Getting away to the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge

This March break we decided to get away without going too far away. I've been thinking about Great Wolf Lodge for quite awhile but heard there were closer and cheaper options in New York State.  A little online research and I found the Six Flags Great Escape Lodge near Lake George New York. 

How far is it?

By the map it's about 4.5 hours.  It took us closer to 6 or so including bathroom breaks, the wait and the border and lunch.

We drove through Montreal, though you can also drive through Ogdensberg. The Montreal route is longer but on faster roads.  The route down the 416 takes you through smaller towns at slower speeds.

Either route takes you through the mountains and it's quite a lovely drive.  There isn't as much as usual to be seen along the highways as I usually see on our trips to the States though - not a single Cracker Barrel between Ottawa and our destination, but fortunately there was an Applebees :)

What is there to do there?

Indoor Water Park

The indoor water park is included in your stay at the hotel (so is the outdoor amusement park when it's open) and it has a lazy river, a treehouse, a toddler area, 3 4-story enclosed slides and a boogie board ride.

My kids aren't very adventurous so they were thrilled with the lazy river and the slides in the treehouse. I was really impressed with the lifeguards on staff.  They were monitoring everything very closely and are constantly showing that they are doing visual checks of all sections of the water.  We were comfortable letting the kids have free run of the lazy river and treehouse on their own at ages 5 and 8.

Adventure Trek

I didn't really understand what this was before we arrived but in the end we invested and I'm really glad we did.

The hotel has an indoor video game called Adventure Trek.  You need to buy a wand (about $30) and then you use the wand to complete missions.  Once you've completed all the missions in one section of the game you get to play a game on a big video game screen.

We only bought one wand for the three kids.  Most of the groups of kids we saw had each kid with their own wand.  We were fine with just the one.  We also didn't get the upsell of fancy toppers for the wands nor did we buy them adventure capes.  We're the boring parents apparently ;)

What was great about this is that it kept the kids moving even when we weren't in the water park.  They were running all over the hotel, up and down the stairs from floor to floor, to try to find all the things they needed in each mission.  We always had one of us with them while doing this but had the twins been a bit older we would happily have left them to their own devices.  

The perk here is that your kids get to go running around the hotel and it's perfectly acceptable and part of the way the hotel works!

Kids Klub

They have a kids' club that was great for keeping the kids entertained.  We went and coloured a few times, and the twins also spent some of their pocket money on colouring t-shirts.

There are mascots that make appearances daily and one night we had bedtime stories with Scrappy Doo which the twins really enjoyed.  At eight and a half, my older son was pretty uninterested in the mascots though.   There's also an arcade. The kids loved this but it's just a typical arcade with the tickets and prizes.

Lake George

This area is mostly closed down in the winter. I would love to go back when we could take advantage of the hiking, the outdoor mini putt, and the amusement park.  There are outlets and lots of restaurants, though many were closed for the season.  There's also skiing but we aren't winter sports people :) 

Overall, this was a great trip and I'd definitely go again. I think that for the winter months two nights would have been enough and three pushed it a bit long with only the adventure trek and the water park to keep us busy.  

Have you been to Lake George? What did you think?

Out of town activities: The Granby Zoo

by Lara A few weeks ago we took our first overnight road trip with the kids in two years to go and check out the Granby Zoo with some friends.  The zoo is literally a 5 minute drive from where I lived when I was in highschool so heading to the zoo was also an opportunity for me to catch up with old friends which very nice :)

The zoo was fabulous!  Not so huge that we felt run off our feet (especially with little kids) but lots of stuff to see and do.

We started in the South Pacific where we got to touch/pet Rays (optional - I chose not to :) and see some very cool other sealife. We then headed into the Kaila show, which is a very cool sound and light show.  I'd heard great things about it, but it costs extra and my three olds were more petrified than entertained so if you have nervous kids who don't like loud sounds, I don't think I'd recommend it.

We saw lions and hippos and zebras and giraffes (which apparently I didn't go much photographing of, hence this not particularly good shot of a rhino :)

The tram around the zoo was a huge hit with the kids, and so were seeing cool and different animals.

