What a Day on Martha’s Vineyard!

Have you ever thought about visiting Martha’a Vineyard, MA for a family getaway, for a day? I wanted to share my family’s recent last-minute day trip to Martha’s Vineyard! My husband and I have been on the Vineyard before without kids, so I wanted to make sure I planned a kid-friendly adventure for a memorable day. Using tips from Yelp, recommendations from friends and other Mom blogs , here is our day trip schedule:

Our Visit to Martha’s Vineyard:

• Take a fast ferry to Oak Bluffs. Save travel time and spend more time on the island by choosing the fast ferry versus the standard ferry service and book tickets online. Kids ride FREE with a paying adult! Check out schedule, rates and locations at https://seastreak.com/ferry-routes-and-schedules/between-new-bedford-marthas-vineyard-ma/
• Rent a Jeep! Consider adding another fun family adventure and rent a Jeep … Driving top down… to explore the whole island in one day.   Visit http://www.mvautorental.com . Other transportation options include a shuttle service that is offered on the island or a sightseeing tour bus.

• Donuts for breakfast…You’re on vacation (Oak Bluffs) Visit Back Door Donuts for a special breakfast treat (recommendation by a friend.) If you prefer an egg sandwich, visit Skinny’s Fat Sandwiches for delicious bagel sandwiches!
• Tour The Gingerbread House Village (Oak Bluffs) – A unique village made of tiny houses painted and decorated each more colorful than the next. Visit https://newengland.com/today/travel/massachusetts/gingerbread-cottages-at-oak-bluffs-campground/

• Island Geocaching (Entire Island) ! Download the Geocaching App for cool locations for geocaching on the island.  Check out my blog post Geocaching : A fun, family scavenger hunt!
• Grab a slice of pizza and lemonade at Chilmark General Store (Chilmark)– A great spot for a quick lunch/snack while relaxing on their front porch. Don’t forget to stop at Chilmark Chocolates for a special treat (It was closed for vacation when we visited, so that will be on our to-do list on our next trip to the island!) … A great recommendation by a friend! Also caught a celebrity sighting!
• Climb a lighthouse for beautiful views. There are many lighthouses on Martha’s Vineyard. By renting the Jeep, we were able to tour the whole island and see many of the lighthouses.
• Visit Edgartown and Vineyard Haven for shopping, ice cream and lunch or dinner on the go (our family decided to eat on the go to be able to explore the island  quicker !)
• Sandy toes and beach combing on any beach you chose! We were excited to add great shells to our growing vacation shell collection! Sit down and relax on the beach while the kids splash around in the water … We packed suits and towels for the day.
• Spin around on the Flying Horse Carousel (Oak Bluffs)! Before heading back to the ferry, drop the Jeep off, grab dinner to-go at Skinny’s Fat Sandwiches (I recommend  the  Gobbler!), and ride the carousel.

A few hours on Martha’s Vineyard felt like a weekend away! Enjoy!!

Day Trips with Kids in Massachusetts

Fun and adventure is a must on our day to day summer adventures with my kids. I keep everyday a “secret” until the day of the event. This year we were able to take a few local day trips to nearby Massachusetts. Here is a list I put together for the other adventurous parents out there (or families visiting the New England area this summer or fall!) Have fun!

