Travels with Children

If we’re short on adventure ideas, have some extra time along the way, or just are curious, we like to visit libraries in other towns.  Big or small, there’s always something new to see and read.  Some offer puzzles and toys, some have special computer for kids, and some have special programs.

We recently went to the library in Springfield, Minnesota, and it was hard to pull the kids away.  Their children’s collection, especially the non-fiction, was excellent, and we ended up checking out several items because of the reciprocity offered by our Traverse des Sioux Library System.  The library staff were friendly and professional, and the kids were excited to see another library using the same summer reading program as our local library.

While the boys found new nonfiction and chapter books to check out, the girls had fun with the picture books and box of toys.  I even found a few things for myself, and now I just need to find time to read them and return them on time.

Wells Fargo Museum

• Sixth and Marquette, Skyway Level, Minneapolis, MN
• (612) 667-4210
• http://www.wellsfargohistory.com/museums/museums_mn.htm
• Free
• Stroller accessible
• Open during bank hours

Since a lot of our adventures take place on weekends, I had the Wells Fargo Museum on my list for quite a while before we made it there. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but found that although the museum is small, there’s plenty for kids to do, and the guide is very knowledgeable and informative.

Located on the skywalk level of the Wells Fargo building in downtown Minneapolis, some of the museum displays surround the rotunda, and there’s a room with information and equipment from the Wells Fargo of days gone by. There are a few hands-on things that kids can do, like tapping out a telegraph message.

The real fun, however, is the Wells Fargo Wagon. You can climb in, and the guide will rock it back and forth to give you a taste of what it was like to ride in the highbrow mode of travel in the 1800’s. The seats are uncomfortable, the motion constant, and the wagon ran day and night. When she then explained how many people rode on the wagon (6-9 inside and 4-6 on top), it made it hard to believe that this was the good way of travel. On the other hand, it beat walking, taking a ship around South America, or going through the Panama Canal to get to the West Coast. The kids loved the wagon ride.

Just for fun, there’s also a small mechanical wagon that’s free to ride for the kids, but the real Wells Fargo Wagon was their highlight.

For years, I didn’t go to downtown Minneapolis, no matter what. While a lot of rural Minnesotans refuse to drive at all in “the Cities,” that doesn’t bother me, but there was always something about downtown Minneapolis, with its one-way streets, pedestrian malls, and parking ramps that confused me enough to stay away.

Then they built the Hiawatha Light Rail train line. Now we can park in Bloomington at a Park & Ride lot or take a side trip right from Mall of America, pay a few dollars, and hop on the train headed for downtown.

The first time we rode the light rail was with a friend. We each pushed a double stroller and I had a baby in a front carrier. We got quite a few stares that time. Since then, we’ve gone downtown with and without Dad. We sometimes get off at Metrodome and walk to Mill City Museum or Old Spaghetti Factory, or go to Nicollet Mall and see the displays at Dayton’s Marshall Field’s Macy’s.

The last time I went, I had one child in a stroller and three walking and they loved the train ride. The trains are decorated with advertisements, and they were excited to be on the “South Dakota” train. They thought it was really neat that people brought their bikes onto the train and put them in the special racks, and that they could choose to ride backward or forward.

But best of all, they love riding on a real train that goes fast and goes over bridges and through tunnels. And I love not driving downtown.

Thanks to Debbie at www.deliciousbaby.com for the opportunity to write a guest post about our top picks in Chicago, and some of my best travel tips.  She travels the world with her children and writes about their journeys near and far, and offers city guides with recommendations from her readers.

If you’re here by way of Deliciousbaby, thanks for stopping by!  If you haven’t been to Deliciousbaby yet, please take a look.  You’re sure to find some great ideas.

In the summer, it seems that one of the surrounding towns has a community celebration almost every weekend, and that usually means a parade on Sunday afternoon.  For free entertainment, it doesn’t get much better among the 2-8 crowd, because even our two-year-old knows that a parade means candy.

