The Window Seat: Family & Kids Archives

I grew up in Florida so it's only natural that I was born with an innate love of bone-chilling, heart-pounding, hair-raising amusement-park thrills. But like most junkies, I eventually tired of the same old thing and went in search of new kicks. This is how I became obsessed with America's weirdest theme parks. Check out my top five picks below.

5) The Holy Land Experience - This theme park is a Vegas-style miniature version of certain sights in Israel. It boasts Judeo-Christian "thrills" such as the world's largest indoor model of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea Scrolls cave, and a faux-Jerusalem street market. But there are no rides, making this park lower on my list.

4) Dollywood - America's favorite buxom blonde has her own amusement park and it's a knee-slappin', foot stompin' good time. Only at Dollywood could you enjoy a sawmill-themed roller coaster, watch an "artisan" make soap, and then top off the day with some delicious meat on a stick. Dollywood is jolly good, y'all.

Richard Louv coined the phrase Nature Deficit Disorder in his book LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS and ever since I read about it, I've been thinking about how the majority of us are nature deprived; and as a result, in some way, suffering. How many times are you outside walking about but barely taking in the world around you? Have we forgotten how to truly see? Louv claims that in really seeing, and more importantly in experiencing and interacting with, nature we are more able to deal with the troubles that life hurls our way. He links ADD and ADHD among other symptoms that can be healed through more interaction with nature.

I got to thinking about how our vacations are our time (especially as adults) to stop and sniff the roses. It's how we recharge. But how many of us return from vacations exhausted? So my question is, are we getting that time? And Louv would contend that this issue is critical when we look at how families vacation because we must teach our children to embrace nature. For if we don’t, they will never develop an appreciation for and a commitment to nature. Without that, our environmental stewards will die off within just a few generations and the outlook for the world will be bleak.

I polled Travelocity’s travelers and asked them about how they spend time on family vacations to see what has changed over the past several generations. Here are the highlights of what I found.

Photo thanks to IgoUgo member Caromeow

This week, I’m visiting local TV stations to raise awareness of a looming generational crisis: nature-deficit disorder. A term coined by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, this “disorder” isn’t a medical diagnosis, but a description of the “human costs of alienation from nature,” he writes. In his book, he recalls fond memories of being outdoors: hiking deep into the woods where he climbed trees and felt the exhilaration of nature swarm around him. In one powerful statement he divulged that “nature was my Ritalin.”

Editors’ Note: To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, The Window Seat is devoting this week to exploring some of the world’s natural environments, hereby declaring this Nature Week. Through our Nature Week posts, we hope to inspire all travelers to get outside and interact with nature no matter where they happen to be. For more ideas, visit our collection of Children & Nature road trips and volunteer opportunities.

I did Disney World. I was five. I remember the haunted house ride because I went on it with my grandpa and I worried the entire time that he would have a heart attack right there in the cart next to me. I remember being absolutely wrecked after running as fast as I could to chase down Goofy to get my picture taken with him only to have him disappear through an invisible door in some fake wall before my little legs could catch up to him. And that’s pretty much all I remember from the Magical Kingdom.

The truth is, the truly magical moments I remember from my childhood didn’t come from any sort of manufactured fun. My most vivid memory from that trip to Florida is climbing a ladder in an orange grove, picking an orange, and having the farmer squeeze the juice right there in front of me and tasting the best thing I’d tasted up to that point in my life. Later that night we wandered out back behind my Uncle Roger’s house to look for the crocodiles that supposedly lived in his pond. The thought of those crocs lurking in the waters made my heart race with a delightful terror the haunted house could never have. No animated characters or movie theater popcorn necessary to create those memories – just the pure beauty and thrill of nature.

Editors’ Note: To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, The Window Seat is devoting this week to exploring some of the world’s natural environments, hereby declaring this Nature Week. Through our Nature Week posts, we hope to inspire all travelers to get outside and interact with nature no matter where they happen to be. For more ideas, visit our collection of Children & Nature road trips and volunteer opportunities.

On either side of the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find elements of the natural world seamlessly coexisting with city life. The Presidio, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, guards the city side of the bridge while Muir Woods National Monument awaits those who want to get away from San Francisco for a day of hiking.

I’ve done my share of exploring these city-side nature retreats, climbing inside a massive Redwood at Muir Woods and leisurely walking along the trails of the Presidio to marvel at the beautiful historic buildings. The Presidio is steeped in a rich culture history; a fact that I was well aware of. Something I didn’t know about the Presidio is that it boasts a rich natural history as well. More than 100 million years in the making, the Presidio is home to rare ecosystems, found in only a few places on the planet. Everything from its unique plant communities to the sand dunes are results of massive geological events, and exploring these are all part of the San Francisco experience. How’s that for a day in the city?