10 Family Fun Day Trips in Massachusetts

1. Purgatory Chasm Sutton, MA – Take a hike on rocks, boulders and trails in this natural challenge! Pack a picnic lunch, visit the playground and stop for an ice cream treat at West End Creamery (before getting back on the highway).
2. Plimouth Plantations, Mayflower II and Plymouth Rock Plymouth, MA – Visit a replica of where the first colonists and Native Americans lived. A great educational experience! Tips : 1. Make sure to stop by the bakery to pick up a loaf of fresh baked bread! 2. Visit Plantations first, then drive over to the Grist Mill (free parking) and walk along the river to experience the Mayflower II and Plymouth Rock. Ice cream and cupcake treats available along a serene town. (And yes, Plimouth Plantations is spelled differently than Plymouth, MA – even Moms learn something new everyday!) Visit http://www.plimoth.org
3. Fenway Park (Stadium Tour and Red Sox Game) Boston, MA – A fun experience to watch the Boston Red Sox play ball and a memorable tour of this historical landmark. Visit http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/tour.jsp
4. Boston Museum of Science Boston, MA – A great science museum for all ages. Be sure to check out the lightening show, planetarium and a cool roller coaster simulation ride (additional fees required).
5. Great Wolf Lodge Fitchburg, MA  -Ok, so this is not a day trip… But…  A perfect “vacation” any time of the year. Unfortunately, GWL requires an overnight stay in order to use their water park, but the kids (and parents) won’t be disappointed. There are many activities in addition to the water play, my kids enjoyed the ropes course the most! If you are looking for a day trip option, consider CoCoKey Indoor Water Park in Danvers, MA. Visit https://www.greatwolf.com/new-england or http://www.cocokeyboston.com
6. An Unlikely Story Plainville, MA  Visit this quaint book store located inside a refurbished general store in a quaint little town. Owned and operated by my son’s favorite author, Jeff Kinney from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. Autographed books available for sale. There is also a cafe located inside the book store for a quick lunch or treat! If you are lucky, maybe you will bump into Mr. Kinney himself! Located down the street from Wrentham Village Outlets. Visit http://www.anunlikelystory.com
7. Boston Duck Tours Boston, MA – A fun and unique way to tour this harbor city. The tour guides are hilarious and guide you through many parts of Boston, both on land and in water!  Tours can be picked up at the Boston Museum of Science. Visit http://www.bostonducktours.com/mobile-home/
8. Gilette Stadium (New England Patriots Training Camp and Fan Zone) Foxboro, MA – Come and cheer on the New England Patriots in an exclusive opportunity to watch them practice before the football season starts! Arrive early for front row seats to experience all of the action! A Fan Zone is also set up for more excitement, meet the cheerleaders and mascot, inflatables, food, treats, games and many prize opportunities. Take a walk over to Patriots Place for more food, shopping and events. Visit http://www.patriots.com/trainingcamp
9. Corporation Beach Dennis, Cape Cod, MA – This is my family’s family beach in Cape Cod. It is family-friendly with a food shack and facilities, a great place to swim and explore in the sand bars during low tide for hermit crabs. Visit http://www.town.dennis.ma.us/Pages/index
10. Southwick Zoo Mendon, MA – A great day out with the family to visit a wide variety of animal species. Our favorite is the rhino! Visit http://southwickszoo.com

Summer Vacation Ideas : Hersheypark

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What is better than taking a family vacation that has both chocolate treats and roller coasters? If you ask my kids, nothing! I vacationed to Hersheypark as a child. Now, as a Mom, I have planned 3 road trip vacations to include Hershey Park, and have planned another one for this summer!

Hersheypark  is located right near Harrisburg, PA, the capital of Pennsylvania. We have included Hershey Park on road trips from New Jersey, New York City, Rhode Island and Hilton Head, SC! It is a fun and nostalgic amusement park, for both young and older children, with characters, tours, shows,  a variety of amusement rides, and, of course, lots of Hershey chocolate!

Here are some tips for families considering  a road trip to Hershey Park:

Book “Sweet” Accommodations. Being located so close to Harrisburg (approx. 15 minutes), we were able to find many chain hotels for our vacation stay there very easily online. We usually vacation with our small dog, so needed to find a hotel that allowed dogs. We have stayed at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel and Marriot Residence Inn Harrisburg Hershey. Both were good family accommodations with pools and kitchenette, and allowed our dog to stay for a fee. This summer, we will be leaving our dog at home and trying out one of Hershey Park’s own resorts (which does not allow pets)- The Hershey Lodge . (There are also two other Hershey Properties – Hotel Hershey and Hershey’s Campground.)

