For as long as I can remember, I have been enamored with wildlife. My love affair with all things animal related has been passed down to my three year old daughter who recently told me she would rather go to the zoo than Disneyland! I couldn’t agree with her more. A visit to the zoo is a great way to spend the day outside as a family while educating children on the wonders of the wild kingdom.
Since I love zoos so much, I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce you to some of our country’s finest. Our first stop is my home turf, the West Coast. Here are five zoos that you don’t want to miss:
NYCmama loves this zoo “for its manageable size, wonderful collection of animal life and proximity to the ocean!” I do too. It isn’t the largest zoo but it is certainly big enough to spend a few leisurely hours admiring the leaping lemurs and gasping at the grace of the long and lovely giraffes. With Ocean Beach literally across the street, you can always rely on this zoo to be a nice escape from the heat during those scorching Northern California summers. Be sure to catch a penguin feeding and don’t forget to take the little ones on the Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train.
Check out more reviews by Trekaroo families of the San Francisco Zoo here.
We recently paid this zoo a visit for the very first time and had an absolute blast. The Arizona Trail section provided a fantastic introduction to the animals of the desert southwest and the camel rides were an absolute hit with my kids. Explore this large zoo on one of their four person bike rentals or cruise on a paddle boat around the main lake. Definitely be sure to visit the Monkey Village where there are no cages separating you from the squirrel monkeys swinging from the trees above. Looking for a break from the animal action? Check out one of the many unique and fun playgrounds dispersed throughout the park. Where else can you slide through a Saguaro Cactus?
Check out more reviews by Trekaroo families of the Phoenix Zoo here.
Photo courtesy of Trekaroo member LivingBeaverton
Started in 1887 by a pharmacist who collected animals, the Oregon Zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi. It is also one of the best. With exhibits such as the Great Northwest, a wonderful collection of animals indigenous to Oregon, and the newly opened Predators of the Serengeti, its no wonder that families return to this zoo again and again. Pitstopsforkids offers this great tip: “You can picnic with a lunch on the wide lawn by the Africa section (where the main food venues are located).” Like trains? Be sure to check out the Washington Park and Zoo Railway during your visit.
Check out more reviews by Trekaroo families of the Oregon Zoo here.
Photo courtesy of SeattlePI.com
I remember visiting this zoo as a kid and loving every minute of it. Here you can explore Alaskan tundra on the Northern Trail, dream of cuddling with a red panda in the Temperate Forest Zone, and wander amongst the wallaroos in the Australia Zone. If you have children aged 8 and younger, be sure to check out the Zoomazium. Perfect for those drizzly Seattle days, this indoor nature-themed play area has everything from a mountain cave to explore to a rope bridge in a tree canopy to cross to a 20 foot tree to climb. Feeling hungry after all that exploring? Mary C. Brady reassures us that the Woodland Park Zoo “ has a food court that features a wide variety of lunch choices beyond just pizza and soda.” Personally, the next time I am in town I will try the clam chowder at the Pacific Blue Chowder House on site. Sounds like the perfect compliment to a day exploring in the Pacific Northwest.
Check out more reviews by Trekaroo famlies of the Woodland Park Zoo here.
We are proud annual pass holders to this incredible zoo. Its certainly one of the world’s finest with over 4,000 animals on 100 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. First timers will benefit from the 35 minute Guided Bus Tour which gives a nice overview of the zoo and allows you to plot your plan of attack. Some of my family’s favorite exhibits include the newly reopened Polar Bear Plunge, an incredible walk through time at Elephant Odyssey, and of course those cuddly looking endangered giant pandas. It takes a very full day (and alot of walking up and down hills) to see it all, so plan accordingly. Or better yet, schedule two days at this amazing zoo into your calendar and make a weekend out of it. Either way, its impossible to walk away disappointed.
Check out more reviews by Trekaroo families of the San Diego Zoo here.
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids and the woman behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
This is a post that our very own Catherine Boley (the blogger behind bayareababyblog.com) wrote for SuiteTrip.com. Homewood Suites new blog on family travel.
As a little girl, nothing was more exciting to me than getting into the car to go look at holiday lights on a cold night! There’s something special about seeing the world lit up in the dark; something magical in the air.
Peacock Lane. Photo by Dolan HalbrookDuring the holidays, people remember to be kinder (most of the time), the world looks clean under a fresh blanket of snow, and we’re still living in the dreamy part of the year. The part that doesn’t involve a dead tree, a stack of dishes, and impending taxes!
Now, with children of my own, I still get that tingle of excitement as we clamber into our car to set out for a night of winter lights.
