How To Get Cheap Tickets For Broadway Shows- What You Need To Do Pre-Trip And Why Visiting Box Offices Is Worth It

March 25, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Times Square in NYC lit up with lots of neon billboards advertising Broadway shows — Times Square in NYC on a cloudy March day. This is basically your starting place for Broadway shows as almost all of the theaters are a short walk from here. We took the subway here each morning as we headed out on our hunt for cheap tickets for one of the many, many musicals to choose from on Broadway. A little work and some luck led us to some great seats and some great shows.

Find out how we scored cheap tickets for 5 Broadway musicals in 5 days. (And also how I am an obsessive researcher and planner.) With a combination of a lot of pre-trip internet surfing, some walking around, and a little luck, we saw 5 fantastic shows on Broadway for less than $300 per person. I will give you all the details of how we did it- from how the ticket lotteries work, to what rush tickets are, and why walking around to box offices can really pay off.

Badlands National Park And The Black Hills With Kids- An Awesome 6 Day South Dakota Itinerary

March 20, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Looking down on Saddle Pass Trail in Badlands National Park — Waving at my brother from the top of Saddle Pass trail in Badlands National Park. He climbed up to this overlook but I was pretty content with the view where we were, which was fantastic. Of course, the views were pretty fantastic everywhere in Badlands.

This 6 day itinerary includes a complete itinerary for 6 days in South Dakota visiting Wind Cave National Park, hiking Black Elk Peak in Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, biking the Mickelson Trail, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, and of course Badlands National Park.

Easy Hikes at Grayson Highlands State Park

March 20, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

Grayson Highlands State Park is famous for its wild ponies and access to a beautiful section of the Appalachian Trail, but you’ll also find plenty of amazingly beautiful trails for those seeking shorter hikes.

Children especially enjoy the trails at Grayson Highlands, because some of the best trails are not only super short but all of them provide something fun along the trail like fun rock scrambling and typically lead to an incredible high elevation view or water feature.

The Bubblebum: The Best Portable Car Booster Seat For Travel

March 8, 2023 Amanda Luhn

I love the Bubblebum inflatable car seat. Easily packable when it is deflated (it fits in a backpack or even a large purse) but comfortable and safe when inflated, which takes about 10 seconds. Image courtesy of Bubblebum- https://www.bubblebum.co/us/

The super portable Bubblebum inflatable car booster seat is one of our favorite travel hacks. It is easily packable when deflated, easy to inflate and secure in the car, and it is safe. We even use our Bubblebum booster seat at home too. An all around great piece of travel gear for your next family trip.

The Best Educational And Fun Apps And Games for Toddlers And Elementary Kids 2023

March 7, 2023 Amanda Luhn

My nephew not paying attention to the beautiful French countryside. Hopefully he is doing an educational app but he is probably playing Minecraft or watching a movie.

Our favorite (and well tested) apps and games for kids that we use on flights, road trips, trains, and all other kinds of travel as well as at home. Educational and fun, toddler and elementary school aged-kids, we have all our recommendations for the best apps and games for your kids including geography, math, reading, and cool logic games. Some are pretty well known and some are unusual finds that our kids have loved.

Amsterdam Is A Top Destination For Families

March 1, 2023 Amy Ragsdale

What To Do In Amsterdam With Kids? You’ll find plenty to do in Amsterdam between strolling alongside the canals, stopping at sidewalk cafes, eating Dutch delicacies at the street markets, and exploring museums. It’s a terrific family destination with something for everyone. Family-friendly options include treasure hunts at the museums, an amazing science museum, sampling food at the markets, or riding on a canal boat which offers a distinctly unique perspective of the city.

Family Travel: Practical Tips And Hacks 2023

February 28, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Kids on dock with backpacks and a Kavu. — Whether heading to the beach or internationally, these are our best travel tips, hacks, and gear recommendations.

These are our favorite tips and travel hacks to make your next family vacation go a little faster and hopefully a little smoother. From best ways to get through a long plane flight with toddlers to tips also learned on road trips with teens, these are things we do with our own family that we have learned over the years.

