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Exploring Central Park With …

March 2, 2016 By admin

Spring has finally sprung here in NYC and that means its time to go play outside! One of my favorite spots for families with kids of all ages is Central Park and springtime is one of the best times to plan a visit.

Exploring Central Park With Kids

Exploring Central Park with kids is especially fun when the park is in full bloom. After our long dreary winters, it is a treat to see green grass and colorful flowers and kids will love running around taking in all the fresh air and expansive lawns.

Pack a picnic, grab a frisbee and plan to spend a few hours (or a whole day) exploring Central Park. Here are some of my favorite springtime activities for families:

Visit one of the many playgrounds
Climb a statue or two (Alice in Wonderland is my fave)
Stop at the Central Park Zoo (and Children’s Zoo)
Take a spin on the Central Park Carousel
Go fly a kite
Visit Victorian Gardens (opening Memorial Day weekend!)
Get your caricature done
Visit Bethesda Fountain
Rent a row boat
Race boats at Conservatory Water
Check out a story time
Stop for lunch at the Loeb Boathouse
See a free Shakespeare in the Park performance (starting in May)

Check out my Tips for Central Park with Kids in Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall story on TravelMamas.com for more details and be sure to visit the Central Park event calendar before you visit.

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Fun Food Friday: The Cronut …

February 12, 2016 By admin

Cronuts may be yesterday’s news but the Cronut craze at Soho’s most famed pastry shop Dominique Ansel Bakery, is alive and well with tourists and locals alike.

Fun Food Friday: The Cronut Craze at NYC’s Dominique Ansel Bakery

If you’re not familiar with the Cronut, here’s a quick lesson…its a flaky croissant-doughnut hybrid. The original can be found at NYC’s Dominique Ansel Bakery with flavor offerings that change each month.

Feast your eyes on the February 2016 Milk Chocolate Cassis Cronut! I can personally tell you that this Cronut was delicious. Think of a croissant built into a doughnut then rolled in sugar, filled with jam or cream and topped with glaze. What could be better?

Fun Food Friday: The Cronut Craze at NYC’s Dominique Ansel Bakery

And this my friends was the January 2016 Hazelnut with Blood Orange Jam Cronut. Yummmm.

Fun Food Friday: The Cronut Craze at NYC’s Dominique Ansel Bakery

With just 350 Cronuts made each day, the demand is high and the lines form early. When the doors open at 8am (9 am on Sunday), the line is usually stretched around the corner. If you’ve got to have one, come early and wait but if you’ll be in the neighborhood, try coming between 8-9 am and you might get lucky. This happened to me in the aftermath of snowstorm Jonas and again last week so it could very well happen for you too.

If you’ve got friends visiting from out of town or if you’re heading to NYC, add a stop here to the agenda. And if the cronuts are sold out, you can always get your sugar fix with some of the other yummy pastries and coffee drinks.

Fun Food Friday: The Cronut Craze at NYC’s Dominique Ansel Bakery

Gorgeous, right? There is cafe seating in back so you can dig right in.

If you’re bringing kids, make sure to stop by the window where the Cronut bakers work their magic…

Don’t want to wait? Big news, you can now pre-order Cronuts online! The sales open every Monday and you must pick them up in person.

Each Cronut is priced at $5.50 plus tax so don’t forget your dough…

Have you ever had a cronut? Tell me about your experience below in the comments.

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2015 Holiday Gift Guide …

December 16, 2015 By admin

Books are one of my go-to presents for kids of all ages and today I’m sharing my Gift Guide for the Best Books for Globetrotting Kids.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Books for Globetrotting Kids and Giveaway

1) I See Me! books – I especially love giving personalized books as baby presents but I had to order my six-year old this adorable It’s Fancy to Be Me personalized book that showcases a little girl (with custom skin and hair) traveling the globe. We both love reading it and she especially loves seeing her name and photo on the pages. Enter to win your choice of I See Me! customized books TODAY ONLY (details below)…

2) Peppa Pig and the Day at the Museum – If you’ve got little Peppa fans, this colorful book is sure to please. I love that it teaches kids how to behave in museums and gives them an idea of what to expect during their first museum visits.

3) The Central Park Tales – My daughter and I love exploring New York’s scenic Central Park so I was interested to check out this tale of animal characters who live in the park. The book is comprised of ten short stories making it is a great option for emerging readers who can rely on comprehension rather than photos.

4) Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade – If your family loves watching New York City’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this book will become an immediate favorite. The story tells the true story of how the famous floats came to creation with gorgeous graphics and a bit of STEM education along the way.

5) People – I love gorgeous oversized children’s picture books but if they don’t hold my daughter’s interest, they just sit on the bookshelf, and yes, we have a collection of those… My daughter is continuously drawn to this book which showcases details of people and their varied lifestyles across the globe. From clothing and housing to religions and customs, this book is a great option for teaching diversity.

6) Mad Libs – I just introduced my daughter to these fill-in-the-blank short story books and they were an immediate hit. If you’re heading off on a holiday road trip, these would be a great gift kids of all ages would enjoy along the way. I grew up with the classic version but they now feature specialty editions (think Star Wars, Frozen, SpongeBob SquarePants
and holidays) as well as Mad Libs on the Road and Vacation Fun versions perfect for globetrotting kids (and adults too).

7) My Pop-up World Atlas – Pop-Up books are always a hit with kids and this pop-up atlas makes learning geography fun. My daughter never tires of lifting the flaps and pull tabs to uncover interesting details from around the world. Its fairly sturdy but I wouldn’t leave toddlers unsupervised with it…

8) Eloise: The Ultimate Edition – For girls who love, love, love Eloise, this treasury is sure to please. This is a great choice for young travelers since it features Eloise in Moscow and Eloise in Paris as well as Eloise at Christmastime and the original Eloise story and scrapbook.

9) The New York Times: 36 Hours USA & Canada – For kids who are old enough to plan family adventures, this coffee table book is filled with travel itineraries and suggestions for trips across the United States and Canada.

10) From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – Pre-teens will love this award-winning adventurous tale about two kids who hide out in NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. They bathe in the museum’s fountains and sleep in royal beds as they run away from home and discover a mystery along the way.

Ready to win a customized I See Me! book of your choice?

To enter please leave a blog post comment – Who do you know who would love this book?

For additional entries, please leave separate comments for each of these four options:

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This giveaway is open to US residents. The winner will be chosen at 10 am EST Thursday, December 17, 2015 and must order their book the same day.

Good luck!

Congratulations to Elizabeth L! Check your email for details…

All opinions are my own. I received review copies of three books and some links may contain affiliate links. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for …

December 10, 2015 By admin

If you’re looking for some holiday gift ideas the whole family can enjoy, today is your lucky day. Below I’ve rounded up some fun family gift ideas for globetrotting families to enjoy at home and away…

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families

The Gift of Membership – If you’re looking for a gift that keeps on giving, a family membership to a favorite museum, amusement park, zoo or other cultural attraction is an awesome gift. Some museum memberships include reciprocal benefits where you can receive complimentary admission to hundreds of museums across the United States. Check out the North American Reciprocal Museum Association and the Association of Science-Technology Center’s Travel Passport Program for more details.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families

Go See a Show – Save a date and take the whole clan to see their favorite artists perform on stage. From Frozen on Ice, Peppa Pig LIVE! and the Big Apple Circus to Sesame Street and Yo Gabba Gabba shows and musical concerts, there are dozens of family favorite events going on this winter. My top picks for families include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes, Blue Man Group, Aladdin and The Lion King.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families – A Duck Tour around Boston makes a great holiday gift.

Take the Family Sightseeing – A staycation or vacation makes a great holiday gift. Give your family the gift of go with a Go City Card valid for tourist attractions in 11 cities across the US or book a family fun sightseeing tour like The Ride in New York City, a Boston Duck Tour or a Carriage Ride around Charleston.

Family Friendly Travel Books – From travel inspired coffee table classics like Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel and Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places to trip planning guides and Lonely Planet Kids Activity Books, books are a great family gift idea.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families

Culinary Gifts for All – Foodies of all ages will appreciate culinary gifts that offer tasty treats from near and far. Some ideas include the Peninsula Grill Ultimate Coconut Cake® from Charleston, South Carolina, Tessemae’s Chesapeake Mayo from Maryland, Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport, The Everyday Eatalian gift box featuring products from Italy, a Great Lakes Food Club membership from Michigan or a Try The World foodie gift box subscription.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families

Must Have Family Friendly Travel Accessories – I’m always bringing home leftovers from holiday celebrations and Igloo has a great selection of chic insulated totes (Trend, Maxcold and Stowe) that make nice holiday gifts for everyone on your list. I especially love that these bags fold up for storage and are leak-resistant making them great picks for road trips and plane rides. For junior travelers, the adorable bag tags and travel journals from Mudpuppy are sure to please. Other ideas for family friendly travel accessories include selfie sticks (I know, I know) and gift cards to make photo books showcasing your travels.

