I should be in bed, but I am collecting paperwork, printing out tickets, and printing business cards. Technically my husband printed them, which is just as well since me + printers = paper jam.

The minivan is packed for the 5 of us to go on a beach trip tomorrow. I have packed two sets of clothes for myself: beach clothes and more formal/dressy clothes for BlogHer. My suitcase is buried under beach chairs, 2 boogie boards, sand toys, and the ever-present and oh-so-necessary cube of Diet Pepsi.

On Wednesday I will head from the beach to BlogHer. I’ll probably breath a sigh of relief that I made it from the beach to the train station to New York Penn to the hotel to the bed. Once in bed I will probably sleep.

I’ll also be sad to leave the family on vacation. This is not supposed to be the week we travel. Our plans went awry. We made the best of it. To the beach we will go.

I packed all my clothes in one very large suitcase. I plan to leave the beach clothes with my family while I take a slightly lighter, yet still large suitcase on the train. I’m bringing my laptop bag and one other suitcase. As long as I can lift everything on and off the train I should be fine.

I have several large recycled fabric shopping bags for any extra items I need to haul home.

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About six years ago, my teen was all about spies. She lived and breathed spies. She was a spy for Halloween. Her favorite movies: Spy Kids 2 with a chaser of Spy Kids 3-D. What was on her Christmas list that year? Spy goggles and a motion detector lock for her bedroom door. While her love for playing spies waned, her interest in visiting the International Spy Museum in D.C. held strong.

With schools closed for the day in the fall, I envisioned a day filled with decluttering, household fixing, clarinet playing, and last minute homework. My husband had other plans. He suggested taking our 6-year-old to the National_Zoo while I took the teen to the International Spy Museum. I gave our tween the choice between the National Zoo and the Spy Museum. She chose the zoo.

What age is the right age for a child to visit the Spy Museum anyway? My teen and I spent quite some time reading tags, labels, and maps. A younger child might not have the reading skills or attention span to fully comprehend the exhibits. Some of the exhibits focus on spies who murdered others or were executed. This subject matter would be inappropriate for younger children. Although the Spy Museum website lists the child admission rate as for ages 5-11, I would suggest that the exhibits are more appropriate for the late elementary school child — 10 and up.

After stepping off the elevator at the Permanent Exhibits (Espionage, School for Spies, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the History of History), my teen and I were instructed by the guide to read the spy biographies on the walls and choose a spy. For the duration of the visit, I was Carol Liu en route to Volgograd in search of museum papers. The teen picked a girl around her age who was headed to Dublin. We were told by a museum guard to memorize our “covers.” I quickly memorized everything about Carol Liu. Could we stay undercover?

The teen LOVED the Spy Museum. So, did I. We worked up an appetite walking around the Permanent Exhibition. The Spy City Cafe offers a selection of salads, sandwiches, and hot dogs, as well as scrumptious looking cupcakes. Lunch at the Spy City Cafe fortified us for our next mission: Operation Spy.

Spy Museum Admission, Events, and Hours:

• Permanent Exhibit (Child ages 5-11) $15
• Permanent Exhibit (Senior ages 65+, Military/Intelligence Community) $17
• Permanent Exhibit (Adult ages 12-64) $18

In addition to the Permanent Exhibition admission charge, you can experience the following for an extra charge:

• Operation Spy $14
• Spy in the City (1.5 hour GPS-guided tour of D.C. experience) $14
• Spy at Night Experience (Friday & Saturday Evenings) $20
• Spy Combination — 1 hour Spy in the City + Operation Spy $30
• Double Agent — Choose any two of the above offerings $28
• Triple Threat — Choose any three of the above offerings $40
• Spy City Tours — Saturdays, Only $59

Hours — Summer hours, daily 9 a.m. -7 p.m. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the rest of the year.