The kids know how and when to properly salute the flag as the color guard passes by, and then the fun begins.  Over the years we have learned that what we need for a parade is simple:  lawn chairs for Mom and Dad, hats and sunscreen, and two bags–one for the candy and one for the wrappers.

Fire trucks are always a big hit, as are the local high school marching bands.  It’s fun to watch the little girls wave at the local royalty and the boys’ eyes grow big as they see the latest combine models.  One of the highlights we saw this year was a tractor pulling a train of fifteen anhydrous tanks.  That’s not something you see every day, even in rural America.

A parade offers a chance to meet new people, see new things, and enjoy some good old-fashioned fun in a small town.  And did I mention candy?

Historic Fort Snelling

• At Hwys 5 and 55 near the airport, St. Paul, MN.
• 612-726-1171.
• www.mnhs.org/places/sites/hfs/
  $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 ages 6-17, 5 and under and MNHS members free.
• Free parking.
• Partially stroller accessible.
• Restrooms available.

Although Fort Snelling usually depicts the 1850’s, on occasion they have special days from other time periods. On Father’s Day weekend, we went to learn about Fort Snelling in World War II.

What an interesting trip! The fur-trading days were gone, and Fort Snelling was now set up as it was in World War II, when it was the starting point for Minnesota’s soldiers on their journey to serve. Costumed interpreters took us through Japanese language school, taught us how to swing dance in the canteen, and had Tiddleywinks and Lincoln Logs set up for play. The kids went through an obstacle course and pretended to drive a Jeep.

I was amazed at how complete the transformation was, down to the 48-star flag and the WWII era communications. The kids liked playing the games and planting their “Victory Gardens,” and of course climbing up the big round tower.

The change at Fort Snelling was so complete that my husband was a little disappointed that we didn’t get to see the blacksmith at work. We’ll have to go back another time to see that again.

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Putting Green

• Corner of Valley Street and 20th Street South, New Ulm, MN
• (507) 354 - PUTT ( 7888 )
• www.puttinggreen.org
• Adults:  1 Round - $4.50, 2 Rounds - $6.50
• Students:  1 Round - $3.50, 2 Rounds - $5.50
• A few concessions available on-site
• Porta-potty available
• Stroller accessible

We decided the kids are getting old enough to try mini-golf, so we went to the Putting Green in New Ulm to give it a try. Billed as an “Environmental Adventure Park,” Putting Green offers more than mini-golf. There’s also an interpretive river trail, a native plant garden, and a “Growing Green Farm & Market.” They offer educational field trips as well.

But we were there for the mini-golf, so we paid our fees, got our putters and balls, and hit the greens.

Mini golf with four little kids is interesting to say the least. A seven-year-old understands most of the rules; a two year old not so well. It was also interesting to try to teach them some semblance of proper form. We had two things going for us: there was no one else on the course, and we had forgotten to pick up score cards. This allowed us to play as one large group, and to just make it fun instead of keeping score.

As mini-golf goes, Putting Green isn’t the most polished course I’ve seen. There are some ridges that stop the ball where it shouldn’t, and a tunnel that zooms the ball right out of play. If you’re a mini-golf afficionado, this may not be the course for you. On the other hand, there are some great environmental displays, so you learn something along the way, and because it’s not terribly busy, you can take your time and enjoy the playing of the game.

Even with four kids attempting to play with you.

Minnesota Zoo

• Minnesota Zoo
  13000 Zoo Boulevard
  Apple Valley, MN 55124
  phone: 952.431.9200
• www.mnzoo.com
• $14 adults, $9 seniors, $8 ages 3-12, Free for ages 0-2.  IMAX theater available at additional cost.
• Participates in AZA Reciprocity.
• Stroller accessible.  Food available.  Restrooms with changing tables in several locations.

We had a great day at the Minnesota Zoo.  Since our last visit a year ago, there were three new areas to explore:  The Minnesota Trail, the butterfly garden, and Russia’s Grizzly Coast.  These attractions, in addition to the existing zoo exhibits, made for a fun day at the zoo.

