Welcome to

I consider myself a bit of playground aficionado.  I get tired of the same old lot with a couple of swings and a slide.   If I feel this way, I imagine my children must as well, which is why I am always on the hunt for a new park to be discovered.  This same sentiment holds true for when we travel.  Parks are a great way to run out some extra energy after being in a car all day, wind down after a long day of exploring a city, or just catch a glimpse of some of the places that are held close in the hearts of local children.

Trekaroo member TravelMom has put together a great list of destination worthy playgrounds in the Greater Seattle/Pugent Sound area.  This list is a great resource for families visiting the region and locals who are looking to spice their playground time up a bit.  Just reading about the hill perfect for kite flying at Magnuson Park the salmon slide and faux tide pools at Carkeek Park,  and the working farm at Kelsey Creek Park in Bellevue is enough to make me want to hope on a plane and head to the Pacific Northwest.

To read the entire list of parks in the Seattle area that you and your kids HAVE to visit, click here.

Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?

Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about.  Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo!  Link up something fresh from your blog using the Mr Linky below. 

PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Step 1: Pick a recent post (past couple of days)

Step 2: Under “Name” write: “Title of your blog post (blog name)” – blog name in parenthesis
Under “url” paste: the link to your blog post (not your home page)

Step 3: Grab the Spotlight Thursday image and link to this post so your readers can see who else is playing along this week.

We want to be sure that everyone who participates in Spotlight Thursdays gets their moment in the spotlight so blogs that don’t link back will unfortunately have to be removed.

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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

When families think of great destinations to view fall foliage, California is not typically the first state that comes to mind.   More often than not, people head to the eastern half of the country to witness New England’s dramatic color, or The Great Smokey Mountains ablaze with reds, oranges, and browns.  Lucky for us west coasters, there are still plenty of great places to experience autumn’s splendor without hopping a plane and battling the “leafer” crowds.   Here are a few of my favorite spots for seeing fall color in the Golden State.

June Lake

Photo courtesy wunderground.com

There are few places in California more beautiful than the Eastern Sierra in the fall.  Quaking aspens flanking the lake seem to  glow as the sunlight penetrates their leaves.  There is just something about the granite covered mountainside reflecting in the lake with fiery trees highlighting the foreground that keeps drawing people back to June Lake year after year. Come early in the season before the snowfall begins and the area around the lake loses its flashiness and takes on its winter coat.

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

Seeing the fall colors in Napa Valley is an experience unto itself.  Wineries are just finished celebrating “the crush” and the night air is distinctively crisp. In between stops at wineries (yes, there are plenty of family friendly wineries out there), be sure to walk a trail or two in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.  The big leafed maple are gorgeous and sound so wonderful crunching underfoot.

Yosemite National Park

Photo courtesy nps.gov

Yosemite is like the prom queen. She never had a bad hair day and always looks picture perfect.  No matter what the season is, Yosemite never stops short of wowing whoever graces her presence.  While many of the trees in the park are evergreen, there are still maples, oaks, and dogwoods to spice up the scenery come mid-October.  The fall weather makes for nice mid-afternoon strolls on the parks hiking trails.

Julian

Photo courtesy flickr user goldenstatephoto

Yes, there really is fall color in San Diego County!  At 4,000 feet in elevation, palm trees and sandy beaches give way to mountain air, apple orchards, and some wonderful opportunities for leaf peeping.  This historic mining town is a great place for Southern California natives to get a taste of fall without having to hop on a plane.  Grab a cup of hot apple cider and enjoy the view before heading back on down the mountain and into the land of endless summers.

Sacramento

California’s capital is filled with more than high rises and legislature.  It is also a city with over 110,000 city-owned trees (and many more privately owned), which makes for quite a vibrant spectacle come fall.  When I lived in Sacramento, I absolutely loved taking the bridge over the river and gazing down at the beautiful trees below.  My kids loved jumping in piles of leaves in city parks and searching for the biggest maple leaves bigger than their tiny faces.  If you can pick any season to visit the City of Trees, make it the autumn.

Samuel P Taylor State Park in Marin County

15 miles west of San Rafael, the Bay Area crowds are non-existent and coastal redwoods intermingle with oaks and firs to create a lovely fall spectacle come late October.  Samuel P Taylor State Park is a great place to hike, bike, and enjoy the golds and browns popping against the evergreens. Pt Reyes National Seashore is just down the road and an especially nice place to take in the sunset this time of year.

