Fall Road Trip Tips for Families with Older Kids

There is something about the changing of the season from summer to fall that makes me long for the open road. The summer traffic has died down, the weather is cool enough to open the windows and the sunroof and changing leaves makes for pretty scenery.

Taking a family road trip can be a challenge no matter what age your kids are. I remember fondly the days of car seats and activity bags. My kids are six years apart, we never had the struggle of multiple car seats or entertaining two (or more) small children at a time. But just because they are older, doesn't mean we are immune to the trials of family road trips! (Are we there yet??)

What's Happening at The Franklin Institute

My family and I are so lucky to live in an area so rich in history, culture and things to do. Philadelphia is not only the City of Brotherly Love, but it is the birthplace of America.  In such an amazing city, it is not surprising to find amazing opportunities to both entertain and educate yourself and your family. One of our favorite places to do that is The Franklin Institute.

The Franklin Institute was founded in honor of America’s first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, and is one of the oldest and premier centers of science education and development in the country.  In The Country. The Institute is dedicated to public education and creating a passion for science by offering new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would most likely dazzle and delight its namesake.

Holiday Season Travel Tips

The holiday season - no matter what particular holidays you celebrate - is all about friends and family. We are fortunate to have so many of our friends and family close by, but many people spend a good deal of time traveling to see those they love.

Whether you travel the open road, take to the skies or ride the rails, to make your travel as enjoyable as possible, it's important to keep a few key tips in mind:

Philadelphia Area Day Trip: New Hope and Lambertville

Sometimes a day trip is just what the doctor ordered. Between work and kids' activities, it can be hard to get away from it all for an extended period of time, but we love to set out on adventures as a family, and our most recent one took us on a family travel adventure to New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ.

In under an hour, we were in picturesque New Hope, PA. If you've never been to this area, it's a quaint artists community that sits along the Delaware River. There are bike paths, shops, restaurants and galleries to amuse yourself with, along quaint tree-lined streets.

Visiting the Fairmount Water Works

We were recently invited to tour the Philadelphia Water Works, located in Philadelphia's beautiful Fairmount Park.  The Fairmount Water Works is a National Historic Landmark, a Civil Engineering Landmark and a national Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Wow - right? All right here practically in our backyard.

A Little History: The Fairmount Water Works opened in 1815 to provide safe, clean drinking water to a city on the cusp of remarkable growth. It was the first in the nation. In 1909, the Water Works was decommissioned as a pumping station.

Get Your Science On at The Franklin Institute

If you visit Philadelphia, or are lucky enough to live nearby, you don't want to miss The Franklin Institute! This hands-on science museum opened in 1825 and has been a family favorite travel destination since Ryan was about four years old. We take the train into the city and visit at least once a year to check out the newest exhibits and enjoy our old favorites too. The Franklin Institute recently invited us to come visit and see what's new.

What's new is the completion of the beautiful 53,000 square foot, three story, Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion. This new pavilion is home to the museum's largest permanent exhibition, Your Brain, a climate-controlled traveling exhibition gallery, a state-of-the-art conference center and an expansive new education center. Exciting stuff for Philadelphia and the museum!

What to See and Do in Ocean City, NJ

I grew up right off the Jersey Shore and we have a history. According to my mother, when I was a little girl, I didn't care for the sand, but these days, my zen is a walk along the Jersey coast, with my feet in the sand. Ocean City, NJ is a great destination for families, with a ton of things to see and do.

Since about 2009, we've been taking a family long-weekend trip to Ocean City, NJ to enjoy the sand, surf and boardwalks. Ocean City is a fantastic family destination, only about an hour and a half out of Philadelphia.

Wordless Wednesday - Ocean City, NJ

catch you soon -

The Corning Museum of Glass: A Day of Science, Art and Fun for the Whole Family

How is your family kicking off the Fall season? For us, it was a family trip to the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY.  Family Travel to new places is always exciting, and while this was a  sponsored trip, all opinions and experiences are my very own.

