Onamia address confuse you; though you may not be familiar with Onamia’s location on Lake Mille Lacs, you probably know the museum’s nearby neighbor a bit more:  Grand Casino Mille Lacs.  It’s just north of the museum on Highway 169.

The museum’s location is that of a former resort and trading post on the shores of Lake Mille Lacs.  Today, some of the resort buildings are still standing, though not open, and the trading post is open, with museum displays in part of the building and Native American handicrafts and foodstuffs available for sale in the shopping area.

Just up the sidewalk, the Mille Lacs Indian Museum displays the history and culture of the Ojibwe tribe in Minnesota with multimedia displays and hands-on activities for kids.  A scheduled employee-led program depicts the historic life of the tribe, season by season, in a diorama-like setting.

Families heading up north should find the Mille Lacs Indian Museum to be an interesting stop along Highway 169.  The Mille Lacs Indian Museum is open seasonally and for special events.

Wall Drug.  It’s part of the travel experience of most every family who’s approached South Dakota’s Black Hills from the east on I-90 after traveling mile after miles on the Interstate with not much for stops or scenery.  After all, how could you miss it?  With nearly 100 billboards along the Interstate from Sioux Falls to Wall, and others scattered around the country, Wall Drug is certainly hard to miss.

But what exactly IS Wall Drug?

Long before it was a tourist trap, Wall Drug was a struggling pharmacy in the small town of Wall on the South Dakota prairie.  During the dust bowl years, its owners offered free water in the hopes of drawing people into the store.  The idea was a success, and soon people were stopping in for free ice water and buying treats from the soda fountain as well.  Over time, Wall Drug grew and expanded and grew and expanded some more, so that today it is a massive complex that takes up nearly one entire side of Wall’s Main Street.

The attraction itself is free to visit, though you’ll be tempted to buy souvenirs and trinkets from the various shops inside the complex, or maybe to have something to eat from the cafe area.  (Hint: Skip to the end of the cafeteria line and pick up some of tasty doughnuts; they may be the best bargain in the store besides the free ice water, which is still offered at Wall Drug.)

Outside in the “backyard,” let your kids play around the water spurts, maybe let them pan for some jewels, and be sure to take their photo on the famed jackalope, which is big enough for four kids to prove that they’ve been to Wall Drug and have the same family vacation photo as most of their friends and neighbors.

Whether or not the quirky Wall Drug is your best idea of vacation fun, it’s one of those places that you really should stop at if you’re passing through South Dakota.  Grab a cup of ice water, have a doughnut, snap a few photos, and be on your way to your next destination, having experienced the one-of-a-kind American icon that is Wall Drug.

Have you dug Wall Drug?

One of our family’s favorite types of museums is the living history village.  Places like The Landing in Shakopee, Minnesota, Bonanzaville in West Fargo, North Dakota, Farmamerica near Waseca, Minnesota, or even my tiny hometown’s historical complex give us the opportunity to step back in time and experience the buildings and communities that my great-grandparents lived in.

Cassville, Wisconsin, has such a site at the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Stonefield Village.  My grandmother took me to Stonefield when I was a girl, so it was a treat to take my own children there.

We started with a guided tour of the Governor Nelson Dewey estate, across the road from the rest of the complex, and then moved on to the village, which is accessed by walking over a covered bridge.

While the village itself is made-up, its buildings are authentic and came from various locations near Cassville.  From homes to businesses to community buildings, Stonefield has excellent variety in its little town.  My kids loved the ice cream parlor and saloon, while I found the creamery and funeral home to be interesting.  Stonefield has a millinery shop, photography studio, general store, doctor’s office, and other businesses that were common in small towns in the late 1800′s.

Most of the village of Stonefield is accessible as a self-guided tour, but select buildings have living history interpreters providing guided tours at certain times during the day.  For children, there is a challenging scavenger hunt that takes them throughout the village finding historical items, some of which are commonly known, and others that are more obscure.

Stonefield also includes an agricultural history museum that was my husband’s favorite.  The entrance building houses a barn with agricultural implements, and another large farm museum building houses ag exhibits.

Cassville, Wisconsin, is just across the Mississippi River from Iowa, and Stonefield is an easy day trip from Dubuque, Iowa.  On our return to Iowa from Cassville, we took the Cassville Car Ferry across the river, which was an adventure in itself.

Like the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Circus World Museum, we found Stonefield Village to be an interesting, educational, and enjoyable history lesson.

Stonefield Village is open during the summer and early fall.  Hours and admission information can be found on its website.

Have you been to any living history villages?  Which is your favorite?

In the coming weeks, I’ll be catching up on some places we visited in 2011, but for now I hope you’ll enjoy reading about places these other family travelers have been to.  Happy New Year, and happy travels!

• Aquariums in the Midwest at Uptake Attractions
• Illinois Railway Museum at Suitcases and Sippycups
• Keystone Ski Resort at The Q Family Adventures
• The Magic of Trains at the B&O Railroad Museum at The Mother of All Trips
• Park City for Families at The Talking Trekaroo
• Pikes Peak at Albany Kid
• Pittsburgh’s Duquesne Incline at 100 Routes Across America
• Things to Do in Cincinnati at The Traveling Praters
• Tips for Visiting the Creation Museum at The Traveling Praters
• Visiting the Salton Sea at The Silent I
• World’s Largest Pinball Machine at Go Big or Go Home
• 5 Places to Ice Skate Outside in Los Angeles at Go Explore Nature
• 7 Ways to Save When Skiing with Kids at Kidventurous
• 10 Ways to Save Money at Disneyland at Touring Plans

I provided insight into our hotel planning process a while ago, and today I’ll pull out a few pages from my trip folder and tell you how I’m trying to find the best prices for the places we’ll visit while in California.

For this vacation, we’re planning to visit several theme parks, as well as some cultural and historical landmarks.  We’re going to squeeze in as much as we can — with a combination of educational stops and places that are just for fun — while trying to get the best value for our dollar.  These are the things we want to do.

• Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, 3 days
• Universal Studios Hollywood, mostly for the backlot tour. It’s the only movie tour I can find that allows kids.
• See the desert (by request of our 5-year-old); planning to drive to Joshua Tree National Park
• Go whale-watching and spend some time on a beach (though probably not IN the water in February!)
• Visit a Presidential Library (either Reagan or Nixon)
• Visit San Diego’s Balboa Park
• See Old Town San Diego, Cabrillo National Monument, and the USS Midway
• Go to Legoland (9-year-old’s top priority)
• Visit other historic sites or museums
• Go to Sea World
• Visit the San Diego Zoo, and/or the San Diego Safari Park if we can get bargains on admission.

I know that’s an ambitious list, and it won’t be cheap for six of us.  On this trip, I’m expecting admission prices to be about 1/3 the cost of the trip, hotels another 1/3, and meals/rental car/gas/other to be the remainder.  (We’re flying with vouchers and points so we don’t have an airline expense, thankfully.)

Let’s take a look at some of the prices.  Keep in mind that these are for our family of six, with kids aged 6-11 when we travel.

• Disneyland 3-day park hopper, special pricing from Jan-May 2012, $199 ages 10+, $183 ages 3-9.  Total:  $1146
• Universal Studios, $77, $69 under 48″.  Total:  $454
• Sea World: $414
• Joshua Tree National Park: $15 vehicle permit.  Total:  $15
• Presidential libraries: Nixon total $38.15; Reagan total $32.00
• Balboa Park: Model Railroad Museum, Japanese Friendship Garden.  Total: $35
• USS Midway: $18 adults, $10 kids. Total $76
• Cabrillo National Monument: $5/vehicle.
• Legoland California, $69 adults, $59 ages 3-12.  Total: $374
• San Diego Zoo: $200; Safari Park: $200.

For our 10 days in California, that’s a grand total of $2551 without the Zoo or Safari Park.  Yikes!

Let’s see if we can get it to come out any better.

The first thing I found that will help our costs a lot is the Southern California CityPass*. For 2012, the CityPASS includes the following: 3-day Disneyland Park Hopper, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Sea World.  It’s $279 for ages 10 and up, and $239 for ages 3-9.  Grand total for our family:  $1554. I can either buy it on-site at one of the parks, or order it ahead of time and skip the ticket lines in the parks.  It’s also refundable if we have to cancel the trip for some reason.  I asked fellow family travelers if it was too good to be true, and they said no.  It’s one of the best bargains out there for southern California theme parks.  (CityPASS* also has combo passes for attractions and museums in other cities like Chicago*, Houston, Boston, Seattle, and Atlanta.)  With CityPass*, I’ll save $468 over the individual prices of Disneyland, Universal, and Sea World.  That’s a good start, but let’s see what else we can do.

My kids subscribe to the free Lego Club magazine, and over the years I’ve noticed BOGO coupons for Legoland, so I’ve been keeping my eyes open for them.  We hit the jackpot in the latest issue, with a coupon for a free child ticket with paid adult hopper ticket.  I’ll have to upgrade to the combo ticket, and pay for one child as an adult in order to get three free (Legoland confirmed that I can do this), but it will bring the total to $243 instead of $374, plus we can walk through the SeaLife Aquarium at no additional charge.  Savings: $131 from a free magazine.  That’s good.

SmartDestinations offers two choices for San Diego*: a multi-day card where you can see everything on the list on those days, or a Go Select card where you choose the attractions you want to visit.  Using the Go Select card for the USS Midway, Japanese Friendship Garden, and Model Railroad Museum nets us a total of $88.28 for the three attractions as opposed to the $111 cost if purchased separately.  If we want to add the San Diego Zoo, it would be an additional $173.56 for our family, instead of the regular price of $200.  If we didn’t have the Legoland tickets, I’d be putting Legoland on the Go Select card as well (at $296.52 instead of the regular $374).  Like CityPass, SmartDestinations offers a money-back guarantee on its cards, and has cards available for Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Franciso, New York City,* and more.  In general, the more attractions you put on your GoSelect card, the more you’ll save, and if you’re visiting southern California, you can buy tickets for San Diego and Los Angeles attractions in the same transaction.

There are some other museums we can visit in Los Angeles and San Diego at no charge because of our museum memberships with ASTC and ACM reciprocity.  I’m also looking at the February “museum month” promotion in San Diego.  Since our timing is good, we can receive 50% off admission for people with a free pass we’d pick up at a San Diego-area Macy’s store.  Because the USS Midway and Model Railroad Museum are participating, our cost for those plus the Japanese Friendship Garden would be $74.  Since we’ll be there during Museum Month, that’s even better than the Go Select card for our planned attractions.  At other times of the year, or for other attractions, the Go Select card is definitely worth looking into.

I’ve also signed up for Groupon and similar sites in the areas we’ve been visiting, and I scour the offers in my inbox daily.  Most are for places we won’t visit, but occasionally something good pops up that we can use.  I used Mousesavers to get more ideas for saving money, from car rental discount codes to information about a Disney souvenir outlet store.  For San Diego’s Balboa Park, be sure to check out their deals page to see if there are any coupons available.

After all of this, I’ve reduced our projected admission costs from $2551 to $1923.  I’ll keep looking for better deals until we leave on vacation, but for now I’m pretty happy that by putting some time into planning and research I’ve been able to save nearly 25% over what we would have paid by purchasing tickets for each attraction individually.  For those who like to see the numbers, here’s how it looks.

If you’re planning to visit southern California, I hope I’ve helped you find ways to save some money yourselves.  If you’ve already been there and know of ways I can pinch a few more pennies, I’d love to hear them.

*CityPass and SmartDestinations links provided are affiliate links; if you purchase a product after clicking on the link, I will receive a commission on the sale.  I requested to become an affiliate after doing the math and finding that these are excellent potential money-savers when visiting southern California and other areas of the U.S.

The Sertoma service organization in Brainerd-Baxter has set up this drive-through light display for visitors to enjoy.  For $10 a car, you can snake through the arboretum and see the various light displays, most sponsored by area businesses.  Tuning to a local radio station adds holiday music and information about the displays to your journey.

Some displays are whimsical, others traditional, but all serve the purpose of getting visitors in the holiday spirit.

After driving through the display, you can stop in the visitor center to purchase some cookies or hot cocoa, play some kid-friendly games, and visit with Santa.  Special events, such as sleigh rides, are offered on certain dates.

The Sertoma Winter Wonderland is open weekends from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.  Check the website for dates, hours, and special events.

