tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50587499008846391222024-03-15T21:10:04.910-04:00Away We Go!Around the World Adventures Before and After Kids!Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-24183293273479607222019-06-04T21:16:00.000-04:002019-06-04T21:16:17.437-04:00York Beach, Maine with Kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm41A4jWVlI/XPcWAZmcxRI/AAAAAAAARc8/qfgxUzu4Pb4ddN_RiOcvq5KKdCFgOxCOgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zm41A4jWVlI/XPcWAZmcxRI/AAAAAAAARc8/qfgxUzu4Pb4ddN_RiOcvq5KKdCFgOxCOgCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7613.jpg" width="480" /></a>On Monday of Memorial Day weekend, we decided to use our bonus day off for an inaugural beach day trip to York Beach Maine.<br />
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The drive north to York is easy from Boston- less than 1.5 hours. We arrived around 11 and since it was close to lunch, we decided to make our first stop the Nubble Light House, so the kids could spend a bit of time exploring the rocks before we had lunch at Fox's Lobster House next door. <br />
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Within minutes of exiting the car and scrambling down the rocks toward the ocean, the kids found a friend- another first-grader girl who was collecting buckets full of snails. We retrieved our beach pails from the car and our kids joined in, spending the better part of an hour exploring tidal pools to find snails, baby crabs, mussels and even tiny sea anemones. <br />
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Around noon we released all the creatures back to their habitats and put in our names for a table at Fox's. We sat upstairs with a great view out over the water. Both kids tried some of the steamers that we ordered, and Mohit and I enjoyed the crab cakes and lobster roll. We topped off our lunch with some Maine blueberry pie, always a must for Mohit when we visit Maine. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qS-Ugx2pLho/XPcWHKDu99I/AAAAAAAAReU/UkVNZoVDQo0ffyE8F7n5RE5_UgCwgHxtwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qS-Ugx2pLho/XPcWHKDu99I/AAAAAAAAReU/UkVNZoVDQo0ffyE8F7n5RE5_UgCwgHxtwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7628.jpg" width="480" /></a>After lunch we headed over to Short Sands beach. The public parking lot next to the beach is always packed, but we found a spot after circling for a few minutes. The beach is convenient with kids: there's a big public restroom, outdoor showers for rinsing off, and a playground at the edge of the beach. The beach is also within easy walking distance of various fried clam/ hot dog places and ice cream shops, in case anyone gets hungry. <br />
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It was warm in the sun but chilly in the breeze. Big kid tried going in the water with his boogie board, but decided it was too cold. We spent some time building sand castles and then exploring more tidal pools along the rocky edge of the sand. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rd00qkUdg04/XPcWKLMVFNI/AAAAAAAAReI/93U7Pu2NgP408f2Tui5r-aMjsjWyS-JdACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rd00qkUdg04/XPcWKLMVFNI/AAAAAAAAReI/93U7Pu2NgP408f2Tui5r-aMjsjWyS-JdACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7662.jpg" width="514" /></a>Mid-afternoon we packed up our beach gear, brushed off the sand, and brought the kids over to check out the aptly named FUN-O-RAMA on the boardwalk just behind the beach. I was shocked that big kid hadn't read the sign and begged to go earlier, but he was definitely all smiles after I pointed it out. <br />
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Inside, there's an assortment of video games, pinball machines, skee ball, ride on toys, and various other games to earn tickets. The kids spent about an hour, then were excited to cash in their tickets for penny candy and small crap...ahem...toys. <br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMOcK-ZJ4yg/XPcWNfWpGqI/AAAAAAAAReU/NakT9UVMTbUOurc76LyT1U5IBpgf4xiUACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMOcK-ZJ4yg/XPcWNfWpGqI/AAAAAAAAReU/NakT9UVMTbUOurc76LyT1U5IBpgf4xiUACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7676.jpg" width="480" /></a>We topped off our day with some ice cream cones at Wicked Good Ice Cream. Both kids declared it wicked good. We hit the road and were back home in Boston in time for dinner. <br />
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If you're looking to spend more time in this area of Maine, also check out nearby <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2018/07/ogunquit-maine-with-kids.html">Ogunquit, where we spent a weekend last year (blog post here!). </a></div>
Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-67117384115202952432019-05-30T21:39:00.001-04:002019-05-30T21:39:09.224-04:00Boston, MA- USS Constitution and Charlestown Navy Yard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Memorial Day weekend was sunny, warm and beautiful this year. Although we contemplated making out-of-town plans for a weekend away, we decided to hang out at home to enjoy BBQing with friends, a babysitter night out with friends, and some staycation adventure in our own hometown.<br />
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The first summery weather of the year begged for some waterfront scenery, so we settled on a day exploring the Boston waterfront with a half-day walking tour mostly through the Charlestown Navy Yard. Our primary destination was the U.S.S. Constitution Museum, but we also enjoyed several playground stops, a stop for morning treats and lunch on a pier. Although we live just outside Boston and know these areas well, this would also be a great half-day adventure for new visitors to Boston. <br />
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Since it was a Sunday, we parked in Cambridge for free at parking meters (no need to pay!) near the E.F. Building (close to the Museum of Science). <i>You could also easily get off at the Green Line T stop and walk over. </i> From there, we walked east all morning, and then while the kids played at our final destination (Thomas Menino waterfront playground) Mohit grabbed a public rental bike (Blue Bikes) to pedal back to the car and he drove back to pick us up. If I were visiting from out of town, I think I might have had an Uber drop us off late morning at the opposite end (at Thomas Menino Park) and have walked westward toward Cambridge. Then, after enjoying this walk, you could top off the late afternoon at the Museum of Science and have dinner near the Cambridgeside Galleria (many restaurant options to choose from).<br />
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Here's what we enjoyed from west to east:<br />
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1. <b>North Point Park, Cambridge</b><br />
This playground and splash pad was closed for renovations during our visit, but we've been here before- it's a great stop for the kids and has great waterfront views with shade for parents to enjoy!<br />
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2. <b>Walk below the Zakim Bridge</b><br />
There's a pedestrian bridge that swoops over the water where the Charles River meets Boston Harbor, and leaves you in the shadow of the Zakim Bridge. There's also an amazing skate park here where we stopped to watch skateboarders, a kid on a scooter, and a couple women in roller skates rock some serious tricks!<br />
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3. <b>Stop for iced coffee and treats at Sorelle's</b><br />
This is a great spot for coffee, pastries, salads and sandwiches. We made a late morning stop and treated the kids to some chocolate chip banana bread to fuel them until a late lunch. Dine indoors or on the patio, and make a pit stop at the restrooms. Right next door there's also J.P. Licks, a great ice cream spot. <br />
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4. <b>Exploring the <a href="https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/">USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young</a></b><br />
The kids loved climbing all over these boats, checking out cannons and hammock sailors' quarters, and ringing the bell. (Note: Adults need photo IDs to get through security). We spent about an hour exploring both boats. Afterward, we considered going inside the USS Constitution Museum too, since we'd read that there are some fun hands on activities for kids, but it was getting close to lunch time so we pushed onward.<br />
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5. <b>Shipyard Park</b><br />
This is a great place for a little downtime if the kids need to rest/ play. Ours decided to pick and blow every dandelion puff they could find. There's a big green field with both sun and shade, a playground that has a small splash pad (although the water was off when we visited on Memorial Day weekend), and nearby there's a courtyard area with a water fountain where there was a band playing live music. <br />
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6.<b> Pier 6</b><br />
This is a casual restaurant perched on a pier over the water. The dining room and bar is up on the second floor, with a fabulous view over Boston Harbor and across to downtown Boston. Mohit and I both enjoyed the fish tacos and a beer. They have a kids menu. <br />
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7. <b>Thomas Menino Park</b><br />
This playground is unique in that it was specially designed to be fully accessible for kids with physical disabilities. Right on the waterfront, it has some fun unique play structures, including slides with metal rollers, rolling hills of rubberized play surface to climb, a push-yourself merry go round, and lots more. Little girl needed to use the potty, and we easily popped into the lobby of the neighboring Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital (there's a cafe there too if you need a snack). There is a water table here but no other spray play. <br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-73109735150811740522019-05-01T21:31:00.001-04:002019-05-01T21:42:10.761-04:00Woodstock Vermont with Kids- Montshire Science Museum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Need a fun stop halfway between Boston and Burlington, Vermont? Kids need to stretch their legs on a road trip from New England to Montreal? Want a fun kiddo activity during your winter ski weekends in Vermont, or your spring/summer/ fall Vermont getaway? <a href="https://www.montshire.org/">Montshire Science Museum</a> is a great place for kids and adults and definitely worth a couple hours.<br />
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We'd spent an April <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/04/woodstock-vt.html">long weekend in Woodstock, Vermont (blog post here!)</a> and we knew that the weather forecast was WET on our last day, so we'd saved this indoor activity for the rainy day. After breakfast and one last morning swim in the pool, we checked out of the hotel and hit the road toward the Montshire Science Museum, which is located just off I-91 about a half hour from the center of Woodstock. </div>
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We'd heard great things about the museum from friends and family who live in Vermont, so we were excited to check it out and were not disappointed. We easily spent 2 hours there, and the kids had a blast making paper helicopters and rocketships, experimenting with bubbles, inspecting insects, playing with fog, making noise with various instruments and peeking at frogs and fishes. </div>
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As it was a cold and rainy day, we didn't get to check out the outdoor play area, which is supposed to be great. we will have to stop by on our travels again in the future!</div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-18914561072573640222019-04-23T09:35:00.000-04:002019-05-23T09:53:00.826-04:00Woodstock VT with KIds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LTTt_FSbcx0/XL8Qm87VZsI/AAAAAAAAQTk/RLwD5F-sVs04CKUJkJCC8kRf8TDWbit7gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LTTt_FSbcx0/XL8Qm87VZsI/AAAAAAAAQTk/RLwD5F-sVs04CKUJkJCC8kRf8TDWbit7gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7009.jpg" width="480" /></a>We'd had a big trip to Costa Rica during the kids' February school vacation this year <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-our-10-day-itinerary.html">(see blog posts here!)</a>, so we were not planning anything grand for April vacation. But after being back from Costa Rica for only a few weeks, I was already itching to plan another getaway, so I booked a three-day weekend in Woodstock VT at the start of school vacation week, about a 2.5 hr drive from Boston. The inspiration for our destination was a cute inn that looked family friendly that I had stumbled upon about a year ago and had filed in my "someday" notes, <a href="https://www.ontheriverwoodstock.com/">506 On The River Inn</a>.<br />
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The inn absolutely hit the family friendly mark! We booked one of the family size suites (2-bedroom, 2-bath, with a full kitchen, living room, and an enormous balcony) and it was so fun to discover vintage tractor toys, a working record player, and a stack of old records in our room. There's a heated indoor pool, huge hot tub and sauna, kids' swim vests and puddle jumpers available to borrow, a scavenger hunt for prizes, a little kids' play room and a big kids' game room, outdoor toys to borrow (hula hoops, lawn games, binoculars, butterfly nets, etc.), a huge back lawn that slopes down to the Ottauquechee River, a jungle gym, kids' books to borrow, Netflix shows and movies in the room and evening bonfires with s'mores.<br />
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And that's just the kid friendly stuff! Checking off high points on the adult list, the restaurant is adorably decorated with retro Vermont memorabilia, the dinner we ate there was wonderful, and the buffet breakfasts were generous and yummy.<br />
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The kids would have been happy to stay at the hotel all weekend practicing cannon balls into the pool and playing free pinball arcade games, but we managed to tear them away to enjoy the area offerings. On the Saturday of our arrival, we enjoyed a great lunch at <a href="https://www.worthyvermont.com/kitchen/">Worthy Kitchen, a hipster-ish craft brew gastropub sort of place.</a><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ObyuoilkexE/XL8StPYSsVI/AAAAAAAAQU8/4EwRBktTSF8UrRY8Y9Xw3A7dNcwV6CJXgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ObyuoilkexE/XL8StPYSsVI/AAAAAAAAQU8/4EwRBktTSF8UrRY8Y9Xw3A7dNcwV6CJXgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7026.jpg" width="480" /></a>Afterward, we let off some energy with a short (albeit muddy, given that it was April in Vermont) hike to check out the Quechee Gorge. I must have driven past the Quechee Gorge Visitors Center a hundred times in my childhood on our way to visit ski resorts or relatives near Middlebury, VT, but this was my first stop to see the gorge. The hike and scenery was underwhelming but pleasant with kids (our <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2018/09/franconia-notch-state-park-nh.html">hike last fall at the Flume Gorge trail at Franconia Notch</a> was much more scenic!). We spent about an hour, maybe a bit more, on a leisurely walk under the bridge to the upriver dam, and then back under the bridge about a half mile downriver. The kids enjoyed exploring fallen trees along the trail and collecting pine cones with craft projects in mind.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSruaebTsZE/XL8S7SK3puI/AAAAAAAAQVI/mh7TDUH4wss7u0u5OZrgLrHP1kXO93V8QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSruaebTsZE/XL8S7SK3puI/AAAAAAAAQVI/mh7TDUH4wss7u0u5OZrgLrHP1kXO93V8QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7103.jpg" width="480" /></a>On our second day, the weather was cloudy but dry. After a hearty breakfast we started with a visit to the <a href="https://billingsfarm.org/">Billings Farm Museum</a>. Disappointingly, a large part of the indoor museum exhibits were under renovation and closed to the public (admission was discounted as a result), but we spent about and hour and a half checking out the cow barn (where big kid enjoyed petting the baby calves and little sister was surprised to see the big cows poop!), visiting with curious goats, and exploring the 1890s farmhouse, where we learned how the farm used to make its famous butter (and where big boy had a hard time not TOUCHING everything! We will keep practicing...sigh.)<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKik-Wuao1M/XL8TGXMDIVI/AAAAAAAAQVs/ABK3tQSIV7AV2aRdtVX1pxTdY6JU5U4YwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKik-Wuao1M/XL8TGXMDIVI/AAAAAAAAQVs/ABK3tQSIV7AV2aRdtVX1pxTdY6JU5U4YwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7144.jpg" width="480" /></a>We parked in the center of historic Woodstock village and thoroughly enjoyed lunch at <a href="https://www.monvertcafe.com/">Mon Vert Cafe</a>. Sandwiches (made with the best homemade french bread ever!), a brownie to share, and barista drinks-yum! The kids were enjoying some games and coloring at our table in the upstairs dining room of the old house, so we stayed for a bit of down time.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJiUj08Nl38/XL8TGdJkHHI/AAAAAAAAQVk/0bo0eTeXod02PXbpmSkT7wOZf_zMVtquACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJiUj08Nl38/XL8TGdJkHHI/AAAAAAAAQVk/0bo0eTeXod02PXbpmSkT7wOZf_zMVtquACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7150.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1sleSSsn3SQ/XL8TrW6grQI/AAAAAAAAQWI/gxpeb6pgPf44yrYZAq_KiyvNG-42ErNxACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1sleSSsn3SQ/XL8TrW6grQI/AAAAAAAAQWI/gxpeb6pgPf44yrYZAq_KiyvNG-42ErNxACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7162.jpg" width="480" /></a>Refreshed and ready for more exploring, our afternoon stop was <a href="https://vinsweb.org/">VINS (Vermont Institute of Natural Science)</a>, which had not been on my radar during my planning, but was recommended by a friend who lives nearby when she saw from my social media posts that we were in town. I'm so glad we followed her recommendation, it was such a neat place! We got to see many raptors, including some bald eagles and snowy owls up close. There's a fun forest discovery room with a tunnel slide that the kids cycled through at least 20 times.<br />
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We especially loved the afternoon show in the auditorium, where we got to see several birds up close (the highlight was having a hawk swoop through the room over our heads, close enough that we could feel the breeze!).<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4DLgcJL-aaY/XL8T_FxJPNI/AAAAAAAAQWo/sWxRqEb1CvQ4o9q8g0F34qtHtoDCeEBbACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1280" height="542" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4DLgcJL-aaY/XL8T_FxJPNI/AAAAAAAAQWo/sWxRqEb1CvQ4o9q8g0F34qtHtoDCeEBbACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7182.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdSztR6D9pg/XL8UGp0W4xI/AAAAAAAAQW0/GhJCtYrDqy4JKxVuDP634UZatOKt9CHgACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jdSztR6D9pg/XL8UGp0W4xI/AAAAAAAAQW0/GhJCtYrDqy4JKxVuDP634UZatOKt9CHgACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7198.jpg" width="480" /></a>We topped off our VINS visit with some time at the great nature-themed playground, where there's a kid-sized spider web to navigate, a rock climbing wall, a fun tunnel through the hillside, and an octopus-looking structure of logs to balance on. Little sister was getting cranky and tired so we headed back to the inn for some afternoon chill time at the pool (and I got to sneak away to visit the gorgeous- but pricey! wow!- showroom at <a href="https://www.farmhousepottery.com/">Farmhouse Pottery</a>. I *may* have spent more than Mohit would like to know on a beautiful water pitcher that was on the seconds shelf...shhh!).<br />