I'm not sure how, but I had never heard of the Corning Museum of Glass before, despite the fact that it is the world's largest glass museum. It's approximately a 4-hour drive from Philadelphia, and we left on Friday evening so that we would have all day on Saturday to explore the museum. We had heard from friends that it was fantastic and you could easily spend all day there. They were right.

We stayed at the Radisson, Corning, which is about a mile from the museum, and right at the end of historic Market Street. If you go, we highly recommend the Radisson as a clean, friendly and convenient hotel. Both the food and staff were wonderful.

Saturday started with a Glassmaking Experience in the Studio. Ryan wanted to make a blown-glass pumpkin, Owen selected a fused-glass wind chime and John and I each made a formed-glass flower. Once we had picked out colors for our projects, we were all given safety glasses, and because John and I would be so close to the ovens and hot glass, we were given aprons, protective sleeves and gloves as well. What an amazing experience! The kids both had a blast, and were just fine doing their projects with the help of the glassmakers. I admit to being a little nervous, there were so many instructions.

Anyone can make their own glass project, you don't need any experience at all. The expert glassmakers guide you through the 40-minute process and when you're done, you have an amazing piece to pick up the next day, or have shipped right to your home.

Here is Owen's wind chime (you have to put it together yourself, but it's super easy):

And here is Ryan's blown glass pumpkin and our flowers: 

After our amazing Glass Making experience, we headed over to the museum to check out the Innovation Center and the Galleries.

The Corning Museum of Glass is home to a collection showcasing 35 centuries of glass-art, history, and technology. To keep the kids (and face-it, some adults too) entertained, the museum has Gallery activity sheets, audio guides and seasonal tours. We started in the hands-on Innovation Center, where there are live-narrated glass demonstrations and interactive exhibits. We are pretty used to the Franklin Institute here in Philadelphia and their hands-on exhibits, so the boys had a wonderful time in the Innovation Center trying everything out.  They even have a periscope from a REAL submarine, that looks out the roof of the museum.  John enjoyed all the science and technology in the center, from windshields and fiber optic cables to Pyrex cookware and missile nose cones.

There is a daily schedule of the Glass Demos and Guided Tours, so you can plan to see what you want to see, when it fits into your visit. We attended the Optical Fiber Demo and the Glassbreaking Demo.  Ryan was selected from the audience to help out with the Glassbreaking Demo (here's a clip):




After some time at the Innovation Center, we went to check out the Gallery of Contemporary Glass and the Glass Collection Galleries.  John and I were fascinated with the Galleries. They were filled with the most amazing pieces, from glass found in the ground, to modern glass sculptures, and everything in between. There were functional pieces, like vases, and pitchers, and modern art pieces of all shapes and sizes. I found that talking with the kids about the pieces they saw, encouraging them to read the placards when they had questions, and sharing my own enthusiasm for what we were seeing, really helped to keep them entertained and interested. But honestly, the pieces were so amazing, you couldn't wait to see what was next.

Ryan discovered this glass bat that was presented to a player for the Philadelphia Athletics back in the days of Connie Mack.

And Owen had a real appreciation for Tiffany vases, telling me, "Mom, look what the light does to these."

After visiting our favorite exhibits in the Innovation Center one more time, we had a snack in the cafe, cruised the Galleries again and then hit the GlassMarket.  The words "gift shop" do not adequately describe the GlassMarket. It is filled with international art, jewelry, dishware and more. The boys loved the marble machine, where you could enjoy watching the marbles move through the contraption, or for a small fee, purchase a token to get your very own marble. There was also a very nice selection of kitchen and home glassware.

On Sunday, we took a stroll down Historic Market Street in Corning, NY. This area is called the Gaffer District, and the street is charming, filled with small shops and restaurants. There are outdoor areas, and artwork up on the buildings. So many great things to see, in a beautiful setting.

After picking up our Glassmaking pieces, it was time to head back home. We had a wonderful time, and there are still things to see and do, so the kids keep asking when we are going back, which to me signals a successful Family Travel adventure.

