Your Questions Answered: Great Vacation for Special-Needs Kids

Recently this note was emailed to us via our Ask page:

sxc.huHere is a big one. We have an 18-year-old son with autism and a daughter also with special needs. Despite the autism, he is very social wanting to play with younger children, which can make a family destination stressful for us.  Any suggestions? We usually do beach vacations in Michigan and have done Florida before. We live in the Chicago area. I also think a connecting flight would be hard for us. Any “special” all inclusives you may know about?

This one was a tough one for the Mamas, as it’s not a travel niche we’re familiar with. The first thought that came to my mind, however, was the Azul property that I deemed the best family-friendly resort in the Riviera Maya: Azul Beach. With just 97 rooms, this property is small and easy to navigate. Here, the very friendly and accommodating staff gets to you know you (and your children) quickly, addressing you by name. I think if I had special-needs kids, I’d feel a great sense of peace, knowing that I was at a place where the staff cares about you and is very cognizant of making guests feel at home. Again, with special-needs children, I’d rather stay at a small resort than a big one, where my family and I are just “numbers.” Finally, there are non-stop flights from Chicago to Cancun (and then the resort is a short 2o-minute drive away).

Another close-to-home option might be an indoor waterpark resort. Now, these resorts — with enclosed, massive waterparks — could be totally inappropriate, depending on the abilities and personalities of your children. The water-play areas can be very loud (chaotic in fact) which can be overwhelming to any child. However, indoor waterpark resorts are incredibly convenient — all of your entertainment, from family-friendly dining to the waterpark to arcades and other diversions, is inside the resort. No need to venture off. Check out the various locations of the Great Wolf Lodge. Find many other resorts in Sandusky, Ohio, and Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

As far as other options go, you might check out this list of travel resources for children with special needs from Babycenter.com. Then there’s an entire site called Autism Travel that is dedicated to helping parents of kids with autism plan family trips.

Still another consideration: have you thought about a cruise? Accessible travel writer Candy Harrington suggested a Caribbean cruise. She took the time to write the following:

Personally I would recommend Royal Caribbean, as they have an excellent Adventure Ocean Program for kids from 3-17. Yes, I know your reader’s son is 18, but he is considered a special-needs child so they may make an exception for him. I’ve seen this done in the past, and so has my travel agent friend Connie George (who handles accessible travel). Basically you need to contact the special-needs department at the cruise line  to make sure that this will happen. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, you should work with a travel agent who is used to doing this type of thing.

royalcaribbeanI also highly recommend the Royal Caribbean ships as, they offer lots of fun things to do. This is especially true of the newer Freedom Class ships, which have lots of cool features like the H2O zone water park, the Surfrider, a rock climbing wall and even a miniature golf course. Lot’s of fun for the whole family. And while the kids are in the Adventure Ocean Program, mom can enjoy the spa services. Plus there are lots of fun things to do ashore as a family.

You just can’t get more all inclusive than a cruise. And many Caribbean cruises stop on a private island; since this family has enjoyed beach vacations before, that seems like a good match for them. Plus, with RCI departures from Newark, Miami and Baltimore, it’s easy to find a departure city with direct air service from Chicago.

Wow, Candy! Thanks for your insight. If any other folks-in-the-know or travel agents have suggestions for our reader, please let us know via the comments below. We’d welcome any other recommendations regarding suggestions for a top-notch resort vacation for a family with special-needs kids. Travel agents and travel experts, please chime in!

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July 2, 2009 | Filed Under Family Travel, Travel News | 2 Comments 

Winning Wednesday: Diaper Bag from AllModernBaby.com

Congrats go out to lucky commenter #38, Aisling, who wrote: “I’d love to win this to give to my niece who’s working hard to get everything their new baby needs and is relying a lot on gifts and hand-me-downs.”

I am thrilled that it sounds like the Skip Hop Duo Deluxe Edition Diaper Bag in Navy Blossom will go to someone who can truly use it.

Aisling, I’ll email you to get your snail mail address.

Again, we select all of our giveaway winners via the random number generator random.org. If you didn’t win this time, keep an eye on TravelingMamas.com — we love to give stuff away, and we’ll likely hold another giveaway soon!

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July 1, 2009 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar | 1 Comment 

Q&A with a Travel Writer: Candy Harrington, Author of Barrier-Free Travel

At Sun Studios in Memphis.