At first, I wasn’t sure tackling the zoo alone with four kids was such a good idea.  The new Russia’s Grizzly Coast exhibit is full of twists and turns and appears to be very popular, judging by the tangle of strollers in the area.  The kids were excited to see a bear and a sea otter, however.

Once we got through the Grizzly Coast mess, the foot traffic thinned out considerably on the wider paths.  We saw a tiger and several takins, as well as bison and camels and prairie dogs, before getting to the play area.  After a rest/play break, we continued on to the Family Farm area.  While we waited for the wagon to arrive, the kids played in the “grain elevator.”

The Family Farm is great for kids who love animals.  My boys can’t wait to pet and comb the goats and see the other animals.  My girls, however, were terrified of most of the animals, although they did think the 3-day-old piglets were cute.

When we returned to the play area with its nearby picnic grounds, I realized that the snacks I had packed were safely stowed in the car.  Instead of traipsing halfway through the zoo and out to the parking lot, I opted for pizza and a sandwich for us to share.  I was pleasantly surprised that the food prices weren’t outrageous, so we got a decent lunch and refilled our water bottles, which I had remembered to bring in.

Then we were off to the bird show, where the highlight for all of us was the bald eagle.  After that, we rode the monorail and walked through the Tropics Trail and Minnesota Trail and saw the fish in the aquarium before seeing the dolphin show.

Altogether, we were at the zoo for six hours and we were all exhausted by the end of the day.

If you go to the Minnesota Zoo, I have these tips:

• Wear good walking shoes.  There’s a lot of ground to cover.
• If you have a child of questionable walking ability or stamina, bring the stroller.  My three youngest (ages 5, 4, and 2) alternated between the seats in the double stroller.
• Wear a hat and sunscreen.  You won’t regret it!
• Bring refillable water bottles.  There are lots of water fountains around the zoo where you can refill them.
• There are restrooms in many locations, but if you have a stroller, avoid the ones in the main building.  It’s much easier to navigate some of the others.  There’s a family restroom with changing table at the back of the granary in the Family Farm area.  (There are also family restrooms in a hallway in the middle of the granary, but they don’t have changing tables.)
• If you want to avoid the heat of the day, walk around the outdoor exhibits in the morning and then do the indoor trails, aquarium, and monorail in the afternoon.

See also:  A previous trip to the Minnesota Zoo

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I’m going to make a confession.  I don’t go to Mall of America to shop!  In fact, quite often when I go there the only money I spend is on food.  That was the case with our most recent trip to MOA.

We first stopped at the mall to eat lunch.  If you’re eating food-court style with kids at Mall of America, I’ll give you a hint:  Choose the south food court, which overlooks the amusement park.  It will keep the young ones entertained watching the roller coasters, and it’s where McDonald’s is located.  We found a table along the railing, and the kids mindlessly (meaning quietly) ate their lunch while ooohing and aaahing at the rides.

After lunch, we walked through Legoland, and then wandered through the Nickelodeon Universe theme park.  Most of the rides are revamped and repainted from the park’s Camp Snoopy days, but it appears that they are adding some new rides as well.

When we got through the park, we headed to the transit station to ride downtown on the light rail train.  When we returned, we walked through the park again and saw the character meet-and-greet area, where a freakishly large Diego was greeting fans who were ushered one at a time to his fenced-in area.  My kids were scared to go anywhere near him.  So much for meet-and-greet excitement.

We headed back upstairs to eat supper at Famous Dave’s.  We did stop in a store or two on the way out. (The kids’ clothing stores are conveniently grouped near each other), and headed out into rush hour traffic that was surprisingly manageable heading south on Hwy. 77.

Someday I’ll have the luxury of going to Mall of America without children so I can do some actual shopping.

Read more of our adventures to Mall of America .

This past Friday ( 6/20/08 ) we left on a 5 hour roadtrip to Dexter, Maine for a family wedding. I counted myself lucky that I had found The Brewster Inn online, and booked a Kitchen Suite with them for my family. A Kitchen Suite consists of a living room, kitchen, bath, and two bedrooms. Perfect for a family of 5! The photographs on line showed a charming, rustic little place, and the description sounded lovely….so, after a long journey with the kids (thank God for portable DVD players) and my husband, we arrived.

