Bienvenue au Canada--Welcome to Canada!

The carful of kids are headed to Montreal, Canada, later in the day but first we wrap up Vermont by exploring Burlington. Yesterday, we explored the Waterbury/Stowe area and loved it. Between the fall color and the skiing--I wish we lived closer so we could visit during the different seasons.

The carful of kids walk along the Church Street Marketplace, a four-block pedestrian shopping district.  For the kids there is Ben and Jerry's ice cream to eat and giant boulders to climb and for the adults shopping and sidewalk cafes--they also have festivals year-round.

The carful of kids load up in the SUV and look north to Canada even though we want to stay in Vermont a little longer--maybe another time. This is the kids' first visit outside of the United States and they are excited to get going.

Church Street Marketplace

It takes about an hour to drive to the the Canadian Border from Burlington, Vermont, through the idyllic countryside. But to take your car, kids and contents across the border there are several things that you need to keep in mind.

I pulled together a folder full of documentation for crossing the border, remember that the border agents have the authority to deny entry into Canada if they want to. I am traveling into Canada with my children that are under 18 with only one parent present so I want to have all my documentation accessible to make the process as easy as possible.

The carful of kids got passport cards earlier in the year, there are inexpensive ($40) and good for five years.  Passport cards are good for land and sea travel into Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Items I carry in my travel folder:

• Passports and Passport cards and a copy of Melissa's passport (just in case)
• Notarized letter of consent--see below
• Copies of the kids' birth certificates--I left the originals at home 
• A copy of our itinerary which includes the addresses of hotels and campgrounds plus their reservation numbers.
• A copy of our car insurance. If your state issues a paper car registration add that as well 

The notarized letter of consent:

• A statement from my husband stating he is a legal guardian of our kids with their full names, dates of birth, and passport numbers
• The full names and addresses of the people the kids are traveling with (Melissa and myself) along our passport numbers and dates of birth 
• The dates we are traveling and when we will return
• His contact information
• His signature
• Notary stamp and signature

At home I have left a similar folder with copies of all the information for Dad as well, just in case. 

We say good-bye to the US and approach the Canadian Boarder Officer-- we roll down the windows, pass them our passports and offer them the folder. The agent takes it and looks over the letter of consent and asks the kids a question. They thank me for pulling together the appropriate information and let us through. Yea.

Beaver Lake

Another hour or so to get to Montreal, but this is when I realize my navigator doesn't read or speak French but the driver can speak and read enough to get by. We spell the street names instead, remember French is the official language in the state of Quebec.

Our first stop is Parc du Mont-Royal, named by Jacques Cartier in 1535 for his royal patron, it's in the center of the city and a devoted green space. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, he designed the gardens of the Biltmore Estate, it includes hike and bike trails, sculpture garden, playgrounds, and the popular overlook--Belvedere Kondiaronk, or Mount Royal Chalet.

The view from Mount Royal Chalet

The carful of kids spend the afternoon exploring the park, stop for a picnic dinner and hike to the Chalet. Large city parks are a great place for kids to unwind after sitting in the SUV. 

After several hours exploring Parc du Mont-Royal, we load up and drive over to St. John's Oratory, a Roman Catholic Church that was commissioned in 1904. St. John's has the third largest dome in the world and is a National Historic Site of Canada; it is also another popular site to see the city lights.

The carful of kids climb the stairs to the top and then enjoy a moment to sit and enjoy the view. 

Up next: Another packed day, more to do in Montreal.

Touring Kid-Friendly Vermont

The carful of kids are in Vermont after exploring Niagara Falls yesterday. We are on a mission to eat our way across Vermont in our own kid-approved farm tour.

After a long trek across Upstate New York (over 350 miles), we settled into our room late, last night at the Best Western Inn and Suites in Rutland/Killington. If you are in the area, they have suites with equipped kitchens, great for families.

Hammond Covered Bridge, 1843

The carful of kids are still 75 miles from Waterbury, Vermont, but we want to check out some Covered Bridges in Pittsford; there are four west of the town. The bridges are enclosed with walls and a roof to protect the timber-trussing from the weather. They are quintessentially quaint and easy-to-find.

Cooley Covered Bridge, 1849

The next on our list is Shelburne Farms, 1400-acre working farm, seven miles south of Burlington, Vermont; they have an excellent kids' program ($8/adults, $5/kids, 3 to 17) focused on sustainability. They are open year-round  (9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) and they feature an inn and restaurant along with the farm tours.

The carful of kids head to the Children's Farmyard (open mid-May to mid-October) to milk a Brown Swiss diary cow and walk around in the chicken coop--there are goats and kids, sheep and lambs, pigs and piglets, rabbits, turkeys, miniature donkeys and horses. All the animals in the Children's Farmyard are docile and used to kids petting them; there are several informative displays explaining the basic principles of agriculture as well.

