Ideas for a Holiday Getaway

If you are hoping to go away over the holidays but haven't decided where yet, here are some last minute ideas.

Beach: 

We stayed at Jake's years ago before we had kids and it was fantastic.  Located on the southwest coast of Jamaica about 2 hours drive from Montego Bay Airport, it is miles away from the typical Jamaican vacation at an all-inclusive resort.  I've read in recent years how kid-friendly it has become and we are dying to go back with Jack and Ava. They offer cottages and villas perfect for a family, two on-site restaurants, a spa and yoga classes.  I see they also offer nanny services with 24-hour advance notice.

Besides the saltwater pool, you can take many excursions.  We hired a local fisherman to take us through the nearby Black River, home to saltwater crocodiles!  We also took a trip to YS Falls  with a stop for lunch at a local spot along the way.

Photo via Jake's

This was our room when we stayed at Jake's which is perfect if you are looking for a cozy couples getaway.

Photo via Jake's

City:

Chicago is a great choice for families anytime of the year.  There are plenty of museums to keep the kids happy (and warm) such as the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum, and the Museum of Science and Industry just to name a few.  Alan and Jack visited Chicago last December and Jack came home raving about how great the Museum of Science and Industry was.

 In addition, the city has fantastic restaurant choices to suit both grown-up and children's palates.  For great Chicago style pizza, check out Pizzeria Due.  One of the original two restaurants of the Pizzeria Uno chain, either arrive early or be prepared to wait for their delicious deep-dish pies.  

To get in the holiday spirit the city has lots to offer.  The Magnificent Mile has plenty of holiday lights and store windows to take in and the Christlkindlmarket is a huge outdoor German-American Christmas market with beer and sausages to munch on as you shop.  There is a large Christmas tree on display and the Winter WonderFest at the Navy Pier features an ice skating rink and amusement park.

Image via Travel and Leisure

If you want to stay in an apartment (which would be my choice), this one looks great and has availability over the Christmas break.  For a hotel, the Hotel Monaco Chicago is a good option.  The Hotel Monaco is part of the Kimpton chain of hotels and we stayed in one of their hotels in Virginia and found them to be incredibly kid-friendly.  They have a KimptonKids program that includes having a goldfish delivered to your room to keep the kids company during your stay, a kids happy-hour complete with cookies, candies and lemonade and animal-print kids' bathrobes.  

Snow:

We haven't taken the kids on a skiing vacation yet (mostly because I don't ski) but Durango, Colorado will be my choice when we do finally decide to book that trip.  There is plenty to do when you are not on the slopes, such as exploring Pueblo dwellings in nearby Mesa Verde National Park or taking a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad.  

The Blue Lake Ranch looks like a great place to stay with a family in tow, as it has many suites available that sleep 4 or more persons and many units come with a kitchenette and whirlpool tubs.  The inn  has cross-country skiing trails on the property as well as a lake for ice skating and downhill skiing is only a short drive away.  

Wanderlust Friday

Photo via CN Traveler

Koehohe Beach, New Zealand

Just for Girls in NYC

Over the summer Jack was away for the weekend so we decided to treat Ava to a day out in New York, hitting up all the sights her brother would have rolled his eyes at in boyish disgust.  At the top of her list was the American Girl store in Midtown.  We got an early start with her doll Saige in tow and a long list of what she wanted to see and do at the store.  If you've never visited an American Girl store, you are in for quite a treat.  You can do everything from have a meal with your doll (make reservations very far in advance for this) to getting a picture taken in their professional studio.  

Ava chose to have Saige's hair done in the doll hair salon.  There are several different hair styles to choose from and once you have made your decision, you are given an appointment time (usually a 30-60 minute wait).  Upon your return, the doll is put into her chair and the stylists work their magic.

After selecting a few new outfits and a pair of glasses for Saige, we walked over to the Plaza.  If you are celebrating a special occasion, I would make a reservation to have afternoon tea in the Palm Court.  We opted to head downstairs and eat at the Food Hall (after a quick photo op with Eloise).

In the Food Hall, you can find everything from Luke's Lobster to No. 7 Sub to Todd English.  On this day we chose Tartinery.  Their menu is mostly soups, salads and tartines, which are basically open-faced sandwiches made with an array of toppings.  Their tartines are big enough to easily feed two kids and there are enough choices that they should be able to find one they can agree on.  

