Sponsored by Visit Williamsburg. I recently attended Momtrends Moms Night Out 2.0, where I was blown away by the amazing variety of family-friendly things going on in the Greater Williamsburg area. If you follow my blog, you know we are all about family vacations (see our travel blog pieces here!), so I was excited to learn more and share with all of you! Whether you're seeking thrills, nature, or living history, Greater Williamsburg (Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg) has got it all. It's a good 7-8 hour drive from NYC, and we don't have our vacation there officially scheduled just yet, but I had fun exploring their website and planning a potential visit for next summer! Here are some of the family-friendly (and kid-free dates) that sounded the most appealing for my family and me! Colonial Williamsburg Take your family not just on a vacation, but actually back in time, to learn first hand what life was like back in 18th Century America! They have tons for the whole family, as well as interactive hands-on programs geared toward children. Tour houses, plantations, armoury, hospital, and the market square. Watch craftsmen in action, including apothecary, brickmakers, blacksmiths, and carpenters. Learn about slavery, Colonial government, the Indian Delegation, and much more! Busch Gardens Featuring world-class roller coasters, exciting shows and performances (even some with Elmo and the Sesame Street crew), special seasonal events (Howl-O-Scream, Christmas Town, & Food and Wine Festival), and character meet and greets! They use a color coded "KIDsiderate" system to mark rides and attractions that kids can enjoy, or you can check their list of rides by heights here before your trip. Water Country USA This 43-acre outdoor water park (open May - September) features water slides, lazy rivers, tube rides, a wave pool, loungers & cabanas, and even a few areas geared toward smaller children. Go Ape Treetop Adventure Their treetop course for ages 10+ include 37 exciting crossings (the Big U, Trapeze, 2 Tarzan swings and 5 exhilarating zip lines), and their Treetop Junior course is for 10 years and younger, with age appropriate adventures including obstacles and zip lines. Williamsburg Tasting Trail Whether you are a lover of micro-brewed beer, wine, mead, or distilled spirits, check out the Williamsburg Tasting Trail Map and make a stop at one or all 7 distilleries, wineries, breweries, and meaderies! Hiking, Biking & More With thousands of acres of beautiful woodlands and wetlands, Greater Williamsburg is a wonderful destination for lovers of the great outdoors! We're talking kayaking and paddleboarding, horseback and bike riding, fishing and golfing, even segways - they've really got it all! Great Wolf Lodge Not just a wonderfully family-friendly hotel, Great Wolf Lodge is actually a destination of its own! Featuring a massive indoor water park, spacious accommodations, a bowling alley, MagiQuest, and Scooops Kid Spa! I think I've only scratched the surface here of all the amazing things Greater Williamsburg has going on for families!! Be sure to head over to their website to learn more and plan your next vacation!
And, of course, stay tuned to my blog for more great product & travel reviews (hopefully we'll be heading to Williamsburg in the next year!), giveaways, and more! Be sure to follow us on Instagram to see how crazy my daily life is with 3 kids under the age of 5 (including 2 year old twins) as well as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Visit Williamsburg. I was compensated for attending this Momtrends event and writing this article, but all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. Cuz hey, I'm no sell out!
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Have you ever booked a car service, perhaps a ride to the airport, having specified in detail what kind of car seat you need for your child - the age, weight, even the direction the car seat should be installed... only to be picked up in a car with the wrong kind of car seat thrown in the trunk - stained, beat up, and not even installed?? Or perhaps you've even been picked up with no car seat at all?? And of course if you call around for another ride, you'll miss your flight. So you jump in, hug your child dearly, and hope for the best. Yep, it's happened to the best of us and IT SUCKS!!!
But, families of the greater NYC area, I have AMAZING news for you!!! There's a new high end car service catering to families and it's awesome! I'm very pleased to introduce you to, Kidmoto!
Not only does Kidmoto provide cars with top of the line car seats, they actually train their drivers to install their car seats quickly and correctly. So, whether you need an infant car seat (NOT provided by UBER Family, btw), rear or forward facing toddler seat, a booster seat, or all of the above, they've got you covered!! You just download the app, make the reservation, and put your worries aside!
We recently booked Kidmoto, a new Queens-based transportation service, for our ride home from the LaGuardia after a long 24-hour journey back to the US from Japan (read more about our Japan trip and see our fun recap videos here). We got our ride free in exchange for providing this review for them, but you're in luck because you can get $10 off unlimited rides with code "USJAPANFAM" (valid through June 2, 2020), and one lucky winner will receive up to $500 in credit for roundtrip anywhere in the greater NYC area to a local airport (enter to win below)!!!!
The app is easy to use, allowing you to select the pickup and drop off locations, type of car (sedan, minivan, or SUV), number and type of child seats (rear facing 5-15 lbs, rear facing 15-40 lbs, front facing >40 lbs, or booster seat). Our driver, Nelson, texted us when he arrived at the airport and we let him know exactly where to pick us up, and he was there waiting when we walked out of the terminal!! He had a beautiful SUV, and two gorgeous top-of-the-line Diono car seats, installed (rear facing) and ready to go for our 1.5 year old twins (we brought our own Mifold booster for our 4.5 year old). The experience was seamless, safe, comfortable, and just what we needed at the tail end of a very very long journey!
