Tag Archives: kid stuff

Exploring St. Louis with kids

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Sarah Vernetti

Gateway Arch, St. Louis

St. Louis might be one of the most underrated family destinations in the U.S. With world-class museums, professional sports for every season, and a stunning monument to 20th-century design and engineering, St. Louis offers families a host of affordable entertainment options.

Where to Begin: the Gateway Arch

Perhaps the best place to start a St. Louis adventure is the famous Gateway Arch. At 630 feet, this monument’s grace ascent gives the city a skyline like no other. Visitors can experience the Museum of Westward Expansion before climbing into a pod-shaped elevator and making the journey to the top of the Arch. There, visitors can look out the small windows and see the city to the west and the Mississippi River and Illinois to the east.

Educational Adventures

No trip to St. Louis is complete without a visit to the zoo. The Saint Louis Zoo features over 19,000 animals, a zoo train, and a lively sea lion show. Surprisingly, admission to the zoo is free. Visit soon to see the zoo’s newest resident, a baby Asian elephant that was born in April 2013.

Another free option in Forest Park is the Saint Louis Art Museum. From ancient Egyptian artifacts to paintings by modern masters like Paul Cezanne, Georges Braque, and Andy Warhol, the museum’s comprehensive collection can help inspire young artists and their parents.

For families who prefer science to Cezanne, the Saint Louis Science Center is a fun and educational option. Cross the pedestrian walkway and watch the cars zip by on the highway below, or watch a movie on the five-story screen at the OMNIMAX theater.

In addition to its impressive museums, St. Louis also boasts a well-deserved reputation as a sports town. During warm summer nights, families can take in a Cardinals baseball game at the 2006-reincarnation of Busch Stadium.

Relax and Refuel

Once you’ve experienced the art, culture, wildlife, and sports of St. Louis, you’ll need to recharge with something scrumptious. Fans of Italian food should visit “the Hill,” a predominately Italian-American neighborhood known for its wide array of old-school Italian restaurants. Local favorites include Cunetto’s House of Pasta and Charlie Gitto’s.

After dinner, consider a stop at the St. Louis staple Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. Known for their so-thick-you-can-turn-the-cup-upside-down “concretes,” this ice cream shop is a must-visit for kids (and their parents) who have a sweet tooth.

St. Louis is a fantastic budget-friendly summer destination for families. We have visited many, many times, and we always find new things to try.

Helpful Planning Resources:

Gateway Arch: gatewayarch.com
Saint Louis Zoo: stlzoo.org
Saint Louis Art Museum: slam.org
Saint Louis Science Center: slsc.org
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard: teddrewes.com

2 Comments

Posted in Missouri, St. Louis, travel and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

How to Have an Awesome Day at Springs Preserve

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Sarah Vernetti

Springs Preserve

Ask any Vegas local about family-friendly activities, and Springs Preserve is likely to be one of the first places they mention. With garden trails, a unique playground, desert animals, and history exhibits, the park goes above and beyond to teach kids about Southern Nevada.

Thinking of adding Springs Preserve to your Las Vegas itinerary? Here are a few tips to help make your visit as fun as possible.

Visit in the Afternoon

Obviously, this isn’t the best option during the summer, however spring and fall are perfect seasons for an afternoon visit. From what I’ve observed, Springs Preserve seems to be most crowded in the morning. By early afternoon, most of the families with young kids have headed home for nap time and the park seems much less busy. (We also noticed this during our last trip to Disneyland. Lines for the rides seemed significantly shorter during the afternoon as opposed to mid- to late-morning.

Try the Cafe

If you’re at the preserve around midday, consider trying the Springs Cafe for lunch. Run by the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, the food here goes beyond the standard kid-friendly fare (truffle pizza, anyone?). Take a look at their current menu before you go to see if the cafe offers options that will work for your family.

Find the Flash Flood

We normally don’t seek out flash floods, but in the case of Springs Preserve, you’ll want to find the rushing water of this dramatic exhibit. Housed in the Origen Museum, the flash flood room does an excellent job of demonstrating just how powerful and dangerous this natural phenomenon can be.