Know Before You Go

• Adult admission is $15, kids under 19 are FREE. 
• If you want to Make Your Own Glass, there is an additional fee per person, from approximately $22 - $28.
• There is free parking, and also a free shuttle that runs from the museum parking lot to the entrance, as well as the nearby Rockwell Museum and historic Market Street in Corning.
• There is a cafe onsite with a variety of foods and drinks.
• The museum is fully handicapped accessible.

Where will you go this fall?

catch you soon -

Disclosure - Travel arrangements and museum access were provided by TravelingMom.com. A very big thank you to them for providing us with such a wonderful experience. All opinions are my own, or that of my family.

Wordless Wednesday - Forming Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass

Look for a post tomorrow about our trip.

catch you soon -

Visiting the Jersey Shore and Making Sandcastles

We wrapped up our Summer of Fun with an overnight trip to Avalon, NJ. The kids love the Jersey shore, so spending two days on the beach and in the water, is their idea of heaven. It's been a while since I've been to Avalon, and I was happy to find it's still a gorgeous and relaxing beach destination.

Last week, we loaded up the kids and headed to the Golden Inn in Avalon, NJ for the Blogger Beach Bash, hosted by Joey Fortman from Real Mom Media. The Golden Inn sits right on the beach and is only a mile from the shops and restaurants of Stone Harbor. We arrived in the late afternoon, checked in and hit the beach. It was fun to see so many families from Philly Social Media Moms already enjoying the beach and pool.

We ate a late, delicious dinner before heading to bed to rest up for our sandcastle workshop the next morning. That's right, a sandcastle workshop . . . with Sandman Matt.

According to Sandman Matt, who has traveled the world, New Jersey beaches have the BEST sand for making sand castles. He assured our group that he could teach any of us to build a better sandcastle, all you need is tools and knowledge and he supplied us with both.

Sandman Matt was happy to share all of his tricks with us, and by lunchtime, kids all over the beach were making amazing towers. Some grown-ups were giving it a go too!

According to Sandman Matt, here's what you need to know to make a better sandcastle:

• Wet the sand
• Pack the sand
• Work from the top down
• Go slow
• Pile the sand high and wide
• Have fun

We certainly had fun, and while our tower didn't look as great as Sandman Matt's, we can't wait to hit the beach next time and try it again!

catch you soon -

disclosure - as part of my participation in the Blogger Beach Bash, we received a discounted room, breakfast, lunch and a workshop with Sandman Matt. I was not compensated for my time, nor required to write a post and as always all opinions are my very own.

Where to Go in NJ: Adventure Aquarium in Camden

As you may know, we made a Plan for Summer Fun this year. One of the things the kids put on our list of "want to dos" before school was even out for the summer, was to visit Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ.

Luckily, we were invited guests of the Aquarium on our very first week of summer vacation!

It's been a while since we were at the Aquarium, and I was happy to see many new things and exhibits. There is always a new exhibit, and during this visit, we got to check out the fascinating Mighty Mike exhibit! 

Broken Buildings. . .But Not Broken Dreams - The Jersey Shore Rebuilds #JerseyLove

Hurricane Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in United States history.

Some called it the Storm of the Century. . .a Super Storm. Overall, 285 people died, 100 of them in the United States. In nine days, the storm affected Eastern Canada, Greater Antillies, The Eastern United States, Bermuda and the Bahamas.

The famous and beloved Jersey Shore took a beating. . .but while she may have been broken, she is far from beaten.

 

A few weeks ago, I had the unique opportunity to travel with 39 other women, active in Social Media, as part of the very first Social Media for Social Good Retreat. Many of them I knew online. . .but had never met them "IRL" (in real life). They traveled to my home state of New Jersey from California, Nevada, North Carolina, Arkansas, and other states around our country for one purpose. . .to support the rebuilding of the Jersey Shore through our #JerseyLove initiative.

