We planned a trip to DC from Florida with Grandma, 3 adult sisters, and 2 kids. Halfway there an aunt (me) sprained her ankle and walking DC was out. Luckily, we were almost to Atlanta where Lake Lanier has an awesome water park. The kids were overjoyed to spend the weekend soaking wet as were the aunts (even me) and had a wonderful time. Grandma was the official watcher of handbags and phones and was happy left to her books. Best accidentally diverted weekend ever!
Hitting several mini-vacations is a feat unto itself. Well done!
Too bad the girls don't enjoy all Chicago has to offer. My boys loved the Museum Campus, and the Institute of Art (having watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off helped!)
They have fun for limited bursts there, but they're all pretty miserable by the time we get through a full museum. Too much time and too much walking. I'll find someone they like eventually.
We did the Field Museum two years ago. It's like a sad zoo where all the animals are dead and stuffed. Science was simpler back when it was just shooting stuff.
Sounds like you planned and had a great summer with kids! We learned that through grade six, the teachers ask on the first day of school what people in the class did in the summer, and learned that despite a pretty exciting vacation trip, when asked what they did they will only remember the LAST thing they did before school started, ie, not “two weeks in Australia”, but “swam in grandma’s pool”. And if you haven’t already, you need to get a very large paper calendar on which everyone writes whatever they are going to be doing, including those once a year performances, sports events, etc. when the kids all move out you and Lola will still use it for all your doctor appointments and dental cleanings, which is senior citizen social life.
I try to put things on my Google calendar right when they're scheduled, but it doesn't always happen. Also, sometimes people don't brother to tell me. I'm just dad after all. Great tip on kids only remembering the last thing they do. I should schedule our best trip for the weekend before school.
If you ever get to see a production of „Leaving Iowa,“ I hope you do. I think you’d like it. It’s both poignant and hilarious (spoiler: I have a warped sense of humor). If you can convince the kids to go with you, they‘ll gain a carload of one-liners to tease you with for years.
Such update to an already pretty active summer can make it even better! For me both important sites and simple trips to car washes or McDonalds are equally key factors to a memorable summer holidays. But all of these can be deliberately forgotten (or hard for sb to express) as my my younger brother Antek did one time when writing his essay on how he had spend his summer. It consised of two sentences: "On vacation I was farting around. The End.".
I'm afraid I can't suggest much for you to visit, as I've never left Europe in my life so far, but I can say a thing about sightseeing on skyscrapers. As long as the ground is hard to spot, nobody should fear catching the fear of heights. At least that's my experience from when my family went to see the panorama from the observation deck on the 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, which is protected by barriers and bars.
"The next time I travel, I’m only taking my tooth brush and the clothes on my back. I apologize in advance to anyone who has to smell me on day three." - I know few people who think alike, but the first coming to my mind is Antek, for whom it's the go to way for attending sleepovers.
I cannot believe you didn't think of an afternoon or evening at Wrigley Field! It's an iconic ball stadium with handsome young ballplayers running around the bases. There are still reasonably priced tickets but to get 6 together you'd have to definitely plan ahead. Just walking around downtown Chicago is fun. I remember as a kid being so impressed with riding the L train and seeing just how dark it is on the downtown streets. And a Fannie May Candy shop was on every corner but sadly not these days.
If we did a baseball game, we'd do the minor to league team in Indy. My kids don't know baseball exists. The glory of to Wrigley Field would be wasted on them. They would enjoy walking around Wriglyville. I've heard it's wonderful.
We planned a trip to DC from Florida with Grandma, 3 adult sisters, and 2 kids. Halfway there an aunt (me) sprained her ankle and walking DC was out. Luckily, we were almost to Atlanta where Lake Lanier has an awesome water park. The kids were overjoyed to spend the weekend soaking wet as were the aunts (even me) and had a wonderful time. Grandma was the official watcher of handbags and phones and was happy left to her books. Best accidentally diverted weekend ever!
Well played! Grandma was the real MVP. The value of a good bag watcher cannot be overstated.
I’m so west coast I thought it was still called Sears Tower😉
I usually call it the Sears Tower when talking about it, but since I was writing it down, I thought I'd try to be correct.
Ditto! Plus I've been to the top when it was still Sears Tower ;o)
Hitting several mini-vacations is a feat unto itself. Well done!