2015 Holiday Gift Guide for Globetrotting Families – Family friendly games are sure to please.

On The Go Games – Family friendly games are great to bring to holiday get togethers and the classics from Hasbro (think Twister, Operation, Jenga and my all-time favorite Monopoly) are perfect options. I also love travel friendly family games like Melissa & Doug Travel Hangman, Spot It, eeBoo’s Color Go Fish Cards which are great for little hands.

I received some review items at the Momtrends holiday event but all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Pretty in Pink. Everything …

October 8, 2015 By admin

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that one of my daughter’s favorite New York City haunts is The Plaza Hotel.

The Plaza Hotel, New York City, NYC with Kids

Pretty in Pink. Everything Eloise at NYC’s Plaza Hotel

If you think this legendary NYC hotel is just for grown-ups, think again. From The Plaza Food Hall (with fro-yo, cupcakes and cookies galore) to Rawther Fancy Tea Parties at the hotel’s Eloise Shop and Afternoon Tea at The Plaza’s Palm Court, there are plenty of adventures for kids of all ages.

Plaza Hotel, New York City, Pretty in Pink, Eloise at The Plaza

Pretty in Pink. Everything Eloise at NYC’s Plaza Hotel

Check out my All Things Eloise at The Plaza story on TravelMamas.com to find out my favorite Eloise inspired activities.

Do you have a favorite Plaza Hotel memory? Tell me below in the comments.

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Museum Day Live! – …

September 10, 2015 By admin

Mark your calendars! This September 26, 2015, Smithsonian Magazine is offering free museum day visits to more than 1,500 museums across the country with Museum Day Live!

Museum Day Live! – Smithsonian Magazine Offers Free Museum Day Across the US

Families can check out hundreds of children’s museums, art institutes, science centers and other cultural institutions for free when they register for Museum Day Live! online. One ticket admits two guests so plan accordingly if you have a big family. Note, many museums admit young children for free.

Check out the list of the participating museums in your area. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for a family-friendly museum day across the country. Whether you’re planning a road trip or staycation that weekend, there are plenty of options.

Families can visit The Hershey Story Museum for free with Museum Day Live!

New York City, NY – The Skyscraper Museum

Macon, GA – Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

Springfield, MA – Springfield Museums (Four museums and the Dr. Seuss sculpture garden)

Boston, MA – Museum of Fine Arts

Hershey, PA – The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue

Portland, ME – Portland Museum of Art

Chicago, IL – Swedish American Museum

Miami, FL – Zoo Miami

Boca Raton, FL – Children’s Science Explorium at Sugar Sand Park

Charleston, SC – The South Carolina Historical Society

Baltimore, MD – The Baltimore Museum of Art

New Orleans, LA – Louisiana Children’s Museum

Where will you be that weekend and which museum would you like to visit?

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Moving and grooving… …

July 23, 2015 By admin

As some of you know, I moved apartments this week and I’m sloooowly coming back to the surface. Although I didn’t do all the packing, I imagine it would have been easier to pack for a trip around-the-world than my trip down the block…

New York City, Family Travel, Free NYC, free activities, kids in nyc

10 Best Free New York City Activities for Families

In other big and exciting news, I’ve joined the TravelMamas team of contributing writers and my very first story came out this week. Check out my 10 Best Free NYC Activities for Families and let me know what you think!

I’m jetting off to the Bahamas today so be sure to follow along on Instagram to see our adventures…

Bon voyage!

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Top 10 Tips for Visiting …

June 23, 2015 By admin

Summer is fiiiinnaaallly here and that means time for some fun in the sun! Splish Splash water park, one of the best NYC area water parks, is celebrating 25 years of fun so we hit the road to check it out. Here are my Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island:

Splish Splash, Long Island, Water Park, Tips, Family Travel, Long Island, New York, Globetrotting Mommy

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island

1) Lather on the sunscreen at home so you and your kids can jump right on to the rides and slides when you arrive. There are many shaded areas for sitting and strolling but most of the pools are slides are in the direct sun. Be sure to bring along sunscreen so you can reapply throughout the day.