At Sun Studios in Memphis.

Traditionally we talk to other traveling mamas here at Traveling Mamas, but we’re making an exception for successful travel writer and book author Candy Harrington. She is the editor of the print (and online) publication Emerging Horizons, and she penned Barrier-Free Travel, which will be released in its third edition later this summer. This heralded book is a “nuts and bolts guide for wheelers and slow walkers,” covering everything from the logistics of air travel and how to protect your wheelchair in flight, to how to find an accessible hotel room and how to book accessible shore excursions while cruising.

As Candy points out, she and her husband are parents to an aviary full of rescued pigeons and three ring-necked doves who reside inside their California home. Plus, there’s Agnes the chicken. (”Yes,” says frequent-traveler Candy, “We do have a bird-sitter.)

How long have you been a travel writer?

About 34 years now. Outside of a sappy advice column I wrote for a now defunct hometown paper (from age 8-17) I’ve pretty much always covered some aspect of travel.

How did you start covering accessible travel?

I’m able-bodied, and I pretty much got my start because of boredom. About 16 years ago I got tired of writing what I considered fluff. I was writing mainstream travel, I needed a change and a friend suggested accessible travel. Nobody was doing it at the time and it sounded challenging, so I went for it. My colleagues all thought I was crazy, but it’s worked out well for me over the years. It’s still a challenge, which is good for me.

Do you ever cover general travel anymore, or is all your work about the accessibility of a place pr excursion?

I don’t cover mainstream travel at all — just don’t have the time or inclination. I do however cover accessible travel from every possible angle — interviews, property reviews, new products, reader questions, op-ed pieces, destinations, cruises, best practices, legal matters, rules and regulations and the general nuts and bolts. It keeps me pretty busy.

This is the third edition of Barrier Free Travel; what’s new?

A lot of access laws and regulations have changed — in major ways — since the last edition, so I’ve included updates about them. This includes everything from the Air Carrier Access Act, Canada’s One-Person, One Fare regulation and Europe’ s EU PRMS (all concerning accessible air travel) to the landmark hotels.com settlement and even upcoming changes in the ADA regulations. And since cruise travel is such a popular subject with my readers, I added a new chapter about shore excursions, which includes the contact information for 45 local tour operators who can provide accessible shore tours. Additionally I updated everything and added lots of new resources, including a worldwide list of companies that rent accessible vans. And of course I threw in some new tips and tricks, as well.

bft_160x240What U.S. city is most friendly to travelers in wheelchairs? How about a foreign city?

In the US I like San Diego — very family friendly with good accessible public transportation, some nice hotels and lots of accessible attractions like Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Hornblower Harbor Cruises. Plus they have a great access guide published by Accessible San Diego.

Outside the US, it’s a toss up between Vancouver and London — both offer excellent access — but if I have to pick one I’ll go with London.  The deciding factor is that all London Black Cabbies are wheelchair (and stroller) accessible. It’s the law, so in that respect they are even ahead of the US in access.

I’m assuming that in general, hotels, planes and public places have become more accessible in recent years. Is there still a hold-out anywhere — some place or some aspect of travel that is not accommodating to people with disabilities?

In the US, things are looking pretty good. Laws, including the ADA, have helped that; however in the past few years I’ve also seen a huge change in attitude from the hospitality industry. They are starting to look at disabled travelers as a market segment — one they want to attract. So I’ve seen many sites go above and beyond minimum access standards. I’ve even seen wheelchair-accessible tree houses in public spaces!

Worldwide, I’d say the biggest problem is with denied boardings to wheelchair-users by domestic airlines in Asia, Australia and Africa. In fact, Tiger Airways totally ruined one family’s vacation when they refused to board their daughter on a Singapore to Athens flight. The airline was well aware that she was a wheelchair-user, but when the gate agent saw her, her whole family was turned away. There’s not much you can really do about this, but it pays to be aware of the situation when traveling in those areas.

Candy at Bandelier National Monument.

Candy at Bandelier National Monument.

Is there anything in particular that parents should keep in mind if they are booking travel for their wheelchair-bound or disabled child?

Probably the biggest hiccup comes when little ones get too big to fly in a car seat. Many parents forget that they will need to figure out some way to stabilize their child if they lack the balance or the strength to sit up unassisted. Sometimes this can be done with pillows and blankets (on airlines that still provide them), but it pays to plan ahead. And remember, you can’t bring aboard anything too bulky, or seating devices that are not FAA approved. If you can find a way to stabilize the child for take-off and landing, you can recline them for the duration of the trip. But sometimes this takes a little advance planning.

