The weekend before our school started here in Georgia, we squeezed in a last hurray before we all back to the routine of life. We packed up the car and drove to our neighboring state in Alabama for a fun weekend of family friendly activities in Huntsville. Here are the sneak peek of what we did in Huntsville during this weekend trip.

The Wonder of Nature at Cathedral Caverns

Our first stop while we were en route to Hunstville was Cathedral Caverns. This was our first visit to any caves with kids. A cave helmet was a great souvenir to get them excited about the journey lied ahead.

I will have to write a more detail post on our journey deep into the caverns. It was such a cool and great experience. The Cathedral Caverns State park is well maintained so it was very easy for family to enjoy. The path along the caverns is paved and you can easily navigate with your stroller.

Sharpen Young Mind with Science

Sci-Quest was our next stop in Huntsville. This small, yet fun science center provided us with many hand-on exhibits that we spent the rest of the day there.

Blast Off Their Imagination with Space Center

Our last stop was the main attraction that we came here for. The US Space & Rocket Center was hosting the special Star Wars exhibit. And the kids were truly excited as we pulled into the parking lot greeting by the huge space rocket.

Needless to say, Mr. Z couldn’t stop talking since. He even asked if we can move there permanently. Only if he will realize that the Star Wars exhibit is only temporary and they have already moved on to the unknown destination.

Visit back soon as we dive into the detail of our fun visit in this small town.

Also check out other traveler tales at Photo Friday and Spotlight Thursday.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Huntsville, AL With Kids: Caverns, Science and Rocket is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

As we are fast approaching Spring break in Atlanta, I can’t help but day-dream about our upcoming Spring break. This year is very different from last year.

The Fun Spring Break of Last Year

Last year, I started planning 3 months in advance for our Washington DC trip during Spring break. I had everything all planed out. We had a great week in DC hopping from one museum to the next and learned a lot about our country history. We enjoyed awesome times navigate the city using the public transportation. Mr. Z had become an expert in the metro and could recognize our stop. Best of all, we did all that on a budget.

Spring Break on a Budget and Time Constraints

This year? Well, knowing that we have limited time and fund I don’t have a big plan to take any trip. We don’t even have a week to spare for Spring break because I will use up all my vacation time in Thailand this Summer. So I have to be creative and try to find a way for us to still enjoy Spring break with this limited options.

Luckily, I was invited to a reception to South Carolina tourism event. I learned about various destinations within a driving distance from Atlanta that are also very affordable and fit into our time frame.

I learned that Greenville is only 2 hours North of Atlanta and I could relatively visit over the weekend. This small town of South Carolina has more fun things to do than I expected. There are Children’s Museum of the Upstate, the BMW Zentrum for automobile fanatic-son, the Greenville Drive – The Red Sox affiliate team for my baseball fan-husband and the Liberty Bridge at Fall Park for my photo adventure.

I also learned about Columbia. Another great option for family weekend getaway from Atlanta. The Columbia CVB website shows various options that will be perfect for my kids like the Riverbank Zoo or the EdVenture Children’s Museum.

Now I just have to try to find out how to pull this off in the next couple weeks.

It looks like I might be able to make my dream Spring break comes true after all. Who knows my neighboring state will have so much to offer.

Check out other travelers’ dreams at Mother of All Trips: Mondays Are for Dreaming.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Dreaming of: Spring Break is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A couple weekends ago, we made a last minute trip to visit our local corn maze – Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze in Dawsonville. Typically, we tend to visit corn maze earlier in the day. But this time, we planned for a sunset visit. We got there with about 20 minutes before the Sunset.

After purchased the tickets, we headed straight to the corn maze. There are other activities you can do around the corn maze but with limit sun light we just had to save that for future trip.

The corn plants are full and tall. I love the the corn field is so green. It’s much better than walking along the brown corn field like we did last year. You can’t really tip-toe or jump to see your way out so you really do need a map or good internal GPS system. Don’t worry they will give you a map with your ticket purchase.

Our first goal is to get to the bridge so that I can take some pictures of the corn maze before dark. Mr. Rojo was doing a great job leading us to the bridge. But I was a bit disappointed at my own skill. I didn’t get any good pictures. Guess we might have to head out there again.

Then, now the real work had just begun. There are 2 corn mazes and each has 6 check points that you have to complete. Each check point has a punch hole (with distinct shape). Once you complete all check points you can return the card to win a grand prize.

We could only complete 5 checkpoints. By that time, the creepy music started to play as they got ready for the Haunted Maze. Plus we were so under-dressed that everyone was freezing for the falling temperature. It was time to head out.

After we got out from the maze, we let the kids check out the kiddie version. I am not sure what kind of vegetable that is but my guess was it’s kudzu. They had fun running through the maze and played a bit before we headed back home.

Next time, I guess we have to plan to arrive a bit earlier to take advantage of other fun activities there. And for a more daring and adventurous family, you can wait till dark and go for the Haunted Maze. I for one, will NEVER do that.

Family Tips:

• Bring jacket or sweater for a drop in temperature during night time
• Bring your flashlight if you plan for a dusk corn maze
• Wear comfortable shoes. This can be a long walk if you don’t really know where you are going
• Bring camel pak or water bottle
• Haunted Maze is extra so if you don’t want to do it, make sure that you tell the cashier up front.

Check out my round up for fun corn mazes around Atlanta at Atlanta With Kid.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Fun Corn Maze at Dusk with Kids at Uncle Shuck’s is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Well, we did it. We went camping with our kids and our friends. An outdoor camping trip!

Ok. Even if the trip was literally 10 minutes from our house, I considered a big step up from the city gal like me. I will write more in detail on our experience later.

But today, I want to share our fun things we did during our camping trip with kids. I was so worried about things to do. But with great advices from my pals around the blogosphere, I took the deep breath, relaxed and let it go. Turned out it was the best advice.

Here are our 5 Fun Things to Do with Kids on Family Camping Trip

1. Walking, Jogging, Hiking – Whatever you want to call it, just put on the shoes and explore your area. Kids will be running up and down the trail and enjoy their freedom in the natural environment. They will discover the sun’s ray in the morning and turn that into a game of their own.

2. Campfire fun – Sitting around the camp fire at night is probably one of the best things to do on a camping trip. They will love BURNING their marshmallows more than making the S’mores. We ended up with a lot of leftover chocolate. Can you believe it!

3. Make sandcastle – Even if your campground is in the mountain, they still can make sandcastles. Give them a plastic cup and water and they will turn the dirt around the campground into a sand masterpiece.

4. Flashlight adventure – Give each kid a flashlight or lantern and they will make it fun. We don’t even have to do anything for them. They will make up their own games from hide and seek (might want to watch out for little ones not to wander too far from the campsite), shadow show, spot light tag and more.

5. Swimming – Our campground is situated by the lake so it’s a perfect activity during the day. Kids love to swim and play on the beach. An inflatable boat is a big hit for the whole gang. They love to just paddle the little boat out to the lake. But if you don’t have lake or pool nearby, just take the opportunity to explore the area. We also play ‘Mushroom Hunting’ game. There are so many types of mushrooms in the wood. We hunt for yellow, red, brown and white mushroom.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 5 Fun Things to Do with Kids on Family Camping Trip is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

How was everyone Labor Day weekend? I hope everyone had a great time. There were so many things to do in Atlanta over the weekend I had a hard time choosing. However, being a nerd and bookworm by heart, I couldn’t pass up a chance to check out Decatur Book Festival.

This was a 3 days event book festival at downtown Decatur. I was hoping I could go on Saturday as there were many authors that I would love to meet. But we had other commitments like lunch with Thai friends and neighbor’s birthday party. So I settled with Sunday outing.

We arrived in the afternoon and found plenty of public parking.

The book festival is a great fun outing to introduce young kids to the love of reading. It is very family-friendly and pet-friendly as well. We found so many four-legged friends roaming around. I wished we bring our Java with us.

We knew that this will involve a lot of walking. So I came prepare this time. Everyone wore their most comfortable shoes and the kids each had their own Hydration backpack from REI. It’s a backpack that has a pouch for water. So they can carry their own drink and sip on those water whenever they want. It was such a big hit and we got several compliments on them. :) One less thing for us to carry around. I need all hands on deck to carry all the books we will buy.

The weather was perfect. It was sunny but not too hot. We walked around enjoying different activities for kids like making your own book mark, listening to the story teller, watching the martial art performance and creating their own story book. After a while, even with such a nice weather the little legs needed a break. So I went to our favorite treat for the whole family… I scream, You scream, We scream for Ice Cream..

With more energy from a little red energy bar (popsicle), the kids were ready for more walking and checking out books. Another reason I love going to the local fair and festival is the chance to get to know about local groups or businesses like Cooking for Monkeys – this cool mommy blogger who makes the coolest lunch box or Sheltering Arm – a great nonprofit eduational organization that helps bringing books to all kids.

We also stopped by local independent children bookstore – Little Shop of Stories. A cute bookstore that is perfect for kids of all ages and adult too. Mr. Z was so into reading. We had a hard time getting him out of the store.

Ok.. I admitted there is another reason I love festival and it is FOOD. I love festival food especially the Funnel Cake. No matter how full I am, I can always find more space for Funnel Cake.

Thanks to Mr. Rojo who reminded me to take the picture of this yummy Funnel Cake. Otherwise, there won’t be any evident that we had one..

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Bookworms On the Loose @ Decatur Book Festival is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A few weeks ago right before the school started, we planned our outing to celebrate back-to-school. I gave Miss J and Mr. Z choices on their outing.

Miss J with her free spirit, creative imagination, and sensitive emotion chose Imagine It! Children Museum. It’s one of Atlanta family favorite children museum. We had our membership from Creative Discovery museum that allow us to get in for free. I think I might get our membership here next year.

Originally, we planned to hit 2 museums that day. One for Miss J and one for Mr. Z. But as usual, we were slow getting start. We didn’t get to the museum till after lunch. So we decided to just let them play and enjoy their time there and visit Mr. Z’s choice the next day.

Every time when we visited Imagine It!, the first stop had to be the Tool Solution section. It’s a big giant structure with balls moving along the tube, water wheel, and even crane. Kids ran around picking up balls and putting them into the tube to see them moving to the next stop. Mr. Z waited patiently for his turn to operate the crane and he couldn’t be happier to drop the ball right on target.

