Castle for Kim: Montezuma Castle (and Well)

Since fourth or fifth grade social studies, I (K) had always wanted to see some cliff dwellings.  When I realized I'd find myself in Phoenix, Arizona, in July 2016, I was inspired to go find some.  So, after my plane landed mid-day on a Sunday, I found Montezuma Castle, a, 800-year-old well preserved set of dwellings in a naturally-occurring opening on a cliff face.

A small National Park Service site, Montezuma Castle is easily accessible and a wonderful glimpse into the ancient past in the desert.  The castle is not one family's dwelling--it's housing for more like 30-50 people. Misnamed as an Aztec site at one point (hence the Montezuma), this Sinagua native site helps the visitor understand desert survival. There's a short sidewalk-style trail that is relatively flat that will give you a view of the castle and some pretty desert landscape.  No, you can't enter the castle--it's too challenging to preserve--but the view from the ground is grand.  There's also a wonderful diorama to view to give you a sense of the "inside"--and I have been trained by hubby J to appreciate these delightful touches that help interpret such sites. And there's a gift shop (with an educator discount)!

Run up the road a few more miles and you'll find the less busy but quite splendid Montezuma Well, an interesting "lake" made by a spring that's home to unique species of leeches and other such nifty-ness.  Take a short "hike" (also on a sidewalk, but with some stairs with decent steepness) .25 mile up to the top of the lake (and looping back around to the parking lot).  Venture off the beaten path (but still on a marked trail) down to the lake edge if you wish--this was also pretty terrain. For diver shots from 2006, the last research dive into the well, click here.  There's no gift shop at the well, so be sure to pack water.  It's the desert--if it is summer, basically walk around sipping water.

If you go, the drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is north about 90 minutes and will afford you some excellent desert scenery.  You could easily visit the small town of Jerome or the Red Rocks of Sedona in the same little road trip--admission here also gets you in to Tuzigoot National Monument for the week, too, and it is easily accessible from the same drive.  For some thought-provoking reading on archaeology, historic preservation, and plunder, check out Craig Childs's Finders Keepers.  If you are interested in other things K was inspired to see thanks to elementary school social studies, check out our blog on Town Creek Indian Burial Mound in North Carolina.

One BIG Children's Museum: Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, NC

If you need a kids' day out in a large size, Marbles Kids Museum is a great place to be!  A truly large children's museum, Marbles is also extremely economical--it's just $5 to enter in any case, and it is an ASTC Passport museum, so your membership gets you in free if you have one! We went on a trip with friends, and our group of 5 kids, ages 3-9, all had a great time and spent about a full day in the museum.

Marbles is full of imaginative play spaces that truly encourage kids to interact and cooperate.  Our favorites include Kid Grid and Moneypalooza, both of which have transport systems for disks and balls that are just plain fun.

Kid Grid is particularly manageable in size--and our kids got into the theme, declaring there was a power outage and they had to restore power quickly.

There are also imaginative play spaces like a pirate ship and submarine.  Exploratory places include a large maker space that is well-stocked for a variety of age levels and an "art loft."

Another big hit for our kids? Power2Play, a workout area with a trampoline, log rolling, pulleys that allow you to lift yourself, a small hockey rink, a basketball area, and some additional gym equipment.  G really enjoyed the "swings"--gym rings.  We started at the "top" of the museum at Moneypalooza and worked our way "down" and through--ending at Around Town.  This worked well--and ended our day with a quieter section of the museum before we headed to the car.

If you go, this is another place where you can pack snacks--just plan to eat them outside.  We found surface parking nearby at a reasonable cost ($2 an hour) and ate at Pogo inside the museum courtyard.  Expect crowds in the museum no matter the day of week or time in the summer.  While in the area, also consider visiting the Museum of Life and Science in nearby Durham, NC--we made an overnight trip of the two this time.  For our previous visit to Marbles, click here.

Another Make-a-Day-of-It Museum: Durham's Museum of Life and Science

On a road trip with friends, we went to Durham, NC's Museum of Life and Science, an expansive indoor/outdoor museum campus that's great for kids approximately age 12 and under. In fact, we were there around 4-5 hours, and we probably covered somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 of it.  This would make it a great pick for a membership museum--so if you live in Raleigh/Durham, we'd suggest that!  If you are from out of town like us, an ASTC Passport will get you in.  Our kids, ranging in age from 3-9, all had a delightful time.

We came for Hideaway Woods, the fantastic new complex of treehouses, and found a lot more. 

G, age 3, recommends the train ride (purchase tickets for $3-$4 each ride when you check in at the front desk); E, age 7, recommends the sailboats at Catch the Wind.  The adults in our group found Into the Mist, a unique misting/playing area, pretty magical. 

There are also bears, wolves, and darling lemurs, and in several cases, these exhibits have video cameras you can control so that you can see the animals when they are in more secluded exhibit spaces.