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We had dinner at <a href="https://www.melazabistro.com/">Melaza Bistro</a> in the center of town, which offers tapas and mains inspired by the caribbean. Empanadas, garlic shrimp, salads. We were all jealous of big kid's unexpectedly flavorful order of pulled chicken chili nachos with homemade chips.<br />
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On our last day, we spent hours at the nearby <a href="https://www.montshire.org/">Montshire Museum of Science</a>, which totally lived up to the wonderful reviews we'd heard from our Vermont friends and family (<a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/05/need-fun-stop-halfway-between-boston.html">see here for a post of our visit!</a>)<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-40598938817976394392019-04-15T21:04:00.000-04:002019-04-15T21:05:57.371-04:00Costa Rica with Kids- Xandari Resort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTLNp92DUQw/XLUoYWHjXdI/AAAAAAAAP7k/_PROTvaAPpkkqhTliw1xEzzNGTb8RJsZwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTLNp92DUQw/XLUoYWHjXdI/AAAAAAAAP7k/_PROTvaAPpkkqhTliw1xEzzNGTb8RJsZwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6676.JPG" width="481" /></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Our flight home from San Jose
to Boston was planned to leave at 6:30 a.m., so we made plans to stay close to the airport the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s sort of a
bummer to have to end your vacation a day early, so I decided we could splurge
for one night at the pricey Xandari Resort so that we would have something to
look forward to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">After breakfast (and a
yoga class for Mohit), we said goodbye to <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-esterillos-este.html">Encantada Ocean Cottages (see blog post about our stay here!)</a> and hit the
road for a 2.25-hr drive to the hills above San Jose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The approach to Xandari is up narrow residential
roads, up, up into the hills, until we came to a stop at a big metal gate,
which a security guard opened to let us through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d arrived just in time for lunch and
everyone was hungry so we parked the car at the main lodge and stayed for lunch
on a balcony with beautiful views over the San Jose valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIfaw3np1Xs/XLUne_TguiI/AAAAAAAAP7c/6fKs4m7GCSI3N-_GU3PSXp7eIFC6OsKUQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIfaw3np1Xs/XLUne_TguiI/AAAAAAAAP7c/6fKs4m7GCSI3N-_GU3PSXp7eIFC6OsKUQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6673.JPG" width="481" /></a></span></span></div>
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<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Our room was
stunning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enormous, cavernous
almost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A king size bed and two twin day
beds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A private patio with views of the
valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bathroom had a floor-to-ceiling
wall of glass, including a glass shower and a soaking tub, overlooking a
private walled rock garden. Plush bathrobes and slippers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8FbhDdQgeR8/XLUnkYxZceI/AAAAAAAAP7U/vzEkNvnm1UYoB3HNdhBK2Vj3VmLiMiH8wCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8FbhDdQgeR8/XLUnkYxZceI/AAAAAAAAP7U/vzEkNvnm1UYoB3HNdhBK2Vj3VmLiMiH8wCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6697.JPG" width="481" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVGeD3Ymbr4/XLUniRMv3SI/AAAAAAAAP7g/Z3ZtCKe3XuoViywO0t6oibgvfjsjCJL2ACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="481" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVGeD3Ymbr4/XLUniRMv3SI/AAAAAAAAP7g/Z3ZtCKe3XuoViywO0t6oibgvfjsjCJL2ACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRj2MRFjqjw/XLUniTM_yMI/AAAAAAAAP7U/NXGOsaMP0U0_XyrsXwQplxZiDmXIDPgQgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRj2MRFjqjw/XLUniTM_yMI/AAAAAAAAP7U/NXGOsaMP0U0_XyrsXwQplxZiDmXIDPgQgCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6692.JPG" width="481" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hLb34w_o6W8/XLUniHwRbMI/AAAAAAAAP7g/gNQkJetTOXQsHQpoobHs-cfub_EhcodHQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hLb34w_o6W8/XLUniHwRbMI/AAAAAAAAP7g/gNQkJetTOXQsHQpoobHs-cfub_EhcodHQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6691.JPG" width="481" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">We changed into our
bathing suits and went off to find the pool.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The paths through the resort wind through densely planted gardens with
big tropical foliage, flowers, and periodic sculptures.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We found the “sunset pool” to be scenic, but
not quite luxurious.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There were no pool towels
for us to use,</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">the deck chairs were a
bit weathered, and the view from the edge while lounging in the water is of the
solar panels and electrical equipment positioned just downhill.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There were no other guests anywhere to be
seen.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The kids got bored quickly and so
we went off to explore the rest of the resort.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-279kpPUDy0I/XLUnoc7CEiI/AAAAAAAAP7g/lOcyv9F_OnI_q5Tt_5XvFf0HjkAn2wzZQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-279kpPUDy0I/XLUnoc7CEiI/AAAAAAAAP7g/lOcyv9F_OnI_q5Tt_5XvFf0HjkAn2wzZQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6699.JPG" width="481" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tqFyqJVFoOw/XLUnfesqtOI/AAAAAAAAP7Q/MfHgvAidb48MlC7CGd9LfURRkjOpMPi7ACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tqFyqJVFoOw/XLUnfesqtOI/AAAAAAAAP7Q/MfHgvAidb48MlC7CGd9LfURRkjOpMPi7ACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6678.JPG" width="481" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">To be honest, that was
consistent with our general impression of Xandari.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">It is a picturesque resort, with oversized
and comfortable rooms.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">It’s a quiet,
pretty, and peaceful place with beautiful landscaping.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maybe I would have enjoyed a few days reading
a book with skyline views from our patio and getting pampered at the spa.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">But we were there with our kids, and there wasn’t
much there for them to do.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We enjoyed a
half hour exploring the nature trails on the property, but we ran out of things
to do with the kids with only a half day </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">there.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Yes, there are 3 pools, but there was no one else in them.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There was a “game room” on the map but it was
locked, and when we inquired about a key, we were told there was really only a
pool table there.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There were a few board
games available to borrow at the office.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The restaurant was filled with mostly older couples, only one other
family with kids.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QH-ufva3uf4/XLUnqfq2C7I/AAAAAAAAP7g/u6uxZaRdkPM_uU9bx8YCf8tomu1mJqQgwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QH-ufva3uf4/XLUnqfq2C7I/AAAAAAAAP7g/u6uxZaRdkPM_uU9bx8YCf8tomu1mJqQgwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6743.JPG" width="481" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Appendix" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2GmD0otrtY/XLUnn2ZJD2I/AAAAAAAAP7Y/3oC8QC4A6fsP2YeUDe_BRLRKHliRE8ghQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2GmD0otrtY/XLUnn2ZJD2I/AAAAAAAAP7Y/3oC8QC4A6fsP2YeUDe_BRLRKHliRE8ghQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6735.JPG" width="481" /></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Early the next morning, it was indeed a short and easy ride downhill and into the city to drop off our rental car and get to the airport on time. I don’t regret that we
were able to enjoy our last night in Costa Rica in lovely surroundings, but I
can’t say that I would highly recommend Xandari as a great place to enjoy with
little kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /></div>
Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-2451014723305156222019-03-31T21:25:00.003-04:002019-03-31T21:54:33.436-04:00Costa Rica with Kids- Esterillos Este and Manuel Antonio Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VPr3qZArNtE/XKFmYifWWeI/AAAAAAAAPz4/_-6bJTYW5VARlfk3NOrJMnhhMiktvgNJgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VPr3qZArNtE/XKFmYifWWeI/AAAAAAAAPz4/_-6bJTYW5VARlfk3NOrJMnhhMiktvgNJgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VPr3qZArNtE/XKFmYifWWeI/AAAAAAAAPz4/_-6bJTYW5VARlfk3NOrJMnhhMiktvgNJgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_6668.JPG" width="400" /></a>The one thing I was really trying to avoid when planning our
trip to Costa Rica with kids was LONG <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> ROAD TRIPS. </span>As all parents know, a long car drive with
(pick one) bored/ whiny/ cranky/ carsick kids is a surefire was to ruin a
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Generally, our kids (currently ages
4 and 6) are pretty good for about 2, maybe 2.5 hours in the car without a
break, but longer than that and it’s a gamble. However, I spent weeks
researching our itinerary and trying to find a way to get from <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-arenal-la-fortuna.html">Arenal/ La Fortuna (see blog post about our stay in Arenal here!)</a> to any suitable Costa Rica beach destination without a long drive…with no
luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I desperately searched for an
attraction or activity to stop and enjoy for a couple of hours to break up our
drive…also with no luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AlueTjurcG0/XKFc7NjNVLI/AAAAAAAAPtM/90VumiwnbyAfPtzDj0cxxRFiwIhYj5YQQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AlueTjurcG0/XKFc7NjNVLI/AAAAAAAAPtM/90VumiwnbyAfPtzDj0cxxRFiwIhYj5YQQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6429.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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So on our last night in La Fortuna we prepped the kids with
the idea that we had a long morning drive ahead of us the next day (4 to 4.5
hours), that we hoped they would nap for a bunch of the drive, and that they
could look forward to FUN AT THE BEACH! on the other end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the kids surprised us and rocked it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We played a game of counting dogs we passed
(100+ for the record), both kids napped for more than 2 hours, we stopped
briefly at the Tarcoles Bridge to see the crocodiles…and then we arrived mostly
without incident and just in time for a late-ish lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.encantadacostarica.com/">Encantada Ocean Cottages</a> are located on a quiet dirt road
parallel to the ocean, just a 2 minute drive off the main highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pulled through the gate, past two stone
lions guarding the entrance, and parked beneath the shade of a palm tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The front desk informed us that our cabin was
still being cleaned- no problem as we were excited to take a seat in the
adorable dining area and order lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Within minutes we had yummy drinks and big smiles!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BERR5EfGNuM/XKFc__lkavI/AAAAAAAAPt8/18HLDJ1_fE80REWhubL9nwRI90AonrIewCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BERR5EfGNuM/XKFc__lkavI/AAAAAAAAPt8/18HLDJ1_fE80REWhubL9nwRI90AonrIewCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_6442.JPG" width="300" /></a>We spent a day and a half at Encantada doing nothing much at
all. The kids practiced their cannonballs in the warm, well maintained pool,
the boys practiced their boogie board skills in the ocean at high tide, little
girl and I walked the beach at low tide collecting all sorts of shells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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We ate as many meals as we could at the wonderful onsite
restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yummy breakfasts of fresh
fruit and made to order pancakes and eggs (included in our room price), lunch
of ceviche and tacos, dinners of grilled fish and veggies cooked over the wood
fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Our picky littlest eater had
spaghetti marinara for every meal-her loss!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><br />
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On the second day we were there the kitchen was closed for
lunch and dinner (their one day off per week), so we wandered left down the beach for
lunch to Hotel Pelicano, where the margaritas were fantastic (let’s be honest,
any drink is fantastic when you’re on vacation and enjoying a beautiful view!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our never-shy big kid made friends with a
retired couple at the next table and taught them to play Connect Four on the
life-size lawn set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gE1bEKFcds/XKFeReJ2bRI/AAAAAAAAPvQ/2tXdnNMoqggkzVlzV60SV-wVBqpU_YTLACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gE1bEKFcds/XKFeReJ2bRI/AAAAAAAAPvQ/2tXdnNMoqggkzVlzV60SV-wVBqpU_YTLACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6496.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rNNIbGTbuZk/XKFeTFkmdWI/AAAAAAAAPvU/JWSAAMnaPcQlrpCuGGL_-G_c_mhcht6MQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rNNIbGTbuZk/XKFeTFkmdWI/AAAAAAAAPvU/JWSAAMnaPcQlrpCuGGL_-G_c_mhcht6MQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6499.JPG" width="480" /></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XyvEk5zc0KA/XKFeXzUsyOI/AAAAAAAAPvk/9Qam-hUZCyMz0rWMj5qGVJ9tUC1iiLmxgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XyvEk5zc0KA/XKFeXzUsyOI/AAAAAAAAPvk/9Qam-hUZCyMz0rWMj5qGVJ9tUC1iiLmxgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_6525.JPG" width="300" /></a>For dinner we walked the opposite way down the beach to
check out <a href="http://www.almadelpacificohotel.com/">Alma del Pacifico Hotel</a> and Spa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They had a big restaurant, an extensive menu with something to make
everyone happy, and manicured grounds that were interesting to explore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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On our third day at Encantada, we decided to make a day trip
to Manuel Antonio National Park, about a 35 minute drive away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove on our own, through the busy tourist
town that’s been built up just outside the gates, and parked in a lot a short
stroll from the gate (tip: ignore the hawkers trying to convince you that their
lot is the last available one and drive all the way to the gate- we had no
issue finding a parking spot!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mohit
made arrangements with one of the nature guides waiting at the ticket counters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Another tip- eat before you go or plan to buy
food at the kiosk inside the park near the beach!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’d packed a bunch of snacks for the kids
since we expected to be at the park until early afternoon…the proctors at the entrance
made us eat a bunch and dump the rest before we entered, since they have a
policy of not allowing most food into the park to avoid harming the wildlife).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The walk through the park out to the beach is short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If made directly, it could easily be done in
20 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent about an hour with
our guide who showed us a variety of wildlife that we would have otherwise
completely missed: a baby sloth clinging to its father, lizards, birds, sleeping
bats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was HOT and little girl was
getting whiny toward the end, so we tipped our guide thanks and made a beeline
for the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L6hbJA2iXYU/XKFf7VKEDiI/AAAAAAAAPxc/1Cb5gV5mEL0xTaD9nyIKTRv3_oGJBYkMACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L6hbJA2iXYU/XKFf7VKEDiI/AAAAAAAAPxc/1Cb5gV5mEL0xTaD9nyIKTRv3_oGJBYkMACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_6557.JPG" width="300" /></a><o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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At the beach, Mohit took the kids into the water to swim while I relaxed in the shade where the beach met the jungle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard leaves crunching behind me and turned
around to see what was making the noise- I was shocked to see a sloth creeping
across the ground straight toward me, his near-sighted eyes apparently oblivious
to my presence!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hopped out of <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L6hbJA2iXYU/XKFf7VKEDiI/AAAAAAAAPxc/1Cb5gV5mEL0xTaD9nyIKTRv3_oGJBYkMACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L6hbJA2iXYU/XKFf7VKEDiI/AAAAAAAAPxc/1Cb5gV5mEL0xTaD9nyIKTRv3_oGJBYkMACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>the way
and he crawled straight across little girls’ sneakers, onto the sand, where he
stopped, apparently realized that wasn’t where he wanted to be, and then turned
around and climbed back up into the branches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Luckily, he moved so slowly that the kids had plenty of time to run back
from the water and watch him with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56E1K00UuSg/XKFf-MBF-yI/AAAAAAAAPxU/Iyno5x54hKQy7WdPU_0UXWRP1sFQPLEjgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56E1K00UuSg/XKFf-MBF-yI/AAAAAAAAPxU/Iyno5x54hKQy7WdPU_0UXWRP1sFQPLEjgCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6558.JPG" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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We also enjoyed watching a pack of monkeys sneak up to the
edge of the sand to rummage through backpacks left unattended and scurry away
with contraband snacks. Our daughter talked about those sneaky monkeys for
weeks- it was her favorite story to tell her preschool friends about her Costa
Rica vacation!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FRJAH6mhnvg/XKFhaZ7BevI/AAAAAAAAPxw/n5ykpCubdaQ09zWYRCsxU65XXPeoA21VwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FRJAH6mhnvg/XKFhaZ7BevI/AAAAAAAAPxw/n5ykpCubdaQ09zWYRCsxU65XXPeoA21VwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6576.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H-PWgzTUOrE/XKFgFod-GvI/AAAAAAAAPxY/6IIwiiQI-Ps5cqRF8XCJRBksJEteX2VzwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H-PWgzTUOrE/XKFgFod-GvI/AAAAAAAAPxY/6IIwiiQI-Ps5cqRF8XCJRBksJEteX2VzwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6591.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H-PWgzTUOrE/XKFgFod-GvI/AAAAAAAAPxY/6IIwiiQI-Ps5cqRF8XCJRBksJEteX2VzwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>We had a late lunch at the super fun <a href="http://elavion.net/">El Avion restaurant</a>,
which feels like a multi-level tree house built around a cargo plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids loved “flying” the plane from the cockpit,
and Mohit and I appreciated the treetop views over the blue ocean while we
sipped yummy cocktails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Visiting the area around Manuel Antonio made us feel glad
that we had decided to stay on the peaceful beach at Encantada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The area near the park is quite built up and
