Attractions

by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

Traveler’s Rest State Historic Site, located in the Tugaloo Valley just five miles east of Toccoa, Georgia, is a restored 1815 stagecoach inn and plantation house that provides visitors with a glimpse of what it was like to undertake long-distance travel in the first half of the nineteenth century. Following Cherokee trading trails that later became wagon roads, Traveler’s Rest was built to accommodate travelers on the Unicoi Turnpike, a busy thoroughfare connecting the Tugaloo and the Little Tennessee River on the western side of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Travelers Rest State Historic Site

Although an imposing structure for its day, the inn was anything but luxurious. The Joe Brown room, named for for Joseph E. Brown, who was Georgia’s Governor from 1857-1865 and a U.S. Senator from 1880-1891, offered the inn’s most luxurious accommodations. Brown and his new bride spent their honeymoon in this room and probably paid about $1 per night – which would equate to about $100 per night today. Despite their status, the Read More »

This past weekend, I did something that is very unusual for me: I traveled without my children.  I flew into Chicago for Travel Blog Exchange, a conference of travel writers, and I had a few extra moments to enjoy the city by myself.

I arrived by plane, took the train downtown, and went on foot from there.  Here’s how I entertained myself:

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by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

High Museum of Art exterior, photo courtesy of the museum

Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, today one of the preeminent art museums in the Southeastern United States, evolved from humble beginnings. Founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, the museum was originally housed in a private residence on Peachtree Street that had been donated by Mrs. Joseph M. High. When the renowned collection of classic and contemporary art grew so large that more display space was needed, Coca-Cola magnate Robert W. Woodruff stepped up to the plate, offering a $7.5 million grant to build a new facility. The resultant stunning porcelain-enameled building, designed by Robert Meier, has been named one of the “ten best works of American architecture in the 1980’s” by the American Institute of Architects.

A towering atrium, soaring to four interior levels, is naturally lit by sunlight streaming through its glass roof. Spiral ramps surround the central core, leading up to galleries that display 18th and 19th-century collections near the ground floor and contemporary art on the upper levels. Still the museum’s collection continued to grow and more space was needed. The acclaimed Italian architect Renzo Piano was commissioned to design three new buildings, which were opened in 2005 and essentially tripled the available display space. Read More »

Looking for summer fun?  Find inspiration with this A-to-Z list of fun things to do and places to go.

Amusement park.  Take your friends, take your family, and have some fun whether you’re more fond of the roller coasters or the carousel.

Nitro Roller Coaster at Six Flags Big Adventure. Photo by Dusso_Janladde on flickr.

Baseball.  What’s your style?  Major league or minors, or just the local amateur team?  Have some peanuts and crackerjack and enjoy an All-American summer afternoon, or get outside and have fun hitting the ball.

Baseballs. Photo by ian_ransley on flickr.

Concert.  Whether it’s a big name at a venue or the town band playing in the park, get out and enjoy some music.  Extra points if you attend an outdoor concert.

Concert in the Park. Photo by Suzie T.

Dark.  Stay up late and watch the fireflies, or play a game of flashlight tag.  Or maybe find some fireworks to lighten up the night.

Fireflies. Photo by Dave or Atox on flickr.

Eccentric.  Is the world’s-largest-something in your neck of the woods? Do what the tourists do and snap a photo of it.

Talking Paul Bunyan, World's Largest Talking Animated Man. Photo by Mykl Roventine on flickr.

Fountain.  Is there a fountain in your area–one to throw pennies into, dip your toes in, or even get wet from top to bottom?  A fountain can bring out some great summer fun.

Child in Fountain, Millennium Park, Chicago. Photo by Todd Baker on flickr.

Golf.  Whether you love the links or a miniature course is more your style, try your hand at a new golf location.

Mini Golf. Photo by brainware3000 on flickr. It can be an easy stroll or a challenging climb, but hiking is a great way to see nature and get some good exercise.

Hiking.  It can be an easy stroll or a challenging climb, but hiking is a great way to see nature and get some good exercise.

Hiking Trail in Salt Springs State Park, Pennsylvania. Photo by Nicholas T on flickr.

Ice cream.  Head to your favorite ice cream shop and try a new flavor or two.

Ice Cream Cone. Photo by petrr on flickr.

Juggling.  When the circus comes to town, be sure you’re under the bigtop!

Juggler. Photo by I'mClaude on flickr.

Kids.  Let your kids choose something to do.  They may surprise you by asking for something as simple as a backyard campout, but let it be their idea.

Backyard Campout. Photo by Nicholas T on flickr.

Library. Summer reading programs at libraries are a great way for kids to have fun and keep up their reading skills so they’re ready when school rolls around again.

Newberg Public Library (Oregon). Photo by StuSeeger on flickr.

Museum.  It doesn’t have to be the biggest or fanciest to be interesting.  Choose a new museum and see what you can learn.

Art Institute of Chicago. Photo by Mark Heard on flickr.

