family friendly Archives - Mom's Guide To Travel

Jul 04 2015

A Staycation at The Family Friendly Avenue Suites DC

Avenue Suites Georgetown — Walking along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown.

The summer is in full swing, which means it’s prime season for family travel and for us, that means a DC staycation in family-friendly accommodations.

Every year we make it a point to do a staycation because there’s so much we have yet to discover in our backyard. Neither one of us are natives, so although we’ve lived in the DC metro area for over 10 years, we’re still exploring. With all the things todo in DC it’s usually our #1 choice for a local family getaway.

One of the biggest challenges with our DC staycations is finding a proper family friendly hotel. As you can probably guess, hotels in DC vary in price and style. We like to stay in a place that offers the amenities we need and is centrally located to the things we want to do.

Avenue Suites DC

Our Father’s Day weekend getaway brought us to the Avenue Suites DC, a Modus hotel. Although neither one of us was familiar with the Avenue Suites, we quickly learned that it was a popular choice for other families as well. Rated #5 on Trip Advisor for DC hotels, we ran into several international guests and families. At one point when we walked through the library, I felt like I was in a European hotel.

Aside from the various accents, the hotel’s modern decor with its simple decor and iconic photographs through the hallways and along the walls, “trick” you into thinking that you’re somewhere other than DC.

The Room

We stayed in a premium two-room suite on the 10th floor with a view that faced Pennsylvania Avenue. The kids enjoyed the extra space just as much as we did. I had to drag my 11-year old out of the bedroom where he sprawled himself out choosing to watch TV “and relax” over exploring Georgetown. Meanwhile in the living room, my husband made himself comfortable on the couch as he caught up with the latest sports news.

My 7-year old bounced between the living room and the kitchen, high off of a chocolate chip ice-cream cookie sandwich from local vendor and Avenue Suites partner Captain Cookie and the Milkman. I couldn’t blame him for it – the hand-made chocolate chip cookie sandwiches were addictive and out of this world.

The best characteristics about our room were the overall space and the full kitchen. My 11-year old enjoyed his time in bed. I thought the bed was average and that the bathroom could use some modernization. The overall decor of the room was tastefully done: simple, modern and comfortable.

Stock The Fridge

Every hotel should offer a program like this for their family travelers. Talk about a convenience ahead of your arrival. I was able to order from a list of basic Trader Joe offering, just enough to satiate us ahead of hours of exploring. Trader Joe’s being just across the street, anything else I needed (like wine) was a 5-minute walk away.

The Stock-The-Fridge program had a minimum purchase of $25 ahead of taxes and a nominal delivery fee. I chose for us: fruit, popcorn, pretzels, water and lemonade. However, you could also stock the fridge with salad, pizza, and other quick-eat items.

Sweet Summer Package

Another smart offering that the Avenue Suites has for families is the Sweet Summer Package. It includes:

ice-cream sandwich welcome
one-hour canoe or kayak rental on the Potomac
late Sunday checkout
premium room upgrade (an extra 50 sq. ft.)

My boys headed straight for the ice cream sandwiches within 10 minutes of being in the suite. When no one was looking, I quietly enjoyed mine as well. It’s been a few weeks and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s certainly the best I’ve ever had.

Saturday Yoga

I paid for my food sins the next morning at the 9a.m. outdoor yoga class. Although it rained on our parade. We moved our Namaste into a conference room and still had a relaxing morning experience. Our class of 8 stretched and meditated for an hour under the instruction of a Georgetown Yoga teacher – a free treat for our bodies, minds and souls.

The single working elevator and the lack of a pool were a challenge. Eventually the elevator will be in order but summer is a rough time to deal with the inconvenience in a hotel filled with families like your own. It was the #1 complaint I heard from hotel guests as we waited to go up to our room.

The lack of a pool is an entirely different story and a missing amenity that we were only able to deal with by spending as much time as we could exploring Georgetown. Pools are important to our kids and tend to be the highlight of their hotel stays. We do our best to oblige by choosing a property that offers one.

