Family Trip Planning Blog | Best Family Trips | TripWiser.com

Going Green with Your Kids at Daytona Beach, Florida

Florida: Daytona Beach, Seeing Green with Kids – Kayaking, Secret Gardens, and an Ocean Safari. Going away green is easy because the Daytona Beach offers a remarkable number of earth friendly experiences for families to share. From dolphin watching, fishing for snook, and living history to hiking forest trails, meandering tree-shaded boardwalks, and kayaking among the marshes, it's all about having fun being green.

 Go fishing for snook or tarpon.  Nestled along the tranquil, easy-flowing Tomoka River, Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach sets the standard for green and peaceful. The 1,540-acre park remains a secret natural beauty ideal for a family getaway. Fish from the shore, rent a boat and explore, canoe water pathways, hike nature trails, enjoy a picnic under a canopy. The waters surrounding the park are popular for fishing. More than 90 different fish species have been identified in the Tomoka River and its tributaries. The finned population includes red drum, black drum, sheepshead, spotted sea trout, common snook, and tarpon. Need to know: A salt water-fishing license is required for non-residents and for those fishing from a boat. Youth younger than the age of 16 and seniors older than 65 do not need a fishing license, but they must abide by all other fishing regulations including gear type, bag, and size limits.

It takes a green heart. Geckoes dart along the railings, birds vocalize to one another, and turtles sleep in a patch of sun. Fern, mistletoe, and Spanish moss adorn trees. At the heart of Daytona Beach, Tuscawilla Preserve Discovery Center anchors a network of boardwalk trails originating from the Museum of Arts and Sciences. The well-marked trails weave throughout the densely forested preserve. In each direction there are interactive spots for viewing and listening or smelling and touching. From time to time staff at the Discovery Center conduct programs on varying topics, but really, the nicest aspect of this location is the chance to become immersed in nature. Bonus points: Pay attention to the fragrance garden at the beginning of the boardwalk.  

Find the perfect picnic spot. Several spots come to mind when I think of packing a cooler and getting away for a picnic. Spruce Creek Park to the south of Daytona Beach off U.S. Highway 1 has sunny space, picnic and playground areas, hiking trails, a beautiful creek and several Indian mounds originating from Timucuan Indian residents. A second secret picnic spot is guarded by dinosaurs. Set amid an established neighborhood, Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange surrounds the ruins of a 19th century English period sugar mill. The 12-acre garden complex is also home to 40-year old concrete dinosaur statues now covered with moss and lichen and hidden among the ferns and pothos tendrils - too cool. Bonus points: Within the garden complex you’ll find a unique sundial which determines the time of day by the participants shadow. Visitors may purchase indigenous plants at bargain prices from the make shift garden nursery. The proceeds go to sustain the garden.  

Search for Nocorocco. I love places with a story – not just a fish story, any story. So Tomoka State park fits the bill. In addition to being a lovely spot to camp, launch a boat, or rent a canoe, Tomoka State Park protects the site of the ancient Timucuan Indian village of Nocorocco. Severe budget cuts have closed the discovery center but the remains of an earlier time still may be discovered on your own. Most remarkable is a 40-foot high concrete and coquina sculpture of chief Tomokie and his warriors reflecting a moment in history. It looks like something leftover from Raiders of the Lost Ark and makes an ideal backdrop for campfire stories. Though we saw no evidence of plantation life we also learned that the same land was once part of Mount Oswald Plantation – an indigo plantation in 1766. Today there are about 100 camping spots with the woods or along the shore and there is a playground available in the camping area. Bonus points: Tomoka also offers guests the Bedtime Story Camper Lending Library for campers aged four to nine. The second Saturday of each month from October through March Florida history comes to life at the park. Each month the topic changes and knowledgeable interpreters explain and demonstrate events and activities from the area’s rich past.

Cruise the Halifax River. Share the best of Daytona Beach area's rich history by taking a mini cruise along the Halifax River in a 1890s vintage watercraft with a fantail launch with a red and white surrey top. In addition to historic sites and beautiful parks, passengers also get the chance to see plenty of native wildlife including pelicans, herons, egrets, and other waterfowl. Depending on the time of year it is also possible to catch a glimpse of playful dolphins or a herd of endangered manatees. A Tiny Cruise Line offers four narrated tours along the Halifax River. The themed excursions include a blend of river lore, landmarks, nature's beauty and old Daytona stories. I think the best is timed at sunset because the colors in the sky reflect in the water creating a made-for-the-movies kind of experience. The awesome scene combines with relaxing music, a pleasant sea breeze, and friendly conversation.  