Newsworthy.  Get out to an event that the media are covering.  Be part of the crowd, and maybe of history as well.

News. Photo by kevindooley on flickr.

Orchard.  End your summer of fun with some freshly-picked apples.  Many orchards have family-friendly activities throughout the summer and fall.

Orchard Row. Photo by Muffet on flickr.

Parade.  What’s summer without seeing a parade?

Old Police Car in Parade. Photo by KB35 on flickr.

Quiet.  Drive out to the country, or find a city sanctuary, and just enjoy some peace and solitude.

A Moment of Tranquility. Photo by Olivia Elmiger on flickr.

Road trip.  If you can spare a few days, get in the car and see where you end up.  You don’t need a plan or even a destination–the fun’s in getting there.

Courthouse Rock, Arizona. Photo by kevindooley on flickr.

State fair.  Go to the state fair and take it all in–food on a stick, baby animals, the midway, the grandstand.

Minnesota State Fair Food. Photo by tsuacctnt on flickr.

Train ride.  Find a restored railroad and take a joyride through the countryside.  You’ll see things that you never see from a car.

Tweetsie Railroad, Boone, NC. Photo by Shaggy Paul on flickr.

Umbrella.  When the rain comes down, head outside with an umbrella and galoshes and have fun splashing in the puddles.

Warm Rain. Photo by audi_insperation on flickr.

Valley. Find a creek and walk along the banks, or take a scenic drive through a river valley.  Life in a valley can be worlds away from the world outside.

Pine Creek Gorge, Pennsylvania. Photo by Nicholas T on flickr.

Waterpark.  Indoors on a rainy day or outside in the sun, a waterpark is a way to make a splash in your summer.

Mayan Adventure Indoor Water Park, Elmhurst, IL. Photo by Discover DuPage on flickr.

eXcitement.  Do something new and different, and test your limits.  Drive a race car, go bungee jumping, see new heights.

Fall to Heaven. Photo by @@:@@ on flickr.

Yours.  Share one of your special childhood places with your family or a friend.  It will take on new meaning when they see why it’s important to you.

Farmstead in Scioto County, Ohio. Photo by dok1 on flickr.

Zoo.  With or without kids, a trip to the zoo is always good summer fun.

Zebras. Photo by mape_s on flickr.

Of course, any time you’re looking for fun, the Uptake Attractions site is full of ideas.  Enjoy your summer!

Linda (minnemom) writes about family fun year-round at Travels with Children.

Related post: Ten Best Summer Food Festivals

Olivine Pools

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

Last week I wrote about a hike we took while on the road to Hana, upon a recommendation by Maui Revealed. We also followed their recommendation and explored the fascinating, natural Olivine Pools on Maui’s upper West coast, the best natural swimming pool on Maui.

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by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels

One of the most interesting things to do in the greater Atlanta area is to tour CNN Center Headquarters. The 55-minute walking tour begins in the building’s atrium, where guests step aboard an eight-story high escalator listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest escalator in the world. The two-minute ride carries visitors to a giant globe, where they can browse through 25 years of CNN footage at interactive kiosks.

CNN Center Global Headquarters in Atlanta Georgia. Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/ucumari/

Next stop is at a replica of the CNN Control Room to learn about the jobs of the producers and directors and view what is happening that very moment via a series of TV screens directly linked to the actual Control Room. Further along, guests have an opportunity to view the fast-paced environment of the real Control Room from an Read More »

Shark Tank Pool, Golden Nugget Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada

It’s heating up in Las Vegas.  During our last family visit temperatures topped 112+ degrees.  Still, Las Vegas provides lots of opportunities for an affordable family vacation.  With the slump in business travel, hotel rates are amazing.  We spent our spring break in Las Vegas staying in premium hotels on the Strip and in  Down Town Las Vegas for less that $100 a night.  On our trip last week we scored a full suite at the Las Vegas Desert Rose Resort, a few blocks off the strip, for a similar price.

On a summer visit to Las Vegas, a pool can be a source of hours of family fun.  Although this city is not always considered the most family friendly tourist destination, I have found that families can be found frolicking in most Las Vegas hotel pools.  Many casinos are now introducing separate pool areas for adults.  I think this is a great idea.  Hopefully this will segregate the splashing kids from the serious (and perhaps topless) sun bathers.  Read More »

The neighborhood of Greenwich Village in Manhattan is known for many things, like restaurants, shops, clubs, wonderful people watching, amazing art scene, and NYU.  The last thing one thinks about when thinking of The Village is kid-friendly.  I still wouldn’t go as far as stating that it is, though I do think that it should be a stop in your travels while in NYC, even with the kids, because even with the changes in the area over the years, it still remains a cool part of NYC, one that your kids might enjoy walking through.

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by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

Raging Waters San Jose

When it starts getting hot in the Bay Area, there is no better place to cool off than Raging Waters San Jose. Fortunately, during last week’s heat wave, we took our annual trip to the park and were not disappointed. Everywhere we looked, slides and water awaited us!

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