packed with backpacker bars, resorts of various sizes, and internet cafes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were excited to head back to our little slice
of heaven to spend the afternoon cooling off in the pool and for one last
sunset stroll on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0isIfjtSKiM/XKFgJpMAtmI/AAAAAAAAPxg/R9MU0RBu0NoHJOEELhgsd0zpHHeyLJJQQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0isIfjtSKiM/XKFgJpMAtmI/AAAAAAAAPxg/R9MU0RBu0NoHJOEELhgsd0zpHHeyLJJQQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6602.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-30726029752182593062019-03-13T21:28:00.002-04:002019-04-08T09:19:13.311-04:00Costa Rica with Kids- Arenal/ La Fortuna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CtF4mGozD9o/XIhhhZgMLKI/AAAAAAAAPZo/wKnRy2pnHV8P7dySJsJSFnYW89dpxvN6wCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CtF4mGozD9o/XIhhhZgMLKI/AAAAAAAAPZo/wKnRy2pnHV8P7dySJsJSFnYW89dpxvN6wCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6214.JPG" width="480" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CtF4mGozD9o/XIhhhZgMLKI/AAAAAAAAPZo/wKnRy2pnHV8P7dySJsJSFnYW89dpxvN6wCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>On our third day in Costa Rica (<a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-poas-volcao-and-la.html">we spent the first two nights near the Poas Volcano, see post here!</a>) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">we packed up after breakfast and hit the
road toward La Fortuna, about a 2-hr drive.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half of the drive was
steep and twisty, and the second half was across a flat plain on an easy
highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was MUCH hotter in La Fortuna than in the cool mountains
we left behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The back porch of our
cabin at <a href="https://www.lomasdelvolcan.com/index.html">Hotel Lomas del Volcan</a> had and unobstructed view of the Arenal Volcano
(I had to reassure the kids that there would be no lava- fingers crossed!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVK43tRBtvM/XIhnNgyJ5tI/AAAAAAAAPcA/CMu1V3T2swcJr0HQhn1f_NRLYhyRXD1DQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVK43tRBtvM/XIhnNgyJ5tI/AAAAAAAAPcA/CMu1V3T2swcJr0HQhn1f_NRLYhyRXD1DQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6228.JPG" width="480" /></span></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ytNojOA430/XIhnUIHySiI/AAAAAAAAPcI/ARYwoM2ar40TxgzqKTzgsXHeOpR8H0mXACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVK43tRBtvM/XIhnNgyJ5tI/AAAAAAAAPcA/CMu1V3T2swcJr0HQhn1f_NRLYhyRXD1DQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After a dip in the pool and lunch at the hotel restaurant,
we checked out Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park (</span>or the “wiggly bridges” as our little
one dubbed them).<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> </span>Mohit and I debated
whether to hire a guide (I was worried that our pace with a group and a guide
would be too slow and boring for the kids), but I relented and we joined a guided group. I admit- hiring a guide was
the right decision.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We would have seen
very little wildlife on our own, but our guide and his telescope helped us to find
a venomous snake, coatis, monkeys silently swinging in the trees above, sleeping
bats hanging on the side of a tree, leaf cutter ants carrying their cargo in a
marching line, and many colorful birds.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The
kids whined a bit at first because they wanted to run ahead but then they
started to get excited about what animal our guide would find next.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Walking on the bridges was exciting and a bit
scary (but perfectly safe)- no way I was going to look down!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The hike ended with a stunning view of the
Arenal Volcano.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-otISx1G34/XImj68uNdFI/AAAAAAAAPeE/21k1Ks89vBILfktzCdyOPfQaMyLSfEM0wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-otISx1G34/XImj68uNdFI/AAAAAAAAPeE/21k1Ks89vBILfktzCdyOPfQaMyLSfEM0wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-otISx1G34/XImj68uNdFI/AAAAAAAAPeE/21k1Ks89vBILfktzCdyOPfQaMyLSfEM0wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_2652.JPG" width="480" /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">We ate dinner in town at the top-rated <a href="https://www.donrufino.com/">Restaurante DonRufino</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food was great (my kabocha
squash risotto with shrimp was delicious and unique), but the kids were tired
after a long hot day and were ready to eat quickly and go back to our cabin to go
to bed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The next morning we drove ourselves to the La Fortuna
Waterfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We arrived fairly early- around
9 a.m., parked easily in the parking lot (which was full by the time we
returned from our hike), and paid for our tickets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hike to the waterfall from the entrance
gate is all downhill on well-maintained stairs and paths, with stunning views
of the valley below and periodic glimpses of the waterfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roar of the water grew louder as we
descended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was not expecting to be wowed by the waterfall, since we’d
seen five waterfalls at La Paz Waterfall Gardens only two days ago, but…
WOW!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we reached the bottom I was
amazed at the energy of the falls and admired the lush greenery growing on the cliff
walls in the mist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>W</span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4A849ngP68/XImjx3ko-uI/AAAAAAAAPeM/cVQazflpydA5RxD9g775yq7tu_jQwjtnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y4A849ngP68/XImjx3ko-uI/AAAAAAAAPeM/cVQazflpydA5RxD9g775yq7tu_jQwjtnQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px;"></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">e poked our way
around on the rocks along the water and waded into a calm spot of the river
just downstream of the waterfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our
way back up, the boys went on ahead while little girl and I took frequent breaks
on the convenient benches along the way (lots of stairs for her little legs!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spotted a Blue Morpho butterfly fluttering
among the treetops, glowing iridescent in the sunlight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our plan was to spend the rest of the day enjoying natural
hot springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many options to
visit the hot springs, but we chose to splurge for the day and purchase day
passes to enjoy <a href="http://www.thespringscostarica.com/">The Springs Resort and Sp</a>a.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our kids LOVED being in the warm pools all day, and en</span><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vWY8eEe90Tg/XImmGwPCEuI/AAAAAAAAPe8/t7fYAENpv8Qa2U4bHKbU-BUUvEEVA0ZGQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vWY8eEe90Tg/XImmGwPCEuI/AAAAAAAAPe8/t7fYAENpv8Qa2U4bHKbU-BUUvEEVA0ZGQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px;"></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">joyed playing with
other kids, eating lunch at the swim up bar, and screaming down the “monkey
slide” (a water slide).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mohit let me
escape for a relaxing lunch all by myself, and I enjoyed fish tacos and Sauvignon
Blanc on the 4th floor terrace with stunning views of the pools and jungle, reading
a few chapters of my book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We were having so much fun that we showered and changed back
into our dry clothes in the spa-like locker rooms and then stayed for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dinner we hung out for a bit in the
game room (posted as for hotel guests only, but nobody seemed to care), where
big kid enjoyed a bit of air hockey and little girl enjoyed playing with the hotel’s
extensive American Girls doll collection (and furniture, and accessories…) with
an instant friend that she found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Technically
the day pass allowed us to return the next day as well if we wanted, although
we opted to find other adventures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhyw1ng3DGE/XImnclfbpRI/AAAAAAAAPgA/27fO5xCIjMYt4HiLdd6x-FW0xU5mcWbFQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhyw1ng3DGE/XImnclfbpRI/AAAAAAAAPgA/27fO5xCIjMYt4HiLdd6x-FW0xU5mcWbFQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_2678.JPG" width="480" /></span></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nhyw1ng3DGE/XImnclfbpRI/AAAAAAAAPgA/27fO5xCIjMYt4HiLdd6x-FW0xU5mcWbFQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">On our last day in La Fortuna the boys went to <a href="http://arenalecoglide.com/en/">Ecoglide Arenal Park</a> to
try some ziplining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mohit had been
trying to talk big kid into joining him for days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big kid was reluctant, worried about falling,
that it was too high up and he’d be scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But after trying it, he came back and told me breathlessly that it was
THE BEST THING IN HIS LIFE EVER!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
the boys were away, little kid and I enjoyed a low key morning hanging out at
the hotel pool, driving into La Fortuna to pick up the laundry we’d dropped off
the day earlier (I’m a big believer in packing light- only half of what we
needed for the 10-day trip), and stopping into a souvenir shop to pick out
colorful Costa Rica t-shirts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boys
came back and joined us for lunch at the hotel restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JXXBvpWrhzA/XImoE9Z5r9I/AAAAAAAAPgU/uzkbd3GOhE8KI-K925b8BlYKBoETaNb_gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JXXBvpWrhzA/XImoE9Z5r9I/AAAAAAAAPgU/uzkbd3GOhE8KI-K925b8BlYKBoETaNb_gCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_6399.JPG" width="300" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">After lunch, Mohit had made arrangements through the hotel
front desk for a tour to pick us up for a river rafting trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove for about 30 minutes in a 15-person
van with several couples and another family of 4 to the river entry point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The river water was pretty low due to the dry
season, which meant it was gentle for the kids (fine by us).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw several “Jesus lizards” (basilisks who
can run across the water surface), bats sleeping in the trees above, monkeys, all
sorts of birds, and a baby crocodile sunning on the riverbank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids were getting a bit antsy after
sitting still for the 1.5 hr float on the river but were excited when they saw
the snacks set up for us at the pavilion at the end of our trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We enjoyed homemade cheese, corn tortillas
and fried plantains, along with hot chocolate that we made ourselves by
grinding cocoa beans and mixing the cocoa powder with hot water, sugar, and powdered
milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids chased ducks and chickens
roaming in the shade near the pavilion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For dinner on our last night, we had a fun meal at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309226-d10238532-Reviews-Pollo_Fortuneno-La_Fortuna_de_San_Carlos_Arenal_Volcano_National_Park_Province_o.html#photos;aggregationId=&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=369244657">Pollo Fotuneno</a> in downtown La Fortuna (there are two of them- we opted for the original smaller one closer to the town center).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a lively and hopping place, and our family platter of rotisserie chicken, fried
mashed plaintains (patacones), beans, and banana salsa was huge and surprisingly
cheap!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, onward to the beach in Esterillos Este, on the Pacific
Coast…</span></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-41240063810267339312019-03-10T22:28:00.000-04:002019-03-15T10:37:36.303-04:00Costa Rica with Kids- Poas Volcao and La Paz Waterfall Gardens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It was a long day of travel to get to Costa Rica from
Boston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our alarm went off at 4:30 a.m.
in order to get the family out the door and into a taxi by 5:30 a.m. We survived a 6-hr flight from Boston to Panama
City, a 1-hr layover, and another 1.5 hr flight from Panama to San Jose, Costa
Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our exhilaration to have finally arrived was quickly dampened by the ridiculously long and slow moving customs line.<br />
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Fortunately, after about 10 minutes of waiting, a guard spotted our antsy kids and pulled us over to a much shorter express line (mostly families).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, we STILL had to grab our checked
car seat bag, wait 20 minutes for the shuttle to the car rental agency, drive
there in traffic, and wait another 30 minutes for our car rental paperwork to
be completed, knowing that we faced a 1.5-hr drive out of the city to our hotel
(ugh!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
I had planned for our first 2-night stay to be in the
mountains just outside of San Jose, since I knew the kids (and adults!) would
not be up for a long drive to get to Arenal after such a long day of
travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roads through the city and
suburbs were one-lane wide (but not one-way!), steep and winding, making Mohit feel
a little nervous about scratching our brand new rental car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about 40 minutes making our way through the city and up the hills into the suburbs we merged onto a wider
local highway route, and the driving was smoother. It was dark out by then and the clouds were low
enough that we were intermittently driving through them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We finally turned onto the winding dirt driveway leading to <a href="http://www.poasvolcanolodge.com/">Poas VolcanoLodge</a> at about 8 p.m., tired and hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was foggy and dark, so we couldn’t really see much of our
surroundings, but were excited when we entered the big front door and saw how
cozy and beautiful it was inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had
called in advance letting them know that we’d be arriving late with hungry
kids, so they helped us bring our bags to our room very quickly, and within
moments we were seated in the dining room placing our dinner order.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HUykCtEY_eM/XIXBRq78b_I/AAAAAAAAPMI/4--y4G0x_-IXPNyXtBhOjtGTwtTMzmDNwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HUykCtEY_eM/XIXBRq78b_I/AAAAAAAAPMI/4--y4G0x_-IXPNyXtBhOjtGTwtTMzmDNwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6069.JPG" width="480" /></a>Our king size room was easily spacious enough for the 4 of
us, and the hotel had set up two twin-size cots for the kids. In the morning,
the kids woke us up bright and early, eager to explore all that we had missed
in the dark the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pulled
back the curtains and discovered that the room opened onto a small patio with a
private grassy courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big kid discovered
an orange tabby cat laying in the sun who was clearing hoping for a belly
rub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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While we waited for 7:30 a.m. breakfast to start, I took the
kids outside for a walk around the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We were surprised how chilly the morning was -not what we were expecting
for Costa Rica!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hoodie or windbreaker definitely
needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, the lodge was
surrounded by tropical greenery and flowers of every color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The back of the lodge is perched at the edge
of a hill with a view over farms below and is set back from the main road amidst
rolling green fields studded with cattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We walked through the greenhouse (where there was a rack of rubber mud
boots of every size- adult to child- available to borrow) and followed a path into
the cow field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big Kid insisted on trying
to feed the cows a handful of grass, while they munched on the grass under
their noses and barely gave him a second look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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After breakfast, we packed up for a day of adventure. First stop: Poas Volcano National Park, a 30
minute drive away. We drove through beautiful countryside: verdant hills, farmhouses with laundry out to dry, strawberry fields, many many cows, kids on recess break at a small village school.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_fwywUCbv7k/XIXBaPirpzI/AAAAAAAAPNE/SZC__Vtx53AcVD6jXG3uXG-3dRpZyb5OwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_fwywUCbv7k/XIXBaPirpzI/AAAAAAAAPNE/SZC__Vtx53AcVD6jXG3uXG-3dRpZyb5OwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_6082.JPG" width="480" /></a>To visit the volcano, you need to purchase a ticket which provides you entry at a specified time. Luckily, I’d asked our hotel concierge about it in the morning, and she had made our reservation online for us. We arrived at the national park entry gate about 10 minutes before our set time. After parking, we walked over to the national park lodge, a big concrete building, where a group of people were waiting to enter at the same time as us. A park ranger instructed everyone to put on a hard hat, in case of rocks falling from the sky (Poas is an active volcano!). Poas last erupted in April 2017; an explosion of gas, ash and rocks that damaged some of the buildings and trails at this park. After repairs and new safety additions including gas monitors and construction of concrete shelters, the national park reopened in August 2018. </div>
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We walked as a group for about 10 minutes on a gently sloped
dirt road escorted by a park guide who spoke in both English and Spanish, and
then came to the viewing platform, where we could peer over the edge into the
smoking crater, which was oozing smoke and sulfuric gases. During the wet season, the crater fills with
rain to create an aqua pool of water. We
were there during the dry season, so the crater was mostly dry, and we could
see deposits of bright yellow sulfur at the bottom. The shape of the crater looks like the entire
top of a mountain has been blown off- it was really cool to see but definitely
made me wonder about whether it was the safest parenting decision to have
brought our kids there (if we go, at least we’ll all go together?! I kept reassuring myself that the volcano
would warn us with rumbles and earthquakes before erupting). We stayed for about 20 minutes and then were
ushered back down the hill as another group approached. Due to the risks of the active volcano,
unattended hiking was not allowed at the time of our visit. </div>
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We finished at Poas around 10:30 a.m., and our destination
for the rest of the day was the <a href="http://www.waterfallgardens.com/">La Paz Waterfall Gardens</a>. Basically, it’s a mini zoo/ educational
village/ nature preserve all in one.