You’ve traveled all over the world. Do you have a favorite personal location? Or a spot to which you’d like to return?

Well, I’m a mountain girl, so I love Yosemite, but not in the summer as it’s way too crowded for my taste. I lived in Far North Queensland (Australia) for a few years, in a town called Palm Cove, and absolutely loved it. New Zealand, specifically the North Island, is also a favorite of mine.

What’s in the future for you? Will you keep on doing what you’re doing for a while?

I expect so. Emerging Horizons is doing well, and I will keep writing more books; and I get a lot of assignments from other publications and have several regular columns. I’m also accepting a lot more speaking engagements these days, which I really love. Accessible travel will probably be part of my life until I die. I can see myself slowing down, but never totally retiring.

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June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Mama Interviews, Travel News | 2 Comments 

Diaper Bag Giveaway from AllModernBaby.com

All of the Traveling Mamas are past the diapering stage (hallelujah!), but we know how important it is to have a good diaper bag for traveling, or simply running errands with babies in tow.

diaperbagWe’ve partnered with the folks at AllModernBaby.com to give to a lucky reader one of the site’s best-selling items: the Skip Hop Duo Deluxe Edition Diaper Bag in Navy Blossom. While I’ve not seen this item in person, reviews on the site suggest that the medium-sized shoulder bag has great pockets with magnetic closures — and that the color is closer to black than navy.

All Modern Baby is a contemporary children’s furniture site that carries leading manufacturers such as Stokke, DwellStudio, and Bugaboo. It sells not only items for the home, but also travel-related gear, too, like strollers and baby carriers. Many of the products are hip and high end (strollers for $1,200!), but it’s certainly a pretty, easy-to-navigate site for browsing and dreaming if prices are too steep for your pocketbook.

All you need to do to win this diaper bag is tell us in the comments why you want to win it: to have a spare one on hand, you’re expecting a baby, you’ve worn out your old bag… or you just think it’s cool!

Leave a comment below to enter until midnight Tuesday, June 30. We’ll pull a name randomly (with a random-number generator) and announce a winner on Winning Wednesday, July 1. Only one entrant per person, U.S. only; no immediate relatives of Traveling Mamas. Good luck!

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June 26, 2009 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar | 93 Comments 

Winning Wednesday: Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway for the Motorola two-way radios. Lucky commenter #100 (number generated randomly) came up the winner. That’s Reginald who said that the radios would come in handy when kids get loose at the mall. So true!

Congrats, Reginald! I’ll email you to get your snail mail address.

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June 24, 2009 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Travel News | 1 Comment 

Mama on the Move: Perfect Day in Beaver Creek, Colorado

Regular readers know that two essential components of my ideal getaway are outdoor activity and a pampering spa treatment. (After all, what better way to treat yourself after hiking, biking, swimming or skiing than with a steam and a rubdown?) Yesterday, with a group of fellow travel writers visiting Beaver Creek, Colorado (just 90 minutes from my mountain home), I enjoyed the perfect blend of exercise and R&R.

bvhikeWhile I regularly explore Colorado hiking trails on my own, I absolutely see the value in joining a group tour or hiring a experienced guide to lead the way on unfamiliar paths, especially if you’re visiting from out of state. We met up with Nick  Fickling, a legendary hiking guide and ski instructor in these parts, who shared his wealth of knowledge about the area’s flora and fauna for our 3-hour hike on lower Beaver Creek Mountain. Our moderately paced trek took us through aspen groves, across ski runs and along maintenance roads on the mountain that looms above Beaver Creek Village.

Nick works out of the Beaver Creek Hiking Center, which offers not only our scheduled morning hike, but also day-long, more remote Colorado Adventure Hikes, as well as trips to the top of Colorado’s famous “fourteeners” (14,000-foot peaks), historic excursions that include a hike, picnic and driving tour, as well as nordic/fitness walking trips that promise to get your blood pumping.

bvhike2The Hiking Center provides the use of Saloman day packs and hiking boots, Leki hiking poles, rain gear, bottled water, Gatorade and granola bars; prices vary depending on the length of the adventure — our privately guided morning hike was $60 a person. This fee may sound steep, but, again, for out-of-state visitors who do not know the area or who may not be avid hikers, I think it’s a smart way to spend some vacation cash:  no need to pack gear (making your luggage lighter and potentially avoiding those pesky extra baggage fees), plus the guides we met are extremely personable and so knowledgeable about the entire Beaver Creek area, its history and its ecology.