Don't get me wrong, a ride with Kidmoto doesn't come cheap (over $100 for a ride from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to LGA or JFK, for example), but with the price tag comes safety, professionalism, and peace of mind, which can be well worth the splurge!
If interested in trying out Kidmoto, just download the app for free (available for iPhone and Android) and don't forget to use code "USJAPANFAM" to get $20 off each ride - no limit! They specialize in transport within the NYC Metro area to JFK, Newark, LGA and Teterboro airports.
Enter to win in the Rafflecopter below for a FREE ROUNDTRIP transport from the NYC area to any of the local airports (JFK, LGA, EWR; up to 7 passengers and up to 4 car seats) - up to a $500 value (valid until January 1, 2019)!! Giveaway ends at 11:59PM EDT on Tuesday, September 5 and a winner will be randomly chosen and e-mailed the next day.
We recently journeyed from our happy home in NYC (with our 3 kids under the age of 5, including twin toddlers) to Japan for 10 days to visit my husband's family in the rural valley of Yamaguchi-cho Nishinomiya (about an hour from Osaka). We lived (barely) to tell the tale!
In case you missed it, I'm embedding our 4 ten-minute long YouTube videos below for your viewing pleasure! (Links at very bottom to products and other things mentioned / recommended in the videos!)
Video 1:
Featuring our 30-hour travel day to Japan via 3 flights (2 of which got rescheduled during our travel!) and the beginning of a horrible stomach bug (i.e. me being puked on for 4 hours of our 2nd flight, yippee!)
VIDEO 2:
Featuring our first few days in Japan (with no clothes, thanks to our flights being rescheduled our luggage didn't catch us for 3 days!!), a tour of a 7-11 convenience store (I LOVE Japanese "Combini"), the beautiful scenery of mountains and rice fields near my husband's home, and a typical experience at a "kaiten" (conveyor belt) sushi restaurant! (The nasty stomach bug that hit our youngest on the flight returned to hit 3 more of us the night after our sushi adventure, and 3 more family members in the next couple of days...)
VIDEO 3:
Featuring our adventures after recovering from the stomach bug, including a fun afternoon at the Anpanman Children's Museum in Kobe (Anpanpan is a Japanese superhero just about EVERY Japanese toddler is OBSESSED with, including all 3 of my kids), a nature walk near my husband's home (we found frogs, kiwi, tomatoes, pumpkin, a praying mantis, and more!), shopping at the mall (always a tricky endeavor with toddler twins!!!), library and children's play center, and how amazing a typical Japanese public toilet is (with electric bidet toilet and child seat on the wall to contain your little one while you do your business!)
VIDEO 4:
Featuring our visit to neighboring natural hot spring town of Arima Onsen, a big family and friends BBQ at my husband's home (and my first odd and exciting experience with "Nagashi Somen" / "flowing somen noodles" / "water noodles"!!), a tour of the amazing bathrooms and nursing rooms at Kansai International Airport, and our 24-hour door-to-door travel home back to NYC, including our sweet ride with the kid-friendly car service Kidmoto that provides top of the line car seats and drivers TRAINED to install them properly (get $20 off all rides using code "USJAPANFAM"!!)
So, the stomach bug put a major damper on our time, taking us out of commission for a good 2-3 days. On the bright side, it kept us more local and relaxed, giving us more chance for good quality family time rather than running around trying to jam in as much touristy stuff as possible! We plan to take the kids every 2-3 years, and eventually they may start going and spending summers over there, even going to local public schools for a month or so! That's the plan, anyway... we'll see how things pan out!!
LINKS!!
So, what do you think? Did you enjoy following along with us!? What's the furthest you've traveled with your kids? Any hilarious horror stories, or fabulous tips to share?? Leave a comment below!!!