With our day pass, we got to see tropical birds flying free in an aviary,
walk among butterflies in another enclosure, peek at sloths/ wild cats/
monkeys/ snakes in zoo habitats and enjoy a plentiful buffet lunch in a
pleasant pavilion. After lunch we
explored orchids, amphibians of Costa Rica, a replica historical farmstead, and
then hiked on a path to see all five of the natural waterfalls after which the gardens
are named. A highlight of our hike: we
stumbled on a tiny baby snake in the process of trying to swallow a frog!</div>
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After our hike, we were hot, so we asked about whether we
could swim anywhere, and were told that the pools by the Big Trout Bar were
primarily for overnight guests of the attached (fancy and expensive!) Peace
Lodge hotel, but available for day use if we purchased food or drink at the
bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problem, Mohit and I thought
that a beer sounded great right about now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So we headed over to the pool/ jacuzzi area and the kids enjoyed playing
in the water for a good hour or so. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>We returned to our hotel mid-afternoon, and while little kid
napped for a bit in the room with daddy, big kid and I spent a relaxing few
hours trying out the game room, where there is a pool table, an assortment of
games like Scrabble, Jenga, and Twister, various toys, and a movie room. As the sun set, it grew chilly again, and we
changed into jeans and long sleeves, and the hotel workers lit small wood
stoves that were in each of the public rooms to chase away the chill. Dinner was simple but great: choices of
grilled meats and fish, with sides of veggies and rice or potato. The kids enjoyed the spaghetti bolognese two
days in a row. Mohit and I appreciated
the wine and beer offerings. </div>
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Although I had planned this 2-night, 1-day stay mostly as a stopover,
to allow us to recharge a bit after arrival before venturing onward to our primary
destinations (Arenal/ La Fortuna area and the Pacific Coast/ Manuel Antonio
area), our stay at Poas Volcano Lodge ended up being my favorite part of the
trip! It was such a beautiful, peaceful
location. The lodge itself is unique and
beautiful, with many kid friendly touches (although ours were the only kids
there during our stay). I would highly
recommend <a href="http://www.poasvolcanolodge.com/">Poas Volcano Lodge</a> as a great place to spend 1 or 2 nights on your
way to or from the San Jose airport! </div>
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Tomorrow, <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-arenal-la-fortuna.html">onward to La Fortuna (see post here)!</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-34665810711550032352019-03-03T17:10:00.000-05:002019-04-16T10:45:18.557-04:00Costa Rica with Kids- Our 10-Day Itinerary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ebXu-GCb6v4/XIcI7_sExaI/AAAAAAAAPRk/EzS5we4rE0IyQ3T7NBF5Bk-CrkZLA2QkgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ebXu-GCb6v4/XIcI7_sExaI/AAAAAAAAPRk/EzS5we4rE0IyQ3T7NBF5Bk-CrkZLA2QkgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_6106.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>Mohit and I have traveled all over
the world, and I have always been the travel researcher/ planner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when I started to dream and plan our Costa
Rica vacation with kids (ours were 4 and 6 during our visit), I found the planning difficult. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to explore the country, not stay at
a big resort the whole time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not
easily find recommended itineraries, had a hard time narrowing down which places
we shouldn’t miss, and most of all, it was really hard to figure out how we
would travel from place to place (would driving ourselves be easy enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How long would it take in the car with two
potentially whiny kids in the backseat?). <o:p></o:p></div>
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So in the interest of saving others from the same frustration,
here’s our 10-day itinerary, which ended up being perfect for our family (with 4
and 6 year old kids).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Due to the long
travel distances between our stops (2 to 4 hours can feel awful long with 2 kids
in the backseat!) and our long travel days to fly to/from Costa Rica from Boston,
we made plans to start and end close to San Jose:<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>Day 1: ARRIVAL/ POAS</b></div>
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<li>Land at San Jose (Juann Santamaria International) airport at
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</li>
<li>Drive to <a href="http://www.poasvolcanolodge.com/">Poas Volcano Lodge</a> in Alajuela (1.5 hrs, mostly due to traffic getting out of San Jose, otherwise it would have been ~50 mins) </li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I-wYAdOahcM/XIcI90ZERCI/AAAAAAAAPRo/3oEv_V8flSoXYc2_MTMGkpkl7Xvza4FfQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I-wYAdOahcM/XIcI90ZERCI/AAAAAAAAPRo/3oEv_V8flSoXYc2_MTMGkpkl7Xvza4FfQCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_6165.JPG" width="240" /></a><b>Day 2: POAS <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-poas-volcao-and-la.html">(blog post here!)</a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Morning visit to Poas Volcano</li>
<li>Rest of the day at <a href="http://www.waterfallgardens.com/">La Paz Waterfall Gardens</a></li>
<li>Overnight at Poas Volcano Lodge</li>
</ul>
<b>Day 3: ARENAL <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-arenal-la-fortuna.html">(blog post here!)</a></b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<li>Drive to <a href="https://www.lomasdelvolcan.com/index.html">Hotel Lomas del Volcan</a> in La Fortuna (2 hrs)</li>
<li>Pool/ lunch time</li>
<li>Afternoon at <a href="https://misticopark.com/">Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges</a></li>
</ul>
<b>Day 4: ARENAL</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<li>Day pass to enjoy hot springs at <a href="http://www.thespringscostarica.com/">The Springs Resort & Spa</a></li>
<li>Overnight at Hotel Lomas del Volcan</li>
</ul>
<b>Day 5: ARENAL</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<li>Morning at <a href="http://arenalecoglide.com/en/">Ecoglide</a> (zipline park)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikLkehOzrC4/XIcI-N-OmzI/AAAAAAAAPRw/xZjkHOhzdsAl4Edd7FUIvSg9PfeUcFEHgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ikLkehOzrC4/XIcI-N-OmzI/AAAAAAAAPRw/xZjkHOhzdsAl4Edd7FUIvSg9PfeUcFEHgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_6090.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
</li>
<li>Afternoon rafting trip (booked through our hotel)</li>
<li>Overnight at Hotel Lomas de Volcan</li>
</ul>
<b>Day 6: PLAYA
ESTERILLOS ESTE <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-esterillos-este.html">(blog post here!)</a></b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Drive to <a href="http://www.encantadacostarica.com/">Encantada Ocean Cottages</a> (4.25 hrs)</li>
<li>Afternoon at pool/ beach</li>
</ul>
<b>Day 7: PLAYA
ESTERILLOS ESTE</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<li>Chill all day at pool/ beach</li>
<li>Overnight at Encantada</li>
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<b>Day 8: PLAYA
ESTERILLOS ESTE</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Day trip to <a href="https://manuelantoniopark.com/">Manuel Antonio National Park</a></li>
<li>Late lunch at <a href="http://elavion.net/">El Avion</a></li>
<li>Overnight at Encantada</li>
</ul>
<b>Day 9: ALAJUELA <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/04/costa-rica-with-kids-xandari-resort.html">(blog post here!</a>)</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Kue0jy318M/XIhfnyVhKpI/AAAAAAAAPYA/WuqwAHTsMyc_OK-yfAmEHNG3aLMCy4GEgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Kue0jy318M/XIhfnyVhKpI/AAAAAAAAPYA/WuqwAHTsMyc_OK-yfAmEHNG3aLMCy4GEgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_6279.JPG" width="240" /></a></b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Morning yoga/ beach/ pool</li>
<li>Drive to <a href="https://www.xandari.com/costarica-xandari-overview.html">Xandari Resort & Spa</a> (2.25 hrs)</li>
<li>Afternoon at the pool/ hiking</li>
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<b>Day 10: DEPARTURE</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<li>20 min drive to the San Jose (Juan Santamaria) airport for
our 8 a.m. flight home</li>
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I have posted detailed reviews of each of the stops on our itinerary here:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-poas-volcao-and-la.html">Poas</a></li>
<li><a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-arenal-la-fortuna.html">Arenal / La Fortuna</a></li>
<li><a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/03/costa-rica-with-kids-esterillos-este.html">Esterillos Este/ Manuel Antonio</a></li>
<li><a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/04/costa-rica-with-kids-xandari-resort.html">Xandari Resort </a></li>
</ul>
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Besides our itinerary, the other thing I hemmed and hawed about during planning was
our Costa Rica</div>
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rental car arrangements. In the family travel
groups I follow on Facebook, many people recommend Vamos for car rental. By the time we were ready to book a car for the
popular school vacation week, Vamos did not have any SUVs left available from
the San Jose airport. So we just went
with the best price we could find (National Car Rental) and crossed our fingers
there would be no hassle. Other than the
fact that the facility is a shuttle ride away from the airport (10 minutes in
traffic, a pain with kids after a long day of travel), it was a pleasant,
hassle-free experience, comparable to renting a car from any major chain in the
U.S. The rental office staff were
pleasant and helpful, the car (Toyota Rush) was new and comfortable. The office
is staffed 24-7, which we verified by returning our car on the last day at 5:15
a.m.</div>
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I was a bit nervous about driving in Costa Rica, since I’d read lots of traveler
reviews complaining about bad roads, needing 4-wheel drive, and under-estimated
travel times on Google maps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did not experience
any of those inconveniences- I think conditions have improved and those
comments are outdated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roads were
well paved and generally wide <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgeHHe60EAk/XIhfoBNQMBI/AAAAAAAAPYE/f76c9a6YSEIZCTBNWWiiT-8NAVwr7rxZQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_6390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgeHHe60EAk/XIhfoBNQMBI/AAAAAAAAPYE/f76c9a6YSEIZCTBNWWiiT-8NAVwr7rxZQCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_6390.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a>enough for 2 cars to pass easily <i>(the one
exception was the first 20 minutes of driving from downtown San Jose until we
reached the city outskirts- the city roads we took were steep uphill, twisty,
and narrow enough that Mohit decided it would just be better to pull over and
let cars pass- fingers crossed they would not hit us!)</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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In fact, most roads were in better shape than
the potholed roads in our hometown near Boston, Massachusetts!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did not have 4-wheel drive, and we definitely
did not need it. The only unpaved roads we drove on were the local road/
driveway leading off the main roads to our hotels in Arenal and Playa Esterillos Este, and these were fine in the
dry season with a regular car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Some of the roads were steep/ twisty since Costa Rica is mountainous in areas, but it was nothing scary (we've driven on much scarier roads in Morocco!). </span></div>
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We paid for
an international data pass on my iPhone from Verizon (about $10/day) while we
were <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">there and used Google maps to navigate. </span>We had no issues (did not get lost) and found that Google accurately
estimated travel times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-78255425839269810132018-10-18T22:26:00.000-04:002019-04-23T12:04:02.049-04:00Mystic, CT with Kids- Mystic Seaport<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4DXqiphPvBc/W8kyy5UHRRI/AAAAAAAAMGU/J9wz6O6BG0shgy-EwrfRmlpd0ZKIcB2hwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_4215%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4DXqiphPvBc/W8kyy5UHRRI/AAAAAAAAMGU/J9wz6O6BG0shgy-EwrfRmlpd0ZKIcB2hwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_4215%255B1%255D.JPG" width="480" /></a>When our kids were little they were both at a daycare that was basically always open- we never had to use our vacation days to stay home with them unless they were sent home with the dreaded fever and we'd maxed out our sick days. Two years ago we moved them to a preschool that we LOVE but that has SO. Many. More. Days. Off. UGH! And now our son is in elementary school which has a similar calendar. Holidays that the kids get off but we don't at work, teacher training days, parent-teacher conference days, extended Christmas vacation and awkward weeks at the end of the school year and the end of the summer. We call in Grandma to pinch hit some of those days, but it still takes a serious toll on our paid time off.<br />
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This year I vowed that if I was going to use perfectly good vacation days when the kids had a random day off, then we would make the most of it and book some mini vacations! So this past Monday was Columbus Day (we haven't officially switched to Indigenous Peoples' day here in Massachusetts) and we used our extra day off to book a long weekend in Mystic CT.<br />
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Mystic is a little under 2 hours from Boston. We drove down midday Saturday, after little girl's ballet lesson and big boy's soccer game. During our drive down, the cloudy morning faded and the sun started to peek out, so we were excited to get out of the car and poke around the Fort Rachel Marina, which is where we initially *thought* we were supposed to meet the charter boat tour I'd pre-booked. <i>(Totally random: we happened upon a super neato grasshopper in the bushes while we were poking around the shore). </i></div>
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Oops, actually, we were supposed to meet at the marina across the river, which I fortunately figured out just in time to get over there. Our tour was with Captain Eric of <a href="http://mysticrivercruises.com/">Mystic River Cruises</a>. His 1947 classic wooden boat fits 6 people, so we shared our tour with a couple celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary (hopefully they didn't mind the kids on their romantic boat ride?!?). We enjoyed a 2-hour tour of the harbor; Captain Eric provided hot cider for the kids and Mohit and I shared a bottle of wine (with the anniversary couple, who'd forgotten their beer at their hotel). The kids got a bit restless toward the end but luckily Captain Eric was happy to have them exploring the boat's cabin (which does have a restroom, BTW).<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uGYtn_4i8lU/W8k1LjzeCgI/AAAAAAAAMHU/2f_iUB6s7fM1lRb_uXMQ4hwOsZchUNAcQCLcBGAs/s1600/SOQX9097%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uGYtn_4i8lU/W8k1LjzeCgI/AAAAAAAAMHU/2f_iUB6s7fM1lRb_uXMQ4hwOsZchUNAcQCLcBGAs/s640/SOQX9097%255B1%255D.JPG" width="480" /></a>The boat returned to dock right next to a restaurant called <a href="https://red36ct.com/">Red 36</a> which looked lively with a great deck over the water, and with good Yelp reviews, so we decided to stay and have an early dinner. It was getting a bit chilly outside and we could have used more heat lamps (or blankets!) but I enjoyed my tuna poke bowl and a nice glass of rose while the kids painted jack-o-lantern sun-catchers (dollar store craft projects are our go-to lately for well-behaved kids at dinner!).<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHkNJvNqRTc/W8k16sRZi8I/AAAAAAAAMHo/35YGvqxnFl8fUPvhMnGkPXWHYvljjIZlQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_E4511%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHkNJvNqRTc/W8k16sRZi8I/AAAAAAAAMHo/35YGvqxnFl8fUPvhMnGkPXWHYvljjIZlQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_E4511%255B1%255D.JPG" width="480" /></a>Finally we headed to our AirBNB, which was a pleasant surprise all around. First, it was in a great location, on an adorable and quiet street which was an easy 3-minute walk into town (just around the corner from the famous <a href="http://www.mytogo.co/Mystic_Pizza_Main/">Mystic Pizza</a> and many other shopping and dining options). It was super clean, attractively and comfortable furnished, and perfect for a family (2 bedrooms, sleeps up to 6). The thoughtful host had left fresh milk, OJ, coffee, bagels and cream cheese for us. The kids were thrilled to discover a HUGE bin of legos and a Monopoly game to play with. And the final bonus, it is located around the corner from a playground, at which the kids enjoyed some downtime later in the weekend! We highly recommend the <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25205224">Mystic Harbor House</a> AirBNB for your family stay in Mystic!<br />
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We planned to spend the next day at Mystic Seaport, and we decided to walk (a little under a mile) through town, over the cool drawbridge in the center, and along the waterfront to the museum. It was nice to explore the cute little seaside town on foot and I couldn't have been more thrilled at the progress we've made getting our 3-year old to walk everywhere this year. Not to jinx ourselves, but I think our stroller days are officially over!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5zZ02Gj28A/W8k8rWZDz9I/AAAAAAAAMI0/TXbI9HxD0coDdbDJRJda6AZcbdLBIjLgQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_4280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5zZ02Gj28A/W8k8rWZDz9I/AAAAAAAAMI0/TXbI9HxD0coDdbDJRJda6AZcbdLBIjLgQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_4280.JPG" width="480" /></a><a href="https://www.mysticseaport.org/">Mystic Seaport</a> is part a museum of seafaring history, part active shipyard, part preserved 1800s village, plus a few other exhibits thrown in. With the kids, we probably saw about half of it in about 5 hours. They didn't have much interest in the historic village, even with live demonstrations of things like black smithing, a printing press, and wood carving. The kids' favorite parts of <a href="https://www.mysticseaport.org/">Mystic Seaport</a> were (in this order): building a toy boat ($5 cash per kid at the John Gardner Boat Shop Annex), exploring onboard the Charles W. Morgan (a circa 1841 whaling ship...or a pirate ship, if you ask my 3-year old), craft projects at the Children's Museum, and exploring nautical physics at the Discovery Barn.<br />
