Pumpkin Patch

Justin and Kim have appreciated visits to Layman Family Farms since we were dating and visited their first corn maze in Botetourt County.  Now relocated to the Montvale area of Bedford County, the farm makes a great fall family outing.  This year, Elijah (2) seemed to "get" the concept of enjoying the hayride and picking a pumpkin.  The site itself is very child-friendly, and he found features he appreciated like a kid-sized map of the farm.  There's also a corn crib that functions like a sandbox, a big hit with children on the day of our visit, and there's a "child size" corn maze Elijah was able to "run" on his own.
We like this fall festival farm for its other activities, too, including a jumping pillow and a "cow train," a ride pulled by a tractor.  Elijah appreciated reading Little Critter's The Fall Festival and was able to connect his visit to the text.

Of course, there is a large corn maze for those interested.  If you go at night, don't make the mistake of not toting along a flashlight!

If you go, consider planning a side trip to Bedford, about 20 minutes east on 460.  We've visited the farm at various points in the season, and if you aren't interested in the Haunted Maze running at nights near Halloween, early November is a great, less crowded time to go.

We Found a "Secret" Train Event!

One recent weekend in Roanoke, we heard from friends that the folks at Norfolk Southern's Shaffer's Crossing were having an open house.  An apparently unadvertised event for family and friends, we were lucky to know about it and be able to go. Attending reminded Kim of company picnics at Covington's old Hercules plant:  The employees were taking a great deal of pride in showing off their workplace, and there were tons of little freebies.  Elijah's favorite parts were climbing aboard a parked train and getting a new bandana sporting the NS logo.   Someday, we know he'll be impressed with the photo of himself in front of a real turntable that we took, too!

Gettysburg!

Justin wouldn't believe it to be a good summer without a trip to Gettysburg, PA.   It's a town that has grown on Kim, too, particularly for its qwirky tourist attractions.  Late summer is a nice time to visit--businesses are still running "high season hours," affording the opportunity to walk the town at night.

This trip, we enjoyed visiting Ghostly Images Legend and Showcase, a new indoor ghost storytelling room with automated, simplistic special effects.  It's less impressive than Myrtle Beach's similar (but unaffiliated) Ghosts and Legends Show, but we'd judge it a fun place to "sit a spell" and enjoy some classic Pennsylvania ghost stories.  More pleasant than scary, it could be an excellent way for those who do not do walking ghost tours to visit a "haunted attraction."

We also spent time talking with a family member of the proprietor of the Gettysburg Diorama, a large-scale model of the battle of Gettysburg that was once lovingly built and housed at a local campground.  Now inside, it is a treat for model enthusiasts and equally impressive as the History Shop's more famous Alamo diorama in San Antonio.  It has the potential to give new visitors a battle overview commensurate of that with the former National Park Service visitor's center electric map (no longer on display).

If you go, pay the small admission fees to some of the small mom-and-pop attractions in town.  Each of them has their own charms.  If you don't go for these two, Kim recommends the Lincoln Train Museum if travelling with kids; Justin never misses the American Civil War Wax Museum.  This trip, we also discovered a new coupon book, available mainly at the Gettysburg Tour Center, that included some good restaurant deals. 

Dutch Wonderful

Inspired by a friend who grew up in the Lancaster, PA, area, we planned a visit to Dutch Wonderland, an amusement park for young kids a little over an hour's drive from Gettysburg.  Situated in a compact area in Lancaster, the park is a nice place for toddlers with plenty of small rides as well as "big rides" that are as kid-friendly as practical.  For example, two-year-old Elijah was able to ride their "big size" log flume.  Other rides include old-fashioned fun rides like a giant slide and family "thrill" rides the Kingdom Coaster, a wooden ride that most coaster enthusiasts would stamp as fun. 

The park is dotted with a few throwbacks to historic Pennsylvania, including wax Amish figures and a cow statue that can be "milked."  Pleasingly, the park has a sense of its own history, creating a small climb-able exhibit of old ride vehicles.   Our guess is that a good bit of their attendance is boomerang:  parents bringing their kids to a place they remember.

If you go, expect lots of food service ads everywhere in the park.  The place seems crowded on summer Saturdays, and watch the heat on enclosed rides like the monorail.  One of our favorite rides was the out-of-the-way "riverboat;" the friendly driver even took a family picture for us.  And Elijah will tell you the park's 20-minute Thomas show was toddler-perfect!  The gift shop includes a wonderful selection of souvenir pins for trading or keeping, too.  Park coupons/deals are limited, but basic parking is free--go early for best spot selection.

In the Lancaster area, we are curious about the Turkey Hill Experience and the Biblical tabernacle reproduction.  We'll have to return!

