Attractions

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

Key West has always attracted characters. From early settlers who salvaged goods off sunken vessels to present day drifters who exist on tips from their nightly acrobatic and juggling performances at the Sunset Celebration, this tiny island seems to welcome all manner of souls. While this wealth of local color ensures Key West will always be a popular tourist destination (where else can you see a half naked man riding down the main drag on a motorcycle, with a cat sitting on his head?) it has another effect: Key West has attracted some of the world’s greatest writers.

With no slight intended to Robert Frost, Tennessee Williams, Thornton Wilder, Gloria Swanson, or Sally Rand – all famous authors who lived or spent time in Key West – Ernest Hemingway was undoubtedly the island’s most famous resident writer. Hemingway ended up in Key West by accident. During a trip between Cuba and the U.S., he stopped in Key West to pick up a new Ford Roadster that his wife’s wealthy uncle had purchased for them. The car had not yet arrived and the Ford dealership insisted the couple stay in the apartment above the showroom while waiting for it. By the time the Roadster arrived, Key West had charmed Ernest.

Ernest Hemingway historic house and museum, Key West

The Hemingways purchased a home and settled into island life. Ernest spent mornings writing and afternoons at Sloppy Joe’s Saloon, chumming it up with the locals. Evenings, he retired to his private studio above the old coach house to record the stories he’d heard while perched on his favorite bar stool. From from wealthy merchants to down-on-their-luck fishermen and wreckers, Hemingways books are filled with Key West characters. His contentment was so great in Key West that more than half of his published novels were written during the ten years he resided on the island.

Hemingway's master suite is furnished in the heavy Spanish mediterranean furniture he so loved

Today the historic residence has been converted into the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. The house and grounds provide a fascinating glimpse into the life of the author – visitors are allowed to wander through rooms filled with his collection of hand-carved Spanish furniture, peer into the studio where he wrote “For Whom The Bell Tolls,” and roam perfectly manicured yards in search of one of the six-toed cats descended from a single six-toed feline gifted to Hemingway by a local sea captain.

Hemingway's studio, where he wrote more than half of his published novels

Hemingway’s House is located at 907 Whitehead Street, in the center of Old Town Key West. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children (under six free).

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum. Photo used with permission of End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

What began as a 4-H project to preserve an old railroad turntable in the 1970’s has become a full-fledged park and museum.

The End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum in tiny Currie, Minnesota, offers both train history and local history.  Guided tours of the railroad area include climbing into a caboose, observing a model train layout in action, seeing a wide collection of railroad equipment and memorabilia, stepping into a railroad ticket office, and or course checking out the turntable.

End-O-Line Turntable. Photo used with permission of End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

In the park area, visitors can see an old schoolhouse, general store, and section house that have been moved onto the site.

Picnic grounds and a bike trail to nearby Lake Shetek State Park round out the experience.

One the day we visited, it happened to be pouring rain, so we didn’t get to do all of the outdoor activities, but the museum staff were took it in stride and were willing to give us the tour even though we all got drenched dodging from building to building.

End-o-Line Caboose. Photo used with permission of End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum.

Modern restrooms and a gift shop are also available at the park.

A stop at End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum is perfect for railroad enthusiasts, families with little train lovers, those interested in local history, or anyone looking for a nice time in southwestern Minnesota.

Bunker Hill Monument - Charlestown, MA

By Molly G. @ The Bumbles Blog

Boston is a great walking city.  In fact, you can see some of the most historic sites just by walking along the Freedom Trail.  If walking the Freedom Trail isn’t enough exercise for you, one of the stops along the way provides a good old fashioned stair master workout.

The Bunker Hill Monument is one of two sites along the Freedom Trail that is actually located in Charlestown, just across the Charles River.  The hill that it resides on provides a perfect spot for a picnic, or to rest your weary feet.  It also marks the site of one of the first major battles against the British forces in the American Revolution which let the British know that these Minutemen meant business.

This early battle made famous that familiar phrase not to fire until seeing “the whites of their eyes.”  An inexperienced and diverse militia made up of everyone from farmers to prominent society members from across New England snuck into Charlestown one night and surprised the rival British by digging in on Breed’s Hill.  The British didn’t take too kindly to being surrounded so they came on over and wreaked havoc.  It took them 3 attempts but the British finally took the hill and won the battle.  But in the process they lost almost half their soldiers in the fight and faced the harsh reality that they had underestimated their foe.