We ended the day in the water park where the kids got to enjoy the wave pool and lazy river (I forgot my bathing suit - sigh) which was the perfect way to cool down after a long day of walking in the heat.

A few tips:

If you have small kids, you can rent wagons or strollers there. If you (or your spouse) worry about your own strollers getting stolen, it might be worth paying for a rental you know nobody will steal. Also, I was grateful to be able to wear my son for part of the day, so bring carriers even for slightly older kids.

Food is, unsurprisingly, expensive. Bring food, snacks, drinks, etc.  I also like to bring electronics to entertain the kids during said meals.

Don't forget your bathing suit. (sigh)

I highly recommend it as a nice trip that isn't too far away (I know people who make it a day trip.) It was a great day! I wasn't even discouraged that the twins' favourite things were the slides and the ducks :)

Disclosure: the Granby Zoo did provide free tickets for my family.  All thoughts are my own (I always say that but I always also think - nobody would ever think I was fed the ridiculous things I write about as PR lines ;)

Bonnechere Caves

by Andrea One of our best summer adventures took place at Bonnechere Caves outside of Renfrew and I wanted to share it with you before it's too late. The caves close for the season the week of Thanksgiving, so if you're going to check it out, do it now!

The Caves were on our List of Things to Do This Summer, and since we were looking for something unique to do on a sunny Sunday we decided it would be a good time to go spelunking.

Sidebar: little did I realize that as I get older, my ability to deal with things like fairground rides, people who pick their teeth, and small dark enclosed spaces have dwindled to an all time low. I guess I’m turning into an old lady! More on that in a bit.

The Bonnechere caves are a scenic 90-minute drive from Ottawa, and claustrophobia aside, it’s worth the drive. I was so glad we took the plunge (no pun intended).

This was the scene when we arrived. I don’t think it’s normally this busy. There was a cycling event going on and I think a lot of the cars belonged to the cyclists converging there.

We bought our tickets. Tours leave every 15 minutes or so and ours was going to begin very soon so we went to use the facilities before heading underground. Plug your nose! (I had to laugh at myself. The three of us girls went into one restroom and the girls started gagging. I snapped at them and asked them to stop, because making gagging sounds in someone’s lavatory is rude. But, whatever.) The place is built in an environmentally sensitive area so their septic system isn’t what we’re used to. There’s a sign up in the restroom explaining the whole story and I debated mentioning it here, but hey, someone might want to get some warning. :)

We escaped the lavatory and made our way to the beginning of the tour. It’s a guided tour (unlike Lusk Caves, which I wrote about here). I wasn’t sure if I was keen on this fact - I like going through a place at my own speed - but in the end I was very glad it was a guided tour. We learned so much.

The tour began outside. Our guide talked about the significance of the area and gave us the rundown of its geological history, which is pretty amazing, even if you’re not a science nerd. The area used to be a tropical sea about 500 million years ago, long before the age of the dinosaurs. There is a lot of evidence showing that the area was abundant with sea creatures:

Carved by water in limestone over millions of years, there are tunnels, stalactites, and many fossils… and thanks to our guide, there were many great stories to be heard about how the caves were discovered and turned into what it is today. (The story involves an enterprising fellow, a rubber dingy, a rope and a flashlight. Gah!)

The caves are a very easy walk, and are very accessible. It’s about a 60-second walk to the start of the caves:

… and a small flight of stairs going down. There’s no climbing over slippery rocks either:

The Bonnechere Caves would normally be full of water, but the water was blocked off by a dam and is now pumped out of part of it. Inside the caves (again, unlike Lusk) there is a wooden boardwalk throughout, which makes it an easy stroll for visitors of all ages.

It was challenging to get a good pic without people’s heads getting in the way, but this is what it looks like inside:

Here’s a different view.

It really is a great little explore, and the learning is fun. The stalactites pictured below are formed at the rate of one cubic inch every 150 years. It’s an odd feeling to be in the presence of something that was here long before we were, and will remain there long after we are gone.

I had two noteworthy moments during our time in the caves, which proved why I will never amount to much of a cave explorer.