With incredible help from The Caesar's Entertainment Group, D6SurfSkimmer, and other sponsors and supporters. . .the dream of Kadi Prescott and Elizabeth Norton became a reality.

Much of our #JerseyLove weekend may have looked like a press junket, but make no mistake. . .these women were there to do good, and they were serious about it. According to a document released by the NJ Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission, the economic impact of the Travel and Tourism industry in NJ contributes $20 billion in economic activity each year and generates 426,000 jobs. In 2003, more than 65 million people visited New Jersey. With reports of areas still damaged by the storms, we were there to spread the word that the "Jersey Shore Was Open For Business".

We traveled via carpools to Belmar, NJ, home to a member of Social Media Moms. We were there to present a check to Mayor Matt Doherty for $5000, raised in part by a generous donation from D6Sports.

The folks from D6Sports where on-hand, along with people from Eastern Lines Surf Shop in Belmar, to demonstrate what surf skimming and surfing looks like on the jersey shore. They encouraged us to share that with our followers and readers. . .to show them all the Jersey Shore has to offer as a family beach destination.

It was very fitting that the day we did this, Tropical Storm Andrea touched New Jersey. It was foggy, rainy and chilly. But that didn't stop us from trooping onto the beach, visiting the surf shop, and enjoying the amazing hospitality of D'Jais on the Belmar Boardwalk.

When you ask 40 women that spend much of their lives sharing on social media, to spread the word that the Jersey Shore is open, we take you seriously. Estimates are that our #JerseyLove efforts have reached 5 million people. I hope we touched 5 million hearts.

The #JerseyLove effort isn't over yet. . .the success of this summer season remains to be seen. But I can tell you this. . .there are places to stay, and food to eat, and beautiful beaches to play on. Shops are open, chef's are making incredible meals and DJs are spinning the latest tunes.

So pack up your family and make a plan to head down the shore this summer.

catch you soon - 

Disclosure - D6 Sports and Caesar's Entertainment, along with many other sponsors made this trip possible. Please note that although we had sponsors for the trip, we also paid to attend and received no monetary compensation for our time.

Why You Should Plan to Attend The Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival #JerseyLove

Disclosure: Caesars Entertainment is a generous sponsor of the #JerseyLove Social Media For Social Good Trip.

Prior to my trip last weekend (Thank you to D6SurfSkimmer and Caesar's Entertainment for making it happen), I have not been to Atlantic City in well over 12 years. Probably closer to 20.  Last time I recall going, The Wild West Casino was new, the Taj was uber fancy, the buffets were long, and the Pier Shops were called Ocean 1 Mall.

Let me tell you my friends, A LOT has changed. . .and for the better. Atlantic City has really created a "destination" spot, with amazing shopping and dining experiences alongside timeless classics like the beach and the boardwalk. There is truly something for everyone.

In fact, while we were guests of Caesar's Entertainment Group, they so graciously invited us to a Taste of AC at Harrah's Resort. This event was a sampling of some of the chefs and dishes that you can find at the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. The Festival is the leading food and wine festival in the market. The four-day festival features a star-studded roster of the world's most renowned culinary experts and TV personalities.

Our Taste of AC was a feast for the eyes AND pallet. We shuttled over to Harrah's, where Jerry, our esteemed host, escorted us up to The Loft.  The Loft overlooks The Pool (which is enclosed in a giant glass dome with a constant temperature of 82 degrees) and encompasses the deck with a double-sided bar. There is both inside and outside seating. It is simply elegant, comfortable and beautiful space.

For our event, there were tables set up along the railing overlooking The Pool, with chefs from local restaurants sharing some of their most popular dishes. Joe was behind the bar serving up his "famous" Woo Woo's and other delicious sips.

My culinary adventure began with a refreshing Woo Woo, while I perused the chef's offerings.

There were servers circling our area with trays of Gazpacho, Ceviche and Lobster Empanadas, while we had the opportunity to speak with each chef regarding their dish and the upcoming festival.