Holiday parades on the days between Thanksgiving and Christmas aren’t anything new.  Many communities have them, from small towns, like the Arlidazzle parade in tiny Arlington, Minnesota, to Minneapolis’ Holidazzle parade series.

The city of Aitkin, Minnesota, however, has a unique take on these holiday parades.  Aitkin is Up North, northeast of Brainerd, north of Lake Mille Lacs.  You get it.  It’s Up North.  And one of the best-loved and time-honored traditions of Up North in Minnesota is ice fishing.

Sure, you can ice fish in southern Minnesota; it just takes a few extra weeks for the lakes to freeze up.  Going up north to ice-fish, though, is a pastime of many good southern (Minnesota) people, including my father-in-law, and my husband and his brothers, if they’d only find the time.

Aitkin, embracing its up-north-edness, hit upon the idea to celebrate its ice fishing heritage.  To do this, on the day after Thanksgiving each year, folks come from around the world to do a bit of shopping, eat some holiday goodies, see a free matinee at the theater on Main Street, and watch the Fish House Parade.

That’s right, the Fish House Parade.

For those of you who aren’t acquainted with ice fishing, you need to know that it gets cold out on the lake.  After all, the lake is frozen, and you’re fishing through a hole bored through the ice.  In order to keep from freezing to death, you either bundle up in many warm layers and place your back to the wind, or you get a fish house.

Fish houses range from basic to grandiose, from collapsible to cabins fit for kings.  And people and businesses and scout trips from in and around Aitkin like to show their off in the annual Fish House Parade.

This year’s parade featured 30-some entries, each decorated around a theme.  They like their fish houses in Aitkin, but they’re not too stuck-up to have fun with them.

The entire thing is narrated by an announcer, and judges choose the best fish houses.  One requirement to be a judge is that you can never have seen the World Famous Fish House Parade before.

And World Famous it is.  This year, a student from China was in the audience, and who knows how far other people traveled for the event.  Our family made a four-hour drive to check it out.  It’s kind of a big deal, I guess.

Aitkin itself isn’t big, but it has a healthy Main Street.  I’ve read estimates that between 5000 and 10,000 people come for the Fish House Parade each year.  I didn’t count this year’s crowd, but I do know that they were lined up four or five deep along Main Street.

The parade begins with the colors, and I was impressed that 1) the announcer told the men to take off their caps as the color guard came by, and 2) when the flags reached the judge/announcer stand, the entire audience recited the Pledge of Allegiance.  That’s a great way to get a parade started.

After that, it was the customary fire truck.  (Really, can there be a parade without a fire truck?)

Then it was time for the fish houses.

Fish houses entries came from scout troops

and local businesses

and showed off some team spirit.

The parade floats advertised upcoming community events

and high school sports.  (Notice the nets the girls’ basketball team is using?)

Even the local politicians had campaign signs hanging from fishing poles.

Not to be missed, some fish made it into the parade.

It can get cold at the Fish House Parade; even at a balmy 43 degrees it was a bit chilly, but that didn’t destroy the fun of it.  It’s also the first parade I’ve been to where the floats are stopped periodically to let highway traffic through.

All in all, the Fish House Parade is small-town fun at its best.  It may be a bit oddball, but it’s something different, and it gives the town a chance to laugh at itself a bit as it shows off its community spirit.

The World Famous Fish House Parade is held annually at 1:00 p.m. on the day after Thanksgiving on the north-south Main Street in Aitkin, Minnesota.  If you go, get there early for a good viewing point, and take some time to check out the local businesses while you’re in town.  Dress for the weather; the parade lasts about 30 minutes once it gets going.

Have you been to Aitkin’s fish house parade, or some other wacky-themed parade?  Tell us about it in the comments.

You see, the banks of the Mississippi River south of Little Falls have something very unique, a special kind of rock called staurolite, that is found in a select few places around the world.  This staurolite stone breaks at clean angles of 60 and 90 degrees, resulting in some cross-shaped pieces.  Known commonly as “fairy crosses,” these stones are sought out as good-luck charms. The Little Falls website has more information about the stones and some photos of excellent examples of the crosses.

The article about the Fairy Crosses in the Little Falls Visitor’s Guide (which arrived mere days after I requested it online) had directions to get to the Blanchard Dam, where the stones can be found.  Follow the directions found there or on their website–8.6 miles south on Hilton Road, then right toward the river on 86th St, which is a dead-end road.  At the end of the road there’s a parking lot and a path to a canoe landing.

We didn’t know just what we were looking for, except for a photo or two I’d seen of the cross rocks, so we just started randomly searching the rocks along the river bank.  I forgot to take a photo of what we were searching through, but it was very similar to what awelnick on Flickr shows in her photo.

At 30 degrees and breezy, it wasn’t warm by the river, so we were searching for the rocks with gloved hands and wearing winter coats.

At first we just wandered and looked, not knowing what size these rocks would be or how hidden they were.  Suddenly, I came upon a diamond-shaped piece of stone, dark brown in color, and we knew we were in the right area.  Though not a full cross, these diamonds are another shape that the staurolite stones break into.

The stones were smaller than I’d expected, and we learned that we’d have to dig a little deeper to find more.  Once we started lifting and moving stones, we had more success.  Most of our dozen or so pieces were found in two small areas, though we still had to look carefully to find these.

After thirty minutes of searching, our family had collected a handful of staurolite pieces.

Though none constituted full crosses, two of them came close and we could see how the diamond shapes criss-cross each other to make the more perfect specimens.  My ten-year-old son found our best one.

Despite the cold weather, this was a good family adventure, spending time along the banks of the Mississippi River and searching for the elusive fairy crosses.  I hope we’ll return again someday to try our luck again.

Though staurolite isn’t commonly found, there are a few other places in the United States where you can try your hand at finding fairy crosses.  Staurolite is the state mineral of Georgia, and Virginia has its own Fairy Stone State Park.  For Minnesotans who want to try their luck at finding these special stones, however, a trip to Little Falls is all that’s needed.

Stages Theatre Company Cyber Monday $10 tickets.  Offer good only on Monday, November 28, 2011.  See A Silent Night for PEEF (on stage now) or The Secret Garden (coming in March) for $10 each.  To redeem, find your preferred date and time, select seats, and add them to your cart.  Type in code CYBER and apply the code.  Then select $10 tickets from the drop down menu, and check out.  Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins offers quality children’s theatre performances; read about our experience at Stages.

