Day 2 of the Country Inns and Suites 1K Adventure started off with a breakfast at the CIS Madison- West before we listened to our first video clue of the day (you can watch it here) and hit the road. Little did I know, Madison, WI is the only US capital city that is located on an isthmus and it was our goal to visit both Lake Mendota and Monona before we could get our next Suite Stop clue. We stopped at a park on the shore of Lake Mendota and let the kids run off some energy. While I was taking in the view from the shore, a family of ducks came by and paid me a visit. I called my ducklings over to visit with the mallard’s ducklings and we all had an enjoyable morning at Lake Mendota.
After a good energy burning session, we headed over to the shore of Lake Monona where Paul and I swooned over the picture perfect view of downtown Madison. The kids were less impressed with the view and more impressed with a dead fish that had washed up on shore. Hey, whatever floats your boat, right?
Before we left Madison, we stopped at Michael’s Frozen Custard for some chocolate frozen custard cones and cheese curds. The kids thoroughly enjoyed their very first frozen custard experience and I loved the cheese curds. If you haven’t had the chance to try these regional treats, be sure to add them to your menu the next time you are in the area!
Our second clue (here) took us to Milwaukee, specifically the North Point Lighthouse in Lake Park. I had always imagined Milwaukee to be a gritty, industrial, beer making town but today we got to see its incredible beauty. The neighborhood along the shore of Lake Michigan around the lighthouse could not have been more gorgeous. Our jaws dropped when we saw the tree lined streets dotted with some of the most beautiful homes we have ever seen. I think if I lived in that neighborhood I may be able to deal with those harsh Midwestern winters! Luckily today the chill was long gone and the weather was perfect. We arrived at the lighthouse at the same time as the Williams family and enjoyed exploring the park near the lighthouse with them. We found a forested trail that led us down the bluff and to the shores of Lake Michigan. The entire area could not have been more beautiful. We could have stayed in Milwaukee all day but our next clue (here) told us that the Windy City was waiting!
We were so excited when we got the clue telling us that we were heading to Cloud Gate in downtown Chicago. I had seen so many photos of this iconic mirrored bean and I was thrilled to be finally be able to see it for myself. We hopped in the car and headed on down the road full of energy and excitement. That energy quickly drained when we slammed directly into Chicago rush hour traffic. I live in Southern California so I am no stranger to the nightmare that is rush hour, but Chicago certainly can give Los Angeles a run for its money. It was awful. There was much more stopping than going, that’s for sure. What I found particularly demoralizing was the fact that there was no carpool lane which we had grown to rely on back home. So we sat and endured the tie up along with the rest of Northern Illinois. After what seemed like an eternity, we rounded a corner and the Chicago skyline came into view! We let out cheers as the energy came surging back and our spirits were once again soaring. We parked below Milennium Park and joined the masses. Evidently, every Monday there are free concerts in the park and half of Chicago had come out to enjoy the music.
We made our way through the crowd and over Cloud Gate. I screamed with joy. We had finally made it to that precious bean! We took our pictures and strolled around the park for a bit before deciding that we had to leave Chicago and make it to our final destination for the night, the Country Inn and Suites in Naperville. It was so hard to leave the city that we had spent so long trying to get to but we knew that if we wanted our kids in bed before midnight, it was what we had to do. Don’t worry Chicago, the Earnshaw’s will be back!
I hope this post has inspired you to take your own Road Trip Adventure. For more information on how to create your own trip to remember check out http://www.countryinns.com/1kcountry.
Want to follow us on the adventure as it happens? Be sure to follow @doubleadventure on Twitter and the hastag #CIS1K to see what all the families are up to every day of the Country Inns and Suites 1K!
Disclosure: A significant portion of the costs and resources for our family’s participation in the 1K Country Adventure was provided by Country Inns & Suites By Carlson.
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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
Our Trekaroo KidsMobile has pulled into one of American’s most visited destinations:
Orlando, Florida
Just about every family who visits Orlando will make a pilgrimage to Walt Disney World. Some will not see anything else in Orlando besides their Disney resort and theme parks. Whether you’ve got eyes only for Disney or you’re hoping to explore all the other kid-friendly attractions in Orlando, we all want to know what real families say is worth it in Orlando.
First up, Trekaroo families have cast their votes and have decided that they simply love these attractions in Orlando.
Top Activities for Kids in Orlando, Florida – voted by parents
Top Kid-friendly Hotels in Orlando, Florida – voted by parents
Next, here’s what some local Floridian mom bloggers and Orlando aficionados recommend to visiting families. They’ve been there, done that, and now they’re giving you their inside scoop.
Kicking us off with a list of the 5 Tot-friendly Restaurants Favorites in at Disney in Orlando is Jen who lives in Florida and has spent lots of time at Disney World. She’s an adventurous mom of two kids (ages 2 and 4) who has not allowed having kids to slow her down. She writes in depth about their family’s exciting adventures on Two Kids and A Map.