Overall, I’m a fan of the Avenue Suites DC for a one-night family staycation in the Capital. My babies are swimmers so I couldn’t stay for too long. It’s important to know what kind of travelers everyone in your family is and what makes them happy when they’re on a getaway. Gratefully our large suite, our stocked kitchen, the friendly staff, central location, and those delicious chocolate chip ice cream cookie sandwiches offset what was missing and kept the family smiling for the weekend.

We were guests of the Avenue Suites DC who hosted one day of our weekend stay. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oct 25 2013

Travel To Philadelphia: An Introduction To Brotherly Love

Philadelphia is my kind of city. It reminds me so much of being at home in New York that if it weren’t for a cheesesteak and a few famous monuments, I’d swear I was walking in parts of Manhattan.

Philly’s cosmopolitan nature and abundance of things for visitors to do are reasons why travel to Philadelphia has been increasing steadily since 1997. It’s been a consistent hot spot for North American travel.

A two-hour drive from New York and a two and a half hour drive from D.C., this metropolis of 4 million is the fifth largest city in the U.S. According to the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp, “one-quarter of the United States population lives within a five-hour drive of Center City Philadelphia.”

Philly is known for the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the historic Liberty Bell, its famous “Rocky” steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and those delicious Philly cheese steaks. These mentions are just a sampling of things for people to do in Philadelphia. And, if it’s your first time going there or perhaps you’re traveling with kids, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re trying to “see it all.” Unless you give yourself two-three weeks, it ain’t happening!

Philadelphia attractions — Hop on and off bus may be touristy but gives a good overview of the city

Strategy: Tackle Philadelphia Piece By Piece

My suggestion is to approach your exploration of Philly with a travel theme in mind. You can break up the days of your vacation by theme or center your whole vacation around one theme and return again, to be continued….

Here are some travel themes by which you can explore Philly:

Historic Philly
Foodie Philly
Pop Culture/Iconic Philly
Artsy-Fartsy Cultural Philly
Family-Friendly Philly
Ethnic Philly
Beyond Philly

Since there’s so much to do in Philly, you really want to save money by looking for discounts and passes ahead of your trip. Grabbing a City Pass is a smart investment. You can save well over 40% on Philadelphia’s best attractions. Give yourself plenty of time to sink it all in.

As for us and our trip, we spent three days and two nights in the city at the Omni Hotel Independence Park and it wasn’t nearly enough. I’m an ambitious traveler but the scorching July sun and that typical East Coast summer humidity forced us to take several breaks and slow down. However, we did manage to get a “taste” of several of the travel themes that I mentioned.

Stay tuned for more information about what we did and saw. And tell me, have you been to Philly? What do you love most or least about the city? If you’ve never been, what do you know about the City of Brotherly Love? I was a guest of Visit Philly for this trip. As always, all opinions expressed within are my own.

Looking for other things to do in Pennsylvania? Check out this guide highlighting the 100 Best things to do in Pennsylvania.

Aug 12 2013

Fun Things For Kids To Do in Bucks County PA

Giggleberry Fair Bucks County PA — No guessing here what you’re going to run into.

Traveling with my family to Bucks County PA was a trip for both business and pleasure. As a guest of Visit Bucks County, I was determined to explore first hand what fun things the area had for kids to do, outside of Sesame Place. Shopping and eating in Peddler’s Village was my “fun” but as I always say, family travel is about balance – identifying things that everyone can enjoy while on vacation.

Giggleberry Fair at Peddler’s Village

Traveling is hard work! The #roadtrip continues…off to @VisitPhilly today! #familytravel #mg2travel

A photo posted by T Browne Smith (@tawannabsmith) on Jul 15, 2013 at 2:05pm PDT

During our trip, the heat was a bit oppressive. If you’re not heading to a water park, who really wants to be outside in high temps and humidity?

The indoor play area of Giggleberry Fair was a perfect escape from the weather. The highlight of this low key mini-amusement space was its restored carousel where the animals and artwork have been carefully re-painted by local Bucks County artists. Kids also have the option to climb through the obstacles of Giggleberry Mountain and for the younger ones, play at Giggles Discovers. The $12.99 activity pass is an economic option if your child would love unlimited rides on the Grand Carousel in addition to access to the other areas of Giggleberry Fair.

