Use FTF's guide to Russia's “Venice of the North” to learn all about the family attractions in this beautiful city.
In case you were wondering, zdraftst’voitye means “hello” in Russian, the native language of St. Petersburg. In 1703, Peter the Great began the nine-year project of building a new Russian harbor city on the Gulf of Finland. Since then, this 300-year-old city has seen its share of war, hunger, and revolution, but has shown remarkable spirit and toughness. (Residents famously attended a performance of the philharmonic orchestra during a World War II shelling attack!) In this age of peace and relative prosperity, St. Petersburg is ready to show your family its soft side.
Just strolling around Russia’s “Venice of the North” is a diversion in itself – the city boasts many picturesque canals and over 500 bridges. The Blue Bridge, at 319 feet, two inches wide, is the widest bridge in the world. Sculptures of horses gallop in place along the Neva River. An especially beautiful time to walk along the river is during the “White Nights” in June and July, when, due to the northern latitude of St. Petersburg, the sun never quite seems to set, but lingers with a soft, white glow instead.
St. Petersburg’s Metro stations are a must-see themselves. These “People’s Palaces” are stunning stations as envisioned by Stalin who employed the best Soviet architects to design them. Sculptures, mosaics, and chandeliers were commissioned from famous artists and many tons of marble, granite, and limestone were used in their construction. In 1955, the first line was opened with stops at the Pushkin and Vladimir stations. Stations are buried deep underground because of the many waterways St. Petersburg and long escalators lead down the platforms. The Metro ride is a great experience that gives a glance into the daily life of the people of St. Petersburg.
For addition insight into daily life of the people of St. Petersburg, visit local shops such as the Kuznechny Market. Sellers in the market come from all over Russia and sell everything from fruits and fresh fish to homemade cottage cheese and natural honey.
Nevsky Prospekt is another great place for walking. This bustling thoroughfare has grown into St. Petersburg’s best shopping street. It’s also culturally rich, with historic buildings and monuments alongside pharmacies, bookshops, and toy stores. You may even see an exclamatory sign in Russian that translates to “Citizens! At times of artillery bombardment this side of street is most dangerous!” (Don’t worry, this is left over from World War II, and doesn’t apply to the current, peaceful situation in St. Petersburg.)
Elyveev’s, a reputable delicatessen store located on the Nevsky Prospekt, is worth a visit as it is one of the best places to buy caviar and vodka. It is located in one of the most lavish modern-style buildings built at the turn of the 20th century, embellished with bronze sculptures and huge windows.
What To See & Do
The Hermitage Museum (812/110-96-25. Open daily except Monday, 10:30 am – 6:00pm) is a massive collection of art from the Stone Age to the present, and the city’s most world-renowned attraction. Six buildings along the Neva River house this museum complex with over 3,000,000 items. The most awe-inspiring of these buildings is the Winter Palace, once home to the Russian Tsars. Here the kids can view doll clothes from the early Middle Ages, ancient Egyptian tombs, and probably too many other exhibits to fit into one day. The Golden Rooms contain gold, silverware, and gems fashioned into fabulous jewelry and collected by Catherine the Great.
For the inevitable snack break, the Hermitage Café menu includes pizza, ice cream, and other familiar junk food. The café also features an Internet area where visitors can send electronic postcards directly from the museum.
Outside the museum, a statue of Tsar Alexander stands atop a tall column in the center of Palace Square. Once this was the parade ground for the Tsars, then the site of three revolutions, and now it’s just a great place to run around!
Another fun, outdoor area is the Peter and Paul Fortress (Petropavlovskaya Krepost, in Russian), built by Peter the Great on Hare Island to protect St. Petersburg from invading Swedes. Later this irregular hexagon of a fortress was used as a prison – novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky was imprisoned here in the mid-19th century. Next door, the thin spire of the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral reaches into the air. This church, the oldest in St. Petersburg, holds the tombs of Russia’s pre-revolutionary emperors. There’s even a beach-like area on Hare Island that crowds with sun-bathers in the summer.
