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Families Travel! Sharlet Goes to Orcas Island
In February 2010, Sharlet and her son Liam (9) went to Orcas Island with friend Marci and her three children: Issak (8), Sydney (5) and Will (6 months) Orcas Island is part of Washington State’s gorgeous San Juan Islands, a ferry ride and drive from either Seattle or Victoria, BC. The San Juan Islands usually show up on a Top 10 Islands list every year in a travel publication or site, and are a don’t-miss experience if you’re visiting Seattle. Â The three islands (Lopez, Orcas and San Juan) each offer various kid-friendly options, but Orcas is a nice pick if you want a balance between stuff to do and a…
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Free and Cheap Portland Museums, Zoos and Attractions
Make your trip to Portland even cheaper! Portland’s a good deal already, with all those kid-friendly, affordable restaurants. But the Rose City knows that traveling and local families can’t always spend $50 bucks on admission — even if it is a really cool museum. Here’s a whole month full of discounts, so you can visit Portland attractions for free, cheap and a little less. Free museums and cheap museums in Portland, Oregon: OMSI: Admission is $2 on the first Sunday of the month; kids 2 and under are always free. World Forestry Center: Admission is $2 on the first Wednesday of the month; children 2 and under are always free. 3D Center…
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Cycling Across Canada with Kids
Joe Kurmaskie and his wife Beth set out on a cross-Canada adventure with their three boys, ages 9, 7 and 1. Method of transport: bicycles. Really. And it was awesome. Kurmaskie’s crew started out from their home in Portland, Oregon, cycled to North BC’s Prince Rupert, then east across Canada to Halifax, Nova Scotia. They started out on a three-seat tandem bicycle, pulling a trail-a-bike with a baby trailer attached. But always conscious of safety, the couple soon switched to a two-seat tandem for Joe and one son, pulling a trail-a-bike and baby trailer, with Beth riding alongside on her own bike. Q: What was the best part of your journey? Having the whole family join a…
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Seattle Spotlight: Pacific Science Center
“The dinosaurs! The dinosaurs!†That’s what my 4-year-old son demands, when I ask where he wants to go at the Pacific Science Center. And it’s true – dinos are the big draw at this six-acre science playground, only a Monorail-ride away from downtown Seattle. In the “Dinosaurs: A Journey Through Time” exhibit, robotic meat-eaters claw at a carcass, while a T. Rex towers over visitors. Screeches and cries fill the room, which can (at first) alarm very young kids. So encourage them to listen carefully – you’ll hear the soft whirring and clicks of these mechanical dinos. In one corner, you can even drive a dino skeleton: rotating the eyes,…
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Bellingham’s Fairhaven Toy Garden
This weekend I had the chance to stop by the Fairhaven Toy Garden in Bellingham, Washington. This 1,900-square foot shop encourages families to play with puppets, pick costumes and test out a toy car’s wheels. Anyone over age 10 can try their hand at needle-felting pocket-sized rabbits and sheep at the store’s Saturday workshops. Shelves of yarn and art supplies keep creative kids happy. A window-side table encourages families to sit and color with wax crayons and Lyra pencils. The Toy Garden’s Waldorf-inspired owners supply wooden building toys, colorful roving, moldable beeswax and other natural playthings. It’s a sweet little shop, and it’s within sightline of the Fairhaven Village Inn,…