**Note: Stages had problems with their site early in the day Monday, and will now offer the discount until noon Tuesday, November 29.

Goldstar* is also having a Cyber Monday sale.  Check their site on November 28 for a week of deals for Minneapolis or other U.S. cities.  Family-friendly offerings in the Twin Cities include better-than-half-price deals for Waterpark of America and the Children’s Theatre production of Harold and the Purple Crayon. Some other family-friendly offerings on Goldstar (not in the Cyber Monday special, so they’re good until sold out) include The Wizard of Oz at Children’s Theatre Company on December 1st or The Nutcracker in Maplewood on December 10 or 11.  I’ve been a fan of Goldstar since the first show we saw at the Children’s Theatre Company.

Disney on Ice Treasure Trove** will be at the XCel Energy Center in St. Paul on December 8-11.  Beginning at 10 a.m. Monday, November 28, and ending Wednesday, December 7 at 10 p.m., get a special price of 4 tickets for $44 on select shows by using code MOM when you buy your tickets by calling 800-745-3000 or visiting the website (I’ll post the link as soon as they send it to me).  Our family enjoyed Disney on Ice last time it was in the area, and I’m pleased that the discount price is the same this year as it was two years ago.  Here are the details on the show and discount:

• Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove:  Discover endless riches when Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove comes to your hometown!  Disney On Ice sets the gold standard with its newest skating spectacular.  Get tangled up in Disney’s 50^th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and enter the worlds of your other favorite Disney princesses –Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and of course, the one who started it all, Snow White.  Ahoy, Mateys!  Set sail with Peter Pan, the always sassy Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook and his pirate pals on an adventure beyond Never Land!  Trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the ‘Circle of Life.’  Tick-Tock!  Tick-Tock!  Don’t be late to a very important date with Alice and the Mad Hatter as they march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army Of Cards.  Be sure to see this show full of memories guaranteed to last a lifetime.
• 4 tickets for $44 on select shows!  A total savings of $20!
  Discount valid on all weekend evening performances (Friday 7 p.m. / Saturday 7 p.m. / Sunday 5 p.m.)   Offer in effect Monday, November 28 @ 10 a.m. through Wednesday, December 7 at 10 p.m.  Offer Valid toward regularly-priced $16 tickets only, excludes VIP and Front Row Seats. Offer subject to ticket availability.  For best seats redeem as soon as possible. Valid on up to 12 discounted tickets. Not to be used in conjunction with any other discounts, premiums or rebates.
• To Redeem:  Call 1-800-745-3000 Use code: MOM or online with code: MOM.  (Offer subject to service and handling charges)

I know that many families like to experience special things together as part of their holiday traditions.  If you know of other family-friendly shows in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, especially if there’s a discounted price available, please let us know about it in the comments.

* Affiliate link
**Our family was offered four tickets to Disney on Ice Treasure Trove in addition for me telling readers about the show.

One of the vacation-planning decisions I put a lot of thought into is this:  How am I going to capture our vacation memories?

It doesn’t sound like it should be difficult.  Take a camera, snap some photos, and be done with it.  Yet I always seem to be torn about exactly HOW to do just that.  These are the thought processes that run through my head.

1. I should take my pocket-sized point-and-shoot camera.
   I have a decent little point-and-shoot digital camera.  I carry it in my purse at all times, just in case some photography need should arise, and it’s known in my circle of friends that I always have a camera with me, because you just never know when you’ll need a picture.  This little camera is lightweight, has a decent zoom on it, and a cool GPS feature that remembers where each photo was taken.  It uses an SD card, which I can easily insert into a laptop for backing up and sharing photos along the way.  It will also take video footage.
   but
   Although this is my go-to camera for day-to-day on-the-go shots, its photos aren’t as good as camera B (see below).
2. I should take my digital SLR.
   I have a nicer camera, a digital SLR.  I’d be able to take nicer, more creative photos with it, for that “wow” factor.  Since this is a special vacation for us, I should take the best photos I can to preserve those special memories. 
   but
   This is a heavier camera, and while it has a decently comfortable strap, it would still weigh me down.  It would require more cords and gadgets for downloading and charging than the little camera would.  Would I end up lugging it along, and then leaving it behind when we’re walking a lot, or would I truly make good use of it?
3. I should take both cameras.
   After all, some days will be grab-a-quick-shot days where the little camera would be best, and others will be in locations where I’d want better photos.
   but
   Taking both requires double the number of cords and batteries and cards, and then there’s the question of how to safely stow the camera that isn’t currently in use.
4. I should take as many photos as possible.
   This is a vacation, a special time for us, so I should capture every moment that I can.
5. I should take just a few photos.
   Being behind the camera all the time means I’d get the memories stored away, but would it take away from my actual enjoyment of the trip?
6. We should pose for a family photo at any place with a cheesy and ridiculously expensive photo spot.
   In this way, I’m guaranteed to be in front of the camera once in a while.  Seriously, my goal is to have my face in at least one photo on each vacation to prove that I was actually there, and sometimes this is difficult to accomplish. 

   No matter which approach I decide to use (and I’m leaning in one direction, but I’m curious to hear what your family-vacation photo strategy is), one thing’s for certain:

7. I will sort, label, and put the best photos into an album when we return home.
   I’m determined that my family’s digital memories aren’t stuck on a computer, never to be seen again, so after each vacation I use a digital program to create a printed photo album.  My kids love to page through memories of vacations past and talk about places we’ve visited and things we’ve done together.  These shared experiences are perhaps the best part of traveling as a family.

In the end, it seems like a petty decision to agonize over.  I know that I’m blessed to have the resources to travel, and to have a choice in how to preserve our family’s memories.  Like most parents, however, I want to make the most of the time I have with my family, and photos and memories are part of that time together, so I want to use what I have to full advantage, and to give these treasures to my children.

What’s your family vacation photo strategy?  Please share in the comments.

As the world prepares for the 2012 Olympics in London, Americans can cheer on their team and learn how our Olympic athletes train by touring the Olympic Visitor Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The visitor center at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center is one of three facilities in the United States where our athletes train.  From the Olympic countdown clock to the Olympic rings adorning the property, it’s hard not to feel some team spirit and patriotism at this facility.