As you plan your visit to D.C. with kids, you will want to find a hotel near the International Spy Museum. For a hotel with everything, you will love the Grand Hyatt…42″ flat screen TVs, ipod docks, Starbucks, and it is in walking distance to White House, Spy Museum, etc. The Marriott Washington Metro Center has an indoor pool and a jacuzzi.

I would like to thank the Spy_Museum for allowing my daughter and I to experience the Permament Exhibit — we loved it! (I paid for admission to Operation Spy and for lunch at the Spy City Cafe.)

–Jill Berry of Musings from Me

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A few weekends ago, I rediscovered the wonder that is Union Station in Washington, D.C. when I took my family to visit for National Train Day, a fun annual event featuring a scavenger hunt and educational exhibits.

The beautiful Beaux Arts-style building, completed in 1908, is a magnificent site to behold: The towering vaulted ceiling is adorned with over 70 pounds of gold leaf, and when light streams in through the arched windows, it’s momentarily blinding. The building, located on Massachusetts Avenue at Columbus Circle, was designed to be a gateway to the capital city, and it’s certainly an impressive entry point. Today, a whopping 25 million people visit Union Stati0n each year — more than any other tourist spot in D.C.

Union Station is a short walk away from tourist attractions like the Capitol, the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, and the National Mall, as well as hotels, like the Washington Court Hotel, Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, and The Liaison Capitol Hill. It’s also the departure point for a number of sightseeing tours: Gray Line, Old Town Trolley, DC Ducks, and Tourmobile.

Whether you are spending time waiting for your train or stopping at Union Station for a bite to eat, you will find restaurants and stores to suit everyone. Union Station is home to over 130 shops and restaurants, which are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. See a breakdown of them below.

Hungry?

I was born in Manchester. We spent many rainy, windy days bundled in blankets behind windbreaks sipping hot tea at the “seaside” in Southport. My sister and I would run about on the beach. The sea was miles away.

My parents and grandmother would cower behind the windbreak that was attached to the car we drove on the beach. The sea seemed to be miles away.

As a child I spent vacations in the summer sun and summer cold. I moved from Withington, Manchester, to New Jersey back to Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, back to New Jersey back to Wilmslow, Cheshire, all before the age of 10. In my teens we lived in Italy. I moved to Pennsylvania for college and now live in Maryland.

I miss many things about England…but not the cold summers!

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Image: Our family’s reflection in the wall at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Photo credit: Jill Berry

On my first visit to D.C., I recall chatting loudly to a college friend while speed walking through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I was on a mission to see everything on the National Mall in one day. I soon realized that the other visitors at the wall were silent. As I slowed down my fast pace, I started reading the names on wall for the first time. I was not prepared for how profound the experience of visiting the wall would be…and how silent.

When I became a mom, I knew I had to wait until my children were older to take them to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the other war memorials in D.C. No one wants to hear a baby crying when they are remembering their loved one, do they? I wanted my children to be respectful visitors, not disruptive ones.

So when is the right age for a child to visit a war memorial? Which war memorials in D.C. can you take a child of any age to, and which are more appropriate for tweens and teens? When planning your visit, it’s important to consider a variety of factors, including the age, temperament, and maturity of the child, and the physical layout of the attraction.

D.C. War Memorials for All Children

The World War II Memorial: The World War II Memorial is located in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial. It features massive pillars, a large fountain, and a remembrance wall. More than two-thirds of the World War II Memorial consists of grass, plants, and water. This sprawling area is suitable for children of all ages to walk, run, and even skip while visiting with their parents. Go here to see spectacular photo of the WWII Memorial and read my post over at Oyster Locals blog.

A child can speak in an “outdoor voice” at the World War II Memorial without disturbing other visitors due to the size of the open areas. The memorial is so vast that a person could pay their respects to a loved one without being distracted by kids. My toddler son found the large open walkways to be a welcome break from the confines of the stroller.