Shelburne Farms has a farm store to buy their farm-made products--we grab some fresh baked bread and farmhouse cheddar to make turkey sandwiches. There is a Farm Cart open seasonally for prepared lunches and if you forgot dessert, there is a bakery on site as well.

Shelburne Farms is a great introduction to local, sustainable agriculture, make it your first stop. The carful of kids head to Cold Hollow Cider Mill (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.--free) to see how cider is made. The original owners started pressing apples in 1974, you can get their cider by the gallon plus their cider donuts.

The carful of kids love cheese so we stop by Cabot Annex Store (open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) for samples and load up. You can find Lake Champlain Chocolates and Danforth Pewter retail locations as well; all the businesses have factory tours nearby.

We have waited all day for dessert so we are headed to Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. Scooping since 1978, they have factory tours (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., $4/adults, kids 12 and under free) and don't forget to visit the flavor graveyard.

The last stop of the day is Trapp Family Lodge, a resort that the von Trapp family started after they immigrated to the US. A great stop for fans of The Sound of Music.

There is a lot more to do in the Waterbury/Stowe area of Vermont and the carful of kids would love to stay a few more days but we have to move on.

Next Stop: Burlington and Montreal, Canada.

Niagara Falls State Park and the Maid of the Mist

The carful of kids are in Niagara Falls, New York, to explore one of the top waterfalls in the world. The first activity on everyone's list is a ride on the legendary Maid of the Mist.

The Maid of the Mist's maiden voyage was in 1846 to ferry passengers, parcels and mail across the Niagara River between Canada and the US. Today close to two million passengers don the blue ponchos to get an up-close look at the three falls that make up Niagara Falls.

The carful of kids are here early for the Maid of the Mist ($17 adults, $9.90 kids 6 to 12) does not take reservations but you can order your tickets online. The first trip of the day is at 9:15 a.m. and the carful of kids hop right on board, no waiting.

We put on our blue ponchos and jockey for a spot on the railing to feel the power and the mist of the falls.  The carful of kids are not disappointed--the Maid of the Mist lurches and growls against the power of 750,000 gallons of water per second that fall over the three falls, remember 20% of the US's drinking water passes through here.

You will get wet, but don't miss it. The ride is quick and before you know it the carful of kids are docking but you can explore the falls on foot.

Follow the slippery stairs up for some great photo opportunities, including a rainbow. The carful of kids ride the elevator up from the dock to the observation deck for more pictures.

The Maid of the Mist has a complex of activities, including a theater, aquarium, discovery center and the Cave of the Wind; it is located adjacent to the Niagara Falls State Park. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it.

The carful of kids watch Niagara: Legends of Adventure in the theater. This along with the displays explain the history of the falls and its use in generating electricity for the East Coast.

If you are here later in the day, be sure check out the falls at night; they are lit in a rainbow of color every night until 11 pm. The carful of kids spend the morning exploring Niagara Falls but are anxious to get to our final destination of the day--Rutland, Vermont.

On our way to Vermont, the carful of kids make a stop at the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, New York. Within this building, the National Park Service tells the story of Women's Rights Movement that started in this area in 1848.

With another Junior Ranger Badge on our caps, the carful of kids continue onto Vermont.

Up next: Vermont.

Hershey's Chocolate World and Niagara Falls at Night

The carful of kids spent yesterday in Virginia at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and Shenandoah National Park. After a packed day, I loaded the kids into the SUV and drove 260 miles (approximately four hours) to Hershey, Pennsylvania, so we could visit Hershey's Chocolate World, first thing in the morning.

Hershey's Chocolate World has been on my list of places to visit since I lived in New York City fifteen years ago. The carful of kids hit the parking lot at this popular attraction early--specifically when they open (9 am) for there are several attractions in this complex.  Hershey's Chocolate World is the Hershey's Factory Tour and huge gift shop but there is the amusement park, HersheyPark with a water park The Boardwalk as well.

The town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, is a chocoholic headquarters and has enough attractions for a long weekend. The carful of kids start at chocolate central, Hershey's Chocolate World--the tour itself is free and this includes an amusement ride-type tour of the chocolate making process. It's entertaining for the carful of kids; we grab some chocolate to nibble on later in the SUV before we leave. We don't have enough time for a visit to the amusement park but we do drive across the street to the Hershey Gardens.

Hershey Gardens, a 23-acre botanical garden that opened in 1937 as a rose garden, is a great place to visit with a carful of kids. There is plenty of space for them to run around and the garden-lovers, Melissa and myself, look for inspiration. Hershey Gardens incorporates their chocolate heritage into their landscaping as well.

After a few hours exploring Hershey, Pennsylvania, the carful of kids are antsy to see the next attraction--Niagara Falls near Buffalo, New York. Back in the SUV, we head north 320 miles so we can have wings for dinner. A little over five hours later, we arrive in Buffalo at the Anchor Bar--home of the original buffalo wings where they have been frying them up since 1964.