Tours, which are free, are conducted year-round and begin in the visitor center lobby.  After watching a brief yet inspirational film, tour guides show guests around the well-manicured grounds and into some of the training areas.  We saw the indoor shooting range, visited with one of the wrestling coaches, saw the training gym and basketball courts, and peeked at the indoor pool where famous Olympians like Michael Phelps have trained.  Our guide was excellent in answering questions about the life of a training Olympian.  Some athletes stay only a short while and some have lived on the site for several years.

Following the guided tour, guests are welcome to enjoy the grounds on their own, and our kids enjoyed standing on the medal platforms and taking turns “winning” the gold medal.

Back inside, there’s a room with an Olympic Hall of Fame that tells the stories of some of the athletes, and our girls tried the various statuary skating poses.

The floor is painted with Bob Beamon’s record-breaking long jump from the 1968 Olympics.  Would you believe that Beamon would have jumped over our entire family, stretched out head to toe?  (I know this because we tried it.)

The Olympic store is a treasure trove of Olympic merchandise, and we each found a special souvenir there.

The Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center was one of our favorite Colorado stops, and the free admission makes it accessible to anyone who is in the are and wants to learn more about our Olympic team.

This winter, we’re planning our first BIG family trip.  Sure, we’ve roadtripped all over the place, but we usually choose our destinations based on their affordability and driveability.  This time, we’ll be flying to the west coast, destination California.

I know that a lot of families keep Disney trips a secret up until the last possible minute, and I don’t blame them a bit for it.  We told our kids about our trip as soon as we started planning it, however.  These were my reasons for not keeping our Disney trip a secret.

• I hate keeping secrets.  Sure, I can do it if I have to, but I hate the secrecy of it all.  Yes, I know that’s the idea, but I’m always afraid I’m going to slip and say something I shouldn’t.
• Half the fun is in planning.  I’m certainly the primary vacation planner in the household, but it’s fun to bring my family into the conversation.  We’ve had some interesting discussions about why I’ve chosen one hotel over another, and looked at the map to see where we’ll be.  I’ve handed brochures and guidebooks to the kids so they can be experts in parts of the trip.  It’s fun to talk about our upcoming trip.
• The kids have their own ideas.  As soon as I mentioned California, my eight-year-old instantly said, “Legoland!”  Disney wasn’t his top priority.  My five-year-old’s request was to go to a desert.  Without their input, I might not have chosen the right combination of “When in Rome” things to do.
• It’s not just Disney.  Perhaps if we were going to Walt Disney World and that was our entire trip, a secret would work out better, but although Disneyland is an exciting part of our trip, we’ll be seeing plenty of other things as well.  I wanted the kids to know about some of the places we’re going ahead of time.
• Packing.  I’m by no means a last-minute packer.  When I went to Legoland Florida by myself, I started four days ahead of time.  When packing for a plane ride for six of us, I anticipate lining up the suitcases two weeks in advance.  It’s kind of hard to keep a vacation a secret when there are obvious signs like that in plain sight.
• School.  Because our children will miss some days of school, I fully anticipate some rough nights with a lot of make-up work to do before we leave.  If their teachers can prep the assignments, we’re going to try to get the work done before we go, so we can enjoy the vacation without schoolwork hanging over us.  If the trip were a surprise, the kids would wonder why they had so much extra homework.  We don’t take pulling them out of school lightly, so I want to make it as easy on teachers and kids as possible.
• Money.  Letting our children know about the vacation ahead of time has been an opportunity for fiscal education.  We explained to them right away that vacations cost money, and that we were all going to work together to supplement what we’d budgeted for our vacation.  We’ve cut back on day trips and eating out, and each time we forego doing something we’d usually do this time of year, we put the money we would have spent on it in the “vacation jar.”  It’s been a good conversation starter as we talk about how much things cost.
• Transitions.  While my kids are generally adaptable to new situations, they do much better if they know what’s coming next.  Especially because this is their first time flying, we’ll be able to talk ahead of time about what to expect when going through security, the lines and waiting that will be involved, what it will be like on the airport, and so on.
• Anticipation.  I know we’ll have some crazy days as we approach departure when we all have butterflies in our stomachs from the anticipation of the trip.  I’m pretty sure we’ll have a couple who can’t sleep the night before we leave.  At that point, I’ll probably wish we would have kept it a big secret.

If you’ve gone to a Disney destination, did you tell your children beforehand or keep it as a surprise?

Related:

Saving Money on Southern California Attractions Tickets

Choosing a Disneyland-Area Hotel

After enjoying the pleasant drive from Colorado Springs, which is all on nicely paved roads, we came around a bend to see the town of Cripple Creek nestled below us in a valley, and just ahead of us was the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine.  After paying our admission, we donned our miners’ jackets and hard hats and were packed carefully into a mineshaft elevator with our tour guide, Ed, who is a former miner.

Then we went down . . . and down . . . and down some more, until we were 1000 feet below ground level.  Perhaps it should have been scary, but it wasn’t particularly claustrophobic, and Ed explained the precautions that were taken in the old mining days and still are today to ensure that the air quality is fit for humans.

Once in the mine, Ed gave us a guided tour of stations located throughout the mine that are set up in historical order.  We learned how dusty and dangerous the early mines were, and saw how the equipment and techniques gradually progressed to be safer and more efficient.  It was as much a history lesson as a gold mine tour, and it was interesting in both regards.  Ed demonstrated much of the equipment that had been used, and though some was loud, he always warned us first so the kids could cover their ears for the brief noisiness.

Near the end of the tour, we got to ride on a minecar on a rail, powered by an engine invented right there in Cripple Creek.

The mine was much bigger than I’d expected, and it was interesting to learn about how the various pathways were created far below ground.  We learned some of the miners’ terminology, and how hit-and-miss the mining operation was; one vein was just feet away from where the miners had quit after looking for it for years.

At the end of the tour, we each got a piece of gold ore as a souvenir, and other mine memorabilia was available in the gift shop.

After visiting the mine, we went across the road to the Cripple Creek Heritage Center, a beautiful museum and visitors center that depicts the history of the area, including that of Zebulon Pike of Pikes Peak fame.  Mining is an integral part of the history of the area, and is portrayed in various interactive exhibits in the visitor center.