St. Isaac’s Cathedral (812/315-9732) famous for its lavish interior, is now open to visitors as a museum. If your family doesn’t mind combining tourism with cardiovascular exercise, try climbing the hundreds of steps to admire the city view from the sky-high Colonnade. Look down on the bronze statue of Nicholas I on horseback in St. Isaac’s Square – another monumental tribute to Tsarist Russia. The Cathedral is open daily except Wednesday from 11am–6pm, but the Colonnade closes at 5pm.
Another interesting religious site is the Grand Choral Synagogue which was consecrated in 1893. The synagogue soon became the home of the city’s entire population of 15,000 Jews, after the Russian authorities closed all Jewish meeting houses in the city. The recently restored Moorish-style building is located at 2 Lermontovsky Prospect and provides education and charitable works, and hosts concerts of cantors from the US, Israel and Canada. Weekly services are held in the Grand Hall on Saturdays and holidays at 9:30am and in the Small Synagogue on weekdays at 10am, 4pm and after sunset, and on Saturdays at 10:30am and 1pm.
For a definitely kid-friendly adventure, check out the cruiser “Aurora” (Open daily 10:30am–4pm except Mondays and Fridays). An antique of the Russo-Japanese War in the early 1900s, this vessel now floats, restored and maintained by Navy cadets. Kids can explore the deck to their hearts’ content for free; a parent request may secure a tour of the engine room for an extra fee.
Another boat turned floating museum is The Icebreaker “Krasin” (812/324-9448; Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am–5pm, closed Mondays). This tough ship played important roles in both World War II and research expeditions in the Polar Ocean; now it floats off the bank of Vasilyevsky Island and welcomes visitors. If the Krasin sparks an interest in polar navigation, another place to visit might be the Arctic and Antarctic Museum (812/311-2549; Open Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm; closed Monday, Tuesday, and the last Saturday of each month). If nothing else, there is a large collection of taxidermy that children tend to find fascinating.
The Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, known as the Kunstkamera, (812/328-1412. Open daily 11am–4:45pm; closed Monday and the last Wednesday of each month) showcases artifacts of traditional cultures from all over the world. In addition to the impressive permanent collections, several temporary exhibits explore aspects of human culture throughout history. The included Lomonosov Museum features scientific instruments (like sun-dials, compasses, and telescopes) from the 13th to 19th centuries, and the Planetarium contains re-created 18th century paintings of the night sky.
If you have time for an excursion out of town, Peterhof (812/420-0073) is a 29km commuter train and bus ride away, to the west on the Gulf of Finland. The name of this great estate means “Peter’s Court,” and it was built as a place of repose for Peter the Great. The Grand Palace, with its elaborate interiors, is open for viewing Tuesday–Sunday 11am-6pm, closed Monday and the last Tuesday of each month. The main draw for kids here is the enormous park with fountains, statues, and pavilions galore. The Lower Park features over 120 fountains with no pumps – all the water movement relies on gravity alone. In the most famous fountain, water shoots dramatically from a lion’s jaws as a golden Samson holds them open. Visitors can also watch aquatic chess boards, dragons, and silly characters. Lower Park is open daily 9am–8pm, 9pm on weekends. Fountains run 11am–5pm from late May to mid-October.
Going To The Theatre
Back in St. Petersburg, you may want to take advantage of the performing arts – the city is a cultural mecca of Russia. Perhaps most well-known is the Mariinsky Theatre (812/326-4141), which showcases world-famous Russian ballet and opera. Everything about the place is elegant, from the blue velvet chairs to the three-tiered chandelier. Tickets can be reserved by phone or over the Internet.
Catering more to young children is the E.S. Demmeni Theater of Marionettes (812/311-2156). Performances feature puppets on strings acting out children’s tales. This is Russia’s first puppet theater, founded in 1918, and the tradition of marionette puppetry is older than the Tsars.
Where To Stay
As more world travelers discover the charms of St. Petersburg, the quality of lodging increases. The Astoria Hotel (812/494-5757 is great for tourists, with a downtown location, currency change, and in-house travel agency, all enveloped in elegant Art Deco decor. This hotel houses many group tours and offers single and double rooms as well as suites. Children under 12 stay free in their parents’ room (there is a small fee for an extra bed).
