Cruise Lines International Association, Inc. (CLIA) reports that each year, approximately 1.5 million kids are cruising. Ships have no choice but to be the kid-friendliest of all by offering unique experiences. With spa treatments, a variety of restaurants, salsa dance classes and a sky observatory lounge (among many other enticing entertainment options for adults), the kids will think this ship was made for them. Cruises offer youth programs, pools, water slides and an entertainment center where you can trust they are safe to play games, sing karaoke, watch movies and do crafts.

Babysitting

Want to get dressed up in a fancy frock and dance the night away? On a cruise with babysitting services, you can do that without worry. The kids will be close but oh, so far away. There are various ways to have your kids looked after. For example, they can take culinary classes, art classes and go on scavenger hunts. They can attend a ship planned afternoon tea party or an early evening dinner party—kids only. You can also get private in-stateroom babysitting on a Celebrity European cruise. Open to children 12 months and older, a sitter will watch up to three kids for about $19/hr in the comfort of your room.

Play Together Onboard

Sometimes you actually want to share the day with the kids. With pool volleyball, trivia contests, lawn games, basketball courts, pools, Broadway tribute shows and circus shows, there’s never a dull day on a cruise ship when at sea. Enjoy a variety of meals together without lifting a spatula.

Celebrity cruises takes it up a notch thanks to their partnership with LeapFrog Schoolhouse offering kids a working studio to produce their own newscast and virtually explore the ports they’re visiting.

Why Europe?

The ultimate history lesson for the kids – guided tours throughout Europe

This is the ultimate history lesson. Enjoy day trips to Italy and take your family on a guided tour of ancient Rome exploring architecture like the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Or, immerse yourselves in the sights, sounds and tastes of Parisian culture. Ride a riverboat down the Seine; stroll along the Champs-Elysees and view famous French attractions most kids only get to see in photos in history books—the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower.

Ignite their imaginations on a journey through the Scottish countryside visiting medieval castles, where they can learn about drawbridges, Shakespeare and the Loch Ness monster. Then travel to Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone and bestow the gift of eloquence. Every kid could certainly use a bit of that, couldn’t they?

You get to relax and play. The kids will have so much fun they won’t know they’re also learning. And everyone in the family has an opportunity to see things few people get the opportunity to see firsthand.

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Hyatt Regency Maui – Pool and Ocean View

Basking in the sun on pristine beaches, among lush vegetation, along the crystal-clear, diamond-sparkling sea describes a typical day in the tropical paradise of Maui. In addition to relaxation and sun bathing, the island offers plenty of other activities for young families. Planning to celebrate a Hawaiian birthday vacation? Take a break from shopping for birthday supplies at ShinDigz and excite over all the family-fun activities that you must take advantage of while in Maui.

Whimsical Whale Watching

Witnessing Pacific humpback whales in their natural habitat mesmerizes tourists, especially families and kids of all ages. GoHawaii.com describes the gorgeous seawater off the coasts of West and South Maui as calm and clear. This creates the perfect ocean environment for observing whales surfacing and showing off. You and your family can soak in breathtaking coastal views, breath in the breezy, salty sea air and admire beautiful marine life while on a whale-watching voyage. The historic town of Lahaina is known as Maui’s whaling village, and a variety of whale-watching tours launch from Lahaina Harbor during the winter months. The Maalaea Harbor is another option for whale-watching tours. According to MauiActivities.com, Maalaea offers two-hour tours led by a trained naturalist who provides educational facts about these majestic creatures.

Haleakala National Park Sunrise & Hikes

The stunning natural beauty of Maui alone will make your island vacation unforgettable. But dedicate one of your mornings to waking up early and journeying to the Haleakala summit to see an astonishing sunrise. If you’re on a summer trip, make sure you reach the summit before 5:38 a.m. During the winter, arrive no later than 6:55 a.m. While the sun continues to start the day, the gorgeous coalescence of the dynamic colors of dawn painting the blue sky among heavenly clouds will amaze you and your family. Make a morning out of the event and pack a picnic breakfast to eat in your car, or check out Longhi’s in historic Lahaina afterward. Continue to immerse your family in nature’s beauty with a hike on trailheads Halemauu or Keoneheehee throughout the Haleakala wilderness Area. NPS.gov also provides a schedule of events, such as an “easy, guided hike to Kuloa Point” and cultural demonstrations in Kipahulu.

Spectacular Authentic Luaus

In true Hawaiian style, experience a traditional luau with hula and fire dancers, fire knife performers and authentic Hawaiian cuisine. MauiHawaii.org recommends the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort luau on Kaanapali Beach for its kid-friendly atmosphere. Known as “Drums of the Pacific,” the Hyatt Luau entertains families with echoing Hawaiian chants and a traditional Imu ceremony. Guests will enjoy exotic fare, such as Kalua Pork and Polynesian Rice, musical performances and art demonstrations among lit torches and the beautiful Hyatt landscape. Also family-friendly, the Grand Wailea Maui Luau along the south shores of Maui is a local and tourist favorite. The Grand Wailea Resort Spa hosts one of the best Hawaiian fun-filled extravaganzas that immerses guests into South Pacific culture, folklore and chanting. With a tropical sunset backdrop, your kids will have the time of their lives watching fire dances while wearing shell leis.

Don’t forget about indulging in a delicious buffet that includes Imu Baked Kalua Pig, Hawaiian fried rice and Taro Rolls.

Related Articles:

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The right travel Smartphone apps are sure to make your vacation more pleasant

Mobile technology and its subsequent and scalable apps continue to revolutionize every aspect of life, travel included. With so much to see and so little time, these following travel apps help with everything from tracking down wayward Wi-Fi to uncovering the hidden gems of foreign countries. Families with kids in tow and tech-savvy travelers, take advantage of these four apps to satiate your wanderlust.