Learn a Little Bit of History.  Hershey Park Is not only fun and games, add a little history lesson on your vacation! Take a trolley ride through the town of “Hershey” to learn how is all began by a man name Milton Hershey! The trolley tour provides a fun way to teach the history, sample the Hershey brand chocolates and sing a little tune, all while riding in a comfortable trolley! (The trolley tours are available at Chocolate World). I would recommend this activity for your first visit to Hershey. (Tip: for children that enjoy to read, pick up Who was Milton Hershey by James Buckley for a book to read on the drive up!) 

Visit Chocolate World. Chocolate World is located right near the entrance of Hershey Park. It offers a variety of programs and events, including a 4D movie, a behind the scenes look at the history of chocolate making, a fabulous souvenir and chocolate shop, trolley tour through the town of Hershey, chocolate tasting, and a variety of other activities (all activities, except the behind the scenes history tour, require a fee.) Visit http://www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld/explore for more information!

Be Amused by the Rides! One of the characteristics I like about the rides at Hershey Park is that the kiddie rides are mixed in with the larger amusement rides. So, if you are traveling with another family who has smaller children, or your own children have an age gap, you can stay together in the park and ride the rides. At the entrance of the park, you can have your child officially measured by park staff to receive a bracelet to confirm their height. Each ride is categorized by a candy for its height regulations. A “Jolly Rancher” is the highest level and a “Hershey’s Miniature” is the smallest.  Visit http://www.hersheypark.com/things-to-do/just-for-you/index.php to find out which candy your kids are!

More to see than Roller Coasters. Hersheypark also offers ZooAmerica and The Boardwalk at Hersheypark (a water amusement park). Both attractions are included in your Hersheypark entrance ticket. Since we have always included Hersheypark within a road trip, we have never been to ZooAmerica or The Boardwalk but have added it to our next visit to Hersheypark!  Visit http://www.hersheypark.com/things-to-do/zooamerica.php or http://www.hersheypark.com/rides/search.php?ride_type[]=2 for more information.

Plan a preview night. Hersheypark offers ticket holder a preview to the park 2.5 hours prior to close the day before you plan to visit. This is a great chance to ride the larger rides that usually have long lines!

Look for Discounts!  We have received ticket discounts from local Giant Foodchains and also picked up coupons at local Dunkin’ Donuts. AAA and hotels also offer discounted park tickets. Every saved dollar counts!

Suggested trip schedule: 

Day 1: Travel to Harrisburg or hotel location. Visit Chocolate World for trolley tour, 4D Movie, history of chocolate making and shopping. Grab lunch at Chocolate World. Check into hotel, swim in pool, dinner and “preview” Hersheypark 2.5 hours prior to close.

Day 2: Spend the whole day at Hersheypark.

Day 3: Visit The Boardwalk and/or ZooAmerica for the 1st half of the day and then Hersheypark after dinner.

Day 4: Travel Day

Visit HersheyPark.com for more information regarding tickets, events, hours and accommodations! 

Please note these opinions and suggestions are my own and I was not reimbursed by Hersheypark to write this blog post. I will update my blog once we vacation there again this summer! Have a “sweet” vacation!

Summer Vacation Ideas: Glamping (yes, that’s fancy camping!)

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Our glamping vacation last summer was added to my list of favorite family vacations because it was not like any other trip we had ever experienced!

Over the next few months,  I will share family road trips, day trips and vacations that we have taken that may inspire you to plan a new memory for your own family this summer!