After gorging ourselves on wings, the carful of kids want to see Niagara Falls at night. If you are visiting Niagara Falls, make the effort to see it at night. The falls are completely lit (until 11 pm most nights) along with the Niagara River that feeds the falls. You can even ride on the legendary Maid of the Mist (open from May until October) until 8 pm.

Up next: Touring the Niagara Falls State Park with a ride on the Maid of the Mist.

Shenandoah National Park and Monticello

The carful of kids with Thomas Jefferson

The carful of kids drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday from Asheville, North Carolina, intending to make it allthe way to Waynesboro, North Carolina. But with all the stopping, exploring and the setting sun; we had to drop in on Interstate-81 to get to our final destination.

We want to continue through Shenandoah National Park via Skyline Drive to earn our Junior Ranger Badge and explore the park. The carful of kids enter through the Rockfish Gap Entrance and make our first stop the Loft Mountain Information Center, mile marker 79.

I look over the Shenandoah National Park Junior Ranger Booklet and discover that you are required to attend two ranger programs. What? I didn't schedule that into my itinerary. Then I look at the Ranger Programming and see we are at the south end of the park and all the programming is at the north end of the park.  Geez.

The carful of kids regroup for a moment and cut our losses. There is no way we are going to get to the northern part of the park (the more popular entrance because of its proximity to Washington), attend two ranger programs and get to our next destination--Hershey, Pennsylvania, today.

We decide to check out Charlottesville, Virginia, and drive around the campus of the University of Virginia--UVA instead. It is a beautiful campus that was designed by Thomas Jefferson. The carful of kids aren't doing full campus tours but we look at areas and ask, would you like to go to college here?

After lunch, we drive to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello--his home and plantation that he started when he was 26. Thomas Jefferson designed his home according to the principles of Neoclassicism and it's a notable example of Palladian architecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-visit.

The carful of kids pay for admission ($25 for adults and $8 for kids, 5 to 11) and hop on the bus to the top of the hill where Monticello sits-Italian for Little Mount. 

Inside of the house itself is Jefferson's collection of artifacts and his unique solutions to household problems of the day. It is not a luxuriously-appointed mansion, more of a large, comfortable retreat for the third president of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson had a passion for gardening and agriculture, the collection of restored vegetable and flower gardens are amazing. The carful of kids love running around gardens, we only wish we had more time to explore Monticello--the security guard is following us to ask us to leave. We are the last people here.

Up next: Hershey, Pennsylvania and Niagara at night.

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

The carful of kids wake up in Asheville, North Carolina, after spending the day exploring Memphis, Tennessee, on our quest for the Canadian Maritimes. We will continue north via the Blue Ridge Parkway where we left off two summers ago.

We have stayed in Asheville before when we visited The Biltmore Estate and drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On the first trip, we earned our Blue Ridge Parkway Junior Ranger Badge, this trip I want to continue to earn the Blue Ridge Parkway Patch, with three more stops.

Rhododendron

We enter the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) north of Asheville at Oteen, mile marker 382, and make our first stop at the Craggy Gardens, mile marker 364, to walk among the rhododendrons. Next stop is Crabtree Falls, mile marker 340, for another quick hike. With every bend of the road, your eye meets miles of rolling smoky-blue mountains covered in verdant foliage.


The Museum of North Carolina Minerals, mile marker 331, is chock-full of facts from the state's mining heritage and the minerals that can be found here. Then on to Linville Falls, mile marker 316, for a look around.

Hydrangea

The next stop is the Linn Cove Viaduct, mile marker 304; it is built to hug Grandfather Mountain and was the last section of Blue Ridge Parkway to be completed, winning many engineering awards.

The carful of kids continue north to Moses Cone Manor House, mile marker 294, to explore but it is closed already. It is a large, Victorian Neo-Colonial home that was completed in 1901.

The carful of kids have spent the better part of the day exploring and we are no where near our destination of Waynesboro, Virginia.  Melissa does a quick search and we discover we are still 275 miles away. Remember there is a 45 mph speed limit on the BRP.

With the sun hanging low in the sky, we exit the Blue Ridge Parkway and race up the interstate instead.

Up next, Shenandoah National Park and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

A Day to Serve and Explore

For the MLK holiday, the carful of kids join other volunteers for a service project with the Centex Chapter of the Native Prairie Association of Texas. But first we take a short hike.

Not far from our home base is Granger Lake and Dam, managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, where we join in on a hike to look for mammals and birds. Kirsti Harms, a volunteer naturalist with a passion for birds, organized a bird walk along the San Gabriel River below Granger Dam.

For close to two hours we explore along the river, listening for bird calls and looking for scat. Along the way, we see several birds and my boys find skeletons in the knee-high grass, along with discarded shot gun shells and an arrow.