The Hartford Mobile App

Customer or not, this app from auto insurer Hartford Financial Services Group offers useful features for vehicle insurance customers. Drivers must adhere to Murphy’s Law and prepare for the worst when taking a cross country road trip. In the unfortunate case of an accident, drivers can access an accident checklist to review the necessary steps, collect and exchange driver info including snapshots of the crash and even request assistance through roadside services. Customers of the Hartford can quickly connect to Claims Services to report an accident. The Hartford Mobile App provides resources for after the crash as well: effortlessly locate an auto repair facility from approved shops, search for an inexpensive replacement vehicle and seek repairs for a cracked windshield. This app can come in handy when you’re miles from home and need to get back on the road safely and ASAP.

FlightTrack

FlightTrack’s aerial app aims to reduce the high stress of flight and airport traversal. It covers more than 1,400 airlines and 3,000 airports, allowing you to manage the multitude of information necessary for a smooth trip. Real-time updates of global flights is effective when waiting for your delayed flight. Delays, gate locations and cancellations—all the flight info you need is right at your fingertips. FlightTrack Pro’s additional terminal maps, alerts, TripIt integration, airport weather forecasts and FAA delay notices is well worth the asking price of $9.98.

Lonely Planet

The solo traveler’s bible, this popular guidebook has relegated its print version in lieu of this ultimate traveling app. A country’s top destinations are flagged on the map—simply tap where you want to go and that city’s guide unfurls. All locales are accompanied by a detailed description and basic site information (address, contact info, hours, offline map). The maps and text are available offline as well, if you prefer to traverse the road less traveled (i.e. outside of a cell phone tower’s range). Lonely Planet even provides audio phrase books for easier communication with locals and audio walking tours of Paris and London that guide you through popular attractions.

Wi-Finder

Search for more than half a million Wi-Fi spots in 144 countries with Wi-Finder. Upon downloading the 38MB offline database, this free app can find Wi-Fi locations without using Wi-Fi. Enter your geographic information (country, region, city) and optional ZIP code. The app displays a map displaying free Wi-Fi in green and paid locations in blue. Search results also shows the provider and type of location such as hotels and restaurants. Even more helpful, Wi-Finder reveals step-by-step directions and distance if location services are functional. Since you can’t carry a printer with you while traveling (not yet), HP ePrint stations are shown for on-the-go printing.

Desert Springs Marriott Villas 2 along the Valley Golf Course

Palm Desert, California is a very popular destination for snowbirds looking to escape the cold weather during the winter months. With hundreds of golf courses within minutes driving time, a wide range of accommodations from budget motels to five star resorts, plentiful recreational attractions, abundant shopping and dining, and stunning natural beauty, this desert oasis is a great place to visit anytime of the year.

This is the amazing view from our Villa patio looking out towards a lake on the Valley Golf Course

Our family chose the Marriott Vacation Club’s Desert Springs Marriott Villas 2 in Palm Desert for our summer vacation in July of 2012. Conveniently located only 2 hours from the heart of Los Angeles, or 2 hours and 20 minutes from San Diego, it’s no wonder so many Southern California residents make the Desert Springs Marriott Villas in this small town gem their respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. With Palm Springs International Airport a short 10 to 15 minutes driving distance, and the Ontario International Airport one hour away, there is no shortage of travel options for far-away visitors.

The Palmeras Pool pool area – 3 full size pools, children’s wading pool and splash fountains, and 2 large hot tubs

Between two and three weeks prior to your arrival, we recommend contacting the Pre-Arrivals department of the Desert Springs Marriott Villas with any special requests. We were traveling with three families, each with their own villa, so it was very important for us to be in close proximity to each other. We are a high maintenance group, so our requests did not stop there! In addition, we asked to be on the ground floor level, facing the golf course, and walking distance to the Palmeras Pool. Although they offer no guarantee, their friendly staff will do everything possible to accommodate their guests.

Villa Options and Descriptions

Entertaining the family in our villa living room

There are three accommodation options available at the Marriott Villas. The smallest and most economical option is the standard guest room also referred to as a studio villa. These rooms come with either a king size bed, or two double size beds depending on your requirements. A small kitchenette is available with a mini refrigerator, microwave, toaster and coffee maker, as well as a limited number of dishes and silverware. It comes with a full bathroom including shower and separate tub. Each studio villa has an attached private patio with patio furniture. We highly recommend securing one of these villas facing the golf course which will expand your patio into a sprawling scenic landscape of green fairways, palm trees and lakes.

The next step up in accommodations is the one bedroom one bathroom villa. This spacious villa comes with all the conveniences of home, including a full kitchen, living room, laundry room, and separate bedroom. The kitchen is equipped with a full size refrigerator, microwave oven, range oven with stove, toaster, coffee maker, garbage disposal, cabinets with a full set of dishes, glasses, pots and pans, and drawers with a full set of silverware and other basic necessities like spatulas, bottle openers, and a set of sharp knives.

Our kids playing in a small inflatable pool steps from our Villa patio

Book a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom villa like we did, and your family can stretch out and relax in comfort with separate quarters available for your kids during sleep time. Our two kids are both toddlers and still take long naps during the day, so that separate bedroom was a key feature for us. The bedroom walls are very well insulated, and with the blackout drapes, we had no problem entertaining guests in our living room while the kids were sound asleep during the day or night. If you are fortunate enough to have a villa facing the golf course like we did, you can slide open your drapes in the living room and both bedrooms and enjoy marvelous vistas visible through the large windows. My wife and I like our bedroom to be extra cold while we sleep, so the separate air conditioning thermostat in the kids bedroom was a key feature for our maximum comfort.

Our daughter enjoying one of the pools at the Palmeras in her comfortable shaded floaty

The Desert Springs Marriott Villas and the adjacent JW Marriott Desert Springs Hotel have invested millions of dollars in renovations over the past few years. Our three families stayed in villas that were completely remodeled with brand new carpeting, new tile floors, kitchen appliances, flat screen TVs, furniture, cabinets and granite counters throughout. We are a tough family to please, and from the moment we arrived, every one of us was thrilled with the clean, bright and modern upgrades. There was also free and ample covered parking for guests throughout the complex. Guests looking for a cardio or weight lifting work-out have free 24 hour access to the on-site gym located next to the main lobby.  Another bonus that cannot go unmentioned is the free WIFI broadband Internet service accessible from anywhere in your villa or the pool areas.