The Radisson SAS Royal St. Petersburg (812/322-5000) is another classy hotel located downtown. The historic building has original features almost 300 years old. There are many deluxe rooms to choose from and Russian dishes are served in the Barbazan Restaurant. Kids to age 17 stay free.
For families looking for lodging a bit more budget-oriented and culturally immersed, Host Families Association (HOFA) (911/914-2762 might be the way to go. This organization matches travelers with local Russian host families based on language, level of service, and age (including children). Optional services include meals, a car, and Russian language tutoring. References are available.
Details, Details
St. Petersburg ‘s climate is generally mild and humid with frequent fog and rain. The peak season for tourists is between May and September when temperatures range from 45 to 60°F (7 to 15.5°C). Summers can have very dry and hot periods, but the temperatures usually range between 65 and 77°F (18 to 25°C). Winters are much colder with temperatures generally between -13 and 23°F (-25 to -5°C).
The ruble, the local currency, is currently valued at US$1 equals about 31 rubles. When spending time in St. Petersburg, you should always carry identification with a photocopy of your visa and passport. Russia requires tourist visas from the citizens of many countries, and arrangements for documentation should be made well in advance. As in other very populated cities, watch out for pickpockets, particularly in public areas, marketplaces and on the Metro.
Getting around the city is surprisingly easy. Families without a car in their vacation budget need not stress about transportation – there is plenty of the public variety. The Metro is the fastest, cheapest way to navigate the city, and big “M”s clearly mark the entrances. Nicely decorated stations and big escalators are extra incentives for kids!
For more information, click here for the official website of St. Petersburg, and the U.S. Department of State Consular Information Sheet on travel to Russia.
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We vacationed at a dude ranch in Colorado called the Drowsy Water Ranch. We have two kids (9,4) who along with us had the best vacation we have ever had. The ranch offered lots of activities and excellent kids programs and riding instruction.
Our favorite parts of the trip was the evening activities, great staff and ranch owners, learning to ride like cowboys and cowgirls, rafting and most of all watching our kids enjoy their vacation.
We would highly recommend Drowsy Water Ranch to anyone looking for a dude ranch vacation. We are planning on returning to the ranch again this coming summer!
I've heard that this housing development project has made Amsterdam city living more affordable for young families. What a wonderful way to keep a very old urban center alive.
Jessica,
I love your essay. Very descriptive and well written. Thanks for sharing it!
Mrs. Toombs
I love your incorporation of the “Disney” portrayal of Paris. I was also a little disappointed when I actually saw the Moulin Rouge, it was definitely not as romantic as Nicole and Ewan made it seem.
This is really good!
your job sounds so interesting, sort of like a war correspondent with less of the war and more of the correspondence. I look forward to week 2.
Wow… really interesting to hear about Iraq from this non-news oriented perspective. Thanks for sharing and can’t wait for more.
Good luck and be safe!
I’d like to thank the judges, who gave my essay the time of day and even went as far as to award it third place. This event has been really awesome.
There’s an area in Berlin with segments of the Wall still standing, and these are covered with graffiti and really interesting to see. I never heard of this, will definitely check it out next time I’m in Praha. Thanks for sharing.
gee Brandon,
that’s a really heavy thought but a very interesting one. i loved cancun when we went; it’s full of life and very sophisticated. yes, we could see the difference between the glitzy lifestyles of the locals around the tourist hotels, versus the people who lived in the countryside, but they all seemed pretty happy to me.
The Holland America ships sailing on a 7-day itinerary only have time for a day in port at Quebec City. However, they have a few 13 day itineraries that spend 2 days in this fun port of call. Mid September-October is a great time to go.
I was able to get the docs, cancel the request. If all else fails, read the directions, right? Thanks
For a unique, exhilerating and unforgettable experience in Wales, try an “adventure weekend” at Preseli Venture. My weekend there included learning how to surf and hiking for 7 miles along the gorgeous coast. Other activities were kayacking and, my personal favorite, coasteering – a combination of swimming, rock climbing and cliff jumping that will leave you sore, tired and smiling. The rest of our time there was spent hanging out around a bonfire, eating delicious food and having drinks with friends. Your body will be challenged and your soul will be rejuvinated after a weekend here!