Take an ocean safari. Who would expect a London double-decker bus on the streets of Daytona Beach? And one that picks up passengers for an adventure – so much the better. Daytona Beach Aqua Safari has the big red bus which they use to transport clients to the ocean safari launch spot not far from the lighthouse. The ocean safari begins on fishing eco-tour boat the Cnidoblast. Depending on the tide, the discoveries made on each trip will be different. During the water safari, the boat is anchored next to a sand bar where passengers disembark and watch while guides cast nets, and pull in sea creatures for closer inspection. You’ll get a first-person look at a crab trap and may even spot sand dollars.  Passengers are invited to view, touch, and inspect each catch from the sea before it is returned to the sea. The day adventure also includes pizza, refreshments, admission to the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse, and Marine Science Center. Bonus points: Want to take your kids fishing but would rather not do it alone?  The Aqua Safari folks conduct fishing excursions in Ponce Inlet. The charter group size is between four and 10 and the trip lasts about four hours. The fish population changes by season. Popular catches include snook, blue fish, grouper, snapper, and stargazers. Everything needed for fishing is included (except a hat and waterproof sunscreen) and no prior fishing experience is necessary.

Waves, kayaks, fishing, and fun. Daytona Beach is the place to launch from the beach to enjoy ocean kayaking; navigate the shoreline of Halifax River or discover countless quiet water escapes including Hidden River and Blue Springs. Several outfitters provide not only rentals but also tours and lessons. Ormond Beach Kayak Center can also schedule kayak fishing. Your kayak will be transported for you including all related paddling gear to the water’s edge. All you have to do is paddle out, have fun, and pull in a fish. Quin's Kayaks in Daytona Beach conducts guided kayaking trips on the St. Johns and Tomoka Rivers - ideal for families. The unique excursions provide an easy way to share nature with your kids and learn about the wildlife and ecosystems in the area. Paddlers often encounter manatees and alligators, and see osprey as well as bald eagles nesting along the shoreline. If you’d rather do your own thing they offer free pickup and delivery to all beachside accommodations. Bonus points: During school holidays, Quin’s Kayaks often conducts a kayaking day camp for ages nine and older.   

Make it happen. More about Daytona Beach area attractions, events, sleeping places, and deals Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau toll-free at 1-800-854-1234.

Location on the planet.  Daytona Beach on the north tip of Florida’s Central East Coast, is located 54 miles from Orlando making it just an hour’s drive from many popular theme parks and more awesome shopping. Daytona Beach International Airport is served by several major airlines, including Continental, Delta, Air Tran and U.S. Airways, with service to more than 150 destinations worldwide.

Planning Details

Tuscawilla Preserve Discovery Center at The Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences. 352 S. Nova Road, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. (386)255-0285

Tomoka State Park, 2099 North Beach Street, Ormond Beach, (Park hours are 8 a.m. dusk daily.) 386-676-4050

Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens. 950 Old Sugar Mill Rd. (386) 767-1735

A Tiny Cruise Line. 425 S. Beach St., Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL 32114-5003. (386) 226-2343

Daytona Beach Aqua Safari, 601 Earl Street, Daytona Beach (386) 405-3445

Ormond Beach Kayak Center, 1750 Ocean Shore Blvd. (SR A1A), Ormond by the Sea toll-free 1-888-9-KAYAKS (952-925)

Quin's Kayaks Daytona Beach, 300 N. Atlantic blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32118
(786) 487-8114 (786) 487-8114

Content and images provided by FamilyTravelFiles; comments by Nancy Nelson-Duac, Editor Copyright 2009.

Seattle Cheap Family Vacation

Get ready to go to Seattle, Washington for a cheap family vacation! Just like other hot tourist cities such as Boston, New York and Miami, Seattle also offers a multi-attraction pass you can choose from that allow you to do more activities and visit more attractions in the city for a very low cost: the Go Seattle Card.

You can plan your trip ahead and purchase the Go Seattle Card online prior to your family vacation to Seattle at a deepdiscount. The use of the Go Seattle Card gives you admissions and great discounts from over thirty participating attractions, tours and other excursions, restaurants and shops. Exploring the city has never been this easy and affordable.

There are a lot of family-friendly attractions and activities you can use the Go Seattle Card for. Music-loving families can express their musical creativity at the Experience Music Project where you can try out all kinds of modern instruments. This might be a chance for the kids, too, to get inspired to make music and become the next great talent like Bob Marley or Jimi Hendrix. Your children may have the same brush of inspiration of becoming a future Nobel Prize winner for the Sciences with a visit to the Pacific Science Center. There are over 300 interactive exhibits for everyone in the family. Tour the center to find gigantic robot dinosaurs and spend time at the Planetarium to learn about the outer space. Present your Go Seattle Card at the Recycled Cycles and enjoy half a day on rented bikes with your whole family while enjoying views of Seattle's waterways and mountains. If you are a fan of horses, or horse races for that matter, go to the Emerald Downs. While adults are getting wagering "lessons" from other racing novices, the little kids can enjoy pony rides and face painting during the summer. Older kids and early teenagers, on the other hand, will be entertained at the arcade. How often do you have family vacations to theme parks at affordable prices? With the multi-attraction pass, you can visit Wild Waves and Enchanted Village for thrilling rides such as the Timberhawk Ride of Prey or for a refreshing dip at the Wave Pool or the water slides. After all, family outings are never complete without the theme parks.

There are a lot of cheap accommodations available in the city for your lodging needs during your family vacation - Seattle University Travelodge, Clarion Hotel Seattle Airport, Seattle By The Space Needle Travelodge and more.   Your cheap family vacation to Seattle with the Go Seattle Card is not yet over. There are cruises to Blake Island and other lake and harbor cruises your family can take to know the city even more. After all, Seattle is also known for the ferry boats. From water to air, head to the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour where your family can design your own aircraft while learning the principles of powered flight, design and other technological plane essentials. Other tours that you can join are the Qwest Field Tours (home of Seattle's professional football and soccer teams), the Safeco Field Tour (feel the air of Major League Baseball) and the Underground Tour (an unusual tour of Seattle's urban ghost town).

Make use of the your cheap Go Seattle Cards to maximize your family vacation. Have a relaxing picnic at one of the gardens and parks around Seattle - Seymour Botanical Conservatory (where you can find tropical plans and floral arrangements), Kubota Gardens (and be impressed with the very artistic traditional Japanese landscape design), Volunteer Park Conservatory (a Victorian glass-house full of flowers and other plants) and Washington Park Arboretum (where you can learn many things from the living plant museum). There are fifteen museums affiliated to the Go Seattle Card. Some of which are the Museum of Glass, Wing Luke Asian Museum, Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Museum of Flight and Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center.

What's a family trip to Seattle without going up the Space Needle? In forty-one seconds, the elevator opens and gives you stunning views of Seattle's finest - the city, Mt. Rainier, the Cascade Mountains, the Olympic range, float planes, ferry boats and more. A cup of coffee at the snack bar or a meal at the SkyCity is the best way to wrap up your trip. Who would have thought cheap family vacations can be this perfect?

Montreal Affordable Family Vacation

If you're one of those people who have always wanted to go to Montreal, but thought that international trips are not budget-friendly, think again.  Montreal is an affordable family vacation destination in Canada where the entire family is sure to have a great time.

Despite the sophistication in the city's cuisine and shops, family trips to Montreal are not as expensive as one might think.  Hotel accommodations options are aplenty with very affordable rates.  Plus, as a must for the kids, most hotels in Montreal have indoor pools.

There is plenty to see and do in Montreal.  Start off your affordable family vacation with a stroll at the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal and taste of the city's European flair.  French is most common, and English is also widely used, so communicating will not be a problem.   Walk through Sainte Paul Street, that will soon conveniently lead you to the Montreal Science Center in Old Port. Let your gaming enthusiast kids enjoy themselves while learning through the interactive virtual reality games the center facilitates. The Montreal Science Center aims to teach children to appreciate science through the exhibits and high-technology gadgets in the center.  For adventurous families who are constantly looking for something exciting to do, head off to Jet Boating Montreal.  A boating guide will take you to a speedboat excursion across the rapids of St. Lawrence River.  Dart under the bridges and punctuate your ride with tailspins the way your favorite action film hero would. Your teenagers will definitely describe this part of the trip with the word awesome!  After the adrenaline rush-inducing speedboat ride, take the Metro to Viau and spend the rest of the day in one of the four much more relaxed family attractions - Botanical Gardens, Insectarium, Biodome and Montreal's Olympic Park.  These attractions are all in walking distance of each other.  Package tickets are available for you to purchase at very affordable prices - only $25 for adults and $12.50 for kids. The package tickets will give you admissions to all four sites, which saves you not only cash but also time as you no longer need to stand in line for each attraction.

Visiting all this Montreal attractions will definitely have your family asking for a break.  Good thing there's a daily afternoon ice cream break that you can get for only $1, which is one of the reasons why going to this affordable family vacation in Montreal is such a good idea.  It really is a place where you can indulge your whole family at a reasonable budget.