Mary shares her favorite Disney Hotels for Teens and Tweens. She loves thoroughly researching and planning their family’s trips and we all get to benefit from her road-tested recommendations. You can follow her travel trips and tips on Travel with Teens and Tweens . Although they live in Boston, they’ve visited Disney World in Orlando every year since their kids could walk.
Amanda brings us her Top 5 “Must Do” Walt Disney World Attractions with Teens. She been a Disney fanatic since she was a wee one and has even been a Disney cast member. Being local to Orlando has made it possible for her to visit every Disney attraction, event and restaurant. If you’re heading to Walt Disney World, this is THE mom you want to talk to for the inside scoop. Heading to Disney, stop over at her blog Disney Everyday.
Melanie brings us a prized list of Free and Low-Cost Activities in Orlando for Preschoolers. She’s the mom behind the well-written and thoughtful blog modernmami where she gives ink to topics such as being a working mom and parenting a preschooler. Lucky for us she’s sharing the inside scoop on her home town of Orlando.
Other Resources for Walt Disney World and Orlando, Florida
- All 71 Activities for Kids in and around Orlando, Florida
- Kid-friendly hotels in and around Orlando, Florida
- Water Parks in Florida – Cheerio Family
- More Disney, Less Waiting – A review of RideMax – Li Er Hanson
Next stop, Memphis, Tennessee – Jump on board the KidsMobile!
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 to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA
Trekaroo families have the inside scoop, and the word on the ‘roo is that the Orlando area has a slew of magical adventures for the little ones. Cities within the city were even specifically built for youngsters (and their wallet-toting parents, of course). Orlando boasts Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, gigantic water parks as well as thematic journeys through Medieval Times and the Holy Land. Yet, Orlando is not all leg-achingly gigantic parks, it’s a city growing fast in may directions with unique venues for locals and tourists alike. It is also in the midst of vibrant natural areas with diverse wildlife. Trekaroo parents have given us an inside look to the best of the best in the Orlando area.
#1 Activity and Best Amusement Park for Kids: Disney’s Magic Kingdom
“You can’t skip Disney. You MUST visit Disney at least once in your life.” There’s not much room for disagreement with this imperative from Lilkidthings. With 73 Trekaroo families giving unanimously positive reviews, it’s clear as the crystal that Disney is an amazing destination. “You don’t go to Dinsey unless you plan to have a fun filled day,” says bukosker. Even a skeptic will believe in magic by trip’s end. Take bejolly65′s comment: “I was so hesitant and cynical when we decided to go to Disney World. [...] But I guess there is a reason that Disney World is so popular. They really know what they are doing.” The kids need no such convincing. Many a trekaroo family speaks of how enchanted their child was seeing Cinderella or taking a magic carpet ride. “The girls loved Magic Kingdom, because as we all know Cinderella’s Castle is there,” says Trekaroo family metro927. While kids will be excited just being in the Kingdom, Trekaroo parents all agree that a day at Disney needs to be planned for maximum magic to occur and they have left a goldmine of suggestions. Keebz, an iPhone equipped mom, downloaded the Disney app and scoped out wait times. Don’t be alarmed if the plan falls apart, it’s only natural as parents and kids alike get lost in the atmosphere. As Travelingmom says, “This place can make an infant out of a grown man!”
Photo Credit: flickr/ninjapoodles
Best Museum for Kids to Explore: Orlando Science Center
From hurricanes to space shuttles, the Central Florida area is one of the most interesting places for science and the Orlando Science Center works hard to capture the creative energy of the area. Trekaroo family apalanza says that the Science Center is great for all ages, but suggests packing your own lunch to save some cash. For locals, WE3REEDS suggests the annual membership that allows unlimited access throughout the year. “Imax is included as well as all their special events.” For denizens of more distant lands, the Orlando Science Center is a great excuse to get away from the parks and explore the town.
Photo Credit: OSC
Best Place to See Animals in Action: Sea World
While Disney may have your kids singing “Under the Sea”, Sea World journeys under and over while riding on the back of an orca whale. Trekaroo parents concur that Sea World magnifies the wonders of ocean life with spectacular shows. ”All the shows were great and VERY entertaining,” said akotash. But it’s not all just high-flying whales, mischievous sea lions and acrobatic dolphins. ”The last time I was at SeaWorld, we were able to get up close and touch the dolphins as we fed them,” commented Kat569. Sea World offers many opportunities to get close to the animals and for some extra greenbacks, you can take behind the scenes tours. Younger kids will certainly be amazed by the high-energy shows and every child will love the massive playground area in Shamu’s Happy Harbor. What parents love most, though is seeing the look of amazement on their child’s face as the animals show their power.
Photo Credit: flickr/Big C Harvey
Best Natural Experience for Kids: Kelly Park
With an amusement park on nearly every corner, it’s easy to forget that Orlando is set among natural wonders of its own. Kelly Park is a great place to get away and experience Florida’s abundant flora and fauna without having to drive too far from the city. Shauna, a Trekaroo mom, commented that Kelly Park is “a great family outing for next to nothing!” With a cost of ONE dollar, it will be by far the cheapest activity of any Orlando vacation. Shauna also suggests renting a tube and floating down the river as a great way to eco-tour Central Florida. Even without the aquatic journey, there are plenty of reasons to pay the park a visit. Volleyball courts, picnic tables, nature trails and even camping make the park a relaxing destination that is close enough to escape to on a whim.