With a bag of trash that we find along the river, we meet more volunteers at the Blackland Prairie Replication Site. First task, the carful of kids help unload little bluestem plants that were rescued from a construction site along I-35, north of Temple, Texas, last May.

After the plants are unloaded, we grab a shovel and start digging holes. With a hole deep enough, the carful of kids transplant the clump of little bluestem. After several pots, the carful of kids are experts at backfilling the dirt around the plant.


The Native Prairie Association of Texas helps in conservation, restoration and appreciation of native prairies and grasslands around Texas, and help manage this area of restored prairie.

Up next, the carful of kids return to their East Coast road trip in North Carolina, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.

Elvis for Breakfast, Ribs for Lunch.

The carful of kids wake up early in Memphis, Tennessee; we are headed to Graceland, the iconic enclave of Elvis Presley before the crowd arrives. There will be tour buses bringing fans from all over the world and we would like to be there first.

We buy our tickets ($60.00--this includes a free kid and my student discount) and get in line for the bus.  As the carful of kids are whisked through the entrance gates, we get a brief history.  My first impression is how modest the outside of the home is, not nearly as large as I would have thought.

Yellow TV Room

Our group is lead through the public rooms of his house, the first floor, the basement and the legendary Jungle Room. Don't blink or you will miss it; the tour moves fast. Once outside, the group tours the other buildings, including the Trophy Building and the Racquetball Building, where the iconic jumpsuits are on display.

Trophy Building

The carful of kids finish the tour in under two hours but you can make a day of it. We see the highlights of the legend and we are satisfied--the carful of kids are a little young to be die-hard Elvis fans.

Next up is the Peabody Hotel Ducks that ceremoniously march downstairs from their Royal Duck Palace on the roof to swim in their marble fountain at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. The regally-dressed Duck Master adds to the production. This is a must for kids, but get there a bit early for the best seat, the lobby will be full.

The carful of kids are hungry so we head over to Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous for some ribs. From his basement, Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous has been serving up his charcoal broiled ribs since 1948.  It is a Memphis institution and should not be missed.  The kids, Melissa and I devour a couple of large orders of ribs and leave nothing but bones in return.

With full bellies, the carful of kids drive over to Sun Studio for a tour of the legendary recording studio--where Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Ray Orbison, among others, have all cut tracks. This is an intimate behind-the-scenes tour and our tour guide adds to the enthusiasm.

I am a huge fan of Johnny Cash and spent some time working for record label so I enjoy the details and memorabilia. The kids love the fact that they are able to sing into the old microphone. If you have a limited amount of time in Memphis, this is your stop.

With a few highlights of Memphis under our belt, the carful of kids look east. Mom has drive to Asheville, North Carolina, by the end of the day.

Up Next: The Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.

Hey Moms! You can dig for Diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park!

The carful of kids pack up the essentials and hit the road again for Nova Scotia. Why? Well, I don't know--it's there, we've never seen it and it'll be fun. This might haunt me later.

Before you can get to the edge of North America, you have to drive halfway across North America. The carful of kids live in Central Texas so we like to check out a few things every time we pack up the SUV and head out.

I start early on the first day of a road trip and log a lot of miles--the kids are excited. Melissa (my best friend and road tripping accomplice) and I talk over the options as we race up I-35 towards DFW.  The choices are: Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site or Crater of Diamonds State Park, both in Arkansas.

Learning how to mine for diamonds

While both have their merits, there's only one where you can dig for diamonds. This road tripping mom is feeling lucky. The carful of kids roll into the park in the early afternoon and notice it's busy. There is a waterpark next to the diamond field.

The carful of kids pay our admission and rent some tools for about $30 and we're ready--until the park ranger tells us to attend the demonstration on diamond hunting.

With a little knowledge and absolutely no technique, we hit the 38-acre field. Just a heads up, it's dirty so leave the cute sandals in the car.

The carful of kids dig for an hour before we take our bucket of treasure-ladden dirt to the covered pavilion to wash our soil through a fine screen. This is a bit tedious but the thrill of discovering the next big find pushes you forward.

Being kids, they get bored before Mom finds the ultimate souvenir. We head back to the visitors center for free diamond identification.

I don't remember the names of what I found--shiny, tiny rocks that I put into a tiny glass vial. But don't let that discourage you--this is a fun day that kids will learn about geology and mining. And when you are hot and dirty from mining, you can go play in the water park next door!

For next time--mine in the morning; it can be hot and humid on a summer afternoon. If you want to make it a weekend, there are 50 campsites; reserve ahead of time, this is a popular state park.  It is conveniently located 45 miles off of I-30, north of Hope, Arkansas.

The carful of kids load back up in the SUV for our final destination of the day--Memphis, Tennessee, where we will submerge ourselves in ribs and rock-n-roll.