Flash flood exhibit at Springs Preserve

Don’t Forget the Discounts

When you purchase your tickets, remember that Springs Preserve offers military and Nevada resident discounts. If either or these apply to you, don’t forget to bring your military i.d., Nevada driver’s license, or other proof that you qualify. This is a great way to save money on your visit to the park.

If you have any additional Springs Preserve tips you’d like to share, feel free to leave a comment. Happy trails!

Leave a comment

Posted in Las Vegas and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Exploring the Historic Railroad Trail at Lake Mead

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Sarah Vernetti

Historic Railroad Trail, Lake Mead

Thanks to a recommendation from Oh Mah Deehness!, I decided a recent spring Saturday would be the perfect time to try a hike at Lake Mead’s railroad trail.

I’ve heard there are several cool tunnels along the trail. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to even the first tunnel.

But that’s life with a strong-willed kid whose attention span is a mile long.

Even though we didn’t come close to completing the trail, there were plenty of things for us to see along the way.

Historic Railroad Trail, Lake Mead

Spring is a perfect time for this hike, not only because the weather is great, but also because the wildflowers are in bloom. We also enjoyed some great views of Lake Mead and got to see an interesting bit of history. Along the way, we saw a sign pointing out several concrete plugs that rested next to the trail that had once been used in the construction of Hoover Dam. That’s certainly not something you see every day!

Historic Railroad Trail, Lake Mead

So, you may be wondering why we didn’t make it to any tunnels despite the fact that we were having a great time. Well, five-year-old E. wanted to stop and examine everything. Every wildflower, every view of the lake, every interesting rock. She also wanted to record her findings in her journal. She made plenty of nice sketches of her surroundings: the flowers, the boats docked in the lake, the mountains. I was happy to let her take her time…although eventually we had to call it a day and start heading home.

Historic Railroad Trail, Lake Mead

historic railroad trail, lake mead

Be sure to read up on this hike and Lake Mead in general prior to your trip. Have fun!

2 Comments

Posted in Nevada, travel and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Rainy Day in Seattle? Visit the Aquarium

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti

When we planned our recent trip to Seattle, I was prepared with a list of indoor activities in case we found ourselves in the unusual circumstance of trudging through the city in the rain.

What?! It rains all the time in Seattle? Well, that would explain a few things.

outside the Seattle Aquarium

Ready to dive into the Seattle Aquarium

Our first day in Seattle, we drove through the unfamiliar streets in a complete downpour. This was followed by a day of cold temperatures, wind, and rain. Cue the list I had formulated earlier.

At the top of that list was the Seattle Aquarium, and I’m so glad we gave it a try.

The Seattle Aquarium is the perfect size for an outing with young kids: big enough to keep things interesting, but manageable, since you don’t feel like you need to move-in with your sleeping bag and toiletry kit in order to see all of the exhibits.

The first thing you’ll see as you enter the aquarium is the large floor-to-ceiling “window” that houses an array of fish. We could have stayed there all day…except that the angle of the glass made me dizzy if I looked at it for too long.

sea horse at the Seattle Aquarium

A sweet little sea horse

We enjoyed the touch tanks that are home to star fish and sea urchins. We also saw an enormous octopus, played with a felt board and tried on scuba gear in a small kids’ play area, and gazed at the tiniest, sweetest sea horses.

We also saw this guy (below) who seemed to take a liking to us. He floated around near the glass staring at us for ten minutes!

Quit looking at me like that...

Quit looking at me like that…

We love visiting aquariums when we travel, and the Seattle Aquarium is smaller than some of the ones we’ve seen in other cities. However, I felt like we got our money’s worth during the time we spent there. Don’t expect any large sharks or elaborate displays. This is a peaceful, easy-to-explore attraction.