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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

I have a strange affection for quirky roadside attractions. The bigger, the better. My unfortunate family is victim to the road trips I organize seeking sites claiming to be the “biggest,” “largest,” or “tallest” in the state, country, and even the world. Over time, my husband and two kids have come to enjoy, or at least tolerate, these fun outings full of great photo ops.

All the sites we’ve seen have been memorable in their own ways, but a few standouts really captivated my 10-year old son and 3-year old daughter. If you want a detour from the typical tourist attractions, I would suggest these:

World’s Largest Rotating Globe, Yarmouth, ME

“Eartha” is a 41-foot, three-dimensional scale model of the earth with mountains and landforms in full 3D, which rotates and revolves to simulate the earth’s real movements. She dominates the glass-enclosed lobby of DeLorme Map Company in this southern Maine town.

Eartha is immense, so regardless of your age, your first reaction is “Wow!”  To even see the northern hemisphere, you have to take the stairs or elevator to the second and third floor observation balconies. She tilts at 23.5 degrees, just as the earth does, and revolves on a special cantilever arm, powered by two electric motors. At maximum speed, a full revolution and rotation will take just one minute.

As an added bonus to visiting the globe, you can also see the17-foot tall boot in the exterior courtyard of the L.L.Bean flagship store in Freeport, a few miles north.

World’s Largest Light Bulb, Edison, NJ

A monumental replica of Thomas Edison’s first practical incandescent bulb, the world’s largest light bulb is nearly 14 feet of Pyrex glass segments. It sits on top of the 117-foot concrete Memorial Tower at the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park, and was built in 1937 by former Edison employees. While you’re here, devote 30-60 minutes to visiting the adjoining museum, where you can see historic photographs, early light bulbs and other inventions, and even listen one of Edison’s phonographs.

Edison’s laboratory was located on this tract of land from 1879-1884, before he moved to a more well-known site in West Orange, NJ. Still in his 20’s and relatively unknown during his time here, Edison was already churning out patents at the unbelievable pace of a sheer genius. Besides the phonograph and the light bulb, he came up with 400 other patents.

World’s Largest Bowling Pin, Tampa, FL

As much as the Edison Center is educational, Splitsville is just plain fun! In front of this hip bowling alley on Florida’s midwest coast stands the world’s largest bowling pin, which towers 30-feet over the courtyard of the Channelside entertainment complex. On the inside, this is not your father’s bowling alley. It’s a hipster space with glam décor and a funky soundtrack. With only 12 regulation-size lanes, and a few pool tables, there’s a cozy ambiance rather than an echoing cacophony of bowling balls striking pins.

Despite the cool factor, this is still an ideal place for family entertainment. You can program the lanes to raise the gutter guards when it’s the kids’ turns to bowl, and the smaller ones can roll their balls down 2-foot high metal ramps rather than trying to lift and throw them themselves.

There’s something for everyone on the varied menu, including sushi and a full bar. Your meal is served lane-side, so you can continue your strike streak uninterrupted.

World’s Largest Kaleidoscope, Mt. Tremper, NY

Constructed inside a tall black silo, the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope is located within the Emerson Country Store in the small Hudson Valley town of Mt. Tremper. The store itself is a minefield of breakable but beautiful kaleidoscopes available for sale. After being escorted to the interior of the silo, you’re offered the choice of lying on the floor to see the show, or leaning on tilted back boards.

A ten-minute video — colorful, musical, and somewhat psychedelic – is reflected off three 37-foot tall mirrors, intensified by the high-quality sound system. A selection of three shows rotates, depending on the season.

–Traci L. Suppa blogs about what happens when her small-town family visits the “world’s largest…” whatever…at Go BIG or Go Home. (http://gobigorgohomeblog.com)

Welcome to

Oregon is known for being, at times, a bit eccentric.  From the days of the early settling of the Oregon Territory, unique characters came out West in search of opportunity in logging, mining, and fishing jobs along the coast. Some of these folks settled in the remote parts of the Rogue River Canyon, and it wasn’t the easiest area to access.  Well, the US Postal Service has always prided itself on its ability to deliver the mail, and they didn’t want to make the Rogue River Canyon it’s exception.  The solution?  Jet boats. Since 1895, there has been uninterrupted mail service up the Rogue River delivered via jet boats.  Right about now you might be thinking to yourself, sure, this is interesting, but why is it being discussed on a family travel website?  I will tell you why- because families can hop on board these mail boats and experience a wild river in a way like no other!