I visited each table, the presentations were beautiful. My favorite taste of the night, were the Plantain Empanadas. They had a great combination of sweet and spicy in each bite.

The Mini Crab Cakes were also delicious, served on bed of mixed greens.

I did not get a chance to sample the Mini Truffle Grissini but from the oohs and ahhs of the other bloggers, these too were very tasty.

And then there was the dessert table. Honestly, I could have just taken the platter of Sea Salt Fudge and been happy. I thought these S'More Cheesecake Bites were adorable and would be perfect for a summer picnic or party.

I also didn't get a chance to sample the Popcorn Bacon Mousse, but it was the star of the show. So eye-catching and I heard it had a great mix of flavors.

It was a wonderful night filled good friends and good food - always the perfect combination.

If you go, the festival takes place across all 4 casinos and resorts under the Caesar's Entertainment Atlantic City umbrella, including: Caesar's, Harrah's Resort, Showboat and Bally's. Tickets for  events run from $40 to $150 per person.

catch you soon -

Magic at the Jersey Shore

Disclosure: Caesars Entertainment is a generous sponsor of the #JerseyLove Social Media For Social Good Trip.

If you ask me, I have always been a beach person. . .however, my mom will tell you that when I was little, she had to bring a giant sheet and a whisk brush to keep the sand off me.

I can recall trips with my grandparents to the boardwalk to ride the rides when I was little, family outings to the beach and a family vacation to Fortesque so my dad could fish and my brother and I could play on the beach.

The beach has always been a part of my life - Senior Skip day in high school and countless weekends in Ocean City and Sea Isle when I was a young adult. And several years ago, I shared that love with my kids. We went down for the day in mid-September (my favorite time to go) and spent the morning on the beach then the late afternoon and evening on the boardwalk. They were hooked.

There is some magic to the Jersey Shore - the boardwalks, ice cream, salt water taffy, the Ferris Wheel, sea gulls, horseshoe crabs, sandcastles and seashells.

The following year, I gave Ryan a choice for his birthday - a party or long weekend at the beach. He chose the beach. We found a great beachfront hotel and made it an overnight. The next year and ever since, we head down on a Friday morning, and stay two nights. My parents come down and stay as well. It's a great time full of fun and family memories.

This weekend I am heading to the Jersey Shore with a different group and for a different purpose.
I am incredibly proud and honored to be a part of the first Social Media for Social Good Retreat, a group of 40 women from across the country traveling to New Jersey to raise awareness for and promote the re-opening of the Jersey Shore for the 2013 season. The four-day #JerseyLove Retreat is hosted by Ceasar's Entertainment and D6 Sports, and is designed to encourage consumers to visit the Jersey Shore post Superstorm Sandy.

In case you haven't heard - the shore is back, open and ready for summer!

catch you soon -

Travel Back to Simpler Times in Lancaster, PA

There is no doubt that in today's high-tech and busy world, some people would like to take a break and step back in time, when things were a little slower, and a little more simple. Like taking an open-air ride on a steam locomotive on a beautiful day,  exploring Amish Farmlands and the Amish way or life, or even enjoying a 1700 square foot handcrafted, work-of-art model train display. You can do all of that and more when you take the family and travel to Lancaster, PA. We were invited on a press trip recently, so that we could share our experiences.

We have been going to Lancaster since Ryan was about 2 years old, close to ten years of annual visits (at least) to ride the rails and take in the sights and sounds. We all love the beautiful and peaceful ride on the train. This year, we saw a huge Bald Eagle nest and even caught the eagle in flight. There is a conductor aboard, and he gives a great audio tour and history of the railroad. The kids love to place quarters on the rails and wait for the train to flatten them into metal discs.

