Planes haven’t been on your radar since Maverick and Top Gun, but your little captain loves flying the friendly skies. Take her up, up and away at 11 awesome aviation centers perfect for petite pilots. From interactive exhibits to real-life aircrafts, you’re now boarding for the next family adventure.
Which one of these high-flying places would your little maverick enjoy? Share with us in a comment below.
—Gabby Cullen
We all know that traveling with a baby can be hellish, not only for the mom and dad, but for the other passengers too. Jet Blue recently released a video called “FlyBabies” in which the airline awarded passengers 25% off their next trip every time a baby cried.
“People smile at babies everywhere, except on planes,” said Elizabeth Windram, JetBlue’s director brand management and advertising (and a mother of a toddler). “For Mother’s Day, we wanted to acknowledge how moms (indeed all parents and caregivers) often feel stressed while traveling with children.” We can all cheers to that!
This was a one-time promotion, just for the flight in the video. See how everyone reacted below:
Photo & Video: jetblue via YouTube
Did you fly with your baby? How’d it go? Tell us in the comments below!
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays and out-of-town visitors! Do you have relatives clamoring at your door ready to visit America’s Finest City? We’ll make sure you are the “hosts with the most” with this ultimate guide to showing off San Diego. From the post-airport pick up to lazy days enjoying the San Diego sun, we’ve got you covered with plenty of ideas to have your guests loving the sights. But be prepared for the guest bedroom to be fully booked. Click through the slideshow to see our picks for family fun.
Do you have any favorite spots to show off San Diego to your visitors? Let us know in the Comments below!
— Lenya McGrath
Despite a lengthy countdown to your tour date, scheduling a semi-private tour at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena is well worth the wait. Budding astronauts will gawk over watching rocket scientists at work, viewing life-sized models of all of JPL’s spacecraft, and getting a birds-eye view of the mission control room in action. Beam yourself up the 210 for an educational (and free!) day.
photo credit: Shannon Guyton
Where Time And Space Meet
Patience, young Jedi. Learning about space travel might take some time. Tours book up months in advance and run every week at 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, alternating. There’s an option for groups of up to 10 and for groups of 20+. Go online to JPL’s free public tours page to check availability.
photo credit: Barbara Nale
Street, Er, Space Cred
One of the coolest parts of the 2 ½ hour tour is that with your souvenir badge around your neck, you’ll feel like a legit employee. Tour guides offer easy to understand explanations of astounding facts about space exploration.
photo credit: Barbara Nale
Star Tours
The tour starts with a beautifully done 20-minute video of what we know about all the planets, narrated by none other than Han Solo himself.
photo credit: Barbara Nale
Next, you’ll get peek at scientists at work. Your tour guide will explain what projects the engineers are working on and why they keep the assembly room at 67 degrees and 51% humidity. Hint: when you get to the top of the stairs at this stop, stand toward the right so you can see the video playing.
photo credit: Barbara Nale
The third stop is the JPL museum where you’ll see life-sized replicas of a spacecraft dating back to 1936 when JPL was formed by rocket enthusiasts from the California Institute of Technology, to the most recent Mars Rover called Curiosity which is looking for life-supporting elements on Mars. You’ll have some time here on your own to explore the kid-friendly interactive exhibits.
photo credit: Barbara Nale
Your last stop (and arguably the coolest) is a room with a view of mission control. You’ll learn some fascinating details about the satellites that are tracking different activities and making discoveries every day around the world.
The theme of the campus is “Dare Mighty Things,” and your kids’ imaginations will be sparked and dreams inspired from taking a trip to JPL.
photo credit: Shannon Guyton
Ground Control Details
Food is not available for sale on campus, but there is a lovely park, the Hahamongna Watershed Park, right next door where you can have a picnic before your tour. Smaller groups can eat on the very pretty outdoor bench and table area where employees take their breaks.
Parking for visitors at JPL is easier than it appears. When you arrive at the gate of the campus you will show your driver’s license to the guard who should issue you a permit for the lot nearest the visitor center. Ask for the permit even if the guard doesn’t give you one! There’s a handy roundabout that is great for stopping to drop off anyone in your party that isn’t big on walking. (Because this tour is amazing to schedule when family, including Grandma and Grandpa who remember the original moon walk, is in town).
photo credit: Barbara Nale
Be prepared to walk. The tour goes for nearly a mile, including multiple flights of stairs. Wear comfortable shoes and in summer months don’t forget a sun hat, SPF and a bottle of water. There are elevators available, just let your tour guide know if you need one.