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Mid-afternoon, we walked back to our cottage, figuring everyone could use some down time after a LOT of walking all day. The kids pulled out the Monopoly game (which 6-year old suspiciously always beats his little sister at...) and Mohit and I put our feet up for a bit. It had been cloudy all day but when the sun finally came out, I took the kids around the corner to the neighborhood playground for a bit.<br />
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For dinner, we walked back into town and decided on <a href="http://sp-oyster.com/">S&P Oyster Co</a>., which we chose mostly for its adorable patio on the water. They did have a kids menu (I was impressed with the pasta alfredo with chicken and broccoli option), and Mohit and I both had delicious seafood meals which were made even more enjoyable by unusually well-behaved kids (of course we'd brought craft projects/ books to entertain them). After dinner we rewarded the kids with ice cream at <a href="http://www.mysticdrawbridgeicecream.com/">Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream</a>. We walked back to our AirBNB in the dark and admired Halloween decorations already out. We all slept well after a busy day!<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-58653412553112726582018-09-17T22:26:00.001-04:002019-04-23T12:04:21.745-04:00Franconia Notch, NH with Kids- Flume Gorge and Echo Lake Beach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
September is beautiful in NH. I can't promise every day will be a blue sky, 70-80 degree day, but that has been our experience 3 years in a row visiting with our kids. Maybe we've just been lucky? Try for yourself!<br />
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This year we stayed in Jefferson, NH and our kids loved the<a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2018/09/jefferson-nh-santas-village.html"> day we spent at Santa's Village</a>. On the second day of our weekend adventure, we explored <a href="https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/franconia-notch-state-park.aspx">Franconia Notch State Park</a>, specifically the <a href="https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/flume-gorge.aspx">Flume Gorge trail</a> and <a href="http://www.cannonmt.com/echo-lake-beach-boats.html">Echo Lake Beach</a>. It was such a fun day with the kids and we think we might even repeat the same weekend next fall!<br />
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For years I'd driven by signs for the Flume Gorge on our way back from North Conway. I'd always wondered about it, and when I realized it would be a convenient stop along our drive back to Boston from Jefferson, I was excited to finally check it out. About 40 minutes south from Jefferson, after enjoying the stunning mountain scenery as we drove through Franconia Notch (having missed this view when we arrived in the dark two days earlier), we pulled off Route 93 (exit into the parking lot of the Visitor's Center. Entering the visitor's center, the kids ran around checking out the displays (our 3-year-old was particularly entertained by the stuffed moose's bum!). Plenty of conveniences offered here: a full service cafeteria, where you can stock up on snacks for your hike or stop afterward for hot lunch, restrooms, water fountains to fill your bottles, area tourist info and plenty of interesting historic displays related to the history of the Flume Gorge as a tourist attraction since the early 1800s.<br />
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We purchased our tickets ($16 for adults, $14 for children up to 12, free for children 5 and under. The NH state park system is self-supporting- no taxpayer support) and then followed signs through the back door of the lodge and out into the woods. The trail is a 2-mile round trip, totally doable with small kids (as long as you bring snacks to bribe them along the way, in our experience). There were so many fun things to discover even from the start of the hike. Huge glacial erratic boulders. A quaint covered bridge. Table Rock, a broad flat exposed section of granite being slowly smoothed by flowing waters.<br />
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The Flume Gorge, which we encountered less than a half mile into the hike, is a narrow valley only 12 to 20 ft wide and with walls of granite rising 70 to 90 feet above the flowing water of Flume Brook. The path through the gorge consists of winding wooden walkways suspended from the walls and balancing over the brook. It's breathtaking. While I would love to say that we took in the natural beauty in solitude, in reality the path is well-traveled by busloads of tourists, including (on the day we visited) lots of people speaking European languages and lots of retirees. Strangely, considering we were on a long walk through the woods, up the side of a mountain, along paths of dirt and rock and mud, we saw way too many people inappropriately dressed for the outdoor adventure (we passed one elegantly dressed couple in their 70s, she wearing chunky heeled sandals and he wearing the shiniest leather dress shoes I've ever seen).<br />
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At the top of the gorge (about 0.6 miles into your hike), the trail signs offer the option of the Rim Path, which appears to head downhill parallel to the flume, rejoining the same path you just came up, or the Ridge Path, which continues in a loop for another 1.3 miles back to the Visitor's Center. I'm pretty sure most people took the shorter Rim Path back, because the crowd seriously thinned out from here forward (and we lost all the inappropriately dressed hikers!). This section of the hike was well worth it! Stunning views of a waterfall at Liberty Gorge, another covered bridge, and beautiful mountain scenery through the trees.<br />
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My son's favorite part was just past the covered bridge, where we investigated a small side trail noted as "The Wolf's Den". At the end of a narrow crevice, we turned into a dim cave, where my son clambered over dripping wet boulders and through a narrow opening...and then popped out on top and onto wooden stairs, where he promptly scrambled back down to the bottom to repeat the adventure twice more. Little sister was NOT interested in the dark cave, so we went around the easy way. Mohit tried to squeeze through but it turns out the crevice is a much better fit for skinny 6-year-olds. </div>
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Back at the bottom, we enjoyed a hot lunch at the visitor's center cafeteria (I highly recommend the Boise Rock Burger!) and then made our way less than 10 minutes back north to check out Echo Lake Beach (recommended by the park guides when we asked for somewhere to go swimming). We found the name a bit confusing, since we have often visited Echo Lake State Park in North Conway, but this is a different lake.<br />
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We paid $10 for our family of four to enter (kids under 5 free again) and were super impressed to find a sandy beach, clear lake with stunning views of Canon Mountain ski area and Franconia Notch, nicely maintained rest rooms/ changing rooms, picnic tables with grills nearby, boats available for rent, and a small general store selling snacks, ice cream treats, and sand toys. We stayed for about 2 hours; the kids made friends and sand castles, Mohit took a nap, and the ducks took special interest in us when we purchased ice cream and dripped it all over the ground eating outside. It was a bit too cold for swimming in the chilly water, but it was a great last hurrah to our fun weekend nevertheless. When we finally hit the road for our drive back to Boston, BOTH kids fell asleep immediately. Success!<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-23019833762340516352018-09-17T06:33:00.000-04:002019-04-23T12:04:10.506-04:00Jefferson, NH With Kids- Santa's Village<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have fond memories of my childhood trips to the local amusement park (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whalom_Park">Whalom Park</a>, now abandoned- man do I feel old!). While I enjoy creating the same fun memories for our kids, I don't enjoy being at a park in sweltering summer heat. For the past few years we've been bringing our kids up to North Conway, NH to visit Story Land and enjoy some outdoor activities, and we've found that September is a perfect time to go. Beautiful, usually dry and sunny days, warm enough to enjoy some water fun but cool in the shade and at night. This year, ready to explore somewhere new, we decided to try Santa's Village in Jefferson, NH.<br />
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We drove up on a Friday night after work, about 3 hours north of Boston. After the sun set and we were well into the mountainous region, we found the Rte. 93 gets increasingly narrow, hilly, and curvy as it winds its way through Franconia Notch State Park. No time to be snoozing at the wheel!<br />
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We stayed for two nights at <a href="http://www.josselyns.com/">Josselyn's Getaway Log Cabins</a>, where we had a cozy (and definitely kitschy!) two-bedroom log cabin with a porch swing, picnic table, grill and campfire pit. Though we couldn't see it when we arrived in the dark, in the morning we awoke to a view over the porch and down a dewy, sloping lawn leading to a cute playground. After coffee (and while their dad, who's not a morning person, slept in), I took the kids out to explore the mowed nature trail that started under an apple tree heavy with fruit, crossed with a log bridge over a bubbling brook and continued through a field of wildflowers, where we found a surprise snowman totem.<br />
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Santa's Village doesn't open until 9:30 a.m., which is practically midday for our early riser kiddos, so we opted to have a "second breakfast" at the nearby <a href="https://www.waterwheelnh.com/">Waterwheel Breakfast & Gift House</a>, where the decor is cozy, the food was generous and yummy (and cheap for us city folk!), and the service was friendly but slooooooooow (you've been warned. If you have kids, ask for your bill as soon as your food arrives).<br />
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Fueled up (we knew we'd need it!), we finally arrived at Santa's Village. It's seemingly in the middle of nowhere- in a tiny little town with barely any other commercial activity, and only a few small hotels nearby. I was surprised at the relatively small size of the parking lot. No line to get our tickets, which were surprisingly affordable ($99 for our family of 4).<br />
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And the rest of our day was similarly low key; hardly any lines to get on rides (the most was maybe 5 minutes), not too crowded, we moved at a pleasant, unhurried pace (well, as much as that's possible with excited 3 and 6 year olds!). The place is just so adorable and enjoyable with little kids. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and maintained. Fresh paint and flowering plants everywhere, inviting lawn areas, plenty of shade, an abundance of benches and nooks to stop and rest. Fun little hidden play areas for the littlest kids to wait while their bigger siblings try the more adventurous rides; reindeer swings, little slides, gingerbread figures to poke your face through. The Christmas theme is consistent, and yes there was Christmas music playing ("We know this song, Mommy! yelled my 3-year old) , but it wasn't overbearing. Plenty of clean restrooms, several quiet nursery/ nursing areas with AC.<br />
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My favorite ride was the Skyway Sleigh, a monorail that winds above the park. My kids always enjoy a good mini train (this one was called Santa's Express) and the carousel (this one had reindeer); we rode both twice. We couldn't convince our kids to try the Yule Log Flume, but the Red Hot Racers (tubes racing down a waterway) were a fun lower key alternative (which we did about a dozen times- barely any line!). The real live reindeer were fun to see, especially since they were so friendly and eager to sniff us for snacks.<br />
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By far the coolest attraction (pun intended) was the Ho Ho H2O water park and Joy Ride Slides. There's a small splash pad for the littles, but the huge water fortress could have kept my kids busy all day if not for the abundance of other tempting options. Sprays, pools, slides, a tower to climb and explore, a big bucket of water that periodically dumped. I was super impressed with the change rooms, which looked brand new and were spotlessly clean.<br />
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We bought our lunch in the park, although you are allowed to bring in your own picnic. There are tons of food options scattered conveniently throughout the park. There was of course the standard pizza/ hot dogs/ hamburgers/ nuggets. But I was impressed with the kiosk featuring fresh fruits and veggies with dip, and with the kids meals that came served on a frisbee with applesauce and milk. In the afternoon, we let the kids choose between getting a treat at the candy store or ice cream, and I was glad they chose the yummy homemade hard ice cream.<br />
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Of course we visited Santa in his house too. My 3-year-old hid behind my legs, too shy to speak to Santa, while her big brother talked Santa's ear off with a long list of wishes (Bey Blades and a remote control transformer, for the record).<br />
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We knew the kids would be too tired to behave at a restaurant for dinner (and honestly, there weren't many to choose from nearby anyways), so we opted to grill some chicken and veggies at our cabin, and to top the day off with s'mores over the campfire. After that, we ALL slept well!<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-74448855653325202202018-09-05T15:15:00.002-04:002018-09-07T21:51:55.682-04:00Toronto with Kids- Ontario Science Centre<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mohit's parents live just outside of Toronto, and we usually visit with the kids 3 times per year. Our kids are early risers (much to their dad's dismay), and are bouncing off the walls by 8 a.m., when everyone else in the house still wants to sleep in. Our usual routine is to hit the road to explore some local kid-friendly activity for the early part of the day, returning early afternoon for some quality grandparent time.<br />
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The Ontario Science Centre hadn't really been on our radar until this year, now that our kids are 6.5 and 3.5, and we're out of the toddler stage (yes, 3.5 is feeling like a "big kid" these days!). We had been trying to save it for our annual December visit, since it's an indoor activity. But after several 90 degrees + days during our Labor Day weekend visit, we were desperate for some air-conditioned diversion. We were surprised how much we LOVED the Science Centre and have already decided that we want to go back again in December, only 3 months from now. We arrived 10 minutes before opening, stayed for 5.5 hrs of hands-on, action packed fun, and had to physically remove our kids under much protest...and we still didn't see it all. SUCH a great destination for the 8 and under set! (and to top it off, our admission was free thanks to our reciprocal membership at the Boston Museum of Science!).<br />
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So many things for our active kids to try: a seismograph to jump in front of and watch the needle record your "thumps", a Rube-Goldberg-esque machine for the kids to drop balls into, a tabletop smoking with fog where our 6-year-old played with lasers and mirrors. A stack blowing air where our son loved playing with a floating beach ball, tricky concave and convex mirrors that made our 3-year old giggle, sound rooms with musical experiments. A rock-climbing wall with a big soft mat that was a huge hit for rolling and tumbling.<br />
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A fog tornado to run through. A rain forest room with a rope bridge. A wind tunnel where the kids spent the better part of an hour gathering paper scraps which they stuffed at the base and watched blow out the top and rain down all across the room. Race tracks to experiment with friction, a paper airplane target, and a craft station where kids assembled fashion accessories with hot glue guns and scissors. A massive wall of glass tubes filled with bubbles released in the shape of your portrait (yes, really!). An outdoor play area with stick forts and a log slide. In the 8-and-under "KidSpark" area, awesome water play tables, a hot air balloon, 3-D anatomy puzzles.<br />
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Since our admission was free, we "splurged" on Omni theater tickets to see "Oceans: Our Blue Planet". Mohit and I enjoyed it, but our kids could definitely have passed on it: Our 3-year-old thought the dramatic music was too loud and scary and climbed into my lap, and our 6-year-old, prone to motion sickness, felt dizzy and had to close his eyes.<br />
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Parking is reasonable ($10 for the day), there's a Tim Horton's in the lobby and a specialty coffee counter ("Maker Bean Cafe") also near the start of your tour, so parents can start off the day properly caffeinated. We enjoyed lunch outdoors at the Terrace Grill- a simple menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, and grilled chicken sandwiches, but the burgers were made to order and juicy with a great add-you-own topping bar, and with a variety of sides like mac-n-cheese (appreciated by our youngest) and curried chickpea salad.<br />