Steam RoomFlash foward to our afternoon activity: treatments at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek’s Allegria Spa.  This 30,000-square-foot full-service spa, salon and fitness center was totally remodeled (to the tune of $12 million) in 2006. It absolutely ranks among Colorado’s best spas. Aqua Sanitas, a self-guided water ritual, included in the price for any body treatment. Along the “healing waters” journey, you’ll soothe sore muscles in two different hot tubs, step under a refreshing rainshower, sweat in spruce-scented steam room (my favorite step by far, with its iridescent tiles and twinkling overhead lights), and relax on heated lounges.

My spa service — a Balancing Hot Oil Wrap — combined a full body massage with warm oil and hot stones, and a wrap (to seal in the oil for optimum moisturization) with a neck and scalp massage. At $230 a pop, this is no everyday treatment, but I cannot recommend it enough for an extra-special treat. (If you like a firm touch, ask for Eli.) My fellow travel writers also spoke highly of their services, which included a Warm Milk & Honey Sugar Scrub (yep, real Colorado honey drizzled on your body) and the Ginger Peach Cure.

Still more highlights of our two-night stay in Beaver Creek:

Michelle Deford, instructorKinesis fitness class at The Club at Allegria Spa. Kinesis is a full-body workout on a wall cable-and-pulley system that allows users more range of motion than typical dumbbells or strength-training equipment. It’s a wonderfully fast-paced, set-to-music class that really does hit all muscle groups. (I wish this was offered in my neck of the woods; many gyms have the piece of $40,000 equipment, but mine does not!)

Al fresco lunch at the Beaver Creek Chophouse. You can’t miss the bright red umbrellas on the patio at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain. The fish tacos and Tuscan-style grilled chicken sandwich both got a big thumb’s up.

Dinner at Splendido, one of Beaver Creek’s highest-end eateries with a sophisticated atmosphere and a menu to match (think $35 entrees, such as Pan Roasted Rabbit, Prosciutto Wrapped Alaskan Halibut and Roasted Elk Loin). For my personal pocketbook, Splendido is absolutely a special-occasion restaurant. If you’re there when the lobster special is offered — stuffed with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, with the claws removed and roasted in butter — order it.

Overnight at The Osprey, a Rock Resort. This intimate, boutique property has 41 rooms, and was totally remodeled in 2008. It’s a stone’s throw from the plaza in Beaver Creek Village, and winter guests will appreciate its proximity to the chair-lift — The Osprey is actually the closest ski-in/ski-out hotel to a property in all of North America. Learn more about this oustanding Beaver Creek hotel  in this online piece about the Osprey I wrote this winter.

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June 20, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations | 9 Comments 

Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios Review & Giveaway

motorola1Heading to a theme park, campground or ski slopes anytime soon? (Okay, maybe not ski slopes in the U.S.) If so, consider a pair of two-way radios to keep in constant contact with your traveling companions. Two-way radios are especially key in remote spots — like on camping trips — where cell phones may not work. But they are frankly fun to play with just about anywhere.

My family tested the Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios on a recent camping trip, dude ranch vacation and hotel stay. We gave the kids a radio so they’d be reachable as they walked the campground loop, and we let them take one while they tried to find our hotel room on their own (didn’t quite happen; they read the signs wrong — but they didn’t panic since they heard us on the other end of the radio). The kids actually got the most use out of them when we took two cars to the dude ranch (Dad had to leave early) and they chatted with each other between cars. Of course the most appealing feature of the radios for the kids: the built-in flashlight.

Other perks for this particular pair: you can receive weather alerts from the NOAA Weather Radio; the radios can work up to 9 miles away in “medium-interference” situations (like on a flat lake); there’s a “hands-free” option; and there’s an emergency alert button you can hit to send out a distress call (perhaps best not to teach young children this signal, lest they “cry wolf” and get in big trouble).