On-Site Recreation, Shopping and Dining

The one foot deep Palmeras children’s wading pool perfect for toddlers

With 7 enclosed pool areas strategically located throughout the resort grounds, a refreshing swim or soothing hot tub is always walking distance away. The Palmeras pool area is our favorite, with three large pools (one with a volleyball net), a 1 foot deep children’s wading pool, splashing water fountains, two hot tubs, and an outdoor bar and grill called the Water’s Edge just steps away. There are always plenty of lawn chairs available for you and your family to stake your claim. We recommend arriving to the pool before 11am to secure one of the many the umbrellas for shade.

Children running and playing in the water spray fountains at the Palmeras pool

Guests of the Villas can enjoy deep discounts at the two golf courses that meander their way throughout the resort connecting all of the villas and the adjacent JW Marriott Desert Springs Hotel. These two challenging golf courses, the Valley Course and Palms Course, lure golfers of all skill levels with their well maintained verdant greens and fairways, numerous white sand bunkers and picturesque lakes.

Our kids running free on the golf course outside our Villa in 89 degree weather and high humidity. It felt like we were in Hawaii!

Villa guests looking for spa, dining and shopping options within walking or free shuttle distance have full access to the Desert Springs JW Marriott Hotel. Our family favorite is the Mikado Japanese Steakhouse where you can enjoy good steak and seafood dishes prepared table side by skilled and entertaining chefs on their teppan grill. Mikado also has a sushi bar, and fresh sushi is available for order anywhere in the restaurant. Guests of the Villas can also enjoy a discount of up to 20% on dining at the Hotel as well as certain other restaurants in the Palm Desert area. Look for the discount card in your welcome package which also includes a list of the participating restaurants and attractions.

Nearby Shopping, Dining and Attractions

The Market Place shopping center with a Ralph’s supermarket, Rite-Aid, and several restaurants and other small shops are located less than 5 minutes drive from the Desert Springs Marriott Villas. Drive 10 minutes away to The River at Rancho Mirage, a fashionable center with a wide variety of food choices like P.F. Changs, Flemings and Babe’s Bar-B-Que, and plentiful boutique shopping outfits and entertainment including the Century Theaters at The River with over a dozen movie theaters.

Palm Springs Tramway rising 8,500 feet

For families with kids, we recommend a visit to the Children’s Discovery Museum Rancho Mirage less than 10 minutes drive from the resort. The Living Desert Zoo & Botanical Garden Palm Desert is also a great family attraction minutes from the resort with 1,200 acres of natural desert beauty, plants, and animals from all over the world. Another family favorite is the rotating Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, climbing 8,500 feet to the San Jacinto Peak. This scenic and unforgettable ride up the mountain is just the beginning. There are both Winter and Summer activities including hiking, camping, guided nature walks and even cross country skiing! Nourish both your body and soul at the Peaks Restaurant, with a good variety of food choices and breathtaking views of the valley below.

Family Tips

Celebrity Sitters is a wonderful on call babysitting service for in-room childcare in Palm Desert and other nearby cities. They are CPR and First Aid certified, but best of all, they are all very reliable, friendly, loving and experienced child care specialists. For reservations call (760)251-4567.

Families traveling with very young children and staying in a 2 bedroom 2 bath villa should bring along a baby monitor for the spare bedroom so parents can hear/see the kids when they wake.

Although there are high chairs and pack and plays available free at the resort, it’s always a good idea to request these items ahead of time to insure availability. Families with toddlers too big for a pack-and-play can request a villa with a trundle pull-out bed. Not all villas are equipped with one, so make sure to arrange this in advance. The Pre-Arrivals department is very accommodating and can handle this along with all of your other requests.

It’s not uncommon for Summer temperatures in Palm Desert to rise above 110 degrees. Make sure to bring sunscreen, hats and mosquito repellant. Mosquitoes are not usually a problem throughout the day, but they do come out for a short time around dusk and can be a nuisance. A convenience store is also available on-site next to the lobby.

There are no screen doors at the villas, so we recommend always closing the patio door immediately after use to avoid attracting crickets, flies, mosquitoes and other unwanted desert creatures.

The Marriott’s Desert Springs Villas 1 and the Marriott Desert Springs Villas 2 are located at 1092 Pinehurst Lane, Palm Desert, California 92260.  Their phone number for reservations, or to reach the Pre-Arrivals department is: (760)779-1200.

Located on the breathtaking Pacific Ocean cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula lies the idyllic Terranea Resort and Golf Course. This Mediterranean style resort is perched along the Rancho Palos Verdes coast on over 100 acres of unobstructed views of the ocean and Catalina Island. Conveniently located just 25 minutes from the Los Angeles International Airport, this magnificent luxury resort makes a wonderful getaway for visitors and local residents alike.

The hotel is made up of a variety of well appointed accommodations including guest rooms, suites, villas, bungalows and Casitas, making it a wonderful choice for families of all sizes. All the guests we have interviewed agree that the rooms are fantastic and the beds very comfortable.

Terranea Resort Pool and Ocean View

There are a total of 3 pools on the property, and families especially will enjoy the main resort pool with giant water slide. The hotel appeals to adults as well as families. The Spa at Terranea was built with wellness and comfort as its main objective and is located in one of the most picturesque oceanfront settings in California. With an excellent gym, a peaceful outdoor pool facing the ocean, and a full service Spa and Wellness Center, this 50,000 square foot oasis is sure to nurture both body and mind.

There are ample dining choices at the Terranea Resort itself with 8 different options. Among these are casual settings like the Lobby Bar and Lounge open noon until about midnight, or more formal dining options like Bashi for both lunch and dinner (open 11am through 10pm daily). Order food from the full service poolside menu at the main pool or the Spa Cafe, or enjoy a private meal indoors with 24 hours in-room dining service.