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We can't wait to visit again later this year and see what else we missed (and try our favorite exhibits again!). A definite must-do with kids in Toronto.<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-535313302466726922018-08-11T22:04:00.000-04:002018-08-11T22:13:36.247-04:00Cape Cod, MA- Heritage Museum and Gardens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Our big kid has been at the Cape for the past week at "grandma and grandpa summer camp". We all spent last weekend at the Cape when we drove down to drop him off, so this weekend we arranged to meet my parents just over the Sagamore Bridge in Sandwich, which saved us another 40 minutes of driving out to the outer Cape. <br />
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I've wanted to check out the <a href="https://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/">Heritage Museum and Gardens</a> with the kids for ages, but we hadn't had a chance until today. Even on a drizzly day it was so much fun! We spent about 4 hours and we'll definitely be back again to explore some more!</div>
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Just inside the entrance, our kids were immediately intrigued by the sounds of a waterfall and ran to explore the aqueduct emptying into a lilypad pond. We let the kids lead the way from there and followed the paths to explore a glen full of hydrangeas, a maze framed by cobblestones in the shade of pine trees, a pile of oversized alphabet blocks, megaphones to yell across the lawn and trees to climb. So many little kid-friendly treasures to discover!</div>
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We popped into the Special Exhibition Gallery, a big barn-like building in the middle of the gardens. The kids were noisy and full of energy, so I was thinking we'd have to take a quick peek and then get them back outdoors before they disturbed anything, but even the gallery was welcoming for the kids. The exhibit was beautiful- paintings by children's book illustrator <a href="https://www.minorart.com/">Wendall Minor</a>. Just as I was chasing the kids around a corner and preparing to urge them not to touch anything, we discovered a corner with a kids' table beckoning them to create some artwork of their own, and staff who were smiling and encouraging. So much fun! </div>
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Back outside, we followed signs that promised a tree house ("Like Jack and Annie's tree house, mommy?" my 3-year-old asked me). Through the trees and then down a steep path the Hidden Hollow came into view. Oh my gosh, we could have spent an entire afternoon there. A grand treehouse, musical instruments to play, another art corner, a waterfall with cascading pools of water and buckets to play with, a sandbox, a stage, </div>
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The drizzle suddenly turned into heavy rain, so we put our hoods up and headed further along the path, following signs to the indoor carousel. When we pushed the door open, there were no other families inside, and the carousel stood silent and still. My son asked "Is it closed? Is it just for looking at?" but the lady attending the carousel welcomed us all (adults included, despite our muddy wet shoes) to climb up and turned it on. On the first ride, we had the whole carousel to ourselves. Plenty of other families came inside to shelter from the rain too, and our kids rode three more times. </div>
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We were getting hungry so we decided it was time to head back toward the entrance. We were debating which lunch restaurant nearby we should go to, but as we passed the museum cafe with attractive outdoor seating under a canopy, the sandwiches and salads looked just fine and we decided to eat there. After the kids finished their grilled cheeses, they ran off to chase the roaming turkeys and climb another tree while the adults enjoyed finishing our lunch (with beer! and sangria!). </div>
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Freshly refueled, we now had plenty of time to pop into the big, round, stone barn to see the race car exhibit. Yet again, it was incredibly kid friendly. There was an Indy race car that the kids could suit up and climb into, a Model T to climb into and drive, and a race track where the kids could build their own cars and race them down. We had to pry my son free when it was time to leave.<br />
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We definitely could have spent a couple more hours exploring the nature trails too. I'm sure we will be back again! I hear they have a fabulous winter lights display...</div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-15995910591305879242018-07-17T11:49:00.000-04:002018-07-17T14:39:00.247-04:00Sandy Island Family Camp, Lake Winnipesaukee, NH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Standing on the dock on a blazing hot July day, my kids could hardly contain their excitement. They were excited to stretch their legs after a 2.5 hr drive north from Boston to Mirror Lake, New Hampshire. But even more exciting, we were waiting next to a pile of luggage and sleeping bags to board the Big Sandy II, our ferry to <a href="http://bostonycamps.org/sandy-island-family-camp/about-camp-sandy-island/">Sandy Island, a YMCA Family camp</a> (think summer sleepaway camp for the whole family!) in the middle of Lake Winnepesaukee. We had been eagerly anticipating this trip since booking it 9 months earlier, but had no idea what to expect since this was our first camp week ever.<br />
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Our good friends had tipped us onto Sandy Island, having heard rave reviews from another family who had been returning to the camp for years. Since I had fond memories of my childhood summers <a href="https://www.campmarshall.net/">Camp Marshall </a>and had spent 6 years as a teenager working as a camp counselor at <a href="https://www.campputnam.org/">Camp Putnam</a>, a week of swimming, kayaking, crafting and campfires sounded like nostalgic fun and we jumped at the opportunity to introduce our kids to the same kind of summer memories. <br />
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We boarded the boat without our luggage while camp staff loaded and transported our bags in a separate boat, and then delivered them to our cabin on the island. A short boat ride later, we disembarked and met our good friends who would be camping with us for the week, and who had arrived on an earlier boat that morning. The kids were excited to explore the log cabin where we'd be sleeping for the week (our family of 4 was in the 1-room Wee Hoos, which had 2 twin beds, and 2 bunk beds, for up to 6 people). There really are no bad cabins. Many cabins are waterfront and all have water views. Our cabin was one of the closest to the main assembly hall, waterfront and playgrounds, so we were a little nervous about it being noisy during our kids' early bedtime, but with our fans on at night, we couldn't hear a thing. We found it convenient to be near the bath house, and even then our 3 year old often didn't make it all the way to the toilet without an accident first thing in the morning.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zx-DYl2B7CI/W04LxnkvrEI/AAAAAAAAJkc/qAidG8XHNQQsBud5WPovTfmWuxE972I5gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zx-DYl2B7CI/W04LxnkvrEI/AAAAAAAAJkc/qAidG8XHNQQsBud5WPovTfmWuxE972I5gCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_2418.JPG" width="300" /></a>After an easy-going first afternoon to get ourselves oriented, we quickly settled into our camp routine on Day 2 and for the rest of the week: Our kids woke us up every morning around 6 a.m. (sun lit our cabin up before 5!). I'd get up with them, visit the bath house to freshen up, and then we'd head to the playground until breakfast. I'd get a coffee and the kids would get hot chocolates and we'd sit on the deck of the dining hall taking in the gorgeous lake views with the other early risers.<br />
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The dining hall bell rang at 7:30 a.m. to announce breakfast, at which point Mohit (who is NOT a morning person!) would join us. After breakfast, the kids would run back outside to the playground while the adults lingered over coffee. From 9-12 our kids would attend camp activities under the supervision of counselors (available to kids 3 and up). During these kid-free mornings, Mohit and I enjoyed kayaking and stand up paddle boarding together, Mohit tried jet skiing, yoga and tubing, and I made handmade pottery and other crafts at the craft shop. At noon we all met up again for lunch. All of our meals were eaten together at the same table, which we shared for the week with our good friends, another family of 4.<br />
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After lunch, our friends' 1-year old would nap with his dad, and we often headed to the craft shop with the older kids. My son and his friend, both 6, enjoyed the organized kids' craft projects such as leather stamping, "gimp" bracelets, beads, slime-making. The camp does not allow kids under 6 inside the craft shop due to the many adult-oriented and potentially unsafe tools and supplies in the shop. I found this frustrating for my craft-loving 3-year-old, but adjusted. I managed to beg for some watercolors and paper one day, and for acrylic paint (to paint rocks and pine cones) another day, which we enjoyed on the picnic tables just outside the craft shop. <br />
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Late afternoons we usually spent swimming in the lake and laying around on the shore. The kids ran in a pack together while the adults enjoyed chatting. Around 4 p.m. we'd buy ice to chill our beer/ wine and then fill our insulated travel mugs to carry to the waterfront for our improvised "happy hour". One afternoon we took the kids on a hike to explore the full circumference of the island and it was fun to stumble upon a deer in the woods! (On an island??) The dinner bell rang every night at 6.<br />
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After dinner there was often an activity for the kids (camp fire sing-a-long with s'mores, dance party, talent show, bingo night, sunset boat ride), which we'd quit around 8 pm to head back to our cabin for bedtime. Mohit and I would usually read in bed until 9 or so, but we found we were ready to call it a day pretty early after so much sunshine and fresh air.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">The food was great, plentiful and enough variety to keep everyone happy. At breakfast there was always a granola/ fresh fruit/ yogurt bar, plus toast and cereal. Hot options varied day to day and included pancakes, waffles, omelettes, scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, sausage, bacon, fresh blueberry muffins, banana bread etc. A salad bar was always well-stocked for lunch and dinner. Lunches were served buffet style and varied from tacos to pizza to chowder. Dinners were served family style, such as spaghetti and meatballs, turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, pasta with chicken and broccoli, or roast beef and baked potatoes. Two dinners were barbecues eaten outside, and I was pleasantly surprised that the menu not only included burgers and hot dogs but also grilled chicken and ribs, roasted cauliflower and a variety of yummy salads. Desserts included brownies, pudding, fresh-baked cookies and ice cream. Drinks available at all times included juices, flavored and plain waters, milk, tea and coffee.</span></div>
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Our kids had a fabulous time, and were begging to stay longer/ come back next year before the week was finished. I think the part that was the neatest for them was that because everything was self-contained on the island, with no traffic or roads to worry about, even the little kids could have a lot of independence. They enjoyed being able to run off to the playground ahead of me, or make a trip back to the cabin to retrieve something themselves, or run around with the dozens of other kids. Mohit and I are pretty sure we will return next year. Many other families we met during our stay had been attending Sandy Island Camp for 5, 10, or even 30+ years!<br />
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Want to try it out too? Here are a few tips:<br />
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Register early! Applications for next summer open in October each year. Cabins are reserved on a first come first served basis, and preference is given to returning families. All the weeks book up quickly. So if you want to try it out for the first time, make sure you get your application in as early as possible!<br />
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<b>DO BRING:</b><br />
1. Nothing fancy. The predominant dress code for everyone between 1 and 81 is bathing suits, flip flops or running shoes, tie dye T-shirts (you can make your own at camp!), and athletic shorts.<br />
2. Sleeping bags and pillow cases. The camp provides sheets to cover the mattress, and scratchy wool blankets that you can layer over your sleeping bag on cool nights. Camp also provides pillows but you'll want your own case, and maybe your own pillow if that's important to you.<br />
3. At least 3 bathing suits. If it's hot like it was during our visit, you'll be living in the water! We returned home with lots of unworn clothing since we wore our bathing suits all week!<br />
4. Your own beer/ wine/ adult beverages and a cooler. Camp sells ice for $1/bag that you can buy daily to chill afternoon/ evening beverages.<br />
5. An insulated travel mug. Good for coffee with a view of the lake while you wait for the dining hall breakfast bell. Also great for keeping your glass of wine or beer cool in the late afternoons.<br />
6. If you're a coffee-lover like me, you'll want to bring your own coffee and a french press or other brewing method. I'm used to dark, strong coffee and the camp coffee tasted like water to me. (First world problems, I know...).<br />
7. Sunscreen and bug spray. We find that roll-on sunscreen tubes work great for our kids' faces. We were happy to find that bugs were barely a problem, but you'll still want some pest deterrent for the evenings.<br />
8. If you have kids under 6, bring craft supplies and games to entertain during down times. Camp has abundant activities and diversions catering to the 6 and over crowd, but we were surprised that our craft-loving 3.5 year old was not allowed in the craft shop, and the games and puzzles available to borrow were not suitable for really young kiddos.<br />
9. For kids who will be in morning camp: a small backpack to carry their towel, change of clothes and water bottle.<br />
10. Your own towels (both bath towels and beach towels).<br />
11. Flash lights.<br />
12. Extension cord. There's electricity in the cabins, but not always just where you need it.<br />
13. Pack a small bag with your family's swim suits to carry on the ferry when arriving to the island. This way you can enjoy an inaugural swim in the lake while you wait for your luggage to be delivered to your cabin.<br />
14. Band aids. My little kids joyfully got many boo-boos tripping on the bumpy dirt paths and while playing in the trees, and it was convenient to not have to visit the nurse's cabin for these.<br />
15. Quarters. A load in the shared washing machines or dryers is $1.00 each.<br />
16. Your own 100% cotton white articles (T-shirts or anything else you want!) for tie-dyeing. You can also buy these at the craft shop. <br />
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<b>DON'T NEED TO BRING:</b><br />
1. Sand toys or inflatables. Camp provides plenty of both at the waterfront!<br />
2. Not necessary to bring your own life vest or flotation device. Camp has plenty of these for all ages, to be used both for swimming and boating.<br />
3. Snacks. We thought we'd need these for the kids between meals, but the food provided is so abundant that we were never hungry between meals, and if we were, there was always cereal and fresh fruit available in the dining hall.<br />
4. A fan. Several fans are provide in each cabin (ours had 5!).<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-17332515031681107802018-07-15T08:54:00.000-04:002019-06-04T21:20:32.578-04:00Ogunquit, Maine with Kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It was a gorgeous summer Friday, 80 degrees, blue skies, flowers in the yard, and the weather forecast promised more of the same for the weekend ahead. As I wrapped up a work-from-home day and prepared to pick up my kids from summer camp/ preschool, I dreamed of a beach weekend. A quick google search for available hotel rooms in Maine, a text to my husband "what would you say to a 1-night adventure to Ogunquit Maine if I packed for you?"...and 3 hours later we were on the road, arriving at our destination just after sunset.</div>
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The Ogunquit-York Beach area of Maine is a convenient 1.5 hour drive from where we live near Boston. We stayed at <a href="https://searosesuites.com/">Sea Rose Suites</a>, which was conveniently located easy walking (or trolley ride!) distance to restaurants, the beach, and other sights noted below. There's a lovely outdoor pool as well as an indoor pool, and the all-suite rooms are perfectly set up for families. We will be back for sure if we stay in the area again! </div>
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We kicked off our day with a short walk to <a href="http://www.roostcafeandbistro.com/">The Roost </a>for breakfast, which was recommended by the receptionist at our hotel. We picked up croissants from their bakery in back and ate at the cute outdoor tables in their front garden area. Since the bakery options are limited (we are spoiled by some fabulous bakeries at home), I would recommend ordering breakfast inside the full restaurant next time (I bet they would allow you to order and eat outside in the garden, which is perfect for kids).<br />
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After fueling up, we continued our walk into Perkins Cove to the start of the <a href="https://newengland.com/today/travel/maine/ogunquit/marginal-way-ogunquit-maine/">Marginal Way </a>walk. The sun was bright but there were some welcome breezes off the ocean. The kids loved checking out every single view point/ sitting area, climbing out over the rocks along the path, and running ahead to lead the way. Marginal Way offers beautiful views over the ocean, peeks into the manicured yards of beach houses we dreamed of being invited to, a cute little light house, and periodic stairs down to rocky beaches. </div>
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The Marginal Way path ends in downtown Ogunquit near a cluster of cute shops, tempting restaurants and the beach. We let the kids pick out a boogie board to buy at the cute toy shop Cricket's Corner, and then let them lead the way across two bridges out to the beach. </div>