One feature that drove me nuts until I figured out how to turn it off: the “I’m done talking” beep that occurs when you’re finished transmitting. This so-called “Roger beep” is optional, though, so that made me happy.

motorola2Overall, this radio that retails for $80 (a pair) has more bells and whistles than the average family might need. But if you’ve got a geeky mate who might dig all the extras, it’s a fabulous gift.

That said, you can also comment below to win a pair of Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios. Yes, Motorola has generously offered to mail a U.S. winner a set. All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me on what summer trip or excursion you might use them. Enter until midnight (EST) Tuesday, June 23; I’ll draw a winner randomly and announce a name on Wednesday, June 24. Again, only U.S. entrants and no immediate family of the Traveling Mamas!

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June 16, 2009 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar, Travel News | 274 Comments 

Stellar Staff at Family-Friendly Elk Mountain Ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado

dude1The perks of my job as a travel writer are many. Namely, I get to experience places that I might not normally visit on my own. Take, for example, my family’s recent stay at the incredibly family-friendly dude ranch, Elk Mountain Ranch, in the San Isabel National Forest in south-central Colorado. I’m not a horse person, and neither are my kids, so we wouldn’t naturally choose a dude ranch for our vacation (though we love the all-inclusive concept at Mexican resorts). But when the opportunity to visit one for a story assignment came up, I sure wasn’t going to turn it down!

We had an absolute ball — from learning how to ride (all of us but my husband, who grew up around horses) to enjoying nature in  pristine spot in Colorado to indulging in some of the best family-style, home-cooked meals I’ve had in a long time.

But what really stood out at Elk Mountain Ranch is the genuine hospitality of its owners, Tom & Sue Murphy, and the wonderfully accommodating and friendly staff. (Here’s another perk of travel writing — meeting all sorts of fabulous people I wouldn’t otherwise meet!)

dude2Owners Tom and Sue go out of their way to welcome guests to the ranch; it’s their home, too: their house is a stone’s throw from the comfortable main lodge. Both of them sit with guests at dinner every night, never tiring of answering questions about the ranch and their history there (they met as employees back in the mid-1980s!). Both of them work the ranch every day: Tom delivers a thorough “horse orientation” talk before the week’s first trail ride, detailing the finer points how to treat a new-to-you horse. He’s also out there teaching young children in the arena,  helping to send older kids and adults off on their trail rides, cooking brunch over an open campfire, and playing “fat bat baseball” at more than 10,000 feet!

Hands-on Sue drives the van to remote lunch locations, so that children can meet their parents in the middle of a trail ride. She oversees the goings-on in the kitchen, as well as the children’s program. She took the time to help my daughter brush her favorite horse and get milk bottles so she could feed the baby goats. While we were there, Sue not only regularly played Uno with the kids in the main lodge before dinner was served, but she accompanied a children’s  “field trip” to the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs Pool. Not one to sit on the sidelines, she was in the pool playing Marco Polo with the kids and giving them rides on the floaty noodles. She offered to keep an extra eyeball on my two children while I enjoyed a quiet, kid-free soak in the “extra hot” pool. If that’s not accommodating, I don’t know what is!

dude33And the staff… the wranglers who led our trail rides (and drove the hayride tractor, and taught roping to the kids, and took a group fishing, and led a marksmanship tournament) were out-of-this-world polite, friendly and downright darling. (I love being called “ma’am.”) I cannot express my appreciation enough to Mike and Caleb who patiently led my trail rides. (How many times did Mike have to remind me how to guide Flint back on the trail?)

The young ladies who run the kitchen, wait tables and work the children’s program are also genuinely friendly and eager to get to know the guests. Always smiling and courteous, they go out of your way to make sure your every need is met (I think they are the speediest servers in the West). I sound positively ancient when I write this, but their parents did an outstanding job raising them!

Clearly, the owners and staff at Elk Mountain Ranch made my family’s stay incredibly pleasurable. But there are so many more reasons to consider a vacation here, from its wonderfully remote location in the mountains, to the comfortable lodging, to, once again, the amazing food. But the number-one reason I’d book a stay at the family-friendly Elk Mountain Ranch is its stellar customer service.