Terranea Resort Spa Pool

Surrounding the hotel and weaving its way throughout the Terranea Resort is a challenging nine hole Par-3 golf course with spectacular views of the ocean from every hole. The Links at Terranea is a highly recommended course for golfers of any skill level simply because of it’s beauty, challenging design, and well maintained grounds. Pull carts and golf club rentals are available at the pro-shop. There are also two putting greens, and chipping green, and private lessons are available for anyone wishing to fine tune their swing. Anyone wishing to play on a full size world class course can also drive just a few minutes south to Trump National for the same experience, but on a larger scale.

Terranea Resort Ninth Hole Golf

There is plenty of shopping and outdoor activities to satisfy every craving. Activities include nature sunset walks along their many ocean trails, tennis, yoga, as well as scheduled events like “Friday Family Fun Night” with S’mores and hot chocolate by the fire pit, a drive-in “Movie Night”, lawn games like Bocce Ball and Croquet, and much more.

The Resort at Terranea is located at 6610 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90275. It is an exquisite resort and a must-see even if you live close by and would like to visit for the day.

Children's Discovery Museum Winding Walkway leading to second floor

In December of 2011, my wife and I took our two young kids to the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage, California. We were staying at the Marriott Desert Springs Villas in Palm Desert for a much needed getaway just two weeks before Christmas. We were told by a friend that the Children’s Discovery Museum would be the perfect outlet for our two year old son because of all the interactive exhibits. The fact that it was only a 10 minute drive from our Villa made it an easy decision.

The Museum

Brain stimulating activities for all ages

The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert was founded in 1986 and officially opened its doors to the public in 1990. This 18,000 square foot non-profit Museum is located in Rancho Mirage on a well manicured four acre desert site. The indoor facility itself has a very attractive, modern and colorful layout. There is a winding ascending walkway along one perimeter leading to the second floor, high windows providing ample natural light throughout, a uniquely shaped ceiling with sharp angles, and a variety of three dimensional geometric shapes found throughout the facility. All of the exhibits are interactive “hands-on” displays, and unlike many other museums, children are encouraged to touch and explore their various functions.

Our Experience

Enclosed toddler play area

We were among the first to enter the Children’s Discovery Museum on a Saturday morning a few minutes past 10am. We had our 9 month old daughter in a stroller when we walked up to the admission stand, but we soon learned that no strollers were allowed inside the exhibit area. Thankfully we had our Ergo baby carrier in the car. If your child is still crawling, I highly recommend bringing along a baby carrier because the no-stroller rule is non-negotiable! We found that although there was one enclosed area where we could let our daughter crawl around free, most of the facility is geared more towards children that can walk on their own.

Be an Archaeologist

After paying admission (see hours and rates below) and leaving our stroller in the lobby, we finally entered the museum. The first exhibit we encountered was the Archaeologist Field Station with a make-believe excavation site. There were a handful of woven safari hats, several boxes containing different unearthed artifacts, clipboards for the young archaeologists to take field notes, and tools like magnifying glasses, hand shovels and brushes appropriate for an excavation.

We found everything to be toddler and kid friendly so there were no sharp or other dangerous objects to be concerned about. While most of the kids were climbing up on the archaeological site and playing with the different tools, our son was busy grabbing safari hats one by one and trying them on. They were all way too big for his head so my wife and I had a good laugh watching him try to walk around with half of his head hidden beneath.

This entire wall is a magnet where kids can play with metalic objects

Throughout the museum we found many unique exhibits designed to stimulate a young child’s mind from interactive scientific displays featuring magnets, pulleys, and large gears with cranks, to other more social exhibits like an arts and crafts room, a giant string-less harp with built in motion sensors used to play real music, and a large dressing area filled with a variety of hats and costumes.

Young artist painting on a most unusual canvas!

Another very unique and popular exhibit was a full sized Volkswagen beetle in the center of a roped off section.  The car was completely covered in multiple colors of paint, and kids were lining up with their smocks and brushes to add their own designs.  A specific color is designated for each new day so that colors stay well defined and don’t mix together.

Other than the dressing room, we found the most popular exhibit among the kids was the make-believe grocery store. Everything you would find in a real grocery store was present including miniature metal frame shopping carts, shelves filled with canned goods, and an organized produce section filled with every fruit and vegetable imaginable. There were also check stands complete with uniforms, grocery bags and fake money.

Our son sitting on a police motorcycle in front of the make-believe grocery store

One part of the store even had a pizza kitchen where children could add various toppings to pizza dough and slide it into an oven to bake.  It was fascinating to watch the children really embrace their various roles as employees and consumers in such a realistic way!

We spent about 2 hours at the facility and our son enjoyed every moment. No food was allowed inside, so we stopped at the gift shop just outside the museum to grab some snacks and souvenirs for the road. We had a great time at the facility and we will definitely return the next time we are in Palm Desert. It will be very interesting to see how our son interacts with the various exhibits as he gets older and is able to appreciate them more profoundly.

Hours and Admission

Our future engineer cranking gears

The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert is located at: 71701 Gerald Ford Drive, Rancho Mirage, California 92270. Admission as of 2012 is $8 per/person. Children under 2 are admitted free. Hours of operation are 10am through 5pm daily. They are closed on Mondays from May through December. There are many special events especially during the Holidays like the annual “Breakfast with Santa”, so be sure to check their website calendar.

Visit their official website at www.cdmod.org for more information.

5 Level Play Structure AdventurePlex at Marine

The AdventurePlex at Marine in Manhattan Beach California is where we took our 11 month old son Christian this afternoon for some family fun!  The address is 1701 Marine Ave. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, only about 10 minutes away from our house in Redondo Beach.  We arrived at 2pm this afternoon and enrolled our son in a 90 minute interactive tumble class called “The Best Playdate Ever” which also included food and playtime in their 3 story high play structure. That thing was massive!  

During the first half of the class we spent time singing and dancing to songs like the “hokey pokey” with other parents and their toddlers.  Christian can’t walk yet, so we just propped him up and tried to go through all the motions and keep up with the others.  We did everything from playing catch and passing big foam balls back and forth to walking on balance beams (a few inches off the ground), to blowing bubbles and encouraging the kids to jump and burst the bubbles as they floated in the air.  

