Greensboro Science Center: Good Deal, Day of Fun

K, E, G, and family friend A took off for the Greensboro Science Center in Greensboro, NC, a perfect distance from Roanoke for a day trip.  Recently renovated, the center includes a zoo, an aquarium, and a science museum with play area.  It's all very attractively presented, and on the weekends, we found lots of competent teen volunteers able to provide some interpretation.

For the zoo,  think "bigger than Mill Mountain but smaller than Asheboro; for the aquarium, bigger than aquatics in  Roanoke but smaller than Chattanooga; for the museum itself, around the size of the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville.  This all combines to make a very manageable day for young kids.  We adored the pneumatic tubes in the play area, the tigers in the zoo, and the expansive sting ray touch tank. Taking bigger kids?  Consider the Skywild aerial ropes course add on (must be at least 10 and 70 pounds).  E and A enjoyed an add-on dome theater show about stars.

If you go, know you can pack a picnic--there are tables in the zoo and at Greensboro's Country Park (it literally backs into the property).  There's a fountain you can play in and animals to pet at the zoo, too.  The public park also has playgrounds and paddleboats.  Educators, take your ID--basic admission to the center is free.  ASTC Passport holders are also free, or if based regionally, discounted.   We were able to combine both programs for a great deal.  You may come and go, using your receipt for re-entry.

Moores Creek Battlefield: Pleasant Walk, Well Interpreted

You know those brown road signs that point you towards attractions?  You should follow them every now and again.  On a recent trip back from Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, we passed a sign for Moores Creek Battlefield, an American Revolution site.  The battle at Moores Creek had significant implications for British strategy and caused North Carolina to be "all in" for independence at a new level.  You may not have heard of it before, but it is worth your time.

The National Park Service has done a fabulous job making the story of Moores Creek easy to access in a very pleasant commemorative setting.  Many battlefields are either undeveloped or full of monuments--this one is a nice mix of natural setting and human-made memorial.  There are short, stroller-navigable trails, including a boardwalk over a swamp-like area.  Pause at the monuments, especially the monument to Cape Fear women of the revolution and the Scottish loyalists who fought on site.  Allow an hour or so and walk a trail or two--the paths are pretty flat, the main walk is paved, and you'll see lizards, long-leaf pines, turtles, and the like.

If you didn't already know, North Carolina is the site of several revolutionary battles.  On the way to the Brunswick County beaches and/or the Grand Strand?  It's pretty easy to work in Guilford Courthouse near Greensboro and Moores Creek.  If you go, consider packing a picnic--it's a great site for a pit stop while driving, and plus, there's no site entry fee.  If you are interested in taking in the small exhibit and gift shop in the visitor's center, be sure to check visitor's center hours before stopping.  The park is in a rural area about 15-18 miles from the main road.  You'll travel paved secondary roads to get there, passing some churches, homes, and the occasional gas station--but there are no fast food outlets or stores.

Airlie Gardens: Simple Splendor Near Wimington/Wrightsville

On a quick weekend family trip to the Wilmington area, G and Kim found themselves with some free time.  They chose to spend two hours at Airlie Gardens, a very short (eight minute) drive from Wrightsville Beach.   Airlie is a relatively small garden with sculptures and wildlife.  Smaller than Brookgreen Gardens, it was easy and enjoyable to cover Airlie in a few hours on an overcast afternoon.   There are manicured and "wild" areas, and while the paths are a bit confusing to follow at times, it's fun to meander.  Plus,  there are plenty of trees with hanging moss, giving you the splendor of anywhere in the deeper south.

Kim will tell you not to miss the Bottle Chapel, an incredible (and large) folk art installation that's simply stunning in detail and color.  Made from repurposed glass and including some shells, old colorful mugs, and similar hidden delights, the Bottle Chapel can engage you for a while.   Nearby,  find a small butterfly garden (included in the admission price), and keep your eye out for animals in general (spiders, swans, squirrels, etc.). G enjoyed a temporary exhibit of Guardians of the Garden, various metal creatures lurking throughout.