I’ve always thought that San Francisco was a one of a kind city in this sense, happily marrying big city life with outdoor pursuits. Well, it turns out that it’s not all that unique. Even if the family plans to visit a big city destination this summer, chances are, nature awaits beyond the skyscrapers and public transportation.

Whether your mama is voting for Obama, you think Hillary has more verbal artillery left in her, or you're catching a ride on the Straight Talk Express, there's no denying that this is one of the most exhilarating elections in recent memory.

Like many of you, I'm hanging on every poll, obsessively reading CNN, and toying with the idea of getting more involved. The national conventions for both major parties offer excellent opportunities to observe the election process up close and explore a little of the heartland. Here's the scoop on how to get in on the action.

Yesterday marked the official beginning of Chinese New Year. To many people, this late winter holiday means vibrant street festivities complete with fireworks, colorful dragon floats, and tasty Chinese goodies galore. To others, the term “Chinese New Year” barely rings a bell. But given the growing influence of Chinese culture, more people are learning about the holiday and making plans to participate in celebrations across the country and the world.

Let’s start with the basics. Chinese New Year takes place on the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar, and as such is also called the Lunar New Year. The ancient Chinese believed that a man-eating beast called the Nián emerged from his lair each year on this day to prey on humans. Believing this beast to be sensitive to loud noises and the color red, the early Chinese frightened it away with fireworks and bright red colors. These customs eventually evolved into the scintillating celebrations we enjoy today.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member captain oddsocks.

How can one possibly talk about football on a travel blog, you ask? Well, I’m not sure, but I’m going to try. Besides, reindeer running and paintball have already been done. To begin with, my experience with this year’s NFC Championship game was an international one. The New York Giants were playing the Green Bay Packers in frigid Wisconsin, and I convened with my brothers, Max and Will, at Will’s apartment. Also present were Will’s fiancée and her two friends, all three of whom are Canadian. While we Davidson boys sweated and swore and tried to sweet-talk the game in our favor, the ladies chatted and enjoyed some wine, and watched, more or less dumbfounded, at the depths of obsession that they were witnessing from three blue-bedecked, grown men on the couch. As my brother once said, “We’re not religious, but we watch the Giants every Sunday.”

It’s an unfortunate truth that the average American isn’t going to get to the African savannah to watch a wildebeest, the Mongolian Steppe to see ibex, or the Antarctic shelf to ooh-ahh at penguins. That’s why so many cities proudly flaunt their zoos as a way to showcase and preserve exotic and endangered creatures.

Years ago, while staying with a host family in Uruapan, Mexico, I had the opportunity to visit the zoo in the nearby Michoacan state capital of Morelia. This was not the cushy Smithsonian Institution Zoo that I’d grown up with in D.C. Amid a frenzy of balloons and lime-chili-chip vendors, I stood in front of a tiger cage that stank of raw meat and watched a magnificent cat pace back and forth in an intensely dense cloud of flies. Echoing my thoughts exactly, the father of my host family lamented aloud, “pobrecito, el tigre” (poor little tiger).

National Zoo tiger photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Reiflame.

With the holiday season in full swing, gift shopping underway (well, almost), and my annual hometown pilgrimage upcoming, I’ve had one thing on my mind: family. It’s the time of year when travel means family travel: how to keep the kids entertained, the parents happy, the siblings living harmoniously, and yourself sane. It can take some serious maneuvering.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member C.Kowalczik

Welcome to The Window Seat Podcast!
In this episode of The Window Seat Podcast, we're going to Orlando, Florida.

We tell you where the "young at heart" can find romance, find out what goes on behind the scenes of theme park attractions, talk to a travel expert about family-friendly shows, and discover where speed junkies go to get their fix.

Listen to the whole show: [24:17]

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Young At Heart [6:43]

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Behind The Scenes [6:31]

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As a seasoned San Franciscan, I can tell you a lot about the Golden Gate Bridge. I can also talk your ears off on the subjects of crooked Lombard Street, funky Haight-Ashbury, our fleet of highly polished retro-chic cable cars, or even eccentric local legends Emperor Norton and Frank Chu.

My grasp of San Francisco lore unravels, though, once the subject turns toward the city’s spookier aspects (excepting, of course, the infamous Zodiac Killer. He’s got his own blockbuster film, after all). Otherwise, I don’t know much about the haunted parts of the Bay Area. Ghosts, ghouls, and graveyards--this fascinating side of the city always seem to come alive as Halloween approaches at this dark time of year.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member kona.

I have an image burned in my mind that may haunt me for years to come, and that is of my parents bopping to Ludacris.

That view eclipsed the foliage this weekend as the three of us drove to New Hampshire for a visit with family. Traveling with the folks as an adult can be rewarding (and, clearly, eye-opening): besides the rapping incident, I rekindled my appreciation of American history after my dad, a self-styled Ben Franklin expert, led me on a Philadelphia walking tour last year. And from my mom, there is my appreciation of girls’ weekends and good deals from when the two of us would steal away to the Blue Ridge Mountains for some relaxed antiquing without Dad to speed us along.