Christian having the time of his life in the pool of balls at the AdventurePlex!

After about 45 minutes of interacting with the other toddlers and young children in this musical forum, we left the class room and walked downstairs to the Courtside Cafe.  We sat down at one of the tables where our program director brought fruit, cheese and crackers for Christian to eat.  There were several other choices of food, but this is what we had selected for him when we first registered.  The Courtside Cafe is right next to the registration desk, and that giant play structure that I mentioned before was in the room next door just a few feet away.  I’m 42 years old (today is in fact my birthday), and I was eyeing that 5 level multi colored jungle gym with the same kind of anticipation and excitement that the kids around me were!    

Christian had the time of his life in that play structure.  It reminded me of a life sized hamster maze but on a much larger scale and on 5 different levels! Thankfully there was a section that was designated for children 3 and under, so we didn’t have to worry about Christian getting tramped on by some of the older kids.  We still had to keep a close eye on him, but all the padding everywhere made this a very safe place for him to play.  If you’re looking for a good place for your children to consume some of their energy, look no further.  This monumental play structure at the AdventurePlex at Marine is the place to do it!  

Christian playing in a tub filled with soft objects of different sizes and shapes

Courtside Cafe in AdventurePlex where Christian ate lunch

Polliwog Park at 1600 Manhattan Beach Boulevard

I just played Frisbee golf here at Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach California.  It’s a giant park spanning about 18 acres, and it’s located right off of Manhattan Beach Blvd next door to the Manhattan Beach Middle School.  I parked at the school, but there was also plenty of parking on the street. Fridays I usually play hookie from work (I’m self employed) and meet two of my friends at the Alondra Golf Course in Lawndale, but the greens were all under construction today. We left the course and were very disappointed when we failed to get a decent tee time at the Marriott Manhattan Beach Golf Course on Rosecrans, and then again at the The Lakes Golf Course in El Segundo.  We were bound and determined to play Golf, and with time running out and few options left, we decided to stop at Dick’s Sporting goods on PCH to pickup some frisbees on our way to Polliwog Park for frisbee golf!   

I’d never been to the Polliwog Park so I was amazed that they actually had a nine hole frisbee golf course complete with the nine baskets (instead of holes), and the nine posts that marked each tee off location. Really cool! While traversing the course I noticed several wonderful areas that are perfect for children. Children of all ages were scattered all over the park. Some were gathered together in picnic areas with their families, while others were running up and down the wide open fields of grass and trees. I even saw several kids climbing trees. There were two large and colorful jungle gym areas specifically for kids on opposite ends of the park. Each was a colorful oasis of slides, monkey bars, bridges and things for them to climb and play, and they were crawling with children!  The play area is either coated in rubber or filled with rubber tire shavings making it a very safe place for kids to play.  

Manhattan Beach Polliwog park jungle gym for kids

Polliwog park working out equipment. The ground is made up of rubber tire shavings

Evelyn at the Karmina Palace presidential suite plunge pool

It was September 25th, and we had just checked in to our Presidential Suite on the 7th floor.  The lively sound of Frank Sinatra was already flowing from our mp3 player outside on our wrap-around terrace.  My 3 year old niece Evelyn was swimming around in our private corner plunge pool with her baby brother Justin who was only about 11 months old.  The weather was balmy, humid and deliciously warm.  We had just arrived and were expecting thunder showers on our first evening which we welcomed with open arms.  It would be a wonderful way to end our first day, with the tropical sound of rain drops lulling us gently to sleep.  All our cares and concerns from the daily grind that was our lives were slowly melting away.  

Plunge pool and terrace view of the Pacific Ocean

Our Presidential suite was 3,500 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a large living room and dining area and a full size kitchen.  My sister, Todd and their two youngsters got the spacious master bedroom.  It was gigantic and had direct access through its sliding glass doors into the center of the wrap-around terrace. My parents, and my fiancé and I, occupied the remaining two rooms, which were also not too shabby. It was a thrill to be all together and have access to our own private family plunge pool and sun deck overlooking the most sought after view in the hotel.  It’s no wonder we spent a big portion of the vacation in our suite!     

The rest of our family also spent many of their early afternoons with us in our Presidential suite.  This was an all inclusive resort, which meant even room service was free.  Although the food was excellent, we learned the first day to expect slower than usual service after it took them over an hour to deliver our food.  After all, we were on Mexican time, which meant we had to shed the big city hustle and downshift into our new laid-back roles as carefree tourists.  It’s much easier than you would think, especially when lounging with an ice cold Corona on our private terrace while enjoying our 270 degree view encompassing the resort and Pacific Ocean.  

Resort View from our presidential suite terrace

The 324 room Karmina Palace was about 25 minutes from the Manzanillo International Airport.  When we first arrived I was struck by the beauty of the hotel architecture.  It looked like a modernized version of an ancient Mayan palace down to its intricate wall carvings and decorations.  The high rising hotel walls branched out like a protective barrier surrounding the resort in a half square-like shape.  The oasis within its walls was made up of 6 cascading pools, hot tubs, and a meticulously manicured display of palm trees, flowers, grass, and other indigenous plants.  There were paved stone walkways and bridges meandering over and around the various pools, connecting every corner of the resort.  And, beyond everything, was the magnificent Pacific Ocean beckoning us to become one with it’s warm and inviting waters.  

Pacific Ocean view from our terrace presidential suite

One of the great things about the Karmina Palace is how it caters so well to families and children.  Most of the pools are shallow, making it perfect for children.  Even better are the kiddy pools where toddlers can waddle around in their floaties without assistance (with adult supervision of course).  The water is very nice and refreshing, and with the warm and humid temperature outside it’s easy to spend the whole day soaking.  

The beach also has some very attractive features.  There is a protected lagoon-like inlet into the Pacific Ocean where families with young children can swim without any fear of ocean currents or waves.  The sand slopes down very slowly and is shallow enough to touch even several yards in.  The water is also very warm and various members of our family spent many hours here, swimming and playing Frisbee.  Just a bit further south, past one of the protective barriers, is a regular sandy beach that stretches for quite a ways.  I love the surf, and this is where I spent most of my time whenever we hit the beach. There really is something for everyone!  