Here’s where to go from East to West with the kids:
Peacock Lane (Portland, OR)
This idyllic street has been a Portland holiday hotspot for decades. Every year, the residents of Peacock Lane be-speckle their abodes with beautiful lights, which give off the vintage charm of yesteryear. The lights run from December 15 through the 31.
Leavenworth Village of Lights (Leavenworth, WA)
Anticipated by visitors year after year, this stunning festival is one of the top 10 Christmas towns in the U.S. Following tradition, every Friday the town goes dark until the sun sets on Saturday. As the sun sets, the air is filled with the music of “Silent Night” and sets the entire village aglow with lights. Carols, Santa and festival foods are just some of the great additions to the twinkling sights at every turn. Village of Lights runs December through mid-January. The village lights are on display everyday except the first three Fridays of December when they are off until the lighting ceremony on Saturday evening.
Click here to see the other top places to see the winter lights across the US.
Where are the best places to see holiday lights near you?
Trekaroo is heading up to the beautiful Pacific Northwest to launch in Seattle and across the rest of the state of Washington. There’s so much to see here for tweens and teens – Shamu in the wild, Mt. Rainier, Pike’s Place, the Space Needle, where grunge music began, where coffeehouses took off, Microsoft, and more. For the younger set, there’s a plethora of indoor and outdoor fun to entertain kids for many days.
University of Washington by Flickr: danramarch
What have we got for you?
- Over 200 activities that have been rated and tagged by parents like you
- List of 1000 plus hotels throughout the state of Washington waiting to be rated by parents like you
- Coverage of the 5 major areas in Washington: Greater Seattle Region (Puget Sound), Palouse -Spokane, Mount Ranier and Snoqualmie, Olympic Peninsula, and the San Juan Islands.
- All sorts of fun lists on Destination Playgrounds in the Greater Seattle / Puget Sound Area, 5 Hidden Kidspots in the Seattle Area and more.
So, we’ve now launched something new in the Midwest and the Northwest. Stay tuned because we’ve got a pretty full schedule of places that we’d like to launch before our 1st birthday!
A standing ovation goes out to harebearmommy, travelmom, bbmmouse, and adorablyconfused who each jumped in full force to help get Seattle to a place where we’ve got something to share with the world. I also want to say thanks to my faithful team who work tirelessly to get things done in time.
Race you to the top of the Space Needle,
Esther Lee (thelees3) – CEO
Seattle Resources:
Best Activities for Kids in Seattle – voted by parents
Best Kid-Friendly Hotels in Seattle – voted by parents
- All 140 Activities for kids in the Seattle-Puget Sound Area
- Kid-friendly hotels in and around Seattle-Puget Sound
- Visiting Seattle with Little Kids - adorablyconfused
- Destination Playgrounds in Greater Seattle and Puget Sound – Travelmom
- Seattle Parks and Playgrounds - wandermom1
- Stores Mom and Kids Love in Seattle by Mompreneurs – Jill Dickinson
- 5 Lesser Known Pit Stops In and Around the Seattle Area – pitstopforkids
- Where to eat in Seattle with Kids in Tow - kirida
- Pumpkin Patches in the Seattle Area - Lydie Thomas
Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL and WA
Trekaroo’s KidsMobile is starting to chalk up those miles. We’ve traveled from New York, to Los Angeles, to Chicago and now we’re pulling into
Seattle, Washington
Don’t be fooled by Seattle’s rainy and gloomy reputation, because it is Seattle’s abundant rainfall that make spring, summer and fall lush and green. Set in Puget sound, this city offers fantastic outdoor recreation. In the rainy months, Seattle has some world class attractions that families absolutely love. Congrats to the families who helped launch Trekaroo in Seattle today.
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Trekaroo’s growing community of families have pitched in with their votes for 2009. Here’s the verdict!
Best Kid-friendly Hotels in Seattle – voted by parents
Best Activities for Kids in Seattle – voted by parents
Seattle is also the hometown for some exceptional moms who are smart, savvy and in the know about what real moms love about Seattle.
Michelle Duffy, better known as Wandermom starts us off with a list of her favorite Seattle Parks and Playgrounds. Wandermom is truly a travel guru! Her active family of 4 manages to travel on a budget, spending much time hiking, diving and skiing around the world. She is also the co-author of “Wanderlust and Lipstick: Traveling with Kids“. Her wealth of helpful tips can be found on her blog: Wandermom!
Carrie, a super energetic mom who lives in the heart of downtown Seattle knows the best Places to Visit with Young Kids in Seattle. She is the voice behind – Growing a baby in Seattle. Carrie reviews products and services that urban moms are interested in. Her reviews are insightful and personable at the same time. Get her take on some really cool stuff, afterall, Christmas is just around the corner.