There are 56 pillars representing the states, D.C., and territories that participated in World War II. The pillars form an oval-shaped barrier around a large fountain. My elementary school children asked a few questions about World War II before running to find the stone pillar honoring service people from Maryland. The WWI Memorial honors the 16 million Americans who served at home and abroad, including over 400,000 who died.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial: The Korean War Veterans Memorial is another memorial with a huge footprint. Plenty of room for kids to move around except during the summer tourist season. This memorial would be appropriate for children of all ages as the walkways are wide. As with the World War II Memorial, this memorial is large enough that a visitor could find a quiet spot to remember a loved one.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial, located southeast of the Lincoln Memorial on Independence Avenue, shows the march of 19 soldiers towards an American flag. The 19 statues are arranged in a “pie slice” that fits in to a “pie-shaped” paved plaza with a Pool of Remembrance in the middle. The Korean Veterans Memorial was dedicated in 1995 to the 1.5 million American men and women who served in the Korean War.

My children were intrigued by the detailing on the statues of the soldiers at the memorial. One of the soldiers holds a large walkie talkie, while another carries a rifle.

D.C. War Memorials for Tweens and Teens

Vietnam Veterans Memorial: On a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, I explained to my children that people see this memorial as a cemetery or a church. I pointed out a person touching a name on the wall, another person leaving flowers with a message, and yet another person doing a pencil rubbing of a loved one’s name. I told my tween and teen to use their indoor voices.

There is a narrow pathway beside the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or The Wall, as it is also known, where visitors walk, read the names, make a pencil rubbing of a particular name, or spend a moment of silence. Once you are walking down the path, you must follow those in front of you to exit the area. It would be difficult to push a stroller with a fussy toddler away from the wall due to the lack of space.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, designed by Maya Lin, is made up of two black granite walls almost 250 feet long. The two walls are sunk into the ground with one pointing towards the Washington Monument and the other the Lincoln Memorial. Each wall has 72 panels, and all but two panels list names of those who died in the war.

As you plan your visit to D.C. with kids, you will want to find a hotel near the National Mall. For a kid-friendly hotel, take a look at the Residence Inn Washington D.C. Capitol. For a hotel with a pool, try the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel. Want free internet access in rooms? The Holiday Inn Washington-Capital would be a good choice.

–Jill Berry of Musings from Me

I traveled to Orlando with my son as part of a mom blogger trip organized by the Orlando Convention & Vistors’ Bureau. The views expressed in this Whrrl story are my own.

Short on time and want to see every monument in just one day?! It may sound undoable, but here’s how to tackle it!

The basics:

• The National Mall, located between Constitution and Independence Avenues, stretches from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. Whether you are traveling to D.C. alone, with a spouse or friend, or with children, a visit to Washington, D.C., would not be complete without walking the Mall.

Getting started:

• If you’re taking the Metro to the Mall, you’ll want to take the Blue or Orange line and get off at the Smithsonian Station stop. You’ll need a Metro card for each member of your group.
• If you’re in need of a place to stay, there are many hotels close to the Mall, including Holiday Inn Washington-Capitol and the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel.

Walking Tour of Presidents’ Monuments

• When you ascend the escalator at the Smithsonian Metro station, you will see the Mall all around you. Walk west towards the Washington Monument (the tall obelisk)  in the direction of the Potomac River. Marvel at its height, and be sure to take a free tour!
• Afterward, continue west towards the Lincoln Memorial (which is on the far end of the Mall). You will walk past the Reflecting Pool, made famous in part by the movie Forrest Gump.
• At the end of the Reflecting Pool, you’ll reach the Lincoln Memorial. On my family’s last trip to the Lincoln Memorial, my husband read the inscriptions at the top of the monument. As crowded as it was  during Spring Break (not to mention peak cherry blossom season), my children stood rapt listening to their dad recite Lincoln’s words.
• Once you exit the Lincoln Memorial, head to the Tidal Basin which is directly southeast of the Memorial. Walk along the southern edge of the Tidal Basin (heading southeast) towards the Jefferson Memorial. If you’re lucky enough to be in D.C. when the cherry blossoms bloom (roughly late March to early April), you’ll be in for a beautiful treat.
• The pathway around the Tidal Basin leads to the Jefferson Memorial, a magnificent, white structure in honor of the country’s third president. My family spent close to an hour at the monument while our teen photographed the inside, our tween read the inscriptions, and our youngest child rested.



My kids learn about the Great Depression by lining up for some bread

• Next and last stop: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, dedicated not long ago in 1997. To get here from the Jefferson Memorial, backtrack along the Tidal Basin. This memorial is massive, so I’ve saved it for last. It depicts several scenes and honors both FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt for their commitment to their country during the Great Depression and World War II.

It’s time to sit down, relax, and congratulate yourself for making it through many of the city’s main monuments in one day!

[Photo courtesy of Jill Berry]

My son and I had the trip of a lifetime to Orlando. I was an #OrlandoMom and proud of it! Our trip was quite animal focused one day. We began the day at Gatorland — a park that is all animals all the time with none of the bells and whistles of an amusement. Part zoo and part animal rescue center, Gatorland gave my son and I an education on gators, birds, and other swamp creatures.

After spending time wrestling alligators and holding gigantic snakes, we trekked over to Sea World. I promise a post about Gatorland will follow. In the meantime, here’s what we did at Sea World…

…the kids got to feed dolphins! I was shocked when our tour guide led us to Dolphin Cove. She mentioned something about seeing dolphins up close, but I never thought that my son and I would be close enough to touch a dolphins snout! My son — in the picture he is wearing a blue t-shirt with a pattern on the front  — fed dolphins small fish. He was so engrossed in the activity I know that he only stopped feeding the fish as he ran out of fish!

The experience of feeding dolphins was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for my son and I. I hope that some day I can bring my girls and husband. Every one should get a chance to hear and see a dolphin “up close and personal.”

After the Dolphin Cove encounter we were led to the Dolphin Nursery. The Dolphin Nursery is home to dolphin mothers and their newborn calves. I could have watched the moms and babies swim around for hours. The pool was so tranquil with just the odd splash as a calve collided with its mother. Sweet.

Our day was a wet one. It rained for hours. Thunder and lighting kept us corralled at the Penguin Encounters — home to more than 200 penguins and puffins. The kids listened intently to EVERYTHING our tour guide had to say. She was a wealth of knowledge. The moms were able to take a breather and dry off in the Penguin Encounters building. The kids didn’t mind being wet at all!

Next stop on our Sea World guided tour was the Stingray area. Prior to my visit to Sea World I would have said that you shouldn’t touch a stingray, but now I know that visitors can safely reach out a hand to stroke the tops of the stingrays. Over 200 stingrays, swim around the pool. It was fascinating to see how close to the edge some of the stingrays got. It seemed as though a stingray was always just out of my reach. Of course, perhaps the stingray sensed that my hand was stretched out in a tentative fashion!

One of the pluses about visiting Sea World on a wet day, is the variety of shows available. The shows are held in open air arenas, but if you plan your day to get to the show early you can snag a seat underneath the partial roof.

I was mesmerized by Blue Horizons. Blue Horizons is a theatrical experience that combines animals with actors. In many aquarium shows, the people performers are there to feed the dolphins or demonstrate a trick. In Blue Horizons, the actors are just as much as part of the show as the dolphins, birds, and whales. As the dolphins perform, actors swing on trapezes and dive off platforms in a synchronized pattern. The show is part dolphin show and part circus trapeze act.

I was not in a “let’s see another show” mode as we crossed the bridge to the Believe show. I know that I should have been more enthusiastic, but my son was wet and a little whiny and I was sorely regretting wearing long pants. Revived by popcorn for my son and a churro for me, with piping hot chocolate for both of us, my son and I were enthralled by the Believe show. The show features Sea World’s entire family of majestic killer whales performing awesome choreography to an original score by the Prague National Orchestra.

If you are interested in learning more about Sea World Orlando, go here www.SeaWorldOrlando.com for admission prices, hours of operation, and a comprehensive listing of rides and shows.

My trip to Orlando was paid for by the Orlando Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. My airfare, hotel, and ground transportation were paid for. The opinions expressed in this post are those of myself and my son.

I have so much to share. Posts on Disney Studios, Gatorland, and Sea World to come. Today’s post is on Universal Studios. Want to read other posts I have written? My impressions on the hotel. Traveling just you and your child. Including photos in tweets. Keeping in touch with family while on a trip.

The mom bloggers and kids were treated to a VIP Tour of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Let’s just say that my perspective on visiting a theme park will be forever changed after being treated like a VIP. From the behind the scenes tour of how the Spiderman Ride works to walking to the front of the line for every ride…we were spoiled and we loved it!

Our tour guide kept up a running commentary while leading us through Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. She guided us through both parks…told us the history of each park…explained to the kids how the rides were built…ushered all of us on rides…escorted us in to a fabulous restaurant for lunch — Mythos.

Universal Studios and Universal’s Islands of Adventure are adjacent parks. Both parks border a lagoon. Our hotel — the Loews Royal Pacific Beach Hotel — was a boat ride from both parks. On the other side of the lagoon from the Parks was the Universal City Walk. City Walk would be a good spot for a late night dinner date or shopping. My son and I walked past the restaurants and shops, but didn’t stop. We did see the Blue Man Group — this show needs its own post. My son loved the show!

We saw so much in one day. The best way to describe our day at the parks is to list the rides we loved.

Universal Studios

Shrek 4-D — a 4D seated movie adventure. We howled when Donkey spat on us. We shuddered when the theater seats moved.

Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast — Jimmy Neutron takes us on a tour of favorite Nick characters.

Men in Black Alien Attack — What can I say about MIB? Our tour guide led us to the ride, but in minutes we were ushered to a room. She told us that someone on the ride dropped a cell phone resulting in the ride shutdown. A few minutes later she let us know that when the ride was stopped someone tried to get off the ride, which further closed down the ride. I was disappointed, but safety wins out in any situation involving an amusement park ride. The next day my son and I made a beeline for the MIB ride — the ride was closed down again. So, we rode ET.

ET — My son had seen ET, but I gave him a few reminders about the film before we rode the ride. The ride was fun…we sat on bikes, with a basket on the front in which ET sits. The ride is not 3-D or high tech, but I liked its simplicity. The only downside…while reaching down to grab my backpack from under the seat I dropped my sunglasses. I was so mad at myself!

Simpson’’s Ride — This was the ride that I had the best time riding. Cartoon characters come and go, but Homer Simpson is a legend. The ride was a journey through Springfield. Our group were passengers in a carnival car on a new ride at Krusty the Clown’s theme park. My son knows the Simpson’s Movie, but I have watched the cartoon for years. Many of the people and places shown during the ride were from older Simpson’s cartoons.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure is a blizzard of color. We sampled the Cat in the Hat Ride and the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Ride. I loved Cat in the Hat — largely because the ride depicted the classic Seuss book rather than the movie. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the movie. Mike Myers is hysterical. The ride mimics the pages of the Seuss book even to the tilt of the ride’s cars — I love when movies or rides are faithful to literature.

We got soaked on the Jurassic Park River Adventure, learned about dinosaurs and hatchlings at the Jurassic Park Discovery Center, and wandered around Jurassic Park.

I’m sure you know that the latest ride to open at Universal’s Islands of Adventure will be The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Grand opening is June 18th. I am intrigued by the ride.

My son and I saw Hogwarts Castle and another Harry Potteresque building (perhaps shops or maybe another ride?) as we walked through Islands of Adventure. As we crossed over the bridge, I know I was shocked at the sheer size of Hogwarts. It towers above the bridge. I was hoping with our VIP status we might score a sneak preview of Hogwarts. No such luck, but looking at the outside of Hogwarts was a treat. Wish I could be at the June 18th Opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

On our second day at Universal’s Islands of Adventure my son and I rode Spider 3 times and the Storm Force Accelatron twice. We got good use out of our Express Passes that day — the Express Passes were our room keys from the Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

My son and I were part of a bloggers’ trip to Orlando. Our trip was paid for by the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau. The views expressed are mine…and my son’s!

• I let my son pack a backpack with whatever he wanted on the plane journey and at the hotel. I told him not to over pack as he would need to carry it himself.



• He chose sticker books, a Lego kit in a ZipLoc bag, books, 2 TMNT guys, 1 motorcycle, a Little Tikes camera, and an autograph book. I convinced him to bring a stuffed animal or tow…he still loves his soft toys!
• Bring a comfort item in case your child is homesick. The attentive staff at the Loews Royal Pacific Beach Hotel arranged my son’s stuffed animals/guys each night. It was a fun to come back to the room to see how the guys were arranged!
• I packed all other clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc.
• I sometimes let my kids pack a small rolling suitcase, but on this trip I wanted my son to have as little to carry/drag through the airport as possible. He’s 7, tall for his age, but I didn’t want him drifting away from me as we walked to the gate.
• I packed one carry-on rolling suitcase.
• I checked one larger rolling suitcase, as we had to pack for April weather in Florida — pants, shorts, sandals, sneakers, sweatshirts, rain ponchos, sunscreen, and bug spray.
• I knew that I couldn’t fit everything we needed in two carry-on rolling suitcases and safely navigate the terminal with my son. If I was flying with a tween or a teen, I would let each child use a carry-on rolling suitcase. Checking one large suitcase helped.
• Navigating security is always challenging. I designated my son as the helper. He put the bins on the conveyor belt, calculated how many bins we needed, and took off/put on his own shoes. He still wears velcro shoes, which made the security process go smoothly.
• Once all our carry on bags were through the security, I instructed my son to stand by my side while I put on my shoes, counted the bags, put my laptop back in the suitcase, and took a breath. Note: On this  trip I remembered not to wear an underwire bra when going through security, but forgot to remove the water bottles from the bag I used when walking around Universal Studios. Ooops. The security person was sympathetic…I was mortified.
• In the airport, I talked to my son about staying with me. I could not hold his hand as I was pulling a suitcase. We worked out a system where I would allow enough time to get to the gate, so that we could walk at his pace. This strategy meant we were super early for our flight, but I was not stressed out.
• Since we arrived at the gate early, we had time to use the restrooms and buy a meal for the plane.
• Restrooms — This was the only issue that my son argued about the entire trip. When he is with Coach Dad, he uses the mens room. When he and I are together, he goes in the ladies room unless I know the place very well or I can stand outside and wait for him. On this trip we traveled to airports, theme parks, and restaurants. For the most part, I was more comfortable with him accompanying me in to the ladies room. He was not happy, but as a parent I have to make decisions that my kids don’t like. As a woman traveling with a young boy, I wanted to ensure that he was safe.



• Food on the plane — On the outbound journey from BWI to Orlando we ate McDonald’s on the plane. I bought a bottle of water. I chose McDonald’s as I knew my son could carry the two bags of food while I managed the drink. I spilled a little Diet Coke on myself…I’m a little klutzie at the best of times!
• On the homeward journey from Orlando to BWI, I bought the most efficient “eating on a plane with your kids” meal. I purchased a pizza lunchable for my son and a pretzels with hummus cup for myself with a drink for each of us. He was occupied for quite some time creating his pizzas! Of course, while he was chowing down I ate all the hummus…he was not pleased with me!
• I packed several bottles of water and a Ziploc bag of snacks in the suitcase I checked.

More posts to come on our #orlandomom trip! Look out for posts on Gatorland, Disney Studios, Sea World, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and of course the Blue Man Group!

I was provided with airfare, hotel, and park tickets by the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau as part of the #orlandomom blogger trip. My opinions are my own.