Lagoon like calm water beach Karmina Palace

There are no golf or tennis courts on the premises.  However, if you have the desire to play and can handle the heat and humidity, there are tennis courts and a first class golf course walking distance from the hotel.  They are in fact right next door!  My dad, two uncles and I brought our tennis rackets from Los Angeles, so we were committed to playing a competitive game of tennis.  The courts were in excellent condition.  They were not part of the Karmina Palace, so we had to fork over a modest fee of $15 to reserve a court for as long as we could play.  

Sandy beach south of Karmina Palace Manzanillo

I’m the only avid golfer in our group, so on one occasion I ventured over to the Mantarraya golf course next door to play a round by myself.  It was a pristine golf course with well kept fairways and greens.  Everywhere you looked there were palm trees with coconuts.  I even saw several banana trees lining the sides of the fairways. That’s something you don’t see every day!  My only complaint was the intense heat and humidity that made it impossible to complete the course.  My first clue should have been that there was absolutely no one else on the course except me and all the gardeners trimming trees and mowing lawns.  I felt the energy drain from my body as I progressed from hole to hole.  I think one of the gardeners felt sorry for me because about half way through he approached and offered me a coconut to drink.  I still remember how sweet and delicious the juice tasted.  Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to keep me going past the 11th hole where I packed up my clubs and gave up.   

Beach view outside the Karmina Palace Mexico

The Karmina Palace is now known as the Barceló Karmina Palace Deluxe Hotel.  I did some research and Barcelo appears to be a big Mexican Hotel/Resort chain and may have acquired the Karmina Palace since our stay in 2004. I’m sure lots had changed, including the Internet connectivity.  We were told there would be wireless Internet access throughout most of the hotel, and although I was able to connect with my laptop from time to time, I had to be in the lobby in order to get any serious work done.  The WIFI signal was just too week from our hotel room.  This was 6 years ago, and from what I have read there is now wireless access from any part of the hotel including the rooms.      

Manzanillo Fishing expedition booked by several of our family members

July and August is considered high season in Manzanillo, so we deliberately chose to go in September to avoid the big crowds, but also to save some money because of the lower prices.  Our all-inclusive Presidential suite was $1,344 per/night, which really isn’t bad when you divide it by 3 couples (my sister paid a slightly higher percentage since they had the master bedroom with their two kids).  This also includes meals, drinks, tax, gratuities, maid service, 24 hour room service, drinks, activities such as Kayaking, snorkeling (gear included), boogie boards, water basketball and volleyball, drinks, etc,.  Oh, and did I mention drinks were included?  I’m not sure what the pricing is today, but looking back this was a great deal.  

The recreation room is also a great place for children to hang out.  There were arcade games, pool tables and even a ping-pong table where I taught my younger cousin some manners (I don’t believe in letting people win).  It’s Ok, he’s a good sport and would easily run circles around me in most any other activity, so I’ll take what I can get!   

Live Mayan entertainment at the Karmina Palace

The all-inclusive children’s club is another wonderful convenience for families with children between the ages of 4 and 12 years old.  Parents can indulge in some alone time or go to the Spa while the kids spend a fun afternoon participating in various supervised activities. There is also live entertainment for the whole family on most evenings, with dazzling costumes and native dancing skits.  We were also fortunate enough to have a great view of the show from our private Presidential suite terrace!  

Overall we were very happy with the quality of the food and choices of restaurants.  Most evenings were spent at the Agave Mexican restaurant because of its choice location out by the sea.  We never had any trouble finding a table for all 12 of us, and with the surrounding view of the ocean and hotel in the distance, the slow service was quite tolerable.  Every evening at about 11pm the Agave restaurant was converted into a night club with pumping music and dancing.  There were other good restaurants to choose from as well, one in particular was the Kyoto Japanese cuisine.  I’m a big sushi fan so this was one of my favorites.  

Family meeting at our presidential suite living room before heading out to dinner

As always our vacation was too short and it was very difficult to leave this magnificent paradise.  One consolation was that we gained two hours on the flight back to Los Angeles which gave us some extra time to unpack and re-acclimate to our old lives.  It was also a Wednesday when we returned, making it a short week with the weekend looming near.

Alaska Railroad train station

Last month I found out through my mother that Joe and Amy (my aunt and uncle), were about to embark on an extravagant 7 day trip to Alaska.  We were on the phone when she mentioned it, and I was absolutely intrigued! A good friend of mine went there on a fishing expedition just over a year ago and I’ve had a longing to visit ever since. He returned a year ago with an icebox full of frozen Halibut, but what really peaked my interest were the stunning scenic coastal photos of this great state!

It was mid August 2010 on the eve of their trip and my mother said she would convince my uncle Joe (her brother) to take time throughout his Alaskan adventure to document their experiences. Thanks to my mother’s powerful gift of persuasion (and some arm twisting), he brought his computer and digital camera  on their journey to “The Last Frontier”, where he promised to log periodic journal entries and take lots of photos.

Below are six of Joe’s journal entries which he sent us by email along with attached photos.  I also interviewed both Joe and Amy after their trip, so be sure to read my concluding remarks outlining some important tidbits of valuable information about their trip, as well as my thoughts on how well suited the Alaskan cruise would be for children.

Entry 1:

When I travel I want to take time to daydream. I am not your curious tourist, nor do I want to be busy with anything. So writing down my daily journal on this exciting adventure is not my cup of tea. My problem is that my bossy sister ordered me to do it, and because I don’t want to be forever pestered for not doing it, here I am writing during our flight to Anchorage from Los Angeles.

We are almost 4 hours into the Alaska Airlines flight and the scenery out the window is phenomenal. We’ve just past the town of Ketchikan. I can see thousands of Islands and a vast expanse of rugged terrain with sharp top mountainous edges. There’s scattered snow, and we’re in mid August!