For those looking for a day trip from the Colorado Springs area, I highly recommend the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine for families with children older than age 4 or 5.  Just warn the kids that there will be a few loud noises, and that you’ll be going underground; other than that, I had no qualms about the tour.  At $18 for adults and $10 for kids, it’s not a bargain, but I felt that the history and experience were worth the cost of the one-hour tour.

If I’d have planned ahead better, I would have realized that the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument isn’t too far from Cripple Creek, and would have built enough time in our day to visit there as well.  Also, while the road from Colorado Springs is a good paved road, getting to Cripple Creek from other directions is more difficult, so be sure you’ve researched your route before you go.

The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine is open seasonally; check the schedule to see the dates and hours of operation.  To learn more about things to do in the area, visit the Cripple Creek website.

Take, for example, the winter vacation we’re taking to California.  Our requirements (in no particular order):

1. Sleeping area for six
2. Reasonable price
3. Convenient to Disneyland
4. Comfortable for an eight-night stay
5. Good reviews
6. Free breakfast
7. Laundry facilities
8. Pool

I used my favorite family-travel resource, Six Suitcase Travel, to take care of #1, but this did not narrow down the list very much.  At a family destination like Disneyland, there are many hotels in various price ranges that would fit our family.  Still, some are better than others.  These are some of the hotels we’ve considered for our trip to Disneyland, with details listed for each. (Laundry and pool are not listed invididually, as each hotel has these things available.)  My husband and I usually prefer a queen bed, and the kids are getting big enough where they like a real bed instead of a sofabed, but is that extra comfort worth extra money?  Is a full kitchen worthwhile when visiting Disneyland?  These represent just a few of the hotels available in the area.  Which one would you choose for your family of six?

Residence Inn Placentia-Fullerton

1. 3 queen beds
2. $179/night, free parking.
3. 5.2 miles (15 minutes) from Disneyland
4. Bi-level loft with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, full kitchen including oven
5. 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor; #1 of 3 hotels in Placentia

Residence Inn Anaheim Resort Area

1. 2 queens beds plus two bunks
2. $169/night, $8/night parking.
3. 2.3 miles (7 minutes) from Disneyland.  On Disney shuttle route.
4. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, full kitchen including oven
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #5 of 16 hotels in Garden Grove

Homewood Suites Anaheim/Main Gate

1. 2 queens plus sofabed
2. $134/night, $12 parking.
3. 2 miles (6 minutes) from Disneyland.  On Disney shuttle route.
4. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, full kitchen (no oven)
5. 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, #2 of 16 hotels in Garden Grove

Quality Inn & Suites Anaheim Stadium

1. 1 king and 2 double beds
2. $129/night, free parking.
3. 3 miles (6 minutes) from Disneyland
4. Bi-level loft.  2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, full kitchen with oven
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #3 of 13 hotels in Orange.

Quality Suites John Wayne Airport

1. 2 double beds and a sofabed
2. $64/night, free parking.
3. 10.8 miles (15 minutes) from Disneyland
4. 1 bedroom, living room, microwave, refrigerator
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #1 of 26 hotels in Santa Ana

Comfort Inn Maingate

1. 2 queen beds and two bunks
2. $102/night, free parking.
3. 1.3 miles (4 minutes) from Disneyland
4. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, microwave, mini refrigerator
5. 3.5 stars on TripAdvisor, #42 of 106 hotels in Santa Ana

Disneyland Hotel

1. 2 queen beds and a sofabed
2. $620/night, $15 parking, breakfast not included
3. On Disneyland Resort property
4. Suite, DVD player, Disney features
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #30 of 106 hotels in Anaheim

Grand Californian Hotel

1. 2 queen beds and a sofabed
2. $865/night, $15 parking, breakfast not included
3. On Disneyland Resort property
4. Suite, Disney features
5. 4 stars on TripAdvisor, #7 of 106 hotels in Anaheim

What do you think?  Would you pay more to be on-property in a Disney hotel or in a location with other amenities?  Or find something cheaper even if its reviews or location weren’t as good?  If this were your vacation, which hotel would you choose for your family?

Related:

Why We Didn’t Keep Our Disney Trip a Secret from the Kids

Saving Money on Southern California Attractions Tickets

This summer, as we wrapped up our time in the Black Hills and Colorado, we stayed at the Hotel Alex Johnson in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota.  I made the reservation at this hotel because of the combination of convenience and price; as part of Choice Hotel’s Ascend Collection, it’s moderately priced though lacking the free breakfast of other Choice Hotels brands like Comfort and Quality Inns.  For our family, any room that includes beds for everyone as opposed to a sofabed for two kids is a gem, and this historic hotel fit the bill with a suite containing one bedroom with a king bed and another with two queens, connected by a small yet adequate bathroom on the top floor of the hotel.

The Hotel Alex Johnson is one of the tallest buildings in downtown Rapid City, so the kids had spotted it easily when we came into town.  Validated parking is available in a ramp a block from the hotel.  Surrounding the hotel are shops and restaurants in a downtown setting that looked interesting and inviting enough to make me want to return to downtown Rapid City again when I have more time to explore.  Our kids liked the street-corner sculptures of the presidents dotting the downtown area.

We didn’t take advantage of the in-house restaurant or Rapid City’s only rooftop bar, and though our cobbled-together room wasn’t as efficiently laid out as modern suites are, it was comfortable, and had some history with it, such as presidents and famous people who have stayed there for various events in the area. The bed was comfortable, the temperature was just right, and the room was quiet.

So why was it that I didn’t sleep well?

I hadn’t mentioned it to the rest of my family, but I’d read that the Hotel Alex Johnson is supposedly haunted.  Literature in the room described tales of figures in the hallway and the story that is said to have led to the spirits in the hotel.  I’m not one to think much of ghosts and such, but it was my first experience even being in a place where such tales are told.  So is that why I couldn’t sleep?

No, probably not.  I just don’t sleep well the first night in a new hotel.  Ever.  It’s the reason that whenever possible, we stay several nights in the same hotel, or else I’m sleepwalking by the end of the trip from lack of sleep.

If you can find a reasonable priced room that fits your family at the Hotel Alex Johnson like I did, I’d recommend it as a nice stay in a historical hotel near Mt. Rushmore and other Black Hills attractions.  And whether you see an apparition or not, you can say you survived a night in a haunted hotel.

