Summer beckons. The good news? School is out: no more shiny metal desks, and there’s plenty of time to run and jump under the dancing rays of the sun. The bad news? Spring fever has magically morphed into summer fever, and boredom has crept in. Cabin fever now refers to your own backyard, with its shiny new swings and overgrown dandelions. Little feet itch to explore the world; they want to go somewhere!
So where do the kids want to go? Are they longing to travel the world, to explore the stunning volcanoes of Hawaii, to marvel at the gigantic Eiffel Tower? Or will that bore them too? Then the bickering, which never quite ended, will pick up speed with the dizzying force of an erupting volcano.
We asked the kids and listened to their opinions. What do they remember 10 years down the road? What do they still laugh at? What was most conducive for family bonding time?
Enjoying Nature
Eighteen year-old Esti B. fondly recalls her family’s vacation to Lackawanna State Park, around five years ago, where they “just enjoyed spending time together doing different nature things.” The park, boasting a large lake and sprawling trees, offers hiking, boating, and bike trails. They used portable grills to cook yummy suppers, and crackling campfires produced oozing marshmallows and many memories.
Esti’s nature-inclined family stayed in a camper on the park’s campgrounds for a few nights, enjoying all the park had to offer. According to its website, the park also maintains cabins, cottages, and an inn, ranging in price from $61 per night to $740 per week (not including tax and a non-refundable $6.50 deposit). Prices vary based on season, and cabins and cottages may only be available for a complete week’s rent. Lackawanna State Park is located in northeast Pennsylvania just 10 miles from Scranton, almost four hours from Baltimore.
Gayil, Esti’s classmate, also rates her family’s trip to the wilderness as their most memorable one. The family rented a cabin near Niagara Falls and spent several days reveling in the gorgeous natural setting. A tad rustic, this vacation was full of bonfires, barbeques, refreshing hikes, and plenty of family bonding time. Several years down the line, Gayil still remembers this vacation as a wholesome, fun, adventurous experience.
Squirt!
Need a fun activity for the kids in your very own, very hot backyard? Shayna G’s advice is bound to keep kids and adults of all ages entertained and happy, if a bit wet. “Fill up water guns,” she says, “and just…squirt!” Set up goals, make up your own quirky rules, and play a game suspiciously similar to dodge ball. Water makes everything that much more exciting, prompting squeals of laughter and delight and trailing droplets of memories.
Please Touch
Nine-year-old Yoel remembers his trip to Philadelphia, PA. “We went to the Please Touch Museum,” he exclaims with contagious excitement. “There were fake stores with shelves and a fake hospital!” The Please Touch Museum, just two hours from Baltimore, is a sensory wonderland. Complete with a pretend road, grocery store, garden, Rocket Room, playground, and much more, the museum caters to children’s vivacious energy and active imaginations. Please Touch Museum is slightly on the expensive side – it costs $19 per person – but it is sure to keep even the most unenthusiastic child entertained.
If you need a filler for an exciting Philadelphia trip, the Smith Memorial Playground, also located in Philadelphia, “is really nice for younger kids,” according to Mrs. H. This child-friendly playground may be just the place to burn off steam after your museum visit.
Historic Ships
Bobbing in the sparkling waters, several historic ships line Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Wooden or steel with a touch of color, these ships shine with personality, each with its own story. They include the USS Constellation, the last sail-only warship built by the US Navy, which saw action in the Civil War; the USS Torsk submarine, with its torpedo rooms, navigation station, and crew mess and berthing areas; and the US Coast Guard Cutter Taney. Yoel S. had a grand time on these ships. “Just going onto a ship was cool!” he says. Though this trip may seem ideal for boys, it can also be appreciated by girls, who will learn how fascinating decks and ropes and chains and rickety stairs can be. Because, as Yoel explains, there are lots of hands-on experiences. “We got to go below deck!” he exclaims, his enthusiasm ringing through the phone wires. The nearby location and gorgeous scenery are huge pluses for this trip. Prices vary based on age, ranging from $7 to $18 per person. And children under five are free!
Animal Fun
Children wax enthusiastic about the plethora of animals that live at Clark’s Elioak Farm. Miriam Kayla eagerly explains that “there were a lot of animals you could pet.” In addition to goats, horses, cows, sheep, pigs, bunnies, turkeys, and chickens, the farm boasts a pine-forest maze, enchanted forest, and attractive playground, which, according to Miriam Kayla, has a “rainbow slide that was really fun! There’s also a slide that went zooming fast!” Located in Ellicott City, less than an hour from Baltimore, Clark’s Elioak Farm is open from 10 to 5 (they do not allow anyone in after 4) every day except Monday. The farm costs $7 per person, with the option to pay an extra $2 to $4 for various train rides, hay rides, and pony rides. Animal food is available for sale for $.25 a handful. This farm is ideal for younger children.
The National Zoo, located in Washington DC, is another fantastic animal attraction. It exhibits a huge selection of animals and is free of charge.
All Aboard!
Rhyming with moon and balloon, the word pontoon is described by Merriam-Webster as a “flat-bottomed boat.” Nesanel explains that “It’s a big boat.” Pontooning is bound to excite children of all ages, from toddlers to teens. A big motorboat with enough room for at least 10 people, pontoons are steered by their exuberant passengers. Codorus State Park offers attractive pontoons for reasonable prices, and their website also describes hiking trails and other boating options. The lake is spacious and stunning, and there’s plenty of grass for picnics and ball games.
Other fabulous places for boating – canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boating – include Centennial Park, Piney Run Park, and Bladensburg Waterfront Park.
Yum!
Don’t know what to have for snack? There’s always the option of potato chips! Healthy or not – potatoes are vegetables, after all – potato chips are most definitely crunchy, yummy, and fascinating. Martin’s Potato Chip Factory offers a tour, where they “show you the process from beginning to end,” explains seventeen-year-old Racheli. “You get a hair net, and you actually go on the floor very close to the machines. At the end, they take the sizzling chips straight off the machine, and everyone gets to taste them.” Racheli recommends this trip for the whole family, regardless of age: “From baby to bubby,” she quips. Martin’s Potato Chip Factory is located in York, Pennsylvania, and they give tours on Tuesdays at 9, 10, or 11 a.m., free of charge. To schedule a tour call 1-800-272-4477, extension #3351.
Herr’s and Utz potato chip factories offer similar, child-friendly tours. Herr’s is located in Nottingham, Pennsylvania, and Utz is in Hanover Pennsylvania.
Pedal Away
Biking is always a popular activity when the weather’s agreeable. It’s perfect for just riding around the block, pedaling eagerly to the closest grocery store, or getting a refreshing jolt of fast-paced exercise. But a change of scenery is always exciting. The NCR trail, beginning in Hunt Valley, about a half-hour from Baltimore, is a flat, shady, scenic trail, stretching 20 miles from Maryland to Pennsylvania. This bike trail, with its perfect balance of challenge and ease, is perfect for both seasoned biker and amateur rider. It’s a wonderful place for a wholesome activity that never goes out of style. Bring your own bikes and helmets, or rent them at Monkton Bike Rental.
Summer continues on its merry way, scattering sunshine and memories. Sometimes, vacation is exhilarating, and sometimes it’s downright exhausting: a merry-go-round of laughter, smiles, and complaints. But when the going gets rough, remember that a popsicle is the magical cure for all problems – and don’t forget to capture those sticky memories on film forever.