Norway is an absolutely magical country where you can see tiny grass-roof houses occasionally dotting the countryside and some of the bluest waters you can imagine. My family has an incredible trip to Norway a few years ago. All of us would definitely recommend that you try the strawberries at the open-air market in Bergen. They were the best we’ve ever had. However, don’t be tempted to try the chain pizza restaurant, Pippin’s. Their idea of pizza is not quite what most Americans are used to and its very expensive. After a disastrous experience with Norwegian pizza, we ventured toward the less touristy eateries and discovered that tiny restaurants that sell delicious rotisserie chicken platters were everywhere and quite affordable. We were so proud of ourselves for making this little discovery that I though I’d share it with anyone considering a trip to this amazing place!
Big Sur, the National Park along Highway 1, just south of Monterey is also worth a visit. I spent many summers there as a child and it’s always a pleasure to go back. You’ll be camping(but there are cabins and hotels available) among the giant redwoods, with the beach right beside the forest. Some of the scenery just driving through the park are the best, in my opinion of the entire Highway 1 experience and definitely worth at least a day trip while in the area.
The Bellagio has an amazing nightly water show. The fountains make the water seem to dance to classical music. The show only lasts about 5-10 minutes, but it runs every half hour during the week and every 15 minutes on the weekends. You can tell when the show is about to start as soon as the area around the Bellagio’s entrance gets packed, so be sure to beat the rush and get a comfortable viewing area.
I’ve made two requests for permission travel letters and have not received an email. I have a mac…is that a problem?
The Lake George region is one my favorites to vacation in upstate New York. The town is beautiful and an evening walk along the water after a nice meal makes for an enjoyable evening.
When I vacationed with my family a few years ago we stayed at the Lake George Escape Camp Ground. My family is not one for roughing it, so even though there were families on the grounds living out their tents and RVs, we were able to rent one of the log cabins, with all the modern “luxuries” that I deem necessary (shower, bed, kitchen). The huge grounds has a baseball field, an outdoor pool and a rec room with a tons of games for the kids to play. There is nightly entertainment and the atmosphere is very friendly with families grilling on their own BBQs and offering hotdogs to other guests walking by.
While in town, we found the time to explore the area and two of the things I highly recommend are Six Flags Great Escape Park and just a half-mile down the road from that is the Glen Falls Drive-In movie theater. The theme park has a bobsled rollercoaster and the drive-in has double features (for the price of one) every night during the summer!
Our teen son has been to the New Orleans Jazz Festival twice and he just loves it. There is something magical about listening to music out of doors that keeps kids involved. If we put on some of the music he loved at NoLa at home, he would scoff at it! But there, sitting on the lawn, his musical horizons were much broader. This festival sounds just great.
Hello Steve~ I’m hoping your still active on this site and my post reaches you soon. It was a wonderful sight for me to stumble upon this site and find your name and some photos. Please try to contact me so that we can catch up. You may email me erinmbrice on yahoo.
Everyone should go to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most amazing things I did in Ireland!
During Christmas of 2006, I went down to the Caribbean for the first time with my family. It was me, my younger brother and sister (who were in their mid to late teenage years at the time) and our parents.
I was a little apprehensive since I have never been on vacation during the holidays before, but like Kristen, we stayed at the Barcelo Capella and it was a GREAT TIME. There was a huge tree in the middle of the resort decorated with lights and they even had parties for all the guests on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The staff is comical, welcoming and entertaining. My favorite part of each night was after dinner when the performers took a break from their music and dancing and put on what the resort calls, “Ice Breakers.” Basically, they pull out random guests and members of the audience to come on stage and participate in embarrassing, but incredibly funny activities. You may have to dance the tango with a stranger, pop balloons with your butt, or make animals noises. It keeps the crowd pleased and certainly does break the ice.
I went down with my family, but left the resort with a ton of friends. The Barcelo Capella definitely enhances the typical family vacation. PLUS- It is ALL INCLUSIVE and beach front. You really cannot go wrong here.