1) We had the option of taking a side passage. Most people took this option. (The girls certainly did. They were the first to go!) I entered at an angle so I couldn’t see what it lay ahead. We were told that the adults would have to bend at the neck a little to get through. That was an understatement. It was dark and cramped, and much narrower around the head, getting narrower as we went. By the end of it I was totally hunched over, trying to get though. I had to catch my breath because I started to panic a bit. HELLO CLAUSTROPHOBIA!

2) At one point our guide thought it’d be fun to turn out the lights for 30 seconds so we could get an idea of (a) how dark it was in there and (b) what it must have been like for the first guy who explored the cave and made it visitable. I didn’t think I’d have an issue with this. I haven’t been afraid of the dark for a long time! Ha ha! Well, I hate to admit this in public, but it was actually pretty scary. The dark was the blackest I’d ever experience. We were totally engulfed. You literally couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. By the end of (the very long) 30-seconds I’d had quite enough.

But don’t let those things deter you! I am still really glad we went. Honestly truly. My family had no issues whatsoever, and there were some really young kids who were part of our group… maybe even as young as 3 or 4. Yes, four-year olds are braver than I am!

Soon it was time to depart:

Here’s a shot looking back from whence we came:

There is an easy little trail right outside that goes around a sinkhole (a hole in the earth’s surface that leads to the cave), which was neat to see:

There are other entrances to the Bonnechere Caves off the river side, and it’s all very scenic in its own right:

I have a few extra photos on my Flickr page, and you can view them here.

As you can see, it was pretty amazing. Tired and hungry we left Bonnechere and grabbed lunch in a tiny restaurant on the way home called the Top O’ Morning Cafe on Hwy 60 in the town of Douglas. (I recommend the fish and chips!)

If you’re keen to see a bit more about the Bonnechere Caves, check out this informative YouTube video I found online. Do note that there were no bats in the cave during our visit! Phew. :)

What about you? I’d be curious to know who out there would make a hardy cave explorer and who would not. :) -

Andrea Tomkins likes to write about her family adventures at her blog, a peek inside the fishbowl. You can also follow her on Facebook and on Twitter.

Sleep-Away Camp

by Finola My two daughters spent a week away at Camp Davern recently - a Y camp for girls near Perth. My nine-year-old, N, is quiet and introverted, and yet she has an inner confidence that constantly surprises and impresses me. My seven-year-old B is outgoing and makes friends easily and embraces life, but she has an inner worrying side to her, which also often surprises me. I was really not sure which of the two of them would have an easier time being away from home for an extended period for the first time.

As I drove to pick them up on the last day, I prepared myself to catch the first glimpse of their faces when I arrived. I knew that at first glance I would know immediately if camp had been a success. My girls are a part of me and I can read them like I can read myself.

I parked the car and got out, and walked towards the area where the counsellors were leading the campers in a song. I saw both girls sitting in different parts of the half-circle, looking calm and relaxed. I watched and waited until B saw me first. She leaped up, a gigantic grin on her face, and she ran towards me and jumped into my arms and we exchanged a crushing hug.

“Did you have fun?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes!” she replied

N looked over then and saw me too. She got up and walked to me a little more slowly and self-consciously. She gave me a big hug too, and I asked her the same question, already knowing the answer.

“Yes!” she replied.

They said their good-byes to their new friends and counsellors and then we gathered their mountains of things, and set off for home. In the car, they chatted to me non-stop about their week. They had loved the swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, drama, the food, the friends, the counsellors. Was there anything that they didn’t like I asked them. No, not a thing.

They are already talking about going back next year, and this time for the 12-day camp. This suits me and husband Tony just fine, because I think we enjoyed sleep-away camp even more than they did.

