Attractions

My travels recently brought me to Charlotte, North Carolina and I was told that they have an indoor water park. With slides and stuff. Indoors.

I’m from sunny Florida. We don’t do ‘indoor’ when it comes to our water parks. I suspect we wouldn’t know how to build a water park indoors if we tried. (I hope we don’t try, either!)

So needless to say, I was intrigued.

Ray’s Splash Planet is right in the heart of downtown Charlotte and is probably incredibly easy to get to but my iPhone GPS was a little directionally-challenged that day. Fortunately for me, it told me to park near a lovely little park that in it had a sign pointing to Ray’s Splash Planet. So I did. And off we went.

By Golly, It’s an indoor water park!

Some of the highlights include:

• The Blue Comet – A three-story water slide that whips you around in a double figure eight then dumps you into the waters below.
• The Orbiter – Grab a Tube and lazily float around The Blue Comet. Perfect for relaxing.
• Saturation Station – Tumble buckets, water walls, and slides galore!
• The Vortex – A current pool that will whip you into a frenzy!
• Moon Beach – The entry point where all your water fun begins!
• Sea of Tranquility – Two lap lanes for slower swimming or basketball/volleyball area with two basketball hoops and a large net. (balls are provided by the lifeguard staff)

Admission:

Daily Admission:

• Youth 17 & Under $6 County Resident/ $8 Non-County Resident
• Adult 18 & Older $8 County Resident/ $11 Non-County Resident
• Senior 62 & Over $6 County Resident/ $8 Non-County Resident
• Dry Ticket (Chaperone/NonSwimmer/Escort) $3 County Resident/ $5 Non-County Resident

The perfect way to end the day!

Crocs shop, Lahaina, Hawaii

by Gudrun Enger, of Kitchen Gadget Girl

Walking up Front Street in downtown Lahaina, I came upon the mecca for Croc lovers – the Crocs Shop on Front Street. If you are a devotee of these shoes, or if you are totally new to the concept, this is definitely the place to learn more.

Crocs are made out of Croslite and are very popular in the medical field – the ergonomically certified clogs stay super comfortable for long periods of time. Over the last few years, Crocs have found a new following in beach and water enthusiasts, as lightweight shoes well suited to outdoor activities.

I usually buy my Crocs online or through local department stores, but lately I have been having trouble finding a great selection. The Front Street store nips that problem in the bud!

With helpful sales staff, I tried on many of the styles I had been looking at, including the new high heel Havana and the casual Capri flip flop. My kids were fitted quickly with styles that made them happy, and spent the rest of the time checking out Jibbitz, jewelry for Crocs.  My daughter found cute little Hula girls for her crocs, while my son decided on a “hang loose” Jibbitz for his new Crocs.

The Crocs Shop on Front Street is a great place to stop while visiting downtown Lahaina!

Crocs
855 Front St # B
Lahaina, HI 96761-2366
phone (808) 667-7080
www.crocs.com

by Linda (minnemom) of Travels with Children

The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has some great museums for families to visit.  These are some of my favorites.

Minnesota Children's Museum. Photo by minnemom.

1. Minnesota Children’s Museum.  If you’re talking kid-friendly, you pretty much have to start with the Children’s Museum.  With four floors of exhibits, there’s something for kids of all ages, from the “Habitot” baby and toddler area to the outdoor rooftop art park.  Two of the exhibit areas change periodically, so there’s always something new, but our kids have some favorites as well that we see every time we visit.
   

   Science Museum of Minnesota. Photo by minnemom.

2. Science Museum of Minnesota.  This one’s better for the 5-and-up set than for preschoolers, but even the little ones will find something they enjoy.  From learning about the human body to light to music, there’s a lot to be learned here.  Special programs and traveling exhibits round out the experience, and in the summertime you can pan for jewels or play mini-golf outside.  In the lobby area, don’t miss the National Park Service site.  If you want to be really adventurous, attempt to take the skyway system from the Children’s Museum to the Science Museum and make a day of it in downtown St. Paul.
   

   Big Zipper at The Works

3. The Works.  Located in Edina, this science and technology center is generally open to the public only on weekends, but if you can fit it into your schedule, it’s a great place to visit.  They bill it for 5 and up, but there are several toddler-friendly activities as well.
   

   Bakken Museum. Photo by LHOON.

4. The Bakken Museum.  This is a smaller museum that has a lot of hands-on things for kids to do.  If you’re in luck, a volunteer will let you be electrified in the special room upstairs, but even if you miss out on that, kids will enjoy the magnets, heartbeats, and other fun things.  Save time in your day for a leisurely walk around Lake Calhoun, just a block away.
   

   Firefighters Hall and Museum. Photo by minnemom.

5. Firefighters Hall and Museum.  Again, it’s open limited hours, but what kid doesn’t love being able to “drive” a real fire truck or slide down a fire pole?  Add in the fact that each child gets their own fire hat and can pull the alarms, and you have a great place to visit with kids.
   

   Jackson Street Roundhouse. Photo by minnemom.