Oahu can be congested sometimes, but it’s too beautiful to pass up. Another great thing to do is visit The Contemporary Museum on Makiki Heights Drive. It’s small and intimate and full of interesting exhibits. It’s a great place to beat the heat and get away from crowds.
Absolutely beautiful, in summer and winter. Lake Louise holds a special place in my heart! Although I would suggest during winter bundle up. Seriously, I spent the winter holidays skiing here and it was -40 degrees, hand warmers are a must!
I loved going to Lugu Lake. It took a six hour bus ride to get there from Lijiang, which is a short flight away from Kunming. The trip was definitely worth it though, the lake is gorgeous! If you have time, get tickets for the Mosuo performance. The Mosuo people are a matriarchal society who lives near Lugu Lake and the show teaches you all about their customs through singing and dancing.
I go back to Grand Targhee every winter with my dad for so many reasons. I love it! The lift lines are never long, the food is cheap and with my college I.D I was able to ski for $35 over spring break 2008. I was even able to go skiing with my friends who had never skied before.
If you’re looking to visit pandas without leaving the city, just head over to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The research base is just a short taxi ride away from the heart of the city and a perfect day trip. I spent three hours there before my evening flight, just enough time to visit everything from the Baby Panda Nursery to Giant Panda Kindergarten. The pandas are adorable and although they didn’t do much (mostly sleeping and eating), none of the visitors, including me, could take their eyes off the slow-moving animals. For 400 RMB (about 53 US dollars), visitors can stand next to and take a picture with a baby panda, but if you want to hold one, be prepared for sticker shock. It costs 1000 RMB, or about 133 US dollars!
I also recommend stopping and watching the video about the giant panda and the center’s breeding efforts. Visit the less popular red pandas as well. They’re much more energetic than their large black and white counterparts and the kids were excited to see them leaping around and wrestling with one another. Like most other tourist destinations, the breeding center has a souvenir shop near the exit. Stop by and take a look at the cuddly stuffed pandas and t-shirts, but you may want to buy the items at the stands across the street from the breeding center where you can bargain. Be careful when getting on one of the taxis waiting outside. They know that most of the visitors are tourists and will try to rip you off so make sure they start the meter once you get on.
While in Chengdu, I stayed at Universal House Golden Hotel, a four star hotel not far from the city center. It was inexpensive (I paid around 60 US dollars per night) and the service was wonderful. The front desk was eager to help and recommended two wonderful restaurants, including Huang Cheng Lao Ma which specializes in Sichuan-style hotpot.
The Giant’s Causeway is definitely worth the trip from Belfast, which by bus tour took a couple hours for us. There is a particular rock out near the water that is rumored to be magical and is considered Finn’s chair. Supposedly anyone who sits on that particular step stone can wish for any one thing and Finn will grant that wish.
I also highly recommend the Crown’s Liquor Saloon. The Farmer’s Chicken was excellent and keeping with the wonderful pub atmosphere. Now that there is a smoking ban in Northern Ireland, I bet it’s even more pleasant without the cloud of smoke.
A couple other things that to think about doing is visiting Queen’s University, just to see how like good wine, universities are better with age and a stroll through the Botanical Gardens is nice when weather permits, but if showers occur, seek shelter in the Palm House, a glass greenhouse with a huge variety of tropical flowers and plants. Admission is free to both.
Another way to travel through Belfast is with the Black Cab tours, which offers private tours in those classic cab cars that look old fashioned compared to the sedan Yellow Taxis of New York City. These personalized tours allow up to four people to pick and choose which sites ranging from within Belfast City to as far as Antrim to the Giant’s Causeway. They also have tours to the Shankill Murals and Falls Murals, which are always viewed better with a local guide to explain what these paintings represent, along with the history.
Edinburgh has a great haunted tour. A lot of it is more about the ‘gore’ of hanging days, but they take you down into their underground vaults, which was voted as one of the most haunted places on earth. It’s not all that scary, but definitely for older kids (and grown-ups) who love to be spooked.
I love Portland! Try out the Rose Gardens, it’s a nice place for the kids to run around while the parents enjoy the flowers.
I stayed at the Embassy Hotel while there and we ended up with a suite, very spacious, clean, great staff.