My daughter has been a Girl Scout for 7 years. She has always loved the camping events more than any other activities they participated in. Now, me on the other hand, I have never actual been “camping”. The closest I came was about 15 years ago, while sleeping in a cabin tent (a tarp tent on a wooden deck) while chaperoning a white water rafting trip with teenagers. Although a fun experience, I just knew it wasn’t something that I would want to plan again in the future. Fast forward 15 years,  my daughter had been asking me to plan a family camping trip. I decided to meet her half way with her request and began researching RV rentals (something that was on my vacation wish list). My quick research turned out to require more planning than we had time for, including renting an RV, reserving campsites, pet policies, etc. My husband’s summer vacation was approaching and I needed a vacation plan. His friend just happen to mention if we considered “glamping” as alternative option. What is glamping you ask? And this is where my blog post begins…

Glamping… Yes, that’s fancy camping! It is having the ability to experience what family camping has to offer, while still experiencing the comforts of home (or a hotel!) …running water, electricity, and bathrooms! Some camping enthusiasts may say that we didn’t really go “camping” and my response is, I know that we didn’t to camping, we went “glamping” and I am completely fine with that!

I literally googled ” glamping” in my surrounding living area and found local campgrounds within a 4-hour driving radius. I researched housing options available : on site RV rentals, cabin rentals, and YURT rentals (Year-round Universal Recreational Tent). I was not ready for popping up my own tent! The winning vacation destination was a YURT rental at a family campground only 45 minutes from our home. As close as we were, it seemed like we were far away in the woods as can be.

What  is a YURT? A YURT is a year-round universal recreational tent. Our YURT had a full bathroom, electricity, a small kitchen, including a microwave and 2 stove top burners, and refrigerator. It had a queen bed, 2 pull out futon chairs and a pull out sofa, a flat screen tv, gas fireplace, and even fans! It was the most unique living arrangements I had ever slept in! This particular YURT had a wrap around deck and patio furniture, picnic table, fire pit, and grill. Besides our clothes, the only items we needed to bring were food, linens, towels, fishing gear and bikes.

What to look for in a Glamping Campground? Our campground was a standard campground, that just happened to offer glamping housing options (3 YURTs and 4 cabins). The rest of the campground offered hookups for RV’s and tents. It offered many amenities such as pools, a fishing pond, bike trails, soccer fields, disc golf, playgrounds, dog park, softball fields, basketball courts, yoga classes, hiking trails, cafeteria dining, ice cream and sandwich shop, planned family activities, such as basketball competitions, kid olympics and scavenger hunts, a game room, bocce court, and a general store.

Other tips:

• Booking Your Stay – The 4 finalists for our glamping adventure all required a 7-night minimum stay for the housing rentals. Since it was a new experience, I was looking to stay for only 3-4 nights. Most campsites advised us to check in with Reservations 2 weeks prior to our desired vacation time and we may be able to rent the YURTs or cabins for shorter time periods. We called 2 weeks prior and were able to book our YURT for 4 nights over the 4th of July holiday weekend, which was perfect.
• Local Events – Research your campground’s surrounding area for other local activities and events. We just happen to be located near Gillette Stadium (Home of the New England Patriots). Due to the 4th of July weekend, there were many family events planned including a 5k Finish at the Fifty Yard Line race that my husband ran in and fireworks in the evening. All an added bonus to a fun-filled weekend. Other than our visit to Gillette, we never left the campground, there were so many things to occupy us. As for food, since we lived so close to the campground, we packed a cooler before our arrival and cooked on the grill or visited their sandwich shop. I packed deli meats, hamburgers and hotdogs, pre-made dips and salads, breakfast foods, snacks and bottled water (and adult beverages too!).
• Outdoor Fun –  I am not a camper (yet!), but you can make your glamping experience as outdoors-y as you would like. We did not allow any electronics (such as iPads, TV’s, video games or laptops to be used, only phones for weather, map and phones calls, if needed). You can bring a tent and set it up outside of your cabin or YURT. Pack sleeping bags for bedding instead of standard linens. Don’t forget your s’mores supplies for the fire pit (or just visit the campground’s general store). We also brought our bikes for fun and it ended up being an easy way to travel throughout the campground.
• Read Reviews – We relied on online reviews when we were finalizing our campground options, such as YELP. They gave additional information, such as suggested items to bring, when to visit, pet policies, etc.