When we pulled up to the Inn, I noticed a broken shutter, peeling paint,and that the lawn needed mowing, but shrugging it off, proceeded to go ring the bell. The Innkeeper answered the door and stood staring at me. No “Can I help you?” etc. Just a silent stare.  I told him that I had a reservation for a kitchen suite and he invited me in, and had me wait in the parlor, as he was on the phone and did not know where his wife was. After a few minutes the Innkeepers wife came in, unsmiling. I explained again who I was and she told me to get the car and follow her. So we did.

Now the website says “Located in a victorian cottage just a short walk from the inn.” So, I am expecting some quaint carriage house on the grounds…oh no no no no no. I was way off. We were brought down a narrow gravel drive toward the back, and straight out the other end to a residential street, off property. There was an old dilapidated house, with thigh-high weeds and a For Sale sign! This is the place??? Oh, yes indeedy.

So we go in. The front exterior door does not lock-indeed, it does not latch, really. You simply push on the door and it opens. This leads to a common hallway that smelled of a thousand musty basements. There was a window with a hole and spiderwebbed cracks to my left. Oye- is that a bullet hole??  We troop down to the end of the hall to Suite #2. A hollow core interior door is all that seperates us from the common hallway with the unlockable front door! Now I am getting anxious. In we go to Suite #2. The Innkeepers wife informs us that the owners of the house are selling (Gee, really?) and that it is vacant. We are all alone. Oh thats comforting, considering the lack of security between the 2 doors. And why are we way in the back, then? So nobody can hear our screams? Yikes. So she leaves, and we look around.

It’s a tad shabby, some broken blinds, very old stove (1960s Harvest Gold) but large enough at least, to keep us all comfortable for the weekend. We decide to call our relatives-and find that the phone is dead!!!! No dial tone- nothing!!! So now, we are isolated completely! I expected Leatherface to spring  from a closet, wielding a chainsaw at any moment! This just had all the makings of a bad horror movie! I honestly considered driving over to Newport for a regular hotel room, but the Inn website said that the fee was non-refundable. And I am cheap. So we stuck it out.

We went out for a bit and when we returned, found the lawn weedwhacked in a half-assed kind of way, but it was something. Upon further inspection of the front covered porch we found a  badly peeling rocking chair, spiders the size of my thumb in he corners, and broken flower pots filled with faded fake flowers. Charming. So back inside, I am looking at the futon in the living room and trying to decide if the couch is lopsided, or the room is. My 15 year old put a can of soda on the floor and down it rolled. I understand sagging floors in an old house, but this was Reallllly pronounced- visible to the naked eye. The least of the problems with this place in any case.

Upon further inspection, found a small door in the kids bedroom labeled “Fire escape” So of course I have to look. I open the door, and to the right is a staircase heading up to the attic. To the left, a tiny door leading outside to a fire escape. I made sure that door was locked, still feeling like we were at the Bates Motel. We did sleep with a kitchen chair propped under the door to our unit, plus the exterior screen door locked however. I lay awake a good long time, starting at every sound though.

All told, with a few minor fixes, this place could be wonderful. First up, replace the front door with one that locks. Replace the interior doors to the units with solid core doors. Air out the hallway, and replace the broken window. Pay the phone bill. Replace broken blinds. Mow the lawn. Replace broken flower pots & put some real flowers in there. Sweep off the porch and get rid of Spiderzilla. Nothing too major.

Our biggest gripe was the lack of security, and the isolation. We like privacy, but this was ridiculous. We really felt duped because the pictures and description online were not what we got, at all. Total false advertising!

Tripadvisor.com has rave reviews for the Inn proper, but I am guessing that nobody ever stayed in the Kitchen Suites, and had a good review! We sure didn’t!

Next time, we will try Newport Maine for a better place to stay, and suck it up that the drive to see  the relatives is slightly longer. I would not recommend the Brewster Inn’s Kitchen Suites to anyone, unless they make some changes!