Looking for a few tips for visiting the Seattle Aquarium with kids? Here ya go:

–Bring a jacket. Although most of the aquarium is indoors, there is a section that is exposed to the elements and can be quite chilly.

–Remember that the aquarium cosists of two buildings, so don’t forget to venture over to see the other side.

–Visit the gift shop…or not. The store has a particularly cute array of sea-themed stuffed animals, so your child will probably ask for a souvenir.

–Need help? Ask the friendly staff.

–Admission is free for kids three and under.

Have you been to the Seattle Aquarium? Have any advice for those visiting with kids? Please share in the comments section!

1 Comment

Posted in Seattle, travel and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Take it from the top: our visit to the Space Needle

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti
View from the top of the Space Needle

View from the Space Needle on a spectacular November day

We just returned from a wonderfully-fun trip to Seattle, WA and Victoria, BC. To be honest, I was much more focused on the Victoria portion of the trip in the days leading up to our getaway. And we did indeed have a great time in Victoria. (More on that later.) What surprised me was that fact that I completely fell in love with Seattle.

Yes, the girl who loves warm weather and sunshine is suddenly smitten with that caffeine-fueled, rainy city up north. Who would have guessed?

What was it, exactly, that made me decide Seattle is awesome? Mostly, it was the incredibly friendly people. Everyone we met there–from cab drivers to waitresses to hotel employees–treated us kindly and went out of their way to be helpful. And so many strangers were sweet to our daughter. Smiles, polite conversations on elevators, and customized meals at restaurants were par for the course during our two days in Seattle. What a kid-friendly city!

On our last afternoon in Seattle before flying home to Las Vegas, we took a look at Seattle’s most famous attraction, the Space Needle. Come along on our outing…

Space Needle, Seattle, 2012

Space Needle from below: retro-fabulous

View from the top of the Space Needle

Beautiful view from the Space Needle

View from the top of the Space Needle

See that city down there? It’s filled with friendly folks.

Top of the Space Needle...windy!

It’s a little windy up there at the top…

My daughter decorating a cookie at the Space Needle

Five-year-old E. decorates a spaceship-shaped cookie. We lucked out and were able to enjoy cookie-decorating and a visit with Santa on the Sunday afternoon when we visited.

Space cookie. Space Needle, Seattle

My daughter’s cookie creation. Yes, I stole a bite or two.

Stay tuned for more on our trip to Seattle and Victoria! In the meantime, check out these family travel bloggers who really know their stuff when it comes to exploring Seattle with kids:

Delicious Baby

Walking on Travels

Family Trek: Falling in Love with Seattle

Wandermom

2 Comments

Posted in Seattle, travel and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Five reasons why we love Spago

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti
E. at Spago. Las Vegas

That looks like a happy customer to me!

Going out to eat on the Strip as a family can be a little nerve-wracking. This is Las Vegas after all. Just to get to the restaurant, you have to ask your kid to hide their eyes while the billboard truck advertising all sorts of inappropriate activity drives by. Then there’s the walk through the casino to the restaurant during which you need to remind your child that no, those aren’t video games for kids. After you’ve made it that far, you still have to fend off skeptical glances from other diners who assume you’re from out-of-town and wonder why on earth you’ve brought your child to Sin City.

But this cloud does have a silver lining. Las Vegas is a fabulous culinary city with endless foodie-approved options. And many of those options are appropriate for families.

Last weekend, we tried Spago for the first time. Not sure what to expect in terms of kid-friendliness, we opted to go to lunch instead of dinner. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed our food. Here are five reasons why we’ll be going back:

1. Kids menu: Spago does have a kids menu, and they offer crayons and a coloring page for their younger guests. Our table was also covered in white paper, which made an awesome canvas for five-year-old E. to decorate while we waited for our food.

2. Ice cream sundae: Speaking of the kids menu, I was impressed by the kids ice cream sundae. The vanilla ice cream was surprisingly good, and I could tell that the chocolate sauce was the real-deal, not something that came out of a plastic bottle. I love it when restaurant don’t short-change kids. They deserve the same high-quality ingredients that the grown-ups get to enjoy!