With our huge trip to Japan coming up, I am in overdrive trying to hoard every possible toy and travel accessory to make our travels easier. When searching for comfortable kids' headphones I came across the very unique fleece headband CozyPhones and immediately reached out to do a review. I mean, look at these!!! Cute, comfy, and much more compact than tradition kids' headphones! CozyPhones not only come in a variety of adorable children's styles, they also have a couple of adult designs as well (such as the sleek black one I got for myself, pictured above). Basically, they're soft and stretchy fleece headbands with small flat speakers tucked away inside. You slip the headband on, adjust the speakers to fit directly over your ears, and then you're good to go with no further adjusting needed for future use!! The quality seems great and they feature a 36" braided cable which seems like it'd be more resistant to breaking and biting (we'll see if they survive my twins haha, they're always a great test for product durability!). You can also remove the speakers and wash the headbands!! The "one size" kids' headphones fit my 1.5 year olds and 4.5 year old perfectly, they're very stretchy and comfortable! Probably not so much an issue for kids, but maybe adults, is the hair factor. The headband won't do you any favors if you've got a major style going on. On the other hand, it could also double as a hair accessory and keep your hair out of your face! You can also slide it down to cover your eyes for a mid-flight nap. Niiiiiiice! We haven't had a chance to test them out on the plane yet. Since they don't insert into your ears, I have some concern that they won't be loud enough to overpower the hum of the plane, but I'll do some live-sharing on social during our travels (which start in less than 48 hours!!) so follow us on Instagram, and I'll come back and edit this review after our travels, so be sure to come back in a couple of weeks!! You can browse CozyPhones on their website and Amazon (affiliate link), which retail for between $15 - $35. Also recommended (and modeled above by my 3 kids) are a multi-headphone splitter (so more than 1 person can listen to the same device), the HDE ipad case, and Munchie Mug spill-proof snack cup! So, what do you think? Do you have CozyPhones, or another pair of headphones you love? Leave a comment below!! Disclaimer: Although I did receive this product free of charge, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
When I heard about a teeny tiny booster seat that could easily be stored in the glove compartment or a backpack, I was intrigued, to say the least! See, we are a carless family of 5 living in a 950 square foot NYC apartment (see my home tour on YouTube) with no storage space to spare for bulky items we use very rarely... like your average booster seats! Measuring in at a miniscule 10"x5" and 1.6 pounds, the mifold Grab-and-Go Booster seat sounded like a dream, but I had to see it to believe it! Being the Mom Blogger I am, I reached out and got one to review, and spoiler alert, it's awesome!!!
Standard bulky booster seats raise your child up so that the seatbelt fits them correctly. Now prepare to have your mind blown. The flat, compact, and portable mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat does the opposite - it brings the seatbelt down to your child to fit them correctly: on the shoulder (off the delicate neck and face) and on the hip bones and tops of thighs (off of the stomach and internal organs). Basically, the child sits on the flat base (which is comfy with slight foam padding and anti-slip grips) and the booster has 3 slots for the seatbelt to hook into - one to the side of each hip (adjustable widths) and one clip on an adjustable tether that pulls the shoulder belt down to their shoulder.
Unlike some of the other car seats and travel vests we've tried, this one seems to be pretty much fool proof. After a quick viewing of their demo video (in which a young girl straps herself in) and reading the short instruction manual, we took it to a friend's car and got it set up quickly on the first try, with zero frustration. I gotta tell you, that's a first for me! Don't miss our awesome demo video here:
It's so tiny, easy to use, and budget-friendly, I feel like every child ages 4 - 12 should have one. Seriously. When traveling, car pooling, taking a taxi, or even as the child's regular daily booster! What's more? It's a great option for sitting 3 kids across in pretty much any car, and is also great for kids who don't want to feel "babyish" next to older siblings or friends.
The mifold booster is only recommended for children at least 4 years and 40 pounds (until 12 years or 100 pounds), however it should be noted that the CDC recommends children use a forward facing car seat (with 5-point harness) until 5 years or when reaching the upper limit of that seat. I also want to throw it out there that the mifold booster car seat conforms to the most universally accepted global booster car seat regulations including European Union ECE R44.4, FMVSS 213 in the United States, and the RSSR regulations in Canada. Click here for more regulatory details.
You can buy the mifold Grab-and-Go Booster Seat, in a rainbow of colors, for around $45, on Amazon (affiliate link), BuyBuy Baby, and Nordstrom. And you can also win one in my $300 value jackpot Back to School Goodies Giveaway running through July 26!!!
Disclaimer: I'm no sellout guys! Though I was compensated for this review, thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased.
I know, I know. Summer has just kicked off so the last thing we want to think about is school, right!? But, sorry guys, we gotta do it. And what better way than with another one of my awesome group giveaways!?? From a personalized bento lunch box to a travel booster seat to immune-boosting probiotics and fun dance music, we've gotcha covered at school, at home, and on vacation!! Read on for more info about our prizes (a $300 value jackpot going to one very lucky winner!!), and enter to win in the Rafflecopter app at the bottom!!
THE PRIZES!!!
Stuck on You Bento Box & School Pack
Whether your kids are headed to camp, daycare, or back to school, Stuck On You is a brand you have GOT to know!! From backpacks and lunch boxes to stationary and clothing, all of their products come personalized! Our grand prize winner will receive a personalized Bento Value Pack (consisting of a bento style lunchbox, cooler bag, and ice pack) and a 5+ School Pack (consisting of 18 Large Name Labels, 50 Mini Name Labels, 18 Square Name Labels, 26 Medium Iron On Labels, and 1 personalized keychain style Bag Tag) - a $115 value!! I'll be doing a review of their Large Book Bag and Bento Box shortly (my son designed them and will be proudly toting them to Kindergarten in the fall!), so stay tuned for that!!