Even though Halloween isn’t until Monday this year, the last weekend in October tends to be a treasure trove of activity for families looking for fun in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.  Haunted sites abound, but those looking for a tamer experience may opt for one of these events instead.

• ZooBoo at Como Zoo,
  October 28, 29, & 30 from 4:30-7:30.
  This non-scary trick-or-treat event through Como Zoo includes costumed characters and entertainment.
• Half-Price Admission to Waterpark of America *,
  October 27-30, 11-10.
  Enjoy some non-Halloween family fun at America’s largest indoor waterpark.
• Blackout at Nickelodeon Universe,
  October 28 & 29 from 5-10.
  Ride in the dark and enjoy entertainment as you see Nickelodeon Universe in a different light.  Treat bags for the first 1000 people who purchase ride tickets.
• Free Family Flick at Theatres at Mall of America,
  October 29 from 10-12.
  See “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” on the big screen.
• Wizards, Witches, and Monsters at the Bakken Museum,
  October 29 from 10-4.
  See science magic, get a haunted mansion tour, and some special treats and activities at this science museum on the shores of Lake Harriet.
• Halloween Spooktacular at Chanhassen’s Market Square,
  October 29 from 11-1.
  Trick or treating, face painting, balloon animals, and other activities at this family-friendly daylight event.  When we went two years ago, our kids much preferred it to trick-or-treating at Mall of America.
• Dia de los Muertos: Day of the Dead at Minnesota History Center,
  October 29 from 12-4.
  Learn about this Mexican holiday with entertainment, games, crafts, and snacks at the History Center.
• Meet Mickey and Minnie at the Mall of America Rotunda,
  October 29 from 12-4.
  Other activities are taking place at the Disney Store as part of their grand reopening.
• Boo-ology at Science Museum of Minnesota,
  October 29 from 1-4.
  Come in costume for free admission, and enjoy spooky science activities in the museum, and even a costume contest.
• Ghouls and Goblins at the Maze at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum,
  October 29 from 1-5.
  Enjoy family Halloween fun with free gate admission during the festival hours.
• Sneak Pre-Boo at The Works,
  October 29 from 5-8.
  Be among the first to see The Works’ new location and enjoy Halloween-themed activities as well.
• Fort Snelling after Dark,
  October 29 from 6-9.
  See the historic fort from a different perspective at night and hear stories about the history of Fort Snelling.
• Mystery at the Fur Post at Northwest Fur Trading Post,
  October 29 from 7-9:30.
  Help solve the mystery at this spooky but family-friendly event.
• HallZOOween at the Minnesota Zoo,
  October 29 & 30 from 9-4.
  Enjoy treats and goodies, crafts, creature features with zoo animals, “creepy crawly” animal encounters, and scarecrow alley, plus information on fighting colds & flu this winter.
• Sever’s Corn Maze, Shakopee,
  October 29 & 30 from 10-6.
  Try finding your way out of the corn maze or enjoy the other family activities as part of Sever’s fall festival in this year’s final weekend of the space-themed maze.
• Family Halloween Camp-in at Science Museum of Minnesota,
  October 29 at 3 p.m. to October 30 at 8 a.m.
  Spend the night at the museum and enjoy food, shows, and spooky activities at the science museum.
• Planet Spooky at Valleyfair,
  October 29 & 30 from 12-6.
  This family friendly, non-scary portion of Valleyscare is open for one last weekend.
• Boo Bash on Grand Avenue,
  October 30 from 1-5.
  Petting zoo, trick or treating, pony ride, costume contest, and more as the St. Paul Grand Avenue merchants welcome families for some Halloween fun.
• World’s Largest Indoor Trick or Treat at Mall of America,
  October 31 from 5-8.
  Costume contest, magician, treat bags, and other activities are part of Mall of America’s Halloween party, with 150 stores participating in the trick or treating.

Families should be able to find plenty of family fun in the Twin Cities this weekend, no matter their time or budget allowances.

If I’ve missed any family-friendly activities this weekend, please share them in the comments.

Related: A Twin Cities Halloween

* Affiliate link

• Buffalo Bill Historic Center (Cody, WY) at 500 Places with Kids
• Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA, at the Talking Trekaroo
• Colonial Williamsburg with Kids at Pit Stops for Kids
• Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills (SD) at The Vacation Gals
• Erie Canal Boat Tour at 100 Routes Across America
• Fort Wayne’s Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Garden (IN) at Arrows Sent Forth
• Haleakala National Park, Maui, HI, at Pit Stops for Kids
• How to Avoid Altitude Sickness when Vacationing in the Mountains at The Vacation Gals
• Is Staying at Disney’s Aulani Worth the Cost? at the Talking Trekaroo
• King Richard’s Faire (Carver, MA) at Albany Kid
• Minuteman Missiles in South Dakota and Minuteman Missile Historic Site at 500 Places with Kids
• Museum of Science in Boston at The Mother of All Trips
• Myrtle Beach with Kids at The Q Family Adventures
• National Model Aviation Museum, Muncie, IN, at The Rocket Scientist’s Guide to Raising Kids
• The Oregon Vortex and House of Mystery (Gold Hill, OR) at Pit Stops for Kids
• Pittsburgh’s Duquesne Incline at Road Trips for Families
• Playgrounds put the Play in Vacation at Arrows Sent Forth
• Santa Monica, CA, at Six Suitcase Travel
• Swan Boat Rides in Boston at Arrows Sent Forth
• Ten Great Chicago Suburb Attractions at Suitcases and Sippy Cups
• Tips for Visiting the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago, IL) at Suitcases and Sippy Cups
• Tips for Visiting the Sears Tower with Kids (now Willis Tower, Chicago, IL) at Suitcases and Sippy Cups
• The Toy and Plastic Brick Museum (Bellaire, OH) at Roadside America
• Up North at Midwest Guest
• Visiting the Fort Worth Stockyards with Kids at Suitcases and Sippy Cups
• World’s Largest Shoe House, Hellam, PA, at Go Big or Go Home
• 5 Fun Places to Visit in Salt Lake City with Kids at Suite Trip.
• 11 Things at Legoland Florida at Uptake Attractions

As part of my trip to the premier of Legoland Florida, I stayed at the Marriott World Center hotel.  This upscale resort hotel boasts golf courses, a convention center, ten restaurants, and numerous pools for those who want to enjoy the Florida sun.