Our glamping vacation was truly a fun-filled family experience, one that I am sure we will plan again. There are many campgrounds that offer glamping all throughout the United States. We just happen to find one in our backyard (well, 45 minutes away)!

Happy Glamping!

Note: This blog is my own opinion and I was not reimbursed by the campground we visited. If you live in the New England area and want to experience the campground we visited, visit http://www.normandyfarms.com/ .

Plan a Scavenger Hunt with Family and Friends

We recently hosted my daughter’s  family birthday party with our immediate family and I surprised them all with a Scavenger Hunt. Since it’s only adults at the party, besides my own kids, I always try and think of fun and creative ways to have fun and involve both the adults and kids. Everyone always seems to have fun…and it can actually get very competitive! This year’s birthday party idea was inspired by a recent vacation I planned with my family to a campground for a long weekend. The campground offered a family scavenger hunt and our family came in 1st place! We all had such a great time, I thought this would be a great activity for my daughter’s family birthday party! It was free, fun, and perfect for all ages! Here’ s what you will need to plan your own Scavenger Hunt :

• Create a list of items to find. Think of a theme for the items. For example, I made each of the items relevant to my daughter’s birthday. It included her hobbies, interests, activities and things she likes. They also had to locate the letters to spell her name and the numbers of her age on mailboxes, houses, signs, license plates, etc.

• Divide the guests into teams. Make sure they are balanced (kids and adults) and create team names.
• Team Awards or Medals. Available at party or dollar stores. Also, I saw this idea on Pinterest and used it (thanks Pinterest!):  glue a wrapped chocolate (I used silver and gold wrapped chocolates) to a ribbon for a special winner’s treat!

• Have clear rules and guidelines. Review these with the group before the timer starts. Example: where the items can be located, are pictures acceptable, can they received partial credit, etc.
• Assign points to each item.  Items that are harder to locate, assign higher amount of points.
• Timer/Camera needed per team. Every team had an iPhone of their own to use for photos and a timer (we had a 30 minute time limit). Photos were accepted for items that they couldn’t take back to the house with them.
• One person needs to be the “referee/score keeper/creator of the scavenger list”. Usually works best when it is the host of the party. I did not share my scavenger hunt idea with my husband and kids. They found out about it when the rest of the guests did.

Get creative and have fun!!

100 Fun Things to do this SUMMER with your kids!

Tomorrow is the start of my kids’ school vacation! Every summer, I refer to this list and plan or create fun activities for my two kids. As a stay-at-home mom, most days are usually planned out with an adventure, activity,  play date, camp or just a “relaxing” or “hanging out” day. My husband calls me the “Cruise Director”…I like to refer to myself as a mom that wants to enjoy her kids before they are too grown up! I kept my list general because my blog followers are from all parts of the country. So, check out the list below to spark some of your own activity ideas for a fun and exciting Summer 2015!