LoveBug Probiotics
Did you know that a healthy gut is a key to overall health of pretty much every system of your body!? The idea is that you need to make sure your gut is filled with enough of the good bacteria to outnumber the bad bacteria, and probiotics are a great way to go about doing this. Formulated with billions of live cultures and several strains in each serving, LoveBug Probiotics offers a number of powerful and effective products, including Tiny Tummies (powder for newborn to 4 years), Little Ones (easy to swallow spheres for children ages 4+), Colds Suck (enhanced with immune-boosting zinc, echinacea, and vitamin C), Yeast is Best (for women's urinary tract health), Labor of Love (for expectant mothers), and Here's the Skinny (for general gut health). Our grand prize winner will receive a bottle of Colds Suck and Little Ones, a $60 value!! You can find all of their products available on a subscription basis their website, and get your first month free with code "FREETRIAL"! They're also by the bottle on Amazon (affiliate link).
Squeasy Gear Pouches (3-pack)
Made of 100% food-grade silicone and featuring a removable no-spill insert that really works, Squeasy Gear is my all-time favorite reusable food pouch. Hands down. They're self-standing with a large opening, so filling them up is super easy. They're top-rack dishwasher safe, can be turned inside out for cleaning, and can be rolled up for tight storage or travel. They come in 16oz, 6oz, and 3.5oz, and the no-spill insert works so well, you can even use Squeasy Snackers for liquids (as well as pureed baby food, yogurt, applesauce, etc)! Our grand prize winner will receive 3 Squeasy Gear products - size and color of his or her choice, a $50 value. You can find them available on Squeasy Gear's website and Amazon (affiliate link), and you can check out my personal review here!
mifold Grab-and-Go Booster Seat
Bulky booster seats raise your child up so that the seatbelt fits them correctly. Flat, compact, and portable mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat does the opposite - it brings the seatbelt down to your child to fit them correctly: on the shoulder (off the face and neck) and on the hip bones (off the stomach). Ah-may-zing!! 10 times smaller and just as safe (for ages 4 - 12 years). It folds to a mere 10" by 5", meaning you can easily throw it in your glove compartment or even in your child's a backpack so they always have it with them when traveling, carpooling, or catching a ride with grandparents. Our grand prize winner will get a mifold Grab-and-Go booster seat (a $45 value), in their choice of color! You can read more about them and buy one on their website and Amazon (affiliate link), and don't miss my review and demo of our mifold here!
Sneakz Organic Milkshakes
With a half serving of veggies in each 8oz box of flavored milk, Sneakz helps us sneak some extra nutrition into our kids! Coming in 3 delicious flavors (chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry) and certified USDA organic, Sneakz is the perfect drink to throw in the lunch box, bring on a picnic, or suck down in the car on the way to school! Also, Sneakz is coming out with a dairy-free powder, with added protein and probiotics, that can be mixed with any plant or animal milk and even cooked or baked with!! It should hit the market in September! Our grand prize winner will receive a great prize pack from Sneakz including a six-pack of each flavor (that's 18 milk boxes!!), a Sneakz tote bag, and a Sneakz reusable shopping bag (a $40 value)! You can shop for Sneakz on their website (and even sign up for a discounted subscription service), at a store near you (click here to find one) and Amazon (affiliate link). You can read my personal review here and check out my recipe for Sneakz Neapolitan Chia Pudding!
Wubba Water (6-pack)
Did you know electrolyte replacement drinks tend to be full of artificial colors, flavors and sweeteners? Big Bang Beverages wasn't too thrilled with that, so they created an organic and healthier alternative to Pedialyte: Wubba Water, a children's hydration drink free of synthetic dyes, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and GMO's! Colored only with fruit and vegetable extracts and having only 1 gram of organic sugar per serving, Wubba Water is a healthier way for your little one to replenish water and electrolytes when sick or playing sports (and they'll get a Vitamin C boost to boot)! You can find Wubba Water at Whole Foods (in the TriState area) and on Amazon (affiliate link), and our grand prize winner will receive 2 bottles of each flavor - blue raspberry, fruit punch, and orange - a $20 value!
Laurie Berkner: The Dance Remixes
Everyone from toddlers to tweens to parents will be rocking out to beloved children's recording artist Laurie Berkener's brand new album, "Dance Remixes", which features 14 of her classics, remixed into Electronic Dance Music (EDM) style! I'm psyched to see my favorite LB tunes, "We Are the Dinosaurs" and "Victor Vito", made the cut - did yours? The album is set to release on September 22 and our grand prize winner will receive one - either "old school" CD or digital download, a $10 value. Check out my review of the awesome new album here, and purchase any of her older albums on her website and Amazon (affiliate link).
Coordinated by US Japan Fam, this giveaway is sponsored by participating brands and open to US residents ages 18 and over. No purchase required to enter. Giveaway ends Wednesday, July 26 at 11:59 PM EDT - one winner will be randomly chosen and contacted through e-mail, and their name displayed on the giveaway page. Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. US Japan Fam and participating blogs are not responsible for fulfilling brand-sponsored prizes. Prizes will be shipped directly from each brand.
As a world traveling mom blogger with 3 small children, I get asked for tips, tricks, and recommendations on the daily. One question I hear time and time again along the lines of "We're taking our toddler on a long road trip, what toys should we bring??" or "What should we bring to keep my child entertained during a long flight??" So, I figured it's about time I blogged about it!