My room was on the 24th floor overlooking the pool area.  In the distance, I could see the recognizable white orb of Epcot from my balcony, and the Nickelodeon Hotel across the highway.

My room, with a king-size bed, sofa, and chair with ottoman, was comfortable and tastefully decorated.  Located on the west side of the east tower, it was shaded in the morning and sunny in the afternoon.  The room also included plenty of power outlets as well as various television inputs, a safe, and plenty of closet and work space.

The ride down the glass elevators was ear-poppingly fast,  and there was a nice, if fleeting, view of the area during the ride.  With five elevators for the east tower upper floors, I never had to wait more than a few seconds for an elevator to arrive.

The pool area is sprawling with plenty of seating in lounge chairs (some with shade cabanas) and umbrella-covered tables.  The various swim areas and hot tubs included waterfalls and a 106-foot long waterslide as well as an indoor pool and an arcade.  There’s even a topiary-surrounded sandbox for the little tots.  My Minnesota friends will understand when I say that the pool area reminded me of the Waterpark of America, except outdoors and without the big waterslides and wave pool.

For those who many have forgotten sun essentials, the hotel’s gift shop includes swimwear, sunscreen, pool toys, and other amenities.  The food court is located just off the pool area for easy access late-morning to early-evening eating for those enjoying the pool.  The Pavilion sports bar is an outdoor restaurant in the pool area that includes a kids’ menu; my $14 fish sandwich with chips and $10 margarita were not large in size, but were very tasty.  A surcharge of 20% was automatically added to my restaurant bill, bringing the total to nearly $35 for a sandwich, chips, and drink.

Other restaurant options include Solara, whose breakfast buffet includes made-to-order omelets and an excellent variety of food, and Japanese cuisine, where I found that sushi is enjoyable and surprisingly affordable.  A Starbucks coffee shop is found in the lobby next to a small convenience shop, and there are more upscale options such as the Hawk’s Landing steakhouse on the premises as well.  According to Executive Chef Greg Picard, all of the foods and pastries in the hotel are made on-site, and they even have a chocolate room where they make some delightful confections.  The hotel’s large convention center has the ability to do a banquent for 10,000 people at one time.

From my room on the pool side of the east tower, I had a beautiful view of the pool area both day and night, and could see the Disney fireworks each evening.

Although the rooms and suites at the Marriott World Center don’t accommodate families of six, connecting rooms are available.  To see pricing for connecting rooms, check the “room packages” tab in the online reservations system.

The Marriott World Center is a Bed & Brick partner of Legoland Florida, and you may be able to find package deals by booking through the Legoland website.

While the Marriott World Center will not be the first choice of budget-minded families, those who are looking for an upscale experience in Orlando will find it to be a well-maintained property with beautiful views and a large, relaxing pool area.

These are all of my photos from the Marriott World Center.  Click on each to see a larger picture.

Legoland Florida paid for my expenses to visit Florida for the grand opening of Legoland Florida.  I chose what to write and how to share the experience with my readers.

While Legoland Florida’s Miniland area was absolutely amazing in its size, scale, and detail, it’s not the only part of Legoland Florida where you can find creatures made of Lego bricks.  From the front entrance with its southern belle greeting guests to the police officers and fire fighters near Rescue Academy, Legoland Florida has Lego-brick creations nearly everywhere you go.  50 million bricks were used in the making of Legoland Florida, and only 30 million of them are in Miniland, so there are plenty of other imaginative Lego people, places, and things located throughout the park.

Here are some that I spotted.  (Click on the photos to enlarge them, or see all of my Legoland Florida photos on my Flickr page.)

Related:

Legoland Florida in Winter Haven, Florida

Finding Bargains at Legoland Florida

Eating at Legoland Florida

7 Reasons to Visit Legoland Florida

11 Things at Legoland Florida

World’s Largest Legoland

Legoland Florida–The Belle of Theme Parks

Legoland Florida paid for my expenses to visit Florida for the grand opening of Legoland Florida.  I chose what to write and how to share the experience with my readers.

Counter-service restaurants and snack stands are located through Legoland Florida, so it’s certain that you’ll never have to walk far to find something to eat.  The biggest variety of foods is found in The Market Restaurant, which offers coffee and pastries in the morning, and grill and Asian items later in the day.  I found the chicken, vegetables, and potatoes to be done well, and the Asian Fusion items to be flavorful.

Kids’ meals at Legoland Florida come with fruit (usually apples or grapes) and water or milk (chocolate and strawberry offered in some locations).  If your kids want fries to eat, you’ll have to order them separately or as part of an adult meal, and there are no fries sold at The Market.

Pizza and pasta lovers may find the Pizza & Pasta Buffet to be their best bet.  This all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta, and salad buffet costs $10.99 for adults and $6.99 for kids, including Pepsi-branded fountain drinks that will cost $2.49 elsewhere in the park.

Legoland Florida takes pride in its locally sourced foods, so at Castle Burger and Cap’n Brickbeard’s Burgers you’ll find locally grown beef in the burgers.  At Castle Burger, I chose the salad, which was a basic lettuce salad with generous chunks of chicken, cheese, and tomatoes, and my friends shared some of their fries with me, which were very tasty.

I asked Chef Sit about the knowledge of food service employees when it comes to food allergies, and he showed me a binder they’ve developed that lists the top allergens in both safe lists and avoidance lists.  Guest Services personnel should also be able to provide this information to guests who call ahead of their visit.  Frying is done in canola oil.  Chef Sit also explained that people with dietary restrictions will be allowed to bring their own food into the park, and that he hopes in the future to be able to accommodate specific allergy requests, although that program has not yet been implemented.

The photo gallery below shows pictures of Legoland Florida food service menus as of the park’s opening day.  I hope you’ll find them to be useful as you plan your trip to Legoland Florida.

Related:

Legoland Florida in Winter Haven, Florida

Finding Bargains at Legoland Florida

Beyond Miniland: Lego Creations at Legoland Florida

7 Reasons to Visit Legoland Florida

11 Things at Legoland Florida

World’s Largest Legoland

Legoland Florida–The Belle of Theme Parks

Legoland Florida paid for my expenses to visit Florida for the grand opening of Legoland Florida.  I chose what to write and how to share the experience with my readers.