But traveling with your parents—especially when it involves 12 car hours in 2 days—isn’t a cakewalk, and there will be moments when your rebellious teenage years start to seem well-reasoned. Over the past few years, though, I’ve learned some tips that keep challenging moments to a minimum and your adolescence at bay.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member BawBaw

This past Saturday afternoon, as I stood in the sunlight soaking wet from a flume ride and nibbling on a pickle on a stick, a bearded man asked me in all earnestness if I wanted to learn about lye soap. Bluegrass music emanated from a nearby rock. To my right, bald eagles rested on a branch. To my left, a woman in period dress stood in line to buy a pork rind while the man paying in front of her was holding onto a kid on a leash and wearing a t-shirt that read “get high on Jesus.”

This was my first visit to Dollywood, which is part amusement park, part celebration of Smoky Mountain culture, and part rollicking country fair. It was day three of a whirlwind road trip through the region, and my friends and I would be staying that night in the Tennessee town of Pigeon Forge, where it quickly became clear that the backwoods are back in style and it’s hot to be a hillbilly.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Alan63.

Guess who’s having the best week ever? You are, if, like me, you’re a Harry Potter fan. The fifth Potter movie opens today, and my pre-ordered copy of the final book will arrive on July 21.

I don’t care as much for the witches and warlocks as I do the backdrops: the sky-high Gothic halls of Hogwarts School, the haunting (sometimes talking) landscapes, the oh-so-British town of Hogsmeade (specifically, the butterbeer served there). And like any determined traveler, I won’t let the fact that these places are fictional stop me from visiting them.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Glamazon22.

Just what is Local Secrets, Big FInds? It's a special project that we do every two years at Travelocity -- a project that is more than just a project -- but a huge labor of love. As we sift through thousands of nominations that you, our favorite fellow travelers, tell us are terrific places that you won't find in any other guidebook. These are spots where the locals frequent and they're found all across america. So if you're looking for that something unique to do on your summer travels, your road trip, or just this weekend Local Secrets, Big Finds is full of ideas.

In this, our third issue of Local Secrets, Big Finds – we teamed up with IgoUgo and culled down over 10,000 entries to select our 295 winners. I always have to hand it to our phenomenal editorial team for doing this work – it is truly the biggest project we do! Jenn, Holly, Rachel – you are amazing! This year they've taken citizen journalism to new heights.

Like any kid, I couldn’t wait for school to be out and summer time to roll around. The average summer day in Texas meant sweltering heat and swimming pools, but the real treat was our weekly theme park visits.

“Maybe,” said my Dad over the phone without a hint of irony, “during the hottest hours of the day you kids can come back inside like when you were little and do art projects.”

We were talking about an upcoming family trip to celebrate a milestone birthday for him, one in which he, my mother, two sisters, brother-in-law, and I are going to share a condo together on the Caribbean island of St. John. With the youngest of us being age 25, none of us even remotely qualify for the “kid” label anymore. Yet, judging by our hats in the photo I’ve posted above, things tend to, uh, regress a bit on the rare occasions when we all can get together as grown-ups.

In a world where Al Sharpton might very well be a blood relative of Strom Thurmond, genealogical research never ceases to surprise. In reaction to the news of this familial possibility, Sharpton did exactly what I would’ve done, which is to travel to the South Carolina birth town where it all began and “learn who you are.”

I’ve learned that traveling to visit family can unearth many surprises, and very often sheds light on what makes you tick. From pierced ears to homemade health elixirs, my travels have revealed all sorts of delightful family rituals and traits.

Today, the fate of travel weather forecasts for the next six weeks rests upon the shoulders of a super-sized squirrel who subsists on dog food and ice cream. He also happens to be scared of his own shadow. But whether or not the much-loved groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, predicts more winter or the start of spring, the crowd that comes to learn his prognostication grows by the year.

*Photo courtesy of Alan Freed/PunxsutawneyPhil.com

Without going into detail, let’s just say I see where Danny DeVito was going with his Lincoln bedroom commentary on “The View” a few weeks ago--though I would have preferred to hear it from his buddy George Clooney. There is such a thing a “vacation sex.”*

DeVito’s rant aside, I get what he meant. Being away from home, from work, and from the distractions of our everyday responsibilities makes, ahem...you know, totally different than at home. Indeed, better...and more frequent.

For the last week, I have been completely preoccupied by the heartbreaking story of the Kim family from San Francisco and the tragic discovery that the father died of exposure and hypothermia while seeking help for his family in Oregon.

Last week, CNET senior editor James Kim bravely set out on what his wife Kati described to authorities as an heroic last resort to save her and their two young daughters. After running the car for heat and running out of gas, then burning all four tires, James set out for help on a 10 mile trek through rugged, snowy terrain. Sadly, his path led him in a near circle—his body was recovered only one-half mile from the family car.

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