3 Short Hikes In Badlands National Park Great For Kids

February 8, 2023 Amanda Luhn

You can arrive at this otherworldly landscape just 15 minutes after you left the car in Badlands National Park. This is Door Trail, one of 3 trails sharing the same parking area near the Northeast Entrance to the park.

Looking for something short and sweet to do in Badlands National Park? These 3 hikes- Door, Window, and Notch Trails- share one parking lot just 10 minutes from Interstate 90. All 3 trails are scenic and fairly easy trails that give a great taste of what makes the Badlands so special. Our kids really liked exploring them, especially climbing the fun ladder on Notch Trail.

Saddle Pass - Medicine Root - Castle Trail Loop Hike in Badlands National Park

February 6, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Overlook of Saddle Pass Trail — View down from a rock outcropping overlooking Saddle Pass Trail. One member of our group ran up but the rest of us elected to stay on the trail and wave up at him. You can see the trail ascending up the rock formations on the right of the picture.

Saddle Pass to Medicine Root Trail to Castle Trail is a nice day hike of about 4.8 miles that combines rock scrambling, strolling through the prairie, plus fantastic views out over the classic rock formations of the Badlands all in this one hike. Our family really enjoyed this hike - interesting and varied enough for the kids (but not too long) while the adults got to take lots of pretty photosand feel like they stretched their legs.

Our Review Of Cedar Pass Lodge And Campground In Badlands National Park

February 2, 2023 Amanda Luhn

Not too hard to get a pretty picture of Cedar Pass Lodge with this backdrop. You can see the small group of rental cabins in the foreground and the main building in the distance on the left of this picture. The campground is about a 1/4 mile away to the left. This picture is taken just after the sunset so the rocks are reflecting the beautiful reds and pinks and all you had to do to see it was just walk outside your door.

I loved Badlands National Park and part of the reason why I liked it so much is because we stayed one night at Cedar Pass Lodge. Being able to enjoy the breathtaking sunset and sunrise, not to mention the awesome starry nights, made this trip special in a way I don’t think visiting the park just for the day would have. If you can swing it, definitely try to make an overnight in the cozy cabins at Cedar Pass a priority. You won’t regret it.

Visiting The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site In South Dakota With Kids

December 13, 2022 Amanda Luhn

Looking into the missile silo at Delta-09 at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site — Looking into the missile silo at Delta-09 at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Park. This is one of 2 places in America where you can look into a ICBM missile silo—this one is holding an unarmed Minuteman Missile capable of flying 15,000 mph. You can see the Badlands rising up in the background, making a pretty amazing backdrop to this bit of history.

On your way to Badlands National Park and looking for something nearby to do besides visiting Wall Drug? Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a great stop on I90, whether you only have 30 minutes to just see the missile silo or you have a couple of hours to see everything plus take a ranger guided tour of the underground Launch Control Center. The kids were pretty fascinated to see a nuclear missile up close and we all learned a lot about this part of Cold War history.

A Simply Awesome Day Biking The Mickelson Trail in The Black Hills Of South Dakota With Kids

December 5, 2022 Amanda Luhn

Mickelson Bike trail in the Black Hills of South Dakota — I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend the day looking at scenery like this?

Whether you cycle the entire 109 miles or just rent a bike for an afternoon, the Mickelson Trail is an awesome adventure for the whole family. It is an absolutely gorgeous ride through some of the most beautiful parts of the Black Hills. With 4 train tunnels and over a hundred bridges, not to mention rolling hills, open pastures, and old gold mines dotting the trail, there is plenty to look at and enjoy on the Mickelson Trail!

Our Family's Four Fun Hikes In Shenandoah National Park

November 9, 2022 Amanda Luhn

Sunset with the family from atop Blackrock Summit in Shenandoah National Park — Not a bad place to watch the sunset right? We climbed up the rocks to the very top of Blackrock Summit for this awesome view. The best part? It was only a 20 minute hike from the parking lot.

Looking for 360 views from the shortest hikes ever? Look no further than Shenandoah National Park. We loved our day and half here, hiking and rock scrambling and exploring the awesome and appropriately named Skyline Drive. It is easy to get to Shenandoah from Interstate 81, has lots of hikes for all ages, 5 campgrounds or 2 historic lodges to choose from, and some of the best sunset views I have ever seen. Don’t drive past the signs for Shenandoah on I-81. Stop for half a day (or several days) and get to know this fabulous national park.