Having some Sunday fun on 91 y.o. carousel at Giggleberry Fair @visitBucksPA #mg2travel #visitPA

A photo posted by T Browne Smith (@tawannabsmith) on Jul 14, 2013 at 4:35pm PDT

New Hope and Ivyland Railorad

A few miles away from Peddler’s Village in New Hope, is the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad. On its tracks run historic diesel and steam locomotives complete with restored 1920s vintage passenger coaches and bar car.

Hopping aboard the train and riding through the countryside of historic Bucks County was the highlight of our trip. Trains are usually a big hit for kids and so it was with mine. The train ride is a 45-minute narrated history lesson of the area. The first class car affords you a beverage and plush air-conditioned surroundings.

My boys love riding old trains thru the country side (so do I). @visitBucksPA @visitPA #mg2travel #familytravel

A photo posted by T Browne Smith (@tawannabsmith) on Jul 15, 2013 at 10:44am PDT

A day and a half in Lahaska and New Hope was sufficient time to explore what the area had to offer us. Just around the corner from the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad is the Bucks County Children’s Museum. Unfortunately, it was closed on Monday, the day that we had free to visit but at least we know for next time. Visiting Bucks County makes for a quiet retreat from the hustle of city life with just enough to offer both parents and kids.

Nov 14 2012

Your VIP Access to The Harry Potter Studio Tour In London

If you’ve ever wanted to see some of the behind-the-scenes magic of the Harry Potter movies, you have to take a trip to London to visit the Warner Bros. Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour. You will spend hours there looking at sets, costumes, visual effects, props, photos, models, artists’ drawings, and everything else that goes into the magical movie-making process.

You’ll even get a chance to drink your own cup of Butter Beer and ride on a Nimbus 2000 broomstick. The Harry Potter Studio Tour is a half to full day event so be sure to set enough time aside to not only travel to the Warner Bros. lot but to also explore every part of the studio, watch videos, and purchase paraphernalia from the souvenir shop at the end of the tour. You can take as much time as you’d like, just as long as you’re finished your tour by the close.

Whether you’re traveling with kids or traveling on your own, you’ll be entertained at the Harry Potter Studio Tour. Young or old, your imagination will run wild. Check out the above slide show for just a snippet of what’s there to see. I openly admit it doesn’t do the tour justice at all. Enjoy!

See more on Pinterest
http://www.pinterest.com/TawannaBSmith/the-harry-potter-studio-tour/

Oct 11 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Things To Do In Jamaica

If you’ve ever wondered about things to do in Jamaica besides sitting around the beach and drinking rum punches, I’m here to tell you that there’s plenty, especially for the adventure traveler. Now, I’m not talking about sky diving or swimming with sharks but a few of these activities will get your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing nonetheless. The Jamaica Tourist Board sponsored me to visit the country to try on some of these activities for size.

Tawanna and the Dolphins — Playing with Dolphins, Jamaica

I’d have to say that I was surprised to find out that there were all these other activities I could do while down there. The few times I went, it was a much more mellow experience. I do remember my husband and friends driving ATVs on an excursion arranged by our cruise ship. However, I knew nothing about swimming with dolphins. And to be honest with you, I probably wouldn’t have done it at the time anyway. I’ve seemed to have gotten more courageous with age – who knows why but that’s the case.

Horseback riding through shallow waters was interesting but I felt bad for the horses. They seemed to have been struggling. I think my favorite activity was probably zip lining through YS Falls. Whew! Talk about an adrenaline rush. If you’re traveling with kids to Jamaica, you could probably do the dolphins, horseback riding, and ziplining with a 9 year old and older. I might be a little apprehensive about the ziplining at that age but it also depends on the kid. It’s definitely an experience that neither one of you will forget.

I don’t think anything beats just chilling poolside at the resort after a few days of exploration and adrenaline-rush activities. I wouldn’t stay there everyday, there’s just so many things to do in Jamaica and it would seem like a waste of a trip. But to each his own – enjoy your vacation the way you want. It’s just good to know all the options you have in front of you and take a leap of faith once in a while…or a zip-line of faith. You may surprise yourself.