Around the United States Archives – Page 15 of 17

SeaStreak Ferry

September 17th, 2018admin0 Comments

On all of our previous visits to NYC from Central NJ, we have taken the train. NJ Transit is easy and affordable. It is also incredible boring. It functions primarily as a commuter train system and therefore caters to commuters more than families or vacationers. Even when my kids were train-loving pre-schoolers, they didn’t enjoy the long and boring ride. The trip from Red Bank to New York Penn Station (not to be confused with Newark Penn Station, which is the stop right before and sounds pretty much the same on garbled train announcements), takes almost an hour and a …

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

September 8th, 2018admin0 Comments

Both my boys read and loved the book From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a story of two siblings who run away from home to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So when we started talking about which museum to visit in New York City, the decision was quick and unanimous. They both wanted to go to the Met and were excited to see if they could recognize different rooms and works of art from the book. It’s rare that the boys agree on something like this (and indeed, my oldest briefly changed his choice …

Spyscape

September 8th, 2018admin0 Comments

Spyscape did not make our list of “things to do with kids in NYC”. In fact, we had never even heard of it. But when we exited the Newark Airport, my 10 year old spotted a huge billboard for it. Immediately the badgering began. “What’s Spyscape? It sounds cool. Can we go there? Can I look up Spyscape on your phone? Can we go tomorrow?” And so it continued until we determined what it was, that it was indeed cool, and that we probably couldn’t go tomorrow but would try to fit it in on Sunday. (Remember my earlier comment …

Central Park Zoo

September 8th, 2018admin0 Comments

Central Park is an oasis in the middle of New York City, and the Central Park Zoo is one of many hidden gems inside it. At only 6.5 acres, it is a tiny part of the 843 acre park. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in quality. It is well worth the hour or two it takes to explore. It is especially great for young kids, as the small size makes it manageable to see all the animals and less overwhelming for little ones. We had been once before with the boys about 5 years ago, …

Rainy Weekend in NYC

September 8th, 2018admin0 Comments

I grew up just 50 miles outside of NYC but visited surprisingly infrequently. Somehow having the city only a short train ride away actually seemed to make me less likely to go. I figured it would always be there. But the strange thing about things that will always be there is that you rarely motivate yourself to actually take advantage of them. I took day trips here and there to visit my siblings who lived and/or worked there but I had never actually spent a weekend or more there. But kids have a strange way of motivating you to see …

Daufuskie Island

July 26th, 2018admin0 Comments

Visible from Harbour Town, Daufuskie Island sits across the Calibogue Sound from Hilton Head. It is an island with a fascinating history and an equally fascinating present. With no bridge connecting it to the mainland, it is a place where time has seemingly stood still. Golf carts and bicycles are the main mode of transportation. There is no hospital, no police, no grocery store. The small country store has a sign in the front window stating “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!” Life is simple here by choice and its roughly 400 residents love it that way. …

May River Excursions – Bluffton, SC

July 18th, 2018admin0 Comments

During our most recent stay in Hilton Head, we decided that we wanted to visit Daufuskie Island. Visible from the Harbour Town Lighthouse, Daufuskie Island sits across the Calibogue Sound and is only accessible by boat. There are several ferry or water taxi options, but once we decided to take a tour through Tour Daufuskie, we were left with two choices: the Daufuskie Island Ferry or May River Excursions. The Daufuskie Island Ferry leaves from Buckingham Landing at the foot of the Hilton Head Bridge. (It is across the bridge so actually off the island.) Round-trip tickets cost $35 (children …

Harbour Town – Hilton Head, SC

July 17th, 2018admin0 Comments

Harbour Town has a little bit of everything – shops, restaurants, boats, water activities, a playground, a lighthouse, a golf course. There is something for everyone there. Over the years we have been there to eat, shop, play, and even take a super fun pirate cruise with Pirates of Hilton Head back when the boys were younger. Located in Sea Pines, one of the largest plantations on Hilton Head, Harbour Town is a top destination for visitors to Hilton Head. If you are not staying in Sea Pines, there is a fee to get in – as well as a long …

Palmetto Dunes – Hilton Head, SC

July 9th, 2018admin0 Comments

Hilton Head is a barrier island featuring twelve miles of beautiful beachfront in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Located close to both Savannah and Charleston, the island offers pristine white sand beaches, more than a dozen championship golf courses, 64 miles of bike trails, and over 250 restaurants. That’s a lot to pack in to a 5 by 12 mile island! Hilton Head Island is divided into 11 gated communities known as plantations. Some of these communities are private (year-round residents only), but many are public or semi-private and offer resorts and activities for vacationers. We have been coming to Hilton …

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk

August 26th, 2017admin0 Comments

For a taste of real Jersey Shore family fun, we visited Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant, NJ. Jenkinson’s has everything from your typical boardwalk arcade games to an aquarium, as well as unbeatable people watching. The boardwalk is roughly a mile long, with the ocean on one side and all the games, rides, and cotton candy you could ever want on the other. We came down in the evening and ate dinner on the outside patio of Jenkinson’s Pavillion Restaurant. The food was fine – typical boardwalk fare of burgers, pizza, and cheesesteaks. It was super windy but really pretty …