Little Italy is a great spot for gelato and family-style Italian food. And the suburb of Westlake (about 15 minutes from Cleveland) has a huge pedestrian area and shopping village called Crocker Park with tons of shops, eateries, and kid-friendly stops.
I stayed at the Hix House, designed by environmentalist architect John Hix. We absolutely loved it, though it is very rustic and run on solar power, no TV, AC, etc. They require children be 16 and older, so this is only a good option for older kids who love the outdoors and want to explore unique environmental lodging options.
I like free kayaking in Hudson Park through Downtown Boat House. They provide free kayaks to venture out solo or tandem for about 20-minutes along the Hudson. Kids under the age of 16 have to go tandem with a guardian. While 16-18 year olds can go solo, but their guardian has to sign a waiver and be present the whole time. Makes for a fun and inexpensive family activity.
Hudson Park also has a summer trapeze school, batting cages, bike rentals, rock climbing, play areas, and free movie programs during summer.
St. Thomas isn’t the island for me. Personally, the last thing I want to see when entering a Caribbean port is an oversized Rolex store, a local market overflowing with cheap goods from China, and a misplaced McDonald’s.
The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort is well-kept, but has some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced. If you’re not there on an all-inclusive, they’ll nickel and dime you to death with $20 to $50 to check your email, or even more to get online from your room. My room’s internet connection did not work and when alerted to the problem, the cranky staff did nothing beyond making false promises and passing the buck and I left having never been able to connect.
The beach is rocky and uninviting and so far from the rooms as to almost make it not worth the visit. Snorkeling gear is free to guests, but they make you pay $5 for life vest’s for your little ones. I had to leave my credit card as a deposit when they wouldn’t take my room number instead.
I don’t recommend the Wyndham…
Hi
Stay in what Hans Christian Andersen called “Denmarks Garden” at this magnificent Manor House, http://www.skrobelevgods.dk
Huge and bright suites with en-suite bathrooms, winecellar, lounces with open fireplaces etc.
Hi
Another fantastic French castle is Hattonchatel Chateau in Lorraine – the view is fabulous and the listed knights hall “la Salle de Burgraves” is one of the few wonders of this world.
Mention the night skiing at Squaw Valley. It has one of the longest night-lit runs I’ve ever skied — 3.2 miles from top to bottom. Plus the terrain park is lit at night and that includes a half-pipe. Really fun.
Susan F.
Northstar at Taoe is a great place for teens because all of the housing on the resort site is served by a bus. That means they can sleep in and get themselves to the slopes. It also has really fun terrain park features for both skiers and snowboarders. It would be nice to see daycare for infants, though.
– Laura S.
Wow, you sound like a disgruntled Yankee Fan!
Having personally vacationed at Point Sebago with my family for a week at least 7 years so we speak from first hand experience. Most years we never leave the resort and check-out feeling we participated in a small fraction of the resorts multitude of offerings. You make no mention of the family camaraderie we find so refreshing around the campfire each evening. Did you ever start a camp fire? Probably not as it sounds like you spent very little time at the resort (5 days vacation and 5 Maine excursions).
Obviously your teens do not enjoy tennis, canoeing, kayaking, golf, driving range, miniature golf, sailing, volleyball, shuffleboard, hanging out on the beach, or going on a teen cruise or teen dance.
You make the “Park Homes” sound small. And, when compared to a house – this point can not be argued. However many families vacation and share a single motel/hotel room with 2 double beds. Compared to that, our 2-bedroom Park Home every year feels quite spacious.
You also mention the 10 minute walk from your unit to the water. You do not mention the dozens of homes directly on the water (given the resort popularity, we do reserve months in advance to get a waterfront Park Home).
Point Sebago Resort has over a 80 percent repeat guest and referral rate. Families who love Point Sebago are loyal, return year after year (some for generations) and tell their friends. We have refered dozens of families and all have loved it! Thousands find this to be a real “Maine woods” experience.
But when you visit a resort with so much to offer and the 6 highlights of your visit are 5 off-sight visits (you were only there for 5 days) and the sixth highlight was teaching your son to drive. Well, as you say, clearly your family “did not click with it” – but did you even try?