View of Boston from the top

But where is Bunker Hill in all of this story?  It was passed over on the way to Breed’s Hill and the majority involved didn’t realize the difference.  The monument itself stands over 200’ high on Breed‘s Hill.  There isn’t an elevator so you have to climb almost 300 steps to get to the top.  But there is no charge for this pleasure and on a clear day the views of Boston and the rewarding breeze are worthwhile.  And you can look down at the site where over 1,500 men from both sides became casualties, yet the courage and confidence of a Revolution gained steam.

QUICK HITS:

• COST = Free.
• DURATION = Depends how easily you tire of stairs.  No big lines.
• HOURS = Daily, 9AM – 5PM (the stairs close at 4:30, the museum is open until 5:00)
• ENVIRONMENT = Family friendly.  Not handicap accessible.
• ACCESSIBILITY = By foot and is near public transportation. Limited parking options.
• WEBSITE = http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/bhm.htm
• FUN FACTS = It took a bake sale by the women in the community to get the monument completed – typical.  The Washington Monument of similar design is more than double the height and was completed about 40 years later – copy cats.

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut

Recently, I toured the Nature Coast in Florida (the region on the Gulf where the peninsula meets the panhandle). This stunningly beautiful part of the state is still in its natural state, unaffected by overblown tourism and rampant development. While there, I checked an activity off my “bucket list,” – I swam with the manatees. In the town of Crystal River, site of the largest concentration of wild manatees in the world, I hired a retired captain to take me to Three Sisters Springs.

Donning mask, snorkel and fins, I slipped into the 78 degree waters and glided toward the source of the spring. The clarity of the water; deep marine blueness; and curious, gentle manatees astounded me. Unfortunately, this lovely spring is in danger from development; the Southwest Florida Water Management District has already approved the withdrawal of up to 100,000 gallons per day from the aquifer.

Although I previously wrote an article about and featured photos of the springs on my blog, regular photographs cannot adequately convey the beauty of Three Sisters Spring. Fortunately my captain/guide was a professional videographer; he was kind enough to shoot underwater footage, from which I created a YouTube video that better captures the essence of this amazing place. I hope you can spare a few minutes to view the video and experience for yourself the magical wonderland of the springs:

And if you haven’t yet seen my blog post about the experience of swimming with the manatees, you can read it here: Swimming with the Manatees

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

This is the time of year when a lot of people from Minnesota and elsewhere head “up north” and find a spot to relax by one of the 10,000+ lakes in the state.  Many will end up in Bemidji, which is near the source of the Mississippi River and home of statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe, his blue ox.

Besides waterfront activities, however, Bemidji has another gem that’s great for family visits:  the Headwaters Science Center.

Headwaters Science Center. Photo by minnemom.

Located in an old store front, the Headwaters Science Center lacks the glitz and glimmer of some of the big science museums.  What it lacks in glamor, however, it makes up with quality exhibits for children of all ages.

Exhibits at the Headwaters Science Center are hands-on and cover a variety of topics.  My kids loved the shadow room, the hot air balloon, the pendulum picture-maker, the tractor cab, the windmill, the kinetic sculpture, and more.

Headwaters Science Center. Photo by minnemom.

Several animals are in the museum as well, ranging from fish to snakes, and the kids loved to see the creatures.  The bravest among us even touched a snake when museum staff removed it from its home.  (Note that I was not one of the brave ones.)

Staff at the Headwaters Science Center are friendly and accessible, and they show their enjoyment as they work with kids.  The museum is all in one big room, so it’s easy for parents to keep an eye on kids who are each doing something different.

Headwaters Science Center. Photo by minnemom.

We’ve been to many science museums, and the Headwaters Science Center still ranks in our top three for its quality exhibits and excellent staff.

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is an amazing place to spend time with your family while enjoying a scenic drive in an African-like setting with wild animals galore.  They are an endangered species research and conservation center in Glen Rose, Texas with over 1000 animals from 50 different species.

Fossil Rim

You have the choices of exploring on your own, taking a guided tour or even spending the night on site. They have a lodge that operates as a bed & breakfast and tent cabins for more rustic camping.

The guided tours available consist of behind-the-scenes tours, adventure tours, family tours, after dark tours, accompany the feeders tour & bike tours.  These usually need to be booked in advance.