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Ogunquit beach is fun- super soft sand and waves just big enough to be exciting but not scary for little kids. But it's not the peaceful, natural experience that we're used to at Grandma & Grandpa's house on Cape Cod. Ogunquit beach is lined with hotels and clam shack restaurants and packed with people. It's got convenient amenities- a nice bath house for rinsing off/ changing, lunch options nearby, and a trolley stop so that you don't have to walk all the way back again with tired sandy kids at the end of the day. We spent a few hours digging in the sand, mastering the new boogie board and having a lunch of hot dogs and fried clams (and protecting them from the eager seagulls!). The kids were super excited for the short trolley ride back to our hotel.</div>
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We made the most of our 1-night hotel stay by relaxing for a bit at the pool, and then taking advantage of the restrooms near the indoor pool to rinse off and change back into dry clothes. </div>
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With a little over an hour to kill before an early bird dinner, we hopped in the car for the scenic Shore Road drive into York Beach and out toward the Nubble Light House. Little kid napped in the car in the parking lot while we climbed on the rock nearby with big kid. </div>
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We drove back to Perkin's Cove in Ogunquit foor dinner at <a href="https://www.perkinscovetrap.com/">The Trap</a>, which had yummy Tuna Poke bowls and a refreshing glass of Vinho Verde, plus hamburgers and pasta salad for the kids. We ate outdoors on the deck, which was open to the rocky shoreline with tidal pools that beckoned for exploring, but we were disappointed when the waitress called our kids back onto the deck and explained the beach was private, and they were not supposed to allow customers out there. Luckily we had come prepared with crayons and activity books. </div>
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We capped off a fun day with ice cream after dinner and then hit the road for the short drive home, arriving just in time for a quick bath before bedtime. After a busy, fun day we all slept well!</div>
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Looking to spend more time in this part of Maine? <a href="https://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2019/06/york-beach-maine-with-kids.html">Check out our day trip to nearby York Beach (blog post here!)</a></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-31016278889437530312018-06-12T21:46:00.000-04:002018-06-12T21:46:05.430-04:00Toronto with Kids- Parks and Playgrounds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Mohit's parents live just outside of Toronto, Canada, and we usually visit with the kids three times a year. Our kids bring a TORNADO of energy to their grandparents' quiet house, so we usually try to plan outings each day to avoid completely tearing apart their house! Here are our top three favorite parks and playgrounds in the Toronto area:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.highparktoronto.com/">High Park</a>, 1873 Bloor Street West, Toronto</b><br />
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This park is awesome for the 8 and under set! First off, there's an awesome castle playground, which has a great toddler area, big kid area, and picnic tables and benches for parents. Second, there is a FREE mini zoo right across from the playground which features bison, deer, peacocks, emus, etc. Third, there's an adorable mini train that you can take for a tour of the entire park, which features scenic a scenic lake, forests, and pretty flowering landscapes. If your kids are like my son and still have energy for more, there are also well marked nature trails to explore.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/prd/facilities/complex/394/index.html">Sunnyside</a> and <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/prd/facilities/complex/335/index.html">Budapest Parks</a> along Lakeshore Boulevard West, Toronto</b></div>
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When we visited, we parked near Sunnyside and walked along the shore toward Budapest Park and beyond. There's lot to explore here- both sandy and rocky beaches along Lake Ontario, fountains and wading pools for summertime water play, a playground which includes fun concrete dinosaurs for climbing, and the <a href="http://www.sunnysidepavilion.com/">Sunnyside Pavillion Cafe</a>, a great stop for lunch with a view of the water. We came here during U.S. Labor Day weekend (Labour Day in Canada too!), during the annual Canadian National Exhibition, and this is a spectacular spot to watch the <a href="http://cias.org/">air show</a>!</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.jackdarling.com/">Jack Darling Park</a>, Mississauga, Ontario</b></div>
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OK, so this one is outside of Toronto, in Mississauga (where Mohit's parents live), but we come back to this one almost every time we visit because it's got so much to offer! There is a fabulous playground on artificial turf (great when you have both a crawling baby and an energetic big sibling!), a super fun spray park, a sandy beach along Lake Ontario, and rocky shoreline to explore. This park has great public restroom facilities and extensive picnic areas, which are typically occupied by big family parties and barbecues when we visit on weekends. </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bPz6pIFHT5A/WxXpGUFiSaI/AAAAAAAAIW8/w7FvYFp9w7k_T_MUb2TC5YhAh0pi5UTxQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bPz6pIFHT5A/WxXpGUFiSaI/AAAAAAAAIW8/w7FvYFp9w7k_T_MUb2TC5YhAh0pi5UTxQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8369.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-29335927008844791232018-06-09T14:19:00.001-04:002018-06-09T14:19:30.034-04:00North Conway, New Hampshire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l3ECykgRb88/WxXrITpDfsI/AAAAAAAAIY4/1x3niP6x_C44aGM2ZyKSK3FEXhEqX4i6QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7981.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l3ECykgRb88/WxXrITpDfsI/AAAAAAAAIY4/1x3niP6x_C44aGM2ZyKSK3FEXhEqX4i6QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7981.JPG" width="480" /></a>It's becoming a end-of-the summer family tradition to drive up to North Conway, NH for a long weekend. It's such a great destination with kids. <a href="https://www.storylandnh.com/">Story Land</a>, an adorable, nostalgic amusement park perfect for kids 10 and under is the main draw. The best way to do Story Land is to take advantage of a fun little bonus: a one-day ticket is actually good for two days! If you show up to purchase your tickets in the last 3 hours that the park is open (closing time varies from 5:00-6:30 p.m. depending on the time of year you visit), you can enter without lines, ride a few rides and scope out the super fun stuff you want to come back to try later. Then you show up again the next day for free (or another day during your visit- it's good for a year!) and you get to skip the long morning lines! We've found that this approach is great with little kids, it means you get your money's worth without having to push through a long day with cranky kids. Two half days feels more relaxed. </div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R89VBsORvrg/WxXraad8FlI/AAAAAAAAIZs/bUcQVg4LEC4Mw9G27cHE3In44UfwEeU5gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R89VBsORvrg/WxXraad8FlI/AAAAAAAAIZs/bUcQVg4LEC4Mw9G27cHE3In44UfwEeU5gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8132.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TDIIrl7QA0/WxXrfB3rgNI/AAAAAAAAIaM/GazAGExcSxUz0pmvAcC82qLTMxxMXg3aQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TDIIrl7QA0/WxXrfB3rgNI/AAAAAAAAIaM/GazAGExcSxUz0pmvAcC82qLTMxxMXg3aQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8181.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91WV9Qp33Yc/WxXra8L8qkI/AAAAAAAAIZ0/M-wD4rOkvoELhCm2tYa8eRbF9cR1qV5LACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91WV9Qp33Yc/WxXra8L8qkI/AAAAAAAAIZ0/M-wD4rOkvoELhCm2tYa8eRbF9cR1qV5LACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8156.JPG" width="480" /></a>After a hot day at Storyland, we love a late afternoon visit to <a href="https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/echo-lake-state-park.aspx">Echo Lake State Park</a> for a refreshing swim. A short walk through pine trees from the parking lot is a big sandy beach, lake swimming with nice shallow entry for kiddos, and a big picnic area in the dappled shade below pines. The views from the beach are stunning- the lake sits at the base of a majestic cliff of rock. The kids have fun yelling to try to hear their voices echoing off the rock back at us. When it's time to head home, there are convenient bath houses where you can rinse off before piling back in the car (though your still guaranteed to bring sand and pine needles home!). <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bRXVEVu_eDs/WxXrfK_exQI/AAAAAAAAIaI/r7B4r15kuRsYnbotGSzXw5jSwxWxmprSQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bRXVEVu_eDs/WxXrfK_exQI/AAAAAAAAIaI/r7B4r15kuRsYnbotGSzXw5jSwxWxmprSQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8164.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BZGV8qz7aVk/WxXrLgC4EEI/AAAAAAAAIZE/0SF6pFew604UiPOd6DQ1rtICbQsPcYEYACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BZGV8qz7aVk/WxXrLgC4EEI/AAAAAAAAIZE/0SF6pFew604UiPOd6DQ1rtICbQsPcYEYACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8034.JPG" width="480" /></a>Another favorite of ours is a short hike up to <a href="http://northconwaynh.com/dianas-baths/">Diana's Baths</a>, which are a series of cascading falls and pools of water. The easy 1-mile round trip hike starts off flat through the forest, over some well maintained boardwalks and bridges, and then gradually climbs up along the edge of the baths. We learned it's best to have bathing suits and water shoes for the kids for this hike, because the water is irresistible! We pack a picnic lunch or snack and let the kids take as long as they want to play in the water. </div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0F63lkdLGY/WxXrdHXGG1I/AAAAAAAAIZ8/nMBJJGe6wMgJlgeKAjm4pjy1d9B4PFy8QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0F63lkdLGY/WxXrdHXGG1I/AAAAAAAAIZ8/nMBJJGe6wMgJlgeKAjm4pjy1d9B4PFy8QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8173.JPG" width="480" /></a><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">The last time we visited North Conway, we rented a </span><a href="https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p3951560?uni_id=4336235">great two-bedroom condo in the mountains</a> just outside of town which was perfect for a family of 4 or 5. The master bedroom has an en suite bath, the second bedroom has bunk beds (always a treat for our kids!) and a double futon, and we especially enjoyed the beautiful mountain views from the second-story deck!</div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-70488220084143322632018-05-29T22:00:00.002-04:002018-06-05T11:19:22.078-04:00Cape Cod Nature Hikes (Wellfleet and Eastham)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We love Cape Cod because of the wonderful outdoors: sunshine, sand dunes, salt spray, pine trees, campfires, foggy mornings, beach roses. With my parents now living on the Cape, we have been lucky to get to know Cape Cod more deeply, beyond the standard tourist lists of best beaches and clam shacks and mini golf. Below are some of the outdoor must-dos we heartily recommend whether for locals or for your summer vacation week! While we're wearing our cold-weather clothes in many of the photos below, these nature walks are just as great in the summer vacation season!</div>
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<a href="https://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/atlanticwhitecedar.html">Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Trail</a>, 195 Marconi Station Road, Wellfleet, MA</div>
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Part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, the highlight of this trail is the boardwalk that winds through the atmospheric White Cedar Swamp. It's an otherworldly landscape that our pictures below don't do justice, and which are certainly different from what you expect on the Cape. This is an easy, mostly level walk, and returns in a loop, only 1.2 miles round trip. Upon returning to the parking area, there's a short boardwalk to a scenic overlook across the ocean that we also appreciated. Free parking lot and free to explore. </div>
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<a href="https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/wellfleet-bay">Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary</a>, 291 South Highway, South Wellfleet, MA</div>
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This Mass Audubon preserve is my favorite, and we've enjoyed it in all seasons. It's become an annual tradition to walk here on Thanksgiving morning to earn our turkey and mashed potato calories, but this sanctuary is wonderful in the summer too, when the fiddler crabs are scuttling about. The trails lead past a whale skeleton (!), through pine woodlands and out over a salt marsh. In the summer the nature center is open and has aquariums with live creatures and a big window overlooking the variety of birds that flock to the feeders. Big parking lot, free for Audubon members, admission for non-members supports nature preservation ($5 adults, $3 children and seniors 65+). 5 miles of trails to explore, there are plenty of 1-2 mile loops that are easy walks for little legs.<br />
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<a href="https://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/forthill.html"> Fort Hill Trail</a>, 70 Fort Hill Road, Eastham, MA<br />
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Just past the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/caco/learn/historyculture/penniman.html">Captain Penniman House</a>, a historic whalers house built in 1868, there are small parking lots at the top of the hill with beautiful sweeping views across open fields down to a salt estuary. The trails that start from here are mostly through fields and along the edge of the water. Lots of wildflowers. Not a lot of shade, so better on an overcast day or in the shoulder (cooler) seasons. Free parking, free to explore, 1 mile loop.<br />
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<a href="https://www.nps.gov/caco/planyourvisit/nauset-marsh-trail.html">Nauset Marsh Trail</a>, Eastham, MA<br />
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We parked at the parking lot at the Doane Rock Picnic Area, and spent a few minutes letting the kids try to figure out how to climb Doane Rock (which, for the geology fans out there, is an enormous glacial erratic, a 30-ft diameter rock left behind by passing glaciers). We then continued through the forest, out along the boardwalk at the edge of Salt Pond, past the scenic Coast Guard Station building, out onto Coast Guard beach, and back again. A short and easy walk for little legs, with varied scenery.<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-76199241133108916932018-05-28T21:03:00.000-04:002018-05-29T22:07:16.969-04:00Cape Cod Rainy Day and Off Season Activities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It used to be that we were fair weather, summertime visitors to the Cape like everyone else, but we've had a chance to explore Cape Cod with kids in all kinds of weather since my parents retired there a few years ago.<br />
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Here are a few activities we've discovered to keep the kids entertained even when it's not a beach day (or in the off season):<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.easthamlibrary.org/">Eastham Public Library</a>, Eastham, MA: </b></h3>
This beautiful brand-new library just opened in November 2016. It is a gorgeous building with a lovely adult reading room (cozy chairs, a fireplace, a double-story wall of windows that look out over a pond) and a great kids' room. Kids can borrow puzzles and toys from the library and there's a sunny play room with puppets, play kitchen, trains, legos, doll house, pirate toys and more! We visited one chilly fall day with our 5 year old while his sister was at home napping...<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.pilgrim-monument.org/">Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum</a>, Provincetown, MA</b></h3>
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Fun facts: the Pilgrim Monument was built in 1907 to commemorate the Pilgrim's first landing of the Mayflower in November 1620. The tower is 252 feet high! You can climb the tower inside using a series of gentle stairs and ramps. We went with a 1.5 year old and 4 year old on a warm fall day, and although I expected to carry the little one up, she chased her brother all the way up by herself! There are lovely views over the ocean and Provincetown from the top, and there's a neat little museum featuring kid-friendly exhibits like an old-fashioned doll house and a full-size captain's ship quarters.</div>
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<a href="http://www.snowscapecod.com/">Snow's</a>, Orleans, MA</h3>
When we visit the Cape for Thanksgiving, we always make a trip to Snow's (a hardware/ garden/ home goods store) to visit their amazing Christmas display! Year- round there's a kids' toys area and a large table with a model railroad and trains that the kids can make go by pressing buttons. But during the Christmas season, there are two additional HUGE model trains set up, with trains running and all sorts of blinking, moving village scenery. Plus there are tons of Christmas decorations set up and for sale, it's an indoor winter wonderland. There's also a station where kids can sit down to write a letter to Frosty, and a mailbox there to mail the letter.<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-73135792895602737482018-05-28T08:31:00.000-04:002018-05-28T08:31:47.033-04:00Portugal with Kids- A Day Exploring Cape Sagres and Lagos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our first stop was the <a href="http://www.algarve-tourist.com/Sagres-portugal/Fortaleza-Sagres-fort.html">Fortaleza Sagres</a> (Cape Sagres Fort). King Henry the Navigator built a school here in the 1400s to train seafarers including Vasco de Gama and Ferdinand Magellan. Later the fort also served to protect the coast from North African raiders. The wind was so strong that it threatened to blow us over the edge of the cliffs! We sought refuge in the chapel where sailors prayed before venturing across the dark sea, and then tried to walk along the windswept path to the point but halfway there we yielded to the wind and picked our way back among the sturdy spring wildflowers clinging to the rocks.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7eKSTLLoTvQ/WwthjeyXv1I/AAAAAAAAH7M/nouMBwHe1RwUpY-e8If9ncsEflv4A91JwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_E1574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7eKSTLLoTvQ/WwthjeyXv1I/AAAAAAAAH7M/nouMBwHe1RwUpY-e8If9ncsEflv4A91JwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_E1574.JPG" width="457" /></a>We piled back in the car and hit the road toward Lagos. After a few days enjoying a beachy slow pace, we were keen to check out a larger town (one that Rick Steves describes as "as enjoyable as a big-city resort can be"). We parked along the waterfront and wandered into the jumble of pedestrian streets, starting near the big indoor food market. It was mid-morning, but the kids were already hungry. Most of the proper restaurants weren't open for lunch yet, so we found a coffee shop and ordered ham and cheese sandwiches for the kids and cafe lattes for Mohit and I. The morning was mostly just overcast and periodically drizzly, but we waited out a short period of heavy rain in the coffee shop.<br />