Below are my personal favorites, and ones I haven't tried but have seen recommended time and time again in my various blogger and mommy circles!! Have something you love but don't see below? Be sure to leave a comment and I'll update the list ASAP!
*Disclosure: links below are "affiliate links", you don't pay more but I get a small commission to help fund the blog*
Best Toys for Traveling with Toddlers
The key here is finding toys that are lightweight and compact, that will keep your child entertained for more than 60 seconds, and won't make a mess. In addition to the below products, there are lots of DIY (very budget-friendly) things that are great - such as sensory bags (sealed ziplock bags filled with gels, sparkles, buttons, shaving cream etc that the child can kinda mash around and play with - just be careful if flying, you must stay within the 3-1-1 regulations for liquids and gels if it's not food or drink for the child) and even latex gloves - they can be balloons, tickle devices, fun to draw on, or even filled with ice or water!
Related Post: The 19 Best Toys for Kids from Toy Fair 2017
Best Gear for Traveling with Toddlers
I wouldn't call any of these "essential" but you may find some of them could really make your travel with a toddler a lot easier!
Related Post: How to Ride Safe without a Big Bulky Car Seat
Other Helpful Items for Traveling with Toddlers
Please check with your child's doctor before using either of these and discuss possible side effects, risks, and benefits. About 5% of children become hyperactive instead of drowsy after taking Benadryl, so this is definitely something you would want to test out BEFORE setting off on your trip!!
So, what do you think of our list? Have you used any of the above? Do you have any others to recommend or warn against? What's the longest trip you've taken with your child? We'd love to hear your stories! Leave a comment below!!
We recently took a family vacation to Lancaster for a long weekend getaway and had the most amazing time!! It's a quick and easy 3 hour drive from New York City, so even if you can only spend one night there it could still be worth it. That said, we spent three nights and found it to be the perfect length of time - we left with tons of great memories but have plenty more to see and do if we come back again (and we definitely plan to)! Click below to watch our video montage, and keep reading for my "Family Vacation Guide to Lancaster" - I'll give you an overview of all we did, and mention additional places to consider as well (that sound great but we just didn't have time to get to)! Alrighty, let's go!!
Hotel: Lancaster DoubleTree Resort
Having heard great things about this hotel, the thing that really pulled us toward it was their indoor water playground, and it did not disappoint!! All 3 of our kids had a blast splashing around - the pool area and water itself were both pleasantly warm (no shivering babies, yay!!), and they even had an extra pool float for us to borrow!
The hotel and grounds are huge and exquisitely cared for, and staff was very friendly and helpful. Our room was large, easily fitting 2 Queen beds and 2 cribs, and the bathroom had a shower AND a jacuzzi!! The breakfast buffet was great and plentiful, though it's pretty much the same stuff every day so it got a bit boring by the third morning. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant (Cafe 24 Hundred) two of our three nights because we were just too exhausted and worried about dragging the kids to a restaurant and having them melt down and get them back in the car to get home. The dinner menu had a lot of options, our meals were superb, and prices weren't too bad. They have a golf course and fitness center and daily kids programming - things like arts and crafts and movie time - some activities were free and some had an extra charge. And the cookies. Ohhhh the cookies - you'll get warm delicious chocolate chip and walnut cookies when you check in (and can get more when you check out if you ask nicely!). The DoubleTree is one of the pricier Lancaster hotels, but for me, because of the great indoor pool, service, and lovely rooms, I felt it was totally worth the splurge and can't recommend it highly enough!! Other Family-Friendly Lancaster Hotels to Consider (with pools/playgrounds):
If you have kids ages 1-10 and will be traveling to or live within a couple hours of the Lancaster area, Dutch Wonderland is definitely a must-visit! With rides accommodating even the smallest visitors and "thrill" rides for the bigger ones, a water park for the summer months, and live entertainment, it really is fun for the whole family!!
We brought our double wide stroller and found the park to be extremely accommodating - it is designed for families, after all! Bathrooms had changing tables (but bring your own changing pad!) Most rides had stroller parking areas. We ate lunch at the large Mill Stream Eatery and while most parked their strollers outside we didn't have a problem squeezing ours in and finding a spot at a table (it was PACKED at lunchtime though, consider eating off-peak hours!). No outside beverages or food are allowed, and they check bags and strollers before entering the park, but we didn't have a problem bringing all of our reusable water bottles and some snacks for the toddlers. There was a wide enough selection of food and snacks that we didn't really have a problem. Hot dogs, chicken fingers, pizza, the usual suspects. I found Bean Sprouts (view menu here) had the healthiest options, the Chicken Pesto Chango was delish!! Their website says to consult a manager on the day of your visit regarding food allergies, I imagine you would get the green light to bring your own food in that case.