3. “Outdoor” seating: Spago is located inside the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace. Although the restaurant is fully-enclosed, the mall area does have a “sky” and many interesting fountains. At Spago, you can sit in the dining room, or you can opt for the cafe area that is closer to the pedestrian thoroughfare that runs through the shopping area. From our seat, we could do some serious people-watching and we had a great view of the huge Trevi Fountain. It was also a great place to sit since there is more background noise in this part of the restaurant, so I didn’t have to remind E. a thousand times to please use her inside voice.

4. Good food for the grown-ups: My husband and I ordered pizza, and it was great! The prosciutto pizza was topped with mission figs, micro arugula, and aged balsamic. I loved the sweetness provided by the figs. And of course, you can never go wrong with prosciutto! The baby arugala provided just a little bitterness and texture. It was a great pizza, and I would definitely order it again.

5. Convenient location: Those of you who have been to Las Vegas know that the walk from the parking garage to your destination of choice can be rather long with a child. The labyrinthine design of many casinos can be difficult to navigate sometimes. However, the Forum Shops are located a short walk from the parking garage, and you won’t have much trouble spotting Spago once you’ve entered the Ancient Roman-themed shopping area. This is also a great jumping-off point for further exploring on the Strip if you chose to do something after your meal.

For another restaurant option in the Forum Shops, read this post from RockStarMom Las Vegas: Max Brenner | Food.

Leave a comment

Posted in food, Las Vegas and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Dinosaur Discovery in St. George, Utah

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti

The Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm may not be for everyone. However, my dinosaur-obsessed daughter enjoyed our visit to this small museum. Located in St. George, Utah, this would make a great stop for those travelling from Las Vegas to Zion National Park or elsewhere in Southern Utah.

Take a stroll with me through the Dinosaur Discovery Site:

Dinosaur Discovery, St. George, UT
The museum features dinosaur tracks, swimming trails, and other artifacts from the Early Jurassic period.

Dinosaur swim tracks at Dinosaur Discovery museum. St. George, UT
These swim tracks were made by dinosaurs called Characichnos and are very rare. They were created as the dinosaurs swam through shallow water.

Untitled
We let our daughter take her own photos as we went through the museum. I think this helped her to enjoy the experience and not become bored. She pretended like she was a paleontologist on a search for new discoveries.

Dinosaur Discovery, St. George, UT
The museum may be small, but it is considered by some to be one of the best dinosaur track sites in the world. If you or your child is interested in paleontology, it is worth a visit.

Dinosaur Discovery is located at:
2180 East Riverside Drive
St. George, Utah 84790
Phone: 435-574-DINO

3 Comments

Posted in travel, Utah and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

My Favorite Vegas Restaurants

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti

Steak n shake. Las Vegas

I love food, but hate to cook, which means our family ends up eating at restaurants quite often. It’s no secret that Las Vegas has a plethora of fabulous restaurants, from casual and family-friendly to ultra-swanky. Our culinary excursions tend to be the more down-to-earth variety since we’re almost always dining out with our five-year-old daughter. But don’t let the term “family-friendly” fool you…there are plenty of great restaurants that welcome children, yet offer up excellent, imaginative food. Here are our four favorites in four different categories:

Pizza
When we’re in the mood for pizza, there’s no question where we’re heading: Dom Demarco’s. When President Obama visited Las Vegas last winter, he ordered carry-out from this pizza-and-pasta establishment. Having eaten plenty of pizza in my day, I can tell you that he made an excellent choice. Demarco’s offers both New York style pizza and deep dish pies. Our absolute favorite is the deep dish pepperoni pizza: thick, crisp crust is covered in sauce, cheese, fresh basil, and pepperoni. The deep dish pizzas are baked well-done, which makes them a hit with our family. I love how the pepperoni is nice and crispy. I’m also a big fan of the 15th Street BLT salad, which consists of butter leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bacon, and avocado in a gorgonzola dressing.

