The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee just opened. One of our very own, Michelle Carbone (aka Runnergrrrl) went to the grand opening with her husband and 3-year old son and gives it a 5 star (aka Gotta Go!) rating for families.
“Nestled in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, the new Titanic Museum will appeal to everyone in your family!” – To read her full review on the Titanic Museum.
If you’re thinking of taking the kids to check out the Titanic Museum, here are Trekaroo’s top 5 tips:
GO
Don’t get fooled by the word “museum” and think the Titanic Museum is only for adults. The numerous interactive areas aboard the Titanic Pigeon Forge provide hands-on experiences that are designed to give children a sense of what it might have been like to actually be on board the Titanic in a fun and engaging format. They’ve even got an entire called Tot-Titanic that’s geared for kids 8 and under- Purchase tickets online.
This is a brand new attraction that’s based on timed entries. The Titanic Museum’s ticket lines are sometimes 3 hours long on the weekend and many of the mid or late afternoon time slots are already sold-out from online sales. Purchase your tickets in advance online at www.TitanicPigeonForge.com. Advance purchase of ticket ensures little or no wait time and immediate entrance to the ship. Weekdays are sometimes not as busy as weekends, but by purchasing tickets in advance, you’ll be able to avoid the lines at all times. - Visit early in the morning or on a weekday
People are coming from all directions to see this new exhibit, especially on the weekend. To avoid the crowds, try to get there early for a 9am entry or come during the week. 
Leave your heavy camera equipment at home
Photography and video are strictly prohibited in all areas of the Titanic Museum. If you’re hoping to catch a snapshot on the grand staircase, you can purchase one of those tourist shots with the staircase in the background from the Titanic Museum staff, but you won’t be able to take it with your personal camera. With the hundreds of one-of-a-kind, priceless artifacts, lighting is strictly controlled by the museum to ensure the preservation of the artifacts.- Get the kids excited
Although everyone will enjoy and learn more about the story of the Titanic at the Titanic Museum regardless of how much or how little they know, we love to get our kids excited by preparing them for a visit. If you have the time to read a book or watch a movie with the kids beforehand, these are some resources we recommend:
Boats by Bryon Barton (Ages 0-3)
This picture board book teaches our youngest readers about all types of boats. There’s no Titanic in this book, but it’ll teach them about boats!
The Titanic: Lost and Found and DK Readers: The Titanic (Ages 4-8)
These two stage 3 readers are good nonfiction books on the Titanic for kids moving beyond the beginner reading stage.
Inside the Titanic (A Huge Cutaway Book) (Ages 4-8)
This big picture book gives younger kids an inside look at the Titanic ocean liner, such as the compartments, engine room, upper decks, and more, through detailed, cutaway illustrations. Great for future engineers and mechanics.
Polar, the Titanic Bear (Ages 7-12)
A true story about Polar, the stuffed polar bear of Douglas Spedden, a 6-year old boy who abroad the Titanic and was one of its survivors. A digital version of Polar can be found in the Titanic Museum in the Tot-Tanic section for those who read this story.
Titanic (the novel by James Cameron) and Titanic (the movie) (Ages 12 and up)
While based on fictional characters, the book and movie were historically accurate in many ways and a great way to get your arms around the story before visiting the museum. (James Cameron is close friends with John, the owner of the Titanic Museum).
Related articles:
- Activities for kids in Pigeon Forge
- Kid-friendly hotels in Pigeon Forge
- Kid-friendly activities throughout Tennessee
- Activities and hotel reviews across the 4 main regions of Tennessee: Eastern Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains, Nashville and the Heartland, Memphis and the Western Plains, and Central Tennessee
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Esther Lee is co-founder and CEO of Trekaroo – a reviews site 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
Did you know that you can rent timeshares? It’s one of the biggest secrets in the industry and we want to share it with you because timeshare properties are perfect when traveling with kids. Separate bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, dining and living room areas and located on some of the best kid-friendly resort properties around the world.
