Cape Cod Family Fun by Land and By Sea

 Posted by on May 27, 2013  Comments Off
May 272013
 
Cape Cod Family Fun by Land and By Sea

For families with teens and tweens that want to combine a beach vacation with lots of active outdoor  fun, Cape Cod   in Massachusetts is hard to beat.  With more than 550 miles of coastline, including dozens of ocean and bayside beaches, active families will find unlimited opportunities to hike, bike, canoe, kayak, fish and explore – and don’t forget the beautiful beaches too! For starters, the Cape Cod National Seashore spans 40 miles along the Outer Cape from Eastham to Provincetown including six swimming beaches with lifeguards.  The Salt Pond Visitor Center near Eastham has exhibits and films on the Cape’s geology, history, and landscape and is a good place to pick up maps and information about hiking, biking and other activities. Hiking is one of our favorite things to [...]

Apr 302013
 
A Spring Regatta Weekend in Saratoga Springs, NY

This recent Spring weekend found us in Saratoga Springs, NY cheering on the Princess as she participated in the Saratoga Invitational Crew races at Fish Creek on Lake Saratoga.  Our one night adventure included a quick tour of some of the city’s most famous landmarks, as well as an adults dinner and evening stroll around the thriving downtown.   Saratoga Springs is a college town, home to Skidmore College and SUNY Empire State College.  It is also a great base camp for exploring other nearby schools including Union College, RPI and Williams College. Whether you visit for a college tour, rowing, or as part of a family vacation, make time to check out the many historic landmarks.  This Victorian era town is dripping with history, as it has long been a destination for travelers [...]

Apr 022013
 
Whale Watching Season Kicks off in Massachusetts

Since they were young, our kids have been fascinated by whales and other sea mammals.  To this day, our teen Princess can barely contain her excitement when she has an opportunity to visit an aquarium or aqua theme parks like Discovery Cove.   Living in New England, we are lucky that every spring and summer several types of whales, as well as dolphins and other sea creatures return to the waters off the Massachusetts Coast.   In fact, in just the last few weeks two rare 70-ton North American right whales have been spotted off of Cape Cod.   Humpbacks, minke whales and finbacks are also common visitors and are beginning to be sighted as well. From early April to late October, whale watching voyages are available on a range of boats from [...]

Jan 272013
 
Families Come in Out of the Cold to Enjoy CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore

The 65,000 square foot CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore is a pretty impressive sight when you first walk through the doors. CoCo Key is the largest indoor water park in Massachusetts and any time it is open the park is a beehive of activity as kids, tweens and teens make the most of the park’s brightly colored slides, sprays, pools and water features. Located in Danvers MA, just 19 miles north of Boston and adjacent to the 364 room Doubletree by Hilton Boston North Shore hotel, CoCo Key Water Park Boston North Shore includes multi-level water slides, spray decks, bucket dumps, water actvities, four-story high enclosed tube slides, a lazy river, and a wading pool for younger kids.   The action never stops as the kids scamper from one splashy activity to [...]

Dec 042012
 
Find Family Ski Fun on Campus During a Visit to Middlebury College

Internationally recognized Middlebury College, located in the Champlain Valley of Vermont, is well known for its challenging liberal arts curriculum and its excellence in foreign language studies.  Founded in 1800, the college is home to 2,500 undergraduates from 50 states and dozens of foreign countries. Many of its students choose Middlebury for the excellent academics combined with the opportunity to spend four years living at a historic  New England campus surrounded by beautiful views of the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks plus unlimited access to all variety of outdoor adventures in any season.  According to Wikipedia, “The campus is known as “Club Midd” because of its bucolic setting and the quality of its recreational and residential facilities.” If your family vacation or college visit plans bring you to this part of New England during the winter, be sure to save some time [...]

Nov 252012
 
Cranmore Mountain Resort Upgrades On Target for Families with Tweens

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, New Hampshire’s Cranmore Mountain Resort is continuing to invest in many on and off mountain upgrades that we think will be a big hit with many families, particularly those with tweens and younger teens.  Since 2010, the Resort has seen its new owners invest more than $8 million dollars to create a state-of-the-art New England family ski and summer vacation destination. This year, Cranmore Mountain opened for Thanksgiving, thanks to 60 new high efficiency snow guns that bring the mountain’s total of high-efficiency snow guns to 378, serving 163 acres and 16 miles of terrain. That number is up over 350% since 2008.   The resort has also replaced its 1950s vintage East Double Chairlift with a $1 million, re-positioned triple chair designed to open up much [...]

Jay Peak Lowers Prices and Adds More Fun for Teens and Tweens

 Posted by on November 20, 2012  Comments Off
Nov 202012
 
Jay Peak Lowers Prices and Adds More Fun for Teens and Tweens

Since being acquired by new owners in 2008, northern Vermont’s Jay Peak Resort has undergone a multi-million dollar transformation to become a state-of-the-art four-season destination with a range of   on-site amenities including expanded ski trails and snowboard terrain, new lifts and snowmaking, a new nordic center, ski-in ski-out lodging, an ice rink, an indoor waterpark, and a golf course.  With 2100 feet of vertical,  385 skiable acres, and 77 trails, slopes and glades teens and tweens are sure to find plenty of options regardless of their skill level.  The Resort rates 20% of trails as novice, 40% intermediate and 40% advanced.  The Resort typically gets 375 inches of natural snow in a winter so it opens early and closes late each season. For cost conscious families, the Resort has announced that it is lowering the [...]