Photo courtesy railtravelcenter.com

The Oregon coast has always been renowned for the dramatic beauty of its coast, and Gold Beach is a great place families to set as home base while they explore the southern reaches of the shoreline.  The mouth of the Rogue River happens to be located in Gold Beach, as well as Jerry’s Rogue Jets, the people who deliver the mail upriver.  They have 64, 80, and 104 mile round trip excursions available that include lunch or dinner, depending on what time of day you take the excursion.  Normally, powered watercraft are not allowed on a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, but these special mail boats are the exception, and a great way for families see a truly wild river up close and personal. Wildlife is abundant in this area, and bear and bald eagle sightings are even possible!  This is truly one of those unique and memorable opportunities that shouldn’t be passed up.

Note: I received no incentive to endorse the mail boat tours. I just remember them from when I was a kid traveling up the Oregon Coast and always thought it was such a cool experience that I thought I would share it with all of you!

Do you have an outing that you would like to spotlight this week?

Perhaps its a post about a vacation you just took or a day trip that you think our readers should know about.  Or maybe its a post about the vacation you are currently planning and going to book through Trekaroo!  Link up something fresh from your blog using the Mr Linky below. 

PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Step 1: Pick a recent post (past couple of days)

Step 2: Under “Name” write: “Title of your blog post (blog name)” – blog name in parenthesis
Under “url” paste: the link to your blog post (not your home page)

Step 3: Grab the Spotlight Thursday image and link to this post so your readers can see who else is playing along this week.

We want to be sure that everyone who participates in Spotlight Thursdays gets their moment in the spotlight so blogs that don’t link back will unfortunately have to be removed.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

Portland, Oregon is a beautiful river city known for its aesthetics  and culture.  Its a great place to find outdoor adventure, a thriving arts & music scene, and access to all sorts of eco-friendly experiences.  There is plenty of family fun to be had in the downtown area and the rest of the Willamette Valley.  Trekaroo is proud to be launching Portland this week and looks forward to exploring the rest of the state of Oregon with all of you wonderful members of the Trekaroo community.

So, what have Trekaroo families shared thus far?

• 236 Activities listed in the Portland/Willamette Valley Region alone!  Have you been to any of these kid-friendly places?  If so, add your insight! Did you see something we missed?  Be sure to share your experiences.

• Activities and hotel reviews across the 4 main regions of Oregon: Willamette Valley (Portland), Southern Oregon, Central Oregon, and Mt. Hood / The Gorge

• A list of Kid-friendly hotels in Portland waiting to be rated by parents like you

• Lots of fun lists like:
  • Top Kid Activities in Portland as voted by Trekaroo families
  • 5 Family Activities for $5 or less in Portland
  • Cheap and Fun Eats in Portland!
  • Things to see and do around Portland with Children
  • Favorite kid-friendly restaurants in the Portland Metro Area
  • Favorite Rainy Day Activities in Portland
  • Family-Friendly Ski Resorts in Oregon with Kid Programs
  • Favorite places to walk or hike in Oregon
  • Portland Picks from a Pacific Northwestern in the Know
    

Have you experienced Portland or any other part of the beautiful state of Oregon with your kids?  Tell us all about your experiences – good and bad.  Join now and start writing reviews.  New members get to take advantage of Welcome Rewards.  A gift card to Amazon, Starbucks, or REI was enough to convince me to join way back when!

What location is next? Georgia! Be part of the founding team to help launch Georgia on Trekaroo by sharing about activities you like and the best places to stay.

Special thanks to the 47 families who have collaborated to build a list of fantastic kid-friendly recommendations with their reviews!  In particular, special thanks are due to PDXBloss, pitstopsforkids, bayareababyblog, Beaverton Mama, Living Beaverton, Camillegrimshaw, thriftyportlandmom, Leigh Anne, fani*fam, McPippi, and naturalist who have gone above and beyond to inside scoop and create such helpful lists for Portland and Oregon.

And of course, thanks to team Trekaroo who sacrifice so much to pull it all together.

Put on those rain boots and get out there!

Esther Lee (thelees3) – CEO

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Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

This week, Trekaroo is excited to be launching Portland, Oregon.  We are dedicating the entire week to the beautiful state of Oregon and decided to kick it off with a guest post from a Pacific Northwestern mom in the know, Lora Shinn of Cascadia Kids. She has put together a great list of places to stay, play, eat, and shop while enjoying a weekend in the Rose City. You’ll find these great kid-friendly Portland destinations, plus more fantastic insider Northwest info in her book,  Northwest Kid Trips.

Where to Stay:  Hotel Monaco

This lovely hotel provides lots of great extras, including goldfish babysitting, a wine (and juice) hour and children’s bathrobes.  The kid backpacks keep children busy – but the primo downtown location ensures easy access to the MAX line, which delivers families to Washington Park.