If you've been to Strasburg Railroad before, you will be pleased to know that there are several new things for this year:

• Pint-sized Pufferbelly (formerly known as the Cagney) this ride has nearly doubled in length and takes approximately 23 minutes to tour the entire station.
• Trackside Cafe - completely renovated with a new menu featuring more fresh and local options.
• Dining Car - newly refurbished and air conditioned, you can enjoy new dining options like the Hobo Lunch and a meat carving station on dinner trains.

And be on the look out for a Kids Play Area and Leaman Place Grove picnic area coming soon.

We returned to the railroad on Sunday, and tried out the Hobo Lunch on the dining car. The kids had a great time and the presentation of lunch was adorable. Do note that there is separate charge for this when you are purchasing your train tickets. You even get to keep the cool red bandanna.

If you are considering going, and will visit more than once, check out the Summer Fun Pass, valid from May 25 - September 2, 21013.

If your kids (or you) really like trains, you won't want to miss a stop into the Choo Choo Barn while you're in Lancaster. Their display features more than 150 animations and 22 operating trains. Our favorite part of exploring this display, is searching out the small-scale local landmarks and detailed scenes from Lancaster County. My personal favorite is the house fire. The fire alarm goes off and the firetruck rushes to the scene. The firefighters even squirt REAL water to put out the fire.

As the display runs its cycle, the lights in the room dim and the lights in the display create an amazing nighttime scene.  If you have a child with sensory issues, keep an eye out for the Choo Choo Barns' Sensor Friendly Mornings coming coon.

There is plenty to see and do on a Family visit to Lancaster. There are farms, and shops, and attractions for the whole family. And with your tourism dollars going about 10% further in Lancaster than in DC, Boston or Philadelphia, it's a great budget-friendly destination as well.

What would you like to see if you #VisitLancaster?

catch you soon -

Top Travel Bloggers to Follow on Instagram

This post is a guest post by Katja Presnal, the author of "Instagram as your Guide to the World". I am thrilled to have her share her insights with my scraps readers.

In the past year, I have traveled in 15 different countries using different methods of Instagram search to discover new places to visit. The past few months, I did more research and wrote a book about the topic. Using Instagram as a travel guide changed the way I plan my travels, and I hope it can do the same for you.

Want to hear my biggest secret? It's not about Instagram, or fancy tools, it's about the people. It's all about finding people who like to travel like you, and connecting with them on a more personal level. It is absolutely impossible to create a "top travel experts on Instagram" list that would satisfy every kind of traveler, that's why I highly recommend doing your own research, and starting with some of my favorites listed below.

Therichlifeonabudget - Adrienne Shubin of The Rich Life (on a budget) lives in Sonoma Valley, the heart of California's wine country. This year, Adrienne will be exploring many of the best California wineries, hotels and restaurants. She can answer any questions you may have about wine travel to Sonoma.

LuxuryTravelMom - Kim-Marie Evans of LuxuryTravelMom.com has traveled the world with her four small children to places as glamorous as the south of France and as challenging as Rwanda. This year, Kim-Marie will be returning to Haiti several times as she adopted a school in the village of St. Marc near the Artibonite river together with her church mission committee. Expect to also see a lot of photos from her new home in South Carolina and exploring the southeastern seaboard.

HinesSightBlog - Leigh Powell Hines, of the Hines Sight Blog lives in Raliegh, North Carolina, and she shares the best on North Carolina in her Instagram feed. This year you will see her traveling throughout North Carolina from the mountains to the coast, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and maybe even Florida.

DisneyFoodBlog - AJ Wolfe has been visiting Disney parks all her life and today she runs a populat blog called the Disney Food Blog. Her Instagram account is a treat for Disney Parks fans, especially for those who like culinary travel.

Chamorro_chica - Katy Peterson is an American expat living in Singapore. Before moving to Singapore, she lived in Sydney, Australia with her Australian husband. You can read about Katy's travels on her travel and lifestyle blog, ChamorroChica.

Bushbirdie - Frankie Thompson, aka Bird, is a freelance writer and blogger currently enjoying a life of travel as a digital nomad. From Montreal to Marrakech, Lapland to London, Sydney to Singapore, Frankie is a self-proclaimed Flashpacker who uses Instagram to share the little things that make our many corners of the globe beautiful while also capturing daily memories.