6. Jackson Street Roundhouse.  Trains seem to be a hit with most kids, and at the Jackson Street Roundhouse kids can explore all sorts of real train cars indoors, and then go out for a short ride on a real train.  (If it’s their birthday, let the staff know, and they might get to help drive the train or do something else special.)  If they get tired of the big trains, there are “Thomas” tables set up for play.  If model trains are preferred, try the Twin City Model Railroad Museum.
   

   Grainland at Minnesota History Center. Photo by minnemom.

7. Minnesota History Center.  There are plenty of hands-on exhibits, but the real draw for kids is “Grainland,” a climb-and-play structure that teaches about agriculture.
   

   Mill City Museum. Photo by minnemom.

8. Mill City Museum.  Dubbed “The Most Explosive Museum on Earth,” a ride on the flour tower might be a little much for tiny ones, but the water play area is sure to be a hit.  The views from the top are great, and a walk along the Mississippi River is just out the back door.
   

   Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Photo by technicolor76.

9. Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  This art museum is free every day, but they have some great Sunday-afternoon family programs that involve hands-on activities and scavenger hunts.  The Children’s Theatre is in the same building, so you can make a family day of it.  Art enthusiasts may also enjoy the more modern Walker Art Center, a few miles away, which also hosts special family-friendly activity days.
   

   Kelley Farm House. Photo by dgwallick1.

10. The Landing.  Formerly called Historic Murphy’s Landing, this historic village in Shakopee takes you back in time to the 1800’s with costumed interpreters on the weekends and during special events.  It’s a history education that’s also a lot of fun for kids.  If you’d prefer to see a working 1800’s farm, head to Elk River to the Oliver H Kelley Farm.

There’s no shortage of interesting museums to visit with kids in the Twin Cities!

For More Information:

• Minnesota Children’s Museum: Official Site and More Information
• Science Museum of Minnesota:  Official Site and More Information
• Minnesota History Center:  Official Site and More Information
• Mill City Museum:  Official Site and More Information
• Walker Art Center:  Official Site and More Information
• Jackson Street Roundhouse:  Official Site and More Information
• Twin City Model Railroad Museum:  Official Site and More Information
• The Works:  Official Site and More Information
• The Bakken:  Official Site and More Information
• Firefighters Hall and Museum:  Official Site and More Information
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts:  Official Site and More Information
• The Landing:  Official Site and More Information
• Oliver Kelley Farm:  Official Site and More Information

No matter where in the United States you live, all Home Depot stores offer FREE Kids Workshops on the first Saturday of every month.  I’ve taken my boys many times, and if you want a details of our visit, read this.

These “How-To-Clinics” are geared towards children ages 5-12, boys and girls.  Under parental supervision, your child figures out how to make a different project each month.  Kids learn valuable do-it-yourself skills and tool safety as they have fun.

Home Depot Kids Workshop

My boys have gone with their grandparents, their father and with me, at different times.  It’s wonderful one-on-one time with the kids, and I’ve had a lot of fun myself trying to help with various projects.

Father-Son Bonding

We’ve made everything from fire trucks to birdhouses

Home Depot Bird House

and race cars to Catamarans.

Home Depot Catamaran

The clinics are very casual, and you can drop in anytime from 9am to noon.  They only take about 30 minutes at most.  And did I mention they’re free?

So whether you live in California or Texas or New York, find your local Home Depot and attend one of these workshops on the first Saturday of each month.

It’s a lot of fun!

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut

G.WIZ, the Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Center in Sarasota, Florida

G.WIZ stands for Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone, and the name couldn’t be more appropriate.

At the Harmonograph, each swing of the balls creates a one-of-a-kind design

At the heart of this unique museum are six permanent exhibits:

• Habitat: With its collection of resident snakes, box turtles, hissing cockroaches, and pond fish, this zone teaches about Florida’s native inhabitants.
• Tech Zone: Adults and kids alike love this zone, where they can interact with tools like screws, levers, pulleys, gears, and hydraulics to learn about the mechanics of things.
• ExploraZone: Build bridges and structures with giant magnets, bend voices with speaking tubes, make a bolt of lightning at the Plasma ball, hear someone whispering across the room with the giant whisper dishes, or create design in motion using a pendulum motion at the Harmonograph.
• Wave Zone: Experiment with light and sound waves with the laser guitar and laser harp, where you make music without touching a string!
• Body Zone: Test your speed, strength, flexibility; measure your height, heart rate, and how high you can jump.
• Mindball: Perhaps the most popular zone of all, Mindball let’s partners compete against one another to see who can move matter with their mind! (Hint: the person who is more relaxed wins)

At Mindball, participants strap on headbands that monitor brain waves and try to push the small white ball over to their opponent, using only their minds and the art of relaxation

Artifacts from the tomb of Egyptian King "Tut" were on display at G.WIZ during 2007

In early 2006, the museum board decided to expand the museum offerings, adding a series of traveling exhibitions that have to date included “Dinosaurs,” “Ice Age Florida,” “Tutankhamun,” and “Bodies Revealed.” Currently on display at G.WIZ through February 8, 2009 is “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” which features real artifacts recovered from the famous shipwreck.

G.WIZ is located on the bayfront of Sarasota, Florida, off US-41 (N. Tamiami Trail) on Boulevard of the Arts between the Hyatt Sarasota and Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Ann Weibel