Airlie is an inexpensive way to spend a few hours (Kim paid $9, G was free--the garden is "public" but there are entry fees).  There's a small gift shop, a nature trail we didn't explore with our stroller, and even an old Episcopalian cemetery on property.  There's a small pier, some fountains, and scattered benches throughout.   We hear the special events, including Christmas lights, are quite nice.  If you go,  you are extremely close to Wrightsville Beach, a wide strand beach with a mix of rental, resident, and hotel properties.  Not an urban beach but not a fully quiet one, the views of small craft and ocean are stunning.  Stop by. 

Presidents in Dallas: The Sixth Floor Museum and George W Bush Presidential Library

Dallas--it's a big, political city.  K, in town for a conference, used extra time on her travel days to take in the Presidential sites there.  When looking for something to do right before or after a flight, there are good options--even on weekends!

Every visitor to Dallas should visit the Sixth Floor Museum, an extensive exhibit about the Kennedy assassination in November 1963.   Tastefully done, the museum provides a thought-provoking exploration of the tragic trip to Dallas.  A basic overview of the spirit of the times is provided, and the exhibit presents powerful information about the investigation, communication surrounding the news, the political climate, and the like.  It's fascinating to reflect on how security and journalism have changed over time.  An audio tour is key to guide you through the exhibit (and part of your admission); the exhibit features more photographs, videos, and text than artifacts.  If you are an educator, ask for the admission discount and present ID--the discount on admission nears 50%.

If you go, don't forget to walk out to the grassy knoll.  The X you see on the pavement pictured above is the informal marking of the spot where the fatal shot hit.  You could easily visit the museum in the afternoon and then spend the early evening in the Reunion Tower area nearby.

K was also able to visit the George W Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the Southern Methodist University campus.  SMU is an attractive, open-feeling campus right in the "big D."

The site is a reasonable place to visit of individuals of various political persuasions.  It conveys a fairly objective perspective on the contested 2000 election, followed by the optimism of the initial months of the presidency.  Right after an exhibit on the hope conveyed in the law that was No Child Left Behind (ever how challenging the law was) and a diplomatic visit from high-placed Mexican officials, one rounds the corner right into a display of girders from the Twin Towers.  The layout conveys the shock and tragedy of 9/11 and affords visitors an opportunity to record their memories of that day.  Other challenges are also addressed, including Hurricane Katrina.  The museum also gives attention to the more casual side of the family, describing changes Bush made in his early life, the perspectives of his daughters in the White House, and Bush's desire to have fun.  Overall, he comes across as a very likeable personality--again, irrespective of politics.

If you go, parking is available across the street, but you can also research reasonably-convenient use of public transportation including a shuttle bus that travels near the site.  There are photo ops, and the grounds are well-landscaped.  We know the first picture from this site is dark, but we had to include it--it is K at the Oval Office desk, you see.

Through the Ages: Fort Monroe and the Casemate Museum

A few years ago, J had an enthusiastic colleague tell him about the Casemate Museum, a relatively small but highly-interesting museum located inside the fort structure at Fort Monroe.  On our tenth anniversary trip to the Williamsburg area, we made it to this truly intriguing site.

Intrigue begins when you drive into the fort over a one-lane bridge, crossing through its walls.  It may sound cliche, but you really do feel that you have driven back in time.  We visited the Casemate Museum first (check its hours--they are not as long as some), walking through the fort interior walls to view displays about activity in the area in the early years of the US, during the US Civil War, and into the 1900s before its decommissioning in the early 2000s.  Significantly, the site held POW Jefferson Davis during the US Civil War.  There is no cost to tour the museum.