Photo Credit: flickr/systemslibrarian
Wonder what Trekaroo Families voted as the Top Kid-friendly Hotels in Orlando?
Top Kid-friendly Hotels in Orlando, Florida - voted by parents
More Resources for Orlando
- All 71 Activities for Kids in and around Orlando, Florida
- Kid-friendly hotels in and around Orlando, Florida
- More Disney, Less Waiting – A review of RideMax
- 5 Tot-friendly Restaurants Favorites in at Disney
- Disney Hotels for Tween and Teens
- Top 5 “Must Do” Walt Disney World Attractions with Teens
- Free and Low-Cost Activities in Orlando for Preschoolers
- Water Parks in Florida
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Stephen Wanta is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA
Thanks to everyone for sharing all of your awesome game and toy ideas!
We’re planning to pull together an article to share for all the 2010 travel that we’ll be doing with the kids.
Congratulations to all the winners who contributed on the blog, Facebook, and Twitter:
kbcmom (trekaroo talk), RunnerGrrrl, Nikki Wang, Ami, familiarycerz, Carrie, msrigs, Maria Legato (FB), BAT (Trekaroo Talk), and Kim.
Entertaining little kids when traveling is often the most exhausting part of a family “vacation.” We thought it would be fun for all of us to share the tricks we have up our sleeves to create an exhaustive list of boredom busters. Leave a comment here or on twitter/facebook with your FREE or almost free activities or amusements. (Don’t forget to tell us your Trekaroo screenname or blog name so we can give you credit for your genius when we quote you.
The Steal – Win a Kid’s Travel Game 
We’ll be giving away ten fun toys to keep your kids occupied on the road.
Number of Winners: Ten (10)
Prize: 1 Travel Game (We’ve got CandyLand, Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Travel MagnaDoodle, and 7 Wikki Stix sets)
To enter:
Tell us one FREE game or creative activity you use to keep your kids entertained when traveling and why it works so well. Each idea is one entry. You can leave a comment below, tweet your idea to @trekaroo, or leave a comment on Facebook. One entry per idea.
Rules and guidelines:
- 18 years of age or older
- US Residents only
- One entry per person
Deadline to enter: Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 11:59PM PST
Related articles:
- 10 Fun Travel Activities for Kids
- Games on the Go
- Travel Toy Recommendations for Babies and Toddlers
- Top 10 Travel Toys for Elementary School Kids
- Top 5 Travel Toys for Preschoolers
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 or Broadway 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.
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Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA | WA
Finian’s Rainbow is a new Broadway Musical in New York City that has it all. This musical will make you laugh, cry, and dance as you watch this memorable fairy tale played out in a brilliant spectrum of color. The story is centered around an Irishman Finian McLonergan and his daughter Sharon who travel to a small Southern town in the mythical state of Missitucky with plans to bury a stolen pot of gold in the shadows of Fort Knox on the mistaken belief it will grow and multiply.
“A perfect musical for kids 10 and over, who enjoy musical comedy and are enthralled more by the art of acting and music than shows and high tech spectacles.” – nycitymama (Full review of Finian’s Rainbow for families)
The Steal – Free Tix
Trekaroo is giving away 4 tickets to see Finian’s Rainbow to two lucky families.
Number of Winners: Two (2)
Prize: 4 Tickets to see Finian’s Rainbow in New York City in the month of January. (Retail value: $240+) Restrictions apply.
To enter:
Share in the comments what your favorite musical or show was as a child. Be sure to leave your email address.
For additional entries
- Post a link to this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or on your blog. Each post is an entry, leave a comment about where you have posted.
Rules and guidelines:
18 years of age or older
US Residents only
Deadline to enter: December 30th, 2009
The Deal – Discount Tickets
Now through December 20th, Trekaroo families can get select orchestra and mezzanine row seats to see Finian’s Rainbow for $59 tickets (Tues-Fri) and $75 tickets (Sat + Sun). Go to Broadway Offers or call Telecharge at 212-947-8844 and use our special discount code FRBOW75.
February 2nd, 2010, KidsNightonBroadway is offering half price tickets to Finian’s Rainbow.
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What is Monday Mad Steals?
Every Monday, Trekaroo announces on our blog, either an fantastic giveaway or a incredible deal that is only being offered on Trekaroo for a short time. It could be a green water bottle or tickets to the hottest show on Broadway. Return every Monday to the Talking Trekaroo Blog to find out what the steal of the week is. Get a reminder every Tuesday when our weekly digest goes out (you have to be a member of Trekaroo). Or be a Facebook fan to be the first to know.
Thanks to Contest for Moms, Online Sweepstakes, CashNet Sweepstakes , and Sweepstakes Advantage,.
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Esther Lee 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 and DC