Easy Hikes Near Blowing Rock, NC

November 7, 2022 Amy Ragsdale

Two of my favorite family hikes are located on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, NC. I have to admit, however, that I will always choose these hikes with or without the kiddos. They are just that good. Both Rough Ridge and Flat Top Tower trails offer incredible vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains and are worth every step.

Think You Shouldn't Travel to Alaska in January? Think Again.

November 1, 2022 Amanda Luhn

View from the bucket in a dog sled in Alaska — Mushing was never on my bucket list and it should have been. So much fun.

Traveling to Fairbanks in January turned out to be a much better idea than I thought it was going to be. When my friends invited me on the Alaskan vacation they were planning, my first thought was "Alaska? In January? Have you met me???" But a chance to check off an elusive bucket list item, the Northern Lights, got me on a cross-country plane flight to Fairbanks, Alaska hauling a suitcase stuffed with warm clothing.

How To Visit Arlington National Cemetery During A Layover At Reagan National Airport In Washington, D.C.

October 27, 2022 Amanda Luhn

Rows of graves at Arlington National Cemetery — One of the many different sections of graves found in Arlington National Cemetery

Reagan Airport has a metro stop which takes you to several popular tourist sites in just a few minutes. The closest of these is Arlington National Cemetery, one of my favorite places in DC to take kids. There is history and peaceful grounds to explore as well as a chance to teach the kids about honor and respect for our servicemen and women.

A Simply Awesome Day In Shenandoah National Park With Kids: Spectacular Vistas, Waterfalls, And Several Easy And Fun Hikes

October 21, 2022 Amanda Luhn

View from rocks atop Bearfence Trail in Shenandoah National Park — This is the view you get a measly 25 min after you left the car on the awesome Bearfence trail, one of our favorites.

Looking for 360 views from the shortest hikes ever? Look no further than Shenandoah National Park. We loved our day in the park, hiking and rock scrambling and exploring the awesome and appropriately named Skyline Drive. It is easy to get Shenandoah from interstate 81, has lots of hikes for all ages, 5 campgrounds or 2 historic lodges to stay in, and some of the best sunset views from a park I have ever seen. Don’t drive past the signs for Shenandoah on I-81, stop for half a day (or several days) and get to know this fabulous national park.

3 Family Fall Getaways in the North Carolina Mountains

October 20, 2022 Amy Ragsdale

The hot temperatures have subsided, the leaves have started to turn, the apples trees are ready for harvest, and the water cooler talk has turned to college football. It must finally be fall! Now is a great time to get the family together to enjoy an easy scenic hike, go apple picking, pitch a tent, or stroll down Main Street. So pack up the family and check out these 3 great fall getaways to Asheville, Brevard, and Bryson City, NC.

Why We Love Theodore Roosevelt Island In Washington DC

October 13, 2022 Amanda Luhn

The pedestrian bridge from the Rosslyn side of the Potomac that leads to Theodore Roosevelt Island — The pedestrian bridge leading to the island in the middle of the Potomac River.

While Washington. DC is a fantastic family vacation destination, packed with museums and historical monuments, sometimes you need an activity that just lets the kids run a little and provides you with a little serenity. Enter Theodore Roosevelt Island, an urban forest dedicated to our conservationist 26th President. Take a walk in the woods just steps away from the National Mall and find my favorite off the beaten path memorial in DC.

The United States Botanic Garden- An Oasis Of Calm In A Sea Of Tourists

October 10, 2022 Amanda Luhn

US-Botanic-Garden-Capitol-Washington-DC (1).jpg — You can see how big the Conservatory is in the US Botanic Garden and how close it is to the US Capitol building. It is such a great place to explore.

Looking for a something a little bit different in Washington DC and without the overwhelming crowds? Try the US Botanic Garden, a gorgeous cacophony of green right by the Capitol Building. You can visit a tropical rainforest, a desert, and see carnivorous plants among lots of other things in the huge greenhouse, and kids will enjoy exploring all the nooks and crannies of the outdoor gardens. Our family always enjoys a stop here to escape the crowds of the other attractions on the National Mall.

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