They have a really cool color-coded system based on height, so you can know exactly who can ride on what before getting in line. In fact, you can see right on their website, so you don't have a disappointed kiddo on your hands... Our 40" tall 4 year old could ride on most rides, but not all. He saw the swings off in the distance and we went racing toward them. He was so excited and rightfully so was really bummed when we got up to the "Flying Trapeze" and realized he was too short to ride, since he's ridden on those at other amusement parks. Oops!! There are plenty of rides that even babies can ride in a parent's lap, which is fun for families such as mine so we don't have to split up every time!
They are currently building Merlin's Mayhem, which looks like it is going to be one amazing rollercoaster!! However, it means a few other rides and attractions are currently closed due to construction. They are noted on their list of attractions, so you can plan ahead! We went over Memorial Day Weekend and the longest line we had to wait was 30 minutes, most were more like 10 minutes and some we simply walked onto! My son's favorite ride was the Double Splash Flume, and he was really fascinated with the animatronic dinosaurs on Exploration Island, as well! My personal favorite was the Joust Family Coaster, which my son rode once with me and once with my husband. Our most memorable ride was definitely the Turtle Whirl since all 5 of us rode together and took a selfie video with all 3 kids screaming - it's HILARIOUS!!! You gotta check it out in our Lancaster Montage Video at the top of this post!! You'll definitely want to schedule the whole day for Dutch Wonderland, and if you want to do Duke's Lagoon water park as well, I really recommend going for two days - one dry day and one wet day! There really is plenty to do, and you don't want to feel rushed. Bring a stroller or baby carriers and try to get naps in if you can. Our kids were too excited to nap, and crashed out hard in the car at 5pm, slept through dinner, transferred seamlessly to beds and slept through the night til 6AM! Nothing like a full day at Dutch Wonderland to wear the pants off your kids!! YES!!!!! We are thrilled to be working with Dutch Wonderland on this review and to provide my readers with discounted tickets - just click here (code "Usjapanfamsblog17"!
I have never experienced anything quite like Cherry Crest Adventure Farm before - I wasn't sure what to expect and it totally blew us away. It was ah-may-zing, a definite MUST for any families headed to Lancaster area!!!!!
Set on a 300-acre working farm, they operate an "adventure farm" during the summer and fall months with "agri-tainment" for the whole family. From a little tractor-pulled little wagon train to huge air filled bounce pillows to mommy-and-me swings, it's one crazy fun activity after another! My personal favorite was the Hay Chute Slide which we enjoyed riding tandem with the kids (hiking up the huge hill has an added bonus of being a great glute workout LOL!!). There were lots of hands-on things the kids could do, like building houses with huge lincoln log-like planks, pumping water to race boats, and petting some small farm animals! And their 5-acre corn maze opens July 1! It's not the best place for strollers since it's mostly grass covered with some hills. We left our stroller in the car, but you can manage with one, especially if it's all-terrain or if you stick to the main path. The bathrooms were nice, with changing tables, and there were plenty of food options and picnic table dining out in the sun or under cover. It was pleasant temperature when we went, but a rep mentioned they have huge fans with misters going on hot days to help cool guests off. I highly recommend setting aside a good 4 hours or so to spend here, and know that you and the kids will be exhausted after a good half or full day of running around outside!
Strasburg Rail Road is America's oldest railroad, dating back to 1831!! Riding it along the Pennsylvania countryside and passing working Amish farms really gives you an authentically old-time steam rail experience! The train and its cars are not replicas - they are the originals, restored and in pristine condition (so, please respect their no food or drink policy, unless you get dining car tickets)!
The Strasburg Station is just a mile down the road from Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, so I can't recommend pairing these two together highly enough!! From Cherry Crest you can actually watch the train barrel down in front of you (I've got a great clip of this in my Lancaster Montage Video), it's quite exciting and a great way to get the kids psyched for a ride later in the day! I saw some people fold strollers and bring them aboard, but I would recommend leaving yours in the car and carrying or wearing babies. It's a fairly short ride, 45 minutes round trip with a few stops but if doing the roundtrip from Strasburg you just stay on for the entire journey, which makes it nice and easy! The audio commentary is interesting and informative, and the sound system was great - we had no problem understanding them (unlike the subway in NYC haha!!). We had coach tickets and found the coach cars to be plenty nice. Upgrades are just a few dollars to experience First Class, Open Car, Dining Car, etc. They also offer some cool packages such as a combo with Cherry Crest Adventure Farm and unlimited rides on the Strasburg Rail Road! They also have A Day Out with Thomas, check their schedule for when he'll be around! There are cute children's rides and activities at Strasburg Station, as well as a cafe and other places to explore if you have time before or after your ride on the train. There's also free parking.
There are a lot of Amish tours and experiences to choose from. We decided to go with The Amish Experience and it was great, however not easy with the little ones... They have a 3D theater where they show a movie about a young Amish man's dilemma over choosing to join the Amish church or leave family behind for the modern world. It's set in a barn-like room with the film taking place on different walls, with sound effects and smoke and other special effects popping up in the room. It was neat, unfortunately our 1.5 year old twins didn't let us enjoy it and we didn't even last for 5 minutes of the 40 minute long film. Whomp whomp.