Related article: Hot Travel Tip for Families – Rent a Timeshare
Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu
For example, one Trekaroo member raves about her timeshare rental experience,
“We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village by renting a timeshare there through RedWeek. We have four kids ranging in age from 2 to 14 and were thrilled with it. The fact that it’s right on the beach allowed our 12 and 14 year old kids to go to the beach when they wanted…great to have the kiddie pool and the playground for our two youngest. And being a timeshare unit, we had space that allowed all of us to relax… Great experience for all of us.” – travelnut
You can read travelnut’s reviews on other RedWeek.com timeshare rentals that her family’s stayed at in her Trekaroo passport.
The Deal: Free Redweek.com Membership
After researching all the timeshare rental providers, Trekaroo is partnering with RedWeek.com to bring you kid-friendly timeshares properties you can rent. Together, we’ve identified hundreds of family-friendly timeshare resort properties around the world in their database. That’s not it.
They are also offering Trekaroo members FREE annual membership to RedWeek.com (Value: $14.99). Go to http://www.redweek.com/promo/trekaroo for more details.
If you’re trying to figure out where to stay this summer with the family, sign-up and check out RedWeek’s kid-friendly inventory. Here are their top family-friendly destinations.
Harborside Resort at Atlantis
- California
- Florida - Including Disney properties like the Wilderness Lodge (2 bedroom for $308/night)
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
Want to head further south? Checkout out these kid-friendly timeshare rentals:
Related articles:
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Esther Lee is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids. Trekaroo is an affiliate of RedWeek.com. We would normally make a small commission off of the annual membership, but since they’re giving it to us for free. All the value goes to you. Enjoy!
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
by Beth Keklak (trekaroo alias BAT)
I just saw the newest edition on Broadway, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson play at the Circle in the Square Theatre with my cousin and 9-year-old son. I was unsure how my son would perceive this play since he had only ever seen musicals and New York plays are often better when you “leave the kids at home”. Let me just sum up our experience at The Miracle Worker with one word: phenomenal.
Prior to going to the show I asked my son if he knew who Helen Keller was. He had heard of her and knew she was both blind and deaf, but beyond that was unsure. He had not heard of Annie Sullivan, her teacher. I printed out the educational guide for teachers on the show’s website and reviewed it with my son to familiarize him with the story.
Upon entering the theater to take our seats I was immediately struck by the intimacy of the theater. It is arranged in an oval shape with no “real” stage. The stage is on the floor in the center of all the seats which are situated stadium style, looking down onto the stage. The patrons in the front row could literally reach out and touch the performers. The next thing I noticed was the lack of a set. There was no big backdrop and no flashy props. The only furnishings and props used were simple and necessary to the scene. The only object use to create separate rooms or an indoor/outdoor setting was a mere door frame. The rest was left to your imagination. This minimalist approach only added to the overall experience of the performance, keeping the attention on the performance itself.
The show opens to Katie and Captain Keller hovering over a cradle. The doctor assures them their daughter will live which sends relief through the worried parents. They quickly realize that she cannot see or hear them, which sent a new set of fears through them. We move on to see Helen as a 6-year-old child who is prone to throw tantrums. This seems to be her only way to communicate when she is frustrated. The family considers sending her to an asylum, but Aunt Ev insists they continue to seek the help of specialists.
It is here that Annie Sullivan is introduced. She moves from Boston to be Helen’s teacher. Annie has never had the chance to teach, having just graduated from the Perkins Institute. It is an adjustment for both Annie and the family, but her tenacity and determination enable her to teach Helen patiently and creatively. She immediately begins signing into Helen’s hand the names of every object she hands to her. Through games, discipline, a war of wills, and unending efforts, Annie gives Helen a language to use with the rest of the world.. Eventually, we see Helen’s brain begin to engage and understand the language that Annie has been trying to teach her. And as we often say, the rest is history.