The outside area is pleasantly peppered with small indoor attractions like a butterfly garden and a particularly accessible insect zoo. We played in the Hideaway Woods creek and the adjacent playground just before our 3-hour drive home, which was a good move.

If you go, dress for the outside weather--and consider bringing a change of clothes/shoes for kids.  Wear clothing that can get dirty/wet and shoes that can climb. It's fine to pack in some food and drink in single-serving containers, and Sprout, the café inside, is a good place to eat as well.  Expect walking, and if taking in a stroller, take in one that can "off road" if you have it.  We didn't know much about Durham, NC, but we were pleasantly surprised by a variety of things to do, so go to TripAdvisor and take a look.  It's a city worth your time!

Welcome Back: Historic Masonic Theatre, Clifton Forge, VA

K remembers fondly high school days of being in plays at the Stonewall Theatre in Clifton Forge, VA.  She was Hallie May Clifton in "The Lost Cause," a Civil War play, and also narrated "A Christmas Carol" as produced by a group of locals.  The expansive theatre building was fun to explore--and she's retold many a ghost story she's heard there.  Go further back, and she can tell you about seeing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as well as a Benji movie, on the big screen--her first real movie experiences.  For a long time in K's youth, the theatre was a place of mystery, fun, and possibility--but in another way, she stood somewhat forgotten.  No longer.

Thanks to the very recent activity of a well-organized local foundation, as well as to the early work of folks like former Alleghany High School teacher M. Ray Allen in the 1990s, the theatre has been renovated and restored to her original glory as the Historic Masonic Theatre.  Today, K, J, and G took in a showing of The Wizard of Oz on its new big screen.  The mood was celebratory with a Wizard cast in costume present and an audience that clapped at scenes such as Toto's escape from Ms. Gulch's basket.  It was wonderful to see the community gather and appreciate the performance--and even more delightful to hear the names of many from out-of-town (Richmond, Winston-Salem, Roanoke) among the door prize winners.

The atmosphere of the renovated building is elegant but not stuffy--a true tribute to the theatre's 100+ year history.  The box seats, so long covered by drywall and sort-of accessible via makeshift dressing rooms used in community theatre, are gloriously redesigned.  The "basement," previously only with a dirt floor, has been reconstructed as a gorgeous small performance venue and concessions area.  What K knew as the "apartment" is now a conference room, and the beautiful skylight and wood trims are still intact.  The open, expansive studio room on the third floor that K remembers for its dated 1980s Kings Dominion cast audition posters is transformed into a classy ballroom with great views.  Even the bathrooms were decked out in Art Deco glory, and there's a chandelier made from salvaged parts that's obviously one-of-a-kind.  We bought two books to contextualize our experience even more: local photographer Chuck Almarez's month-by-month photo book of the restoration and a book of stories, collected in part by J's former colleague Joan Vannorsdall, that tell the story of the theatre through vignettes from individuals, several of whom K knows.  This book will be the first in a series called What's Your Story that will focus on the region--we can't wait to read more!  If you have stories of the Masonic or are just plain interested, we'd recommend you catch the "Remembering the Masonic" story-sharing event July 16.

If you go, make a day of the Clifton Forge area and/or the greater Alleghany Highlands.  We'd also recommend the C & O Railway Heritage Center, Humpback Bridge (by 2017--it is challenging to reach post the 2016 floods), and Douthat State Park among other attractions.  In town, you can eat at the upscale "destination restaurant" Cafe Michel, casual Vic's Family Restaurant, Cheers-like Jack Mason's Tavern, or welcoming sandwich shop The Club Car, all within walking distance of the theatre.  Our pic is from Jack Mason's, G enjoying lunch with story collection project director Joan and her friends.

We're proud of your renaissance, Clifton Forge.  Keep going.

Time to Eat: Kenney's of Lexington, VA

K, J, and G recently made a yummy trip to Kenney's in Lexington, VA.  It was a bit hard to find, but it was worth the trip. Reminiscent of the Virginian fast food franchise popular in the 1950s and 1960s, the classic Kenney's were famed for fun and value in simple foods like "sauce burgers" similar to those found at Tennessee's Pal's Sudden Service.  Today, there are a few independently-owned Kenney's restaurants around, but we'd never stopped in before--although K grew up with her mom bragging on the greatness of Kenney burgers.  We dined on sauce burgers and hot dogs, but we've heard the fried chicken is also fabulous.

The dining room is spartan and a throwback to another time in fast food history, which we liked--just don't expect Starbucks or McDonald's.  There was a strong local clientele clearly present even though the Yelp! reviews we read hailed from other states, a great testament to its Road Food-worthy nature. There were also a number of notes visible at the order counter from various patrons and civic groups thanking the staff for their support of the community...you don't see that much in fast food.

If you go, keep driving after your GPS says you have arrived at the restaurant at 635 Waddell Street. Turn left and drive by the closed medical office and the small used car lot, and you'll see the famous sign.  This is casual food quickly--but at a slower pace than typical fast food.  Pay attention to the hours--most nights, the restaurant is closed at 7 or 8 PM.  For our trip, we tagged on an evening walk in Lexington's downtown.  It's always nice to walk the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee campuses, and tonight, G met a charming cadet on post at the "castle" (barracks).

Ghost Walk in the Carolinas: Ocean Isle Beach Date

For this year's beach date, J and K hopped an island or so over on the Brunswick coast, leaving Holden Beach for a short time at Ocean Isle Beach.  The main attraction?  Ocean Isle Beach Ghost Walk, a summer activity available two evenings a week at present.

OIB Ghost Walk is a small operation with owner-storytellers who recount ghostly experiences had by individuals they've met personally.  The owners are also educators by day, so they carefully analyze the stories as they craft them from sources for recounting on the tour.  This gives the tour a special first-hand feel and an openness to questions, discussions, and deeper connections to local history that's not characteristic of all ghost walks.  Quite honestly, we really admired them for their zeal for their community and their scholarship.  Our favorite tales included connections to WWII submarines off the North Carolina coast and an absolutely fascinating story from Hickory Hall Mansion in Calabash.  The tour is also a great deal--just $10 per person, and a small book of stories is also available for purchase.  What's this?  Clearly, it's part of a non-existent military training mission. Take the tour to learn more.

Ocean Isle itself was a pleasant visit.  The character of the beach put us in the mind of Wrightsville--a little more bustling than Holden but not approaching Myrtle in its busy-ness.  On the tour, you'll be outside--and you'll get to step a bit on both sand and streets.  Dress comfortably.  There are no gimmicky sound effects and no visually scary moments; this is a fine tour for interested older kids. You'll meet the walk very near the place that emergency vehicles can enter the beach near the pier just over the bridge on the island.  We arrived early, and we asked some local business folks if we were at the right place--they didn't know, but we were.  Then, the tour operators reassuringly arrived in OIB Ghost Walk T-shirts.

If you go, consider also visiting the Museum of Coastal Carolina, a history/science museum started by local volunteers that has evolved into a facility broader in scope than most similar local museums. We haven't been yet, but there's at least one story from the museum on the ghost walk, so visiting would tie nicely to the ghost walk experience.  The museum is very near the pier where you can meet your ghost walk crew, as are several beachwear/surf wear shops, restaurants, and a well-tended modest putt-putt course. We ate at Provision Company, famous for bad parking, good food and great views, before leaving Holden.  "Pro Co" is a fine place with kids, but the atmosphere is currently lost on our young ones, so we find it better for a date.

Science Reinvented: Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond

Recently, we were in Richmond for a special event (congratulations new Lay Ecclesiastical Minister Melissa!) and decided to exercise our ASTC Passport membership again and visit the Science Museum of Virginia.  It had been a long time since I'd visited--probably honestly since the 1990s--and I'd heard they'd done some renovations including some updates this year.  The museum had a decidedly fresher look--and better yet, it was a ton of fun.

Visitors are immediately welcomed to the highly-interactive Speed gallery, a new set of exhibits that feature physics concepts in a way that engages most everyone.  Well-staffed by volunteers and others, the gallery allows visitors to race virtual mice and to play table hockey with a robot.  As we were told, the robot, advantaged with calculations about trajectories, always wins.  In the same gallery, there's a new Science on a Sphere theatre, and the presentation there, included in the cost of admission, was fuller and more interactive than any similar presentation we've seen.  For E, it was great fun to see the sphere "become" various planets he's studied.

Other areas in the museum include a small collection of living specimens including snakes and spiders and an interesting (if a bit more worn) exhibit about the human body.  We also enjoyed a brief performance of trained rats playing basketball.  Yes, you read that correctly, and any adult who has ever completed a behavioral science class of any kind shouldn't miss it...and the kids still find it funny.  We didn't explore the full museum--there are other exhibits and, for additional charge, Dome theatre movies.  If travelling with younger kids, don't miss LightSpace, the new exploratory area downstairs for those 5ish and under.  There's a place to climb!  The only drawback is that the area is not gated, which can complicate supervision.  While at the museum, visit the outdoor area where the trains in this restored stations used to arrive.  It's easy to imagine the glamour of travel in another century there among the platforms, a fabulous possible event venue.  Don't worry, previous visitors--the giant pendulum still hangs in the 5-story rotunda!

If you go, know you are very, very close to the Children's Museum of Richmond's Broad Street location, a fun stop for the littles, and are also conveniently beside a McDonald's if you are feeling fast food. There are also picnic tables available at the back of the science museum's outdoor area. If you will be travelling back west on I-64 later, stop at Tom Leonard's Farmers Market on the way home.  It's just plain cute--and there tend to be free samples of good food and solid deals on local produce.