Fossil Rim

Giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, five kinds of deer & rhinos are among many of the unique animals on site.  You can buy a bag of food to feed the animals for $7.95.  Imagine the photo opportunities of animals coming right up to your car!

Fossil Rim

Fossil Rim is located about one hour southwest of Fort Worth, and around an hour and a half from Dallas. Wednesdays are discounted, and they have different off-seasons and peak-season pricing.

My 7-year-old received a trip here as a gift for his birthday from his grandparents.  He hasn’t stopped talking about it since!

Photos curtesy of Carlock Family

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

Cypress Gardens' world famous water ski show

The first water ski show at Cypress Gardens was performed in 1941 quite by accident. The park founder’s wife, Julie Pope, sent a photo to the local newspaper that featured beautiful flowers with skiers in the background. The next day three servicemen showed up and asked what time the water ski show would start. Pope asked her son to round up some friends to perform for the soldiers, and the rest is history.

With its daring lifts and jumps, as well as barefoot skiing, tandem jumps and the world-famous Cypress Gardens water ski pyramid, the show made America’s first ever theme park “The Water Ski Capitol of the World. Unfortunately, Cypress Gardens began losing business as the facility aged, forcing it to close in November of 2008 for extensive renovations. Last month, rebranded into two separate entities, Cypress Gardens and Splash Island Water Park, America’s first ever theme park reopened. Animals from the attraction’s former zoo have been transferred to new homes and park owners are in the process of removing the carnival and adventure rides installed in 2004.

The famous ski shows and the electric boat tours for which Cypress Gardens is best known have resumed operations and concerts and special events, including flower festivals, will return as part of the regular entertainment package. The park is also well known for its 30 acres of gardens, where native plants and exotic species combine to form a spectacular botanical display. The Plantation Gardens at Snively Mansion include an aromatic herb garden, a rose garden, and a butterfly garden, which adjoins Wings of Wonder, the park’s butterfly conservatory. Cypress Gardens’ Topiary Trail features a collection of colorful animal topiaries, including a rabbit, swan, inch-worm, and ladybug.

Cute as a bug topiary

Although tickets for the gardens and the water park must now be purchased separately, a combination pass is available and park officials have announced that prices have been reduced up to 40 percent from the 2008 cost of admission. Cypress Gardens is located in Winter Haven, Florida, just a short drive from Walt Disney World.

Photos courtesy of Cypress Gardens

WWII Plane O'Reilly's Daughter (Museum of Flight, Seattle Washington)

My husband is a big aviation buff.  When we headed up to Seattle on business, a tour of the Boeing Factory was at the top of his list.  Although I was skeptical about the entertainment value of watching an airplane being built, I must confess that our visits to the Seattle Flight Museum and the Boeing Factory Tour were two highlights of our trip.  Whether you find yourself in Seattle on a grown up getaway or a road trip with the kids, the Museum of Flight in Seattle and the Future of Flight Center in the little town of Mukilteo, Washington offer something fascinating to explore for everyone.

Checking out a Fighter Jet at the Museum of Flight (Seattle, Washington)

Museum of Flight

Our visit to the Museum of Flight was my favorite aviation adventure of the trip. We needed to be at the Boeing Factory by 3pm, so I didn’t get to explore this museum to my satisfaction. I hope to return with my kids some day and catch up on what I missed.

One of the exciting things about this museum is that visitors get to experience airplanes that once flew for presidents and dignitaries. My husband and I braved the rain and checked out a version of Air Force One which was used by President Kennedy as well as retired version of the Concorde aircraft. Visitors have the opportunity to climb on board and walk through these two historic aircraft.  Most parts of the plane are covered with plexiglass which may come in handy if you’re bringing the little ones. I particularly liked checking out Air Force One’s “state of the art” computer area.

The Latest Technology from Kennedy's Air Force One

I really loved exploring the World War II fighter plane exhibit.  It was full of rich historical information about WWII.  Since I was without kids on this trip, I had time to read the interesting anecedotes about heroes such as Douglass R.S. Bader, the Fighter Pilot who flew using prosthetic legs. He lost these legs when he crashed in the middle of Germany and insisted that his German captors receive replacements by way of an Ally bombing raid. He befriended the commander of the POW camp, and they continued their friendship after the war.

The planes were spectacular as well.  I know that my little ones would be fascinated by the interesting tags and pictures on each one.

