Christmas Day Trip - NYC

This week I will be posting some ideas on what to do over the long holiday weekend once all the turkey has been eaten and the football games are over.  First up is a day trip to Manhattan to kick off the Christmas celebrations.

New York is a fabulous place to get in the holiday spirit and there is so much going on at this time of year that it is hard to choose what to do.  We always try to make it a mix of old and new, keeping some traditions and trying out some new things each year.  Last year we were in the city the day after Thanksgiving and while all of the decorations weren't up, there was enough to make us feel properly festive.  

We started at Grand Central and took in the constellations on the ceiling of the main hall and then headed to the small outpost of the New York Transit Museum to see their annual holiday train show.  This is on a relatively small scale but it is big enough and has so many small details that it will keep the kids fascinated for quite awhile.  In the meantime you can browse the store's nice collection of goods and pick up something for the train lovers in your life.  

There is also a large indoor holiday market with 70+ vendors selling an eclectic selection of items such as soaps, art, handbags, and toys.  If you haven't eaten breakfast or just need a little pick-me-up, visit Magnolia Bakery on the lower level dining concourse or Joe the Art of Coffee in the Graybar passage.  

From here we headed south for our meeting with Santa in Union Square, stopping to make a quick detour to see the holiday windows at Macy's.  

For the last several years we have visited Santa at ABC Carpet and Home in Union Square.  Over the years the crowds have grown but the experience has stayed the same.  This is not your Macy's Santa.  The line is made up of mostly local families and the wait is usually no longer than 20-25 minutes.  There is no fee, you snap a picture with your own camera, and each child is presented with a small gift after telling Santa what he or she would like for Christmas.  We love the low-key vibe and the kids are convinced that this is the real Santa!

One of our earlier visits and...

Last year's visit

If you haven't visited ABC before, prepare to fall in love with everything you see and to keep a firm hand on whatever child(ren) you have with you!  This is a great place to look for a special gift for someone on your list or simply a little something for yourself.  Their holiday decorations change every year and I always find a new ornament to add to our tree.  Be sure to check out their holiday windows on the way out.

If you and the kids still feel like browsing, the Union Square Holiday Market is one of the best holiday markets in the city.  There is something for everyone here and our kids love exploring the stalls and their wares such as handmade puppets, puzzles and treats to eat.  You could easily find enough food choices here to have lunch while you stroll or for a picnic in the park.  Also in the park is a nice playground if the kids need a chance to burn off a little energy.

Photo via Urban Space NYC

There are lots of options for a sit-down lunch in the area but one of our favorites is Chop't located on E. 17th Street.  Chop't has a selection of salads and sandwiches made to order or you can create your own.  Alan and I usually have a salad while Jack and Ava enjoy the wraps.  This is a quick and easy meal and a nice chance to get some greens into the kids between the cookies and hot chocolate.

After a quick stop for the aforementioned hot chocolate, we were ready to call it a day and head home.  If your group is still up for more, you could take in a movie at the nearby movie theater or head back uptown and see the holiday windows at Lord & Taylor, Barney's and Bendel's.  Along the way take a peek at the tree at Rockefeller Center (it will be up and decorated but not lit) and the ice skaters and then stop in at the Food Hall at the Plaza and grab a bite.

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...