We then took the tour of the one-room one room school house and homestead. Its been a visitor landmark in Lancaster for over 50 years. It's been authentically created and filled with items you would see in a real working Amish school and house these days. I found the tour absolutely fascinating, hearing about their lifestyle, touching on everything from schooling (only 1st through 8th grade!!), to marriage (no white wedding dress!), to clothing, and of course church (they take turns hosting service in their homes). Again, the tour was tough with the little ones - not stroller friendly so if you have wild ones you may not find this the best family activity for you. We had to cut the tour short and do the walk of shame out of the building since our kids wouldn't stop screaming and running around trying to jump on beds and destroy the place. I hope to come back in a few years when our kids are old enough to appreciate it! Other Amish / Pennsylvania Dutch Experiences & Activities to Consider:
When in Lancaster, hitting up an authentic Pennsylvania Dutch smorgasbord or two is a must!! We had dinner at the Bird-in-Hand Smorgasbord as it's one of the top rated ones, and it was conveniently located close to The Amish Experience and on the way back to our hotel! It had a great selection of food, and even had a cute Noah's Ark buffet (built by a local Amish craftsman) with special food for kids. For me, the jaw dropper was their dessert bar. Seriously, like 20 kinds of pie!!! OMG!!!!!!! So, just a heads up, if you go here - save plenty of room for dessert LOL!!
Everything is made from scratch, their Angus beef is raised on John Smucker's farm, milk is from Oasis (a local farmers co-op), and in season produce is sourced from local Amish and Mennonite farms. Many of their most popular dishes date back to Grandma SMucker, and all recipes are approved by the Smucker family! It was stroller friendly with ramps and two huge dining areas with tables and booths and of course, high chairs and boosters. You can go with the buffet or order from a regular menu. Other Pennsylvania Dutch Smorgasbords to Consider:
Kitchen Kettle Village is a cute little shopping area with over 40 shops, restaurants, and even lodging options. We enjoyed just meandering through at a leisurely pace. If you prefer, check out their list of things to do with kids. We found the casual Kettle Cafe to be quick, affordable, and delicious!
Other Activities to Consider:
Other Local Dining Experiences:
Have you been to Lancaster before - if so, I'd love to hear what your favorite family-friendly spots are!! Are you planning a vacation soon? Let us know if you found our guide helpful!!
Disclaimer: Although we received complimentary admission to some of the above mentioned activities in exchange for our honest review, all thoughts and opinions are our own and completely unbiased. The NYC Ferry just started service from Bay Ridge a few days ago and we couldn't be more thrilled. A way to get out of the neighborhood with kids, without having to collapse a stroller or lug it up and down subway stairs? HALLE-FREAKING-LUJAH, am I right?! Game. Changer!! My family of five took our first journey on it today, roundtrip from Bay Ridge to Brooklyn Bridge Park, so I thought I'd share our experience and some tips for those of you who haven't ventured out on it yet! 1. Download the NYC Ferry App On the app, you can view the "real-time" schedule (boats every 30-60 minutes) and also purchase tickets, which saves you time if you're running to catch the boat or don't want to leave your kids alone at the back of the line while you run ahead to buy tickets from the machine! It's pretty cool the way it works - you purchase tickets on the app and then when you're about to board you activate them. You show the screen as you board the boat to show how many active tickets you have, but nothing is scanned, they'll simply expire in 1 hour, which I guess is how the whole "free transfer" works if you're jumping to another line for a different destination? You can use the "trip planner" part of the app to see where to transfer, and unfortunately it looks like transfer timing may not be so great - for example you can transfer at Sunset Park to get to Rockaway, change at DUMBO to get to Williamsburg and 34th Street in Manhattan, or change at Wallstreet to get to Astoria or the Bronx, but you may have to wait a while unfortunately! Good news: you can go directly from Sunset Park to Governor's Island from Bay Ridge in the summer, and if you plan to drive to the ferry, there's lots of free parking at the pier at Sunset Park. 2. It is Stroller-Friendly! There was concern over whether or not you could keep your kids in the stroller on the boat, since the website says the boats have designated stroller parking areas. But, after having taken a ride, I can say yes, you can keep your stroller with you - on the bottom inside (temperature controlled) deck anyway. There are some seating areas at the end that can fit a bunch of strollers with the kids still in them. In addition, the two aisles are very wide so it doesn't seem like parking a single stroller next to a seat on the aisle would be a problem either - you can see someone's done that in the picture below right. 3. Consider Dramamine We've taken quite a few ferries and I've never before experienced this amount of rocking. My son, who gets car sick, felt rather ill. By the time we finished our 40 minute journey I wasn't feeling great either, thinking back on it I probably should have avoided using my phone and instead kept my eyes on the horizon. Anyway, if you or your family experience motion sickness, consider taking a dramamine or wearing sea bands. 4. They've Got it All A few of the seating areas have little tables you could use for eating or playing games. I saw a few outlets around so if you were in dire need to charge a phone you could. There are bathrooms, and a changing table for the babies!! There were signs that wi-fi is coming soon. And there was a nice concession stand with all kinds of snacks, alcoholic (and non-) beverages, iced coffee, and even some random games like UNO. They really thought of everything!! 5. Only 149 seats... With Bay Ridge being the first station of the South Brooklyn line, there's probably not a big problem getting on the next ferry, except maybe during rush hour. But returning home is another story. We got on around 5:30pm at Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 1 Station and noticed them counting how many people came off the boat, and then announced they could take on 28 passengers. Well, lets just say there were plenty of people who did not get on and weren't too thrilled with having to wait an hour for the next boat. Ouch. So... don't wait to run to the dock at the last second. Consider getting in line with PLENTY of time to spare, or sending ahead someone to take one for the team and wait in line for you. 6. Great views! Sure, it's not free like the Staten Island Ferry, but it offers amazing views and a fun travel experience unlike anything you'll find on the MTA buses and subways, and for the same price! From Bay Ridge, you get a really great view of the Statue of Liberty and South Brooklyn. If you can part with your stroller and the weather is nice, head up to the top deck and breath it all in! So, what do you think? Have you ridden the new NYC Ferry yet? Is it opening up new possibilities for you to travel alone with your kids, as it is for me? Do you plan to switch your daily commute from bus or subway to ferry?? Leave a comment below!!