I was surprised to learn that this was the Broadway debut for much of the cast. They appeared on stage as if they have been their all of their lives. The performances were extremely moving. I could feel the frustration and determination of Annie Sullivan played by Alison Pill along with the rest of the audience. 13-year-old, Abigail Breslin’s performance of Helen was believable. While she may not have needed to learn a lot of lines, the mannerisms of her character were captured beautifully. Overall, the show was very well written. It delivered the story of Helen and her Miracle Worker with a surprising infusion of light humor throughout.
My 9 year old son’s take on the performance:
“I liked it. I really liked the characters, especially how Annie Sullivan was teaching Helen to sign so she could talk. Even though it was a serious play it was a little funny too.” His observation that made me a proud mama and showed me he got it! “I can’t imagine being blind and deaf. It must be like living in a dark silent world”.
As a mom, I felt it was an appropriate play for my 9 year old and geared for children 8 years of age and up. I noticed other kids in the audience who looked to be approximately the same age. Due to the length of the performance and the intimacy of the theater, parents will need to use their judgment to determine whether their child can sit still in a $100 seat for a 2-hour show and enjoy it. (Kids under the age of 5 are not allowed to attend) If they are unfamiliar with Helen Keller, the synopsis sheet from the website’s educational guide was very useful in explaining the story to my son.
If you’ve got a tween or teen, be sure to bring them along to see The Miracle Worker. It will be a night they’ll remember. To purchase tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or buy online at Telecharge.com.
Related Articles:
- For nearby activities for kids in New York City
- For kid-friendly hotels in NYC
- Hot List of Best Places to take Kids in New York City (NYC)
- Where Families Should Go in NYC when the Weather’s Bad
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Beth Keklak is a contributing writer on Trekaroo, a reviews website dedicated to helping parents explore and travel with kids. Tickets to review the show were complimentary and did not require the reviewer to express a particular point of view.
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
As the ski resorts in Colorado start to accumulate snow for this winter season, Trekaroo’s also been accumulating activities and hotels in Denver and Colorado Springs that are great for families.
Why Colorado? Because you, our users asked for it! No matter what time of year it is, families can enjoy the renowned ski resort areas, camp in one of its 10 national parks and monuments, jump into a natural hot spring or gaze on the beautiful 54 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet.
So, what have Trekaroo families shared?
- All 90 activities for kids in the Denver Area
- All 75 activities for kids in South Central Colorado (Colorado Springs)
- A list of Kid-friendly hotels in and around Denver, CO waiting to be rated by parents like you
- Lost of fun lists like:
- Denver Mile-High Hotspots for Kids – Stephen Wanta
- Sledding and Tubing in Colorado – TravelPangs
- Ski Resorts in Colorado with Daycare and Kid Programs – TravelPangs
- Top 5 Museums for Kids in Denver - ColoradoGal
- Favorite Indoor Water Parks In the Denver Area – BanteringBlonde
- Top 5 Places to eat with your Kids in Denver – Crunchy Green Mom
- How to spend a day or weekend with kids in Denver – BestLightLori
- Our Family’s Staycation Experiences in Colorado – Jilly3
- Wintertime Day Trips from Colorado Springs – Gretchen
What location is next? We’d like everyone who’s been to the mountains of Colorado to share about activities they like and the best places to stay.
We’re also working on North Carolina, so if you’ve been, tell us about it.
Special thanks to Gretchen, startropics, slofamilylife, amysmile, flutterby, gwosatum, sixsuitcases and the Colorado Kidsmobile Moms for their love of Colorado and sharing about their adventures with kids with the Trekaroo community. And of course, thanks to team Trekaroo who sacrifice so much for pull it all together.
As we turn Colorado orange on our maps, I’m reminded of John Denver’s rendition of Home on the Range with the Muppets when they went camping in the Rockies.
See you in the Rockies,
Esther Lee (thelees3) – CEO
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