Does not sound like you will, but if you were to visit again, try actually participating in some of the resorts activities and events. They are numerous, they are fun! You make new friends and you reconnect as friends with your family – surprisingly this happens over mini golf or s’mores. We find this is what really makes the true Point Sebago experience!
-Greg Burke
This author is amazing! This article was very informative and makes me want to go to Seefeld right now!!!Keep up the good work!!!
Our family visited Columbus in July one year and attended the Ohio State Fair. What a great time we had – our 2 year old loved petting the animals in the 4H tent where many older kids were gathered with the younger “siblings” of the cows, sheep and goats who were in competition. The Ohioans are so friendly too, that made it extra fun. Highly recommended, especially with little ones.
I was at this ski resort in March one year and it was awesome. There’s an outdoor cafe halfway up the mountain, near the open air skating rink built for the Olympics — both are a great place to hang out in the noon day sun. really neat.
This sounds like such a fun trip, but do you think it would be hard to drive a minivan full of kids for us, since it’s on the “wrong” side of the street in Ireland?
I wonder how much traffic there is and how stressful this would be, with parking, filling up the gas tank, etc.
Don’t miss “Gum Alley” in downtown San Luis Obispo, where visitors have left their artistic mark in gum. You’ll see gum initials, gum hearts, gum peace symbols, and thousands and thousands of pieces of ABC (already been chewed) gum. Found objects such as old 45 rpm records and charms are often stuck onto the wall and there’s always room for more. The wall is located off Higuera between Chorro and Broad Streets.
I haven’t, but I found a nice site at http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/- It’s AutoEurope, the car rental company, and they have lots of fly-drive offers for families interested in visiting the Christmas markets in Munich, Dresden, Nuremberg, Salzburg, Vienna, Zurich and Strasbourg. maybe it will have some good ideas for your next Christmas market adventure.
A few things to do iin Moscow include the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier’s changing of the guard ceremony, a Kremlin tour, Lenin’s Mausoleum, Armory and Diamond Fund Tours.
You can explore central Moscow on foot. Kids may like the shopping mall with the food court under Red Square.
Other possiblities include the Izmalova flea market, the KGB Museum and Park Pobedy (Victory Park).
The Bolshoi ballet is a treat and you’ll need to book tickets quite a ways in advance.
You should have plenty of excellent ideas for St. Petersburg in this article!
I am interested in a family trip in July for my two children and myself to include at least Moscow and St Petersburg. I am a member. Help! Christi Bourne
I just didn’t want FamilyTravelForum.com to be hit by nasty emails from parents with young kids curious to know just what Bomba and the women are doing in all those photos and why.
The Bomba Shack is a tourist attraction — trap may be more like it. It’s a really gross place.
Candyce Stapen
Anyone who has ever been to Tortola knows that this is just an absurd landmark… a taste of local color… that people actually ask to stop at. It is definitely just a place to take a photo as they have the strangest things hanging there. We saw lots and lots of license plates, etc… and did not take note of bras and panties, etc. We did not recommend that anyone “hang out” there.
Nonetheless, we feel that if anyone is offended… then this item definitely has to be eliminated from our article about the island.
Mel and Ronnie Greenberg, authors
You really should delete the reference to “Bamba Shack.” First of all, it’s the “Bomba Shack” and secondly, it appeals to drunken college students and twenthysomethings. It’s not family-friendly.
Women’s panties and naked, explicit — very explicit photos — of Bomba feeling up and doing all kinds of X-rated activities with visiting women are on the walls and hang from the rafters.
I wouldn’t even want my daughter going there when she was in college, let alone when she was younger.
Candyce Stapen
[Editor’s Note: Travel expert Candyce H. Stapen is a contributing editor and columnist for Family Fun, Vacations, the Washington Times, and National Geographic Traveler. She is also the author of the four “Great Family Vacations” guides (Prima Publishing): Northeast, South, Midwest & Rocky Mountain Region, and West, as well as “Cruise Vacations With Kids” and “Fun With the Family in Virginia” (Globe Pequot Press). Stapen has two children and lives in Washington, DC.]