Living carless in Brooklyn has its perks. We save tons on gas and parking, and I get great exercise pushing 3 kids in a stroller 4 miles a day! But sometimes, it's nice to have a car. Really really nice!! While planning our recent family vacation (stay tuned for my Lancaster Getaway Guide!), I reached out to DriveShop to borrow a car for our road trip. I told them I needed a car that could fit our family of 5 (including 3 kids in car seats) as well as our luggage and a double stroller. Their recommendation? The Mazda CX-9. And after spending the better part of the last week with it, I can say in full honesty that it is an AWESOME car and I can't recommend it highly enough for large families such as ours. Keep reading for some of the features we fell in love with!! 7 SEATER SUV & LARGE TRUNK The 2017 Mazda CX-9 is a seven passenger SUV: driver and passenger in the front row bucket seats, 3 seats across in the second row, and 2 seats in the third back row - all 7 seats have 3-point seat belts. The back row doesn't have as much leg room, so I really wouldn't recommend using it on a regular basis for adults, but it would be a good spot for 1 or 2 car seats or older kids. We chose instead to fold the back row down (really quick and easy - you can fold down one or both seats!!) to create a huge trunk space that had no problem fitting our large suitcase, double wide stroller, and tons of other "necessities" for our trip. Related Article: The BEST Double Umbrella Stroller - Joovy TwinGroove Ultralight FITS 3 CAR SEATS ACROSS In the second row, we were able to fit 3 kids across using two Combi Coccoro car seats on each side for our toddler twins (using the easy LATCH system), and our 4 year old in the middle in his RideSafer Travel Vest. Specs say 57.4" hip room in the second row, so if you have car seats that are under 19" wide each, you should be able to fit 3 across. For example, 3 Clek Foonfs or Diono Radians or Combi Coccoros should be an easy fit. Related Article: How to Ride Safe without a Big Bulky Car Seat SAFETY FEATURES
INFOTAINMENT SCREEN & 2 USB INPUTS There are 2 USB inputs in the middle front arm rest console - we found these really handy for charging our phones on the go! It even worked to have a phone plugged in while sitting up on the dash so we could use our phone's GPS! There's also a large screen in the center of the dash you can control via touch screen or with dials between the driver and passenger. We mainly used it for XM radio and the backup assist video camera. 3 ZONE CLIMAGE CONTROL This was great as we could control left, right, and back to be different temperatures. However, my son quickly found out he could control his temperature with his foot by kicking in front of him... he kept turning the heat up to the 80s and then screaming out "HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!" hahahaha. There's probably a way to lock it, but we never took the time to figure it out... definitely something you'll want to figure out if you'll have a child in the middle seat! KEYLESS ENTRY & START When you're carrying a sleeping child and a diaper bag, the last thing you want to do is dig through your bag to find your car keys. I can now speak from experience. If you have the key in your bag, you simply open the door - it unlocks for you. So freaking amazing!!! Once you have everyone in the car and buckled in, just start the car with the push of the button, leave the keys lost in the bottom of your diaper bag!! So, a pretty amazing car!! A fabulous seven passenger SUV and a great option for families of 4 - 7!! MSRP starts at $31,520 and it averages around 24 miles per gallon. You can read more about the CX-9 on Mazda's website.
Suffice it to say, we are in love. We were not planning on buying a car, and it won't be happening in the near future, but driving this puppy around really got us talking about it. Having a car that easily fits the whole family and all of your, ahem, stuff, sure can make life easier!! Do you have a Mazda CX-9 or have you taken one for a spin? Do you have a car you recommend for large families?? Leave a comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice!! Disclaimer: I'm no sellout guys! Though I was provided this car by DriveShop for a week in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. |
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! Categories
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