2) Aim to arrive around opening time since you’ll get the best parking spots and the park will be empty. We got there around 10:20 am and found a great parking spot right near the entrance. We headed to the kiddie areas first and there were plenty of chairs and no lines. The parking lot area is huge so I’m guessing the crowds get much larger as the summer heats up.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island

3) Grab a map and make a plan. If you’re with older kids (48” and up), you’ll want to start with the more adventurous rides like Cliff Rider and Tunnel of Terror. If you’re with toddlers, start at the Octopus Pool and slides. If you’re with young kids (under 48”), start with Pirate’s Cove and the kiddie slides. The water attractions are spread out over 90 acres but things are really much closer than they seem on the map. Once you get your bearings, there are plenty of large maps along the way so you won’t need to carry around a soggy map.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island

4) Grab a locker or have someone to help carry your camera, sunscreen and cover ups/towels while you are on the rides. There are plenty of lockers (starting at $14) and there are also a lot of free open cubbies where you can store your towels and shoes throughout the park.

5) Travel light but don’t forget family friendly summer essentials. If you’re going on rides, you really just need a comfortable bathing suit or rash guard and a light cover-up or sarong. Water shoes (the stretchy tight types – not crocs or flip flops) and sun hats are a great idea for kids. Some kids prefer wearing goggles in the water so if its your child’s first water park visit, bring a pair along just in case. If you have a waterproof phone or camera, you might want to bring that along too. Skip the heavy towels and bring a lightweight quick dry beach towel.

Splish Splash, Long Island, Water Park, Tips, Travel, Globetrotting Mommy, Family

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island

6) If you’ll be splitting up kids and parents, plan to meet up for some family time. The wave pools, lazy river and Mammoth River raft ride are great for the whole family. If you’ve got teens, older family members or kids who nap, you may want to consider renting a cabana for the day so older kids can run around freely and check back throughout the day. If you’re with babies and toddlers, you’ll want to claim your seats or cabana around the Octopus pool (think water swings on tentacles!) and kiddie slides.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island

7) Plan to splurge on calories and sweet treats. I think most families who visit amusement parks are looking for some variation of chicken, hamburgers, fried treats and french fries at lunchtime and that is exactly what you’ll find here. Ice cream at a water park is a natural fit and you’ll find lots of sweet frosty options including Dole soft serve. If you’re hoping to eat healthy fare, you’ll want to store your lunch in a car cooler and get your hand stamped to re-enter the park.

Top 10 Tips for Visiting Splish Splash, Long Island

8) Get wet! One of my 5-year old daughter’s favorite spots was Monsoon Lagoon which featured water slides and climbing ropes. It was a little hidden away so be sure to check it out. In addition to all the kid areas, the lazy river and wave pools were big hits. The open tunnel rides like Dinosaur Falls were also fun for us. There were plenty of attractions for her height and she also loved watching the ones she wasn’t tall enough to ride like Shotgun Falls.

9) Relax. All in all, it was a very fun filled and somewhat relaxing day. My daughter is a good swimmer and the kids water play and slide areas are surrounded by shallow water so I felt very safe letting her play while I watched from the sidelines. Each ride and pool area features multiple lifeguards who carry flotation devices (even in the kiddie pools). The lifeguards kept a close watch on all the kids as they went down the slides and exited the pool which was impressive. In addition, the grounds were very well kept and the staff members were quite friendly.

10) Tickets at the entrance gate cost $41.99 for general admission and $31.99 for kids (under 48″) and seniors. Save $7 on general admission and $4 on kids and seniors by using this Splish Splash coupon code.

Splish Splash is located in Calverton, Long Island about 90 minutes (without traffic) from NYC. If you’re heading to the Hamptons, this is a great pitstop along the way. If you want to make a weekend of it, there is plenty of family fun on Long Island’s East End.

What’s your favorite water park?

Special thanks to Splish Splash for inviting us to visit. As always, all opinions are my own. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Fancy Treats in NYC: Afternoon …

June 2, 2015 By admin

Most little girls love to host tea parties so you can imagine my daughter’s excited face when I told her we would be celebrating her fifth birthday with afternoon tea at The Plaza Hotel. Most of her teatime knowledge comes from Fancy Nancy (Pinkies up!) which meant she immediately started planning her “fancy” tea party outfit.