Inn at Northrup Station

If you’d like to go with a neighborhood stay, this Northwest Portland hotel offers suite-style rooms right in the middle of a genteel neighborhood packed with restaurants, coffee shops, parks and boutiques. Book a room with a kitchenette, so you can take advantage of farm-fresh picks from the Portland Farmers’ Market.

Where to Play: Washington Park

Photo courtesy Washingtonparkpdx.org

For a full day of fun, ride the MAX line from downtown Portland to the 78-acre Washington Park, a springboard to three great attractions: Portland Children’s Museum, the Oregon Zoo, and World Forestry Center Discovery Museum.  Mix and match according to your child’s age  — Portland Children’s Museum is fantastic for the under-8 set, Oregon Zoo for all ages, and World Forestry Discovery Museum for older children.  Eat well at the Portland Children’s Museum’s café, which serves sturdy sandwiches. From the Oregon Zoo, hop aboard the 30-gauge tracks of the Washington Park Zoo and Railway for a sojourn to the Rose Garden and the Portland Japanese Garden.

OMSI

No visit to Portland is complete without a stop at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, a carnival of science excitement.  Turn a bottle into a rocket that shoots over 8 feet high, make your hair stand on end with electricity, and let your preschoolers run wild in the Science Playground’s woodland area.

Where to Chow Down: McMenamins Kennedy School

Want a uniquely Portland experience?  Head to this indoor playground, a school converted into an entertainment space.  Catch a big-screen kid flick while seated in vintage-style velvet sofas, and dining on pizza or a burger.  This spot is a fantastic option for anyone with a child over age 6.

Laughing Planet Café

Anyone who dines on the road with kids knows how we can all crave quick, healthy food (and a break from the fried greasy-grease that often shows up on “family restaurant” menus).  This wholly Northwest restaurant chain puts whole-foods options on the table, including wraps with fresh fruit, beans and natural chicken, rice bowls with cilantro pesto and simple quesadillas with fresh-cut salsa.

Where to Shop:  Finnegan’s Toys and Gifts

One of the biggest and best toy stores this side of the Mississippi.  Expect to drop a few dollars here, because you’re bound to find a puzzle, puppet or poppet that you’ve never seen elsewhere.  Nestled into downtown Portland’s streets, and just a few blocks away from the rose-bricked Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Powell’s City of Books

A trip to Portland would be incomplete without a visit to Powell’s, a real city-block’s worth of bookstore.  Prepare to get lost in a world of words.  Shelves hold vintage 50s books extolling manners, contemporary chapter-book classics, brand-new board books and everything in between.  Low, round tables offer a spot to sort through your selections.

Related:

• All 236 Activities listed in the Portland/Willamette Valley Region
• Kid-friendly hotels in Portland

• 5 Family Activities for $5 or less in Portland
• Cheap and Fun Eats in Portland!
• Things to see and do around Portland with Children
• Favorite kid-friendly restaurants in the Portland Metro Area
• Favorite Rainy Day Activities in Portland
• Family-Friendly Ski Resorts in Oregon with Kid Programs
• Favorite places to walk or hike in Oregon

• Activities and hotel reviews across the 4 main regions of Oregon: Willamette Valley (Portland), Southern Oregon, Central Oregon, and Mt. Hood / The Gorge

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Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

When people ask me for my favorite family friendly vacation destination on the West Coast, my answer is always the same- San Diego.  With its Mediterranean climate, stunning beaches, and endless activities, its nearly impossible to have anything less than a great vacation in this Southern California beach town

Though much of the country has experienced record breaking heat and humidity this summer, San Diego has hardly seen a day above 90.  Now, with fall fast approaching, many people across the nation will be turning in their tank tops and shorts for parkas and scarves. Not in sunny San Diego!  Fall brings the California Coast some of its best weather and gives visitors the chance to keep those shorts from being packed away for just a little bit longer.  The summer crowds may be long gone, but warm days spent lounging by the pool or splashing at the beach are far from fading.

This past spring, my family and I were lucky enough to be guests of the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina in San Diego.  I immediately fell in love with the tropical but contemporary decor, bay front location, and amazing pool area.  Not to mention the fine but still family friendly dining at the Hyatt’s own Red Marlin restaurant,  the on site children’s programs, the watercraft rentals, and the spa.  Oh the spa.  Suddenly my recommendations for families to make  San Diego their vacation destination were followed by the suggestion of making the Hyatt their home base during their stay. You can read my entire review of the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina here.