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Afterwards we let the kids lead the way to explore the cobblestoned streets while the sun gradually came out. <br />
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We had passed a carousel at the edge of a plaza called Praca Gil Eanes early in our exploring, but it was shuttered in the morning. When we came back out into the plaza we found it open. The kids were thrilled to top off our Lagos visit with a ride and some ice cream from a nearby kiosk. <br />
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We hopped back into the car with one more stop in mind before heading back to our resort. We'd seen amazing photos of wave-splashed cliffs on all the tour ads while walking in town, so we navigated toward Ponte de Piedade to check it out in person. At the edge of town we found a lighthouse at the point, with a dirt parking lot and a cluster of small cafes overlooking the steep drop over pinnacles of rock carved by the waves. We got out to walk around and chase a kitty hiding in the bushes. My mama instincts had a death grip on our 3-year-old's hands! It suddenly started to rain heavily so I dashed back to the car with our little one, but the boys insisted on staying out in the rain to climb down and back up some stairs for a particularly scenic view. They piled back into the car with us, soaking wet and laughing. </div>
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Back at our resort we changed into dry clothes and packed our bags for travel home the next morning. Obrigado Portugal!</div>
Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-46817159025610583542018-05-26T22:37:00.000-04:002019-04-09T22:18:26.988-04:00Portugal, Algarve With Kids- Martinhal Sagres Family Beach Resort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Though Mohit and I had traveled adventurously before kids, our vacations for the past five years with small kids have mostly been Mexico beach resorts (easy direct flights from Boston + escape from February snow + kids clubs). Mohit was nervous that a more adventurous trip with the kids would be anything but relaxing, but agreed when I promised to plan our Portugal trip with a grand finale at a beach resort.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQkztd92Kz0/WwoBFi50lLI/AAAAAAAAHtc/nE3NOqRz8-AvN5CcycrAUHD2Z9H9y-GkQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQkztd92Kz0/WwoBFi50lLI/AAAAAAAAHtc/nE3NOqRz8-AvN5CcycrAUHD2Z9H9y-GkQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1344.JPG" width="480" /></a>After a <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2018/05/travel-from-lisbon-to-algarve-along.html">long drive through the Alentejano region (see blog post here!)</a> with a cranky three year old, we were sooo in need of some pampering, and our beach destination did not disappoint:<br />
<a href="https://www.martinhal.com/sagres/en/">Martinhal Sagres</a> is lovely!<br />
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There were so many well-planned details that made vacationing here with kids relaxing and joyful (and we all know it can easily be anything but!). In the lobby at check in, there was a kids' play table, and the concierge came out with chilled juice for the kids and a goody bag for each with Martinhal beach hats and sand toys.<br />
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We booked a 2-bedroom partial ocean view villa. It was a townhouse style apartment, with 2 bedrooms on the ground floor, two full bathrooms (one for the kids which had a tub, a stool for tooth brushing, and a kids potty seat, and one with a spacious walk in shower for us), plus a laundry closet and a sunny patio with a private spot of lawn. Upstairs was a spacious open-concept kitchen/ dining room/ living room area with a balcony (with beanbags for lounging!) overlooking the ocean. The furnishings were all modern and stylish. We discovered a Disney channel on the TV in English (much needed at 6 am while mom drinks her coffee!). Mohit says it was the nicest place we've ever stayed. </div>
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Though we had stopped at a grocery store in town before arriving to load up on breakfast, snacks and wine for the weekend, we discovered upon arrival that the villa provided enough free groceries to get us through our first morning (water, milk, juice, cereal, pastries...even nutella!).</div>
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During our stay, the weather was more spring than summer, though after a long winter in New England, all it took was one sunny 70-degree day for our kids to be pumped for some pool time. Luckily all the pools are heated, and there's even a pool that's half indoors/ half outdoors which we found to be great on the second day when the sun was weak and the air was a bit chilly. All the pools have buckets of water toys and piles of foam noodles for the kids.<br />
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The Village Square was also great, where several dining options, the resort grocery store, and the kids' club surround a play area with trampolines, a bouncy castle, and climbing equipment. Every evening at dinner time, the Martinhal fox mascots came out for a "gummy bears" themed dance party which our 3-year old loved. The resort also brought in rotating activities such as pedal-powered go-karts and a bungee cord trampoline which our 6-year-old loved.<br />
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We also loved the"M Bar", a surf- themed bar/ coffee shop/ ice cream parlor. It was a good place to hang out when we had time to kill. Comfy couches, a VW bus for the kids to climb and play in, a kids' play corner with Disney movies playing, and a kids' internet cafe with iPads to fight over...ahem, I mean play with.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AeWaOyI-Y4I/WwoP2jyef-I/AAAAAAAAHwo/sk2WlrrcoWcHn78PdCRj_njqCP48YgATwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_E1440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AeWaOyI-Y4I/WwoP2jyef-I/AAAAAAAAHwo/sk2WlrrcoWcHn78PdCRj_njqCP48YgATwCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_E1440.JPG" width="480" /></a>The food was great too, both kids and adults ate well for sure! Os Gambozinos, the restaurant in the Village Square, had a kids' buffet every night which was perfect because we could feed the kids quickly with food they loved (pizza, pasta, steamed veggies, chocolate mousse) and then let them run back outside to play in full view while we dined in peace.<br />
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I loved the beach, which was plenty sandy, but also with rocks to climb on and explore. The waves are big, so not great for kiddo swimming, but there are plenty of neat seashells to find. I would have loved to spend more time on the beach but had a hard time tearing my family away from all the other fun distractions...<br />
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Two of the nights we were there we fed the kids early and then dropped them off at the kids' club while we enjoyed a relaxing adult dinner. We noticed that many of the other families had kids smaller than ours, too young for kids' club, so there weren't very many kids at the club in the evening, which was too bad because our social 6-year old would have enjoyed having more kids to play with.<br />
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So yes, we would definitely recommend Martinhal Sagres for a relaxing family vacation!<br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-26609380346700503362018-05-17T22:07:00.002-04:002018-10-19T13:26:26.151-04:00Portugal With Kids- Travel from Sintra to Algarve Along the Alentejano Coast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our sixth day in Portugal was a travel day. After breakfast in <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2018/04/sintra-with-kids-pena-palace.html">our cute hotel in Sintra,</a> we picked up a rental car and hit the road south, past Lisbon, headed toward the Algarve. We opted for the scenic route, a 4-hr drive close to Portugal's Atlantic coast (about and hour longer than the more direct inland route).<br />
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We hoped to find somewhere to stop halfway and stretch our legs. Back at home, while planning our vacation, I'd searched all over the internet looking for suggestions on somewhere that would be fun with the kids, but found...nothing. So while the kids napped peacefully in the backseat and with Mohit at the wheel, I turned on Tripadvisor and searched in map view for at least a recommended restaurant somewhere in the little villages we were driving through.<br />
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We zeroed in on a recommended restaurant, <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g784072-d941317-Reviews-Tasca_do_celso-Vila_Nova_de_Milfontes_Beja_District_Alentejo.html">Tasca </a><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g784072-d941317-Reviews-Tasca_do_celso-Vila_Nova_de_Milfontes_Beja_District_Alentejo.html">do Celso</a> in Vila Nove de Milfonte. We found Milfonte to be a cute little seaside village with whitewashed houses and narrow cobblestone streets. The front room of the restaurant was dark and cozy, but the back room was unexpectedly airy and beachy feeling. We enjoyed a yummy lunch of garlic shrimp, macaroni with broth, beans and tiny clams, and roasted chicken for the kids.<br />
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After lunch we walked outside into the BRIGHT hot sunlight and wandered through town. We came out of the narrow streets onto a wide avenue with stairs down to the beach. </div>
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The kids were excited to kick off their shoes and wade in the water. Before we even knew what was happening, big kid had splashed face first into the water fully clothed!<br />
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Lucky for us we had suitcases of clothes in the trunk of our car! After a clothing change which deposited several buckets of sand in the car, we piled back in for the rest of our drive. Our destination was the <a href="https://www.martinhal.com/sagres/en/">Martinhal family resort in Sagres</a>. I'll be honest, the drive after lunch was pretty miserable since our 3-year-old hated being in the car that long, and complained and cried for the remaining 1.5 hours. But our beach resort destination did not disappoint! <a href="http://katemohit-awaywego.blogspot.com/2018/05/algarve-with-kids-martinhal-sagres.html">Stay tuned for more (see post here!)</a><br />
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-89839203696260850522018-05-01T21:42:00.000-04:002018-06-04T20:53:27.120-04:00Cape Cod (Mostly the Outer Cape)- Beaches, Playgrounds and Mini-Golf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few years ago, my parents retired and moved from Central MA to outer Cape Cod. Lucky us! We've enjoyed spending time down there in the summers (as we did even before we had family on the Cape). Here are some of our favorite kid-friendly places and activities, particularly in the Brewster/ Orleans/ Eastham/ Wellfleet area:<br />
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<b><u>Our Favorite Beaches</u></b></div>
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Our kids are still pretty little, so we prefer shallow water and small (or no) waves. Bonus for tidal pools and streams to explore. Based on these criteria, these two are our favorites:</div>
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<li><a href="http://capecodonline.com/cape-cod-beaches/orleans/skaket/" style="font-weight: bold;">Skaket Beach, West Road, Orleans MA</a><b><br /></b>There are tons of hermit crabs in snail shells to collect here! When the tide is low, you can walk out for what seems like a mile (no exaggeration) in shallow water that makes for some great pictures. There's a food stand, toilets and showers here. </li>
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<li><b><a href="http://capecodonline.com/cape-cod-beaches/eastham/first-encounter-beach/">First Encounter Beach, Samoset Road, Eastham, MA</a></b><br />We also enjoy looking for hermit crabs at this beach, and this is where we go on the 4th of July to watch fireworks being launched from Rock Harbor in Orleans. Toilets here, no showers. No food stall, but there's always an ice cream truck and often a gourmet iced coffee truck that comes by! </li>
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<b><u>Fun Playgrounds</u></b></div>
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Sometimes it's too cold for the beach. Sometimes everyone just needs something else to explore. We were really impressed by these two local elementary school playgrounds:</div>
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<li><a href="https://orleanscapecod.org/explore/orleans-community-playground/" style="font-weight: bold;">Orleans Elementary Community Playground</a>, <b>46 Eldridge Park Road, Orleans, MA</b><br />Our six-year-old loved the rock climbing wall and rope climber, and our three-year-old enjoyed the fishing community theme: there's a play fishing boat docked at a play dock with a hut.</li>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><b>Eastham Elementary School Playground, 200 School House Road, Eastham, MA</b><br />In addition to some standard playground equipment, we loved the two adorable play houses at this playground, plus a fun tree for climbing and a big field for kite flying. </li>
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<b><u>Fair Weather Activities</u></b></div>
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Here are a few of our favorite things to do with the kids when the weather is nice and warm enough for outdoor fun:</div>
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<li><a href="https://www.capeescapeadventures.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">Cape Escape Adventure Golf</a><b>, 14 Canal Road, Orleans, MA</b><br />This one has all the standard stuff you expect for mini golf, plus our son's favorite part is feeding the koi fish at the end of the course (fish food provided by the course).</li>
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<li><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/harbor-lights-mini-golf-brewster" style="font-weight: bold;">Harbor Lights Mini Golf</a><b>, 81 Underpass Road, Brewster, MA </b><br />This one is relatively small (great with small kids with short attention spans!) and has lovely landscaping and water features. </li>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058749900884639122.post-52724171534041268472018-04-30T21:37:00.000-04:002018-05-01T11:48:38.963-04:00Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge MA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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kids to love too (partly so that you can keep enjoying it too?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, natural history museums are one of
those things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a kid
collector.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent my summer collecting
specimens: rocks, leaves, seashells, wildflowers, butterflies and bugs in one
hand and a nature guide book in the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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The Harvard University Natural History Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts (<a href="https://hmnh.harvard.edu/">https://hmnh.harvard.edu</a>) is an
underrated little gem of a museum tucked away inside an unassuming brick
building on Harvard’s science campus just outside of Harvard Square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
free to Massachusetts residents on Sunday mornings before noon (and reasonable admission of $12 adults/ $8 kids/ free under 3 for everyone else).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve visited with the kids once before, but
I was a little disappointed that neither of them was as excited as me about exploring the vast
collection of animals, birds, bugs, rocks and fossils.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s1XAnLX9muI/WufCqQ7fSlI/AAAAAAAAHEs/ST75XnMZLBowN-buie7SVYH7JUiWbZdQgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s1XAnLX9muI/WufCqQ7fSlI/AAAAAAAAHEs/ST75XnMZLBowN-buie7SVYH7JUiWbZdQgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_0421.JPG" width="300" /></a>Today was one of those cold and grey March days where we
were all dreaming of playground weather, beach weather, gardening weather...but it’s
all yucky grey snow and mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided it’d be
worth another visit to the Natural History Museum, and <i><b>this time I made each of
the kids a scavenger hunt book which totally made all the difference! </b></i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took me all of 5 minutes, a few pieces of
construction paper and a stapler, and it bought us almost 2 hours of excited
kids loving the museum!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> O</span>ur
6 year old was the most excited to put his Kindergarten writing skills to good
use, and he’s a kid who never turns down a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our 3 year old just knew her brother was
excited and she was thrilled to run around copying him, pointing to animals and
scribbling on her pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A win for Mom! </span></div>
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Kate and Mohithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326294476258550209noreply@blogger.com0