Travel With Teens and Tweens

Photo Friday: The Last Sunset of Summer

Sep 082011

In our neighborhood, autumn came early this year when Hurricane Irene washed out the last weekend of summer and school started before Labor Day. Just a few days before the hurricane barrelled across New Jersey, New York and Vermont we enjoyed one last summer sunset in Long Branch, NJ. #1 Son caught this image which pretty much sums it all up for us. The last summer sunset of 2011 The lifeguards are all off duty and the bathing suits and suntan lotion have been put away. The backpacks are full of newly purchased school supplies and a new season of Travel with Teens and Tweens adventures awaits. Happy Fall! Note: we shared this post with the Delicious Baby photo friday roundup which is a great place to discover lots of fun family travel bloggers.

Five Favorite State and National Parks for Family Vacations with Teens and Tweens

Hawaii, Jersey Shore, Mt. Washington Valley, South Dakota, Yellowstone No Responses »

Jun 022011

Five Favorite State and National Parks for Family Vacations with Teens and Tweens

With school getting out and summer coming in, many families with teens and tweens will be thinking about hiking, camping and getting into the great outdoors. State and National Parks offer access to a wide array of natural wonders and family adventures. If you are looking for ideas consider some of our favorites from across the country including: Custer State Park in South Dakota Stay at one of the park’s lodges, drive the wildlife loop to see the buffalo herd, big horn sheep, antelope, begging burros and more. Don’t forget to visit Sylvan Lake. Take a mile long stroll around the lake or follow the trail for a thrilling day hike to 7,244 ft. Harney Peak. Its a great hike for teens and tweens. Side trips to Jewel Cave [...]

NJ’s Americana Diner: A Classic

Best trip archives, Jersey Shore No Responses »

Sep 152010

According to the American Diner Museum web site, the word “diner” is a derivative of “dining car” and diner designs originally reflected the styling that manufacturers borrowed from railroad dining cars. The first diners were simple prefab affairs with a counter, stools and a cooking area along the back wall. Of course over a number of decades, diners got bigger, tables and booths were added and the decor got a whole lot flashier with stainless steel, neon and chrome being featured prominently. We are always on the lookout for particularly good examples of classic diners and found one in the Americana on Route 35 in Shrewsbury, NJ, just a few miles from the beach and near an upscale mall. We stopped in for lunch (and paid our own tab). The teens thought the burgers, fries and deli [...]

Asbury Park, NJ Making a Comeback

Best trip archives, Jersey Shore No Responses »

Sep 092010

The beaches and boardwalk of Asbury Park, NJ were once jewels of the shore, featuring a mile of rides, mini-golf, shops, sand, beautiful people and happy families. However, for the last 25 years or more it has been tough times in Asbury, as the boardwalk and shopping district were largely abandoned. Thankfully, the tide is beginning to turn in Asbury and for the first time in many years the summer crowds are coming back. Our recent visit to Asbury Park shows that times are indeed changing for the better. On a beautiful hot Sunday afternoon the beach and boardwalk were mobbed and a new generation of trendy restaurants and shops were doing a brisk business. In addition, the town’s performance venues such as the Stone Pony, the Wonder Bar, the Paramount Theater [...]

Take Me Out to the Blue Claws!

Best trip archives, Jersey Shore No Responses »

Sep 072010

Families with teens and tweens that are visiting the Jersey Shore can’t go wrong with a night out watching the Lakewood Blue Claws minor league baseball team. Just 25 minutes from many Monmouth and Ocean County shore towns, the Blue Claws are celebrating their 10th season by turning in a division leading performance and advancing to the post season playoffs. The team is an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies and many Blue Claws eventually make it to the big leagues. The Blue Claws play more than 60 home games a year at the very modern, 6,500 seat First Energy Park. The season runs from mid April to early September. Regular season tickets are $10 to $15 a person, with $5 tickets available for seating on the outfield grass. Parking is $3. Well stocked food courts and [...]

Down the Shore … with Earl

Best trip archives, Jersey Shore 1 Response »

Sep 062010

Mother Nature, in the form of sun and surf, is usually the main summer attraction at the Jersey Shore. Last week, however, strong waves and rip tides, courtesy of hurricane Earl, took center stage along the coast. Although the storm did not deliver much in the way of wind or rain, it did have an impact on our daily plans since the wave heights and swimming conditions changed each day. In the days before Earl arrived, the waves were strong enough to entertain the surfers but still safe for beach-goers. As the week went on, the sun kept shining but the threat of rip tides forced life guards to close the beaches. Our week down the Shore with Earl reminded us of the power of the ocean and the need to stay flexible with weather-dependent vacation [...]

Heading Down to the Jersey Shore!

Best trip archives, Jersey Shore 4 Responses »

Aug 262010

No matter how old they get, the teens never get tired of the annual pilgrimage to the Jersey Shore. Hope you enjoy these photos of some of our favorite Jersey Shore moments. Need more ideas for great Jersey Shore activities for teens and tweens? Check out all the links on our Jersey Shore Top 10 list. Hitting the Beach in Belmar Catching the Waves on Boogie Boards A Thrill Ride a Minute – Boardwalks Jersey Style Winning Some Silly Prizes in the Arcades Can’t forget mini-golf Lots of time for family fun! We included a link to these photos on the Delicious Baby Photo Friday roundup. Stop by there if you enjoy family travel photos.

Older Entries