It took a while before they agreed to move on to other exhibits. And Miss J gravitated toward the wall art. It was such a cool idea. Color paint the wall and then wipe it out and start it all over again. The station is equipped with pint-size apron and water color ready for the little Picasso to express their idea.

Another one of her favorite has to be the sand table filled with moon sand. The sand has super soft quality that you can pretty much sculpt it into fun shape.

As for Mr. Z, his second favorite has to be the grocery and conveyor belt section. I didn’t know he loves shopping this much. Next time I go grocery shopping, he will be my little helper. There were more kids than the little shopping carts so Mr. Z waited patiently (again) for his turn. It took probably a good 40-45 minutes before one of the kids gave up on this fun cart. Mr. Z didn’t waste his time filling up his shopping cart full of healthy food (I hope!).

I couldn’t say enough good thing about Imagine It! At first glance, it doesn’t look like a great children museum. With only one story, I thought it was rather small. But each exhibit is created with such details that kids couldn’t stay away from them. Plus the size is actually what make this children museum perfect for family with kids especially small children. It’s easier to keep track of your kids when there aren’t that many places for them to hide. I admit that I love the Port Discover Children museum in Baltimore. But at time, I also was so nervous. With multi-stories playground, there were several times that I couldn’t keep an eye on them. So I have to say that Imagine It! has grown on me and slowly become one of my favorite children museum.

Stay tune for part 2 of our back-to-school weekend fun!

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Back-to-School Weekend Fun at Imagine It! Children Museum is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Last month, I wrote about 5 Fun Kids-friendly Scenic Train Rides around America. And I realize that 5 is hardly adequate. So today, I would like to share 5 more fun trips that will blow any train-loving kids mind. Well, maybe not but it might make you look cool as a parent.

6. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Colorado – It’s not just a train depot but it’s a living museum. Cumbres & Toltec railroad is built in 1880 and little has changed. It offers spectacular scenic view of southern Rocky Mountain and an example of steam era mountain railroading in North America.

Departure City: Antonito or Chama, CO
Fee: Starting from $74 Adult, $37 Children
Contact: Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Tel: 888-CUMBRES

7. Cape Code Central Railroad, Massachusetts – Climb aboard Cape Code Central for a fun family ride and enjoy the view of beautiful cranberry bogs, natural woodlands and lush marshes.

Departure City: Hyannis and Cape Cod Canal, MA
Fee: Starting from $21 Adult, $17 Children
Contact: Cape Cod Central Railroad Tel: 508- 771-3800

8. Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad, Washington – Enjoy the scenic train ride to the Pacific Northwest and see the Mt. Rainier Valley on a steam train.

Departure City: Mineral, WA
Fee: Starting from $20 Adult, $15 Children
Contact: Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad Tel: 888-STEAM11

9. Cass Scenic Railroad, West Virginia – Take a journey back in time with Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. The town is nestled in the mountains of West Virginia where nothing much changes. Enjoy a fun adventure that is filled with rich histories of the past and unparalleled views of a vast wilderness area.

Departure City: Cass, VA
Fee: Starting from $17 Adult, $12 Children
Contact: Cass Scenic Railroad Tel: 800-CALL WVA

10. Verde Canyon Railroad, Arizona – Ride on one of the finest train ride in Arizona to the remote wilderness of the Verde Canyon. Enjoy the 4-hour picturesque ride with spectacular canyon scenery that perfect for all seasons.

Departure City: Clarkdale, AZ
Fee: Starting from $54.95 Adult, $34.95 Children
Contact: Verde Canyon Railroad Tel: 800-320-0718

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 5 More Fun Kids-Friendly Scenic Train Trips is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

We’re planning our weekend trip to Asheville, NC in September. I have heard about Asheville before because it’s home to the Biltmore Estate – one of the largest home in the US. What I didn’t know was there are so many things to do in or around Asheville with kids. Who would have thought this little gem in the Blue Ridge Mountain can be a fun destination for a whole family. Check out my list of family-friendly things you can do with your kids in Asheville.

1. Western North Carolina Nature Center - Is it a Zoo? Is it a garden? It’s a living museum for plants and animals natives to the Appalachian region. This nature center has a lot of events planned throughout the year. Kids will get to learn and understand more about the nature environments through hand-on and sensory programs. The price is very affordable for the whole family (Adult -$8 , Kid (3-15) -$4 and discount for Asheville resident and senior).

2. The Health Adventure – A unique health and science museum for children. This museum explores the wonder of our human body and encourage curiosity in kids to learn and raise awareness about our health and science. There are different programs and also traveling program throughout the year. And the benefit of small town museum, the price is relatively affordable (Adult -$8.50 , Student (12&up) -$7.50 , Kid (2-11) -$6).

3. Chimney Rock Park – Enjoy NC’s newest State park at Chimney Rock Park. Go up to the top of the rock to enjoy the amazing, panoramic view. Family with small children don’t be afraid there is an elevator to take you up to the top within 30 seconds. For family with bigger kids and love the adventure, the Outcropping trail will take you there in about 20 minutes. There are several hiking trails for different preference. Great Woodland Adventure Trail and Hickory Nut Falls Trail are highly recommended for family hiking. A tip for family with small children, bring backpack carrier or rent it at the park for $8 as the trails are not suitable for stroller use.

4. Biltmore Estate – One of the most popular attraction in Asheville, at 175,000 square feet and 250 rooms, it’s the largest house in America. The Biltmore Estate consists of the Biltmore House, the winery and the manicure garden. It will be a great day trip for a family. Kids will enjoy roaming around the property with over 8,000 acres. There are plenty of activities provided throughout the year. The price tag might be steep but I think it’s well worth the visit. Check out their website for events and special discount.

5. The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad – Having a train lover son, we always look out for fun activity wtih train. The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad is a perfect excursion for a visit to Asheville. Kids will enjoy scenic train journey through the Great Smoky Mountain. There are special train event throughout the year being the Thomas Train Ride, the Snoopy Easter ride or the Polar Express on Christmas. Check out their website for more details.

6. Asheville’s Fun Depot – A place for the arcade lover family. This family entertainment center has various indoor and outdoor fun attractions ranging from indoor/outdoor go-carts, laser tag, bounce house or bumper car. It might not be for everyone but if you are looking for something indoor and out of the heat, this might be a place. The pricing has different options based on your preference. Check out the website for more details.

7. Apple Picking – Apple picking is a fun and affordable activity to do with kids. Kids love to do thing by themselves and what a better way than picking your own apples. There are several apple orchards in the area. J.H. Stepp Farm Hillcrest Orchard has been in business for quite sometimes. From their website, it looks like a fun place to take the kids to enjoy a day out in the Fall.

8. Grove Arcade – Shopping and people watching at the historically renovated Grove Arcade. Enjoy boutique shopping, exceptional dinning and regional art and crafts. Then sit back and relax and let the kids run wild.

9. Asheville Outdoor Center – Enjoy a calm water float along the scenic French Board River through the Biltmore Estate property. This is a perfect outdoor activity for family with small children who can’t participate in the popular whitewater rafting yet. There are various types of activities offering from kayaking, rafting, tubing, or canoeing. The best part is AOC is located in Asheville so you don’t have to drive too far.

10. Biltmore Village – Visit the original Biltmore village originally built for housing the Vanderbilt’s employees. Stroll along the brick sidewalks with tree-lined street, check out unique shops and have lunch or dinner at one of many locally owned restaurant. This charming village will give you the victorian-era ambiance that you might think you have been transported back in time.

11. Blue Ridge Parkway - Drive along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway and stop along the lookout to witness the marvelous beauty of mother nature at best. You can start from Asheville and drive all the way to the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain Park.

12. Botanial Garden of Asheville – Kids love to roam and where is a better place than in the botanical garden with all the beautiful flowers and plants. Best of all, there is no admission fee.

13. Pisgah National Forest – This national forest is home to Sliding Rock, the Natural Water Slide. It couldn’t have been better than sliding down the naturally worn slab of rock to the pool

As for the accommodation, here are a list of 5 family friendly hotels in Asheville downtown area.

• Holiday Inn & Suites Asheville Downtown
• Country Inn & Suites by Carlson Asheville I-240
• Renaissance Asheville Hotel
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Asheville
• Residence Inn Asheville Biltmore

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 13 Things to Do in Asheville with Kids is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Since we are not an avid hiker but I want to do more outdoor adventures with my kids, I decided to start out with one baby step at a time.

We live in a small neighborhood – no fancy pool with slide, no 10 tennis courts, and not even a clubhouse, but we do have a nice nature trail wrap around our neighborhood. It’s a short trail but along the trail we can walk up to a creek.

So a couple weekend ago, I decided on a whim to take them out and check out the trail. We had walked this trail before when we first moved here but at that time we were under the drought condition. So no water for us. But this trip it wasn’t disappointed. We pack our little backpack with bottle of water and hat, then we headed down the street to the entrance of the trail.

The trail is fairly easy to walk. No climbing or difficult rock to climb over. We saw rabbits and birds. In the beginning, Mr. Z was so freak out. I guess too much of the city boy. He wanted to go home as soon as we started the trail because there are too many trees! Go figure! But once we climbed down to the creek, he was in his happy place.

We sat there and listened to the water flow. We took off our shoes and walked along the creek. We slid down the rock slide. We put our feet down and relaxed… Miss J even claimed that it’s the best day of her life! :) Kids! So easy to please.

When it’s time to head back, I promise them that we will try to do this more and next time we will bring our swimming suits so they can just let loose.

Adventure doesn’t have to mean you have to pack your backpack and travel 1000 miles away from home. Adventure is everywhere around you.

How about you? What other around-the-neck-of-the-wood adventure you do?

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Baby Step to Hiking – Backyard Hiking is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Looking for a fun sleepover for your family? Imagining sleeping under the sea and relaxing with the sound of the wave in the ocean? What could be better than sleep in the deep end with the shark in your favorite aquarium?

Most aquariums around the US offer group sleepover programs for field trips or church group. But there are several dates in the calendar that open to public so you can enjoy family sleepover under the sea. Or if you can’t make the date, why not make it a family mini vacation with your friends and family?

Here are the list of aquariums around the country that I would love to visit.

1. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta GA – My hometown aquarium is not be missed. It’s one of the world largest aquarium. The aquarium offers different programs for different age group. Most of the dates are for Youth group. But look out for the date that allows family group to attend. The price is on the high range but it also includes aquarium admission, behind the scene tour, activities, 3-D show, dinner and breakfast

Price: $75 for member and $100 for non-member
Minimum Age: 7 years old

2. Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga TN – One of a great location aquarium sits along the Tennessee River with the best view in town. The Tennessee Aquarium Sleep in the Deep program available to group only but look out for special occasion family sleepover like July 4th. You will be able to celebrate America’s Birthday while you enjoy the Firework over the river. The price also includes admission to the aquarium, behind the scene tour, evening snack and breakfast. With the price half of the GA aquarium and only a couple hours away, this might be our destination next year when Mr. Z is old enough.

Price: $45 for member and $55 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

3. National Aquarium Baltimore, Baltimore MD - The Baltimore aquarium is one of my favorite aquarium. The Sleepover with the Sharks program will be a great overnight sleepover for the kids and the whole family. You will enjoy the guided tour to the behind the scene area, participate in hand-on activity, and dare to walk on the catwalk over the shark tank. Then you lay down your sleeping bag at the underwater viewing area where sharks are your sleepover buddy.

Price: $84.95 for member and $94.95 for non-member
Minimum Age: 8 years old

4. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey CA – The Monterey Bay aquarium offers Family Seashore Sleepover program. It’s available once a month from June to September. So if you live in the Monterey area, you might want to check out availability and register as soon as you know your plan. The price includes aquarium admission, behind the scene tour, light evening snack and breakfast.

Price: $50 for member and $75 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

5. The Florida Aquarium, Tampa Bay FL – The Tampa Bay Aquarium offers only group sleepover. But if you can get together with your friends and family to have a group of 15 participants then you will enjoy your own private sleepover in the clear tunnels surrounded by sharks, rays and thousands of fascinating inhabitants. The price bases on the number of participants in your group.

Price: $42 per person (group of 15-19)
Minimum Age: 6 years old

6. Atlantis Marine World Long Island’s Aquarium, Long Island NY – The Long Island’s aquarium is one of the top 10  best aquarium for kids voted by Parent magazine. The sleepover program is offered only one time as a special event and this year is on July 7th. So mark your calendar and book your reservation for the unforgettable night filled with activities, movie and adventure

Price: Check with the aquarium
Minimum Age: Check with the aquarium

7. Oregon Coast Aquarium, New Port OR – The Newport aquarium offers both group sleepover and public family sleepover for Sleep with the Sharks program. The program includes hand-on activities, scavenger hunt, early morning behind the scene, pizza and light breakfast.

Price: $50 for member and $55 for non-member
Minimum Age: 4 years old

8. New England Aquarium, Boston MA – The Boston area aquarium offers once a year Family Overnights program so check out the date and make a reservation soon. This year there are 2 dates available for Family Overnights for Nov 7 and 21. There are plenty of activities to keep the little ones busy all night long.

Price: $45 for member and $50 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

9. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach CA – The Long Beach aquarium offers fun family sleepover once a year and this year the date is set for July 24. So hurry and check if there is still any availability. This overnight program includes hands-on activities, a craft, pizza dinner, snack, cereal breakfast, and overnight T-shirt

Price: $45 for member and $50 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

10. North Carolina Aquariums – Both Pine Knoll Shores and Fort Fisher offer group sleepover with small size minimum so it’s possible to get together with a few families to meet the minimum

Pine Knoll Shores: Group minimum – 12
Price: $35 per person
Minimum Age: check with the aquarium

Fort Fisher: Group minimum – 10
Price: $45 per person
Minimum Age: check with the aquarium

There you have it.. Now let’s get packing for a fun family sleepover!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 10 Fun Aquariums for Family Sleepover is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Summer is the time for the fun in the water. When I lived in Florida, pool time was all year round so I wasn’t really appreciated it as much as when we moved here. Everyone anticipate the opening of the pool and it was such a great way to kick off our summer. But going to your little community pool everyday can be boring. I start checking out other water parks around the area to spruce things up for our summer fun day with our kids.

Here is our short list of water parks we have visited or would like to visit in the near future around the Atlanta area.

1. Lake Lanier Islands

As part of the Lake Lanier Islands resort, the Chattahoochee Rapid and Water park is a favorite for Atlantans. There are over a dozen rides and attractions for the whole family.

For family with little one, the kiddie pool will be your home based and you won’t be disappointed. The park planed with parent in mind, the Wiggle Wave and Kiddie Lagoon are situated near the entrance and the beach area so parents and kids can enjoy the relaxing day on the white sandy beach. For family with bigger kids, the fun has just begun. There are waterslides, wave pool and water fun area for them to enjoy. The price might be a bit on the high end but it’s well worth the visit.

You can also make it a weekend vacation by checking in to one of their resort rooms at Legacy Lodge and Conference Center.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $25.99 Child $15.99
Location: 7000 Holiday Road, Lake Lanier Islands, GA 30518
Contact: 1-800-840-LAKE

Tips:
- Look out for discount coupon if you can visit on the weekdays.
- Buy the season ticket if you know that you will visit at least 2 or more times and the ticket will pay for itself.

2. Six Flags White Water

Boasted one of the top 10 best Water Parks in the US by travel channel. We have yet to experience the Six Flags White Water in Atlanta. There are over 50 rides  for the whole family. Before you head out there, check their website for height restriction so you will be able to see how many rides your kids will be able to enjoy.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult (online special) $29.99 Child (under 48″) $26.99. See sites for more update price
Location: 250 Cobb Parkway N #100, Marietta, GA 30062
Contact: 770-948-9290

Tips:
- If you can get a group of friends to have 15 tickets, you can get group rate for $23.02.
- To avoid the crowd, try to visit during the weekdays in Summer.
- Start from the furthest ride in the park.

3. Bogan Aquatic Center

Gwinnett county knows their water parks. There are several county parks that have great aquatic center that include indoor lap pool and indoor/outdoor leisure pool. Bogan Aquatic Center is located in Buford near the Mall of Georgia. When we went there, we were hooked. For the price of $5 per adult and $3 per kid, you can’t beat this fun, family-friendly water park. The indoor leisure pool is perfect for the whole family. There is a big slide to the lazy river for big kids and adults. There is a water playground in the beach entry for little one. The picnic tables are availabe outdoor next to the pool so you can plan your picnic for a full fun day at this water park.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $5, Child (4-10) $4, Child (3 and under) $2
Location: 2723 North Bogan Road, Buford 30519
Contact: 770-614-2063

Tips:
- Pack a snack in a cooler so you can take a break and save money from buying at the vending machine.

4. Sun Valley Beach

One of a few beach in Atlanta area with slides and kiddie play area. I can’t give my personal view on this one since we haven’t visited this place yet. But from the website and other reviews, it seems to be a great family day out. Don’t expect the same types of rides as in Six Flags but I guess the stretch of white sand beach might compensate the lack of other cool attraction.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $17.95, Child (2-11) $14.95, Child (2 and under) FREE
Location: 5350 Holloman Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127
Contact: 770-943-5900

Tips:
- Get there early so you can get good spot for your stuff.
- Bring cheap water toys that you won’t mind loosing. With lot of people and kids, things can be misplaced.

5. Bethesda Park Aquatic Center

Another great water park from Gwinnett county and this one seems to be the biggest one of all. I have never been there but I’m sure there won’t be shortage of fun. This family-friendly water park features indoor lap pool and indoor leisure play pool. The leisure play pool includes beach entry that perfect for little baby or toddler, the river channel, hydrotherapy benches that will be perfect for mommy and daddy after a long day chasing after our kids, water play struction, vortex and ceiling spray.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $5, Child (4-10) $4, Child (3 and under) $2
Location: 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville 30044
Contact: 678-924-6334

Tips:
- Pack a snack in a cooler so you can take a break and save money from buying at the vending machine.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Family-Friendly Water Parks In or Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Pick you own or You-Pick farm has been one of our favorite activities throughout the year – one of the beauty of living in the Atlanta area. I have never done that before when I lived in FL. Maybe at that time, Miss J and Mr. Z were still too young to appreciate such activity or maybe I was so frazzled as a first time mom that the only thing I could think about was how to take care of them.

So check out some of our favorite farms for any season. Plan your weekend, go out and enjoy! You can also visit pickyourown.org to search for farm in your area.

Summer:

Strawberries Picking – The season typically starts from May – Jun. Our favorite is Washington Farm. There are 2 locations in the Atlanta area. One is in Loganville and another is in Watkinville. We have been going to Loganville for the past 2 years and we love it.

The Loganville location is closer but smaller in size. It’s a no frill farm. You go there, park, pick up the bucket or you can bring your own, learn the rule, and start picking. Then after you have eaten (shhhh.. you gotta taste the fruit somehow, right?) and filled up your bucket, you will go up to the stand and pay. I have never been to the Watkinville location so I can’t provide any first-hand experience. But my friend said that they do have small picnic area and playground for kids to enjoy.

Tips:
1. Bring wet wipe or diaper wipe for those little dirty hands.
2. Bring a cooler with ice if you have to drive for a distance to help keep the strawberries fresh
3. Do not wash the strawberries right away. Keep it in the fridge till you are ready to enjoy them.
4. Remove them from the tub and put them in shallower container so it won’t be crushed.

Blueberries Picking – The season starts right after the strawberries season. Last year we went blueberries picking at the Berry Patch Farm around July. The farm is not too far from Alpharetta. It was a really nice farm with small playset for kids to run off their energy. The blueberry picking is not as easy as strawberry. For one, it’s smaller so it will take you much longer to fill up the bucket. For another, the blueberry tree has some sharp branches that you have to be careful especially with small children.

Tips:
1. Watch out for the tape that mark poison ivy. If you see it, then move on and don’t go near it.
2. Head out early in the morning so it won’t be too hot for the kids.
3. Wear sneaker or rain boot. Since you will be there early, the  morning dew will still on the ground.

Fall:

Apple Picking – The picking season for the Apple orchard in North GA mostly starts around Sept till Oct. We went to Hillcrest Orchard up in Ellijay (the main Apple orchard city in GA) a couple years ago. It wasn’t what I envisioned for the apple picking. I dreamt about cold crisp air as we walked down the apple trees. I imagined the morning dew on the apple for the lovely morning. But what we got was 70 degree and we wore sweater. So needless to say, it wasn’t pleasant picking. But that’s no fault of the orchard.

The orchard is fairly big with more than just apple picking. They also have a nice shade picnic area for you to enjoy your break, a play area with big slide for kids, a stage with live-music during the weekend, a pig race for us to root for. So it’s not just an apple picking but a fun-filled day for the whole family. Next time, I just have to check the weather channel before we dress.

Tips:
1. Bring cooler to store your apples.
2. Fill up your cooler with snack and water so you can have lunch and enjoy a day out without spending too much money
3. Don’t forget the sunscreen and hat.

Pumpkin Picking – Who doesn’t like to carve the pumpkin, use your hand to scoop out those yucky stuff from the inside and enjoy the masterpiece after it’s done. Around the Atlanta metro area, I think everyone has heard of Burt’s Pumpkin farm. It’s one of the popular farm that sits right in front of the beautiful Amicalola Falls entrance. I think every school has a rule that they must have a field trip there. I could understand why.

Burt’s farm has a HUGE selection of pumpkins. I mean huge and a lot. You will be overwhelmed with all the selections available; big, small, tiny, funny looking, you name it. The pumpkin patch is not the only thing at the Burt’s farm. They also provide a hay ride. It was a fun ride through their farm with some funny prop. There is a creek running through the farm that you can setup and enjoy your picnic after a full day of choosing the perfect pumpkin.

Tips:
1. Try to visit there during the weekday. Weekend can be a challenge with a lot of visitors
2. Bring lunch or snack to enjoy a picnic by the creek.

Now, go out and enjoy this fun, family-friendly and affordable activity with your whole family.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Pick-Your-Own Farms Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Summer is here. Kids are out of school. The weather is begging you to go out and enjoy the outdoor activities. We are, by no mean, an outdoor type family; however I do appreciate that where we live has so many activities to offer. I will feel so bad not to try them out.

Here are the list of outdoor adventures in or around the Atlanta area (mostly the North part of Atlanta). Get out and enjoy!

1) Amicalola Fall : Less than an hour north of Atlanta, this waterfall is our family favorite. It has a hiking trail to go up to the top of the Falls. But you can also drive up and park and do a relatively short trail at West Ridge Falls trail. Best of all, this trail is paved with recycle tire that family with stroller can enjoy the same view as well.

2) Tallulah Gorge State Park : Boasted the most spectacular canyon in the Eastern US, this park has various trails with varied degree of difficulty. A novice like us probably aims for NORTH/SOUTH Rim Trail or the SHORTHLINE Trail. If hiking is your hobby and you would like more challenge then you can obtain the permit to hike down the Gorge.

3) Sawnee Mountain Preserve : Another perfect park that less than an hour from Atlanta and literally in my neck of the wood. And yet, we haven’t been there. So this year I made a mental note that I will have to visit this well-praised preserve to check out the hiking trail. If hiking is not your thing, there are other activities like Rock Climbing or simply just sightseeing the view from the mountain.

4) Unicoi State Park & Anna Ruby Falls : Our last visit to Helen during the Fall was amazing. But there are other things that we didn’t do because of the season. We have visited Unicoi State Park briefly but we didn’t hike up to the Anna Ruby Falls. We couldn’t go River Tubing. So this year, I am determined to go back and enjoy River Tubing and hiking up the waterfalls.

5) Water Adventures on Chattahoochee River : I have driven by Up The River Outfitters countless times and I have yet to stop by and do it. Up The River provides water adventures ranging from tubing, whitewater rafting and kayaking along the Chattahoochee River. Again, another fun outdoor adventure in my neck of the wood that I can’t pass on. This might have to be mommy and daddy adventure at the Q family because Mr. Z is a tad too young. But giving a couple more years we can have a fun family adventure together.

There are also other fun things on the other side of the town. But I will not be an overachiever and will try to accomplish this list in my nearby area first.

What fun adventures you have planned this Summer?

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Outdoor Adventures Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

The Terracotta Army from China is probably the second most recognized Chinese treasure after the Great Wall. Mr. Rojo and I were fortunate to visit China many moons ago but we didn’t have enough time to visit the Terracotta Army. And it’s probably almost impossible to make a trip to visit China anytime in the near future. So we were pretty excited when the High Museum in Atlanta had an exhibit of the Terracotta Army on loan from the British Museum.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The China’s Terracotta Army in Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

When you live in Atlanta metro area, you can’t help but see or hear about Coca Cola. After all, it’s the birthplace and headquarter of this mega company. The new World of Coca-Cola has been opened for quite sometimes. Until recently, we had a chance to visit on a nice sunny Saturday.

The new World of Coca Cola is conveniently located next to the Georgia Aquarium and the Imagine It! Children’s Museum. Across the street is the Centennial Olympic Park. So it’s a perfect location to have a full day of all Atlanta favorite tourist spots. When we got there, there were a few field trips but the line to get the tickets was short.

Once we got in, we waited at the lobby area and checked out the amazing Coke bottle artwork around the world. The detail and representation for each of this bottle is amazing. A short wait and then we were directed to see the short film ‘Inside the Happiness Factory’. It was pretty nice and fun short film to give you the glimpse of what Coca Cola wants us to know about their factory..

Then we walked to the Hub which we waited in line to meet the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. I think it was well planned that they timed the guests in group so there wasn’t a long wait and if you aren’t interested in the picture, you can head directly to the next gallery.

One of the things I always do when I go to the World of Coca-Cola is to hunt for the Coke sign in Thai. Coca-Cola is pretty popular in Thailand so I’m sure we are a pretty good customer. And they didn’t disappoint me when I found a sign in Thai language. It was amazing to see how globalize Coke is.. It’s everywhere!

My next favorite part was the Bottle Works. This is where we got to see a real bottling line and see Coke being made right in front of us. Having an industrial engineer background, I love to see all these machines come to life. We probably spent a good 20 minutes watching the Packaging Robot doing his job. And do you know he has a name.. ‘Fizzybot’ is his name..

We then headed to the 4-D theatre to watch ‘The Secret Formula’ show. It was pretty interactive and I don’t think small children will enjoy it much. The chair can shake pretty violently and I heard a few small kids cried. But Mr. Z and Miss J did enjoy them. The 4-D effects was really thought out.. the water, the air, the movement.. It felt like we were at one of the Disney ride.

After the theatre, we headed to the most anticipate room.. the Tasting room.. This was the room that the kids got to drink Coca-Cola products from all around the world. They group the drinks into regions.. Some were pretty good.. some were not so good (ok.. it was really bad). But you have gotta try them all, right?

Each guest can pick up a bottle as they headed out to the gift shop. It was one of those place that you have to visit once..

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The World of Coca-Cola is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

This past weekend, we had a short weekend trip with a group of our friends up the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg. It started from a quick conversation of ‘would it be nice to go skiing and stay at a cabin’… The next thing we knew we were packing for our weekend trip up the mountain.

We stayed at the Vista Hermosa Manor in Sevierville, TN. It’s about 15 minutes drive to Gatlinburg.. The cabin is top notch with all the amenities we can think of. The kids had a blast running around in the basement and watched movie in the theatre room. The adults enjoyed the view out in the wrap around patio and big dinning table.

The next morning, we headed to Ober Gatlinburg for snow tubing. Ok.. It was 70 degrees but they did have snow.. Where else can you go snow tubing in t-shirt and sweats like a pig! It was the end of the season so it wasn’t that busy. I lost count how many times we went up and down that slide.. But by the end of the day, I was wiped out!

On the way down, I took Miss J and Mr. Z on the Aerial Tramway down the mountain. It was nice seeing the whole town from the bird’s eyes view. The ride was short but memorable.

The last day in Gatlinburg, we didn’t get to spend a lot of time there. Since we now knew that we would have to drive through the Smokey via the curvy road, we want to make sure we get through that part before dark. So we just had a couple quick stops in town. First, we headed to the Track in Pigeon Forge. It was a cool go-kart ride for the whole family. I rode with Miss J and Mr. Rojo rode with Mr. Z. The ride went up and down the wooden track which makes it so cool and so much fun. It took a while to convince Mr. Z to leave… Oh.. We even got discount by merely mentioned that we saw coupons for buy 2 get 1 free and she just gave us the discount without the coupon itself. Nice!!!

Then we headed downtown Gatlinburg for another stop for Miss J – Ripley’s Guinness World Records. It just happened that Miss J just checked out the Guinness Book from her library last week. So it’s something that she was really excited to see things from the book come to life. It wasn’t something I will write home about but for her it was really great experience..

After a quick stop to KFC for our lunch on the go, we headed out of town.. Bye bye.. Gatlinburg and see you soon.

The drive home was as much fun as the experience in town itself. We stoped at a few lookout to take pictures and check out the gorgeous view of the Smokey. I couldn’t imagine how much nicer it will be in Fall. We just have to come back and find out, huh? :)

All in all, we truly enjoyed our small trip there. We already think about next year. :)

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Weekend in Gatlinburg is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Recently, we just took a quick trip to visit Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville. It was about 45 minutes from our house. The trip was a really pleasant drive in the mountain with blue sky and colorful trees along side of the road. I was glad Mr. Rojo did the driving so I could enjoy the scenary. We went there with a couple of families friends. At first we stopped by at the pumpkin patch. After that, we headed to the Falls. We planned to picnic there and do a little hike to enjoy the leaves color in the mountain.

After a while, we packed up and decided to check out the Falls. We drove up to the West Ridge Falls access trail.. Ok.. We cheated, ok? We had 4 kids and 1 baby so we needed a little bit of an easy trail. This trail is perfect for any family as the trail is built with recycled tire. It was very easy to walk. There was pretty much no elevation at all.. We could even push the stroller on this trail. The trail was pretty manageable for small kids as well. I think it took us about 10-15 minutes to get from the parking lot to the viewing point of the Falls. Maybe next year we can try to hike from the base.. hehe..

Then we went up to the top of the Falls to check out the Lodge. It was a great place to stay in the park. It has an amazing view and a great restaurant with reasonable price buffet. We didn’t plan to eat there but it was too good to pass up. But before dinner, we found out that the park had the Hayride every 15 minutes for free.. Did I hear someone mention ‘Free’? Without hesitation, we all headed out to wait in line for the hayride. It was pretty neat ride. The ranger took us on the trail off road. The kids got a kick out of the bouncing up and down on the tractor and the fallen leaves.

Back from the hayride we headed down to check out the amazing view from the Lodge. Then off to dinner.. Food was great, friendship was even better.. We truly enjoyed our day out with our friends. It was one of the fun weekend trip we have had this year.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) A Day at the Amicalola Falls is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Pumpkin..pumpkin.. pumpkin everywhere… is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A couple weekend ago we took Miss J and Mr. Z to Six Flags Over Georgia. It was our and their first time there. Fortunately, Mr. Rojo’s friend has a season pass so he was able to get us the discount tickets. We met them up at McD nearby to grap lunch and carpooled to the park. It helped to save the parking fee which costs $15.

Once we got there, the kids quickly took out the map to check out where they wanted to go. But we already knew where we would end up. Our main purpose to go there was to check out the new Thomas Town. So we started head toward the back of the park for Thomas Town. It was during the Halloween weeks so it was nice and spooky to see all the decoration with bones and skeletons. A quick detour to the kiddie free-fall ride was in order. I think Mr. Z wasn’t sure at first. I was worried that he would cry. But.. Nope.. He was a dare devil and giggled about it the whole time.

Once we got to Thomas Town, I had to say I was quite disappointed. I was glad we didn’t have to pay for the full price to get in. I would be really upset. It was just a big playground with Thomas Theme and a small train ride. I mean that’s it!!! So here is my warning to all parents with Thomas obsession kids, don’t waste your money there. Six Flags is for bigger kids or even adult. Thomas Town isn’t worth it if you want to bring your little kids there. However, we managed to spend a good hour there just for them to run around and ride on the train. I guess for them it was enough with a train ride with Thomas. I still couldn’t get the Thomas theme song out of my head.

Surprisingly, Mr. Z loved the go-karts race which was right next to Thomas. He was too young to drive by himself of course. But he could ride with Mr. Rojo. Man.. He hung on to his dear life during the race. :) After Thomas and go-karts, we started to walk around the park with no particular plan. Mr. Rojo did get on the Ninja ride with his friend. I was too chicken to go on any ride. hehe.. Then we went to the Dodge City Bumper cars. It was a downer for Mr. Z as he was only a couple inches too short to ride. I felt so bad for him.. He was crying and very upset.

So we looked for some other kid friendly rides for him. We headed to the Riverview Carousel. There we found the perfect ride for them, the Hanson Cars. It was so neat for them as they could ride the car by themselves. I think it was one of their favorite ride. Mr. Z and Miss J still talked about it from time to time. Then we went to the Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster. The ride would be a fun ride if we didn’t have to wait in line for almost an hour for a 45 seconds ride. I had to admit.. I could barely handle this ride. I think I scream as loud or louder than Miss J. hehe.. We noticed that there seemed to be busier than this morning. You would think that as the day passed, it would be less people. But I guess since it was the Halloween weeks and some people just came for the night time it made it busier.

Now it was dinner break. We dined at DeeJay’s Diner. Nothing food couldn’t cure. After a full tummy, we headed to the Railroad station for a nice, relaxing train ride. This was a great way to get to see the park without using your energy. It was getting dark and I knew that we would probably need to wrap up soon. We headed to the USA Games Area and played some games. Mr. Rojo won a basket ball! Before we headed out, we stopped by for the Dipping Dots for the kids and I was so looking forward to the Funnel Cake. But I wasn’t going to wait in line for another hour for a funnel cake. I guess I will just have to find it somewhere else.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Six Flags Over Georgia is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A couple weekends ago we headed out to soon to be our annual activity for Fall, the Cumming Country Fair and Festivals. It was a great small town fair. We headed out late on Sunday evening. I don’t like heat so I purposely chose to go after the sunset. Well, what happened next show how competent as a parent we are!

After we parked, we found out that Miss J didn’t have her shoes on. I mean.. we trust her to be able to take care of herself to a certain extent. I haven’t dressed her since she entered Kindergarten. I don’t have to tell her to wear her shoes way before that.. Is it because of the excitement that she forgot her shoes? We will never know. But what would you do at that point. For us, Mr. Rojo had become her personal stroller. He carried her almost the whole trip. I said almost because at certain point we just let her walk barefeet. If you went to the fair and saw a girl with no shoes, that’s probably her!

We got to walk right to the fair without paying for any admission fees since it was about an hour before closing. This was perfect for us. I don’t know how much we will spend if we stayed more than an hour. The rides there were the same as last year. Mr. Z’s favorite was the worm roller coaster. This year I guess Miss J felt like she is bigger. She didn’t get on that ride with him. After Mr. Z first ride we walked around a bit just to check out everything. We didn’t do the petting zoo. I wasn’t gonna let Miss J go in there without shoes.

We stopped for a game for Miss J and Mr. Z to pop the balloon. They were very kid-friendly because eventhough they didn’t pop any ballon when they threw the dart, the gentleman there gave them a big stick to pop the balloon. They each got a small toy to bring home. After that, Mr. Rojo and Miss J got on the Ferris Wheel. Mr. Z was too short to get on the ride. Plus if we all go, we would use up all our tickets!! No one warns me that it can be very expensive at this fair. Each ride costed at least $3 each. That can add up pretty fast!

After a couple more rides, we took a little break. We sat down and watched the Xtreme Power sculptor. A bag of cotton candy did the trick to settle them down. By that time, the Sun already set so it was our signal to head home. I didn’t get to have my funnel cake though.. Bummer. Maybe next year!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Fair, Festival and Ferris Wheel is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

I have been seriously looking into where to stay in Destin area for a while. At first one of my friend recommended Sandestin. They just went there recently and they really enjoyed it. I checked it out and it looks really nice. It’s pretty much like a mega resort (or shall I call it town). There are pretty anything you will want during your vacation. Golf, shopping, entertainment and restaurants all in one property. However, what I want to get from Destin is beach time and pool time for the kids and us. The pools at each building in Sandestin are just typical pool. Nothing too fancy. I’m looking for something more.

With the help from many expert users from Trip Advisors forum, I found this new jewel in Fort Walton Beach… Waterscape condominium. This is a brand spanking new luxurious beachfront condominiums with 3 swimming pools, waterfall and Lay-Z-River. Also it has two main requirements from Mr. Rojo. The great gym overlooks the pool and internet access is available in all units.

Fort Walton Beach is about 10-15 minutes from Destin. It has the same great feature as Destin for white sand beach and emerald blue ocean. But the price is a bit lower than staying in Destin and less crowd. Waterscape offers 1-, 2-, and 3- bedroom condo. It has all the amentities that you want for a perfect family vacation including kid’s pool and kid’s activities (seasonal). They also provide complimentary beach service (chair and umbrella during season from August to October). One less thing for me to pack. :)

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) You Will Find Me Here… is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

During the Labor day weekend, we took a day trip to Chattanooga.

After a fun time at the Creative Discovery Museum, we headed out to Tennessee Aquarium which is right around the corner. It was way past lunch time so we needed to fill up our tummy tank before getting in.

After a few undecided minutes, we ended up at the Genghis Grill. It’s the Build-Your-Own-Bowl Asian stir-fry restaurant. The food was alright but then I can’t blame the restaurant since I put all the ingredient myself. So I guess I can only blame myself. They actually do have recipes for you to follow if you want a certain dish. It was quick and easy. I wouldn’t mind going back there again. The kids enjoyed watching the grill masters cooked up the food with long wooden sticks.

After lunch, we headed out to get our tickets. While Mr. Rojo waited in line to purchase our tickets, I took Miss J and Mr. Z to walk around the small creek area in front of the Aquarium.

We started our journey at the River building. First stop – rest room. Well, it would be too easy if they have the hand blower, wouldn’t it? So I was in the bathroom and paintakingly squeezed his pant using the paper towel. It was still damp but he said it was ok. So we headed to the first exhibit which is the Seahorse.

Here is Miss J trying to measure up a giant fish.

The Ocean Journey started off at the top floor as well. The view of the Tennessee River was amazing. I could just sit here in the rocking chair and let them run off. The first exhibit was the Penguin. There were several penguins but they didn’t move much. Guess we came in after their dinner time.

After the Penguin, we headed to the Tropical Cove. Again.. my favorite for the outdoor feel and a touching tank. Kids could touch sting ray and shark in this tank. Unfortunately, the tank was a bit too deep for Mr. Z. Poor boy, he was trying so hard to chase the sting ray for a chance of touching him. But he was too small. We probably need to dunk him in there to be able to touch them.

Then we headed down the escalator for the Ocean Journey. Mr. Z really enjoyed his quiet time with his pal. I can see we will be taking many more trips back to the GA Aquarium soon. Last year we went 3 times! My lack of preparation wasn’t stopped at just no spare clothes. With our luck, our camera batteries were dying. And we brought 2 cameras with us. Go figure! So by the time, we walked down to check out several sharks and with so many photo ops, our cameras were dead in the water!

I was able to get a few shots of the sharks and it wasn’t even that good. Oh! well, I tried! At the end of the journey, we were all pretty wiped out. We were there so late that the gift shop was already closed. Guess it wasn’t meant for us to spend money on souvenir there.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Chattanooga With Kids: A Journey thru Tennessee Aquarium is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

On Saturday, we took a day trip to Chattanooga. Mr. Rojo has wanted to go to the Tennessee Aquarium for a while now. So we decided to take a day trip during a long weekend. Originally, I planned to stay overnight and make a side trip to Huntville to check out the Space Center. But with our up-coming beach trip, we decided to just do a day trip.

Chattanooga is about 2 1/2 hours from where we live so it wasn’t so bad for the drive there except we took a local highway instead of state highway. But we still got there at the same time.

We got there right before noon. It wasn’t that busy when we got in. The fun began even before we got in the door. There is a huge bubble making that allows you to get inside and pull the ring up. It was a great challenge to see if you can put your whole body inside the bubble. I wish I would have tried it. Maybe next time.

The first stop – River Play. The kids just ran there without waiting for us and stayed there for a good 30-40 minutes. It was a really neat water play for kids. They got to learn about how the water is used. How the dam is built and what is the impact when you build the dam. Good thing I was quick to ask them to put the rain coat on before they started playing. Some kids got soaked. I think the part they love the most is the water shooter that 2 kids can play together and see who got the most power to make the wheel spin.

Next to the River Play was a play structure that teaches about the Wind. The structure is big enough that adult is allowed to go up there. It was so neat. I didn’t think I want to leave that play structure yet. But then we realized that there were more to see and do in the museum.

We walked inside and they zoomed right past the craft table. Guess my kids are not that into crafting. We stopped by the clinic. They can pretend to be a doctor, check out the nose (big fat nose with hair nonetheless), look at the x-ray and measure themselves. Miss J was very fascinating with all the organ on display including a big skeleton.

Then we went to the inventor room. Mr. Z was busy playing with the remote control car that other parents had built it. It was so neat. If we have any time, we might try to build one ourselves. Then they were off to Music and Art room. It was very interesting in each room as they had a lot of hand-on activities for children to try on. The Music room had different kinds of intruments for them to try their hands on. The Art room had different station for them to create their own art ranging from painting, priting and self-portrait.

Last stop on 1st floor was the Dinosaur room. With a big Dinosaur greeted us, they went right pass him to the dig area. Basically, it was a big sand box with dinosaur bones buried underneath. I think they could literally spend the whole day in that room. Mr. Z tended to dig too hard and throw his sand all over himself and anyone who was near him. I had to keep reminding him to do it gently.

Then we found out that there was more than 1 floor. Duh!! So we headed upstair for the special Clifford exhibit. It was a really nice treat as we are currently reading Clifford books at home. They had a chance to check out Clifford’s house, his library, the playground and climbed on Big Red Dog himself.

Then we took a short walk up to the top floor to check out the downtown view and see the bee colony on the rooftop. On the other side of the building, the outdoor fun was there awaiting. The rooftop fun had several structures for them to play with. The best one has to be the lifting chair. Children can sit on the chair and buckle up then they can lift themselves off the ground. It was pretty hot that day so we didn’t stay long outside.

By the time we knew it, it was almost 2pm. So it was time to wrap up as we still had one more place to go – the Tennessee Aquarium. This was a really great Children Museum. We like it so much that we purchased the membership. The national membership will allow us to also visit other children museum around the country.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) A Fun Day at Creative Discovery Museum is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Beach Bum is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

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Take Me Out to the Crowd…

We did just that last weekend. It was the Braves VS the Phillies game. And it was the HOT-HOT day. We bought the ticket over a month ago so I couldn’t ask my crystal ball on the weather forecast. Who would have thought it will be this hot in June? Did I already mention that it was HOT?

We went to the Sunday game. The game started at 1pm. I don’t even know what was the temperature at that time. I don’t think it’s really matter. Buying the ticket online with parking ticket has it benefit. The parking fee is cheaper than paying at the gate. Also we got to park in the Green zone which is pretty close to the main entrance.

One thing that I like about Turner Field is the Cartoon Network area. They know that ball game is a family event and kids need place to release their energy. I think if your kids can sit through the whole game, you should contact a doctor for a check-up. Seriously! This game was the third game in a serie and the Phillies already won the first two games. So Mr. Rojo was in a much relaxing mood. He even told us to check out the Cartoon Network first before we got to our seats. Sweet!! Well, after a few minutes Miss J complained about her shoes. She happened to pick a pair of shoe that she hardly wears and it hurted her feet. So we went out and checked the store for some socks. Braves sock – checked. Not sure if Mr. Rojo will want us to keep it after today. He is a die-hard Philly fan, you see.

We bought the cheapest tickets available and we paid for it. It was up at the nose-bleed section. Don’t lean or sneeze near the rail or you might fall over to the ground. The view was really nice though. Got the whole Atlanta downtown city skyline there. For a minute, I thought we could do this.. It wasn’t bad. There was breeze.. We could do it. I sent Mr. Rojo to get some frozen lemonade and soda. No healthy food here at the ball game. It’s illegal! I did pack a couple of the water bottle fan. It was sure a big hit for the kids. Only .. they sprayed to the front row (no one there).. Kids.. you won’t feel cool if you spray the water to the air!

After the third inning, I started to look around for more shade area. And the kids started to fall apart. Mr. Rojo didn’t admit it at that time but he didn’t feel good either. See! We are not an outdoor type family!

Time to pack it up.. We headed down to the Cartoon Network area again. The kids got to run around. The slide was a big hit. I couldn’t keep track how many times they went up and down. But I was a bit stressed out with the amount of kids running around and there was no security check at the entrance. So anyone could come and grap your kids anytime.. Not so comfortable about that. I was glad we had only 2 kids. I couldn’t imagine how I would do with more.

Right before we headed out, Miss J asked for cotton candy. Oh.. sure.. why not. One more load of sugar won’t do any harm. So we headed to the other side of the stadium with a mission – Cotton Candy. It was nice to walk around. We found the Braves Museum.. Guess what.. It has AC.. We were debating whether we wanted to spend 1 token to get in.. But we could just stay in the front area for free. Well, after a few minutes we felt that we should head out.

Finally, we found cotton candy and blue snowcones. Nothing save the day like sugar on ice!

Here is the picture to show where we sat. It was by the smaller yellow pole second row from the front. See how high we were!

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This week edition of my Thursday Thirteen is up a bit late. But better late than never..

Here are list of things you can do with your kids during Summer for free or very affordable in and around Atlanta area.. or even other states. Since we can’t just live by the beach all Summer long.. :)

1) Free Family Films Festival @ Regal Cinemas – Check out Regal Cinema for your local theatre for a free kids friendly movie all Summer long. Movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday from Jun to July.

2) $1.00 Movies for Charity with AMC Summer MovieCamp – It’s not free but it’s for a good cause. For a dollar, you get to watch movie with your kids at AMC theatre. Their shows are on Wednesday at 10AM. Check AMC website for your local participation theatre.

3) Free Family Films @ Movies 400 – This one is closer to home. It’s in Cumming area. Every Tuesday & Thursday at 10AM all Summer long you can watch free movies with your kids. You can also get good discount during the show for $1 popcorn and $1 drink. Or bring a can of food to support their food drive and receive a free popcorn. Check Movies 400 site for schedule.

4) Free VBS class at your local church for one week – Check out Lifeway VBS Outrigger Island program for the free one week VBS program at your local church

5) Go to your library – Most library will have Summer reading program with story telling. At Forsyth county, they offer a program every Thursday at 10AM and 1:30PM and also every Saturday at 5PM and 6PM (for some of the week). Check out the website for event of the day.

6) Swimming at your local park – We live not too far from Gwinnett county. I have to say I’m impressed with their Park and Recreation area. The aquatic center there is a little water park by itself without the same cost of the high price water park. We did it recently and will be going back there again all Summer long.

7) Pick your own strawberry – It’s the season of picking berries. Check out this site for your local pick-your-own farm. The Washington Farm that we went was fun and we wouldn’t mind going back there again.

8) Fishing at Rainbow Ranch Trout – I have never been there but got the information from my friend. I drive pass by it all the time. It looks like a fun day out. There are picnic tables that you can enjoy your lunch and a little fishing. Your kids won’t be disappointed as fish there is quick to bite the bait. Check out their website for direction and pricing.

9) Dairy Tour at Mayfield Dairy Farm – For a short drive go to Braselton, GA to tour the milk operation. But if you are an ice cream lover, you might want to check out their Athens, TN location. Check out here for direction.

10) Hiking to the Amicalola Falls – Just a short drive from downtown Atlanta and even shorter drive from my house. I haven’t been back since last year to see if the water has come back yet. But the trail is easy enough and there are several entry points to accomodate different level of hikers. Then you can enjoy a picnic at the park or drive up for a lunch buffet at the lodge.

11) Water Tubing in Helen – With less than 2 hours drive from Atlanta, it’s the perfect day trip for a quick change of scenary and fun summer day. The water tubing is one thing that we didn’t get a chance to try when we went there recently. This Summer it’s high on our to-do list.

12) Picnic in your backyard – Pack things up and trek back to your own backyard and enjoy a nice day out in the backyard.

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We are going to our vacation in a few days… Woo hoo!! One would ask why do we need to go to a water park. Truth is we want to test our new underwater camera and also our snorkeling masks. Well, we got to test our camera but they don’t allow snorkel in the pool. So I guess we will test our masks in our tub then.

Since we are not officially in Summer yet, most of the pools are still closed. Fortunately, there are several in-door pool facilities (mostly in Gwinnett county) that have year round swimming pool. I have heard so much about Bogan Aquatic Center. This park is not too far from us. It’s in Buford and has indoor water park. Of course, you can’t compare with Disney Typhoon Lagoon but for $4 per child and $5 per adult I think it’s one of the best park for the price.

There is a playground structure in the kiddie pool area. It was a really fun structure. There is a small slide, a tunnel and various wheels for them to turn on and turn off the water. The water also falls from the roof of the structure. I’m gonna tell you a big secret here.. It’s the best massage in town. Just make sure you don’t ‘ohhhh… ahhh’ too loud. Otherwise, the lifeguard might escort you out for imappropriate behavior..

Don’t worry big kids, there is a big slide and lazy river for you to enjoy. Mr. Rojo is one of the big kid who isn’t afraid to try it out. He enjoyed not once but twice on that ride.. His excuse was that he wanted to try out the video capturing during the ride. He sure did capture it.. I would show it if I can figure out how to post it here.. :)

We spent a couple hours there but I’m sure if I packed lunch and dinner.. we will be there all day. The nice thing about this park is that there is an outdoor picnic area that you can enjoy your break throughout the day. The facility is nice and clean.. Miss J and Mr. Z can’t wait to go back. So I guess you can tell where we will be during hot Summer day…

Check out Gwinnett County website for more aquatic centers near you here.

The address for Bogan park is
2723 North Bogan Road, Buford 30519

Enjoy your swimming!!!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Water Park in My Neck of the Wood is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Spring time means an abundant supply of Strawberries. My kids love strawberries and I love the idea of picking your own berries. There is a farm about 40 minutes from our house that has Pick-Your-Own strawberries. The Washington Farms are family owned farms. There are 2 locations for their farms. The one that we went to is in Loganville which is a smaller farm near Lawrenceville . Basically, it’s just a strawberries farm for you to pick and that’s it. No gimmick, no fancy other stuffs for you to do. So if you want something more then you might want to head to the one in Watkinsville.

It was a beautiful Saturday for us. Clear sky, not too hot and no rain.. We got there around 10:30am and the parking lot was already packed. I was worried that there won’t be any strawberries left for us to pick. But I was relief to find that there were more than enough for us to enjoy. The process was rather simple. We headed to the booth and pick up our bucket. It costs $8 per bucket and if you have your own bucket to transfer the berries home then that’s it. But if you don’t then you can take the bucket with you for $1. Not bad..

Then we headed out and started picking. At first Miss J and Mr. Z weren’t sure how to do this.. Soon they got a hang of what to pick and how to pick it.. They went to town with the strawberries. Note to self, bring diaper wipe since eating strawberries can be messy for kids (or adults). We did enjoy fresh from the stem strawberries. It was a fun day out indeed!!

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We were busy bees this Saturday. Not only we went to Home Deport Kids Workshop, we also went to the outlet mall, Discover Mills Mall. I love this outlet. There are so many great stores but so little time this trip. At this outlet mall, there is one particular that we have never visited, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World… It’s a really a whole new kind of store for us. We don’t camp (I’m working on Mr. Rojo everyday on this one). We don’t fish. We don’t hunt. So everything in Bass Outdoor World doesn’t seem to be appealing for us until now. We figured snorkeling is kinda outdoor activity as well. So we went in there to check out some of the snorkeling gears.

I visited Bass in Illinois a really long time ago. The only thing I remembered was we ate Bison burger. Everything else was a blur.. So I was in awe to see this two story waterfall in the middle of the store with Moose and Mountain Lion there. It was neat!!! And we didn’t even half way into the store yet. I can tell that this will be a fun store for the kids to just walk around and check out stuff. It seems to me that there are way more gadgets than in Circuit City.

Towards the end of the store, there is a freshwater fish aquarium with native Georgia fish. It was really neat for the kids to see the fish in the tank. We enjoyed watching different kind of fish swimming by and trying to identify what kind of fish he is. It wasn’t that hard because they have a sign with picture and fish name. It was fun and educational at the same time.

We got to follow the fossil footprints around the store and discover different type of animals displayed all over the store. We would have spent more time there if we didn’t have to rush home for a potluck. So I’m sure that we will be going back there soon.

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In today’s economic climate, it’s hard to find good deals or freebies that are of any use. Fortunately, I found a bank that is willing to buck this trend.

As a Bank of America customer, you can take advantage of their promotion: “Museums on Us 2008“. This program is sponsored by BOA to give you the opportunity to visit over 70 museums nationwide.

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This past Sunday we headed down to Decatur for a Songkran Festival in Thai Temple in Atlanta. Songkran is a traditional Thai New Year that celebrate by all Thais on April 13 and the festival is lasted for 3 days. It likes a Christmas of Thailand. People will go home and celebrate with their families. The festival in Thailand is a combination of religious practice and party. In the morning, people will normally go to temple to give the offering to the monk and receive the blessing from the monks. Then they will go out and celebrate by giving water to each other. In my youth years, it was all fun. We would pack a water balloon and waited out by the street and threw it to the pass-by pedestians or vehicles. It was a fun and wet day indeed.

We went to Wat Buddha Bucha (which is the only Thai temple I know in Atlanta area) for the Songkran festival this year so that my kids will get to experience Thai culture. I have to say that I was overwhelming with the crowds and we didn’t get to spend much time there. The place was rather small. I guess being from Florida where there are a rather large group of Thais there. The temple there has more supports and donations so they can build a rather authentic Thai temple that reminds myself of Thailand.

In the morning, people lined up to offer food and other necessary items to the monks and receive the blessing. We walked around to check out some of the local Thai food. I was rather disappointed at the quality of the food. The taste wasn’t as good as I expected. Plus the varieties are minimal at best. However, I managed to pig myself out for the whole morning. What can I say.. I can eat anything even if it’s not that great!

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There are a lot of things to do around Atlanta that doesn’t cost much. But when they give out free admission on the special day it’s even better of the deal! I have found several free admission days for several popular attractions around Atlanta. So clear your calendar and plan your Summer or weekend accordingly.

Imagine It! Children Museum - Target Free Second Tuesday : This is a year long promotion sponsored by Target. Every 2nd Tuesday the Children Museum will give out free admission from 1-4pm. I went there this past Tuesday. It was a long wait but it was fun! Check out my experience there here.

The Atlanta Botanical Garden – Earth Day in the Garden (April 22) : Celebrate Earth Day in the Garden with free admission to the Botanical Garden all day long. There will be series of fun and informative activities throughout the day. What would be better than start your Spring outing in the Garden?

High Museum of Art – BOGO ticket on Mother’s day (May 11) : Take your mom out for a day in the High and save the admission fee by buying one adult ticket and get one free.

High Museum of Art – Target Free Family Fun day (June 15) : Celebrate Father’s day with your dad in the High and free admission for the whole gang.

So that will get you busy for a few days. :)

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Now that we are in the budget mode. I want to look back at our weekend trip to Helen and analyze our spending.

Lodging for 2 nights : $358.76

Food & Dining : $174.39

Shopping & Entertaining : $101.55

Total for this fun family weekend : $634.70

A weekend with your kids and new puppy : PRICELESS

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The rundown on Helen's trip is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Miss J got I.N.K. is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Our adventure in Helen continued today. The morning started off earlier than usual since we had to check out at 11 am. We had our big breakfast and started packing up. Surprisingly, we got done by 9:30 am. We headed to town and I think it was too early for this bavarian town at this time. Plus we didn’t see any horse buggy rides yet. Hmm.. Start to feel panic now since we promised the kids the ride today. A return visit maybe in the horizon?

So we decided to drive around and head to Unicoi State Park. We checked out the lake and took some pictures then drove into the park. It looked very busy with a lot of campers in the park. I mentioned it to Mr. Rojo and he wouldn’t want to hear anything about it. But maybe.. maybe if we rent an RV we might get a chance.

Then we continued our adventure to check out the Anna Ruby Fall. It was next to the Unicoi State Park. We drove up and saw some pretty sites there. There seems to be more water up here than where we lived. Unfortunately, the visitor center is currently closed due to the renovation so we couldn’t get the stamp. The walk up to the fall is about 0.4 mile but we weren’t properly dressed for it. So that will need to wait for the next trip. Plus I think when the weather is warmer it will be more fun.

As we headed out of town, we stopped at the Hansel & Gretel Candy Factory. Good place to refill your energy with their chocolate and candies. Plus got sugar free chocolate as a gift. We talked to the lady there and found out that the horse buggy rides are there everyday. So we headed back in town again.

It was almost lunch time so it’s time to get a quick bite. Our destination today was Cafe International. Everyone there was so nice. We were able to eat outside with Java. The food was great! Mr. Rojo had another Bratwurst and I had Bratwurst on Bun. Yum yum!!

The best part was the Black Forest Cheesecake. Don’t feed that to children though. I can really taste the rum in there. Hmm.. No wonder I feel sleepy afterward.

Next stop was what the kids were waiting for – the horse buggy ride. We got on and took a real nice and leisure ride until Mr. Rojo dropped his camera and decided to jump out of it to grab the camera. Gave the lady a scare that she thought she had dropped the kids. After it was all done, the camera was ok and the kids were intact.

A walk in the town today was much nicer as the weather was warmer and I will say less crowd. hehe.. But technically, it wasn’t that crowd over the weekend either. We checked out different stores and just hung out at the main street. The weather was nice and the kids enjoyed hanging out by the water fountain and Java enjoyed the attention he got.

Overall, it was a great weekend trip. The kids loved the cabin and we promised them that we will go back when the weather gets warmer. There are so many things we would love to do. The kids love it so much that when they got home, they even create their artworks for the cabin vacation! That’s my Picasso in a making!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) A day in Helen and beyond! is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

We started off Saturday as we prepared our weekend getaway trip but things changed by 11 am. Java threw up and we had to rush him to the vet and the diagnostic wasn’t that good. The vet even mentioned the possibility of Distemper – a fatal disease that hasn’t been around for years! How could that be when he already had 3 shots of the vaccine. Anyhow, long story short we ended up putting him in the clinic for an IV shot and waited to see if his situation will improve later in the evening.

Finally by 4 pm we picked him up and he was still weak but the vet thought it’s safe to let him go home. We could still need to bring him to an emergency clinic if his condition is worsen. We decided to bring everyone with us to the cabin for the night. For one, we couldn’t cancel the cabin for the last minute. Eventhough the management company at Cedar Creek was very accomodating and even waived the pet fee for us. We also wanted to keep an eye on Java and there is no reason we can’t do it at the cabin. The fresh air might help too. ;)

We headed to Helen around 5pm. We got to the cabin around 6:30pm. After we found the cabin, we headed to town so that we could pick up some grocery.

Our first stop was Betty’s Country Store. It is the only grocery store in Helen. It is really nice store with pretty much everything you need. But being shopping on coupon for a while, I got quite a sticker shock on the price. But that’s to be expected. I got bags full of grocery for $70 which provided us for 2 breakfast and 2 dinner. Well worth it!

The first night we just took it easy and had dinner at the cabin. The cabin is really nice. It is something we would love to have it for ourselves all the time. The kids don’t want to come back! But next time, if we will go as a family I will probably book a bigger room. Technically, this is supposed to be for the two of us. So I guess in the sense it worked out.

The next morning we took it easy again. :) It’s our motto this trip. ‘Take it easy’… So we didn’t head out of the cabin till almost noon. Oh! gosh! how we were under-dress! It was coooldddd. So first mission, we need to look for sweater. I packed jackets for the kids but forgot ours! Go figure!

Once we got our sweaters, we walked to north of downtown which is pretty much one block to Hofer’s. I guess weekend is the busy day for business here. The line was out the shop. We got a few pastries for the kids to hold them down and waited for the table. The food was great. I had Weiner Schnitzel and Mr. Rojo had Bratwurst platter. Ok.. Now we were ready for a nap! For one, we had another baby waiting at the cabin so we needed to head back. The kids wanted to ride the horse buggy but we promised them after we got back to the cabin.