Visitors should take time to walk around the grounds, and a self-guided walking tour is available.  For this reason, you may want to visit in the temperate spring or fall, but it was doable for us as determined adults in the summer.  We walked to the "top" of the fort, finding a pet cemetery, cannon placements, and interesting views.  There's a pretty chapel, a very large gun known as the Lincoln Gun, a house in which Lee stayed, and an attractive nearby lighthouse.  A Virginia Historical Marker also denotes the landing of the first African people to reach the shores of the colonies.  The site is being re-developed as a National Park Service site, so watch for enhancements in the next few years.

If you go, consider combining your trip with a visit to The Mariners' Museum as we did.  We drove back in to Williamsburg for dinner, but the area is full of good picnic sites, including some along the waterfront.  There are beaches!  If you are a teacher, consider adding professional development offered at this site to your summer lineup--the museum has a history of being included in the Virginia War Memorial Teacher Institutes.

Now That's a Museum: The Mariners' Museum

J and K have been blessed to travel to many museums.  We enjoy the offbeat, the classy, the historic, the kitschy--if it is a museum, we probably like it, at least on some level.  We'd been intending to travel to The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia, for years, and we got around to it as the centerpiece of our tenth anniversary trip J planned for us.  K's dad was in the US Navy, and he visited here before its last major renovation adding the USS Monitor Center.  He would have been so pleased to see us enjoy it so.

Billed as the premiere US Civil War exhibit, the USS Monitor Center at the Mariners' Museum and the associated exhibits detailing the famous Battle of the Ironclads is extremely impressive.  We spent hours in this exhibit alone.  It presents and contextualizes this history of the war, the associated shipbuilding, and the battle--as well as the finding of the wreckage of the USS Monitor in the Atlantic and its ongoing preservation today.  If you have interests in technology, seafaring, engineering, exploration, war, history, and/or museum science, this exhibit is captivating.   Visitors hear the stories of the shipbuilders and soldiers--and the oceanographers, archaeologists, and others who find those memories.  As an added plus, we visited during a rare "tank draining," as the Monitor turret, kept in saltwater during the current stage of conservation, was in a drained tank when we visited.  If you have particular interests in conservation, follow @USSMonitorLab on Twitter.The teachers in us would find it a very suitable field trip for serious students of Virginia and US history of any age.

Don't miss any other part of the museum, either--including the particularly interesting Crabtree Gallery of miniature ships (there's a great exhibit book to buy), Abandon Ship: Stories of Survival, Defending the Seas about the history of the US Navy, and the fascinating International Small Craft Center, a display of everything from gondolas to canoes to classy motorboats.  Until late summer 2015, there's also a nifty exhibit of deep see exploration, Extreme Deep.

If you go, we're thinking this is a museum that, while interesting for some kids, would require a different touring style with kids under 10--it's better suited for museum readers than museum runners, if you will.  Come prepared to walk the well-landscaped grounds if you are so inclined.  The Grey Goose Cafe onsite serves the delicious food of a local catering company and is pretty reasonably priced for a yummy, well-prepared meal.  If you are traveling with kids, know you are very close to the Virginia Living Museum.

Age of Revolution: Yorktown, VA

On our tenth anniversary weekend trip, we took an afternoon trip to Yorktown Battlefield that is worthy of its own blog entry.  Highly-driveable from Williamsburg, Virginia, or any other spot in the Historic Triangle, Yorktown is known as the site of our nation's victory against the British.  Tour it with J, and you'll also hear about how Yorktown produced a truce more than our immediate nationhood, and you'll hear about the greater context of the Age of Revolution--and how the world did not revolve around the American Revolution.  He'll still inspire you with American history, of course, and you'll leave with a better understanding of the whole shebang and a different sense of gratitude for our nationhood.

For this visit, we did a large portion of the driving tour, walked to the preserved and reconstructed redoubts (earthen forts), and saw the seasonally-open Moore House where the terms of the truce/surrender were negotiated.  Little is known about the Moore family, but the site is significant in the history of preservation, as it is the first NPS preservation of its kind, accomplished by a CCC group.  The redoubts provoke similar curiosity, and one suddenly realizes "George Washington was here" when walking around them.  The NPS Battlefield site also has a small visitor's center that displays Washington's tents from the battle--the real deal.  Walking around in the park, while historic, is also beautiful.

If you are also going to Historic Jamestowne within the year, it may be smarter for you to buy an annual admission pass to the local NPS parks.  When planning your trip, keep "new" and "old" Jamestown and Yorktown separate in your mind--they are four separate entities.  The "new" sites are living history parks managed by the Commonwealth of Virginia; the "old" sites are preserved remains managed by the National Park Service.  "New" Yorktown is being redesigned--we're sure to bring you a blog about that next year!

Offbeat Virginia Beach: Because We Would Go for the Beatles-Themed Restaurant and the Pirate Ride

On a recent anniversary gift-of-a-trip weekend (thanks, J!!), J and K drove from our base in Williamsburg, Virginia, to Virginia Beach, Virginia--about an hour + traffic of a drive.  Now, many people might have gone for the shoreline, and K enjoyed peeking over to the Atlantic, the boardwalk, and the beach crowds.  However, a less-urban beach like Holden is more our style, and we were really here for the touristy whatnot.

We'd always wanted to visit Captain Cline's Pirate Ghost Ride, a dark ride through black-lit displays of pirates (and a few relics of previous dark rides on the site, like some Egyptian figures and a dinosaur).  The Cline in the name is Rockbridge County's Mark Cline of Foamhenge fame, and the attraction is fun like you'd expect.  There are no drops on the track nor are there big thrills in the daytime, but there are live actors present after 7 PM.  The ride is around $8 a person, which is pricey for 5 minutes of general fun but not bad for Roadside America supporters and pirate fans.  In researching this blog entry, K learned that there is a coupon available via the website--and that it is the ride's last season.  If you are thinking about it, you should go!

K, having heard of the Abbey Road Pub from a friend, wanted to take Beatles-fan J to this small near-the-ocean restaurant.  It's a nice place for breakfast or a casual lunch, and yes, they do have Fab Four memorabilia on display along with fabulous outdoor murals along the parking lot.  It is also a live music venue and a late-night place if you are interested.  We received a nice welcome and enjoyed lunch at the window, watching people walk by.

Being so close to ocean kitsch, we also had to play putt-putt.  Pirates Paradise Mini Golf was right on the corner and was a well-maintained, reasonably challenging course.  It had fewer "bells and whistles" than Myrtle Beach or Pigeon Forge putt-putt, but we had a great time.  Before evening, buying any game automatically gives you play-all-day privileges, a good deal--especially with a coupon on their website, too.

If you go, you are very likely to have to pay for parking (about $10) unless you luck into a restaurant with private parking who is willing to let you stay on their lot after your meal.  All of these places were extremely close as we entered the beach from I-295.  Again, Virginia Beach feels like an urban beach to us--lots of beachwear stores, people selling timeshares, ice cream stands, etc.  It put K in mind of the area near the Gay Dolphin and the former Pavilion at Myrtle Beach, SC, in the 1980s with its bustle.

Folk Art at Holden Beach: Now, There's Something Different!

This year's Holden Beach trip was full of wonderful relaxation.  We're always blessed by a peaceful, low-key week.  As part of the slow-paced fun this year, we stopped again at Mary's Gone Wild, a place K and J had not been since our honeymoon ten years ago.  If you drive to Holden, Mary's is the yard on Holden Beach Road near Patronies Pizza that is full of color and unusual charm.

J and K describe Mary's as a true slice of Americana, falling in what we would consider the folk/outsider/self-taught art genre.  The yard features found objects, re-purposed glass bottles, delightful reverse painting on glass, colorful woodcuts, and fanciful structures including tree houses and a chapel--all in an environment that simply makes you smile.  Artist Mary Paulsen has an interesting life story and finds her art an expression of love for others and her Christian faith. Accordingly, you can donate to children's feeding programs when you visit.  The amazing yard has survived hurricanes, and a visit will leave you feeling uplifted for hours.  Much like author Gale Terry puts it, Mary's is compelling.  Check out Terry's book here and Blaire Johnson's documentary work about Mary here.

Our recommendation?  Bring some cash and stop, meeting Mary and picking up a small piece for yourself or a friend.  On our visit, J, K, and family friend Patty (pictured above with Mary) all came away with pieces of art--all for less than $20 each.  What a great treat!  If you are staying on Holden, it's easy to call in dinner to Patronies Pizza, stop at Mary's while you wait, and then head right back to the beach.  You might want to wear long pants or bug spray in the heat of the season.  Our understanding is that Mary will also accept your donations of small found objects like leftover tiles.

An Ultimate Halterman Weekend: Legoland, Florida!

Ever since Elijah was born, Kim has been dreaming of taking him on a Mom-and-me trip elsewhere in the country.  Elijah's love of Legos has been growing, and Kim spotted a great value in a trip to Legoland, Florida.  With that, a plan for surprising Elijah with a trip to Legoland was set in motion, resulting in a Halterman Weekend that was one of the most exciting and most blessed.

On the site of the former Cypress Gardens, Legoland is a pretty vast theme park for young kids--I'd say kids ages 4-8 and 42 inches tall or taller are prime customers.  It contains Lego everything, including a Lego outlet store, Legos you can buy by the pound, Lego statues, Lego-themed rides, etc. The park includes multiple junior coasters that held Elijah's attention (he's 6 years old and about 43 inches tall). Elijah also very much enjoyed the Beetle Bounce, a mini drop ride, and the Quest for Chi, a unique yes-you-will-get-drenched water ride.  It was also fun to make connections to the former Cypress Gardens on some of the rides, including the double-decker carousel and the Island in the Sky elevated gondola ride.  Ride queues often include Lego play areas, a nice touch, and characters wander the park and appear at designated locations at designated times.  We caught several great character photo ops with no advance planning, although there's a character breakfast on Sundays if you prefer to structure character visits.

We did not find the park crowded and enjoyed ambling about, making discoveries and meeting nice families.  Our activities included:
* Attending the Pirate-themed water ski show. (Go early and move to your left if you want to ask the usher if your child can detonate the "TNT" that saves the day in the show--Elijah did it!)
* Visiting the Lego Miniland, full of truly impressive structures like a miniature Daytona racetrack and a miniature Las Vegas.  Many of the displays include moving parts and interactive features, and they will especially impress adults.
* Riding the Ford Driving School over and over again.  Actually, Kim would estimate Elijah rode at least 20 times over our 2.5 day visit.  The driving school features mini cars children drive that are not on tracks--they have actual accelerator and brake pedals and steering wheels.  He loved it!
* Stopping by Lego Build and Test where kids can build and race Lego cars and subject Lego structures to "earthquakes"--and no advance sign up is required!
* Not skipping the "kiddie" train-type rides like Safari Trek--they afford you some of the best views of Lego models.
* Shopping in general--but particularly at the Extreme Brick Bargain Shop.  Take advantage of the option of sending purchases to the front of the park for free package pickup (as long as you will be in the park at least two more hours).  We also liked creating our own set of three minifigures at Minfigure Market.  Similarly, it was also very fun to buy Legos by the pound at the Pick-a-Brick Factory Store.  If you need to ship items home, there is a UPS store, open through mid-day weekdays, in a nearby strip mall, and the park itself also offers shipping, of course.
* Stopping by guest services just inside the park for a free first visit button.  They also have free birthday visit buttons.
* Visiting on a Friday in May.  While we didn't deal with huge crowds on Saturday or Sunday, crowds were thinnest on Friday.  We were able to ride several rides multiple times and walked on to many rides.

Legoland has a water park in the back that's open seasonally.  During our May visit, it was open Saturdays and Sundays.  It's a small park with a lazy river, a kids' play area, a wave pool, and a few slides.  Our park visit was included with our pass and made for a good first water park visit for Elijah. He very much liked the lazy river, as the tubes have Lego bases and you can build with large floating Legos as you enjoy the ride.  Kim had read that the water park was in the far back of the park and that kids would not necessarily realize it was there on any given visit--very true.  During our time in Florida, it was also the most crowded section of the park.

If you go from Roanoke, consider flying Allegiant Air from Roanoke or Greensboro to Orlando/Sanford.  The flights to and from Greensboro, NC, were pretty perfect for a long weekend and were a great deal.  We also rented our car through Allegiant's website (couldn't beat the deal) and got our hotel through Hotels.com.  We were impressed by the safety, cleanliness, value, and location of Magnuson Grand Conference Hotel, Winter Haven, FL.  The area near Legoland is full of family-friendly, budget-conscious places to eat (Golden Corral, fast food, etc.) and is very near a Publix grocery store as well.  Keep in mind you can enter Legoland with food.  If you are planning your trip in advance, keep your eyes on the Legoland website for pass deals.  Elijah and Kim have annual passes that cost about $99 each and include a 10% shopping discount, 10% in-park food discount, free basic parking (a savings of nearly $20 a day), and free waterpark admission.  You can also look for other deals--for instance, we spotted a firefighter/EMS admission deal for the month of May 2015.  If you are visiting soon, there's construction in the park--but it's not very disruptive.  A Lego Friends section is about to open, and the Lego Factory attraction is closed for remodeling.  Keep in mind the park is generally not open nights (it closed at 5 PM and 6 PM on the days we visited) and that it is genuinely fun to be present at park opening when Buddy "turns on" the power to the park.   Before you go, follow @LegolandFlorida on Twitter, an active account that will excite and inform you for your visit.

The Halterman Weekend that Nearly Failed: High Bridge Trail State Park

Walking part of High Bridge Trail State Park was on Kim's annual bucket list, so we all headed to Farmville, VA, to enter the trail and walk out to the bridge.  It was a breezy day, and in the spirit of full disclosure, we need to share that K and G were not feeling their best.  Nonetheless, this Halterman Weekend falls in an odd category in that, overall, we were at best lukewarm about our experiences.

Firstly, we found it difficult to access timely information about High Bridge State Park, which made enjoying it difficult.  We don't explore the Virginia State Park system as often as we'd like, so we're not experts--but our impression is that first-time visitors are at a real disadvantage when it comes to figuring out the practical ins-and-outs of enjoying the day.  For instance, for a family with small children, there's a big difference in "restrooms" and "vault toilets" and a huge difference in a 5-mile walk and a 1.5-mile walk.  While we saw many others enjoying what seemed to be rich interactions with a wandering education ranger, our only interaction was with park staff who told us to park in a specific space and then criticized us for doing so.

Now, we've had good experience in state parks previously.  Natural Tunnel is also on Kim's current to-do list, we've always heard Fairy Stone is fun, and Douthat was simply lovely to J when he completed a digital history project about Civilian Conservation Corps activity there when he was in graduate school.  We may not visit Virginia State Parks all the time, but we are proud of their reputation--and the national awards they've won.  After all, we're Virginians, and we want folks to enjoy the outdoors here.  So, let us emphasize the brighter side and share a summary:  High Bridge State Park is really a trail, incorporating a walk to, literally, a high (and long) bridge.  It affords lovely views, and the trail area near the bridge is essentially flat (fine for strollers) and easy to access from the parking lot closest to the bridge (the "River Road" lot).  The bridge also has shaded seating at various stops on the way across, good for a pause for conversation or a snack and capable of helping make the trail more accessible to children and other folks who may have trouble walking.  

Farmville appeared to be a pleasant town for a walk in and of itself, complete with a LOVE Virginia sign for photo ops.  However, we must admit we really didn't feel welcomed by the town, down to less-than-adequate service in a local restaurant we patronized.  Kim especially feels comfortable in most settings--formal to informal, rural to urban, affluent and humble--so when Kim in particular feels uncomfortable in a place, that's saying something.

There have been many Halterman Weekends since we started this tradition, so to have just a few that didn't go as well as we'd like is a nice record.  We'd be willing to give High Bridge another shot.

Speaking of Indulging Our Interests: Pennsylvania National Fire Museum

E wants to be a firefighter.  He adores stopping at fire stations and driving by fire stations--we even sometimes plan drives around our home city of Roanoke, Virginia, to incorporate multiple fire stations.  When we realized the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum in Harrisburg, PA, was just a short drive from Gettysburg, PA, we planned a visit.

A charming, well-kept specialty museum, the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum possesses an impressive collection of fire apparatuses, including steamers dating to the 1700s and 1800s.  The museum clearly shows the history of fire fighting in America, including the roles of horses and dogs. Displays include fire fighting-related toys and a functioning alarm headquarters, circa 1900.  On the day of our visit, specialists were working on the headquarters, and they allowed us to pull a fire alarm box, using one of the alarms boxes to trigger various communications at headquarters.    There's also a charming collection of firefighter "parade hats" from days long gone.

Upon arrival, our visit was immediately welcomed, and we received the attention we needed as we toured--but we were not "suffocated" by museum staff.  The host was knowledgeable and answered our questions, and there's a small gift shop that sells souvenirs.  If you go, note the easy, fee-free surface parking nearby, and you are just a very short drive from Whitaker Center.

Still More Science Fun: Whitaker Center, Harrisburg, PA

On a recent family trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Kim, E, and G explored "up the road" to Harrisburg.  Again armed with our ASTC Passport science museum membership, we found the Whitaker Center.  A broad-based center with arts programming as well, we focused our visit on the Harsco Science Center and had a great time.

This museum is yet another beautiful science center with 3 floors of exhibits, most of which are highly interactive.  As an educator, Kim would recommend the bulk of the center for ages 7-13 for field trip planning purposes, but E, then 5, and G, then almost 2, had a blast interacting with the displays and learned content as well.  If you are familiar with Pennsylvania, you'll appreciate the connections to the state.  For instance, Move It!, an engineering and transportation area, simulates manufacturing processes and is a great link to a trip to a nearby factory tour.  The kids' favorite activities included making and test racing cars, with E trying to beat his previous times; and Forces of Nature's hurricane chamber.  Both kids also thoroughly enjoyed the "children's museum" section of the museum, KidsPlace.  This gated section was wonderful for free play with friends we met along the way and featured a fabulous ambulance center, grocery store/market, and construction site.  In this area, you'll also find the best water table we've yet to see--and as water table connoisseurs, you should take our word on it.  The table features fountains as well as movable pipes for constructing your own fountains, embedded baby seats, multiple levels, the capability to build dams, and nearby hand dryers.  If you, too, are a little too into water tables, the Forces of Nature area also includes a water/sand table capable of simulating erosion that's similar to the one recently in the rotating exhibit area at the Virginia Museum of Natural History.

If you go, there is pay garage parking very nearby in the Walnut Center Garage.  We found parking a bit pricey (about $10 for our 2-to-3 hour visit), but the garage was very convenient to the museum--like we-didn't-have-to-go-outside-to-walk-in convenient.  The museum staff and volunteers were also very welcoming and helpful, and there were no large crowds when we visited.

A Favorite Children's Museum: Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC

If you have young kids, you are definitely going to want to visit Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, North Carolina!  Kim had heard of Marbles after visiting the Greensboro Children's Museum and then became quite pleased to note admission to Marbles is free to ASTC Passport holders.  We simply had to make at least one trip there this year with E, almost 6, and G, almost 2.  Yes, it's about 3 hours from home in Roanoke, but it was definitely worth it.  We are actually surprised we hadn't heard about it earlier.

Marbles features two large floors of spacious, well-kept exhibits.  On our 3-hour visit, we took in the Around Town, Idea Works, Moneypalooza, and Splash! areas.  We could have spent more time in each, and we did not cover the entire museum.  Our kids were thrilled with a firetruck setup featuring a fire pole, a large train table, lots of moving parts (simple machines, pneumatic tubes, etc.) in Moneypalooza, and opportunities to build in Idea Works.  E even used a hand saw here in a special area that allows kids to create with found objects and safe building materials.  There's lots of fun to be had in art stations, at special events (a vet and a therapy dog were there to greet kids during our visit), and more.  Expect a good crowd, and know the Around Town area is a good one for the smallest explorers--it's gated.  We highly recommend this museum for the toddler-to-early elementary school set.

In short, Marbles was one of the best children's museums we've seen. It was a great place for E and G to enjoy a playdate with their cousin R.  If you go, consider roaming the museum with a small group of similar-aged children and a couple of adults for good measure.  Admission is just $5 if you do not have membership rights; parking is nearby (pay to park in a surface lot or in a garage).  There's an IMAX theatre and restaurant on site, and you are within walking distance to the North Carolina Museum of History.  There's also an attractive museum courtyard, so if the weather cooperates, we don't know why you couldn't bring a picnic.

ASTC passport holders traveling to/from Roanoke, consider planning your visit route to incorporate the Museum of Life + Science, Greensboro Science Center, and/or other museums on the passport list--you are within driving range!  We have family in North Carolina, and we are planning more joint play date trips this year.

Around Town: Star CIty Skate Center and Tanglewood Mall Mommy Time

We've found a few new places to play this January!   Elijah and Kim kept driving by the Star City Skate Center, and he would comment about how much he wanted to play in their indoor play area.  Now, we know the center has $1 admission on Tuesdays with $1 skate rentals to boot.  In this equation, $2 is 2 hours of fun, and we've now been twice.  Kim was pleasantly surprised that Elijah wanted to learn to skate--and he did it!  Of course, the play area is also very fun for toddlers through young elementary students.  There is no ball pit but there are plenty of opportunities to climb and crawl as well as, per Elijah, a "really fast" slide.  If you want to go on a day other than Tuesday, look in the local Val-Pack mailer for coupons.

On a recent day off, Elijah and Gwen took Kim to Mommy Time, the new indoor play area at Tanglewood Mall (across from Belk upstairs).  If you haven't seen it yet, Mommy Time has an indoor climbing structure with slides and a ball pit, some merry-go-round like rides, a large Duplo block area, a LCD "video" game that projects items for kids to stomp on, and similar play features.  For around $7 an hour, kids can play, attended by sitters, while parents enjoy the mall area, although the website is a bit unclear about how old kids have to be to stay solo.  You can stay and play yourself--adults are even allowed on the climbing structure.  Both kids loved it--Elijah, age 5, played a full 2 hours, and Gwen, 20 months, could handle about 90 minutes.  Elijah gave a big thumbs up to the "video" game, chasing game elements for around 45 minutes.  Gwen liked the climber best and crawled through the tunnel quite skillfully for her age.  She can give us a run for our money!  If you go, Kim recommends that you stay with any kids under 4 or so--there are a few places where the floor could benefit from some additional padding and you may want to be around for any tumbles.  Elijah would have been fine solo--but Gwen not so much.  Plan to remove your shoes and wear socks to play. You can also stay and just sit on the couches and read, use your phone, etc.

On the whole, we were impressed with both places for their ability to keep us active on cold winter days, and we'll be back!