AndiPerullo - Andi Perullo de Ledesma is a Chinese Medicine Doctor/Travel Photojournalist who is exploring life and the world one adventure at a time. She is the creator of My Beautiful Adventures website. Andi has a decade of travel experience all over the world and provides constant travel inspiration, advice and information. I especially love how Andi shares her souvenirs and travel treasures with #TravelTreasures hashtag and how traveling is part of her everyday life even when home!

This is just a very short start for how to use Instagram as your travel guide, I hope you get my book "Instagram as Your Guide to the World - How, What and Who to Search and Follow on Instagram to Help You Travel the World", which is now available for the introductory price of $4.99 on Amazon.com. And above all - I hope you join me at Instagram and share YOUR travels, I'm Skimbaco at Instagram.

Guest post by Katja Presnal. Katja Presnal is the owner of the SkimbacoLifestyle.com online magazine with a mission to inspire you to live life to the fullest. She has partnered with TV networks in the past, been featured in the New Your Times, Forbes, Glamour, Woman's Day and other national and international media and won Addy Awards for her work as a social media strategist. Her first ebook "Instagram as your Guide to the World - How, What and Who to Search and Follow on Instagram to Help You Travel the World" was published in May 2013. Currently she holds a temporary residence in Sweden with her husband and three children.

A very big thank you to Katja, I can't wait to get her book, check out all these great new blogs and update my Instagram following list. Do you use Instagram for traveling? You can follow me there as well.

catch you soon -

Bird In Hand Family Inn: Our Stay in Lancaster County

Our stay was part of a press trip, and we were provided a free night at the Inn, including vouchers for dinner and breakfast. As always, all opinions are my very own. When you say "Lancaster County",  a picturesque Amish setting comes to mind, and that's just what you see when you drive past the main office into the heart of the Bird In Hand Family Inn. They take Family Travel seriously, and have something for everyone.

The Rooms
Our room was a great size for four people. It was clean and equipped with a coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board. A couple things that bumped it up a notch for me, were the extra hooks on the back of the bathroom door (enough room for 4+ towels) and a heat lamp. The vanity was separate from the toilet and tub, so it was easy for multiple people to be getting ready at the same time. There are 125 rooms, including Family Suites and King Rooms. WiFi is complimentary, and cable television is available in all rooms.

Amenities and Extras
The Inn has three pools, a hot tub and a restaurant on site. If swimming isn't your thing, you can take advantage of the playground, tennis courts, mini golf courses or petting zoo. The Inn itself is situated on 10 acres of picturesque land, and you can even rent a scooter to take it all in. The grounds are beautiful, with rolling hills, green grasses, a pond filled with hungry fish and a pretty gazebo and picnic area.

One of the most well-known features is the Bird-In-Hand Family Restaurant and Smorgasbord. The restaurant features both menu-ordering or an amazing assortment of Lancaster County inspired recipes arranged in an expansive buffet. There is even a separate buffet for the kids, that includes all their favorites. And let's not forget the ice cream bar and homemade desserts!
 

Some things to Know Before You Go:

• You check in at the office and then drive to where your room is located.
• There is a fee to play mini golf.
• Food is available for $.25 to feed the animals and fish.
• The office has a small supply of necessities and is staffed with some super friendly and helpful people.
• There is a computer for guests to borrow in the main office.
• Room rates vary according to location and size, as well as the time of year.

We would definitely stay at this location again when visiting Lancaster, it was clean, comfortable and very family-friendly. Have you been to Lancaster County, PA? Where is your favorite place to stay?

catch you soon  -

Disclosure - we were guests of Girls Lunch Out and Bird In Hand Family Inn, as part of a Lancaster Press Trip.  We received one night's stay, as well as vouchers for dinner and breakfast. I was not compensated for this post, and as always, all opinions are my very own.