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June 14, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Family Travel | 5 Comments 

Travel Writer Gone Bad: Setting off a Hotel Fire Alarm

Within an hour of arriving at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon, Colorado, my husband (dear, sweet husband) managed to set off our condo’s fire alarm. Yep, in an effort to make this weekend as economical as possible, we packed a cooler full of dinner ingredients. In frying the sides of a burrito in a skillet (is this a chimichanga?), smoke ensued. The super-loud fire alarm kept buzzing for at least 25 minutes! We headed to the (lovely) outdoor pool to escape the ear-splitting noise. But not before we ate the yummy burritos!

Thanks to the Westin for hosting our stay — our two-bedroom suite with full kitchen, balcony facing Beaver Creek Mountain, classy modern decor and big ol’ master bathroom is fabulous. I’m guessing after tonight we won’t be invited back. So we’ll certainly enjoy the property while we can!

The video here is “catching” for me; try watching it directly on YouTube for a cleaner version.

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June 12, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Family Travel | 7 Comments 

Top Attractions in Las Vegas for School-Age Kids

On my most recent trip to Las Vegas, I found myself saying to my husband more than once, “Oh, the kids would have liked this!” That’s because we happened to take in a handful of family-friendly attractions while we were there — without our children!  I’m not a big proponent of vacationing with kids in Las Vegas; do you really want to explain the why people are handing out “XXX Girls!” cards on the street? But if you’re road-tripping through Sin City with kids in mysteretow, or if you’re attending a Vegas convention and want to bring the whole family along, here are some of the top activities and attractions in Las Vegas for school-age children:

Cirque du Soleil: If you have a child age eight and up who is involved in theatre, dance or gymnastics, I’d bite the bullet and spend the big bucks ($100 or more) to take him or her to a Cirque du Soleil performance. While I sat mesmerized during The Beatles LOVE (at the Mirage), I couldn’t help but think of my nine-year-old daughter, who would have absolutely appreciated all of the special effects, the music and especially the excellent hip-hop dancing and incredible acrobatics. Just make sure you book tickets for the earlier evening shows (around 7 or 7:30 p.m.) ; and avoid the R-rated, sexy Zumanity. (Mystere and O are other shows I can personally recommend. The music and sound effects can be loud; best to leave kids with sensitive ears at home.)

sharkreefShark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay: Compare the Shark Reef exhibit to, say, the New England Aquarium, and you’ll be disappointed. But, consider that this attraction is just one section of the (albeit massive) Mandalay Bay resort property, and it’s rather impressive. About 2,000 creatures in 1.6 million gallons of seawater make their home here, including piranahs, jellyfish, rays, sea turtles, Komodo Dragons, and, naturally, sharks. I like the audio tour (see photo) that’s included with admission; at each exhibit, touch a button to learn more about the animal — no reading required. Another plus: the aquarium emphasizes conservation of earth’s natural resources; signs (reading required) teach about environmental education. Admission is $16.95 for adults; ages 5 to 12, $10.95.

skeletalmusclesBODIES…The Exhibition at the Luxor: This human anatomy exhibit is fascinating. See real firsthand the inner workings of human bodies that have been polymer preserved — with exhibits detailing the respiratory, circulatory and muscular systems. Cool stuff! I saw several tween-age children here, and none were pointing and giggling at the, er, private parts on display. An option audio tour offers fascinating educational information in vocabulary that’s toned down and appropriate for kids (hubby and I actually liked listening to the kids’ less-technical version better). Choose whether or not you want to walk through the preserved fetuses; this section is totally optional (but, to me, one of the most interesting exhibits). Also see a set of smokers’ lungs; if that won’t encourage you to quit, I don’t know what will. Adult admission is $31; children ages 4 to 12 is $23. (Though, I likely wouldn’t recommend to kids under age seven.)

Titanic, The Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor: My seven-year-old son became fascinated by the ill-fated ship after reading Tonight on the Titanic from the Magic Tree House series of books. He was thoroughly bummed he missed out on this exhibit of actual items retrieved from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Staterooms and hallways are re-created at this Luxor attraction, and we entered a room kept at frigid temperatures so that we could touch a giant “iceberg.” We read of actual passengers’ stories on the Titanic — sad tales of families who were planning on making new lives in America, but never made it,  and we looked at hundreds of artifacts, such as dishware, passengers’ clothing and luggage, and one 15-ton piece of the ship’s starboard hull. I think this is an excellent way for kids to learn about a tragic event in world history — seeing these artifacts up close is much more interactive than reading of the disaster in history books. Admission is $27 for adults; $20 for children.

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June 10, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Family Travel | 6 Comments 

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