Photo by the Plaza Food Hall

For dessert you can grab a cupcake at Billy's Bakery, a piece of chocolate from La Maison du Chocolat or (our personal favorite) a macaron at Francois Payard.  Then it is over to the Eloise store located on the side of the food hall.  

The store is great with a mix of Eloise-themed toys and books along with clothing from Olive Juice, rain slickers from Hatley, and backpacks and lunchboxes from Beatrix New York.  You can also have a meal here in the adjacent party room.

If you are still up for more, you could head across the street to Central Park or over to FAO Schwarz for some more shopping.  As for us, we were done and headed home with a very happy little girl in the backseat who was already planning what we would do the next time Jack was away.

A Day Out in Philadelphia

We are lucky to have family outside of Philadelphia so we headed down there when the kids had a couple of days off from school last week.  We spent one day of the break exploring Philadelphia which we always enjoy.  

We started off at the U.S. Mint and took the very informative self-guided tour (unfortunately I don't have any pictures of this as photography is prohibited).  The whole experience only takes about 45 minutes and includes seeing the factory floor where the metal is cut into different coin shapes, washed and dried and then sent over to the other side where it is then stamped with the coin faces and reverses.  The kids were amazed that we were seeing actual money being made and packaged for transport.

Next we headed over to the Reading Terminal Market to grab lunch.  The building has been the site of a food market since 1892 but it's current emergence began in the 1990's.  You can find any type of food you are craving here and there are lots of great shops to purchase something to take home.  We wanted cheesesteaks so we went straight to Spataro's.  You can get a cheesesteak in multiple variations (with or without cheese, onions, or mushrooms), and for those who want something else (Ava), they also have standard deli sandwiches such as ham or turkey.  

On our way out we stopped by Metropolitan Bakery for dessert.  In addition to amazing cookies and cakes, they also sell fresh breads, granola and dog treats!  We tried the chocolate pound cake and two different chocolate chip cookies (one with walnuts, the other with macadamias) and each one was better than the last.

If I hadn't had my hands full with cookies and kids, I would have stopped next door at Old City Coffee and grabbed a latte and some beans to take home.

Finally, we checked out the Franklin Institute.  We had visited years before but the kids really enjoyed our time here.  This place is fantastic with so much to do and see although I think it is really best for those kids ages 5 and up.  We didn't come close to seeing everything on offer here including the special exhibits such as Body Worlds:  Animals Inside Out or any of the IMAX shows.  The exhibit on the brain was fascinating and had lots of hands-on experiments to demonstrate the complexity of the brain.  The space section had a great demonstration of gravity by having kids pick up the same lunch box on each planet and see how heavy or light it felt.  I also loved these travel posters for planetary travel...

Day trip from NYC: Stone Barns Center

Located in Pocantico Hills, New York,  about an hour north of NYC, Stone Barns Center is the perfect place to spend a day.  We visit as often as we can to have lunch, visit the farm animals and stroll the trails that wind throughout the property.    

The center also offers various tours such as a family tour of the farm or a trip out to collect the eggs.  If you plan to do a tour, reserve in advance on their website as they do fill up quickly.  We have collected eggs and I am hoping to do the family tour of the farm over Thanksgiving break.  

After you've had your fill of fresh air and farm animals be sure to head over to the Blue Hill Cafe for lunch or at least for a snack.  They have an ever-changing menu depending on what is in season but whatever they have is always delicious and while you are in the cafe, be sure to pick up a jar or two of the Blue Hill honey to take home.  There is seating outdoors at picnic tables or you can do as we often do and have an impromptu picnic in the courtyard.

Don't leave without checking out the gift shop which has a fantastic collection of cookbooks, kids toys and things for the kitchen and garden.  Also, look in the fridge for fresh eggs which are worth the trip alone.  If you are there on Sunday, hit up the farmers market (from 10-4) for fresh vegetables, delicious baked goods and chicken and pork products.  

Finally, if you are in need of a special adults-only night out, I would definitely recommend a meal at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  We had the good fortune to enjoy dinner here last summer and it was unforgettable.