Thai
Our family loves Thai food. Yes, even our daughter. She gobbles up pad prik king the way most kids dive into a cheeseburger or chicken nuggets. When we’re in the mood for Thai food, our go-to is Archi’s. I almost always order the panang curry with tofu. In order to keep your street cred, I suggest you order your food at a spice level of at least 5 or 6 (on a scale of 1-10). Just be prepared with a tall glass of ice water!

Brunch
For Father’s Day, my daughter and I took my husband out to brunch at Mon Ami Gabi, located at the Paris Hotel and Casino. I love that this restaurant has a slightly more formal atmosphere…it’s a place where we can go in our Sunday best, which is fun. Guests who choose to sit outside on the patio will enjoy a great view of the Strip. My favorite dish at the Mon Ami Gabi brunch is the strawberry waffles. The waffles are nice and crisp, the strawberries are fresh, and the whipped cream is to die for. After brunch, you can take the elevator ride up to the top of the Eiffel Tower and enjoy fantastic views of the entire Strip, including the Bellagio fountains across the street.

Burgers
I know there are going to be some folks who vehemently disagree with me on this pick. Keep in my mind that my husband and I spent most of our lives in the Midwest, so our favorite burger spot is a bit of a sentimental choice. We love Steak ‘n Shake, located at South Point. Yes, this is a chain. Yes, the burgers are thin. But we love the crisp edges of the burgers, the shoestring fries, the delicious milkshakes, and the reminder that there is a little bit of home here in Las Vegas.

The best part about these restaurants? Not only do they serve delicious food, they make families feel welcome. These restaurants strike that perfect balance between the preferences of the kids and those of the parents.

What do you think? What are your favorite Vegas restaurants?

6 Comments

Posted in food, Las Vegas and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Pueblo Park: Kid-Friendly Fun in Las Vegas

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti

Kid-friendly activities abound in Las Vegas, but what is particularly surprising is the number of lovely parks and playgrounds. One of my favorites is Pueblo Park in Summerlin, which we visited for the first time last weekend. I left wondering why I hadn’t explored this suburban oasis sooner.

Pueblo Park features large areas covered in lush green grass, somewhat of an anomaly in the Las Vegas area. It has a playground, complete with swings. (Remember when all parks had swings? Those were the days.) Visitors will also find a nice walking/biking trail that is perfect for observing the surrounding desert landscape, getting a little exercise, or just taking an after-dinner stroll.

Pueblo Park is a linear park, which runs west from Lake Mead Blvd., past Park Vista Dr., to Rampart. If you’re using a GPS, you can plug in the address 7663 Lake Mead Blvd.

For other kid-friendly Las Vegas activities, check out:

Animal Adventures on the Strip
Kid-Friendly Las Vegas Activities

20120611-222335.jpg

20120611-222346.jpg

Leave a comment

Posted in Las Vegas, Nevada, parks and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Today: School’s Out for Summer Celebration

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Sarah Vernetti

I usually don’t write about upcoming events, but I couldn’t help but share this one. Today, Monday, June 11 from noon to midnight, head down to Fremont Street for all kinds of fun family activities…and help your local Vegas PBS station in the process. It’s all part of the School’s Out for Summer Celebration.

Experience the Flightlinez zipline attraction and the Fremont Street Experience, while meeting special guests including Curious George, BMX pro Ricardo Laguna and DJ BABYCHINO, the World’s Youngest DJ. Flightlinez and the Fremont Street Experience will donate the net proceeds from zipline rides on Monday, June 11 from noon until midnight to Vegas PBS.

Stop by at noon to see Curious George kick off the festivities and stick around for the fun. Zipline rides are $15 before 6 p.m. and $20 from 6 p.m. until midnight.

Head to 425 Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas to join the celebration. For more information about Flightlinez, call 702-410-7999.

Leave a comment

Posted in Las Vegas, Non-profit and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
→
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 82 other followers