World War II Planes the Museum of Flight (Seattle, Washington)

The museum also includes a great exhibit on space exploration and the original “Big Red Barn” where William E. Boeing founded his company.  When I return with the kids I also look forward to checking out the Kid’s Flight Zone Area.

Air France Vintage Flight Attendant Costumes, Future of Flight (Mukilteo, Washington)

Future of Flight Center

I’ll confess that our visit to this attraction was not my favorite of our Seattle aviation adventures.  The exhibits here are very limited.  I did have fun seeing the vintage Air France flight attendant uniforms designed by great designers such as Christian Dior.  They also had an interesting exhibit on using biodiesel as jet fuel.  I’m excited to see that innovation used sometime in the future.

Boeing Factory Tour

This was a very interesting factory tour.  You have the opportunity to visit several observation areas above the factory floor and watch how Boeing planes are assembled.  Every visit would be different as the planes are constantly moving on to new phases of production.  I was especially interested in learning about the Boeing Dreamliner, a smaller, quieter, more fuel efficient plane that will soon be available to passengers through a number of airlines.  I look forward to riding a Dream Liner in the future.  The knowledgeable docent ended her tour by encouraging us to tell the airlines, “If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going”.  I don’t plan to follow her advice, but the tour did give me an appreciation for the amazing planes produced by this historic US aviation company.

Other  Washington State Aviation Attractions

I haven’t visited these attractions, but  after having fun at the Museum of Flight and Boeing Factory Tour, they are now on my must see list.

Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum,  was recently profiled in Southwest’s Spirit Magazine, this museum gives visitors a chance to get up close and personal with the Spruce Goose.  The Spruce Goose was a  giant transport plane  designed and built by movie producer Howard Hughes and Liberty Ship builder Henry Kaiser.  It was only flown for one test flight then retired to its hanger.

This collection of meticulously restored historic planes, by Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft looks amazing. I look forward to visiting the Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington on a future vacation.

Central Park Fountain

Guest Post by Carol Cain (NYCityMama) of The Adventures of an NYC Mama 

As the days get warmer in NYC, one of my absolute favorite places to be is Central Park.  When I moved out of the city, this was the one place that I always thought about that made me want to return.  

Now, back in the city, the to-do list is growing, and most of the list items take me to the park.  One of our favorite places to visit with the kids is the Central Park Zoo.  It is small in comparison to the Bronx Zoo but no less great and,  in combination to the Tisch Children’s Zoo, a petting zoo for children 6 and under, it makes for a wonderful visit. We often like to follow the visits to the zoo with a ride on the Carousel with the kids.  

Central Park Carousel

Another place that promises hours of fun is Wollman Rink. In the Winter this is where you will find the ice skating rink, but in the Spring and Summer months it is the home to Victorian Gardens Amusement Park, with rides and games for all ages.  

Central Park, New York City

The Great Lawn is a wonderful spot for picnics, though the park also has smaller fields for more private gatherings. And starting in June you can’t miss out on the free Summer Stage performances or, the also free, Shakespeare in The Park .  

Central Park, New York City

Whether you’re looking for a low key afternoon strolling in the many paths of the park, a peaceful venture on one of the row boats on the lake , a day full of entertainment and fun, or a romantic meal at the Boat House or Tavern on the Green, you really can’t go wrong with a visit to New York City’s central destination.  

Outdoor dining in Central Park

Minnesota State Capitol. Photo by minnemom.

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

Although the legislative session has ended, that’s no reason to stay away from the Minnesota State Capitol.  The building is open to the public, and free tours are offered by the Minnesota Historical Society.  At the capitol, you can learn about the architecture of the building, see well-known paintings in the Governor’s reception room, and see the chambers of the House, Senate, and Supreme Court.

On select weekends, special scavenger hunts called “State Capitol Art Treasures Hunts” are offered for families, where kids can look for things like gophers, griffins, the north star, and other artwork hidden in the building.

At certain times, visitors are allowed on the Capitol roof to see the quadriga (golden horses) close-up and get a great vantage point of the city of St. Paul.

Visiting the Capitol during the legislative session, you can see the legislature in action and feel the hustle and bustle of government at work.  At other times of the year, it’s much more quiet.

The Minnesota State Capitol is a beautiful building to visit.

If you enjoy visiting different state capitols, you may also enjoy these posts:  Louisiana State Capitol and Texas State Capitol.