The tour is only semi-private. You could be grouped with as many as fifty other space invaders. Guides will split the groups by age.
Bathrooms and drinking fountains are available along the way and each inside stop is (thankfully) air-conditioned.
After your tour, stop in the cute and refreshingly reasonably priced gift shop to grab a NASA souvenir.
Best for ages 8 & up, but kids as young as 4 will enjoy the tour if they love space and can hold out for snacks for the 2 1/2 hours the tour takes.
If you can’t wait to check out JPL, you can attend the upcoming Open House on October 10 & 11, 2015. The center will be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. No tickets or reservations required.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Dr.
Pasadena
818-354-4321
Online: jpl.nasa.gov
Have you taken a tour of JPL? What’s your favorite spot in town to explore infinity and beyond?
—Shannon Guyton
Who needs to jet set to a tropical island when Portland has plenty of excitement, like tram rides with a bird’s-eye view, berry patches and sandy beach trips within a stone’s throw of home? Read on to discover eight close-to-home adventures that’ll make your summer unforgettable.
What’s on your summer bucket list? Let us know in the Comments below!
— Marianne Walters
In LA summers are hot and getting hotter. Not very-warm hot, but surface-of-the-sun hot. Just the thought of summer’s upcoming heat makes you throw the air conditioning into overdrive. And with the drought, you don’t want to waste water in the backyard kiddie pool. Rescue your melting family with a much needed cool-down at Casitas Water Adventure and they’ll be gurgling your praises.
photo credit: Lake Casitas Water Adventure via facebook
Water, Water Everywhere
Hop in the car early in the morning, and head towards Ojai. An hour and a half later (and a turn onto Casitas Vista Rd.), you’re at water nirvana where you can stay for the whole day. As soon as you park, the kids will take off. The first thing they’ll do is beeline for the zero-depth pool. The lagoon is 18 inches in depth, so even the youngest water babies can delight in the spraying water, tunnels, climbing structures, and slides. Join the fun as you pretend your new pirate ship needs defending. Help the wee ones navigate the “ship” and secure the leaking schooner. Insider Tip #1: Bring sand pails (rinsed to remove leftover sand) to add another layer of fun.
photo credit: yelp
Relax and Stay Awhile
After your dread pirates have defeated you, they’re ready for more adventures, but you’re ready for a rest. Choose perfect seats from the abundance of lounge chairs situated around the site. Opt for a shady or sunnier spot. Be mindful of the signs since some areas (shady deck) are reserved for large groups. Insider Tip #2: Weekends get very busy; arrive early for better seating options or drop anchor during the week.
photo credit: Sandi D via yelp
A Lazy Trip Around a Lazy River
Ensure all first mates find their way to the crystal clear, 1,200 foot-long, lazy river. Capture one of the multitude of free inner tubes floating by. Found your ride? Great! Now get comfy and close your eyes as your cares drift away…until you are spurted awake in the jet spray zone, which will give the kids a case of the giggles. Another section has a small overhang that provides a fun waterfall to float under, but be prepared for a chill as it is very cold water! (Which will feel like extra heaven by August and the dog days.) Turn this trip into a learning experience when you travel under the fog-filled area and explain about clouds, mist, and water droplets. Want to add an extra layer of entertainment? Try maneuvering your older ones, or have them angle you, through the waterfall or direct them into the eye of the jet spray.
Certified life guards abound around the river and the splash pool. Insider Tip #3: The water is amazingly clear, but not heated, so be prepared for a cold shock. Inner tubes are available all along the river, so don’t fret about giving one up for a while; you’ll get it back.
photo credit: Sandi D via yelp
Eats
Only baby food and water (no glass containers) are allowed inside the park, but don’t despair; bring a picnic lunch and leave it in a cooler in your car. When hunger hits, receive the return hand-stamp and eat lunch at one of the picnic tables outside the park. If you don’t want to pack a lunch or only want dessert, grab a grilled item from the snack shack or choose from a variety of ice cream delights that are offered. Plan to hang at the park until dinner? Dry off and head to Boccali’s Pizza and Pasta for a yummy meal. Insider Tip #4: Leave room for dessert, Boccali’s Strawberry Shortcake is not to be missed.
photo credit: Erica Groten
Know Before You Go
Ages: Open to everyone.
Parking: Parking outside the park is free, but is slim pickings and a short walk to the Casitas Water Adventure entrance. Not fun if you are carrying tots and supplies. Splurge and park inside the recreation center. Parking costs $10 during the week and $15 on weekends and holidays.
Life Vests: Free and located by the locker rooms. They are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Potties: You’ll find them in the locker rooms, by the gated entrance inside the park, which also house the bathrooms and showers. A changing table is available.
Lockers: Are available, for a fee.
Reservations & Cost: Single day pass is $12. Children under 12 months are free. A 2-day pass is $22. Reservations are $7.50 and are recommended for holidays or if you plan on arriving late on a weekend.
Hours: Opens May 23-September 19. Some weekdays in June, August, and September are closed; check the website for a full listing. Some weekends sell out, so call ahead if you plan to arrive late. Daily hours are Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 11a.m.-7p.m
Weekending: Ojai is 15 minutes down the road, so make this your first stop on your way to a weekend getaway!
Casitas Water Adventure
11311 Santa Ana Road
Lake Casitas
805-649-2233
Online: casitaswater.org
Give a shout out to your favorite local water park. We’d love to hear about the coolest (literally and figuratively) spots in the comments below.
—Erica Groten
The tickets are booked and the bags are packed; the only thing left to prepare is baby. And we all know that’s an adventure in itself! Here are the absolute must-have items, plus some I can’t believe I didn’t know about this! products that could make your trip easier.
BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light
Parents rave about its simplicity and ease of use. Pull it out and set up in one fluid motion — no more dealing with random pieces clanking to the floor in the dark while baby screams. With a super-soft mattress and weighing only 11 pounds, it helps little dreamers get good sleep on the road. Available at rightstart.com, $250.
photo: BabyBjörn
Gro Anywhere Blackout Blind
It’s 5:30 a.m. and your bundle of joy will be cooing and giggling long before you are ready to greet the day. Block the sunlight (hopefully tacking on another hour or so of sleep) with these dark, portable shades. No more rigging up blankets and sheets that may slip and fall at any given moment. Velcro sides and suction cups will help you get a custom fit and help baby head to dreamland. Available at babiesrus.com, $50.
photo: Gro Anywhere Blind
Aden + Anais Serenity Star
This the ultimate soother, for you and baby. It does everything from being a sound machine to clocking how long (and on what side) you last breastfed — all while keeping track of the room temp. Consider this all-in-one item instead of juggling five different apps on the iPhone. Available at adenandanais.com, $90.
photo: Aden + Anais
Lobster Portable High Chair
Forget about asking the grandparents to pick up a high chair for your little chomper! Super easy to stow away, this fold-up version from Phil and Teds can live in the back of the car. A quick-clamping feature allows babies to join the whole family anywhere, anytime. Available at philandteds.com, $99.
photo: Phil and Teds
B.Box Travel Bib + Flexible Spoon
Compact equals cool while traveling with a baby, and this travel bib-flexible spoon combo fits the bill. Best part about this piece of gear? When baby is finished, simply fold the bib into the catcher and zip closed. Wash and dry and it’s ready for the next adventure. Available at bbox.com, $18.
photo: B.Box
Flyebaby Hammock/Harness
Imagine being able to feed your baby, change your baby and nap your baby, all without leaving that cramped seat in coach. Impossible? Not if you’ve got the Flyebaby Hammock. Not only does it create a little face-to-face action for baby but it also becomes a five-point harness seat and can even double as a high chair, streamlining the packing process when flying. Available at amazon.com, $50.
photo: Flyebaby
Bebe au Lait Wet & Dry Bags
It’s the middle of the night, you’re making killer time on the highway and baby has a blowout. Keep it clean with a wet-dry bag. These stylish but functional plastic pouches have two separately lined zippered spaces, providing tons of room to keep the yucky stuff separate from the clean stuff. Just toss the bag in the back and keep on truckin’ (don’t forget to grab it when you get to your destination!). Available at bebeaulait.com, $20.
photo: Bebe au Lait
UPPAbaby G-Luxe Umbrella Stroller
If you want to splurge on a fantastic set of wheels that does almost everything except push the baby, the UPPAbaby G-Luxe is your go-to pick for traveling. The lightest model out there, the seat can be positioned at all sorts of angles, making it easy for tired eyes to rest. It’s a snap to fold up, and parents will love the carry strap attached. Available at giggle.com, $250.
photo: UPPAbaby
Skip Hop Grab & Go Stroller Organizer
Keep drinks cool or warm, get essential items organized and chat hands-free — all while getting your push on. This comes in handy when trying to get from one delayed plane to the next, before pre-loading time is over. Available at skiphop.com, $20.
photo: Skip Hop
Jet Set Babies Delivery Service
Talk about packing light. Parents, consider placing an order with Jet Set Babies and having infant essentials delivered to your destination doorstep. From diapers to bottles and even toys, parents can browse the online store and put the “what did I forget?” worry to rest. Find out how to place an order here.
photo: Jessica Lucia via flickr
What is your favorite item to help when traveling with baby? Share with us in the comments!
— Gabby Cullen
Ivanka Trump’s resume includes former model, businesswoman and writer. Her latest role? Full-time mom to Arabella, 2.5 years and Joseph, 8 months. We recently caught up with this New York mama of two to find out what’s at the top of her family travel bucket list, her daughter’s favorite apps and what you’ll always find in her purse
What are you most looking forward to doing with your kids this summer?
I’d love to take the kids up to Blue Hill Stone Barns to see the animals.
What’s your most memorable family vacation and why?
We recently came back from Aspen. We took a family vacation there with my brothers and their families. We really enjoy spending time together as a family and it is great for the cousins to ski and play together.
Where have you always wanted to travel with your kids but haven’t yet?
Once of my favorite destinations is Patagonia. When the kids are a bit older I would love to take them there.
When jet setting with your kiddos, what are your must-pack items for family travel?
A fully loaded iPad! Seriously, what did parents do on planes before iPads?
Are there any apps or books that your kids are into if they need a distraction during long road trips or plane rides?
Arabella loves the app Monkey Math and Elmo’s ABC’s. I try to keep the iPad full of educational apps, for the rare breaks Arabella might take from watching Frozen over and over again.
If we took a peek in your bag, what are five items as a mom you can’t live without?
iPhone, Aquaphor, string cheese (a great snack for me and for them!), “emergency” stickers and kids organic lollipops.
How do you document your family vacations? Do you use any apps or photo sharing devices or services to cherish your family vacation memories?
I really love instagram, I tend to share a lot of photos from vacation via social. Jared and I collectively gather our photos after trips and make ibooks out of them–our coffee table is full of a bunch of photo books from our journeys.
Do you also always leave the house with a fully loaded iPad like Ivanka? Tell us your kids’ favorite travel apps below.
Even if you can’t jet set around the world with your fam, with these toys and games from around the world it’s a snap to make playtime a global affair. The perfect addition to the toy box, these fun play things range from board games to iconic automobiles. Flip through the photo gallery to discover cool items sure to make everyone feel like it’s a small world after all.
How do you help the kids learn about the world? We want to know!
–Gabby Cullen
Guilty of throwing the iPad in front of your kiddos to shoot off that email to your colleague or finish whipping up dinner? Us too. If you really want some extra time to yourself to run errands, return calls, or get a manicure (gasp!), while taking advantage of your child’s love for everything iPad related, you’ll want to check out the amazing app, Virtual Babysitter, or V-Sit as it’s known on the playground.
Since it’s launch in February, V-Sit has had over 20 million downloads from the app store from parents seeking on-the-fly supervision for their kids. Simply download the app on your iPad or Tablet and fill out a short questionnaire (child’s name, age, and interests). V-Sit will then match you to one of their pre-screened sitters who are virtually ready to care for your kids from the comfort of their own home using nothing but their iPad. Yup, that means saying goodbye to straightening up or stocking up the snack cabinet for sitters
Once you’re registered, all you have to do is select the date and period of time you want your virtual sitter, flip on the iPad for your kid (let’s be honest — it’s probably already powered up), and then hallelujah — you can jet (or dance) out of the house knowing that your kids are in safe hands.
Want to hear more about V-Sit? Click here for all the details and then use coupon code REDTRI to score $25 off your first booking.
