Snapshot Chronicles Roadtrip

Family travel through a slightly twisted lens. Sense of humor required. Shoes optional.

Snapshot Recommendation: San Diego Wild Animal Park

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One of the highlights of our trip to San Diego a year ago was a visit to the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido. It’s one of those places that I wish were closer, as I could go back every day and not be bored.

The facility itself is remarkable, but I encourage you to save some of your splurge money for one of the Park’s special experiences.

We did the Photo Caravan Safari, and chose the last tour of the day, which departed after the Park closes. Being among the only guests in the park is in itself cool, but you cannot beat the experience of feeding a giraffe.

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New this summer at the Wild Animal Park, a Wilderness Ridge Mule Ride.

More pictures from our day at the Park.

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Father’s Day Excursions

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IMG_1712I have two Father’s Day excursions for you, one worth the drive if you are in the Boston area, and the other well worth a weekend getaway. Both are annual events; you go this year or you wait until next.

The Boston area – Stow MA

Every year on Father’s Day weekend — June 20 & 21 –  the Collings Foundation in Stow opens its doors to visitors for Wings and Wheels Weekend. It’s a great opportunity to see the Foundation’s collection of vintage aircraft and automobiles. You can also book a ride in one of the vintage aircraft, but this must be done in advance.  $10 adults, $5 kids.

Family eats in the Stow area: La Provence in Concord (review) and Nancy’s Airfield Cafe in Stow.

Central Vermont – Quechee

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The Quechee Balloon Festival in Quechee Vermont is well worth the trip North. Dave and I went years ago, and last year we finally made it back with Douglas. There are activities all day long, but the highlight is the balloon ascensions in the morning and early evening. This year, we are planning our weekend to attend the Balloon Glow on Friday at approximately 8:30 pm. Balloon rides are available, but should be booked in advance.

Local accommodations: There are motor inns nearby in Quechee and White River Junction, but I recommend going a bit further and staying at the Kedron Valley Inn in South Woodstock. If they are full up, try the Woodstock Inn, and if you like bed & breakfasts, the Inn at Chelsea Farm, our Vermont neighbor.

By the way, if you are looking to visit the Woodstock area, we also rent our house. Check it out on Cyberrentals. This year, we will be there on Balloon Fest weekend, but we have lots of other availability this summer as we have just started renting it.

Back to the balloon festival. Admission is $10 adults, $5 kids; tickets are good for the entire weekend and dads accompanied by a kid are 1/2 price on Sunday.

Family eats in the Woodstock/Quechee area: There are a lot of great restaurants in the area, but if the family has spent the day at the festival, you want something fast and friendly. For lunch, I recommend the Farmer’s Diner in Quechee and for dinner, Bentleys in Woodstock.

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Eats: Universal City Walk & Downtown Disney

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Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney

There are a lot of places to eat in Orlando. Everything from fast to fancy food. We stay in our timeshare, and if we’ve spent the day in a theme park, it’s nice to come back to the “house” and eat in.

But, we do eat out a few times on every trip. Most lunches, some dinners. Here are some of our favorites from our last trip.

Universal City Walk: Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Factory has a great kid’s menu, plus they serve the food in neat little boats. Awesome margaritas, which come in handy if you’ve spent the most of the day in one theme park, and will be going to another after your late lunch.

On past trips we’ve eaten at the Nascar Cafe, which is great fun for stock car aficionados, but the atmosphere is a bit loud.

Downtown Disney: Every trip to Orlando, we almost always end up at Fulton’s Crab House. Terrific service. Terrific seafood. Terrific Bloody Mary’s. On our last visit, we ate quite late (9 pm)  so Dave and I split the cold seafood plate appetizer.  I had a few oysters to start and he had the crab cake appetizer. More than enough food.  Douglas had fish, which he loves, and my older niece tried King Crab for the first time. Pricey, but well worth it for your family splurge dinner. ALL the restaurants at Downtown Disney have similar meal prices, so you might as well go for what you want.

For lunch the day we were flying home, we tried the new restaurant, T-Rex. Very similar to Rainforest Cafe, including gift shop at the exit and a regular “show,” but with a dinosaur theme. Douglas was quite impressed with the geodes scattered through the restaurant. I thought the food was pretty good, and recommend the fish tacos. Service was excellent.

Other restaurants at Downtown Disney that we’ve eaten at in past  years, and recommend: Bongo’s Cuban Cafe, Cap’n Jack’s and the House of Blues Gospel Sunday Brunch.

Doug at T-Rex in Downtown Disney

Doug at T-Rex in Downtown Disney

On an Island of Adventure (Universal Orlando)

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Universal’s Islands of Adventure is much more like a traditional amusement park. Each Island has a distinct personality, but many rides are pretty straightforward amusement park rides, with the Universal theme cleverly grafted on. Exceptions include Spider-Man and most of the rides in Seuss Landing but especially the Cat in the Hat. Which never gets old.

And I’m old.

Here’s a quick rundown on our favorites. In some case, I am reporting second-hand. As discussed, certain types of roller coasters I do not ride.

Marvel Super-Hero Island

Hulk. This is a serious roller coaster. Upside down doesn’t begin to cover it. I’ve never ridden it, because NOT my thing, but it gets rave reviews from the rest of the family.

Spider-Man. I enjoy this 3-D ride. It’s fun, not too jarring and full of story. Be warned that  younger kids may find the story too intense.

If you are lucky, while you are in the Marvel area, the Heroes may come out, although Spider-Man seems to be there nearly all the time. This summer, though I bet Wolverine will be even more popular.

The kids on Ripsaw Falls

Toon Lagoon

Toon Lagoon is all about water. The core rides are Pop-Eye’s Bilge Rat Barges and Dudley Do Right’s Ripsaw Falls. Be warned: the Barges seem to be dumping more water than they did in previous years.

DO leave your packs and personal belongings with a non-rider or in a locker. And put your shoes in the center waterproof sections on the Barges.

You will get wet!

Jurassic Park

Douglas, David and I love the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride, but our nieces were a bit freaked out by the storyline. Be sensitive to people’s fears on this ride.

The Lost Continent

This area has always seemed a bit like a fish out of water, and in fact, has lost one of its rides to the Harry Potter area under construction. The males in our party liked the Dueling Dragons roller coaster but my older niece did not. In previous years, we’ve done Poseidon’s Fury; it was okay, but I wouldn’t wait in line for it.

Seuss Landing

Everything is improved with a little Dr. Seuss. That said, here are the highlights.

Don’t miss:

  • The bookstore, or just outside. Characters – the Cat, Sam, the Grinch, Things One and Two – can often be found here.
  • The Cat in the Hat ride. Worth it times two.
  • One Fish Two Fish

If you have time, do the Carousel. If you have lots of extra time, do the High in  the Sky Trolley Train Ride for the views of the rest of the park you get during the ride. If there’s a line, don’t bother. Likewise, the cookie aficionados in my family say don’t bother with the cookies in the bakery at the train ride exit.

For Universal tips and map, see my earlier post on Universal Studios.

Trip Round-up: San Francisco, San Diego & Central Vermont

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There’s  a lot more to come from our trip to Orlando last month, including a report on Universal’s Islands of Adventure and the new restaurant in Downtown Disney, T-rex.

For now, though, here are some links to travel related posts written on my personal blog last year. Enjoy!

Copyright 2009-2018. All Rights Reserved. Photos copyright Susan Getgood unless otherwise noted.