Visit a zoo or petting farm.	Host a slumber party.	Play wiffle ball.	Using a bucket of Legos, have a Lego build competition.
Visit an aquarium or marine conservatory.	Volunteer for community service, help a neighbor in need.	Visit restaurants that offer FREE Kids’ meals on certain days!	Plan a board game-a-thon on a rainy day. Winner picks the treat.
Plan a water fun day (squirters, water balloons, slip n’ slide, sprinklers).	Plant a garden.	Go bowling (check out FREE bowling offers at various bowling alleys.)	Bake cookies. Share them with someone special.
Bake cupcakes and decorate them with a theme.	Take a road trip (don’t forget your road trip games!)	Visit the beach or lake for whole day of fun.	Take your dog or someone else’s dog for a walk.
Play restaurant and take orders for a meal.	Collect rocks or shells and paint them.	Play soccer.	Play a game of Twister.
Cook a meal- menu is your choice!	Organize a kickball game.	Go fishing.	Have an ABC scavenger hunt in your backyard, neighborhood, or house.
Go for a hike.	Coordinate an Olympics style game tournament. Hand out gold medals to the winner (available at dollar or party stores.)	Visit an art museum.	Check out local fairs and festivals for amusement rides, concerts and food trucks.
Beach combing for shells.	Go camping.	Go to an arcade.	Visit a pet store for free animal encounter events.
Visit the library for a new book to read or for free activities and entertainers.	Go swimming.	Take a family vacation or visit another city or state for the day.	Go to an outdoor FREE concert (check your local shopping centers).
Go on a boat ride.	Go on a picnic.	Play a board game.	Go stargazing.
Plan a nature scavenger hunt in your yard.	Go to the movies (check out FREE movies offered at various theaters!)	Learn a new skill, such as chess or knitting.	Visit your local mall’s website for their Event Calendar (meet and greets, magicians, magic shows, movies, free food, etc.)
Have a water balloon fight.	Go to a Pro or Minor League baseball game.	Read a book.	Using a Lego Movie app, create a Lego movie.
Create relay race events.	Sign up for a tour of a baseball stadium.	Plan a pot luck BBQ or family reunion at a local park with games and contests.	Set up a ninja challenge obstacle course in your yard.
Decorate your driveway with sidewalk chalk.	Take a trolley, bus or boat tour of your city, town or state…is a tourist in your own state!	Take a ride on a carousel.	Plan a talent show with friends.
Visit your local state’s State House or Town Hall.	Visit a water park.	Attend a free storytime (check out local Barnes and Noble for weekly story times and events.)	Use play dough or clay to create fun animals. Then, take pictures and write a story or make a movie.
Visit and take a tour at historical landmarks in your state.	Visit an amusement park.	Go out for ice cream or make your own sundaes at home.	Play on your own swing set or in your own sand box.
Sign up for a camp that can teach you a new skill, sport or activity.	Play mini-golf.	Draw a four square game on your driveway and play.	Go see a fireworks display.
Take a painting class.	Go to a car racing event.	Play hopscotch.	Visit a trampoline park.
Visit your local playground or plan a playground tour in your city, town or state.	Check your local Pro Football’s website for preseason camp events.	Have a jump roping or hula hooping contest.	Set up  a lemonade stand. Donate money to your favorite charity.
Plan a scavenger hunt at local farms.	Visit a planetarium.	Visit an indoor playground or play space.	Create friendship bracelets and trade with friends.
Visit farmers’ markets. Try a new vegetable or fruit.	Pick strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, or whatever is in season at a local farm.	Set up a movie night on the lawn or find a drive-in in your area.	Play old school games (Mother May I, Leap Frog, Red Light Green Light).
Take a family bike ride. Don’t forget your helmet!	Visit a science or children’s  museum.	Host an ice cream social with friends.	Check out online activity websites for your area (Macaroni Kid, KidInfo, Patch and tourist websites).
Go kayaking, canoeing or stand up paddle boarding.	Go on a bird watching tour.	Plan a yard sale with family and friends.	Plan a “card” game game-a-thon on a rainy day. Winner picks dinner.
Plan a “camp-in”. Pitch a tent inside, use sleeping bags, flashlights, etc.	Check local computer stores for kids’ workshops.	Create “recycled art” out of your recyclable trash (cartons, caps, boxes, paper towel rolls).	Rent a movie (or borrow a free movie from the library!) Don’t forget the popcorn.
Make tie dye shirts.	Play a game of Pictionary with a white board and dry erase markers.	Set up a drawing center and draw.	Have a sand castle contest or check local beach’s website to see if they host expert sand castle building days.

And the list keeps getting longer and longer each year! Have fun! Feel free to add your family’s ideas in the comments below! Thanks for sharing!