Having a week with no kids in the house brought us back ten years ago when we were married but didn’t yet have children. We could do what we liked whenever we wanted to. It was all the better though, because we haven‘t had time alone like that for so long, that we truly appreciated every moment; we knew how precious this time to ourselves was. One day after work, Tony and I walked over to the tennis club and played tennis without having to bribe anyone with freezies. We then strolled home past our favourite neighbourhood Thai restaurant and picked up some take-out, which we then ate on the couch in front of the TV. Bliss

I did miss my girls, of course I did, but I thoroughly enjoyed my week off from being a parent. Thank goodness they loved camp because I am looking forward to shipping them off sending them again next summer.

I thought I would let the girls tell you in their own words about their camp experiences, typed by me:

Seven-year-old B’s post:

Last Saturday, I went to Camp Davern and that’s a sleep-away camp, and I went for seven days. Every morning as soon as you woke up, you could do the polar bear dip which is just a morning swim and then there is zoom zone and you play games. And then we eat breakfast, and then we brush our teeth and then we do some cabin activities.

Me: What are cabin activities?

B: Mommy, it’s when you do activities with your cabin. Wow Mommy. You should know what cabin activities are!”

Me: Ah, yes, of course. Sorry. Continue.

Wait, no, cabin activities are later. After breakfast we do cabin cleanup, then personal choice, and I chose 1) drama and 2) arts and crafts. After that we have lunch. We had soup, sandwiches, quiche, salad….stuff like that. After lunch is zap time, which is quiet time. During my zap times, I wrote a letter to my parents, I used my Junie B. Jones activity book, and I also sometimes just played with my special dog called Bowen and my special blanket called Pink Blanket.

I thought drama and arts and crafts was really fun. I made three new friends, wait two. Actually I did make three…

Me: So what was it like being away from home for a whole week:

B: I missed my parents a little bit, but then you get distracted because it’s so fun and you don’t really want to go home once they arrive.

Me: Awesome.

Nine-Year-Old N’s post:

I think camp was a great experience because it taught you a lot about the outdoors. We played a bunch of fun games like rain vs. sun which is where one team wants to get tiles into the other team’s bucket without getting tapped. If you get tapped the other person has 3 guesses to guess where the tile is on you. If none of your 3 guesses is correct, then the other person gets a 10 second getaway. On the last day of camp we played a gigantic game of Clue. On that day, it was game day. We got to play a bunch of other games too.

Me: What was it like being away from home for an entire week?

N: I think it was fun because you got to make a bunch of new friends and just be away from home.

Me: did you miss Me and Daddy?

N: A bit, but we were having too much fun to really realize it.

Me: Awesome.

Finola is married to Tony and together they have two girls who are 6 and 8. You can read her blog at www.finolablog.com

Flashback: Storyland

There are so many great posts that still apply. Here is one I wrote last year. My mother in law took her four eldest grandsons (ranging 4-7) there this week again and they had a blast! ~ Lara by Lara

A few years ago there was a big radio campaign on the radio advertising the last summer of Storyland before they closed down. I immediately knew I wanted to bring Kiernan and put it on our to do list. But it was a crazy summer and we didn’t make it – I was sad.

But here’s the thing – someone bought it, and it never actually closed! (although I’m pretty sure many people think it did)

Last summer, while we were staying at my in-law’s cottage in the Renfrew area, we actually made it over and the kids had a BLAST! (even though I was there with 8 week old twins – that part was more than a little crazy

Storyland has been around for a long time, and so have some of their displays.  But the new owners have been working hard to update the place.

The park is located in a mainly wooded area just past Renfrew (tip: a regular stroller would have troubles here so either bring baby carriers or a jogging stroller. I did see some strollers that you could borrow, but a small baby couldn’t be put into them) and you walk through the trails and see a variety of different story displays, petting farm animals, rides, and there is also a theatre area where they put on shows.

There is also a splash pad, a pond, paddle boats, mini golf and inflatable slides and bouncers.  There is enough to keep you busy for a full day!

The cost is $13.50 for everyone over 3 (free for under 3) so it is a lot more affordable than a lot of other amusement parks. It may not have a lot of bells and whistles, but I find most kids don’t need those.  I recommend checking it out and plan to make a day of it some time in August!  Maybe I’ll see you there?

Lara is the mom to 4.5 year old Kiernan and 2 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can find her at her blog Gliding Through Motherhood.