This morning I woke up at 4:30 AM. My wife Amy woke up 15 minutes later. We had everything ready to go when Shahid, our loyal town car chauffeur picked us up. He loaded the luggage with care and off to the airport we went. O.K. enough for now, ‘cause I want to daydream a little while looking out my first class window before we land. Toot-lu…

Entry 2:

Mountain side view from Alaska Railroad trip

This is all from memory, since we were enjoying ourselves too much.  It’s August 18, 2:40am and I woke up to use the bathroom; My mind keeps me from going back to sleep. Finally Amy wakes up at 5:30 and we’re at the Alaska Railroad train station in a jiffy. This coastal classic train departed on time at 6:45AM

Wow! What a ride! 4 hours through the Alaskan wilderness with some amazing glaciers to behold, not to mention the numerous rivers, streams and brooks with some raging white waters! The scenes are continuously unfolding with barely the time to assimilate the aw-inspiring splendors of nature! The photos are better than any narration, so go ahead and soak them in. The second story, first class with glass dome-top car we were in, allowed for maximum visibility. Breakfast was called in around 8:00AM. By then I was starved and could have eaten a horse, but the omelet had to do. I washed it down with an “Alaskan Amber”, one great local brew.

The living room in our Regent Seven Seas suite

Once at Seward, our destination, we were told to get onto the yellow school bus. If we only knew in advance that the ship was only a half mile away, and that our luggage was already booked to go all the way into our cruise ship suite, we would have walked. The bus driver? I could write a small book about that weird guy. He was standing by the bus with his long, unwashed hair dangling by his cheeks when we asked if this was the bus headed for the Regent Seven Seas Cruise ship. It was as if he had absolutely no idea what we were talking about. A few words were exchanged and I entered the bus under the impression that we would eventually get there on this crazy bus: maybe 45 minutes or one hour. Turns out the moron bus driver talked the same way to everybody, no matter where their destination was. I’m not sure whether he had the brains of a squirrel, or whether he just hated his job.

We’re at the ship within 20 minutes, we check in and we’re so impressed by the beauty of this ship looking at it from the dock. On the ship, the check-in is very methodical and lengthy. Our suites are going to be available at 2:30PM.

Our master bedroom cruise suite

Our suite is gorgeous with 2 bathrooms, marble top, floors and walls. The large bathroom has a full deep tub plus a shower stall. The bedroom has a giant bed, a walk-in closet with plenty of room for both of us, drawers and all. Very nice comfortable living room, with convertible couch and desk for my laptop. We have our own stewardess and our own butler. Both are extremely courteous. They explain in details their function, which is basically all the things we could ask for. There doesn’t seem to be any limitations! We could order unlimited room service, and because we’re in a grand suite, we could order from the top notch restaurant and have our own private romantic dinner. A bottle of Veuve Cliquot is sweating in its silver ice bucket trying to lure me into popping it….Wrap around balcony is phenomenal! We can see more than 180 degrees!

Joe takes a nap; the rest of the day is just getting acquainted with the ship, eating and soaking in the realities of the most famous cruise anywhere in the world!

Entry 3:

This morning Jojo wakes up energetic after a solid 9 hours of dodo (sleep)! Amy is feeling lazy, so yours truly goes up to the fitness room, and for the next hour or so, he shows off like Tarzan. Back in the suite, we nibble through the breakfast that John, our butler, served. This was ordered last night by checking certain items on a hanger list. Did you know what a hanger list is? OK it’s a sheet of paper with a design you can “hang” onto your exterior door knob listing your wants and needs; there, now you know.

At 11am Amy goes to a lecture on glaciers and in particular on the Hubbard Glacier, the largest and most awesome glacier in the world. I sit with her for 5 minutes and decide this is a bunch of BS they’re trying to impress us with. What’s a glacier? It is nothing other than a river; it does all that a river does: constant movement in one direction, from land to the sea. It just moves much slower than most rivers, but when it finally pours into the Ocean, it does so with spectacular shows! The giant edge, breaks through one chunk at a time and splashes phenomenally into the Ocean, creating all kinds of chunks of ice, some as large as a small island: thus the “ICEBERG”!

Calm ocean waters from Regent Cruise ship

Tonight we are invited at the table of the cruise director for dinner, s’il vous plais!!! I am not sure who’s going to be honored more: Mr. director, or Joe and Amy.

As we approach Hubbard glacier, the scenes are extraordinary. All taken from our giant wrap-around balcony, of which there are only 4 on the entire ship. Everybody else has to scurry to the deck and run from one end to the other, just to get a glimpse of what we see on full display from the panoramic view on our balcony suite.

Entry 4:

Hubbard Glacier Alaska

It is 10 am and we have just stopped by the Aleutian Islands: about one thousand of them, a lot of them privately owned with amazing fairytale  picturesque houses.  These people must have a drastically different kind of life than ours.  They each have a dock with a boat anchored.  I imaging this must be their vehicle; the highways are the waterways surrounding them and leading to the little town. WHAT A LIFE!

In the meantime, Amy and I are gearing up for our 3-hour excursion in Sitka, where, by the way, the signing of the purchase of Alaska took place!!!  Months ago Amy booked us on this bike ride and walk/hike in one of the rain forests.  We’re feeling great and the service is out of this world.  All of the staff members are super polite and eager to help.

Entry 5:

What day is this? I really don’t know. Having a hard time telling where exactly I am. Am I in heaven? Is this the beginning of eternal life? Not sure.

Look how calm the waters are in the channels!

All I know is that yesterday, when confronted with SITKA I thought I was still in my early thirties. I went chasing after Realtors all over town. “I’m looking for an Island to buy”. “No problem” came the answers in a most simple and spontaneous fashion. “Here is a  list” of the Islands for sale, ranging in price from $150,000 to $2.4 Million. Depending on size, availability of utilities, and whether there is existing structures, i.e. a gorgeous, to-die-for, dream-like, only-in-your-dreams (maybe), Disney-imagination HOUSE.