Relevant Websites:
Dutch Wonderland

Relevant Twitter Handles:
@FunatDW

Poplar Forest--Finally!

After talking about a trip there for years and buying passes online over a year ago, we finally made it to Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest.  The site is lovely--not to mention substantially more low key than TJ's Monticello. 

Compared to Virginia's other historic Presidential homes, this one is approachable: smaller tours, smaller site, home designed to be the retreat of a private citizen.  Like James Madison's Montpelier, Poplar Forest is being actively researched and reconstructed.  Their reconstruction efforts are historic in nearly every way, down to the use of antique tools; their work in this area has earned them recognition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  Don't miss learning about the bricks, as multiple shapes of brick were made to construct the home.  Also worth noting is the amazing skylight in the home's dining area, unique in Jeffersonian architecture.  The exhbits on the lower level answer many visitor questions about the progress of the site and are attractively presented.

If you go, thank the volunteers--your tour may even be led by a knowledgeable one.  Visit the website of special events, too.  In November 2011, the first candlelight tours of the home are planned.

Relevant Twitter Handle:
@PoplarForest

Relevant Website:
Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest

Holden On Again

We were thrilled to be able to spend an annual week at Holden Beach, NC! Holden is an excellent island family beach "close enough" to Myrtle if you feel like hub-bub but truly relaxed for the rest of your stay. The island area definitely has enough to sustain you--restaurants, beachwear stores, go carts--without being "commercial." For several years, we've rented a home from Hobbs Realty with good success, and the bulk of this vacation, unlike many of our other trips, is spent very simply: reading, walking, sitting, talking, some souvenir shopping at the Beach Mart.

The beach is the main attraction, and this year, we ventured to the Holden Beach Pier for a couple of walks. Walking the pier costs just $1, and it was a treat for Elijah to see friendly fishermen and to walk above the waves. Visiting in the morning or evening obviously helps avoid the heat of the day.

We always eat several good meals, but this year, one of our favorites was at Boone Docks, a low-key, reasonably-priced seafood place with some great sauces and soups. We are told that it is just wrong to miss their clam chowder. Also worth a stop are the Seafood Barn (great for a group) and Paradise Cafe (think Jimmy Buffett).

If you go, expect to rent a home (there are no on-island motels). As Kim learned on her first Holden Beach trip, a pool is absolutely unnecessary--ocean swimming is great as long as you know emergency procedures for riptides. And one more tip: Take time to learn about the Holden Beach Turtle Patrol, an environmental group everyone on the island respects for their animal-saving work.

Relevant Website:
Hobbs Realty

Relevant Twitter Handles:
@HoldenBeach
@NCHoldenBeach

Myrtle Date 2011

Again this year, we were blessed with a trip to Holden Beach, NC, in mid-summer. Holden is an excellent beach for relaxation--and it's close enough to Myrtle Beach, SC, when relaxation isn't in order. Our beach house check-in time was a late 4:00, so we went to Myrtle on our way south. We also came back as "just a couple" for an anniversary date.

The best part this year? Pirates' Voyage, the new Dolly Parton Dinner Attraction that replaced the Myrtle location of Dixie Stampede. It was lots of good fun with the same tasty food you've heard about from Dixie Stampede fans. Most importantly, the wonderful creamy veggie soup is still served! The show included tumbling, juggling, diving, sea lions... more than we expected in some ways, but we missed the blacklight skeletons featured in the YouTube promo. Watching everything come together organizationally was a special pleasure for Kim.

We enjoyed a lunch at Planet Hollywood. The service was less than spectacular (but still friendly) and the esprit de corps was not as "cool" as Hard Rock. However, the food--right down to Elijah's kids' meal--was spectacularly presented, and we liked the memorabilia displays, especially the spinning aircrafts near the bar/hostess stand. While this location is the only one with which we are familiar, the restaurant chain's publicity materials lead us to think this one is more casual than some.

For shopping, it was Barefoot for us--including the inexpensive jewelry store Black Market Minerals for some good deals.

If you go, use your American Express to book advance tix to Pirates' Voyage, saving money and time. Arrive when you can get in (about 60-90 min. before your show), visiting the gift shop right away when it's at its least crowded. Eating at Planet Hollywood? Head to nearby Broadway at the Beach (a place deserving of a visit of its own, anyway) in search of coupons. We wound up with $10 off lunch thanks to a retro wear store's giveaway. Barefoot Landing is also worth its own visit--especially if you take in Alligator Adventure. We really love the seaside atmosphere of Barefoot. Use the blog search tags South Carolina and North Carolina to find more of our impressions of the area.

Relevant Twitter Handles:
@PiratesVoyage
@BroadwayatBeach
@BarefootLanding

Relevant Websites:
Pirates' Voyage