Jill Dickinson brings us a list of Stores Moms and Kids love in Seattle who are owned by Momprenuers. Jill knows a good idea when she sees it because she’s the author of a book in the writing called “How to Become a Mompreneur”. She has interviewed a multitude of successful mompreneurs, so if you’re toying with a great business idea yourself, head on over to her blog – mombite - for some inspiration.
Hungry tummies = melt downs. Mona knows Where to eat in Seattle with Kids In Tow. Mona is the witty mom of a 3 year old and writes humorously about life as a full-time working mom on her blog – kirida. Need a good laugh about your predicament as a mom, you could spend hours on her blog (I just did myself – you sucked me in, Mona!)
So where are the locals hanging out? Amy tips us off with 5 Lesser Known Pit Stops in and around the Seattle Area. Her blog – Pit Stop for Kids – is filled with lots of helpful reviews about places to stop along various road trip routes around the country. Her mantra: Getting there should be half the fun! We couldn’t agree more.
Other Resources for Seattle:
- All 140 Activities for kids in the Seattle-Puget Sound Area
- Kid-friendly hotels in and around Seattle-Puget Sound
- Destination Playgrounds in Greater Seattle and Puget Sound – Travelmom
- Pumpkin Patches in the Seattle Area - Lydie Thomas
Next stop, the town where the Trekaroo founders first met - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Go Phillies!
The Trekaroo KidsMobile is a blog carnival with a twist. It’s designed to provide a unique opportunity for mom and dad bloggers to be featured on Trekaroo while
1) expressing their unique point of view
2) getting a web of link exchanges.
Join us for one of our next stopovers.
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LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL and WA
With all the wonderful attractions for families in Seattle, you’re gonna want to stay for more than a day. Trekaroo families have weighed in on which hotels they like the best!
Best Kid-Friendly Hotel in Seattle – Watertown Hotel
The Watertown Hotel is getting rave reviews from Trekaroo families because they like it’s modern asthetic with comfortable rooms at a great value. Although it is located closer to the University of Washington instead of right downtown, the Watertown Hotel offers free shuttle service to most major attractions. If you have a car, parking is free unlike most downtown hotels where parking will run upwards of $26 a day. But that’s not all! Families love the free breakfast with freshly cooked bacon and eggs, free WIFI, and even free laundry facilities. A huge hit with families are the fun carts you can order up to your room. If your kids are bored, order up the art cart, or game cart. If mom needs some pampering, order up the spa cart. Average Nightly Rate $134
What’s to love
- Free shuttle to major attractions
- Fun carts – game cart, art cart, kids cart…
- Complimentary breakfast, laundry, WIFI.
- Suites are available
What’s not to love
- Not walking distance to main attractions
- No pool
Read the full reviews from families on Watertown Hotel | Check Availability and Deals at Watertown Hotel
Best Location for Families – Westin Seattle
Located right in downtown Seattle, the Westin’s location cannot be beat. It’s right on the edge of Belltown and Downtown, next to the monorail and within easy walking distance of some favorite family attractions like Pikes Place Market, Olympic Sculpture Park, Gameworks, and Seattle Aquarium. The Westin hotels are known for making families a priority and Westin Seattle is no exception. Their Westin Kids Club amenities provide so many extras that families are looking for from bottle warmers to jogging strollers. To top it off, families enjoy the wonderful indoor pool . Average nightly rates start at $159.
Other kid-friendly hotels in Chicago
Fairmont Olympic (avg nightly rate: $194) – 5 stars on Trekaroo
Seattle Marriott Waterfront (avg nightly rate $179) – 4 stars on Trekaroo
Grand Hyatt (avg nightly rate: $152) – 5 stars on Trekaroo
Sheraton Seattle (avg nighly rate $125) – 4 stars on Trekaroo
Hotels with Free Breakfast in Seattle
Which Activities came up at the top?
Best Activities for Kids in Seattle – voted by parents
Other Resources for Chicago:
- All 140 Activities for kids in the Seattle-Puget Sound Area
- Kid-friendly hotels in and around Seattle-Puget Sound
- Visiting Seattle with Little Kids - adorablyconfused
- Destination Playgrounds in Greater Seattle and Puget Sound – Travelmom
- Seattle Parks and Playgrounds - wandermom1
- Stores Mom and Kids Love in Seattle by Mompreneurs – Jill Dickinson
- 5 Lesser Known Pit Stops In and Around the Seattle Area – pitstopforkids
- Where to eat in Seattle with Kids in Tow - kirida
- Pumpkin Patches in the Seattle Area - Lydie Thomas
LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA and now IL and WA