Another great thing about the Hyatt’s bay front location is that the resort is within walking distance of SeaWorld.  This marine park has great animal exhibits, shows, and even water rides which are perfect for cooling off on a warm autumn day.  Be sure to check out Blue Horizons, SeaWorld’s new show.  It has a dolphin show meets Cirque du Soleil feel and is very entertaining.

If are interested in taking your family on a sunny San Diego autumn getaway, be sure to check out the Hyatt Mission Bay Spa and Marina’s Sunshine on Sale package .  From September 7th through the end of the year, book two nights at the Hyatt MB and you will receive a third night at the resort for free!  What a great way to extend the weekend and soak up few extra rays before winter chill back home sets in.

And now for…

The Steal:  Win a Weekend Stay at the Hyatt Mission Bay and Tickets to Sea World

Number of Winners: 1 winner

Prize: Two nights at the Hyatt Mission Bay in San Diego, CA and four (4) one day passes to Sea World San Diego

How to enter:

Visit the Hyatt Mission Bay Spa and Marina website and tell us what hotel amenities or activities you are most looking forward to enjoying if you win.

For additional entries, feel free to do any or all of the following. Each one counts as an extra entry but be sure to leave a separate comment for each one.  This is how we keep track of extra entries.

• Fan Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina on Facebook.
• Fan the Red Marlin restaurant on Facebook.
• Fan the Blue Marble Spa on Facebook.
• Follow the Blue Marble Spa on Twitter.
  
• Write a review on Trekaroo and post a link to it in the comments (include your Trekaroo username) one entry per review
• Subscribe to the Trekaroo Blog
• Tweet a link to this Monday Mad Steal via @Trekaroo
• Post this on your Facebook Wall using the Facebook Share link above
• Fan Trekaroo on Facebook
• Follow Trekaroo on Twitter
• Post this giveaway on your blog
• Subscribe to Trekaroo in your reader
  

Rules and guidelines:

• 18 years of age or older
• US Residents only

Deadline to enter: Sunday, September 12, 2010 at 11:59PM PST

What is Monday Madness?

Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either a fantastic giveaway or an incredible deal.  It could be a green water bottle, a hotel stay on Maui or theme park tickets. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog for the details. Want a reminder? Become a Trekaroo member or follow us on facebook or twitter.

Thanks to Contest for Moms, Online Sweepstakes, CashNet Sweepstakes, and Sweepstakes Advantage.

Disclosure:  My family received a complimentary stay at the Hyatt Mission Bay. I received no other compensation besides the stay and dinner and the Hyatt didn’t state any requirements that I express any particular point of view.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA

As you start booking your flights for your next family trip, you might consider booking with a more kid-friendly airline. Based on recent comments submitted by Trekaroo families, Southwest seems to be getting it right for families.

Most Popular Airline to Travel with Kids – Southwest Airlines

Parents were full of praise for Southwest Airlines’ family-friendliness.   Here’s what parents loved about Southwest.

1)   No baggage fees! – let’s face it.  Families have lots of gear to tote around when traveling, and flying with an airline that does not charge extra for check-in luggage can save a family a chunk of change.

2) Priority boarding for families in the ‘A’ and ‘B’ seating groups – as more and more airlines do away with pre-boarding for families with young children, Southwest has a great comprise that helps ensure that families have a high chance of being seated together and have enough time to settle in before take off. 

3) Reasonable prices – when you’re booking 4 or 5 tickets, every penny counts.

4) Helpful and humorous flight attendants – to parents, a helpful hand and relaxed atmosphere makes for a pleasant flying experience.

5) Special welcome for first time flyers – if it’s your child’s first flight,  Southwest will celebrate the special occasion with a certificate and wings.   Just let a flight attendant know.

See all comments left by families about their favorite and least favorite airlines

Least Popular Airline when Traveling with Kids – Delta/Northwest Airlines

Are you surprised that Delta/Northwest Airlines fell to the bottom? Parents were the most dissatisfied with the service they received on the Delta/Northwest airlines.  A few were kind enough to say that it might have been a result of the uncertainties around the merger, but when you’re in the service business, managing transition is critical. The main criticism was that the staff really didn’t seem to “give a crap about kids at all.”   Do you agree?

Rate airlines you’ve flown on with kids:

Related:

• Family-friendly Airlines:  What’s most important when flying with kids
• Baby Travel – Intro to Flying with Baby
• Flying with Kids: Holiday Travel Survival Guide for Parents
• Top Travel Games and Activities for Kids
• Helping Kids Overcome Jet lag Quickly
• Packing Checklist for Traveling with Baby

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LiLing Pang (TravelPangs) is co-founder and contributing author on Trekaroo – - a reviews website dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.

Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA