5 Things to Do in Norfolk, England with Kids

Of all the things I imagined doing while living in England, spending time on the beach (or even the coast, for that matter) didn't really cross my mind. But it should have. The UK has some of the most amazing coastal areas I've ever been to. Sunny and 85 degrees? Usually not. But if you can brave the elements, it's totally worth exploring.

The Norfolk area is only a couple of hours from our house, so we've been able to visit on occasional day trips throughout the past two years. When my sister's family came to visit, we decided it would be a great spot to base ourselves for a few days in order to take in even more of the family-friendly attractions in Norfolk.

Here are our favorite things to do in Norfolk:

Looking up in complete amazement at BeWilderwood.

A York Kind of Birthday

I'll never forget Little Arrow's first birthday party. I held back tears through the entire night, not because my baby was turning 1, but because my husband and I had recently learned that we'd likely be moving to England. I was excited about the move, but we hadn't yet told our families, and as they gathered around our dining room table to sing Happy Birthday, I knew it would be his last family party for a while.

That's the trade-off on this expat thing. Leaving the life you know and love behind for a few years of incredible, exotic moments. We traded birthday parties with the family we miss so much for foreign museums and medieval gardens. Like Little Arrow celebrating his third birthday this past winter by spending the day in the beautiful, ancient city of York.

Our first stop (and quite frankly, what could have easily been our only stop of the day, as it's so big and so much fun) was the National Railway Museum. This is one of those museums that marries children's activities with adult fascinations extremely well. There was plenty for the boys to see and do that they found completely interesting, yet things my husband and I could learn from and enjoy also. Hands-on, but not in a way that deters grown ups without children from also visiting.

HouseTrip London Apartment Review

One of the dilemmas we have when planning London adventures is whether to stay the night or try to do everything we want to do in a day. And yes, I realize this very much falls under "first world problems." The train ride to London from our closest major train station is only an hour. But there's a balance between the expense of the train tickets to get into the city (which can be around $50 per person if we don't plan ahead), the expense of a hotel room for a night or two, and then the kid factor: how hard do we want to push the kids to see a lot of sites, without much rest or downtime?

We've done it both ways (day trip itinerary for London here and weekend itinerary for London here). They both have their positives and negatives.

So when the opportunity to check out one of HouseTrip's London apartment rental properties came about, I jumped at the chance to take in a few days in London, knowing we'd have a place to call home in the evenings. Especially in December, when the city is full of Christmas magic.

0 Days in Paris, 2 Days in London

You've already heard the tale of our weekend getaway gone wrong in the Peak District. Since we're on a roll with the travel failures, let's move on to our canceled trip to Paris. Could there be anything sadder than that?

The thought of a long weekend in October in my favorite city in the world had been the proverbial carrot on the stick, enticing me to plow through the lonely summer months here and the stress of sending Big Arrow off to school in September. The icing on the cake was that my brother and sister-in-law were visiting us and had never been. I was so excited to experience the city again, and for the first time as a mom, and also with two of my favorite travel companions (they've joined us on trips to Arizona, Chicago, Michigan, and hosted us in Minneapolis).

We had even arranged a babysitter so that the four adults could paint the town red and live it up. I couldn't wait to see the City of Lights at night again.

Alas, as their visit approached, both Arrows became quite ill with a stomach bug. My parents were visiting at the time, and I was glad we hadn't made any travel plans for their visit. In fact, my mom and dad saw a lot more of my living room than they did of England. As they headed back to the U.S., the bug seemed to be lingering well beyond the normal 48-72 hour mark.

The Weekend in the Peak District that Never Was

It is far easier for me to write about amazing "days out" (as they say here), or the really fun trips we take. It's always more enjoyable to rehash memories that are full of smiling faces and fewer tears.

But late September into mid October found my family in a bit of a travel funk. A big part of me wants to forget it and move on, to not even tell those stories here. But in part, this blog serves as a family scrapbook. When we reflect back on this experience living abroad, I want us to remember that we lived the high moments to their fullest, and survived the low points that made us stronger as a family. And so I proceed with the first of our "misadventures." Our weekend getaway to the Peak District.

In hindsight, I should have known from the beginning that this trip was doomed. I had originally purchased a Groupon for a hotel stay plus admission tickets to several attractions in the area. But the booking via Groupon went haywire and took me hours on the phone haggling with customer service reps to resolve. I also realized after the fact that all the attraction admission tickets included that made this such a great deal were places that already offered free admission. Grrr. Annoying, but we moved on.

Upon our arrival after dinner on a Friday evening, all was going well. The room set-up was ideal, as far as hotel stays go. One double bed and two twin bed cots. Particularly hard to find in Europe. The boys took a bubble bath in the giant bathtub and did flips and twists on the hotel room bed. Naturally it took them awhile to settle into slumber, but by 9 p.m. they had succumbed to their fatigue.

Oslo with Kids: Itinerary and Advice

Oslo is a city that has intrigued me for quite a while. It seems so modern. And yet still retains a lot of European charm. And while Norway might be better known for its stunning fjords and gorgeous countryside, this city is worth spending a few days in if you're planning a trip to the country, particularly with kids. During our 9-day swing through Scandinavia, we had 2 1/2 days in Oslo, and it was a perfect amount of time to enjoy its many offerings.

Visiting Belton House with Kids

One of the things I'm learning from this experience is the value of a personal recommendation. You see in Indiana, I was already pretty well-versed on the great spots to visit, best hikes, gorgeous parks, and fun weekend getaway ideas. While occasionally someone would suggest something I hadn't done or wasn't aware of, it wasn't my primary source of travel ideas.

Now here I find myself, staring at a map of England without much guidance other than brochures or websites, all proclaiming to be the best sites to see. So I'm learning that word-of-mouth to be extremely valuable, the places our realtor or a new friend or our neighbors suggest as a good place to go with the kids.

A visit to Belton House is the perfect example. Had I stumbled upon its listing in the National Trust guidebook or flipped through the pamphlet, I probably wouldn't have planned an outing there. Not that it didn't look beautiful. It just didn't seem to be anything beyond a fancy house. But someone told me they used to visit often with their kids, so we gave it a try.

Light Rail in Minneapolis

There are many things that make traveling with children difficult. Tantrums. Picky eaters. Nap schedules. Bulky strollers. And on and on. But one of the things I find that make taking on all those challenges so worth it is the joy kids find in the simplest things when they're traveling. Experiencing the commonplace, like taking the light rail around Minneapolis, through the eyes of your kids is pretty awesome.

First, you help your uncle buy tickets from the fancy machine. Lots and lots of buttons.

Then you wait. Watching him peer down the tracks and ask repeatedly, "Is it coming? Is it coming?" was beyond cute.

Then you board. And you get a little cranky when no one comes to take your ticket like you've seen on movies and tv shows. (Minnesotans: apparently, a very trusting people.)

Even your little brother seems to like the ride.

My husband and I took the light rail in Minneapolis several years ago when we were in the city for a wedding. To be honest, I barely remember it. But having now taken a little ride with my children, my eyes were once again opened to the wonder of simple travel experiences like this.

Even if you have a car to use while traveling, I encourage you to explore public transportation options with your kids when you travel. It just might be one of their favorite things, and it is relatively cheap. Here are a few other posts you might like:

• Traveling by train with a toddler
• Riding the T in Boston
• TECO street cars in Tampa

More information on our trip to Minneapolis is here.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

AppleWorks in Trafalgar, Indiana

Like much of the country, we had some really bizarre weather this spring and summer. An oddly warm March, followed by an extremely dry summer. It caused all sorts of problems with many of the crops grown here. One of my favorite fall activities, the annual trek to the apple orchard, was affected as well.

The apple trees at AppleWorks in Trafalgar were hard hit, so picking apples wasn't an option (although they had plenty for sale). But for me, it just made a visit and a little financial support of their enterprise all the more important. So when a friend called me up and said they were heading that way, we jumped at the chance to spend a morning there.

They've got an awesome petting zoo. Two years ago, Big Arrow was particularly taken by the sheep. This year, it was the llamas.

Gotta get in for a closer look.

Award for most creative use of a barn? This slide!

Big Arrow was a little scared, but with encouragement from his buddies, he made it down. (And then, go figure, wanted to do it again and again and again.)

Next up was a miniature train ride through the orchard ($3 per person). A little bumpy but beautiful views of southern Indiana's rolling hillside. They also offer hay rides.

My favorite part of the AppleWorks experience is exploring the short trails that weave through the orchard, especially around their pond. (If you have a jogging stroller, bring it. You can easily navigate these paths with one.)

Beautiful photo opportunities. (We attempted to get all of us in a picture. Our only fail of the day.)

The sunlight coming through Little Arrow's ears makes me chuckle. The Arrows did NOT get their ears from me.

Tossing pebbles in the pond. Boys will be boys.

Do you think they missed the apples? Not a chance.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

How to Help Kids Remember Travel

Occasionally I'll read articles by or about naysayers when it comes to family travel. One of their biggest arguments against traveling with young kids is that these children will never remember the experience, thus making it not worth the effort or the cost. I find this logic really faulty for a few reasons:

• Remembering a trip isn't the point. I love traveling with young kids in part because it teaches them flexibility, patience, diversity, proper behavior on airplanes, in restaurants, how to sleep away from home, etc. They may not remember the specifics, but these lessons become ingrained in them at a young age via travel. And hopefully, we'll reap the rewards as they get a bit older. 
• Important time together as a family. When my husband has time off and we decide to stay home, we inevitably get caught up in projects or chores around the house. When we travel, we simply spend time together away from those distractions, enjoying one another and our surroundings.

• YOU will remember it. Someday the Arrows will grow up and leave our nest. I hope that in 20 years I'll be sitting on a beach with my husband, enjoying retirement, and reminiscing about watching our boys splashing in the water as babies.
• My experience shows that young kids often DO remember trips!

With the exception of trips we took before he turned 2, Big Arrow (now 3 1/2) remembers and frequently talks about all of our vacations and many outings we take. Sometimes he'll comment on something that to me was completely insignificant, months and months after we return home, like what color train we took in Boston or that time we let him take his shoes off at a restaurant.

I'm sure he doesn't remember everything, and he may end up recalling very little by the time he's older, but seriously, who cares?

But if you DO care, here are a few ways we keep the memory of vacations and adventures alive in our boys:

1. Read books. This doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money on a book about every destination (although they'd make great gifts or souvenirs). We check out books from the library, or we read general books that have an element related to where we're going or where we've been.

A few recommendations:

• 1001 Things to Spot on Vacation: We've gotten a lot of mileage out of this book because it covers so many different types of trips. Plus, it's a great one for planes or car rides because there is an interaction component to it. It's like the Where's Waldo of travel.
• A series of board books called Good Night Our World. These location-specific books cover everything from Martha's Vineyard to San Francisco.* (Kudos to a loyal ASF reader for starting us on these with the San Francisco book!)
• Jessica at Suitcases and Sippy Cups recommends the Toot and Puddle* stories. I've seen the show a few times and it is really cute.
• Colleen from Travel Mamas suggested the Madeline books, the Curious George books* (I second that!), and also recommends Barefoot Books for a good selection of multicultural books.
• Crystal from Naked Salsa said her 3-year-old daughter loves Biscuit's First Trip.* Big Arrow really enjoys the Biscuit books he has.
• A fellow travel mama and ASF Facebook fan suggests Angela's Airplane.*

2. Play pretend. I'm always catching Big Arrow deep in an imaginary storyline with a plot that I can barely follow. Often his imagination takes him somewhere we've been before or recalls a particular event we went to. When I caught him "playing zoo" with Little Arrow a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist capturing it on video. He got a little silly when he realized I was filming, naturally. But bonus points for the creative use of a baby gate!



If your kids need a little encouragement when it comes to make-believe, you could think about where you've traveled lately. Perhaps a pretend trip to the museum or an imaginary airplane ride!

3. Pictures and video. Maybe it's just my kid, but Big Arrow is obsessed with seeing himself, whether it is in pictures or video. (In fact, he's asked to watch that zoo video about 30 times.) This is a great way to keep those memories fresh. You could even make small photo books for them to flip through after a big trip and display photos in their bedroom.

4. Just talk about it. Sometimes when we have time to kill (often in the car), I'll ask Big Arrow what he remembers about a vacation. Or what his favorite part was. Or what he didn't like. (This is often pretty funny, actually.)


I don't do these things with my kids because I'm desperate for them to remember our travels or because I'm super mom. Like I said, I don't really care. I see enough benefits to traveling when they're young to do it anyway. I just happen to love travel, so reading vacation books instead of another Elmo one or talking about our favorite museums while driving home from preschool is just fun for me (and hopefully them).


This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walking on Travels.


*Affiliate links.

Tips for Visiting Chicago's Museum Campus

I mentioned last week that I'm Expedia's Kids in the City Chicago representative. You can read my write-up on some of Chicago's highlights here. You'll notice that I lead with Chicago's world-class museums. Chicago's museums rival any you'll find around the world. And three of the best are clustered within the Museum Campus.

At this lakeside area of downtown Chicago, you'll find the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. While each of these museums could easily fill a day in their own right, you can also take advantage of their close proximity and hit a couple in one day. Here are some more tips for visiting Chicago's Museum Campus:

• Make time to explore the park land surrounding the campus. The grounds are really breathtaking, beautifully landscaped, and truly an attraction themselves. You'll be right along the lake with the towering skyscrapers of the Chicago skyline as your backdrop. It's a great spot for pictures!

• Pack a picnic. The best way to enjoy this area would be to dine outside. Sure, each of the museums has a cafeteria, and that's a great option if the weather is lousy. But I'd recommend picking up some food at the Trader Joe's along Roosevelt, or in a town known for its hot dogs, order this Chicago specialty at any of the many carts around the campus.
• Go to Shedd Aquarium first. If this great aquarium is on your must-see list, then make that your first stop. The entrance lines can get extremely long as the day progresses, particularly on the weekends.

By 11 a.m., the entrance line to Shedd was already stretched outside the building.

• Get a Chicago CityPASS.* Speaking of lines, you can avoid ticket lines altogether by getting a CityPASS. Plus, you'll save considerably on admission to all three Museum Campus attractions. It's valid for 9 days so you can spread out your museum visits. 
• Take public transportation. There's an 'L' station two blocks from the Museum Campus on Roosevelt, and the red, orange and green lines all stop here. (There are parking lots throughout the campus, with the bulk of parking available at Soldier Field. But the 'L' is much cheaper.) By taking the train, you'll also get to see Agora, a famous and whimsical sculpture that you'll pass as you walk from the station to the Museum Campus.

Agora near the Museum Campus

Want to hear more of my thoughts on Chicago? Watch the video below, where I chat about my top 5 things to do in Chicago with kids. You can bet the Museum Campus made the list!

Be sure to check out the other cities profiled in Expedia's Kids in the City campaign. In addition to their general write-ups and videos on Expedia's page, each blogger is also offering up more specific info on their city at their own blog. So far, the following cities have been featured, with more to come in the next few days. (I'll continue to update this post with additional links.)

• Philadelphia at The Mother of All Trips
• San Francisco at Ciao Bambino!
• Denver at The Vacation Gals
• New York City at NYCityMama
• Boston at Ciao Bambino!
• Washington DC at Poshbrood
• Los Angeles at The Vacation Gals
• San Diego at Travel Mamas
• Minneapolis at The Vacation Gals
• Portland at Pit Stops for Kids
• Seattle at Delicious Baby

Disclosure: I was compensated for my participation in Expedia's Kids in the City campaign.

*Affiliate link.

Museum of Science and Industry: Fun for All Ages

Asking me to pick my favorite museum is like asking me to pick my favorite song or movie. It's so hard to pick just one, and it kind of depends what mood you're in. But Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry would definitely be a strong contender for the title, for one very important reason: it appeals to all ages and interest levels.

Having visited in the past with family and friends ranging in age from 2 months to 80 years, I know from experience.

I came to the Museum of Science and Industry as a teenager with my parents and grandparents, and we all had a wonderful time. I distinctly remember my grandfather being really interested in the miniature train exhibit, an exact replica of the city of Chicago (albeit itty bitty). So I couldn't help but smile when Big Arrow was equally as captivated on a recent trip.

I also visited about 5 years ago, when having kids was a far-away thought. My husband and I spent a few hours at the museum, digging deep into the exhibits and learning a lot. I was really blown away by the enormity and logistics of the exhibit space, with fighter jets and commercial airplanes floating over our heads.

And earlier this year, we visited with Big Arrow (a toddler), Little Arrow (a newborn), plus a couple that we're friends with who have no kids. It was a perfect activity for mixed company. Even the more adult-oriented exhibits were hands on enough to keep Big Arrow entertained.

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to delight little ones. Like big tractors.

And shadows that make a perfect dance floor.

But I love when there's fun to be had for adults, too. Like when we all raced the toymaking robot. (The robot won.)

"Fun for all ages" might be a travel promotion cliche, but when it actually happens, it's a real joy.

If You Visit:
Museum of Science and Industry
57th Street and Lakeshore Drive
Open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
$15 for adults, $10 for kids ages 3-11 (Special exhibits, tours, and shows are extra)

Insider Tips:

• Hungry? The cafeteria (in the basement) is actually pretty good, with a few gourmet, healthy options in addition to the typical cafeteria staples.
• If you're staying downtown, consider taking the train! The South Shore Line and the Metra Electric Line both stop at the 57th Street station, just a few blocks away. (Otherwise, parking is $20.)
• Join a reciprocal science museum near home (like Wonderlab in Bloomington, IN, which I'll be writing about next week) and save on your visit to this museum. Or if you'll be visiting several popular Chicago attractions, buy a Chicago CityPASS.*
• If you're meeting up with people, have a plan ahead of time. The entrance/lobby of the museum is several stories underground, and your cell phones might not work. (We learned this the hard way.)

Expect more things Chicago-related over the next couple of months. If you're planning a trip to the Windy City, you might consider following my Chicago Pinterest board, where I've been pinning a few off-the-beaten path activities and fun Chicago-related blog posts. I also wrote about the Chicago Children's Museum here.

This post is a part of Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

*Affiliate link.

Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum

Our first big adventure as a family of four last month took us to Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum. My husband has fond memories of visiting this museum each year at Christmas when he was a kid (although it was in a different building at the time), meeting Santa and riding the train. So we did exactly that.

First, we warmed up by letting Big Arrow color and make a ring as part of an organized effort to bring holiday cheer to area hospitals, nursing homes, military overseas, etc.

Then it was time to meet the Big Guy. I feared getting the standard "kid screaming on Santa's lap picture." But my husband did an amazing job of convincing (typically timid) Big Arrow not to be scared. I think he even managed to whisper what he wanted for Christmas.

Then it was time to board the train. It's a simple series of carts that goes round and round a decorated holiday scene. Perfectly sized for little ones. (Meaning my 6' 4" husband had to stand on the sidelines with Little Arrow while I rode the train with Big Arrow. Sometimes it pays to be short!) I loved the kind staff and volunteers who so graciously entertain train riders.

Then we left the Celebration Crossing exhibit to check out the old fashioned department store holiday displays. Big Arrow was completely fascinated with the little Christmas scenes spread out behind the glass. He marveled at them for quite some time.

Our morning at the museum was full of festive fun, and it was particularly rewarding to hear my husband comment repeatedly on how much it reminded him of coming to the museum as a child.

If you're wondering where Little Arrow was for all this fun, you should know that I subscribe to the "don't mess with a sleeping baby" parenting philosophy. So this is how he took in all the museum's sights and sounds:

Celebration Crossing is closed for the holiday season, but as my husband can attest, you can count on it being back again next year.

If You Visit:
Indiana State Museum
650 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis
Open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. to  p.m.
Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children 3-12.
Insider Tips:

• Signs will tell you that you can't take photos in Santa's house. While this is true, you don't have to buy one of the museum's photo packages. I was able to take photos from the entrance of the house (and was encouraged to do so).
• While the Indiana State Museum is not a children's museum, the Amazing Maize exhibit that's at the museum through January 2013 is quite kid-friendly. I'll be writing about that soon.

Disclosure: I was provided with tickets to the Indiana State Museum. I was under no obligation to write about my time at the museum, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Memories from Boston: Riding the T

Last week a big military plane flew overhead as The Arrow and I were stopped at a stoplight. I asked him where he thought the plane was going, and he immediately yelled "Boston!" from the backseat. I love that he's finally reaching the age where he remembers big events like our trip to Boston this summer.

If you ask him what he remembers about Boston, the first thing The Arrow will give you a full report on is the "orange train." Our rental house in Jamaica Plain was a few blocks from the orange line of the MBTA, Boston's main public transportation system. For a suburban kid, riding a subway was a pretty grand experience.

I've already written about why I think train travel is so great for getting from one city to another with a toddler. But getting around one city is pretty awesome, too. We actually had time to talk to each other, spend time as a family, tell The Arrow about the things he'd be seeing when we reached our stop, etc. Plus, we didn't worry about traffic, navigation or parking in a particularly un-car-friendly city, nor did we have to drag a car seat on the plane or rent one.

I was glad he got to add another train to his list of transportation memories, much like the TECO streetcars in Tampa. There are many other modes of transportation that I hope we get to take The Arrow on in the coming years: Chicago's "L," New York City's subway, Paris' Metro, London's Tube and double decker buses, San Francisco's trolleys...

(Perhaps my sister will leave a comment sharing with all of you the time she and I got separated on the Paris Metro during a high school trip to France... fortunately I've become a little more savvy about these things in the last 15 years!)

Insider Tip:
If you're taking public transportation directly from Logan Airport in Boston, I recommend buying your T tickets at one of the kiosks near baggage claim at the airport (pictured below). There were long lines to get tickets at the T station itself and we got to walk right by since I had already bought tickets while we were waiting around for our bags.

My husband describes this picture as "that time you abandoned our kid in a busy airport just to get a photo for your blog."

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Trip Report: Boston

I'm excited to share how we spent our five days in Boston. It was definitely our most ambitious family travel experience to-date, and our first big city adventure with a 2-year-old. We managed to pack in a lot of fun, but also tried to keep our son happy with naps and bedtimes. While it may have meant we didn't get to do everything we would have liked, it was a good strategy when tackling a very crowded place on a hot holiday weekend with a toddler.

Day 1: Arrival in Boston


Dinner on the patio at Bella Luna in Jamaica Plain

We departed Indianapolis around noon, and arrived at Logan around 2:30. The arrow managed to sneak in a quick nap on the flight, so he was ready to ride the "train, train, train!" when we landed. (We had prepped him very well for the many T rides we'd be taking in advance of the trip!) We hopped a free shuttle bus from Logan to the Airport T station, and from there headed out to our HomeAway rental property in Jamaica Plain, a great neighborhood just outside of downtown Boston (that we soon learned the locals call JP).

We were greeted warmly by our property owners (who live on the second floor of the house), and sent on our way toward City Feed and Supply for some basic groceries. It's a cute, organic grocery store and the walk there allowed us to get a sense of the neighborhood. We loved it--diverse, safe, artsy and walkable.

By 5 p.m., my brother-in-law and his fiancee arrived from Iowa to join us for the rest of the trip, and we were all famished. So we headed to Bella Luna, a hip pizza place just a 2-minute walk from our house. Is there anything better than pizza on a sunny patio to kick off your first day of vacation?

Day 2: Walking Downtown Boston and Harvard



Swan boat rides in Boston Common

We were up and ready to tackle the city today, and the weather cooperated with temperatures in the low 80s and sun (it would turn out to be the coolest day of our trip). We headed straight for the Swan Boat Rides at Boston Common, and after our 15-minute ride in the boat, we walked more of the beautiful park. Then we picked up the Freedom Trail and walked along, slowly meandering our way toward Quincy Market. (Along the route, we were greeted by a couple of different performances from historical reenactors. We saw Red Coats and a Minute Men but managed to avoid getting caught in a battle between them!) We grabbed an early lunch at the Salty Dog Seafood Grill, and then explored a bit more of the market. From there, we decided it was best to let the arrow stretch his legs at the Christopher Columbus Park. This location proved to be one of our favorites in the entire city, mostly because it was so close to many attractions, but we could let the arrow run free and be a 2-year-old for a few minutes here and there. We stopped in a few times throughout our trip. (Read about a fun street performance we participated in at Christopher Columbus Park here.)

By now the arrow was worn out, so we headed back to Jamaica Plain for a nap. Later that afternoon, everyone met back in Cambridge for dinner at the Border Cafe, followed by a romp through Harvard's campus and ice cream in Harvard Square. What a great first full day!

Day 3: Celebrating the 4th at Georges Island

Our family enjoying Fort Warren on Georges Island

This was July 4, and we decided to escape some of the crowds that were already gathering for fireworks and festivities in downtown Boston by hopping on a ferry headed toward Georges Island. This is one of the Boston Harbor Islands, a network of 34 islands and peninsulas in the Boston Harbor. The ferry ride itself is only about 20 minutes and offers great views of the Boston skyline. After we arrived on the island, we picked up a map and began exploring Fort Warren, which is mostly known for housing Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. While you'll quickly realize you're in a prison-like atmosphere, it's natural surroundings out on the water make it a beautiful spot to spend an hour or two. And its history is pretty fascinating as well.

After the ferry ride back to Boston, we walked to the North End and had lunch at a little Irish pub. Then our group split--the arrow and I headed back for a nap, while the rest of the gang took in a Red Sox game at Fenway. That evening, the baseball group was worn out and sunburn, so I picked up take-out at Canary Square in Jamaica Plain for an easy dinner at home.

Day 4: Boston Children's Museum

Playing at the Boston Children's Museum

This was our last full day in Boston, and since the arrow had been such a trooper for our first few days, we wanted to end on a very kid-centric note. So we headed to the Boston Children's Museum, where he spent a few hours exploring the many exhibits (several of which cater specifically to toddlers--love that!). After a quick lunch near the museum, we headed back to Jamaica Plain. Following his nap, we spent some time at the Southwest Corridor Park, a portion of which was just outside the front door of our rental house. Then we headed to dinner at Doyle's, a famous pub that was featured in several movies, such as Mystic River. (This was one of our only regrets of the trip--the food and service were very average, and we didn't even recognize the place.)

Day 5: Goodbye Boston

Unfortunately, this day entailed only a very early wake-up call and a ride on the T back to Logan for our flight home.