They say there are a thousand Islands here. If anything, they’ve under estimated or under-counted. Some of the homes we’ve seen on these private Islands, as we were approaching Sitka, left me in a stupor with the bottom half of my jaw dragging on the ground and eyes wide open and bulging. To add on to all of these fairy-tale images, the climate is MILD year-round. Never mind that this is Alaska. Temperatures almost never dip below 30 degrees: Normal “winter” temperatures are 30 to 40 degrees. Summers are in the 60′s and 70′s. There is a lot of drizzle in the warmer temperatures, and there are no bear problems to speak of. Why? Because apparently there is such an abundance of natural foods like salmon by the zillions, and so forth, that they just don’t bother humans.

View of the Aleutian Islands from our Regent Cruise

Really! To own an Island with a house here is no big deal.  And, most of them have electricity and water, channeled from the city in pipes under the ocean to the Island.  Think of your dream vacation house: Nature like you’ve never dreamed of, fishing like you’ve never imagined. There is no rocking waters for those who get sea sick – the channel and rivers are calm!  You can hunt for moose or elk: Like to eat delicious meat with NO CHOLESTEROL? Lovely little town with a bunch of sweet-as-honey folks, total silence at night, no traffic, no police harassment, total and absolute serenity. Only one problem: can you handle it?

Entry 6:

We are now sailing within one of the channels in the “Inside Passage” toward JUNEAU, the Capital of Alaska. The climate is somehow similar to that of Sitka, but the city is larger. We are beginning to see some houses built right on the shores of the channel. This channel has got to be at least 20 miles across and the waters are as calm as a lake! Amy and I did not schedule ourselves for any excursions on this stop (schedule arrival 1:00 PM; departure 11:00 PM), because I refuse to act like your typical tourist. We’ll get off and just browse around the town; do some spontaneous discoveries, have lunch, fart around, and then get back on board. Then, maybe we’ll fart around a little more.

Conclusion from Interview with Joe and Amy

It’s been about two weeks since Joe and Amy returned from their Alaskan vacation cruise.  Yesterday (Labor Day) they hosted a family lunch party at their house in Los Angeles for about 20 people where I was fortunate enough to be able to take a few minutes of their time and ask some key follow-up questions about their trip.  The information I gathered should prove valuable to anyone who decides to follow in their footsteps, whether you are travelling as a couple as they were, or on a family excursion as I plan to do when our 11 month old son is a little older.

AAA Travel is the agency they used to book their Cruise.  They booked everything from their Alaska Airlines first class round trip air fare, to their Regent Seven Seas Cruise suite, to the many “excursions” available to them on each of their stops between the Seward shipping dock and Vancouver.  Apparently there are both free and paid excursions, and both need to be reserved far in advance because of high demand.  They did several of these excursions including the rain forest hike/biking in Sitka, and the tram ride up the mountain in Skagway.  One excursion they did not do but discussed for their next visit was the float plane which flies over several islands populated with bears.  It’s supposed to be an amazing view from that height!

The Regent Seven Seas Alaskan Cruise stopped at several ports from Seward to Vancouver, so there were quite a few shore excursions to chose from. For a complete list of available excursions for each port between Seward and Vancouver click on each of the ports below for a list of associated shore excursions.

- Hubbard Glacier
- Sitka
- Juneau
- Skagway
- Ketchikan

If you are travelling with children I recommend reading the details about each excursion to determine if it’s something your kids can handle and enjoy.

Our Regent Seven Seas Cruise Ship

They stayed overnight at a Comfort Inn in Anchorage just minutes away from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.  They described it as having a seedy motel like quality, not a very flattering description! The Captain Cook hotel was their first choice, but it was booked months in advance because of all the cruise ships scheduled to leave the next day.

Sitka rain forest excursion Alaska

Joe and Amy had a first class upper deck cabin on their Alaska Railroad train ride from Anchorage to Seward where their Regent Seven Seas Cruise liner was waiting.  Shortly after departing the train station they were treated to a wonderful breakfast. Throughout their 4 hour ride the train conductor was like a scenic tour guide focusing their attention on the various points of interest along the way.

They specifically chose to ride the smaller 500 passenger cruise instead of the larger ship (700-800 people capacity) for several reasons.  The smaller ship was more expensive, but the higher price tag provided for a more exclusive experience with a much higher class of service.  Another significant benefit in choosing the smaller ship was that it had much better access to ports in the Inside Passage that the larger ships could not reach because of the narrow channels.

The Inside Passage is a highly travelled coastal shipping route through one thousand islands and thousands of coves and bays extending approximately 15,000 miles.  The popularity of these routes are due in large part to the calm seas that result from the natural island formations littering the coast line.  The seas were choppy prior to entering the Inside Passage and Amy was feeling nauseated even after taking the complimentary Meclizine pills provided by the cruise ship.  She returned to normal once they entered the channels, but in hind sight she says she would have brought the “patch”, presumably the Transderm patch that can be placed behind the ear and cure seasickness for 3 days.  She also mentioned that eating extra “carbs” helped her keep the nausea under control.

Their accommodations were fantastic and they were treated like royalty.  They had a very large private wrap around deck with a panoramic view like no other on the ship.  It was very cold outside especially with the wind factor, so in hind sight Amy said that for the same price it would have been better to get the larger suite with a smaller private deck.  This was their first Alaskan cruise, so these are just tips they learned as first timers on what they considered to be an extraordinary adventure.

The Regent Alaskan cruise is not really made for children under 3 years of age from what I have read.   The minimum age requirement to travel on the ship is 12 months old.  Also, there is no official babysitting service on the cruise, but you can hire crew members to assist as a nannies on an individual basis if necessary.    There is a complimentary program for older children called the Club Mariner Youth Program.  The crew’s youth counselors provide all kinds of fun activities targeted for 3 different age groups: ages 5-9, 9-12, and 13-17.  This is a perfect way to entertain and educate the kids while parents can enjoy some alone time.  Activities include games, whale and glacier watching, craft tasks, on board films, and other functions designed specifically for each age group.

View through window of Regent Seven Seas Alaskan cruise