Too bad the girls don't enjoy all Chicago has to offer. My boys loved the Museum Campus, and the Institute of Art (having watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off helped!)
They have fun for limited bursts there, but they're all pretty miserable by the time we get through a full museum. Too much time and too much walking. I'll find someone they like eventually.
It’s hard to believe your kids wouldn’t like the Field Museum or the aquarium. My kids loved them. However, cosmic bowling is fun, too.
We did the Field Museum two years ago. It's like a sad zoo where all the animals are dead and stuffed. Science was simpler back when it was just shooting stuff.
Sounds like you planned and had a great summer with kids! We learned that through grade six, the teachers ask on the first day of school what people in the class did in the summer, and learned that despite a pretty exciting vacation trip, when asked what they did they will only remember the LAST thing they did before school started, ie, not “two weeks in Australia”, but “swam in grandma’s pool”. And if you haven’t already, you need to get a very large paper calendar on which everyone writes whatever they are going to be doing, including those once a year performances, sports events, etc. when the kids all move out you and Lola will still use it for all your doctor appointments and dental cleanings, which is senior citizen social life.
I try to put things on my Google calendar right when they're scheduled, but it doesn't always happen. Also, sometimes people don't brother to tell me. I'm just dad after all. Great tip on kids only remembering the last thing they do. I should schedule our best trip for the weekend before school.
Car washes ARE my vacation! I love them.
If you ever get to see a production of „Leaving Iowa,“ I hope you do. I think you’d like it. It’s both poignant and hilarious (spoiler: I have a warped sense of humor). If you can convince the kids to go with you, they‘ll gain a carload of one-liners to tease you with for years.
I'm intrigued. I'll add to my "to be watched" list!
If i could comment with a gif, I’d post the John Travolta lost/confused one.
That gif applies to most of my life!
Such update to an already pretty active summer can make it even better! For me both important sites and simple trips to car washes or McDonalds are equally key factors to a memorable summer holidays. But all of these can be deliberately forgotten (or hard for sb to express) as my my younger brother Antek did one time when writing his essay on how he had spend his summer. It consised of two sentences: "On vacation I was farting around. The End.".
I'm afraid I can't suggest much for you to visit, as I've never left Europe in my life so far, but I can say a thing about sightseeing on skyscrapers. As long as the ground is hard to spot, nobody should fear catching the fear of heights. At least that's my experience from when my family went to see the panorama from the observation deck on the 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, which is protected by barriers and bars.
"The next time I travel, I’m only taking my tooth brush and the clothes on my back. I apologize in advance to anyone who has to smell me on day three." - I know few people who think alike, but the first coming to my mind is Antek, for whom it's the go to way for attending sleepovers.
I approve of your brother's essay. Straight at to the point. I could learn a thing or two from him about wood count.
https://tibbsdriveintheatre.com/
This is a solid idea. The one downside is it gets dark late and I am very tired.
Take the kids to the Drive-In... https://tibbsdriveintheatre.com/
YOU are a great dad. I’m exhausted just reading about your plans!! I’m not as great a parent, and I’m totally fine with that!
I cannot believe you didn't think of an afternoon or evening at Wrigley Field! It's an iconic ball stadium with handsome young ballplayers running around the bases. There are still reasonably priced tickets but to get 6 together you'd have to definitely plan ahead. Just walking around downtown Chicago is fun. I remember as a kid being so impressed with riding the L train and seeing just how dark it is on the downtown streets. And a Fannie May Candy shop was on every corner but sadly not these days.
If we did a baseball game, we'd do the minor to league team in Indy. My kids don't know baseball exists. The glory of to Wrigley Field would be wasted on them. They would enjoy walking around Wriglyville. I've heard it's wonderful.
No self-respecting Chicagoan will ever call the Sears Tower that abominable name. Oh, that's right. Not a Chicagoan and... anyway. Have a good trip.
My kids have no idea what Sears is. Then again, I don't know what Willis is. Is it a business or a guy? Maybe Bruce Willis owns it.
You got me. I'm not sure anyone in Chicago knows either.
He was talking about Sears Tower?!?! When/Why did they change the name. Ugh!
2009
So a hundred years of brand recognition down the drain. I’d be surprised if they get any visitors now. Such a shame.
It seems the company that bought it paid for naming rights. The observation deck gets a lot of visitors, though.
Okay. You made me google rail bike…