So what did we miss? Plenty! Fortunately, my husband and I had been to Boston just a few years earlier, where we did the Freedom Trail in great detail, the JFK Museum, and long walks around MIT and Harvard. But on this trip, I would have really liked to make it to Mike's Pastry in the North End for cannolis. And on our last night, we should have walked toward Jamaica Pond for dinner instead of settling on Doyle. Certainly, I would have loved to experience the July 4 fireworks and Boston Pops concert, but everything I read and everyone I talked to suggested that it's just not very manageable with a 2-year-old.

I have a lot more on my to-see list in Boston, like the Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Arnold Arboretum, the Franklin Park Zoo and the New England Aquarium. But that's why there's always "next time."

I have so much more to share about our trip, so stay tuned. For advice on planning your own trip to Boston with kids, check out my review of the guidebook Around Boston with Kids.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Disclosure: As the winner of HomeAway's recent blogging contest, HomeAway paid $2,000 of our travel expenses to Boston. For us, this meant they covered all of our lodging costs and a portion of our flight costs. We paid all other expenses. All opinions expressed about the trip, the contest and HomeAway are entirely my own and I was not asked to share a particular point of view.

Traveling by train with a toddler

We've been really lucky that the arrow has always been a great car passenger on our adventures. But when we went to Chicago for a morning back in September, he got to experience the thrill of train travel. There's a commuter train service that runs across the northern part of Indiana into downtown Chicago. Since we were already up north camping at Warren Dunes State Park in southwest Michigan, we decided to take the train instead of driving into the city. We spent the two hour trip traveling from Michigan City, Indiana straight into the heart of Chicago reading books, waving hello to the commuters going into the city, and eating Cheerios. I was worried there would be no going back to the isolation and confines of his carseat after all that fun.

If you're considering taking the South Shore train line across northern Indiana and/or into Chicago, you can read more about our trip at my post at the Indiana Insider.

Reading books with daddy

I'm no expert on taking a train, especially domestically. But we had a great experience. Here are a few reasons it's my new favorite mode of transportation.

• There's more room to move around. You can get up and move if you need to. The seat in front of us wasn't within kicking distance of the arrow's legs. And he didn't have to be pinned down to his car seat for hours.
• The action outside the window was much more entertaining. (Since typically, once you take off, you're only looking at gray skies or big clouds.)
• Passengers come and go, which also adds to the visual interest for a toddler.
• Your fellow riders can also choose not to sit near a little kid, unlike on a plane. The folks surrounding us seemed to enjoy the presence of our son and waved to him or said hello. Maybe he spiced up their typical commute.
• There was no need to arrive 2 hours in advance and still worry about getting through security.
• Space to stow our stroller and bag was plentiful. I'm sure this isn't the case on all trains, but we had no trouble.
• PRICE: it was about $16 roundtrip.
• We avoided outrageous parking fees in downtown Chicago and didn't pay to park at the station. The Indianapolis airport charges at least $9 per day for parking, and I think that's pretty cheap compared to many airports.
• Train stations are usually more centrally located. We arrived 1 block from Millennium Park, right on Michigan Avenue. So much to see and do was at our reach from the moment we stepped off the train. That's certainly not the case when flying into O'Hare or Midway.
• The environment. I don't know how it breaks down, but I'm certain the carbon emissions coming from each of the 30 or so folks in our train cabin would have been greatly increased had we each taken a car into the city. And that's just one cabin of about a dozen.

I'd really like to explore more of the country by train. I have great memories of hopping on trains throughout Europe--no need to worry about driving in a foreign country or navigating ancient city streets. It would be so much more fun to explore nearby cities if we could get there by train. Unfortunately, that's not possible from where we live. And the options I've researched from the Indianapolis Amtrak station are extremely expensive.

I dream of the day that rail travel is as prevalent, easy and affordable in the Midwest as it is in Europe or other areas of the world.

What about you? Have you taken the train recently? Love it? Or hate it?

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips and Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.