Back to the cabin and it was another nap. OH! How great it was to just sleep!!! By the time we woke up, we were too lazy to go anywhere so another dinner inside the cabin then a movie. That what I called ‘vacation’.

Well, the next day was full of activities The Q Family style. So don’t expect much! ;)

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So 1 more days before my little weekend getaway to Helen and I have been hard at work checking out on what and where to eat.

“Bratwurst – sausages ..you can’t eat Germany food without that. Schnitzel, breaded & fried lamb meat. Then in Thailand they always have deep fried whole leg of pig. Super crunchy on the skin and yummy meat. But will pack you about 5 lbs if you eat the whole thing”

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) We gotta eat… is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Things to do in Helen, GA is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Aloha Friday!!! This weekend seems to be a nice weekend with a bit chilling weather ahead. But with Sunny sky on Sunday, it will be nice to plan your weekend for some free things to do in Atlanta.

1) Tour historic district on various cities around Atlanta : City of Decatur, Marietta Square, or Roswell Historic District. Don’t forget to check various events throughout the year.

2) Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site : Tour the Birth Home of Dr. King with park ranger guide. Also check out the exhibit at the Visitor Center and pay respect to Dr. King at the Peace plaza.

3) Biking along the PATH various trails : Check out a network of off-road trails in and around Atlanta. These series of scenic greenways offer a great opportunities for your family to enjoy nature together free of charge!

4) Georgia Capitol Museum : Check out the State Capitol Museum with historic artifacts and exhibits. Attend the State Capitol tour to learn more about Georgia history.

5) Ride The Buc : The Buckhead free shuttle bus that allows you to explore exquisite homes, shopping and dining plaza. You can also check out the Governor’s Mansion and the Atlanta History Center.

‘What’s your favorite weekend activity in your family?’

For us, we love to just hang out in our PJs as long as we could and then head out to a park or a bike ride in the neighborhood.

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This month is the marked of our 7th year anniversary. So Mr. Rojo and I plan to getaway for a nice romantic weekend somewhere. We have so many choices that it’s hard to pick just one.

First, we decided on what type of vacation we want. Do we want Golf&Spa, beach, cabin or some other options? I think since we have done Golf & Spa before and we will go to a beach vacation in the next few months, we decided on cabin or mountain getaway this time.

I have looked at Gatlinburg, Helen, and Blue Ridge mountain. I have found a lot of options here. So we have to narrow down our choices yet again.

Gatlinburg is the fartest so it might be out at this time. Helen has always been a place that we want to visit. With only about an hour drive from where we live, it’s a perfect weekend getaway. After all, this will be the first time we leave both our kids.

So I start getting busy checking out online. Here are a few candidates.

1) Timberloft – Alpine Escape : A brand new 1 bedroom cabin. Total cost approx. is $400 for 2 nights stay.

2) Cedar Creek – Allure unit: A one bedroom with high ceiling and water fall jacuzzi. Best of all pillow top mattress. Total cost is $380 for 2 nights stay.

After I saw the Cedar Creek-Allure unit, I can’t find anything else come even close to this cabin. So this is my Tackle It Tuesday. I have done planning our romantic weekend getaway from Atlanta. Will make reservation this afternoon. Yeah!!!!

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This week Thursday Thirteen I got the idea from the blog posted by the Atlanta Traveler. Since I live here, I think it’s more appropriate to talk about things we can do in or around Atlanta area that are kid-friendly .

1) Georgia Aquarium – You can’t come to Atlanta and not visit the GA Aquarium – The World’s Largest and Most Engaing Aquarium. With its unique design you can explore the aquarium at your leisure.

2) World of Coca-Cola – This brand new museum dedicated entirely to Coke is one thing that we have yet to visit. It sits next to the GA Aquarium in the downtown area. If you are a coke memorabilia collector then I guess you can’t go wrong here. Plus who can resist tasting nearly 70 different products from around the world.

3) Centennial Olympic Park – Spring is right around the corner so it’s time to check out what is on the calendar at the park. With the new All Children’s Playground and variety of events like Music @ Noon or Wednesday WindDown, it’s no surprise that this is one of the best thing to do when you are in Atlanta. Plus it won’t hurt that all these events are Free.

4) Atlantic Station – This modern mixed-use district with the concept of Live, Work and Play in Midtown is a good stop for any visitors or local. The area surrounds by various restaurants, shops, movie theatre. There are also various events throughout the year.

5) Imagine It! Children’s Museum – A great place for children of all ages. Perfect to take a break during a hot day in Hotanta if you come to visit during Summer or cold day in winter. With calendar fulls of events, no wonder parents keep coming back here.

6) Zoo Atlanta – A good size zoo perfect for family with small children. It’s not too big to overwhelm little kids but enough to keep them interested. Don’t forget to visit the Panda exhibit! And if you feel too tired, you can always hop on the Train express for a short break.

7) Atlanta Botanical Garden – A great place to visit especially during Spring and Summer. They have variety of flowers and plants and special exhibits throughout the year. Also with little kids in mind they will get to explore in the Children garden perfect for the pint-size visitors.

8) Stone Mountain – This Atlanta Theme Park is one of the top destination for visitors. However, Stone Mountain is not just about the theme park, you can also have a good fun weekend with your friends and family in their picnic area. You don’t need to pay for the park ticket but you will have to pay for the parking per vehicle. There are also lodging inside the park and golf course. This is what we call all-in-one.

9) Chattahoochee River National Park – A great park along the Chattahoochee river on the Northern part of Atlanta. This park stretch over 48 miles along the river. Visit the headquarter to check out any special activities or go on a picnic in the park. For more active families, you won’t be disappointed in many outdoor activities like hiking, walking, rafting or river tubing.

10) Piedmont Park – The favorite in-town park next to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This park has everything for everyone in the family even your fur friends. The dog park, playground, picnic area and swimming pool just to name a few.

11) Fernbank Museum of Natural History – The Fernbank Museum of Natural History is a great place to visit especially with your children. They will get to explore, learn and connect with the cultures and the history around the world. Plus, it won’t hurt to have the Dinosaurs in the middle of the lobby for them to check out in awe.

12) Underground Atlanta – A unique market in the heart of downtown Atlanta. It’s a fun place to shop and eat. We love the chicken wings at the food court. By far, it’s the best we have had and who would have thought that it’s in the food court.

13) CNN Inside Studio Tour – Another tourist attraction in downtown area. It’s fun to check out what is really going on behind the scene. One of the longest escalator ride I have ever tried. If you are afraid of height, brace yourself!

What are on your list to do around town?

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 13 Things to do in or around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

I’m (actually WE are) not an outdoor type person. So the idea of going on a vacation to a cabin seems to be out there for us. But I love to think that deep down I still have my youth adventurous sense within me. Recently, we had a conversation with a few friends from church and we got to talk about weekend getaway. So I let my fingers do the work and found this gem not too far from us.

The Cabin Rentals of Geogia has several luxury cabins up in the Blue Ridge area in the North Georgia Mountain. The one that I absolutely fall in love with is the Timber Fall Ridge. This is a 5 bedroom/ 5.5 bathroom lodge with the view of the mountain and Toccoa River. The picture of the family room makes me think that it’s the hotel reception area. How gorgeous is this!!! The rate is also more affordable than say cabin in the Gaitlinburg area. The rate ranges from $200 – $425 per night depends on the season. But check their website for the most up-to-date information.

What to do in the Blue Ridge mountain you might ask! Well, for a start why do you need to do anything if you stay in this beautiful cabin that has everything from game room, theatre room, hot tub and porch. But if you must, there are hiking, fishing or sightseeing around town. Plus there is a Blue Ridge Scenic Railway nearby which I think Mr. Z will be thrilled and insisting on going.

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I ordered Coffee Cured Steak – medium rare. Hmm hmm.. I have no word to describe it. You just have to try it yourself!

We finished with no room to spare for any dessert. But it was a good night out and worth every penny.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Must eat steak… is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) IKEA for a day is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Ok. I confessed.. I’m a big fan of One Tree Hill and Dawson’s Creek shows. Well, for Dawson’s Creek I got to start watching when the show was already canceled. I caught the whole series on rerun while on maternity leave a few years back. And last night I got to watch the season premiere for One Tree Hill. It brings another potential trip that is yet another advantage in living in Atlanta.

One Tree Hill is filmed in Wilmington, NC. Wilmington is about 7-8 hours from us. So this will be a long weekend trip. It’s a city on the coast with the small town feeling. Looks like it can be a good vacation for us. The kids will get to visit the Battleship and we can take a tour to the studio for the sets of One Tree Hill..

There are several places that we can check out.

1) Screen Gems Studio – They offer the tour every Sat. It will be nice to get to see the sets of the shows and movies that I like. Ok.. Sound so much like movie groupies, heh?

2) USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial – I’m sure the kids and us will have a blast checking out the battleship. I have never been on one. So I would love to check out the history and get the real sense of the history of this ship.

3) Bellamy Mansion – They have tour for the mansion that also operates as a museum of history and design arts. It’s time to take in a little bit of culture..

4) Relax on the beach – We will have to plan this in Spring or Summer to also take advantage of many beaches that we can choose from in Wilmington. I would love to walk on the board walk on Carolina Beach to check out the archade, restaurants and a pier.

5) Ride around town in this cool fun wheel suitable for the whole family. And what could be better way to check out around town than with this fun wheel from wheelfunrentals..

There are probably more stuff than I can think of right now that we can do there. Now we just have to find the perfect weekend and plan our trip.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) One Tree Hill's groupies!!! is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

One of the nice thing about moving from South Florida to Atlanta is the opportunity to have a day trip to several places that within a driving distance from where we live. It takes a minimum of 7-8 hours to get out of Florida from where we lived. I know that Florida is a destination by itself.. But I think each State has different flavor that you have to experience.

1) Biltmore Estate, NC – I would love to see this estate especially during the Christmas holiday. Plus seeing how the rich lives might inspire me or maybe make me feel even worse. Oh! well..I have to try to be able to tell, right?

3) Helen, GA – You can’t compare the Octoberfest in German to this one but without paying for the ticket and hotel I guess this low budget destination will do. I have been there once about 10 years ago and didn’t remember much. As some of you might know, I have suffered from SMS (Short Memory Syndrome) so that’s why I need to blog.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) My Top Ten weekend trips… is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) I want to see SNOW!!! is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog