Paris is one of my favorite places to visit. How can you not love Paris? The history. The beauty. The food. I wasn’t sure what my kids would think though.

And I wasn’t sure what I would feed my son with the severe dairy allergy. When I think French food I think cheese and butter.

But with the Women’s World Cup enticing me and the memory of baguettes in my mind, we booked tickets for the week after our kids got out of school.

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Is it crazy to make a trip abroad for a soccer game? Is there anything for a dairy allergy kiddo to eat in France? Will I remember any of my years of French study?

Those were the questions rolling around in my head as we prepared.

Before Your Trip

Along with packing (I brought 6 epipens with us) and buying tickets ahead of time for things like the Women’s World Cup game and visiting the Eiffel Tower, I also tried to get our twins ready and excited for the trip.

Children’s Books about France

We read a huge stack of books about France before heading to Paris. This was a great idea. Our kids were so excited to spot places from the books and they were a huge motivator when we got to the Musee d’Orsay – more on that in a minute.

• Follow Me Around France by Wiley Blevins
• Everyone Bonjours! by Leslie Kimmelman
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
• Katie and the Impressionists by James Mayhew
• Chasing Degas by Eva Montanari *Harder to find but one of our favorites!
• Camille and the Sunflowers: A Story about Vincent Van Gogh by Laurence Anholt
• Madame Martine by Sarah S. Brannen

I also researched vegan and dairy free eating in Paris. I came away from Google feeling pretty assured that he would be able to eat something aside from fresh produce and baguettes – although truthfully that wouldn’t be the end of the world either, would it?

Where to Stay

We love love loved our Airbnb on the Ile Saint-Louis. It was so great to be in an apartment. Aside from allowing us to cook some of our meals to save money and my sanity (eating out with a food allergy is one of my biggest stressors in life) – it also allowed us to pretend to be locals for a little bit.

We shopped at the local bakery and grocery story every morning for bread and fruit. We went for our runs around the neighborhood and strolled in the evenings.

The Ile Saint-Louis, located right across the Seine River from Notre Dame, is also well situated near a train station and a Batobus stop so getting anywhere we wanted to go was easy.

Allergy Friendly French Food

Before leaving for Paris with our kids, finding things for my kiddo with a dairy allergy was my biggest concerns. The French do love their cheese and butter and either is deadly to him.

I was delighted to find, however, that in general it was easy to feed him. There was a lot of cheese, but there was less cheese and butter and milk hidden in random things than we find in the USA. The French tend to eat more pure, organic food and that fits well with his diet.

We did look up the translation for how to communicate his allergy with servers and both had it saved on our phones so that we weren’t relying on our high school French to communicate that piece of information, but otherwise we found the servers took his allergy seriously and there were options most places we went.

Here were his favorite foods:

• Baguette – dairy free and delicious. My kids devoured at least a loaf a day. Pick them up in the morning at a bakery when they are warm and extra delicious.
• Fruit – pop into one of the little grocery stores and buy fresh fruit. Their pears are particularly amazing.
• Sorbet – on most blocks you can find somewhere with gelato and sorbet. Especially on a hot day, a “pot avec sorbet” is the perfect treat.
• Pizza – not traditionally French, but we did have pizza one night and their dough and sauce contained no dairy and they were happy to make him a cheese-free pizza. Obviously check with your particular restaurant.
• He also ate: “French hotdog” (hot dog on a baguette) and “poulet avec frites” (chicken with fries).

6 Must-Do Things in Paris Kids

We were definitely busy during our week in Paris. There is so much to do with kids in Paris, France. You could easy fill weeks there.

Our trip was prompted by the Women’s World Cup. We bought tickets to the US Women’s Game vs. Chile in Paris and planned our trip around that.

The game was awesome. I was worried my kids, both pee-wee soccer drop outs, would get bored but they loved it. The crowd vibrated with excitement and the US Women’s National Team is awesome.

The rest of the time, we explored Paris – with two day trips to Mont Saint-Michel and Brussels.

1. Sainte Chappelle

The Notre Dame was closed from renovations following the Spring fire otherwise we probably would have gone there instead. I think seeing at least one cathedral or church is a must when you’re in France. They’re stunning and unlike what we have in the states.

Sainte Chappelle is known for it’s immense stain-glass windows that are particularly gorgeous on a sunny day. They did not disappoint.

2. Louvre & Jardin des Tuileries

Think of things to do in Paris and it’s hard to come across a list that doesn’t mention the Louvre. My husband and I have both been before and of the art museums in Paris it wasn’t our favorite so given our limited time we decided to skip it in favor of others.

We did walk past the entrance and then visit the Jardin des Tuileries which stretches in front of the Louvre. Things for kids to do include:

• Watching the ducks in the pond
• Jumping on the Trampolines
• Riding the Carousel
• Playing on the Playground
• Riding the Ferris Wheels (summer months only – closed when we were there)

If you have time, I also highly recommend the Musee de L’Orangerie. After the Musee D’Orsay (see below) it is a close second. You can also buy a combo ticket for both to help with the cost if you have time to do both.

3. Eiffel Tower

This was number 1 on my kids’ list. The lines are long and it is crowded everywhere, but this is kind of a must to me. I don’t know that I’d feel the need to do it every trip, but for your first one the Eiffel Tower should be on your list.

The view is incredible. I think it helps you get a lay of the land or reflect on the places you’ve been already.

We opted to ride the elevator which I was happy with because it was in the 80s when we visited. Come prepared to wait in line – use the bathroom at the base before you get in line and have snacks and things to do.

4. Ride the Batobus

The Batobus was particularly convenient for us because of our Airbnb location on the Ile Saint Louis but I’d recommend it to anyone visiting a few of the places on it’s list of stops.

This is a water bus/taxi that you pay one fee for the day and then you can get on and off as much as you want all day long. The Batobus stops at Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Musee D’Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower – among other places.

5. Musee D’Orsay

This is my favorite museum in Paris. It is built in an old train station and the building itself is incredible. Think Grand Central Station – but better and filled with art.

We went up to the Impressionist floor at the top first because that is my absolute favorite. I’ve learned that you need to start with what you most want to see in big places like museums and zoos and then see how much energy, attention, patience you (ahem, your kids) have left.

Monet. Degas. Renoir. If you’re a fan of Impressionist art, this floor does not disappoint.

I was SO glad that I had prepped my kids by reading them picture books about impressionist art before our trip. Katie and the Impressionists and Chasing Degas were two of our favorites (see the full list above) and my kids were so excited to spot those paintings hanging at the Musee D’Orsay.

We brought their cameras and they took pictures of everything while I soaked it all in.

6. Jardin du Luxembourg

We headed here after the Musee D’Orsay and that worked well. They were quick train trips from each other and as good as my kids were at the art museum, I’ve learned that balancing structured – please be on your best behavior – activities and running around outside activities in our days helps to keep the mom zen.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is another of the lovely parks in Paris. It is lush and green, especially in late Spring / early Summer when we visited.

The top two things to hit with kids at the Jardin du Luxembourg are the playground and the pond.

The playground was closed while we were there for renovations which was a huge bummer because it looks absolutely incredible. My kids were ready to hop the fence.

The other, is the boats on the pond. You can rent a sailboat for 30 minutes. Your kid puts in the pond and then they race around the outside to push it back into the middle whenever it gets to the edge. It’s so simple but genius.

My kids ran for a half and hour delighted. We sat on chairs that are thoughtfully all around the outside watching and enjoying the beautiful park for a half and hour delighted.

Other Ideas for Paris with Kids:

These are things that I’ve done on other trips or had recommended to me by other family travel parents:

• Pompidou Center
• Picnic in Bagatelle
• Sacre Couer
• Eat Macaroons at Pierre Herme or Gerard Mulot

Day Trips From Paris

One of the things I love most about Europe is how close together the different countries are – think East Coast United States but instead of state hopping you’re country hopping.

I read this post on Wanderlust Crew with a ton of ideas for Day Trips when we were planning our trip and we decided to do two on our trip to Paris this time.

1. Mont Saint-Michel

This is about a 3 hour drive from Paris. We rented a car in the middle of the week for a day and spent the day driving down and back. My husband had fond memories of this from his school trip to France many years ago.

Mont Saint-Michel is located in Normandy just outside of Paris and it is gorgeous. The coolest thing about it is at low tide there are 3 miles of sand surrounding it, but when the tide comes in it becomes an island. I wish we could have watched the change – perhaps a night over nearby is in order some day.

The trail that winds up the mountain is super touristy. If you want souvenirs or somewhat over-priced food this is your spot. It’s also cute though and fun to wander through.

Bring walking shoes because it is a pretty steep climb up. To me, the views were worth it.

2. Brussels, Belgium

With so much, so close, we decided we wanted to see a new-to-us country while we were in Europe. We picked Belgium. Brussels is a quick 1 1/2 train ride from Paris.

Brussels is known for chocolate and waffles and comic books and more. Read all about our day in Brussels in THIS POST: 8 Hours in Brussels with Kids

Find all of our Family Travel adventures HERE

Mt Whitney is the highest point above sea level in the contiguous 48 states, Death Valley is the lowest point below sea level – and they sit about an hour away from each other. If you know me and my husband it won’t surprise you to hear that our response to learning this was; “of course we have to drive up and see both in a weekend.”

The highest point of Mt Whitney is 14,505 feet.

The lowest point of Death Valley is Badwater Basin which sits at 282 below sea level.

As you drive between the two you go up and down and up and down mountains. The altitude is posted every time you go up or down 1000 miles. We found this endlessly entertaining.

Our family’s biggest altitude change was about 8,500 miles above sea level to 282 feet below sea level – which we did in one day. I mean, that’s pretty cool, right?

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A Weekend Trip to Mt Whitney & Death Valley

Our trip was kind of a loop. We drove north east from San Diego to Mt Whitney, spent the night, drove South into Death Valley, camped for a night, and then drove back Southwest to San Diego. Below are the parts we loved and a few things we learned along the way.

Read Also: 5+ Kid Friendly Day Trips from San Diego

TO DO.

I think you could spend a whole week in this area if you really like hiking and camping, but a few days is a good amount of time. The different landscapes are fascinating and offer a good range of hiking and other experiences. Below are our favorites.

Things to do at Mt. Whitney & Lone Pine CA with Kids

MT WHITNEY NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE

Mt Whitney can certainly be a trip of it’s own. Many people hike up to the camp, sleep in a tent for the night and then climb the rest of the way to the summit and back down the next day for a long and exhausting weekend. My husband and his dad actually did the entire thing in one day many years ago for an exceptionally exhausting day.

If you want to climb to the peak you need to apply for a pass ahead of time.

With our seven year olds, we didn’t feel ready to summit a mountain so we just did a day hike. You can hike the first few miles without a pass and that was plenty for us.

We got to see Mt. Whitney. We got to experience the upward climb and learn the term “switchbacks”. We got to hop across a couple of creeks – obviously the best part. And we got to see the beautiful scenery.

I think my favorite part about visiting Mt Whitney was watching the sun set. The sun drops behind the mountains well before actual sunset and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

We stopped at Alabama Hills which lies between Mt. Whitney and Lone Pine (a quick drive from Lone Pine on the way to Mt. Whitney) for sunset. The kids got to climb around on boulders and we watched the sun set and explode across the sky.

Things to do in Death Valley National Park with Kids

I was completely surprised by how much we all loved Death Valley. My daughter described it at the “best trip ever!” and she’s not wrong. It was an awesome weekend.

Heading into the park from Mt. Whitney you will pass a ranger station (stop to pay your entrance fee there!) and then the Mesquite Sand Dunes.

These appear out of nowhere which I found fascinating. Our kids loved running up and down them and trying to sled down the sand dunes. Being Midwesterners, we brought actual sleds but we saw a lot of people having success with boogie boards as well.

You do have to hike up and down a ways out to get to steep enough dunes to sled, so I wouldn’t recommend sledding for kids under 5. Just running around on the sand is fun too – especially after you’ve been in the car for a while. (Our favorite dune sledding experience was in White Sands National Park which I also highly recommend!)

Our next stop was the Ranger Station by Furnace Creek. My twins love getting their National Park Passports stamped and adore the Junior Ranger Program at the parks. This is a free program at the National Parks. Just ask at the Rangers’ desk for a Junior Ranger activity book and they’ll tell you what to do from there.

Also Read: How to Make the Most of Your Fourth Grade National Park Pass

My kids liked learning about the different desert animals. Some Junior Ranger Programs you complete as you’re traveling around the park, but this one you could do just in the little museum at the Ranger Station in Furnace Creek.

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the continental United States. It is a gorgeous place to watch the sun rise or set.

We watched the sun set here on our first day and it was beautiful. My one regret is that we didn’t get there much before sunset and I would have enjoyed walking out and exploring a little more before it started to get dark.

Golden Canyon was our favorite hike in Death Valley. We did that one first thing the morning before we drove back.

My kids loved the random boulders to climb and we were all fascinated by the different kinds of rocks we saw along the way.

Things I Was Grateful I Remembered to Pack:

• Warm layers. Both Mt Whitney and Death Valley were chilly in November, especially in the evening.
• Hats. We wore sun hats during the day in death valley and winter hats from about 3pm on.
• National Park Passports for stamps at the Sierra Nevada Ranger Station in Lone Pine and at Death Valley.
• Rock Guide. My kids are obsessed with the different kinds of rocks and had all kinds of questions. I remembered shockingly little from college Geology. This book was helpful.
•  Soap and hand sanitizer. The bathrooms weren’t terrible at either, but there was no soap at most.
• Stargazing App. This isn’t something I really packed, but I have a stargazing app called NIGHT SKY on my phone and it was an awesome resource at night in Death Valley. The sky was clearer than I have ever seen and we could see a trillion stars in the sky. Either the app or some sort of stargazing aid is helpful if you don’t know the names on your own.
• Sleds. I was on the fence about packing them but our kids had so much fun sledding on the sand dunes. If you don’t have sleds we saw a boy scout troop with boogie boards sledding as well so that looked like another good option.

STAY.

Mt Whitney/Lone Pine

We left San Diego early on Saturday morning and drove straight to Mt Whitney. By the time we had hiked a little and eaten it was almost time for bed.

We spent one night at the Comfort Inn in Lone Pine, the town at the foothills of Mt Whitney. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was clean, offered free breakfast in the am, and was a perfect location.

Camping in Death Valley

Camping in Death Valley was an awesome experience. I wish we had had enough time to spend another night.

Growing up, I always went camping in the Northern part of Wisconsin which is like spending the night in the untouched North Woods of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Joshua Tree was my first desert experience. It felt a bit foreign to me at first but I loved it! This was our first desert camping experience and it made me appreciate the desert even more. The night sky was amazing.

My kids are avid campers. They have loved everything about it from helping set up the tent, to learning camping skills, to walking to the bathroom with their flashlights from the time they were toddlers.

Read Also: Essential Tips for Camping with Toddlers

Our twins are 7 years old now and they are actually a huge help setting up the campsite. Our tent is awesome, but it can be a bit of a beast to set up. However, with four pairs of hands it was set up quicker than ever.

This is our little desert campsite. The sky at nighttime was incredible! I know I’ve said that a few times now, but really it was probably my favorite part.

Good Things to Know:

• Make sure to reserve your campsite ahead of time! We booked ours about three months in advance and it was already filling up.
• Check the average temperatures before reserving a campsite or planning a trip. In November, the weather was perfect for hiking during the day and sleeping at night, but the desert has huge temperature swings during the year!
• There is a shop with some basics and you can buy wood in Death Valley at the same shop as well.
• We stayed in the tent only part of the Furnace Creek campsite and loved the location. This campsite also has flush toilets but no showers or soap at the sinks.

EAT.

• Pizza Factory in Lone Pine was our one restaurant experience. They made good pizza in front of you and were able to accommodate our son’s dairy allergy with a cheese free pizza covered in toppings.
• The rest of our food was carried in a cooler from home. Sandwiches. Hot dogs and baked beans for the campfire. S’mores supplies, of course. Trail mixes, bars, string cheese, and cereal mixes. You can read more about our favorite camping foods in our Camping Trip to West Virginia.

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The Twin Cities are a second home for our family. My husband and I both went to college in the cities. It’s where we were living when we got married, had babies, and where we brought them home for the first time.

This summer we brought our not-so-little babies back to the Twin Cities to visit dear friends and show them around the place they were born.

Our visit reminded me of all of the amazing things there are to do with kids in the Twin Cities. It is overflowing with family fun. Below are the things we love the most and did with our twins when we visited this year. Even more ideas are at the bottom!

Visiting the Twin Cities

The Twin Cities, in case you’re wondering, are called the “twin” cities because there are two cities (St. Paul and Minneapolis) sitting right next to each other. They are somewhat realistic twins in that they are really not a whole lot alike, but there are some underlying similarities.

STAY.

The Twin Cities is a sprawling urban area. From one end of the suburbs to the other is at least a two hour drive. To decide where you’re going to stay I think you need to start with your to do list. Figure out where you plan to spend most of your time and then book a room accordingly.

We stayed in Bloomington on our last trip which is near the airport, Mall of America, and not a bad drive to either St Paul or Minneapolis. It worked well as a centralized home base for us – but figure out what you’re going to do and where that will take you and go from there.

EAT.

There are all of the things when it comes to food in the Twin Cities. There’s great pizza, good vegan, yummy ice cream, amazing farm to table restaurants, awesome ethnic food, I could go on and on.

We are somewhat limited as a family because of my son’s allergy, but here are the places we ate out while we were in the Twin Cities this summer. I highly recommend them all.

Mall of America

There are a million – well maybe just a hundred – places to eat at the Mall of America. If you want a fun experience I recommend either the American Girl Bistro or the Rainforest Cafe. My kids loved the Rainforest Cafe on our recent trip. It comes complete with moving animals, a rainforest surrounding you, and periodic rainstorms. Truly an experience.

Pizza Luce

This is one of our favorite local chains – especially for dairy allergy food. They have a number of vegan and gluten free options on the menu – including some yummy dessert options so our little guy had choices which always feels amazing. The pizza is also delicious. The Baked Potato is my personal favorite.

ICE CREAM

We were on a bit of a vegan ice cream hunt this summer so we tried several. These three were our favorites. Note: They do all have excellent vegan / dairy free ice cream but they also have regular ice cream as well.

The Pumphouse Creamery

Located near Lake Nokomis, this little shop has a good variety of interesting flavors, including several dairy free options for my kiddo with allergies.

Izzy’s

This was our local ice cream shop when we lived in MN and is my personal favorite. As a bonus it also has several options every day that are Dairy Free and I love their adorable little Izzy cones for kids.

Milkjam Creamery

This spot wins the award for most creative flavors. They also have a host of vegan options for my dairy free kiddo.

Things to do with Kids

Oh my goodness. There are so many things to do with kids in the Twin Cities. This list only cracks the surface, but they are some of our absolute favorites.

1. Lake Harriett

In the land of lakes you have to see at least one while you’re in the Twin Cities. My favorite is Lake Harriett. It is beautiful. It is just far enough around to feel like you had a good walk but not take up your whole day. The band shell has a decent spot for breakfast or lunch. And if you’re with kiddos, there is a playground just up the hill from the band shell that is great for a range of children.

2. Wild Rumpus Children’s Bookshop

This place is magical if you’re a kid. From the moment you arrive and see that kids get to walk through their own specially sized door. Inside you’ll find a chicken and cats roaming and an awesome selection of children’s books from board books to chapter books and everything in between. It is located blocks from Lake Harriett so I like to pair the two.

3. Hyland Park

The Play Area at Hyland Park is truly impressive. It has several different structures of different sizes all in one space. My kids loved the huge climbers which felt like a maze to them and got their imaginations going. I loved the huge umbrellas offering shade from the surprisingly hot summer heat.

4. Mall of America

You could literally spend your entire long weekend at the Mall of America. It has everything – restaurants, an amusement park, an aquarium, attached hotels, and so much more. It certainly is a unique place. I personally think that one day is enough, but that will mean that you have to pick and choose how you spend your time and money. On this trip we went to the Crayola Experience and the SeaLife Aquarium. Next time my kids want to go to the Nickelodean Universe amusement park to go on the rides.

5. Como Zoo

The Minnesota Zoo in Bloomington is definitely the bigger, better zoo – but it also comes with a matching price tag and a lot of walking. If you want to spend a whole day at a great zoo then absolutely make the trip. If you want to spend 2-3 hours at a decent zoo that is FREE, then this is a fun place to go with kids. Don’t miss the polar bear exhibit and walking over the lions. There is also a new seal area opening soon.

6. Minnehaha Falls

I think the Falls are gorgeous. They are an easy walk and if you go during the week it isn’t usually hard to find parking in one of the nearby lots of on the street. It is paid parking, although inexpensive. The walk isn’t hard, but if you want to see the Falls from all angles then it does require some stairs. You can also just walk along the top with a stroller if you prefer to avoid the stairs.

More Family Friendly Places to Explore in Minnesota:

Having lived in the Twin Cities for 11 some years there are a lot more things we have done with kids that didn’t make it onto our list for this visit. This mostly had to do with proximity, friends’ preferences, and weather.

Here are more awesome things we love to do with kids in Minnesota.

7. MN Landscape Arboretum

8. Walker Art Museum

9. Mill City Museum

10. Bakken Museum

11. Minnesota Zoo

12. St Paul Children’s Museum

13. MN Science Museum

14. Choo Choo Bob’s Train Store (down the block from Izzy’s Ice Cream)

15.  Teddy Bear Park in Stillwater

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Between the super hot New York City Summers and with cold, snowy Winters, I feel like I’m often looking for somewhere indoors to take my kids. The awesome Children’s Museum of Art is one of our favorite spots to spend a few hours either away from the cold or the hot.

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Trip to Children’s Museum of Art

The Children’s Museum of Art is a space built to encourage and inspire creativity in our youngest children.

It is tucked into the South Village District of Manhattan and bursting with color and ideas.

Before the Field Trip

Before you go, map out your route. Whether you’re trying to find parking or taking the subway, one of the only downsides of this museum for us was getting there. Check their directions page and double check their somewhat odd schedule before you head to the museum.

During the Field Trip

There is a lot to do at the Museum of Art, but it is still doable in a morning or afternoon. When you first arrive, I recommend signing up for a spot at the Clay Bar immediately. Those are timed reservations and working there is a fun, unique art experience. It is a slightly odd system, feel free to ask the staff if you need help, but it is worth the little wait in line and oddity.

read more: NYC with Kids posts

It is also helpful to know that there are no strollers allowed. If you’re bringing a baby, pack a carrier to hold them while you move around the museum. If you’re with a toddler – no worries. The space is not huge. They will manage fine without the stroller. Note: you can park your stroller in coat room.

This is the under 5 space – super crowded during weekends and days off, but also a perfect space for little creatives. My advice is to get there early. When they get to capacity they turn people away – this is actually true for whole museum.

My kids LOVED the stop motion film making area. This was something they had never tried and they loved playing around with the combination of creative loose parts and technology.

These big blocks are found in the creative building space. I love that large muscle art is included in the museum. The space is a little small but my kids both this too.

Our absolute favorite part of the museum was the main over 5 art studio. For our observation they do not turn away younger kids, but it is geared towards older artists.

We spent the most time here. There were painting easels for tempera paint and watercolors. There were also two large tables with projects and lots of supplies for creating.

Good things to know about Children’s Museum of Art

• Your kids will probably come home with a little paint or art supplies on them – so dress accordingly.
• The museum is small, so I would recommend avoiding it on weekends and public school vacation days if you can. Regardless – get their early.
• Pret A Manger is down the block for an easy and healthy lunch or snack option. They have dairy free options and allergens are well labeled but you need to hunt a bit. My son had the chicken noodle soup.

read more: NYC with Kids posts

Afterwards

I think it is impossible to walk away from this museum without feeling the need to create more. I would recommend having some collage and/or painting supplies on hand for further explorations over the next few days.

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I have visited Atlanta Georgia both summer and winter now and feel like I can safely say I’ve experienced both the chilly winds of their winter and the overwhelming heat of winter and still enjoyed myself immensely both times.

If you are planning a trip to Georgia with kids, rest assured there are plenty of things for families to do.

Atlanta with Kids

Here are my top recommendations for a weekend or more in Atlanta, GA.

STAY: Hilton Garden Inn

Both times I have been to Atlanta I’ve stayed in this hotel. It has a shuttle service from the airport, clean and comfortable rooms, indoor (heated) and outdoor pools, valet parking, and best of all it is walking distance to most places you would want to go. For instance, the aquarium is two blocks away.

Our kids loved the view from the windows of the city and the aquarium. They were also amused by the huge aquarium themed photos in the hallways. That and the ample opportunities to ride the elevator because who doesn’t love that.

Top 4 Things to do in Atlanta with Kids

1. Atlanta Botanical Gardens

This beautiful, botanical garden is one of my favorite spots in Atlanta. The entire garden is beautiful, but they have an especially thoughtful and interactive children’s garden that for us made the Atlanta Botanical Garden stand out as a welcoming space for young children. Such a lovely spot to spend a day exploring plant life, being inspired, and working on the skill of observation.

Some things not to miss:

• Walk through the treetops on the Kendeda Canopy Walk and get an aerial view of Storza Woods.
• Children’s Garden – for families, this is the best part. The Children’s garden is a thoughtful combination of educational and interactive. There are themed gardens – my favorite was the storybook area. There is also a Sunflower Fountain where you can splash on a hot day.
• View the rest of the map to pick out at least one more spot to enjoy. I liked the Japanese Garden.

Pack:

• A camera. You will want to take pictures.
• Paper and drawing materials. Pick a plant or flower and take a drawing break.
• Walking shoes and weather appropriate clothing.
• Sunscreen

We loved these gorgeous gardens. You can walk through the treetops, admire the beautiful flowers, and wander the paths. One of the best parts is the fun, interactive children garden area.

If you have time after the garden, the park it sit on the top of is also an incredible space. Our kids loved playing at the playground and we loved sitting on a bench after all that walking.

2. Centenniel Olympic Park

If you are looking for a spot to get out your wiggles this is a fun park. It is conveniently located in between the Aquarium and the Children’s Museum.

Good things to know:

• There are two playgrounds. One is handicap accessible. They have interesting play equipment for different ages.
• Both are within the larger Centennial Park which is fun to wander and connects some of the major spots like the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke Museum. 
• Decent shade cover for hot summer days but you still want to be prepared for heat.
• The Fountain of Rings is across the street to have some splashing fun on hot days.

3. Georgia Aquarium

Promise me you will not go to Georgia without visiting this aquarium. Unless you have a fear of aquatic animals, this is a must.

This is a stunning aquarium. Although we loved the large animals of Sea World – San Diego and have enjoyed other aquariums, this is the most impressive aquarium we have visited thus far. It is pricey, but in my opinion it is entirely worth the cost.

The most impressive portion is the exhibit entitled Ocean Voyager. It is a 6.3 million gallon exhibit. It is teeming with fish, four manta rays, and four whale sharks. The views are stunning and unlike anything in any other aquarium. Mezmermizing. My kids were huge fans of the manta rays and the giant whale sharks.

Our second favorite parts was the Tropical Diver portion which is teeming with fish in every shape and color. We spent a long time in front of the biggest tank spotting fish and learning their names on the interactive computers. Advertised as the largest living reef exhibits of any aquarium in the world, this is almost as impressive as the Ocean Voyager exhibit.

Beyond that, it depends on your favorite animals.

We visited the Coldwater Quest for the penguins and beluga whales. We enjoyed the otters and turtles in the River Scout area.

Throughout the aquarium there are interactive things for kids, including cards you can borrow to help you label some of the sea life, and little nooks for them to crawl through and into. The entire aquarium is well constructed and fascinating. Every inch is worth visiting in my opinion.

The aquarium is big, but portioned off into sections.

With younger children:

• Pick one or two areas to explore so that you do not feel the need to hurry them through.
• Start with what you most want to see to especially avoid the need that you must rush along to get to something.
• Follow their lead
• Make sure to account for breaks needed for sleeping or eating. There is a cafe on the premise but it is a little pricey.

4. World of Coke

A visit to the World of Coke involves a quick tour and then opportunities to explore various exhibits. If you are a coke lover, this will be more interesting than if you are not.

Hands down the best part is the opportunity to try different coke products from around the world. This was definitely the highlight for our kids.

We thought the World of Coke was fun but I do not recommend it for toddlers or young preschoolers. If you’re traveling with really little ones I would go to the Children’s Museum down the block instead.

Close by Spots to Eat

Aside from the Botanical Garden, these attractions are all located in downtown within walking distance of each other.

There are a variety of spots within walking distance of the major spots in downtown. We ate breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn each morning where they have a buffet style breakfast and kids eat free. The aquarium and botanical garden also have cafes. The aquarium is a bit over priced and the food is not exceptional, but I would plan to eat at the botanical garden. It was a delightful spread of shockingly healthy and yummy food.

Here are a couple of other spots we have tried and enjoyed.

1. Max’s Coal Oven Pizza
Open for lunch and dinner this is a yummy spot for pizza and pasta. The wait staff is friendly, children are welcome, and they were able to accomodate our Dairy allergy needs. Plus I love their yummy food.

2. Johnny Rockets
This is a fun spot for families and is located just a block from the aquarium. Good food and yummy malts, but the fun atmosphere makes it all taste even better. My son was able to find food to eat even with his dairy allergy (but not the malts).

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Birthday parties, eating out at restaurants, even dinner at a friend’s house are all on my list of Stressful for a Parent of a Child with Food Allergies, but I learned last month that Disney World is on a different list.

Disney World is on the (very short) awesome about food allergies list.

One of my twins has a severe allergy to dairy. Like the rare Epi-Pen allergic to dairy type of allergy. Parents of a child with food allergies will understand when I say that I have got this pretty much mastered at home. It took awhile and some tears and frustration, but at home and school I have a system. I am pretty confident he is safe.

Traveling with that food allergy is a whole different thing. Traveling with a food allergy means constantly eating food that I didn’t shop for and didn’t prepare and sometimes can’t communicate very clearly about. More than anything it means putting a lot of trust in someone else to make safe food for my kid.

Disney World, however, was hands down one of the best travel experiences I have had in terms of that food allergy stress.

I had certainly heard this reputation, but we recently took our first family trip to Disney World and I was blown away by how they handled allergies, so of course I had to share.

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Disney World with Kids + a Dairy Allergy

We landed at Disney World on a Saturday. It was a long flight from California (yes, I am aware that we live about 2 hours from Disneyland but we didn’t know that would be the case when we booked the trip pre-move.) and the time change and jet lag were a little tough the first day but we handled it by switching our schedule over as quickly as possible.

also read: how to help your kids conquer jet lag fast

That day we checked in, had dinner and got to bed.

STAY.

We stayed at the Art of Animation Disney Hotel which we really liked. The kids loved the Finding Nemo themed room and pool area. The playground above was also a huge hit. Us parents enjoyed the suite with an actual door and separate bathroom for us.

We had dinner and breakfast at our hotel and were pleasantly surprised by the little ways that food allergies were considered. We found soy milk and soy chocolate milk. The menus were clear and the staff was very helpful.

Then we headed to the parks.

EAT. (even with a dairy allergy)

There are SO many places to eat and wow was I overwhelmed when we first started to figure this part out.

When you add in the additional complication of a food allergy eek. BUT Disney World pleasantly surprised me with their awesome appreciation for how difficult allergies are for families to deal with.

We did a little pre-work by investigating on the Disney World website how they deal with food allergies and reading some other blogs that share reviews of different allergy options at Disney.

These are my kiddo with the severe dairy allergy’s eating experiences.

Character Breakfast at Crystal Palace

We started off our first full day – Sunday – at the Magic Kingdom and had brunch at the Crystal Palace.

I have read other experiences where the character meals were too overwhelming for them with an allergy. I can understand this, especially with certain allergies. However, we avoided the buffet tables which always freak me out in terms of cross contamination and I felt at his age and with the spacing of the tables he was pretty safe.

My kids loved meeting the Winnie the Pooh characters and even I have to admit that I got kinda giddy when Piglet stopped by, but that was not the highlight for me.

The highlight for me were these adorable Mickey Mouse waffles. Now maybe you’re unimpressed, but let me tell you why this is such a big deal.

We have been other places that have been good about food allergies. We have tracked down alternative foods that are safe in a variety of stores. BUT here’s the thing – the “alternatives” are never cute.

Not only did the Disney chefs happily whip up some dairy-free waffles and deliver them to our table, but they got that my kid is a kid. They took the extra time to make them fun.

The vegan mac and cheese does not come in shapes.

The vegan ice cream sandwiches are always squares.

Disney’s dairy free food creators get that my kid wants to have the same fun shaped food as every other kid. Cue the mama tears.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

The next day when we got to Epcot and went to the Princess Storybook Dining meal we got the exact same treatment:

• They knew we had a food allergy from our reservation.
• We were shown the Allergy-Friendly Menu
• The server volunteered to get a chef for us to talk any concerns over with
• and the food was delicious.

The one weird thing I will say about the Allergy-Friendly Menu is that it is set up so that the menu tells you what you CAN eat. I love the positive tone of this and wish that this was the way the whole world discussed allergies, but since it’s the opposite of everywhere else I’ve been, it was a little confusing at first.

The food wasn’t as cutesy at this meal, but that was true for all of us. It was really good though and almost everything was vegan friendly (which also means no dairy) – aside from this really big plate of meat – which he loved since he’s very much not vegan.

I can’t really explain how much a stress-free restaurant dining experience meant to me.

The fact that from the hostess to the server to the cooks all got that this was a big deal and understood how to make us feel comfortable and made zero mistakes (because of course I still had to check) with our orders was huge.

It meant not only could I eat and relax, I could also enjoy moments like my daughter meeting her favorite princess and explaining to her that “I like you the very best because you love animals just like me.”

Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House

The next day we went to Animal Kingdom and had our third and final character breakfast. Three was a little much I would probably only do one or two if I was going to do it again, but all were great experiences.

This time we met Mickey and his pals which delighted my “princessed out” son. (His words.) Again the menu was clear, the staff was helpful, and the food was delicious.

On a side note, I really liked that although some food was the same (Mickey Waffles were once again procured at Animal Kingdom) a lot of it was very different depending on where you were.

Snacks

The rest of the time we ate meals away from the parks, but we did have a few snacks worth mentioning.

Epcot was definitely our favorite place for snacking.

It did make me a little nervous that not all of the staff at Epcot spoke excellent English, but we are used to trying again and again until we are sure they understand the severity of his allergy. Despite a minor language barrier everyone continued to be very helpful and friendly about our concerns.

In fact, the day we did Epcot we snacked our way through dinner instead of having a big meal somewhere.

We all loved this adorable rice and coconut panda from a cart in the China Pavilion.

My son was thrilled to eat his first big soft pretzel in the Germany Pavilion. You wouldn’t think they contain dairy but every other place we’ve checked they have said he couldn’t have it. It was enormous and he ate almost all of it and said it was the best thing ever.

We also had ice cream and sorbet at L’Artisan Des Glaces which is tucked into the French Pavilion.

Magic Kingdom Snacks

My favorite snack spot was Gaston’s Tavern at the Magic Kingdom. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie so I loved the little details and touches.

There we drank the LaFoo specialty drink which was dairy free even though it looked so delicious and silly that was very hard to believe. Again research and lots of questions ensured that yup, no dairy!

you may also like: 7 tips for surviving lines at disney

I will share more (non-food related things) about our adventures at Disney World but for now I just want to say that as an allergy kid’s mama it was a joy. Traveling with my kids is a great experience, but that one piece usually makes it so much more stressful and complicated.

Sure we still asked lots of questions and triple checked all of our menus and his food, but it was still so much easier than most travel experiences. On top of that the little magical touches that they added, even to the allergy friendly food, were incredible.

Disney World did a remarkable job with dairy free food for our little guy and I have no doubt it made our trip a million times better.

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New York City truly is a place with something for anyone – even cereal fans. The Kellogg’s NYC restaurant is located across the street from Union Square Park and is my new favorite snack spot for kid friendly eating in the city.

If we’re being honest, I may have counted their bowls of cereal for a meal once too.

This inconspicuous little spot sits on a second story store front just off Union Square.

Once you get inside though, it is surprisingly spacious.

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This is a cereal joint. That was obvious right?

We highly recommend it for breakfast and even more for a fun snack. This is a perfect mid-adventure day stop.

Eat a bowl of cereal.

Hang out for a bit.

Then hit the city again.

Eating at Kellogg’s NYC

know before you order

• DIY cereal bar where you choose your cereal type or types and then a buffet style area with tons of toppings. with over 30 playful toppings.
• They also have a menu with some suggested creations that you might want to check out before you start loading your bowl.
• You pay per bowl, not by weight, so feel free to load up. I do wonder if this will change – so make sure to check their current prices.

dairy free / allergy tips for kellogg’s NYC

• Buffet style areas always make me nervous with my kid’s severe allergy. Know your child’s severity and know that just mixing a bunch of different cereals together can be super fun and colorful.
• They have a variety of milk options. We had soy but there were other options as well.

one more thing!

*Don’t miss the Instagram station along the wall behind you when you check out. I was too amused by this idea. It is complete with a light source and props.

*Read more on their website.

find all of our dairy free tips + posts here

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On January 5, 2018 our family started our move from New York City to San Diego.

After school, we loaded up the car, said some final goodbyes, and road across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge out of Brooklyn NY headed to San Diego with tears in our eyes.

New York City is a hard city to say goodbye to, but in truth saying goodbye to any place we’ve lived is always hard.

Our little family kicked off the new year by moving from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast. Our 5th move in 7 years.

We were prepared as we could be – my tips for getting kids ready to move are in this post – but moving is hard. Every single time.

This is our story of getting from one coast to the other.

Warning: This is a long one so grab a cup of tea or mug of cocoa before you dive in.

Affiliate links are included below. Thanks for your support.

The Road Trip Plan

This is the map that hung in our kitchen for about a month before our move. It always looks so easy when it’s drawn out on a map, doesn’t it?

This is the longest road trip and most continuous time in the car we have ever attempted with our kids. They have a lot of practice at traveling, but I was still a little nervous when we mapped out our plan.

Due to Google Maps suggestions and Winter in the North, we decided to swing South pretty quickly as we headed West.

Our route took us:

• Ocean to ocean
• Into 13 states
• 45 hours of driving
• 3,097 miles
• and 9 days

Activities for the Car

I had a massive tote bag in the car filled with all kinds of toys and activities and games for us to play in the car. We ended up only using a fraction of what I packed. Below are the items we actually used in the 45+ hours in the car with two six year olds.

• Kids Amazon Kindles with these Headphones
• DVD player, same headphones, and DVDs of Bambi and a few favorite TV shows.
• Melissa and Doug 50 States Game license plate game (We found ALL 50 plates!)
• Melissa and Doug Magic Velvet activity books
• BrainQuest activity books (mostly to make me feel less guilty about all the time in school they missed during the move.)
• National Geographic Road trip activity book
• Coloring books and crayons and colored pencils
• Highlight Magazine
• Mom and Dad listened Ready Player One on audiobook (the Mom’s Nook Bookclub book for January)
• Audiobooks: Our favorite was How to Train a Dragon.

Read Also: Quality, Engaging, and Creative Activity Books to Bring on Family Trips

New York to Pennsylvania

The first day we left immediately after their last day of school and we drove to Harrisburg PA.

There we pulled in around bedtime so we quickly got everything set up and the kids in pajamas. We read them Baby Monkey Private Eye and then all quickly fell asleep.

If you have more time I would highly recommend stopping in Philly for a day or half day.

Cincinnati OH

The next morning we got up early to drive the rest of the way across Pennsylvania. This was when I lost any remaining doubt about our decision to head South soon.

Originally I had pushed to drive straight west and then South. We haven’t been to the western part of the US much yet and I am eager to explore it, but Winter is not the time to drive across the northern part of the country.

Our wiper fluid froze. We had to stop a few times to clear the windows so we could proceed safely. It was frigid cold outside every time we had to stop.

We finally made it to our friends’ home in Cincinnati a little before dinnertime.

We stayed an extra day to enjoy the weekend with friends.

They took us to the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky just outside of Cincinnati. The highlights for us were the touch tank and the shark walk which is one of the oddest things we’ve ever done and yet fascinating to my kids.

Afterwards we had brunch at Taste of Belgium which is incredible. I had the Nutella crepe and it was one of the best I’ve ever tasted – Paris included. Our Dairy Free allergy kiddo had eggs and bacon.

Nashville TN

On Monday morning we headed South through Kentucky towards Nashville. We stopped briefly at Carmichaels Kids in Louisville, Kentucky.

This is such a cozy little children’s bookstore. There is a quality collection of all kinds of books for kids and some games and toys.

We arrived in Nashville to spend the afternoon and evening with dear friends. There are a million family friendly things to do in the area so even if you don’t have people to visit I highly recommend a stop in Nashville.

Jackson MS

In the morning we headed a little further South through Memphis to Jackson MS. This was our home before New York.

We stayed with dear friends near Jackson MS and they gave our kids the best gift – time outside. It was our first rain free few hours and they took full advantage racing around outside. By dinner time they were covered in mud and completely delighted.

Read Also:  20+ Best Things to do in Jackson MS with Kids.

Dallas/Fort Worth TX

We were now about halfway and we turned West towards Texas and the West Coast.

From Mississippi we drove to the Dallas – Fort Worth area.

It is a long, flat drive across Louisiana and into Texas. We’ve made this drive many times because when we lived in MS my Cystic Fibrosis doctor was near Dallas, but that probably only made it a little more dull.

We stopped at a playground near our hotel to run around a bit.

Note to Self: packing a football in the car to throw around was a genius idea. It got us all running around and laughing.

El Paso TX

The next day was one of the longest. We drove from Dallas to El Paso across the rest of Texas.

We saw endless sky and cattle farms and long freight trains and listened to several audiobooks.

That night we all went to bed super early. The time changes were started to catch up with us.

The flip side of the time changes of course is that our kids were waking up SUPER early. The bonus of this is that we got on the road before the sun rose the next day.

We saw this gorgeous sunrise from the first rest stop inside New Mexico. Desert sunrises are now one of my favorite things.

New Mexico was a lot more endless flat desert and big skies, but the drive to Phoenix was quicker.

This was one of my favorite days. The sunrise was spectacular. The drive wasn’t too long and when we got to Phoenix we still had plenty of time to explore.

Phoenix AZ

My sweet friend from high school lives near Phoenix and she recommended hiking at Papago Park. We loved it.

The path itself is pretty easy and gives you a nice view of Tempe and Phoenix. My kids of course “needed” to climb up the rocks so our hike was a little more strenuous, but a ton of fun.

Then we met my friend and her family for dinner at a fun little spot in Tempe called The Lodge Sasquatch Kitchen. The food was good (and had good allergy options) and there were fun things to do on the outside patio for our kids which the grown ups chatted.

finally onto California.

The next day we were up before the sun again and headed West one last time.

This drive was fascinating. We had never driven through this part of the country at all and the hills and rocks and mountains were so cool.

It took us about 6 hours to weave through the mountains and desert, but it felt quicker despite our serious desire to be out of the car once and for all.

Also Read: Family Road Trip from Portland to San Diego

and we have arrived in San Diego CA!

Finally, around lunch time, we pulled into San Diego. We found tacos and walked a few blocks to the beach. We all looked around kind of in disbelief.

We are here.

If you’ve made it all the way to the bottom here – wow. Thank you!

Thanks for reading.

Thanks for all the comments and love on Instagram and Facebook and everywhere as we made our way across the country.

We can’t thank you enough for your support of our little family.

Our latest weekend family trip took us to Spartanburg, South Carolina. Spartanburg is a town in northwestern South Carolina about an hour from Charlotte and about a half hour from Greenville.

My sister and her husband moved there this summer so our family flew down for a visit this Thanksgiving.

read also: thanksgiving field trip + activity ideas

The first thing we all noticed were the beautiful leaves. Winter is creeping into New York City and our pretty Fall colors have been falling away, but South Carolina was still alive with bright yellows and oranges and reds.

Read also: Fall unit for Kindergarten and first grade

It was pretty clear that this was going to be a gorgeous place to explore.

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A Weekend in Spartanburg + Greenville SC

Fall is definitely a gorgeous time to visit South Carolina, but I look forward to coming back in warmer months as well. I think everything we did would be at least equally enjoyable in the Spring or Summer.

EAT.

The Chocolate Moose Bakery and Cafe. Greenville SC

This was in Greenville, walking distance from the Falls Park on the Reedy I’ll share more about below. This was an exciting stop for us because they had a dairy free and gluten free cupcake option on their menu!

Other Spartanburg Restaurants:

• Lime Leaf – delicious Thai food restaurant. I loved the curry.
• Wild Ace Pizza and Pub – yummy pizza. We didn’t get to try this one, but my sister recommended it.
• Jason’s Deli – tons of sandwich, soup and salad options. Also everyone gets free soft serve ice cream (that part was obviously not dairy free friendly). There is also a McAlister’s Deli nearby with similar options.

TO DO.

We spent a lot of time outside during our weekend. If you’re looking for big events or more inside ideas for Greenville and even Spartanburg I’d recommend checking out Kidding Around Greenville.

Cleveland Park and Playground. Spartanburg SC.

This park was SO pretty. The Fall colors were insane. The layout was so inviting and walkable and the playground was fantastic.

The playground had a space for tots and a space for bigger kids. There was a structure, climbing wall, swings, tons of different things to climb…I could go on and on. Our kids loved it.

The next day we drove the short 35ish minutes from Spartanburg to Greenville.

Falls Park on the Reedy. Greenville SC

We loved this park. This was probably the highlight of our whole weekend.

It is Such a pretty place to walk and wander – especially in the Fall with all the pretty leaves, but I imagine it is just as lovely in the Spring and Summer whenever thing is green and blooming.

Our kids loved walking across the bridges…

Isn’t that gorgeous? I took a million pictures.

and climbing out on the rocks – which is technically not encouraged but everyone was doing it.

Afterwards we wandered around Greenville a little bit.

There are lots of cute little shops and restaurants. We were there on Black Friday so it was also decorated for Christmas and had a little rink for ice skating set up a few blocks from the park.

Bookshop at the Chocolate Moose & Cafe. Greenville SC.

I mentioned the yummy cupcakes above, but the cafe is set inside a cozy bookshop with lots of fun book to browse and gift. Our kids immediately holed up in the kids area after they finished their cupcakes.

This was a nice break from walking around outside. The grown ups could chat and browse and the kids could look through the tons of picture books.

Overall, we loved the Spartanburg – Greenville area. It was a super quick weekend, but we can’t wait to come back again and discover more.  

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With Chicago so nearby, Milwaukee is often dismissed as a small city. It is indeed smaller, but its location on the lake is hard to beat, especially in the summer, and it has a wonderful character.

Summer is my favorite time of year in Wisconsin and Milwaukee is full of things to see and do. We recently spent a few weeks before our big move to Mississippi. As with all major cities, the possibilities are endless, but here are some of our favorite things to do in our home city.

A Weekend in Milwaukee WI:
Summer Edition

Note: I call this the Summer Edition but many of these ideas would work well on a pleasant Fall or Spring day as well. I’ll share a chilly or rainy day itinerary separately.

STAY.

We have an abundance of family in the area, so we haven’t stayed in a hotel in Milwaukee.

We would highly recommend staying near downtown though – close to most of the best parts of Milwaukee. Somewhere in Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, or Wauwatosa would allow for decent access to the city as well.

EAT.

•  KOPP’S. Their butter burgers, fries, and custard at Kopp’s are a must for anyone visiting Milwaukee. Try dipping their fries into the custard, so delicious!
• The City Market located just down Capitol Drive from Atwater beach. Yummy sandwiches that are perfect for lunch and high chairs are available.
• Pizza Man located on Downer Ave. on the East Side has amazing pizza, but also delicious pasta and other options – including Dairy Free food.
• Milwaukee Sail Loft is a delicious dinner spot by the Milwaukee River minutes from downtown.
• Milwaukee Public Market: so much in one little spot downtown. Full of options for any time of day and fun atmosphere.
• Blue’s Egg short drive from the Zoo and offers a menu full of delicious options. The children’s menu offers particularly thoughtful options.
• Try Botanas Mexican Restaurant on the south side of Milwaukee for some delicious Mexican food.

TO DO.

Atwater Beach

Lake Michigan is one of my favorite parts of Milwaukee and this is one of my favorite spots to enjoy it.

You have to walk down a remarkable amount of stairs, or stroll down a really long ramp, to get there, but it is worth it. Beautiful clean beach in a quiet little nook that makes you forget about the hubbub of the city.

Bring some sand toys and enjoy the morning. There is also a park at the top of the hill perfect for little ones.

also read: 10+ Things to do with Kids on Milwaukee’s East Side

Go Paddle Boating at Veteran’s Park.

This is a fun space just to run around and be near the lake. Smaller festivals and events are occasionally held here. You can also rent different kinds of boats, float in the lagoon and enjoy the skyline.

If you need a little snack break, we love Collectivo Coffee by the lake. Coffee for the adults, smoothies and bakery goods for the little ones. Sit outside and enjoy the people watching.

also read: 16 summer adventures with free bingo printable

Lincoln Park Pool

There are several splash pads and pools in the Milwaukee County Park system, but this is our favorite for little ones. It has a zero to 3 feet pool area for little ones. The mornings from 10-12am are reserved for younger children before the rest of the pool is opened up for older children. Our three year olds had a blast with their 5 and 7 year old buddies at this pool.

If you aren’t in a big pool mood, Lake Park is a beautiful place to walk and has a fun playground for little ones.

Take in a Festival.

Milwaukee is often called the “city of festivals.” The Summerfest grounds along the shore of Lake Michigan is famous for its festivals throughout the summer.

The largest of these being Summerfest, an enormous music festival, which runs around the Fourth of July. My personal favorite is Irish Fest which we wrote about in a previous post. View the page mentioned above to see what festival is happening while you are in town. You can get your hand stamped if you need to leave and return after a naptime. Typically the more exciting bands are later in the day, but for little ones there are many thing to do during the day.

If (when) you get hungry, round up a smorgasbord of treats. (We highly recommend the Saz’s combo platter)

Milwaukee County Zoo

The zoo opens at 9am which makes it a great morning activity for little ones. Complete with a variety of animals, train ride, and playground in the family farm area, this is easily a full day activity. Be sure to check out the polar bears, they are our favorite.

Old World Wisconsin

Up for a small road trip? This is about 45 minutes outside of the city but absolutely worth the drive. Step back in time at this massive park that brings history to life. People dressed in costume, acres of homes and fields, and so much for kids to do. You can watch a blacksmith at work, try your hand at hand washing clothing, help gather chicken eggs, and so much more. 

More Things to Do:

• Lake Park is close to where we both grew up and recently renovated their playground would be our pick for a quick playground, get the wiggles out stop near the East Side / Downtown. There is also a playground along the lakefront North of the coffee shop I mentioned above and South of Bradley Beach.
• Miller Park for a Brewer’s Game or a Tour
• Milwaukee Rotary Club Arboretum + Urban Ecology Center
• Audubon Nature Center
• Free Concerts in the Milwaukee County Parks. Search their website for a current schedule. Jazz in the Park is an annual summer favorite.

Milwaukee in the summer is all about the outdoors for us. We tend to save the indoor stuff for our winter visits, but if you hit an in-climate day here are a few indoor options:
*Betty Brinn Children’s Museum
*Milwaukee Art Museum
*The Domes

Also Read: 10 Winter Activities do in Milwaukee with Kids

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